The Our Creative Corner challenge is always one of my favorites, so it was with anticipation that I checked out their new challenge today. It sounded simple…”Stars and Stripes”…until to my dismay I realized that my stash of “star stamps” and “star punches” was non-existent. However, stars are relatively easy to draw, so I surged ahead. I selected this wonderful paper from the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper for my stripes, and decided to ink up my Wings of Friendship Hostess Level 2 stamp set for the first time. A liberal application of “bling” and a smidge of ink distressing complete the look. And, lest I forget, a lone star graces the upper corner! Enjoy this bling-laden card!

• Prepare a standard card base from Rose Red card stock.
• Using Stampin’ Write Markers, ink up the “Bird and Flowers” image from Wings of Friendship. (I used Always Artichoke, Rose Red, Bermuda Bay, and Sahara Sand.) Stamp onto Whisper White. Round the right hand corners with the Corner Rounder, and punch the left side with the Spiral Punch. Distress the edges with a Sponge Dauber and Sahara Sand. “Spritz” using the Color Spritzer and the Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write Marker. Mat onto Bermuda Bay, and round the two right hand corners. (Stampin’ Schach Tip: Outlining the swirls with Sahara Sand gives the appearance of “instant watercoloring”!)
• Ink the “Swirls” stamp from Wings of Friendship with Always Artichoke and position into the upper right-hand corner. (Stampin’ Schach Tip: Use the Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement!)
• Mat a strip of textured Sahara Sand card stock onto Rose Red. Add an Eyelet Border which has been distressed with Soft Suede. Add a snippet of Bermuda Bay Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon. Adhere to the “Stripes” pattern from Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper and layer onto the card base.
• Stamp the “Flower” and “Bird” images onto Whisper White a second time and snip out with Paper Snips.
• Distress the edges of the Bird with Sahara Sand and a Sponge Dauber. Add a Clear Rhinestone Brad for the eye. Coat the wing with Tombow Adhesive and “bling it up” with the Silver Bead Duo. (Stampin’ Schach Tip: Add the large beads first, and then fill-in the remaining spaces with the smaller microbeads!) Pop on top of the first bird with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
• Add a Clear Rhinestone Brad to the center of the Flower. Run a bead of Tombow Adhesive around the edges of the flower, and add Silver Microbeads. Pop on top of the first flower with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
• Snip out a Star from Rose Red. Add Tombow Adhesive to the edges and adhere Silver Microbeads. Pop on top of the corner swirl with a Stampin’ Dimensional.
• Using the Photo Corner Punch and Sahara Sand textured card stock, punch two Photo Corners. Distress with Soft Suede. Add Clear Rhinestone Brads for “bling”. Adhere to the right-hand corners of the card as illustrated in the photograph.

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Stamp Set: Wings of Friendship (114308—Hostess Level 2)
Ink: Always Artichoke (105219), Sahara Sand (105208), Soft Suede (115657), Stampin’ Write Markers: Bermuda Bay (116329—In-Colors Set of 6), Rose Red (100063), Always Artichoke (105113), Sahara Sand (105105)
Designer Series Paper: Thoroughly Modern (115673)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla (100730), Rose Red (102544), Bermuda Bay (115317), Sahara Sand textured (108693—Neutral assorted)
Tools: Photo Corners Punch (109042), Eyelet Border Punch (113692), Spiral Punch (108341), Sponge Dauber (102892), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049)
Embellishments: Clear Rhinestone Brads (113144), Silver Bead Duo (110733), Bermuda Bay 5/8” Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115610)

One of the stunning selections from the Night & Day Designer Series Paper isn’t paper at all! In addition to the beautiful patterns in this collection, there are two Polka Dot printed window sheets. Paired with the Baroque Motifs set, the result is an elegant card that is delightfully quick to create!

• Create a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from textured Basic Black card stock. Layer with Whisper White.
• Ink the “Flourish” image from Baroque Motifs with Jet Black StazOn and stamp onto the Whisper White layer. Attach the Polka Dot Window Sheet with two Red Circle Fire Brads.

• Ink the “Baroque Square” image from Baroque Motifs with Jet Black StazOn and stamp onto another piece of Whisper White. Snip out using Paper Snips. Add a Red Circle Fire Brad to the middle, and pop on top of the Flourish image with a Stampin’ Dimensional. (You will be placing this on top of the Window Sheet.)

• Add a snippet of Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon.
• Ink the “FYI” image from FYI with Jet Black StazOn and stamp onto a second piece of Whisper White card stock and mat onto Basic Black. Adhere on top of the ribbon.
• Ink the “You are Awesome” image from FYI with Real Red and stamp onto Whisper White. Mat onto Basic Black followed by Whisper White and adhere to the ribbon as illustrated in the photograph.

It’s Thursday, and we all know what that means! The Pals Paper Arts gang are back again, this time with a color challenge:

• Prepare a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from textured Ruby Red card stock.
• Layer with “Crushed Curry” pattern paper from Razzleberry Lemonade Designer Series Paper and textured Crushed Curry card stock, as shown in the illustration.
• Add a snippet of Brocade Blue 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon at the interface of the two papers.
• Select the “Squares” pattern from Crushed Curry Patterns Designer Series Paper. Cut a strip 1″ x 5″ and cut a “V” out of one end. Mat onto textured Ruby Red card stock and adhere on top of the Brocade Blue Ribbon.
• Cut a 2-3/8″ x 3-3/8″ rectangle from the same “Squares” patter paper, and once again mat onto textured Ruby Red card stock. Add three Blue Circle Ice Brads as shown. Position and adhere to the card base.
• Using the Photo Corners Punch, punch two corners from textured Brocade Blue and adhere in opposite corners of the card.
• Using the Circle Scissors Plus, cut a 2″ circle from Very Vanilla. Ink the “Basket” image from Peace Within with Basic Brown and stamp onto the Very Vanilla circle. (The Stampin‘ Schach Tip: Use a Stamp-a-ma-jig for perfect placement.) Using Blender Pens and the following inks, color the basket and flowers: Ruby Red, Brocade Blue, Crushed Curry, Creamy Caramel, and Always Artichoke. Shade with Sahara Sand.
• Ink only the “Bird” section of the Basket image with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Once again using Blender Pens, color with Brocade Blue and Really Rust. Snip out with Paper Snips.
• Using the Circle Scissors Plus, cut a 2-1/4″ textured Ruby Red mat for the Basket image. Pop the snipped out Bird onto the circle with a Mini Glue Dot. Using Stampin‘ Dimensionals, pop the image mat onto the rectangle as shown in the photograph.

You might recognize this sketch as Mojo 101! I would never have thought to pair these colors together. Yet, by participating in this challenge, I stretched my creative limits! That is one of the things that a challenge will do. So, you know the drill…Leave me a comment or drop me an email, and then head on over to the PPA! It’s fun to play at Pals Paper Arts!

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Stamp Set: Peace Within (114312)
Designer Series Paper: Razzleberry Lemonade (115675), Crushed Curry (115686)
Card Stock: Crushed Curry textured (115538—In Color assorted), Ruby Red textured (108697—Earth Elements assorted), Brocade Blue textured (108696—Rich Regals assorted), Very Vanilla (101650)
Inks: Basic Brown (104315), Crushed Curry (115659), Ruby Red (102259), Brocade Blue (101102), Always Artichoke (105219), Creamy Caramel (103220), Really Rust (102549), Sahara Sand (105208)
Tools: Circle Scissors Plus (112530), Glass Mat (112531), Photo Corners Punch (109042), Blender Pens (102845)
Embellishments: Brocade Blue 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon (109057), Circle Ice Brads (109111)
Adhesives: SNAIL (104332), Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Mini Glue Dots (103683)