A Simple Thank You - PPA180 Sketch Challenge

When I saw the Pals Paper Arts sketch this week, I threw in the towel. Really. There was just no way possible that I could work with a sketch with that many layers! So I put it out of my mind. But it kept sneaking back in because I hate to admit defeat. So I went back to look at it again and decided I really couldn't do it. Not a chance. But that sketch just wouldn't leave me alone! I finally realized that the only way for me to cope with all the layers was to simplify.  I chose to make a monochromatic card with a bright cheerful color and so pulled out Crisp Cantaloupe and set to work.

And here is the sketch that caused me so much angst:

Oh! And I forgot to mention that I do not like to make square cards! Really, this sketch had me frazzled! I took a deep breathe and reminded myself "simplify". With that in mind, I chose a soft pattern from the 2013-2015 In-Color Designer Series Paper Stacks in Crisp Cataloupe for Layer 1. I thought about adding an embossing folder for Layer 2 but reminded myself "simplify". Okay, leave the white space alone, got it! But I don't usually leave the space where two different papers meet showing so I decided that the 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim would work in that space perfectly.

Layers 3 and 4 were killing me. In the spirit of simplifying, I just could NOT add two more patterns to my card! They were going to have to be plain cardstock. But not too plain...I chose to use the Core'dinations cardstock to add a bit of texture. When I added them to my card, they were still too plain. I browsed through my stamp collection and decided that this whimsical little butterfly from the Best of Butterflies Stamp Set would work perfectly!

I had already cut the two pieces of cardstock out so I lined them up side by side on my work surface and adhered them down with a bit of SNAIL and then set to work covering both pieces with butterflies stamped in Crisp Cantaloupe. Once stamped, I adhered them to my card with Stampin' Dimensionals. They made a very soft background. Perfect for my simple card!

Next came Layer 5, the simple banner with a sentiment...but which sentiment? Hmmm...I reached for the Lots of Thanks Stamp Set (after all you can never have too many of those, right?) and saw this sentiment, perfect for the size of my banner and in a soft, whimsical font, very well suited for the color and the butterflies. And done! Well, almost. The card still needed something but I had no idea WHAT.

So I did what I always do when in this predicament. I walked away and went to bed. Came back and pondered the card again in the morning and walked away again. Then in the middle of doing something completely different it hit me! I jumped up and ran into my craft room again. Browsed briefly through my stamp collection again and came across the stamp set A Round Array. It has a medallion stamp that would be perfect! So I stamped the image onto the Core-dinations Cardstock in VersaMark Ink and then used my Heat Tool to heat emboss the image with White Embossing Powder and punched it out using the coordinating 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch. Popped it onto a Stampin' Dimensional and added a Basic Pearl for the final touch. Whew! And there you have it. How a card is born!

I actually wasn't quite done. Since I decided to go with the flow and make a square card, I now needed to make a matching envelope. The Envelope Punch Board make easy work of that. It really is a very versatile tool!

Some cards pop into my head complete, others are born kicking and screaming. This was a hard one but I am so, so very happy with how it turned out. Please let me know what you think and thanks for sticking with me through the story of how this card was born!

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Best of Butterfies (133345), Lots of Thanks (129690), A Round Array (129090)

Paper: Whisper White (124302), Cardstock; 2013-2015 In-Color Core'dinations Cardstock (129958); 2013-2015 In Color (1130136) Designer Series Paper Stacks

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe (131176) Classic Stampin' Pad; VersaMark Pad (102283)

Tools:  Heat Tool (129053); White Embossing Powder (109132), Embossing Buddy (103083); 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch (129404); Envelope Punch Board (133774); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Crisp Cantaloupe 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim (130021); Pearls Basic Jewels (119247) 

Harvest of Thanks - PPA179 Color Challenge

Hello! It's Thursday and that means another Pals Paper Art Challenge! This week is a color challenge...

I decided to combine this color challenge with this cute sketch challenge I found over at Sunday Stamps!:

And together they inspired me to create this colorful card...

I turned the sketch to make it work better for my sentiment, which is from the Harvest of Thanks stamp set. Once I laid the elements out I decided that I needed to add some interest so I pulled out my handy dandy sponge dauber case and inked up the edges of all of my banners as well as the base. So fun to have them all at my fingertips and ready to go!

Also, you can see that I stamped on my envelope, which I don't usually do. To create my leaves I inked the stamp up in Crushed Curry ink and then used my sponge dauber to add Rich Razzleberry to the edges.  I think it softens them up nicely!

I would never ever have put these colors together, but now that they are together I do think they play off each other quite nicely...and of course the candy dots and the natural linen bow finish it off perfectly :)

Thank you for stopping by, and I will be back on Saturday with another Clean and Simple Saturday card!

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Harvest of Thanks (131739), Wonderfall (128087)

Paper: Crumb Cake (120953), Rich Razzleberry (115316), Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Eastern Elegance (130131) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Rich Razzleberry (126950), Crumb Cake (126975), Crushed Curry (131173) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439); Apothecary Accents Framelits (127003); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Sponge Daubers (102892); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Brights (130931), Regals (130932) Candy Dots; Natural Linen Thread (104199)

Timeless Talk Hello - PPA178 Color Challenge

Hello and Happy Thursday to you! It's time for another Pals Paper Arts Challenge...a color challenge this week and I think the designers have chosen a beautiful combination!

Isn't this combination dreamy?

I love these colors! As soon as I saw them I knew that Crisp Cantaloupe would be my primary color, followed by Early Expresso and then just a few pops of Summer Starfruit...and I immediately thought of the Soho Subway Designer Series Paper-it would work perfectly for this color combination. A quick search through my pinterest board of sketch layouts and I had the perfect layout! 

If you would have told me yesterday that the Soho Subway Designer Series Paper could be soft and feminine I probably would have laughed...but these three patterned papers together do exactly that!

I love this stamp set Timeless Talk and I think that the image and the patterns in the paper are from the same era so they compliment each other wonderfully...hmmm...that's got to be the wonderful designers at Stampin' Up! again, doing their job beautifully so that projects come together in a snap!

Here's another view...aren't those rhinestones just the PERFECT accent for this card?!?

Thank you for stopping by and as always, I love your comments...they keep me inspired!

Stampin Supplies: 

Stamps: Timeless Talk (126607)

Paper: Crisp Cantaloupe (131298), Early Expresso (119686), Summer Starfruit (126839), Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Soho Subway (130140) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Early Expresso (1126974) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439); Circles Collection Framelits (130911); Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049); Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Rhinestone Basic Jewels (129324)

Clean and Simple Christmas - PPA177 Sketch Challenge

Hello stampers! Today I have a clean and simple Christmas card to share with you! I know, I know, we aren't even done with Halloween and I'm already showcasing Christmas cards. But it will be here before we know it and those handmade cards take some time to make! 

So this year I vow to keep the cards clean and simple like this! This card features the Daydream Medallions stamp set and this medallion makes a perfect wreath! Add a bow and dazzling details, both in Cherry Cobbler and it is a perfectly festive wreath! The designer series paper I have used here is from the Seasons of Style paper pack...and this pattern is a wonderful backdrop for our wreath. A banner with a sentiment from the More Merry Messages stamp set finishes the card off perfectly.

A thank you goes out to Nicole Watt for her awesome sketch this week over at the Pals paper Arts Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Daydream Medallions (126467), More Merry Messages (126402)

Paper: Whisper White (100730) Cardstock; Seasons of Style (132340) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Old Olive (126953), Cherry Cobbler (126966) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: 1/2" Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon (120992); Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details (125585)

Clean and Simple Saturday - PPA173 Sketch Challenge

Hello there and welcome to my latest Clean and Simple Saturday post!

First and foremost I would very much like to thank Susan Itell of the Pals Paper Arts design team for recognizing my submission for last week's Pals Sketch Challenge as a Pals Artists' Pick!! Please click here to see the winning card.

I have accomplished several goals with today's card:

• I needed a baby card for a family friend,
• I needed a Clean and Simple Saturday card,
• I wanted to use this wonderful sketch by the talented Nicole Watt for the curent Pals Paper Arts challenge,

 

• And lastly I needed to come up with a card that used products that start with the same letter as my first name for a little fun the Stampin' Pretty Pals are having over on their gallery. 

So...baby card, check!...clean and simple, check!...followed the sketch, check!...and I used Smoky Slate and Soft Sky, starting with "S" for Shannon, check! Whew, I'm worn out, lol!

I did eliminate one of the layers of the sketch for this card...but this card suits me to a T! I am in love with this stamp set, Zoo Babies, and am thrilled to be able to put it to use to welcome a very long awaited little bundle of joy into the world...hello Abraham!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Zoo Babies (130456)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Smoky Slate (131202), Soft Sky (131203) Cardstock; Subtles (130135) and Neutrals (130132) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Smoky Slate (131179) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Envelope Liners Framelits Dies (132172), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Whisper White (124262) Baker's Twine

Thanks for stopping by!