PTI Blog Hop!

This month's PTI blog hop challenge is to showcase a skill I learned from someone in blogland! Oh, dear!  I think it is one thing to design my way, but to step outside of my comfort zone and design a CAS styled card is really hard for me.  I am all about some layers and stuff.  Clean and Simple, as I have said before, is like the "bikini" of cards.  The key design elements must be present with nothing else really.  There are so many stampers who embrace CAS styling.  I really do not have just ONE person that I can give props too.  I do however, have a couple of Christmas cards that are VERY CAS.  They even embrace quite a bit of white space.  It was so hard for me to just leave this space alone.   I did do a third card that is a bit more of my style.  Layers with lots of sponging.  I did sponge on all of my cards because that is ONE skill I use regardless of the style.  I almost always sponge something. 

This card uses PTI
2009 Holiday Tag Collection, and Signature Christmas stamp sets.  I used the Linen and Canvas Impressions Plate.  PTI New Leaf cardstock and ink.  Sponged edges with New Leaf and Camomille Inks.

This card uses one of my favorite PTI sets Masculine Motifs, 2009 Holiday Tag Collection, and  Background Basics:  Woodgrain.  The masculine motif set works for a lot of reasons and not just masculine.  I am using the trio of trees image in the set for Christmas.  I stamped the woodgrain in the back vertical.  I really need to get the woodgrain impressions plate. 

This is more of my style.  I did sponge a lot, added more layers, stamped my own background (DP by ME) and did a faux layered frame with the Mat Stack 4.  I am using The Masculine Motifs, Background Basics: Text Style,  Just the Ticket, and  Signature Christmas (several  of the sentiments fit inside the ticket frames btw....too cool) stamp sets.  I am using Mat Stack 4 die cut.  I sponged  the edges with camomille and chai inks.  I tinted the gingham ribbon with my chai ink.  I added a tiny string bow.  This card also uses the new fine linen in combo with true black.  I added just a touch of glitter with a glue pen across bottom of tree image and touches on the tree.  I also have a tip for getting the Background text style image straight EVERY time HERE! 

 I have found that the key to doing CAS is a great sketch!  I am using the sketch from Pals Paper Arts Challenge(PPA61). 





Supplies
Mostly PTI cardstock, stamps, and inks.  The circles and lacey edged circles are Spellbinders.