Paper Players Challenge Week #1

This post will remain at the top of my blog all week, please scroll down to see newer posts.  Thank you!

Welcome to our very first Challenge at Always Playing with Paper!!!  The first week of each month is a THEME challenge.  Our first challenge for you is to create a Masculine or a Father's Day Paper Project! The Paper Players have come up with some inspiring samples but before I share them, we need to explain how our challenges work!

1. Please create a paper project using the challenge above.
2. Use any products you have on hand!
3. Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to this post.
4. Please fill in the linky below with a direct link to your post.
5. Please leave a comment so we know you have played.
6. Feel free to combine our challenges with any other challenges out there!

We have different challenges each Sunday!  All of our winners will be announced each Saturday!  The winner for each challenge will receive the "Headliner" badge to post on their blog!  There will also be three picks of the week who will each win the "Cut Above" badge to display on their blog!

 

Each month the Paper Players will be choosing one participant to be next month's Guest Paper Player!  **If you would like to be considered for the Guest Designer Position, please let us know by typing GD beside your name in the linky.**

Here is my Masculine Card...

This is my clean and simple card using one of SU!'s Extreme Sports stamps...I love them!  This "Extreme Skateboarder" is stamped in Soft Suede.  I used some To the Nine's DSP for the background, I thought it looked like bricks...perfect for a skateboarder!!  The sentiment is from "Inspired by Nature".  I was happy to find out both of these stamps are going to be available in the new Catalogue!

And now for the Paper Players Father's Day or Masculine Themed Samples...their names are below their creation, please click on their names or click on their pictures in the sidebar to visit their blog! 

June's Guest Paper Player Jeannie

Paper Player Corie

Paper Player Jaydee
 

Paper Player LeAnne

When uploading your creation to an online gallery such as Splitcoast Stampers, please use the keyword APP and the number of the challenge week. Thanks!

Have fun!  We are looking forward to seeing your creations! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley and the Paper Players

Create with Connie and Mary

Our current Paper Player Challenge this week is "Masculine or Father's Day".  Please click HERE to see the Design Team Samples and to find Mr. Linky!!

I found this new challenge blog through Stacey over at the Curtain Call Colour Challenge.  It is called "Create with Connie and Mary", so I did!  I created a project using their current Sketch Challenge! 

I used up some scraps I had on my stamping desk...including this watercoloured flower from the Fifth Avenue Florals stamp set that I had left over from another project.  I changed the sketch a little and see that I forgot the three brads. I made it from memory! Obviously I need to do some brain gym or something! LOL!   I used some Soft Suede and Pretty in Pink Cardstock and some Melon Mambo DSP.  I LOVE Melon Mambo!

Well that is all for now!  I hope you had a great weekend and got some stamping time in!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)

An Exciting Day...

Our current Paper Player Challenge this week is "Masculine or Father's Day". Please click HERE to see the Design Team Samples and to find Mr. Linky!!

 

Today is an exciting day for me!!  I just launched a brand new challenge blog with some wonderful blogging friends.  I have wanted to do this for a long time!  I saw the colours on Stacey's Curtain Call Colour Challenge and the sketch at CPS, and decided to make a card to reflect how I am feeling today!

The sentiment I chose is from a retired set but sums up my feelings exactly, it says "HAPPINESS is when what you THINK, what you SAY and what you DO are in Harmony."  Well I am happy today for sure and I love paper crafting!  The colours from Stacey's Challenge...so soft and pretty...I was also inspired by the photo.  I have also added the sketch from CPS. Love it!

I inked up my Fifth Avenue Florals set in Whisper White craft in and using white embossing powder, I embossed it.  Then I used some Bashful Blue and Night of Navy re-inkers and a watercolour pen to colour the flowers.  I then cut each flower out and covered them in Crystal Effects to make them shiny.  I used the spiral punch to make the main panel look like it was from a book.  Then I added a little leaf cut out in Celery using the Little Leaves Die and my Big Shot.  The background is the inspire stamp from the Charming set, inked up in Bashful Blue.

Thank you for stopping by today! 

Smiles,

Lesley :)

Stamp-A-Holics Inspiration Challenge and Stampin' 411 Sketch

It is time for another Stamp-A-Holics 10 minutes or less challenge!  This week we are challenging you to make a 10 minutes or less card using this inspiration picture provided by Design Team Member Nancy.  I loved the colours in this photo!  She has given us lots to play with here!

Here is Mr. Snappy...already to go!!!  He is timing me and I must tell you...he won...but I had fun making my card!  Here it is...I used this wonderful sketch from the Stampin' 411 Crew! 

My card is all neat and tidy, like the well made bed in the inspiration photo!  And the colours reminded me of sherbert, so I went with the new "Sweet Scoops" set!  Can you see the glitter on the sherbert?  I cut out each scoop and popped them up...yep...this is WAY past 10 minutes...hehehe!  I didn't realize until later, that I had put the ribbon in the wrong spot!  It has been a LONG week! :)

This card took me until 7:12pm to make...that is...hmmm....quick math here....32 minutes!!  But I had fun making it and that is all that matters!  I paired up the ice cream image with this sentiment because I always feel like I am "not" behaving well when eating ice cream!!! LOL!!!

We hope you play along with our Stamp-A-Holics Challenge this week.  To play along, please visit Carole'Anne's Blog found HERE to link up your creation!

Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)

Stamper's 6 Club Project and a new Club starting in July!

I have a fabulous group of ladies who meet with me once a month!  They are my "Stampers 6" Club!  We get together and gab and make some fun projects together!! 

My Stamper's 6 Club ladies: 

Receive the new Stampin' Up Catalogue for FREE (a $14 value)

Get the chance to be a HOSTESS twice in 12 months and receive FREE Stampin' Up Merchandise!

I have another Stamper's 6 Club starting in July. I am open to the day of the week we meet. So far I have 2 ladies signed up, we are looking for 4 more. If you are interested, please click HERE visit my Stampin' Up Website and Online Store.  Once there please click on the words CONTACT ME and leave me a message and I will contact you to discuss the Club further.

This month I will be teaching my Stamper's 6 Club how to make a Flower Pot Pocket Card with watercoloured roses!!!  The roses are inspired by my friend and fellow design team member Sandi.  You can find her blog HERE.

Here is the card again with and without the insert.  I love teaching new techniques!  This class is going to be a fun one!  Watercolouring these roses was quick and easy! I would love to teach you how!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Lesley :)

Last Chance List is Here

Stampin' Up announced their Last Chance list today and I have added links for you to go and check out what product and stamps are retiring forever!  There are also some items on for 25% and 50% off!!!  Many of the items are while supplies last. 

Click HERE for the 50% off items
Click HERE for the 25% off items
Click HERE to see the Retiring Products

For you convenience, please place your order in my Online Store located HERE.  All the items you order will be shipped directly to you.  Plus you are able to take advantage of Clearance items which you can only order online. 

Please click on the SHOP 24/7 button on my sidebar and find the link that says "Shop Now".

Have a great day!
Lesley :)

Meet Corie (Paper Player Design Team Member)

Starting on Sunday, June 6th, we will be launching a new Challenge Blog!!  There are four Paper Players all together and one Guest Paper Player, their photos and blog links are on the sidebar.  I am thrilled to be working with such an amazing team!!  Let me introduce you to Corie.  She is a talented stamper who knows the art of using colour.  Her creations are always innovative and inspiring!  I was thrilled when she agreed to come on board with my team.  I asked her to share a little about herself, and this is what she had to say!

Corie of Corie's Creations

Hi my name is Corie (I feel like I am at a rehab meeting or something). I have 2 boys ages 14 and 10 (almost 11), and I have been married for ummm about 16 years. I always mess up my anniversary – so I think that’s correct. We have one male dog too, an Australian Sheppard. Too much testosterone in my house, don’t ya think. I would love to be able to say that I am a Stay at Home Mom, but I can’t -- I work for the Department of the Treasury.

I have been stamping for about 4 ½ years. Like so many other stampers, I was forced to attend a SU party and was instantly hooked. I am mainly a hobby Demo, but I do have a handful of ladies that buy stuff from me -- to support my habit of course.

I started blogging so I could share pictures of the cards that I was creating. I intended it to only be used by my Ladies, but others found my BLOG and started leaving me comments. Again I was hooked. I have met so many ABSOLUTLEY WONDERFUL people through this stamping adventure. I think the stamping/blogging community has the best people in it. Don’t you?

I am so honored that Lesley chose me to be on her Design Team. I hope I can keep up, these Ladies are so talented.

I guess that’s all. I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with all of you.

Big hugs and Smiles,
Corie

Thank you Corie, we are certainly looking forward to working with you too!  Be sure to visit Corie's Blog by clicking HERE.  Please remember, our challenges start on Sunday, June 6th! We will be starting with a THEME challenge and one that everyone should find useful!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
Smiles,
Lesley :)

Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #115

I haven't played the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge in quite a while!  I have the link to Taylored Expressions in the Challenge section of my blog and have admired the sketches from afar.  But this week, I was really drawn to the sketch there and decided to play along.  Here is the sketch we were to work with!

I decided to go for some vibrant colours!  I used some Melon Mambo DSP and some Bashful Blue DSP from the Sweet Pea Pack that was in the last mini catalogue!  I used some Not Quite Navy as the base of my card and worked from there.  This is a clean and simple card, it is supposed to be a masculine card, which I think works with Melon Mambo!  I love this neat motorcycle image from SU! and the sentiment is from Garden Greetings, a retired SU! set.

I thought about doing some paper piercing around the main white panel but didn't like the busy look that created.  I'm always drawn to the clean and simple lines!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Lesley :)