Sugar Nellie Challenge #43 - Mistletoe

Have you seen the new Sugar Nellie Stamps? OMG - they are QUITE Adorable. Yesterday challenge #43 was posted here and the prize is YOUR CHOICE of either the New Sugar Nellie Country Cousins OR the new Sugar Nellie Manga Christmas. Yep, that is right - your choice of one of those SETS!! That is FOUR stamps just for posting a card and hoping that random.org selects yours. Of course, I would rather you not post as that gives me MANY more chances! :) This is my card: I had started coloring this image awhile back, but didn't like the way it was turning out - so I set it aside. Well, then I saw the sketch challenge and thought - hmm, that would work. So, I pulled out my FAVORITE DSP from Stampin' Up! This season - Deck the Halls and got to work - trimming, and cutting until I finished up my card. Of course, I didn't do a square (hope that doesn't disqualify me) but I followed the rest of the sketch and even threw in a few buttons - (the theme this time around). In addition to the DSP, I used brads from Basic Grey, and buttons from my stash. The ribbon is the gorgeous Early Espresso Satin ribbon - just love this stuff. And my cardstock base is Always artichoke with my new nesties cut from Cherry Cobbler.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have enjoyed your visit. Come back soon and see what other projects I am working on.

~Paula~

Trick or Treat!!

For those of you that really know me - you know I DON'T do Halloween. There is just something about the 'holiday' that I don't like. Oh, yeah - the little kids dressed up are adorable, but do we REALLY need to beg for candy every October 31st?? Anyway, thank you for allowing me that little 'soapbox' - now in spite of the fact that I don't like Halloween - I still managed to create this card with a Magnolia image that was sent to me. Now, I must say, for not liking the holiday - it was difficult to create this card - but I chose all the colors I DON'T like (or seldom use) - and you know what, it didn't turn out too bad! :) I like fall - as you read in an earlier post - however, I don't care for orange - it is just not the color that I grab whenever I want to make a card - so what's up with all the ORANGE this week??? Fall must be in the air!! I used the sketch for the Just Magnolia sketch this week. Check it out - they have a great prize awaiting you - but you have to participate.

Thanks for allowing me to reveal a part of me you might not have known - and for stopping by the spa today - I will have Christmas coming up next - so come back later for a peek at THAT card!!

~Paula~

Sugar Nellie on Marble

I LOVE the Sugar Nellie Images. I have managed to accumulate a few - but there is ALWAYS room for more. Awhile back I joined the All Things Sugar Nellie forum on Paper Craft Planet. Every week there is a challenge and every week there is a winner of THREE Sugar Nellie images of your choice from Funky Kits. This week the challenge is to make your own background paper - NO DSP allowed!! Well, when I saw that, I just KNEW what I was going to do. I love doing the Marble Stone affect - however, I learned many years ago how to do it with just reinkers and a bit of rubbing alcohol (instead of using alcohol inks like they do these days) I have tried doing it both ways, and I much prefer using the reinkers. For one thing - I have ALOT of dye ink reinkers and they worked beautifully on the glossy cardstock. I can also coordinate my marbled background with the other cardstock that I might use on my design. So, I had this piece of marbled cardstock sitting in my bag of scraps just waiting for the perfect opportunity to be used. I was going to have it be the entire backing, but then I played with it a bit more - even went off to work - and decided on this as my final design. I wasn't sure what sentiment to add, so have decided to leave that blank for now. I know she seems to be saying "Hello" or "Happy Birthday" or something along those lines, but I wasn't convinced. I colored her with my prisma color pencils and I was going for colors to coordinate - unfortunately, the metallic gold that I used on her 'fur' didn't quite come out that way. I honestly used gold - but it looks silver to me. I added the little pearls for the final touch.

Thanks for stopping by tonight - I am not sure if I will be posting any more cards tonight, but I am sure going to do some more creating - well, at least I HOPE too!!

~Paula~

Fall is in the Air!!

Fall is truly in the air here in my part of the world. I don't have the beauty of the trees to tell me, but the air is getting crisper and cooler. I love the fall - it is probably my favorite season with all the colors - and I sure wish at times that I lived in an area where I could see Fall. So, today I decided to make a Fall card and use some of the colors that I enjoy - the browns and all the tones, greens, reds. My sketch comes from the Stamping 411 challenge blog. I know, I am getting close to the deadline for submitting my card, but I still am getting it in before the link closes. The Stamping 411 blog has expanded and now they are including several other challenges throughout the week - so make sure you check them out. I used one of the new Fall sets from the Holiday Mini - and this was my first time using it. I love this set - I think it is quite versatile and I can see using this one ALOT!! I also used Cajun Craze for my background - this is one of the new colors and it is a nice Fall color. I did a bit of tearing and sponging - haven't done that in quite some time - so all around this was a fun card to put together.

Thanks for stopping by today - I may be posting more cards before the day is done, so stop by later.

~Paula~

Sugar Sweetie Hopeful!!

Over at the Sugar Bowl they have a design team search on. I have loved these Sugar Nellies ever since I discovered them several months ago. My stash of those sweeties is increasing and recently I got this lovely: I have only used her one other time - so decided that she was the perfect choice for making up my entry for the design team search. I have aspired to be on a Design Team somewhere out there in blogland, and so far, it has alluded me, Perhaps THIS will be the time and I DO LOVE coloring my Sugar Nellies. I used an old DSP from SU and coordinated the colors of my Prisma Color Pencils to the colors in the paper. I don't often use too much glitter because my cards often end up in the hands of the troops - but here I decided to use stickles on the flowers, the edge of her dress, the tips of her crown and along the neckline of her dress. Don't you just LOVE the rock of a diamond on her hand?? I decided that the sentiment had to be just as elegant as her - and wouldn't some little girl - or even an older girl love to receive this card for their birthday?

Well, off to the REAL Spa - but I am glad you found your way here to the paper spa. Just because I have to run off doesn't mean that you have too - stay and take a peek around, I have lot's to show you.

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon.

~Paula~

Christmas Notes

I know, it is not even close to Christmas - but it is getting closer - it will be here before you know it - so I am getting a jump on some fun Christmas gift ideas. I have to say I got this idea from Sandy Who got this idea from another stamper and then shared it with me. There are all kinds of ideas out there for Post-It note holders, but I hadn't seen this one yet and I thought it was just plain adorable. Now the dimensions for this project are as follows: Take an 11" x 4-1/4" piece of cardstock and score it at 2-3/4" and 5-1/2". Then take a piece of cardstock 2" x 2-1/2" and score it at 1/2", 1", 1-1/2", and 2". This will be the pen holder and you will use red-liner tape to stick it to the card base and also the bottom of the folded card.This will keep the folded part of the card standing upright and provide a place for your pen. I decorated it for the challenge on the Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central which was to make anything but a card and of course, use something on your project that they sell in their online store. I chose to use this adorable Magnolia image.This challenge has been up for awhile, and I have been trying to decide what I was going to do for this one. So, this morning when I saw this gift idea, I decided to 'throw' one together. I really like this cute little Tilda - sitting on top of her ribbon, just helping to take down all those holiday notes that you know are sure to happen. I stabalized the bottom with a piece of chipboard that I had laying around - covering it with the new DSP from Stampin' Up! I LOVE this paper - it is so versatile and just perfect for the holidays. I still have to get some more of those RSVP pens that you can decorate in many different ways. I will probably place a piece of the DSP in the barrel to match. I hope you have enjoyed this little project.
I am hoping to get some more cards done this morning before I head off to work - so come back for a visit later - and bring a cuppa.

Thanks for stopping by the spa
~Paula~

Fall Card

Have you ever wondered why you like some cards that you create and you don't others? Have you ever thought it might be the color choices? Today I have been working with orange colors and I am not fond of orange. Oh, I love the color in nature in the Fall when the trees start to turn - but using it on cards and coloring with it - it just isn't my top choice. So, I have not been real crazy about the items I have made today using orange. The Magnolia's are adorable - just not in orange! :) This Cutie I did for the Magnolia Stamp Lovers Challenge which is to do a Fall themed card. Using the colors of Fall - reds, oranges, browns, greens - I can picture the beautiful colors in nature - it just didn't make it to my card. I used an image that was sent to me and the sentiment is from one of the new sets from Stampin' Up!

Well, I need to clear my table and choose another color - perhaps I will do PINK - for a Sugar Nellie Challenge - I haven't played with my Sugar Nellies for a few days and they are getting jealous of Tilda!!

Come back real soon - I will have more before the day is done.

~Paula~

Tilda on the Ladder

Hmm, What kind of a title is THAT? I don't know!! Somehow, title's escape me this morning - but that is probably okay, since the creative mojo is going in another direction and I can't be too concerned about titles this morning! :)
I had SUCH fun doing up this project for the Magnolia-licious Highlites Challenge Blog The challenge was to pull out the Bon Voyage Stamps and create a card AND either a backpack or a mini suitcase You will see my choice a little later, but first I wanted to share my card with you. Now, I was not able to order this set, though it is still available and I may order some of these fun stamps - but in the meantime, I have some wonderful internet friends I have met on the Magnolia forums and they have been generous in sending me images to play with. Of course, I created this card AFTER I did my little project. Now, WHY I chose these colors is beyond me. I am not an 'orange' kind of girl - it is probably the last color I would choose. HOWEVER, I was thinking of another challenge that was asking for Fall cards and thought I would make one with those colors in mind. I am also trying to slowly use up some of the retired DSP from Stampin' Up! and this was a good way to use it. I don't have too much with the color pumpkin pie in it, but this paper with Chocolate Chip in it worked fine. Interestingly, this particular paper pack has some wonderful winter papers in it, so will probably do another one of these projects with a completely different theme. Anyway, back to my project - so after I made the little suitcase - BTW - isn't it just plain adorable?? I think so!! I created my card in the same fashion - to look like a suitcase. I used the little slivers from the suitcase for my corners on the card - absolutely NO waste there! :) After I was all done, I thought, it is a suitcase, so what am I going to put in it? Well, it was quite obvious to me that it needed some little notecards. So, I measured my little suitcase and created these little cards to go inside.Now, depending on how you create your little project, you could put 'Thank You' cards in the suitcase, or a variety of little cards for the recipient. Here is the complete project - my Tilda card along with her suitcase and notecards. I believe she is all set to embark on her journey and has note cards in tow so that she can send snippets of her journey back to her friends.
Thanks for stopping by on your journey around blogland today. I do hope you will come back for a visit real soon - perhaps we will enjoy a cuppa in the Paper Spa, but until then - have a Gorgeous Day!!

~Paula~

One Card - Many Challenges

Today has been a sort of productive day - but not alot of crafting going on. However, I did work on ONE card - that has taken me most of the afternoon to do. Not sure why it took me so long - maybe it was checking on all the challenges that I am entering this one in.

This little princess is all dressed in her lilac dress just waiting for the party to start. I colored her with my Prisma Color Pencils (my coloring tool of choice right now). I love this retired DSP from Stampin' Up! It is called Cottage Wall and it coordinates perfectly with the Rich Razzleberry. I chose my pencils to coordinate as well. I know the lace doesn't match - it is a pale yellow, however, I wanted to add the lace for one of the challenges - so I did the bow and then I tried this new technique of ruffling as you glue the lace/ribbon. It is a really easy technique and was fun to do. Here is a closer look at my flower arrangement. I added Diamond Stickles for added sparkle to the flowers.
I am entering this fun card in the following challenges:

7 Kids College Fund Challenge #3 - A Recipe: 1 Image carried by 7 Kids College Fund; 2 Designer Papers; 3 Flowers; 1 Sparkly Item
Just Magnolia Challenge Blog Week 70 - a Sketch
Totally Tilda Challenge #4 - Lilac and Lace

Now I am off to create another card for several more challenges - so come on back later and see what I have made.

~Paula~

Blog Candy!!!

In the world of Magnolia Stamps - there are MANY generous Crafters. Ying is one of them that has a wonderful Blog Candy posted on her blog today. She is celebrating her birthday - and wouldn't you like to celebrate with her?


She is giving away this blog candy that has been generously donated by Magnolia Sweden. You will have a chance to win 2 of the stamps that are featured here along with a a few other goodies - but you must go check out her blog for the details. Just click on the matching picture in the side-bar and it will take you to her candy post.

~Paula~