Papertrey Ink April Blog Hop

Hello Friends! It's Papertrey Ink's Blog Hop day. The challenge was to create something using Navy and Pink. When I saw that I knew I'd have to play along. I love this color combo. It's just so classic. The other day I started playing around with some ideas but I knew I'd be doing something with either polka dots or stripes. And that I'd be making something that was kinda go-big-or-go-home. I made three cards. The first one here using Polka Dot Basics stamped with Fresh Snow Ink then embossed with white embossing powder (just to get those polka really white!) I used the Enclosed: Flower die and Berry Sorbet Cardstock. Then I backed it with white cardstock run through my Big Shot with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder. I also made a butterfly using Beautiful Butterflies and the Beautiful Butterflies Layers set, positioning the die cut so that curly part of the wing took the spot right over the dot
for the "i".


My second card: I used my Misti with the Background Basics: Super Stripes to create that striped background. (Creating backgrounds with the Misti was a big selling point for that tool for me - it made creating this background so easy!) I used the Graceful Greetings set (stamped twice, again using the Misti, to get a really solidly stamped sentiment in Enchanted Evening ink.) as well as the Ruby Rose set to create that embellished flower. I added a PTI button and some embroidery floss to finish it off. Oh yes... and a little machine sewing around the striped panel.

My third card is pretty much like the first one I just reversed the color scheme of Berry Sorbet and Enchanated Evening and using the same stamp sets and dies and embossing folder.

That's all for me for today - I'm off to do some errands then come back and check out everyone's cards on the hop! Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Making a card out of random stamping

Hi there friends!
I know... another post from me this week - is it some kind of holiday?
Nope, I'm just catching up around here. I was cleaning up around my drawing table yesterday afternoon and I came across this stamped piece of cardstock. I'd been having a little stamping morning (a few weeks back) with my friend June (Hi June!) and was fooling around with the Misti and this Papertrey stamp set called Brushed Blooms. I told you that I have to play with these tools, like the Misti, a while before I get a feel for them. At that point I was trying out how to stamp the layers involved with that stamp set. I kept moving and turning the cardstock as I tried out the blooms in different colors. When I was done June (clever one that she is) said you just need a sentiment for that and you have a card. And she was right. I recently got this other lovely Papertrey set called Graceful Greetings. So yesterday when I came upon that stamped cardstock I decided to take June's advice and stamp on one of those lovely Graceful Greetings sentiments. I added a little bit of colored cardstock as the base layer and I had my card. I'm thinking this would make a great "Dear Ones" card for May. It's just a cheerful mix of colors and that sentiment (actually all of them in that set!) are going to get a workout from yours truly.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope you're having a great day!

PTI Make it Monday Challenge #209

Hi there friends. Yes, a second post this week - wow! Right?
More on what I'm up to later in this post but you're here for the challenge card, right?
Okay so this week's Make it Monday challenge on the Papertrey Ink blog was to use white on white die cuts with a pop of color. I haven't been participating of late and this looked like a fun one to jump back in so here's what I came up with.
I loved all the beautiful samples that were in the video. I gave it a little thought a rifled through my Papertrey stamps and dies and decided on using the Button Stacks and Wet Paint dies. I tried out the Bitty Button Stacks too but finally opted to leave those out. I had all my diecuts and decided my splash of color would be in the sentiment and then realized I wanted to use a little embroidery thread to tie up those buttons. I did try white but it wasn't workin for me so I went with a blushy pink thread. I spent a lot of time trying various ways of lining up those buttons. I liked this version the best - it reminds me of a quilt or maybe lace?  I should confess I really wanted something that said Baby for the sentiment - doesn't it kinda look like a baby blanket? :-) I might make it again if I can come up with a good alternative to make a baby card.
I don't know about you - if you participated - but this was a tough card to photograph!
So now onto the why I'm not blogging so much of late.
I'm a purging stuff. Great amounts of stuff. And while it's taking me away from things like blogging, it sure feels good. I'm making great progress so I don't wanna stop. Well I do have to stop occasionally. The house needs tending and the family needs feeding and we need clean laundry blah blah blah.  I even got together with some dear friends and we had a little sale of our stuff a couple of weekends ago. While I didn't sell a ton, I did sell some and then the rest I donated to a local shop and that was really great. (It didn't come back in my house and went to a most worthy cause - win/win).

All this purging - and I should be specific - it's craft room purging I'm talking about - is very freeing. I have been bogged down way too long with a lot of stuff I'm never going to use. Lots of guilt there. Guilt that I shouldn't get rid of stuff I spent good money on, guilt that I am getting rid of something someone gave me. Oh the guilt. I could write a book. And I finally said to myself - it's wearing you down. The room is a mess. I spend too much time organizing it and reorganizing it - time I could better spend drawing and making cards and scrapbooking. And I am almost done. And it feels wonderful. And it's clean... well almost. But heck the floor is clear! And that my friends is kinda amazing. So thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your visits and your comments. And if you're not commenting - please do - I love hearing what you have to say - what you're making etc. Okay?

Dear Ones - April

Good morning friends! Finally getting back here to post my "Dear Ones" cards for April. 

I'd started making them last Wednesday when I got together with some crafty friends (Hi June and Amy!). 

I'd recently gotten the Misti and wanted to give it a little work out. (I don't know about you, but when I get a new tool I really have to spend some time with it. Learn the in's and out's and so forth. The Misti, for me at least, was no exception. It took some time to get acclimated. Beforehand I watched a number of videos and then I really just played with it for an afternoon, not making anything but trying out the possibilities. It's not that its hard LOL it's more there are lots of ways to use it and I want to take full advantage of my purchase :-))

Anyway I knew I'd be seeing my friends on  Wednesday so I played all Tuesday afternoon with the Misti. I decided that at the playdate I'd make 12 cards so I'd have my Dear Ones:April edition done plus some extras to have on hand. 

I set up my Misti so that I was all set to stamp each layer/color when I saw my friends on Wednesday. I should say here that when we do these get togethers, I do more talking than stamping normally. I am more of a solitary stamper/artist (read: I work better alone LOL). But with my Misti set up, ready to go I was feeling confident I'd get some cards made. 

And I actually did get my cards created. There was one stamp that I had to use repeatedly (that tiny 3 flower stamp that appears 2 times on each card. That one I did by hand later when I got home). Of course there was still the assembling to do but that went quickly - and yes I did that at home as well. 

I have to say that Misti really made the whole job much quicker and not like a job at all. And really - the stamping is supposed to be fun isn't it? Okay kids - that's all from me today. I have fooled around enough with blogger for one morning! Thanks for stopping by!

Somebunny is having a birthday

and that somebunny is my little sister. Her birthday is actually Wednesday but I need to get this card in the mail!
I didn't take the best picture of the card using the My Favorite Things stamp set. It's a little off center however you can see the important part - that adorable bunny image and the cute sentiment. I actually cut apart the sentiment - it was a long one piece affair and I needed to have the two parts stacked as you see it here. I watercolored - something I've never mastered but I keep trying nonetheless. And I just threw in the little flowers as I watercolored. I used that rectangle stitched mat die from Lil Inker again - I just love how it finishes things off.
Okay I gotta run to the post office. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Thank you Bouquets

Hello Friends!

Today's cards are a whole slew of thank you cards.


I needed to make one for use right away but figured while I was at it I might as well make a few more for my stash.


I'd been wanting to play with a stamp set I hadn't gotten to use yet - Bitty Bouquets from Papertrey Ink. It's got the cutest little bouquets you can stamp up in various colors with very little effort.


I had also recently purchased a paper pack from Papertrey Ink called Chicken Scratch Gingham. I thought it was a great choice when you need a fast card. The paper pack has 6 colors and a lovely linen finish. And of course it coordinates perfectly with PTI cardstock - so your chances for a really pretty outcome on your card are immediately upped!


I stamped up all my images and sentiments on white cardstock that I cut from the Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles.


Then mounted them on a coordinating cardstock and patterned paper.

It's pretty wild that the cardstock I mounted the image on just fits perfectly inside that rectangle on the patterned paper - and I hadn't even measured it to do that!


Probably the fastest bunch of thank you's I've ever made!

That's all for today friends. Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs are the best medicine

Hello Friends. Sorry I've not been posting here in the last week. I have been posting a good bit over on Instagram playing along with the 30 Day Color Challenge. It's a lot of fun and great way to get in some coloring (read: therapy) every day. I've been managing to sneak in some coloring everyday and it feels good. I'm also in my sketchbook everyday which is very good for me.  But have I been making cards? Well of course.
I made this one for my Aunt this week. I wanted to try out that technique you see here - where you cut into your card with a word die then raise that word up (stacking the diecuts). I'm sure someone has given this clever technique a name - regardless it makes a pretty nifty card. I fashioned my card after one I saw Laura Bassen make. I used a Heidi Swapp stencil and a bunch of different inks to create the background. The die and sentiment are from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called Big Hugs.
Okay that's all from me today. Thanks for stopping by!

Doodlie-do Thinking of You

Good Morning Friends!

Since I've been participating in the 30 Day Coloring Challenge, I've been pulling out stamps that I haven't used in a while.

Doodlie-do is one of those stamp sets. I made two cards using the stamps. One card colored in browns and teals and the other card colored in pinkish tones - not unlike Papertrey Ink's color Berry Sorbet.

I used a die from the Keep it Simple Frames and added a sentiment from Keep it Simple: Thinking of you.

That's all for today.
Thanks for stopping by!

Dear Ones March Card - Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day Friends!
Not a huge holiday for everyone but in my house - it's a big deal. My mother was 100% Irish - first generation American. My grandparents came through Ellis Island. I could go on and on but suffice it to say we are proud of the Irish heritage. Every year I bake some Irish Soda bread - my grandmother's recipe (I skip the corned beef and cabbage however....). I wish I could share that with my "Dear Ones" but they are all so far away. So this month's addition of my Dear Ones is a St. Patrick's Day card. I know they'll be happy to see this shamrock and all the green! The shamrock itself is a PSX stamp, The tag die and paper are from Papertrey Ink. I colored the shamrock with Copics.
That's all from me for today. Thanks for stopping by!

It's Spring! (or at least it feels like it)

Hello Friends! Can you tell I'm loving the warmer temps? It definitely feels like Spring and, after a particularly cold winter, temps in the 50's are amazing! When it's warmer out I like to open the doors and windows and let the fresh air in. As some of you may know I have two crazy kitties. They are indoor cats. But when the weather is like this I open up the doors to our deck and our kitties can also enjoy the wonderful weather. (Part of the deck area is enclosed so no worries.) The other day I did exactly this and Willie (our girl cat) went zipping in and out of those doors - clearly she was happy about the warm weather too. I'm coloring away at the 30 day challenge by Kathy at the Daily Marker (which has been so wonderfully motivating!). I decided I'd use a stamp from Simon Says Stamp - Pawesome. Such an adorable kitty - totally reminded me of little Miss Willie zipping all over our house. I stamped the image three times across the top of the card. I also wanted to use some alphabet stamps from Papertrey Ink - Outlines. These alphas have been on my wishlist forever - and now that they're retiring at the end of this month - headed to Papertrey's Vault - I finally took the plunge. I stamped out the words and began coloring them and the cats in Copics. It was so much fun to settle in and color. Not only fun - it's thoroughly therapeutic. You get in that wonderful zone and completely forget about everything else.
Okay - that's all from me today - thank you so much for stopping by!

Welcome Spring

Good morning friends. I am still coloring away on the 30 day challenge on Instagram. I decided to color this bunch of flowers - it's an older stamp from Hero Arts - one of my favorites. When I've colored it before I've colored the image as is - its an outline stamp and those flower centers end up being black. So this time I decided I wanted to color them in and make the flowers into daisies. Kinda springy - light and bright. I colored everything with Copics. Then I got to those black centers - I decided to use a white gelly roll pen to cover over the black. Then I went back in and colored them with a yellow Copic. It worked out pretty well. I finished it off with a little banner and sentiment (both from Papertrey Ink).
Thanks for stopping by!

Year of Thinking of You - November

Well I think I'm done with the Year of Thinking of You cards. I decided to try coloring with one Prismacolor pencil (and odorless mineral spirits with a blending stump). I chose this image from Papertrey Ink's Year of Flowers: Mums. Such a pretty image don't you think? As this card is for the November card again I wanted to pick something seasonal and I think this flower fits the bill. I colored and blended and colored and blended (lather, rinse, repeat) and finally decided to stop here. I can obsess over this stuff and couldn't let it get too out of hand. In general I'm happy with my result. I added the sentiment (PTI Keeping it Simple: Thinking of You) and was done. It's definitely a departure from the other cards and I hope my sister-in-law likes it. It certainly won't take more than one stamp :-)
Hope you're having a great day - thanks for stopping by!

30 Day Coloring Challenge

Have you been following the challenge from Kathy at The Daily Marker? I saw her posting on Instagram and decided it was the perfect challenge for me. I love to color and thought it would give me something to work on every day. I've been posting every day on Instagram and it's been a lot of fun to see what everyone has been coloring. If you haven't gotten in on it - why not join today?
I've been coloring up a storm!
I made this card for my 96 year old Aunt - she is pretty amazing. And unfortunately had to have some surgery last week so I sent this get well card. The image is from Lockhart Stamp Company and the sentiment and patterned paper is from Papertrey Ink. I used some Copics and Prismacolor pencils to color the image and did some stitching (a little crooked LOL) to finish off the card.
Thanks for stopping by and check out that challenge!

Year of Thinking of You cards - December

Hello friends! I'm almost done my "Year of Thinking of You" cards. Today's edition is for December. Only November to go! Now you'd think with the weather being so wintery outside that I'd have no problem getting ideas for a winter card. But I think for the very same reason I've been only thinking spring time colors, warm weather etc. So I started flipping through my stamp sets to find something that would work for a December card. Since I store my PTI stamps alphabetically, it took a while to come upon the Winter Hills stamp set ;-) I remembered when I bought the set there had been a card that Nichole Heady had made that kinda sealed the deal on my buying Winter Hills (the woman is Enabler Extraordinaire!). I wanted to try and create a card in a similar vein - a scene with a lot of atmosphere. I think I was somewhat successful. I used a lot of inks, blending with my little Tim Holtz blender tool, and a bit of masking and for the house- a copic marker. Yes the sentiment is ever so slightly crooked. Not pleased with that - I had one shot at that after I had inked up that driveway to the house :-) but all in all I am pleased with it.  I went back and forth deciding on a color for a mat for the card. After much deliberation I decided on the red mat. It keeps the card a little brighter and happier in my opinion.
Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate all the lovely comments lately. You have no idea how much.

Year of Thinking of You - September

Well - this edition of my "Year of Thinking of You" cards should probably be August - but I got a little mixed up when I was posting all these cards. No matter - my sister-in-law will send the card she wants to send at the appropriate time right?
We're a big beach family - we've got a family home at the beach in Delaware. This sister-in-law (the one who is sending these cards) is especially fond of the beach and the friend she's sending the cards to has been a visitor to the house on many occasions. I knew my s-i-l would like to include a beach-y card to her friend.
I found the sentiment in the Silhouette design store a few years ago. I actually made t-shirts for us all with that cutfile :-) So I decided to put it to use again this time by making it a print & cut file. I printed it off and distressed the edges a little then mounted it on a piece of cardstock I ran through my cuttlebug with the Woodgrain Impression plate from PTI. I distressed that woodgrain piece after adding some Fresh Snow ink. The stamped the background cardstock with some stamps from StampinUp (long since retired - Stipple Shells) with Versamark. Finally I tied on some Rustic Cream twine. Ooops - almost forgot - I diecut that starfish using an old die from Quickutz. Thanks for stopping by!

Year of Thinking of You - October

Hello friends! Another "Year of Thinking of You" cards for my s-i-l. Today's edition is for October. My sister-in-law told me what she loved about my "Year of Cards" gift at Christmas was the cards were all seasonal. So I've been trying to keep to that - and October is a good month for fall-ish looking cards right? I used Papertrey Ink's Leaf Prints, Keep it Simple: Thinking of You and the Keep it Simple Frame die. Thanks for stopping by!

Year of Thinking of You - July

Hello friends! Back again with a "Year of Thinking of You" card. I decided some butterflies would make a cheery card for a friend so I used Papertrey Ink's Beautiful Butterflies. The sentiment - PTI's Wet Paint. A quick, easy and colorful card! Thanks for stopping by!

Year of Thinking of You - May

Hello friends! I've been working along on my "Year of Thinking of You" cards for my sister-in-law (she's sending cards to a friend who she'd like to give monthly support in the form of cards). Here's one I made for May (I guess it could be for June as well - up to her to make that call.)
I wanted to use the Strawberry Patch stamp set from Papertrey Ink. I diecut and stamped out a bunch of strawberries. Then I cut out the basket using a cut file from Silhouette. It was actually a 3D basket but a little trimming then adding a hand cut band across the top - and I had a basket. I added a little brown chalk to add a little depth. I added the strawberries and I was all set to add it to my card. For the sentiment (PTI Think Big Favorites #22) I cut out the frame using a PTI Keep It Simple Frames (cut one from some regular PTI cardstock and another layer from a PTI coaster for some more dimension). I sewed the background Aqua Mist gingham paper to the cardstock and attached all the elements and then added that last strawberry. I like how it came out and think it will be a cheery note for my sil's friend to receive. Thanks for stopping by!

Why, hello there....

and how are you on this fine day? Well, here in the burg it is snowy. We had a few inches and I just came in from shoveling the slushy mess and decided I'd post this little card I made.
When I was watercoloring up a storm the other day for the PTI blog hop I tried one page of smooshing (that funny word again) a background for this little guy - Tucker, the snail from Purple Onion Designs . I just love this little guy. I defy anyone to look at him and not get a little grin on their face. I stamped him separately on a scrap of watercolor paper, colored him in and when he was dry I added a Wink Of Stella then cut him out with scissors and placed him on this card. I added that sentiment (from a PTI  Anniversary set that is no longer available). Then mounted the whole thing on a card. Quick and easy and I think pretty darned cute. Okay. That's all for today friends. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge

Hi Friends! It's been a couple of days but I was determined I was going to post today for PTI's blog hop challenge. The inspiration photo was so beautiful and I've been mulling what I'd do over in my mind for a while. I know we're only allowed to enter the challenge with one card but I've made two so I'm posting them both.
 I knew I wanted to play around with a watercolor look and one of my PTI cover plates. I finally decided on the hexagon cover plate. I tried my hand at "smooshing" with a range of PTI reinkers on watercolor paper (PTI colors: Aqua Mist, Spring Rain, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, Harvest Gold, Fine Linen; Tim Holtz Distress Inks: Antique Linen and Faded Jeans). It was a lot of fun and when I was done I had lots of watercolor-like sheets of paper - it looked like Easter all over my drawing table.
Then I ran each one through my Big Shot (the watercolor paper is nice and thick and while the pieces were all cut none of them moved til I pushed them out with my fingers which was very handy!) Then I started arranging them in what i thought was a pleasing mix. You'll note I didn't use the framework from the coverplate die - I just pieced it all together. I know it sounds crazy but it wasn't a lot of work. And the sans-framework was the look I was going for.  I finished off the blue/green card by cutting around the finished piece and mounting it on an Aqua Mist base. (The color isn't showing up as beautiful as it is in real life - I just couldn't get a better photo this morning.) I added the piece of vellum that I stamped in Versamark and embossed with white Filigree Embossing powder (Sentiment from Think Big Favorites #22). I used some pinking shears to cut off the ends of the vellum.
For the pink/green card, I trimmed the watercolor base and mounted it on Sweet Blush cardstock. The sentiment, stamped in Smokey Shadow, is from Bundle of Love.
I'm so happy I got to play this blog hop. It's been a while! Now I'm off to get some chores done so I can look at everyone else's entries this afternoon! Thanks for stopping by!