Zen and the Art of Watercolor

Happy Paper Players Sunday, friends!  I'm so excited to share my card with you today!  But first, let me tell you about this week's challenge with Jaydee as our hostess:

Truth be told, I used to be afraid of watercoloring but I've been practicing and practicing...and...you get the picture...now I think I can say that I actually like watercoloring!  So, I busted out some watercolor paper, my ink pads and an Aqua Painter to make this birthday card for a dear friend:

I needed a masculine card so the clean-and-simple approach was perfect.  The demure little bonsai in the Plant Hope set is ideal for my friend who likes Asian themes.  I think the key to watercoloring, for me, is to layer the color by starting with the lightest shade.  With several light applications, you end up with a shade that has more dimension than an image colored with a single color.  Use the darker color to add shading allowing some of the light color to peek through. 

   

For the pot, I started with several light coats of Calypso Coral only adding Poppy Parade on the edges.  For the tree, I started with  Pear Pizzazz and added a punch of color with Lucky Limeade while the tree trunk and branches was a blend of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede. This method does take some patience as the water needs to dry between each coat otherwise it will run.  Of course, I wouldn't know anything about that....no, not me, not at all!  LOL.  To finish it off I added two score lines with my Simply Scored board and tucked a piece of Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon underneath.  You can't really tell in the photo but that's a piece of Brushed Gold cardstock under the ribbon--it adds just the right touch of glam.  Coz, even guys like a little sparkle!

I hope you liked today's card--I would love to know what you think!  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for their fabulous take on this challenge.  I hope you'll join us in The Paper Players gallery--the challenge will close on Friday, April 20th at Noon (PST).

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy
Jenn Picard
Heidi Boos

Shirley Pumpkin (April GD)

 

Supplies 

Stamps: Plant Hope; Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Calypso Coral, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake & Soft Suede classic ink; Timber Brown Stazon

Paper: Basic Black, Brushed Gold CS; Watercolor paper

Xtras: Lucky Limeade ruffled ribbon; Simply Scored board; Aqua Painter

Peace & Palms {PP75}

Hiya friends and welcome to another week with The Paper Players!  I am excited to be the hostess this week for a Holiday Hoopla theme challenge...only it's Holiday with a twist.  The challenge is to Create something Holiday with non-holiday stamps or colors...how fun is that?!  

My card isn't quite what I had in my mind's eye but I really wanted to show you what Christmas looks like in my part of the world:

We really do have palm trees in our yard and while it's too tall to hang ornaments on it, it does get decked out with Christmas lights every year!  Let's take a closer look:

I needed something small to decorate my tree so I used a standard-issue office supply paper punch to punch a hole and saved the circle it made.  I added a drop of Crystal Effects to each one and while it was wet, sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds on.  Faux glimmer brads...in any size you want!  I sponged some Bashful Blue clouds in the background and colored the tree with Stampin' Write markers in Certainly Celery and Lucky Limeade.  The rest is pretty obvious so I will just encourage you to pop on over to The Paper Players and check out the amazing work by my fellow Design Team members--rumor has it there's another palm tree on the DT:

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
  Rita Wright (December GD)

I hope you'll consider playing along with our Holiday Hoopla!  If you do, please link up your crafty goodness to The Paper Players by Friday December 9th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to see what you do with this theme!  Thanks for visiting!

supplies:

stamps: plant hope, comfort & joy, creative elements, sanded [retired]

ink: bashful blue, early espresso, crumb cake

paper: crumb cake, whisper white, early espresso; brights & subtles pattern designer paper stacks

xtras: ovals die; stampin write markers (certainly celery, crumb cake & lucky limeade); dazzling diamonds; crystal effects; daffodil delight pom-pom trim [retired]; office supply hole punch

Frosty and Fresh {FMS3}

Have you heard the news?  There's a fun, fresh and fabulous new challenge blog in town.  Yes, I'm talking about Freshly Made Sketches and today I am honored and delighted to be their Featured Designer!!  My fellow Paper Player and blog queen extraordinaire, Lesley Croghan lined up an all-star "Clean Team" to bring you a fresh and clean sketch every week.  What is "clean" you say?  Well, it's clean lines--no sponging, distressing or tearing but not simple style either--embellishments and layers are encouraged!  All the gals at FMS rock, hi girls(!), and I am tickled pink to be with them this week.    Here is this week's Freshly Made Sketch #3:

Fabulous, isn't it?  I wanted to get a head start on my holiday cards and had a "fresh" stack of Frostwood Lodge designer paper just calling my name:

Since I really bought this paper for the gorgeous woodgrain patterns (right, Rita?!), I surprised myself by actually using plaid!  I am not really a plaid girl--must be my catholic school girl roots--but paired with the birch background paper and the woodgrain background stamp (yes I used it again!), the Cherry Cobbler plaid just worked!  Here's few close-ups of the fun bits:

Love that birch patterned paper--another woodgrain, yay!  The trees from Plant Hope were stamped in Garden Green and outlined with dazzling diamonds....because who says you can't wear diamonds with plaid?  :) 

Even the inside got the fresh and clean treatment with this beautiful sentiment from Comfort & Joy.

So, what do you think....are you inspired?  Check out Freshly Made Sketches for even more inspiration--you won't be disappointed!  I hope you'll play along with the team!  Just make sure to link up your clean creation over at Freshly Made Sketches by Monday, September 26th at midnight (PST).   The Clean Team will be delighted to come visit you and offer an encouraging comment or two!  Thanks so much to Lesley and the Clean Team for inviting me on board this week...and thanks to you for stopping by! 

supplies:

stamps: plant hope; woodgrain; you're a gem; comfort & joy

ink: garden green, cherry cobbler

paper: cherry cobbler, early espresso, whisper white CS; frostwood lodge DSP

xtras: paper crimper; designer buttons (regals); dazzling diamonds; early espresso baker's twine

Basic Double Saffron Pie {CCMC158}

Happy Thursday everyone!  Wow, it's a double challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary--CCMC158 will last for two weeks and includes a color challenge AND a sketch challenge.  Choose one, choose both--more options for your creativity! 

 Combining both the color and sketch challenges into one card, made everything come together easy-peasy!

The sketch is a square card so I made a 5x5 card featuring some textured Basic Gray cardstock and a large scalloped Pumpkin Pie circle.  My Circle Scissor Plus easily cut a nesting circle of Very Vanilla and So Saffron for the focal image.  I used post-it notes to cover up the bottom third of the circle then simply sponged Pumpkin Pie ink above the line created with the post-it notes.  The forest of pretty pines from Plant Hope was stamped twice in Basic Gray.

In place of the brads in the sketch, I wanted a few birds in the sky.  I tried hand drawing them but they just didn't look right.  So, do you know where my birds came from?  Believe it or not, they are in the background of the Sail Away stamp!  Yep, I inked just the birds with a Basic Gray marker and stamped them twice onto my circle. 

I planned to use Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon but it looked plain on it's own, so I stamped it in Basic Gray ink with the Woodgrain stamp for a little interest.  I wrapped it around the card and added an Antique Brad and some basic pearls along with a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

I used a little more Very Vanilla inside along with some Pumpkin Pie designer patterned paper, just a touch of First Edition designer paper and one of my favorite sentiments from Word Play.

So, will you play along with us?  Two challenges, two weeks--combine the challenges or do them separately--we just hope you'll join us!  Be sure to stop by Create with Connie & Mary to see what the rest of the design team has to inspire you!  Have a great day!

supplies:

stamps: plant hope, woodgrain, teeny tiny wishes, word play, sail away

paper: basic gray textured, very vanilla, pumpkin pie, so saffron CS; first edition DSP; brights patterned DSP

ink: pumpkin pie, basic gray, so saffron

xtras: antique brads; basic pearls; circle scissor plus; scallop ribbon border punch; scallop circle die; very vanilla seam binding ribbon.

Sparkle Forest: CCCC {47}

Just under the wire...I couldn't let Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge go unanswered this week.  The colors are so pretty, soothing and natural--Crumb Cake, Always Artichoke, Whisper White & Early Espresso--love it!  With a simple but beautiful sketch from the clean & simple blog (107), I made this one in under 15 minutes but if I had more time I might do things a little differently...oh well!

I tried a new-to-me technique that was demonstrated at a stampin' event for Florida SU demonstrators last weekend.  I don't know the official name but I'm calling it "shimmer paper".  I started with a 3.5 x 2.5" piece of glossy white cardstock.  Using a stampin' sponge dipped in Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint I swirled it onto the glossy cardstock.  The result is a swirly pattern of sparkle in a color very similar to Crumb Cake.  Here are a couple of close-ups to show you the swirls and sparkle a bit better:

 

Isn't it pretty?  Looks like swirling snow doesn't it?  I think the Elegant Lines embossing folder and the coordinating DSP from Elegant Soiree mimic the swirling shimmer paint quite well.   With a challenge color of Always Artichoke, I had to use some fresh-out-of-the-brown-box Seam Binding ribbon in Always Artichoke.  This ribbon is just one of the wonderful new products from the Holiday Mini!   It's so easy to tie and has a beautiful luster to it that will add just the perfect touch of elegance to all your holiday creations.

I'll keep it short so I can get this one entered into the Curtain Call...thanks for looking and I hope you have a great weekend!  Be sure to check back on Sunday for the next challenge from The Paper Players...cheers! 

supplies:

stamps: plant hope; short & sweet

ink: early espresso, crumb cake, always artichoke

paper: early espresso, crumb cake & glossy white CS; elegant soriee DSP

xtras: scallop ribbon border punch; elegant lines embossing folder; always artichoke seam binding ribbon