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!

A Sketch for Vintage Leaves {PP255}

Hiya friends, and welcome to another week with The Paper Players!  This week the always fabulous Sandy has a great sketch challenge for us:

I told you it was a good one, right?!  Love it Sandy--thank you!  In addition to needing to design a card for this sketch, I also needed a card for stamp club that featured new stamps and product.  It may be a bit early for fall colors and themes but I just love the detail in the Vintage Leaves set:

Oh my word, these leaves are gorgeous!  And, you know what makes it even greater?  It's photopolymer--clear--AND there are matching framelits!  What more could we ask for?  Well how about some amazing detail:

Isn't that pretty?  To achieve the look of colored leaves without actual coloring, I stamped on cardstock slightly lighter than my ink color.  The smallest leaf was stamped in Delightful Dijon on So Saffron cardstock.  The medium leaf was stamped in Mossy Meadow on Old Olive CS and the largest one is Blackberry Bliss ink on Perfect Plum cardstock.  I crumpled and curled the leaves (with a bone folder) to give them a worn look. 

So, have you seen this new Corrugated Paper?  One word--fabulous.  No more using the sleeves from our Starbucks cups--this stuff is lighter weight and the ribs are smaller and closer together.  That makes it much more receptive to stamping as I've done here with the Watercolor Wash background and Gorgeous Grunge splatters stamps in Soft Suede.  Did I mention that the Corrugated Paper comes in a pack of Kraft AND Whisper White?  Lovely.

Just in case you had any doubts about the beautiful detail of these leaves, I'll show you the inside where they are featured more prominently on Very Vanilla cardstock.  And that sentiment?  One Big Meaning--yeah, you need it.  All the thank you sentiments you could ever need.  Yep, a must-have.

It's also a must-have to stop by and see all the fabulous creations from the rest of The Paper Players design team.  I'm so fortunate to work with this great group of gals!  I hope you will take up Sandy's sketch challenge; I can't wait to see what you create!  Just be sure to join us before the challenge ends on Friday, July 31st at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by, 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

Peek-a-Boo Birthday {PP254}

Hello friends and welcome to another week with The PaperPlayers.  After a little mid-summer break last weekend, I’m back with a fun card for Laurie’s Clean-and-Simple challenge:

 

I thought this would be a good time to try out the new THICK Whisper White cardstock—love it!  I also had the idea to make a peek-a-boo frame and here’s what I came up with:

Cute?!  With the new thick cardstock, I could easily cover the front with some fun DSP and not have to stabilize the base with another layer.  Perfect for the CAS challenge.  I love the cheerful patterns in the Cherry on Top DSP stack and took my color combination from all the colored balloons: Bermuda Bay, Cucumber Crush, and Watermelon Wonder. 

After I covered the front with DSP, I used an Oval Framelit to cut the window for the sentiment.  Layering two different sized Oval Framelits on a piece of Bermuda Bay cardstock make the frame for my window.  

The Tin of Cards stamp set is a great one with this fun font and since it’s photopolymer, I could see exactly where I placed it as I stamped it through the peek-a-boo window.  Some balloons from a previous Paper Pumpkin kit added to the fun on the inside.

I hope you will stop by The Paper Players and check out all the inspiration from the rest of the Design Team.  Then, join in the fun before our challenge closes on Friday, July 24th at Noon (PST).

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

Watercolor Wings Gate Fold {PP252}

Hey there friends, I hope you're having a great weekend.  Our family has been off work and summer camp since Thursday so we've been having a good time!  Oh how I wish the work week was 32 hours instead of 40.....sigh.  Anyway....this week at The Paper Players it's all about The Great Outdoors.  The amazing Ann is our host for this month's theme challenge:

From the first time I saw the Watercolor Wings stamp set, I've had the idea for a card with this type of fold in my head.  I was also inspired by this fantastic card from Stef Perry and the idea was born:

I wanted the butterfly to look like it landed on a fence or a barn door and thought the gate fold would be perfect!.  I used some retired Adventure Bound DSP for the "gate" but it could also be stamped with the Hardwood background stamp.  How many of you still have the Inspired by Nature stamp set with this big beautiful grass image?  I'll never sell mine and in Cucumber Crush, it made the perfect grassy border.  Although I didn't use any on my card, I took my color cue from the Cherry On Top DSP stack using Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, and Island Indigo for the butterfly with accents of Crushed Curry and Watermelon Wonder.

With all the elements in the center and the background stamping, it was difficult to figure out where a sentiment would go.  I debated whether I needed one but was able to make the sweet little Greetings Thinlits fit over the butterfly and open nicely from the center.  I was really pleased how well it cut and popped out from the new THICK Whisper White cardstock--no wax paper, no dryer sheets needed.  It worked like a charm!

The gate fold opens up to reveal the inside panel with another butterfly and this fabulous sentiment from last month's Paper Pumpkin kit.  I added some Watermelon Wonder dots to the sides to mimic the banner on the front of the card.  

This butterfly stamp set is sooo pretty.  At first I thought, do I really need another butterfly stamp?  But oh, this one is not like the others.  It's photopolymer so lining up each layer is easy-peasy.  There are three layers to the butterfly and each one is a separate stamp so you can create many color combinations.  I can't wait to experiment with some more colors!  One tip: I found it much easier to stamp the center body of the butterfly AFTER cutting it out with the coordinating Bold Butterfly Framelit.  It's easy to line up because it is completely clear and I found that I cut off part of the head or body if I stamped it before cutting.  

I am sure that the rest of The Paper Players design team have some amazing projects inspired by the great outdoors for you.  Be sure to pop over and check 'em out.  I hope you will join in the fun before our challenge closes on Friday, July 10th at Noon (PST).  Thanks for stopping by today!

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

Wild About Flowers for a Sketch {PP251}

Hi friends, did you miss me?!  I took a little bloggy break as there were so many activities to wind up the school year and usher in the summer travel season.  I am back this week as hostess over at The Paper Players where I am sharing a sketch I designed:

 I've had a small box of stuff I pre-ordered back in May just SITTING in my craft room for WEEKS.  Whaaat?  Yes, sadly I said "weeks".  On top of being super busy, I found my mojo slipping away and didn't really feel like getting stampy.  I struggled to make this card even with my own sketch.  I persevered though and while I don't love it....hopefully I am over the mojo hump.

I love the flowers in the new set, Wild About Flowers.  It's a two step stamp so the flowers can be a different color than the stems but here I've stamped them each in the same color.  I drew my colors from the new Bohemian DSP and used Delightful Dijon, Bermuda Bay and Blackberry Bliss.  

The colors are quite bold and using a lot of white in the background helps tones them down while simultaneously making them POP!  The new set, One Big Meaning was a must-have for all the great thank you sentiments it contains.

Do pop over to The Paper Players and check out all the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team.  This is our last week with Guest Designers Debbie, Karren and Shannon and I will be sad to see them go.  Ladies, it has been a pleasure working with you and getting to know you better.  Thank you for all your hard work and for sharing your creativity with us! 

That's it for me today, friends...thanks for stopping by!

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 
Debbie Mageed
Karren Johnson
Shannon Jaramillo

Amy Koenders

Jodi McKinney

Lisa Elton