Cloudy with a Chance of Cats {PP63}

Hiya, friends.  It's Paper Player Sunday and I'll get to that in just a minute.  First, I'd like to take a moment, on this day, to remember the tragedy that befell our country ten years ago and honor the memory of those that were lost.

...Thank you...

This week I am delighted to host The Paper Players color challenge and have chosen a warm and rich color palette for you:

Pretty, yes?  And the card I designed using these colors:

click to enlarge

I couldn't resist going Halloween and just had to ink up my new Out on a Limb set...oh how I love that kitty cat!

in Rich Razzleberry even!  The background was sponged with Basic Gray and a scallop circle to create a swirling, cloudy night-time sky.  The Basic Gray bats are from last year's Wicked Cool but all the other components are from Out on a Limb.  Isn't the crescent moon cool?!  I punched a circle from Silver Shimmer Paper and then moved the circle over slightly to create the crescent shape.

And I had more fun on the inside with a spooky sponged sky, some Old Olive bats and another kitty perched on a sentiment from Grateful Greetings. 

I hope today's color challenge card inspires you to play along with us.  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration over at The Paper Players where you will find some gorgeous eye candy.  If you play along with us, be sure to link up your creation at The Paper Players by Friday, September 16th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to see what you do with these colors...thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Sandra Conner (September GD)

 

supplies:

stamps: out on a limb, wicked cool, grateful greetings

ink: rich razzleberry, old olive, basic gray, jet black stazon

paper: basic gray, whisper white, old olive, basic black CS; frightful sight & pocketful of posies DSP

xtras: sponges; 1 3/8" circle punch; decorative label punch; spider web embossing folder

Wicked Fun: PPA{60}

I had a lot of fun creating these wicked cards for this week's Halloween challenge at Pals Paper Arts.  It was so much fun that I actually made two cards.  The above card is a very literal interpretation of the challenge picture and I'm not sure anyone else would "get" it without seeing the inspiration image.  So the second card is a bit more traditional of a Halloween "look".

I just had to feature the contrast of the light and dark witches and since I've been on a bit of a Lattice die binge lately, see here and here, I had the idea to try it here.  I placed a piece of basic black cardstock next a piece of whisper white and with plain 'ole Scotch tape attached them together and placed it on my Lattice die making sure that the seam was aligned in the center of the die so that when I ran it through the Big Shot I got a black and white image!  

I stamped the hat from Wicked Cool in Versamark and then Basic Black ink, sprinkled it with black stampin' emboss powder and heat set.  This gave me a clean, crisp black witch hat.  We just know that these two witches are up to no good so this sentiment from Favorite Thoughts (retired) was just perfect.

 I had to dress up the inside too with a sentiment from All Holidays, some retired DSP and those fabulous boots from Wicked Cool.  I used my Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie stampin' write markers to color my stamp and highlight those striped stockings.  I just love these boots--in fact, I had some just like them in high school.  My dad hated them and I used to sneak out of the house wearing some perfectly acceptable alternative with these bad girls in my bag and then switch when I got into my friends car!!  Tee, hee!  Did you notice one of our kitties in the background?  How perfect is that?!  I swear I didn't position her there.  She just likes to follow me around the yard!

The second card has a more traditional Halloween look and features the Wicked Fun specialty designer paper, those Wicked Cool boots again and the addition of black raven lace and black jewels!

I was temped to use the Spider Web embossing folder AGAIN but decided to branch out for a more baroque and elegant look with the Vintage Waller paper embossing folder.  I think it works nicely with the lace, don't you?  To make my raven lace ruffle, I ran some SNAIL adhesive around the edge of the circle and just scrunched the lace up on the back side moving around the circle as I went. On the inside I repeated the same DSP with Old Olive cardstock and some Rich Razzleberry bats.

I hope you've enjoyed my Wicked fun Halloween cards.  There's still some time, until noon Tuesday 9/21, to enter your Halloween cards over at the PPA.  Thanks for stopping by today...cheers!

Card #1 supplies:

stamps: wicked cool; favorite thoughts

ink: versamark; basic black; jet black stazon

paper: basic black, old olive, pumpkin pie & whisper white CS

xtras: lattice die; 1 3/8" circle punch; glimmer brads; raven lace; basic black & pumpkin pie stampin' write markers

Card #2

stamps: wicked cool

ink: rich razzleberry; basic black

paper: cajun crze, rich razzleberry, old olive, whisper white & basic black CS; wicked fun

xtras: 1 3/4", 1 3/8" & 2 1/2" circle punches; black jewels; vintage wallpaper embossing folder

Paper Players {13}

Anything goes this week at the Paper Players--come on over and check it out!  Any paper project, any colors, any layout--whatever your crafty fingers feel like making!  For me, I am in full Halloween card making mode.  I love all the new papers and accessories for one of my favorite holidays.  Today's card features many items from the Holiday Mini catalog that are my favorites: Spider Web embossing folder, Nite Owl designer series paper, Raven black lace ribbon and look close at Glimmer Brads!  Shiny sparkly brads in all your favorite color families. 

I adapted the layout from this week's sketch challenge over Pals Paper Arts and used the Two Tags die as my focal piece.  The stamp set From the Crypt is a favorite that made a return appearance this year in the new catalog.  Here, I stamped it on my Tangerine Tango Two Tags die in Versamark and heat embossed with Black embossing powder--gives such a crisp image!  A cute bitty bat punched from vellum cardstock is the final touch on my creepy card.

And on the inside, I just repeated the same color scheme and DSP but stamped the bats from Wicked Cool on a scrap of Tangerine Tango and used the 1 3/4" Circle punch to make a batty moon!


We would love for you to play along with us this week at the Paper Players...remember anything goes!  Head on over to see what the rest of the team has come up with.  Hope to see you there!

supplies:

stamps: from the crypt, wicked cool, sanded background

ink: versamark, tangerine tango, basic gray, jet black stazon

paper: basic black, tangerine tango, basic gray, pear pizzazz & vellum CS; nite owl DSP

xtras: basic gray taffeta ribbon; raven lace ribbon; glimmer brad (neutrals); two tags die; scallop oval, large oval, 1 3/4" circle and bitty bag punches; basic jewel rhinestones; black stampin' emboss powder; spider web embossing folder

Halloween Sneak Peeks...wicked

I just love Halloween...in all it's gothic and baroque glory. Which is why I am absolutely agog over the new Halloween goodies in the Holiday Mini Catalog! The whole theme is "1800s London" including Black lace, black rhinestones, Edgar Allen Poe paper, oh my! I think I'm channeling my inner goth child--except when I was an angst-ridden teenager we were "new wave". Oooh, did I just give away my age?! ;-) Anyway, here is tonight's card with all it's sneak peeks for you: Can you spot them? There's so many! The raven is actually one corner of the newest DSP, Nite Owl, featuring skulls, ravens, vintage newsprint and fabulous graphics that have a textile quality to them. It will be so useful for masculine cards, long after Halloween. The Black Flourish Designer Jewels are the newest bling in our inventory and they are FAB! I cut just a small section of the flourish to add a little interest to Mr. Raven's wing.

Here's another one...the Basic Black cardstock is embossed with a new Spider Web Embossing Folder! It doesn't photograph very well, but I've spritzed it with a mix of rubbing alcohol + shimmer paint and it is so shimmery in person--gossamer. This web is big! It will cover a whole card front or can be used in sections as I've done here. I'm so happy SU seems to have boarded the embossing folders train--so easy and great results.

And look at that lace! I had to have it: 1/2" Raven Black Lace Trim. It is so soft and will also be useful long after Halloween. I can think of a holiday in February where black lace trim will come in handy! ;-)

Did you notice the cool shaped tag holding the sentiment and spider web from Wicked Cool? That's the new extra-large Decorative Label punch. It coordinates with images in the Tags til Christmas stamp set that I've used here. That's right, it's a Christmas stamp! Under the wicked sentiment it says "Dec 25" but stamped in coordinating Tangerine Tango and covered with a punched oval it becomes a Halloween tag! Again, lots of uses past the holidays.

And you know I can't let you go without a peek at the inside and just one more new item. I love this Midnight Raven and he is just one of the a la carte (single) stamps in the Holiday Mini. He actually sits on the words "Fright Night" but here I inked just the raven with my Basic Black stampin write marker and landed him on top of the Woodgrain fence.

So, I promised you some sneak peeks...did I deliver? All these sneak peek items will be available beginning September 1st when the Holiday Mini catalog goes live right here under the Canopy. If you're a regular customer or club member, you should receive your copy in the mail by the end of August. If you're not a regular customer, yet!, and would like to receive a Holiday Mini just let me know. I would be happy to send one out to you. Thanks for stopping by!

currently available supplies:
stamps: wicked cool; woodgrain
ink: basic gray, versamark jet black, tangerine tango
paper: tangerine tango, basic black, pear pizzazz & very vanilla CS
xtras: large oval, dotted scallop ribbon punch; champagne mist shimmer paint; basic black stampin' write marker

supplies available 9/1:
stamps: tags til christmas
paper: nite owl DSP
xtras: black flourish designer jewels; raven black lace trim; extra-large decorative label punch; spider web embossing folder.