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Sunday, January 25, 2015

Sheltering Tree for the Paper Players {PP229}

Hi friends!  I'm back after a short blogging break.  Family was in town last week so crafting and blogging took a back seat but what fun we had!  This week, Jaydee is our hostess at The Paper Players with a fabulous sketch challenge--love it!
My absolute favorite stamp set from the Occasions catalog is Sheltering Tree.  Oh my gosh, it is so pretty and I love the versatility of all the pieces.  As soon as I saw that big 'ole circle in the sketch, it's the stamp set I reached for:
 
 I am wishing for spring and wanted to create a tree in full spring bloom so I inked up the tree in soft shades of Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz.  I cut the tree out with a Circle Framelit.  To create a bright and sunny day with fluffy clouds, I used a piece of Best Day Ever DSP--love the bokeh/cloud effect of the background.
I knew you would want to see a close up of the grassy edge.  It's a 1.34" piece of Pear Pizzazz cardstock that I stamped with the line image from Gorgeous Grunge and then edged with the Fringe Scissors.  The line image adds a lot of dimension, doesn't it?!
I just love stamping with this tree so I had to repeat it on the inside.  One thing I discovered with this stamp when trying to use a light color like Blushing Bride is to use it as the overall background color.  The green leaves are stamped randomly with the small leaf image from the set.  When I tried stamping just a few leaves in pink, they didn't show up enough through the green.  Just love the way the tree looks in full springtime splendour!

We would love to see your take on Jaydee's sketch over at The Paper Players before the challenge ends on Friday, January 30th at Noon (PST).  And before you leave today, be sure to check out all the loveliness from the rest of The Paper Players Design Team:

The Paper Players Design Team
 

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Sunday, January 11, 2015

Love is Kindness for The Paper Players {PP227}

Hey there friends! Ann has a beautiful color combination for us over at The Paper Players: 
Isn't it pretty?!  Makes me think of spring.  Too bad it's still winter--even here in Florida!  I actually made two card with these colors and ended up liking the second one best.  
I also thought this one was more in line with Ann's style and since it is her challenge....well, I thought she might like it!  Although, I will admit, I tried to add pearls but couldn't make it work.  LOL.  Anyway, I really love this single stamp from the new Occasions catalog called Love is Kindness.  It's very versatile; I can see using it for Valentine's Day, Easter, spring or even just a special Thank You card as I've done here.  The image is stamped in Memento Ink and colored with a combination of Stampin' Write markers, Blender Pens and an Aqua Painter. 
There are some water spots courtesy of Gorgeous Grunge and I crumpled the Typeset DSP for a vintage look.  I thought you might want to see a close-up of the two different ribbons I used: Lost Lagoon satin and Venetian Crochet.  Ahhh.....pretty!
Here, I tried to capture the sparkle for you.  I thought the white on the background paper was a little too stark so I spritzed it with a homemade mix of rubbing alcohol and Champagne Mist shimmer paint.  The entire background is full of shimmer and shine!  The Tea Lace Doily was also quite white so I sponged on some shimmer paint and Sahara Sand ink for a nice, aged look.
The inside is pretty self-explanatory just stamped off to the side so as not to repeat the sentiment.  I sponged the edges with more Sahara Sand ink and added some more water spots.  
Now, here's the first card I made.  A total departure from the second one, right?  This one features the popular Bokeh Effect technique.  It's really very simple.  The Whisper White background piece is sponged with all three challenge colors.  Next, I cut a piece of window sheet to serve as a stencil.  In this piece of window sheet I die cut two circle shapes--about 1.25" and 3/4".  Using Whisper White craft ink, I sponged the circles all around the background varying the intensity of the ink with each one.  You want to achieve the look of soft focus lights in the background.  Final touches were a vellum balloon, silver baker's twine, Crisp Cantaloupe washi tape (Sweet Sadie) and a sentiment die cut with the Little Letters Thinlits.   

So, there you have it.  Two cards in one post!  Be sure to pop over to The Paper Players and check out all the inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.  Then, I hope you will play along with us before the challenge closes on Friday, January 16th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by today!

The Paper Players Design Team




Nance Leedy
Sandy Mathis 
Debbie Mageed
Karren Johnson
Shannon Jaramillo


edited 1/12/15: I was so excited to share that I totally forgot the layout for my first card was inspired by the great sketch over at The Challenge!  Duh.  It's a keeper too!

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

Monday, January 5, 2015

Endless Wishes of Thanks {PP234}

Hi again, friends!  I found time over the holiday break to make a card for one of my favorite challenges.  I wish I could find more time to participate in all the great challenges out there.  I think they are the best way to stretch my imagination and grow creatively.  Maybe I will have to make the time!  Anyway, I thought the gorgeous winter colors at Pals Paper Arts were perfect for a few more Christmas thank you cards I need to write.  


The Work of Art stamp set has become my go-to stamp set for faux watercoloring.  I love all the brushstroke images in this set and used one here to make my Wisteria Wonder background.  The larger snowflake from the Endless Wishes set was stamped in Night of Navy and the smaller one inked in Versamark and heat embossed with Silver embossing powder. 
Another view of the card at an angle shows the silver snowflakes much better.  I liked the layout and design of this card so much that I made another one with a Pool Party, Real Red and Crumb Cake color combination:
Which one do you like better?  I have to say, I like them both because they each have a different mood to them.  Amazing what just changing the colors and ribbon will do.  That's it for me today...be sure to check back tomorrow, January 6th, when the 2015 Occasions Catalog goes live and Sale-a-Bration starts!  Have a great day, friends!

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Sunday, January 4, 2015

Celebrate Today for The Paper Players {PP226}

Welcome back to The Paper Players challenges! The Design Team had a nice little break during the holidays and we're ready to go with a new year of challenges for 2015.  We've got new designers on board--both guest and permanent--and I am so excited to be stamping with them.  We're also welcoming back fellow DT, Anne Marie!  Yay, so good to have you back AM.  :-)  Anne Marie has our first theme challenge of the year and it's a fun one:
I have a little box on my craft desk where I keep random bits of stuff I collect that I think I could recycle into a card design.  Tags, ribbons, swatches of canvas, cool paper...anything that catches my eye.  I was glad for an opportunity to use them.  Here's what I used on my card today:
I don't even remember where it came from but it's a cool piece of window sheet-like material with a printed design.  I thought the color was close to Crushed Curry and turned to some of my new Sale-a-Bration and Occasions Catalog goodies to make a balloon shaker card:
I used the Balloon Framelit dies to cut a piece of Best Year Ever designer paper (Sale-a-Bration) and assembled my shaker with the recycled window sheet and some In Color designer sequins and bits from the Gold Sequin Trim.  I stamped the piece of Whisper White under the shaker with a sentiment from the coordinating Celebrate Today set (available bundled with the Balloon Framelits) as well as the balloon tails and trim.  How 'bout that Calypso Coral pom-pom trim?  Cutest ever, right?!  
And speaking of cute...how about the new Bow Builder Punch I used here?  Oh my goodness is it sweet.  That's more Best Year Ever DSP to make the box and notice how well the Crushed Curry in the DSP coordinates with the recycled window sheet?  Looks like it came right from SU, doesn't it?!  
Not to be outdone by the front of the card, the inside got a little stamping too with more images from the Celebrate Today set.  Love how the sentiment creates the negative space on the "happy" balloon.
I hope you liked today's card using recycled items.  Why not look around your craft space and see what bits and bats you have lying around that could be recycled into a gorgeous design?  Take a look at all the inspring creations from the rest of the Design Team.  Consider joining in the fun before the challenge closes on Friday, January 9th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by today, friends!

The Paper Players Design Team



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