Timeless Thank You - PPA172 Sketch Challenge

Before I jump into today's post I want to thank the Diane Roberts of the Pals Paper Arts design team for choosing my entry last week as a Pals Artists Pick! I'm just tickled to be chosen!!! If you wish, you can see my card here.

Today's post is a new Pals Paper Arts challenge, this week it's a sketch challenge by the wonderful Margaret Moody:

I must admit to a bit of trepidation with this sketch, there are SIX layers here and I'm a pretty clean and simple kind of girl :) But I thought and thought about it and came up with a way to follow the sketch and still stay true to my own style. And that is exactly why I participate in challenges...they get me out of my comfort zone and push me to grow creatively!

Here's my interpretation of the sketch:

I kept a lot of white space and used simple clean lines. But not too simple! I used banners, rounded corner and color for visual interest. 

There is no rhyme or reason to the color palette...I knew I wanted to use this chevron pattern in Soft Sky (I came across it several days ago and it called to me). The other colors, Pear Pizzazz, Primrose Petals and Night of Navy were a whim but I'm really pleased with the result!

Here's another view. I tried to add candy dots but they actually detracted from the effect. I think the card is perfect without jewelry this time...perhaps the bright colors are the jewelry...what do you think?

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Timeless Talk (126607)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Pear Pizzazz (131201), Primrose Petals (126841), Night of Navy (100867), Soft Sky (131203) Cardstock; Subtles (130135) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Night of Navy (126970) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: None

Thanks for stopping by!

Heartfelt Thank You - PPA171 Color Challenge

I'm here with another challenge, this one from the Pals Paper Arts design team but first I would like to thank them for selecting my submission as an Artist "Pick" last week! Whoo Hoo! You can see the card that was picked here

I had an idea in mind for this challenge but it got swept away by another idea and then...I had NOTHING, NADA, ZILTCH. Just could not come up with anything that pleased me. FINALLY, last night, it came to me...

I decided what I had been stuck on was having Very Vanilla as one of my colors. I kept wanting to add another color to the Baked Brown Sugar and Calypso Coral. Once I got past that block, the card came together very quickly. 

I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to place the flowers exactly where I wanted them and stamped once with full ink and then stamped a second time without re-inking (just huffing on my stamp to remoisten the ink) to acheive a variation in color. The sentiment comes from "Another Thank You", one of Stampin' Up! new photopolymer stamp sets. It is the first photopolymer stamp set I have owned and I LOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE it..sorry to shout, but really, really enjoyed using it!

I added just a bit of color to the center of the flowers using Calypso Coral ink and a Blender Pen. Then just a touch of 2-Way Glue and some Dazzling Diamonds for a bit of sparkle. I stamped a little heart from the Another Thank You stamp set, fussy cut it out, popped it up with a Dimensional and added a bit of sparkle to it as well for the jewelry.

I hope you have enjoyed today's project and are inspired to get crafty!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Secret Garden (129144), Another Thank You (133454)

Paper: Baked Brown Sugar (131296), Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Subtles (130135) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Baked Brown Sugar (131174), Calypso Coral (126983) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Blender Pen (102845), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023)

Gently Falling in Fall - PPA170 Color Challenge

Hello there and Happy Fall to you! Officially anyway...in my neck of the woods it was over 100 today and fall weather is still months away! Still...when the kids go back to school my mind automatically turns to decorating for Fall and Halloween (when we finally have some leaves and cool weather) and preparing for Christmas, but shhhh...we won't go there right now :)

Today I used a wonderful color combination from the design team over at Pals Paper Arts.

I love, love, love this combination and immediately had a card in mind for it...

 

What do you think? Hmmm...that Crushed Curry looks awfully BRIGHT to me! Well, this is what I came up with:

What do you think now? I'm lovin' it! I took the colors of the challenge and put them on top of a Sahara Sand card base. I chose to highlight Early Expresso and just use small doses of Midnight Muse and Crushed Curry. I used the Autumn Accents Bigz Die to die cut my leaves and then stamped onto the die cuts using the Wonderfall Stamp Set (and my trusty Stamp-A-Ma-Jig).

Once I started layering my elements onto the card I HAD to add the Woodgrain Background Stamp Set. Then I HAD to use the Stampin' Distress Tool to rough up the edges of the cardstock. Then I thought...maybe I can distress the leaves too? So I picked up the distressing tool and just kept right on distressing! I was so happy with the result...but wait, I wonder what it would look like if I sponged the edges??? Loved that too! So I kept right on sponging everything that would stand still :) 

I added some twine, but still...something was missing! So I looked and looked and found the new 1 1/4" Burlap Ribbon from the holiday catalog and knew that was the missing element! I snipped and tugged at the threads until it looked right...and then realized that it HAD to be sponged too...lol. Whew! I thought the Early Expresso button with a twine bow was the perfect final touch. 

I chose not to add a sentiment so that this card would be ready at hand for whatever the occasion calls for...

So what about you? Are YOU ready for fall? Have you decorated? I think, after this card, the juices are flowing and it's time to dig into those decorations!

I hope you have enjoyed my post...thank you so very much for stopping by!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Wonderfall (128087), Woodgrain Background Stamp (128763)

Paper: Sahara Sand (121043), Early Expresso (119686) Cardstock

Ink: Sahara Sand (126976), Early Expresso (126974), Crushed Curry (131173), Midnight Muse (126860) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Autumn Accents Bigz Die (127812), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Stampin' Distress Tool (127562), Glue Dots (103683), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stamping Sponges (101610)

Embellishments: Linen Thread (104199), Neutrals Designer Buttons (130031), 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon (132140)

Flutterby Thanks - PPA167 Color Challenge

My first order of business is to thank the Design Team over at Pals Paper Arts for choosing my submission as a Pals Paper Arts Pick winner last week! I am thrilled and humbled that they liked my work! Please click here to view all the winners! Thanks so much!

The color challenge over at the Pals Paper Arts challenge seemed very soft and delicate to me:

so that's what I went with:

 

I wanted everything soft so I chose to sand the Pistachio Pudding Core'dinations cardstock, the lovely Designer Series Paper from the Venetian Romance series, as well as the Coastal Cabana Core'dinations cardstock butterfly. I also sponged the Crumb Cake card base with Crumb Cake ink to soften the edges.

The sentiment is one of four in the Four You stamp set and was stamped in Pistachio Pudding to keep the look soft. I used the Elegant Butterfly Punch to punch the large butterfly and the Bitty Butterfly punch to punch the small one. They coordinate beautifully! I punched the small butterfly from one of the patterned papers in the Natural Composition Specialty Designer Series Paper and then used the new White Stampin' Chalk Marker to color it in and then wiped some of the ink away, revealing the natural pattern in the paper. I love this look! I also used the White Stampin' Chalk Marker to draw faint stitching lines around the edge of the Pistachio Pudding layer. The effect is very subtle, but I like it and I think this marker is a must have on everyone's list :)

I snipped a random length of Linen Thread and wrapped it loosely around my fingers and attached it to the card with a glue dot. I didn't even trim the ends! A small length of washi tape from the Seasons of Style Designer Washi Tape trio adheres everything to the card base and one lone rhinestone adds the perfect finishing detail.

I am enjoying the fact that this card reminds me of a Polaroid photo from my childhood, I am seeing that look everywhere! Soft, delicate and feminine...what do you think? Does it work?

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Four You (130538)

Paper: Crumb Cake (120953) Cardstock; Pistachio Pudding (131294), Coastal Cabana (131297) Core'dinations Cardstock, Natural Composition Specialty (126917) and Venetian Romance (130144) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Pistachio Pudding (131177), Crumb Cake (126975) Classic Stampin' Pad; White Stampin' Chalk Marker (132133)

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Elegant Butterfly Punch (127526), Bitty Butterfly Punch (129406), Glue Dots (103683), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stamping Sponges (101610)

Embellishments: Linen Thread (104199), Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), Season of Style Designer Washi Tape (132155)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Kind Thoughts - PPA166 Color Challenge

Today brings a wonderful color challenge from the talented team of designers over at Pals Paper Arts:

And here is my creation:

I needed to create a card to send to someone who has been down lately and I am hoping this will brighten her day! I recently received a beautiful handmade card in my mailbox out of the blue and I was just tickled so I have decided to pay it forward and actually MAIL more of my cards (a novel concept I know). AND I have noticed that I have been more inspired when I have a specific recipient in mind...

This card utilizes the "Too Kind" stamp set. This stamp set has a stem stamp in it with two stems but one of them was too straight for me so I inked up only the stem with a curve to it, stamped it using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig as my guide for placement, then turned the stamp upside down and used the same stem to create a curved stem going the other way. I stamped the blooms in Strawberry Slush but I stamped off first to create a softer stamped image. The sentiment is from the same set. Love when that happens!

A few Candy Dots in Daffodil Delight as accent and done! 15 minutes max. Now THAT makes me happy!

Did you happen to notice the lovely envelope liner? It was created using a new set of Framelits that are available in the Holiday Catalog which is live TODAY!! So easy to create and attach to the envelope. It is sized perfectly to slide right in, all the way to the bottom and it lines up perfectly with the adhesive on the envelope. e-z-peasy!!!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Too Kind (130450)

Paper: Whisper White (100730), Daffodil Delight (119683), Smoky Slate (131202) Cardstock

Ink: Strawberry Slush (131178), Smoky Slate (131179) Classic Stampin' Pad

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

Embellishments: Brights Candy Dots (130931)

Thanks for stopping by!