Paper Players Blog Hop

Happy Saturday, friends!  Welcome to the The Paper Players Blog Hop where we are celebrating Fall today!  If you're following the hop in order, you've arrived here from Lovely Lesley's blog. 

Here are all the "Hoppers"...click the names to visit each blog.  Some of us have blog candy too so be sure follow the whole hop!

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile
Cindy Hall

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy (you are here)

Rita Wright
Tara Bilbao

I know you will be shocked to know that to me, Fall means TREES and WOODGRAIN, lol.  For my hop card, I paired the Leaves of a Tree stamp with the gorgeous colors in the Spice Cake DSP:

The technique to ink the tree is apparently tried-and-true but totally new to me!  I'm not sure what it's called but Linda Heller demonstrated it at Stampcation last month.  Basically, I created my own ink pad by pooling drops of re-inker onto a square piece of felt.  Then I just inked the tree stamp with my felt ink pad and stamped directly onto some Very Vanilla cardstock. edit: I found this great tutorial from SU demo Tonya Ball--thanks Tonya!

The result is beautiful blend of colors just perfect for this autumnal tree.  Here I used Pool Party, More Mustard, Pear Pizzazz and Soft Suede and of course just a little touch of Dazzling Diamonds! 

**BLOG CANDY ALERT**

And just to keep the sparkle going, I'm giving away a tub of Mica Flakes!

All you have to do is just leave me a comment about my Fall Blog Hop card!  I will draw a random winner from all comments and post the winner on  Saturday November 5th.  Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you're my winner!  How easy is that?!

I hope you visit us at The Paper Players tomorrow when Ann brings us a seasonal challenge  What will it be?  Be sure to visit the Paper Players blog tomorrow morning to play along.  For now, please click HERE to visit {Sassy} Rita's Blog.  She is next on our blog hop! Thanks for stopping by!

supplies:

stamps: leaves of a tree; hand-penned holidays; woodgrain

paper: soft suede, very vanilla, more mustard CS; spice cake DSP

ink: soft suede

xtras: soft suede, more mustard, pool party, pear pizzazz reinkers; in color ruffled ribbon; linen thread; distressing kit; dazzling diamonds; craft felt

Rich Comfort {CCMC173}

Happy Thursday, friends! Welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary. This week, the gals are bringing us a beautiful color challenge:

 

My favorite holiday cards usually use a non-traditional color palette so I was itchin' to try my hand at a Christmas card with these colors.  I think I succeeded...what do you think?

The Island Indigo card base was layered with two different patterns--one in Baja Breeze and the other in Rich Razzleberry--from the Pocketful of Posies designer paper.  I love using non-holiday paper for a holiday card!  I chose these two patterns not only for their color but because the shapes reminded me of snowflakes.

This dove from Comfort & Joy is so pretty!  Here, I inked it first in Versamark then Island Indigo ink, stamped and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I sponged the edges with Baja Breeze for a little definition and lightly colored the dove with Baja Breeze ink and a Blender pen.  Of course I had to add some Dazzling Diamonds to the wings...you know it's not a holiday card without Dazzling Diamonds!

The sentiment oval got the same sponging treatment as the main image and I also stamped the background with the swirly part of the main image that had been inked in Baja Breeze and stamped off once.  A little silver glimmer border and some Whisper White Organza Ribbon finished off the front...while some more designer paper and a little stamping, finished off the inside.

So what do you think...do these colors inspire you?  Check out the rest of the Design Team even more inspiration and then think about what you  might do with this week's color palette.  We would love to see!  If you can play along, please link up your crafty goodness at Create with Connie & Mary by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon (EST).  I can't wait to see what you make!

supplies:

stamps: comfort & joy; petite pairs

ink: baja breeze, rich razzleberry, island indigo; versamark

paper: baja breeze, rich razzleberry, island indigo, whisper white CS; pocketful of posies DSP

xtras: ovals die; silver glimmer paper; scallop border punch; whisper white organza ribbon; basic rhinestones

Gratitude for the Paper Players {PP69}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends!  Today I am the hostess over at The Paper Players and delighted to bring you a sketch I designed:

I hope you'll play along with us!  For today's card, I featured the "B" sides of the beautiful Spice Cake designer paper and went with a palette of soft greens:

click to enlarge

My base is Soft Suede cardstock, layered with River Rock onto which I stamped a Pear Pizzazz flourish from Creative Elements in place of the sentiment:

My sentiment took center stage on the flagged banner with an embossed oval made with the Designer Frames embossing folders:

I sponged the edges with homemade Champagne Shimmer mist and popped out the sentiment from Day of Gratitude with the Extra Large Oval punch, adding a Linen Thread and Chantilly crochet trim bow.

The real stars are the leaves I made out of Pear Pizazz and Soft Suede cardstock with the Leaves #2 die.  They were embossed with the Finial Press and Square Lattice embossing folders, sponged in Soft Suede and spritzed with Shimmer Mist.  It's amazing that they're still standing after all that "distressing"!

Lastly, I finished the inside with one of my favorite [retired] stamp sets Seasonal Sentiments adding another Creative Elements flourish behind and sponging the edges.

So, I would love to hear what you think of today's card!  Has it inspired you to play along with my sketch?  Be sure to check out the rest of the Paper Players Design Team for some amazing inspiration:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Cindy Hall (October GD)

I hope you'll play along with us...if you do, please link up your creation to The Paper Players by Friday, October 28th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to visit you!

supplies:

stamps: day of gratitude,  creative elements, seasonal sentiments [retired]

ink: soft suede, pear pizzazz

paper: soft suede, pear pizzazz, river rock, very vanilla CS; spice cake DSP

xtras: linen thread; chantilly crochet trim; extra large oval punch; designer frames embossing folders; leaves #2 die; shimmer mist; scalloped ribbon border punch

Snow Much Fun {CCMC172}

Hiya friends! Welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary where the gals have provided a great sketch to work with:

Now, if you're a follower of my blog you probably know that titled panels always throw me for a loop!  But I wasn't going to let this one get the best of me...when I first looked at it, I saw...SNOW...and the perfect excuse to use my new stamp set, Snow Much Fun:

Isn't he cute?!  The snowman was stamped on a Whisper White oval in Jet Black Stazon and colored with a blender pen and Pool Party, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake and a little Pumpkin Pie classic ink:

Of course, I had to add some Dazzling Diamonds to the ground, his hat, the Northern Flurry embossed background...and...

the drifts of snow.  I tied the whole thing with some Cherry Cobbler baker's twine and attached a sweet mini jingle bell...so cute!

Here's another stamp from the same set on the inside paired with A Christmas Greeting and some snowflakes from the Short & Sweet set.

I hope you liked my card today.  I don't often make cute or even whimsical cards but this little snowman was too adorable to pass up!  Be sure to stop by the rest of the Design Team over at Create with Connie & Mary.  I'm sure they will have some fabulous eye candy for you!  If you would like to play along, please link up your creation to CCMC by Wednesday, October 26th at noon (EST).  Thanks for stopping by!

supplies:

stamps: snow much fun, a christmas greeting, short & sweet (snowflake)

ink: pool party, cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, crumb cake classic ink; jet black stazon; whisper white craft ink

paper: crumb cake, whisper white, pool party CS

xtras: cherry cobbler baker's twine; mini jingle bells; northern flurry embossing folder; ovals die; dazzling diamonds

Clean and Simple Flurry {PP68}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends! So glad you could join me today for another week with The Paper Players design team.  This week our fearless leader, Lesley, has challenged us to create a "Clean and Simple Christmas themed card using the colors Red & Green".  So my card uses a tried-and-true technique that I love...especially for Christmas:

...embossing on vellum and then using Dazzling Diamonds to highlight the raised areas:

Clean and simple and perfect for a mass-produced holiday card...especially with a coordinating stamp set on the inside:

So will you join us?  ...I hope so!  Please link up your creation by midnight, Friday October 21st at midnight (PST). I can't wait to see your CAS Christmas creations!  Thanks for stopping by, friends!

supplies:
stamps: beautiful season, snow burst [retired]
ink: old olive, cherry cobbler, jet black stazon
paper: old olive, cherry cobbler, whisper white, vellum CS
extras: northern flurry embossing folder; old olive satin ribbon; basic rhinestones

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)

Two Step Leaves...Bravo! {PP67}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, peeps!  Jaydee is our hostess-with-the-mostess this week and she has a fabulous autumn color challenge for us:

I am certain that I never would have put these colors together as I think my Bravo Burgandy ink pad has seen rubber only once before today's card!  But what a lovely combination this is...and perfect for fall holidays.  I finally broke down and ordered the Gently Falling stamp set...I had resisted and resisted and then....sigh...any attempts at further resistance were futile.  I caved to the inevitable and....

{happy sigh} it is everything I expected it to be!!  The two-step stamping adds such richness to the image and these leaves are fabulous!  Speaking of fabulous, I took my sketch cue from those fab girls at Freshly Made Sketches for this go-to sketch:

Let's take a closer look at those yummy leaves, shall we?

I stamped the oak leaf in all the challenge colors and added the second outline layer in Versamark ink just to the More Mustard leaves and heat embossed with gold stampin' emboss powder.  Isn't it pretty?!

The background panel is Bravo Burgandy cardstock that was run through the Big Shot with the "Distressed" texture plate [retired].  Before I ran it through, I rubbed my Bravo Burgandy ink pad all over the texture plate so the ink was pushed into the de-bossed areas for a faux letterpress look. I love how this technique accentuates the texture of the plate.  It almost looks like woodgrain doesn't it?! ;-)

I hope I've inspired you to play along with Jaydee's fabulously fall color challenge this week--you're gonna love these colors!  Be sure to check out the delicious eye-candy from the rest of the design team:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Cindy Hall (October GD)

I hope you'll play along with us this week!  If you do, please be sure to link up your crafty goodness over at The Paper Players by Friday October 14th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to visit you!  Thanks for stoppng by today!

supplies:

stamps: gently falling; pursuit of happiness

ink: bravo burgandy, cajun craze, more mustard

paper: bravo burgandy, cajun craze, more mustard, very vanilla

xtras: 3" circle die; perfect pennants die (scalloped circle); distressed texture plate; gold stampin' emboss powder; 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon (cajun craze); linen thread; antique brads

Always So Cajun {CCMC170}

Happy Thursday, friends, and welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary!  Connie & Mary are treating us to a sketch challenge this week and you know how you like sketches, right?  Check it out:

The sketch is shown as a square but sometimes a square just doesn't work so you can take a little creative liberties and convert it to a standard A2 sized card as I did:

I was so happy to see the Day of Gratitude set return in the big catalog and didn't want to miss out on it during this fall season.  I combined it with a lovely autumn color combination from the Color Coach: Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze and So Saffron.  It's a pretty simple card but I'll just show you a few details:

Fussy-cut leaves combined with an Antique Brad and some linen thread....notice how the design in the middle of the brad coordinates with the design on the big medallion?  Love Stampin' Up for their coordinating designs!  The Square Lattice embossed panel adds such great texture--kinda like burlap which is especially fitting for fall projects, don'tcha think?

And just because it isn't a holiday card without a little shimmer or shine, I spritzed some homemade Champagne Shimmer mist in a sweep across the front as well as a few speckles with an Early Espresso marker and my Color Spritzer.

That's it from me today...busy, busy, busy!  Be sure to pop on over to see all the fabulous design team inspiration over at Create with Connie & Mary.  We would love for you to join us this week and, if you do, be sure to link up your lovely creation by Wednesday, October 12th at noon (EST) to be in the running for a Top 3 Pick!  Thanks for stopping by today!

supplies:

stamps: day of gratitude; hand-penned holidays; seasonal sentiments [retired]

ink: so saffron, cajun craze, always artichoke, early espresso

paper: so saffron, cajun craze, always artichoke, very vanilla

xtras: always artichoke seam binding ribbon; antique brad; linen thread; square lattice embossing folder; seven-sided distressing tool; early espresso stampin write marker; color spritzer

Music & Joy {PP66}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends!  It's good to be back--I missed stamping with my Players pals last week!  LeAnne is our sweet hostess for this week's theme challenge: music!  Add music to your project or create a project inspired by your favorite song...whatever puts a bounce in your step and gets you stamping!

Music is always around our household and most of the time it is my husband's choice but come December 1st, I get  to play Christmas music...and hubby just groans, lol!  But, he indulges me with the Frank Sinatra Christmas album and Vince Guaraldi Linus & Lucy--my two favorites!  So with Christmas in mind, here's what I made for you:

The color combination is a Splitcoast Stampers color challenge last week: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and Pool Party.  Aren't they pretty together?  Such a fresh take on the holidays! 

I embossed this image from Comfort & Joy with Cherry Cobbler embossing powder and then colored the dove with a blender pen and Pool Party ink.  Letting some Very Vanilla peek through the dove's middle and some extra shading on the wings, really gives it dimension.  A little Dazzling Details on the wing tips match the shimmer border at the top.

Here's the musical score from Nature's Pace inked in Pool Party on the same color cardstock.  Lots of ribbon detail here with Cherry Cobbler quilted satin and Very Vanilla seam binding onto which I stamped the sentiment from Comfort & Joy. 

This detail gets lost in the first picture but wanted to you to have a closer look.  I stamped the same dove image repeatedly across the bottom half of the card in Cherry Cobbler ink.  It gives a really nice tone-on-tone textured look and adds just a little more interest.

Lastly, a peek at the inside with my favorite technique of repeating the main image from the front but stamping off so that the sentiment is the focus.  I also sponged the edges lightly with Early Espresso ink and added a strip of EE cardstock behind to draw your eye in.

Thanks for joining me under the Canopy today....be sure to check out the rest of the design team for their amazing projects!  This week we welcome our October Guest Designer, Cindy Hall--she is one of the nicest people I've met in blogland and you're going to just love her gorgeous style!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Cindy Hall (October GD)

We hope you'll play along with LeAnne's musical theme...if you do please link up your creation over at The Paper Players by Friday, October 7th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to stop by for a visit!

supplies:

stamps: comfort & joy

ink: pool party, cherry cobbler, versamark; timber brown stazon

paper: pool party, cherry cobbler, early espresso, very vanilla CS; silver shimmer paper; frostwood lodge DSP

xtras: ovals die; cherry cobbler quilted satin ribbon; very vanilla seam binding ribbon; designer buttons (regals); silver elastic cord [retired]; dazzling details; blender pen