Challenge 1 - Colours (Jan. 8)

Welcome to the brand new challenge blog The Card Concept!

We have been preparing for this day for months and we are so excited to share the inaugural challenge with you!

This is a bi-weekly challenge blog, which features 12 designers and 6 different styles.

Each designer has their own "style" of design and they explain how they were inspired by the challenge.

The styles are divided into 6 style themes:

• Clean & Simple (CAS)
• Clean & Layered
• Clean & Graphic
• Freestyle Collage
• Shabby Chic
• Classy & Elegant

We would love you to come and play with us. This week we have some colours for you to try! You must use the colours and create your card in one of the styles of the designers. 

The styles are explained HERE.

Clean & Simple

Tracey McNeely 

Inspired by these colours I made a smaller card, with a smaller image adding enamel dots for interest without clutter.

Deanna Dean 

My card is inspired by the softness of these beautiful colors together.

Clean & Graphic

Ardyth Percy-Robb 

Use lightest and darkest colours the most to create high contrast and really pack a graphic punch!

Geri Greening 

My design was inspired by the pretty cornices on the buildings in the inspiration photo

Clean & Layering

Kay Miller 

I couldn't help but think of flowers when I saw this beautiful color scheme. I alternated layering elements in the different colors, then added the pretty layered flower on top.

Kerin Sylvester 

I was inspired by the softer shades of the challenge, and thought this sweet little girl fit those colors nicely. 

Shabby Chic

Narelle Farrugia 

This colour combo is one of my favourites. These delicate pink flowers popped into my when I saw it.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz 

Whenever I hear pink, I think 'flowers', so this week I was inspired to create with lots of pink and florals!  The dress form shape reminded me of the tall buildings in the photo!

Freestyle Collage

Karen Davis 

I was inspired by the buildings because I have them as stamps and dies, and by the pink which I enjoyed using in this setting.

Cindy Lovell 

Because of the Pink,the first thing that came to my mind was Love,so created a Love themed card,with hearts and the pink background

Teresa Kline (Guest Designer)

I was inspired by the different textures, shapes, and of course the colors in the photo.

Classy & Elegant

Lee Ann Barrett 

I used this elegant flourished image as a base for my butterfly.  Placing the pink butterfly on a dark brown base allowed the butterfly to pop.

Our Rules

1. Use the Challenge to create a card.
2. Choose one of the design team "styles" to create your card. Click HERE for the different styles summary.
3. Explain in your post which style you used.
4. Link up your blog post here, not your whole blog.
5. Comment on the card ahead of you and behind you in the linky. Everyone loves comments!

This challenge will end on Monday, January 20th at Noon (PST).

Meet our first Guest Designer for 2014!

One of the styles that really interests me is the Freestyle Collage style of card making. I love the mix of elements and the textures on cards with this style. I think that Teresa Kline does this style of card effortlessly!! I was over the moon when she agreed to join us for the month of January!!! 

Please welcome Teresa Kline as our Guest Designer for January!

Teresa Kline

Hi, my name is Teresa Kline; I live in Virginia with my husband Gary. I have always been crafty, but started stamping about 10 years ago. I started out scrapbooking, but quickly started dappling in card making. I have had the great pleasure of being on numerous deign teams and look so forward to my guest spot her at Card Concepts. I enjoy most of all sending my cards in hopes of bringing a smile to someones face. I hope that my work makes you smile and inspires you to create!

We here at The Card Concept wish you and yours a magical Christmas season. We will be back with our first challenge on Wednesday, January 8th at 5am (PST).

Meet another of our Classy & Elegant Designers!

Today I get to introduce myself! Ha! It is kinda weird to be doing so! 

I have to admit; I did not know where to place myself in the list of styles. I know I like to create cards that are clean & layered but I wanted to have the challenge of creating Classy & Elegant...so here I go!!

Lesley Croghan

My name is Lesley and not only am I an avid card maker; I seem to be an avid challenge creator as well!! I am so proud to be a part of this team and want to thank all these lovely ladies for agreeing to join me in this adventure. I teach Grade 1 and I am happily married to the bestest fella. We have 2 furbabies...Rolley the Rocket dog and Penney the Princess puddy. I have been actively paper crafting since 2008. 

The Classy/Elegant Style can be defined as:

• polished
• shiny finish
• sparkling embellishments
• rich colour scheme
• sophisticated sentiments
• regal
• sweeping
• dramatic
• monochromatic
• layered textures
• awe
• impress

Please join us on Monday as we introduce our first Guest Designer for 2014!

Meet another of our Clean & Graphic Designers!

Today I am thrilled to be welcoming a fellow Canuck to the team!!! She is a talented designer and does clean & graphic so well!!! I was delighted when she agreed to join the team! You will find a lot of inspiration from her!!!

Please welcome, Geri Greening!!!

Geri Greening

My name is Geri Greening. I'm from a small 'city' in north central Manitoba, Canada. I have been happily married to my DH Dan for 35 years. We have two adult children, son Eric and daughter Brady and three grand fur babies - 1 barks and two meow! I am so excited to be working shoulder to shoulder with these amazingly talented ladies! I hope my clean & graphic creations will inspired you.

Clean & Graphic Definition: 

• clean lines
• simple treatment of text
• no frills
• bare boned
• message is communicated quickly

Meet another Clean & Simple Designer!

Only 8 more sleeps until Santa comes! Hooray! 

Today I am super excited to share another Card Concept Designer with you!!! This gal is super-talented and a real gem!! I was thrilled when she agreed to work with me again on a team!!! She is another of our Clean & Simple designers.

Please welcome, Deanna Dean!

Deanna Dean

Hi, I'm Deanna Dean, and I live in the same small town in Southern Oregon where I was born and raised. I have been married to my hubby for 23 years and we have one daughter, and this summer we gained a son-in-law. I have been crafting as long as I can remember. My mom and I were always working on something and trying new things. I started card making about 5 years ago and love everything about it. I'm super excited to be on this design team with these very talented ladies and sharing my CAS style with you.  

Here is a definition of what is clean & simple...

• One main image
• Lots of open space (uncluttered)
• Limited layers & embellishments
• Quick & easy to recreate

Welcome to Shabby & Vintage Designer; Narelle Farrugia!

Wow, so many awesome comments! The team and I really appreciate everyone's sweet words of support and the comments that you leave for us!

Today I am so excited to share with our another Shabby & Vintage Designer...I absolutely adore this designer! She is the sweetest and loveliest person...I was so happy when she agreed to come and play with me again!!! Every card she makes is pure magic...I love the soft colours she uses and the beautiful flowers she adds to her cards!

Please welcome, Narelle Farrugia!

 

Narelle Farrugia

Hi! My name is Narelle Farrugia and I live in Melbourne Australia.  I'm married and have two boys aged 17 and 14.  I fell into cardmaking just over 6 years ago after deciding to make a scrapbook album for my mum's birthday.  Before that, I never had any interest in crafting and back then if you gave me something to cut I would hand it back saying "I'm left handed and can't cut straight - you better do it".  Don't know how it happened as now I fussy cut everything, I'm totally addicted to challenges and want to spend all my spare time in my craft cave. I'm so excited to be creating with this team of talented ladies and can't wait to share my Vintage & Shabby creations with you!

The Shabby Chic & Vintage Style can be defined as:

• the use of used, worn or inexpensive components to make stylish goods
• distressed or sponged edges
• old feel-antiqued
• lots of embellishments
• ribbons or lace
• lots of layers

Meet another of our Freestyle Collage Designers!

Another week is DONE! EEK! Only 12 days until Christmas...what is happening to time! 

Today I am thrilled to introduce a new designing friend. She has been playing along with my other challenges and I could not help but notice her amazing cards. She has such a beautiful style and is able to create projects with lots of intricate detail.

Help me to welcome, Cindy Lovell to the team!

Hi, i'm Cindy Lovell. I was born in California but grew up and still live in Germany.I am married for almost 14 years and we have two wonderful girls, Jamie ( 13 ) and Emily ( 9 ).

I have been crafting since my Mom taught me how to crochet when i was only 3 years.I had my hands on almost everything craftable. I discovered Digital Scrapbooking back in 2005,short after i started Paper Scrapbooking.I started making cards in 2006 and became very addicted.

I love pattern papers and bright and bold colors.I hope i will be able to inspire some of you with my Freestyle Collage cards here on this awesome Blog!

I am very happy to be a part of this great Team with a bunch of amazing and talented Ladies!

Definition of Freestyle Collage:

• unrelated elements in a collection
• can be done in any style
• use of embellishments
• use of texture
• eye-catching and pleasing