You're Brrr-fect

I was commissioned recently to create a Valentine's Day card for a friend to give his wife.  After asking about her preferences, I narrowed it down to purple, penguins, and a punny sentiment.  Here is what came from that!

Fun, huh?  I kept it pretty simple because it has been one tough week and I needed to take the pressure off of myself.  I embossed a piece of white cardstock with the Conversation Hearts folder by Taylored Expressions and added clear Wink of Stella shimmer to the hearts.  Then I glued it to an Amethyst Allure card base.  It's such a pretty purple!

I cut a heart from the same purple cardstock using a Limitless Layers 2-1/4" Hearts die by Papertrey Ink.  I stamped the punny-style sentiment from Chilly Chums by Paper Smooches in black ink.  After stamping the two penguins from Arctic Penguins by Mama Elephant on white cardstock, I added some orange to their beaks and feet along with some pale pink cheeks using Copic markers.  I hand-cut the images and then popped them up with foam tape.

To make it easier to write a message inside the card, I added a panel of white cardstock that I stamped with a sentiment from Sweet Valentine by Verve Stamps.  I colored the little hearts using a Lavender Lace marker.  I'm wishing now that I had covered them with Wink of Stella for a bit of shimmer.  Too late now!  I already delivered the card.   :)

It turned out so cute!  For a matching envelope, I stamped one of the penguins in the lower left corner and used my Copics to add the same minimal coloring as on the card. 

Stamps:  Arctic Penguins (Mama Elephant); Chilly Chums (Paper Smooches); Sweet Valentine (Verve)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper:  White, Amethyst Allure (Papertrey Ink)
Copic:  0, R30, YR15, Y38
Misc:  Lavender Lace marker (Stampin' Up); Limitless Layers 2-1/4" Hearts die (Papertrey Ink); Conversation Hearts embossing folder (Taylored Expressions); clear Wink of Stella pen

Ink It Up with Leigh Penner: Peace Nativity Tag

Welcome to the first Ink It Up post for December!  Leigh Penner and I post something twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, using uninked stamp sets.  My project today also includes a die that hadn't been used yet, along with a new color.  I needed to make a tag to include in my missionary son's Christmas package.  He specifically requested one even though he won't be home for the usual mystery tag tradition.  He's been gone a month now.  I couldn't let him down!  I miss that boy.

I cut the tag using Dark Indigo cardstock and the Tag Sale #4 die by Papertrey Ink.  It's my favorite tag die, so I use it a lot!  I cut the Nativity Border die by Taylored Expressions out of silver glitter paper first and then with the tag die so it would nest nicely.  After gluing it in place, I embossed the word "hope" from Spirit of Christmas by PrintWorks with white powder.  I stamped another sentiment from that set in Dark Indigo ink on a white Double-Ended Banner die cut.  Once I punched a hole in the end, I tied white ribbon through both pieces.  I used a bit of narrow silver ribbon to add a bow just above the tag.

Very simple, but I thought it was appropriate for my son while serving on his mission.  Our home life is adjusting to his absence, but it has been hard to let him go.  He's loving it, however, and that's all that matters!  I will be posting the rest of this year's tags once I get them finished.  Make sure you pop over to Leigh Penner's blog, To the Full, to see her Ink It Up post.

Stamps:  Spirit of Christmas (PrintWorks)
Ink:  Dark Indigo (Papertrey Ink); VersaMark
Paper:  White, Dark Indigo (Papertrey Ink); silver glimmer paper (Stampin' Up)
Misc:  Tag Sale #4 die, Double-Ended Banner die (Papertrey Ink); Nativity Border die (Taylored Expressions); white embossing powder (Filigree); white and silver ribbon

Here's another nativity tag that I created last year.  Click on the picture to see the original post.

Bethlehem Tag

I went a little simpler with these tags.  Every year I make mystery tags for my kids' gifts and need four of each one.  After creating several more complicated designs (which will be posted soon), I wanted to do a design that would go quickly.  My kids have been begging me to wrap their presents for days!  I couldn't use the tags until I got them photographed for my blog.  What's funny is, I decided to use these tags for my husband instead and made a different set this morning.  Such is the life of a creative soul!

Aren't those pretty?  I cut the tags out of Enchanted Evening cardstock using the Tag Sale #8 die by Papertrey Ink.  It's such a rich blue.  I cut the Bethlehem Border die by Taylored Expressions out of black cardstock.

Before adhering anything together, I stamped and embossed a pretty Star of David using silver powder.  The image is from Star of Wonder by Verve Stamps.  The word "joy" is from a sentiment in the same set.  I stamped it repeatedly using VersaMark ink to create a border at the top and bottom of my scene.

These were quick to put together.  I spent the most time lining up the words.  Naturally, I had to use silver ribbon to match the star.  I love these simple and elegant tags!

Stamps:  Star of Wonder (Verve Stamps)
Ink:  VersaMark
Paper:  Enchanted Evening, True Black (Papertrey Ink)
Misc:  Bethlehem Border die (Taylored Expressions); Tag Sale #8 die (Papertrey Ink); silver embossing powder

Turkey Tag

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I was lucky enough to spend it at my brother's home with his family.  It's so great to have a sibling close by now.  I made butterflake rolls, my grandmother's recipe and a Thanksgiving tradition, to share with everyone.  They are so good!  I wanted to take a little hostess gift, since my brother and sister-in-law were doing most of the cooking, and I made a tag to accompany it.

The images are from a darling set by Taylored Expressions called If Turkeys Could Talk.  I stamped and colored the turkey with Copic markers on white cardstock and cut it out.  I cut the tag from white cardstock using the Tag Sale: Quilted die by Papertrey Ink, along with the narrow banner from Dark Chocolate cardstock.  The sentiments were stamped in black ink.

The tag was quick to assemble once the turkey was done.  It turned out really cute!  Not to mention, the tag dressed up the bottle of sparkling juice very nicely.  My sister-in-law loved it!  :)

Stamps:  If Turkeys Could Talk (Taylored Expressions)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper:  White, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Copic:  E41, E42, E55, E57, E59, R29, Y38, YR24
Misc:  Tag Sale: Quilted die (Papertrey Ink); ribbon

Birthday Balloons

I recently purchased the new Taylored Expressions Up, Up and Away cutting plate to make quick and easy birthday cards.  It's a fun design that fills a card front and leaves room for a sentiment.  Here's a card I made using it.

Isn't that fun?  I cut the balloon frame out of black cardstock and mounted in on a white card base.  I cut the four balloons out of Urban Prairie patterned paper and glued them in place.  Super quick and easy paper piecing!  Then I stamped my sentiment using my Big Greetings set.  A set of these cards would make a fun gift.  Plus, it's an easy design when you're in a hurry for a birthday card.

Stamps:  Big Greetings (My Favorite Things)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper:  White, True Black (Papertrey Ink); Urban Prairie dp (Basic Grey)
Misc:  Up, Up & Away cutting plate (Taylored Expressions)

Mini thank you

Taylored Expressions sponsored a Love Fest challenge at Splitcoaststampers and asked us to created a card set sized 3x3 inches or smaller.  This was a first for me!  Other than gift tags, I don't think I've ever created cards this small.  It was actually pretty fun!

Aren't they cute?  I made three teeny cards using a scalloped rectangle die by Spellbinders.  (finished size about 2-1/2 inches square)  I've had this stamp set by Taylored Expressions for a while, so it's about time I used it!  The scene was created using four different stamps, and my stamp positioner tool got a lot of use to do it.  Very handy to have around.  :)  I spent the most time coloring the cards with Copic markers.  Love how they turned out!

Stamps:  Branching Out (Taylored Expressions)
Paper:  White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copic:  0, C1, T1, T4, T6, B42, B45, B37, E55, E57, E59, YG11, YG13, YG15, Y11, Y13, Y15, R24, R29
Misc:  black Pigma Micron .01 pen  

World Cardmaking Day

During General Conference sessions today (which I love watching at home!), I stamped this little Halloween card. I couldn't let World Cardmaking Day go by without making at least one! I used digital paper from a cute freebie kit called Spooky Treat by Betty Lynns Design.


The vampire cupcake image is from a Taylored Expressions stamp set. I have a huge weakness for Halloween stamps and I was so thrilled to find both of the cute Trick or Sweet stamp sets for a great price second-hand. I had been wanting them ever since their release! I paper-pieced the cloak with paper from the same digital kit, and then used my Copic markers to add some color.

Stamps: Trick or Sweet (Taylored Expressions); sentiment (Studio g)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: Harvest Gold, True Black (Papertrey Ink); Spooky Treat digital paper (Betty Lynns Design)
Copic: 0, T1, T4, C1, V06, E41, YG23, YG25
Dies: Standard Circles, Small Classic Inverted Scalloped Circles (Spellbinders)