I am super excited to be posting today as the Winnie & Walter Leading Lady for the month of August! I was so thrilled when my friend Shay invited me to be one of her Leading Ladies. Shay is smart, crazy talented and overall just a wonderful person that I have had the pleasure of meeting two times on crafting retreats in Kansas. This past retreat she was my 3:00 am cab ride buddy to the airport to catch our early flights!
When I was trying to decide what to do for my first post for this month, I had so many ideas but when I sat down to play with the stamps and dies the answer of my question became very obvious to me. If you were to ask me what type of designer I am my answer will be 'Clean and Simple'. I love white space, designs that are not cluttered but mostly designs that have breathing room. Not all of my cards are clean and simple, I do love to make a mess sometimes too, but my roots are clean and simple. Creating a CAS card is not always simple, in fact sometimes it can take hours to finish off a design that feels right. I thought for this week I could share with you some ideas of things I do to add interest to my CAS cards that take them from plain to wow.
I used the Dotty About You with Lydia Evans clear stamp set to create a rainbow of dotted circles onto a white panel. I stamped all three sizes overlapping some of them. The panel was trimmed down so that I could mount it on to the card base.The sentiment was stamped on to the panel and the YOU die cut was adhered below it.
To add more interest I popped up the panel with foam tape for dimension. Just doing that one step makes such a difference. Next I added some sparkling clear sequins, just a few to create a visual triangle. Finally I filled the sequin with some silver Stickles for some sparkle. Three small changes that ramp up the card without adding weight to the overall design.
For my second card once again I kept the design CAS. The basic design is the two dogs cuddling and the cute sentiment.To add more interest to the card I cut the scalloped panel from watercolour paper and then created a loose watercolour background using some Distress Oxide inks. I love the way they dry. The sentiment was stamped directly on the panel. The two dogs were Copic coloured and added with foam tape an finally the wee heart was watercoloured die cut was added.
I have a $30 gift certificate for Winnie & Walter gift certificate to giveaway on my blog, In My Creative Opinion. Visit all four of my Leading Lady posts this month and leave me a comment. On September 3rd I will draw a name from all my comments from over the month to win. You can enter once each week so you could have up to four chances to win...good luck!
I hope you enjoyed today's post and can't wait to show you what I have planned for next week!
I agree, CAS can be quite difficult! Thanks so much for
ReplyDeletethe tips! I love how you popped up the panel on the 1st
card; that really does make a big difference! Both cards
are awesome.
These are absolutely GORGEOUS!! I love love love the colors and those dogs!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Tracey! What an honor. Also a fabulous post as you go through the wow factors. I completely agree. Both cards are fabulous. I love the dots in the bright colors against the white with the fun sentiment. Your sweet pup and kitty sit well against that wonderful wash of colors too. Have a great weekend, looking forward to your remaining w&w posts.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your Leading Lady spot! Your cards are adorable! Love the die cut 'you' as part of your sentiment on the dotty card! And the pups are adorable on your second card!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards, and so many great design tips in your post.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being Leading Lady for August! I love your cards. You make the CAS style look stellar!
ReplyDelete<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Congratulations on being the leading lady this month, Tracey! You’re starting it off with a bang! Clever use of the dotty set.. your first card looks like fireworks! Your second card is simply adorable. xx
ReplyDeleteCute cards. I like the colorful dots on the first and the colorful background for the cute pets.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your month as leading lady Tracey! That sweet puppy and kitty card makes me go awwwwwww, and I love that CAS design too. I always have trouble with CAS cards because they never look quite finished to me. So, I'm going to be watching for your posts for tips on how to do it right!
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing your talents with us -your cards are delightful :)
ReplyDeleteBeautifully designed cards! Absolutely fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful! Love the super simple CAS card....it's beautifully done. The second card...oh dear those doggies are just so sweet. Great background too ♥
ReplyDeletelove your CAS style!
ReplyDeleteLove your cards.
ReplyDeleteBoth your cards are lovely. Thanks for sharing your creativity.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to see your sweet card designs for this month's Leading Lady spotlight! That CAS card with the Dotty stamps couldn't be more perfect and the combination stamped and die cut sentiment work so well!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome for you!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are so pretty
and great details on them.
Carla from Utah
Very cool to see you at Winnie and Walter as their leading lady this month! Love your work!
ReplyDeleteLove your clean and simple style. Both cards are great.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to be the Leading Lady this month! Big congrats, Tracey! Love your CAS style shown in these 2 wonderful cards!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards, Tracey! I must admit I love those cute little critters! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see everything that you create; you are so talented.
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards. I love the clean and simple style.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...
LOVE that you are the leading lady. Congratulations Tracey! And from someone who's been using your cards as Muse it's a delight to read how you plan and execute CAS. I have so much to learn from the leading lady.
ReplyDeleteFabulous card! Congratulations on the guest spot...well deserved!
ReplyDeleteI love both of your cards with their CAS look! I love the Dotty About You stamp set you used, such a nice subtle look. Now the card with the dogs is my favorite because I just love dogs and that sentiment is so stinking cute!
ReplyDeleteThe cat and dog snuggling is darling.
ReplyDeleteThe colors behind them are muted
and don't take away the focus.
Love the sprays of color on the first
card. Less is always more.
thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
A huge congrats sweet friend, well deserved! Your cards are CAS fabulousness as they always are!
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS on your well-deserved Leading Lady spot at W&W, Tracey! Your cards are absolutely beautiful! I love how you stamped the dotty pattern and your watercolor wash behind the pups is just perfect! I can't wait to see what you share with us over the next few weeks...Way to go, my friend :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy, I love your card designs and all the little details that you added for interest. Love the idea of adding stickles to the center of the sequins.
ReplyDeleteTracey you've always been a Leading Lady to me, my friend!
ReplyDeleteI am dotty over that dotty card!
=]
Beautiful CAS cards!
ReplyDeleteBoth your cards are lovely! The rainbow of dotty circles is so elegant and the background of the second card is perfect!
ReplyDeleteHaving you as the Leading Lady is a promise to learn some helpful tips and the warranty to see beautiful CAS cards. This is already happening today with your first post and these two cards. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge !
ReplyDelete[margessw(at)icloud(dot)com]
Oooh, such great cards! I love the background on the woof you very much card!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being the new Leading Lady for this month! Beautiful and adorable cards!!!
ReplyDeleteYay, Tracey ... so pleased to see you as W&W's Leading Lady ... many congratulations! Your cards are adorable ... the first is crisp, stylish and fresh, with heaps of impact ... and those snuggling pups are adorable, fabulous against that yummy watercolour wash! What a delicious debut! Hugs, Anita :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun to have you as W&W's Leading Lady this month. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI love the impact of your first CAS card, and your pets card is adorable.
Congratulations on being Leading Lady, Tracey!!! Love your fabulous CAS cards and all of the helpful tips you shared for creating interest while keeping things CAS!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the CAS style and both of your cards are wonderful. Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards ! I think CAS cards must be my hardest card style despite simple being in title. Your work is beautifully clean & crisp mine is aimed at cas but more mwfp ( messy with finger prints) which I'm sure needs a section of its own hehe ! Thank you for great examples.
ReplyDeleteGreat cards. Love those cute doggies.
ReplyDeleteI thought I had left love here for your beautiful cards, so I am finally doing that :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being Leading Lady at W&W, Tracey...you are so deserving of this honor!
Congratulations on being the Leading Lady this month, Tracey! So well-deserved! You always make the best CAS designs and these two are fantastic! I love your explosive dotty card of love and your furry couple are too darn cute in front of their beautiful backdrop! I woof it! Hugs, Darnell
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being the Leading lady. Love the pops of color on your cards.
ReplyDeleteLove these CAS cards - especially the watercolor bg on the second card! Your sweet pets just pop!
ReplyDeleteYay! Congratulafions, Tracey for being W&W Leading Lady.
ReplyDeleteYour CAS cards are beautiful and adorable!
Cute cards. Love the dotty one and the tips for stepping it up a bit.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! Love how clean and crisp they are with fun pops of color!
ReplyDeleteI too love the dots card and CAS cards are my favorite. Thanks for being so inspiring, Tracy. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe sweet doggies are adorable. I love how in love they look. My dog and cat loved each other so much, they slept together :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! I love how you mixed the colors in the second one. Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDelete