Mosaic Madness for {PP145}

Happy Sunday peeps and Happy Mother's Day to all my friends who are mothers--furbabies included--out there!  This week is our color challenge over at The Paper Players and the talented Jaydee has a rich color challenge for us:

I was itching to use another of my sneak peek products with these gorgeous colors so I grabbed the new stamp set Mosaic Madness, available May 31st, and got to work:

Not only does this stamp set have a coordinating punch--love that!--but also a coordinating embossing folder.  I embossed the Whisper White cardstock and started stamping a bunch of different shapes until I found what I liked.  The outline mosaics are stamped in Midnight Muse and the centers--a separate stamp (again, love that!)--are Gumball Green.

I stamped directly on the embossed cardstock with Raspberry Ripple inside the smaller mosaics.  I just love these shapes--really clean but still ornate, ya know?  

I kept the inside super simple for a hand-written note.  Just added a few more outline mosaics with alternating colors for the center.  While these colors, on their own, are very rich and regal when paired with white they look crisp and faintly patriotic!  Perfect for summer--since that's what it feels like around here!  I hope you're feeling some warmer weather where you are for Mother's Day today.  Please drop by The Paper Players to check out the rest of the Design Team samples, I know you will enjoy it!  Then come on along and join in the fun before our challenge closes on Friday, May 17th at Noon (PDT).  Hope to see you there!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Amy O'Neill

Brian King

Jen Nelson

Justin Krieger

Sandy Mathis

 
Supplies 
Stamps: Mosaic Madness [available 5/31/13]; Curly Cute 
Ink: Midnight Muse; Raspberry Ripple; Gumball Green; Versamark
Paper: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green; Whisper White CS
Extras:  Modern Mosaic Textured Embossing Folder [available 5/31/13]; Mosaic Punch [available 5/31/13]; 1.25" square punch; white embossing powder; Stamp-a-ma-jig

A Rainbow of Wishes {PP87}

Happy Sunday everyone! I am so excited to be the hostess this week at The Paper Players for our Clean-and-Simple Challenge.  My challenge is to make a Clean-and-Simple project featuring...BUTTONS!

I took an abstract approach to this challenge and instead of using real buttons, I used my Sweet Buttons embosslit die to make paper buttons.  Boy, my arm got a work out cranking that Big Shot!  Here's what I did with the buttons....ALL of them!

I actually only used one real button on this card but made and used 54 paper ones!!  My colors were Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry.  I laid the buttons out on some scrap paper to get the layout I wanted and then transferred them to my cardstock one by one attaching each of them with some SNAIL tape.

I didn't want to cover up all those sweet little buttons with a sentiment so I stamped it onto vellum cardstock, flagged the end with a 1 1/4" square punch and tucked it under a [retired] Crumb Cake corduroy button.  I love the way the buttons peek through the vellum.

Of course, I had many extra buttons with each pass through the embosslit so I used some slightly larger ones on the inside with a Sale-a-Bration sentiment called Sprinkled Expressions.  So, what do you think?  Want to play along with us?  Maybe after you see the AMAZING creations from the rest of my teammates you will be even more inspired!  Seriously, they hit it out of the park on this one.  Check them out from this list:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan (on break)

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Sherry Eckblad (March GD)

I do hope you will consider playing along with us at The Paper Players this week.  We would love to see your button creations!  Our challenge will close Friday, March 23rd at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by friends!

Supplies 

Stamps: Curly Cute; Sprinkled Expressions 

Ink: Jet Black Stazon; Real Red classic ink 

Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Real Red, Vellum CS 

Xtras: Sweet Buttons embosslit; Crumb Cake Corduroy button [retired]; Whisper White Baker's Twine

Simple Paradise {PP52}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, everyone!  I hope you're having a fabulous weekend and Happy Father's Day to all the men out there!  Hmmm, I wonder if I have any male readers??  Paper Player Jaydee is our Clean-and-Simple hostess this week and she has challenged us with a simple and classic sketch:

Lovely, isn't it?  Lots of options with this one.  I like to mix it up a bit so I turned the sketch on it's side which put the focal piece on the right side like this:

And what a perfect sketch to show off one of Stampin' Up's newest In Color...Pool Party!  A beautiful soft and cool ocean blue that is just gorgeous and will be available with the new catalog on July 1st .  I've stamped the background with the retiring Sanded background stamp inked in Pool Party.  Another retiring stamp set, Paradise, was inked in Pool Party, More Mustard, Soft Suede and Lucky Limeade (another new In Color) and stamped onto Whisper White.

Here you can get a good close look at Pool Party and Lucky Limeade.  I trimmed out the main piece with a scalloped border of More Mustard that I distressed a little with the bone folder.  Then wrapped the whole thing with Early Espresso Baker's Twine.  This Baker's Twine is a chameleon; it magically matches whatever shade of brown it is paired with.  Doesn't it look like Soft Suede Baker's Twine here? 

A clean and simple card deserves a clean-and-simple inside too!  Because I want to use my Sanded background stamp as much as possible before it retires :-), I stamped it again on the inside behind my Whisper White panel onto which I repeated more tropical leaves from the Paradise set. 

So, I hope you've liked my Simple Paradise card;  I would love to hear what you think!  Be sure to check out the inspiring work of our amazing Design Team and then head off to your craft room from some clean-and-simple fun!  Be sure to load up your lovely creations by Friday, June 24th at midnight (PST) to have a chance for the Design Team's winning selections.  Hope to see you at The Paper Players!

supplies:

stamps: paradise; curly cute, sanded

ink: pool party, lucky limeade, more mustard, soft suede

paper: pool party, whisper white, more mustard CS

xtras: scalloped border punch; early espresso baker's twine.

Fabulous Inspiration: {PP49}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends!  This week The Paper Players have a bonus challenge for you...Anything Goes!!  Your favorite technique, your favorite colors, your favorite sketch--whatever your creative mind can dream up!  

 Today, I have an inspiration card to share with you.  Since my paper crafting journey began, I notice colors and patterns everywhere but especially in home and fashion catalogs.  Does this happen to you?  I'm looking at a catalog or I see a top, dress or bag on someone and think about what stamps, paper and colors I could use to turn it into a card!  Today's card was inspired by this beautiful quilt at The Company Store:

Isn't it gorgeous?  So...do you see what I see?  I can't help but see Fabulous Florets in Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry and Naturals Ivory.  And, here's my interpretation:

It's a pretty simple one, just layered all the stamps from Fabulous Florets in my inspiration colors onto Naturals Ivory cardstock.  I used the Woodgrain background stamp in Sahara Sand to mimic the woodgrain on the side table and headboard in my inspiration photo.  Super simple and packs a big punch in person!  What do you think?  Would you like to play along?  With such a wide-open challenge, we hope you'll find time to join us at this week!  Check out all the design team inspiration at The Paper Players and then link up your lovely creation by midnight (PST) Friday, June 3rd to be considered for the design team's favorites!  Have a great day, friends!

supplies:

stamps: fabulous florets, woodgrain, curly cute

paper: naturals ivory CS

ink: old olive, rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie, sahara sand classic ink

Recycled Paper Players Challenge: {PP41}

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you're having a great weekend.  If you're looking for my [Orlando] Regionals Creativity Challenge card, please go here.  

Today is our first April theme challenge at The Paper Players and LeAnne has challenged us to use a recycled or repurposed item on our projects.  

 Clean out your supplies, clean out your stash, look in your recycle bin--find treasures anywhere!  It can be a piece of ribbon from gift box you kept (does anyone else beside me do this?!), a picture from a catalog, or that pretty wrapping paper you just couldn't part with (oh yeah, I do that too!). Can you identify the source of the recycled item on my card?

It's the carton from a 6-pack of beer!  Longboard Lager to be specific:

 

Can you believe how beautiful the artwork is on this carton of beer?!  Wouldn't this make a great "guy card"?!  I took the carton apart, selected the areas I really liked and ran it through the Big Shot with the Circles #2 die.  Look at these beach bums catching some waves:

and I love the palm fronds:

The circles are mounted on More Mustard cardstock with a little added paper piercing around the bottom.  Some baker's twine and a Curly Cute sentiment finished off the front.

...and a little bit of stamping finished off the inside.  There's actually more stamping on the inside than the cover!  The tropical leaves are from the Paradise set stamped in Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and More Mustard.  Along with a sentiment from Hope Happens and Bring on the Cake.  If you like today's card, you might like this simple masculine card I made a couple years ago for my BIL--it was my first 6-pack card!  You should see how many 6-pack cartons I have piled up now!  My husband will even select beer now based on how cool the packaging would look as a card, lol!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Be sure to check out the rest of the design team's inspiration over at The Paper Players.  If you would like to play along, you have until Friday April 8th at midnight (PST) to load up your creation on our blog.  I hope you'll have some fun with this challenge--we can't wait to visit you!

Laughter is {Heal}thy

Oh my goodness, the first Paper Players blog hop was a resounding success!  I am simply stunned and amazed at how many of you visited this blog 'o' mine yesterday and left such sweet comments!  I treasure each and every one of them.  It was so nice to hear from old friends and new friends and a few that I didn't even know I had ;-).  Big hugs to all of you for stopping by.  If you left your email or blog address, I intend to visit you it just may take me awhile to get through to everyone! :-)

So I have a quick little card to share with you today that needs a little back story.  A dear friend and colleague recently completed a very successful round of chemotherapy.  We were all soooo happy for her and wanted to celebrate this milestone.  She has had the best attitude through everything and I wanted to make her a happy, vibrant, upbeat card to match her personality!  I also need to tell you that her maiden name is....Button.  I know, how cool is that?!  So here is the card I made for her:

So more of the fun and fabulous Sweet Stitches DSP took center stage here with a strip of [retired] Tempting Turquoise DSP and that fun button border!  Now before you go looking for it in the SU catalog, I'll tell you that it's "contraband", that means non-SU!  Shhh.  I don't own it but had to use it while visiting my mom a few weeks ago.  Isn't it perfect?! 

and the punched needle was just crying out for an embellishment so a little bit of embroidery floss tied onto a Daffodil Delight button was the perfect touch!

and a quick peek at the inside with a sentiment from Curly Cute.  I think it did the trick as she squealed with delight when she opened it!  And that's what I love about giving a handmade card--making something uniquely personal that just makes someone's day.

You all certainly made my day yesterday so I hope this has brightened your day just a little--have a great one my friends!

supplies:

stamps: curly cute, word play

ink: early espresso, tempting turquoise

paper: early espresso, whisper white, daffodil delight CS; sweet stitches DSP

xtras: button border punch (EK Success); embroidery floss; designer buttons (brights); corner rounder punch

A Curtain Call Sketch 4 U

Hi everyone, happy Friday!  We all have the day off today, in fact almost the whole city does as it is a very big day here in North Florida.  Believe it or not, the schools all shut down for UF Homecoming!  I know, it's crazy but if you follow the Florida Gators at all, you will understand.  Parades, pep rallies, it's crazy!  We've lived here over 15 years and I still don't "get" it but I'll take the day off! :-)

Thank goodness, too, because it gave me time to stamp for Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge this week.  Aren't these colors fabulous together?!  So Saffron, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Basic Black & Whisper White...so fresh and modern!  I also used Kazan's great sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You.  Here is what I created:

The single stamp, Ornate Blossom, was inked up with Stampin' Write markers in this weeks colors, stamped on Whisper White and cut out with circle nestabilities and the Big Shot.  I stamped the center of the blossom with Marina Mist ink on some scrap, cut it out and popped it up on dimensionals.  I really like how the Black Raven Lace looks laid flat on the So Saffron designer paper next to a piece of Marina Mist cardstock embossed with the Polka Dot impressions folder.  The sentiment from Curly Cute was stamped with jet black Stazon for a crisp clean look.  Not sure if I like the 3 pearls but I felt it needed something more in that corner to balance the blossom.

Here's a quick look at the inside with more of the same designer paper.  I'm sorry it looks crooked in the photo, I think it's the angle, I promise it's straight IRL!

This is a smaller version of the same ornate blossom and this one is from the Friends Never Fade set.  I inked it in Marina Mist and stamped off once before stamping on the paper.  Such a fitting sentiment for a thank you card, this one is from the level 2 hostess set Occasional Quotes.

So, that's it for today...I hope you like it.  As always, thank you for stopping by and thank you even more for leaving a comment with your feedback.  I love hearing from you!  Be sure to check back on Sunday for another fabulous week at The Paper Players!

supplies:

stamps: ornate blossom; friends never fade; curly cute; occasional quotes

ink: basic black, marina mist, stazon

paper: crumb cake, whisper white, sweet pea stack (retired)

xtras: crumb cake, marina mist, daffodil delight, basic black stampin' write markers; black raven lace; basic pearls; polka dot impression folder; circle nestabilities

Wavy Trims

Thanks for stopping by tonight!  Before I get to the card, just want to give another shout-out for the great sketch challenge over at The Paper Players.  You still have time to participate and we would love to have you join us.  Here's the fun sketch:

On to today's card...a masculine card for a co-worker who loves the ocean & the beach.  With my new XL die Tasteful Trims in hand, I was able to make rollicking waves of Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze and Bashful Blue.

The boat is a PTI image (I don't have any SU boats!) that I stamped once in Crumb Cake and again in Daffodil Delight paper piecing the boat for a splash of color.  The cloud paper is from the retired Good Neighbors hostess pack--I'm hoarding it--and the Curly Cute sentiment fits on the sky quite well.  A little linen thread and a Daffodil Delight button finish it off in nautical style.  I have to give a shout-out to my dear blogging friend, Christina of Sea Glass & Sentiments.  She always makes fabulous beach/ocean/nautical cards so I was channeling her when I made this one!  Thanks for the inspiration, Christina!  And thanks to all of you for visiting and leaving me the most encouraging comments.  It warms my heart to know you are out there and I am grateful for your kind words.

supplies:

stamps: curly cute, masculine motifs (pti)

ink: not quite navy, crumb cake, daffodil delight

paper: crumb cake, not quite navy, baja breeze, bashful blue; good neighbors dsp

xtras: tasteful trims die; brights buttons; linen thread; corner rounder punch

Paper Dolls: CD {77}

Welcome to another week of The Color Dare challenge and wow do we ever have a dare for you!  This week Riley has chosen the color combination of Tempting Turquoise, Poppy Parade, Pumpkin Pie and Not Quite Navy...wow, right?!  I can honestly say that I never would have thought up this combo on my own but you know what?  I like it!  Here's where I went with it:

Now you can see why this post is titled Paper Dolls, right?  This is a single stamp that was stamped in NQN on Very Vanilla for the background.  Using the matching color ink, the ladies were stamped again on Poppy Parade and Tempting Turquoise designer patterned paper.  I cut out just their dresses and SNAIL'ed their fabulous frocks in place.  Of course, no lady of this era is complete without her pearls, dah-ling!

The large scallop trim was created by running NQN cardstock through my Big Shot with the new Tasteful Trims die.  I distressed it with a bone folder and some crumpling to separate the layers of paper.  Stitched in place onto some Poppy Parade DSP, the edges roll up like the ruffle of a dress!

With the dressmaker's pattern in the background, the sweet Puns from the Past sentiment was sew perfect (sorry, couldn't resist!) and I carried the theme over to the inside with the coordinating sewing machine image and a little more trimming and stitching.

So, come on over to The Color Dare and join us!  We would love to see what you make of these colors.  If you don't have these exact colors, something close will do--just get crafty!

supplies:

stamps: puns from the past; curly cute; make your own (hero arts)

ink: tempting turquoise, not quite navy, crumb cake, poppy parade

paper: crumb cake; tempting turquoise, very vanilla, not quite navy CS; poppy parade DSP; flock together DSP (retired)

xtras: tasteful trims die; basic pearls; pumpkin pie 1/4" grosgrain ribbon; brights buttons; DMC floss

Paper Players {12}

I can finally share some exciting news with you! I've been busting at the seams!! Lesley, of The Paper Players Challenge, asked me if I would like be one of their guest designers for the month of September! How exciting is that?! Of course, I said yes, yes, YES!! I am so honored to be part of this talented team. Even more exciting, I am starting a little early because DT LeAnne is taking a break to spend time with her new granddaughter (yeah, LeAnne!).

This week Jaydee is our hostess with the mostess and she has challenged us with an yummy inspiration photo. Hmmm, I have to say...I was stumped! But, I focused on the colors and the textures and an idea started to form. I knew that a Cumb Cake base was a must then I stamped a Sanded background with Whisper White craft ink to imitate the flour dusted bread.


The circular element of the blackberries stands out when I look at this photo and the Medallion stamp came to mind. I think it would also look good embossed with black embossing powder to really make it shine like the blackberries. This photo also makes me think of old world bakeries and the Medallion stamp has a similar vintage feel.

A strip of (retired) Riding Hood Red taffeta ribbon gives a little pop of strawberry red against the Crumb Cake background. And I am in LOVE with the Decorative Label punch from the upcoming Holiday Mini Catalog. Here, it's used with a Curly Cute sentiment on top of another medallion image, from Charming, in Crumb Cake ink. I love stamping the sentiment over a coordinating image--it really fills in the space!

Lastly, a peek at the inside. Just repeated elements from the front. A Crumb Cake Medallion, a sentiment from Occasional Quotes in Basic Black and a stamped scallop border in Riding Hood Red from the (retired) All Scallops set.

So what do you think? Are you inspired? What do you see when you look at this photo? Hop on over to the Paper Players Challenge and link up your creation! We would love to see what inspires you! Thanks for stopping by.


supplies: stamps: medallion; curly cute; sanded ink: whisper white craft; jet black stazon; crumb cake, riding hood red paper: crumb cake, whisper white CS xtras: decorative label punch; basic rhinestone jewels; riding hood red taffeta ribbon; dotted scallop ribbon border punch

Three's the charm: CTD{104} SSC{163} SR{31}

This post title looks like alphabet soup doesn't it? That's because, with tonight's card, I managed to meet the requirements for three challenges all in one project--that's a record for me! This one came together pretty easily in my head probably because the challenges did most of the work including the colors, paper and layout! The talented team at Stampin' Royalty asked us to create our own designer paper with stamps. With the tropical color scheme from Color Throwdown in mind, I reached for one of my all-time favorites (do I say that about every stamp set?!) Paradise to create my patterned paper. To Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive I added a neutral, Sahara Sand, just to ground all that hot, tropical color. I think the grey tones of SS calm an otherwise bright combination. Once I had my paper and colors in hand, the easy-breezy sketch courtesy of the Stamping 411 operators made my layout a cinch! Well, of course I fussed over details like I always do so it wasn't quite as easy-breezy as it should have been! ;-) My daughter was crafting with me during this process and she liked this card so much she asked me to teach her how to make one too! That's a ringing endorsement in my book! Although she said she didn't want to complete the inside like I did. Oh well, everyone is entitled to artistic liberty, right?!

A big thank you to all of you who hopped over to Arden's blog yesterday and left some comment love about her owl bookmarks. It meant so much to her....and to me. Thank you. And if you're wondering what I'm talking about...check it out HERE. Thanks so much and hope to talk with you tomorrow when I'll have a decadent dessert inspired challenge goodie for you to feast your eyes on!

supplies:
stamps: paradise; woodgrain background; curly cute
ink: tangerine tango, old olive, daffodil delight, sahara sand
paper: very vanilla, tangerine tango, old olive, sahara sand
xtras: dotted scallop ribbon border punch; lots of tags sizzlit die;