AAA Cards Christmas in July ...

Yes, that's right ... 'Christmas in July' is the theme for the new challenge at AAA Cards ... our aim is to help and encourage you to get creating those all important Christmas cards.  Every year I promise myself that I will not leave my Christmas cards until the last minute and every year I seem to forget.  

So this year ... I've started with three cards!!  Same design just different colourways ... a simple and super CAS one layer card ... easily replicated with any Christmas image and small sentiment:

Apologies for the shadow ... I either have not enough light or too much!!

The third card is hiding!

I used:

STAMPlorations:  Yuletide Deer

UNIKO:  Simply Said

WOW:  White, gold and silver embossing powder

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

I hope I've inspired you to get out the Christmas stamps and start creating ... come December you'll be thanking AAA Cards for bringing you Christmas in July!!

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Use a Frame ...

Good Morning ... it is time for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... I hope you are all set to get involved.  This time we would like you to use a frame:

I've used two frames to 'spotlight' part of the image:

I stamped and heat embossed the flowers before water colouring with distress inks.  I then used some rectangle dies to create the frames which I adhered to the card using foam tape to add dimension.  I also stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.

I used:
STAMPlorations - dee's artsy impressions, Blossom Sprays #2
Distress Inks
Lawn Cuts - Stitched Rectangles

I hope that you will take the time to join in with the challenge ... if you need more inspiration then pop over to the blog and check out the amazing designs from the rest of the design team.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Geometrics ...

Well it's been an exciting two weeks celebrating AAA Cards 4th Birthday Bash ... I hope you joined in and had fun ... all the winners will be announced next weekend.  While you wait why not join in with the new challenge that starts today!  This time the theme is:

This is one of my favourites ... I hope it is one of yours too!!  I combined my love of geometrics with rainbow colours!

I used:

UNIKO - Background Builders: Triangulate

            - Simply Said Blocks

Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Sapphire and Wilted Violet

Versafine Onyx Black

As always, check out the blog for more inspiring projects from the design team.  I look forward to seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... 4th Birthday Bash ...

This is the start of any amazing challenge we are celebrating at AAA Cards!!  It's the challenges 4th Birthday - we have some fabulous sponsors joining in with the celebration by providing lots of amazing prizes.  To win all you need to do is join in with the fun and get creative - full details on how to participate are at the end of this post.

As always the first way to join in is to create a clean and simple card and link up to the challenge:

... and it will be no surprise that the theme is 'Happy Birthday'.  Need inspiring? How about this:

I used:

STAMPlorations - Bloomtangled ATC #1

Distress Inks - Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Candied Apple, Twisted Citron, Mermaid Lagoon, Blueprint Sketch, Picked Raspberry and Wilted Violet.

WOW Platinum Embossing Powder

UNIKO Simply Said

If this isn't enough inspiration then visit the blog and take a peak at the amazing projects from the rest of the team.

Remember I said we had lots of sponsors, well check this out:

... and here's how to join in:

Are you going to join in with the treasure hunt ... if you are then this list will help you:

Åsa
Bharati

Ceal
Cheryl
Elaine - you are here!
Jane

Ksenija
Lucie
Maaike
Melissa

Tracie

I hope you will join in with the bash ... the more you play the greater the chance that you will win!!

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Inspired by Nature

Time for a new challenge at AAA Cards and this week we turn to nature for our inspiration.

I think nature is my go to theme in most of my designs as I have hundreds (well maybe not hundreds!!) of flowers and butterfly stamps!  This time we are sponsored by Happy Little Stampers.

Another simple design ... stamp three butterflies onto a gelli print then fussy cut them out.  Stitch the images to the centre of a piece of card, draw in their antenna (it saves trying to fussy cut the thin lines!). I finished by adding some pierced detail to the corners for extra interest. 

I used:

UNIKO English Country Garden: Butterflies

Papermania Urban Stamps Butterflies

Versafine Onyx Black

I do hope that you will join in ... just remember to keep your design clean and simple (CAS).

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Tic Tac Toe

It's Sunday morning and time for a new challenge at AAA Cards and we sure have some fun for you!!

So many choices ... just in case you are not familiar with this type of challenge you need to choose three elements in a line just like in the game!  The challenge is sponsored by STAMPlorations

I went with Gold, Water colours and flowers:

I stamped and heat embossed the image before water colouring the flowers.  I then die cut the panel before assembling on to the card base - some of the elements were adhered flat to the base and the main circle image was added using foam tape.  I finally stamped and heat embossed the sentiment.

I used:

STAMPlorations - Dee Artsy Impressions, Blossom Sprays #2

UNIKO - Simply Said

Versamark

WOW Gold Embossing Powder

Jane Davenport Mermaid Markers

Lawn Cuts Stitched Rectangles

Dienamics Stitched Circles

I hope you will join in and have fun deciding which combination of elements to use.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Perfect Day

Morning all!  It is time again for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... 

 

... what springs to mind for you for A Perfect Day ... my thoughts immediately went to a Wedding Day but it could be anything it is your choice the only thing you need to remember is to keep your design clean and simple (CAS).

Apologies for the bright white line - this is a reflection from my camera and not part of the design!!

This is a simple design that is all about the words!!  The colour behind the letters is part of a print created by me using a gelli plate (my current obsession!).

I used:

Dienamics High Rise Alphabet

Tattered Lace Alpha Retro

UNIKO Simple Said Stamp set

I hope that you join in with the challenge and look forward to visiting your blogs to check out what you come up with!

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Favourite Technique ...

Good Morning ... I hope you haven't been caught out by any jokers in your house this morning ... it is April Fool's Day!!  I don't have any jokes or pranks to play on you so you are safe to carry on reading!!  Today is the start of a new challenge at AAA Cards ... this time we are encouraging you to create a CAS card using your favourite technique.

I have so many favourite techniques it was difficult to decide which one to choose!!  I finally decided to go with using my Zig markers to water colour a floral image.

I stamped and heat embossed the image before colouring using zig markers - I cut up the image into six pieces and adhered them, like a jigsaw puzzle, to the card base.

Do you have a favourite technique ... why not get out your supplies and join in with the challenge.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Use only one third ...

Good morning!  It is time for a new challenge at AAA Cards ...

This is my take on the challenge:

A simple panel of dots and circles stamped with distress ink. 

I used:

Simon Says Stamp - Lots of Dots

Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean, Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon

UNIKO - Simply Said

If you are looking for more inspiration why not check out the other designers by visiting AAA Cards.  I hope you will join in.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... Ombre ...

Sunday morning and time for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... I hope you are ready to be inspired to join in.

My design involves ink blending, die cutting and a stamped sentiment:

I ink blended a panel of card before die cutting the bubbles - I used the 'waste' from the middle of the die and adhered them to a rectangle.  This was then adhered using foam tape to add some dimension.  Added the white heat embossed sentiment and added the panel to the card base.

I used:

Sizzix - Bright Bubbles die

STAMPlorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangles

UNIKO Simply Said stamp set

Distress Inks - Squeezed lemonade, Spiced Marmalade, Carved Pumpkin, Candied Apple.

I hope you will pop across to AAA Cards and join in with the challenge.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Die Cuts only ...

It's time for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... this time it is all about die cuts!

We're looking for CAS cards that feature die cuts as their main and focal point. We will accept the addition of a stamped sentiment, but not stamped images that have been die cut. As always our definiton of CAS means that white space should not be patterned, embossed or textured.

I love using die cuts to create cards.  Recently have been die cutting from prints that I've created using acrylic paints on gel printing plates ... and today is no exception ... one design, two colourways.

I used:
Dienamics - High Rise Alpha dies
STAMPlorations - Birthday die

I hope you will be inspired to get out your dies and join in with the challenge ... if you need more inspiration pop across to the blog and check out the design team projects.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards ... All you need is love ...

As a new week begins it is time for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... are you ready to be inspired ... how about getting you craft supplies and join in with the challenge ... the theme:

The sponsor for this challenge is UNIKO ... if you join in with the challenge you have the chance of winning a beautiful stamp set.  

I used:

UNIKO - Pure Florals: Rose

Distress Inks - Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry

Sizzix Nesting Heart dies

Tim Holtz Mixed Media dies

Wow Embossing Powder

Pop over to the blog and check out the awesome designs from the team ... then start creating!

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Chilled ...

Good Morning,  I hope you are all set for a new challenge at AAA Cards ... these are the details:

What do you see -the colours, the snow, the word?   I've taken inspiration from the colours and taken the 'chilled' to mean relaxed and this is the result>

I used:

STAMPlorations - Trendy Feathers 2 and Feathery

Distress Inks - Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon and Salty Ocean  

WOW White Embossing Powder.

Why not visit AAA Cards and check out the amazing designs by the design team - I know you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Quote ...

Morning all and welcome to the first challenge for 2018 at AAA Cards ... I hope you are ready to get out the crafting supplies and get creating ... the challenge is to be inspired by a quote.

I decided to work with the rainbow colours in the background and tried to find a suitable quote ... I went with the new year as the new beginning and used a quote which hopefully many of us will take as good advice for the year ahead.

I used:

Kaisercraft - Curiosity Clear Stamp Set

Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean, Chipped Sapphire and Wilted Violet.

Stampin Up - Gorgeous Grunge and Off the Grid

WOW Clear Embossing Powder

Remember to check out the blog for all the great designs from the rest of the design team - I just know that you will not be disappointed.  I look forward to visiting your blogs to check out your creations.

Enjoy!

AAA Cards Sparkle ...

It is hard to believe that this will be the last challenge of 2017 at AAA Cards ... doesn't time just fly by so quickly!!  I do hope that you can find time to join in with the challenge ... what's the theme ...

... not only is it the last challenge of the year but we are also giving you extra time to join in.  As you can see this challenge will be open for four weeks instead of the usual two ... so even more time to get out the supplies and get creating!!

It is difficult to see the sparkle but the snowflake is covered in gold gilding flakes and does shimmer and sparkle especially when spinning on the card.

A simple design using:

UNIKO - Designer dies Snowflake Trio,  Festive Sentiments Clear Stamps

I do hope that you will join in with the challenge and I look forward to visiting your blogs and checking out your designs.

Enjoy!