Paper Players Color Challenge

Hi all!! I'm here to play along with this week's Paper Players color challenge.  I've told you before that I can struggle when it comes to color challenges.....but I think I pulled this one off pretty darn well.  I let Basic Gray take control of this one and put the other colors in with a light hand.  I just have to say that this one is awesome!

I took advantage of embossing powders in Whisper White and Melon Mambo to add some pizzazz.  Always love the look of embossing on dark cardstock.  Very sharp!  I had to use my new Daydream Medallions for this card - isn't that such a fun set?  Do not fear - I'll be using this set more and more! (however, Mr. Brown is scheduled to bring me some more goodies today! It might have to take a backseat for a bit!) I ruffled up my piece of Melon Mambo - at first I tried to use the new Edgelits Dies - Finishing Touches, but it was just too delicate and didn't show up like it needs to.  So I took a strip of paper and pulled it between my bone folder and thumb several times until it seperated into two strips.  This made it much thinner and easier to ruffle up. The result in the end was a lot better, even if it does get a little wonky in the center....oh well!!!  The sentiment comes from Petite Pairs....how many of you LOVE that set.  Perfect for so many occasions.  Sometimes I wish they'd come out with a duplicate, but enlarged set.  How does Large Pairs sound?

I know many of you have wondered where I've been for so long. I mean it has been a whopping three weeks since I've been here.  UGH!  And I hate to give excuses - but I really have been busy.  I had my New Catalog Kick Off Party - that was a  blast.  I had about 20 people attend and we had a good time.  The weekend after that I had a ton to do for my church's St. Peter's Parish Picnic.  This is a great time once it gets going,  but there is so much prep work involved....and probably more so this year.  Another member and I made pennant banners to hang along the balcony in our hall - 110 feet of pennants!!!!  They were beautiful!  In fact, I took the colors from the fabric ( Verona - found at fatquartershop.com ) and am going to use them in some upcoming cards (I'll have to pull out some retired colors but so be it!)  I'd also love to get some more of that fabric and make Aubrie some dresses.  I found that I kind of miss sewing!  Then, another gal and I are chairpeople for the Kids' Stand.  Last year was our first year.  The Kids' Stand has games and prizes, etc.  It was very lacking - I mean very lacking!!!  The building we have the Kids' Stand in was dull and blah - so we went to town.  Hung up blue sheeting (well, plastic table cloth) made signs for all of the games (good thing for lots of scrap cardstock and my Silhouette) and came up with some new games - thanks to Pinterest!  I made a new Fish Pond - and that Silhouette came in handy as I cut lots of fishies and sharks and crabs.  I put the kiddos to work tearing up retired blue colors of cardstock to make water.  We  then re-organized the prizes -which still is in need of work.  That was a busy week.  Then when it was all over....I had to clean it all up!!! UGH!  We left the decor up in the Kids Stand.  That poor building just gets used for storage anymore - it used to hold Bingo and Men's Night back in it's hay-day.  In fact I'd love to see all of our Church Grounds back in it's hay-day.  The nun's house still stands and is now used for Religious Ed and the Church Ladies Quilting Group.  The Schoolhouse is gone :(  .  The hall/gym is still there and used frequently.  But I'd love to see it when it was all in it's prime.  I bet it was fascinating!  I think that a lot of old buildings and towns.  I bet things were spectacular.....

What else have I been up to?  Well, it is summer.....and we just finished the last t-ball game for the boys.  Next year Will will be in coach pitch.  Alex will be in t-ball - so that will send us in two diff directions!  Aubrie - she'd love to play, and has been practicing. She's got a great swing and can really hit the ball.  I love how she even bends her lil' knees when she stands up to the t.  What a gal!!

My boys - well.  What can I say.  they are boys!  Andy washed his pickup one afternoon and that made a little stream in the lane.  Perfect for making a beaver dam....I always tell them that it's a good thing they are so stinking cute!

Off for now!  Enjoy your day - I'll be back with more.....tomorrow!