Ready for another fun CAS-ual Fridays Challenge?! This week we're on the go with a travel-themed challenge. Sky's the limit, whether you'll be taking to them or not for summer vacation.
The lucky winner will get a stamp set of their choice from CAS-ual Fridays, where a new release will be debuting next week! Don't forget to check back and see what goodies are available!
When it comes to cards outside the typical Happy Birthday/Thank You/Congrats/Sympathy sentiment, I'm often at a loss because honestly I have trouble keeping up with all of those occasions let alone finding new reasons to send a card. But it finally occurred to me that I could send a card to my traveling partner-in-crime as we start Season #4 of our City Adventures with the kids.
--------- side note on our City Adventures --------
It started with me being frustrated always taking the interstate right into The Loop and wondering what we were passing by. So I selected a guide book from the library (have since bought it ... Walking Chicago: 31 Neighborhood Tours) and each summer we pick different walking tours to take with the kids. It's really amazing how diverse our adventures have been all within one city. We've hung out in Cuban delis with old-timers giving us parenting advice, Chinese apothecary shops with hundred dollar/pound sea creatures lined up on shelves and a shopkeeper keeping close watch on our kids, African-American beaches where it couldn't be easier to track my blond haired boys in the water, walked past the diner where Al Capone used to hang out, been out waaaay too late in Humboldt Park where you don't want to be after dark and realized that the sausage truck we parked by is just one of a dozen identical sausage trucks, strolled into fancy boutiques on Oak St with our swim attire still on from Oak St Beach (big no-no), walked by Obama's Chicago house, Jessie Jackson's Operation Push Headquarters, Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam Mosque (couldn't get in much as we tried), I could just go on and on and on. Then we always end at a beach. We've tried a lot of them. I could go on about those too!
---------- OK, back to the card! ---------
So of course, the "Chicago" has to be highlighted in this stamp of favorite destinations. With all white letters in the red heart layered over the background, it still looked a little busy, so I went over the other cities in the heart with a red alcohol marker. This makes "Chicago" the main focus.
Then the "Hello adventure" sentiment is a Papertrey die cut from a huge roll of wall paper that my mom found for free at a garage sale, with a Heidi Swapp stamp in bronze.
Thanks for sticking with my very wordy post this week!
-Kelly
Love this love this love this! This reminds me of those arrival/departure times in the airport! I spy Hong Kong and that's my favorite destination <3
ReplyDeleteAnother super fantastic creation, Kelly! I love how you personalized Chicago both on your card and in your post!! (I heart Chicago, too. We had our weekend honeymoon there!) xo Darnell
ReplyDeleteFAB, FAB card Kelly, LOVE your Chicago heart & hearing more about your home city :)
ReplyDeleteYour adventures sound so fun and all in one city! Love your card, but was a bit sad not to see Honolulu as a destination city...lol. You'll have to tell us more about your city adventures season4!
ReplyDeleteI always love your cards Kelly and this is no exception! Highlighting "Chicago" is so clever.
ReplyDeleteGORGEOUS!!! Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteSylvia xx
What a great way to highlight Chicago by coloring the heart! We lived in the suburbs for 11 years, wish I had done what you're doing!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a clever card! Your heart focal point is such fun, and drew my attention first thing. I'm just north of Chicago. You should day-vaca in Racine's downtown and hit the beach there--lots to do and see! Two museums, awesome food, a marina, causeway, music on the square on Fridays at lunch time...It's so pretty here. And your card, is truly fun. Love it! Bev
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous Kelly, what a great spin on the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun card! And I love your walking tours idea! Living right outside of DC we pretty much NEVER go there and really need to more!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly - I absolutely love ALL your cards, and this one, with the 'story behind the scenes' is especially wonderful! I've only driven through Chicago once, when my husband and I were returning from (yes, another) bike-related event; that short adventure has me wanting to return at some point. We live to the far west in Canada, but road trips east are on our 'must do' list! Fantastic card here, and throughout your site! So much creativity and talent - thank you for sharing your gifts with us!
ReplyDeletec
Other than missing Toronto on the list (lol!), I love this card! I have the Toronto equivalent book, but I don't think we've ever done one of them - I'll have to take care of that this summer!
ReplyDeleteSo you've never come to Hawaii?? Or am I missing it. Love your adventurous card and thanks for sharing your adventures!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Hawaii would totally be on my list, are you kidding?!
DeleteLove your card Kelly!
ReplyDelete..was going to use the very same stamp and do the same thing,as in highlight Chicago!
but then I went with a totally different design..yours is simply superb!
Love this is much! And I love your Chicago area adventures - one of my favorite weekend activities is to pick a community and explore!
ReplyDeleteWow, Kelly, what a fantastic interpretation of travel ... love how you used the heart to highlight your city of adventures! Anita :)
ReplyDeleteI like your card! I love how you highlighted your city, and of course I enjoyed very much the story behind it. Great idea to look at your own place with tourists eyes, not just the tourists that go to landmarks, but the ones that want to know places 'deeper'(I do that sometimes).
ReplyDeleteNow a question, is it Ok for this challenge to use stamps/products that aren't CF? Thanks in advance!
Hi Loly! Absolutely, please feel free to use what ever stamps you would like for the CAS-ual Fridays challenges. The projects DO NOT have to include CF stamps at all.
DeleteYes, love looking at our city with tourist eyes ... such a rich connection gets developed : )
This is so stinkin' genius!! You always blow me away! Love, love, love it!
ReplyDeleteAwesome card. And, I love all your adventures. What a great idea. We do that all the time in cities on vacation, but never really thought to do it around where we live. Sounds so dumb now that I think about it. so, that list of cities--is that from the wallpaper, or is that the stamp?
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce! It's a Seven Gypsies Hampton Art $1.99 stamp from Michael's. I've never understood why they don't name their stamps, just makes it more difficult to locate them!
DeleteKelly, I love what you did with the heart and Chicago. Simply fabulous card!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, this is fabulous, Kelly! I LOVE how you highlighted Chicago!
ReplyDeleteAnd your walking tours idea sounds really great, too!
Co cool the way you used this stamp - just your usually brilliant style!
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ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing amazing article. I appreciate hard work.
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A Lovely theme, love its texture, thanks for sharing it with us.
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