Happy Trails

Happy trails to you....

I think one the questions I'm going to ask Nichole next time we talk on the phone for Papertrey Radio is about how she comes up with product names. Some of them just genuinely make me smile. Tonight's feature of "Happy Trails" is no exception.

Now, typically on group posts, I'll have some big elaborate gift type product for you. Not today. I sort of just let my creativity flow free form (sort of like those trails, come to think of it). I started out wanting to use the pencil and the "you color my word" sentiment. And then I had ideas for another...and another. These leapfrogging style projects (where one inspires another) happen quite frequently for me. And I love just going with it. So, as I post my "challenge" to myself, think about taking two or three stamps out of your collection and making several cards with them. Just to see where your creativity leads you.

First up, this fun doodle style card. The long continuous looking stamp (trails, the word "color", and the pencil) is actually four stamps total. Isn't it fun how you can join them all together? There's a little tricky inking on the sentiment (use this technique), but if you practice once or twice on scratch paper like I did, you can get it all worked out. I think the results are worth it. Now think...the latest anniversary set uses the same script font. I bet you can do something very similar with the sentiments from that set as well.

The card sort of formed into this doodle style notebook page for me. Added some notebook lines from "It's Official", images from "Springtime Doodles", and punched three notebook paper style holes along the left hand side. Fun, huh?

Next up, I took the sentiment "color my world" literally and pulled the globe image from Masculine Motifs. Using Copics, I only partially colored it in, making it seem like the colored pencil is doing the work. Anything you color with Copics, you can do something similar. Lots of possiblities.

I created my own clipboard using half of a Mat Stack 2 die and silver shimmer cardstock. Kraft cardstock cut and stamp with Background Basics: Woodgrain completes the look.

And lastly, I wanted to do something rainbow-ish. The new Damask Designs patterned paper set just happens to have new paper in all the rainbow shades. Easy! Text style stamped over 1.75" circles, with a few matted on vellum dies and others topped with buttons gives me that thrown together, shabby chic look.

Here's my pencil and sentiment. Love colored embossing powder, don't you?

OK. Go forth, challenge yourself, have fun. But not before you check out the posts by the other design team members. Happy Trails is making us all happy.

a href="http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/">Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Doodle Card

Stamps: Happy Trails, It's Official, and Spring Time Doodles
Ink: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, True Black
Stamper's Select White Cardstock
Gems


Clipboard Card

Stamps: Happy Trails, Masculine Motifs, School Time, Background Basics: Woodgrain
Paper: Silver Shimmer, Aqua Mist, Kraft, Stamper's Select White
Dies: Mat Stack 2, Happy Trails, Notebook, Love Lives Here
Ink: Pure Poppy, True Black
Other Ink: Memento London Fog, CTMH Desert Sand
Pure Poppy Baker's Twine

Shabby Card

Stamps: Happy Trails, Text Style I, Take Note
Patterned Paper: PTI's Damask Designs, Basic Grey Basics 6x6 pad
Dies: Happy Trails, 1 3/4" Limitless Layers
Buttons: Raspberry Fizz, Hawaiian Shores, Royal Velvet