Saturday, April 30, 2011

Challenge #44 Sketch Challenge Winners


Wow! What a terrific week of creations for this week's sketch. Thank you to all who played along with us! Your cards were lovely and I enjoyed looking into your blogs! This week the design team has chosen such delightful cards as their cut above choices! It was really was a challenge to choose this week!!

The Cut Above Winners for this week are:

Ann's Choice - Carrie Gaskin - Artistic Avenger
I can never say enough about Carrie Gaskin's cards. I am a huge fan of her vintage style, and this card is a perfect example of her work. Starting with the vintage color combination of Bravo Burgundy, River Rock, Early Espresso and Not Quite Navy, detail after wonderful detail strengthen the vintage theme. The Twill Tape, the manifest stamped onto Newsprint Designer Series Paper, the collage of images, the perfect sentiment...what more can I say! Congratulations, Carrie! You are my Cut Above!

LeAnne's Choice - Terry Blais of Goin' Over the Edge

Oh my, when I saw Terry's card, I was in love! The colors she used were what caught my eye first; so very pretty! But when I zoomed in and saw that lovely flower stamped on the newsprint and colored so delicately, the butterfly perched above and that antique brad, I was doubly smitten! Very, very pretty creation---congrats on being my Cut Above, Terry!!! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Jen's Choice - Stacey Schafer - Stacey's Stamping Stage

I absolutely love the colors that Stacey has chosen for her son's birthday card. The different shades of blue and orange are just perfect for little boys! The distressed edges of the designer paper along with that big button and cog are perfect accents. All of the stamps and elements she's chosen go together so perfectly, I'm sure her son will love it. Congrats, Stacey!

Jaydee's choice: Cam


I love the colors in Cam's card. They are really summery and fun. Perfect for the image. I also loved the way she scrunched the polka dot ribbon and tied the ribbon to the embossed layer. The double tab layer with the green and white was such a great idea. This card made me happy, and warm, just looking at it! Congratulations, Cam.

Anne Marie's Choice: Susan Joyce of Cat's Ink-Corporated

Susan's stunning poppy card jumped out at me immediately when I saw it! I love the bold image and the gorgeous color combo. I also really liked the cut out poppy overlapping the ribbon, the stamped background and the tiny bits of sparkle in the centers of the flowers. Such beautiful details that made this card a true stand-out to me. Congratulations, Susan on being my pick for A Cut Above! 


And the Headliner for my sketch is:

Lauri Ingram of Paperville

Not only were the colours she chose beautiful, I loved the ribbon treatment that Lauri used on this card! She also used the stamping off technique and I loved the flowers mixed with the En Francais background stamp. The vintage brad was the perfect finishing touch for this lovely card! Congratulations Lauri!

Join us tomorrow for our next challenge which is a fun theme challenge hosted by LeAnne.

Thank you to everyone who gave my sketch a whirl!
Smiles,
Lesley

Friday, April 29, 2011

Meet our May Guest Designer-Rita Wright

If you are looking for our current challenge please click HERE, the linky closes at midnight tonight!

What a wonderful month April turned out to be!  We had a lot of new players stopping by and joining in our challenges!  Thank you!  We also enjoyed peeking into your blogs and being inspired by you!  Jen Mitchell did a fabulous job being our Guest Designer for April!!!  Thanks Jen for all your wonderful creations and hardwork! 


Rita Wright

May is almost here and we are excited to welcome Rita Wright, from Cards by Rita, to our team for the month!!  Rita has a fabulous style that is all her own!  She is able to create Vintage, CAS and other styles with ease!  She is a lovely person too and we know that you will enjoy getting to know her as the month unfolds!

I asked Rita to share a bit about herself.  This is what she wrote...

Howdy from Texas!  I am so honored to be the guest designer for May.  I started doing paper crafts about seven years ago when a friend encouraged me to scrapbook my wedding photos.  I never intended to do anything beyond that, yet here I am about to celebrate my 1 year anniversary with Stampin’ Up!    Making my first card really got me hooked and I can’t say when I last made a scrapbook page that wasn’t digital.    I try to stamp something every day because of the joy and satisfaction that comes with creating.  I’m a challenge addict and give them credit for strengthening my skills and encouraging me to stamp more.  

I’m still in the process of figuring out what I want to be when I grow up.   If professional student ever becomes lucrative, I will have found my dream job as I love learning new things.   For now I’m enjoying being a demonstrator and sharing my love of stamping with others.    I am blessed to have an amazing husband who spoils me rotten, cooks me dinner every night, and tolerates my collection of cats. 

I am looking forward to designing along with these amazing ladies who inspire me so much.  

Thanks Rita!  We are looking forward to designing with you too!!!!

Join us here on Sunday for a brand new Theme Challenge from LeAnne!  We can't wait to play!

Thanks for stopping by!
Lesley and the Paper Players

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

There's Still Time to Play

There's still time to participate in Lesley's Sketch Challenge this week! To add your creation to the current challenge and to see the Design Team samples, please click Here.

 
Our Rules for Playing: 
  1. Create a NEW project for this challenge.
  2. Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit.
  3. Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
  4. Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
  5. Feel free to use any stamping products you have!
The linky will close on Friday, April 29th at Midnight (PST).

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Challenge #44-A Sketch from Lesley

Hello and welcome to the Paper Players! Lesley here! This week I have made up a simple sketch for you to try! Remember, the sky is the limit when it comes to sketches, feel free to flip it, rotate it or change the shapes just as long as the orginal design is still visible!  This is also our last week with Jen Mitchell as our Guest Designer. She has been a fabulous team player and has created such beautiful work! We enjoyed getting to know her! Thanks Jen! 


The Design Team Samples: (Nance is away this week)


Lesley Croghan

LeAnne Pugliese

Jaydee

Anne Marie Hile

Jen Mitchell (GD)

Ann Schach

Our Rules for Playing:
  1. Create a NEW project for this challenge.
  2. Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit.
  3. Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
  4. Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
  5. Feel free to use any stamping products you have!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Challenge #43 CAS Sketch Winners

Hi Everyone
Another amazing week of submission cards. We really loved what you did with the CAS sketch from this week. I can tell you, it was pretty hard choosing our winners!
The design team really enjoyed visiting each of your creations. We love that you play along each week and my the job of choosing our Cut Above's and Headliner harder every week.
Here are the design team choices for Cut Above:

Nance's choice: Rita Wright - Cards by Rita


Anyone who follows my blog knows that I ♥ woodgrain so Rita's card caught my eye right away! I love how she has used fabulous designer paper but kept the design perfectly clean-and-simple. And while most of us struggle over masculine cards, Rita's card makes it so easy! To top it all off....who can resist that sweet little owl? Not me, and that's why Rita is my Cut Above this week...congratulations Rita!

Ann's Choice: Regina Mangum - The Stampin' Bean


Classy and elegant are two words that summarize this beautiful card by Regina Mangum. Once again, Regina has added her special touches, such as the "shelf" on which the jars rest and the gorgeous bow in the corner. To top it all off, she created this card in 20 minutes...from start to finish!Congratulations, Regina, on being my choice for "A Cut Above"!

Lesley's Choice: Bonnie Klass- Stamping with Klass


Soft and pretty, this card created by Bonnie Klass caught my eye right away! I love that the flower was in her stash box, left over from another project! The colours look so pretty and I love the way her flower was created and then snipped out! This card is clean and simple and looks easy to create but still packs a big wow factor! Congratulations Bonnie!

LeAnne's Choice - Julie E

Julie's card just makes me "happy happy happy!" I think these three little paper-pieced doggies are the cutest thing ever! Julie creates interest by having their leashes disappear off the page, making you use your imagination about that harried dog walker! So clever! The three dogs and the three words make a very balanced, well-put-together card, but it still keeps its simplicity! Love it! Congratulations, Julie!

Jen's Choice: Linda
The leafy layers that Linda has created on her card are just fabulous. The colors are so earthy and get just the right pop from the sweet pink flowers. The gold ribbon and the embossing really add to the elegance of this card. Congrats Linda!

Anne Marie's Choice: Pauline

I just loved Pauline's adorable elephant card with the fun mix of colors. The little popped-up ear and the tiny "peanut" tag were the perfect additions to her clean and simple design. Such a sweet card to welcome a new, little "peanut" to the world! Congratulations, Pauline on being my pick for A Cut Above this week!

And... here is our Headliner for this week

Jaydee's Choice: Theresa
I never use white, black and yellow and when I see a card like this one, it always makes me wonder why! The butterflies look as though they are in flight against a bright sunny backdrop. The embossing on the top of the card base is just right... The fact that the sentiment is curved seems to fit so well with the other curved elements of this gorgeous card. Absolute clean and simple perfection. Theresa, congratulations on being chosen as our Headliner this week.

Fabulous cards everyone. Thank you for joining us again this week.
Jaydee

Thursday, April 21, 2011

There's Still Time to Play

There's still time to participate in Jaydee's Clean and Simple Challenge this week! To add your creation to the current challenge and to see the Design Team samples, please click Here.
 

Our Rules for Playing:

1. Create a NEW project for this challenge.
2. Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit.
3. Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
4. Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
5. Feel free to use any stamping products you have!
Be sure to post your project to the linky by Friday, April 22nd at Midnight (PST).
We look forward to visiting your blog!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Challenge #43: Clean and Simple Sketch



Hello and welcome to the Paper Players! Jaydee here, and it is my pleasure to host the Clean and Simple Challenge this week. You have until midnight on April 22nd to post your creation. We really look forward to seeing what you create using this very simple sketch.

Clean and Simple creations:
-use lots of white space
-use few or no embellishments
-use few layers

Now, let's take a look at the creations that our very talented design team have created for you as inspiration.

The Design Team Samples:

Lesley Croghan

LeAnne Pugliese

Jaydee
Anne Marie Hile

Nance Leedy
Ann Schach

Our April Guest Designer

Our Rules for Playing:
  • Create a NEW project for this challenge.
  • Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit
  • Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
  • Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
  • Feel free to use any stamping products you have!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Challenge #42: Colour Challenge Winners

Welcome to the Paper Players!
We were delighted to see your entries in our colour challenge this past week. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creations with us. You certainly made the Design Team members' task of selecting our winners a difficult one. Let's get right to the lucky winners!


A Cut Above:

Lesley's choice:
As I looked through the selection of wonderful cards created this past week, I kept being drawn to the hilarious and sweet card created by Pauline at the Pursuit of Stampin'ess. I really giggled when I first clicked on her card, such a clever use of stamps, ingenious really!! These colours are fun and bright and I feel that she captured the "mood" of them perfectly! I also loved how she used the flower brads...they look perfect on this card! Congratulations on being a Cut Above this week Pauline!

LeAnne's Choice - Teresa
Teresa's big bold flowers really made a statement! I loved that she embossed them first (something I never think to do!) and the buttons as the centers really carried the color theme through. The subtle embossing and twine, and the simple sentiment just made this card an all-around winner to me! Congratulations, Teresa!

 
Nance's choice - Julie DiMatteo
So many layers to love on Julie's bright and happy card! I love the way she incorporated the challenge colors with a layered blossom punch and how the center flower is different from it's neighbors. The trio of scalloped borders wrapped in baker's twine grounds the blossoms and adds fun and interest too--love it, Julie! Congratulations on being A Cut Above!

 
Anne Marie's Choice: Rach
I just love all of the awesome details on Rach's Kimono Kids card! She incorporated the challenge colors wonderfully in her beautiful coloring of that stamped image. There is a LOT to color on those little gals, too. Whew! I also love how she embossed the lanterns and dressed up the inside of the card, too. So pretty, in every way! Congratulations, Rach, on being a Cut Above this week!

Jen's Choice:
I just love the gingham paper on this card and how well it contrasts with the Poppy Parade stripes. Cindy did such a great job watercoloring the image and the paper pieced seat was an inspired "accident!" The unique way she tied the ribbon really brings it all together for me. Congrats Cindy!
Jaydee's Choice: Rosemary
I loved the way Rosemary made use of the colors on this fabulous card. The bottom DSP layered was tied to the top layer with color. I love the three butterflies. The distressed edges on the white card stock were perfect with the strong clean lines in the rest of the card. The multicolored flower helped to bring the Poppy Parade and So Saffron together. The scalloped border was the perfect finishing touch behind the vertical layer. Just fabulous. Congratulations, Rosemary.

The Headliner:

Ann's Choice - Geraldine Andrade
Texture! Pearls! Buttons and butterflies! This card by Geraldine Andrade of Mafer's Creations has it all! From the perfectly balanced use of the challenge colors to the paper piercing accents, the details exude happiness. However, it is the Daffodil Delight border, jumping right off the card, that captured my attention! Congratulations, Geraldine, for being my selection for this week's Headliner!

A big Paper Player thank you goes out to all of you who participated in this week's challenge. We hope that you will join us tomorrow for our next challenge. Our hostess will be Jaydee, and she has planned a challenge which you will love! The Paper Players can't wait to see what you create!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

There's Still Time to Play in Challenge #42: A Colour Challenge

There's still time to participate in Ann's Colour Challenge this week! To add your creation to the current challenge and to see the Design Team samples, please click Here.


Our Rules for Playing:

1. Create a NEW project for this challenge.
2. Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit.
3. Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
4. Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
5. Feel free to use any stamping products you have!

Be sure to post your project to the linky by Friday, April 15th at Midnight (PST).

We look forward to visiting your blog!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Challenge #42---A Colour Challenge


Hello and welcome to The Paper Players monthly color challenge! This month we have selected a trio colors that will be perfect for your Spring creations: Baja Breeze, Poppy Parade, and So Saffron. Whisper White may be used as a Neutral. Although the Design Team uses Stampin' Up! products, we want you to feel free to use any brand you like. If you don't have these same colors, don't despair...feel free to substitute with a similar hue! At The Paper Players, we are all about having fun!
The Design Team Samples:

LeAnne Pugliese - WeeInklings

Lesley Croghan - Always Playing with Paper

Jen Mitchell - I Create

Nance Leedy - Canopy Crafts

Anne Marie Hile - Stampin' Anne

Ann Schach - The Stampin' Schach

Our Rules for Playing:
  1. Create a NEW project for this challenge.
  2. Be sure to link your blog with a direct link to the post you would like us to visit.
  3. Please put a link on your post to our challenge.
  4. Create a project with only 3 challenges including our challenge.
  5. Feel free to use any stamping products you have!
Be sure to post your project to the linky by Friday, April 15th at Midnight (PST).
We look forward to visiting yor blog!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Challenge #41 - Recycling! Winners

Hi everyone! We were blown away by the creative recycled things you incorporated into your cards and projects this week! You really used your noggins and thought "outside the box"!!! So let's see the creations that tickled our design team's fancy! Congratulations to all of our winners!

The Cut Aboves:

Ann's Choice - Elizabeth Price
How cool is this! After drinking your Coke, make a flower from the can. And in the true spirit of recycling, Elizabeth made an envelope from packing paper to go with it. I love the button with the rhinestone brad, as well as the scalloped circle made from a plastic divider sheet. If anyone can make recyclables look classy, Elizabeth can! Congratulations on an awesome job!

Nance's choice: Linda Callahan

...And if anyone can take a mess of recycled stuff from the hubby's stash and make it look clean-and-simple, Linda can! Linda used so many great elements on her card: sandpaper, waffled packing paper and a plastic "thingy" but the all coordinate together with her clean-and-simple layout and natural color choices. She even used a grocery receipt! Congratulations Linda, you're my cut above!


Lesley's Choice: Julie Elak
Julie's bright and cheerful card made me smile! I love the designer papers she used and the way her buttons repeated the designer paper! She used cereal boxes to create the buttons and I think that is a terrific idea! I need to start saving those boxes! Then she cut out the buttons again with designer paper and glued them on top of the cereal button cut outs...so the buttons look sturdy and real. I love the fun colours too! Congratulations Julie!

Jaydee's Choice: Rosemary
I was first attracted to the bold color scheme that Rosemary had chosen for her card. I was amazed to find that this was one of the recycled pieces - from her energy utility company! I loved the repetition of stars (i love things in three!). The overall crisp, clean, bold colors and shapes really appealed to me. Clean and simple - and simply stunning! Congratulations, Rosemary.


Anne Marie's Choice: Mary de los Angeles
Mary is my pick for A Cut Above this week with her adorable card. I really liked the way she added so much fabulous detail to that piece of cardboard. The torn edges and scored lines add such great texture and dimension and I just LOVE that cool, woven ribbon treatment. Such a creative way to rescue an old box from the recycle bin! Congratulations, Mary! 

Jen's Choice: Rita

Rita's gorgeous salvaged ribbon really caught my eye! And the way she framed the Watercolor Trio images behind the butterfly is so pretty. With just a hint of Pear Pizzazz showing through those images, it calls to mind a window. A big, beautiful butterfly landed on that window and is highlighted with a wonderful row of pearls. The layers on the card, give it a great sense of dimension and the colors are perfect for spring!

And for the Headliner this week, LeAnne's choice:


Susie Wittwer - Inspired by Nature
What's not to love about Susie's lovely creation? She incorporated lots of lacy, glittery, vintage-ness into her softly-colored, "recycled" card! I particularly loved the beautiful ribbon she used---what a gorgeous shade of coral that is! (You should pop over to her blog to see the fun spool on which it is wound!!!) Anyone would love to receive this Easter card. Congratulations, Susie, on being our Headliner this week!