Gratitude with The Paper Players & A Sneak Peek

While many people are experiencing the unbearable heat or uncontrollable rain, many stampers have escaped it all by jumping right into gorgeous Christmas cards and projects. All the while, I’ve been wrapped up in the beautifully warm colors and patterns of Autumn. Today’s color challenge with The Paper Players allows me to further dive into my Fall inks and papers. It also allows me to give you a sneak peek at a most gorgeous stamp set from the 2013 Holiday Catalog. For this week’s color challenge, Nance Leedy selected three colors that are new to Stampin’ Up!’s family of colors (one new In Color and two former In Colors that are now permanents in the color families): Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry. Here’s my card:

And here’s the color challenge badge from The Paper Players:

Tips, Tricks and Reminders:

• Distressed wood grain pattern. I really love the distressed look of the wood panel behind the turkey in this stamp design (the whole stamp set has a similar feel). I didn’t want the pattern to go unnoticed on the rest of the card, so I created the background with Core’dinations cardstock and the Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. While the panel is still clean and crisp, it continues the distressed look started by the stamp.
• Whisper White. When working with browns and yellows, the obvious choice for a base paper is Very Vanilla. To really make the colors and images pop on this card, I went against my instincts and selected Whisper White as the base. I wasn’t sure I would like it, but it’s a small risk (there’s almost always time and product for a re-do), and I’m glad I took it.
• Use of Bermuda Bay. Bermuda Bay seems like it would “throw you off” color in this three-color combination. The regal yellow and warm brown seem to melt together like curry in a pot of hot, bubbly sugar (OK, that’s not really a good example), but the vibrant blue seems like it would really not “go” with the other two colors. That’s EXACTLY what makes this color challenge so fun (and challenging). I used Bermuda Bay as an accent on this card – circling the turkey, thinly bordering the distressed background and popping with the “gratitude” sentiment. While it’s just an accent, the bright and bold color really adds a special detail to this card that I probably would have never added were it not for this challenge. I like it!

Stamp Sets: Harvest of Thanks Inks: Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry Papers: Whisper White, Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry Core’dinations Accessories: 1-1/4″ Circle punch, Circle Collection framelits, Deco Label framelits, 3/4″ Chevron Ribbon (Crushed Curry), Itty Bitty Banners framelits, Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Check out the other projects using this color combination at The Paper Players.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Brian

Join the fun!  In July and August, Stampin’ Up! is offering you one of four amazing kits (valued at up to $29.90) for joining my team.  How cool is that?!  You get to be a member of my group AND you get to place a $125 for just $100.  OH!  AND you get to order items from the Holiday Catalog in your pre-order when you join in July.  Please contact me if you have thought about joining – I’d love to chat with you and fill you in on all the wonderful perks that come with being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator.

One more thing – the Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit arrived in my pre-order last week.  Instead of preparing for Convention, I opened it up and investigated.  I can’t wait for you to see this kit – it is absolutely stunning.  You will definitely be buying this kit for your Thanksgiving table.