Curtain Call {Act 29}

I just love the colors and inspiration photos Stacey uses in the Curtain Call Color Challenge and this week is no exception. Take a look:

Look at that flower and those vases! I've never used Bordering Blue before, gasp(!), and now I am going to miss it when it retires in June. It's such a pretty blue-ish gray and it looks fantastic with summer sun (also retiring) and tangerine tango (coming back)! So, here is my take on these fabulous colors:

What do you think? I had a vague idea where I wanted to go, well at least I knew I wanted to use the Eastern Blooms set. I don't use that one nearly enough--it's so pretty! I stamped the middle cherry blossom branch in Versamark and then heat embossed with white stampin' emboss powder. It looked kinda lonely by itself so I stamped some more branches with the Versamark ink. Two retired DSP patterns--good morning sunshine and haiku--provided the summer sun and tangerine tango pops of color. So glad to get tangerine tango back in July!


The flower was stamped in summer sun on whisper white and hand-cut. Some yellow adhesive rhinestones from my embellie stash add some sparkle to the flower. The cool textured background is the new square lattice impressions folder now available in the summer mini catalog--isn't it great?! Can't forget the whisper white ribbon...I love this new-to-me technique of ruffling the ribbon...it's sooo easy and makes for simple mailing with no knots or bows.

I also try to complete the inside of each card and I love carrying over a stamp from the front, on the inside. Makes the design complete, don'tcha think? I do so appreciate your visit to my blog and love reading your comments! Hint, hint ;-)

(For more information about retiring and new colors click on the color wheels to the right of this post.)

supplies: stamps: eastern blooms; garden greetings (retired); heard from the heart (inside sentiment)
ink: summer sun; basic gray (sentiments); versamark
paper: whisper white, bordering blue cardstock; haiku & good morning sunshine DSP
xtras: whisper white organza ribbon; square lattice impressions folder; stampin' emboss powder; scallop trim punch; XL bird punch (leaves); top note die

One of a kind chair

I have always had a thing for chairs. I think of them as an accessory to a room--kind of like a great statement necklace with a simple dress or sweater. So, it was no surprise that my mom recently gifted me with this fabulous PTI set. Lo and behold, there is a perfectly fitting Three Cheers for Chairs challenge over on the Moxie Fab World blog--apparently I'm not the only one with a thing for chairs!

I kept my card base pretty simple in color and design so that the patterned chairs would really pop. Each chair is stamped and paper pieced--so much fun! The chair legs are colored with my Stampin' Write marker in soft suede. I stamped the rug, kind of as an afterthought, to balance out the weight of the ribbon on the left with the sentiment on the right. I also kept the ribbon treatment simple so it would accent, rather than compete, with those lovely chairs! And, I can't forget the inside...not a great pic, but the set also includes a faux-wood floor and a lamp which has a paper pieced lampshade to match the chair on the front. So let's hear it for the chair! I'm going to go curl up in one right now....well, maybe after I help my daughter in the tub, into her jammies, put her to bed, do the dishes....sigh...maybe I'll just look at these chairs instead! ;-) Have a good one!

Branching Out with Color

I am on a roll with Not Quite Navy lately. I love this color and I was thrilled to see it in Act 28 of Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge and even more thrilled that I could participate!

Pretty, right? I don't use Rose Red very often but I am seeing it more and more and I think it is so fresh and modern paired with kraft and not quite navy. I've had the idea for this card in my head for awhile now so I am happy to find an outlet for it. I used this layout from the Stamping 411 operators (SSC149) --nice and simple--but turned it on the side.And, here is what I came up with: I am really pleased with the way this came out. I bought this stamp set months ago but never actually inked it up...oh how I love it! So easy to make a beautiful flowering tree for any season. I stamped the rose red randomly on the tree stamping once in full color and then again without re-inking to achieve the look of layered color.
I had so much fun with the ribbon on yesterday's card that I used the same technique on this card. I put down a piece of sticky strip where I wanted the ribbon to go. Starting at one end, I attached the ribbon bit by bit lifting it up with my paper piercing tool to form a little loop. It was really easy and I like the effect.
A navy buttton and some linen thread was the finishing accent the ribbon needed. The sentiment is from a favorite set, Teeny Tiny Wishes, inked up in, you guessed it, not quite navy on whisper white and punched out with the large oval punch. I'd love to hear from you, let me know what you think!

Fall-to-the-PPA

Pals Paper Arts is my go-to-stamping challenge--always fun inspiration and the deadline includes a weekend which gives me a chance to catch up! Today's card is for PPA40 featuring a monochromatic blue palette and a great layout (FTL88) from the Clean & Simple Stamping blog.

The beautiful DSP is Bella Blue featuring not quite navy and very vanilla. I really like the way the kissed butterfly turned out here. I was struggling with the colors I wanted to "kiss" the butterfly stamp with and nothing looked right with the dsp. Then a light bulb went off! I inked up the fine flourish stamp with not quite navy and kissed the butterfly stamp with it--without inking the butterfly first. So the not quite navy fine flourish was the only ink on my butterfly when I stamped it directly on my paper.
I get the shape of the butterfly out of the fine flourish stamp! I really like the way it looks--almost like a die cut! I've seen ruffle ribbons like this all over blogland and had been itching to try it myself. I'm not sure if I did it "right" but I like the effect. My daughter loves running her finger over it!
The bashful blue taffeta was the perfect material to ruffle up a bit and I really like the pop of light blue it provides against the not quite navy. Thanks for looking and I would love to know what you think!

supplies:
stamps: butterfly accent; fine flourish; well scripted
ink: not quite navy
paper: bella bleu dsp; very vanilla, not quite navy cardstock
xtras: bashful blue taffeta ribbon; scallop trim punch; beautiful wings embosslit; adhesive pearl (from my stash)

Sunshine Award!

Thank you so much, Nance @ Snap, Scrap & Dazzle for passing along the Sunshine Award to me! That's right, she's another "Nance" and, so far, we're the only two we know of in crafting blogland. Her cards are colorful and cheery and her layouts are sooo creative...just look at her Congrats Joy Fold card--cool!

So, to pay it forward I am passing along the Sunshine Award to the following 5 bloggers:

1. My mom, Nancy, at Nanc's Niche of Stampin' because she's been an inspiration to me all my life! And...she's the one that gave me my first Stampin Up! catalog. :-)
2. My upline, Mary, at I LUV 2 Stamp for all her encouragement and praise.
   
3. My downline, Diane, at Rubber 'n' Rafters for her creativity and support.
   
4. Linda, at Stampin' Seasons because she always leaves me a comment and I love her style.
5. Margaret, at Margaret Moody for her fantastic card sketches and encouragement.

Ladies, here's what you should do:

• Post the prize on your blog
• Mention me in your post
• Give the prize to 5 friends
• Post a link to their blogs
• Announce everyone on their blog
• Make a list with 10 things you like

And here are 10 things I like...about papercrafting:

1. designer paper...oh, how I love the paper!
2. ribbon...I've grown to LOVE ribbon and use it on almost every project now! (Thanks Mary!)
   
3. my scalloped edge punch...essential
   
4. adhesive rhinestones...because who doesn't love a little glitz?
5. the fellow crafting friends I have made
6. the fellow blogger crafting friends I have made
7. STAMPIN' UP!
8. my Big Shot!
9. giving handmade cards and crafts to friends & family and...
10. sharing my creations in blogland with you!

Now, go spread the cheer!