The 'Ugly Paper' challenge

So for the Scrap and Crop event this past weekend we had an 'Ugly Paper' challenge where each person in our group brought a piece of what they felt was 'ugly paper' from their stash and some accompanying papers. We than randomly exchanged papers with others and than were challenged to come up with a layout hopefully turning the 'ugly paper' into something useful. 

This is the two page layout I created using my Ugly paper I received with the brown accent paper and the black circle accent ... which I used to scrap so photos of me doing my school co-op placements back in high-school!

The minute I opened up the bag to reveal my paper I just knew that the Precious Butterfly stamp set was perfect to bring out the beauty in the paper ! 

I cut the larger pieces of paper in half and removed an inch from both pieces of the brown and punched them along with the Pinking Hearts Border and mounted both the patterned paper with a brown trip and brown embossed strip on a So Saffron back drop. 

I than embossed the brown with the Precious Butterfly stamp set in clear and the Black circle with Copper embossing powder (no retired) and than accented the Butterfly Wings Embosslit folder and some half back pearls!

And while this color combination is not something that would have jumped out at me in a store I am pleased with how well it came together and was totally impressed to see how everyone else turned their 'ugly papers' into works of art!

Happy Stampin'

Just Believe in Paisley

Another quick and simple card featuring our Designer Series Paper - Paisley Petals ... DSP makes a very nice accent to card making ... this card was a quick less than 5 minute card. 

Main card color is Certainly Celery, versamarked with the Just Believe floral stamp and sentiment with some Calyspo Coral Butterflies from the Butterfly Wings embosslit that were sponged with some Frost White shimmer paint and adhered with glue dots so that the wings can remain 3D.

The front of the page is torn to reveal a piece of 2 inch by 5.5 inch DSP on the inside of the card.

Happy Stampin'

Got My Mojo Back

Well after what has felt like forever the kitchen renos are finally all done and everything is unpacked and back in their new cabinet homes - I took lots of pictures before and after to make a digital scrapbook to share soon - however in the meantime I wanted to play with my new toys!

This is a card featuring the new Decoratively Doilies stamp set from the 2011-12 Catty that will be unveiled on Friday!

Also loving the new 2011-12 In Colors .... this design made use of Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade and Wisteria Wonder ... only one missing was the Island Indigo.

The Thanks So Much stamp from the Swirls & Curls Verses stamp set below can still be yours for free - just host a qualifying workshop before August 31st and you could choose this Hostess set from the Summer mini - isn't it just so whimsical?

The new Doily Triple Layer punch in the Summer Mini is a wonderful compliment to the Delicately Doilies stamp set in the new catty!

I cannot wait to play some more with this set .... the possibilities are endless!

Butterfly Wing Hybrd

Another card from last weeks Stamp a Stack ... I just love the way this one turned out and cannot wait to send it out to someone!

This card features the Elegant Bouquet emboss folder sponged with Melon Mambo and Old Olive embellished with Butterfly Wings Embosslit to make a rainbow of butterflies and a hybrid sentiment done with the Medium Oval punch and highlighted with the Melon Mambo Scallop Oval and some pretty little half back pearls for bling to finish it off!

Up close of the hybrid sentiment done in My Digital Studio ... one of my challenges as a demo is that sometimes I tend to be drawn to the 'image stamp sets' and therefore do not have as large a selection of sentiments ... making the hybrid cards allows some wonderful versatility in creating personalized sentiments that fit right into our punches as well as using the 'designer stamp' sentiments ... this hybrid sentiment features the stamp from Chat Room Thoughts of You and Artistic Etchings.