A Peek at the Players

Happy Saturday! Here’s a little peek at tomorrow’s Paper Players Design Team card.  I hope you will join me tomorrow for the reveal.  To tide you over, however, head on over to The Paper Players and check out the winners of Challenge #46…A Color Challenge!
Hopefully I will be able to get some serious stamping done today.  The Twins are a state-and-a-half away in Indiana, Brady the Boy is in Chicago attending a performance of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Kim the Husband is at work.  I think I will celebrate with a low-fat mocha…perfect for a gray and rainy morning! Woo hoo!

I will leave you with this cute picture of the dove that built a nest on my neighbor’s downspout.

She has two little “peeps”, one facing forward, and one sheltered under her wing, with its little birdie butt to the camera.  The Twins have to check them out every morning!

Stampin’ Up! Promotions

National Scrapbooking Month
Receive 30 percent off a wide selection of scrapbooking products including:

  • Selected stamp sets
  • Professional print products for My Digital Studio
  • Special digital download bundles for My Digital Studio

Strength & Hope Campaign
Purchase the special Strength & Hope Stamp Set or Digital Kit, and Stampin’ Up! will donate $2 to The Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Enjoy new digital downloads every Tuesday this month.

Click Here for the My Digital Studio catalog.

Coming Up: The Paper Players Reveal, Blog Award, and Twin Talk. Until next time…

Buried Treasure and Rhinestone Winner

Ahoy, Matey! It’s Friday and time for another Buried Treasure! This “blast from the past” first appeared on the Stampin’ Schach on July 18, 2009. For the original details, click HERE.   Its simple layout is perfect for whenever you want the image to take center stage.  Classy and timeless, it is worthy of a second look…and a face lift!

Layout Options:
Showcase those fabulous Designer Series Papers with this layout.  Not a fan of embossing folders?  No problem…just coordinate the patterns! Lookout Paisley Petals…here I come!  Instead of the Eyelet Border Punch, how about the Scallop Trim Border Punch with Basic Pearls, of course! A double dose of Tasteful Trim Large Scallops would look fabulous!  Matting the embossed panel would give a tailored, finished look.
Embellishment Options:
You can never go wrong with Basic Pearls! And depending on the theme of the card or subject of the image, bring out the Antique Brads and Vintage Trinkets.  What was I thinking using that skinny ribbon? A bow created from Satin Ribbon would look awesome, or maybe scrunchy up some Seam Binding for a casual chic look. Fan-fold flowers, anyone?

Technique Options:
Random stamping for a background? Inlaid embossing? Double embossing? Watercolored images?  Distressing? Faux silk? Faux wood? The uncluttered layout is perfect to show off a variety of techniques best suited for large areas.

When I was teaching, it was important to reflect upon my teaching, and the same thing can be said of card making.  What worked and what didn’t work?  What would I do differently next time? Examining our work in this manner can definitely help us grow in our craft! How about you? Do you have any Buried Treasure just waiting to be re-discovered? I am challenging you to pull out one of your older cards and give it a face lift!

Rhinestone Winner

I went to Random.org for a little random number assistance!  Congrats to #41:  Vonnie.  Here is what Vonnie said:
Love this card, it is so pretty.
Yvonne
Just email your address to me, Yvonne, and I will send your rhinestones out immediately!
I hope you enjoyed the Buried Treasure I dug up for you…and I hope that you will join me tomorrow for my “Peek at The Players” card.  I am home this weekend, as the Twins are travelling too far for Mom to watch them show.  However, if you are in the Greentown, IN area, stop by and tell them “Hi”! They do not know a stranger, and are always up for a scratch behind the ears or a chuck under the chin.  Until next time…
Coming Up:  A Peek at The Players, The Paper Players Challenge, A Peek at the Pals, Pals Challenge, A Paper Players Blog Hop

Hope for the Pals PPA94

It’s time to play at Pals Paper Arts! This week is a sketch designed by the talented Margaret Moody.  I did take the liberty of interpreting this sketch a little differently from my other Pals Design Team members.  As you can see, the sketch has three circular elements.  At first, I was going to place three fan-fold flowers down the center of the card.  However, they did not fit well.  At this point, my son, Brady, gave me the idea of showing fan-fold flowers in various stages of bloom.  The flower with the butterfly represents the top circle.  The partially opened flowers represent the other two circles.  I hope this card inspires you to think outside the box!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips:
  • Finished seams! Giving the interfaces between designer paper patterns a finished look is easy.  A Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink is one way to do the trick; a string of Basic Pearls is another!
  • Accent a sentiment! “Thinking of you” from On the Grow was inked in Cherry Cobbler and stamped onto Naturals Ivory.  “Swirls” from the Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits die magically draw the eye to it. 
  • Swirly stems! This same fabulous Sizzlits die was also used to form the stems of the fan-fold flowers.
  • Butterfly bling! Three different sizes of Basic Pearls are perfect for forming the abdomen of the Butterfly from Strength and Hope.
I hope that you enjoyed today’s card and that you will join us in this week’s Pals Paper Arts challenge.  And remember, your comments are important to me! So won’t you please let me know what you think of today’s card? As always, if you ever have any questions about the cards that I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away! Tomorrow:  Rhinestone Winner and Buried Treasure.  Until next time…

Stamp Sets: On the Grow (W 123075, C 123077), Strength & Hope (W 118100, C 123600—Summer Mini);  Inks:  Cherry Cobbler (119669), Soft Suede (119657);  Designer Series Paper:  Paisley Petals (Available July 1st);  Card Stock:  Cherry Cobbler (119685), Naturals Ivory (101849), Peach Parfait (119794); Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits (113441), Sponge Dauber (102892), 1-3/8″ x 5/8″ Oval Punch (119863), 1-3/4″ x  7/8″ Oval Punch (119855), Scallop Oval Punch (119856), 1-3/4″ Scallop Circle Punch (119854);  Glitz and Glam:  Basic Pearls (119247)