Peace Out Perennials - Stampin' Up! Pretty Perennials - The Paper Players 545

 The start of this week has me saying good-bye to one of my favorite mini catalog stamp sets for the newest Paper Players challenge.  The Pretty Perennials set is retiring soon and I'm sad that it didn't make the new annual catalog.  I thought it had a different enough look that it would make the cut but I was wrong.  So I'm trying to use it a few more times before I have to say good-bye for good.  

  This week Claire has given us a fantastic color combination; Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Granny Apple Green and Black.  Awesome colors right?  I had no problem using them with this stamp set and I paired it up with the Freshly Made Sketches layout.

  And here is my card:

    I hope you'll be able to join in on the fun with these colors and share your creation in our gallery!  For more stamping inspiration you can see the design team blogs here:

Jaydee
 LeAnne
Claire
Joanne
Laurie
Anne Marie
Ann
Nancy
Debbie 

   Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Pretty Perennials, Inspired Thoughts

Ink: Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Granny Apple Green, Memento Black

Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Snail Mail DSP, Basic Black

Accessories: Perennial Petals dies, Subtle embossing folder (retired), dimensionals, candy dots (retired)

Masculine Banners - Stampin' Up! Biggest Wish

   Just a quick post to get a card into the Color Throwdown challenge.  I loved these colors for a masculine card and I paired them with a big birthday greeting.  

  The challenge is to use gray, aqua and navy for a card.  I went with Smoky Slate, Pool Party and Misty Moonlight for this card.  I basically looked through my paper scraps and pulled out some that fit the bill, trimmed them down and flagged the ends; embossed the Pool Party cardstock and then layered them along with a ribbon scrap and baker's twine.

  The sentiment is stamped in Misty Moonlight on more scraps and then popped up with dimensionals.  And some retired Pool Party candy dots are added because it seems that no matter how many I use I still have hundreds left!  

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Biggest Wish

Ink: Misty Moonlight

Paper: Smoky Slate, Pool Party, Whisper White, In Good Taste DSP, 2020-2022 In Color DSP (retired)

Accessories: dimensionals, Check and Dots embossing folder, baker's twine, ribbon, candy dots (retired)

Congratulations Petals - Stampin' Up! Hand-Penned Petals

 One of my stamping ladies recently retired so of course I had to make a card to celebrate the occasion.  She says she hasn't had a lot of time to stamp...yet!  Hopefully soon!

  I used the Hand-Penned Petals bundle to make this card and I pulled my colors straight from the Hand Penned DSP to make coordinating a snap.

  I carried the stitching element throughout the card with the various dies.  I especially love the scalloped strip from the Penned Flowers dies; it's a great detail when you just need something extra to add to your layout.

  The stamping on the flowers is all stamped off once with the exception of the outline which is full strength Misty Moonlight.

  Some layers are popped on dimensionals for interest and a Misty Moonlight ribbon knot finishes off the details.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Hand-Penned Petals, Many Messages

Ink: Misty Moonlight, Pool Party, Blushing Bride, Daffodil Delight

Paper: Whisper White thick, Pool Party, Misty Moonlight, Hand Penned DSP

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle dies, Stitched So Sweetly dies, Penned Flowers dies, dimensionals, Misty Moonlight ribbon (retired)

Skater Hat Birthday - Stampin' Up! Hats Off

   Have you noticed that I've been sharing more masculine cards lately?  I've been trying to make more guy cards to have on hand so I'm not always rushing to get something made and in the mail.  My best work certainly doesn't come out of rushing.  So when I see some inspiration for a masculine card I'm going to jump on it!  The Inspired By Challenge has a great inspiration photo with a theme and colors that work for a guy card.  I liked the colors and the photograph divided into strips (inspiration photo at the bottom of my post).

  The Hats Off bundle has been great for guy cards and I thought it would work with the colors from the challenge.  

  I started with a Basic Gray base then embossed a piece of Smoky Slate with the Checks & Dots embossing folder and trimmed it to smaller and smaller strips.  Once those were adhered I stamped the hat in Basic Gray onto Bermuda Bay cardstock and cut it out.  I added the patch with the star and lightning bolt and popped it on the card front with dimensionals.

  I stamped a few little stars in Basic Gray and then embossed the sentiment from Party Puffins in white on the bottom.  To bring in a little bit more of the Cherry Cobbler I topped some silver sequins with retired candy dots and added those. Gotta have a little bit of sparkle even if it's a guy card right?

   Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

 Stamps: Hats Off, Party Puffins

Ink: Basic Gray, Versamark

Paper: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Bermuda Bay, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Checks & Dots embossing folder, Hat Builder dies, white embossing powder, dimensionals, sequins, candy dots (retired)

Summer Seashells - Stampin' Up! Friends Are Like Seashells - The Paper Players 544

   Whew!  Is it hot enough for you?  Here in my neck of the woods we've reached the 90s and high humidity portion of the year which will stretch all the way until September!  Get those cool drinks poured!  Definitely time to stay inside and stamp!  

  The Paper Players Challenge has a great warm weather theme for everyone this week.  Ann has given us the theme of Signs of Summer which is perfect if you ask me!  I can't wait to see the variety of cards in the gallery this week!

   I decided that beach and shells were definitely a sign of summer.  We have a great beach vacation every year and shell collecting is always one of my activities.  I don't ever find fun, tropical colored shells like on my card but the bright cheerful colors are perfect for summer.

  I got busy with some ink blending and watercoloring for this card.  The base is Coastal Cabana, then a piece of Bermuda Bay.  Next I embossed a piece of Whisper White with the retired Seabed embossing folder.  Then using blending brushes I added Coastal Cabana, Granny Apple Green, Mango Melody and Flirty Flamingo.

  I pulled out some watercolor paper and stamped a variety of shells, sand dollars and starfish in Crumb Cake ink.  Then using the same colors that I used for blending I watercolored the shells etc. mixing and matching the different colors.

  After cutting them all out I arranged them around a white embossed sentiment on Bermuda Bay cardstock.  A length of Fine Art ribbon backs the grouping and then the whole thing is popped on dimensionals.  

  A few leftover sequins from an old Paper Pumpkin kit are added for a little extra something.

  The Design Team always has great samples for the challenges as well as throughout the week!  Give them a look:

Jaydee
 LeAnne
Claire
Joanne
Laurie
Anne Marie
Ann
Nancy
Debbie 

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Friends Are Like Seashells

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Granny Apple Green, Mango Melody, Flirty Flamingo, Crumb Cake, Versamark

Paper: Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, watercolor paper

Accessories: Seabed embossing folder (retired) blending brushes, Seaside Shells dies, Fine Art ribbon, dimensionals, sequins

Soft Fern Sympathy - Stampin' Up! Forever Ferns

   My card today is playing along with the Just Add Ink challenge.  They have a lovely inspiration photo to work with this time (see it at the bottom of my post).

  I was inspired by the white painted brick, the light wood colored pillar candle holders, the colors, and the scrolled metal grates on the side of the fireplace.

    I started with a Soft Succulent card base.  I think this is my most used color so far in this new set of In Colors.  Even though there is an (over??) abundance of greens in the Stampin' Up! color collections Soft Succulent is different enough to warrant being given a chance!

  Next, I used a piece of Whisper White to emboss with the Brick & Mortar embossing folder and edged it with skinny pieces of Gray Granite from my scrap bag.  Next the sentiment from Many Messages is embossed in white on another skinny piece of Gray Granite.

  The jar is punched from a piece of In Good Taste DSP and then I used one of the Plenty of Patterns masks and a blending brush to add the medallion pattern.  I tied a bit of linen thread around the neck and then got to work on the greenery.

  I stamped some of the ferns in Soft Succulent and Gray Granite and then die cut them and added them to the jar.  The whole thing is then popped on dimensionals.  I added one of the smaller ferns to the bottom for balance.

  This was a fun card to put together and use elements from the photo.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Forever Fern, Many Messages

Ink: Gray Granite, Soft Succulent, Versamark

Paper: Soft Succulent, Gray Granite, Whisper White, In Good Taste DSP

Accessories: Brick & Mortar embossing folder, white embossing powder, dimensionals, Plenty of Patterns masks, Jar punch, linen thread, Forever Flourishing dies

Blended Butterflies - Stampin' Up! Butterfly Brilliance

     Not much time to stamp so far this week but I have a card to share from last week.  I had some fun coloring with my Blends for a nice bright butterfly card.

  I started with a Whisper White thick card base and then topped it with a piece of Snail Mail DSP.  This pack of Designer Series Paper is retiring soon so if you haven't already gotten it definitely give it a look!  I choose this pattern because the little dotted swirls made me think of how butterflies flutter around here and there.

  Next I stamped a few of the butterflies in Memento black and then cut them out.  I pulled out a bunch of Blends markers in a loose rainbow and then started coloring.  Colors are listed below in the supplies.  Once they were finished I arranged them on the card front with the smallest one popped on dimensionals.

  The sentiment from All Squared Away is stamped in Bermuda Bay on Whisper White.  The end is flagged then popped on dimensionals.  A baker's twine bow decorated the edge of the sentiment and a few rhinestones are scattered for a little bit of shine.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Butterfly Brilliance, All Squared Away

Ink: Memento Black, Bermuda Bay

Blends: Polished Pink, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party, Highland Heather

Paper: Whisper White thick, Whisper White, Snail Mail DSP

Accessories: Brilliant Wings dies, dimensionals, baker's twine, sequins

Birthday Ice Cream - Stampin' Up! Sweet Ice Cream

   I was able to spend some time in the stamp room over the long weekend.  Saturday and Sunday were cold and rainy so it wasn't any great sacrifice!  I worked on a few projects for my upcoming open house event (contact me if you're local and would like to join in!) and also tried my hand at the As You See It challenge.  They have a fun recipe challenge for a birthday card this time around.  The card needs to have a birthday theme and use a die cut, patterned paper, heat embossing and ribbon or twine.

  This one did not come together very easily even though I had a clear idea in my mind of what I wanted to do!  Isn't it like that sometimes?  I made do and finished it even if it doesn't quite look like what I had originally planned!

  I decided to mix and match a new stamp set; Biggest Wish with a stamp set that has been carried over from the Jan.-June mini catalog; Sweet Ice Cream.  

  I started with a Just Jade card base, then a layer of Polished Pink In Color DSP.  I cut a stitched rectangle and then stamped and heat embossed the 'happy' 3 times.  Next time I should do each one individually as my spacing ended up a little wonky lol!  The Versamark is hard to see on white to line things up.  I added the big 'birthday' in Polished Pink below.  The little pluses are stamped in Pool Party randomly on the card front.

  Next, I cut a stitched circle from the retired 2020-2022 In Color DSP, cut a Pool Party banner and added some enamel dots.  The birthday ice cream cone is made with Crumb Cake cardstock and stamped off Soft Suede.  The top is more Polished Pink.  For the candle I just used the popsicle stick stamp and trimmed the rounded end off and the flame is the little drip.  It's all popped on dimensionals on the circle with a teeny tiny baker's twine bow on the candle.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Sweet Ice Cream, Biggest Wish

Ink: Polished Pink, Pool Party, Just Jade, Daffosil Delight, Soft Suede

Paper: Just Jade, Whisper White, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, 2021-2023 In Color DSP, 2020-2022 In Color DSP (retired), 

Accessories: Stitched Rectangle dies, Stitched Shapes dies (retired), Tasteful Label dies, black embossing powder, dimensionals, Ice Cream builder punch, enamel dots, baker's twine