Snowflakes of Joy PP324

I may live in Florida now but I am a born-and-raised midwestern girl so as The Paper Players hostess for this week's theme challenge, I chose snowflakes!  There is nothing like the sparkle and magic of new fallen snow; it blankets everything with quiet grace.  I miss those first snowflakes...but certainly not the ones that fall in March, LOL! 

For today's card, I was inspired by this tutorial for creating a beautiful winter night sky as well as Narelle's awesome sketch at Freshly Made Sketches:

I started with a layer of Shimmery White cardstock, die-cut a 2.75" circle and ran it through the Big Shot with the Softly Falling embossing folder.  This embossing folder is so versatile--falling snow, champagne bubbles, water, confetti--it makes it all!  It's a must-have folder.

To create the sky, I sponged a 3.5" x 3.5" piece of Whisper White cardstock all over with Tempting Turquoise.  Night of Navy was added just to the top half and over that [retired] Blackberry Bliss deepens the Navy and turns it a lovely indigo.  The water speckles, are just that...water flicked onto the ink with my fingertips.  When dry they created a lovely snowfall effect.  Scattered snowflakes from the Christmas Pines set were stamped in Night of Navy.  I die-cut the sentiment from the Wonderful Wreath Framelits in Silver Glimmer paper.  The letters were cut apart so I could add a snowflake--cut with the Starlight Thinlits--to the "o" in 'Joy".  

I thought the inside needed some color so I sponged and spritzed another piece of Whisper White cardstock and stamped this lovely sentiment from Christmas Pines in Blackberry Bliss (I really miss that color!).

I hope you won't miss a change to play along with this fun theme this week.  Or miss a change to check out the rest of the Design Team's beautiful inspiration at The Paper Players!  Join us, if you can...have a great week, friends!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

 

A Wonderland of Layers {PP264}

Hiya friends and welcome to another week with The Paper Players where lovely Claire has a fantastic sketch for us:

Sketch challenges are my favorite because, for me, the layout of all my elements is the most difficult part.  With a sketch challenge, it's already done for me!  Claire loves layers...and glitz...and glam!  So I had to make sure that my card for her sketch lived up to ALL of those elements.  I think I managed a few...

I think this is one layered and glitzy card, don't you?!  I used the beautiful Winter Wonderland Specialty DSP for all my layers and the elegant color combination of black, gold and white.   This paper is so gorgeous--with a rich, glossy finish and elegant patterns--every sheet is a winner! 

On top of the Basic Black base is a layer of Gold Foil paper embossed with the Softly Falling embossing folder--another beauty.  So pretty in metallic.

I heat embossed these gorgeous trees from the Wonderland stamp set onto some gold striped DSP.  The sentiment was also heat embossed onto cardstock Vellum and wrapped around the main panel and adhered to the back.

And how pretty are these wooden Snowflake Elements?  Especially when paired with Iced Rhinestones and Gold Metallic Thread.   

I really like how this one turned out and it all started with Claire's fantastic sketch!  I hope that you will play along with the sketch before our challenge ends on Friday, October 2nd at Noon (PDT).  Before you go, be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team with their fabulous creations....thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

  Claire Broadwater
 Jaydee

Joanne James
Laurie Schmidt

 LeAnne Pugliese 

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Amy Koenders
Jodi McKinney

Lisa Elton

Anne Marie Hile (on leave)

Festival of Trees for the Paper Players {PP224}

Hello everyone! I hope all my American friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving and fun-filled weekend. We had a great holiday weekend with family and friends; it's been beautiful North Florida November weather--bright blue skies and comfortable temps...just perfect!  The fabulous Jaydee is our hostess this week at The Paper Players with a bonus week Tic-Tac-Toe challenge:

Wow, so many different ways to go with this one.  I used this fabulous sketch from the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge on MaryJo's Techno Stamper blog and a diagonal selection from the board--Tree, Embossing, Glitter--to make this:

I have to say that this is my favorite type of color palette for the holidays-icy, cool elegance!  Blues and grays are my favorite.  I started with a piece of Lost Lagoon cardstock and die-cut a circle in the top third.  I then embossed it with the On Point embossing folder and popped it up on a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I used one of my favorite patterns from the All is Calm DSP and a snippet of Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper for my rectangles.

The Festival of Trees stamp set was used to heat embossed the trees with Silver embossing powder and stamp the ornaments in Lost Lagoon.  Punched out and set behind one another they really make a shiny statement!

I used one more on the inside because I couldn't help myself!  These trees are so pretty in silver!  Love the sentiments and little parts (like the bird) that come with this set too.  I know you're anxious to see all the fabulous eye candy from the rest of the Design Team so be sure to check out their blogs below.  I hope you'll join us too, before the challenge ends on Friday, December 5th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by, friends!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Andrea Whisman

Claire Broadwater

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

Yapha Mason

 

Here's the fabulous sketch from MaryJo:

 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Wondrous Wreath of Joy {MM136}

Hi all, happy Monday to you!  It's my last week as a Featured Designer at the Merry Monday Christmas Card Challenge and I wanted to give a shout out of thanks to Lesley and the fabulous folks on the Design Team for inviting and welcoming me.  Such a great group of talented designers...  thanks all!

This week Bonnie is challenge us to use Red, Green and White on our projects.  I was inspired by the pretty colors used on this card as well as the wonderful sketch over at Pals Paper Arts this week:

 

Put them all together and came up with this:

 It was another day or rain and gray skies so the colors are not as true as I would like.  Pistachio Pudding really looks lovely paired with the rich tones of Garden Green & Cherry Cobbler.  Love the small print on this Garden Green DSP from the Trim the Tree paper stack.  Speaking of stacked, I cut the Joy sentiment twice in Cherry Cobbler CS and Silver Foil paper off setting the two just a bit.  It really adds weight to the sentiment and makes it pop!  Almost like a drop shadow would do on a digital image.

Stamping just a portion of the wreath on the inside gives it the look of a garland swag and highlights the sentiment perfectly!  Make sure to check out the fabulous work of the Merry Monday design team.  I know their work will inspire you to play along!  Thanks again to the whole DT for being so welcoming and friendly during my month-long stay with them!  

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.