Peeps Challenge #19

This is for the Peeps challenge to use Negative Space.  Thanks, Aimes, for a great challenge!  I actually used two negatives here, the obvious (I hope) is the Christmas tree die cut, but I also used a star burst bunch (and some extra holes made with a cropadile) to "decorate" the tree and let the white base layer show through.  I finished it off with some ric-rac garland and a double ended banner for the sentiment. 

I really wish I would have used Avocado or Chartreuse for the tree.  I'm just not sure about the Pinefeather.  I kept punching holes and stamping swirls to cover it up!

In an effort to blog more, I'm skipping the supply lists. Most of this is PTI, but please leave questions about specifics or PM me on the PTI forum.

Peeps Challenge #7...and #18

This is for the Papertrey Peeps Challenge #7: Inspiring Life. Nerina posted the challenge to use an inspiration photo from Creative Mint. I selected this photo:

I loved the colors and the scrappiness of it. I created this card, using cardstock scraps from other projects.

I actually created this card ages ago, but I couldn't find the photo and I had already mailed the actual card!  I just noticed  that this also fits the Peeps Challenge # 18, to use a card with pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Since I'm so far behind I am double dipping!

In an effort to blog more, I'm skipping the supply lists.  Most of this is PTI, but please leave questions about specifics or PM me on the PTI forum!

Papertrey May Blog Hop Challenge

I know this is way late, but I struggled and struggled and struggled with this card and I'm posting it! :)

The challenge this month was to use felt. I wanted to try those flowers that are folded into quarters, but my flower die cuts were too small and this felt is too thick.  Instead, I folded them in half and layered them. Happy hopping!

Supplies:
Versmark Dazzle, PTIs Sweet Blush cardstock and button, Hawaiaan Shores cardstock and felt, Vintage Cream ribbon, scallop and mat 1 dies, woodgrain impression plate.

What I've Been Up To...

Planting a garden!  These are pictures of the container garden on my deck.  I live in a condo, so I don't have any "yard" to plant, but my sister and I decided to try our hand at a container garden.

We started out at a local garden center, fully expecting to end up at a big box store.  However, we are brand new to gardening and the folks at Peacefield Gardens were super helpful, so we got about 90% of our supplies there.  We knew we wanted to do herbs, and we found this great planter that would fit on a deck rail.  We don't have a lot of space, and about 1/2 of the deck is usually shaded, so I'm really hoping this will work.

The Papertrey peeps may remember from my challenge that my sister and I love tea. So when we saw this teapot planter, we fell in love!  The teapot has mint.  The blue pot has basil.  The deck rail planter has chives, lemon verbena, sage, rosemary, thai basil, and thyme.

For tomatoes and veggies, we bought two Earthboxes. These are planters that use sub-irrigation to keep the potting mix at a consistent level of moisture.  They are really easy to water.  There is a pipe that feeds a well in the base.  You pour water in until it begins to come out of an overflow in the base.  That's it!  No figuring out when to water or when to stop.

After getting the earthboxes, I started to read about up on sub-irrigation and planting in general and am finding it fascinating.  There are internet instructions to make your own SIPs everywhere.  I'm pretty sure I originally over-watered the herbs and I hope they recover!  I'm still trying to figure out if the herbs need any kind of fertilizer.  In short, I've been learning about gardening instead of card-making!  I'm almost finished the Peeps Inspiring Life challenge, though, and then I just have one more to get caught up on!  Have a great weekend...thanks for stopping by!

Peeps Challenge #6

I made this card for the Peeps Challenge #6. The challenge was hosted by Cammie and she wanted us to use an older set while we were waiting on the latest release and to include some bling.  The older set was easy...I have a bunch!  I chose Guidelines and stamped in some bright colors.  The bling was harder.  I had to search high and low for my rhinestones since I couldn't remember where I stashed them.  I also drew some veins on my hand-cut leaves with a glue pen, then dipped into prism glitter.  Thanks for looking!

Supplies Not Mentioned Above:
Cardstock: PTI Stampers Select, Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, New Leaf
Ink: PTI Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores
Stamps: PTI Signature Greeting, Dot Spot
Other: PTI Felt, Large Scallop Die, Cuttlebug Flower Die

Peeps Challenge #4

Here is another challenge catch-up card.  This one is Peggysue's and here is her challenge:

 "Choose a card or project Nichole made from one of the last two releases and using a set NOT from that release, make a similar card."

After taking way too long reading Nichole's blog, I picked this great card to CASE below:

And here is the card I made:

I needed a card for a young cousin's First Communion, so I pulled out Everyday Blessings.  I wasn't happy with the way my hand-drawn border came out, so I colored it in with Copics.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Not Listed Above:
Cardstock: PTI Stampers Select, Spring Rain
Ink: PTI Spring Rain, Pure Poppy, True Black
Ribbons: PTI Pure Poppy grosgrain
Stamps: PTI Vintage Labels

Papertrey Peeps Challenge #2_

Hello!  I was missing my stamping mojo for a bit but hope it has come back.  To kick it into gear, I turned to some of  the Papertrey Peeps challenges that I missed. This card is for challenge number #2. Aimes provided some yummy looking cereal boxes for inspiration.  I couldn't figure out how to save the inspiration picture, but I chose one that Aimes posted on the Peeps blog.  I saw the colors as Scarlet Jewel, Enchanted Evening, and Pure Poppy.  I knew I wanted to use the tree from Father Knows Best, so I ended up making the leaves in Pure Poppy and outlining in Scarlet Jewel.  The sentiment is from Mega Mixed Messages. I love the new Woodgrain impression plate.  It may be my favorite PTI product ever!  Love it!

Sorry this is so late, Peeps!  It was great inspiration!

Supplies Not Mentioned Above:
Cardstock: PTI Stampers Select
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate
Other: PTI large scallop die

PTI April Blog Hop

Hello!  This is my entry for PTIs April Blog Hop.  The challenge was to incorporate tissue paper into a project.  I had long wanted to try this technique for decorating a candle  with tissue paper.  I stamped the flower from Friends till the End on tissue paper, and then colored with Copics using the Ocean Tides and Summer Sunrise Trios.  The coloring was really faint on the tissue paper but showed up pretty well on the candle.  After coloring, I wrapped the tissue paper on the candle and used my heat gun to melt the paper to into the candle.  Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Papertrey Peeps Challenge #1

This card is for the Papertrey Peeps first challenge. It is long overdue!  I actually made it weeks ago, but just have not had a chance to photo and upload, as work is kicking my butt!  The challenge was to use buttons, which I thought was a great idea. I pulled out one of my favorite PTI sets, Everyday Button Bits.  The cute flower stems are one of my favorites.

As I was making it, I couldn't quite figure out if it should be a birthday card, or a thank you , or something else, so I left the sentiment off.

Hopefully I'll have time to update links tomorrow.

Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI Ocean Tides, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow
Stamps: PTI Everday Button Bits, Vintage Labels
Other: Buttoms from PTI and Foofala, PTI Polka Dot Parade PP

Compose a Card Challenge #2

This is for Becky's Compose a Card Challenge.  Becky provides the cutting recipe and some colors, and a video with some fun music.  It's really fun to cut the pieces first and then decide what you do with them.  In addition to the white base and layer, I handcut and distressed circles to make wonky flowers.  I stitched some stems and leaves instead of doing any scoring.  I added the sentiment on a white layer cut and embossed with nestabilities.

Some details:

Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI White, Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart
Ink: PTI Treu Black
Stamps: PTI Birthday Basics
Other: PTI and Foofala Buttons, DMC floss

PTI Emboss Resist Challenge

This card is for PTI's Emboss Resist Challenge.  Go to Nichole Heady's blog for Anniversary info and a great video on how to do the emboss resist technique.

The card below represents my third try at this technique!  The first two did not work so well.  I ended up reinking my versamark and this last attempt worked!

I stamped the text background with scarlet jewel, then stamped the outlines from Beautiful Blooms in Dark Chocolate.  I inked the solid flower and leaves with versamark and then heat embossed. I sponged around the edges with Scarlet Jewel andSweet Blush, and voila, emboss resist. :)

For the polka dot layer, I thought there was a little too much contrast, so I inked New Canvas over the whole thing.   I plan to put a sentiment in dark chocolate on this layer, when I figure out what it will be!

 Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI Scarlet Jewel, Kraft, Sweet Blush, Vintage Cream
Ink: PTI Scarlet Jewel, Dark Chocolate, Sweet Blush, Palette New Canvas
Stamps: PTI Beautiful Blooms, Text Style, PDBII
Other: Versamark, Detail Embossing Powder, Fiskars Punch

Compose a Card with Becky

This was for Becky Oehler's fun new challenge.  Go here to read about the details.  This was a ton of fun and really challenging for me.  There were two areas in particular where I struggled.  The first was in cutting the cardstock.  I usually use A2 cards (4 1/4 wide).  This recipe called for 4.5 wide, and I keep wondering how I'm going to use that remaining 4" wide strip! 

The other area was placing a cream layer on a cream layer.  I kept reading the recipe and doublechecking Becky's card, but it really works, I think.  I love the kraft frames the whole main panel.  Next time, I might try to remember to pop that layer up.

Close up of Hearts:

Thanks for stopping by!


Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI Melon Berry, Kraft, Cream
Ink: PTI Melon Berry,
Ribbons: PTI Saddlestich
Stamps: PTI Background: TextStyles, Heart Prints
Other: PTI Buttons, EK Success Punches

Tuesday Trigger - I Feel Pretty In Turquoise And Gold

This is my card for the  Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World.  The trigger is a beatiful room decorated in floral caramel and white wallpaper with white and turquoise accents.  As soon as I saw it, I thought of Papertrey's Spiral Bouquet set.  I stamped it with Fresh Snow on kraft paper and added accents of Aqua Mist, rhinestones, and dotted ribbons.

When I was finished, I was surprised by how many elements were represented (to me!)  I have a scored panel/baseboard, rhinestones/mirrors, scalloped layer/table.  The ruffling of the ribbon reminds me of the lamp.  It was a fun card to make!

Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI Kraft, White
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow
Ribbons: PTI Dotted White
Stamps: PTI Spiral Boquet, Mixed Messages

PTI Blog Hop, Jan 2010 Edition

Hello, all!  I hope you are enjoying the blog hop so far. I rarely decorate the insides of my cards, so this was a challenge for me!

I used the Honey Bee and Around & About sets to make a thank you card. The card has white flowers stamped on a Lemon Tart background, so I reversed this for the envelope, stamping Lemon Tart on the white envelope.

For the inside I adhered a scrap of Lemon Tart and a small bee stamped on Soft Stone.  This will give me just enough room to sign my name!   Thanks for visiting.

Supplies:

Cardstock: PTI Soft Stone. Lemon Tart, Smokey Shadow

Ink: PTI Fresh Snow, Smokey Shadow, Lemon Tart

Stamps: PTI Honey Bee, Around and About, Little Lady

Christmas Cards for 2010!

I failed on Christmas cards this past year.  I made about 15 and planned to use up some cards I made last year or (maybe even the year before) but never sent.  When I looked at the old cards, I just couldn't use them.  Yes, they were that bad!

So before I put away the Christmas stamps this year, I thought I'd get a head start on next year.  (I know there's a chance I will hate these next year, but I think it's pretty small.  Part of the problem with the old cards is they were pre-PTI cardstock, and felt very flimsy.)

This card was made by stamping the flourish from Silent Night with versamark on PTI Kraft.  I let dry for a few days and stamped the sentiment, then heat embossed in black.  The Mistletoe is from Inkadinkadoo, I think, and is colored in with Copics.

Closeup of the flourish:

Overall, I'm pretty happy with these.   Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock: PTI Kraft, Ripe Avocado, White
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow, Versamark, Memento Black
Ribbons: PTI Pure Poppy
Stamps: PTI
Other:

Gigs Guidelines Card Set

I created this fun card set for a friend with the medallions from Giga Guidelines and the sentiments from Star Prints.  These sets are both PTI.  I stamped the patterns right on the card base with versamark and then heat embossed with clear detail powder.  (There might have been a few specks of glitter that got mixed in there as well!)

Colors are Summer Sunrise, Aqua mIst, Spring Moss in top photo and Melon Berry, Spring Rain, and Lemon Tart below.

I made the sentiment panels from rustic cream and kraft cardstock cut with Nestabilties (Labels 1, I think.)  When I ran out of kraft, I had to switch over to dark chocolate.  Can't believe I ran out of kraft!

I finished the cards with various Vintage Cream Ribbons, Rustic Buttons, and Rustic Twine.

Two of my favorites are highlighted below:

Supplies:

Cardstock: PTI Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Melon Berry, Spring Rain, Lemon Tart, Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Rustic Cream.

Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate

Ribbons: PTI Vintage Cream

Stamps: PTI Giga Guidlines, Star Prints

Other: Nestabilities