Paper Players Challenge #22-Anything Goes

Happy Halloween! This past week has been a fun one at work.  I teach primary school and we spent the week making some Halloween Crafts and brainstorming bone chillin' words and writing scary stories.  My class and I had a fun-filled Halloween party on Friday as well.  It was a great week!

This week the Paper Players are looking for Anything Goes!  My card is not Halloweeny at all!!!  But if you have one to share, please do!!  I am still pumping out the Christmas Cards, trying desperately to get caught up. I am going to take LeAnne's cue and make one a week throughout the year next time!  Then I will have a handful ready for December 2011!

I heat embossed the snowflakes onto Night of Navy paper and used Whisper White cardstock as a highlighter on this card! I love the border punches and tend to use them a lot on cards!  I added a traditional white satin bow for a little sweetness and punched out the sentiment using the Wide Oval Punch.  The snowflakes come from the Northern Hearts Hostess Level One Stamp set.  Did you notice my new little watermark?  I have a thing for Owls and wanted to create a watermark with a sweet owl in it!!

I hope you get the chance to play along with the Paper Players Challenge Blog !  Come and over and link up your favourite creation from this week!  We would love to see your work. 

Go on over and check out the other projects from the Design Team:

Ann Schach

Jaydee

LeAnne

Nance

Smiles,

Paper Players Challenge: A Recipe from Ann

This week's challenge at the Paper Players Challenge blog is to make a card using the following recipe:

• Designer Paper
• A Punch
• A Sentiment

I chose to create a clean and simple card using the scallop edge punch, some of the Deck the Halls Designer Paper and I heat embossed the Peace on Earth sentiment in gold right ono the designer paper.  The sentiment comes from the Hostess Level 2 stamp set in the Mini Catalogue.  I also finished off the inside of the card with some of the same designer paper.

The fun and fabulous Ann Schach has challenged us with this wonderful recipe challenge and I hope you get the chance to play along!  Just click HERE to see the other creations from the Design Team.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Deck the Halls Designer Paper from the Holiday Mini Catalogue

Stamps: Peace on Earth (Hostess Level 2 in the Holiday Mini Catalogue)

Inks: Versamark

Tools: Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Embossing Buddy, Scallop Punch

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Just Add Ink, Stampin' Up Only Challenges and Mojo Sketch

 

What a day yesterday.  I work four days a week and yesterday was my off day.  I was lucky enough to have a good, productive day and got many things on my list done.  But the laundry was only just started and the day ran out, so laundry is on my list ALL week.  I am really good at washing and drying the laundry, heck I can even fold it, but somehow it takes days to find it's way to our closet!  Does anyone else have this problem?  I remember stumbling across a blog last year sometime and the gal's title was something like "Things I Make While I Should be Doing Laundry"...I laughed aloud when I read that! 

Last night my friend Sigal came over for dinner and I made stuffed peppers. It was the first time I have attempted making them and they came out beautifully.  Even yummy!  It is my mother in law Linda's recipe...and it is a good one!  My hubby was happy!!  So over a glass of red wine, Sigal, my DH Corey and I gabbed and dined.  It was fun and nice to hang out with my pals.  She is a teacher too and we did some gabbing over new math ideas and strategies for the classroom.  Probably boring talk for some of you but I get SO into talking about teaching.  It could never tire me.  I probably wore poor Sigal out! LOL!

After such a productive day, I was excited to see three new challenges posted and I was inspired to play.  The first challenge was from Just Add Ink. They are asking for Just Add Blue as their challenge this week in honour of Anxiety and Depression Awareness Month.  This is the challenge that really got my creative drive going because I love working with blues.  I know my pal LeAnne would be playing too but she is taking a week off from blogging.  She LOVES crafting with blues! 

I also found the Stampin' Up Only Blog of Challenges that asked for Material or Ribbon....so I decided to add some major ribbon to my card! I am happy to have found this challenge blog as I am a SU! demo and only use SU! product!

The Mojo Sketch was calling my name and I decided to use the Top Note die to represent the squiggley line at the top of the sketch.  I really liked this sketch.  I also added the Dove for the Oval Shape.

Here are some of the steps I took to make this card:

-I heat embossed the Peace on Earth sentiment from the Level 2 Hostess Set in the Mini Catalogue

-The holly leaves are stamped in Night of Navy to add a Silhouette look to the front panel

-I used the Top Note die and cut off the bottom of it to make it work for the sketch

-the ribbon is made my laying down a strip of two way adhesive and then bunching it all along the tape.  You need to use more ribbon than the length of the card.  I used about one and a half lengths.

-the dove is heat embossed using White craft ink on Navy paper then I cut it out with my scissors

-to add some bling I put two little gemstones at the top left hand corner of this card

-the entire card is sprayed with Spooch Spritz in Vanilla Shimmer.  It has a pretty, soft shimmer to it

**Edit**-I also added this to any Anything Goes Challenge over at Top Tip Tuesday.

Thank you for stopping by!

Smiles,

Stamping 411 Sketch and Pals Paper Arts

I made this card for the current 411 sketch using the new French Foliage Stamp set. I tried something I have always wanted to do which was to place all the leaves on one big clear block and ink them up with my sponge daubers in all different colours and then stamped once and then stamped twice...that is how I made the background paper for this card.  I love simple sketches.  You should head over to the Stamping 411 site to see the beautiful cards made by the design team. They really went all out this week!!!  I am also going to enter this into the Pals Paper Arts Challenge for a Fall Themed card.  I already have one card entered but I thought I would share another.

The ribbon is a piece that came from a gift I received.  It worked perfectly with the layout.

Have a great week.  I hope everyone gets the chance to stamp!
   
Smiles,

Paper Players Challenge #20-A Sketch from ME!

This week at the Paper Players we have a new sketch for you to try, created by me!  Yippee! I love the "Holiday Line-Up" stamp set and recently purchased it.  This set is so adorable and offers some great colouring ooportunities.  But if you are like me and crazy busy all the time, sometimes colouring is not always an option.

So for my card this week I decided to feature a technique called Spotlighting.  I found the technique on the wonderful stamping site called Splitcoast Stampers.  Just click HERE to see how to spotlight an image and give it a try yourself!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Holiday Line-Up, Bright Christmas (Holiday Mini)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Naturals White
Ink: Early Espresso, Real Red Marker, Crumb Cake Marker
Tools: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Please visit the blogs of my wonderful design team to see what they created using the sketch!

Ann Schach
LeAnne Pugliese
Jaydee
Nance Leedy

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,

Catching up on my Favourite Challenges

I have been running on empty these days.  I am just so pooped after work! But tonight I finally had the chance to play along with some of my favourite challenges.  I am going to list them all together here in one post which is not my usual style...but life has been busy.  It is only two cards but for 3 challenges!

Okay...here goes...

This first card is for the current Pals Paper Arts Challenge which is a "Fall Themed" Challenge.  I used a few new items from my stash.  I started with the Naturals White, Basic Gray and Crumb Cake Cardstock.  Then I inked the leaves in Really Rust.  The brads are from the Neutrals Collection and the ribbon is the Early Espresso 1/8".  I also used the French Foliage, Seasonal Sentiments and Sanded Background Stamp Sets.

The next card is for the current SCS sketch challenge and the Colour Dare Challenge which was to use Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.  I used the Awash with Flowers set for my friend Shellie because she asked me last night to make a card with this set.  I hope you like it Shellie!!

Thank you for stopping by!  I always appreciate your thoughts and comments.  I hope you have a great Friday!

Smiles,

Lesley

Paper Players Colour Challenge #19 (Jaydee's Colours) and Stamping 411 Sketch

Wow!  What a wonderful week.  I have to tell you, I am in a show, a musical and I am enjoying the rehearsal process so much.  The music is excellent and the story is fun!  We had a dance rehearsal last night and this morning I woke up feeling parts of my body I hadn't felt in YEARS!  But you aren't here to read about my body aches...hehehe....The lovely Jaydee has inspired us once again with a fabulous colour challenge this week at the Paper Players.  She has asked us to use Red, White and Black as our colours!  I LOVE this gorgeous combo and was so excited to play when I saw the beautiful inspiration picture she used for this challenge!! 

I had a great time making this card!!  I even cheated a bit and used some Natural White paper instead of Whisper White.  I had never ordered the Natural White paper before and I LOVE it!  It is much thicker than Whisper White and has a earthy fleck throughout it.  It would make a terrific card base!  Today I was making cards with my friends Trudy, Jane, Laurie and Katie.  We were making some "Contempo Christmas Cards" and having fun.  Then I went to Jane's house (Jane is affectionately known as "Janey Poo" and I am "Lesley Lou")we set up and organized her crafting space!!!  It was so much fun! She has a wonderful place now to make her cards and to craft away.  I also made this using the fabulous sketch over at the Stamping 411!!  It was a clean and simple sketch and I thought it showed off Santa perfectly!

I hope you get the chance to play along with the Paper Players this week and be sure to check out the blogs of the other Design Team Members!!!  I have added them here in alphabetical order.

Ann Schach

LeAnne Pugliese

Jaydee

Nance Leedy

Thanks for stopping by!

Paper Players Challenge #18-LeAnne's Theme Challenge

The beginning of the month brings a new Theme Challenge to the Paper Players Challenge Blog!  This week's challenge is brought to you by LeAnne and it a FABULOUSLY FUN challenge!!  She is challenging us to go Monochromatic with our colour choices.  Right away I knew I wanted to use Pacific Point, Marina Mist and Bashful Blue.

The Beginning
The start of my card came from the new Celebrations Designer Paper (117164) on pg 173 of the Big Stampin' Up Catalogue.  I just love the festive and upbeat colour pallete of the paper and so decided to pull out and dust off the Season of Joy Set (110384) on pg 33 that has lots of upbeat images in it.

The Middle
- stamp the snowflake image in Marina Mist on a 4 x5.25" piece of whsiper white paper
- use the Scallop Border Punch on a 1.5" strip of Pacific Point cardstock, adhere that piece behind a 2 x 4" piece of the blue polka dotted Celebrations DSP, then add a strip of Whisper White Satin Ribbon to the Designer Paper, wrapping the ribbon behind the paper and taping it down with regular tape.
-Cut a 2.25 x 3.25" rectangle in the Pacific Point and a 2 x 3" rectangle in Whisper White (stamp the tree image in Pacific Point on the Whisper White rectangle
-Put all the pieces together on a 4.25 x 5.5" Pacific Point Card Base

The End
-to add some bling, I punched out a snowflake using the Extra Large Snowflake Punch and added a little jewel to the centre of it from the new Basic Rhinestones (119246) pg 188.  You get a 150 of them in one pack!!!
-I also used the Large Oval Punch and the Scallop Oval Punch for my sentiment which was stamped in Pacific Point.

I hope you get the chance to come and join our challenge this week!  We are looking forward to seeing what you do with our Monochromatic Theme Challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley

Colour Dare and Pals Paper Arts

I am inspired by Ann Schach and LOVE the way she puts cards together.  I promised her I would try to play along with the Pals Paper Arts Challenge tonight which was to use a button on your card.  I confess, I am a buttonless stamper...I need to get my hands on some of those great new buttons in the Holiday Mini.  Instead I dug out my Buttons Die to use in the Big Shot and cranked out a button made of Daffodil Delight Paper and sponged it with Chocolate Chip.  This card was also made for the current Colour Dare Challenge to use Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla.  I really love those colours together!  I chose those colours because of Nance Leedy and her inspirational cards!!  She often awes me with her work. 

So there it is...I am posting to see what you all think.  Is it a too busy or am a close to creating something adequately Vintage?

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Elements of Style, Because I Care

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight and Very Vanilla
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight
Tools: Crimper, Big Shot, Buttons Die, Retired Chocolate Chip Ribbon, Sponges, Distressing Tool

Thanks for stopping by...

Smiles,

Lesley

Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge 300

Two posts for one day!!!  Wow!  But it is World Card Making Day and I was on a mission to have some fun!  This is a card I made for the current SCS Sketch Challenge.  The sketch was really Clean and Simple and I was inspired to play. 

I decided to use some of my new Blueberry Crisp Designer Paper from Stampin' Up.  I love the Pacific Point colour and have been playing with it lots!!!  I inked up the Eastern Blooms set in Marina Mist and Pacific Point to create the flower to the side, I thought the Eastern Blooms flowers matched the designer paper.  Then I added a gemstone to the centre of the flower.  I used the Little Leaves die to create a blue leaf and inked up this cute sentiment from the new Word Play Stamp Set.  I also used my new Scallop Square Bigz Die from the Mini Holiday Catalogue!!  I LOVE it!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley

Stamping 411 Sketch

Wow...school just started and now I am into my classroom routine.  I feel like I finally have time to breathe and to make some cards!!!  I was really inspired by the Stamping 411 Sketch.  Actually, I was inspired by their last few sketches...but life has not allowed for card making!!  I wanted to start with the Bells and Boughs set.  I love it.  I used it to make a simple background paper for my card.  I also inked up the French Script in Crumb Cake and tried to create some of my own designer paper.  This Bells and Boughs set is such a clean stamping set.  The images are beautiful as background images and do not always need to be coloured.

So I made my background piece and then made the small rectangle images using the Spotlighting Technique.  Basically I stamped the same images and overlapped them, colouring only the overlapped parts of the image...so spotlight the poinsettias.  I also used lots of sponging with Crumb Cake Ink to give the card have an old fashioned feel.  I flipped the ribbon and the brads to fit my images better.  I stuck true to the main design.  It is a neat sketch.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Smiles,
Lesley