Always Playing with Paper

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Seize the Sketch #23 (Celebrate a Sweet Birthday}

Hello! It is time for a brand new sketch over at Seize the Sketch! I created a card that is a bit busier than my usual style. The rest of the team created very cool cards and I think I need to try this sketch again...you may see one more card from me soon!

I used a lot of Stampin' Up goodies on this card! I used some of the new designer paper called All Abloom and two stamp sets called Cycle Celebration and Petite Petals Punch set.

Come and play along with us! We would love to see you at Seize the Sketch!

Monday, June 23, 2014

The Challenge #9 Reminder

There is still a week left to play along with The Challenge #9!

I inked up a new MFT Stamp set and got out a fun paper that I found in my stash this weekend while cleaning/purging my craftroom.

Come and play along by clicking HERE!

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Craftroom Clean Up (with photos) and Viva la Verve {Thank You}

What a great weekend. I had a super time with some good friends yesterday! It was nice to hang out and connect. I ate WAY too much food! I am STILL full. I think I will be digesting all day today. Boy, it was yummy! I have been stamping up a storm this morning. It feels so good to have my organized room back. I carefully cleaned up after each card I made today. Yesterday I tackled the disaster of my craft space. It was bad...I took photos (nope, you are not seeing the floor) and I have a before/after reveal.

Yes I have a bottle of wine in my room...no I am not drinking it...it is there for tags and wine bottle photos for some projects I make! LOL! I cannot believe I am sharing the mess! Please no judging!

Everything was piled up and it was a complete disaster...is your room this ~~bad~~ full? My room gets like this when I am super busy but have design team commitments...anyway, an hour of hard work and major recycling, I went to work and got back my desk area. It feels amazing and my card making mojo returned!

I made a card for the current Viva la Verve Challenge. Love the sketch and colours!

I kept my card simple. I was excited to ink up some new Verve goodies! I LOVE sunflowers and these pretty blooms seemed to go well with the colour combo. I found some gingham paper in my stash too...I have had it for a LONG time...I found it when I cleaned up yesterday! It was meant for this card I think!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

CASE this Sketch, FUSION & Colour Me {Thinking of You}

Felt good to craft tonight. I am working on reorganizing my craftroom...I have been neglecting my craft space and only crafting for design team deadlines. This means I craft quickly and do not have the time to tidy up after myself. Yep...an awful mess is in my craftroom...tomorrow I am tackling it!

I played along with a couple of challenges. Did you see that my FUSION team is working with the ladies over at CASE this Sketch? Cool hey! So I went to work and made a card using the sketch and I used the colours from Colour Me. I couldn't resist the pretty combo this week! It is one of my favourite colour palettes!

I was excited to use some new Stampin' Up goodies. I used a new pretty floral set called Flower Patch. It also has matching dies. I used the set to create the flower and leaves on my card. I wanted a smaller sentiment and so I used one from Verve. The pattern paper is also from Stampin' Up and new...it is called All Abloom.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Winners for The Challenge #8

Here are the winners for The Challenge #8...remember, the main winner is invited to be my guest designer...if he or she would like to join me.

As I mentioned before, it is really "challenging" for me to choose winners...I adore everyone's card and I know that each card is created from the heart! But I know as a card maker, I love the thrill of being highlighted at a challenge...and so I have chosen One Main "Winner" and a Top 3. I have also explained why I have chosen these cards.

My main Winner is:

Anita Madden

I just loved Anita's bold use of colour! The papers and her exquisite colouring skills make this card a knockout!

Congrats, Anita! If you would like to join me as a Guest Designer for the next challenge, please email me by clicking the MAIL icon in the top right hand corner of my blog banner. It looks like a little envelope!

My Top 3 picks are (in alphabetical order):

Michele Duffy

Michele's work is new to me...wow, what a wonderful card she created! Gold embossing, cool pattern paper and a funky sentiment! Love it all!

Narelle Farrugia

I adore everything Narelle created but I especially love it when she uses colours in creative waves! Blue leaves...yum! Gorgeous card!

Harriet Skelly

Harriet's work is always inspiring to me! I LOVE the paper she used but the elegant butterfly steals the show on this exquisite card!

Congrats to all the participants!

Don't forget, Challenge #9 is on right now...to join in the fun, please CLICK HERE!

Monday, June 16, 2014

The Challenge #9 {Kind Thanks for The Paper Players & Curtain Call}

Please Note: I will be announcing the winners for Challenge #8 On Wednesday.

Hello and welcome to The Challenge! Wow, what an amazing past two weeks! We loved all of the cards submitted and I appreciated all the wonderful comments left for the team! Thank you! This next sketch is one that is pretty open and the panels in the background can be sized to your needs...you will see the team all approached the panels in a different way! So have fun and let your imagination go wild! I was inspired to play along with The Paper Players-200th Challenge! Way to go, ladies!!! I chose Challenge #50-Kind Thanks. And the Curtain Call Challenge-floral theme.

Here are the measurements for Challenge #9...

Card Base: 4.25" x 5.50"

Largest Rectangle: 3" x 4" (or any shape)

Thin Back Panels: 1" x 4"

Wide Back Panel: 2" x 4"

Here is the inspiration from the team:

Lesley Croghan (that's me)

Jeanne Jachne

Kimberly Wiener

Lori Tecler

An InLinkz Link-up

June 16: Paper Sweeties June Release Rewind!

Day 4 of the Paper Sweeties stamp and die release! I wanted to try a new technique to me which is colouring on kraft paper with Copic Markers. I also did the Masking Technique.

I stamped the water can onto the kraft tag and then covering the top of image with another piece of paper I stamped the sunflower image. Easy Peasy!

Come hop along with the team!

Amber Kroening
Annette Allen

Annette Witherspoon

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties

New Products & Links:

What's New

Splish Splash
Showering You With Love

Sweet Cuts - Showering You With Love

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Paper Sweeties June Release Party!

Day 3 of the Paper Sweeties stamp and die release! Today I made a little "shower" card using the new set of sentiments and the umbrella die! A simple rounded corner and some twine finished off this card for me.