girly birthday

What girl can resist pink, black, and glitter?  Not many.  The layout on this card is one that I've used a lot lately.  I find it is so simple, yet easy to change up for the occasion.  This time I used a piece of Sweet Blush cardstock impressed with the numbers plate (lovin' this one almost as much as my woodgrain IP).  I then layered on a strip of paper from the matching collection.  I dug out some DCWV adhesive ribbon from my scrapbooking days to cover the seam. 

The focal image was die cut using Mat Stack 4 and stamped in pale pink using Fancy Flourishes.  I traced the girly swirly with an uber-thin glue pen and sprinkled on some crystal Martha Stewart glitter.  It's my new addiction.  LOL  Now that April is finally here, it's time to break out the spring things.  Tulips.  Bunnies.  Flowers.  I can't wait.  It's been a long, LONG winter.  I'm so thankful that it's behind us. 

Hope you enjoyed your visit here today.  I know I did.  {hugs}

you're too kind

Happy Monday, Friends!!  I am in love with PTI felt.  Melon Berry felt is divine.  There's nothing I don't love about it.  *sigh*  It also makes me think spring.  The fact that the snow is finally melting (and will be gone for good soon, I hope) and the grass is green-ish, makes me want to break into the candy coloured, Easter egg and tulip inspired cardstock.  This was actually a quick card using the scraps on my table (which are numerous most days). 

I had a piece of Ocean Tides that I had watermarked stamped a few weeks ago but tossed aside.  I've really gotta stop stamping oddly shaped pieces of good cardstock with absolutely NO clue as to what I'm gonna use them for.  Thankfully, I was inspired to salvage this piece by turning it into the perfect background for a sentiment.  All in all, I like the way it all turned out.  Hope you do too.

Have a blessed day, friends!


All supplies PTI unless otherwise noted:
Paper:  kraft basics print (BG), Ocean Tides, Solar White (Neenah), linen paper (unknown)
Stamps:  Think Big Favorites #1, Delightful Dahlia, BB: Newsprint
Ink:  black (Staz-On), Crumb Cake (SU), VersaMark
Other:  felt, spiral notebook, delightful dahlia (leaves), beautiful blooms #1 dies, chocolate button, cream rustic twine

butterfly in bronze

Well, hello again. I'm not sure what's happened to me, but my style has changed. Or evolved. Lately, almost every card I make has a vintage flavor to it. This one is no different. I had dyed this piece of seam binding ages ago, but never got around to using it. I started playing with it and pulled a thread at the top & one at the bottom, to get the gorgeous ruffling. Then came the hard part: building a card that did not detract from my ribbon!

I haven't used my Butterfly Dreams set in a while, so I decided to ink it up for the occasion. The butterfly was stamped using Rich Cocoa then coloured with Copics. When I was done, I went over the stamped image with a brown marker to make it pop. To soften the white edges, both the butterfly and the sentiment were given the vintage touch with some Tea Dye ink. A quick swipe of chamomile ink around the aqua layer and I was finished.

Hope you find time today to get inky!


Supplies (All PTI unless otherwise noted)
Paper - Aqua Mist, Fine Linen, White, By The Numbers patterned paper
Stamps - Butterfly Dreams and Birthday Basics
Ink - Baja Breeze (SU), Rich Cocoa (Memento), Crumb Cake ink refill (SU) and Vintage Tea Dye Duo
Other - butterfly die, banner basics die, BTN impression plate, white seam binding (Hug Snug)

Irish Bingo

Happy Thursday!  After blog surfing last week, I realized that there were a few stamps in It's Official that were seriously unloved.  But, it's not my fault.  You see, I'm not a bingo person.  I don't know any bingo people.  So, guess which stamp had yet to see ink?  I'm clearly still in a St. Patty's Day frame of mind so I grabbed Luck of the Irish to complement what any game player needs - luck.

I covered the entire cardbase with a fun BasicGrey print from the Hopscotch collection.  If you're a cardmaker who only buys BG paper in the 12 x 12 sheets, you should check out their 6 x 6 paper pads.  I love that they are the same great prints, but perfectly scaled for smaller projects.  The packs are big (36 sheets, 18 prints) but you use them SO quickly and they're cheap too.  Now if only my LSS would get the Marjolaine pad back in stock ... 

Thanks for visiting and for leaving me some love below.  I appreciate it!


Supplies:
Paper:  Solar White (Neenah), Hopscotch (BasicGrey)
Stamps:  It's Official, Luck of the Irish (both PTI)
Ink:  Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake (SU), Worn Lipstick Distress Ink (Ranger), Tea Dye Duo (PTI), blue, brown, & yellow stars (all Memento)
Other:  2 way glue pen, crystal glitter (MS)

fyi ... flutterby friend

I am always excited to find a new source of inspiration or a challenge to get me in a crafty frame of mind.  Last week, I discovered a brand new challenge blog called For Your Inspiration when visiting one of the uber-talented ladies in my PTI blog group.  Each week FYI gives you a photo that should jumpstart the old mojo.  This week, the challenge was to use this:

A few months ago I was crazy desperate to get my hands on Flutterby Friend.  Well, do you think I've used it once since it came home to roost?  I love that all of the images are open outlines just waiting to be coloured or paper pieced.  The FYI photo of the week is such a contrast in textures and colours, but I focused on the soft and sweet aspect instead.

And a close up on the star of the show:  

 

Isn't this little fella adorable?!?  I usually include a supply list, but time's short, it's late, and I need to get to bed.  Sorry.  LOL.  Thanks Keva for introducing me to yet another colour challenge website.  And congratulations on winning last week's challenge.  You deserved it!!

My First Award

They like me.  They really, really like me!  The other day I was going through the comments left on my Make It Monday #6 card, when I came across one left by Marie (Legojenta).  In Marie's comment was a link to a post over on her blog where she gave me the following blog award:  
 

When I hopped on over myself to see what it was all about, I was thrilled to discover that I was the proud recipient of the Liebster Blog Award, which is for blog newbies who have less than 100 followers.  You often see peeps with blog awards in their sidebar, and now I'm one of them.  *happy dance* 

But, I've always believed that it's better to give than to receive, so in Liebster fashion, I am passing this award on to three fantastic ladies who's work also deserves to be recognized.  I hope you'll take time to visit them, and follow us all.  And the awards go to ... *drumroll please*

• Laura for the magic she creates over at I Only Have 10 Minutes
• Amber the Reject Hop hostess with the mostess" over at Damask Love
• Keva for her always fantastic blog creations at Hownowbrownkow

 Thank you so much Marie for thinking of me and giving me this award for what I do over here in my little corner of cyberspace.  It means a lot!!  And congratulations, Laura, Keva, and Amber for the inspiration and encouragement you ladies provide.  I can't wait to see who you ladies pass the Liebster love along to.

Gotta fly, I'm late for brunch!

headline news

Do you ever buy a set, with every intention of using it, and find that it just fights you every step of the way?  Well, Background Basics: Newsprint is that set for me.  Try as I might,  I can't seem to finish a card that I like that uses this set. 

Being St. Patrick's Day, I had every intention to use Luck of the Irish and lots of greens and gold, but time got away from me.  Like, really, who`s gonna make a St. Patrick`s Day card when the day is pretty much over?  Instead, I whipped this little 4 x 4 notecard up (instead of cooking dinner *heehee*).  It uses green so I think it counts.  Plans to celebrate today fell through so I shall be celebrating tomorrow with my favorite Irishman. 

Hope your St. Patty's Day was happy!

Make It Monday #6

I know.  Two posts in one day.  This week's challenge was right up my alley.  I LOVE my PTI impression plates.  The only thing I don't enjoy is trying to photograph the cards so that the impression is as impressive on screen as it is in real life.  The card was made with all PTI products (minus the inks and label). 

The main layer was cut from Fine Linen cardstock and I impressed the top half using the By The Numbers plate.  I used Erin's trick of adding a score line to hide the dent.  I then used chocolate twine on either side of the score line before adding the focal image.  And here's the finished product: 

So, that's it, folks.  Thanks for stopping by and checking out what I made on Monday. 

See you tomorrow.

absolutely, fabulous

I'm surprised at myself these days.  Lately, a card just doesn't seem "done" to me unless I've added some sparkle.  I wanted to try out the Delightful Doilies from last month's release and was pleasantly surprised with the results.  I'm not one to lean towards the vintage look, but it seems as though that's where I ended up anyways.  Now, on to the main event:

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), New Leaf, Aqua Mist

Stamps: Say It With Style, Delightful Doilies

Ink: Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, and Wild Wasabi (SU), Tea Dye Duo

Other: punch (SU), crystal glitter (Martha Stewart)

Have a fabulous day, Friends.
 

my all star

Well, hello again.  So, did you remember to set your clocks forward last night?  Every year I am SO paranoid that I'll forget.  Thank heavens for my alarm clock which automatically springs forward and falls back all on its own.  (Thank you Sony).  I've sorely depeleted my stash of cards to give away, and have been trying to fill that box back up.  The baby card mojo has been free flowing lately, but I need to focus on making masculine cards.  Like this one.

The patterned papers are from BasicGrey's Marjolaine collection (you must be getting sick of this stuff.  I use it on almost everything.) and two of my favorite PTI colours, Spring Moss and Rustic Cream.  The card base was impressed with the Woodgrain plate, then I used a foam blender and some Pumice Distress Ink, to bring out the impression.  Of all the Fillable Frames, this is my favorite.  I stamped the frame in Baja Breeze (SU)and the sentiment in Pear Tart (Memento) and Pumice before I stuck it on with foam dots. 

Hope you like.  Hope you have a great rest of the weekend.  And, I hope you'll drop by for another visit.  Happy Sunday!
 

birthday fishes

It's Friday!!  It's FRIDAY!!!  I finally got around to posting my card for this month's "window card" challenge.  Well, I did but I couldn't resist lining the window with a piece of acetate to give my card an authentic underwater feel.  I am so happy with how it turned out.  This card was a definite labor of love.  All the paper piecing, copic-ing and fussy cutting took forever.  But, it was so worth it.  

Details:  All PTI unless otherwise noted.

Stamps - Critters in the Sea (LawnFawn), Birthday Bash Sentiments

Paper - Crumb Cake (SU), Spring Rain, Fine Linen, Spring Moss, Solar White (Neenah)

Patterned Paper - plaid (Marjolaine: BasicGrey), turtle shell (BoBunny), fish (Making Memories)

Other - coaster, circle die (Spellbinders), banner die, acetate transparency, polka dot impression plate, Copics

Hope you have a happy Friday and find time this weekend to get crafty & creative. 

TTFN

crazy rejects

A couple of us in the Papertrey Posse decided to try our hand at some of the crazy sketches put out during the last Paper Crafts call.  Well, here's my take on Sketch #35.  Thanks Becky for the challenge.  This card is pretty much all Papertrey products.  I had planned a wedding cake type card, but really wanted to use some fun and bright colours.  The cake layers are impressed with the In Bloom plate and I switched out the top layer of squares for candles.

The last one that I wanted to share is one of my least favorites of the lot.  I can't remember which sketch I used, but I did flip it to make the layout in my head work.  For this one, I combined dies from Papertrey, Lawn Fawn stamps, and glitter (yes, I used more glitter) to create this sparkly number.

I can't remember all the details, so I won't even try.  Thanks for dropping by and I promise, no more rejects.  On to cards I like and can't wait to share.  My March Challenge card should be up and ready for tomorrow.  Hope you come by and check it out.  Or better yet, why not play along with this month's challenge.

Have a fantastic evening.

elegant thanks

Monday, already?!?  This is going to be a lightning quick post.  I sometimes wonder if I blather on too long, when really, I should just get right down to the reason you're all here.  Cards.  Or, is it Papertrey?  Then again, can we have one without the other?

This baby was yet another PC leftover that used one of their top 3 sketches.  If there's something this call has taught me is that just because it doesn't get published, doesn't mean your card is NOT worthy of being shared.  In fact, the "reject" I posted on Saturday sold yesterday from my Etsy shop.  WooHoo!!

Not sure who'll get this gem.  I am so in love with this felt flower (LOVE this colour combo, too), that it'll be hard to sell or give away.  But, I've put it up on Etsy and am crossing my fingers.  Have a good rest of the day and I'll be back tomorrow with my Make It Monday card.  Hopefully.

Cheers!!



** All supplies Papertrey Ink, unless otherwise noted. **
Paper - smokey shadow, rustic cream
Felt - terracotta tile
Stamps - Just the Ticket, It's Official, Turning a New Leaf
Ink - VersaMark, London Fog, Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Tools - Beautiful Blooms #1 die, ticket border die
Other - vintage cream button, grey floss, clear EP

all things grow with love

Happy Saturday! Now that the Paper Crafts call has closed and submission notices have gone out, I can share the first of five cards that weren't picked up. I won't call them rejects because frankly, I think they're pretty darn good. I had a bit of a "oh darn, it's crooked" moment when I stuck down the mat. Which was followed by a heat-gun fueled removal which caused one corner not to stay stuck flat for long. Unfortunately, I just realized the lifting corner today when loading the pic. I wonder if the editors saw it?  LOL

Oh how I love the weekend. Even if it's rainy, grey, and I've got a wicked migraine ... I'm still in jammies, not at work, and have a stack of good books and blogs to keep me company. Absolute bliss, I tell ya.

Have a great rest of the weekend, peeps.




** all supplies Papertrey Ink, unless otherwise noted.

Paper:  Rustic Cream & Sweet Blush, Penny Candy print (Hopscotch collection from BasicGrey)
Felt: Fine Linen, Harvest Gold, and Ocean Tides
Stamps: To The Moon (Verve), “all things grow” sentiment from Everyday Button Bits
Ink: black (StazOn), Bahama Blue & Rose Bud (Tsunkineko)
Other:  Take 3 die, Double Ended banner die, spring and holiday vintage mix buttons, ecru floss (DMC)