Let's Get Cooking! {PP71}

Lordy bees, have I got a challenge heavy project for you today! Happy Sunday, friends and welcome to another week with The Paper Players!  Anne Marie is our hostess with the most-est this week and she has cooked up a Texas-sized recipe for Theme Challenge #71!  Take a look:

Wowzers!  But I had a day off of work and was feeling fresh and ready for the challenge.  I put on my crafting apron and browsed some favorite challenges sites for additional inspiration.  Bingo!  Check out these amazing fall colors over at the Colour Q:

I also remembered this amazing sketch from Create with Connie & Mary that was perfect for Anne Marie's "3 different patterned papers" (there's still time to play at CCMC):

So, I mixed all of that in my crafting stew pot and came out with a birthday card for a friend and co-worker:

The stamp set, Forever Young, has just been itching for ink so I obliged in Soft Suede, stamped onto a 3" circle of Very Vanilla and sponged a setting sun with Pumpkin Pie ink.  You can see 3 different patterned papers in Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie and Cherry Cobbler--all from Designer Patterns Paper Stacks in the Brights, Regals, and In Color family of colors. 

For the two different ribbons, I wrapped the scalloped panel in Soft Suede taffeta ribbon and tucked in a small piece of Chantilly crochet trim ribbon.  This is such a great way to bring in another color and some texture without using a lot of specialty ribbon!  Since this is Anne Marie's challenge, I had to give it more than just a sprinkling of glitter!  LOL!  So, I [liberally] spritzed the main image with Vanilla Smooch Spritz for some real sparkle and glitz!

Lastly, using Stampin' Write markers, I finished off the inside with all the challenge colors and a bright and happy sentiment from the hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes.  All together, I used 3 different patterned papers, 2 different ribbons, one punch, one die, 4 color families and 5 stamp sets to complete this card!  Whew, you should see my craft room--it exploded!  Well, I hope you will go make a mess in your craft space and join us over at The Paper Players with your handcrafted creations!  Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team inspiration and give a big welcome to our November Guest Designer, Susan Joyce--hi Susan!

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile

Jaydee

Julie Marshall

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Tara Bilbao
  Susan Joyce (November GD)

If you can join us, please load your creation to The Paper Players by Friday, November 11th at midnight (PST).  I can't wait to visit you!  Thanks for stopping by, friends!

supplies:

stamps: forever young, woodgrain, short & sweet, happiest birthday wishes, pony party (grass)

ink: soft suede, pumpkin pie

paper: soft suede, very vanilla; designer pattern paper stacks (brights, regals, in color)

xtras: soft suede taffeta ribbon; chantilly crochet trim; 3" circle die; scallop border punch; vanilla smooch spritz

Snow Much Fun {CCMC172}

Hiya friends! Welcome to another week at Create with Connie & Mary where the gals have provided a great sketch to work with:

Now, if you're a follower of my blog you probably know that titled panels always throw me for a loop!  But I wasn't going to let this one get the best of me...when I first looked at it, I saw...SNOW...and the perfect excuse to use my new stamp set, Snow Much Fun:

Isn't he cute?!  The snowman was stamped on a Whisper White oval in Jet Black Stazon and colored with a blender pen and Pool Party, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake and a little Pumpkin Pie classic ink:

Of course, I had to add some Dazzling Diamonds to the ground, his hat, the Northern Flurry embossed background...and...

the drifts of snow.  I tied the whole thing with some Cherry Cobbler baker's twine and attached a sweet mini jingle bell...so cute!

Here's another stamp from the same set on the inside paired with A Christmas Greeting and some snowflakes from the Short & Sweet set.

I hope you liked my card today.  I don't often make cute or even whimsical cards but this little snowman was too adorable to pass up!  Be sure to stop by the rest of the Design Team over at Create with Connie & Mary.  I'm sure they will have some fabulous eye candy for you!  If you would like to play along, please link up your creation to CCMC by Wednesday, October 26th at noon (EST).  Thanks for stopping by!

supplies:

stamps: snow much fun, a christmas greeting, short & sweet (snowflake)

ink: pool party, cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, crumb cake classic ink; jet black stazon; whisper white craft ink

paper: crumb cake, whisper white, pool party CS

xtras: cherry cobbler baker's twine; mini jingle bells; northern flurry embossing folder; ovals die; dazzling diamonds

It's Curtain Call Baby! {68}

Hiya friends!  Just a quick post tonight to share a card I made with the scrump-dilly-icious colors from Stacey's Curtain Call Color Challenge {68}:

 

Aren't they gorgeous?  I think I say that about all the colors Stacey picks!   I'm not sure I'm in love with this card but it's growing on me...I think.

I was itching to use the Fun Flowers die that I've had since December but not yet used once!  Ack!  The flowers are cut from Pink Pirouette CS and then stamped in Melon Mambo with the En Francais background stamp.  I also sponged more Melon Mambo on the edges to define each layer.

The center is one of the Sweet Stitches fabric brads from the mini catalog.  Just love these!  I also embossed the card base with the Perfect Details texture plate.  I like how it gives a garden lattice look to the background.

And here's the inside...combined two sentiments here, Occasional Quotes & Short and Sweet, and I thought they worked well together.  I've only ever used the "Love begins in a moment..." sentiment for wedding or anniversary cards but when I gave it some thought, it really works for the birth of a baby too! Sorry for such a short post tonight...it's been a long work week but I'm off tomorrow and looking forward to a bit of quality time at my craft table.  Have a great Friday, friends!

supplies:

stamps: en francais, a word for you, charming, occasional quotes, short and sweet

ink: melon mambo, wild wasabi, pink pirouette

paper: whisper white, melon mambo, pink pirouette, wild wasabi CS

xtras: two tags die, fun flowers die, scallop border punch, polka dot impression folder, sweet stitches fabric brads, perfect details texture plate, wild wasabi striped grosgrain ribbon

Color Dare #93

Happy hump day everyone!  Riley has another bright Color Dare combination for us this week: Regal Rose, Pink Pirouette and Pacific Point.  Hmmm....another stumper for me this week!  But, I persevered and in the end I'm happy with the result:

I have learned that if I am stumped by a color or colors, to cheat a little and include a lot of white and less of the color that is stumping me.  OK, this isn't a new idea but it just dawned on me...maybe I'm a slow learner!  I started with our 3.5 x 5" Whisper White note cards.

I inked up a clear "D" block with a Pink Pirouette marker and stamped it directly onto the note card.  This would have been easier with an ink pad (!) but I had to work with the supplies I had.  I like the way the marker gave it a streaked look in the background.  On top of my clear block image, I stamped Fine Flourish in Regal Rose.  I cut out a Pacific Point heart with the Scalloped Heart or Heart embosslit and layered it with a piece of retired DSP in Regal Rose that I punched with the Full Heart punch.  The "love you" sentiment is from Short & Sweet--an all-time favorite-- stamped in Pacific Point.

A quick-and-simple inside using the much-neglected I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and a sentiment from Seasonal Sentiments.  Thanks so much for stopping by today and be sure to check out the inspiration from the rest of the Color Dare Design Team.  Then hop on by the Color Dare blog to play along.  We would love to come visit you!

• Riley - our leader
• Glenda - Papers, Scissors & Rocks
• Heather - Princess Scrapper Stamper
• Joan - JJ Creations
• Marisa - Rosemary Reflections
• Melissa - My Paper Obsession

supplies:

stamps: fine flourish, short & sweet, seasonal sentiments, i heart hearts

ink: regal rose, pacific point

paper: 3.5x5" note cards; pacific point CS; regal rose DSP (retired)

xtras: clear acrylic D block; full heart punch; scalloped heart of hearts embosslit; basic rhinestones

Birdcage Mosiac: CCCC{62]

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!  I hope you have something fun planned to ring in 2011 tonight.  We will have a quiet night at home with friends--just the way we like it!  It's even warm today--about 70--so we might actually be able to sit outside!  :-)  Continuing my attempt to play along with favorite challenges this week...I couldn't wait to use the gorgeous colors Stacey picked out for the Curtain Call Color Challenge:

So soft and lovely--perfect for a restful transition from the holiday madness!  I was itching to use my sneak peek products from the upcoming spring Mini Catalog...and reached for a new favorite, Nature Walk, and the darling vintage birdcage:

The birdcage is stamped with my stamp-a-ma-jig on Whisper White in Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze and Early Espresso.  I matted the main panel on some Early Espresso and wrapped it with....new seam binding ribbon!  Oh happy day!  I was so excited to see all the new colors of seam binding ribbon.  Here I used Baja Breeze and gave it the scrunchy treatment with some sticky tape.

Couldn't resist the cutest little bumblebee from this set so I stamped him in Pear Pizzazz and overstamped this Short & Sweet sentiment in Early Espresso.  It's punched out with the "large" oval punch.

Isn't the Pear Pizzazz background frame pretty?  That's the new Framed Tulips textured impression folder--it makes a sweet accent to the card base.  I sponged the embossed edges lightly with Pear Pizzazz just to highlight the detail a bit more.

Sorry for the short post tonight but we're expecting company soon!  At the close of this year I want to thank all of you who visit my blog and leave such kind and encouraging comments for me.  I truly appreciate your visits and your feedback and wish you the best in 2011!  See you next year!  :-)

supplies:

stamps: nature walk, short & sweet

ink: pear pizzazz, baja breeze, early espresso

paper: pear pizzazz, whisper white, early espresso CS

xtras: framed tulips impression folder; baja breeze seam binding ribbon; basic pearls, large oval punch

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

Simply Thanks

This sweet little single stamp makes a big statement on my handcrafted flower. I stamped Simply Thanks in basic black several times on very vanilla cardstock to make my own version of a background stamp. The scalloped circle punch was used to punch out 3 circles and each circle was folded a few times to break up the fibers and distress the paper a bit.

I used my paper snips to cut inward on each scallop and glued all three together staggering them as they were layered. A few "petals" were pulled up on each layer to add dimension and texture. The grass from Inspired by Nature was inked up in Versamark and stamped onto my bashful blue cardstock.
A little strip of old olive from my scrap bag made the perfect stem and a little old olive grosgrain ribbon as leaves for my flower. It's finished off with a ruby red button (retired) and some linen thread.
I repeated the grass on the inside as well as the full Simply Thanks sentiment since only part of it could be read on the flower!

Because I added the crushed curry scallop border edge, I had an empty edge on the inside of the card that just needed a little something! So, another strip of old olive finished it off nicely and echoed all the elements from the front. Just a few more to make and I will have all my birthday thank you cards made! Thanks for looking!

welcome baby

I made this card using Lauren Meader's onesie tutorial for a baby shower we went to today. So cute! This card is super easy and stinkin' cute don't you think? Lauren says it should only take about 10 minutes to make and really it does! I cut a 4 1/4 x 11" card from whisper white with the fold at the top. Then I cut a 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 piece of my patterned paper--here I used DCWV "nana's nursery". The head and leg holes are cut with a 1 3/8 circle punch and the scalloped circle punch. The sentiment is stamped from the "short and sweet" set in certainly celery and attached to a scalloped oval punched from lavendar lace cardstock. The sizzlits buttons #5 die passed through my cuttlebug on some more lavendar lace cardstock to make the buttons for the bottom of the onsie! I finished off the inside with the deer image from the "forest friends" stamp--a good match to the non-SU patterned paper, eh? Oh, and don't forget the back! The leg and head holes looked too plain so I finished them off with more scalloped edges. Hope you like it!