I have been waiting for this day for nearly a month and am SO excited that it is finally here! Heather Nichols has rapidly made a name for herself as she builds a quality stamp line under her brand name Pinefeather Press. This month she is bringing you a set that is fresh and fun and unlike anything else Papertrey has ever brought you before!
All Star Team and All Star Team Additions are both versatile stamp sets that hinge on the theme of all things sports related, while still remaining neutral enough to be used on other types of projects. I've seen several sport-themed stamps in my six years as a stamper and most of them have always leaned more towards a whimsical or child-like look. Heather's version is hip, trendy and oh so stylish! You can use it for sports lovers of any age, whether it be 6 or 60! One of the things I love most is that it can be used for practically any sport, no restrictions! And much, much more!
To kick off today's post, I thought I would share a little project I designed as a coach's gift. If you are anything like me and have children involved in sporting activities, it is always difficult to come up with something thoughtful to present the coach at the end of the season. All of the coaches my children have had over the years have been generous with their time and effort that they invest into the entire team. Teaching life lessons along with techniques and rules of the sport. Last year I started putting together these inexpensive little frames and the coaches have just LOVED them.
I just purchase a standard frame that includes a nice wide mat to start as the main portion of my gift. (I found this one at Target). I take my little treasure home and design a little accent for it. On this one I used some of the fun *vintage* sentiments from Heather's set to create my own patterned paper (more about that later). I cut the pieces using a die from the Labels 1 collection. I thought that this quote from the set was so appropriate as well. I added some small rhinestones to the stamped star accent, proving that these little sparkling beauties don't have to be restrained from masculine projects!
It is important to design your accent first so that you are able to create some boundaries as to where the team can and cannot sign their names. You don't want anyone's handwriting covered with the accent when you pop the mat back into the frame! The easiest way to do this is to remove the glass and make a pencil line around where the accent falls over the mat area. Then you can remove just the mat and bring it to a game or two, making sure to get each team members special signature. Don't forget to remind them to avoid the outlined restricted area!
Of course there needs to be a coordinating card. I started with a gorgeous Smokey Shadow card base. The color blocking was done with a combination of Ocean Tides, Ripe Avocado & Soft Stone. I had tried pairing white with the main colors, but it was too stark. Vintage Cream on the other hand was too yellow for a project containing cooler tones, like this one. The Soft Stone ended up being the *perfect* addition. The star accent is a replica of the one used on the frame. Notice the ribbon? It is a bit of the new Couture Ribbon we are carrying this month, Smokey Green Stripe (more about all four of them tomorrow!). I just adore the way it looks with the Smokey Shadow cardstock. Really quite a pair.
The custom patterned paper I created was fun & easy peasy. It is basically just a collage of several images and sentiments from the set. They were all stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with Clear Filigree Embossing Powder. The detail that the powders pick up paired with the dimension they create is just awesome. It almost makes the papers look as if they were store bought!
I wanted to show you one more project that proves this set can be used for more than just sports! The pennant flag image from Heather's set can be the perfect addition to a masculine birthday card. This would be especially appropriate for those hard to make for ten year old's and up! Notice the Smokey Shadow ink? I wanted to point out the obvious, that it is a bit lighter than the cardstock. This was actually intentional on our part, to make it more of a compliment to the cardstock. An ink the actual hue of the paper actually looked like a poor black ink with not enough vibrancy. So going a few notches down in vibrancy made it more workable for me and how I wanted to utilize the ink. I'm really happy with the combination! I know you will be too once you give it a try!!!
Here is a closeup of the pennant.I found it easiest to use a craft knife and ruler to cut out, especially around the little tabs. I used the same star from the project above to create a fun patterned paper strip. The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is from the Mother set released last month.
I thought this set was so fresh and fun, I thought I would challenge the girls to create a unique gift for someone special in their lives. I was just AMAZED at all of the results. Their work truly proves that this set is not just for sports! There are even quite a few feminine projects! Enjoy browsing all of their hard work and please be sure to show them some appreciation for their efforts!
Michelle Wooderson created some wonderful projects for her daughters, who are both very active in sporting activities. Her black and white color combo is just brilliant!
Betsy Veldman altered one of our egg boxes to create a special place for her husband to save nickels & dimes for a coveted baseball game that's out of state.
Melissa Phillips has a wee little tee-ball player with pigtails at her house. What's more appropriate than pink pennant flags to decorate some team cupcakes?
Debbie Olson put a fun Father's Day spin on her project. You won't want to miss out on her detailed instructions and template for making a special wallet!
Becky Oehlers used some t-shirt iron-ons to make some custom attire for someone thats an all star in your life! Easy enough to recreate several in one setting for an entire team or siblings if you desire!
Heather Nichols wanted to create a special ensemble for the team that supports fundraising efforts for her daughter, Tacy.
Lauren Meader has a FANTASTIC gift idea for coach, paired with the perfect packaging using her new Get a Handle on It template.
Dawn McVey has the perfect birthday gift for a special guy in your life. This fun way of presenting game day tickets would truly be memorable!
Lisa Johnson went girly and created a goal journal that could be made for a girlfriend that is working towards something big, whether it be weight loss or some other achievement. Her pink & green color scheme really catches your attention.
Niki Estes had fun sorting through her older photos, along with her husband's, and creating a small scrapbook celebrating all of the sports they participated in as children.
Geny Cassady thought cracker jacks would be the perfect thing for her little ball player to hand out for a post-game treat at his next baseball game.
Be sure to leave a comment on today's post, letting me know what little nugget of inspiration touched you the most between all of the girls. Or even what your plans would be with these two new sets.
One lucky winner will receive both All Star Team & All Star Team Additions!
This contest will end at 8am EST, Sunday, April 12th. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter, by noon EST on our April Release Prize Winner page. Please play nice, only one entry per person. Good luck!
Be sure to visit Dawn's blog for an additional peek at Scattered Showers!
Lisa has some more stunning uses for her new background set available today!
Kelly has some sneak peeks of the project she created using the new Get a Handle on It template!
Frame for Coach & Card
Stamps: All Star Team & Additions (both available April 15th)
Ink: Smokey Shadow, Ripe Avocado, Versamark (for embossing), Frayed Burlap Distress
Paper: Smokey Shadow, Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides, Soft Stone
Other: Smokey Green Striped ribbon, Clear Filigree embossing powder, small rhinestones (Paper Studio), Labels 1 dies (Spellbinders)
Finished Size: 10" x 10"(frame), 4.25" x 5.5"(card)
All Star Birthday Card
Stamps: All Star Team & Additions (both available April 15th), Mother (sentiment), Background Basics: Retro (striped background)
Ink: Orangerie Palette, Smokey Shadow, True Black (birthday sentiment), Frayed Burlap Distress
Paper: Smokey Shadoe & Vintage Cream, orange cardstock (Prism)
Other: Fiskars border punch, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, corner rounder punch (Fiskars)
Finished Size: 5.5" x 5.5"
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