Saturday, June 14, 2014

CASology Creator: Melissa Chipperfield

With our 100th challenge fast approaching, we thought it might be interesting for you to learn more about the CASology team!  What exactly makes us all tick, anyway?  Admit it, you have wondered...haven't you?!  We're making Melissa go first since she created this whole thing back in July of 2012!


Since we're not going to reveal the 100th cue word until Tuesday (June 17), we thought we'd give you a chance to win a guest designer spot for the the entire month of July!  The first person to guess what our 100th cue word will get to join the team as a guest designer for the five challenges in the month of July, our anniversary month!  Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post if you have a guess!  Remember, you have until Tuesday (June 17) at 7:59 a.m. (CDT) to get your guesses in!  Want to know what we've already used for cue words?  Here's a list for you:

And
Anniversary
Apple
Arrow
Autumn
Bee
Bell
Bird
Black
Bloom
Blue
Blush
Bold
Book
Brown
Bubbly
Bunny
Camp
Care
Carnival
Circle
Contrast
Cool
Country
Crisp
Dessert
Dot
Drink
Electric
Extraterrestrial
Fairytale
Family
Fireworks
Fish
Flame
Flower
Free
Fruit
Furry
Game
Garden
Giggle
Gift
Gobble
Gold
Green
Happy
Harvest
Hexagon
Hope
Joke
Jump
Leaf
Lucky
Knit
Metal
Neon
New
Night
Note
Orange
Paint
Paper
Party
Picnic
Pond
Pumpkin
Purple
Red
Relax
Ribbon
Roots
Royal
School
Shine
Shoe
Shop
Silhouette
Sky
Snowflake
Song
Sparkle
Splash
Star
Sugar
Sun
Thanks
Time
Travel
Triangle
Up
Wet
Wheels
White
Wild
Winter
Word
Yellow
Zoo

Also, you will want to comment on each featured designer's personal blog during the 24 hours they are featured because there is blog candy involved!  Who doesn't like that stuff?!  Just be sure you head right over and comment on the currently featured member's blog as soon as you find out who it is!  We plan to feature one design team member here on the challenge blog at 10:00 a.m. each morning for the next 10 days!  Are you ready?


Melissa Chipperfield from Oh, Smudge!


How did you ever come up with the idea for CASology, anyway?
It was just one of those ideas that I wasn't sure was necessarily a good idea, but when it kept bugging me, I had to give it a go!  I wanted a challenge that used simplicity as its key element.  A single cue word seemed simple enough and I knew my own creative inspiration often comes from simple things like words & themes.  I hadn't seen a challenge that consistently used cue words for challenges, so figured it was different enough from what was already out there to have a chance at taking off.  Never did I dream that it would take off the way it did!  THANK YOU to everyone, both challenge participants and the design team, for that surprise!

Currently...
How did you get into card making?
Back in college (a long, long time ago...), some friends of mine decided to get together every now and then to make cards to save money.  It was a way to get together regularly and none of us were that serious about it.  We shared whatever we happened to have for supplies.
After college, DH & I moved for his career and I met a gal that was pretty serious about card making.  She introduced me to Stampin Up! and the rest is history.  It quickly became my hobby.

Why do you like Clean and Simple design?
I'm the type of person that likes things to be in order and I suppose that spills over into how I design.  While clean & simple design seems simple to the casual onlooker, it takes some thought along with trial & error to get a design to flow.  I love the challenge of it!  My ideal CAS design is one that is simple, but conveys the message clearly.  The simpler the better for me!  Of course, if there is a little humor I can inject, I'll do it.  Smiles are my job, after all!

Any advice to fellow crafters when it comes to finding their own design style?
Don't stress about it!  It will come with time and practice.  You should see some of my first cards!  CAS design was not what I started out with, believe me!  I still have a good sized stash of decorative paper and fancy embellishments that I don't know if I'll ever put to use!  Take a look at the work of designers you admire and consider what it is about their work that you love.  Maybe it's the color palettes they use or maybe it's the style of images they work with on a regular basis.  There are many elements that go into a card design and sometimes it takes a little time to find out which elements combine to define your personal style.

Is there anything else you think we should know about you?
I have a thing for photography, especially black & white photography and children's photography.  You'll find some of my photos on my creative blog as well as my fairly new photography website, Pixel Moments.
I love to help people.  If you ever have a question you think I might know the answer to, just email me.  I'm here to help if I can!  I sincerely hope you have found CASology to be a warm and welcoming challenge where you can find inspiration, support and friendship.

Don't forget to head on over to Oh, Smudge! & leave a comment for your chance to win her blog candy!  You have just 24 hours, so you'd better get going!

Stop back here tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. (CDT) to see which design team member will be featured next!

68 comments:

  1. It's great to find out more about Melissa and how CASology came about. My guess for the next cue word is 'Celebration' as it's the 100th challenge xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great idea to celebrate your anniversary, interesting too to find out what makes the team tick. How about ' TWO ' as the cue word, 100 weeks is roughly two years allowing for Christmas. x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hmm, I think the cue word will be "number" as the celebration is all about commemorating a special number! Thanks got such an enjoyable challenge, I remember joining in right from the begining!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Enjoy following Melissa so it's nice to learn a little more! I'm suggesting ANNIVERSARY as the cue as it's 100 for CAS & also the First World War

    Sally

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fireworks...that's going to be my guess. So glad that I found this challenge, even though I don't always participate I love seeing what everyone creates.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, 100! Great job CASology! My guess for the 100th cue word is "milestone". :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, party and fireworks were my first guesses but they are taken, so my guess for the 100th cue word is "Thanks". :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think BIRTHDAY is still not in your List...hope it is a right one... :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. My first thought was Celebration but Neets bet me to it, so I'm going to go for Friendship x

    ReplyDelete
  11. My first guess was NUMBER but someone beat me to it so I'm thinking TRIPLE (as in digits of the celebration).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well, the first word that I thought of was Celebrate. Which I see, many thinking along the same lines. ;) So hmmm...thinking about summertime, what about Surf or Waves.?.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'll go with PARTY!!! Perfect for the 100th! Bev

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well this is a lot of fun! My first thought was number or 100 but, they have been used. Hmmm...how about summer? I hope I got it right.
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well this is a lot of fun! My first thought was number or 100 but, they have been used. Hmmm...how about summer? I hope I got it right.
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm going to guess "ANYTHING". Happy 100th!

    ReplyDelete
  17. First, OMG your teeth are gorgeous. Second, I love CASology - thank you. Cue word: children

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great to get to know more about the "person behind the card" !
    Cue word: Number

    ReplyDelete
  19. I choose "Sun" since it was the first word that you ever used. Surely once every 100 words, you could have a repeat.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am thinking either Love, gratitude, generous...Congratulations for completing 2 great years....I myself know how much my CAS cards have changed in just a couple of weeks, after I started to play here and getting inspired every week!

    ReplyDelete
  21. A couple of my guesses have been chosen already, so I'm going to got with "butterfly". Congrats on the milestone :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. My guess is "century" or "centenary"

    ReplyDelete
  23. Or "baby" if I'm allowed another guess LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  24. My guess is the Cue Card that you chose for the very first challenge: 'Sun'! Thanks so much for a chance to win!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh this is lots of fun. My first guess was celebration, but that's gone, and then I thought number, century and friend. However, I think that the next Cue card could be COMMUNITY - this is such a fun filled community and so supportive.

    Great to learn more about Melissa too.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Congratulations on your upcoming 100th anniversary ~ I am going to guess that the next cue word is either coffee, chocolate, or summer.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wishing you an early congrats on your upcoming 100th anniversary! The first idea that came to mind was "celebration" - that's my guess as the next cue word.

    ReplyDelete
  28. It is always so much fun to play along with the team. How about "thanks" for the word.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I think your cue word will be CELEBRATE because you certainly do have something to celebrate. Congrats on your wonderful milestone.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Could "challenge" be the 100th cue word? Lots of great suggestions here :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Happy Anniversary, CASology!
    My guess for the cue word is......CAKE!

    ReplyDelete
  32. My guess is glitter :) I can't believe it's 100 already!!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I think it will be 'Congratulations'. And 'congratulations' on your milestone. I love joining this challenge and look forward to the next 100!

    ReplyDelete
  34. How exciting and CONGRATS on the huge milestone. All of my guesses for the cue word are already gone, so I am going to go with CAS as my guess, since that is what it is all about.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Congratulations on this milestone. I only recently discovered this challenge and love seeing the cue words each week, even though I don't always have time to play. I first thought that milestone would be THE word, but see that it is already guessed in a previous comment, so my guess is centennial.

    ReplyDelete
  36. My gues for the cue word is Milestone. Basically because 100 is a major milestone :o)

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'm going to just say that this is, by far, my favorite challenge... new to me, CAS has quickly become my design favorite and the Cue words are just the catalyst I need to spark a little creativity. so thanks, Melissa.

    Many celebrations include balloons... my guess? Balloons!

    ReplyDelete
  38. since celebration and party was already guessed several times and anniversary was just used I am going for anything goes - that this time WE have to come up with something on our own. Congrats on your milestone!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Congratulations on such a fabulous achievement ... and thanks for all the hard work and inspiration! Think I should've come to the party earlier ... so many great words have already been suggested! How about the word we've all been using to recognise your centenary ... 'congratulations'? Anita :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Gosh, the words 'chocolate' and 'celebrate' went through my head, but since they are already taken, I will pick another word that involves the chink of champagne flutes: 'CHEERS!' For you're a jolly good fellow(ette), and so say all of us...!

    ReplyDelete
  41. While you've already used Time as a cue, I'm still going to guess Clock!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I'm saying Silver, because its the the color for a 10th anniversary and 10 x 10 is 100....

    ReplyDelete
  43. I am back. My second choice is "SMILE."

    ReplyDelete
  44. One more guess ' "RE-DO." Is that a word. I would love to re-do or re-make a previous card submitted to CASology and see if there is an improvement.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Congrats!
    My guess for the cue word is Balloons!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Love Melissa's style!
    Cue word? how about coffee :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. I love CASology challenge and the cue words! To read more about Melissa and the lovely team who inspire us is really great, and congratulations on your 100th challenge. Thank you all :D Most of the cue words I would have chosen have gone so I will guess 'New!'

    ReplyDelete
  48. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I love CAS cards, and wish I could create them more easily! I can't seem to stop embellishing and layering, but I enjoy seeing all the CAS cards created by the team and players! Congrats on your 100 challenges! I'm going to guess "summer" will be the next cue card.

    ReplyDelete
  50. aw, love her stuff, love all of the DT! how about centesimal!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Great challenge and Great DT. I'm guessing ANTIQUE.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Congrats on 100 challenges..so fun. I am guessing Tea, I know it has nothing to do with 100....

    ReplyDelete
  53. Huge congratulations on your milestone anniversary! This is such a brilliant challenge site that deserves all its success and I only wish I could join in every single week. Is this week's cue word is 'Celebration'? I know Neet has already suggested that so, if we can't use a word that's already been suggested, I'd go for 'YAY!' Vicky x

    ReplyDelete
  54. Congrats on the milestone, and all the time, energy, creativity and inspiration you invest in this challenge! Certainly one of my favourites!! Behind-the-scenes details about the designers = awesome! My cue word guess: celebrate. Looking forward to playing this week!! ~c

    ReplyDelete
  55. Two more guesses if I'm allowed.....HONOR and FUN. So excited to find out what the word is tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  56. What about: Watercolor. It's super on trend and you can do so many celebration themes with just that cue :)

    ReplyDelete
  57. I guess it is 'celebration' 😃

    ReplyDelete
  58. Congratulations on your 100th challenge, Melissa! It's been such a fun challenge and I don't think I've missed very many. I love how challenging it can be at times and how other times I see the word and wham, idea! I also think you don't have a word for this week, so you're making us do all the work for you and you'll choose the word that gets the most comments. Huh? Am I right?! You would get a kick out of doing that and so would I! No? Okay, then I pick "friends" because I think people really do feel this is a warm and welcome place to play and lots of friendships are being formed because of it! BTW, it was nice to get to know you better and I'm enjoying the DT interviews, too; great idea! I wish you all the best for many, many more challenge cues!! Hugs, Darnell Oh, wait, "cue" is good, how about "card," for heaven's sake, or "challenge," or ... oh, someone please shut my pie hole!

    ReplyDelete
  59. congrats on your anniversary which is a happy occasion so therefore I think the cue card will be "Happy"

    ReplyDelete
  60. Hmmm... maybe it will be Team, Teamwork or Share? This is one of my favorite places to share :)

    ReplyDelete
  61. Congrats on the 100th challenge! My guess is "cheers" since this calls for a huge celebration!

    ReplyDelete
  62. You gave me my first ever design team position and have been such a positive influence in my life. Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete