Crafting

A Paper Players Sketch Challenge with Hugs

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

PP264 Too Kind Hugs

As a guest designer for The Paper Players, I think Sketch Challenges are my favorite.  (I love a good color or theme challenge too!  – – – Heck – I guess I just love a paper challenge – eh?!)

This week, Claire presented us with this sketch for PP264 that I really fell in love with, so my card is pretty true to the sketch.

I haven’t used the StampinUp “Too Kind” flower stamp in a while.  I love it’s versatility and layers, so I did it in Autumn pumpkiny colors to pop off the black and (very vanilla) white background of the rest of the card.

pp264 too kind hugs flat

What would you do with this sketch challenge?  Join us!  I’d love to see your interpretation and creative expression of this sketch.

For my card, I used the following “ingredients:”

  • Stampinup (SU) Black and Very Vanilla Card Stock
  • SU Typeset Specialty DSP
  • SU Inks in:  Pumpkin, Tangelo Twist, Tangerine Tango, Mossy Meadow
  • Memento Black Ink
  • SU Too Kind Stamp Set
  • Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler Stamp (Hugs)
  • SU metal button
  • Black and White Bakers Twine
  • SU Adorning Accents Edgelit
  • Black Script Washi Tape

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Warm Thoughts of Fall Card

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

PP263 Fall CAS Challenge

This Wednesday, September 23, 2015 is the first day of Fall – the Autumnal Equinox – here in Mars and the rest of us in the Northern Hemisphere, so Happy Fall Y’All!

And this week’s Paper Player’s Challenge (#PP263) is to “Create a Fall Scene.”

PP263 Fall CAS Challenge 2

I’ve been having warm thoughts of Fall as this past week has to have been the most gorgeous ever that I can recall in recent history.  Seriously amazing here in Mars!  Crisp, cool mornings and evenings, pure blue sunny, sunshiney days, and NO humidity!  The birds seem happy, Charlie is in his glory, the windows and doors are wide open, and I even got hubby to sit out on the deck with me a little bit!

I am cherishing these glorious Fall moments!

For my Paper Players Design Team Inspiration card this week, I used:

Hope my paper crafting friends will join our challenge, and those who aren’t just enjoy the warm thoughts I send with this card and post!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

/ Jodi / 35 Comments

Fall Leave Doodlewash Watercolor Card 091315

Like the beautiful leaves of Autumn…

each unique

individual

and beautiful in their own way…

Fall Leaf Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful Watercolor Card

Be your own kind of Beautiful.

Wouldn’t want you any other way!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

A Color Challenge Card for The Paper Players

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

PP262 Wplus9 Hello Die Cut

This week’s Paper Players Challenge (#262) is a color challenge rich with Fall colors – Tangelo Twist, Lost Lagoon, and So Saffron.

For my design team inspiration card this week, I stamped the three colors randomly onto an acrylic block, spritzed it was a light mist of water, and then placed my paper on top to transfer the abstract image.

Once dry, I added a simple wreath of twine,  a black die-cut ‘hello’ sentiment, and finished it off with a few coordinating sequins.

PP262 Wplus9 Hello Die Cut 2

I matted this with black onto white card stock to create my simple Fall color-inspired greeting card.

For those that remember the wedding card I posted last week, this is the other card I mentioned that would feature the twine wreath.

Hope my paper crafting friends will join us with your creativity for this week’s color challenge at The Paper Players!  We love seeing what you do with it.

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi

Lunchbox Love – Notes for Kids

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

PP261 Cheerful Critters Schoolhouse DSP

Happy Sunday!

It’s time for another Paper Players Design Team inspiration card.  This week’s challenge (PP#261) is a theme challenge:  Lunchbox Love – Notes for Kids.

It is back-to-school time for many, and how sweet is it to put a little note in your child’s lunch box or bag to brighten their day?

I recall writing little notes on napkins or cutting out heart-shaped pieces of papers on occasion when my boys were little.

That time flew by so fast.

My boys are grown, but they still get handmade cards.  And oh how I love when I receive a handmade card from them – even now!

So here is my design team card, and I can’t wait to send it to a sweet little one that needs some encouragement or a congratulations on a job well done.

For this card, I used the StampinUp Cheerful Critters Stamp Set and Schoolhouse Designer Series Paper.  I purposely offset my “framing” to show our kiddos that they don’t have to be perfect or “stay in the lines” (since I obviously didn’t!).  A silver metal button and white baker’s twine bow finished it off.

You know – no matter how old we are – any of us would appreciate a little “lunchbox love” – eh?   I hope this will encourage you to send a little note to someone you love.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Wedding Day for a Perfect Pair

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

CJ Candace Wedding Card hello life simply wonderful bird punch

It’s wedding day for C.J. and Candace!  (You might remember photos from Candace’s shower a few weeks ago.)

I couldn’t wait to make a special card to celebrate these two cute lovebirds.  They are a Perfect Pair.

My youngest son is a groomsman in the wedding, and we are looking forward to celebrating this special day.  Nick and C.J. were “roomers” in college and have remained good friends.

CJ Candace Wedding Card hello life simply wonderful bird punch 2

Candace is a country girl at heart and their wedding has a rustic theme, so I loved using some leftover burlap ribbon and lace from Jake and Colleen’s (my oldest son and daughter-in-law’s) wedding two years ago for this special card.

I had recently seen Dawn at Petals. Paper. SimpleThymes make a twine wreath and loved the look.  Thanks for the great idea to CAS Dawn!  (You’ll be seeing another card next Sunday for The Paper Players Challenge #262 using this twine wreath too on a completely different card).

I used the StampinUp Bird Punch for the leaves and love birds and the Hello Life Stamp Set to heat emboss the “love” sentiment in gold.

Looking forward to celebrating love today!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Lovely as a Tree

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

PP259 Lovely as a Tree Masculine Birthday Card
It’s Sunday again, and that means design team inspiration for The Paper Players!

This week’s challenge (#PP259) is a sketch challenge, and here is the sketch we were to use to design a card from:

I needed a birthday card this past week for a dear friend who is hitting one of those biggie decade birthdays so thought I would use the design to make his card.

pp259 2

I used my ALL TIME favorite most versatile stamp set in the entire world (I might be exaggerating a teensy bit, but hopefully you get my point).  Lovely as a Tree from StampinUp was one of my very first stamps I bought, and one that I still use often – Winter, Fall, Summer, Christmas, Masculine, Feminine.  Such great versatility.

pp259 3

I think I did pretty good sticking close to the design sketch and like how this birthday card turned out for our special friend.

Play along with us – any of you paper players!  I’d love to see what you design with this sketch.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Expressing in Abstract Watercolor

/ Jodi / 15 Comments

blue flower abstract watercolor card

Sometimes I just want to splash water and paint on paper.  Can anyone relate?

I have no subject in mind, don’t feel like sketching, just want to express….

color….   feelings….  heart…. love…. maybe a little bit of peace or beauty.

abstract purple watercolor flower card

These two cards were the result of that – done a week or so apart when I just needed to splash in paint puddles.

Not much talent at all involved here, but a great experience.  And… if my very un-educated expressions in watercolor inspire anyone to step outside their comfort zone and try – and then find the joy – my heart is filled.

These turned into note cards I needed to use recently to express sympathy to a few friends who lost loved ones.

I hope they feel the love, and it brings them a bit of peace.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Perfect Pairs Wedding Shower Gift

/ Jodi / 49 Comments

Perfect Pairs Wedding Shower Gift Basket

Yesterday I shared the beautiful celebration of this adorable and perfect pair,  Candace and C.J. at the bridal shower I attended for Candace this past weekend.

perfect pair wedding shower gift framed photo

And, as promised, here is the “Perfect Pair” gift basket I made as my gift for them.

perfect pair wedding shower gift chip and dip bowl

It was so much fun trying to think of perfect pairings to include in this gift basket.

perfect pair wedding shower gift chips and dip salsa

I am sure there are so many more pairs you can think of, and you can customize the gift for your “perfect pair.”

perfect pair wedding shower gift cutting board and knife

Some things are simply practical, and others I found on Candace’s gift registry.

perfect pair wedding shower gift salt and pepper

Does anything “pair” better than peanut butter and jelly?

perfect pair wedding shower gift peanut butter and jelly

A pair of gloves just made perfect sense.

perfect pair wedding shower gift pair of gloves

I also had fun creating all the pear/pair tags with a variety of watercolor wash colors…

perfect pair wedding shower gift fork and spoon

and thinking of little things that would make their home cozy and special.

perfect pair wedding shower gift candle and light

Pen and paper… will they scribble little love notes?  create shopping lists?  wish lists?

perfect pair wedding shower gift pen and paper

A fun bag or basket pulls it all together and adds to the fun and practicality of the gift.

Perfect Pairs Wedding Shower Gift

If you are looking for a fun and creative bridal shower gift, consider this idea for your perfect pear  pair!

pear purple watercolor

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Let’s Get Beachy

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

PP258 Wetlands Beach Theme

This week’s theme at The Paper Players is to make a “Clean & Simple” Beach-Themed card, so for my #PP258 design team inspiration card, I used a watercolor abstract I had made when I was at the beach recently.

I stamped some cute little seagulls on it from the StampinUp Wetlands Stamp Set.  Then I simply added a black die-cut “hello” greeting, matted the scene in black, and put on a crumb cake card stock.  Voila – a clean and simple “Let’s Get Beachy” card.

PP258 Wetlands Beach Theme

Hope some of you will join us this week at The Paper Players with your interpretation of “Let’s Get Beachy!”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi