Thursday, January 7, 2021

CTS #403 and News

Good morning and happy 2021! Our very first CAS(E) this Sketch challenge was in October of 2012 and we have loved every minute of it. I started my time with CTS as a design team member, started doing the posts and such in 2013, and eventually CTS became mine when Jacki decided to step down. It has been so much fun and I have made so many new friends, been inspired time and time again, and even made things a family affair when me mom started helping me here and there. It has been a joy. My three boys were only 8, 5, and almost 2 when I started this journey. I remember promising myself that CTS was a hobby and fun and if it ever stopped being that, I would consider stopping. I've told the design team from the beginning of all of their terms that this challenge is for fun and, as such, I don't expect them to join us on week's when it doesn't work for them. I want them to enjoy it and not stress about having to make a card when they might be busy or uninspired. It has been wonderful having a creative space that was laid back and fun. While it is a ton of work to run a challenge blog, having a relaxed attitude about it has made it more of a stress relief than a stressor. 

However, children grow and somehow that makes life busier. For the past year, I have gone back and forth with myself as to how much I could handle. I tried changing many things to find a better balance but as the year progressed, I found that it is time to let CAS(E) this Sketch go. As much as I have hung on, my oldest will be a senior next school year and the others will follow closely behind him. I know that I want to enjoy this stage in their life and focus my time and energy into the time I have left with them at home. That being said, this will be the final month of CTS sketches. 

We will finish out the month with a two-week challenge starting on January 21st. I will be so sad to let CAS(E) this Sketch go but I also know that it is the best thing for my family and I. We've had a great and long run and I hope you will enjoy our final month. I can't wait to see what you all create and I hope to get to play along with you at some of the other amazing card challenges out there. It will be fun to have a little time to do that! Speaking of challenges, here's our sketch for this week:

Here's what the team created:

Chrissy Larson

 









Michelle Leone


Aren't they amazing! Have fun with this challenge and let the CAS(E)-ing begin! Check back Saturday for the winners from our last challenge! 

Important:  Before you create and submit your card please read the instructions on the How to Play page. 

Blogger Users:  We LOVE to leave comments on as many of our player's submissions as possible, so PLEASE change your "Show Word Verification" setting to NO. (Unfortunately, this setting is on YES by default.) Thank you. 

We have a CAS(E) this Sketch Facebook page so you can quickly check on what's going on with our challenge. Please stop by to say hi and LIKE us while you're there! The InLinkz will close at 9 a.m. EST on Thursday, January 14th. The new challenge will begin an hour later. We'll announce the winners at 9 a.m. EST on Saturday, January 16th. To play along add your cards to the InLinkz below.

If for some reason the Inlinkz button is not appearing for you, you can access the link up by following this link as well:  CTS #403. I'm trying to figure out why some people are seeing the link and others aren't. Thanks for your patience.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

34 comments:

  1. I know how incredibly difficult this decision was for you, Chrissy. Thank you for being such a wonderful leader, and friend! It has been such an honor to be part of the CTS team! Thanks so very much for that invitation, sweet friend! Love to you, and to your darling family - I'll hold on to that dream of seeing you here in Michigan one day SOON!! xx
    =]

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  2. Wishing all the best to you and your family. Thank you for all of the inspiration over the past years.

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  3. Thank you for all your time and inspiration these years! All the best to you and your family! Happy New Year!

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  4. Always loved this sketch inspiration, I'm sad to see you go, BUT, I will hang onto my sketches and use them as and when. Thank you again.
    Good Luck and keep safe

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  5. We're all so glad that Jackie chose YOU to take over the reins, and it was a pleasure to work with you, always. Enjoy your time with your growing boys and take time to smell the roses. Hugs to you, Chrissy!

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  6. I started cardmaking and blogging in August 2013 and there were only a couple of CAS cardmaking challenges during that time from which I learnt so much about this style of cardmaking, CAS(E) this Sketch being one of those. It's sad to see you go, but I'm glad that you'd get more time to enjoy with your family. Thank you for your inspiration all these years. Best wishes always!

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  7. Even I haven't play all the challenges, I know I will miss it. Thank you for all your passion you've put into the challenge!! Wishing you all the best!!

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  8. CAS(E) this Sketch is one of my favorite card challenges ever!! I'm going to miss it so much... thank you so much for inspiring us for so long! Good luck and best wishes to you and the team <3

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  9. I'm so sad to hear that your challenge will be closing, I've not entered anything like every challenge but I do love a sketch. I understand that you must do what works for you and I wish you all the best of luck

    Kathyk

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  10. Happy New Year!!! So sad to hear the news... one of my favorite sketch challenges! I will miss it very much. Everyone was so kind always leaving a positive comment. I really will miss you. Life gets in the way and we have to do what we are meant to do. I wish you the best Chrissy and everyone else as well. Love,
    Maria Helena Lama @mypapercarcs

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  11. While I don't always link up, I follow all your challenges and have gotten so much inspiration from this blog and the talented designers. You will be greatly missed!! Thank you for everything, Chrissy.

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  12. This makes me so sad Chrissy!!! I don't play every week but this has been one of my favorite challenges ever!!!

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  13. I'll really miss the CTS challenge - thank you for all the lovely inspiration you've provided over the years..I'll be sad to see it go!

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  14. Maybe we could just call this a Leave of Absence, Chrissy? Time passes so quickly, so it is wise to want to devote as much time as possible to your family. Yet, because time passes so quickly, it is my hope that you will want to resurrect CTS after the kids are grown. CTS is a favorite challenge of mine and I know I will return to your past sketches again and again in the future. Enjoy these next precious years!! Lots of thanks and hugs, Darnell

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    1. I am not ruling that out as a possibility, Darnell! I do love this challenge and if I end up having the time and missing it, I will happily bring it back. So, I like it...leave of absence! We'll go with that. ;)

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  15. Wow! The only challenge I care to look at is going away. Looks like 2021 is starting out just as bad as 2020 ended up.

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  16. Chrissy, this is such a fun challenge and you've been a wonderful hostess. Enjoy your time with your kids...you only get 1 go round. Thanks for providing us such fab sketches to play along with over the years.

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  17. This is such an amazingly creative challenge site filled with inspiration from a wonderful team! Definitely one of the all time greats! Even when I don't play I check your site every week for inspiration! Thank you Chrissy for all you have done - and thanks as well to your designers! Enjoy your family time with your kiddos - it goes fast!

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  18. I'm so sorry to hear this, Chrissy, as CTS is one challenge I enter most frequently. That being said, I do understand how much work running a challenge is and the need to be with family at this critical age. Good luck to you. Enjoy this time!

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  19. Thanks for hosting such a fun weekly challenge. Although I've not played every single week, I always check out the sketches and the gallery. The DT cards are always so inspiring. Yes, we will all miss CAS(E) this Sketch! Thanks to all of you!

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  20. I too am saddened at this challenge closing but totally understand and agree with your decision! Time FLIES by and all of a sudden your kids are grown & gone. I commend you for recognizing the situation and making this decision. Like Darnell ... I'll also be using your sketches for my future projects. Hugs and Good Health to you!

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  21. So sad to see you go, but I totally understand your decision! It has been fun playing along all these years!

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  22. I may not have played as often as I would have liked due to being over committed at times myself, I NEVER missed checking out the challenge and what the Design Team made to inspire us! Best of Luck and enjoy your extra time with family!

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  23. I sooo love your sketches! I hope that you enjoy every moment with your family! Life's too short not to do what's best for you and your family!

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  24. Best wishes on new journeys! I will miss the wonderful CAS inspiration your have all provided. Thank you for challenging and sharing so much.

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  25. Love CTS-sketches, a real challenge for me, cause I always want to use more on my cards ;) Thanks for all the wonderful lay-outs and wishing you all the best!
    Dutch grtz. Colien

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  26. Sad to see this challenge to come to an end but completely understand...family first...always!! Best wishes to you!! Thanks for the years of inspiration...this challenge has been a weekly go to for me!!

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  27. Oh no....so sad to see you go!! This is one of my favorite challenges! Blessings as you pursuit the next chapter of your life. I always say that family comes FIRST! God bless!

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  28. This is so sad to me, but so understandable and I wish you the best! I want to thank you and everyone for on the design team for all the inspiration throughout the years! Case this sketch has always been my favorite challenge and my go to! Thank you so much

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  29. Thank you so much for all the inspiration over the years. This is my all time favorite sketch challenge, and sketch is my favorite type of challenge. I am so sorry to see it go, but I totally understand that family comes first. I hope that perhaps you will come back to it at some time (maybe you will miss us as much as we miss you???). I wonder if you considered bringing in someone to try to fill your very large and talented shoes? All the best, and thanks so much...Joyce

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  30. I am so, so sorry to see that CAS(e) this Sketch is coming to a close. I know from experience the amount of work entailed in running a challenge blog, and also what a difficult decision is must have been for you... I felt something similar I'm sure, when I handed over "Less Is More" to others.
    Thanks you SO much for all the inspiration, and hard work to all the designers and administrators. It has been a genuine pleasure to join in with the challenges.
    You will be sorely missed!

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  31. I'm sad to see the challenge close too but applaud you for making that difficult decision. I like Darnell's idea of Leave of Absence too ;) Thank you for everything you have done for our lovely crafting community Chrissy. Enjoy the extra time with your family and hopefully see you in Blogland! Vicky x

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  32. I too am very sad that CTS has to end (perhaps temporarily only) but family and life are so much more important! This is one of the best challenges on the web and I thank you for the time and effort you've put into it. Is there, perhaps, someone who else who could take over the reins until you return, should you choose to?

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  33. Chrissy, all the best to you and your family! Thanks for all the years of great sketches and amazing DT inspiration! While I didn't always have a chance to play along, like Nancy said I always visited for inspiration. I do hope you will resurrect CTS someday if it works for you!

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