A Peek at the PPA

Wednesday always means it’s time to take a peek at my Pals Paper Arts challenge card.  I hope that you will join me tomorrow for the reveal.  And I also hope you will stop by Pals Paper Arts to see this week’s Pals Artist Picks.  Congratulations to the winners!

Your comments are important to me, and I would love to share my cards with you!  My challenge card features embedded embossing, one of my favorite techniques.  What about you?  What is one of YOUR favorite techniques?  From all comments left today and tomorrow, I will randomly select one person to receive not only the challenge card, but also this card featuring the bird from Nature Walk:
And remember, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away!  Until next time…

Live Life for The Paper Players

It’s Sunday and time to play with The Paper Players in our Clean and Simple Sketch Challenge.  For my card today, I decided to create a birthday card for my husband, Kim.  I pulled out a set that is perfect for creating a vintage look, Extreme Elements, and paired it with the Crown from Artistic Etchings.  As for the sentiment…it is from You’re a Gem!  I hope you enjoy today’s card!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips: Simple with Pizzazz!
  •  Draw attention to a focal image with a Windowpane! Images from Extreme Elements were inked with Soft Suede and stamped onto Very Vanilla.  A few Watermarks from French Foliage were added to complete the vintage look.  But the pièce de résistance is the Beveled Windowpane which emphasizes the Crown image from Artistic Etchings.
  • Sensational sentiment! Create a pennant by flagging one end and curling the other!
  • Little details add up! Safety Pins from the Vintage Trinkets collection hold Baja Breeze Seam Binding in place.  Edges are distressed courtesy of the Seven Sided Tool.  And a fabulous pattern from Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper adds a touch of class!
I hope you enjoyed today’s Clean and Vintage card.  This was the first time I have used a Beveled Windowpane. What do you think?  Doesn’t that crown just “pop” off the page?  Won’t you please leave me a comment and let me know what you think?  And as always, I LOVE sharing the details behind my cards.  So 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…

Stamp Sets:  Artistic Etchings (W 118517,  C 120573), Extreme Elements (115181), French Foliage (W 120845, C 121166), You’re a Gem (W 122268, C 122270);  Inks:  Soft Suede (115657),  Soft Suede Stampin’ Write Marker (120973);  Designer Series Paper:  Elegant Soiree (117163);  Card Stock:  Baja Breeze (111352), Very Vanilla (101650), Soft Suede (115318);  Tools:  Cutter Kit (106958), Color Spritzer Tool (107066), Sponge Dauber (102892); Glitz and Glam:  Baja Breeze Seam Binding (122331), Vintage Trinkets (118764), Hemp Twine (100982), Beveled Windowpanes (121881)

Snow Much Fun for the PPA

It’s Thursday and time to play the Pals Paper Arts challenge.  This week we are featuring a fabulous sketch by Margaret Moody.  For my Design Team card I opted to use a set which will be in Stampin’ Up’s  2011 – 2012 Idea Book and Catalog entitled “Snow Much Fun”.  In addition, I used two of the new In-Colors, Pool Party and Calypso Coral and a snippet of Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper.  Enjoy!

Ppa98

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:  Keepin’ It Fun

Keep your whimsical designs fun by…

  • …doing the Calypso at the Pool! Stampin’ Up!’s newest colors, Coral Calypso and Pool Party add a fun and retro flair to this card, especially when paired with a snippet of Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper! Although these two colors are not found in the actual DSP, they coordinate nicely.

  • …cutting around a section of the image!  Here I cut around the top hat and the scarf.

  • …keeping it light! Just a hint of color has been added to the heat embossed images.  This allows the eye to focus on the image without distraction!

  • …adding a silly sentiment!  Flag the end and use it to spotlight a section of the image, in this case a little blue bird!

  • …creating your own whimsical embellishment! A snowflake made with the Northern Frost Sizzlit Decorative Strip Die is popped up on a punched Calypso Coral circle.  Topping off this duo is a heat embossed Bird on a Snowball, another one of the adorable images in this set.

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE snowmen, and this new set is certainly adorable!  And what do you think about these new colors? Let me know in your comment today.  Of course, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques that I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

Stamp Set:  Snow Much Fun (W 122560,  C 122562);  Inks:  Pool Party (122938), Calypso Coral (122939), Basic Gray (109120), Daffodil Delight (119667), Soft Suede (115657); Designer Series Paper:  Just Add Cake (124339); Card Stock:  Whisper White (100730), Calypso Coral (122925), Pool Party (122924);  Tools:  Heat Tool (100005), Black Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109133), Blender Pens (102845), Big Shot (113439), Northern Frost Sizzlits Decorative Strip Die (120901), 1-3/8″ Circle Punch (119860)