Wetlands by the Beach {PP203}

Hiya friends!  Thanks for joining me this week for another challenge at The Paper Players where I am hosting a fun theme challenge this week:

I knew right away which stamp set I would use...love these wading birds:

The second largest banner from the Banner Framelits makes a perfect stamping surface for my abstract beach scene.  The abstract washes of color--Sahara Sand, Lost Lagoon and So Saffron--are provided by the fabulous Work of Art stamp set.

 

The background panel was embossed with the Woodgrain folder and rubbed with some Whisper White craft ink to mimic the look and feel of driftwood.  The Early Espresso Baker's Twine (retired) adds just the right touch of casual embellishment.  Linen Thread would also make a good design companion to replace the retired EE baker's twine.  Aren't those sequins cool?  Those are the In Color Sequin Assortment and the Baked Brown Sugar coordinates well with my beach-y color scheme.

I hope you will join us over at The Paper Players this week.  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration especially this week as we welcome aboard SIX new Guest Designers!  So happy to be stamping with them! 

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

Mike Funke 

Yapha Mason

click any image for more info and ordering details:

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

Ode to Cherry Cobbler {CCMC175}

Hiya friends! It's Thursday and you know what that means....welcome to another week at the Create with Connie & Mary challenge!  This week those crafty gals have a lovely color combination for you; check it out:

Pretty, yes?  These colors seem very sophisticated and elegant to me--I pictured an elegant LBD (that's little black dress, dont'cha know) with a camel hair coat and a deep red flower brooch.  Can you see it?  I did!  So with that in mind, I created this:

Pretty clean and simple really but the wow comes from the flower and the lattice background.  I used the Lattice die to cut some More Mustard cardstock and laid it at the top of a 3.5" x 5" piece of Very Vanilla.  I ran little bits of snail tape at all of the intersecting loops.  I got a little bit outside the lattice edges but when you emboss it, you can't see it at all.

Then I ran just the top two thirds of the whole thing through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  The result is a really cool inlaid embossing technique  with enough space at the bottom for a sentiment. The whole panel was matted in Cherry Cobbler to pull in the color of the flower.  And speaking of the flower:

It's made with two Cherry Cobbler flowers cut from the Fun Flowers die.  I ran both of them through the paper crimper many, many times to break down the fibers and peeled the larger one apart.  I flipped one side over for a sueded look.  Each petal was turned upward by a few passes with the bone folder.  For the center I used a black flower punched with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch and a More Mustard designer button.  A little flourish of Basic Black wide striped grosgrain ribbon was tucked behind the flower to mimic leaves and add a little flair.

Pretty simple but the color combination packs a punch doesn't it?  Be sure to check out the rest of the design team where they are sure to have some gorgeous creations!  I hope you'll think about joining us this week at Create with Connie & Mary...I can't wait to see what you make of these colors.  If you do join us, please link up your crafty goodness by Wednesday, November 16th at Noon (EST) to be considered for the Top 3 picks!  Thanks for stopping by today!

supplies:

stamps: sincere salutations

paper: basic black, very vanilla, cherry cobbler, more mustard CS; patterns designer series paper stack (regals)

ink: jet black stazon

xtras: lattice die; fun flowers die; designer buttons (regals); blossom bouquet triple layer punch; basic black wide striped grosgrain ribbon; square lattice embossing folder

A Gentle Seat {CCMC171}

Happy Thursday friends and welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary!  This week the gals have cooked up a beautiful color challenge for us, take a look:

Aren't they pretty?  I might have mentioned...it was going to be difficult for me to put down my new Gently Falling stamp set, right?  Well, I used it again on today's card:

Only this time, I took a cue from my friend, Ann Schach, and covered the stamped background with some cardstock vellum to mute the colors.  This allows my main image, from the Have a Seat stamp set, to take center stage. 

I inked the bench in Bravo Burgandy and stamped onto a Very Vanilla oval cut with the Ovals Original die.  Behind the bench, I stamped the flourish from Creative Elements in River Rock and sponged the edges with more River Rock.  Did you notice the Baja Breeze peeking out from behind?

Recognize it?  It's from the Lots of Tags sizzlits cut in half and layered each half behind the oval.  I'm always looking for different ways to mat or frame images and I really like the look of the partial mat here.

And a closer look at the little flower and sentiment banner--one flower from the Boho Blossoms punch and the other from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack paired with a flagged sentiment from Trendy Trees.  

What do you think?  Inspired to play along?  I hope so!  Be sure to check out even more Design Team inspiration over at Create with Connie & Mary.  If you play along with us, please load up your project at the Create with Connie & Mary blog by Wednesday, October 19th at noon (EST).  Thanks for stopping by, friends!

supplies:

stamps: gently falling, have a seat, creative elements, trendy trees (sentiment)

paper: river rock, baja breeze, very vanilla CS; designer patterned paper stack (regals)

xtras: ovals originals die; linen thread, boho blossoms punch; itty bitty punch pack; lots of tags sizzlits basic pearls; 1.25" square punch (to flag the banner end)