Peonies and Paper Chains

Bring on Regarding Dahlias for Pals Paper Arts!

 

Hello friends! I'm delighted to share these thank you cards that I whipped up as my latest Pals Paper Arts design team project.  And when I say whipped up, I mean that I made 20 of these note cards in under 30 minutes...not bad! School ends next week and I needed some more thank you cards for teacher gifts.

This week, the Pals Paper Arts challenge is a color challenge and if you have not guessed the palette already, it is:

Because Strawberry Slush just retired as an In Color, I substituted Melon Mambo in its place. And, as you'll note in the image below, my supplies were minimal: 

The only thing you don't see are a set of Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes and some Grid Paper to protect my work surface when using my brayer to create the So Saffron backdrop.

Be sure to take a look at all the design team projects! Then, pull out these colors, give them a whirl, and share your creation with us at Pals Paper Arts!

And before I sign off, I must say that I do love color challenges!  They are my fave...how about you?

Happy creating!

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

 

Stars and Feathers for Pals Paper Arts!

Happy Thursday, friends!

Today I'm sharing my latest Pals Paper Arts design team project. It is based on our latest sketch challenge (PPA252) that just happens to have been design by yours truly:

When I created this sketch I distinctly recall debating between a vertical and horizontal orientation. And, while I used the horizontal orientation of the sketch, I'll be so curious to see if others (maybe even you) choose to flip it.

With this card, I used precisely 1 ink color (Blackberry Bliss), 2 card stock colors (Naturals White and Wisteria Wonder), plus a card base in Crumb Cake. However, as you look closely, you might think that more supplies were used.

The three shades for the feather come from "stamping off" by Blackberry Bliss ink.

The horizontal strip with the sentiment has some ink applied using my brayer.

The card front has several tones on it and to achieve the look I first applied some ink with my brayer and then I embossed the card stock. 

Lots of interest and minimal supplies...makes for easy clean up and I like that!

- - - 

If you'll recall, the title of the post is "Stars and Feathers for Pals Paper Arts" and I initially planned to share a patriotic project that is perfect for Memorial Day, July 4th, or Veterans Day (really, any day you want to celebrate the USA). Just as I was getting ready to apply my star embellishment, someone decided to apply an Old Olive star of their own:

I know just who I will be sending this card to and I am sure that they will love the addition of the green star! Certainly they will appreciate it MUCH more than I did when it was added one night earlier this week!

Be sure to visit Pals Paper Arts for all of the design team inspiration! After that, grab your supplies, get crafting, and share your project with us!

Wishing you a creative day!

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

 

Stamp Review Crew: Four Feathers Edition

Welcome to the Stamp Review Crew: Four Feathers Edition blog hop! We are excited to be sharing ideas featuring the Four Feathers stamp set. We've got a great line-up for the hop and you may have just come over from Mike Funke at Stampin' Style or perhaps you are starting here...whichever is the case, I hope you will hop on through all the participant blogs for oodles of ideas!

 

As we approach the end of the school year I am gearing up for teacher thank you gifts. In my book one of the best gives we can give includes a set of hand stamped thank you cards! Using the Stampin' Up! Note Card and Envelope set, these are a breeze and very cost effective... 

As you can see the thank you cards that I have made are very quick and easy to make -- in my book that is essential when making a whole bunch of cards at once!

What I did:

• The backgrounds were applied using my brayer -- just roll on some color
• Stamped on the feathers from the Four Feathers stamp set and whether alone or in repetition, they are pretty.
• Added the "thank you" sentiment comes from the Lots of Thanks stamp set.
• In about 20 minutes I created 5 each of the 4 designs shown above...that's just a minute each!

In addition to the thank you notes, I made a coordinating thank you card for one of the teachers. It is a more intricate in design -- fitting for a teacher who give so much to ensure students have a wonderful year! 

As much as I thought you would enjoy seeing the thank you notes and card altogether, it just wasn't happening...

Apparently I did not actually snap an image of the dog walking in front of the cards. Trust me though he did cruise on by my photo staging zone! Let's face it though, I really can's complain to have such wonderful distractions!

Head over to see what Bronwyn Eastley at AddINKtive Designs has put together for you!

Happy hopping, friends!

                                        

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

Get Your Challenge On! Kinda Eclectic for PPA248!

 

It's been awhile since I have pulled out my Kinda Eclectic stamp set and I had so much fun using it to create the background for today's card. This little square card (3.5") is based on the brand new Pals Paper Arts Challenge -- PPA248:

 

 

As you likely just noticed, I did not use the design precisely according to sketch...the diagonal sentiment is longer and the stamped sunburst and leaves replace the rectangular element. Sketches are meant to be a starting point and you don't have to stick with them as is though I know it is sometimes a challenge to break out from doing so.

 

 

The close up gives you a chance to see the intricacy of this stamp set...the pattern of the leaves, the text on the dotted pattern (which you can really see in the upper left portion of the card). Kinda Eclectic is truly such a gorgeous stamp set and I love every element of it! You are not seeing the larger butterfly image or the sentiment ("a little kindness goes a long way") from  the set, but I did incorporate all the others. The "a thousand thanks" stamp is from the Thankful Thoughts stamp set which is filled with several options for expressing gratitude!

 

It will soon be Teacher Appreciation Week and I'm pretty sure I will be holding onto this card until then! The girls have been working with some wonderful teachers this year who are more than deserving of a card like this.

 

Be sure to see all of the inspiration projects from this sketch over on the Pals Paper Arts site and, please, join in the fun and play along with us!

 

Wishing you a little creativity today!

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

PPA 236: So Honored!

Today is a very special Pals Paper Arts project for me. Today marks the first sketch challenge for which I am the designer. I'm so very honored to be serving design team 1 in this capacity. I've taken over from Margaret Moody who was the original PPA sketch designer -- she did an amazing job for 5 years!

Here's the sketch for PPA236 to get your creative juices flowing: 

 

And here is the project I put together using the sketch as inspiration:

It was so much fun to use the Yee Haw photopolymer stamps to make this topper for the take-out box! While you are unlikely to hear me holler "yee haw", this set is fabulous and has a great mix of elements and sentiment stamps! The little star, barbed wire, and "mighty kind of you" are among my favorites in the set.

You'll find the full supply list at the very bottom of the post.

Be sure to play along with us this week at Pals Paper Arts! I'm so excited to see what you and all my fellow design team members create!

 

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

 

The #1 Washi Tape Tip You Need!

Let's cut to chase friends and get right to today's tip -- it is a big one!

Here goes...

When you accidentally CUT your cardstock where you meant to SCORE it, wrap a big long piece of Washi Tape all around the card "spine" to keep it together! Washi Tape to the rescue!

How is that for a tip?!

I'm thinking that you'd like to see the rest of today's card and I am super excited to share it with you.

When I do so, I may be spoiling the surprise of the December Paper Pumpkin (more than I have already because the two stamp images above are in the kit).

Close your browser now if you don't want to see what is in the kit!

My December Paper Pumpkin kit arrived on Monday and I simply could not wait to use it!

I shared this peek at today's project on Instagram that night:

 

The card design was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts Sketch (PPA232) that starts today:

 

 

Here's the full card for you:

 

This is the very first shaker card that I have ever made...so MUCH fun! Not sure why I waited so long to try this out and I'll definitely be making more!

For those who are curious, I did jumbo size to a 5 x 7" card base using Bermuda Bay cardstock instead of using a base from the Paper Pumpkin kit. In addition, I added the Washi Tape and piece of Strawberry Slush cardstock.

Do be sure to play along with us at Pals Paper Arts this week!

And please, do tell me, am I the only one who has ever cut a card base when I really meant to score it? Fingers crossed that I am not!

 
Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies 

 

 

A Work of Art for The Paper Players

When looking for a few challenges to spur my creativity on Sunday morning, I was delighted to see that The Paper Players had a color challenge going. And it was not the general three color combo -- instead it was a four color challenge. Given that I create using a Five Color combo on Friday, I was ready to tackle this challenge! I pulled out the Work of Art stamp set and got to work:

This is the first of three cards you will see this week that are of this same style...standard size card back (4.25 x 5.5") with a smaller card front. This all started because the large scrap of Basic Gray card stock I pulled out was only 10" long rather than 11" long. Rather than grab a fresh piece, I decided to make things work and had fun in the process!

The inside of the card has not only a little heart but also a brayered strip. The strip was not originally intended, however, given that I trimmed the Blushing Bride card stock too small, I needed a little something else.  Brayering ink on is a quick and easy way to get a pop of color and I love doing this so much that I own two brayers!

You know the card contains Blushing Bride and Basic Gray -- here are all colors in The Paper Players challenge (PP208): 

The Calypso Coral and Hello Honey provide such bright pops of colors! I love the contrast between these colors.

You might guess that I stamped the front with Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, and Hello Honey. The light color you see at the left is actually a second stamped image using the Calypso Coral. "Stamping off" is another quick and easy technique!

Check the bottom of the post for my full supply list!

Do you love Stampin' Up! products? Join the Stampin' Up! family as a hobbyist and get your products at a discount! Read about the perks and benefits here!

Wishing you a creative day!

 

Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

 

Work Of Art Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$29.95

Work Of Art Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$21.95

Brayer

$12.50

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Blushing Bride 3/4" Chevron Ribbon

$8.95

Blushing Bride 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Basic Gray 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

 

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

 

Flower Patch for Five on Friday Stampin' Up!

Today you get to see the latest Five on Friday color combination on a little thank you card that features Flower Patch photopolymer stamps and a sentiment from Regarding Dahlias. And, some Whisper White craft ink...it has been too long since I have played with that!

Here's the combo:

This combo if Pistachio Pudding, Lost Lagoon, So Saffron, Marina Mist, and Pear Pizzazz was inspired by a glider we have at our house...the one that I rocked both girls in for many nights when they were younger. 

You've seen a peek and now here is the full card:

Notice how the layers of the embossed background line up precisely? It means that the panel of Lost Lagoon is not perfectly centered on the card, however for me, it was more critical to have the flowers and stems align.

This week, I looked for inspiration from two challenges when creating the card itself:

Mojo Monday (MOJO357)

 

The Paper Players (PP207)

 

It's always fun to play along with challenges and draw inspiration from new places!

 

LIMITED TIME ONLY:  Get a Free Big Shot Bundle! 

If your paper crafting tools do not yet include the Big Shot, now is the perfect time to purchase one! You get to choose a FREE bundle (valued up to $54.25) when you purchase a Big Shot...what a deal!

Already have a Big Shot? You can purchase select Big Shot bundles at 15% off! A great savings.

View your options here and purchase a Big Shot or bundle now!

Have a creative day!

 

Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

An Amazing Thank You for PPA!

The latest Pals Paper Arts Challenge (PPA 214) has arrived!

After being a whole week ahead of schedule and sharing my original project here, I had to pull together a little something special for this challenge. Andm since I've been having such fun using the Amazing Birthday stamp set, I decided to do so for the challenge. Except this time I used the set to create a thank you card:

This week's challenge is a color challenge and I'm enamored with the combination of  Crisp Cantaloupe, Wild Wasabi, and Island Indigo:

The background of the card was created by inking up my Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, placing the Very Vanilla card stock inside,  closing the folder, and then running my brayer over the top. This created a fun grunge-like feel!

When it comes to the pennants that serve as the focal point, a little distressing was done. For the striped pennant (this is a stamp in the Amazing Birthday set), I stamped and cut out with my Banners Framelits. My cut was rather crooked and rather than toss, I chose to distree by brayering some Wild Wasabi over top and then dragging the edges of the pennant over my Island Indigo ink pad. 

Fortunately my cut of the sentiment was spot on! For a little added interest I cut another flag of the same size from Crisp Cantaloupe card stock and then inked it up with the same color. There layering adds some interest!

The sentiment, "so thankful for every bit of you", is so very sweet! What a great addition to teh Amazing Birthday stamp set to be used in creating thank you cards!

Be sure to play along with us at Pals Paper Arts this week! And make certain to see what the other design team members have created!

Wishing you a creative day!

 

Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies

 

Six Supplies for Sweet & Simple Thanks

 

This past weekend was filled with 3 birthday parties to attend and one of the gifts I often inclue is a set of thank you cards. I can happily say that this weekend, each birthday honoree received a set thanks to a sweet and simple thank you card design that I used. It involves just 6 supplies:

Kinda Eclectic Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$27.95

Dude, You're Welcome! Kit

$24.95

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes

$5.95

Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

 

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

 

And here's the card itself:

 

The sentiment is what comes from the Dude, You're Welcome stamp set -- you could certainly swap out with any other thank you stamp, however I love the bold look of this one on the little thank you cards!

 

I think these cards are a great example of the fact that you don't need to use a whole lot of supplies to create a sweet little card. What about you?

 

FINAL DAYS: Buy 3, get 1 free on Designer Series Paper!

Order your Designer Series Paper favorites today!

Wishing you a creative day!

 

Get inspiration in your inbox  |  Shop on-line 24/7 for paper crafting supplies