Ever have one of those weeks??  I'm just SO tired right now!  I feel like I could fall asleep on the spot, and if I'm sitting down, sometimes I doooooooooooooooooooooo....Huh?!  Oy vey!  Late night blogging doesn't help, and neither do early mornings. And I'm reading again at night - "Divergent" this time. I've got to get a handle on this!

I created a card for The Paper Players' Challenge #196:

Another Clean and Simple challenge with a floral theme.  I looked around for a stamp set that would let me feature the Stampin' Blendabilities alcohol markers again with a floral design and I came up with the Hostess Set, Simply Sketched, which is retiring in a week!

• I needed lots of white for Clean and Simple, but I wanted to incorporate my colour palette of
  
   
• So I got out my Gorgeous Grunge stamp set for a little blotch and splatter in Crisp Cantaloupe and Daffodil Delight.
• The main image from Simply Sketched is stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and coloured in with the Stampin' Blendabilities markers.  I will have a video for you on how to use them in a few days.  After stamping and colouring it in the main image and sentiment are diecut using the Deco Labels Collection Framelits.  I also diecut the same shape and size from Daffodil Delight cardstock and then cut in in half and removed the little points from the sides before adhering them to the back of the main image panel, each half a little offset in order to show a narrow margin above and below.
• With the addition of the In Colour Boutique detail, (also retiring soon) and some Linen Thread loops the card is completed.  Clean and Simple enough?  I think so!

I still have a few spots left in my Stamp of the Month Club, which will be starting in June!  Contact me by phone, 250-768-7379 or fill in the on-line registration sheet on the link and you will be ready to go for the new stamp set in June!  I will post photos soon!

Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today!

Product List

• Simply Sketched Wood-mount Stamp Set [129669]***
• Simply Sketched Clear-mount Stamp Set [129672]***
• Gorgeous Grunge Wood-mount Stamp Set [130514]
• Gorgeous Grunge Clear-mount Stamp Set [130517]
• Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [131297]
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [100730]
• Daffodil Delight 8-1/2X11 Card Stock [119683]
• Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad*
• Coastal Cabana Stampin' Blendabilities markers**
• Old Olive Stampin' Blendabilities markers**
• Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad [131176]
• Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad [126944]
• Deco Labels Collection Framelits Dies [130102]
• In Color Boutique Details [130938]***
• Linen Thread [104199]

*New Product in the 2014/15 Annual Catalogue, available June 2.

**New Product in the 2014/15 Annual Catalogue, availability date to be determined

***Retiring product.  Order before the end of May before it's gone for good!

Audrey Hepburn - Clean and Simple with Bling!!

I've noticed a lot of pins on Pinterest lately featuring Audrey Hepburn.  I always thought she was the most beautiful and appealing woman!  Her look was classic - clean and simple, yet elegant, always with a bit of bling!  I will always connect her with the movie, "Breakfast at Tiffany's".



So when I saw this week's Paper Players Challenge #150, I was immediately reminded of Audrey Hepburn. Now, you know that Clean and Simple is difficult for me at the best of times, but....

So I gave it my best shot....

• I've been admiring the Hostess Stamp set called Simply Sketched for awhile now and thought it would be perfect with pastel colours for a clean and simple look, with it's sketched images and beautiful scripts for the sentiments.
• I love the elegance of the 5/8" Organza Ribbon.  I tried it in a full bow but it was just too much for this design so I did a simple knot.
• The colours I used are Soft Sky, Whisper White and a touch of Pear Pizzazz.
• I added good ole rhinestones for bling, although I'm sure Audrey would have preferred diamonds!

Here's the Challenge logo:

As you know, I like creating 3"x3" mini cards for my customers, thanking them for their orders, and a couple of days ago, I created these using the same stamp set:

• I used Pistachio Pudding, Pink Pirouette and Soft Sky for this lovely little trio, plus a little Wisteria Wonder for the sentiment on the left. 
• I took this opportunity of using Candy Dots as embellishments, where as before this new catalogue, I would have used brads.  I love the Candy Dots because they are so easy to use, and you don't have the same adherence problems as you do with the metal brad's "legs" lifting up your panel from underneath.

Anyway, I quite enjoyed this challenge and I hope I'm improving in the Clean and Simple design department.  

How do you remember Audrey Hepburn?

Stamps:  Simply Sketched (w129669; c129672)*

Paper: Soft Sky (131203), Whisper White (100730), Pink Pirouette (111351) and Pistachio Pudding (131294) card stock.

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Soft Sky (131181), Pink Pirouette (126956), Pear Pizzazz (131180) and Wisteria Wonder (126985)

Accessories:  Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246); 5/8" Organza Ribbon (114319); Subtles Collection Candy Dots (130933)

* Hostess Set only - for those who host private classes or parties 

Simply Sketched Hostess Stamp Set

Soft Sky cardstock

Subtles Collection Candy Dots