Margaret Moody

A Cheerful, Happy Hi!

I'm thrilled to be the Pals Paper Arts Featured Artist this week and excited to be able to share with you the card I created for the first PPA sketch challenge, known as PPA2!  I'm also excited to tell you that I designed the sketch for this week's challenge!  I hope my sketch will inspire you to play along with me and my fellow Pals!  I love bright colors and pretty flowers!  This card delivers both, along with a cheerful message to the recipient!  I think the flowers look like a summer bouquet of happy zinnias!

All supplies used for this card are Stampin' Up!, unless noted otherwise:

• I started with a standard size card base in Tempting Turquoise.  A layer of Real Red receives the "faux stitching" treatment, courtesy of a White uni-ball Signo Gel Pen.  My ribbon collection provided a perfect match in a cheerful polka dot, tied neatly across the width of the red layer in a simple bow. Whisper White matted with Summer Sun makes a perfect "planting spot" for my pretty flowers! 

• I used the Scallop Circle punch to punch out one circle each in Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, and Pink Passion cardstock to make the base layer for each flower.  Paper Snips were used to make each petal by cutting between each scallop toward the center (be careful to not cut all the way to the center). Next, I stamped the flower image from the Best Wishes & More set (one of my absolute favorite current sets) onto Whisper White card stock in Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, and Pink Passion classic ink. Each image was cut out with Paper Snips and added atop each matching scallop circle with a Pop-Up Glue Dot to make it pop!  Two circles for each flower center were punched from Summer Sun card stock using a 3/8" circle punch. One circle was glued directly onto the center of each stamped flower.  A second circle, sprinkled with random dots made with a Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write marker, was popped on top of the first circle with a Stampin' Dimensional to complete the flower.  The flowers were attached using Stampin' Dimensionals.  More dimension was added to each flower by simply pulling (or slightly bending) every other "petal" foward on each flower base (the scallop circle). The final result is a flower that really "blooms"!

• Making leaves was quick and easy with the 5-Petal Flower punch, Paper Snips, and a paper Crimper!  Two flowers were punched from Certainly Celery card stock and each flower was cut into 5 equal pieces, cutting between each petal towards the center (imagine cutting a five-pointed star into equal pieces).  Each petal was transformed into a pretty leaf by folding it in half lengthwise and running it through a paper Crimper at an angle.  Each "new leaf" was unfolded and the edges and center rib (center fold line) were shaded using the brush tip end of a Certainly Celery Stampin' Write marker.  Leaves were tucked carefully under the flowers and held in place with Mini Glue Dots. Quick and easy!

• The friendly greeting was achieved by inking up the sentiment from the Fundamental Phrases set with Jet Black StazOn ink and stamping onto Whisper White card stock. The message was quickly punched out with the Word Window punch and added with Mini Glue Dots.
  

Stamp Sets:  Best Wishes & More (111602), Fundamental Phrases (114968) 
Paper/Cardstock:  Tempting Turquoise (102067), Pumpkin Pie (105117), Real Red (102482), Pink Passion (102762), Whisper White (100730), Summer Sun (103124), Certainly Celery (105125)
Ink:  Pumpkin Pie classic (105216), Real Red (103133), Pink Passion (101212), Jet Black StazOn (101406), Stampin' Write markers - Pumpkin Pie (105115), Certainly Celery (105106)
Tools:  Scallop Circle punch (109043), 5-Petal Flower punch (109041), Word Window punch (105090), 3/8" circle punch (EK Success), White uni-ball Signo Gel Pen (105021), Paper Snips (103579), Crimper (101618)
Adhesives:  Mini Glue Dots (103683), Pop-Up Glue Dots (104183), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425)
Extras:  Ribbon/Orange Polka Dot (ribbon fX) 

What are you waiting for?!!!  Now it's your turn to play along and create a card for PPA2 and join in the fun!  Post your creation to your blog or a public gallery.  When uploading your project to an online gallery, make sure you use the keyword:  PPA2.  The sketch challenge officially closes at Noon (CST) Tuesday, August 11th.  I can't wait to see how the sketch inspires you!  Thanks for stopping by!

For a Friend

I'm a member of Mary Fish's downline known as the Stampin' Pretty Pals.  Last week was the exciting launch of the wonderful new Pals Paper Arts challenge blog!  If you haven't visited the Pals Paper Arts blog yet, what are you waiting for?  We have a resident design team of talented stampers dedicated to using Stampin' Up! products. They're committed to bringing you weekly challenges that are fun and creative and sure to inspire!  You don't have to use Stampin' Up! products to play along...use any products you have!  We just want you to play!

I played around and created this card for the first challenge (PPA1), a color challenge using Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay and Chocolate Chip.  For the most part, I used all Stampin' Up! products, but remember, that's not required!  I have to admit this challenge was a "true challenge" for me because I'm not really fond of the color combo (Sorry fellow Pals)! However, that didn't diminish my desire to participate!

• I started with a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Chocolate Chip card stock scored in the middle and folded for a standard size card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  Placing the fold of the card on the left, I used a Corner Rounder punch to round the top right and bottom right corners for a clean, contemporary look.

• I sorted through my Patterns Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up! and chose a Boho Blooms pattern in Bermuda Bay and paired it with a Polka Dot pattern in Melon Mambo. The Bermuda Bay piece is 1" x 4" and the Melon Mambo piece is a perfect square of 4" x 4".  The Corner Rounder punch was used again to trim the top right and bottom right corners of the Melon Mambo paper to match the card base.  Both pieces were adhered to the card base, leaving a 1/4" border around the entire card.

• For the sentiment, I used one of my favorite messages from the Great Friend stamp set. I stamped the message in Chocolate Chip classic ink on a 1 1/2" x 3 3/8" piece of Whisper White card stock and rounded the top right and bottom right corners with the ever useful Corner Rounder punch.  I used the Boho Blossoms punch and assorted pieces of Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay DSP to punch out the flower layers used to create the blossom. The center of the blossom is a brad that I had in my stash of embellishments that just happened to match Melon Mambo perfectly!  The folded piece of striped ribbon is from ribbon Fx and attached underneath the blossom with a couple of Glue Dots.  I used Glue Dots to attach the blossom to the white card stock piece and to the card as well.

• The pleated faux ribbon was achieved using a 5/8" x 12" strip of solid Chocolate Chip paper from the Patterns Designers Series Paper pack.  This is a great substitute when you don't have ribbon in a particular color or size!  Faux stitching is courtesy of a Uni-ball Signo Gel Pen (no need to own a sewing machine!).  Cut your paper strip first, "stitch" with your gel pen next (let dry completely), then pleat and attach to your card using Sticky Strip.  

Remember to visit Pals Paper Arts to see all the great cards posted for the first PPA challenge. Join me and my fellow Pals this Thursday, August 6th for the next challenge!  I hope my creations inspire you to take out your paper, scissors, adhesive, stamps and other supplies to make something fun today!  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you'll visit again!

For Someone Special!

This bright, bold card was made for someone special...my oldest daughter who recently celebrated her 21st birthday!  I didn't get to spend her birthday with her because she's away at college, but she has a great group of friends who celebrated her special day with her. Happy Birthday, Kitty!  

The inspiration for this card came from a photo of Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique in Houston, TX. Mary Fish of Stampin' Pretty is my upline and, as a member of Mary's Stampin' Pretty Pals, we have the opportunity to participate in challenges posted on our members only blog. The photo taken of the interior of the boutique was posted for a recent inspiration challenge for our Pals to participate in.  

   

I wanted my card to evoke the obvious design elements used in the boutique's decor - the black & white graphics, the black built-in cabinetry, the pink walls, the green background of the display shelves, and, most importantly, the cupcakes! 

All supplies used for this card are from Stampin' Up!, unless noted otherwise:

• I started with a piece of Stampin' Up!'s Pixie Pink card stock.  A layer of Basic Black, trimmed at the top with the Scallop Edge punch, reaches across the width of the card.  A pretty, graphic flourish from the Frames with a Flourish set (retired) was stamped on a piece of clean Whisper White using ink in Basic Black and added atop the black layer.  

• A second layer in Basic Black spans the length of the card on the right hand side and is topped with a layer of Kiwi Kiss that has been snipped on the top left and right corners with a Ticket Corner punch.  A frame stamp from the Frames with a Flourish stamp set was inked using a Basic Black and stamped onto Whisper White, then snipped out using Paper Snips.  Added on top of the Kiwi Kiss layer, it makes the perfect "display case" for the featured cupcake.
  

• The delectable cupcake was made using a stamp from the Darling Dots stamp set (retired).  The first layer was stamped with Pink Passion, then cut out and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals. After cleaning my stamp with Stampin' Scrub, I re-inked the cupcake stamp again with Pixie Pink and cut out the frosting part only, adding it on top of the first layer and lining it up carefully.  I cleaned the stamp again and gathered my Stampin' Write Markers in Real Red and Chocolate Chip to add ink to the cherry.  After stamping the cherry, I carefully snipped it out using Paper Snips and added it to the top of the cupcake, using a Stampin' Dimensional that was cut into fourths.

• Final touches include a smart, striped ribbon (Offray/"Oxford Black") in classic black & white is wrapped around the width of the card and tied in a simple bow.  The perfect sentiment was added using yet another stamp from the Frames with a Flourish set and the Sweet Little Sentiments set (retired).  The curly frame was stamped in Basic Black onto Whisper White.  A Stamp-a-ma-jig was used for perfect placement of the message stamped in Pink Passion inside the frame.
      

A NEW PLACE TO PLAY!

In case you haven't heard, the Stampin' Pretty Pals recently launched their very own challenge blog, uniquely dedicated to using Stampin' Up! products in  a  variety of  fresh ways. Visit Pals Paper Arts to  view the inspirational samples created by our Pals design team.  I'm sure after seeing their creations, you'll be inspired to play along and participate in the first challenge, too!