Polka Dot Parade {PP96}

Hey there, friends, happy Paper Players Sunday! Sweet Anne Marie is our hostess this week for a fun Clean-and-Simple challenge featuring....Polka Dots!  

Happy and fun, large or small, polka dots are the perfect pattern.  Today, I used these fabulous colors from Arielle and the DT over at the ColourQ:

I love, love these colors together--anything with Basic Gray is a winner in my book.  I liked them so much that I made two cards!  For the first one, I took a very clean-and-simple approach letting the designer paper do the work:

Not much 'splaining needed here--just some circle punches, dry embossing and Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine!  The sentiment is peeking through the negative space of the circle although it is difficult to see in the photo.  I wasn't totally in love with this card so I made a second one:

This one I like a little bit better although I wouldn't call it clean-and-simple!  The Flower Fest flowers were all embossed with white embossing powder three times each on Wisteria Wonder and Tempting Turquoise cardstock then fussy-cut.  I'm going to keep this one short today....but I would love to know what you think of today's cards.  Which one do you prefer?  For even more inspiration, check out my amazing teammates on the Design Team.  I know they will inspire you to play along with Anne Marie's Polka Dot Parade challenge!  Just make sure to do so before Friday, May 25th at Noon (PST) when the challenge closes.  I hope to see you in the gallery!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Narelle Farrugia (May GD)

 

Supplies Card #1

Stamps: You're a Gem

Ink: Basic Gray

Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Designer Series Patterns Stack (In Colors), Island Floral DSP (retired)

Xtras: Luck Limeade Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones

Supplies Card #1

Stamps: Flower Fest; Petite Pairs; Build a Blossom

Ink: Lucky Limeade; Versamark

Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise, Wisteria Wonder CS; Designer Series Patterns Stack (neutrals)

Xtras: Scalloped Oval Punch; Large Oval Punch; Basic Rhinestones; Ruffled Ribbon in color; Stampin Emboss Powder (white)

Crisp Clean Summer: {CCMC161}

Hi friends and welcome to the Thursday Challenge at Create with Connie & Mary!  Last week's challenge was a doozy for me but it looks like many of you really rocked that crazy sketch!  This week Connie & Mary went much easier on us with a classic and elegant color combination:

I love black and yellow together--it always makes me think of crisp summer clothes with clean and classic lines, very Talbot's if you know what I mean!  Here's my take on crisp, clean and summer:

If only the weather had been bright and sunny for a better photo!  I have been itching to try this simple technique with the Flower Fest set and I chose the big beautiful zinnia.  I stamped it in Jet Black Stazon and then colored inside each petal with a Daffodil Delight marker--it really gives the flower dimension doesn't it? 

Of course, I stamped it a few more times and cut each successive layer out and popped it up on a dimensional.  Adding a little dazzling diamonds and a Basic Black Glimmer Brad to the mix as well.  The Old Olive snuck in in a scrap of embossed cardstock I already had.  The leaves were punched with the Build-a-Blossom punch and bent for added interest.

Clean and classy absolutely must include polka dots and this card has twice the polka dots!  This is my first use of the new Polka Dot Scallop ribbon and it is lovely!  Here, I wrapped one piece around the front of my cardstock and secured it to the back with snail.  Made a loop of ribbon from a separate piece, pinched in the middle, added a Glimmer Brad and adhered with a glue dot...instant bow!

And one last detail to show you that adds so much to the card IRL.  I heat embossed more zinnias in the opposite corners of my card base for added texture and shine.  It's difficult to capture in the photo but it really pops! 

I hope you've enjoyed my Crisp Clean Summer card today....I'd love to hear your comments.  I read and treasure each and every one of them!  I know the rest of the Create with Connie & Mary design team has some amazing projects for you so be sure to stop by.  We hope you'll join us this week, I'd love to come visit you!

supplies:

stamps: bring on the cake, flower fest

ink: jet black stazon, versamark

paper: basic black, whisper white, daffodil delight, old olive CS; designer series pattern stack (brights)

xtras: glimmer brads (nuetrals); polka dot impressions folder; top note die; basic black polka dot scallop ribbon; 2 3/8" scallop circle punch; build a blossom punch; black stampin' emboss powder

Define my Gratitude: {PP48} & {JAI68}

Happy Paper Players Sunday everyone!  I am so excited to be your hostess this week for a sketch challenge.  Here's the sketch I designed for you and I can't wait to see what you make with it:

 I used it to make a Teacher Appreciation Week card for my daughter's teacher using the beautiful color combination over at Just Add Ink:  
 
Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, Perfect Plum and Whisper White.

Would you like to see the details?  OK, happy to oblige!  I started with a Perfect Plum card base (why don't I use this color more often?) to which I added the flourish stamp from Strength & Hope in two columns roughly down the center:

I stamped each flourish in Perfect Plum ink and placed a piece of Greenhouse Gala paper down the middle.  I cut a 3" circle of Whisper White with my 3" circle die and a Baja Breeze scalloped circle with a nestie. 

I stamped "gratitude" from Define Your Life in Pear Pizzazz and over stamped with a Broadsheet Alphabet "G".  The "G" is stamped off once so it shows as more of a watermark behind the definition.  

Next, I stamped the roses from Flower Fest in Whisper White craft ink on Perfect Plum DSP, sprinkled with white stampin' emboss powder and heat set.  To make the 3 flowers on my card, I made 6 embossed flowers and cut out the center of half of them to layer and add dimension.  I wanted them to look a bit like sugar coated flowers, so I added some Dazzling Diamonds to the edges with a glue pen.  So sparkly IRL!  A few Pear Pizzazz branches from the 2-step Bird XL punch finished off my flowers perfectly!

The inside uses a non-SU sentiment that is so fitting for my daughter's teacher!  I stamped it in Perfect Plum on Whisper White and added some more Flower Fest roses in Baja Breeze and a couple more Pear Pizzazz leaves.

So, what do you think of today's card?  I would love to know!  Can you play along with us this week?  I sure hope so!  You have until Friday May 27th at midnight (PST) to link up your creation at The Paper Players.  We can't wait to come visit you.  Have a great week my friends!

supplies:

stamps: flower fest, define your life, broadsheet alphabet, strength & hope

ink: pear pizzazz, baja breeze, perfect plum classic inks and whisper white craft ink

paper: perfect plum, pear pizzazz, whisper white, baja breeze CS; designer patterns stack subtles; greenhouse gala DSP

xtras: 2-step bird punch; white stampin' emboss powder; dazzling diamonds; 3" circle die; scalloped circle nestabilities