The Paper Players Challenge #261: Lunchbox Love

The Lunchbox Love theme is perfect for this week because my grandson started Kindergarten and his parents love to stick little notes in his lunch or backpack!  I'm thinking Grandma can sneak some in there too!

I don't know where this stamp came from but when I found it in my stash it brought fond memories and inspiration for my notecard.  My Mom wasn't a note writer back in the day, but she did often say this to me when I left for school, "Remember to smile today because I love you." 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have an amazing weekend!  Here's the stuff I used for this card:

Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White
DSP:  Crate Paper
Sentiment Stamp:  Wish I knew, packaging is missing :-(
Image:  Birdbrain Balloon - From the Heart digis (I cut off the balloon because I really screwed up the coloring!)
Dies:  My Favorite Things Stitched Rectangles and Lawn Fawn Stitched Party Banners
Other:  Copics, MME Enamel Dots, Glossy Accents, and jewelry cording. 

Up, Up & Away

Hi friends!  I only had time for one challenge card this week so I went with The Paper Players Challenge #259 which is a sketch challenge:

I thought I'd use this fun sketch to get a jump on my Halloween cards, so here you go!

 

I inked up the background with Distress inks and used a white gel pen for tiny stars.  The moon is a die cut circle from the I can't throw anything away box.  I distressed the edges and added shimmer spray.  I wish it photographed better - it's really shimmery!  The banner element is actually the punched out pieces of a border die.  I used the negative to glue them on the card so the spacing wasn't all over the place.  The witch silhouette is popped up with foam adhesive.  I finished it off with a sentiment from a hot air balloon stamp set.  Here's the stuff I used:

 

Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White, DCWV black glitter, TSOL Licorice

Inks:  Distress (Hickory Smoke, Chipped Sapphire, Festive Berries, Squeezed Lemonade, VersaFine Onyx Black

Stamp(s):  The Stamps of Life "hot4balloons"

Die(s):  Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Courtyard" border, Lifestyle Crafts "Witches"

Other:  MFT Shimmer Spray, Signo white gel pen, Heidi Grace rhinestones

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a terrific weekend ~ rain forecasted here...finally!

 

Annie



Perfect

That one word describes the beach for me - Perfect!  I went with the following CAS card for The Paper Players Challenge #258:

I die cut a frame out of sea foam cardstock and layered gauze for the background.  The sand dollar die cut was watercolored and sprayed with shimmer spray, then popped up on the gauze.  The sentiment was stamped in dark brown ink and then traced with a brown Wink of Stella pen.  Lastly, I drew a line border with the same brown pen.  Here's the stuff I used:

Cardstock:  Paper Zone Sand (for card base), American Crafts Sea Foam
Stamp(s):  Little Yellow Bicycle
Ink:  Colorbox Chocolate
Dies:  Sizzix/Tim Holtz Sand & Sea
Other:  Wink of Stella Fine Glitter Dust pen, Recollections clear rhinestone, DCWV Gauze Paper, Distress Marker (Pumice Stone), foam adhesive

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope a beach trip is in your future :-)

Seriously?

I put together this card this morning for the latest Paper Players Challenge #256:

I rarely make square cards after making so many for Operation Write Home, I'm wired for A2.  This was fun to be "square" and I felt like I had soooo much more room!  My card is 5.25" x 5.25" and I actually have an envelope to mail it in...score!

Like everybody I know, I'm a little Bird Crazy.  I watercolored the quirky birds with Distress Markers and then die cut.  I struggle with their expressions sometimes so felt I had to add a little sarcasm with the sentiment from Paper Smooches.  The branch is a piece of corrugated cardboard that I swiped a brown ink pad over.  The little leaves are from a tiny little punch (Recollections, I think).  The digi cloud layer (free download at Birds Cards) was glued on top of another piece of corrugated cardboard inked up with Distress Ink on the edges.

Seriously, aren't they weird but a little cute?  Thanks so much for stopping by! 

The Paper Players Challenge #247

The sun's out today so what better way to celebrate than with a flip flop card!  The Paper Players Challenge #247 is Tic-Tac-Toe:

My card is going across on the bottom:  Die cut (sun and flip flops), patterned paper (on flip flops and button), and any shade of yellow (sun and flip flops). 

 

Stuff I Used:  MFT Kraft Cardstock, Neenah Solar White, Handmade cloud stencil & Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, Sun and Flip Flop dies from the Stamps of Life, Lawn Fawn hill dies for sand dunes, Martha Stewart button punch, The Twinery blue/white twin, Great Impressions sentiment, VersaFine Sepia Ink. 

 

Now I'm off to find my flip flops!  Thanks for stopping by ~ have a great day!

 

 



The Paper Players Challenge #246

Hi All!  This short week has put me behind with challenges and everything else!  I was able to put together a card for The Paper Players Challenge #246 which is a sketch challenge:

 

 

And...I didn't change a thing...no flipping, rotating, etc.  I thought this sketch was perfect for this birthday stamp that has been sitting on my desk for a long time!  Now that I've used it, I have to say I love it!  It's a sketchy stamp (I mean that in a good way) and is pretty forgiving when it comes to trying to color it while a fur kid is poking me in the elbow to go for a walk. 

 



All of the cardstock and DP was from my scrap basket.  The sentiment (PrintWorks) was colored with Copics and outlined with a black Spica pen.  The result is a glittery outline...you'll have to trust me here.  The Double Dot Border Die is from MFT and the enamel dots are Recollections. 

Thanks for stopping by ~ I hope you're having a great week!

PP244: Color Challenge

The more I played with the colors in The Paper Players Challenge #244, the more I loved them!  I also have to say the cards from the DT are absolutely beautiful this week and you really should check them out.  I plan on CASE'ing  many of them :-)

I went with the closest cardstock I had on hand and a birthday theme using the cupcake stamp & die set from The Stamps of Life.  The sentiment (PrintWorks) was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black ink.  The cupcake embossed background is an EF from The Paper Studio.  The sprinkles and larger dots were circles punched out of scraps, colored with clear Wink of Stella, then coated with Glossy Accents.  They look like enamel dots but not as pricey! 

 

 

I'm also linking this card up to Operation Write Home's ODBD May Challenge for Embossing.  Our Daily Bread Designs donates shipping fees to OWH based on the number of entries received, up to 50 cards.  It's a good thing!  Thanks for visiting ~ have a cupcake kinda day!

The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #242

Yum!  I saw watermelon at the store the other day and it reminded me that I love this colorful, fruity time of year!  So for The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #242, I knew I had to see what those Doodle Pantry wacky ants were up to, and sure enough, they like watermelon too!

I flipped the sketch horizontally and used the DP and image from "Watermelon Ants."   The sentiment is an old rubber stamp (Hampton Arts, I think?).  All of the dies used are from My Favorite Things. 

 

Hmmm, might have to try some salt on my next piece of watermelon!  Thanks for stopping by! 

The Paper Players #241: CAS Watercolor

Hi there!  Today I worked on a card for The Paper Players CAS Challenge:

I'm laughing because there was nothing clean about the process but it was sure fun.  I tried the monoprint technique with a stencil, distress inks, and water.  I tapped the stencil with three different distress colors, spritzed it with water, and then laid it down on a piece of watercolor paper.  I then dabbed off the excess with a towel and I really kind of like how it turned out!  I'm definitely going to play with other colors.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Here's the stuff I used:

Paper:  Neenah Solar White CS, Ranger Watercolor Paper
Inks:  Distress (mowed lawn, peacock feathers, salty ocean), VersaFine Onyx Black
Stencil:  Dylusions
Stamp:  Graphic45
Other:  Heidi Grace Epoxy Dots

The Paper Players Challenge #238

Here I am again...right under the wire!  The Paper Players Tic Tac Toe Challenge (#238) ends in a couple of hours! 

I'm entering a birthday card I made for a young neighbor girl this week using pink, sequins and ribbon.  Sorry the pic is a little "gray"...just like the sky here today! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful, chocolate-filled Easter!

For Peeps Sake!

My card today is for The Paper Players Challenge #237:

I am trying to work on my Easter cards and this great sketch gave me a little nudge and a smile.  I knew I wanted to use Doodle Pantry's "Triple Chicks" (a free download) and I thought this was the perfect layout!  I merged some Easter eggs from Doodle Pantry's "Quirky Bunny" and colored with Copic markers.  I used an old border punch for the grass.  The die cut egg is from Memory Box (2 layering dies) and the ribbon banners are from the overflowing remnant jar.  Finished it up with a little Wink of Stella and the "peeps" are ready to go!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by!  I hope you have a great weekend!  My fingers are crossed for sunshine :-)

The Paper Players Challenge #231

The latest Challenge from The Paper Players:

And I'm going to listen to their post and NOT STRESS...LOL!  Don't get me wrong - I love color challenges because it lets me use more crayons in the box (or ink as it were) that I might not use very often.  This card started out with the intent of something totally different with a lot less stamping but once I started, I couldn't stop!  Sorta like eating chocolate...

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Valentines Day!

Supplies
Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White, Bazzill Coral, Memory Box Holly Berry
Die:  My Favorite Things (friend) & Mama Elephant (scalloped layer)
Stamps:  My Favorite Things & The Stamps of Life
Ink:  Fresh Ink (Coral, Ginger, Tomato Red) & VersaMark Dazzle (for pinstriping on coral layer)
Other:  Black upholstery thread

The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #229

The card I'm sharing today is for The Paper Players Sketch Challenge #229:

Since I'm in a pink & gray Valentines Day mode, I went with that theme:

 

I embossed the background layer with a Darice embossing folder.  The DP is from a great 6x6 pad by Doodlebug Design called "Love Bugs."  I added a ribbon scrap from the jar and stamped the banner sentiment from My Favorite Things in Ranger Archival Ink (Watering Can).  The adorable elephant image is from the Doodle Pantry set "With Heart" that I fussy cut, popped up, and applied Glossy Accents to the heart.  The inside of the card reads, "Love You a Ton!"

 

Thanks so much for stopping by ~ hope your week is off to a great start!    



The Paper Players Challenge #228

Good Morning!  I'm sharing a card I made for The Paper Players Challenge #228:

Sounds easy but I never find CAS easy :-)  I hope this fits the bill:

 

The main sentiment is a stamp I've had for a while from Hero Arts that I heat embossed and fussy cut.  The "breaking news" stamp and die cut are from The Stamps of Life (TSOL) set, "tv2stamp."  I also randomly colored some of the arrows on the DP (TSOL) with a Copic marker (Y15).  This card will find its way into my Operation Write Home box :-)

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit!  Have a great week! 

Up on the Rooftop

The Paper Players Challenge #224 is a Tic-Tac-Toe one and I have about an hour left to enter...no idea where this week went to!

The card I'm sharing uses Tree, Patterned Paper, and Star.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Supplies

Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White

DP:  Recollections "Stardust"

Dies:  Spellbinders (circle), Die-Versions (Santa's Reindeers), & Memory Box (Cottage in the Woods)

Stamps:  Great Impressions (inside sentiment: Wishing you a Magical Christmas)

Ink:  VersaFine Majestic Blue

Other:  Copics, Gelly Roll Clear Star glitter pen, Stickles, Diamond Dust spray, red rhinestone (for Rudolph, of course!)

Wintery Thanks

The Paper Players inspired me with a Clean & Simple Thank You Challenge (#222) this week. 

I always try to send thank you cards after the Christmas holiday, so I used this challenge for mojo :-)

It's a single layer card that I masked off with painters' tape.  I stamped various snowflakes (Lawn Fawn) in Broken China Distress Ink, then I sponged the same ink color all over.  The delicate snowflakes were die cut (Memory Box) out of black cardstock and a little blue bling added to the centers.  The sentiment (Inkadinkado) was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black and clear heat embossed.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by ~ have a great weekend!

Sending Christmas Cheer

It's challenge posting day for me and this one is for The Paper Players Challenge #221:

 

 

 

It's a color challenge and I could sure use these cozy clothes today...it's very cold!  For my card, I first made the background paper using ivory cardstock,  a polka dot stencil, and distress inks (Mowed Lawn & Fired Brick).  The other DP layers are from Bo Bunny's "Elf Magic."  I die cut the poinsettia and leaves (MFT) and the felt doily and curled the petals with my piercing tool.  A white enamel dot was covered with gold glitter for the center.  The sentiment is also from MFT.  Thanks so much for stopping by...stay warm!

Antique Desk - PP220

Whew!  I finally have time to catch up on posting.  My first post today is for The Paper Players Challenge #220.  This time it is a theme challenge!  This is only my second time playing but I really like how the PP team mixes it up with different types of challenges.

 

 

For my card, I used the desk image, DP, and sentiment from Doodle Pantry's "Antique Desk" that was released this past September.  I hadn't had a chance to use this one yet!  I layered torn handmade paper to the card base. The vintage ink bottle stamp (a dollar bin find) was fussy cut with a feather die from My Favorite Things, then stuck in the inkwell.  Lastly, you can't have a bottle of ink without ink splats so I added a few with black ink and a stamp from Neat & Tangled.  I left this card flat enough for Operation Write Home...they still need "thinking of you" cards.  Thanks so much for stopping by ~ have a terrific weekend!

Snow Much Joy!

The Paper Players Challenge #219 is a sketch challenge (which I really like btw)!

First of all...I was thrilled to be one of the cards selected last week for "A Cut Above!"  It was definitely a YIPPEE moment for me!  For this card challenge, I went with another Christmas theme.  I love this snowman stamp...I think he looks like stacked marshmallows :-)  I did some paper piecing for the hat and scarf and die cuts to replace the stamped holly leaves on the hat.  Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Halloween!

 

 

Supplies

Cardstock:  Paper Zone

DP: Doodlebug Designs "Frosty Friends" 6x6 Paper Pad

Stamps:  Hero Arts

Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black

Dies:  Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake, Savvy Holly Leaves

Other:  Copics, VersaMark, Judikins white detail embossing powder, Martha Stewart button punch, Want2Scrap pearls, Stickles, Glossy Accents, & white cord.

 



Peace

My last post for today is a card I made for Paper Players Challenge #218.  It's a Clean & Simple challenge using silver or gold.  This is a new challenge for me, recommended by a blogging friend.  I've been dying to ink up this new Hero Arts stamp I picked up a couple of weeks ago so I thought it would look fantastic in silver.  I stamped in silver ink (the background & trees), then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The sentiment is a Sizzix/Tim Holtz die cut that was also embossed with UTEE for thickness.  I'm practicing my CAS style so I'm hoping this card meets the challenge.  Thanks so much for stopping by ~ have a great week!

 

Supplies

Cardstock:  Bazzill Card Shoppe

Stamp:  Hero Arts "Pen & Ink Christmas Tree" & Impress "Snowfall" background stamp

Ink:  Delicata Silvery Shimmer

Dies:  Sizzix/Tim Holtz "Holiday Words"

Other:  Clear Embossing Powder, Ranger Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE), silver cord