First ever STAMPlorations CAS challenge - Anything goes with Silver

Finally it's here, the day I get to introduce you to the STAMPlorations CAS challenge. I have been waiting for this ever since I was told I had been chosen to be on the Design Team along with these four incredibly talented ladies. I'm so excited to get to showcase stamps and stencils from a company that I absolutely love, and had been buying stamps from way before I started my design team assignment. 

So let me tell you a little bit about the challenge. CAS stands for Clean and Simple. So basically lots of white space (which doesn't necessarily have to be white), usually one main image, none or very few layers and minimal embellishments. What is CAS and what isn't is very much in the eye of the beholder, but basically think less is more and you will get there! 

The STAMPlorations CAS challenge runs for a month at a time. A new challenge is revealed on the first Thursday of the month, running until the last day of the month. You don't have to use STAMPlorations products to take part, but if you have them we would be absolutely thrilled to see them. The challenge is always Anything Goes, and there is an optional colour twist. This month our optional colour twist is Silver. You can link up to 3 cards per challenge. 

And then to the best part - the prizes. Every month, the design team will vote for our favourites, who will receive a badge to proudly display on their blog. Every month a randomly drawn winner will also receive a $10 gift voucher to the STAMPlorations shop, and even better, if the winner is using STAMPlorations products, they will receive a $15 gift card. So come play with us, it doesn't matter if you are an experienced CAS-er or new to it, we would love to see what you create. On the STAMPlorations blog you can find more inspiration from the rest of the DT. 

I created two cards to inspire you for our January challenge. As January is grey and dreary here in the Northern hemisphere, I wanted to use bright colours. I chose to use the gorgeous Celebrate Artsy stamp set and bright Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I love this stamp set as it's perfect to create those quick and easy but impressive looking cards in no-time, it's an absolute craft room staple and I use it lots and lots. For my first card I stamped the brush stroke stamp in five colours, misting with my spritzer a little bit to let the colours lightly blend. I then dried the watercolour panel and used an anti-static bag to prepare the panel for heat embossing, stamping the sentiment from Fond Expressions 2, a great set with many versatile sentiments that work for pretty much any occasion. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed in silver powder. Last, I added just one adhesive gem and matted the card front onto black card to make the colours really pop.

For my second card, I decided to experiment a little, and spritzed the watercolour paper until it was wet before using the same stamp in the same colours as for my first card. This time the colours blended much more, creating a much more artsy feel. After the panel had dried, I stamped a sentiment in black, adding another stamp from the Celebrate Artsy in Versamark and heat embossed in silver to create the highlight under the sentiment. I finished off with three adhesive gems above the sentiment. 

Don't forget to come back and see our mid month inspiration in two week's time, with more inspiration, and most importantly don't forget to link up your wonderful creations over on the CAS challenge blog!

I am linking up with the following challenges:
Try Stampin' On Tuesday - sketch (see below) plus something sparkly
House of Cards - Embossing (sentiment is heat embossed)
The ABC challenge - Y is for Your Choice 
One Crazy Stamper - Anything Goes
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes

Card: 300 gsm watercolour paper, 240 gsm coloured craft card in black
Stamps: STAMPlorations Celebrate Artsy and Fond Expressions 2
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean and Mowed Lawn, Tsukineko Versamark and Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle dies, Papermania Silver tinsel embossing powder, mini clear adhesive gems from my stash. 

Disclaimer: I have received some STAMPlorations products for free in exchange for creating cards for the challenge. All opinions however are completely my own. As you can see by browsing my blog, I have been using STAMPlorations products (which I bought myself) way before my time on the DT and I wouldn't recommend them unless I absolutely loved them myself.