Sunday, December 4, 2011

Paper Players #75 - Holiday Hoopla

Hi there and Happy Sunday to you! Sorry my post is running late today. I had internet problems this morning, which almost sent me into a tizzy. (Gasp!) I'm back online and ready to share my card for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players. The super-sweet, Nance Leedy is our "hostess with the most-est" for a fabulous theme challenge: Holiday Hoopla! This was a whole lot of fun, as the objective was to create a Christmas card using non-holiday stamps and non-traditional holiday colors. 
I decided to make a Christmas card for my Mom, who lives in Florida. (Mom, here is a "sneak peek" of what will be in your mailbox really soon!) I used a retired set, Tropical Party which was previously un-inked. I HAD to have it when it came out and just never found the motivation to use it. Has that ever happened to you? 

I created a little beach scene by sponging the sky with Pool Party ink and then tearing some Crumb Cake card stock to make "sand". Then I sponged the paper with Soft Suede ink and used the color Spritzer Tool to create little speckles. I felt like it needed a little sparkle (...shocking, I KNOW!) so I dressed up the edges with Dazzling Details. 
I colored different sizes of pearls with a marker to create the little ornaments. I decided, in the end, to only decorate one of the palm trees because both of them seemed like fa-la-la-la-over-kill. I'm not going to even talk about that triple twine bow. It took me entirely TOO long to get that thing situated and I'm still a wee bit bitter about it. I dressed up the button with a Glimmer Brad and right now, will probably never recreate that look again...unless I find myself with an extra hour and a half to kill. Lol! 


Here is the inside of the card, with a simple sentiment:
Thanks for stopping by today! I sure hope you get a chance to play along in all the Holiday Hoopla this week at The Paper Players. The challenge goes through Friday, December 9, 2011 at midnight PST. We can't wait to see what YOU create!  Also, please stop by and visit the rest of the lovely ladies on the Design Team to see what they whipped up. The sassy Rita Wright is joining us in December as a Guest Designer, too. (Hi Rita!)
The Paper Players Design Team
Tara Bilbao
  Rita Wright
 
(December GD)

Have a very HAPPY day today! We have been busy decorating the house for Christmas. So far we have the 4 "little" trees up (including my PINK tree). We still have the "big" tree and the outside lights to go this week. I DID have to pluck a Maine Coon cat from the tree in our bedroom today, so I fear this is going to be an interesting holiday. :) 


Stampin' Up! Supply List: 
Stamps: Tropical Party (ret.), Holiday happiness (sentiment) and Bright Hopes (inside sentiment)
Paper: Sweet Stitches DSP (ret.), Melon Mambo, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Pool Party and Melon Mambo Classic ink
Punches: Large Oval and Scalloped Oval
Accessories: Subtles Buttons, Wild Wasabi Glimmer brads, Hemp Twine, Dazzling Details, Color Spritzer tool, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers, Stamping Sponges, Basic Pearls and Stampin' Dimensionals

22 comments:

  1. Wow! Love this sketch! Yes I have the same habit of purchasing something I must have only to store it away, and off to purchase the next thing I must have! Cute little card here Anne!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm shocked that you made a PINK card! :o) It is gorgeous and totally worth the wait! I love it and I bet your mom will as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yummy---it all looks like candy, good enough to eat!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, AM great minds think alike, girl! Love this and I'm so happy you went with a tropical holiday theme. The pink and green together is so Lily Pulitzer and I love your sparkly hills of sand! The pink pearls are the perfect accent....adorable! You really put the "hoop" in hoopla! ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW!! This took some serious creativity!! LOVE, LOVE the color and detail on the card!! So when does our flight leave for our tropical holiday vacation? :C) Too cute!!! Amy L.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great card, you sure nailed the challenge, loving the pink and green with the palm trees, so Florida :) Too funny about your kitty, my Noel is way to fat to get up the tree, but use to have a cat that always climbed, not sure but kitty cats and Xmas trees go together. Hope you are feeling better as well, what sneaky little cold, but I knew when my MIL was talking about this little that had a cold on her flight, that we were in trouble :) I will just sit and go through my SU goodies that arrived :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gorgeous colours, gorgeous card and the effort on the twine was so worthwhile. Love the embossing, and the decorated palm tree. Really great card! Have fun with the rest of your holiday decorating!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anne Marie... LOVE the Christmas palm trees! Such pretty non-traditional colors too. You and Nance are on the same wave length I think. So cute! Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love it!!! Living in FL, I think this is a perfect Christmas card! The colors, images, and palm tree bling are fab. I just may case this for my cards next year!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So cute! Great job on the beach scene and I love the colors you used!

    ReplyDelete
  11. lol about the cat in the tree!!! I think we are going to avoid putting up a tree this year, especially with Taz in the house!!

    love the card!!! Those pink pearls on the palm tree are awesome!!!
    Maria

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is such a fun challenge and I love your card with the palm trees! Ahhhh southern living!

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is GREAT! I love everything about your card ... lucky Mom! The colors are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is just so over-the-top creative, Anne Marie! I LOVE these colors together, and of course, the pink pearls!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Will be checking the mailbox for this beautiful card. Thanks. Love you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. It would be so great to lay under palms right now. It´s rainy and cold in Germany. LOL
    Beautiful card as always !!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a great way to use "florida" as your inspiration for this challenge. I'm sure your mom will just love your card!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful! I love all of those pink ornaments on your tree! Did I just read that you stopped yourself from adding extra bling to a card?! Surely not!! Wonderful details and an awesome color combo! Your bow looks wonderful too, even if it did cause distress...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Awesome card AM...you rocked the challenge! Wish I could have Christmas with palm trees! LOL!
    Lesley

    ReplyDelete
  20. Cute! I love the pearls on the palm tree.

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is so fun! I have a niece who lives in Hawaii...thanks for the inspiration to do something different!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Have a great day! :)
Anne Marie