Blog Candy Winner & NEW Catalog!

Oh boy, what a day!!  I get to announce the winner of my Birthday Blog Candy AND hook you up with the brand-new 2013-2014 Annual Catalog--WOW!  That's a banner day.  First, let's announce the winner of the Birthday Blog Candy....drumroll please.....  Random Number Generator says...

#4!!!

and the #4 comment was left by.....Mitzi Luttrull!!  Here's what Mitzi said:

Thank you, Mitzi for your kind words!  Please send your mailing address to me (nleedy@cox.net) so I can get your blog candy in the mail to you!

And now it's time for....the 2013-2014 Annual Catalog!!!  So exciting!  Of course, there are so many things to love and oogle in the new catalog.

Customers and demonstrators can begin ordering from the new catalog at Noon, mountain time on Friday May 31st--that's TODAY!   Follow the links below to browse the catalog and make your wish lists!  Check it out:

2013-2014 Annual Catalog (flip book version)

2013-2013 Annual Catalog (PDF version)

If you don't already have a copy or a demonstrator of your own, contact me and I would be happy to send you a catalog ($5 to cover only the cost of shipping).
When you're ready to place that first order, head over to my online store and have fun!

Cheers to you, dear reader!

Hiya friends!  Today is a special day and I wanted to share a little card and a little surprise.  First, the card:

 

You might remember that my card for The Paper Players on Sunday, used a fun color combination?  This was the card that had these colors on my desk!  Daffodil Delight, Strawberry Slush, and Coastal Cabana with small accents of Lucky Limeade (olive) and Pumpkin Pie (citrus slice).  The Happy Hour stamp set has not seen nearly enough ink in my craft room so I decided to remedy that and show it a little love! 

Stamping these drinks and their garnishes is so much fun.  In fact, I wish I had 3 drinks at this point to excuse my crooked stamping but alas...it's just crooked!  LOL.  You'll excuse me in a minute when I tell you my surprise....see, today is my birthday and...a few weeks ago I passed my 4 year blog-o-versary so....it's time for....BLOG CANDY!

Yep, I decided that on my birthday I would give a present to YOU my wonderful blog readers!  Cheers to you--for all your support and encouragement!  What is the blog candy, you ask?  The retiring stamp set, Nature Walk and a full roll of Gumball Green Satin Stitched Ribbon could be on their way to you. All you have to do is leave a comment on today's post. Comments left before 5pm on Thursday, May 30th will earn you a chance in a random number drawing (one comment per person, please).  The winner will be announced on Friday, May 31st!  So, let's hear it: what do you think of today's card?!  Or, happy birthday works too (tee hee)!  Have a great day friends!


Supplies
Stamps: Happy Hour
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Coastal Cabana, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso and Strawberry Slush
Paper: Daffodil Delight and Whisper White CS; Designer Series Pattern Stacks (Brights & In Color 2011-2013)
Xtras: Early Espresso Baker's Twine; Polka Dot impressions folder; 1.75" circle punch; 2" circle punch (non-SU); 3/4" circle punch

Sunflower in Color {PP147}

Hiya friends!  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  We're headed to the beach today for some fun and relaxation...can't wait!  Our weather has been perfect for the long holiday weekend and we are looking forward to enjoying it.  Anywho, on to the card....  This week at The Paper Players, the lovely and talented LeAnne is our hostess with a fabulous sketch for us to try:

I really like the color blocked look of the squares and rectangles and after a few false starts with designer series paper, (lol) I decided to make color the focal point and just use cardstock:

I stumbled on this color combination when some ink pads were on my desk and I really like it: Pumpkin Pie, Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight and Baked Brown Sugar.  It's fresh and sunny, so the Sunflower background stamp seemed like a natural fit!

I taped all my piece of cardstock together and stamped the Sunflower in Baked Brown Sugar.  Then I removed the tape and matted them with a piece of Baked Brown Sugar cardstock.  Doesn't Baked Brown Sugar look pretty on Coastal Cabana?

The Tiny Tags stamp set and coordinating Jewelry punch may be retiring but they won't be leaving my craft room any time soon.  They're perfect when I need a small sentiment that won't overwhelm the rest of the design.

The Sunflower stamp isn't just for backgrounds!  I stamped just the corners of the inside in Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie which coordinate nicely with the Baked Brown Sugar sentiment.
I hope you've enjoyed my Sunflower in Color card today.  Be sure to stop by The Paper Players and check out the rest of the Design Team's projects.  We hope you will join in the fun before our challenge ends on Friday, May 31st at Noon (PDT).  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

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: Sunflower, Tiny Tags, Feel Goods
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Baked Brown Sugar
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Baked Brown Sugar, Naturals Ivory, Coastal Cabana CS
Xtras: Daffodil Delight seam binding ribbon; Linen Thread; Jewelry tag punch

Need for Speed {PP146}

Happy Sunday, peeps...I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!  Today, the incredibly talented Ann has a Clean-and-Simple challenge for us at The Paper Players...

a masculine Clean-and-Simple challenge!  This is a great challenge because, in my opinion, masculine cards should be fairly clean and simple.  Generally speaking, guys don't like a lot of fussy stuff on their cards so CAS is just perfect.  I had an idea of what I wanted to do and found the perfect sketch over at CAS(E) this Sketch:

 And here's what I did with it:

So, this might not be as "clean" as a true CAS card but there's no way that 4x4 would make anything "clean", right?!  So I added a little dirt, mud and road splatter courtesy of my Color Spritzer, ink splatter stamp and some sponging. 

The Chevron embossing folder makes the perfect tire tracks and I thought the Basic Gray Washi Tape looked a bit like road stripes or maybe rumble strips!!  What do you think of that new color?  That's Smoky Slate making it's debut with the new catalog starting May 31st.  Isn't it pretty?  Oh, sorry this is a guy card....it's, um, handsome isn't it?!

I used it on the inside too...stamping the four wheeler from Need for Speed (retiring soon--get it before it's gone!) and adding some more "dirt" with the Color Spritzer (retiring soon too, geesh!).  But, what is not retiring is our awesome Design Team.  Check out their amazing masculine projects over at The Paper Players and then come join us!  Just be sure to link up before the challenge ends on Friday, May 24th at Noon (PDT).  Thanks for stopping by!
 

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: Need for Speed; Hey There (Paper Pumpkin); Delightful Dozen 
Ink: Smoky Slate (available 5/31/13); Versamark; Jet Black Stazon
Paper: Smoky Slate (available 5/31/13), Basic Black, Whisper White, Vellum CS
Extras: Chevron embossing folder; color spritzer; basic black stampin' write marker; 2.5" circle punch; Epic Day washi tape; 1.25" square punch

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

Wildflowers for Mom

Hiya friends--we made it--it's Friday! Woohoo!  Just wanted to sneak in another post this week for our Mother's Day challenge over at The Paper Players.  I needed a card for my lovely MIL who truly would prefer a bouquet of wildflowers to roses anyday.  When I saw the new Wildflower stamp and coordinating embossing folder, I knew it was perfect for her card:

I inked the stamp with Stampin' Write markers in Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry and Island Indigo and stamped onto watercolor paper.  I love the texture that shows through!

I also used my Aqua Painter to add a light touch of Soft Sky ink around the embossed edges.  It's VERY subtle, lol!  I probably could have gone a little darker but I was being cautious.  :-)  I am really impressed with how easy it is to line up the coordinating embossing folder to the stamped image.  Love it!

 

With the image so large, I didn't have a suitable sentiment to fit so I stamped one from Teeny Tiny Wishes and punched out each word with the retiring Medium Jewelry Tag punch and tied it onto some Linen Thread.  

I combined some sentiments on the inside--one from the retiring set, You Are Loved and one from a retired hostess set.  I couldn't resist coloring a portion of the flowers again to decorate the inside.  I hope my MIL likes it--I think it's just her style.  And that's what it's all about, right?  Making a card that you know is just PERFECT for that special someone.  

And speaking of special someones....I passed my 4-year blog-o-versary yesterday and I remain amazed by all the special folks who visit here each day, subscribe or follow me on this crafting journey.  Of course, a girl always loves comments but whether you leave one or not I am truly honored that you find a little bit of inspiration in my work.  So, thank you, thank you, thank you!  Be on the lookout for some blog-o-versary candy soon!  ((hugs))

Edited 5/11/13: my friend, Lesley, alerted me to the fabulous Wonder of Watercolor challenge happening in the Moxie Fab World so I would like to throw this card in the mix!  Thanks Lesley for alerting me and thanks MFW for some beautiful inspiration!


Supplies 
Stamps: Wildflower; Teeny Tiny Wishes; You are Loved; Something to Celebrate [retired] 
Ink: Early Espresso; Soft Sky
Paper: Island Indigo CS; watercolor paper
Xtras: Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry and Island Indigo Stampin' Write markers; linen thread; medium jewelry tag punch; aqua painter

Daydreaming of Mother's Day {PP144}

Hi everyone and happy Sunday to you!  This week at The Paper Players the amazing Anne-Marie is giving us one more chance to get all our cards made for Mother's Day!

One of the benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is an advance look at the new catalog and the chance to pre-order some of the goodies including the new In Colors that I've used today.

One of the cards in the new catalog inspired me to dust off the Daydream Medallions stamp set and combine it with some of the gorgeous new In Colors.  I'm afraid the dark and dreary day we had today didn't do much to show how pretty these colors are.  I'll try for a better pic if the sun ever comes out again!

 

I stamped the layered medallions in Crisp Cataloupe, Baked Brown Sugar and Pistachio Pudding on a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I used the Floral Frames framelits to cut a window from the Pistachio Pudding cardstock to frame the focal element.  At 4.34" x 6.5", this card is larger than standard A2 size but I wanted to show off the full size of the beautiful framelit and it will still fit in a larger (non-SU) envelope.  Because you can never shower Mom with enough pearls, I've scattered them all around the inside and outside of the medallions.

 

Since this card is destined for my wonderful Mother, I had to use one of these new Very Vintage Buttons that I just know she will love.  Isn't it pretty?  The carved detail is gorgeous and they look like a vintage ivory treasure from a well-traveled button box. 

The sentiment stamped in the middle of the medallions on the inside is actually two separate sentiments from the Petite Pairs set.  They're perfect on their own but paired together they send a heartfelt message.  Of course, I couldn't have layered the medallions and the sentiments so well without the aid of my handy Stamp-a-ma-jig!

I hope you like my card today.  I would love to hear your thoughts on the three new In Colors I've shown you.  Make sure to check out the rest of The Paper Players Design Team with their wonderful projects and probably a few more sneak peeks:

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

If you've still got one or two Mother's Day cards to make, why not join in the fun with our challenge?  You've still got time to hand-deliver, or even mail, a card to Mom or a special Mom in your life.  We'd love for you to join us before the challenge closed on Friday, May 10th at Noon (PDT).  Thanks for stopping by!  

Supplies 
Stamps: Daydream Medallions, Summer Silhouettes, Delightful Dozen; Something to Celebrate [retired] 
Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar, Pistachio Pudding
Paper: Pistachio Pudding, Very Vanilla CS
Extras: Floral Frames framelits; Linen Thread; Basic Pearls; Lots of Tags die [retired];Very Vintage Buttons [available 5/31/13 in 2013-2014 Annual Catalog]; Stamp-a-ma-jig