2011 Year in Review - Part One

Hello and Happy New Year to you! I hope this first day of 2012 has been great for you! 

I have noticed that a lot of my blogging buddies have been posting their favorite cards from 2011, so I decided to jump on board and head down memory lane with my favorite creations from the past year. I am sharing January through June 2011 today and will be back with the rest of the year tomorrow. Click the month and title of each card to view the original post. 

January - Thanks for Caring Joy-Fold Card

I really enjoy making Joy-Fold cards and seem to create them a lot. It is one of the few "fancy-folds" that I can create with confidence. Lol! I loved making this card for a blog hop with the lovely ladies at the Paper Players. 

 February - Sew Suite and Shabby Chic?

This card was my first real attempt at "shabby-chic". This one took a while...layered flowers, fussy cutting and deciding on the layout. It has officially been entered into the "took over 3- 1/2 hours to create" club. Ugh! 

 March - Springtime Shadow Box

I have to be honest...making a Shadow Box card scared me and this was the first time I attempted a "sponged sky". I still love this stamp set, even if it is retired. I used it a LOT! 

April - Sail Away

This card came about totally by accident. The color combo was laying in a pile of scraps to be filed away and I thought it would be cool for a nautical-themed card.  

 May - Kimono Kids Friendship Card

One of my favorite stamp sets for one of my favorite friends. I used a Mojo Monday sketch for inspiration and just seeing this card again makes me smile. Sometimes the occasion for the card seals the deal for the "favorites" list. *grin* :) 

 June - Butterfly Thanks

Embossed and blinged-out butterflies with a bright and happy color combo...I can't even tell you how many of this particular card I made. This DSP is still well-loved (I'm into my 4th pack of it!) 

I will be back tomorrow with the my favorites from July through December. Thank you so much for stopping by today! Wishing you all the best in 2012! This past year was filled with SO many wonderful memories, I can't WAIT to see what this new year brings.

Big Hugs,

Paper Players #57-Nance's Sketch Challenge

Howdy and welcome to another Sunday at the Paper Players! This week, our sketch challenge was designed by the lovely Nance and it's a lot of fun! I hope you will have the chance to play along with us this week. 

I was a little, ok, a LOT under-the weather yesterday, so getting my mojo on was tough. I dove into my drawers of card stock and pulled out three colors that seemed to appeal to me. I selected Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Island Indigo (a new In-Color for 2011-2012) as the basis for my creation. I haven't used Island Indigo yet...don't know why, it is soooo pretty! 

 Here are the highlights of my card: 

• the images and sentiment were heat embossed with Versa-Mark ink  and Black Embossing Powder for some added shine
• the leaves were punched from the Bird Builder Punch, then sponged with Old Olive ink
• there is a lot of dimension to the card, although it is tough to see in the photos. (the flowers and the layers are popped up)
• Satin Ribbon is FABULOUS!! It ties perfectly every time and it is hands-down my favorite ribbon EVER! 
• First Edition Specialty DSP makes a fun background for any card. I have had this paper for a long time and just recently discovered how versatile it really is. Better late then never, I say! :) 
• the Color Spritzer Tool made an appearance on the bottom of the card using an Island Indigo marker to add a little more pattern around the sentiment and of course, nothing is finished without a little BLING! 

Finally here is a shot of the decorated inside of the card, using up some scraps from the front: 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Please visit the rest of the Paper Players Design Team to see what they have created with Nance's awesome sketch. I sure hope you will join us this week! You have until Friday August 5th at midnight (PST) to play along. 

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Jaydee

Lauri Ingram

LeAnne Pugliese

Lesley Croghan

Nance Leedy

Sandra Azzopardi

Tui Nathan (GD)

Have a very HAPPY day! :) 

Stampin' Up! Supply List-
Stamps: Flower Fest and Something to Celebrate (ret, sentiment)
Paper: First Edition Specialty DSP, Old Olive, Island indigo, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock
Ink: Versa-Mark ink and Old Olive Classic Ink 
Accessories: Top Note Sizzix Die, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Bird Builder Punch, Fancy Flower Punch, Scallop Edge Border punch (inside), Old olive 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Color Spritzer Tool, Island Indigo Stampin' Write Marker, Paper Snips, Basic Rhinestones and Stampin' Dimensionals

Paper Players #55-Lesley's Color Challenge

Hi Friends! I'm sorry that I am posting twice today, but my Blogger woes have set me a little behind. It's Sunday and that means it's a new challenge over at the Paper Players and I'm "better late then never" with this one. Whew! The lovely Lesley is our hostess this week and has selected this beautiful color combo for us to take for a creative spin. 

My card was also inspired by the sketch over at Card Patterns this week. I saw the sketch (and the awesome DT creations on their site) really early, yesterday morning and knew I wanted to give it a try. Only problem...then Blogger locked me out! So, I was going by memory on this one. I was a little off, using 3 instead of 4 panels on the bottom. This is why I should have written it down. Ugh! Sorry ladies, I hope it still works! 

If you have visited me before, you probably know I LOVE punches! I think it is my way of over-compensating for my lack of skill in the water-coloring department. Lol! I decided to dust off two of my most unused punches for the one: the Fancy Flower and the 5-Petal Flower. I tried to jazz up the layered flower with lots of little details, too. The Poppy Parade flower is stamped with an image from the Flower Fest stamp set, the Baja Breeze flower was inked in Versa-Mark and then heat-embossed with Iridescent Ice, the Basic Gray flower was run through the Paper Crimper and the Crumb Cake flower was sponged with ink and then given a pop of bling. It's a simple card over-all, but I really like how it came out. 

All the supplies used to create the card are at the end of this post. 

Before I go, I have to share one more photo with you. Yesterday we welcomed a new addition to our "all-things-Apple-loving" household. I had to snap this photo because Ozzy planted himself next to the box as soon as we brought it inside...and continued to sit there for 45 minutes!! He was either guarding it or claiming it as his own. Either way, it was photo-worthy. Haha! 

Thanks so much for visiting today! Please stop by the Paper Players blog and see what the rest of the DT has created this week. The challenge is actually going to run for two weeks, so you have until July 22nd to play along. Have a great day! :) 


Stampin'  Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Flower Fest and Sincere Salutations
Paper: Poppy Parade DSP (ret. hostess set), Basic Gray, PoppyParade, Crumb Cake and Baja Breeze card stock
Ink: Versa-Mark, Poppy Parade and Baja Breeze classic ink...also Basic Gray and Crumb Cake ink for sponging the edges
Accessories: Fancy Flower punch, 5-Petal Flower punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Itty Bitty Punch pack, Scallop Edge Border punch, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Basic Gray 3/8" Taffeta ribbon (ret.), Paper Crimper, Iridescent Ice Embossing powder. Basic RHinestones and lots of Stampin' Dimensionals

Butterfly Thanks for PPA 98

Two posts in one day is almost unheard of for me, but I wanted to post my card for the Pals Paper Arts challenge before the challenge ended. Also, I'm super honored and excited to share that last week I was chosen as a Pals Paper Artist Pick. :) You can view my card by clicking HERE. I am so inspired by the awesome creativity that is shared there every week, not only from their uber-talented DT but from everyone who plays along in the challenges. This week at PPA, they have a shared a great sketch:

I pulled out my NEW Just Add Cake DSP (coming out July 1st) and the Flower Fest set from the Summer Mini catalog for this one. There is just something about this paper that instantly makes me happy...which is odd because there isn't any PINK to be found in it, anywhere! I just love the mix of soft colors and the fun polka dots.  

I think I am one of the last people on the planet to discover the "cute-ness" of the Butterfly punch. I recently purchased it and can't seem to stop using it! :) I layered my butterflies for some dimension and heat embossed the little guys for added shine. I used Versamark ink and Clear Embossing Powder. You can see this better by clicking on the photo above. Their little "antenna's" were made with Silver Elastic cord. After adding the bling, I thought the "You're a Gem" sentiment seemed like a fun match. 

I used some scraps from the front of the card to decorate the inside, as usual. See how that sentiment is stamped on layered punches? That was NOT on purpose! It is covering up the VERY crooked sentiment I stamped the first time around. Oops! 


Thanks so much for stopping by! 
Have a very HAPPY day today! :) 


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Flower Fest (Summer Mini Catty), You're a Gem and Sincere Salutations (inside)
Ink: Versamark and Wild Wasabi Classic ink
Paper: Just Add Cake DSP (New 2011-2012 catty), Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Peach Parfait and Whisper White card stock 
Accessories: Butterfly punch, 1" Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scallop Border punch , Decorative Label punch (inside), XL Oval punch (inside), Silver Elastic Cord (ret.), Basic Rhinestones, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing folder, Sticky Strip, Clear Embossing powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy and Stampin' Dimensionals