Here’s to Strong Women for PP480

Happy Sunday! Time for a new creative challenge over at The Paper Players. 

This week, I’m super-excited to be the hostess for our monthly 

Theme Challenge. 

 Check it out and play along with us! 

Heat embossing is one of my favorite techniques to add awesome texture and detail to cards. With just a few simple tools, you can really add such a fun “wow factor” to a card. You simply need some Versamark Ink, embossing powder and a Heat Tool to make the magic happen. I also recommend investing in an Embossing Buddy which is a tool you rub all over your paper BEFORE you heat emboss to remove any static and stops stray embossing powder from hanging around on the non-stamped areas on your cardstock. I’ve listed all of the products I used on this card at the end of this post, along with the link to shop in my online Stampin’ Up®  store. 

Color Combo: 

Coastal Cabana

Petal Pink

Rococo Rose

Gold Foil

For my card, I also added a few coloring details to really make the metallic heat embossing pop a little more. For starters, on the Shimmery White Cardstock background layer, I added a soft watercolor wash background using some Petal Pink ink and an Aqua Painter. It’s important to use either Shimmery White Cardstock or watercolor paper for this step. Regular Whisper White Cardstock just doesn't hold up as well when you add water to it. I also really like the extra pop of sparkle the Shimmery White adds to the card. 

After the cardstock was completely dry from adding the watercolor wash background, I used the Birthday Backgrounds stamp set to add a little more texture to the background. I started by heat embossing two of the textured “speckled" images in gold, then stamped over them again using Petal Pink ink. It just adds a little more detail to the background and helped to frame the focal image a bit more. 

I just love a BIG, bold sentiment as the focal image on a card! The Here’s to Strong Women stamp set has some fabulous sentiments of encouragement. Heat embossing the sentiment really makes it stand out, too. I decided to add some fun color to the background before I did the heat embossing. Using Sponge Daubers, I added a color trio of Rococo Rose, Petal Pink and Coastal Cabana on the layer of Whisper White Cardstock. Once I had the cardstock covered and the inks blended together, I heat embossed the sentiment. I just love these colors together, don’t you? To be fair, Coastal Cabana is one of those colors that can do no wrong, in my opinion and I think it really pops with this combo of soft pinks. 

For the finishing details, I colored some of the Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding pink (see tip below) and added a double bow along with a trio of Glitter Enamel Dots. 

Card Measurements and Details: 

• Coastal Cabana Card Base - 4-1/4” x 11, scored at 5-1/2” 
• Rococo Rose Cardstock - 4” x 5-1/4” 
• Shimmery White Cardstock - 3-7/8” x 5-1/8” 
• Whisper White Crinkled Seam Binding - Add subtle color by mixing a few drops of Petal Pink Ink Refill with rubbing alcohol in a Stampin’ Spritzer then spritz on ribbon and let dry completely 
• Gold Foil - 2-1/2” x 3-5/8” 
• Whisper White Cardstock - 2-1/4” x 3-3/8”, add ink using Sponge Daubers then heat emboss sentiment in gold
• Whisper White Cardstock (inside card) - 4” x 5-1/4”, I left the inside of the card blank to add a handwritten note

I hope you will join us this week over at The Paper Players and share your project for our Theme Challenge. We’d love to see what you come up with! You can link up your project through Noon PST on Friday March 6th, 2020. 

Be sure to stop by and say hello to The Paper Players Design Team: 

The Paper Players Design Team

Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Claire Broadwater

Joanne James

Laurie Schmidt

Anne Marie Hile

Ann Schach

Allisa Steinlicht

Stef Perry

Mary Deatherage

Thanks for stopping by today! All of the products that I used on this card are listed below. You can click on any of the photos to go directly to my Stampin’ Up!® online store. 

This month’s Host Code is: ZPJ94S46. 

If you place an order over $50 (before tax and shipping) using this host code, you will also receive a gift from me: a FREE Exclusive Project Tutorial PDF, see the sneak peek below. Each month, I partner with an amazingly talented group of demonstrators from around the world to create these project tutorials. This month’s tutorial features 12 awesome project ideas to inspire your creativity! 

PS: It’s also Sale-A-Bration, y’all! So for every $50 you spend, you will also get free product from Stampin’ Up!®

If your order is over $150 (before tax and shipping), do NOT use the host code. You will earn host rewards from Stampin’ Up! AND you'll also receive the gift from me. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Have a HAPPY day today! 

-Anne Marie

Product List

Here's To Strong Women Cling Stamp Set [149361]	Birthday Backgrounds Cling-Mount Stamp Set [151260]	Gold Foil Sheets [132622]	Shimmery White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [101910]	Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131297]
Rococo Rose 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [150882]	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [100730]	Glitter Enamel Dots [146934]	Whisper White 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon [151326]	Stampin' Spritzer [126185]
Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Ink Refill [147169]	Aqua Painters [103954]	Embossing Buddy [103083]	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder [109129]	Heat Tool (Us And Canada) [129053]
Versamark Pad [102283]	Sponge Daubers [133773]	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad [147097]	Rococo Rose Classic Stampin’ Pad [150080]	Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147108]
Snail Adhesive [104332]	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [110755]	Mini Glue Dots [103683]	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430]

Chalkboard Birthday for Paper Players #177

Hello there! Wow! It has sure been a while, hasn't it? I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and are off to a great start in 2014. After a much needed stamping break, I am back with my card for our new challenge at the Paper Players this week. Nance has a fab theme challenge for us featuring the "chalkboard technique". Never tried this technique before? Here is a link to how to do it: Chalkboard Technique Tutorial. 

For my card, I used some all new stamping goodies from the new 2014 Stampin' Up Occasions Catalog, which just started January 3rd. The stamped sentiment is from the Perfect Pennants set and the paper is from the Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Pad. The embossing folder I used on the Silver Foil Paper will be available in the Sale-A-Bration catalog, which launches January 28th. You can earn it for free with a $50 order. I just love the color combo of Coastal Cabana and Real Red together, too. I happened to have some baker's twine (non SU) on my desk, so that was how I decided to use those colors for this card. 

I also used the sketch from the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge as inspiration for my card layout. I always love their sketches and it has been a very long time since I have played along. 

Here is another photo of the card, showing the popped-up layers: 

Please join us over at the Paper Players!  The challenge is open through Friday, January 10th, 2014 at Noon (PDT). Stop by and say hello to the rest of the Design Team to see what they are sharing this week. 

  

The Paper Players Design Team

Ann Schach

Anne Marie Hile 
Jaydee

LeAnne Pugliese

Nance Leedy

Sandy Mathis

I will be heading to Houston, TX for Stampin' Up Leadership Conference this week and can't wait to learn new things and visit with my stamping buddies. I hope to post some updates from the conference, but I know it is going to be a very busy trip. Fingers crossed. Before I go, here is a photo from Christmas of Gidget and Emmitt in their little hats. It just cracks me up how patient they both are. Have a great day! :) 

CLICK HERE to order anytime 24/7 from my Stampin' Up! website

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Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #61: Shadow Box Cards

Hi there and Happy Tuesday to you! It's time for a fun, new challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. This week we are focusing on Shadow Box Cards. This style is not a new technique. However, it IS a very cool way to share a 3-D effect on a card, that can easily be displayed by the recipient. It can also be MAILED, which is a fabulous bonus! 

CLICK HERE for a link with directions on how to create a Shadow Box Card, or HERE for another great Shadow Box style. We sure hope you will play along with us this week! :)

I have included a list of all the supplies used to create my card at the end of the post. 

I used many items from the Occasions Mini Catalog, which is ONLY available until April 30th! You can order anytime 24/7 by clicking HERE.

Here is a shot of the card "standing up":

• I used heat embossing on the main image and sentiment, simply because I really like the effect. That, and I seem to ALSO like to make a big ol' mess when I create lately. Note to self: turn the ceiling fan OFF before playing with embossing powder. ;)
• The little pearl eggs in the basket were colored with a Baja Breeze marker to tie in the color. 
• This was the first time I have ever created a sponged "sky" with the help of the Scallop Circle punch as a guide. I really like how it came out. Thanks to the person who came up with that clever idea! HERE is one of many links to create these clouds. I used a single Scallop Circle punch to create mine, and started at the top of the image.

• I added a piece of Baja Breeze Seam Binding, that I...get ready for this one...SEWED, for some added dimension. I wanted it to play off the "grass" on the image. I have mentioned before that I am rather dangerous with a needle and thread. Thankfully, I did NOT sustain injury today. Phew! 
• The Vanilla Rosettes were colored with a Baja Breeze marker. They just stood out a little TOO much in Vanilla.
• Finally I framed the image with some Silver Glass Glitter because everything is better with some sparkle! :)

That's my take on a Shadow Box card for this week's challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments. I hope you like it and I would love to hear what you think. Please check out the challenge to see what the rest of the fabulous Design Team has whipped up. More importantly, I hope that you will play along this week and share YOUR creation with us! Thanks for stopping by to visit. I hope you have a very HAPPY day today! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Easter Blossoms
Ink: Basic Black Craft ink and Baja Breeze classic ink (for the "sky")
Paper: Springtime Vintage DSP (Occasions Mini), Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla and Basic Black card stock
Accessories: 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Scallop Oval XL punch, Scallop Circle punch (to make clouds), Black Embossing powder, Basic Pearls,  Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber...the rest are all from the Occasions Mini Catalog...Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Vanilla Rosettes and Silver Glass Glitter
Non-SU! Accessories: circle die cut (you can use a Circle Scissor Plus to create the same effect, btw), needle and thread

Hydrangea in the Spotlight

Hello everyone! It's already Thursday? Ugh, this week is just flying by. Before I get into my card for today, I wanted to share some cool news. One of my cards was featured yesterday HERE at Paper Punch Addiction, which is a huge honor yet again. Thank you SO much, Kim! :) Please stop by and visit the site, there are some awesome ideas for using your punches. 

For my card today, I got my inspiration from the weekly technique challenge at "Just Us Girls". I have never tried the Spotlighting Technique before. It's just a really unique way to highlight a stamped image on a card. A link to a tutorial can be found HERE on Splitcoast, too.

I have had the idea in my head that I wanted to use this hydrangea stamp from the Because I Care set, when I first saw this challenge last week. Today, I FINALLY had some time to put it all together. Just in time, the challenge ends tonight. Whew! 


After I got the "spotlight-ed" image all colored and shaded, it just felt like it needed something else. So I pulled out my new Nature Walk set and inked up the little bee. I do NOT like cutting tiny things out, by the way, and tend to avoid it at all costs. But this little "buzzy-dude" needed to add some dimension to the flower so there was NO way around it. GAH...time to use those dreaded paper snips! I also glittered up his wings and added some Crystal Effects to his head to give him some added pizazz, since he IS in the spotlight, after all.

The card ended up being pretty simple overall but hopefully it helps the technique stand out more. I have listed all of the supplies used at the end of the post, so I won't go into detail. Here is a photo of the inside of the card, made with some scraps left over from the front:

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. I hope you are having a great week so far. Before I sign off, I realized that I haven't shared any photos of the "furry-ones" in quite a while. So, here is a shot of my angelic Benjamin Maxwell curled up on the desk, as I type this up. He is totally in the way, BUT staying out of trouble...for the moment anyway! (Note: the curled up paws. This cat is always in the most odd poses.) 

Have a HAPPY day! :)

Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Because I Care (hostess, level 1), Teeny Tiny Wishes (front sentiment) and Thanks for Caring (inside sentiment)
Ink: Basic Black and Perfect Plum (for coloring the hydrangea) Classic ink
Paper: Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla card stock
Accessories: Square Lattice Embossing Folder, 1" Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Scalloped Trim Border punch (inside), Chantilly 1/2" Lace trim, Very Vanilla 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval punch, 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval punch, Antique Brad, Dazzling Diamonds glitter (bee wings), Crystal Effects (bee head), Blender Pen and lots of Stampin' Dimensionals
Non-SU Accessories: alcohol-based markers and large circle/scalloped circle die cuts