It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players! This week the lovely Jaydee is hosting a Clean and Simple Watercolor Challenge.  Although my card may not be the cleanest and the simplest, it is indeed watercolored.  I hope you enjoy “Watercolored Thoughts of You”.

The finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• Faux watercoloring! The Floral Cluster image from Bordering on Romance was inked in Jet Black StazOn and stamped onto Whisper White cardstock.  Using Blender Pens, I transferred the following inks:  Poppy Parade, Pool Party, and Pear Pizzazz.  To shade, I outlined using the corresponding Stampin’ Write Marker and blended with a Blender Pen. 

• Double Bow! A sweet Pear Pizzazz double bow, created from Stampin’ Up!’s fabulous Seam Binding, adds a “pop” of contrasting color!

• Fluttering by! A Pool Party butterfly, courtesy of the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, graces the curled end of the Thoughts of You banner.  I love stamping sentiments onto textured card stock for a brocade look.

• Pearls! Of course, Pearls are always the perfect finishing touch…whether embellishing the flowers or adding interest to the Tasteful Trim Large Scallop Border!

Today’s card was created for a dear friend of mine who received word this past week, that after winning her battle against breast cancer fourteen years ago, she has bone cancer.  It will be hand-delivered, so I have no worries about the embellishments I used.  I selected what I knew she would love.  She has indeed been in my thoughts and prayers…

As always, your comments are important to me.  I do read each and every one of them, so please, won’t you let me know what you think of today’s card?  And of course, if you ever have a question about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

(Mitzi…the background paper on last Sunday’s card was Well Worn.)

Stamp Sets: Bordering on Romance (W 125840, C 125482), Loving Thoughts (W 125843, C 125845); Inks:  Jet Black StazOn (101406), Poppy Parade (119782), Pear Pizzazz (119784), Pool Party (122938), Crumb Cake (121030); Stampin’ Write Markers:  Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz (123002 – set), Pool Party (119801 – Set);  Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Pool Party (122924), Poppy Parade (119793), Lucky Limeade (122926), Textured Whisper White (121078 – Neutrals Collection); Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Tasteful Trim Bigz Die (120893), Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138), Paper Snips (103579), Blender Pens (102845), Sponge Daubers (102892);  Glitz and Glam:  Pear Pizzazz Seam Binding (122330), Basic Pearls (119247), Large Pearls (125577)

It’s time to take a peek at this week’s The Paper Players design team card.  I must say I have had difficulty getting inspired to create this week…as you have probably noticed.  I am suffering from a case of  “no mojo”,  also known as “No-jo”.   I just hate it when that happens!  However, I am on the mend. Sometimes you just have to jump back in with both feet and let your creativity soar! So…I hope you will join me Sunday for the reveal.

 

• Stampin’ Up! will be releasing its Retired Stamp List on April 15th, 2012.  Stamps will be available through May 31, 2012.  
• The Retired Accessories/Decor Elements List will be released on April 25th.  Items on this list will be available only while supplies last!
• The New 2012 – 2013 Catalog will be released June 1st...a month earlier than in previous years!

As always, if you ever have any questions about Stampin’ Up! products, or the cards that I create and the techniques I use, I am only an email away!  Until next time…

• Birthday Blog Candy Blowout

It’s Easter Sunday and time to play with The Paper Players! This week the lovely LeAnne has an awesome color challenge in store for you:  Not Quite Navy, Pool Party and Certainly Celery.  I tried to use these colors to create a vintage masculine card…and I am happy with it except for the Pool Party bow.  I believe that you can put ribbon on masculine cards, but the color just wasn’t right.  In keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I left the Pool Party ribbon in place.  It will be given to my son, Brady, as a congratulations card for being accepted as a trumpet graduate assistant at the University of Missouri School of Music, hence the music notes and trumpet.  And you know what…he is such a strong supporter of his mother’s card making, he will love it…Pool Party bow and all!  Enjoy today’s “Almost Masculine Vintage” card!

This finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• Vintage Vignette! The Designer Oval Frame makes a perfect backdrop for a collection of vintage images! Music Notes from Nature’s Pace, a sentiment from You’re a Gem, and the Trumpet from Rue Des Fleurs form a wonderful cluster! Add a scrunchy ribbon, a Large Basic Pearl, and a Vintage Trinkets Brad, and the vignette is complete!

• Trumpet Fanfare! Toot your own horn by creating a unique designer paper pattern. I inked up the Trumpet image from Rue Des Fleur with Not Quite Navy ink and stamped away onto Naturals Ivory card stock. The result was perfect for a trumpet playing recipient!

 

• The Crowning Touch! Trinket Crowns look a little too flashy?  I “smooched”  mine with Log Cabin Smooch Spritz to add an aged patina! And since this card will be hand-delivered at Easter brunch, I am not one bit concerned at adding the “Big Crown”.

I hope you enjoyed today’s card.  I like it, but it is not quite masculine enough for my tastes.  If I were allowed a do-over, and did not have to stick with the color challenge, I would replace the Pool Party Seam Binding with Crumb Cake and distress the ribbon with Soft Suede for a wee bit more masculine touch…or maybe just forgo the bow altogether.  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 them. Until next time…

Stamp Sets:  Rue Des Fleurs (W 125485, C 125487), You’re a Gem (W 122268, C 122270), Nature’s Pace (W 122660, C 122662); Inks:  Early Espresso (119670), Crumb Cake (121030), Not Quite Navy (103008), Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973);  Designer Series Paper:  Well Worn (122359), Everyday Enchantment (SAB 2012 Retired); Card Stock:  Not Quite Navy (101722), Pool Party (122924), Certainly Celery (105125), Naturals Ivory (101849);  Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (123130), Sponge Dauber (102892), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch (119275), Extra-Large Oval Punch (119859),  Paper Snips (103579);  Glitz and Glam: Vintage Trinkets (118764), Trinket Crowns (121891), Log Cabin Smooch Spritz (119921), Large Pearls Basic Jewels (125577), Pool Party Seam Binding (125582)