It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players.  This week, the oh-so-talented Anne Marie is treating us to a gorgeous color challenge:  Old Olive, More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy.  The Quint-Essential Flower stamp seemed like the perfect choice for the bold, clean card I wished to create.  Enjoy!

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

• Pretty in Pearls! The Quint-Essential image is tailor-made for adding pearls.  If you are feeling frugal, a single gem in the middle will do the trick.  But if you are feeling like going on a pearl-splurge, what could be better than adding Basic Pearls around the perimeter!

• Contrast! The smooth texture of the Friend sentiment, from the Affection Collection set,  is offset by the fabulous texture provided by the Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

• Playing with Patterns!  The simplicity of Bravo Burgundy Stripes and Old Olive Dots plays perfectly against the complexity of the More Mustard Gingham.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thankful the Twins continue on their road to improvement.  As several of you know, both suffered from a severe bacterial infection, which started nearly two weeks ago, after Muffy’s return from the Sioux Falls show.  I won’t go into details, but Muffy was placed on an IV.  The poor baby did get to return home the same morning.  She lost weight so quickly that her backbone is showing.  My thoughts certainly were not on stamping or my blog.  After getting shots, taking meds, and eating boiled rice with special bland canned food, she and Brody are slowly being returned to their normal diet.  And in case you are wondering about little Lexi...she is fine.  She is too naughty to get sick!

What do you think of my attempt at being clean and bold?  I like these colors together.  How about you?  As always, your comments are important to me, and I do read each and every one.  And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away.  Until next time…

 

Stamp Sets:  Quint-Essential Flower, Affection Collection; Inks:  Bravo Burgundy, Old Olive, More Mustard;  Designer Series Paper:  Regals Designer Series Paper Stack, Orchard Harvest; Card Stock: Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy; Tools:  Big Shot, Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch, 1″ Punch, 3/4″ Punch, 1/2″ Punch, Large Oval Punch; Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls

It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players!  Our challenge this week is a simple Theme Challenge.  All you need to do is create a project where you “Give Thanks”.   From Thank You cards to Thanksgiving cards and anything in-between…the choice is yours! Since I had not created a distressed card in a long time, I pulled out the sponge daubers and the French Foliage stamp set, and distressed to my heart’s content.  Enjoy “Gratitude for The Paper Players”!

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

• Score!  After stamping the background with Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, and More Mustard leaves, the card stock was scored using the Diagonal Plate on my Simply Scored Tool.

• Pearly sentiment! The Gratitude sentiment from Days of Gratitude was inked in Early Espresso and stamped onto Naturals Ivory card stock.  It was popped out using an Apothecary Accents Framelit.  The ends were snipped off, and Basic Pearls were added for pizzazz!

• Double bow! An Always Artichoke Seam Binding Bow adds a touch of elegance, in contrast to the distressing.

 

Today’s card, with its extreme distressing, won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.  But after several “clean” cards in a row, it felt good to get those daubers, color spritzer tool and Watermark stamp out.  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.  And remember…if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away!  Until next time…

Stamp Sets:  French Foliage, Days of Gratitude; Inks:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker; Card Stock:  Naturals Ivory, Cajun Craze;  Tools:  Big Shot, Houndstooth Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Simply Scored, Diagonal Plate, Sponge Daubers, Color Spritzer Tool, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch; Glitz and Glam:  Always Artichoke Seam Binding, Basic Pearls

It’s Thursday, and time to play with the Pals at Pals Paper Arts!  This week, we have a trio of  warm and wonderful colors for you:  Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla.  I decided to ink up the Scentsational Season set and prepare two steaming cups of hot chocolate.  Enjoy!

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

• Steamy! The Steam image from Scentsational Season was inked in Soft Suede and stamped onto Vellum.  Slits were cut into the Mug images to hold the “vapor” in position.   A Very Vanilla textured circle, layered onto a Riding Hood Red scalloped circle, provides the perfect backdrop.

• Gingerbread! The Gingerbread Boy was inked in Crumb Cake ink and stamped onto Very Vanilla card stock.  A Riding Hood Red Stampin’ Write Marker was used to decorate him, as were Basic Pearls.

• Mmm…Mmm…What a Mug! The snowflake pattern on the Riding Hood Red Mug cried out for pearls.  How could I resist.  And the hot chocolate?  It is courtesy of a Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker!

• My mistakes!  This card took me forever to complete.  My original concept was to create my own Designer Series Paper with an array of Mittens from Make a Mitten.  So I stamped.  And I snipped.  And I embossed. And I adhered.  And I photographed.  And I was unhappy.  The moment I took everything apart and substituted the Riding Hood Red pattern from the Fan Fair collection, I knew I had made the right decision.  

 

Muffy Sparkles and Lexi is Another Story

Since so many of you have emailed, wondering how the girls did at the Sioux Falls, SD show this past weekend, I decided to give you a quick update.  I know Muffy Lin is just itching to get her paws on the computer and give you the full story.  Therefore,  I will keep it brief.  Muffy did a fabulous job and showed her very best. She won her classes. Her biggest win was Reserve Winners, which once again was quite an accomplishment, since this was a “major” show.  She absolutely sparkles when she is in the ring.  But little Lexi Lou was quite a different story.  The judges all agreed that she was adorable, and that she put on quite a show.  The more the judges and her handler laughed at her antics in the ring, the more she “performed”.  We are in for quite the journey with this wild child.  I hope you will join me for the ride!

My Thoughts Are with You

My thoughts are with my stamping friends out east who are dealing directly or indirectly with the devastation wrought by Sandy.  Several of you have checked in with me to let me know that you are safe.  I will keep you in my thoughts.  If there is anything that I can do from across the miles, remember that I am here for you,

As always, your comments are important to me.  Won’t you please let me know what you think of today’s card?  Which version did you prefer…mittens or DSP?  Of course, if you ever have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away.  Until next time…

Stamp Sets:  Scentsational Season (W 121026,  C 121190), Winter Memories (W 127934, C 127937);  Inks:  Crumb Cake (126975), Riding Hood Red (126968), Soft Suede (126978), Riding Hood Red Stampin’ Write Marker (119701 – Regals Collection), Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker (119703 – Neutrals Collection); Designer Series Paper:  Fan Fair (126918), Storytime (126907);  Card Stock:  Riding Hood Red (111348), Very Vanilla (101650), Vellum (101856); Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119176), Holiday Collection Framelits Dies (127814),  3″ Circle Originals Die (122125);  Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls ()