Autumn Birthday Butterflies PP368

Hey there!  It's been a couple weeks but I'm back today with a Tic-Tac-Toe challenge from the awesome Jaydee over at The Paper Players:

Tic-Tac-Toe challenges are great because there are so many options!  Just choose three elements and get to work.  Since it's just recently cooled off here in north Florida, I want to enjoy fall a little while longer.  I needed a couple birthday cards for November friends and decided to try to incorporate a butterfly--usually reserved for spring--into an autumn card.  Here's the result:

I have to say, the butterfly works equally well with a fall color palette and I was happy to honor our fabulous hostess, Jaydee, in this way.  She always features amazing photos of her backyard flora and fauna on her blog.  I can picture this copper beauty swirling around her little corner of nature!

I cut a Copper Foil butterfly with the Butterfly Thinlits then cut the same shape out of a piece of retired DSP.  I popped up the DSP with dimensionals on a Cajun Craze base and set the copper butterfly inside the negative space.  I tucked in some wrapped Linen Thread and a [retired] Mossy Meadow banner stamped with some dots from the Watercolor Wings stamp set. 

I cut another butterfly to use as a stencil and sponged the inside with Crushed Curry ink.  This sentiment from the Colorful Seasons stamp set is perfect for so many occasions, including birthdays! It's stamped in Cajun Craze to match the base and a few [retired] Gorgeous Grunge speckles were added in Sahara Sand ink.

I liked the result well enough to make a second card using some other retired DSP as my inspiration.  The colors here are Island Indigo, Raspberry Ripple [retired], Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Copper Foil.  I think I like butterflies as much in the deep, rich colors of fall as the light, breezy colors of spring.  I hope you do too!

Please pop over to my teammies at The Paper Players and check out all their Tic-Tac-Toe inspiration.  We hope you'll play along with us before our challenge ends on Friday, November 3rd at Noon (PST).

Thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team 

Claire Broadwater

 Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy 

Sandy Mathis 

Deanne 

Annie Abrahamson 

Jan Clothier 

A Birthday at High Tide - PP355

Hi there, friends!  Isn't it amazing how fast we roll back around to Sunday?!  The good thing about that though is it's the start of another week with The Paper Players!  This time, our wonderful Joanne is hostess for a Tic-Tac-Toe challenge...take a look:

I continue to work my way through my newest SU stamp sets with a new-to-me set...High Tide.  I'm not a huge fan of the nautical look but I love all the creative elements in this stamp set.  The shoreline that fits right under the lighthouse, the swaying beach grasses, the gorgeous sentiments and those birds!  Oh my, what's not to love?  Oh yeah, and it's photopolymer (clear) too...bonus!  For the Tic-Tac-Toe board I worked diagonally with blue, enamel dots, and birthday.

I've seen a lot of cards made with this stamp set that feature a sandy shoreline for the lighthouse.  Since this card is destined for my FIL, I needed to give it a grassy base...just like the Cana Island Lighthouse they see from their front window on the shores of Lake Michigan.  I've stamped the lighthouse to look like the Cana Island one too which is all white.  The Smoky Slate color is similar--it could be a white lighthouse shaded with the setting sun.   The lighthouse is a two-step stamp and I used Smoky Slate for both layers.

You might remember a tip I shared in this post about using the backside of our photopolymer stamps for a solid image.  I used that technique again here to stamp the background of the water in Marina Mist ink and the ripples of water in a darker Dapper Denim.  It adds a fabulous depth and dimension to the water.

On the inside, I stamped a setting sun over the water.  The water is stamped again in Marina Mist--this time using the "right side" of the stamp.  The sun and sun rays are also part of this set and stamped here in Crushed Curry.  Love that this triangle stamp can be used either as a beam of light (as on the front of the card) or for a ray of sunshine!  The birthday sentiment is from another stamp set--Best Birds--in my stash.

I made a second card with a Very Vanilla base (love that new thick vanilla cardstock!) and changed the inside for a different purpose.  The sentiments in this set really are wonderful--with a trendy look of mixed fonts and heartfelt thoughts.

I hope you've enjoyed today's card.  We would love for you to play along with us at The Paper Players.  Be sure to check out all the other inspiration from my teammates and then play along before our challenge ends on Friday, August 3rd at Noon (EST).

The Paper Players Design Team 

Claire Broadwater

 Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy 

Sandy Mathis 

Deanne 

Annie Abrahamson 

Jan Clothier 

Up, Up and Away Birthday PP342

Hi friends!  The fabulous Jaydee has a fun Tic-Tac-Toe challenge for us this week at The Paper Players.  We can choose any three options either across, down or diagonally:

So, we have a lot of May birthdays in our family.  In fact, there are three just next week alone!  One of them is my sweet MIL and using the top row--circle, green & twine--this is the card I made for her:

A few years ago, my sweet in-laws took our whole family on a safari in Tanzania for their 50th wedding anniversary.  How wonderful are they, right?!  The highlight of the trip was a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti on the morning of their anniversary.  It is an amazing memory and one I hope my MIL will remember when she sees the paper on her card.  The paper inspired my color choices of Smoky Slate, Night of Navy, Watermelon Wonder, Peekaboo Peach and Mint Macaron.  I also wanted to play with the retiring Crazy about You stamp set and dies--love this big scrollly "happy"!  I was also pleasantly surprised to figure out that another long-ago retired set, Up, Up & Away, coordinates perfectly with the striped balloons on the paper.  I'm glad to see that the Balloon Bouquet punch will not be retired because it sure makes for quick balloon shapes!

Now I remember why I loved this stamp set and didn't get rid of it!  Just look at those cute balloons and clouds!!  I guess I should have made these inside balloons with the hanging basket but I liked the look of the string dangling and how it mimics to ones on the front of the card.  That's just a little creative license with the stamps!

Thanks for popping in for a visit today...I hope you enjoyed my card.  Take a look at all the wonderful inspiration my teammates have for you over at The Paper Players.  Come along and play Tic-Tac-Toe with us before our challenge closes on Friday, May 5th at Noon (PST).

The Paper Players Design Team 

Claire Broadwater

 Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy 

Sandy Mathis 

Crystal Komara

Valentyna Komisarenko

Deanne 

Vintage Copper Leaves PP312

Hi friends and happy Sunday!  Welcome to another week with The Paper Players where the lovely LeAnne has a seasonal and pretty color challenge for us:

 

The calendar may say September (BTW, how did THAT happen?!) but it's nowhere near fall temperatures here in Florida!  So, I was glad for the opportunity to pretend with LeAnne's pretty fall palette. 

 

I knew that I wanted to use my all-time favorite leaf stamp...Vintage Leaves...and I couldn't wait to see them embossed in copper.  The delicate detail of the embossing really shows up on the colored leaves. 

 I stamped the leaves on Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry and Pear Pizzazz, heat embossed with copper ep and cut them out with the coordinating Leaflit Thinlits.  So pretty!  I tried the leaves on several different background neutrals and really liked the way they popped on Basic Black [retired] DSP.  

A little swirl of new black metallic thread helps pull together the DSP and the sentiment.  I think this card will go for a male colleague with an October birthday.  MAYBE by then it will feel like fall around here!

Be sure to go check out the rest of the Paper Players Design Team for their awesome inspirations.  We hope you will join in the fun before our challenge closes on Friday, September 16 at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

 

 

Tip Top Vintage Leaves PP305

It's another week at The Paper Players and the lovely LeAnne has an awesome sketch challenge for us.  Sketch challenges are my favorite as I always find the layout of the card the most difficult part of the design process.  With a sketch challenge, it's already done for you!  Here's LeAnne's sketch:

It's a fun one, right?!  Lots of different options for it.  I've been feeling a little mojo-less so despite the great sketch I was struggling.  I think it's because I [still] haven't ordered any new SU goodies--I know gasp--and am feeling less than inspired.  I went looking for some inspiration and found these pretty colors at Create with Connie & Mary:

 

I also saw a prety card in the SU catalog that used the Vintage Leaves set (still a favorite) and suddenly I had an idea!  So this card was born:

I will never tire of this stamp set.  First, because the leaves are gorgeously detailed but secondly, because it is photopolymer (totally clear) and I love those!  I also like experiementing with the leaves in unexpected colors like these. 

 

The Dapper Denim base was stamped with two different leaves from the set in the same color ink.  I love this kind of tone-on-tone stamping.  It adds so much interest to the background without the bulk of  layers or embossing.  There's some added speckles in Tip Top Taupe from the Timeless Textures stamp set--a must for great backgrounds and accents!

 The biggest leaf (I think it's a maple?) was stamped in Tip Top Taupe ink onto Mint Macaron cardstock and cut with the coordinating Leaflets dies.  I scored the leaf and folded it in mountain/valley for added dimension.  I wanted to pull in the Dapper Denim from the card base but didn't have any ribbon in that color.  So.....I dyed a piece of Linen Thread using a cotton ball and my Dapper Denim ink pad!  Just held the thread on the ink pad with a cotton ball and pulled it across the ink.  Do that a few times, let it sit while you make the rest of the card and voila!  Dyed-to-match Linen Thread!

The inside is color coordinated with more Tip Top Taupe leaves and Mint Macaron leaves.  See how gorgeous the lines of these leaves are?  If you don't already have this set and coordinating Leaflets, you really must get it!

And...you really must go check out the rest of the inspiration from our Paper Players Design Team.  Always so much eye candy on display!  We hope you'll play along with us before the challenge closes on Friday, July 29 at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by today!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

 

It's Definately Dahlia Time of Year: PP303

Hi all--it's my turn to host our color challenge at The Paper Players this week and I think it's a pretty one:

We just returned from a week away visitng family and I made today's card before I left.  Looking at it now, I'm not sure I love it but I was in a hurry and couldn't fuss with it.  Take a look:

I had the idea to stamp the gorgeous bloom from Definately Dahlia in Mint Macaron and fussy cut them for a dramatic look.  I layered them over a Swet Sugarplum print from the Playful Palette DSP stack.

I pulled in some Island Indigo with the large sentiment from the hostess-only set, Time of Year, and coordinated it with a strip of Island Indigo DSP.  I fussy cut the sentiment banners from the Time of Year set and added a little bit of retired crochet trim.

This flower is so pretty and was the perfect accent for the inside of my card.  The Island Indigo sentiment is from an oldie-but-goodie PTI set called Signature Greetings.  Love the handwritten font on this one.

I hope you enjoyed my card today...do check out the rest of the inspiration from our fabulous Design Team at The Paper Players.  I hope you will have a chance to play along with us before the challenge closes on Friday, July 15th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

 

Colorblock Dotty Angles PP288

Happy Easter, everyone!  My lovely friend LeAnne has an awesome sketch for us this week at The Paper Players:

There are lots of possibilities with this sketch--strips of designer papers, leftover scraps, or even stamped images but I have to admit...I was a little stumped at first.  Then, I was browsing my favorite accessory store--Charming Charlie--and this bracelet caught my eye:

I love the colorblock design and the gorgeous trio of black, pink and taupe/gold.  Standing there in the store, a light bulb went off and I couldn't wait to turn it into a card!  LeAnne's sketch was just perfect!

I cut a piece of thick whisper white as the focal panel and added a strip of Basic Black, Blushing Bride and Crumb Cake cardstock.  It looked a little plain so I stamped the confetti dots from the Dotty Angles stamp set in versamark and heat embossed in gold. 

I just recently acquired this Celebrate die from My Favorite Things and I couldn't wait to use it!  I backed the gold piece with a second die cut in Basic Black which acts like a drop shadow and really makes the whole thing pop!  Some gold cording looped around the back gives it a little texture and shine.  I am really pleased with the way this one turned out and it was all because of that bracelet and no, I didn't even buy it! 

Be sure to check out all the fabulous creations from our design team at The Paper Players.  I just know something will inspire you to play along with us before the challenge ends on Friday, April 1st at Noon (PST).  Hope to see you in the gallery!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

Botanical Beauty of a Sketch PP279

Hi friends!  I am hostess this week at The Paper Players and am delighted to showcase a sketch I designed:

This is a go-to sketch for me--the banner elements and the circle may change depending on what papers, stamps, etc I wish to use but the layout is one that I use over and over again.  I hope you like it too.  I took an abstract approach to the vertical panel because I was itching to use the border die from Botanical Blooms:

 

There is hardly any stamping on this card because these beautiful dies did all the hard work!  And, I didn't have to  think about the colors either because the combination is straight from the Botanical Gardens DSP.  Mint Macaron, Cajun Craze, Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow and Basic Black...who knew?!  I guess the designers at Stampin' Up did!     

I never would have put these colors together on my onw but my...they sure are pretty together.  Love how it all pops on the basic black too.  Can you believe these gorgeous flowers?  The die cuts those layers so you can pop out the flower--so pretty!  I also love the mix and match sentiments from the Endless Birthdays photopolymer set I used here....endless combinations!

You can see here that there is more stamping on the inside than the outside of the card!  All the inside elements....the flowers, centers and line image are from the Botanical Blooms stamp set which I just stamped in the same colors as on the front along with this great sentiment from the Fabulous Four set....and it really is fabulous!

The Design Team also has some fabulous inspiration for you so pop over and check them out at The Paper Players.  I hope you will be inspired to play along wiht my sketch this week before our challenge closes on Friday, January 29th at Noon (PST)....thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Claire Broadwater

Jaydee

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Linda Callahan

Hannelie Bester

Colleen Begley

Go Wild for your Birthday {PP256}

Hi, everyone!  This week, at The Paper Players, the wonderfully talented Jaydee has a fun challenge for us and I found it to be just that....a challenge!  Take a peek:

So, I don't make square cards often....and probably for that reason, I struggled to find a layout that I liked.  I am so used to working with a traditional 4.25" x 5.5" layout that this really pushed me outside my comfort zone.  But, that's good--I need to stretch my creativity!  I ditched the first card I made coz it was too boring but I think I really like my second effort:

I think I was still channeling Laurie's frame challenge from a couple weeks ago because I couldn't get this idea for a vellum window out of my brain.  I HAD to make something of it!   The base is 5" x 5" heavy whisper white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of Go Wild DSP.  I cut out a window with my square framelits and attached a piece of Vellum Cardstock from the back.  Inside the card I cut another frame out of Whisper White cardstock and used it to cover over the edges of the vellum. The big, beautiful greeting from the hostess set Happy Birthday, Everyone was heat embossed in black onto the vellum.  

Doesn't the Melon Mambo pop against the white and black?  I thought the loopy, scribble flower from the Flower Shop set was the perfect playful companion to the funky zebra print.  The double-layer flower was also heat embossed in black.  Two Petite Petals flowers balance the corner layout.  And the Silver Thread?  Oh my, I use it on almost every project!  Probably one of the best items in the new catalog!

Here's a little peek to the inside....yes, I stamped inside even with the opaque vellum window.  The inside flower is closely placed under the flower on the front so it isn't visible through the vellum.  Also, the inside sentiment is stamped behind the one on the front so it's hidden as well.  Once I figured out my design, I really had a lot of fun pulling this card together.  Big props to Jaydee for taking me out of my comfort zone!  

The rest of the design team will have some amazing projects for you over at The Paper Players.  Do go check them out.  I hope you will join us before our challenge closes on Friday, August 7th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by today, friends! 

 The Paper Players Design Team 
Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile (on leave) 
Claire Broadwater
 Jaydee
Joanne James
Laurie Schmidt 
LeAnne Pugliese
Nance Leedy
Sandy Mathis

Amy Koenders
Jodi McKinney

Lisa Elton

The fabulous team over at The Friday Mashup is also hosting a square card challenge--how fun is that?!  I am excited to link up at another challenge because I rarely have time to do that anymore....thanks for the opportunity ladies!  Check out the work of their fabulous design team too!

Stencil Color Wash Technique {PP247}

Happy Sunday everyone....sorry I am a little late with my card for The Paper Players.  Sometimes life just gets in the way of stampin', right?  We're wrapping up the school year here and there are TONS of activities and events going on!  Anyway, lovely Laurie is hosting a fun Tic-Tac-Toe challenge this week...check it out:

Oh the possibilities!  I used the far right column: sequins, flower, any shade of yellow.  When I thought about making this card I knew two things I wanted to do--try a stencil technique--Color Wash--(don't know the name of it so I made one up!) and use lots of white space. Laurie is the master of making colors pop by using lots of white space and I wanted to try to emulate her style with today's card:

I've been seeing this stencil technique all over blogland--even my Paper Player friend, Sandy used it too! I'm not sure how others do it--sprtizing or sponging--but I found sponging the color gave me the soft look I was going for.  I used the pretty fancy fan stencil from one of the retiring SU kits, Hooray It's Your Day.  I laid it over the Whisper White cardstock and taped the edges to my work surface with painter's tape (easily removable).  The idea with this technique is to provide a soft wash of color that fades at the edges so I swiped across the stencil with my Crushed Curry ink and then went back over the center a few times to darken the middle. Here's a closer look:

With all the white space, I really wanted to use pops of color so each of the other elements--flower, stems and sentiment--is a separate color.  Keeping it to three follows the design principle of three elements to maintain balance.  I used Calypso Coral for the flower, Cucumber Crush (new!) for the leaves and Soft Sky for the sentiment banner.  Oh, and another sneak peek is the Triple Banner Punch I used to quickly flag the end of the sentiment banner!  Yep, with the new catalog we will have a quick and easy way to snips those banners--and it makes three sizes!  

 Lastly, I want to show you a close-up of the stitching.  Stitching the edge adds just a little bit of detail and texture which really makes the center panel stand out from the base layer--even though they are the same color.  If sewing isn't your thing, you could achieve the same look with paper piercing , a border punch or doodling some faux stitches!
 
That's it for me today....since this is late I want to get it posted asap!  Please be sure to check out the rest of the lovely creations from my Paper Players teammates.  We hope you will join in the Tic-Tac-Toe fun before Laurie's challenge ends on Friday, June 5th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile
Claire Broadwater
 Jaydee
Joanne James
Laurie Schmidt 
LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy
Sandy Mathis 
Debbie Mageed
Karren Johnson
Shannon Jaramillo