StampinMojo: PPA Color Challenges

PPA Color Challenges

November 12, 2015

Wondrous Fall Wreath for Pals Paper Arts

We have another color challenge this week. While the colors are very fall oriented I did not want to create something with leaves (my go-to for Fall).

I purchased the Wondrous Wreath set last year and struggled with lining the leaves of the wreath up. I thought I would give it another try and I am so glad I did.

The key to the Wondrous Wreath and the coordinating framelits is aligning all the tabs for both cutting and stamping.

Cut out the center of the wreath first and then line up the first stamp (the one with the most leaves). I align the tabs at the top. Okay this part if had successfully accomplished in the past but the next part I did not get until I created this card.

When you go to use the second stamp (the one with less leaves) the leaves you are stamping will exactly overlay leaves already stamped. This was the part I was doing wrong, I kept thinking these leaves filled in between the leaves already stamped and they don't. AHA!

Then you stamp the berries. Again, lining up the tabs is what made all this work.

Cutting out the wreath is a piece of cake then.

Here are the PPA colors for this week that inspired my card...

I even added a bough of garland to the inside of my card. Now that I have this figured out I wanted to keep creating.

I am glad that I gave this stamp set another try. I really love this stamp set and the fact that Stampin' Up! has added additional stamp sets to coordinate with the framelits.

What stamp set has given you difficult in the past? Did this help you? I would love to hear from you.

Michelle

Products used to create this project, click on any of the items below to begin shopping now!

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Nov 12, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you, Thinking of You

November 05, 2015

One Big Meaning

The art of sending a Thank You note seems to be waning. I think it is a powerful message to the recipient that you were touched by their thoughtfulness, hospitality, or time. Thank you's offer One Big Meaning. I love to send thank you notes!

My card today was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge.

My card base is 5" x 5" in Very Vanilla. The background is a piece of Kraft Paper cut 4 3/4" x 4 3/4" and then run through my Bog Shot with the Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I lightly sponged Chocolate Chip ink over the bricks to give it a realistic look.

I cut three banners from the Regals, Subtles, and Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stacks for each of the challenge colors. I used the #3 (from the center) banner from the Banner Framelits.

The sentiment is from the One Big Meaning stamp set. I masked the bottom portion of the stamp with retired washi tape to isolate the sentiment, then stamped it in Chocolate Chip. I punched small holes to loop the Gold Cording Trim through and tied it in the back of the card. The sentiment is topped up on dimensionals. To hide the holes, two Calypso Coral Candy Dots finish off the card.

Here is a little sneak peek of the inside of the card. To add weight to the back side of the card I added another piece of Very Vanilla card stock (4 3/4" x 4 3/4"). Then I punched out three quick banners using the Banner Punch. Simple and it carries the colors through.

I do hope you will check out what the other Pals Paper Arts designers created with these colors.

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

Products used to create this project. Click on any item to begin shopping!

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Nov 5, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Masculine, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you

October 08, 2015

You've Got This for PPA 271

It's Thursday and that means it is time for another Pals Paper Arts Challenge. This week we have a color challenge and here is the color palette.

A clean and simple card this week using three different stamp sets.

The border was created using a stamp from the Tin of Cards Photopolymer Stamp set. The photopolymer stamps make it easy to line them up to create the border.

The flower is from the You've Got This stamp set. It was stamped twice and the cut out.

The sentiment is from the All Boxed Up stamp set.

The Old Olive thin border frame provides the color balance the card needed.

I hope you will pop over to the Pals Paper Arts and see what the design team members did with the color palette. We would love to see you play along.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Click on any item below to beginning shopping with StampinMojo:

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Oct 8, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

October 03, 2015

Awesomely Artistic

On Thursday I told you my first project for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge was a card. Here is a quick look at that card.

I ordered the Awesomely Artistic Stamp Set during the demonstrators pre-order period and had yet to use it. I thought the color palette was perfect for this set.

To color the floral stamp I outlined the flowers using my Blackberry Bliss Stampin' Write Marker and then used a Blender Pen to fill in the rest of the flower. The leaves are colored with the Always Artichoke Stampin' Write Marker. The centers of the flowers are adorned with SU Pearl Basic Jewels.

The dragonfly was stamped with Sahara Sand and then cut out. I brushed Wink of Stella over the dragonfly for a little sparkle.

The base of the card is Sahara Sand. A piece of Blackberry Bliss card stock frames the focal point. A simple card with a dramatic look.

I am in Atlanta for World Card Making Day (WCMD) with many other Pals. On Monday I will share with you my swap card for this event.

Did you play along with the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge yet? We would love to see what you do with these beautiful rich colors.

Michelle

Products used to create this card:

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Oct 3, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

October 01, 2015

Thankful Table Favor

This week's Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge provides us with big rich colors. I made a card for this week's Pals Paper Arts Challenge however I really wanted to be more creative. (Stop back on Saturday to see the card I made.)

So I created a table favor for Thanksgiving. Wouldn't these be pretty on your Thanksgiving table?

I started with the Fry Box Bigz die and cut it out in Sahara Sand card stock. Then I took a 1 1/2" piece of Bohemian DSP to wrap around the Fry Box. I realized that Always Artichoke is the only color card stock I don't have. I did find a small scrap piece of Always Artichoke card stock and stamped one of the Vintage Leaves. I sprinkled it with Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder and heated it to add a little glossy shine to the image. I then stamped two more leaves onto Sahara Sand card stock and followed with clear embossing of the images as well.

The bottom leaf is adhered with Fast Fuse and the other two leaves are popped up on dimensionals.

The finishing touch is a piece of Sahara Sand 7/8" Lace Trim.

I love this sentiment from the hostess set Six Sayings. It is the reason I purchased the stamp set. I hand cut out the sentiment and added it to the back of the fry box.

I cut up some retired Always Artichoke DSP using my Fringe Scissors as "stuffing" for the bottom of the fry box. This gave the perfect support for my Hershey Nuggets.

I hope you enjoyed the departure from a traditional card this week. Please visit www.PalsPaperArts.com to see what the other designers have created and play along yourself!

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Products used for this project:

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Oct 1, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Gift Ideas, PPA Color Challenges, Thanksgiving

September 10, 2015

Garden in Bloom for PPA 267

I love how this turned out. I was inspired by a card created by one of the talented Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team members Kaitlyn Zumbach. You can see her card here.

I used the colors for this week's Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge.

I was not certain how I would like the colors together. I think they went together beautifully.

I used watercolor paper and stamped the solid images for the flowers and the leaves. Then I spritzed it with water and allowed the color to bleed. Because I wanted to keep moving I blotted it with a paper towel and then using my heat gun fully dried the paper.

Then I stamped the outline images of the flowers and leaves. The card came alive when I did that.

I finished it off with an image and sentiment from the Awesomely Artistic stamp set. It was cut out using a framelit from the Project Life Cards & Labels Framelits.

Have you tried this technique before? I would love to hear from you! Don't forget to stop over at the Pals Paper Arts site and see what the design team members did with these fun colors.

Michelle

Here are the products used for my project:

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Sep 10, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Project Life, Thinking of You

September 05, 2015

A PPA 266 Extra!

I enjoyed using the PPA color palette so much that I wanted to create a thank you card for a business associate with these colors. So I am considering this my PPA Extra or bonus card for this challenge.

Again I chose a 5 x 5 square card. The DSP used is retired from the 2014 holiday catalog. The leaves from from the Lighthearted Leaves stamp set. The sentiment is from Another Thank you.

The Delightful Dijon leaf is stamped on the Very Vanilla panel. The Old Olive and Cajun Craze leaves were cut out using the Leaflets Framelits. The Old Olive leaf is popped up on one set of Stampin' Dimensionals while the Cajun Craze leaf is sitting on two Stampin' Dimensionals stacked on top of each other. This gives the depth I was looking for.

A little piece of Gold Baker's Twine offers the finishing touch.

I was about to mail this card out when I realized I forgot to photograph the card. So I quickly grabbed a couple of quick photos in my office. I am chuckling that the colors came through perfect under the flouresent lighting when I often struggle to get it right at home. Perhaps all my cards should photographed in my office!

Which card do you like better? This card or the one from Thursday, click here to see it again. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Michelle

Here are the products used for my project. Note: the Color Me Autumn DSP is retired and no longer available through Stampin' Up!

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Sep 5, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, Masculine, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you

September 03, 2015

Autumn Favorites for PPA 266

There are some colors that just speak Autumn. The color palette this week for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge are truly Autumn colors, in my opinion.

So I went with the Autumn feel ...

I used the new Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder to create the background for the card. Using a sponge dauber, Soft Suede ink, and a light touch I added texture to the tree bark.

The sentiment is from the new Lighthearted Leaves Stamp set. I used Black Emboss Powder to make this a rich and shinny statement. (The photo did not capture the shinny texture but it is very pretty on the Delightful Dijon.)

I used a bit of jute left over from a recent Paper Pumpkin kit and ran it through a Gold Metal Button. I love how these kits give you enough supplies for additional projects.

The leaf is from the Vintage Leaves and coordinating Leaflets Framelits.

I love adding an elements to the inside of my card as well. There is still plenty of room to send my personal note.

I hope you will play along with the Pals this week. We have two new talented design team members on our team, Lynn Hoyt and Shawn de Oliviera, both very talented designers. So please check out what the other design team members created with this beautiful color palette at the Pals Paper Arts Challenge.

Michelle

Here are the SU products used to create my project:

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Sep 3, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Masculine, New Arrivals, Paper Pumpkin, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

August 16, 2015

A Pillow Gift Sneak Peek for PPA 263

How adorable is this Pillow Box? So cute and so easy!! This Pillow Box die will be available September 1st with the launch of the Holiday Catalog. This will be a must have for the Holiday Season. Perfect for party favors, small gifts or even to decorate your table when entertaining.

The color combination was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge this week.

I used the Bohemian DSP, Flower Shop stamp set and the Bird Builder Punch (for the leaves). The sentiment came from a monthly Paper Pumpkin kit. If you are not yet subscribing you can join now and save. Click here for more information.

Pierce, our younger son came home from Chicago for the weekend. For the first time since Christmas everyone is home. It will only last for a couple of days as Pierce heads back on Monday and Conor will head back to school on Tuesday. I am sure I will go through withdrawal once again. In the meantime, I am going to enjoy every minute I can with them.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

If you are not working with another demonstrator and would like a Holiday Catalog please let me know.

Click on any of the links below to order items used for this project (Pillow Box will not be available for purchase until September 1st):

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Aug 16, 2015 5:00:00 AM | 3D projects, Friendship, Gift Ideas, PPA Color Challenges

August 06, 2015

Stars and Sparkles for the Pals Paper Arts

On Tuesday I placed my demonstrator Holiday Catalog pre-order and am so excited to begin showing you all the amazing new products for the Fall and Holiday season. This catalog is FABULOUS! Lots of bundles (stamps with coordinating punches or stamps with coordinating framelits). Beautiful papers, ribbon and embellishments.

When I saw the Pals Paper Arts Colors this week I was thinking ice, snowflakes, glitter... and it led to this card.

I struggled getting good photographs and ended up outside to get the coloring right. The Tip Top Taupe was photographing too dark and it did not look as pretty as it is in person.

I was not able to go to the Stampin' Up! Annual Convention this year but I have been able to enjoy much of what was presented through the wonders of video streaming. I am one of these geeks that loves technology. During one of the stamping demonstrations they used a sponge dauber to add White Craft Ink to the stars on an embossed piece of card stock. So I gave that I try on this card and then stepped it up by sprinkling Dazzling Diamonds over the fresh ink and then brushing it off with a small paint brush. The result looks like twinkling stars.

The star wreath was created by first cutting out a ring from Pool Party card stock. This was created by nesting two circles from the Circles Collection Framelits. The stars were cut and punched using the star from the Ittly Bitty Accents Punches, Star Framelits (smallest) and the Star from the Circle Card Framelit. The first layer of stars was glued onto the ring and then I added Stampin' Dimensionals to the next layer. The Wreath includes, Pool Party, Mint Macaron and Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer card stock.

The finishing touch? Silver Metallic Baker's Twine! The Joy comes from the Retired Snowflake Card Framelit which is available through the SU Clearance Rack. I love all the accessories with this framelit set.

We are in the midst of the dog days of summer here in Florida so it was fun to think about cooler days ahead with this twinkling winter stars card. I do hope you will play along with the Pals this week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

Products used to create this project:

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Aug 6, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Holiday, PPA Color Challenges

July 12, 2015

Watercolor Words Meets a Challenge

My card today is doing double duty. It was inspired by two card challenges. Freshly Mades Sketches and the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge. Here are the two badges:

The Brushed Silver outer squares are 2 3/4". The DSP and stamped image squares are 2 1/5". I adore the new script font pattern in the DSP Paper Stacks. The stamped image is from the Watercolor Words stamp set. I could not wait to ink this set up.

July 1st began the new fiscal year for Stamping' Up! and they are changing up the Weekly Deals program. Each week they will provide Bonus Deals up to 60% on certain products. This week many NEW products are on sale. I took advantage of these deals and hope you will too. Click on any item below to begin shopping.

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These items are available while supplies last and only through midnight MST on Monday July 13th. Don't miss the opportunity to get some of these great items on sale.

Thanks for stopping by. Check out below for the complete list of items used to create my project.

Michelle

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Jul 12, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, Challenge entries, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

July 02, 2015

Happy Birthday with a Flower Patch

Happy Thursday! I am so glad it is a short week this week as it is my first week back to work after a two week vacation. I will post more about that over the weekend.

Today my card was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge this week. Check out these bright summer colors.

I usually like a lot of white space in my card design however I was drawn to use the Night of Navy as my background. The Night of Navy card stock was embossed with the new Elegant Dots Textured Impressions Folder. This provides a nice texture to the background.

The flower was stamped with the Flower Patch stamp set and Watermelon Wonder ink. This color is not too pink, not too red, like the three little bears story it is just perfect. The coordinating framelits make this set even more fun to use. I did stamp two flowers and fussy cut the second to add dimension to the flower. A Basic Rhinestone Jewel was the perfect finishing touch for the flower.

The sentiment is from Cottage Greetings and the banner was created with the new Banner Triple Punch, a MUST have from the new catty.

The sentiment on the inside of the card is also from Cottage Greetings and is the perfect touch to this birthday card.

I hope you will play along with this week's PPA challenge and link up your design. We love to see your creativity.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

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Jul 2, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, PPA Color Challenges

June 04, 2015

Butterfly Birthday

I tried taking this photo about 50 times only to get a garden variety of results. I have to say the card is stunning in person.

Here is color palette for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge this week:

Before we get to the details of the card you might say Michelle your card does not have Strawberry Slush in it. Yep, you are right. Because Strawberry Slush has retired we decided to allow the Design Team and all Pals Paper Arts participants to use any color they want to substitute for Strawberry Slush. So I picked Calypso Coral. This is one of my favorite colors but I can clearly see that Watermelon Wonder is going to give it a run for its money! Onto the card...

The base of the card is Very Vanilla. Then I stamped two of the images from Gorgeous Grunge on the in Soft Suede to create the background. Then I added the butterfly from the Butterfly Thinlits Die and Butterfly Basics stamp set. I added the pearls down the center of the butter. Calypso Coral was brought in with flowers punched out by one of the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack. And they were adorned with pearls to coordinate with the butterfly.

And this is the inside of the card. I used a butterfly from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set. Added a design element to the inside of the card provides a finishing touch for me.

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to visit the Pals Paper Arts Challenge site to see the fabulous designs of all the design team members. I hope I have inspired YOU to play along with us.

Michelle

This image provides a better representation of the Soft Suede and Calypso Coral on the card. However the butterfly as well as the envelope liner are still too soft. Hopefully you get a sense of the card.

Here are the supplies used with the card:

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Jun 4, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

May 17, 2015

Build Your Own Stamp with Photopolymer Stamps

While I think if myself as creative I am certainly not artistic. My art abilities are limited to stick people. So the idea of making my own stamp sends panic through me. Then I started using Photopolymer stamps. What I love about these stamps is that they are easily positionable to adapted to what you need to do. And I think we all love that you can see through them when you are stamping.

So this week as I was struggling with the colors in this week's Pals Paper Arts Challenge I tried something different. I created a watercolor background and made my own stamp! Let's check it out.

And now let's see how I built my own stamp.

How fun is that? Imagine the possibilities.

Now I can't take credit for coming up with this on my own. I was inspired by an image in the new catalog. The Stamping' Up! designers are amazing.

While using watercolor paper is best for watercoloring, it is not the best for stamping images. The texture of the paper keeps the image from being as crisp as I like it. I did go over some of the letters with my black marker.

These colors are still a bit sugary for me, I do like how it turned out. What do think?

Michelle

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May 17, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you

May 16, 2015

Sugary Sweet Birthday

Today's project is sugary sweet to me. While I like each of these colors I struggled putting them together for this week's Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge.

The Whisper White base helps offset the explosion of color. Don't get me wrong I love color, this combination was just tough for me this week.

Check out the color palette.

I did try these same colors in another card with an entirely look. Stop back tomorrow to see if I was able to do any better with these colors.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Stampin' Up! products used for this project, click on any item and go to the StampinMojo online store to purchase. The Starburst Framelits are retiring so grab those fast before they are no longer available. Happy Shopping.

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May 16, 2015 7:32:17 AM | Birthday, Card making, PPA Color Challenges

May 07, 2015

Sending Good Wishes

This week's Pals Paper Arts Challenge is a Color Challenge. The colors are warm and bright.

Here is the original Challenge Palette:

I know you like to have the dimensions so here we go.

Base standard A2 (41/4" x 5 1/2")
Whisper White 1 5/8"
Hello Honey In-Color DSP Stack 1 1/2"
Coastal Cabana Tag 2" x 3 5/8"
Whisper White Tag 1 3/4" x 3 5/8"
Used the Scallop Punch to create the tag.
Sentiment is from Lovely Amazing You (I LOVE this set)
Baked Brown Sugar Thick Baker's Twine and Burlap Ribbon (deconstructed) are the finishing touch.

I hope you will play along and upload your creative design to the PPA gallery. We love to see your work. I will never forget the first time I played with a challenge. I was giddy to see my card on the intranet. I felt like a celebrity in my own crazy world - isn't that the world that we need to be the celebrity in.

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

The new catalogs begin being mailed today. If you don't have a demonstrator and want to get a catalog please email.

Products used to create the project. Click on any item to go to StampinMojo's online store and begin shopping!

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May 7, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

April 10, 2015

Purple Passion

Purple Passion describes this week's Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge. It has been a while since I created a monochromatic card. I am pretty pleased with the result.

And here are the PPA colors this week:

Funny as I look at my card I wonder if I used the right colors? I might have used Wisteria Wonder rather than Elegant Eggplant. I know the flowers are stamped in Perfect Plum and the window frame and ribbon are Blackberry Bliss.

See what you can do with this combination. Make sure you grab the right colors though!

Here is a side view to get a sneak peek of the inside.

Despite my color mix up I am happy with the result. Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Apr 10, 2015 9:50:40 PM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

April 02, 2015

Hello There Thursday

Thursday's - the gateway to the weekend. When we hit Thursday we know we are on the downslide of the week. A great way to celebrate is to play along with the Pals Paper Arts Challenges. This week we have a color challenge. This card came together quickly with the help of the Gold Soiree DSP.

Here are the colors for the challenge:

The Whisper White base is 5 x 5 then the Kraft layer and the DSP layer are each 1/4" smaller around. The center is 3" square. I added the Crisp Cantaloupe Bakers twine along with a Pistachio Pudding embellishment from last years catty. A couple of small flags of card stock at a bit of color to the Kraft card stock against the DSP. And then (yes after I added the baker's twine) I decided to heat emboss the sentiment in gold. I am so glad I did as I think it is perfect. The sentiment is a Hostess Stamp Set from the Annual Catalog called Hello There. I love the fonts in this set.

A quick, clean and simple card for you today. Please stop by and see what the other PPA design team members have created with this color palette.

We do hope you will play along!

Michelle

Stampin' Up products used to create my project:

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Apr 2, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

March 14, 2015

Hello Baby!

This week's Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge is a pastel color palette. I have never really liked pastel colors. When I see pastel colors like this I immediately think - baby card!

While I have accumulated a few baby stamp sets I don't use them very often. I think the baby stamp set (Little Sunshine) in the Occasions Catalog is very versatile and not just for baby cards and gifts.

So here is my entry for the PPA 243 Color Challenge:

This card is very cute in person. I don't think the photo is capturing the card.

The card is a long card, 6" x 3 1/2" and the next panel is 1/4" smaller all around. I used the Something For Baby Bundle for my card. The background was created using the adorable Large Polka Dot Textured Impression Folder (Love it!). The circles were cut using the Circle Framelits Collection.

The inside is just as adorable. This stamp is from the Little Sunshine Stamp Set in the Occasions Catalog. While the stamp is a bubble frame it is setup that you can punch it out with the 1" circle punch. The small sweetheart punch is part of the Itty Bitty Punch set.

While I am not crazy about pastels I am very pleased with this card. Won't you play with the Pals this week as well?

Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

Here is a list of the materials used in my card and available through the StampinMojo online store.

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Mar 14, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Baby, Card making, PPA Color Challenges

March 09, 2015

PPA 242 Alternate

As a design team member for Pals Paper Arts I strive to create special cards to inspire the blog followers. There are times I create a card and then decide I must go back to the drawing board. Many times the first card inspires the ultimate result.

With St Patricks Day around the corner I wanted to get this post in to show you my first PPA card design.

Click here for the card I submitted for the PPA challenge. It is the same color palette yet this version feels much more masculine. This design made me step back and say what if the shamrock was simply the focal point and the colors were brought in by the framing and finishing touches. This is why we enjoy creating so much. With a few tweaks the same elements transform into something entirely different.

It is not too late to still play with the pals color challenge this week.

Don't miss the Pals Blog Hop on Wednesday! See you then.

Michelle

All the materials used to create this card are below and can be purchased by clicking on an item and going to StampinMojo's 24/7 online store. Shop Now!

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Mar 9, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Celebrations, Easter/Spring, Masculine, PPA Color Challenges

February 13, 2015

Butterfly Basics for PPA #239

A clean and simple design that packs some punch. The Real Red Butterfly takes center stage against the warm early tones of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede.

The card base is 4 1/2" square. The sentiment panel base which is popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals is 2 x 3 3/4" and the next layer is 1/8" smaller all around. The honeycomb design (from the Butterfly Basics Stamp Set) was created by stamping the image in Crumb Cake ink onto the Crumb Cake card stock. The Butterfly was glued onto the sentiment panel so it floats on the card.

My card was inspired by the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge this week.

And the three accents at the top of the card are Pearl Basic Jewels that were colored with the medium Cherry Cobbler Blendability.

The Butterfly Basics Bundle is a must have. The images in the stamp set are fabulous and very versatile and the Butterflies Thinlits Dies are over the top. Stampers Note: I use wax paper between the die and my card stock when I run it through my Big Shot. The butterfly comes out very cleanly.

I hope you are having a great week. I would love to see what you would do with this colors. Join me and link up your creation at the Pals Paper Arts site. Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

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Feb 13, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Celebrations, Easter/Spring, Friendship, New Arrivals, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You

February 05, 2015

Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #238

Valentines' Day is around the corner and this week the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge embraces true Valentine's Day colors.

And here is my card...

The Happy Hearts Textured Impressions Embossing Folder provides the beautiful and subtle background for my card. A few heart punches from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack increases the love factor.

The "drape" across the top was created with the Adorning Accents Edgelits. I added this element to cover the "partial" hearts at the top of the embossed background.

The sentiment is from the Really Good Greetings stamp set where I masked the "already" with scotch tape when inking up my stamp. Don't forget to take the tape off off before stamping!

The sentiment is layers using the Banner Framelits.

Are you inspired to get your paper, ink and stamps out to create your valentine's? Give this color combination a try and then link your work of art up to the Pals Paper Arts Challenge!

Happy Thursday!

Michelle

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Feb 5, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, PPA Color Challenges, Thinking of You, Valentine's Day

January 08, 2015

Pals Paper Arts Challenge #235

The Pals Paper Arts color challenge this week has wonderful cool colors. Here is the color badge:

I wanted to used some much neglected stamps from the Stampin' Up! annual catalog for this challenge. I used all three colors to create the background with the Dotty Angles stamp set. Then I stamped the Bloom For You stamp in Versamark on a piece of Island Indigo and used Pool Party Emboss Powder. I love the shiny finish. I stamped the image again in Island Indigo on White card stock and punched the center out with the 7/8" Scallop Circle and added it to the original image that was punched using the Fun Flower punch.

The sentiment is from the December Paper Pumpkin kit. The monthly Paper Pumpkin kits are getting better and better each month. I am so glad I decided to become a subscriber. Are you a subscriber yet? If not, click here and subscribe now and you can get the January kit!

I hope you have had time to page through the Occasions Catalog, if not click here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Jan 8, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges

January 01, 2015

2015 - The Adventure begins

Happy New Year! The launch of the new year brings a sense of excitement as we anticipate fulfilling our dreams and reaching new goals. So this week I used a new stamp set, Adventure Awaits, available in the 2015 Occasions Catalog in just 5 days!

And here is this week's PPA Color Challenge Badge:

It is always difficult to photograph the metallic papers. The card is very striking in person, as I used the Brushed Silver Cardstock. The ribbon embellishment is two layers of ribbon. The bottom layer is Night of Navy 1/2" Seam Binding and Smoky Slate 1/8: Taffeta Ribbon that has beautiful silver edging. The stars were created using the two smallest Star Framelits.

I think this photo shows off the silver cardstock a bit better.

I even embellished the inside of the card using a little All is Calm Washi Tape.

Today is John's (my hubby) birthday. It is always tough because by this time we all have celebration fatigue (our son Conor's birthday is Christmas Eve as well). So our day will be relaxing and I will make him a special dinner. He says is is just what he wants.

If you have any questions please email me. Thanks for stopping by!

Michelle

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Jan 1, 2015 5:00:00 AM | Card making, PPA Color Challenges, Sneak Peek

December 04, 2014

More Christmas Bliss

Happy Thursday! And I am here with a card for the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge. Let's check it out...

And here is the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge:

I am tickled with how this turned out. It is the only the second time I inked up my Festival of Trees stamp set. Oh, why did I wait so long?! This set is a photopolymer stamp set and it was a cinch to line up the "ornaments" in Cherry Cobbler and stamp them on the Baked Brown Sugar Tree. I added some dazzle by going over the Cherry Cobbler ornaments with my red Stickles. They just glisten in the light now.

The base of the card is Very Vanilla. Then I added a layer of Baked Brown Sugar just 1/4" smaller followed by a piece of Under the Tree Specialty DSP another 1/4" smaller and popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals. I then stamped the sentiment from the Christmas Bliss Photopolymer Stamp Set in Cherry Cobbler on a piece of Very Vanilla ( 3 3/4 x 2 1/4). It was also popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

Then I added the tree which had been punched out using the coordinating tree punch. You have to love our punches, it makes crafting quick and easy.

Make sure you stop by Pals Paper Arts and see what the other design team members created. We hope you will be inspired to play along. Remember you don't need to have a blog to play. You can upload from Facebook, Splitcoast Stampers, Pinterest, etc.

My holiday decorations are up. I am one of those people who can't have enough twinkle lights. My husband has come to learn my mantra - we need more lights! It is the one time of year I let the little girl inside me, guide me. Oh it is so fun. What do you do that makes the holiday season special for you?

Cheers,

Michelle

Don't forget to check out the Weekly Deals.

Dec 4, 2014 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Holiday, PPA Color Challenges

November 13, 2014

Four Feathers and a Color Challenge

It is Thursday and another Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge. I love the colors this week. Check them out...

They are bright and crisp together while still keeping us in the Fall color palette. Being squeezed for time these days I am looking for clean and simple card creations. And that is what I did this week.

I started with a Whisper White Note Card and Envelope. Then I used Washi Tape from the Seasonal Snapshot Project Life Accessory Pack. This is packed full of fun embellishments and certainly not limited to use with Project Life. Then I stamped each color using a different stamp from the Four Feathers Stamp Set. A Pumpkin Pie button from the Brights collection tied with linen thread is a nice finishing touch.

The sentiment is from the Something to Say stamp set and matches the clean style of the card.

I do hope you will play along with the pals this week. As you can see you don't need to go over the top when creating your cards and still have a wow factor.

To see what the PPA design team members did with these colors click here.

Michelle

Stampin' Up Supplies Used: Please click on images below for more details or easy, on-line shopping 24/7! And Don't forget to check out the Weekly Deals.

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes

$5.95

Seasonal Snapshot Project Life Accessory Pack

$9.95

Four Feathers Wood-Mount Bundle

$22.75

Four Feathers Clear-Mount Bundle

$20.25

Linen Thread

$4.50

Brights Designer Buttons

$7.95

Something To Say Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$29.95

Something To Say Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$21.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Nov 13, 2014 5:00:00 AM | Card making, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you

November 06, 2014

Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #226

It is Thursday and time for a Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge. The colors this week are warm and earthy.

And here is my card...

The colors are dark so I decided that more white space or in this case Very Vanilla space was needed. The stamp from the Making Spirits Bright stamp set is the star of the card. I just adore all the images in this set.

I used the new Crumb Cake Note Card and Envelope set as the base of the card. Then I added a layer of Soft Suede. The Very Vanilla base has a piece of Color me Autumn Designer Washi Tape and a piece of Mossy Meadow 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon. A small gold button with Linen Thread finishes the card.

Clean and simple.

I do hope you will play along with the Pals this week. Be sure to check out what the other design team members created here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Michelle

Stampin' Up Supplies Used: Please click on images below for more details or easy, on-line shopping 24/7! And Don't forget to check out the Weekly Deals.

Crumb Cake Note Cards & Envelopes

$5.95

Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Making Spirits Bright Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$27.95

Making Spirits Bright Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$19.95

Regals Stampin' Write Markers

$28.95

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

$5.95

Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Old Olive Assortment

$11.95

Color Me Autumn Designer Washi Tape

$4.95

Gold Basic Metal Buttons

$7.95

Mossy Meadow 3/8" Satin Stitched Ribbon

$8.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Nov 6, 2014 5:00:00 AM | Card making, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you, Thanksgiving

October 12, 2014

A Pals Paper Arts Birthday Card

Here is a quick and fun birthday card using this weeks Pals Paper Arts Challenge colors.

I did a little tweak from the PPA Color Palette as I used Whisper White instead of Very Vanilla. The background comes the Confetti Celebration DSP pack.

The sentiment is from the Occasions 4 You stamp set. I cut it out using a framelit from the Chalk Talk Framelits but leaving one end hanging over one end and then turning it around to cut the opposite end.

Here is a shot of the inside of the card:

This stamp is from the Amazing Birthday stamp set (I masked off the bottom of the stamp). I used another stamp from this stamp set to embellish the envelope (see above).

I think it is a great card for an October birthday.

Thanks for stopping by. Stop back tomorrow to learn about new products coming out in just ONE week!

Michelle

Stampin' Up Supplies Used: Please click on images below for more details or easy, on-line shopping 24/7!

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Confetti Celebration Designer Series Paper

$10.95

Basic Black 3/4" Chevron Ribbon

$8.95

Twine Baker's Whisper White

$2.95

Occasions 4 You Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$18.95

Occasions 4 You Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$14.95

Chalk Talk Framelits Die

$24.95

Stampin' Dimensionals

$3.95

Liquid Multipurpose Glue

$3.95

Amazing Birthday Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$28.95

Amazing Birthday Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$20.95

1-1/4" Circle Punch

$15.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Oct 12, 2014 5:00:00 AM | Birthday, Card making, PPA Color Challenges

October 02, 2014

Super Simple Card for Pals Paper Arts

It is the start of the month so the Pals Paper Arts challenge this week is a color challenge. And the colors are beautiful together.

Last month we were in Chicago to take our youngest to college and the leaves were just starting to change. These colors reminded me of the tips of many of the leaves.

While this card design is super simple I really think it is very pretty. The Magnificent Maple stamp (retired) has so much texture to it that it steals the show. The oak leaf and the sentiment are from the For All Things stamp set in the Holiday Catalog.

The rounded corners flow nicely with the sentiment punched out with the Extra-Large Oval punch and layered over the Decorative Label Punch.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope I inspired you to create today and join the fun over at the Pals Paper Arts Challenge.

Michelle

Stampin' Up Supplies Used: Please click on images below for more details or easy, on-line shopping 24/7!

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$6.95

Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

$8.50

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

So Saffron Classic Stampin' Pad

$5.95

For All Things Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$24.95

For All Things Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$17.95

Decorative Label Punch

$16.95

Extra-Large Oval Punch

$16.95

Punch Corner Project Life

$7.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Oct 2, 2014 5:00:00 AM | Card making, Friendship, PPA Color Challenges, Thank you, Thanksgiving

September 04, 2014

Hello Fall

Happy Thursday! Today is another Pals Challenge. This week we have our Color Challenge and I love the color combination. Thse colors say Fall to me, so I wanted to welcome Fall in!

The textured background was created by simply inking up my Woodgrain Textured Embossing Folder and then running it through the Texture Boutique Machine (the Big Shot would work as well). I like the graininess the ink created on the card stock. I simply washed my Embossing folder with warm water and toweled it dry.

The feathers are from one of the wonderful Bundles in the Holiday Catalog. These are so simple and fun to create. The sentiment is from another new stamp set, For All Things. A couple of circle punches, a piece of Blackberry Bliss Ribbon and some dimensionals give the card the finishing touches.