Cloudy with a Chance of Cats {PP63}

Hiya, friends.  It's Paper Player Sunday and I'll get to that in just a minute.  First, I'd like to take a moment, on this day, to remember the tragedy that befell our country ten years ago and honor the memory of those that were lost.

...Thank you...

This week I am delighted to host The Paper Players color challenge and have chosen a warm and rich color palette for you:

Pretty, yes?  And the card I designed using these colors:

click to enlarge

I couldn't resist going Halloween and just had to ink up my new Out on a Limb set...oh how I love that kitty cat!

in Rich Razzleberry even!  The background was sponged with Basic Gray and a scallop circle to create a swirling, cloudy night-time sky.  The Basic Gray bats are from last year's Wicked Cool but all the other components are from Out on a Limb.  Isn't the crescent moon cool?!  I punched a circle from Silver Shimmer Paper and then moved the circle over slightly to create the crescent shape.

And I had more fun on the inside with a spooky sponged sky, some Old Olive bats and another kitty perched on a sentiment from Grateful Greetings. 

I hope today's color challenge card inspires you to play along with us.  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration over at The Paper Players where you will find some gorgeous eye candy.  If you play along with us, be sure to link up your creation at The Paper Players by Friday, September 16th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to see what you do with these colors...thanks for stopping by!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Sandra Conner (September GD)

 

supplies:

stamps: out on a limb, wicked cool, grateful greetings

ink: rich razzleberry, old olive, basic gray, jet black stazon

paper: basic gray, whisper white, old olive, basic black CS; frightful sight & pocketful of posies DSP

xtras: sponges; 1 3/8" circle punch; decorative label punch; spider web embossing folder

Leaves of Gratitude {CCMC166}

Hiya friends!  Welcome to another week of the Create with Connie & Mary Thursday Challenge.  It's a sketch week at CCMC and we know how you love sketches!  I think you're really going to love this one:

Cute, right?  Easy-peasy and a great sketch for showing off some beautiful patterned paper as in the gorgeous new Spice Cake designer paper featured in today's card:

click to enlarge

Oh, these colors are swoon-worthy!  Soft Suede, More Mustard and Pool Party that I've combined with the Day of Gratitude set.  Would you like to see some details?  I inked the large medallion from Day of Gratitude in Soft Suede ink and then dabbed on Champagne Mist shimmer paint for a sparkly effect:

The Pool Party & More Mustard leaves on the main panel were highlighted with Dazzling Details and the edges were embossed with gold stampin' emboss powder:

This is such as easy technique and really gives a cool effect!  Just drag the edges of cardstock on a Versamark pad, dip into embossing powder and heat set!  Makes a great gilded edge, don'tcha think?  And I can't let you go without a peek at the inside:

More designer paper to match--just scraps from the front--and a leaf that was rock-n-rolled in Pool Party and More Mustard.  Love this sentiment from an oldie but goodie: Falling Leaves. 

So, there  you have it!  I would love to hear what you think of today's card!  Be sure to check out the rest of the design team inspiration over at Create with Connie & Mary where it's also the Holiday Edition preview period.  We would love to have you join us this week and can't wait to see what you do with the sketch!  If you decide to play along, please link your project at Create with Connie & Mary by Wednesday, September 14th at 12 noon (EST).  Thanks for stopping by!

supplies:

stamps: day of gratitude, falling leaves

ink: pool party, more mustard, soft suede

paper: soft suede, very vanilla, more mustard CS; spice cake DSP

xtras: soft suede 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon; linen thread; champagne mist shimmer paint; gold stampin' emboss powder; dazzling details; pool party ruffled ribbon

Flutterby Birthday {PP62}

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends!  Changes are afoot here at The Paper Players as we say goodbye to our dear friends on the summer design team and our August guest designer but welcome our new Fall team aboard!  I am so excited to be stamping alongside these gals--they have some amazing creations to share with you!  Me...not so much today--I had a hard time finding my mojo on this one so I turned to a favorite color challenge site and discovered a double challenge!

I used Fall-to-Layout #155 and Colour Q combo #97 with this week's Paper Players Theme Challenge: Birthdays...

...to create this for you:

Not sure this is exactly what I had in mind when I set out but it's growing on me.  I do love this color combination and had fun featuring all the gorgeous Pool Party cardstock!   Three rows of Pool Party were punched with the Lace Ribbon border punch and adhered to basic black.  The Tangerine Tango scallop dots ribbon was made a little wider with a strip of TT cardstock underneath.

The double butterfly is made with the Beautiful Butterflies die and the Beautiful Wings embosslit.  I wish now that I added another rhinestone to the two smaller butterflies--funny how stepping back in a photograph can make small things obvious!  I thought the whimsical sentiment from Happiest Birthday Wishes added the perfect sense of movement with the butterflies.

Thank you so much for stopping by today...do hop over to The Paper Players to check out the amazing creations of the entire Design Team...I am so lucky to be working with these gals!  I hope that you will play along with us this week...you always need a birthday card for the stash, right?!  If you join us, please link up your creation at The Paper Players by Friday, September 9th at midnight (PST) to be considered for Headliner and A Cut Above.  I hope you are having a great weekend!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
Sandra Conner (September GD)

supplies:

stamps: happiest birthday wishes

ink: jet black stazon

paper: pool party, tangerine tango, whisper white, basic black, melon mambo CS; patterns designer stack (brights)

xtras: tangerine tango scallop dots ribbon; beautiful wings embosslit; beautiful butterflies die; basic rhinestones; lace border ribbon punch

Holiday Mini Ribbon Share!

The day is finally here!! The Holiday Mini Catalog went live today and I'm so glad you can enjoy it now too! 

Click the cover to take a look...did you see the ribbon?! Quilted satin ribbon in Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso (pg. 30) and Very Vanilla Velvet ribbon (pg. 22), oh my! To buy all three rolls would cost you almost $24 bucks but how about just $5 for one yard of all three ribbon styles?!  Aren't they lovely?

If you think so too, then you'll be happy to know about my Holiday Ribbon Share...just $5 for one yard of each ribbon!  All ribbon will be wrapped on poster board and packaged in plastic so it arrives to you clean and wrinkle-free!  If you would like to join in, please send the following information to me via email (nleedy@cox.net):

1. Your name
2. Your mailing address
3. Your email address
4. Number of shares you would like to order
5. Any additional instructions

I will send a PayPal invoice to the email address you provide.   

Shipping within the continental US only

$2.00 anywhere in the continental U.S. for up to two shares, $1.00 for each additional share.  Shipping amounts will be added to the cost of the share and will be included in your PayPal invoice.  Thank you for your support!

Leaves of Autumn {CCMC165}

Happy September 1st, friends, and welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary!  Wow, September 1st is a great day because it's the first day of the Holiday Mini Catalog!  It's an exciting time at CCMC, too, because subscriptions to the Holiday Edition of CCMC are now available with early bird pricing--that's $5 off the normal $34.95 price...$29.95 US for six weeks of daily posts and tutorials featuring items from the Holiday Mini.   So, how about this week's challenge?!  It's a fabulous color combination perfect for autumn or Halloween cards:

And here is the Thanksgiving card I designed using The Paper Players sketch:

 

Next to birds and leaves, trees are my favorite stamp images--I think I own every one that SU makes.  So, of course, I had to have Leaves of a Tree from the new Holiday Mini!  I embossed it in gold onto Very Vanilla cardstock and colored scattered leaves with a Blender pen and inks in all three challenge colors.  Here's a closer look:

Love the effect mixed with the gold embossing!  I find that the blender pen + ink pad technique gives me better control over the color strength than if I colored with markers.  For small detail work, like these leaves, the colors show up better in a slightly lighter shade than I would get with a marker. 

The Rich Razzleberry panel was stamped with the same ink on the French Filagree stamp and the edges were roughed up with the 7-sided distressing tool.  That's some Lucky Limeade patterned paper from the In Color patterned paper stack trimmed out in a tiny punched Pumpkin Pie scallop ribbon border.  Instead of ribbon, I wrapped some gold Waffle Paper around the front panel, scrunched it with some linen thread and secured with a glue dot--instant gold ribbon!

And finally, I was channeling my friend Carrie Gaskin with this little sentiment banner!  She uses them often on her cards and I just love the whimsical look of them!  The Fabulous Phrases sentiment was stamped in Rich Razzleberry onto Very Vanilla and over stamped with a Pumpkin Pie leaf from Day of Gratitude.  My paper snips cut it into a rectangle and the 1 1/4" square punch turned on an angle made the flagged ends!  Isn't it cute?  Thanks for the inspiration, Carrie!

Well, I hope I've inspired you to play along with these gorgeous fall colors at Create with Connie & Mary.  Be sure to stop by and see all the wonderful Design Team inspiration.  If you play along with us,  please link your card up to Create with Connie & Mary by Wednesday, September 7th at 12 noon (EST).

supplies:

stamps: leaves of a tree, day of gratitude, fabulous phrases

ink: rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie, lucky limeade, versamark

paper: rich razzleberry, pumpkin pie, very vanilla CS; in color designer patterns stack

xtras: 3" circle die; gold waffle paper; linen thread; brads (brights); 7-sided distressing tool (cutter kit); paper snips; 1.25" square punch; scallop ribbon border punch; stampin' emboss powder (gold)