It’s Easter Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players.  This week, the talented Jaydee has a Tic-Tac-Toe challenge for us.  I had a hard time deciding on which options to use.  As you read through the tips, see if you can guess which ones I selected. Enjoy…and have fun!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips
This finished card measures 5-1/2″ wide by 4-1/4″ long.

• In the pink! The larger Stippled Blossoms, from the Stippled Blossoms stamp set, were stamped in Pink Pirouette and Pretty in Pink, and overstamped in Regal Rose.  The smaller blossoms were stamped in Pink Pirouette, and overstamped in Baja Breeze.  Pearls are a quick and easy way to add interest to the centers of any flowers.  Coupled with Certainly Celery leaves, the look is as fresh as springtime!

• Feelin’ blue! Baja Breeze Seam Binding adds a touch of texture!

• Wonderful you! Need a versatile sentiment?  Wonderful You, from Loving Thoughts, is a perfect choice.  It could be used for a birthday card, thank-you card, or a thinking of you card!  As for me, I will be using this card for a birthday!

I have been in a bit of a rut lately with my floral cards, using a lot of texture and paper-snipping.  But in this case, I needed to create a card quickly, so I looked for something well within my comfort zone.  Even though it takes a bit of time overstamping and snipping, very little time was spent in the actual design process…and the design process is usually what takes me the longest.

Why did I need a quick card?  It’s another dog show weekend!  The kids and I are staying in a small, 13 unit, older motel.  There is no internet access, and I am hoping that there is TV.  But I was told that it was clean.  One of my dog show friends has stayed there for years, and will be right next door.  Since I am on my own this time, it was important for me to stay close to the show grounds, and for the price to be reasonable.  I will definitely let you know how things went!  If you email me, remember that I have been without internet starting Friday, and will be until late Sunday.

Did you guess which parts of the Tic-Tac-Toe grid I used?  I actually completed two rows:  Spring, Blue/Pink, Ribbon and Pearls, Birthday, Pink/Green.  How did you do with your guessing? Won’t you let me know in your comment today? Until next time…

Stamp Set:  Stippled Blossoms, Loving Thoughts; Inks:  Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede; Card Stock:  Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso; Tools:  Paper Snips, Big Shot, Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Oval Framelits; Glitz and Glam: Basic Pearls, Baja Breeze Seam Binding.

Today’s finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• Piece! First, the “Bunny in Balloon” image was stamped directly onto Whisper White card stock with Jet Black StazOn. Then the balloon portion of the image was inked and stamped onto Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery papers from the Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack.  The Pretty in Pink balloon and Certainly Celery bands and zigzag were snipped out and positioned as illustrated.  The same process was followed with the Basket portion of the image and Chocolate Chip and Pretty in Pink pattern papers.  

• Free-Stylin’! Certainly Celery hills were free-hand cut and the edges were distressed with Always Artichoke ink. 

• Vellum Clouds! The Clouds from Up, Up and Away were inked with Jet Black StazOn and stamped onto White Vellum paper.  These were snipped out and added to the sky!

• Bow Down to the Bow! A fabulous Pretty in Pink satin bow adds a sweet finishing touch!  Sadly this gorgeous ribbon is now retired.

 

Paper Piecing may take a little bit longer, but what dimension it adds to the image!  What do you think? Won’t you let me know in today’s comment? Your comments are important to me, and I do read each and every one.  Of course, I love answering any questions that you may have about the techniques I use and the cards I create! Remember, I am only an email away! Until next time…

 

 

Stamp Sets:  Everybunny (W 122705, C 122707), Up, Up and Away (W 122755,  C 122757); Inks:  Jet Black StazOn (101406), Always Artichoke (105219), Chocolate Chip (100908), Bashful Blue (105209); Designer Series Paper:  Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (117152), Neutrals Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (117157), White Vellum Paper (101839); Card Stock:  Chocolate Chip (102128), Pretty in Pink (100459), Certainly Celery (105125), Whisper White (100730); Tools:  Paper Snips (103579), Sponge Dauber (102892), Bird Builder Punch (117191), Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Blender Pen (102845);  Glitz and Glam:  Pretty in Pink 5/8″ Satin Ribbon (117289), Basic Pearls (119247)

Those of you who follow The Stampin’ Schach know that Muffy and Lexi escaped from our backyard Monday and were on the loose for an hour and a half.  Thanks to the action of the West Burlington Police Department, Lexi was joyously reunited with me, while Muffy was returned by a Good Samaritan.

That afternoon, I went to the Police Station to see if I could make a donation in appreciation for their time and effort.  I was told that it wasn’t necessary, but the secretary said that they would probably appreciate a thank–you card.  DUH! Why didn’t I think of that?

Since Stampin’ Up! does not have any Boxer dog stamps,  I took the only SU! dog image that has pointy ears and selectively inked it to look like a Boxer, albeit an overweight one.  Since Boxers have big lemon shaped eyes, I did make the dotted eyes a smidge bigger.  A huge shout out goes to LeAnne Pugliese.  Her Paper Players design team card was my inspiration. I used the Paper Player layout and paper-pieced the pups, just like LeAnne.  It was from LeAnne that I got the idea to add Muffy’s and Lexi’s white markings with the Signo Gel Pen.  Thanks, LeAnne!

The Stampin’ Up! Design Tips
This card measures 4-1/4″ wide and 5-1/2″ long.

• Selectively ink! A Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker was used to ink the Playful Pup from Animal Talk.  By using the marker, I was able to select which portions of the image I inked.  I left off the spots, and attempted to shorten the tail.  Muffy’s and Lexi’s stockings and faces are courtesy of a White Signo Gel Pen.  

• Back it up!  A Pacific Point Scallop Circle, created with the Perfect Pennants Die, backs up the 2-1/2″ Whisper White circle, allowing just a glimpse of the blue.  Remember to position your paper carefully when you run it through the Big Shot, or you will end up with a flat scallop like I did…Ugh!

• The Match Game! The Chevron patterns and the Stripe pattern, all from the Parker’s Patterns Designer Series paper collection, work well together, especially when matched up!

Although I don’t have a picture of it, the inside is stamped with a simple “Thank You” from Sassy Salutations.  I certainly hope that the officers get a kick out of it. In the end, I think the pups do look like a couple of ornery little Boxer girls. What do you think of today’s card?  Won’t you let me know in your comment today?  And remember, if you ever have a question about the cards I create, or the techniques I use, I am only an email away.  Until next time… 

 

Stamp Set:  Animal Talk (W 126390, C 126392);  Stampin’ Write Markers:  Basic Black (100082), Pacific Point (Brights Collection 119702);  Designer Series Paper:  Parker’s Patterns (131021); Card Stock:  Cajun Craze (119684), Pacific Point (111350), Whisper White (100730), Cherry Cobbler (119685); Tools: 2-1/2″ Circle Punch (120906), Big Shot (113439), Perfect Pennants Bigz Die (123126), Paper Snips (103579), White Signo Gel Pen (105021), Owl Builder Punch for hearts (118074); Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls (119247)