Barn Door Sunflowers {PP188}

Hiya friends!  What a fun sketch the sensational Sandy has this week for us at The Paper Players: 

Isn't that great?!  I had a lot of ideas swirling in my head but in the end I just couldn't resist the pull of more happy flowers. I had the benefit of seeing the sketch early and was able to design a card for my stamp club gals and, with a few modifications, this challenge too.  My inspiration came from bright, happy colors and fields full of sunflowers--like the ones I received as part of the CSA farm share that comes to our campus every week.

If you don't yet have the Hardwood stamp from the spring catalog, what are you waiting for??!!  This stamp is fantastic and looks great in any color combination.  Here, Soft Suede on Crumb Cake creates a dramatic background that really makes the flowers pop.  I like the opportunity for a punch of color provided by the little strip in Sandy's sketch.  Here, a Tangerine Tango pattern from the Retro Fresh DSP ties to the sentiment and really livens up the design and color palette.

A close-up here shows you the different flower stamps, punches and dies I used.  Mixed Bunch for the largest flower and Simple Stems with coordinating Secret Garden Framelits on the two smaller ones.  All three were stamped in Soft Suede on Daffodil Delight cardstock.  Stamping on colored cardstock really gives a punch of color without any extra effort like watercoloring or sponging.

This is one of those cards where I didn't think too long about my choice of stamp sets or colors, just let inspiration take flight and see what develops.  As it turned out, this was the favorite card of the night at stamp club--even more than the ones I really fussed over!  LOL, there's a lesson in there somewhere I am certain....

I hope you will check out the rest of the inspiration from my pals on the Paper Players Design Team.  The range of styles and interpretations of the sketch will amaze you!  I also hope that you can join us before the challenge closes on Friday, March 28th at Noon (PST).  Until then...thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team
Ann Schach
Anne Marie Hile
Jaydee
LeAnne Pugliese
Nance Leedy
Sandy Mathis

Supplies used on today's card...click any image for more 
details and ordering info:

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

A Simple Stems Chalkboard {PP177}

Hi all...and welcome to the first Paper Players challenge of 2014!  I am delighted to be this week's hostess for a fun Theme Challenge:

My family and I enjoyed a much-needed stay-cation over the holidays and we did a lot of weeding, purging and cleaning (thanks for the push, Mom!).  Boy, does it feel great!  My craft room is a peaceful place now with a place for everything and everything in it's place.  Starting the new year with a "clean slate" was certainly the theme of our winter break!  So, you want to see what I made in my clean slate craft room?  Here it is:

This card features more products from the new Occasions Catalog as well as more sneak peak Sale-a-Bration designer paper.  Today's card uses two more patterns from the Sweet Sorbet DSP I used on this card.  The color palette is the same and makes me swoon!  Sahara Sand, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit and Pistachio Pudding--yum!  I love the little pops of black in the pattern which really help make my chalkboard sentiment stand out!  I added a little faux stitching with the Stampin' Chalk Marker--the perfect tool for this look!  If you're not sure how to create the chalkboard look, check out this simple step-by-step Chalkboard Tutorial--it's easier than you think!

The real star are these gorgeous flowers from the Simple Stems stamp set--new in the Occasions catalog.  The great part is that two of the flowers in this set coordinate with the Secret Garden Framelits which made cutting them out a breeze!  I did, however, hand-cut the Crisp Cantaloupe flower, stamping it twice so I could pop the middle. 

Isn't this embossing folder fun?!  Scallops Textured Impressions Embossing folder is another Occasions catalog newbie.  I love how the embossed scallops repeat the pattern of the DSP but in a different way.  A little Pistachio Pudding Ruffle Stretch Trim secured to the back of the DSP adds yet another layer of scalloped and frilled detail.

I know that you will find some beautiful inspiration from the rest of The Paper Players design team.  Check them out and leave them some comment love!  I hope we inspire you to play along with the Chalkboard Technique and share it with us at The Paper Players before the challenge closes on Friday, January 10th at Noon (PDT).  Thanks for stopping by today!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

Supplies
Stamps: Simple Stems, Oh Hello, Secret Garden, Remembering Your Birthday, Petal Parade*
Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit, Sahara Sand, Versamark, Whisper White craft ink
Paper:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Pool Party, Summer Starfruit, Sahara Sand, Basic Black & Whisper White CS
Framelits: Secret Garden; Ovals Collection; Labels Collection
Xtras: Hexagon Punch; Stampin' Chalk Marker; White embossing powder; Basic Pearls; Pistachio Pudding Stretch Ruffle Trim; Scallops embossing folder
*Available 1/28/14 during Sale-a-Bration