Make It Monday!

Hi, everyone!  Guess what!  I made something!  And boy, did it feel good!  How can one not be inspired by Betsy Veldman's color blending technique she used in this week's video?  Have you seen it?  If not, go to Nichole's blog here, check it out and be inspired!

I'm also linking this card to my blog group, The Paper Dolls, challenge for this week too, which is to create a card to express gratitude.  I have a lot of gratitude for so many people right now.  I could send this card to over 200 people!

Here it is:

I splurged recently and ordered some PTI stamps that have been on my wish list for too long.  Two of the sets were On My Couch and its additions.  I stamped the couch on Fine Linen felt that I die-cut with the matching die.  I blended the wall with Spring Rain, Color Box's Sky Blue, and Enchanted Evening.  The floor was blended with Dark Chocolate and VersaMagic's Sahara Sand.

I also used Betsy's technique on the sentiment panel.  I die-cut a piece of Vintage Cream cardstock with the new Sending You die, stamped the sentiments from Inside and Out: Thank You and On My Couch, tied some Martha Stewart twine around it after blending the Dark Chocolate ink again.  I folded the bottom portion of the panel under - just like Betsy.  Normally, I would cut it off, but I like the look of the fold.

I have made a deal with my son that on Wednesdays and Thursdays after school, we will have craft time.  We pinkie-swore on it, so hopefully the deal will stick.  I hope to get something else done today...anything!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place today!

New Die Storage

I still don't have a project to share with you, but I do have a new organizational system for my dies.  I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but never got around to it.  No time like the present, I suppose.

Here it is:

It's a magnetic white board!  I have little round magnets on the back of each die, and now I can see all my dies at once.  This way, I won't forget about what I have and can use them more!  The only ones not up here are my Nestabilities. 

I think that if I move them closer to each other, I'll be able to squeeze on many, many more.  And if I need another white board, they are only $24 at Michaels!  I had two coupons to use - a 40% off one item and a 25% off the entire order!  So, I got the board, some magnets and stuff my little one "had to have" for the regular price of the white board. (By the way, the white board is 22x35 inches.)

Thanks for looking!

I'm here...

Well, not really.  I'm out of bed on a daily basis, and I have taken my little one to school every day this week.  I am back in the classroom as of today, and here I am - updating my blog.  That's what happens at my school...my teacher friends all graded my work, entered the grades, made my lesson plans, created the activities, gathered supplies and made my copies.  All I had to do was show up today.  So, here I am. I even have a little make-up on.  Wouldn't want to scare the children, now would I?

People tell you to take it one day at a time.  That's too long for me.  I'm minute by minute here, with a wonderful support group of friends and family.  Our little one seems to be doing fine.  He's listening, following directions and is being very well-mannered.  I'm a little worried - {wink}  He has always been a good boy, but never this good.  He has a few moments of stubbornness, but not nearly as many as before.  He probably knows I'm on the edge.  Family is scheduled to visit me the next three weekends, so I am not short on company...or food.   Good gravy, I have food...and GOOD food!

I have no card or layout to share with you.  I'm hoping to...soon. That requires energy, you know.  Of course you know. 

I received a box of goodies from my blog group, the Paper Dolls.  That should help to kick in some creativity, I hope! They ordered me new things from the last release.  We've never all met personally, but they know me so well anyway.  Everything in my box was on my wish list.  Those gals are mind-readers.  I appreciate the love, cards, food and PTI goodies they have sent.

Speaking of cards...wow!  My PTI forum friends have sent me beautiful, and I mean breath-taking cards.  Each one is so unique, but carries the same message of love.  I feel so blessed to have found such a wonderful community of people. Thank you all so much. 

So, I'm here.  Kind of.  I'll be back soon with something scrappy...and probably crappy. 

In the meantime, this is what I have to look forward to...AWESOME!

Papertrey Paper Dolls Blog Hop

Hi there!  Are you having fun hopping along with the Dolls?  We are happy to have this hop so that we can get to know each other better, learn about favorite styles, colors, techniques and to share a little something that we made in honor of what brought us together last year - Papertrey Ink - PTI.

Our theme for the Blog Hop is PTI.  In each project you see, we have used something that starts with a P, something that starts with a T and something that starts with an I.

I was able to get two of my ideas completed and ready for our hop.  Here's my first one:

 

How does this fit into the theme?

P = Patterned Paper (Turning a New Leaf from PTI)

T = Turning a New Leaf stamp set, Twine, Tea Dye Duo

I = Inside and Out: Thank You stamp set and Impression Plate (Woodgrain)

My second card is a little more Spring-y:
 

How does this fit into the theme?

P = Plum Pudding cardstock, ribbon and ink

T = Tags for Spring

I = Impression Plate (Linen)

Here's a little bit more about me:
-My PTI forum name is - Lee Anne (I got lucky!)

-Where am I - I live in Texas.

-My day job - I'm a middle school science teacher.  (There are several teachers in our group!)

-My family - I just celebrated my 10-year anniversary with my wonderful husband, and we have a 5-year old son who keeps us running around. I grew up the youngest of 3 girls.  My older sisters still try to boss me around, even though I'm 40 years old now.

-When I discovered PTI - I discovered PTI between the February and March releases in 2009 and made my first purchase in March.  I purchased Wishing You and Flower Garden in my first purchase and they are still some of my favorite sets. In fact, last summer I did a tribute to both sets.  I want everyone to love both of these sets!

- How long I've been a Doll - Last year, about this time, the forum was really busy and several blog groups were forming.  I decided to join with this one, and I filled the last spot available.  Again, I got lucky! It's a great group.

-Favorite PTI products (besides stamps) - I'm loving the dies that PTI comes out with, and the cardstock is like no other!

-Favorite PTI stamp sets - That's tough!  I love Every Day Button bits for it's whimsical nature, Flower Garden for its versatility, Turning a New Leaf for its background building ability, and Tiny Treats Valentines because it can be used for almost anything!

-Favorite PTI color - Pure Poppy

-Favorite PTI color combo - Hibiscus Burst and Spring Moss

That's all from me today!  Make sure you leave a comment here before you leave so that you can be in the drawing for the stamp set we are giving away.  You are on your way to Laurie Beth now.  What a treat!

If a link doesn't work or you get lost along the way, click HERE to retun to the Dolls Blog!

Are you going to play along and link up a project with our PTI theme?  We'd love to see what you do. Link up on the Dolls blog for a chance to win a gift certificate.   

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!  Come back soon!

Paper Dolls Challenge #31

This card is for my blog group's challenge from a couple of weeks ago.  I'm trying to catch up!  Laurie challenged us with:

1.  Use a flower set, if you have it Papertrey Ink, Year of the Flowers set.
2.  Use a designer paper.  If you don't have any, make your own. 
3.  Use at least three different colors.

I love to paper-piece the flowers from PTI's Flower Garden set, so I knew that was the set I was going to use.  I don't own any of the Year of Flowers sets, and quickly turn my head away when I see someone create something fabulous.  And I scream, "No, No, NO...I don't want that set!"  We'll see how long I can keep it up.  

Here's my card:

I love that patterned paper.  All of it is from Bo Bunny and was part of a free pad I received at Archivers.  I've never used it, because I have a problem using my patterned paper. (I'm on Step 2 of the 12 Step program for this.)

I cut out the flowers and leaves by hand but would not mind a die set for Flower Garden!  (LISA JOHNSON- are you reading this?) Who am I kidding...she's not.

Here's the inside:

Come along and play with the Dolls on our challenges.  We'll have a new one this week AND we have a big BLOG HOP planned to start on March 9th.  Fun!  Click here for our blog and join the fun!

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

 

Papertrey Pages February Challenge

The challenge that Beth gave to forum members this month was to create a layout with these parameters:

1. Your page(s) must celebrate a birthday or anniversary.
2. Your page(s) must use a Papertrey stamp set, preferably a birthday or anniversary set. (Flowers, of course, work on any kind of page!)

Of course, I have had ideas floating around in my head for the whole month, but didn't execute them until the day before the end of the month.  I've got to get more on the ball in March!

My son turned 5 in May and I hadn't scrapped his birthday party yet, so Beth's challenge was perfect for me.  This will be his last page in his Baby Book!  I can't believe it!  I'll have to do another layout for his yearly scrapbook, so this gave me some ideas.

Here's my layout:

Have I told you how much I love Echo Park paper?  I do.  I especially love the Little Boy line which is where the plaid paper comes from.

I started the layout by stamping the baseball images from PTI and stamped the letters in each ball to create the title.  After stepping back to take a look, I decided there was room on the title block for the 5 and love the shape of the number from the die set. Then I did some faux-stitching with a white pen around the edges.

I mimicked the stitching on this panel and then popped it up next to my son's cake pictures.  I love the look on the boys' faces...they just really want some cake, huh?

After adding the smaller pictures on the right and the "Little Boy" sticker, I decided that a few more details were needed.  So, I die cut some stars in cardstock and some more patterned paper from Echo Park, added some buttons and twine and placed them in sort-of a triangle.

I know that Beth will have a fabulous layout, so you should go check her blog out.  She does wonderful work. 

Thanks for dropping by My Happy Place today!

All Papertrey Ink supplies (unless noted):
Stamps:  Have a Ball, Think Big Favorites #1, Big Birthday Wishes, letters from Carved Love (Practicing Creativity)
Ink:  Pure Poppy, True Black
Cardstock:  New Leaf, Stampers Select, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening
Patterned Paper:  Little Boy (Echo Park)
Dies:  Seeing Stars, Fillable Frame #1, By the Numbers
Other:  New Leaf, Enchanted Evening, & Pure Poppy buttons, Rustic White Twine

Paper Dolls Challenge #32

This card is for the Paper Dolls Challenge #32, issued by Amy.  She challenged us to create a project with these requirements:

The Challenge

1.  Embossing

2.  Use any floral image from PTI

3.  Spring colors

 

"Any floral image from PTI" - sounds easy, right?  No!  That choice is very, very difficult.  There are way too many great floral images, and I only have a few of them.  I don't even own any of the Year of Flowers sets.  Every time I see a project done with them, I turn my head quickly to avert my eyes so as not to be tempted to order all 12 sets at once.  

The spring part of Amy's challenge made me think of tulips, and the obvious choice for that was one of my favorite sets, "Wishing You."  I also included the challenge this week for Make It Monday - to apply glitter using scor-tape.  I created a frame around the edges of the green mat to add some sparkle to the card. 

 

Here's my card:

I started by stamping and embossing the tulip leaves with VersaMark and Zing powder on Vintage Cream  cardstock.  Then I ran the mat through my Big Shot with the Canvas Impression plate.  I used my new favorite edger punch on the sides.  The glitter border is on a piece of Simply Chartreuse cardstock.  I chose some happy, spring colors for the tulips, stamped them, cut them out and popped them up.  After adding a butterfly, I was finished.  

Here's the inside:

 

And since I've learned how to do close-up views pretty well, you get to see this one too!  It really shows the canvas impression plate.

 

Thanks for looking today and visiting My Happy Place.  To play along with this Dolls challenge, click here and have a ton of fun!

 

All Papertrey Ink Supplies (unless noted otherwise):

Stamps:  Wishing You, Make a Wish

Ink:  Orangerie, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Smokey Shadow, Wisteria (Color Box), Versamark

Paper:  Vintage Cream, Simply Chartreuse, Bitty Dot Basics

Tools:  Canvas impression plate, Bracket Edger Punch (EK Success), Butterfly punch (Martha Stewart)

Other:  Zing embossing powder, Hero Arts prisma glitter, 1/4-inch scor tape, rhinestones

Make It Monday 3 - again?!

 

I have to admit.  The card I'm submitting today started as a submission for last week's Make It Monday Challenge - to use a vellum sentiment strip.  I could never figure out how to make it work the way I wanted, so most of this card sat - unused - on my desk last week.  When Dawn issued her challenge this week to use scor-tape and glitter, I figured out a way to make the card work.  Since it was mostly done, I was able to finish it up to fit into the challenge this week.  You ca see the details and other submissions if you click over to Nichole's blog here. 

Here's my second card for this week. 

I wish I knew the color of that cardstock mat.  I thought it was Ocean Tides when I first used it, decided I needed more Ocean Tides and ordered some.  It's NOT Ocean Tides.  And it's NOT Aqua Mist.  I have no idea what color it is or where I got it, but I want more!!

Thanks for looking today and visiting My Happy Place!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:
Stamps:  Fly Away
Ink:  Pure Poppy, True Black
Dies:  Small Cloud die, Double Ended Banner Die
Other:  1/4-inch scor-tape, True Black button
Not PTI:  Little Boy paper (Echo Park), silver twine in wheel, Doodle Bug Sugar Coating Glitter

Make It Monday #3

This week the challenge on the Make It Monday series is to add some glitter to a project by using scor-tape as the base for the glitter.  Dawn made a great video and you can get all the details and see the submissions if you click over to Nichole's blog here. 

I've been a bit absent from my crafting table and my blog lately.  I won't bore you with the details, but some reasons are job, son, husband, family, stress, dinner, dishes and laundry.  I haven't been able to comment on my friends blogs either, and that's what really bothers me.  I made a commitment to them to comment, and I haven't been able to.  I'm hoping that things will settle down SOON and I'll be able to comment, craft and blog more.

The challenge that Dawn gave us made it super easy to create a fast card.  I've had this idea in my head since I saw Dawn's video and I dreamt about it last night.  I was finally able to get it down on paper and it came  together pretty quickly when I got home from work today.  Here it is:

Can you make a card for yourself?  I did.  It made me happy to make it; it makes me happy to look at it.  I used scor-tape from PTI and glittered it up with some Sugar Coating Glitter from Doodle Bug Design.  L.O.V.E.  

I'm off to go look at the other submissions.  I haven't even had a chance to see what everyone has done with the challenge yet.  

Have you visited the Paper Dolls blog lately?  We have several challenges up and running and would love for you to play along.  Check our group out here.  I'm on my way back to my desk to start on our current challenge!

Papertrey Ink Supplies:

Stamps:  Up, Up and Away Sentiments, Scattered Showers Additions

Ink:  Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Spring Rain (on the cloud)

Cardstock:  Summer Sunrise, Stampers Select

Tools:  Cloud die, Scor Tape

Other:  Sugar Coating Glitter (Doddle Bug Design)

Make It Monday-Card 2

It's my THIRD post today.  I know! I can't believe it either!

Papertrey Ink has a new contest to go along with their new year in business!  They are celebrating their 4th Anniversary and Nichole is having a HUGE party.  You can see all the festivities and play along here!

The new contest is:

 

Each Monday, a design team member will host a video with a new technique to try and the challenge for the week is based on the technique.  This week, Erin Lincoln, hosted and her technique is called "Go To Sentiments".  You can see her video and details of the challenge here. 

Here's my second card for the challenge:

I seem to have created several "pick me up" cards lately.  I have friends going through things right now and they are on my mind quite a lot lately.  That's probably the reason.  Maybe tomorrow I can make a Valentine card with this technique!

Here's a close-up:

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

Lee Anne

Make It Monday-Card 1

Papertrey Ink has a new contest to go along with their new year in business!  They are celebrating their 4th Anniversary and Nichole is having a HUGE party.  You can see all the festivities and play along here!

The new contest is:

 

Each Monday, a design team member will host a video with a new technique to try and the challenge for the week is based on the technique.  This week, Erin Lincoln, hosted and her technique is called "Go To Sentiments".  You can see her video and details of the challenge here.  I had the pleasure of talking to Erin on the phone the other day, and I am still sky-high!  She's one of my favorite DT members, so it was very hard not to gush.

Here's my first card for the challenge:

You can't go wrong with Ocean Tides and Dark Chocolate, can you?

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place tonight!

Birthday card

Yesterday was my brother-in-law's birthday, so of course, I had to make him a card.  He's older than I am, so I also felt the need to rub it in a little!

Here's his card:

What do you think?  Too mean? 

Nah!

The inside is stamped with the sentiment..."looks good on you!" from Big Birthday Wishes!  Is that nicer?

Thanks for visiting My Happy Place!

PTI Anniversary and OTWC

Today is the second day of Papertrey Ink's 4th Anniversary!  Nichole has an awesome free download of nine designer tags and an incredible - mouth-dropping - prize up for grabs.  You can get all the details here. 

Here's the free download:

Here's one of three (!) cards I managed to create.  I used Lisa's tag on this one, and the color combination inspiration at Off the Wall Craftiness. 

I loved the hill the hearts were sitting!  I colored the image with my Aquacolor pencils and blended them with a Dove blender.  The red panel is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.  It didn't come out very well in the photo.

Here's the inspiration from Kim at Off the Wall Craftiness.  Come play along by clicking here.  She has great prizes!

Thanks for visiting me today!

PTI Anniversary - Day 2 - Card 2

Today is the second day of Papertrey Ink's 4th Anniversary!  Nichole has an awesome free download of nine designer tags and an incredible - mouth-dropping - prize up for grabs.  You can get all the details here. 

Here's the free download:

Here's one of two cards I managed to create.  I used Dawn's tag on this one.

When I first saw Dawn's image this morning, I immediately thought of a flower center.  It took me way too long to make this card.  Again, I used Turning a New Leaf, but stamped it in VersaMark and embossed it with some Zing powder.  I found the perfect color to match PTI's Simply Chartreuse.  Prepare to see more and more of that!


Thanks for dropping by! 

(Go Packers!)

PTI Anniversary - Day 2 - Card 1

Today is the second day of Papertrey Ink's 4th Anniversary!  Nichole has an awesome free download of nine designer tags and an incredible - mouth-dropping - prize up for grabs.  You can get all the details here. 

Here's the free download:

I know.  Cool!  My problem with this challenge is the pressure.  Once I printed them and got into my office to create, I couldn't do anything.  Too much going on I guess!  I finally came up with a couple of cards, and many of the tags you see above are still on my desk, half-colored, half-mounted, just still sitting there.

Here's one of two cards I managed to create.  I used Heather's tag on this one.

I loved the hint of Ripe Avocado on the tag and used the same color to stamp Turning a New Leaf, cut it out and mounted it behind the focal point.  Thanks, Heather and Nichole for a GREAT image!  Love it! 

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.