Happy Krafty Chicks Thursday to you!
Are you ready for this week's challenge? I'm the hostess and we are looking for CAS, as in Clean And Simple. Here's my card:
I created this card for a class I had last week. It was a last minute thing (we haven't gotten together since the beginning of June, so long overdue) and I had one grandson sleeping over, which translates into: quick, easy, and CAS. I followed a one layer challenge from Inkspirational Challenge and a colour challenge from Cupcake Inspirations.

Pink and gray screams hippopotamus to me. And this stamp set is so adorable. You'll find it in the Sale-A-Bration brochure, which means FREE with a $60 order. But how did I make it one layer?? I used Masking Paper. I stamped my cute hippo on the card base and masking paper. I fussy cut the image for the mask as close to the outline as possible, sadly the dies won't do for this technique. Then covered the image on the card base, laid my decorative mask (stencil) over it and added colour with my Blending Brush. Once I was happy with the background, I peeled off the hippo mask and returned it to the backing paper. I now store it in the stamp case for future use; might be able to get 4-5 uses or more depending on the technique.
Then I coloured my hippo with Stampin' Blends. If you've ever coloured with them you know that the colour seeps through the card stock. And I don't like that look. So I added a spinner for the inside.
To create the spinner layer: cut your card stock 11" x 5 1/4", score on the 11" side at 4" from each end and at 5 1/2". You need to cut out the center using your trimmer, leaving 3/4" on each end and 1" deep. Tape a length of clear fishing wire or dental floss into the middle fold then you can adhere the card stock to the card base. The next step is to create a mirror image by first die cutting a blank hippo. Stamp in Memento ink onto a silicone matte then use the silicone matte to stamp onto back of the die cut (or as I did using a gel plate designed for mirror imaging). Be aware that the image isn't stamped as clear as direct stamping, it'll look a little blurred. If that bothers you, use a journalling pen to crisp up the outline. Then colour.
Supplies I used:
I normally like to keep the inside of the card and the envelope just as CAS. All except for the spinner layer, it's pretty much that, CAS. But the spinner layer isn't so hard.
Want some more inspiration?? Go check out the Krafty Chicks Challenge Blog to see what the Design Team have created. Hope you play along and upload your project so that we can see what's happening in your craft space.
Here's a direct link to our wonderful Design Team's personal blogs:
Leanne's Blog
Melanie's Blog
Lori's Blog
Marcia (Guest Designer)