PTI Anniversary - Day 1

Wow!  Did you see Nichole Heady's post this morning?  Before you click over and read it, grab some Kleenex.  You'll need it to wipe away the tears as you read how she feels about each of her team members.  Wow.  I'm so glad I shop at a company that values relationships.  Such a good feeling.

In celebrating Papertrey Ink's 4th Anniversary, Nichole went through each of her DT's blogs and picked her favorite project from their blogs for 2010.  Then she had them do the same thing.  So much inspiration in one place is a very, wonderful thing.  THEN - she challenged us to do the same thing - find our favorite PTI project of the year.  

At the end of December, I visited a blog from a forum member.  She was participating in a Top 10 of 2010 contest and picked her favorite projects to highlight.  I thought it was a great idea, and did the same thing.  You can see my post here.  Boy, am I glad I did that because it made finding a PTI project that I loved very easy this morning.  I just had to decide which card to use from that post. 

Here's the one I came up with:

Original Post is here.

I chose this one because so many of my forum friends have been looking out their windows at snow on the ground since Christmas.  I know they are longing for Spring to arrive, so I thought I'd give them a little bit today.  I made this card last summer when I posted "Seven Days of Wishing You."  I made 7 cards with this awesome set by Melissa Bickford.  I want everyone to love it as much as I do. 

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!  Have fun seeing everyone's favorites!

GYSO #5

This week's sketch at Get Your Sketch On was perfect for last year's February layout!  I had just a couple of pictures for this month, and most of them were focused on Valentine's Day.  Here's the sketch and my layout:

 

The bottom right picture had to be included.  My son was working on addressing his Valentine's and was a little irritated at my picture taking.  Luckily, I caught that one just in time.

Remember, my goals for the year are to use more patterned paper (on cards and layouts) and to use more stamping in my layouts.  This one fits into those two goals!  The larger heart is from Practicing Creativity's "Carved Love" set and all the other stamps are from Papertrey Ink's Tiny Treat Valentines!  I colored in the images with my Bic Mark It Markers!  The striped paper is from Echo Park's "Little Boy" line.

Here's a detail shot:

Come play along at the Get Your Sketch On challenge - all the details are here.  The prize this week is from The Pink Cat Studio.

I'm submitting this to my blog group's, The Paper Dolls,  challenge from a couple of weeks ago.  Laurie Beth challenged us to use felt and a die-cut.  Even though this isn't a card, I think it fits the challenge.  You can play along with us by seeing the details of the challenge here.

Papertrey Pages January Challenge

Beth challenged the forum at Papertrey Ink to a layout challenge that goes like this:

Christmas is over, and I have been doing baby pages in primary and fall colors, so...
You must use 3 items in Spring Rain on these pages- that means
paper, ink, buttons, ribbons, brads, glitter, etc etc etc.

 

As usual, I waited until the end of the month to complete the layout.  I kept changing my mind about which pictures I wanted to use.  I finally settled on my family's kite adventure from last March.  My son finally got the hang of flying a kite with the help of Daddy, and he was really pretty good at it.

Here's my layout:

All the patterned paper is from Echo Park's Walk in the Park.  {love}

The title is cut from Mat Stack 5 die and matted with Spring Rain paper.  Then I stamped the title with letters from "Carved in Love" from Practicing Creativity.  I embossed some kites from Up, Up and Away (PTI) and attached Rustic White twine for tails.  I popped those on the mat and popped the mat as well for some dimension. 

The three Spring Rain products are:  cardstock, buttons and brads.  I was going to use ribbon, but GUESS WHAT!?  I don't have any Spring Rain ribbon.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit that.  

Here's a detail shot:

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place today!  I hope to have more to post this week, but it's not looking too good. 

GYSO #4

This week's sketch at Get Your Sketch On was great!  I'm so thankful for this new challenge site - it sure is inspiring me to get some layouts done.  I feel like I'm in a groove now and can hopefully finish my son's pre-K scrapbook soon!  I missed my self-imposed deadline.  

Here's the sketch Bree gave us:

If you remember, two of my goals for this  year were to use more patterned paper and to stamp more on my layouts.  I only achieved one of those on this layout, but don't worry, I have another idea I'm hoping to work on this weekend, and it involves stamps AND paper!

Here's my layout:

My son has a long-standing love affair with DINOSAURS, so you can imagine his excitement when his class went on a dinosaur field trip last March.  One of the other mothers that went on the field trip snapped this picture and emailed it to me.  His face is priceless.  (You can click on the picture for a larger view.)

You can play along with this week's challenge at Get Your Sketch On by clicking here!

Thanks for dropping by My Happy Place!  I hope I have more to post soon!

Happy Anniversary!

So, today is my TENTH Wedding Anniversary.  Wow! Can't believe I just wrote that.  How the world and our lives have changed in the last 10 years! 

Here's a picture from the big day!

We were married in a traditional Catholic Mass in the Cathedral downtown.  It was a beautiful wedding.  Then we had a FUN, FUN party afterward.  It rained, which I hear is good luck.  We've been lucky so far.  A couple of months later we bought our house; a few years later we had our son.  We are blessed.

So, with jobs, parenthood and sinus infections, I'm not really sure we will be having an official celebration.  Last weekend we purchased great tickets to a favorite band's summer concert, so I think that is our present to ourselves.  I wonder if I can somehow order scrapbooking supplies to celebrate the occasion.  Hmmm.

Here's my card for my sweet husband:

I love the new number dies and Big Birthday Wishes stamp set from PTI.  Several sentiments work for anniversaries as well.  The two larger ones are from that set, and the Happy Anniversary is Hero Arts.  On the outside of the card, I used a cuttlebug folder to deboss the mat.  I didn't fold the cardstock into the folder, but left it open, so that it wouldn't be so deep.  I like how it turned out.

I'm entering this card into my Blog Group, The Papertrey Paper Dolls, challenge from Cecilia. There are several entries already, so I know it was a needed challenge.  Time to refocus!  You can get the details of her challenge here.  She challenged us to ease back into our crafting after the holidays by doing a simple card.  You should come and join us in our challenges.  Click here and come play!  No pressure, just fun!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Papertrey Ink's January Blog Hop!

Woo Hoo!  It's that time again - Papertrey Ink's Blog Hop!  This month Nichole challenged us with this:

This month's blog hop challenge involves you challenging yourself to use a Papertrey stamp set that has yet to see ink or even one that might be collecting a little dust!  Go through your stash and see what little used treasure it might hold.

I have not used the "Falling Leaves" stamp set nearly as much as I would like, so I picked it as my theme for the project. I wanted to make a cheerful card for a friend who has had a rough week. I thought of her as I was making it, and I hope I'm sending good vibes. It is already on its way to her. I hope it cheers her up a bit!

I combined some sets on the card.  The sun is from Scattered Showers Additions and the sentiment and grass are both from Hero Arts.  

Here's the inside:

You can see other participants in the blog hop by going to Nichole's blog here.  Enjoy!.  I'm sure there will be a lot of inspiration, and I will be digging out some neglected sets after I'm finished hopping.  

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Supplies:

Stamps:  Falling Leaves, Scattered Showers Additions (PTI), Stamp Garden, Everyday Sayings (Hero Arts)

Paper:  Hibiscus Burst, Stampers Select (PTI), Summertime by Echo Park

Ink:  Dark Chocolate, New Leaf, Summer Sunrise, Hibiscus Burst (PTI)

Other:  Hibiscus Buttons, Rustic White Twine (PTI), Sakura Stardust Pen

Fishy Birthday

Hero Arts has a great challenge this month.  There are three parts to it:

1. Find inspiration in the 2011 Hero Arts Catalog

2.  Use the masking technique

3.  Decorate the inside of the cards 

I've submitted three cards already; this makes my fourth:

This is the front.

I used a die to cut out the windows from the patterned paper and the cardstock, then stamped the fish in the windows. I stamped the sentiment onto the banner die and added bling to either side.

Here's the inside:

I stamped the seaweed and starfish, colored everything, and shaded along the sides and bottoms of the images with a Copic marker. After stamping the sentiment on the inside, I added a couple of rhinestones & some glitter pen  for some bling. I love how it turned out.

Here it is from the side:

I'm entering this card into Jenny's wee Memories challenge.  You can get all the details here.  Below is the theme for the week!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Oceans Of Joy (Hero Arts)
Paper: Vintage Cream cardstock (Papertrey Ink), Snorkel (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink:  New Leaf, Ocean Tides (PTI)
Tools:  Double Ended Banner Die, Take Three Die (PTI)
Other:  Bic Mark It Markers, Copic Marker, Rhinestones, Sakura Stardust pen

GYSO #3

Seriously - I love this new scrapbook challenge site!  It has enabled me to get some pages done that have only been scrapped in my head. 

Here's this week's sketch at Get Your Sketch On:

I scrapbook a month at a time, so this is a layout from last March of my son and his soccer ambitions. 

A lot of different companies are represented here.  The patterned paper and letters are from a kit I purchased after Christmas from K & Company. The soccer balls are stamped from Papertrey Ink's "Have a Ball" set and punched out with a 1-inch circle.  The letters for "March" are from Practicing Creativity's newest set, "Carved Love."  I just received it in the mail! (Thanks, Courtney!)

Before securing the photos to the layout, I stitched around the edges of the photo mats to mimic the stitching in the patterned paper.

You can play along with this week's sketch and see all the other submissions by clicking here.  Keep 'em coming, Bree! 


Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

My Type

Have you seen the 2011 catalog from Hero Arts?  Wow!  How about one of everything?!  The first stamp I had to have was the Cling "My Type" set.  I have a long list of other ones that are must haves also!  I received a gift card to Archivers last month and part of it went to this stamp.  Here's the first card I made with it:

 So, the other night, my laptop crashed.  That is part of the reason why I haven't been able to post anything.  Luckily, my husband is smarter than my computer and fixed it, but I lost some things that were on the desktop, and not on our network.  And I lost my Photoshop Elements.  So, I couldn't edit this to adjust the colors a little.  I love that ledger paper and thought it would be a great match for the typewriter.

I have high hopes for the weekend and lots of crafty time!  Let's hope it works out that way!!

Thanks for dropping by My Happy Place!

wee Memories Ribbon Challenge

Ribbon - I have enough ribbon to last me a lifetime, but still I want more.  I love it, and love the challenge at wee Memories this week.  It's titled "For the Love of Ribbon!" Now that is something I can wrap my brain around!

Here's the inspiration photo:

 

I knew what I wanted to do right when I saw the challenge; it's just taken me a couple of days to execute.  Now, that I'm off for the holiday, I'm able to get some creating done.  I'm SO excited about this card!! Here it is:

Nope, not a stamp in sight on the front there.  I know...I know...made me nervous too, but here's the inside:

 

Now, that's better!  All stamped up!  I'm trying to stockpile some thank-you and cheerful cards lately and this will be perfect for someone that needs a little lift.  The sun is from Scattered Showers Additions (Papertrey Ink) and the rest is all Hero Arts!  (Stamp Garden and Everyday Sayings)

Here's one more look:

Thanks for stopping by My Happy Place!

 

Supplies:

Stamps: Stamp Garden, Everyday Sayings (Hero Arts), Scattered Showers Additions (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, New Leaf (Papertrey Ink)

Paper:  Pure Poppy, Stampers Select (PTI)

Ribbon: Pure Poppy, Orange Zest, Lemon Tart, Ripe Avocado, Blueberry Sky, Plum Pudding Twills (PTI)

Other: Rhinestone

OTWC #41

I love the colors Kim chose for this week's Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge!  You can play along and get all the details here.

Here's the inspiration photo:

Aren't those colors wonderful?  I knew I wanted to use Kim's set that I have on the card.  After re-reading the challenge just now, I see that because I used her set, I get an extra entry!  Woo-hoo!  I'd love to win the assortment of Sakura products from this week's sponsor - LOVE their pens!

Here's my card:

I stamped the larger flower from the Everything's Owlright set onto purple and chartreuse cardstock and cut them out.  I added a little prisma glitter to the center of the flowers and then placed them in a bunch to fit inside the polaroid stamp.  I created the background from the same stamp and the smaller flower image and put everything together.  I don't know about you, but I always need thank-you notes!

Thanks for dropping by My Happy Place!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Everything's Owlright (Wilson Designs)
Ink:  True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Simply Chartreuse, True Black, Plum Pudding (Papertrey Ink)
Hero Arts Prisma Glitter

Gray is the New Black

Do you visit the Moxie Fab World on a daily basis?  I do!  I loved Cath's challenge this month to:

Create a paper crafted project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) that incorporates gray in an innovative way.

 

You can get all the information and see everyone's projects if you click here.  It was easy to find my inspiration for the challenge.  I just had to look out my window.  It's been gray, cloudy, rainy, misty and cold here the last few days.  Honestly, I love the rain.  It could rain every day, and I'd be a happy girl. 

Here's my card:

I die-cut the clouds with two different shades of gray.  Then I inked the edges so that they would show up when placed against each other.  After adding the grass, flowers and raindrops, I used a Copic to shade the bottom of the flowers and leaves to give it a shadow look.  I decided to not color in the flowers because...

Here's the inside:

 

Here, everything is bright, colorful and fresh - exactly what the rain does for us.  A chance of hope is peeking out from the cloud.  I added some glitter to the cloud, the rainbow and a few rhinestones for the flower centers.  I want the person who receives this card to be surprised and happy when she opens it.  I already know to whom I am giving this.  One of my friends is in desperate need of a pick-me-up!

Here's another look:

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place today!  

Supplies:

Stamps:  Stamp Garden (Hero Arts), Scattered Showers and Additions; Up, Up and Away (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  New Leaf, Smokey Shadow, Hibiscus Burst, Summer Sunrise, Fresh Snow (PTI)

Paper:  Smokey Shadow, Stampers Select White (PTI)

Tools:  Cloud Die (PTI)

Other:  Rhinestones, Sakura Stardust pen, Bic Mark It Markers, Hero Arts Prisma Glitter, light gray cardstock

Birdy Birthday

I finally was able to get to work using one of my new sets I just received.  Little Bitty Bird is such a cute set and with so many sentiments included, it is so versatile.  Remember, I set goals this year to use more patterned paper in my projects and to update more often.

This post fulfills both of those goals because I was able to use one of the three AWESOME Echo Park Paper collections I just received from a purchase I made at Two Peas with a gift certifcate from my sister. (Thanks, LL!) And this is my second post for today, so scroll down to see a two-page layout I posted for a new sketch site contest.

But for now, here's my card:

I stamped the tree and colored it in with my Bic Mark It Markers.  I used the die to cut out the birds and applied some glue and glitter to give them some sparkle.  The background paper is from the Summertime collection by Echo Park. (awesome stuff!) I sewed the two solid blocks onto the paper and added the ribbon and buttons.

Here's a close up of some details:

I finished off the inside like this:

I followed the sketch from Skipping Stones Designs for this card.  Here's their sketch:

Thanks so much for dropping by My Happy Place!

GYSO #1

I'm so excited about a new scrapbook sketch site!  It's called "Get Your Sketch On" and this week they have their first challenge.  Here's their challenge for this week:

I have a two-page layout for this one.  I scrapbook photos from each month and jot down funny things my son says.  Here's October:

and the facing page:

 

All together now:

Thanks to this new site, I'm hoping to get some great sketches to complete last year's book!  Come along and play with the sketch yourself!  You can find all the details here!

Thanks for stopping by My Happy Place!