Life is Beautiful

We've made it the final day of the May 2014 Papertrey Ink countdown release. Whooo hoooo! Today we're featuring a set that I know a lot of you are excited about....Life is Beautiful. It features a gorgeous butterfly done in Nicole's signature style. It's simple, sophisticated, and versatile. All things you want in a stamp set. Oh...and of course...matching dies! Who doesn't love matching dies?

Nichole designed this set with techniques in mind. For my technique, I choose to use my Copics over stamped images to give them a brushed and blended look. On my detailed butterfly, I stamped it in Melon Berry and Summer Sunrise ink onto Soft Blush cardstock. Then I went over it with markers until I was satisfied with the look. Why don't I do this technique more often? Love it.

I also stamped a more simple butterfly in Melon Berry ink onto a Vintage Cream cardstock panel. I used some dies from the Shakers & Sprinkles kit to create an tilted frame and a border for my Keep It Simple: Sympathy sentiment stamped in Classic Kraft. 

 

Life is Beautiful also lends itself to more simple stamping as well. I decided to forgo the big butterfly stamps on this card and instead focus on the dies and the detail stamps. All the details were stamped on a solid butterfly die cut. I then used the more detailed die to create an overlay die cut, allowing the stamped details to peek through the opening. 

How about that gorgeous Delicate Detail Dies. Such a lovely base for a focal point. 

I pulled this color combo from my Color Board on Pinterest. I'm also surprised how refreshed my creativity feels when I do something like this. I definitely recommend. it. Soft Blush teamed up with Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, and Terracotta Tile? Who'd have thought? 

Moving on, I've got one last Sweet Cheeks card for you today. I wanted to show you one of my favorite sentiments. A lot of time the focus is on how cute the baby is, welcome sweet baby, isn't the baby just the most precious thing ever...blah blah blah. Giggle. That darn baby is hogging all the attention. I mean, seriously kid. 

The arrival of a new bundle of joy heralds a transformation that deserves to be acknowledged...the one that turns ordinary, everyday, sane, irresponsible folks into parents. It's a BIG deal. It's been six years for me and sometimes I just don't recognize myself. I open my mouth and my mother comes out. So this one is a nod to the parents and this crazy journey that they are just now embarking on. Even if they have no clue at the time just what that entails. 

There is an "inside" sentiment to finish the thought. And ain't it the truth?

Okie dokie...that's it for me today. Thanks for stopping by. And big hugs for the enthusiasm yesterday over the Baby Bootie Dies. I'm a very lucky girl to work with a company like PTI. Nichole is so open to crazy, off the wall ideas. I love how she is so good about saying "yes" and taking a chance. It's that sense of "adventure" that brings things like the stitching dies to life. And thank goodness for it. And then there is you all out there who are creative adventurers yourselves. Thanks for hopping on this crazy train with me and being as excited about the stitching dies as I am. Love those things. Without your support, we'd have gotten off at the station awhile ago. Instead, it's full steam ahead. More good things to come. I am far from tapped out. :)

All the new products will be available tomorrow night at 10 PM EST at www.papertreyink.com. More inspiration below: 

Nichole Heady

Dawn McVey

Melissa Phillips

Heather Nichols

Betsy Veldman

Laurie Willison

Laura Bassen

Danielle Flanders 
Ashley Cannon Newell

Additional new product previews by:
Lizzy Jones
Melissa Bickford
Lexi Daly

Supplies

With Sympathy Card

Stamps: Life is Beautiful, Keep It Simple: Sympathy

Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Vintage Cream, Fine Linen

Vellum

Dies: Life is Beautiful, Shakers and Sprinkles

Ink: Melon Berry, Harvest Gold

Copics

Harvest Gold Vintage Buttons

Butterfly Detail Card

Stamps: Life is Beautiful

Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Soft Blush, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White

Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile, Hawaiian Shores

Dies: Life is Beautiful, Delicate Details

Let the Adventure Begin

Stamps: Sweet Cheeks, Journaling Accesories, Clip Tips

Dies: Sweet Cheeks, Smooth Alphabet, Clip Tips, Notebook Paper

Cardstock: Lemon Tart, Fine Linen, Stamper's Select White

Classic Kraft Patterned Paper

Harvest Gold Buttons