I Love You More – Paper Players #244

pp244Good Morning and Happy Mother’s Day to all of you! We’re back with another fun challenge for you today from The Paper Players, this time it is a delightful color challenge from LeAnne! I loved the color combination right away but did not have an immediate vision for a project. After a bit of fussing, here’s what I came up with:

SKP Watermarked Photos3-087I purchased this stamp set, Sunburst by Clearly Besotted Stamps, the minute it became available because I knew I HAD to have it…and it’s taken me two months to get it inky! But that’s okay, I sure did have an enjoyable time working with it! There will be many more cards to come with this stamp set, there are so many different stamp choices that the design potential seems endless!!

SKP Watermarked Photos3-088The colors are so yummy, I just want to eat them up!! I knew I wanted to use a banner with a sentiment and I found JUST the right one in the I Love You More stamp set by MFT Stamps. I love that the rays around the sun are mimicked in the patterns of the sunburst stamps…it’s like they were meant to be used together! The Pierced Fishtail Flags by MFT Stamps make quick work of adding the main banner as well as a delightful accent banner. Isn’t the piercing adorable??

SKP Watermarked Photos3-089It’s hard to see the paper piercing on the vellum but it’s there and adds a delightful texture. A simple bow with linen thread adds just another bit of texture.

This is one of TWO posts today…and I have exciting news to share so please stay tuned for post #2!

Also, I hope you have a minute to see the projects from the other design team members and that you might leave them a little love!

The Paper Players Design Team

Wishing you joy and blessings!

Products Used:

Cardstock: Stamper’s Select White by Papertrey Ink

Pattern Paper: Neutrals DSP Paper Stack by Stampin’ Up!

Ink: Lost Lagoon, Pistachio Pudding and Sahara Sand by Stampin’ Up!; Black Staz-On

Stamps:   Sunburst by Clearly Besotted Stamps; I Love You More by MFT Stamps

Dies: Fishtail Flags: Pierced by MFT Stamps and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

Embellishments: Linen Thread by Stampin’ Up!

On My Mind – Sweet Sunday Sketch #259

Oh My Word!! I did not plan on stamping or posting this evening, BUT….my Simon Says Stamp March Card Kit arrived in the mail…FINALLY!! And I was so inspired by the contents that I dropped everything else and stamped. The kit is beautiful!! Beautiful!! I just COULDN’T wait to share!!

SKP Watermarked Photos2-125I just LOVE the tones in these papers, and they compliment each other SO beautifully!! (oops, there’s that word again!) I love how the black really makes the colors ‘pop’. Tonight when I sat back to look at my finished card I wondered “Where in the WORLD did THIS come from?” I guess the colors and patterns really DID inspire me…to step out of my design box! Don’t you love when that happens? It’s almost as if I was channeling someone else’s creativity! Have you ever felt that way?

SKP Watermarked Photos2-127Actually, for a “fussy” card, mine is quite simple. Two banners made out of coordinating pattern paper and run through Die-namics Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX dies by My Favorite Things and flipped up at the ends. I matted my journaling card with black cardstock and lightly sponged the edges with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I popped it up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and tucked a bit of a punched piece (also lightly sponged) on the left side and added a bit of ribbon, just peeking out. Another bit of ribbon on the right side, the sentiment stamped directly onto the card and a few black sequins to bling it up a bit!

SKP Watermarked Photos2-128 And that’s truly it!! The contents of the kit do all the hard work for you! Oh! And the layout for my card was inspired by this week’s Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge which was to pick ANY of their previous sketches and create a card!! How fun is THAT?!? I had already chosen sketch #218 last night and had a card laid out and ready to go, but this one took over!! lol

SSSC218I’ve also linked my card to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge which is Special Lady/Girly (I think this qualifies!) as well as their board for the March 2015 Kit.

I finished the inside simply with just a single layer of the “NEW” cream cardstock provided in the kit.

I’m sure I will have more fun cards to share using this kit, it has great floral images still to play with!! If you want to see the kit in detail you can find it here.

I would LOVE to hear what you think of my card, I read and cherish each and every comment 🙂

Wishing you joy and blessings!

Products Used:

Cardstock: Black and “NEW” Cream by Simon Says Stamp

Pattern Paper: Classique Beauty by Authentique and journaling card

Ink:  Tuxedo Black by Memento

Stamps:  On My Mind by Simon Says Stamp

Dies:   Die-namics Pierced Fishtail Flags STAX by My Favorite Things and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Punches: Decorative Label Punch by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

Embellishments: Misc Sheer Black Ribbon and Black Sequins

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Sending a Little Sunshine – The Paper Players #235

Congratulations to all who participated in last week’s Spring Theme challenge…so many beautiful cards!! Y’all rocked the challenge 🙂 This week Ann Marie has a bright and spring-y color challenge for you!

pp235 Was I right? Bright and Spring-y! This color combination screamed ‘flowers’ to me so I went with my gut:

SKP Watermarked Photos2-114Gerbera Daisies. Nothing in the world is as cheerful as a daisy (in my opinion, of course). They are my favorite flower and never fail to make me smile. It was just coincidental that my new Gerbera Daisy Dies from My Favorite Things had just come in the mail…perfect timing, I would say!! But do Gerbera daisies come in this week’s challenge colors??? I turned to Google for the answer and it did not disappoint. May I present my direct inspiration for today’s card:

Pink Gerbera daisyIn looking at the picture again, I probably should have added a ruff of small petals in Crisp Cantaloupe as well, oh well, next time!! I’m still thrilled with how easy the flower was to create and how beautiful it is!!

SKP Watermarked Photos2-117I wanted the flower to pop so I chose Crumb Cake for the background and inked up my Moroccan Background Stamp from Simon Says Stamp in Versamark Ink. I didn’t emboss at all, just gave the ink a chance to set up before working with it. I love the neutral backdrop it provides the daisy. I die cut a leafy accent from the Leafy Accents Die by Clearly Besotted Stamps and then trimmed the leaves to fit my flower. I thought everything was a bit too plain so I inked up all the edges in coordinating ink. I love the subtle texture it provides! I also used retired Stampin’ Up! Co-ordinations cardstock to add even more texture. I LOVE textured cardstock!! (and the co-ordinations cardstock is still on the clearance rack if you want to add some to your stash for a great price!)

SKP Watermarked Photos2-116I wrapped it all up (literally!) with lots of loopy linen thread. Yum. And I resisted the temptation to glitter it all up with Wink of Stella…I decided I like this country, rustic-y look! A simple sentiment stamped in Tuxedo Black and a fun rustic-y pattern paper to line the envelope finishes it all off.

I hope you like my spring-y card and that spring is around the corner wherever you are!! For me, this week will zoom up in to the mid to high 80’s!! It’s early for us, even here, but I’m ready with my freshly manicured toes and I’m pulling out the flip-flops!!

Please take a few minutes to be inspired by The Paper Players very talented design team:

Wishing you joy and blessing!

The Paper Players Design Team

Products Used:

Cardstock: Crisp Cantaloupe, Crumb Cake, So Saffron and Wild Wasabi by Stampin’ Up!

Pattern Paper: The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine by My Mind’s Eye

Ink:  Tuxedo Back by Memento;  Crisp Cantaloupe, Crumb Cake, So Saffron and Wild Wasabi by Stampin’ Up!

Stamps:  Morrocan Background Stamp by Simon Says Stamp; Strictly Sentiments 2 by Wplus9

Dies: Gerbera Daisy Die-namics by My Favorite Things; Leafy Accents by Clearly Besotted and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

Embellishments: Jute Twine by May Arts

It’s Your Birthday! – CAS(E) this Sketch #113

SKP Watermarked Photos2-110Hello Stampers and Happy Saturday to You!! Yesterday was my Friday off from work so I chose to spend my day playing with paper! Isn’t this a fun birthday card? This week’s sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch was my jumping off point:

CTS_Sketch_113

It’s a great sketch! Clean and crisp and you have to love those banners off the side!! While I was looking through my supplies for more inspiration I came across a frame that I had cut out for a window shaker and accidentally adhered the dimensional foam to the frame without adding the clear window first…oops! I kept it, thinking it would be a nice frame for something anyway and here I am not one week later, using it that way! It is perfect for this sketch! I love when things like that happen!

SKP Watermarked Photos2-113Isn’t the sentiment fun?? This stamp set from Studio Calico came in a card kit I purchased last summer and haven’t used yet. Unfortunately, the name of the set wasn’t on the packaging and I can’t see it on their website, so it shall remain nameless, but it was a perfect size and shape for this sketch! After finding the stamp, the rest of the papers and ink colors came together quickly. I used the squiggle and asterisk stamps from my Favorite Flowers Simon Says Stamp set to make some fun party confetti.

SKP Watermarked Photos2-112Darling balloons from Clearly Besotted Stamps take the place of the banners in the sketch and definitely round this fun birthday card out. You can’t see from the picture of course, but I have added Wink of Stella to my confetti which adds fun sparkle to the card 🙂

Thank you so much for stopping by! I will be back tomorrow with another fun challenge from The Paper Players…I can’t wait to share!

Wishing you joy and blessings!

Products Used:

Cardstock: Stamper’s Select White by Papertrey, Razzle Berry and Lemon Drop from My Favorite Things

Pattern Paper: Hootenanny by My Mind’s Eye

Ink:  Crushed Curry, Gumball Green (retired), Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Smoky Slate by Stampin’ Up!; Limeade Ice and Orange Zest by Papertrey Ink

Stamps: Unknown by Studio Calico, Favorite Flowers by Simon Says Stamp and It’s Your Birthday by Clearly Besotted Stamps

Dies: Stitched Rectangle Frames by My Favorite Things, It’s Your Birthday by Clearly Besotted Stamps and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

Embellishments: Wink of Stella

Chalkboard Greetings – Freshly Made Sketches #175

SKP Watermarked Photos2-106

I was inspired this weekend to join in over at freshly Made Sketches by their super fun, very flexible, sketch by Jen B.:

FMS175

It looks easy, right? Lots of options, right? lol. Not for me apparently. This card morphed from my original idea into something COMPLETELY different!! That’s okay, some days are like that!

SKP Watermarked Photos2-109

Everyone needs a bit of encouragement once in awhile, right? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the ‘what if’ that we become paralyzed to what could be, and we just need a little nudge to get bring the goal back in focus…

SKP Watermarked Photos2-107And it’s always nice to know someone cares:)

I was off the radar last week, still getting my feet back under me from being sick, but I’m hoping to have lots to post this week!

I hope you have a great start to your week, here it is supposed to be wet and cold, but we need it so I’m happy about it!!

Wishing you joy and blessings!

Products Used:

Cardstock: Stamper’s Select White by Papertrey; Steel Grey by My Favorite Things

Pattern Paper: The Story of Us by Simple Stories

Ink:  Slate and Goldenlocks by Simon Says Stamp; River Rock (retired) by Stampin’ Up!

Stamps: Chalkboard Greetings by MFT; Script Sentiments (inside sentiment) and Rustic Wreath (trio of dots) by PTI; Life is a Journey by SSS (small flower)

Dies: Pierced Rectangle Stax by MFT and Envelope Liner Die by Stampin’ Up!

Tools:  MISTI by My Sweet Petunia

Embellishments: Vanilla Button by Stampin’ Up! and misc fibers from Making Memories