Procrastination Station

A Little Creative Gift

2012-01-19T15:44:00.001-05:00

Both kids are happy and content. I'd be spoiling that if I got up and tried to do something. Ever been there? Best to just sit here, be inconspicuous, and put up a fun blog post.

Here's a little something that didn't get picked up for a "use paint on a project" call. Which is fine...means I can share it here. I think it's a pretty cool idea. Especially if you've got some watercolor pencils laying around collecting dust. I was inspired by these $1 Magic Paint Poster packs I got for my niece and nephew at Michael's. They have black and white line drawings with a paint palette on the same page. The kid wets a paintbrush, swipes it on the paint pallette to get some color, and colors away at the image. You can do the exact same thing with watercolor crayons/pencils and stamped images on watercolor paper.

I had the perfect stamp to use for my "palette" by Make An Impression. But absolutely any of their Frame-Up series will do. I used #17.

Thanks for stopping by--hope you are inspired. It's a really fun project to make to give to a friend who needs a little creative time. I have a hard time not using it myself!

Stamps: Year of Flowers Series, Faux Ribbon, Friendship Jar Fillers, and Simple Labels by Papertrey Ink, Frame Up #17 by Make An Impression
Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse, Vintage Cream, Pure Poppy by PTI
Ribbon: Dotted Swiss in Simply Chartreuse by PTI
Dies: Simple Labels and Love Lives Here by PTI
Ink: Tuxedo Black by Memento
Watercolor Paper
Karat Aquarell Watercolour Pencils by Staedtler
Paint Brush

January 2012 Release Projects

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

I really like this new plan of showing our projects on the morning of the 15th! Like the perfect finishing bow on a fabulous week.

Celebrations, Dearest Jane paper, and the new Fancy Flourish dies. So easy to pull together.

Floral Fusion #12. My favorite card this month. That plaid flower has a lot of personality.

Happily Ever After, Simply Jane frame, and Fancy Flourish Dies. This was a "go-with-the-flow" type of card. Just sort of evolved on my desk. Love the open window--so easy to create with the Limitless Layers 2.25" Ovals.

The idea here was that it was a combination of the masculine/feminine with Lace Bouquet and Background Basics: Houndstooth. A "couples shower" after all.

Tag-its 12. Autumn Rose ink! Love it!

And that is another month here at Papertrey Ink. Next month is the anniversary month. I have no idea what is planned, but I'm breathless with excitement just like all of you. Should be fun. Nice to have a bright spot this time of year, don't you think?

2012-01-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Is it possible that my two favorite worlds collided in one stamp set? I'm an avid stamper...but an even more enthusiastic reader. A literary based stamp set on Jane Austen? Seriously. Get out of of town. Sign me up.

Even if you aren't a Jane Austen fan (I'll be honest..."Pride and Prejudice" bored me to tears, but I like a lot of other novels based in the same era and with the same comedy of manners tone), there is lots to love about Papertrey Ink's new Simply Jane. Any lover of vintage, feminine imagery and deliciously wordy quotes will appreciate it. And of course, there are dies. If you liked it before, the dies will push you over the edge. How about a few projects?

Here's a card that features a birthday quote and a dainty cameo. Several of the dies (the cameos and the people silhouettes) can be used as is, no need to stamp. They are very defined and intricate. Which I really like--it was a good call to design them that way.

I started out with the frame, which is stamped in Ripe Avocado. I die cut several of the rosettes and used Betsy's Make It Monday video on custom ink pads to add two colors to it using the new Spring Moss and Autumn Rose reinkers. I placed several of the rosettes around the frame as if it were a wreath. Imagine doing the same with Wreath For All Seasons. A beautiful cameo is off set to allow the sentiment to be framed. I think she looks a little bit like Lady Di, don't you?

I had the Parisian Doily in Sweet Blush and Quatrefoil Cover Plate in Aqua Mist already cut, left over from another project. Love that stumbling upon them helped me complete the card in a way I wouldn't have thought of off the top of my head.

Another card for you. Lots of repetitive use of the scrolly frame from Simply Jane. Dearest Jane paper looks great inside--meant to go together. A bride and groom are the focal point with a quote from Happily Ever After.

I have this crazy tool from long ago called a ribbon iron. I think Imaginesce made it. Kinda silly, but I'm glad I held onto for my curled bow out of Spring Rain Gingham. I wrapped the ribbon around a popsicle stick and then ironed it to make the curls hold. That and a little bit of dimensional adhesive and Scor-Tape really did the trick. Nice finishing touch.

OK. With all this inspiration, I'm off to read in bed for the night. Be back tomorrow for the rest of my January projects. And here are some helpful links so you can go check out the rest of the Simply Jane projects. Happy reading and stamping!

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Ashley Cannon Newell
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Simply Jane Cameo

Stamps: Simply Jane
Cardstock: Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, Vintage Cream, Smokey Shadow
Ink: Smokey Shadow, Ripe Avocado, Autumn Rose
Dies: Cover Plate Quatrefoil, Parisian Doilie, Simply Jane Collection
Patterned Paper: Dearest Jane
Ribbon: Autumn Rose Saddle Stitch Ribbon

Bride and Groom

Stamps: Simply Jane, Happily Ever After
Cardstock: Kraft, Spring Rain, Vintage Cream
Dies: Simply Jane, Limitless Layers 2.25" Ovals
Patterned Paper: Dearest Jane
Ink: True Black
Ribbon: Spring Rain Gingham
Kraft Button

Mat Stack 5 Collection

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody! Welcome back for the first night of the group posts for the January 2012 Papertrey Ink Release. I know a lot of you have been waiting for the Mat Stack 5 stamp set to arrive. It does not disappoint. I find it to be a little different from the Mat Stack 1-4 Collections because of the finagling that needed to be done in order to provide you with variety. The Mat Stack 5 die is a big'in, so the stamp set is comprised of lots of smaller elements that can be used to decorate the die cut, as well as two full sized frames. I created projects featuring each. Let's check them out.

Both projects together. Lovely. And EASY to make.

I used the new Front & Center #2 Die for my full sized frame project. I've seen lots of variation using this die during the countdown. Dawn made it into a card here and Nichole used the scalloped topper brilliantly here. I'm presenting another option for you, in order to get the most creative bang for your buck. I cut off two inches from the bottom of the panel to make a shorter gift bag. I wasn't anticipating it to look like a purse, but it sure does. Perfect to hold a PTI felt handmade brooch or necklace, don't you think?

The full sized frame I used has an oval opening instead of a circle, which is a first. It works well with the new Limitless Layers Oval die set. I used it here with a delicate and frilly stamp from Homemade Hodgepodge in Smokey Shadow.

Another feature of the new Front & Center die that I like is the flat bottom on the handle (the previous Front & Center 1 die had an oval opening). The flat bottom makes it really easy to add ribbon vertically to the bag front.Fillable Frames #7 die, Tag-its #12, and the new Block Uppercase letters make a little tag, that is attached with a clothes pin.

Onto my bits and pieces card, I had a lot of fun with this one. Adding stamps and colors came together effortlessly. The sentiment is from Mega Mixed Messages and I used the new Mega Mat Stack 5 and Mega Mat Stack 5 Layerz to create my focal point frame. This one is definitely a repeater for me. Why always reinvent the wheel, kwim? I'm glad I put down the Pure Poppy ink (yep, a rut I know I fall into) and explored some of these new ink colors.

Off to put the finishing touches on my Simply Jane project. See you back here tomorrow. In the meantime inbetween time, check out more Mat Stack 5 Collection projects at the PTI blogs.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Ashley Cannon Newell
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies
Bag:
Stamps: Mat Stack 5 Collection, Stitches and Swirls, Homemade Hodgepodge, Tag-its 12
Dies: Front & Center 2, Love Lives Here Collection, Mat Stack 5, Fillable Frame #7, Limitless Layers Ovals Collection
Cardstock: Smokey Shadow, Melon Berry, and Stamper's Select White
Ink: Smokey Shadow, Fresh Snow, and Melon Berry
Ribbon: Melon Berry Grosgrain

Fabulous Card

Stamps: Mat Stack 5 Collection, Rosie Posie, Mega Mixed Messages, Polka Dot Basics I
Cardstock: Hawaiian Shores, Enchanted Evening, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise
Dies: Mega Mat Stack 5, Mat Stack 5 Layerz

December 2011 Release Projects

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Good morning PTI fans! I hope you are enjoying checking out all the new projects today while enjoying some coffee or tea. Why don't we get started with my offerings?

Floral Fusion #11 and Filigree Border. This was all about use the border strips and building off of the background. I used typing paper so the lacy borders have a light quality about them.

Little Princess. A castle in the clouds. With plenty of glitter. Show me a little girl who wouldn't love this card? The starburst from Nativity Silhouettes helps to make it more magical.

Lock & Key. One of my favorite projects this month. I cut away the key bitting (had to look that up!) and replaced it with the Block Alphabet dies. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. So easy to do too.

Made of Snow Mini. Stamp both sides of the snowman die cuts so you can manipulate the arms into other clever positions. Like two snowmen having a snowball fit with mini pom poms.

Tag-its #11. A classic design that is easy to mail because the ribbon is stamped from Faux Ribbon and Boughs & Bells.

Tremendous Treats Valentine and Happy Day. The more pals wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day, the better I say. Kids would love this.

Tree Tops. I love pinterest. Such good inspiration. I owe it all to them this time around.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to rest up and then going to hit Christmas head on. :) Enjoy the holiday with your family and loved ones:).

Love and Marriage

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've got the old Frank Sinatra classic playing loops in my head right now, don't you? :)

We're back again tonight with projects using one of PTI's Valentine's Day offerings--Love and Marriage. Truly a versatile set. Covers all the "love" holidays and occasions. As well as offers up a tree graphic that can be used for just about anything. What more could you ask for?

I wanted to focus on creating a project that you could slip in your husband's briefcase. Let's make it all prim and proper on the front and leave room on the back for something a little racy (wink, wink). It's got to be suitably masculine, thus the colors of Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, and Pure Poppy and the use of that tree graphic..

I busted out my calendar page die because when trimmed, the tree image fits nicely inside the notches. Granted, I could put notches where ever I feel like, but it's nice sometimes not to have to do the work. I used Journaling Lines as a background strip. Nice how the dots on the lines coordinate with the dotted frame of the tree.

Love and Marriage includes two itty bitty graphic sayings within a rectangle. They make a great banner.

And because my note was looking more and more like a postcard, I slapped on some postage and a cancellation stamp (from the set). Got to make it real love mail, right?

Hope I've tempted you. It's really a great set to own for lots of different occasions. Pop on by the other PTI blogs to see what everybody has been up to--there's a great famous couples background stamp that I'm sure is going to get tons of gorgeous play with this feature.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Ashley Cannon Newell
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: Love and Marriage, Journaling Lines, Friendship Jar
Dies: Calendar Page, Postage Stamp
Cardstock: Blueberry Sky, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Enchanted Evening, True Black, and Pure Poppy
Baker's Twine
Copic Marker

Rosie Posie

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Maybe this morning's post should be called "Ring Around the Rosie" as you all blog hop around the Papertrey Ink blogs for Rosie Posie's debut. Should be fun and inspiring.

We were asked this month to come up with an inspiration photo. I saw this one on Jennifer Ellefson's pinterest board and chose it without reading the details so much. Apparently she repinned if off my inspiration board! I tell ya, I don't know which way is up some days.

And here are my projects. I was drawn to the layout and the pops of color against the grey. Easy to do when you got your Smokey Shadow ink pad in your arsenal.

I really liked the vertical alignment on the elements and originally was going to try tor recreate it in my favorite folk art style. But then I discovered something--fold a piece of white cardstock in half and die cut the Rosie Posie stem and leaf, with the bottom on the stem slightly going beyond the fold. When cut, unfolded and both ends stamped (this works because the stamp is symmetrical), it almost has this damask design feel to it. Cool! The awesome hexagons from the set are a nice match up to Honey Bee and Honey Bee Sentiments. Nice to freshen those up!

For more of a focal point look with the rose and leaves, I took the same color scheme and created this card. I'm in love. I was originally just "in like" when I first got the stamp set, but once I stamped those roses on the die cuts and popped them up with dimensional adhesive, it was full on infatuation. And that Filigree Border die? You know how nice the edges are on the die cuts in general? That look is maximized due to all the daintiness of the fans--gorgeous.

That's it for me tonight. Make sure you do the "Ring Around the Rosie" and see what the other girls are up too with this stamp set.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
http://ashleynewell.com/blog/">Ashley Cannon Newell
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies

Bee Positive
Stamps: Rosie Posie, Honey Bee, Honey Bee Seniments, Fillable Frames 10, Half & Half
Dies: Fillable Frames #10, Rosie Posie Collection
Ink: Smokey Shadow and CTHM Orange
Buttons: Smokey Shadow

Get Well Soon
Stamps: Rosie Posie, Faux Ribbon
Cardstock: Smokey Shadow and Soft Stone
Button: Smokey Shadow
Dies: Rosie Posie Collection and Filigree Border die
Ink: Smokey Shadow

2011 November Papertrey...the Rest of the Story

2011-11-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

YAY! We can share our projects with you pre-release. Hope it helps make those decisions of what stays in the cart...and what gets thrown in last minute.

This is one of my favorites using Birthday By the Numbers and Background Basics: Circles. That Block Alphabet? It's a must have. Seriously. Go get it girls. You will not regret.

Floral Fusion #10. Use two of the dies cut out of felt to make the icing on a cupcake! Banners from "Door to Door". Lots of uses with those.

Tag-its #10 and Background Basics: Circles. I love that banner....and I love the monkey from "Tiny Treats: Birthday" hanging off of it even more.

Tiny Tags II.. I was playing off the "Hugs and Kisses" sentiment by cutting X's and O's out of felt.

Willow. Two tree toppers laid in mirror image hortizontially make a lovely leaf spray that fits Mega Mat Stack I perfectly.

I'm giving popsicle makers to friends this Christmas. I've mentioned how much I LOVE ZOKU...found some Wal Mart knockoffs on clearance in September for $7.50!!! I bought like a dozen for gifts and one to try out to make sure they work well (they do). So this is my prototype of the tags that will go on the wrapped gifts. Add a popsicle stick to Tag Sale #2 and you got a popsicle. I think the penguin from "Winter Penguin" makes a nice little friendly guy to help decorate.

And there you have it. Happy shopping!

Stitches & Swirls

2011-11-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

Hello! Welcome back. I hope you've enjoyed the November 2011 release with Papertrey Ink. I'm back with one more project before the big night using the new Stitches & Swirls set. Do you love "Turning a New Leaf"? And "Fancy Flourishes"? I think this will make a nice new addition in that genre for you. Versatile, unique, and easy to use. Can't beat that.

I like when I find elements that have a certain symmetry to them, allowing for a folk art pattern to be built on a card. It allows for other stamp sets to be pulled in to pitch hit for beautiful results. There are two leaves/flower images that are mirror images of each other in "Stitches & Swirls". I selectively inked just the leaves and stems and then used Wishing You and Floral Fusion #7 to add some folksy flair.

I think I'm really going to end up using Dawn's new "Glory Be" set a great deal. Just so lighthearted and fun. I stamped the sentiments on three layered Tiny Tags dies in two colors. Kinda just makes me smile.

Make sure you stop by the blogs of the other PTI ladies to see how they used this set. It's super versatile, so I'm sure it will be used in a ton of ways.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
http://ashleynewell.com/blog/">Ashley Cannon Newell
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Thanks for a wonderful month and I'll be back in the next few days with my release projects and a few extras created with that new Block Alphabet die--I can't stop using it!
Supplies:

Goodness Gracious
Stamps: Stitches & Swirls, Wishing You, Floral Fusion #7, Glory Be
Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White
Dies: Tiny Tags, Pinking Shears border
Ink: Pure Poppy and Ripe Avocado
White Embossing powder
Baker's Twine
Pure Poppy Buttons

Door to Door

2011-11-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

It's the first day of the group posts for the Papertrey Ink Design Team. Tonight we are featuring a fun and oh-so-unique set called Door to Door. Seeing as it is designed by Nichole, you know that it's going to be absolutely amazing and versatile. I'm truly amazed that she keeps coming up with such great ideas and must have sets.

I'm sure you've read up on all the details on Nichole's blog. All about the doors and the dies and the accessories. In creating this card, I felt a little like Martha Stewart creating a scene for a magazine spread. Just absolutely delightful with the pots, urns, and fillers.

I created a fall scene and utilized the pumpkins, mums, and leaves in the set to make my homey front porch.

Now, for artistic reasons, I purposely didn't stamp the top of the door. I wanted the focus to be more on the floor level. Also a great way to use the set when you have a panel that isn't particularly long height wise. I also pulled in the brick patio and dog from Lisa's Chairished set. Both are sized nicely to work with all of the Door to Door elements.

And now, how about that banner? I will be using this on everything. It will be the finishing touch on a lot of my projects in the future. It's in the same category as the sun rays from Nativity Silhouettes and the bows in Bells & Boughs with it's usefulness extending far beyond the given set.

Because I wanted to present a Halloween theme, I decorated my scene with some cobwebs from Been Boo'd. I love pulling out old sets and using them on new projects like this.

Look for more seasonal and themed projects using Door to Door tonight at the online homes off all these fabulous ladies and I'll be back tomorrow with another project for you.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
http://ashleynewell.com/blog/">Ashley Cannon Newel
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:
Stamps: Door to Door, Been Boo'd, Chairished, Text Style I
Ink: True Black, Tea Dye Duo
Cardstock: Vintage Cream, Orange Zest, True Black
Patterned Paper: Halloween Prints
Dies: Pinking Shears Border Die, Mega Mat Stack 3, Medium Scallop, Door to Door Accessories
Copics

Introducing Mega Mehndi Medallion

2011-11-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how many times I have checked that I'm spelling "Mehndi" right! Giggle. I don't even know how to pronounce it to be truthful. But I do know that this style of artwork makes some beautiful stamps for your projects!

I'm here tonight to show you a trio of projects using the new Mega Mehndi Medallion from Papertrey Ink. The images are the same as the $5 set, only bigger. I decided to go all in and take all my inspiration from India. Bright colors and chaotic patterns most notably. I'm quite pleased with how they turned out.

My first card features decreasing apertures and ZING! colored embossing powder. I used both the original Mehndi Medallion and the new Mega sized, taking turns stamping Versamark on colored cardstock and embossing in bold and bright colors.

I used my Spellbinders circle dies to cut out the middles, decreasing with each layer I added to the bottom. I really love the bright, colorful effect. Stick pins topped with a red pearl and gems add to the exotic look.

Just a quick run down so you know the colors per layer:

Aqua embossing powder on Summer Sunrise cardstock
Lavender embossing powder on Raspberry Fizz cardstock
Red embossing powder on Spring Rain cardstock
White embossing powder on Royal Velvet cardstock

For my second project, I went for the embossing powder again, but on more of an one layer card. Using just two stamp (a medium sized medallion and a sentiment), you can really get a great look if you focus on color and technique. Three medallions are highlighted with embossing powder and the rest are simply stamped in Versamark.

And lastly, I took an inspiration piece off of Pinterest and recreated with my stamps. Please forgive me, I went looking for it tonight and could't bring it up. It was an image of five types of pattered paper, lined up together. Nothing really matched, colors were all weird when taken individually, but together, they had a certain harmony and balance. It was fun to bust out all sorts of different stamp sets to recreate the look. I'd imagine this is the type of card you'd give somebody who wears zebra print and pink patent leather flats--just has that funky vibe to me.

Thanks for stopping by tonight. I'll be back in the next few days with Group Projects. Be sure to check Dawn's, Nichole's, Heather's, Maile's, and Betsy's blogs tonight for more previews.

Supplies:

Layered Medallion Card
Cardstock: Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Royal Velvet, Spring Rain, Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White
Stamps: Mega Mehndi Medallion, Mehndi Medallion, and Simple Little Labels
Embossing Powder: ZING! by American Crafts
Dies: Double Ended Banner Die
Jenni Bowlin decorative pins

Royal Velvet Card
Stamps: Mega Mehndi Medallion, Birthday Basics
Cardstock: Royal Velvet
Harvest Gold Button
Double Ended Banner Die
ZING! Embossing Powder

Crazy Patchwork Card
Stamps: Turning a New Leaf, Gracious Vases, Damask Designs, Holiday Cheer, Mega Mehndi Medallion, Background Basics: Vine
Cardstock: Smokey Shadow, Soft Stone, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White
Vine Die
Alphabet: it shall remain a mystery for now:)
Ink: Fresh Snow, Raspberry Fizz, Smokey Shadow, Pure Poppy

Happy Halloween with a little help from the Hankster

2011-10-31T14:50:00.001-04:00

Thought I would share my Halloween treat for friends and family. Something I put together with the help of my favorite little guy. (Excuse me...big guy....he's getting a mite particular about being called a big boy at the age of 3 1/2.)

Like last year, I decided to go with a custom snack mix. I recently found the holy grail of bulk food places in Hagerstown, MD (for those of you who might be local). It's the Pennsylvania Dutch Market run entirely by Mennonites. The selection is unrivaled. You can get just the marshmallows from Lucky Charms cereal in bulk!!!! Like seriously. My mind is a'whirl with what I can do with those. They've got to figure into my St. Patty's Day plans some how. Also, Kraft Mac and Cheese powder, chocolate graham pretzels, jello powder, and even...insert the singing of angels here...the wafers for ice cream sandwiches, just like the ones you buy in the store. I make my own ice cream, so this is big doings for me. Lots of unusual seasonal items too. HEAVEN.

For my mix this year, I got some Halloween nonpareil chocolate drops, mini Buckeyes, marshmallow pumpkins, pretzel balls, and caramel puffs. Delicious. Toss everything in a big bowl and hand a three year old a scoop and tell him to mix it up. Practice due diligence that he doesn't eat it all.

Hank also played a major role in making these snack bags for our concoction. He pushed the button on my Big Shot for all the die cutting, liked poking the holes out of the Front and Center die cuts, stamped everything (with Mama's help), and applied glue to all the pieces. Kept us busy during our snow storm (like seriously...how ridiculous was that?). I adhered the candy sticks to the front with some Scor-Tape.

And just to show you how handy this Front and Center die is, I used the foldable coffee bags that PTI carries. I went head and folded them down before adding the bag front/backs. And a little adhesive at the top of the handle keeps it closed. Sweet. A fun project to do with a child.

Hope you bust out the supplies to craft with your little ones. :) It's a lot of fun, good quality family time--I recommend it.

And with that, we'd just like to wish you a Happy and Safe Halloween! The Lincoln kids (with their snow gear on) are all set to go out tonight and bag themselves some candy. Good thing I got out the day before Snowtober and got this photo of them. :)

Supplies by PTI

Stamp sets: Halloween Sweets & Treats, Spooky Sweets I and II
Dies: Picket Fence, Halloween Sweets & Treats Mini Collection, Front and Center 1
Large Kraft Coffee Bags

The Rest of October PTI

2011-10-16T16:10:00.001-04:00

Seems like the gallery is being taken over by gremlins, so I thought I'd post the rest of my projects here. But before I do, I just want to say thanks for all the nice comments that have been left to me to enjoy for the two group posts this month. Makes a girl feel good:).

Using the manger from Nativity Silhouettes. Might be a manger in December, but the other eleven months of the year it can be a house:). You can use sentiments from "Love Lives Here" or "Boards and Beams".

If this was one of those fancy cooking shows, this card would be call "Snowman Deconstructed". Uses Shape Up Snowman Accessories and In the Meadow. Seriously, you can get a lot of mileage out of that snowman set and dies.:)

Negative space can be your friend. Stamp set: Christmas Poinsettia

Very simple die layering on this card using Star of Wonder.

There is an ornament hanger stamp in Dawn's Candy Cane Christmas that is invaluable. I've been wanting something like that forever. Helps turn all the 1.75" stamps into ornaments. Using Tag-its #9, 2011 Holiday Tags (LOVE!) and a sentiment from Christmas Poinsettia here.

The Sending You die set makes a nice fireplace to hang stockings from "Tremendous Treats" from.

Winterberry and Wonderful Words: Holiday. I see Christmas tree stamps and always want to do this type of pattern. So I just went for it.

OK. Off the the grocery store to buy the ingredients for Lasagna Soup and Taco Pasta. YUM.

2011 Holiday Tags

2011-10-13T23:59:00.000-04:00

Goody gumdrops, have I got a project for you today. I've been wanting to do something with adhesive magnetic sheets for awhile, but have been waiting for the right stamp/die combo to come my way. It did with Shape It Snowman. So, for any of you with pre-school to young elementary age kids in your life--whether your own or those that you borrow from time to time--here's a fun holiday project to make for them. What kid wouldn't love to dress up their own snowmen? And with a card and storage case thrown in, the adults will get a kick out of it as well.

For up, let's see everything all together. I used Nichole's new 2011 Holiday Tags to tie the tin and card together visually. The "Let It Snow" tag in particular has an open hexagon pattern on it, just perfect for coloring with Copics.

Next up, a photo of the card. Adore adding felt to the snowman. Warm and cozy. I have a sentiment from Wonderful Words: Holiday stamps and dies there for some visual interest.

A close up of my storage case. Mega Mat Stack 3, a tag/snowflake combo that matches the one of the card, and sentiment from Made of Snow. There is also a sentiment from the new In the Meadow set that works as well--"In the Meadow, We Can Build a Snowman". You know, if you just need an extra little nudge in that direction:). All the elements on the cover of this metal DVD case are first die cut out of adhesive magnet sheeting and covered with another die cut out of cardstock. They stick to the front, but are removable. That will factor in here in a moment.

Open up the case and you have all the elements of a good time. You have magnetic snowmen, snow slopes, hats, gloves, words, arms, and trees. Again, everything is cut twice--once out of adhesive magnetic sheets and again out of cardstock.

As a space saver, the shapes magnetize to each other and are stackable. See my trees there? I think I have a total of four, one on top of the other.

Now, upon receiving this gift, the lucky child can get right to work arranging his/her snow scene on the front of the tin. It's the storage, gift wrap, and play surface all in one.

Another example. With Wonderful Words: Holiday and the dies, finding the proper arrangement of words (or making up new ones) is a great activity for a new reader.

And another example. Why not turn the tin 90 degrees for a landscape orientation? And because the snowflake tag from the cover was magnetized as well, it can be thrown in as an additional design element.

Of course, there are many other combinations. You could even add in more stamp/die sets for more playtime fun.

Let's talk numbers now. You are probably wondering what this project cost to make. I bought a 1x2 foot piece of adhesive magnet sheeting at Michael's for $6 using a coupon and I used every bit of it. The DVD case I had leftover from previous projects. I bought a ton here once upon a time for cheap, but you do have to buy in larger quantities and pay for international shipping from Canada. Might be worth it for you. Or, browsing through the aisle of Michael's today, I saw some other options in the form of tins and lunch boxes. With a coupon, probably around $3. So a $9 homemade gift. A little on the high side, I'll admit, but worth it for that special little someone. This one is headed over to England for my niece and nephew in a few months. I can imagine a hostess sending this project to her little guests to enjoy as they travel to her house to spend the holidays. Or even fun for the neighbor kids.

And that, my friends, wraps it up for me this month. I'm off to pay the whip cracking husband some attention. It's a dance party tonight with the new Just Dance 3 in the house. Thank goodness nobody but us witnesses that spectacle!

Be sure to blog hop on over to the PTI blogs to see more projects using Wonderful Words: Holiday and 2011 Holiday Tags. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Magnetic Build a Snowman Project

Stamps: 2011 Holiday Tags, Wonderful Words: Holiday, Made of Snow, Shape Up Snowman Accessories
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Versamark, True Black
Dies: Shape Up Snowman, Damask Snowflakes, Wonderful Words: Holiday, Christmas Tree die, In
the Meadow, Mega Mat Stack 3, 1.75" Limitless Layers
Patterned Paper: Damask Designs, Funky Town, Christmas Prints
Other: Copic Markers, metal DVD case, adhesive sheet magnets
Felt: Simply Chartreuse, Pure Poppy
Button: Simply Chartreuse

In the Meadow

2011-10-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

To start off, I have a fun story for you that was spurred on by PTI's "In the Meadow" coming in the mail. I fell hard in love with this set. And I think it goes back to my love for the song "Sleigh Ride". It seems like it is the song illustrated in my favorite form--stamps!

Being a diehard band nerd back in the day, I was thrilled every holiday season when the sheet music for "Sleigh Ride" got passed out. It seemed to be a perennial favorite and year after year, it was included in the holiday program.

The woodwinds got a primo part. It is so very lively and spirited. My fingers seemed to fly over those clarinet keys. An absolute thrill to play. And it was all punctuated several times with a member of the drum line "cracking the whip". One time in particular was at the very end of the song. We'd wait to hear it before we finish off with the last few accented notes. That whip crack signaled the end of a fabulous musical ride. I was always breathless, exhilarated, and transported.

Yes, I realize I'm totally showing my nerd card here.

So here I am thinking about playing "Sleigh Ride" the other day while washing the dishes. And then it dawned on me--I just happen to be married to one of the guys in the high school drum line. I stopped what I was doing, turned to my beloved (whom I knew played a lot of the "auxillary" instruments because a) he can't read music after 8 years of band and b) was chosen for certain parts because he was so enthusiastic and never held anything back), and asked, "Hey, when we played Sleigh Ride in band, was it you who made the whipping sound?"

He just grinned at me. "Yeah, it was me. And I've been cracking the whip ever since Baby."

Eye roll. So much for romance, huh? But funny none the less. And apparently, it wasn't an actual whip but rather two 2x4 boards clapped together. Go figure. All my illusions have been shattered. I think I'll go cry in my cup of hot chocolate.

OK. Back on topic. Stamps. In particular, Nichole's amazing "In the Meadow". With it fresh out of the box and just to warm up, I made a card with the sleighing child. It really wasn't supposed to be for the release, just for my own amusement. What amazed me when it was all done was how effortless it was to create. And it turned out--not that I'm tooting my own horn here--stunning. I loved it. Guess I was using it for my group project after all. :)

Our assignment was also to create a "wrap". Which means a fancy way of decorating a gift. You see us do it all the time. To go with my theme--the one that really choose me--I thought about packaging up something warm and toasty. Target always has fun knee high socks...and thus the idea was born.

What I ended up doing, was buying and packaging up two pairs of knee highs. I took a paper towel cardboard tube and placed it in one of the socks. The toe and heel are stuffed up the hole, as make things look nice and neat. I went ahead and stuffed the matching sock up the bottom as a plug. Works well and looks presentable.

Another set, which you cannot see, was stuffed in the top of the tube and the main wrapping sock was gathered at the top of the tube and tied with a Pure Poppy grosgrain ribbon.

Maile's new Wine Tag and Tag Sale #5 were decorated to match the card. With the tube in the sock, it's just a bit too tight of a fit. Not a problem, just snip the back of the Wine Tag and it fits better and nobody is the wiser.

Other additional details from the card--the snow slope dies. Run a glue pen over the edge and dust with fine glitter for a realistic look. Delightful.

So, I'm thinking this whole sock and tube idea can be used in a variety of ways. Imagine giving tube socks to an athlete and using the All Star Team stamp set? Or socks and candy? Or when it is a little more in season, matching socks, gloves, and hat? Target and Old Navy will have these types of matching items here soon. Another month or so. A little early when I was looking, so I had to go with straight up socks.

Ok, hope you enjoyed this fun, economical, and "green" project (hey...we recycled a piece of trash with the paper towel tube, right?). Be sure to check out all the other delightful projects on the PTI Design Team blogs. Lots of lovely things to see, I've no doubt!

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: In the Meadow, Fillable Frames Additions 1
Dies: In the Meadow, In the Meadow Slopes, Wine Tag, Tag Sale 5
Cardstock: Spring Rain, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, True Black
Patterned Paper: Men of Life
Button: Ripe Avocado
Baker's Twine and Glitter
Pure Poppy Grosgrain Ribbon

Introducing Floral Fusion #9 and and Faith & Hope

2011-10-10T23:59:00.000-04:00

It's that time again! I'm all inky from the creative fun I've been having in my office and I'm here to share with you some projects using Melissa's Floral Fusion #9 and Beth's Faith&Hope. Sit back and enjoy.

I got a lovely little email in my inbox this evening letting me know of Beth's and PTI's plans for the proceeds of Faith & Hope. 100% of the profits from this stamp set go to the Susan G. Komen Fund. Isn't that great? I have nothing to do other than to stand up and applaud. That is fabulous. I'm happy to, in my own little way, to a part of it.

So how about some cards using the set?

Up first, a very simple card that is all about the message. Fortunately, I know nobody who needs to receive this right now. But I would imagine that if I needed to send something to a cancer patient, I would want to be a ray of sunshine to them and offer them words of encouragement. So, on the front, I simply have "Courage & Hope".

It's hard to see in the photograph, but I used this Make It Monday technique with my Photo Finisher Strip die to add some impressed lines. Kinda classy. As for the ampersand, that's from "Get to the Point". I know if you don't have that set, you can find that helpful little figure in any number of stamp sets you might own, therefore making the replication of this card a cinch.

Inside, I pulled a sentiment from Big & Bold Wishes. That about sums it up, don't you think? A flower from the new Floral Fusion #9 blooms despite all the hardship.

Next up, I wanted to feature this saying on the front of a card. It fit nicely on the button card die. Imagine it isn't adhered to the card, but rather tucked behind that Aqua Mist strip, so the recipient can remove it and place it in his or her wallet to be pulled out when a little encouragement is needed.

Here's a close up so you can see exactly what it says. Very inspirational for anybody fighting cancer, no matter the type.

Another fabulous saying included in Faith & Hope is this one about "turning toward the sun". Anybody could benefit from receiving this uplifting message. I thought it paired up nicely with the sun rays from the Nativity Silhouettes Additions and the palm trees from Nativity Silhouettes. Putting the new Tag Sale #5 and Mega Mat Stack dies to use here as well.

And lastly, how about some loving for the Floral Fusion #9 set. Let's let it shine on it's own a little bit. I needed to dig into some bold and bright colors after working with those that were more subdued. Raspberry Fizz, Royal Velvet, Simply Chartreuse, and Hawaiian Shores do the job nicely. I mostly used the outlined daisy as my base pattern and build all of my elements on top of that. Just randomly I had one felt circle on my desk from another project that I just happened to lay on top of the card. Snowballed from there. LOVE LOVE LOVE it when that happens.

Off to bed for me. But when I get up in the morning, I'm looking forward to more projects from Heather, Dawn, Beth, Maile, Melissa, and Nichole.

Supplies:

Courage and Hope
Stamps: Faith & Hope, Floral Fusion #9, Get to the Point, Big & Bold Wishes
Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Sweet Blush
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, CTMH Blush
Die: Photo Finisher Strips, Faith & Hope die

Cancer is so Limited
Stamps: Faith & Hope, Button Boutique, Floral Fusion #9, Harvest Berries
Cardstock: Kraft, Aqua Mist, Vintage Cream
Ink: Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate, Aqua Mist
Dies: Button card, Floral Fusion #9
Patterned Paper: Library Ledger

Turn Your Face to the Sun
Stamps: Faith & Hope, Nativity Silhouettes and Additions, Journaling Lines, Daily Designs
Cardstock: Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Kraft, Stamper's Select Whtie
Ink: Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Enchanted Evening
Dies: Fillable Frames #1, 1.75" Limitless Layers, Tag Sale #5, Mega Mat Stack 3
Button: Harvest Gold

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Floral Fusion #9
Cardstock: Royal Velvet, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Raspberry Fizz
Ink: Fresh Snow
Dies: Sending You

More Hallween Sweets and Treats

2011-10-04T10:30:00.000-04:00

I was on a roll the other day while creating. I've been watching The Cosby Show on Netflix while I stamp and I was enjoying it so much that I kept on going with Halloween Sweets and Treats. It really is such a classic and Bill makes me laugh about every minute. I want to parent like he and Claire do. I'm taking notes. And if you have Netflix (I know...they are not so popular right now, sigh) and have been pregnant, sit back and cackle at Season 6, Episode 8 entitled "The Day the Spores Landed". What is the most funny is watching the cast try to keep it together instead of laughing at themselves. I'm surprised I got this card done.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI Halloween Sweets and Treats and Spooky Sweets II, Hero Arts Spider Web
Dies: Bitty Halloween Sweets and Treats Collection
Orange Zest, Kraft, and True Black cardstock
white bubble sticker by Martha Steward

Pumpkin Totem Card

2011-10-03T14:18:00.001-04:00

I have Martha to thank for this one. doesn't she always have stacked pumpkins in her Halloween spreads? In any case, that is the thought that took me down this road. Does it work? I'm not sure, but my 5 year old nephew isn't really going to mind one way or another, as long as I include chocolate in the package:).

PTI Supplies
Stamps: Halloween Sweets and Treats, Bitty Background Blocks
Dies: Halloween Sweets and Treats Bitty Collection, Photo Finishers Strips
Cardstock: Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, and Terracotta Tile, True Black, Kraft

Happy Birthday Matt!

2011-09-28T20:29:00.003-04:00

Mostly, I'm here to recommend a cookbook. I've had the tendency of late to check them out of the library, bring them home to peruse over breakfast and lunch, and then heading over to Amazon to order my own copy. Really, not something I'm going to feel guilty over. Everyone needs food, right? And good food is an even bigger plus.

I love to bake. Hank loves to pitch in. All fine and good. Only problem is that if there is even a single leftover cookie in the house, I'll hover around it like a bee to a flower. And when is there only one cookie? There is usually a few dozen. So to spare myself calories, I don't usually bake.

Enter Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers. It was a library find. I ended up buying two--one for me and one for my mother. And it is on my short list for future gift giving. There are recipe inside for eight chocolate chip cookies...or three cupcakes...or a single tart to be shared by two...or in today's case, tiny little chocolate cakes complete with icing. Just enough to ease your sweet tooth, but not to heave on the guilt. I've made two of the recipes so far and have found that I have enough dough or icing to make the recipe, without having to scrape the bowl for that last 1/4 tsp. That was main concern, which I no longer have. And so very yummy.

Today's Matt's birthday. I recycled two tin cans (originally held black beans) and ran them through my dishwasher for my "cake pans", as suggested by the author. Followed the directions. Melted a large bar of chocolate to use for both the cake and the icing. You know it's going to be good when it calls for "premium quality chocolate". I wrapped a gift, decorated a tag, and created a cake topper. And had time to spare at naptime. Whoo!

And best of all? I'm not going to be "squaring up" the cake at 11 o'clock when I go to bed and again before breakfast. We ate up all the cake tonight, just enough for the four of us.

Now, if I can only find a way to package up these little cakes. I think the By the Numbers dies make the perfect scaled toppers. Like seriously, a cute little cake that matches the gift? Bring it.

Other than that, Happy Birthday to the man who makes me laugh on a hourly basis, likes to sit in a parked car in our garage for long chats while sleepy children snooze behind us in carseats, and who always makes my coffee in the morning. Love you heaps and heaps. And I'll be down in just a few minutes so we can binge on The Good Wife. :)

PTI Supplies:

Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes

Dies: By the Numbers, Edgers 4

Buttons: Simply Chartreuse

Grosgrain Ribbon in Pure Poppy

Follow Up Baby To-Go Bags

2011-09-20T14:16:00.000-04:00

I created a single Baby To-Go Bag back in June for one of Papertrey's Team Projects. You can see it here. Seeing absolutely no reason to reinvent the wheel, when it came time for me to actually go to a baby shower, I took the idea and ran with it. Thought I'd share another version today with you.

Here's the project as a whole. I bought a basket at Joann's. It fits six of the canvas drawstring bags. Well, actually, we cut and made the bags to fit. They are probably 8x10 inches when made up. Large enough to hold a diaper and a travel size bag of wipees.

There are two types of bags. The ones with the baby food jar (PTI's jar die) are labeled 1 though 3 (with the By the Numbers die). All patterns you see are fabric. You can cut fabric with your dies quite easily if you have fused Heat N' Bond onto the back.

My mom did all the sewing for me. She did an amazing job. I love it when we put our heads together like this. The baby food jars hold a pouch of organic Sprout baby food, one of those fruit puree packets with a spout, a travel size packet of formula, a disposable bib, and baby spoon.

For the onesie bags...same deal. They are number and there are three of them. The big onesie is cut with PTI's Onesie die. These bags have a diaper, a new onesie, and a travel sized pack of wipes. Come to think of it, a little travel sized bottle of hand sanitizer would have been a nice addition here. Next time.

The idea behind these Baby To-Go Bags is that the parents can grab them and go when they need to get out of the house quick. They have all the baby essentials already to go. The numbers help you know when you need to take a few minutes to restock them. If you are bag number 3, it's time to get them reorganized again. And besides all that, the numbers are pretty cool to look at.

Extra formula packs and disposable wipes are stored underneath the bags in the basket.

For the decorating, I just cut a Mat Stack 4 die and stamped with the Mat Stack 4 Collection stamp, a duck from Night, Night Moon, and a sentiment from Inside/Out Sentiments: Baby.

The matching card (it matches the onesies on the bag!) is again cut from the Shape It Up Onesie die and stamped with Polka Dot Basics, Little Labels, and a sentiment from Faux Ribbon. I used Aqua Mist and Harvest Gold cardstock here.

All in all, a cute and very practical gift. I'd have been thrilled to get this and I hope little Anya Eleanor's mom loved it as well.

Holiday Photo Finishers

2011-09-13T23:59:00.000-04:00

Where do I even start tonight? There is so much to say about the new Papertrey Ink Holiday Photo Finishers. Have to collect my thoughts. OK...so here's the deal. I'm a Shutterfly girl. I get pre-printed photo cards with extra photos and messages printed inside (I believe they are called Storybook cards). It's been a bit of a no-brainer for me. Easy-piesy lemon squeezy...they are done without much hassle. But I've always felt just a wee bit guilty not making something homemade. I'm mean...come on...I'm the professional crafty type. Where's the love when I really need to show it? Reminds me of the cobbler's children going without shoes and all.

This year, I'm going homemade. And that's because of this set of stamps and the dies. Oh...and the fabulous tri-fold card! I'm a bit wordy when it comes to catching everybody up to our yearly activities. And there is nothing I like better than getting a nice letter in the mail from loved ones and holiday time. The tri-fold lets me be wordy and crafty and just a wee bit clever because it is so darn easy. Let me show you.

Here's the photo front of my card. I used Dawn's Candy Cane Christmas paper and stamped with this lovely sentiment. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE these dies. So many uses. The embossed lines are so money.

Just for a bit of crafty goodness--not much mind you, this has to be easy to make it multiples--felt holly leaves. The glittery center "berry" is from some Stickopatomus stickers I got at Michael's.

Flip the card over and you have a sentiment from Inside/Out: Holiday. It fits inside the Mat Stack 1 Layerz. Additional holly serve as brackets. As a personal touch, I signed our name.

For the first flip of the card, you get a photo of my favorite buddy and a little ditty about him. I created all of this on my computer (including the red label) and just printed it out on printer paper.

When opened all the way, photos and info for the rest of us. A few holly just for color. All four "people panels" were printed on one sheet of paper. How easy would it be to print as many as you needed? Really, most of the work is done at once on these. Multiples are easy when you print and cut the majority of it and just add a few special paper crafting touches.

For another project, I went with something non-holiday themed and used Flutterby Friend. Did I mention I love the Photo Finisher dies? Imagine the possibilities. There are so many sentiments that fit in them. This one is from Little Labels.

A close up. There's the Mat Stack 1 shape. Which had me pulling out Mat Stack 1 Collection to reinforce the theme. Fits nicely.

There's a bow from Maile's Bells & Boughs. Oh my good gravy. Those bows are on a lot of my projects this month. The perfect touch for somebody who doesn't use a lot of ribbon.

I hope you are as excited as I am over this set this month. And are already thinking about your holiday cards. Start them now--avoid the stress and rush in December. And kick back with a mug of hot chocolate instead of pulling your hair out trying that done during the hustle and bustle of the holiday.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's projects. Down right giddy about it. Hop on over to see what they are up to as well:

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Holiday Card

Stamps: Holiday Photo Finishers, Inside/Out: Holiday, Library Ledger Year Additions
Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse
PTI Tri-fold card
Dies: Mat Stack II Layerz, Holly Jolly
Ink: True Black, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado
Patterned Paper: Candy Cane Christmas
Felt: Simply Chartreuse
Other: Digital labels (my own design), glitter epoxy stickers by Stickopatomus

Hello Friend

Stamps: Flutterby Friends, Bells & Boughs, Mat Stack 1 Collection, Little Labels
Cardstock: Scarlett Jewel, Autumn Rose, Stamper's Select White
Ink: True Black
Dies: Edgers #4, Photo Finisher Strips, Bells & Boughs
Button: Blueberry Sky
Copic Trios: Scarlett Jewel, Enchanted Evening, Ripe Avocado

Love Lives Here for the Holidays

2011-09-11T23:59:00.000-04:00

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas! It's the most wonderful time of the year.

What? It's September and Christmas is months away? Nah, not at Papertrey Ink. September kicks off our creative holiday season for a few months. And I'm here today with my first group project of the release. We're featuring the new Love Lives Here: Holiday. It's just as fabulous as the original in all it's vintage, homespun glory. And dies! Oh good gravy...the dies. The dies are always the cherry on the sundae, right?

Now, one of my favorite parts of the holidays is the ornaments on our tree. Pulling each one out of the box conjures up certain, specific memories for me. And every year, starting just about now, the kids and I stop by Hallmark every time we're at the mall so we can start planning which ornaments we are going to buy. It's our tradition to buy one special ornament per family member every year. Hank LOVES deciding on which one is going to be his. It is quite the decision.

The beloved ornament idea got me thinking about the type of project I wanted to create for today. It would be really neat to make a commemorative yearly ornament to hand out as gifts. And every year, you'd make a new one. With a good stamp set (like Love Lives Here: Holiday), you could have enough different shapes and sentiments to keep them unique for a few years. Perfect.

Now, I have a little trick with chipboard to make sturdy, long lasting ornaments.. Using dies (such as this angel die), cut multiples out of thin chipboard. The thickness of a cereal box. Or, if you are super duper thrifty, there is absolutely no reason not to use a cereal box for this project. For my ornaments, I used six layers of chipboard and one layer of cardstock. The result is an 1/4" thick die cut shape. Sturdy enough to hold up for years. Fabulous. I used spray adhesive to evenly coat them with sticky stuff before stacking them together to dry.

After that, I stamped my pieces, aged them with vintage ink, and tied a ribbon in the hole. When Tag Sale #4 came out, everybody commented on how it looked like a Christmas ornament. I just went with that and used it here. Both sides are stamped. And I included the year to date the ornament (Library Ledger Year Additions) and a sentiment (Faux Ribbon seemed to fit my needs nicely). Subsequent years will have the appropriate date to make them more commemorative. Can you tell how sturdy these are? Isn't that angel great?

I packaged one ornament in a clear card box and embellished the front. I wanted to make it look like the ornament was hanging from a tree branch. Maile's new Bells & Boughs suited just fine.

Up close of the label. Lisa's new Christmas labels are perfect for longer sentiments.

Just a little shot of the contents of the box. I made a little patterned paper filler box on the bottom to take up some space and make it seem more professional.

And of course, we've got to have a matching card. I used this Impression Plate technique to block the embossing from the Impression Plate. It helps mimic and reinforce the ornament theme.

Hope you enjoyed my project and are inspired to start thinking about Christmas gifts. It really is just around the corner. For more ideas, blog hop over to my esteemed colleagues virtual homes and see what they are up to using Love Lives Here: Holiday. Guaranteed to blow you away.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies

Box

Stamps: Love Lives Here Holiday, Christmas Labels, Bells & Boughs
Cardstock: Spring Moss, Autumn Rose, Scarlet Jewel, Vintage Cream
Patterned Paper: Pacific Vineyard
Ink: Scarlet Jewel, Ripe Avocado and Fresh Snow
Ribbon: Bitty Dot Autumn Rose
Versamark

Card

Stamps: Loves Lives Here, Christmas Label, Faux Ribbon
Vineyard Impression Plate
Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon
Edgers Dies #4
Spring Moss, Autumn Rose, Scarlett Jewel, Vintage Cream Cardstock
Love Lives Here Dies
Christmas Label Die
Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel, and Fresh Snow Ink

Ornament

Stamps: Love Lives Here: Holiday, Faux Ribbon, Library Ledger: Year Additions
Vintage Cream Cardstock
Scarlet Jewel, Dark Chocolate, and Ripe Avocado ink
Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon
Cardstock
Dies: Love Lives Here: Holiday, Tag Sale #4, Love Lives Here

My Favorite Weekend of the Year

2011-09-11T16:01:00.001-04:00

This weekend is my favorite of the entire year--Yard Sale Weekend! It happens to be a yearly juried craft festival this weekend in the town park, but that seems to have taken a backseat to all the wheelin' and dealin' going on. Everybody saves their junk/unwanted stuff and puts it out on the driveway. And for a mama with two little kids it is windfall of cheap, affordable toys. I really see no reason whatsoever to buy toys new. That's not to say I don't for birthdays and Christmas, but all the big stuff on my list, I pick up for pennies for a dollar the second weekend in September. Let me show you what I mean. A little scene from my backyard last night:

Let me break it down for you:

Picnic Table: $5

Water Table: $8

Cozy Coupe: $5

Slide thingy: $2 (!!!!)

Soccer Goal with 4 Soccer Balls: $4

Car Ramp Mountain: $8

Trampoline: $20 (yep...I splurged here, but it was brand new)

Sandbox: $5

That's a whole lotta outdoor fun for cheap.

There's a whole bunch more. I filled my car three times. One of my favorite finds this year was a vintage gumball machine for $5. I have a plan for that. We'll put it to use. But that's another blog post.

Now, granted...this is a whole lotta crap. It needs to be stored. Luckily, we have an unfinished basement. A messy unfinished basement. But the kids are only little for so long and before you know it, I'll be selling everything and making most of my money back. And cleaning out my house. We do a yard sale too every year too. We're just considering all this as rentals. It comes in and it goes out. Try it out--you'll be amazed by the fun you and your kids can have for very little money. And the thrill of the hunt is a bit addictive too.

When I wasn't madly finding bargains, I manned our yard sale this year. I had a great deal of craft supplies to move. This is our fourth year doing so and I've seem to have developed a reputation. Get the same customers back. I'm sure I'll find all my stuff on tables in a few years as other people try to sell it! Things were sort of slow during my shift, so I got to work stamping. Or should I say "demo-ing". Nobody showed up to see it, but I had fun...

Ever since I made this card, I have a thing for pockets. Was happy to see this stamp set available. Matching dies too!

Supplies:

Polka Pocket:
Stamps: WPlus 9 Pocketful, PTI Background Basics: Retro, Mega Mixed Messages
Dies: WPlus9 Pockets
Pure Poppy and True Black Ink
Echo Park Dots and Dashes 6x6 Pad

Sunshine Pocket
Stamps: WPlus9 Pocketful, PTI Background Basics: Retro, Bitty Background Blocks, Simple Sentiments
Dies: Banner Builders
Ink: Pure Poppy by PTI, CTMH Sunshine and Crystal Blue

They Haven't Seen the Likes of Me...

2011-09-06T20:51:00.001-04:00

Hank started preschool today. CRAZY! I was the one having the separation anxiety. He, on the other hand, forgot I existed the second he walked in the classroom. You know, I wouldn't have it any other way.

He's required to have a tote bag with his name on it. Well....that's all I needed to hear. Busted out the craft on it. I want him to think he's got the coolest tote around. Used my Silhouette and the heat transfer vinyl. Sweet.

I got to be careful not to let all my super crafty powers be known. I might start getting volunteered for stuff.:) There's a reason why I'm on the library committee and not the bulletin board committee...if only for variety sake. I need to diversify my interests sometimes. But you know what? I'm just about giddy with the thought of making party favors for his class and Christmas gifts for his teachers. I have a feeling, I'll be showing myself before too long. Just can't help myself. You know what I mean, right?:)

Speaking of books, I've got a good one for you readers out there. Could not put it down. The Sea Captain's Wife. Still thinking about it really. If you are in the mood, go for it.

Girlie Card Set

2011-08-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

I'm hoping when my little niece goes home to England in a few weeks, that she'll keep in touch via the mail. She and her brother stayed with us for two weeks recently and I really fell in love with them both. You really need to co-habituate to really get to know somebody. It's the first time we've done that. Hoping it won't be the last.

To encourage her to write, I made her a note set. 5 cards in turquoise, light grey, and yellow. Simply Stationary and Mat Stack 1 and Mat Stack Layerz used here on the belly band of a clear card box.

Sweet silhouette of a girl was downloaded from the Silhouette website. Recognize it? It is also a stamp by Hero Arts. I really like the look of cutting it out of diagonal paper (Echo Park). Makes it just slightly edgy. I cut it to fit inside the new Mega Mat Stack 1 by Papertrey Ink.

Sentiments are from Dawn's Hello, Friend set. The sentiments in this set speak to me as they are things I would normally want to say, so I'm thrilled that they are in stamp form. Felt they would really well for a eight year old girl. Sort of sassy and sweet.

August 2011 Papertrey Ink

2011-08-20T11:55:00.000-04:00

It's just a few weeks before PTI Christmas stamp craziness...so I thought I'd get my August fall themed cards up to share.

It's always the cards that take the least amount of time that seem the most inspired. I suppose there is a lesson there. In any case, this Autumn Acorns card was created in no time flat.

Color and botanical theme of this Harvest Berries card was inspired by a shirt I saw somebody wearing at Chick-Fil-A. So love how that sentiment fits in the Mat Stack 1 shape. The other frame in Plum Pudding was created by cutting the center out of the new Mat Stack Layerz 1 die. Delicate.

Table Service fills a hole in my collection. I do a lot of dinner for people. And have always wanted to have a thank you note for those who have invited us over. Maile's Background Basics: Houndstooth with the extra wide base is very easy to line up. I did this in poor lighting and with a Versamark pad...seamless. I'm a believer.

The little images from all the Tag-its sets make for fun themed postage stamps. Easy and adaptable theme.

Mask off part of your Mat Stack 4 die to create the top label. Love the look.

Houndstooth acorns? Get out of town. I adore. Card features Think Big Favorites and the new patterned paper collection as well.

Thanks for stopping by for another great month. Bring on the holly jolly for the next 3 months with PTI, I'm ready for ya.

Garden Variety Birthday

2011-08-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

Mom's got a big day today. So along with a few books (Lost in Shangri-la and Small Batch Baking), I've got a gardening card for her.

With so many new PTI products every month, I can't even begin to use them all. This is my first time using the watering can from Garden Variety. Sweet little thing. The stamped strips from Half & Half and Ribbon Tails are stamped in the new ink. I have a couple prototype pads. Nice, rich, dense, juicy color. Liking how the striped pattern grounds the watering can, but highlights it as well when the die cut Spring Moss piece draws your eyes. Something to remember. Sentiment is from Fillable Frames #4.

For you smutty romance fans out there--and it is fabulous to know I'm not alone--I've got a few good ones for you. Lord of Scoundrels is only $1.99 on Kindle! Very good. The heroine I found to be very atypical. And then there was Flowers From the Storm.. Sigh. I was up a few late nights reading that one. Although I did find some of the dialogue to be a bit hard to get through because the hero had suffered a stroke and the heroine was a Quaker. It wasn't mindless reading, but it sure was worth it.

And just to prove I read some pretty high brow stuff as well, Lost in Shangri-la (linked above) was excellent and riveting, but didn't not nearly as good as Unbroken. Unbroken leaves you a different person after you finish. I highly recommend both. I think the majority of my family have read it at this point.

Happy reading!

Kerri's Winner and a Few Answers

2011-08-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Lancene won the $50 of free digital downloads from Kerri Bradford Designs. Click on over and send her a message. I'll let her know to expect you.

I've a few questions in the comments the last few days, so let's go ahead an answer those:

Regarding the journal I used for my Papertrey Ink Gratitude Journal project. In particular the sunken window on the cover. It came that way. Nice, huh? I've had it for ages and ages. Something tells me in the back of my brain that I got it as a freebee. The label says it is a "Stamp Art Journal" and the manufacturer is All Night Media. A super quick Google search got me nothin' when I went to find a source online.

Susan asked if I stamped on die cuts before I cut them or after. It depends on the stamp. If they are background strips like any of the PTI ones, the answer would be yes. If I'm using a large background stamp like the design blocks from Hero Arts (like I did on the bike card), I stamp after. Just depends.

As far as cutting PTI cardstock with my Silhouette, the only time I've ever had much luck is when I have a brand new blade. Otherwise, it just doesn't cut all the way through. But, and maybe somebody can chime in here and answer me, I have the original Silhouette. Not the SD. I think the pressure settings might be different with the newer machine. And when the new 12x12 Cameo comes out, I'll be able to tell you myself--that thing is SO mine.:)

And just for fun, I made these Zucchini Grilled Pizzas tonight for dinner. SO. GOOD. Got rid of my pizza craving, but it was mostly veggies. YAY! I highly recommend. I picked the 8 Ball Zukes up from my local farm stand for 3/$1. Next year, I'm putting them in my garden.

Gratitude Journal

2011-08-13T23:46:00.000-04:00

Hey Everybody, welcome back. I've got a project for you today featuring Dawn's new Gratitude Journal set and tab dies. What an awesome concept for the fall release. And even though Thanksgiving comes but once a year, this is a concept you can use year around.

I decided to channel my inner Oprah Winfrey and create a Gratitude Journal to keep on my bedside table for the years to come. Seeing as I intend to use it, I put a lot of thought into the design so that it would be not only practical and usable, but pretty as well. Let me show you some of its unique features.

Like many of you, I have lots of supplies that I had purchased in the past that have never been used. I have a whole box of blank mini-books/journals. Instead of going out and buying something new, I decided to dig in and see what I could put to use from my stash. I found a thick, kraft colored binder full of blank pages that seemed to have lots of potential.

Half & Half stamps/dies as well as the new Fillable Frames Addition #2 set made up my front. Take note of the ribbon that is adhered on the cover...

...when not in use, it tucks in the front cover.

But can also act as a book mark. Leaving it adhesive free allows you to do this.

My book is divided up into years. I used the new Journaling Tab dies and Library Ledger Year Additions to create a cover page every year. I like how half of the Fillable Frames Addition 2 stamp and the journaling tab looks a little like an acorn.

Now, the one thing I don't like about journals is that often, you run out of room or you have too much room between sections. To eliminate that issue, I'm only going to stamp ten pages or so at a time. I will stamp the rest as I go. The plan is that there are no blank pages when it is all said and done, but have the years divided up with cover pages in the appropriate spots.

The actual journal pages have a numbered list left justified on the right page. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts to put down than I have the desire to write in a list format, so I left the rest of the page blank for more structured thoughts. I like the idea of have both styles of journaling on a single page.

I also added a date stamp from Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger because it is always insightful to know the time and place when one goes back to read journal entries.

Notice the numbers? Place them all on your block at once so you can stamp multiple pages with ease.

When each subsequent year is finished, I'm planning on cutting the next blank page for my "Year Cover Page" and adding a tab. I've already created the tabs (with adhesive) and they are kept in the envelope in the front cover. The Seed Packet die worked great in this application.

Since all the stamping will be done as needed in this journal, I used the last page as a reference. I can now see in a glance what stamps and ink colors I would need to use to add on. Seems a little silly now, but I'm sure in 2018, I might need to refer back to it.

Don't be afraid to take something that is already existing and adding to it with your stamp supplies. If you mess a page or two up--no biggie. Just rip it out and go on to the next. The spiral binding helps with this too:).

I hope you are inspired to create some "stamp as you go" mini albums of your own. Be sure to check out the PTI design team blogs for even more creative ideas. Thanks for stopping by!

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Gratitude Journal

Stamps: Gratitude Journal, Autumn Acorns, Half & Half, Fillable Frames Additions 2, Label Basics, Mini

Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger and Library Ledger Year Additions

Cardstock: Spring Moss, Terracotta Tile, Stamper's Select White

Ink: Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Summer Sunrise, Dark Chocolate

Adhesive Back Cardstock

Terracotta Tile Swiss Dot Ribbon

Vintage Button in Terracotta Tile

Dies: Journal Tabs Addition, Seed Packet Envelope, Angled Labels

Other: Blank Journal

Hat's Off to Kerri Bradford

2011-08-12T12:37:00.001-04:00

ETA: Extending contest until midnight EST of August 13th.

This delightfully talented lady is celebrating her first anniversary of making the sweetest digital cut files around. She's really got the touch when it comes to graphic and stylish die cuts. I'm such a fan. And to help celebrate, I put together a fun card today using her bike from the This and That Spring Shape Kit. I've been eyeing it up for awhile now, just knowing that the flat rack over the back tire meant creative possibilities.

I used PTI's Vintage Picnic for my bike cargo. The sweet thing about digital die cuts is that you can resize until you get the perfect fit. So I simply measured my basket, created a rectangle of the same size in my Silhouette software to represent the basket, and then resized the bike to fit. Before cutting, I deleted my rectangle because it had served it's purpose as my basket stand in. The result? A perfectly sized bike. LOVE it.

Leave a comment by midnight EST on August 13th and I'll randomly select a winner to receive a $50 gift card to Kerri's online store. Pretty sweet little prize.

Supplies

Stamps: Vintage Picnic by PTI, and Hero Arts Envelope Pattern (must have btw!)
Dies: Vintage Picnic and Double Ended Banner by PTI
Copics
Kerri Bradford's This and That Spring Kit

Halloween Treats & Sweets

2011-08-11T00:15:00.002-04:00

Surprise! It's an early countdown Group Post. Gotcha keep you on your toes and guessing. Never know what we might be up to at Papertrey Ink.

Tonight we are featuring Heather's Halloween Sweets and Treats set. If you like dies and customization, this is the Halloween set for you. Crazy fun stuff. Almost (just almost) makes me wish it was October already so I could put it to use some more.

For my project today, I decided to make some Halloween Push-Up Pop parfaits using brownies, Cool Whip, and Reese's Pieces. Have you seen some of the desserts on the internet using Push-Up Pops? Do a Google image search and you'll see what I mean. I got a Betty Crocker 4th of July recipe email back in July that featured red and blue mini-cupcakes and Cool Whip in the containers. I think it was a grand total of two minutes before I was on the hunt for my own.

You can by all means buy some Push-Up Pops and wash/reuse the containers, but I was not that hungry. Plus, I wanted some with lids and I wasn't sure I could get those in the freezer section of the grocery store. I found--and splurged--on some at Amazon. Let me walk you through the conversation I had with my husband when I served him these delicious and fun parfaits the other night...

Matt: So, how much did these cost a piece? Two bucks?

Me: Oh no. Nothing like that. They were cheap. Worked out to like seventy cents a piece including shipping. And supposedly they are reusable.

Matt: That's nothing. No big deal. Kinda fun.

Me: Yeah, I thought so. Guess you don't mind that I had to buy a hundred of them then.

HA HA HA! We had a good laugh at the expression on his face. But seriously...they are reusable. I've been running them through the dishwasher. And I justified the 100 count knowing that I would use them for gifts. A bit of a splurge like I said, but seriously fun.

I did find smaller quantities here if you are interested, but they do work out to be a little bit more per pop

Back to stamping--I thought the little jack-o-lantern bucket made a cute tag. I tied the stick to the pop (for easy loading and delivery) with Baker's twine and hung my spider pumpkin off of it. I pulled out an oldie but still a goodie Spooky Sweets to stamp an Avery label. The sentiment is new from Heather's set this month.

Just a view of what's in the pops. I baked a tray of brownies and used the open end of the pop like a cookie cutter to cut perfect brownie coins. Layered with Cool Whip and conveniently colored Reese's Pieces. I have a few extra kids in my house--both them and my two were thrilled to eat these for dessert one night. I like that they are portion controlled. Once you're done, you're done.

Other thoughts for Push-Ups:

1. Layered jell-o
2. Homemade ice cream/sorbet layered with toppings. So going to do this.
3. Fill the pops with candy and leave off the stick.
4. Cupcakes and frosting
5. Cupcakes and ice cream toppings. We did this and it was delicious.
6. Frozen slushie cocktails/Jell-o shots for adults. YUM!

Now, how about a card using more of those fabulous dies? I thought the spider legs might team up nicely with the 1.75" Limitless Layers and PTI's collection of circle stamps. I busted out my 2010 Halloween Tags for this project. I'd imagine that you can play around with all the other accessories (bat wings, cat ears) to make other neat 1.75" inch circle projects.

Hope you are inspired...and totally understand why I had to buy 100 of them:). I'm in good company, right? Just too cute to resist.

Make sure you stop by the blogs of the other PTI girls to see what things they are up to using this set. I'm guessing we'll have all your Halloween ideas locked up tonight:). Be back soon with more PTI goodness this month.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Push Ups
Stamps: Halloween Sweets and Treats, Spooky Sweets
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest
Avery Labels
Dies: Halloween Sweets and Treats
Dark Chocolate Baker's Twine

Card
Stamps: Halloween Sweets and Treats, 2010 Halloween Tags
Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse, Summer Sunrise, Smokey Shadow, Orange Zest
Patterned paper: Halloween Prints
Dies: 1.75" Limitless Layers, Mega Halloween Sweets and Treats, Edgers #1
Orange Zest button

Iconic Images

2011-07-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Stamp-A-Faire Day! Today the design team is featuring the exclusive Iconic Images set that is available today at the event or online with a purchase of $100 or more. Sweet deal. I know some of you have been planning your cart for weeks! Happy shopping everybody.

I teamed up the silhouette image and some of the medallions with a frame from Mat Stack 2 and a sentiment from Think Big Favorites #2. Plum Pudding and Lavender Moon ink make an interesting backdrop. A Fine Linen Satin Ribbon bow keeps it elegant and feminine.

Hope everybody is having a lovely day. I'm off to a little PTI get together with some friends. The stamping spirit is alive and well today!

July Papertrey

2011-07-22T12:11:00.000-04:00

....let's post these before the month gets away from me.

Peaceful Garden. I was sitting in a dark movie theater watching Cars 2 with Hank when inspiration struck. Mater and Lightening McQueen where in Japan and in the background of one of the scenes was bamboo against a circle. Eureka! You just never know when inspiration will strike.

Friendship Jar Summer Fillers and Little Labels. Remember that movie (speaking of movies) with Diane Keaton. Baby Boom? Didn't she start a cottage business making organic, gourmet baby food and packaging them up in mason jars? That little memory was all it took on this card.

Tag-its #6. Just playing around with die cut layers. So many possiblities.

Hanging Out with little soccer jerseys. Getting a little help from Have a Ball.

Sweet As Can Be. So love this set. Used Half & Half to make an interactive card.

Why have one scoop for your birthday when you can have a gazillion? Notice how the sentiment seems to flow between the two layers too.

Congrats All Ways. Playing with die cutting those Half & Half dies and the different ways you can use the stamps. The two symmetrical birds from Happy Trails reinforce the theme.

Background Basics: Vine. Some tricky stamping here with masking/selective inking. But I had a vision and had to see it through. Sometimes I wish such inspiration would dislodge itself a little more easily from my brain. But no, like a dog on a bone some days.

Thanks for stopping by and all the nice comments you've left over the last few weeks. :)

A Little Sass For Your Thursday

2011-07-21T14:36:00.000-04:00

Paper piecing plus Copic coloring is working well for me lately. I think the former can be too tedious when done on intricate images and on the later, I still need practice for larger areas. Neither individually is doing it for me. But together? Love the results. Will keep the idea in my back pocket to pull out as needed.

A little sassiness for you today. I recently found There She Goes Clear Stamps and treated myself. I find several of them to be irreverent enough for a laugh. As as much as I would love to take this lady's attitude toward the housework, I need to keep things short...I've got four loads of laundry to fold. Reality is a bit different than stamping sentiments, no?

Supplies

Stamps: Domestic Goddess by There She Goes Clear Stamps, Homemade by Papertrey Ink

Paper: My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose 6x6 pad

Copics

Medium Scallop Border die by Papertrey Ink

Bikes...Again

2011-07-20T15:10:00.000-04:00

Why is it that as soon as I finish a set of thank you cards, I need more? Every time!

I am really bad at tying ribbon bows. But pretty good at tying baker's twine and floss ones. I think it just might be time to throw in the towel and embrace this about myself. Off to Joann's I go to get an assortment.

I took my cruiser bike to the grocery store this morning at 7:30 to buy eggs for breakfast and corn starch for making homemade marshmallows (s'mores after dinner/swimming at lake tonight). I say I started out the day right. Hope you did too.

Supplies

Stamps: Background Basics: Chevron and Tiny Tags
Tiny Tags Die
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Smokey Shadow, and Pure Poppy
Die cut: Silhouette

More Strawberries

2011-07-16T16:33:00.000-04:00

Nothing like beating a dead horse, aye? I think it's just summer time and all the berry smoothies I've been eating. Making me feel berry good, I guess.

I had made a Friendship Jar: Summer Fillers card for the release, but wasn't happy with it so I didn't use it. But my little jar was colored so nicely, that it would have been a waste to scrap it all. So I just ripped it off the one card and made another. I'm liking this one just fine.

There are those Half & Half dies and stamps again. I love love love off-setting the stamp on the die to leave that white edge.

Hope you all are having a nice day! Go buy some strawberries and eat a bowl with some Cool Whip. YUM.

Supplies:

Stamps: Friendship Jar: Summer Fillers, Friendship Jar, Half & Half, Mega Mixed Messages
Dies: Pint Jar, Friendship Jar, Jar Toppers, Tiny Tags, Parisian Doily
Buttons: Simply Chartreuse
Cardstock: Soft Blush, Aqua Mist
Ink: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado

Fresh Ink

2011-07-15T13:06:00.001-04:00

With all the of the little $5 Boy Basics sets from PTI in April, I didn't get the chance to ink up them all. As a design team, we each picked the one we wanted to work with, leaving the majority of the others untouched...unloved...begging for a little play time. With a friend's 10 year old boy's birthday on the horizon, I was giddy to be able to ink up Boy Basics: Game On. Perfect, perfect, perfect. On of my favorite things about card making is personalizing the cards so much to the recipient. This was no exception.

I die cut the white mat/grid on my Silhouette. It's modified from this cut. Amazing what you can do with the software and machine, isn't it? I made sure I saved the file so I can use it again. It's a winning design for boys. Why reinvent the wheel every time I need a new card?

I popped it up on dimensional adhesive and placed squares in Pure Poppy and Smokey Shadow on the card front for extra dimension.

Now, the ironic thing is, after making this video game card, I bought the kid a book. I'm really such a kill joy. But really, shouldn't a boy rather build a tree house than play video games? He just needs a nudge in the right direction.

Supplies

Stamps: Boy Basics: Game On, Background Basics: Geometrics, Big Birthday Wishes
Dies: Limitless Layers
Ink: Pure Poppy, Smokey Shadow, CTMH Crystal Blue
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Pure Poppy, Smokey Shadow

Tranquility Trilogy

2011-07-13T23:59:00.006-04:00

The last day of the July countdown! It's been a great ride and I hope to tempt you one more time with another project featuring the new Favor It #4 Box. Triangle is the word of the day (I watch a lot of Sesame Street) and as such, this little box is in a pyramid shape. It's the first one of the Favor It boxes where the contents are completely boxed up. Which got me thinking...

...have you ever heard of a Baby Gender Surprise Party? Sort of a new thing. I've heard two variations. First, the parents-to-be know the gender of their baby and bake a bunch of cupcakes, dropping an appropriate color gumball in each cupcake. The guests must bite into the cupcake to find out if it is a girl or a boy. And second, the secret is hidden from the parents as well. Mom and Dad take a sealed envelope with the new baby's gender (written by the ultrasound tech) to a bakery. The bakery bakes either a pink or blue cake and then covers it with white frosting. Mom and Dad have everybody over and cut the cake to see what they are having. Fun, no? I'm considering doing some variation of this with my next pregnancy (which...THANK GOD...is still in the future!).

So, I decided to use these little pyramid boxes to create a version of a gender reveal. Nice neutral colors of Spring Moss and Lemon Tart. I used the new triangle dies to cut out accents which are stamped with Background Basics: Gingham. Pull out an old fave ( Bitty Baby Blessings) to help baby it up a bit more.

What's inside? Well...this fictional baby is a GIRL! Pink M&M's let the cat out of the bag. Or you could go blue. You can buy single color M&M's at Michael's or a candy store. I got mine at Wegman's. Or, just buy a bag and eat all the colors that don't apply. Not a bad idea:).

Now, the new Favor It box is a sweet little number to assemble. You only need to adhere it at two points, so they come together quick. And it seals up tight. I wanted to stick little flags at the top and in order to have somewhere to anchor them, I had to snip off the little bitty tip of the box with scissors. Very easy. A dab of hot glue keeps it all in place.

So, what other sorts of secrets can you reveal? And what else can you fit in the box? Lots of things. I'll leave you with one more idea--newborn pacifiers are a nice fit. Happy showering!

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to swing by the blogs of my esteemed colleagues to see what they have up their sleeves. I'll be back in a few days with all my July projects.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:
Stamps: Background Basics: Gingham, Bitty Baby Basics, Limitless Labels
Cardstock: Spring Moss, Stamper's Select White, Lemon Tart
Dies: Favor It Box #4, Triangles, Ad Sense, Double Ended Banners
Ink: Ripe Avocado and Lemon Tart

Half & Half

2011-07-13T00:02:00.001-04:00

It's group post night for PTI's July Release and we got a hot little number to show you. SO. VERY. VERSATILE. I'm not saying you have to turn your back to all your Mat Stacks or anything, but the time has come to make a little room next to them on your stamping shelf for Half & Half. It's must have basic. You are so going to love it.

Now, I usually have a whole stack of stamp sets I'm working with when I create a card. It's just how I do things. But this time out, I really didn't have to use much more than Half & Half to create some sleek and stylish projects. And you know, I have projects left to create this week. Might need to keep using Half & Half now that I think about it. Sort of on a roll.

For my first project, I used two die cut Half & Half pieces to create a band around my card. Notice how I stamped the pin-stripe image back off the edge, leaving a solid bracket. Really like the way this looks. Limitless Layers 2.75" and 1.75" along with Edgers #1 (hey...I never said I wasn't touching my treasure trove of dies!) helped me create some interest. I used Heather's new Tag-its #6 and a great stacked quote (MORE! MORE! MORE! of these please!) for my focal point. Can you say done in less that ten minutes?

And here's another quick card. I was monkeying around last night trying to come up with something elaborate for my second project. Wasted some time, mindlessly watched Desperate Housewives on my iPad while standing at my work table. And then it hit me...I didn't need to focus on the decorate edge side of the Half & Half stamps...why not use the square side. BAM! Project was done in ten minutes again and I'm thrilled with the result. Very clean, very masculine.

I did add in some cardstock brackets. Let me show you how I created them with the one die.

First you cut a standard shape. Then you move your die down the original shape and cut again.

Viola! Brackets! Just adhere your projects.

I hope you have some ideas on how to make some quick and easy cards using this stamp/die set. It's really a lot of fun and I can see myself using it for a looooooooooooong time. Be sure to stop by and see what the other girls are up to tonight. I'm preparing myself to be blown away.

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:

True Friends Card
Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Kraft, New Leaf, Enchanted Evening
PTI Ink: Enchanted Evening
Stamps: Half & Half, Tag-its #6
Dies: Half & Half, Limitless Layers 2.5" and 1.75"
Diamond Impression Plate
Blueberry Sky Vintage Buttons

Special Day Card
Cardstock: Aqua Mist and Stamper's Select White
Stamps and dies: Half & Half
Ink: True Black
Buttons: Pure Poppy

Papertrey Ink's Think Big Favorites and Floral Fusion #6

2011-07-11T06:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome back everybody! I'm enjoying taking part in the countdowns over the last few months and July is no exception. Today, I have some fun cards featuring Think Big Favorites #6 and Floral Fusion #6 (officially speaking) and have some good doses of Hanging Out and Background Basics: Vines thrown in as well, because I just couldn't help myself. Have you ever noticed that whatever you have cluttering your desk always seems to be the exact thing you need? If you can find it, that is:). Well, those two extra stamp sets were in a stack and they got called in to join up with my official assignment. Hope you don't mind....I'm thinking you really don't:).

As I've probably mentioned before, when trying to use a stamp set in an unique way, it is best to capitalize on the defining characteristics of any given image. The Think Big Favorites #6 (larger size sentiments from the beautiful Autumn Abundance) have this great horizontal line going through them. So, I asked myself, what can we do with that which would be considered unique? That's really all it took to come up with some fun ideas.

For example, the line can be joined up with the line in Maile's new Background Basics: Vines. The background set is one that can be layered on top of each other, instead of fitting together like a puzzle piece (make sense?...think Polka Dot Basics), so you can get this strong vertical line as well. So easy.

I stamped the flower center from Floral Fusion #6 in the open leaves for some contrast and then broke up all the linearity with a happily tilted flower.

Next up...and you can see this one coming a mile away...use the line in the sentiments as your flower stem. I just masked off the one side of the leaves, so you just have the one. Love the plaid!

Neon color is pretty hot right now. A Hibiscus Burst felt flower (cut from the Floral Fusion #6 die) and buttons liven up the Harvest Gold and Soft Stone card.

And lastly...I'm most excited about this one...the line in Think Big Favorites #6 is the exact same width of the clothesline from Hanging Out. I'm almost certain it wasn't planned that way, but goodness, is it not a happy discovery? Even happier discovery? Finding other things in my stamp collection that can fit on that clothes line. Sign Language is going to start getting busted out a lot over here.

Below the Think Big Favorites #6 sentiment, I stamped a little saying from Inside/Out: Thank You. Helps fill the card front. And the sides get some color and homespun charm from Background Basics: Gingham.

Now...I thought this whole clothesline/sentiment thing was a good idea, so I made another card with the same design, but with a different theme. Quilt blocks from the original Quilter's Sampler match up with the love and care that is sent with a Get Well card.

I hope I've sparked your interest and creativity with some of the new stamp sets. Lots of fun to play with. Be sure to blog hop on over to the other girls and see their new projects today. We've got fun from Nichole, Heather, Maile, Lisa, and Melissa Bickford. Just thinkin' about it, gets me warmed up to stamp. Good thing...still have projects left to create! See you back in a few days with some more stuff from me.

Supplies:

Blue/Green Feel Better Card
Vintage Cream, Ripe Avocado, and Spring Rain Cardstock
Ripe Avocade and Enchanted Evening Ink
Think Big Favorites #6, Floral Fusion #6, Background Basics: Vines stamps
Floral Fusion #6 and Beautiful Blooms die
Ripe Avocado Button

Neon Thanks Card
Soft Stone Cardstock
Smokey Shadow and Hibiscus Burst Ink
Think Big Favorites #6, Background Basics: Vines, Floral Fusion #6, Tag-its #6 stamps
Floral Fusion #6 and Doily Details Dies
Hibiscus Burst and Harvest Gold Buttons

Thanks Clothesline Card
Stamper's Select White, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, and Hawaiian Shores Cardstock
True Black and Spring Moss Ink
Think Big Favorites #6, Background Basics: Gingham, Hanging Out, Sign Language, and Inside/Out: Thank You stamp sets
Other : Ocean ink from CTMH

Feel Better Clothesline Card
Vintage Cream Cardstock
Smokey Shadow and Ocean Tides Ink
Think Big Favorites #6, Hanging Out, Background Basics: Gingham, Quilter's Sampler, Healing Touch Sentiments
Copic Markers

Sweet Thank Yous

2011-07-09T22:16:00.000-04:00

My Lil' Strawberry needed some thank you notes for her birthday presents. And being the slightly deranged, everthing needs to match type, I busted out my strawberry stamps from Green Thumb (this, Butterfly Kisses, and Little Lady were my very first PTI purchases). I had originally intended to use Fruit Fusion: Berry, having gone so far as to cut and stamp several of them in preparation, but I felt the smaller size berries worked better to create the strawberry patch feel I wanted with Turning a New Leaf.

I've recently made an ink reference for all the ink pads I own by stamping the same stamp in all the different colors. A lot of you have probably done this a long time ago. I'm glad I finally took the time. Otherwise, I would never had known I had the most perfect shade of light pink (CTMH Vanilla Cream) to use as my background. It's so light, I could stamp over it (love this stamp!) and not have it show through my other inks. Think Big Favorites #4 is used on the inside.

Could have probably lined the sentiment up better so it was completely in the white space, but I decided to add the lower spring of berries after I had already stamped it. Ah well, live and learn!

Got some crazy mojo going with release projects. Fun times. Can't wait to show you!

Oh La La!

2011-07-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

I partake in the occasional bodice ripper romance novel. More like I have streaks where I devour (must use proper romance novel language...cover thy virgin ears if you've got 'em) about six of them before putting them aside for long stretches, in favor of more serious fare. I happen to be in the throes of one such binge. It's happy reading for me. Potato chip reading. And if you hit upon a good author, very funny reading as well.

My girlfriend is in need of a good read. So I'm going to help her out. Give her something pretty saucy for the hot summer nights. (Weather people...the humidity is a killer here in MD.) Thought it might be fun to throw in a sexy bookmark as well for a laugh. Although sexy is not usually a descriptive word I would use for such an item. But it sure is fun trying to come up with something that qualifies. Just happen to have some new Unity Stamps that need inking up. They have, with this one project, completely justified the purchase. SO. MUCH. FUN.

Now bookmarks...you see both sides of them, so decorate both sides. Just an additional excuse for stamping.

Things I learned with this project (because I always learn something):

1. Copic Markers R000, R01, and R02 are just lovely.
2. Use Copics to color vellum border and silk ribbon.
3. When stitching a double sided item, stitch two of the same thing and then adhere together sandwich style with adhesive. The stitching on the back looks a little shoddy.
4. Double sided bookmarks are the way to go.
5. Lingerie stamps are fun.
6. On the fence whether or not I like the tri-dot accents.

Book-wise...if you are a lover of the bodice ripper like me..Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. Yes, another thing about romances that I LOVE is the stories come in serial. Makes the fun last longer. First on is The Duke and I. Lives up to all those good reviews on Amazon. A gold standard. If only they were all so good.

Supplies:

Stamps: Unity Stamps (lingerie), PTI All Booked Up and Out of this World (little tri-dot accent).
Dies: Bookmark and Tea for Two Label
Vellum and Silk Ribbon from PTI
Melon Berry Cardstock
Martha Stewart border punch (cut down the middle so I could have trim on both sides)

A Follow Up

2011-06-30T20:29:00.000-04:00

I really try to plan ahead with my PTI assignments to make cards/gifts for people in the future. Such was the case with the Sophia sticker card from April's Alpha-block group post. I knew I was going to need a little somethin' for my best friend's seven year old. Makes, for me at least, assignments for design teams/manufacturers' more enjoyable and meaningful.

Little Sophia's 7th birthday is today and her party was over the weekend. I wanted to add something because I thought the sticker card wasn't enough. Felt flower headbands it ended up being. All to match the card, as well. I used PTI felt and flower dies of all sorts as well as a rolled flower die from My Favorite Things Stamps. Everything was hot glued onto black headbands I picked up at Wal-mart.

Packaged them up in a Kraft window bag. Silhouette die cut flowers and Daydreamer stems in black ink. I LOVE using double sided paper in my die cut machines because I can get the most versatility with each cut. These two patterned flowers were cut with one pass through my machine. Sweet!

Hope ya'll are enjoying summer. I've been cooking a lot of new recipes lately. Watermelon Salad and Grilled Kielbasa and Pierogies made our keeper list this past week. Yum. Give 'em awhirl, I can't see anybody being disappointed. Highly recommend Food Network Magazine too. One of the few that I renewed my subscription this year. We enjoy their little pull outs--50 Pancakes and Waffles, 50 Kebobs, 50 Potato Salads, etc. Been eating well around here, needless to say.

Baby Boy Onesie

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-04:00

I bought a truckload of cute onesies for Hank when he was a baby. Each one had some hilarious saying on the front that made it an absolute necessity. In fact, a goofy onesie was the very first thing we bought for baby. It said "Tax Deduction" and we bought it at Target during the two hour window we had between doctor's appointments that fateful day at the fertility clinic four years ago. Oh, we thought we were so clever seeing as Matt does taxes for a living.

Eliza has very little onesies with sayings. I think mostly because they all refer to what would be her princess attitude or diva like behavior. Yeah. I'm finding the world of little girl shopping to be a bit of a minefield. In other words, I'm into the strawberry tutus of the world, but not the fake play make up I could have bought as a birthday gift. I'm a bit erked by it all, if I'm to be honest. And secretly glad she'd just as soon go all Godzilla on his train table than she would cut her teeth on Barbie and Ken.

OK. That was a bit of a tangent. How about a cute onesie card with a saying on it? I think Truckin' It + die looks awfully cute on the new Shape It Onesie card. The saying works well too.

Have a nice day. I think I'll be heading to the local lake for some cooling off. My first time with both kids by myself. I think the key is to park our little party right in front of the lifeguard's chair and clad both kids with every inflatable we own. Wish me luck.

This and That

2011-06-20T15:09:00.000-04:00

Just a bunch of random stuff for you today...

1. There's a new podcast here.

2. A new Make It Monday video from me here. It's a tutorial on reverse masking (thanks for your suggestions!). Here's the card I'll be making.

3. Here's another card because I like bicycles and the 4th is coming up. I think I made a special online order just to get the double seater Hero Arts stamp. LOVE it!

Supplies:
Bike Stamp: Hero Arts
PTI's Background Basics: Stars, Banner Builder, Mixed Messages
Double Ended Banner Die
We R Memory Keepers patterned paper
Copics

4. And...saving the very best for last...guess who turned one last week! :) Hard to believe. The bigger she gets, the more excuses I have to buy her clothes. I have WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much fun dressing her. Obviously. (ETA: The outfit is Gymboree and I bought it back in January/February. It's no longer available in the retail stores, but it can be found on Ebay for around $40. Or, if you are willing to wait a year and have a Gymboree Outlet nearby like I do, you can pick it up January/February 2012. Love the Gymbo Outlets. Just got Eliza three 2T summer outfits for next year for $28 total!)

June Papertrey

2011-06-16T07:53:00.000-04:00

A real quick blogpost this morning...the kids are still sleeping! Aw, sweet peace in the AM.

I think this might be my favorite because it is so different than what I usually do. I got to thinking about that Menhdi Medallion set. All those painted elephants in India. And just happen to have a new elephant die. Perfect. Gold shimmer paper was a must. And although that's suppose to be a little tie of string for a reminder (because elephants never forget), I'll acknowledge that it might just look a little bit like a mustache.

Gracious Vases. Sure they are suppose to be vases. But they make festive party lanterns too, especially when colored. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE that Menhdi Medallion in black on kraft cardstock.

Rhythm & Soul. I've always seen birds with guitars on posters. So there you go. OK. I'm trying to decide what my next MIM video is going to be. Do you want it to be the technique where you 1)reverse mask like I did with this guitar or...

...2)use two different color inks on one image like I did on this Tag-its #5 card? Let me know by Friday morning!:) The rounded rectangle is actually the extra piece created when you die cut the new beach tote, btw. Possibilities.

Daydreamer. I liked how the quote fit in the seed packet die. A few of them do, actually.

And lastly, It's a Jungle Out There. I love these little flash cards. A little technique-y note on how I created the color and pattern on them. I cut a sunburst with my Silhouette and used it as a mask. After I applied a good deal of ink with a Tim Holtz Ink Applicator thingy, I removed the mask and went over it again. Same color, different shading because the places with ink already just got darker. And lastly, I used the same ink pad to stamp Library Ledger. So you've got three different shades of color with just one ink pad. Possibly thinking this might be a good MIM video too.

Have a good Thursday! Matt and I have a much needed date with friends tonight at a nice restaurant. I've got a dress and heels to wear. Can't wait!

Happy Trails

2011-06-13T00:03:00.000-04:00

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

Sweet Baby Inspiration

2011-06-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

I said it wouldn't be gone long, aye? Lots to post in the next week or so. Today at Papertrey Ink, we are featuring Melissa's new sets Sweet Baby and Bundle of Joy. Seeing as I find myself neck deep in babies and small children every single day, baby projects and images make me feel right at home.

As a busy mom of two small children, I like to think I know a thing or two about what makes a good baby gift. Sure, outfits and little onesies are adorable and fun to buy and gift, but any new mom is going have those bases covered by just about everybody else. Set yourself apart from the crowd and give her something that will give her what she really needs the most--convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind. All of which are absolutely PRICELESS.

Case in point, my project today. I started out with the idea to make a new mom something that she can throw in her bag at the last minute and will help her out in a pinch. It wasn't hard to find inspiration, seeing as I'm out and about with the kids every single day. The one thing I always do before we go anywhere--pack a food bag. Why not gift a couple of premade food bags as a baby gift?

I started out by making a simple drawstring bag out of some canvas. Instructions can be found here. I did everything but the gussets...that was a little beyond me. Notice I have a matching giraffe on the card and baggie? Oh, wait until I tell you about that! The magic of t-shirt transfer. I'll get to that soon.

As for what is in the bag, some baby essentials. Organic baby food (with an expiration date 14 months in advance), a spoon (Take N' Toss would be perfect for this), a disposable bib, and a single serving packet of formula. Baby's got their own little lunch sack. And at some time in the future, Baby's mama is going to be singing your praises for being so thoughtful to give her such a gift as she's trying to get out of the house on a hectic day. :)

Now, imagine making up four or so of these little bags for a complete shower gift. I mean, you'll have to buy the formula, bibs, and spoons in multi packs, so you can make several and have plenty left over for other baby showers Or, instead of food, make a few up with diapers and travel sized wipes for the mom who isn't into carrying a diaper bag (that would be me). All about the convenience.

Of course, the whole point of making homemade gifts is to create the "whole package", from gift to wrapping to the card. I created this little onesie card with the new Shape It Up Onesie die, Beautiful Blooms II, and Sweet Baby stamps and dies. The scalloped trim was created with Spellbinder's circles and ovals dies.

It's my natural tendency to want to put the image in the front chest area of the onesie card. But, you know, I've seen lots of onesies with designs in the left lower torso area. Perfect place for that giraffe, which would be too big for the front and center.

So, let's talk technique and t-shirt transfer. You can get it at the office supply store or craft store. It comes two ways.

1. T-shirt Transfer for white fabric (which is what I used).

Will create a mirror image of whatever you want to stamp on it.
You die cut, stamp, flip it over image side down on your project, and iron. The actual stamped image gets sealed between the fabric and the plastic-y transfer material.
Is clear, so whatever fabric you use will always show through.
Cannot stamp words and sentiments because they get mirrored.
Allows for very detailed stamped images because you are stamping onto a paper-like surface (as opposed to fabric, which tends to distort detailed images)

2. T-shirt Transfer for dark fabric

Will create an image exactly the same orientation as it stamps.
You die cut, stamp, and iron image side up.
Is white (so the background fabric won't show through) and will look like your paper die cuts when applied (having that white border all the way around and white in the negative places of your design).
You can stamp sentiments because images are not mirrored.
Like t-shirt transfer for white fabric, allows for very detailed stamped images because you are stamping onto a paper-like surface (as opposed to fabric, which tends to distort detailed images)

Here's how light fabric t-shirt transfer works:

Die cut and stamp using pigment ink (ink will dry on the surface and will heat set with the iron).

Place on project image side down.

Iron and peel away backing when cool. Those polka dots have nice crisp edges, which you'd miss if stamped directly on fabric.

Now, I usually fly by the seat of my pants with this projects. I ended up adding the sentiment after I ironed on the label. The only thing that would work was Staz-On and I'm not so crazy about using it with my acrylic stamps, but I was in a pinch. Plus, I don't think it stamped as cleanly as I would like. In the future when I do this again (oh yeah...love this idea), I'll use t-shirt transfer for dark fabrics on the label and stamp directly on the t-shirt transfer. Should be much cleaner and I can use my pigment ink. Just a little tip for when you do it.

Oh...and before I forget...you can't reiron the iron on. It will melt and ruin the surface of your iron. So make sure your project is neatly pressed before you apply your stamped images. :)

And...and...and...another thing because I thought of it and failed...Copics will dissolve the t-shirt transfer. My hopes where completely dashed for some colored images on fabric. Just saving you the heartache.

There you go, hope you are inspired to do some t-shirt transfer projects. Lots of fun! Be sure to check out projects from the other girls for some more Sweet Baby inspiration.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Cardstock: Raspberry Fizz and Stamper's Select White

Dies: Sweet Love, Shape It Up Onesie, and Angled Label Dies

Stamps: Sweet Love, Beautiful Blooms II, Label Basics, and Baby Button Bits

Ink: Versamark, Staz On, and PTI's Summer Sunrise and Raspberry Fizz

Vintage Buttons in Raspberry Fizz

Raspberry Fizz Topnotch Twill

Canvas fabric, t-shirt transfer

Think Big Favorites & Floral Fusion #5

2011-06-11T00:09:00.000-04:00

Hey Everybody! Welcome back today for my contribution to the Papertrey Ink's June Countdown activities. I've been giving the duty and the privilege of showing you some projects with Melissa's Floral Fusion #5 and Alli's Communique Curves Think Big Favorites #5. I found both sets had a surprisingly huge amount of "play" in them. In fact, I didn't use a single Think Big Favorites sentiment as it was intended at face value. Pretty pleased with some of the stuff I discovered. Hopefully you'll agree that this little $5 set is a real bargain and fun to play with as well.

First of all, I don't have the Communique Curves stamp and sentiment stamps, so this was a real delight for me to work with something new. Of course, I think they'll both be coming home to me here some time soon. :) The Think Big Favorites #5 has two sentiments from the original set (congrats and thank you), blown up big to become more of a focal point for your projects.

Let's start out with a thank you project. The elegance of the font used reminded me of Fancy Flourishes. Could the two be used together? You bet. I just stamped a florish to extend the loop of the "y" in "you". You'd never know it was more than one stamp. Just FYI if you are going to do this on your own, the "y" has a little hook that would interfere with the flow of the flourish. Just ink up the sentiment and use your pinky finger to remove that little extra tail. Then add the flourish in the right spot for a seamless melding of the two.

I also used Floral Fusion #5 on this card. I found it fits nicely inside stamps and dies from Beautiful Blooms II. I've taken note and jotted this combination in my idea file. Will be doing it again.

Moving on to the other sentiment "Congrats". I selectively inked the "C" to be slightly more spaced away from the "grats". My "o" is now a button which just happens to be the center of the flower from a Blooming Button Bits stamp.

I choose to make the "o" an actual button. The other "buttons" on my card are die cut and stamped in a gingham pattern. This little design decision adds interest to the card, but gives focus to the actual sentiment. Your eyes are naturally drawn to it. And I always love how the sentiments from Floral Fusions seem to team up with the Think Big Favorites. This month is not the exception. "You're the best" works well here underneath the big bold "congrats".

And lastly, how about joining the two sentiments to make a third? Tricky, tricky. Selectively ink up the "thank" from "thank you" and stamp. Next just ink up the "s" from the end of "congrats". Combine them for a more casual "thanks".

The lines in the sentiment from the new Floral Fusion #5 set (it's the little things you do that mean so much!) seemed to curve down in justification. That little hint lead me down the path to stamping it on the Limitless Layers 2.5" dies. Love it when it works out that way.

Thanks for swinging by. More projects coming. And be sure to check out new projects from Nichole, Melissa, Dawn, Heather, and Maile tonight as well.

Supplies:

Thank You Card
Cardstock: Soft Blush, Soft Stone, Vintage Cream, Smokey Shadow
Stamps: Think Big Favorites #5, Floral Fusion #5, Journaling Lines, Fancy Flourishes, Beautiful Blooms
Ink: PTI's Scarlett Jewel and Memento's London Fog
Dies: Floral Fusion #5, Beautiful Blooms #2
Vintage Buttons: Sweet Blush and Scarlett Jewel
Other: Gems

Congrats Card

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Hibiscus Burst
Stamps: Think Big Favorites #5, Floral Fusion #5, Bitty Backgrounds, and Blooming Button Bits
Ink: Hibiscus Burst and True Black
Vintage Buttons: True Black
Dies: Buttons

Thanks Card

Cardstock: Kraft, Ripe Avocado, Enchanted Evening
Stamps: Think Big Favorites #5, Floral Fusion #5, Turning a New Left, Faux Ribbon
Dies: Turning a New Leaf, 2.5" Limitless Layers
Ribbon and buttons: Enchanted Evening
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Ripe Avocado, and Vintage Cream

Just My Type

2011-06-10T10:54:00.000-04:00

I have a thing for typewriters (and bikes, but that's another post.). They are one of the main decorating elements in my family room. Even have a 50 pound vintage one on top of the secretary in there. Yeah, that was fun lifting up over my shoulders by myself:). So, whenever a stamp set with typewriters are released, or bikes, I can't help myself. I like the little collection I've built up.

When I saw that My Favorite Things Stamps released a typewriter set with a die...well, you didn't need a psychic to figure out I'd be hitting the buy button. LOVE it. Going to be using it a lot.

Team it up with some of my other favorite things...PTI Tiny Tags, Polka Dot Basics (I think the original is going to get a lot of love from me here coming up), Bookprint Impression Plate using this Make It Monday technique, and the envelope liner die. Somebody asked me recently on the PTI forums what was on my "must have" list. I think I forgot to add the envelope liner die when I replied. Always love the extra touch it gives to a card.

Lots of projects coming up from me. Are you ready?:) Talk to you again soon.

Pocket Full of Posies

2011-05-17T21:36:00.000-04:00

Just a little share for you today. Love the idea of a pocket full of posies. The pocket is a Silhouette cut and is stamped with the envelope pattern stamp from Hero Arts. All about the subtle interest there. Particularly when used tone on tone. Really a great stamp. I have a little PTI Orange Zest ribbon creating a tab, which I stamped with a tiny little note from Mixed Messages. And old and indispensable standby. I mentioned on this forum thread that I found Label Basics/dies to be an absolute must. I feel the same way about the Beautiful Blooms II dies and stamps. A good solid basic that will get used repeatedly. Highly recommend them. :)

Another Mother's Day Card

2011-05-16T21:20:00.000-04:00

Larger Than Life/Wildflower Garden. It's a match made in heaven. I didn't even use the Larger Than Life dies here. I'm sure that would add even more options. Anyway, a quick easy card. I like single layer or as close to single layer as I can get the most. Not thinking the use of the Double Ended Banner die really takes it out of that classification. Clean and basic, with a bit of pop. Can't seem to pull it off all the time, but I sure do enjoy trying.

Like my other Mother's Day card from last week, I pulled a sentiment from the inside from a set that wasn't titled with a Mother's Day label. This one is from PTI's Inside/Out Birthday. Can't think of a better saying for a mom:).

May Papertrey

2011-05-15T21:19:00.000-04:00

I'm always a little hung over on the 15th. Not from alcohol, but from work, excitement, inspiration, and a whole lotta fun. Taking a few minutes to catch my breath and share with you my remaining PTI projects this month.

Road Trip. The big rectangular label from Label Basics fits that map! Heaven. Also made up my own sentiment. Remember, you can still do that if you don't have a stamp to say exactly what you mean. Stamp a label on it to make it "feel" more legit.

Floral Fusion. Colors inspired by a shirt I saw Rosie Pope wearing on Pregnant in Heels. OMG...have you seen that show? A train wreck that I can't look away from. If only I had the problems some of those pregnant moms have.

Tag It's #4. Basic Grey has some new paper that has popsicles in a circle, which inspired this idea. I didn't think it would work, but tried it anyway. LOVE it. And diggin' this color combo too. Very summer with that gingham.

Wildflower Garden. Imagine switching out the sentiment for a "Welcome Little One". Would totally work. Did a little selective inking to leave room for a readable sentiment as well.

Beautiful Blessings. I wanted to show how this set could be used for a secular card. I really dig how it turned out and will definitely rift on it in the future.

Wonderful Word Additions. All about layering. The die cut words have such a nice edge on them. And remember, you can stamp over them too for even more possibilities.

And lastly, est. 1776. Wanted to do something different, so I went for a nautical them. The wave image works well with Men of Life, WhaleWishes, and Masculine Motifs.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this release.

Garden Variety

2011-05-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

I've so enjoyed all the speculation on the boards over the last week or so about whether or not there was going to be a seed packet die/stamp set this time around. Surprise! There is! And it is fabulous! Using and creating with it reminds me so much of using the Button Boutique Collection. Endless variety, lots of fun, fabulous results for very little effort. It will be a go-to for me for sure.

I think around the time Year of Flowers: Lily of the Valley came out, I was thinking we needed a seed packet die. I sent a note off to Nichole about one, with the suggestion that the die be a frame so you wouldn't have to mask off flower images. My jaw hit the ground a few weeks ago when Nichole told me it was going to be a reality. And it was teamed up with another awesome concept by Melissa Phillips. Whoohoo! This is my first time being a part of the creative process when it comes to product design. Just might become addicting. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

On to my project. My mother is an avid gardener and I wanted to make a cute little set of gift cards for her using the seed packet frame and pocket. Five cards and envelopes are packaged together in a little box. You might recognize it....Favor It Box 3 with a little touch of alternations. So easy. Hard to see, but it is impression with the new Cane Print Impression Plate.

Melissa's idea for a seed packet envelope/pocket makes for the perfect delivery of these bitty note cards. Label Basics dies and stamps on top give room for the addressee's name. I like wrapping them around to the back. Seems more special.

I decided to use Delightful Dahlia dies and stamps for my flowers. I had a few new My Mind's Eye 6x6 paper packs on my desk that I was dying to use. Everything used together looks so vintage.

A few close ups:

You can team up some of the images from Button Boutique (in this photo, the frame) to create even more options for the seed packets.

Color in some of the images, including that intricate vintage border, for a watercolor feel.

Love not having to mask those flowers. Also fun to have a leaf go outside the bounds of the frame for a nice touch.

Remember to stamp the backs. Handmade is indeed best. But I don't need to tell you that:).

Looking forward to seeing the seed packets used with the new Year of Flowers collection, the individual Year of Flowers, and all the other little goodies from the new Garden Variety set that are going to be featured by the other design team members. Be sure to check them out:

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: Garden Variety, Delightful Dahlias, Button Boutique, Tiny Tags, Label Basics
Dies: Seed Packet Frame, Seed Packet, Delightful Dahlias, Angled Labels Collection, Tiny Tags, Favor It Box #3, Button Boutique, Mat Stack 2
Impression Plate: Cane Print
PTI Ink: True Black, Spring Moss
Cardstock: Kraft, Vintage Cream
Rustic Button Twine
Copics
Patterned Paper: Stella and Rose Collection by My Mind's Eye
CTMH ink in Hollyhock

Fruit Fusion

2011-05-13T15:06:00.000-04:00

And....we are finally back online with Blogger! They say timing is everything. Humpth! Ah well, just means you get lots of little mini surprises throughout the day as we all get blog posts up instead of everything all at once. Silver linings.

So, let's just jump right into it, shall we? I choose to pick the apple from Melissa's collection without putting much thought into what I was going to do. Turned into a lightening strike of an idea when I thought of the icon of the one company practically everybody has a product by--Apple. Of course! Right? And the gift giving opportunities are endless--iTunes cards, iPods, iPhones, iPads. Really, it couldn't be more perfect.

Here's a shot of my card. I felt the Background Basics: Geometrics stamp is suggestive of cored apples. And because I was gifting a iTunes card, I felt the Sweet Symphony paper was an absolute must.

Now, is it possible to pun a pun? Not sure if is, but I sure had fun trying. The front sentiment is missig something, right? Hmmmm. Maybe we should open the card and see if the thought is completed...

Seriously. I think it is brilliant! Just kinda tickles me to death. I'll be recreating this card a lot.

Now, depending on your budget, you can just do the gift card. Or maybe include the technology as well! Either option would benefit from the inclusion of a simple homemade iPod/iTouch/iPhone case out of the PTI's felt. My sewing skills are rudimentary at best. If I could pull it off, so can you. :) I like how you can use the Edger's dies to make a fancy button flap (see top photo for example).

Now all Apple products have a little apple icon on the back. Use the new apple die to create one on the back of your iPod/iTouch/iPhone case and back it with a contrasting color felt. Using what I had on hand, I adhered the two together around the opening with Ribbon Stiff. Fabric glue would work well too. Just make sure you cut the apple and back it with felt before you sew it up.

Check out the creations of the other gals for further fruit themed inspiration. Winners, every idea out there.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: Fruit Fusion: Apple, Background Basics: Geometrics
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, and Stamper's Select White
Felt: Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse
Buttons: Vintage White/Cream, Pure Poppy
Dies: Apple, Edgers #3
Patterned Paper: Sweet Symphony
Ink: Vintage Cream, True Black

Introducing Whale Wishes

2011-05-10T02:59:00.000-04:00

Land Ho Land Lubbers!Tonight's the kick off of the May 2011 Countdown and I'm here to introduce you to my little friend from Whale Wishes, designed by Dawn McVey. He's got me smiling every time I use him. Hope to make you smile as well.

First up, we're going all preppy, all the way. Whale Motifs are quite popular with the country club set. Or so I'm guessing. Not exactly the country club type over here, unless I'm part of the gang raiding the pool like in Caddy Shack.

I used the little whale to make green and navy background paper. If you notice, the green whales are right side up and the navy whales are upside down. Helps to make the design tighter on my available real estate.

I thought the sentiment was appropriate for a casual beach wedding. It's framed nicely with the Places Please stamp set and die. And my favorite element for this card--the Faux Ribbon stamp set teamed up with Double Ended Banner die. Why didn't I think of this before? Going to wear this idea out.

Next up, we're taking it in a whole different direction with a kid's birthday card. The negative piece left over from using the medium scalloped border die makes brilliant waves.

Whales are mottled in real life. Add some barnacles and sun spots with Copics to our die cut friend. Oh yes, there's a whale die. Of course there is:). Makes me happy. Googly eyes are practically a requirement for kid's cards, don't you agree?

And lastly, we're going to focus on one of the sentiments from this set. Two curved rectangles in Maile's Modern Basics have always reminded me of stylishly rendered whale tails. A very sophisticated birthday card.

A little heart matches the sentiment and helps to add that "one special" touch to the card.

So, we've got three totally different looks for $5. Moby Dick would be proud.

Check out some of the other countdown posts tonight:

Betsy's focusing on Wonderful Words.
Nichole works her magic.
Dawn's going to be featuring WhaleWishes too.
Heather's going to be very busy this month with three new sets.
Melisssa's got the latest in her Floral Fusion series.

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back in a few days with some group posts. You're going to love it!

Supplies:

Preppy Wedding
Stamps: Whale Wishes, Places Please, Faux Ribbon
Dies: Places Please, Edgers #3, Double Ended Banner
Paper: Enchanted Evening, Stamper's Select White, Linen Vellum
PTI Ink: Enchanted Evening.
Other: Close to My Heart Citrus Ink

Birthday Whale
Stamps: Whale Wishes, Big and Bold Birthday Sentiments, Framed
Dies: Medium Scalloped Border, Whatle, Banner Basics
Patterned Paper: 2010 Bitty Dot Paper
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides
Copics Smokey Shadow Trio

Modern Whale Birthday Card
Stamps: Whale Wishes, Modern Basics
Ink: Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening
Paper: Stamper's Select White
Other: Colorbox Epoxy Heart

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:09:00.000-04:00

Hope you all had a good one. Pretty mellow around here. Had some work to do and Matt manned the decks for me. Took a nice walk through the neighborhood this afternoon with kids asleep in the double stroller (no working out tonight!) and than Hank took me to ice cream. He pulled a buck out of his pocket and paid the girl behind the counter. So very cute.

Here's a card I made for my mom. Very simple. I though the sentiment from Inside/Out: Thank You was spot on. The little Scarlet Jewel hearts are pop dotted off the single layer card for that one touch of interest that every good card requires:).

Supplies

Stamps: Love Lives Here, Women of Life, I/O: Thank You
Dies: Love Lives Here
Ink: Ocean Tides, Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Scarlett Jewel

April Papertrey

2011-04-21T16:49:00.000-04:00

Can't forget to put up my projects this month:

Tag It's #3: I used Zig Markers to color the flower cluster stamp. Took inspiration from Betsy's MIM video a few weeks ago. And pulled the bug trail from Boy Basics: Frog Hop for the cute bumblebee.

Floral Fusion #3: I had that Wild Hibicus flower was at the top of the wreath (Wreath for All Seasons) until I went to photograph it. Last minute change to put it in the middle. Think Big Favorites #3 and Tag It's #3 getting pulled into the party as well.

Train Tracks. Oh how I love you. You remind me of my little boy. He was psyched to see you come out of the box and has been begging to play with you ever since.

Ad Sense. Use that die to make a medallion. Easy piesy.

Now true story. I showed Matt this card. I show Matt all my projects for his approval. He took one look at it using Background Basics: Chevron Stripe and said, "Wow, you can use that stamp set for both masculine and feminine projects". I didn't even prompt/coach him on that ladies. I was mighty impressed.

And lastly, My Father, My Hero and Grunge Me. Made for each other. Easy to pull this one together. I think the stars are a natural fit.

Merci

2011-04-19T16:43:00.000-04:00

Modern Basics should be renamed to "The Stamp Set You Can Make Creative Cards with While the Children Are Running Circles Around You and Screaming Like Wild Banshees". I'm just saying. Personal experience.

I had the card done minus the sentiment for a week or so. Just waiting for inspiration there. And then my April stamp box came. Bingo! Thing Big Favorites #3 solved the problem.

PTI Supplies:
Stamps: Modern Basics, Thing Big Favorites #3, Beautiful Blooms II
Dies: Beautiful Blooms #1
Vintage Buttons in Harvest Gold
Kraft Cardstock

It's Not Easy Being Green

2011-04-18T16:33:00.000-04:00

PTI's Boy Basics. Well, maybe having read this book, I can now appreciate some of the images for both boys and girls. (Sidenote: Don't forget to make your female babysitter a card using Rock On for her birthday coming up).

Goodness knows, I caught more than my share of frogs as a girl. And now that Hank is here, I catch plenty now as an adult for his amusement. This little frog card was for a 2 year old girl's birthday, proving that frogs are universally loved by both sexes. The heart not only helps to put a little girl edge on it, but it provides a pop of color against all that green.

And seriously cannot stop using Label Basics. Best stamp set ever if you want to highlight your sentiments.

Supplies:

Stamps: Boy Basics: Frog Hop, Label Basics, and Pond Life
Dies: Frog Hop and Angled Labels Collection
Vintage Buttons in Pure Poppy
Stamper's Select White Cardstock and Aqua Mist

If You Have a Good Idea...

2011-04-17T16:22:00.000-04:00

...run with it. The whole card/gift thing I did with the Alpha-blocks stamps is officially and permanently in my box of tricks, to be pulled out and used for future occasions. Sure, there might be some alterations and modifications, but it is here to stay. Wanna see the direction I took it for a baby gift? Read on.

My little girl has a HUGE noggin. (There might have been a CT scan and a trip to the local childrens' hospital to figure that all out. Nothin' she won't grow out of in a few years, fortunately.) The headbands I had bought for her at Wal-Mart never fit. There were several I still had in packaging, unused, unloved. Now, I also have girlfriend with a new baby girl--one who has a cute little head. Time to make a few headbands with PTI dies and felt.

I used a glassine bag to serve as my envelope. Got to decorate it on the outside so it matches the gift inside.

Here's close up of the card. Using Background Basics: Botanicals, appropriate phrases from Button Boutique, and Label Basics to stamp up my project. Refer to my original post on it linked above for the construction details.

Sweet little message inside. I can't tell you have pleased I am that I can make something so personal, yet professional looking with my craft supplies. Very gratifying. I see myself pulling out this little gift from time to time in the future. Hoping I can find some stretchy lace elastic so I can even make the headbands from scratch.

Thanks for stopping by. Got any questions let me know.

Supplies:

Stamps: Label Basics, Blooming Button Bits, Bitty Baby Blessings, Background Basics: Botanicals, Button Boutique, Inside/Out Baby
Dies: Library Card Tag, Floral Fusion #3, Beautiful Blooms #3, Beautiful Blooms #1, Angled Labels Die Collection
PTI felt in Vintage Cream, Raspberry Fizz, Wild Hibicus, Royal Velvet, and Simply Chartreuse
Vintage Buttons
Glassine Bags
Adhesive Sheets

Boy Basics

2011-04-14T03:01:00.000-04:00

Loving these back to back groups posts with Papertrey Ink every month. A lot of inspiration as you hop from blog to blog. Very enjoyable.

Today, we're letting all the fun out of the bag with the new Boy Basics line of stamps. I choose to work with Boy Basics: Out of This World. Just something about that rocket ship and the opportunity to color had me feeling happy.

I was inspired by this sentiment stamp that comes with the set to make my title. The numbers are much smaller versions of the By the Numbers dies, so I found myself reaching for those and Outlines Alphabet to take up some visual space on my 3.5x10 card. (I got some envelopes this size on clearance at the my local craft store...refreshing to have a different size to work with.

I used the star border from Boo To You underneath a double line stamped from Faux Ribbon.

And here's my rocket. So fun to color. Aren't you loving all the different dies to go with these sets? Dream come true. Just be aware, however, that I hand cut the flame trail. That isn't actually included, but it is easy to do by hand.

Be sure to check out my creative cohorts tonight. I'm looking forward to the inspiration.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: Boy Basics: Out of this World, Outlines Alphabet, Boo to You
Dies: Out of this World, By the Numbers Collection
Buttons: Pure Poppy
Ink: Fresh Snow
Cardstock: Enchanted Evening, Hawaiian Shores, Stamper's Select White
Copics

Alpha-blocks

2011-04-12T23:59:00.000-04:00

I have a great project for you tonight using Papertrey Ink's new Alpha-blocks stamp set. I remember being a little girl and visiting my grandmother. She'd take me to this mall in Venice, California and there was this store that sold Mrs. Grossman's stickers. And because I was with Grandma, I could get some. I even had a sticker book. I loved that thing. Looking back, I've got to ask myself, what is the point of a sticker book in the first place? I guess it boiled down to being a kid and a sticker book being one of the many things that made me happy. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a point beyond that.

With that in mind, I wanted to create a sticker themed project for a few kids in my life. I originally saw the idea of a sticker sheet used as a card front in a Becky Higgins' card book. With Alpha-blocks and the matching Alpha-blocks die, as well as PTI's White Adhesive Sheets, I was able to take the idea a bit further by making a sticker sheet featuring the special kid's name.

Let's talk construction. The sticker sheet has the dimensions of 5x7 inches. I cut and scored my paper to accommodate the sticker sheet in an open pocket. I used the Library Card Tag die to cut a window in front. If you don't have one, no biggie. It is easy to cut with an Exact-o Knife. I'm liking how the die creates rounded corners, however.

You have to actually create the pocket without adhesive to run it through your die cut machine. The back does get embossed with the shadow of the die, but it doesn't matter because it will be adhered to a 5x7 card. And I found that by folding the paper, the die stays in place better.

Slide a 5x7 cut transparency with Alpha-block stamp/ die cut pieces attached with your favorite adhesive through the pocket.

Hank's probably a year to 18 months out from appreciating this, but I'm glad I have it on hand when I need a quick pick me up. Lisa's new Ad Sense die should really be renamed Mat Stack #6. It works great in that capacity. I used it in the same capacity with the Limitless Labels dies. And isn't that little "Limited Edition" stamp and die just the best touch? I will be using that on lots of projects for sure.

Here's the inside. A nice affirmation when a child needs a little pick me up. All About You, Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger, It's Official, and Ad Sense used here as well.

Hank's name is spelled out five times on the adhesive sheets. I adhered them to transparency with my ATG gun. The backing stays, the sticker comes off. He can put the stickers anywhere he wants...I'm just hoping he chooses paper instead of my furniture.

Seeing as it nice to see an alternative to the main project, how about a birthday card in a different direction for a girl.

The accent in the corner using Beautiful Blooms Dies #3 (my fav, in case you haven't guessed yet) with Hawaiian Shores, Royal Velvet, Raspberry Fizz, and True Black PTI felt. Looks like just an accent, but it is a two-fer. Sophia can take the clip off and use it on her backpack or whatever else her little heart desires.

Again, it is nice to embellish the inside of the card. Thanks to Inside/Out: Birthday and Beautiful Blooms II for helping me out here.

Be sure to chekc out the other PTI blogs tonight for further inspiration using the new Alpha-blocks stamp set.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supply List:

Hank Sticker Card:

Stamps: Alpha-blocks, Button Boutique, All About You, Mini Scrapbook Series: Journaling Circle, Ad Sense, Tiny Treats: Valentine, It's Official
Cardstock: Kraft, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White
White Adhesive Sheets
Transparency
Papertrey Ink Die: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise
Dies: Library Card Die, Ad Sense, Limitless Layers 1.75" circle, Alpha-block
Other: Close to My Heart ink: Ocean, Orange

Sophia Sticker Card:

Stamps: Alpha-blocks, Inside/Out: Birthday, Beautiful Blooms II
Dies: Alpha-blocks, Beautiful Blooms #3, Sending You
Cardstock: Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White
Felt: Raspberry Fizz, Royal Velvet, Hawaiian Shores
Vintage Buttons in True Black
Papertrey Ink ink: True Black and Raspberry Fizz

White Adhesive Sheets
Transparency
Other ink: Close to My Heart Ocean and Pansy Purple

Tell Me That Isn't Snow?

2011-03-30T21:24:00.000-04:00

Yep. Snowflakes today. I could literally crawl under the covers and weep. Cosmic joke, is what it is. Sigh. I keep telling myself soon as I obsessively check the 10 day forecast online. It's got to change at some point, right?

In lieu of a warm front moving through, how about a birthday card with daffodils? There was a question from Audrey on the last Papertrey Radio about working with all the stamp sets, including those that aren't your personal style. The whole Year of Flowers Series fell into that category for me. Extremely challenging (although very beautiful) and I was racking my brain every month to come up with something creative using them. It's a good exercise. Glad I broke out the daffodils last night when I made this card for my MIL. She always says the daffodils remind her of her birthday. I hope when she sees the card tomorrow, that she'll have a spark of recognition. Definitely made just for her.

Also used a quote from All Booked Up inside one of the new Label Basics stamps and dies. I love my labels with Background Basics: Gingham inside. Will be a signature of mine.This size in particular. Seems to fit a lot of those quotes I have. Inside has the sentiment from Calendar Basics. Edgers #1 and Copics finish it off without any effort. Felt relaxed and refreshed when I was done. Needed that.

On the topic of Audrey's question again--I was a loyal PTI customer for 3 years before I got the design team gig. Had purchased 90+ sets myself. I think of those, I might have only had 1 or 2 of Heather's. On the computer, they never much appealed to me. What I have come to appreciate the last 14 months where I have all of her new releases to work with, is how very workable they are. Her stamps make projects come together so easily for me. And now I'm hooked. A bit of a sleeper hit for me. Might be the same for you. Love those things.

And that is that. Off to watch a movie. And curse the fact I still have to wear my flannels.

No Worries Mates!

2011-03-25T21:05:00.000-04:00

Absolutely, positively my next Make It Monday Video is going to be on the embossing technique shown on this card. Might not be until the end of April between assignments, the monthly countdown, and my sister's bridal shower--but when you stumble on a great idea like that, you tend to earmark it for other variations and projects.

Cara was nice enough to post the sandwich in my comments section. I'll just cut/paste. I really want to emphasize strongly that the cutting side of your die is not to face into your Impression Plate. You will ruin it. Cutting side into the paper. Sear it into your brains:).

Sandwich for double embossing:
A plate
B plate
impression plate facing up
die cutting side facing up
paper facing down
tan and vanilla embossing pads
B plate

And just because I have a few unseen cards, why don't I post one? Here's a little mash up (somebody called mixing two stamp companies by that name the other day and I loved it) between PTI and Hero. Adore those birdies from Little Bitty Bird. Sentiments are from All About You.

Another item to be aware of--there's a new Papertrey Radio episode up on Nichole's blog today. Chit chat.

I seem to have a new hobby--making Eliza Jane headbands with PTI felt and Bloom Builders dies. Not that there is any hair there to hold back! Cannot stand the cuteness. Her head is so darn big that she's wearing little girl headbands already.

And lastly, if anybody is going to be down in DC tomorrow, look for Hank and I out on the Mall for the National Kite Festival. High on my list of things to do with him. Glad we're getting out alone together. Just happens to coincides with the Cherry Blossom Festival. Oy fey, it's going to be busy. And after that circus, we'll be checking out the Bug Zoo at Natural History. Cracks me up that it is sponsored by Orkin.

Feeling Like I Should Post

2011-03-19T10:31:00.000-04:00

It's been a bit of a dry spell here on blogland lately. It's not how I prefer to run things. In the perfect world. I wish I had the time and desire to fill this up with witty blatherings everyday. But the truth is, I'm finding myself really rather busy and fulfilled with taking care of my little family. My husband works 70+ hours/wk this time of year and I only have a sitter for 3 of them. My days are overflowing with stories and dishes, laundry and park trips.

Forgive the fact that things here are all business. For now. I work for my own enjoyment, to keep things spinning upstairs on a different frequency from time to time. It's good for me. And know when silence reigns here on blogland that I'm doing what I feel I was truly meant to do with my life....love on them and enjoy the brief flash in time when my life revolves around the everyday adventures of Hank and Eliza Jane.

March Papertrey Release

2011-03-14T23:59:00.000-04:00

Wrapping this up while I have a little time tonight. Here's the rest of my projects.

Sending You. Also uses Label Basics and Gingham. I used the dies to create a mask, which I stamped over with the background stamp. All one piece. Very happy with the look.

Modern Basics. I was fooling around with the stamps one night and just like that, I had a design I could use on a card. I wasn't even trying. So easy. When I restamped on some decent paper, I added some glitter for some fun. LOVE this set and all the possibilities. Matt is always asking me for thank you and birthday cards. This is going to be the set I use for those. Not too girly and fussy. Or at least, if you don't want it to be.

Flower Fusion #2 + Vineyard Impression Plate. OK. Big discovery. Create your sandwich for the impressing as usual, but place a label die (the new Rectangle Label Collection used here) with the cutting side facing into the paper (not into the impression plate because it will screw it up!). Run it through. Presto chango, you have an embossed frame. I felt very smart that night.

And of course, it got me thinking. Would that technique work on other dies? Here's the Tag It #2 set with the Tag Sale #3 die. The answer is a resounding yes! Awesome.

Lastly, Ribbon Tails and Background Basics: Twinkle. Another one that came together so easily. All about that Turning a New Leaf die for me.

Other than that, if you missed it, I had a busy week outside of the release. Here's a new Make It Monday Video and a new Papertrey Radio broadcast. I think I might need a vacation this week:).

Tiny Tags

2011-03-14T08:13:00.000-04:00

ETA: Sorry Ladies! For some reason, my blog scheduling didn't work at midnight. Here it is now.

Busy, busy, busy little bees we all are this month over at Papertrey. The 14th is the day we post our last projects and take a breather after a week or so of creative work. Myself, personally, would like to sit back with my favorite wine (Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling) and toast to a job well done. But, you know, there's that whole being a good parent thing. Might have to take precedence. HA! Well, I can dream about it, can't I?

Speaking of wine, my project tonight revolves around a little gift for our oenophile friends. (For the record, I had to look that big word up). I know when I have family parties we all spend the evening asking each other, "Is this your glass or mine"? Putting an end to that with the Tiny Tags set. You might see paper crafting delight, I see a bottomless jar of wine charms. Worth the price right there.

I used the Lunch Box Note die to create my little holder. You can find the wine charm rings at your local craft store or online for pretty cheap. Or maybe make your own? Just wire after all. Sewed the charms into a length of Aqua Mist Satin Ribbon and wrapped that around my note. Topped with a Doilie Details cut and a new Angled Label. For the tags themselves, the stamped images are the perfect place to write somebody's name.

After the night is over, just toss the tags in the trash. You'll have plenty of extras in the cute jar filled to the brim with them. The Tiny Tags die cuts ten tags at a time, so you can make short work of filling this up. I like the extra special touch of cutting them out of patterned paper. Just stamp on the white (plain) side.

Use the new Label Basics and Papertrey adhesive label sheets to make labels for the jar. Looks like something you might find at Williams-Sonoma, doesn't it? Nobody needs to know it's a $1 jar from Joann's and some left over scrap patterned paper.

That's it for me. Stop by on the 15th to see the rest of my projects this month. I've got something fun up my sleeve concerning Impression Plates. Made a bit of a discovery and I can't wait to share. And don't forget to check out the rest of the Tiny Tags projects from the girls. They always amaze me!

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:
Stamps: Tiny Tags, All About You, Tag Its #2, Label Basics, Background Basics: Gingham
Cardstock: Ocean Tides, Stamper's Select White
Dies: Doilie Details, Angled Label, Lunchbox Note Die, Tiny Tag Collection
Ribbon: Aqua Mist Satin
Other: White Adhesive Sheets
Patterned Paper: Ledger, Spotty Dotty, Pretty Pastels

Postmarks

2011-03-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

That time of the month again:). Tonight Nichole and the team are featuring the new Postmarks set. Oodles of postage and post office-esque details and designs in one little stamp package. Lots to choose from.

I was a total literalist on this project. The song "My Favorite Things" kept going through my head. Particularly the line about "brown paper packages tied up with string". Why fight it? Brown paper packages it was going to be.

I made myself a few origami boxes. These are super simple. Here's a tutorial I found that actually makes it seem a bit more complicated than it really is. (Might be time for a Make It Monday Video with a how-to? )

First, how about a shot of the completed project and then I'll get into details.

The thing I want to point out first is the airmail borders wrapping around the edges of the boxes. Very authentic. I had this in mind when I was thinking about what type of 3-D project I wanted to make. The origami boxes work well because at certain points in their assembly, they can lay flat, allowing for this type of stamping. Just have to mask off edges with Post-It's and stamp right over the creases, first in red and than in blue.

Here's what 1/2 of the box looks like with the air mail borders stamped completely.

When the box is folded, the borders seamlessly go around the entire box.

Moving on, I used the new Label Basics set to create an "address label" for my box. I wanted to print my message, so I did that first on Papertrey Ink's adhesive paper. Then I stamped over it.

Because the Label Basic stamps are meant to stamp on the die cut without leaving a border, I was able to line the die up properly over the stamped image and then die cut, as opposed to die cutting first and stamping later. Honestly, I think this is how I'm going to stamp all my Label Basics images. Very easy.

So you are probably asking yourself what is inside these little boxes. Sunshine (made out of a button and the new Sending You stamp set) and rainbows, of course! We all need some of that this time of year.

The rainbow cookies were something I saw on Etsy last week and thought I could do myself. There's no recipe and I didn't take a lot of how-to photos of the process (messing hands and an inquisitive 3 year old by my side), but I can talk you through the process if you want to make some yourself.

Rainbow Cookie How-To:

Mix up two pouches of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix.
Separate1/2-3/4 cup of cookie dough into six bowls. You'll have a lot of left over white dough. Place that aside.
Use gel food coloring (Wilton for example) and add color to the six separate dough balls. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Set aside.
Roll out plain dough into a log.
Individually take colors and roll into a long thin "snake". Flatten and adhere to the side of the white dough log. Repeat with colors in rainbow order.
Wrap dough in Saran and chill in fridge for a few hours.
Cut into slices and bake according to original directions on cookie mix bag.

I've eaten so many of these colorful creations that I have a date with my treadmill as soon as I done blogging here. Sugar cookie are so yummy.

Make sure you check out the rest of the PTI Team Blogs to see their creations. Can hardly wait myself. Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back tomorrow with another group post.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:
Cardstock: Kraft and Stamper's Select White
Stamps: Postmarks, Label Basics, Sending You, Scattered Showers, It's Official, Tiny Tags
Ink: PTI Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, and Dark Chocolate, Close to My Heart's Dutch Blue
Dies: Label Basics, Postmarks, Notebook, Tiny Tags
Baker's Twine
Adhesive Label Paper by PTI
Buttons: Harvest Gold

Ne w Podcast

2011-02-25T20:11:00.001-05:00

Want to join me for 30 minutes of crafty chat? Hop on over to Nichole's blog to hear the latest Papertrey Radio Podcast.

Another List

2011-02-23T16:39:00.000-05:00

1. I feel morally obligated to warn everybody about Crayola's Colored Bubbles. I am a very mess tolerant Mom, (my rule is I'll clean up one big 'in a day), but these had me tossing them in the trash after 30 seconds. If you check out the reviews at Amazon, you'll see I do not stand alone in my dislike of this product. Check out how they are touted in the product review: "That's right, if the bubbles pop in your mouth, you won't die". Not exactly a shining endorsement in my book. Save yourself $3.00 and a load or two of laundry. DO NOT BUY.

2. As a "safe" alternative to some afternoon fun, heat up your electric griddle and let your kid melt crayons on it. No, really! It's lots of fun and very safe when it is on the warm setting. I can hold my hand flat on the surface for a few seconds before I have to snatch it back. There were a few times when Hank said "hot", but I think it is a nice teaching opportunity about what "hot" means without putting a kid in harm's way. Easy clean up too when you wrap the griddle in foil.

Once you have a nice puddle of crayon wax, place a piece of white paper on it and rub for some color transfer. Hank loves this game. And so do all the adults who are over during playdates. The kids and the adults are fighting over the griddle real estate. Idea from this book: The Preschooler's Busy Book.

3. We survived the Redneck Prom. Even if it was a theme party, I told Matt he should have alerted me to how truly trashy I was in the fishnet thigh highs. Not sure I would have worn them. I'm screaming in my head to myself right now, "Woman! Put those thighs away!"

Eliza looked adorable in her camo, however. Matt, on the other hand, is a bit too fond of the convertible camo pants (They're pants! No they're shorts) I found him at Goodwill. I'm worried he's actually going to wear them. But, seeing as I do the laundry, those suckers might have to disappear one day.

4. I recently finished this book.

Very alarmist in nature. I though the author found fault in just about any toy out there on the market. At one point she said that the game of Old Maid contributes to poor self body image because one of the characters is a fat lady. I rolled my eyes. A lot. Although I can act all smug about things now, having only a 8 month old daughter. We haven't reached the princess stage yet. But seeing as I watched Eliza turn her walker to run full speed into Hank's block castle today, purposely to knock it over, not sure I really have to worry about much.

In any case, I want to send the author's daughter this card. Just to be cheeky.

5. Do you have Netflix? I watched Summertime on Instant Viewing the other day. Old 1955 Katherine Hepburn movie. I was very charmed by the male lead: Rossano Brazzi. I guess he was in the original South Pacific (now in my queue as well, never have seen it). Watch the movie. Some of the shots seem like they were filmed just yesterday. And, I totally want to be his plate of ravioli. You'll know what I mean if you see it.

6. Eliza hopes you all had a nice Valentine's Day:). The tongue sticking out of her mouth and hooked in the corner is her signature look. So very Eliza Jane.

Supplies for card:
Stamps: PTI's Daily Designs and Daily Designs Sentiments

Ink: Plum Pudding and Wild Hibiscus

Dies: Limitless Layers 1.75"

Die cut crown: Silhouette

Doily Details

2011-02-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

Are you guys still with us here on the final day of the Papertrey Ink Anniversary celebration? What are we going to do with ourselves come tomorrow?:) HA! I'll tell you what I'll be doing...catching up on some sleep and enjoying what is forecasted to be some nice weather. I am DYING to take the kids to the park. What a difference in attitudes that's going to make around here...most of all in Mommy's.

Bad weather is good for stamping and getting projects done, however. And that's a good thing too. Today I've got my Delightful Doily projects for you, in all their lacy frilly loveliness. Now, vintage is a hat that doesn't really fit on my head all that well. So I decided to take it in another direction. Remember the spirograph toys you used to have as a kid? Reminded me of the doily stamps and had me itching to color in patterns the doilies created.

I've used the Fresh Snow ink, Ocean Tides Copics, and kraft cardstock combination before. LOVE it. The combination of that particular ink and the Copics, muted on the dark cardstock gives almost a batik look here. Very ethnic/bohemian. Doesn't say vintage to me at all. Digging the size of the new Think Big Sentiments #1. Somethings you don't get excited over until you use them...and then you become the biggest fan. Now my wish list for BIG sentiments is as long as my arm.

Here's a bit of an upclose look at the coloring. It's very easy because there is no shading with multiple markers. Glitter domed sticker is from Michael's. First time using these lovelies as well. I will be back for more.

I created a matching tag to go along with the card. The Ocean Tides circle is punched out at 1.5". The traditional 1.75" would work too. And just to throw some more numbers at you, I layered a 2.5" Limitless Layers die on the new Tag Sale #4. The sentiment is from Mega Mixed Messages. Very nice to have a matching option for the Think Big Favorites, no?

Next, I busted out the Doily Details dies and the new Parisian Doily for a card that has some Latin flavor to it. Big, bright, juicy colors layered on top of each other is all it takes to make your own fiesta. We throw a lot of margarita and tamale fueled birthday parties (and yet we're French Canadian/Irish/German...go figure) on my side of the family, so this would be very appropriate.

Double Ended Banner die holds a Limitless Layer cut frame in place. The flower there was left over from another project that you'll see with the Release. Sometimes the perfect thing is already sitting on your desk.

A Birthday Bash Sentiments stamp fit nicely in this space.

Thanks for stopping by. I've got more stuff for you next week--a video and another podcast. Busy busy around here. And so are the other ladies. Be sure to hop on over to some other blogs to see different creative spins on these new products.
Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Make a Wish Card and Tag

Stamps: Delightful Doilies, Think Big Favorites #1, Polka Dot Basics II, Mega Mixed Messages, Bitty Background Blocks
Cardstock: Kraft, Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides
Ink: Fresh Snow, Ocean Tides, and True Black
Copics: Ocean Tides Trio
Ties: 2.5" Limitless Layers, Tag Sale #4
Rustic Cream Button Twine
Silk Ribbon

Big Birthday Wishes Card

Dies: Parisian Doily, Doily Detail Dies, Double Ended Banner, 1.75" Limitless Layers, Beautiful Blooms #3
Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores
Stamps: Bitty Background Blocks, Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink: True Black
Other: Rhinestones and EK Success flower punch

Button Boutique

2011-02-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

There's an one-of-a-kind store in the historic district of Frederick (a few folks have asked in the last day...yep, I'm a Marylander) that took my breath away when I first stepped into it last spring. It honestly defies logic and made me question whether time travel was indeed possible. More vintage sewing notions and accessories (in perfect condition) than I even thought still existed. Gorgeous, top quality ribbon and lace, antique hair pins, vintage sequins on the original strands, 1950's poodle skirt patches in the original packaging. Heaven. Just heaven.

My favorite was the button wall. You can see it in the background on one of the pictures. Packs upon packs of vintage buttons, still on their cards. Multiples of the same type even, so it looked like a store out of the 1940's and 50's with them all hanging on their hooks. I have since considered from time to time splurging on a few packs to put in a shadow box on my office. Bit of an indulgence, with some of the packs running between $10-$20 dollars. But, good gravy, it would make me happy to look at everyday.

Well...imagine my delight when I opened up the design team's monthly PDF file to find the new Button Boutique set and dies at the very top. I might have squealed in such a high pitched voice that dogs three counties over could hear me. The concept, brought to you by Michelle and executed by Nichole was this--create your own vintage button cards with all the versatility and options that PTI usually offers in their stamp sets. Shadow box here I come. And it was even sweeter than I imagined because I could put a modern twist into the color scheme to match my office.

Here's a closer look at the whole project. Everything but string (to tie in the buttons), ribbon (around spools), and rhinestone brad (scissors) is made out of paper.

Check out the button cards. The little notch die is separate from the button card die. You can include it or not. I love the authentic feel it gives when you do use it. The buttons are cut with the new button dies. I have a little tip on how to make them dimensional and more like real buttons.

First cut multiples of the dies. Around 4 to six times. Use mostly cardstock and maybe just one cut of various patterned papers that you like. (Butterfly is just there because I though it would make a pretty picture.)

Next, glue four to six copies of the same button cut together, creating a dimensional button. In the photo, the red button is only one die cut deep, the yellow is three. If you want to add patterned paper, only use it on the top layer. No need to waste it when it doesn't give much depth. You can see the

Pretty, pretty dimensional paper buttons. It's fun to take something expected (buttons) and use unexpected materials (paper).

The scissors and spools are cut on my Silhouette. I used PTI ribbon to around my spools. See that doily? To quote Albert Einstein (OK, so it was Walter Matheau in the movie IQ), "Veddy, veddy interesting, is it not?" :) wink wink

And lastly, there's a little pinked square die included with the button card and notch. Fits the new Bitty Background Blocks. Used a few to entertain the eye. It's the red diamond pattern in this photo.

Pretty fantabulous, is it not? Going on my Favorite's Shelf, for sure. Be sure to check out what everybody else has been up to. Rumor has been going around today that there are some really nice projects by all the girl's. I'm eager to see them.

Nichole Heady
Jessica Witty
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Maile Belles
Danielle Flanders

Supplies:

Stamps: Button Boutique and Bitty Background Blocks
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, Kraft, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, True Black
Patterned Paper: Dotti Biscotti, Men of Life, 2010 Bitty Dot Basics
Dies: Button Boutique dies, Buttons, Parisian Doilie
Ribbon: Orange Zest Bitty Dot, Harvest Gold Saddle Stitched Grosgrain, Pure Poppy Topnotch Twill
Scissors and spool dies: Silhouette

PTI Color Combos

2011-02-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

Tonight the PTI Design Team and Nichole are posting projects using our personal favorite color combos. I'm picking a classic combo this year of Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides, Dark Chocolate, and Vintage Cream. It's sure to please, easy to work with, and appropriate for just about any occassion.

And here's another photo of my project. Using some oldie but goodie PTI sets--Shapes by Design and Text Boxed. Two I bought myself way back yonder in time. Believe it or not, I have revisited both of these over the years to create new and modern projects. The graphic style of both lends itself to many styles. Love 'em.

I just wanted to say thank you for the warm reception I received in the last 24 hours for the new Papertrey Radio series. It was looking a wee bit hairy there around 1 AM Monday morning, but luckily it all came together in the end. Remember to call in to our Google Voice account with your questions. The number is (301) 799-8338. The Q&A is probably the most fun to listen to, so help me keep it going:).

Thanks again for stopping by. See you soon with some new projects....almost release time you know. :) And don't forget to swing by Nichole's blog and enter the contest today. Always something fun being given away during the anniversary celebration.

Supplies:
Stamps: Text Boxed and Shapes by Design
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, and Ocean Tides
Topnotch Twill in Dark Chocolate
Vintage Cream and Ocean Tides Cardstock
Ripe Avocado Button

What have I been up to?

2011-02-07T00:35:00.000-05:00

Busy little bee around here. Lots from me over at Nichole's blog Monday and Tuesday. Dusting off all my old web hostessing skills and putting them to use. I like to think I've still go it:). Enjoy!

Papertrey Favorites

2011-02-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

Let me take you back to when I was a twelve year old girl living in Park City, Utah. (Lucky, wasn't I?) I've always been rather athletically challenged, much preferring to read books cuddled up in my room than out playing soccer or softball...the thought of participation in either sport still makes me shudder inside. So when we moved to Park City, I wasn't exactly first in line to go get my season pass to the local ski resort. I'd sooner eat nails for supper.

There was, however, one thing which required me to move my muscles that I actually excelled at--roller skating. Speed demon on those things and just as agile. Zipping around the neighborhood all summer long. Park City Ski Resort just happened to have an outdoor ice rink and my $100 allotted for my season's ski pass got spent on a season pass there instead.

I started taking lessons. Bought myself some cheapie skates from the sporting goods store. Took $20 dollar private lessons every Saturday, paid for with my babysitting money and was soon working on some spins and jumps but wasn't quite getting it. Until one day, my instructor brought me up a pair of used skates up from the valley. These things were professional. You could just tell. Sturdy, supportive boots, shiny blades. I'd later look up the value of them if they were new--$800. She was going to sell them to me for $100. A steal of a deal!

When I got them on, it was magic. Suddenly those jumps and spins I was struggling to do became effortless. Like a switch was flipped. Perhaps this was the beginning of my belief in good tools for good results? Very possible. My craft room now reflects that philosophy.

At some point, I was told to take them off if I wasn't going to buy them. Oh yeah, no way those babies were coming off my feet. My dad got a call from a pay phone with instructions to withdrawal the required amount out of my savings account when he came to pick me up at 4 o'clock. The skates were mine.

I continued to skate and take lessons for a few winters. Never got any good really. Mastered a few things. Enough to impress anybody if they went skating with me. But ultimately, too afraid of falling. Which is a ridiculous fear if you are trying to become a figure skater.

Life moves on. But I still have those skates. They are in my basement and I occasionally pick them up and smile over them. My name is written inside each boot, 7th grade scrawl in black Sharpie. E. Parsoneault. Just the thought of it makes me smile.

I've actually considered selling them recently. They were barely fitting before my pregnancies. Now? No way am I going to get in them. Seeing as I'd eventually like to shock the heck out of my kids by actually hauling my butt up off the ice in a waltz jump one day, I'm going to need some good skates that fit. I'm sure they are worth some money and I was thinking I'd turn the dough around into a new semi-professional pair in my new size. But my Mom talked me out of it. Save them for Eliza one day. And so I am. Love those skates. Wasn't hard to twist my arm.

What's the point of this whole ramble? My favorite PTI card of the year using Dawn's On Ice set. The moment I saw the preview, it was like the stamp set was made for me. I have a special connection to it, even if it is one that I've kept mostly to myself up until now. Every time I stamp with it, I remember...and maybe practice my toe loop right in my office. (I still do that from time to time when nobody is watching.)

Be sure to leave a comment on Nichole's blog for a chance to win the supplies needed to make this card and all the other design team favorites. This is going to be a killer prize, people. My card alone uses four stamp sets. Multiply that by the number of design team members and it's a nice stash of supplies. You'd be a lucky lady indeed.

My latest ambition? Getting over my fear of falling. There's a ladies' roller derby league up in Hagerstown. Once I have another baby and get that phase of my life behind me, I think I might join. Been thinking about it for a long time now. Something tells me I'm going to need to get a lot of my frustration out. Just need to come up with the right bad-ass roller derby girl name. I'm sure it will come to me.:)

List

2011-01-20T21:19:00.000-05:00

How about a random list today? I'm feeling cheeky.

1. Modern Family last night. O. M. G. Quite possibly the funniest sitcom episode I have ever seen. I kept rewinding it on my DVR. Matt reminds me of Phil.

2. It's tax season around here. Grrrr. But I'm choosing to buckle down and make the best of it. We're using the time to firm up a new family schedule. Figure I can do anything for 13 weeks. It's clockwork around here people. On my to-do list tonight? A bubble bath with the new issues of EW and Oprah. I kid you not. You know what all those ladies magazines say: schedule some time for yourself. I'm a willing disciple.

3. Best homemade hot chocolate? The recipe on the back of the Hershey Hot Cocoa box. With whole milk. The mix recipe I used wasn't WOW enough for me to recommend. And besides it made a metric shit ton (yep, officially Lincoln vocabulary) of the stuff. You might want smaller quantities. As for peppermint marshmallows, I printed the recipe and can't find the link again. Aren't I so very helpful?:) Google for the recipe and search for one that doesn't require egg whites. That's my advice. That and if there was ever a time to buy a Kitchen Aid stand mixer if you don't already have one, it is when you want to make homemade marshmallows.

4. Matt and I got invited to a Redneck Prom Party the weekend after Valentine's. I was considering not going, because I'm still nursing Eliza. But than it dawned on me...a baby is the PERFECT accessory at a Red Neck Prom! You can't buy that kind of bling at Claire's you know. So she's going with me...along with a Pack N Play. No worries, we're just going to a friend's house and she'll be catching Z's by 7:30. Got any ideas what outfit I should come up with?

5. I feel this book has gotten way too much press. Every magazine or website I open has something to say about it. Please let's not encourage her.

6. On the other hand, this was my all time favorite book last year. Riveting. Keep in mind, with the addition of a second child, my reading habit has gone from one book a week to about one every other month.

7. Valentine's...anybody getting in the mood? Can you believe January is almost over? Every day is one day closer to spring. In the meantime, a little project. Not sure what I'm going to put in it yet. Something sweet for Matt no doubt. Need to get cracking on that. Take Out Box is a Silhouette file. Stamped on it before it was assembled so the pattern would match up around the corners.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI's Simple Valentine, Daily Designs, and Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger

Mat Stack 3 Die

Copics

Bo Bunny Paper

Pure Poppy Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon

Perfect Timing

2011-01-18T22:18:00.000-05:00

My mom wrote all of us siblings an email the other day. Your Aunt Joan is turning 70, it would be nice if you all sent her a card.

Well, just so happens I had a new stamp set and dies that would make the perfect card for her. And so I did. And I sent it. The timing could not have been more perfect. Loving the Banner stamps/dies hanging off the Tag Sale 3 die. Very festive.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are staying warm where ever you may be.

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamp sets: Big Birthday Wishes, Banner Builder
Dies: Tag Sale #3, By the Numbers Collection, Banner Builder Collection, Seeing Stars
Ink: Raspberry Fizz and Chocolate Brown
Silk Ribbon
By the Numbers Impression Plate
H awaiian Shores Cardstock
Sweet Symphony Paper

January PTI

2011-01-15T21:27:00.000-05:00

Just popping in before I hit the stamp desk again (got the mojo cooking) with a share of my PTI projects this month.

Way to Go, Kiddo! and Mat Stack 3 Collection. The "one" the sentiment fits nicely on a die cut 1 from the By the Numbers Dies. And the Edgers! The Edgers! Love. Love. Love.

Healing Touch and 2.5" Limitless Layers. Seems appropriate for a boy. Or guy. Will be prepared to send this out when I need to. I've heard a lot of people say this and I'll add my agreement to the list: so needed this stamp set with the sentiments. Will be used a lot.

Simple Sentiments and Cupcake Collection Dies. Looking forward to breaking out this sentiment set again tonight for some thank you cards. Stacks of cupcake wrappers make me just as happy as cupcakes. Maybe happier, because I'm not consuming any calories. I really love how using multiple of the dies helped to create the same feeling.

YOF: Carnations. It comes to a close. Looking forward to layering my floral stamps like this in the future.

Thanks for stopping by. And thanks so much for all the nice comments. They certainly make me smile.