Introducing the CAS (Clean and Simple) Design Team!

For the Anchored mini release hop + comment to win, click here. (ends 12/18)
For the Winter/Holiday Coffee Lovers blog hop, click here (ends 12/19)

I would like to thank everyone who responded to the STAMPlorations CAS Design Team call I put out back in November. I received 78 applications and I gotta tell you...it was not easy to come up with a shortlist, as there were way too many awesome CAS cards submitted.

In order to come to a fair decision, I asked applicants to submit photos of their CAS cards with no personal or identifying watermarks. And so I didn't know who made which card as I created a shortlist of 15. Then I asked the current design team members to vote on their top picks. Their votes, David's (the other half of STAMPlorations) votes, and my votes were tallied.

I'm proud to reveal the 5 talented ladies joining STAMPlorations and who will be leading the CAS card challenge we're starting in 2016! They officially start their term as challenge design team members in January, and I'm excited to have them sharing their creativity and talents here on the STAMPlorations blog. So here they are. Please welcome each one of them and I hope you can stop by their blogs!

KAROLA REHNSTROM

Invisible Pink Cards

"Hi, my name is Karola and I’m thrilled to join the STAMPlorations CAS Design Team. I'm originally from Finland but I have lived in the UK for over six years. By day I project manage a large biomedical research project but by night and on the weekends I'm a stamp-o-holic and you can find me in my little piece of heaven, otherwise known as my craft room. I mainly make cards but I also enjoy other forms of crafting such as knitting, art journalling, painting, photography and whatever else I can think of. I'm very excited to join the STAMPlorations CAS Design Team as I absolutely adore the gorgeous stamps and stencils and I hope I will inspire you to think of new ways of using them."

KSENIJA RIZOVA

Sweet Kobylkin

"Hello! My name is Ksenija Rizova, a.k.a. Sweet Kobylkin in blogland. I am a Latvian girl living in Moscow, Russia, for the past 12 years. I’ve been artistic since childhood, drawing and painting all the time. In 2012, I came across some simple card-making online tutorials and fell in love with a new hobby. I’ve tried different styles and techniques until I reached understanding, that Clean and Simple was my natural style despite the supplies I used. I’ve started actively blogging in 2014. I see my mission in channeling the knowledge about the card-making from the international community to the Russian blogosphere and introducing new techniques and materials in my blog and YouTube channel. I am very excited to join the STAMPlorations Design Team of truly talented artists."

LINDA WALMSLEY

Life in the Craft Lane

"My name’s Linda (aka LindyLou) and I’m thrilled to be part of the STAMPlorations CAS Design Team. I’m married with two grown up kids, and grandma to a delicious bundle of fun called Alex. I live on  the beautiful Isle of Man and I’m so lucky to be able to spend time doing what I love! It all started out as a hobby, over 12 years ago and has since taken over my life ….. and the house! My passion is  rubber stamping, and I love clean and simple designs, although I do like to dabble in mixed media  and grunge. I love paints and colour, and wouldn’t be without my Distress Inks. You’ll find me in my  craft room most days, and you can see the results on my blog."

LISA LAHIFF

Lisa's Creative Niche

"Hi, my name is Lisa Lahiff and I am married to my college sweetheart, a mommy of two and a paper crafter lover of all kinds! I was first introduced to scrapbooking in 2005, and then when I became a stay at home mom in 2008, I discovered card making and blogging all at the same time. I’ve been hooked ever since! I tend to create with a more CAS design, but I love experimenting with everything! I have had my dream of being published met several times, and I feel so blessed to be a part of this amazing crafting community!"

TONI MADDOX

Frankie Helps Craft

"Hi there! My name is Toni and I live in the Pacific Northwest just outside of the Seattle area. I've lived here for nearly 15 years (when did that happen?!) but am a Midwest girl at heart, having spent many years in Indiana. I have a wonderful partner who indulges my hobbies and sometimes gives me crafty advice. I have more of a CAS style but he's all about filling in any blank space on a card--LOL. I also have two stepkids who are all grown up now and living in CA for school, and Frankie the cat who's as crafty as I am. I've dabbled in various crafts my whole life and have explored about everything, including quilting, cross stitch, dyeing, jewelry-making, knitting, and currently card-making. When Seattle weather permits, I like to be in the garden (think about it anyway--LOL). Otherwise, when I'm not crafting or working, you'll likely find me lazing about reading or watching a movie with cat at my side."

What a lineup! I hope you'll come check out our CAS card challenge come January.

Hope you're having an awesomely creative day, perhaps making those last-minute Christmas cards? :o)

Keep warm and stamp on!