Simple textures and patterns - COLOR HUES RUNNER UP! - SIMPLY CLEAN AND SIMPLE TOP 3! - SHOPPING OUR STASH TOP 3!

 Hi all!

What is your go-to style of crafting?  I am all over the place!  I love CAS, but it's not my instinctual style.  I'm a more is more kinda gal, especially with colors patterns and textures.  If you saw my house you would completely understand...my kids refer to it as circus chic.

  

This week, the textures and patterns are on par, but in keeping with the Color Hues challenge this week, the colors are simple.  Red and metallic gold, which is perfect for the holidays.  Also featured is the Freshly Made Sketches layout for the week.  Simple but perfect with multiple textures and patterns for the Simply Clean and Simple challenge and embossed panels and the heat embossed little sentiment for the Shopping our Stash challenge.

My holiday favorite embossing folder from Spellbinders...it may change soon as new product is arriving soon at my door step...was the launching point of this card.  The pattern is reminiscent of a cable knit sweater, it's cozy and inviting!

The panels of patterns are gold foil using Altenew's Chevron hot foil plate as well as the Greetery's Fair Isle stencil.  The sweater pattern was fussy cut and only 1 of the 5 stencils were used to make a super easy addition to the sketch.

Finally, the sentiment die is Fancy Giving Thanks from Simon Says Stamp, cut from metallic gold paper and mounted on white paper.  Then red sequins were added to give this card some extra shimmer!

Thank you so much for visiting, I hope you have a holiday colorful day!

New AAA Cards Challenge! - LESS IS MORE #496 WINNER!

 Hi all!

Welcome back here at Paperfiori...I'm eager to share with you the next challenge with AAA Cards Challenge blog.  We are starting to wind down the fall season here in NW Ohio, most of the be beautiful colors are now gone and the trees are becoming bare.  But this challenge will give you the chance to hold on to those beautiful colors a little longer!

    

This creation sticks with the colors of the current mood board, using the all the fall colors along with the magenta/pinky color.  The intense colors of fall really speak to me...bold and jewel like. 

Keeping this card CAS with lots of white space, so I'm also going to enter this card in the Less is More Challenge this week.  Also in keeping the card CAS, the colors used are minimal but very saturated.  The paper was tapped with water, then with a brush with orange, yellow, red and pink pigment.  Using a heat gun to speed up the drying process, helps to create the neat little pockets of color surrounded by crisp organic lines.

Vellum leaves have been all over my creations this season....my old PTI Leaf Prints set has served me well.  The soft leaves with the crisp veining is reminiscent of skeleton leaves which are simply beautiful in my opinion.  I would occasionally find one in nature when I was a child in puddles during the fall and attempt to save them and put them in books to press.  Gold embossing powder helps to create that look with these vellum leaves.

How are you sending fall on it's way this year?  I'd love to see you finish the season with some intense color in your creations, please share them with us at the AAA Cards Challenge blog won't you?

Peace on Earth CAS sketch - ALPHABET CHALLENGE SPOTLIGHT WINNER!

Hi all!

With all that is happening in the world right now, I'm hoping the sentiment from this card with radiate out to the corners of the world.  I am praying for all the innocent lives that have been taken or impacted by the events happening since October 7th.

This creation is for the CAS on Friday sketch for the next 2 weeks!  It's a great sketch created by Janneke, so please be sure to play along!

Having signed up for the Altenew Cozy Comfort retreat last month, I was able to get this set.  I do believe it will be available this month at Altenew, so be sure to visit often to catch it's release, it will go FAST!

In keeping with the sketch, I made the banner pieces out of plain and glitter card stock and kept it very simple.  I am also using this creation for the Alphabet Challenge Blog - P for Peace.

The stamped image was created by the stamp set, then fussy cut to create the circle.  This card came together in minutes really...that's the charm of CAS cards!

That's it for me today, be sure to check out the other DT's creations and comment on their blogs...we really appreciate the love!!

Have a colorful day!

WOOP! WOOP!!

  Hi all!

MORE exciting news for me!  I've been asked to be a part of the Sisterhood of Crafters DT!  I'm so excited to be accepted...  I often wonder if I'm actually contributing to the crafting world with this little 'ole blog here, but when things like this happen, it makes me so excited and GRATEFUL!  Like I'm actually making this work...but it's not a job...does this make sense??  Either way, I'm so happy to be asked and thrilled you are here for the ride with me!

For my first challenge with SOC, we are creating items with a Fall Harvest theme.  I have decided to use the new Altenew Playful Leaves embossing folder for my main image.  There aren't any specifically fall themed items in my stash, instead I like having things that can be used in many different ways and this is one of those items.  

The front panel was created by using my ink pads directly on my cardstock for deep saturated color.  Then, on the flat side of the 3D embossing folder, a thick amount of gold pigment ink was rubbed all over it and run through the die cutter.  This gave it a concaved 3D effect...or de-bossed as I like to call it.  After it was de-bossed, the gold pigment ink pad was gently rubbed over the surface to give it better coverage.

This technique is incredibly effective don't you think?  The card is finished off with a sentiment from the Timeless Sentiment die set.  The 'hello' is made from a scrap piece of card stock with the ink pad used directly to the paper...to make it match of course.  Then highlighted with a little metallic watercolor paint to have it match the background paper.  For even more shimmer, the background for the sentiment was cut from glitter cardstock.  Finally, a few sequins to finish off the glitz!  I love me some glitz....

Thank you so much again for this opportunity to be a part of this amazing team!  I love being able to share my creations with people and hope to inspire them to create something special for someone they care about.  Now, go give the other DT members some love and I look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery!

Have a colorful day!

Traditional Christmas?

 Hi all!

Are you a traditional Christmas color decorator/crafter?  I am not...I love different combos for my decor, but there is something to be said about the red and green combo.  It just screams Christmas!  I love it...but I guess just not in my personal decor at my house?  I'm weird....

This week at JUGS they are asking for a creation with traditional colors!!  I had to participate, especially since I have this new fantastic set from Altenew called Joyful Greetings.  

Its a great set, and it's versatile.  Not just for Christmas!  Check out this post here for a card made with the stamps of this set that isn't holiday themed...

I used my most favorite tool in my studio right now, the Altenew Stamp Wheel...I'm not an affiliate seller, I only share what I really love to use!  Using this tool for this card was SUPER easy... just turn and stamp!  Perfect wreath every time, no matter the stamp you use!  Then it was splattered with matching watercolor paints.

The center of the wreath was created by layering blobs of red watercolor paints...super easy, you could even use watered down red ink for a similar effect!  I did use my heat gun between layers to get those outlined shapes...  Then the sentiment was embossed with gold embossing powder and the 'joy' was colored in with matching alcohol ink markers in an ombre pattern.

That's it for me today!  I hope you have a 'joyful' day...yes I went there...

Hugs!

Thanks for the love! - THE PAPER PLAYERS #665 HEADLINER!

 Hi all!

Can I just say how absolutely grateful I am for this platform?  I love being able to express my creative nature with like minded people, and really appreciate all the love and support I get from all of you on the blog-o-sphere...  Truly, I am blessed and unbelievably thankful for each and everyone of you!

  

Sticking with my gratefulness, I'm participating in the Paper Players challenge and the Time Out Challenges this week, both based on being thankful.  Being thankful at this time of year is expected, but I've really been feeling this way for quite a while here at Paperfiori and many of the cards I've made this month are based on being thankful.

For this card I used the new Altenew Playful Leaves and Picture Frame set.  If you haven't seen my post on them this week, check it out here.  They are both perfect basic pieces to add to your crafty collection.  A must have really... even though I'm a guest designer,  I'm not affiliate seller for any company I recommend, I just really LOVE these items!

The background is stenciled with the Playful leaves set using 3 colors of green.  Then the frame was cut from white card stock with an added vellum piece behind it to soften the bold green just a bit.  Leaves from the Picture Frame die set were cut from paper using the same inks as the background and splattered with white watercolor paint.

Also added is my new favorite glitter paper from the Shimmering Shore collection...its so AMAZING!  The deep color of the Malachite is dreamy!!  It was used for the background layer of the leaves and also for my new favorite sentiment set is the Timeless Sentiments.  Its also a great must have set for your stash.  If you like to keep your crafty spending to a minimum this time of year, all 3 of these are great basics.  

So that's it!  THANK YOU for being here today...  I really do appreciate each and every one of my visitors and commentors.  You're all AMAZING!

Have a colorful day!!!

Proud of my baby! - COLOR THROWDOWN SHOUT OUT!

 Hi all!

My eldest daughter is off away at college...  It's hard to have her away, but it's nice to be close enough we could do a day trip...it would be a long day, but it's possible.  One of my BFF's eldest daughter is a Junior in high school and is beginning her college tours.  She visited Miami and Lily took her and her family on a tour of campus and why she loves it there.  I've had nothing but rave reviews of her 'tour' and I'm so proud of the woman she's becoming!  I thought I'd drop her a line and let her know just that!

  

The Color Throwdown and the Triple B challenges have a great color grouping, and I love those colors together.  I'm also using the Can You Handle the Pressure challenge with leaves and vines.

The wreath is embossed with Altenew Leaf Crown 3D embossing folder, with a bloom from the Proud of You stamp, stencil and die combo.  This is an AMAZING combo, it makes creating a beautiful blossom quick and fun!

Finished off with a sentiment from the combo, a few splatters and enamel dots; and it's ready to mail with a care package!  I love it when crafting comes together so quickly...

Thanks for stopping by, have a colorful week!

Altenew November 2023 Stamps, Dies, Stencils, Betterpress Plate, etc Release | Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in Total Prizes!)

Hi all!

Welcome to Paperfiori, I'm so glad you're here!  Today I'm honored to be participating in Altenew's November 2023 Marvelous Monthly Series Release Blog Hop + Giveaway!  You should have arrived here from the amazing Rachel Alvarado, but be sure to hit all the AMAZING artists on this hop by starting here.

There are SO MANY exciting Altenew things to share with you today!  Every time there is a release, I feel like I have to have EVERTHING...  Which my bank account disagrees with, so we're going to focus on the items from this release that will enhance what you already have.  That way you don't have to break the bank...unless you really want to...I know I do!

  

First off...this is an absolute MUST HAVE for the crafter that likes to stay organized...  Altenew has created ink labels for ALL their Crisp Dye Inks, and for all the currently available Fresh Dye Inks!

It was so much fun labeling and re-organizing all my ink pads...it's the little things really...  I will be investing in some new pad holders since some are for old ink pads I don't have any longer.  

Having the labels on the edge of the pads, makes creating and clean-up so much easier!!  It also helps keep my ADHD brain less stimulated and scattered when things have a proper place.  AND the label sheets had extra embellishments for you to use for future creations...these people are so smart....

 

The next must have item from Altenew's November Release are 2 of the sentiment items.  Both the font and the sentiments themselves in the Classic Sentiments stamp and die set are simply lovely and completely on trend.  However, the Timeless Sentiments Die set may be my favorite of the 2, it's bold and beautiful and perfect for any creation.

 

I don't think they could be any more perfect, unless you of course use them with the incredibly versatile Playful Leaves stencil and embossing folder and the Picture Frame Die sets.  The simple images are a great addition for any of your Altenew floral stamps and dies.  The following cards truly came together in mere minutes and the end result is a beautiful card to make someone feel special and important!  The first card uses both the stencil and the embossing folder, along with my rarely used Metallic Sprays, but this stencil just screamed 'spray me'. 

 

With the added highlights and splatters using Altenew Metallic Watercolors,  the 'friend' Timeless Sentiment die cut, along with 'happy birthday' from the Essential Sentiments Foil set, it's a great and super easy card to make.

This second card was also SO easy!  Just emboss the card front panel, added a few splatters with the Metallic Watercolors and a leaf using the Picture Frames die cut from the new gorgeous glitter paper collection.  The sentiment from the Classic Greetings set was heat embossed and...perfection!

NOW...here comes the fun part!  To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $100 gift certificate to 1 lucky winner and a $50 gift certificate to 4 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 11/12/2023 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 5 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 11/14/2023.

THANK YOU so much for taking the time to visit, read and comment here and at the other stops along the hop. I hope I was able to inspire you to get some fantastic basics for your crafting collection.  Your next stop is Michelle Short, and please be sure to share the love with her and all the other blog hoppers, we really love to share our work with you!

Have a colorful day!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Chilly color combo -FRESHLY MADE SKETCH SHOUT OUT!

 Hi all!

I love unconventional colors for Christmas cards!  Don't get me wrong, I do love the traditional red and green, but I never decorate in those colors.  Haven't since...well...forever!  While this card doesn't have a holiday sentiment, it is a winter themed card in unconventional colors.

  

I was inspired by the Sunday Stamps color grouping, opposite colors on the color wheel are perfect together, so I'm drawn to it.  The layout is following this weeks Freshly Made Sketch and the Inkspirational prompt of 'cold' inspired the snowflake usage.

I used metallic copper paper for my orange color in the image, as well as adding a little alcohol ink to my sequins to make them match...one of my favorite tricks instead of investing in a million different colors.

The die cuts are from the recent Altenew Cozy Comfort retreat.  I'm not sure if the dies will be available this season, but I'll let you know if they are!

I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so I'm off to lay down!  Have a colorful day!