Another Layout!

Once again, thanks again to Beth for giving us some extra motivation to get some layouts done with our stamps.  I've completed another, and now I'm out of pictures to use and must print some more.  Next up - Christmas!

Here's my layout.  I didn't use PTI stamps for the background, but the words are Fresh Alphabet, and the green paper is New Leaf.  I also inked the edges of the green paper with Tea Dye Duo. There's some Dark Chocolate twill  in there too. 

Here's a close up of the cute dinosaur stamp.  I won it in a Paper Crafts Connection give-away in April. 

I'm not completely crazy about this layout; I wanted to do something other than squares or rectangles for the photos, so it looks a bit strange to me for now.  I usually don't like my layouts until I put them in the book and look at them a few days later.  Anyway, it's done now and I can move on!

Papertrey Pages June Challenge

This is my third post for today, so please scroll down to see the other two!

Beth has motivated many of us on the PTI forum to use our stamps for our scrapbooking layouts.  Like many other people on the forum, I was a scrapbooker first.  Then PTI came into my life, and scrapping took a backseat to cardmaking.  I was thrilled when Beth opened the floor for layout challenges. 

This month's challenge was to create our own background paper with stamps.  PERFECT!  I've had these zoo pictures sitting around waiting to be put on a layout, so there is no time like the present.

I love PTI's background stamps.  I especially love the ones that are easy to line up.  BB: Tin Type is so easy (even a caveman could do it! [sorry, had to do it])
I'm not sure I've used the other two stamps in this set because I love, love, LOVE this one so much. 

Here's my layout:

I am becoming a CAS scrapbooker lately, perhaps because it is easy and fast.  I need to get caught up.  You can see I'm only on November, and right now it is June.  I set my own deadlines.  The facing page is made up of more pictures with some patterned zoo paper.  No PTI stamps on it, so I didn't take a picture.

Thanks, Beth!  Keep up the motivation please!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Background Basics: Tin Type, Vintage Labels

Paper: Dark Chocolate

Ink: Dark Chocolate

Rustic Jute Twine, Dark Chocolate button

Paper Dolls Challenge #8

I was lucky enough to get to be a part of a great group of women on the PTI forum.  We challenge each other to use different color combos, sketches and to get out of our comfort zone.  That, plus they are all so nice and supportive.  It's been a lot of fun!

This week it's my turn to host the challenge and my inspiration came from a shirt my sister had on recently.  It was such a different combination of colors and I just loved it.

I've made two cards with this color combination.  Come and play along with us!  You can get all the details here.  Here are my cards:

Birthday Wishes

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Up, Up and Away and Sentiments

Paper: Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado, Hawaiian Shores, Vintage Cream

Ink: Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado, Hawaiian Shores, Spring Moss

Other Supplies:

EK Success Border Punch

Thank You

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Take 3: Summer, Inside & Out: Thank You

Paper: Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado and Stampers Select Cardstocks

Ink: Dark Chocolate, Hawaiian Shores, Ripe Avocado

Ribbon: Ripe Avocado

Other Supplies:

Brads

Spellbinders tags die

Ted's Color Challenge

Ted has issued a challenge to us this month to create a project with warm colors.  Thinking about warmth is not hard here in Texas where the temperatures are already nearing 100*.  His suggestions were to use red, orange and yellow, so I went with that on this card.

I can't get enough of Alli's Take 3 set.  I just love it!

You can play along with Ted's color challenge by clicking here for all the info!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Take 3: Summer

Paper: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise and Stampers Select Cardstocks

Ink: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Orangerie, True Black

Medium Scallop Die

Other Supplies:

Orange Paper

Paper Dolls Challenge #7

It's Laurie Beth's turn to challenge the Paper Dolls over on our Blog.  She wanted us to make our own patterned paper, create a clean and simple (CAS) card, or to do both.  I think I combined both parts to her challenge with this card:

I randomly stamped the cloud stamps from Up, Up and Away on a piece of Spring Rain cardstock.  Then after outlining each cloud with a glue pen, I poured prisma glitter on the paper and let it sit.  I thought the sentiment from the companion set went well with the images.

Here's the inside.  The sentiment is from Every Day Button Bits.  I die cut the balloons and colored them the other day.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them at the time, but now I'm glad I had them sitting there waiting.  (Sorry about the dark photo; it was getting dark.)

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Up, Up and Away and Sentiments, Every Day Button Bits

Paper: Spring Rain and Stampers Select Cardstocks

Ink: Fresh Snow, Smokey Shadow

Other Supplies:

Hero Arts Prisma Glitter
Aqua Color Pencils
Dove bender pen

Celebrate With Style

I'm going to take a (brief) break from my obsession with all things Papertrey Ink and talk about my first love.

I love Hero Arts.  They were the first stamps I ever used, the first blog I ever followed, the first challenge I ever entered, the first challenge I ever won.  Besides all of that...they have great stamps and a very fun and supportive Flickr group.

The blog hostesses have different themes each month for challenges.  Here's this month's:

Here's the card I entered today.

 Hopefully, since school is out, I'll  really be able to participate more with them this summer.  I had such fun creating cards and layouts with my Hero Arts stamps last summer.  I'm hoping to do something with the Color Layering technique for the month.  I did that on this card awhile ago and it was a lot of fun.

Supplies:

Hero Arts Stamps: Galaxy of Stars, Mixed Design Borders, Happiness Messages

Paper: Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy, Stampers Select White (PTI)

Ink: Pure Poppy, Versamark

Other: Zing embossing powders in silver and white, silver twine, silver nail heads

Papertrey Paper Dolls Challenge #6

Deena has issued a sketch challenge for us this week at the Paper Dolls Blog!  Have you seen it?  It's a goodie, and the timing is perfect since I needed to create something for my son's teachers.  The sketch is made to incorporate a gift card holder! PERFECT!

Here are the two cards I used and will be giving to my son's teachers this afternoon after Pre-Kindergarten Graduation (wiping away tears here!)

As I said on the forum the other day, I'm a teacher and it is the end of school.  Therefore, my time and creativity are at a low right now.  So, I just used the sketch Deena chose and made two exact cards.  My son already signed the back of them, so now I just need to add my message. 

Here's the sketch Deena gave us.  Come play along!

 

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps: Big and Bold Wishes

Paper: Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Stampers Select Cardstocks, Bitty Dot Basics

Ink: Pure Poppy

Other: Summer Sunrise Buttons, Rustic Jute Twine, Pure Poppy Twill

Other Supplies:

Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety Mini-deck

Rhinestones

PTI May Blog Hop

The May Blog Hop is tonight and Nichole asked us to use one of PTI's newest products - felt!  I just received my release night package yesterday, with the Vintage Cream felt and cloud dies packed inside.  A match made in Heaven!  You can see everyone's project if you click here.

Here's my card:

And here's the inside:

The idea to cut out the clouds from the main card came from Mailles. 
Thanks for looking!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Stamps:  Up, Up and Away and Inside and Out: Thank You
Paper: Spring Rain, Vintage Cream, Bitty Dots Basics
Ink:  Smokey Shadow
Tools: Cloud and Balloon Dies, Vintage Cream Felt

Dolls Challenge - #5

It's Michelle's turn to challenge the rest of us over at the Paper Dolls Blog.  She closed her eyes and picked 3 colors.  I have to admit that these colors really didn't go together when I first looked at them, but her beautiful example really changed my mind. She chose Dark Chocolate, Hawaiian Shores and Berry Sorbet.

I've only just recently discovered Berry Sorbet from PTI.  It was in my sampler pack and I never gave it a second look until I made this card a few weeks ago.  I haven't ordered any of the paper, buttons, ribbon or ink yet, but it is next on my list of colors to buy.

Here's my card for Michelle's challenge.  

And here's the inside:

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores, Stampers Select White Cardstocks
Inks: Dark Chocolate, Hawaiian Shores
Stamps: BB: Tin Type, Butterfly Dreams, sentiment from Every Day Button Bits, inside sentiment Birthday Basics
Ribbon:  Dark Chocolate Twill Tape
Tool:  Butterfly Dreams Die

Other Supplies:
Pearls (painted w/ Dark Chocolate ink)
Cuttlebug embossing folder

Also, last week's challenge sponsored by Jen was to create a feminine card and then a masculine card with the same stamp set.  Unfortunately, my masculine card stinks and still looks too girly.  But here is my feminine card.  Hopefully, I can fix the other one. I don't like to not finish. 

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Paper: Spring Moss, Stampers Select White Cardstocks
Inks: Hibiscus Burst, Spring Moss
Stamps: Turning a New Leaf, Fillable Frames #1

Ribbon:  Hibiscus Burst Satin
Buttons: Hibiscus Burst
Tool:  Fillable Frames Die (masked)
Other: pink rhinestones

Heather's Sketch

During the latest countdown for PTI, Heather gave us a sketch to use.  You can see her awesome example and the sketch she drew here.  Again, I have been scrapping each month of my son's life since he was born.  This is the past Thanksgiving.  A lot happened in November, so there will be 2 other layouts for that month - going to see "Walking With Dinosaurs" and a trip to the zoo.  I've just started using these page dividers to make life a little easier.  That is the layout on the left; it's just out of the dividers.  The right side is following Heather's sketch.  She also wanted us to use some PTI dies in our layouts.  This die is Fillable Frames #1. After seeing Heather's example again, I wish I would have looked at it again before I started my own.  I like how she used more patterned paper.  That is always a challenge to me. 

Thanks for looking!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Turning a New Leaf Stamp set
Fillable Frame #1 die
Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, Tea Dye Duo inks
Rustic Jute Twine and Rustic Buttons

Other Supplies
Hero Arts "Happy Thanksgiving" set (CL119)
unknown patterned paper
Probably Archivers green and gold cardstocks

Papertrey Pages, May Challenge

Beth posted a challenge for the PTI scrapbookers to motivate us to use our stamps more in scrapbooking.  This month's challenge is to use watercoloring on a layout.

Since my son was born, I have made a scrapbook each year that highlights month by month.  This is the October page from this past October.  A friend of mine dragged me kicking and screaming into the pre-divided page protectors, so that is the page that is on the left.  I just took it out of the protector to prevent the glare.  The reason I have gone in this direction of scrapbooking is because I'm behind on my self-imposed deadline because some certain company has entwined me into cardmaking.  Hmmm. Wonder which company that is!

Here is my layout.  I blacked out the faces of other kids.  My husband asked me why I did that and the only answer I had was that it just felt like the right thing to do, so please excuse the blotches.  They are precious children, just not mine.

I stamped the pumpkin on Vintage Cream and colored them in with Aquacolor pencils using orange and brown. Then I used my Dove Blender pen to blend in the colors.  I tried to make the pumpkin darker on the left side.  The change is not as dramatic as it looks in the picture.  It's actually blended pretty evenly.

Supplies:
-Stamps:  Hero Arts Happy Thanksgiving (pumpkin), PTI's Turning a New Leaf
-Paper: random Kraft 12x12, PTI's Vintage Cream
-Ink: PTI's Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest
-Aquacolor Pencils and a Dove Blending Pen
-American Crafts Thickers

Paper Dolls Challenge #3

We are really going strong on our Paper Dolls Blog!  This is our third week to post challenges, and a lot of other PTIers are participating!  I love that!  Have you see our blog yet?  Come see what fun we are having.

This week, Suzanne has issued a very verstatile sketch challenge.  You can keep it simple, or dress it up.  I made a set of cards using this sketch.  Here they are:

I'm not sure you can even see the stitching I did or the sparkle from the Sakura pen around the blooms on the stamp.  Since PTI released the Green Tea Leaves paper last year, I had to have it.  Each time I put it in my cart, I had to take it out to get something else.  (grrrrrr...budget).  Finally, I made it a priority in February when I ordered things for the Anniversary Release .  It's May now. This is the first time I opened it and used it.  It took me that long to talk myself into cutting into it.  I know I'm not the only one like this.  Right?  Right????

Here's Suzanne's fabulous sketch at the Dolls blog.  Y'all come play!

All Papertrey Ink supplies (except the light kraft paper, which I'm hoping they will have soon)
-Stamps: Round and Round Third Anniversary Set
-Cardstock: Ocean Tides, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, kraft
-Ink: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream, Tea Dye Duo
-Buttons: Ocean Tides, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado
-Rustic Jute Twine

Other:
-Sakura Stardust Pen
-Thread

Life is so much better...

This is Week #2 of the Paper Dolls Blog Challenges.  Have you played yet?  Meg gave us a great challenge this week.  She chose a sketch from the new Paper Crafts Connection Go To Sketches magazine.  Here's what I did with it.  I can't seem to get away from Spring Moss and Pure Poppy. 

Here's the sketch from Betsy Veldman that Meg chose:

This was a fun sketch - thanks, Meg!  Everyone should visit the Dolls Blog and play along with us this week!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Cardstocks: Vintage Cream, Spring Moss, Pure Poppy
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, Tea Dye Duo
Buttons:  Pure Poppy, New Leaf, Spring Moss
Stamp Sets:  Turning a New Leaf, Life
Rustic Twine

Other Supplies:
Nestabilities Blossom Die
Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety Mini-deck

 

Celebrate Life!

Hi!  I hope all is well in your little corner of the world!  I have a reject card from the February Guest Star Stamper contest.  Nichole announced the winners on her blog today.  Wow! There were some wonderful creations.  Most of the contest was to create something from some of the stamps released in January, and I didn't buy anything that month, so I just used what I had.  The category "Best Use of a Previous Set" is so broad.  You should really go and check out what these winners created!  Again - Wow!

Here's my card using Life & Background Basics: Text Style.  (Maybe the best $30.00 I've spent at PTI. Maybe. To get a better idea, I'd have to think about all the money I've spent at PTI and no one wants to do that.)

This was during my pink/green color combo phase.

(Who am I kidding? It's not a phase; I love it always!)

All Papertrey Ink Supplies:

-Stamps: Life, Background Basics Text Style

-Ink: Hibiscus Burst, Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Tea Dye Duo

-Paper: Vintage Cream, Spring Moss

-Ribbon: Hibiscus Burst Satin

Other:

Stickles on the pink flowers

Nesties Scalloped circles

Papertrey Paper Dolls Challenge #1

Our new PTI group, Papertrey Paper Dolls, has its first challenge this week. Laurie Beth challenged us with a sketch she created.  I created 2 cards with the sketch.  Here's the first.

All Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Paper: Stampers Select White, Spring Moss, Pure Poppy
Stamps: Background Basics: Tin Type, Wishing You
Ink: Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, True Black, Summer Sunrise
Ribbon: Pure Poppy Saddle Stitch
Tools: Fillable Frame Die #1
There are stickles on the yellow part of the tulip, but I don't think they are showing in the picture.

Here's my second card for the challenge:

 All Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampers Select White, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores
Patterned Paper: Green Boutique
Stamps: Scattered Showers, Fillable Frame #1
Ink: New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores
Buttons: New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores
Tools: Rik-Rak Die
Stickles are on the border of the umbrella and dotted in the middle of some flowers on it.

Here is the sketch that Laurie Beth posted.  Click on the red links up there on the right to see what the other Paper Dolls have come up with.  Why don't you play along with us and link your blog post to ours here. I bet you have some new PTI stuff ready to get inky!

Precious and Few

This is a card I made in February for the February Guest Star Stamper contest.  I guess it is OK to post now even though winners haven't been announced.  I borrowed Blooming Button Bits from a friend for awhile and this was one of the results!

Thanks for looking!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Paper: Spring Moss, Hibiscus Burst, Stampers Select cardstocks
Ink: Hibiscus Burst, Spring Moss
Stamps: Blooming Button Bits
Ribbon: Hibiscus Burst

Other supplies:
green rhinestones
prisma glitter
Fiskars border punch
Corner rounder
Pop dots

Cheer Up Buttercup!

I had some scraps left over from a card I made for Becky's challenge, so I decided to create something else with the squares.  Here I've lined them up right next to each and stitched them together with a zig-zag stitch.  I saw this from one of the other entries, Terri.  Very cute - and I'm always looking for an excuse to get my sewing machine going.

I've discovered a great color combination:  Lemon Tart, Ocean Tides and Berry Sorbet  Why didn't anyone tell me about this before? 

The picture is not the greatest, sorry.  It's from my phone and then cropped in photoshop! Ugh.

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Cardstocks: Ocean Tides, Berry Sorbet

Stamps: Scattered Showers (sentiment)

Ribbon: Lemon Tart satin

Epoxy dome stickers

Vintage Cream ink

Other:

Patterned paper from My Minds Eye Dreamy 2

Thread

3rd Post Today! ANOTHER card for Becky...

Again, here is Becky's Compose a Card Challenge #9.  This is probably my last one for the weekend. :(

I took some inspiration from Teri Anderson.  She always uses her extra letter stickers in such a fun way, so I thought I'd give it a try.  Here's my card:

I scored the kraft mat to create the tic-tac-toe board and inked the edges with pure poppy ink.  The sentiment is from Signature Greetings.

Thanks for looking!

2nd Post today! More cards for Becky

Again, here is Becky's Compose a Card Challenge #9.  I like that it is pretty open and versatile.

I used some Making Memories Dreamy 2 patterned paper and Bitty Dot Basics in Lemon Tart from PTI. 

The butterfly is from Butterfly Dreams that Niki Estes released in February from PTI.  I ran it through my Xyron upside down and sprinkled some prisma glitter on it for some sparkle.

Thanks for looking!

Becky's Challenge #9

Here is Becky's Compose a Card Challenge #9:

I created my own patterned paper with Lisa Johnson's Flower Garden set using Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores and Pure Poppy. 

Becky's Compose a Card #8

Becky's challenge this week was to use her daughter's Easter dresses as inspiration for a card.  Here are her instructions:

I chose the black and white polka-dots with New Leaf green for my card.  Here it is:

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
-Stamps: Birthday Basics
-Paper: True Black and New Leaf, Stampers Select cardstocks, Bitty Dot Basics in True Black
-New Leaf Buttons

Other Supplies:
-Black twill, black twine, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Nesties Label 8, prismacolor glitter, pearls

Paper Crafts Sketch Challenge #1

I entered this card into the Paper Crafts Connection Go To Sketch Challenge #1.  Here is the sketch that Teri Anderson introduced:

And here is my card:

It's not an exact match, but pretty close.  And fun!  They'll announce 2 winners from the pool for this sketch and 2 winners from the pool for the 2nd sketch on Monday at the PC Blog.  Wish me luck!  I didn't have time to participate in the 2nd one.  You can see the entire pool here. 

Supplies (Papertrey Ink unless noted otherwise*):
-Paper: Spring Moss, Terracotta Tile, Kraft *carstocks
-Stamps: Background Basics: Tin Type, Inkadinkado "Patterned Bugs"*
-Sizzix Large Leaf Die*
-Terracotta Tile Buttons
-Rustic Jute Twine

Big 12 Dot Spot Cards

We all struggle making cards for men, so I found a solution for myself.  I'm using Dot Spot to create birthday cards for the men in my life.  I will use colors of universities they love.  Here are my first two.  The one on the left is black and red for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.  This one is going to my brother-in-law. (Yeah, his birthday was in February.)  The other one went to my assistant principal who loves the Kansas Jayhawks. My husband is not a Big 12 fan.  His allegiance is with LSU in the SEC.  I don't have any Plum Pudding for that and probably should invest in it soon. 
Thanks for looking!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
-Cardstocks: True Black, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select
-Inks: True Black, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, Summer Sunrise
-Stamps:  Dot Spot, sentiment is from Fillable Frames #1

Other:
Glittered Gemstone thingy-ma-bob

HS and TT!

I wanted to see how Terracotta Tile played with the new Hawaiian Shores, and I have to say, it might be my new favorite combo!

Also, as a fun little perk to Monday, I won a random drawing from Papercrafts Connection!!!  Here's a picture of what I won! Isn't it too cute, and look - a copy of  Go To Sketches!

All Papertery Ink Supplies:
Stamps: Dot Spot, Signature Greetings (on loan from a friend who may never get it back)
Paper: Hawaiian Shores, Terracotta Tile and Stampers Select Cardstocks
Inks: Hawaiian Shores, Terracotta Tile, True Black
Buttons: Hawaiian Shores, Terracotta Tile

2nd Card for Becky's Challenge

Becky Oehlers has another great Compose a Card Challenge.  Here are the requirements:

And here is my card.  I've never used text pages for a project before, but I had this sitting around and wanted to give it a try. 

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
-Paper: Vintage Cream and Spring Rain cardstocks
-Inks: True Black and Tea Dye Duo
-Stamps: Butterfly Dreams
-Buttons: Spring Rain
-Rick-Rack die

Other Supplies
-text page
-paper flowers
-black twine
-black cardstock
-Star Dust Stickles

Compose a Card Challenge

Becky Oehlers has another great Compose a Card Challenge.  Here are the requirements:

And here is my card.  I did not have black wool felt, so I substituted black embossed paper.

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
-Vintage Cream and Spring Rain cardstocks
-Spring Rain and True Black inks
-Spring Rain buttons
-1/4-in Scor Tape
-Scattered Showers and Scattered Showers Additions stamp sets
-Medium Scallop die

Other Supplies:
-Hero Arts prisma glitter
-Black cardstock
-Pattered cardstock-My Minds Eye Dreamy 2
-Pop Dots

CASEing

I "CASE" a lot.  A lot.  When I get a new stamp set, I usually go and find projects that have used the stamps, print them out and then copy them.  That way, I get to use my stamps; I get to make something; and usually it lets me come up with my own ideas...eventually. 

Depending on who you are, CASE could mean a variety of things:

Copy And Steal Everything

Copy And Share Everything

Copy And Simply Edit

I also learn a lot by CASEing - good color combos, fun techniques, stamps that go together or can be used in a different way.  That's what happened when I CASEd Diane's card.  She used the bunny from Tiny Treats: Valentine (from Papertrey Ink) for an Easter card.  I had already filed that set away in my mind as "Valentines" and hadn't thought to use the bunny for Easter.  Here's the link to her post and here's her card:

Isn't it cute? I love how she used the patterned paper on the bunny and the rick-rack, and the little buttons add just the perfect touch.  

I was in a hurry when I created my cards.  I needed two cards for my son's teachers.  So, I used the rick-rack die (the BEST $6.00 ever spent) and the same stamp set.  The inside of the card is stamped with the sentiment "Some bunny loves you!"

Here are my cards:

They have a few less details than Diane's, but the bunny tails are colored with red glitter pen.  Thanks to Diane, I was able to copy her project quickly and have something ready for 2 ladies that are near and dear to my family!

I usually don't post cards I CASE, but I wanted to let Diane know that she is an inspiration!

Thanks for looking!