Pals Paper Arts - PPA86 (Take two)

In my previous post I mentioned how I struggled with the Pals Paper Arts challenge for the week.  The challenge was to include embossing on a project and I decided to give it another go.  Again I turned to the Card Positioning Systems for a little sketch inspiration.  Their sketch No. 310 part 3 fit the bill nicely with a little creative adjustment - I turned the individual three rectangles into just one.

PPA86 - Element of Style Embossing

I have had the Stampin' UP!  Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper for sometime now.  Why?  Well,  most of the pack is a bit on the busy side for me.  I actually bought this paper from my demo Mary Fish of Stampin' Pretty before I became a demo myself.  Mary used the paper so wonderfully on a card, convincing me to purchase it.  Yet after it arrived I could only file it away.  Am I alone in purchasing paper and then getting intimidated by it??  Anyway, I busted it out for this card and settled with the wonderful color combo of Wild Wasabi, Peach Parfait and Daffodil Delight.  By the way, if you haven't experienced Daffodil Delight in person you"re truly missing out (especially for those Spring and Summer projects.)  For the stamp set I used the Always Elegant set and embossed the image in white.  I gave the Peach Parfait cs a little embossing with the Sizzix Big Shot Textured Impressions Square Lattice folder.  I then added a simple white pearl and a little Wild Wasabi ribbon to finish the card off.  What do you think?  Leave me a comment I'd love to hear from you!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Always Elegant (120477)
Ink:  Versamark Pad (102283)
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Greenhouse Gala Designer Series (117167), Daffodil Delight cs (119693), Peach Parfait (119794), Wild Wasabi (108641)

Accessories/Tools:  Sizzix Big Shot Textured Impressions Square Lattice folder (119976),  Wild Wasabi Double Stitched Ribbon (Retired), SNAIL (104332), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)
Design:  Pals Paper Arts Challenge PPA86 - Elements of Style Embossing, Card Positioning Systems - Sketch No. 310 Part 3

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Pals Paper Arts - PPA86

This week the Pals Paper Arts challenge was to incorporate embossing into a project.  Sounds simple, huh?  I struggled with this one - embossing isn't a technique that comes naturally to me.  On Thursday I found a sketch courtesy of Card Positioning Systems with their sketch No. 166 that looked great and worked well with the embossing.


PPA86 - Element of Style Embossing

I altered the size of  the CPS sketch to fit a square card sized at 5-1/2" x 5-1/2".  For the patterned paper I went with Stampin' UP! Play Date Designer Series Paper for it's wonderful bright color palette.  My colors then were So Saffron, Read Red and Old Olive.  I broke out my brand new Stampin' UP! Circle Scissor plus (so incredibly simple to use) for the first 4-1/2" circle and the smaller circle which I then embossed using the Big Shot Textured Impressions Perfect Polka Dots folder.  The funky flower was die cut using the Sizzix Flower Layers die (right now clearanced for an unbelievable $5.99.)  I popped the flower up with Stampin' Dimensionals and I think the card looks pretty darn good.

Supplies:
Stamps: None this time.
Ink:  Again none.
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Play Date Designer Series (117168), So Saffron cs (105118), Read Read cs (102482), Old Olive cs (100702)

Accessories/Tools:  Sizzix Big Shot Textured Impressions Perfect Polka Dots folder (117335), Sizzix Flower Layers Original Die (113458), SNAIL (104332), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)
Design:  Pals Paper Arts Challenge PPA86 - Elements of Style Embossing, Card Positioning Systems - Sketch No. 166

A quick scrapbook page!

With just a little of a month left before the Occasions Mini Catalog 2011 retires I had to show you something I CASEd some time ago.  On page 24 of mini there is a b&w scrapbook page that drew me right in.  Now, I will print a photo in b&w without hesitation but I haven't attempted a layout in these colors exclusively, so this was going to be an adventure for me.  I had the perfect picture to work with ... of my little grand baby Caroline.  Here's the rest of the details:

Little Angel gift

Well I should say that this isn't really b&w it's more very vanilla & black.  So I started with a sheet of 12" x 12" black textured card stock and then embossed a 2" x 12" sheet of very vanilla.  I then used the top note die to cut a piece of very vanilla.  I stamped the dear from the Forest Friends stamp set on a 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" very vanilla cs.  I stamped the Little Angel sentiment from the Little Angel stamp set and used the 2" x 1 3/8" oval punch.  I cut a 2-1/2" x 12" strip from the First Edition Designer Series Paper.  I used some left-over chipboard to spell the layout title Gift.  I then cut an 8" x 3" piece of smooth basic black cs and ran through the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch and attached to the bottom of the pattern paper.  Finally, I  embossed a 5" x 1-1/2" piece of basic black cs with the Big Shot Textured Impressions Square Lattice Folder, which I folded in half and attached with a staple.  As easy as that and such a terrific page, don't you think?

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Forest Friends (113748), Little Angel (118574)
Ink:  ' Classic Stampin Pad Basic Black (101179)

Paper:  Stampin' UP! Very Vanilla Card stock (101650), Basic Black Card stock (12045), Specialty Designer Series Paper First Edition (121878)

Accessories/Tools:  Stampin' Up Sizzix Top Note die (113463),  Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border (119275), 2" x 1 3/8" Oval Extra-Large Punch (119847), Big Shot Textured Impressions Square Lattice (119976)

Design: Stampin' UP! Occasions Mini Catalog 2011 pg. 24

As always, thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

A medallion and a simple technique

So check this out!  My Stampin' UP! upline Mary Fish featured a congratulations card (I sent her) along with my technique on her Stampin' Pretty blog.  In one of the blogs I follow there was a post about the hottest trends  in paper crafting.  One of those hottest trends was a medallion.  So I sat down with my SU punches and came up with this card.  Rather than explain the technique for the jagged medallion take a look at the  wonderful 1 Minute to Wow Video Tutorial Mary created..

Medallion Congratulations

For this card I decided to go the monochromatic route.  I choose Concord Crush (one of the In Colors), Perfect Plum and Rich Razzleberry.  For patterned paper I picked a sheet from the In Color Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack.  The collection stack includes 40 sheets total, 4 each of 2 double-sided designs in 6 colors.  There are paper stacks available for all the Stampin' UP! color families.  One other point of interest might be that the ribbon embellishment under the Congratulations sentiment was achieved by punching a 3/4" x 5" strip of Concord Crush card stock with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch and then running the border through the crimper ... which looks kind of cool!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Perfect Punches (120516)
Ink:  Versamark (102283)
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack In Color (117158), Concord Crush CS (119792), Perfect Plum CS (115318), Rich Razzleberry CS (115316)

Ribbon:  Stampin Up! Ribbon Grosgrain Polka Dot Rich Razzleberry (Retired)

Accessories/Tools:  Stampin' UP!  1-3/4" Scallop Circle Extra-Large (119854), 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Extra-Large (118874), Star Extra-Large (119875), Modern Label Extra-Large Punch (119849), Scallop Trim Border (118402), Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (119275), Crimper (101618), Stampin' Embossing Powder White (109132)

Design:  Me!

As always, thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Pals Paper Challenge PPA83

So here's another entry into the Pals Paper Arts Challenges - this one was started a few weeks back and completed after the the challenge ended but thought I'd go ahead and add to my blog.

PPA83 - Celebrity Color Challenge

The celebrity paper crafter was Nancy Leedy of Canopy Crafts.  Nancy choose Baja Breeze, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake as the color challenge.   Which sorta threw me, I can be so literal at times.  You know, flowers are bright , leaves are green ... that kind of useless drama.  To add to my struggle with this challenge, there are some wonderful vintage card makers who participate in PPA challenges and for some other worldly reason I thought I'd give it a whirl.  BIG mistake, huge mistake.  After I got over myself ... which does take me quite awhile I came up with this card.

I used the Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack Subtles (117152) for the two Baja Breeze patterns.  The rest of the card is strictly card stock.  I did use the brand new Embosslits Sweet Buttons (121813) for the small buttons.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)
Ink:  Stampin' UP! Classic Basic Black (121045)
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack Subtles (117152), Baja Breeze CS (111352), Crumb Cake CS (120953), Soft Suede CS (115318)

Accessories/Tools:  Stampin' UP!  Antique Brands (117273), Word Window Large Punch (119857), Modern Label Extra-Large Punch (119849), Two-Step Bird Extra-Large Punch (117191), Sponge Daubers (102892),  SNAIL (104332)
Design:  Pals Paper Arts Challenge PPA83 - Celebrity Color Challenge

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Pals Paper Challenge PPA85

Somehow I pulled it together this week to actually participate in a challenge and get it posted here ... a regular miracle.  With the sudden beginning of spring in Connecticut there's a lot going on.  Both of the children are   working hard in school, well Jase calls it playing but I suspect they are learning as well.  In a couple of short weeks the kids will be moving into a brand new school building, which is just beautiful from the outside, we are definitely excited about that.

Stampin' UP! has become a wonderful source of joy in my life.  I'm part of a involved excellent team and looks like quite a few members will be attending SU's big convention in July.  We are in active talks about attending in this house, which is something that I REALLY want to do.  Now onto the business at hand.

PPA85 - Sketch Challenge

For the challenge this week Margaret Moody supplied a wonderful classic sketch that was great fun to play with.   I choose the FREE Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper & Quick Accents Pack (122242) from the Sale-A-Bration 2011 mini catalog.  I really enjoy the bright colors of this set and incidentally there is a coordinating Ribbon & Button Pack (125329) for FREE as well.  Unfamiliar with Sale-A-Bration?  For every $50 in merchandise purchased you can pick one free item from the Sale-A-Bration mini.  By the way, Sale-A-Bration ends March 31.

For the stamps I picked the Take A Spin (122015) set from the Occasions Mini Catalog.  I paired the set with the Game Spinner Hands (121893) and did a little paper piecing for the spinner face.  The Happy Birthday scallop square is from the Punch Bunch (121847) Occasions mini catalog.  For this stamp I  embossed the design in black.

One final note if you are a digi crafter Stampin' UP! has a full line of papers, brushes, and stamp sets available at great prices.  In fact in the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog there is a great pricing opportunity for these items!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Take A Spin (1122015), Punch Bunch (121847)
Ink:  Stampin' UP! Classic Basic Black (121045)
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Ice Cream DSP & Quick Acents Pack (122242), Peach Parfait CS (119794), Pacific Point CS (111350), Daffodil Delight CS (119683), Old Olive CS (100702), Designer Series Paper Pack - In Color Level One Hostess Gift (121028)

Accessories/Tools:  Stampin' UP!  Scallop Square Extra-Large (119884), Game Spinner Hands (121893), VersaMark Pad (102283), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), SNAIL (104332)
Design:  Pals Paper Arts Challenge PPA85 - Sketch