March SFYTT sketch card

Whew, talk about getting down to the wire with this card. I have a goal to participate in this sketch challenge every month and today's the last day! Here's the current SFYTT sketch:

And here's my card! Obviously, I turned the sketch sideways. :)

Since the sponsor this month is Amber Ink, I chose to use one of the stamp sets she illustrated for Hanna Stamps. (ahem....I have quite a few of them...love those adorable girls) I've got my eye on some of the new Amber Ink sets. I much prefer actual stamps over digital images given a choice, but they are so cute! Hostess with the Mostess and Grow Green are just calling me. lol Anyway, I digress.

My mojo deserted me over the last month. I still stamped every day because I'm working on my inventory book goal, but I haven't actually MADE anything. It's been so frustrating! I sat down to attempt this sketch several times, but got nowhere with it. Since today was the last day of the challenge, I tried once again and managed to get past the block. Maybe it was the frantic I-have-to-leave-in-an-hour deadline or maybe it was the I-have-to-make-something-at-least letting go of perfectionism, but either way I finally made a card. (and yes, I know I colored outside of the lines but I was in a major hurry) I really like the colors. Normally I wouldn't have put them together, but I pulled the color combo from the patterned paper.

Stamps: Perfect Package (Hanna Stamps), Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Pure Poppy, Spring Rain, White (Papertrey Ink); Pocket Full of Posies Stack (DCWV)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Misc: Copic markers (E000, E00, E30, R20, E55, E57, E59, R24, R29, R59, B41, B45, B37)

PTI Color Challenge

I'm enjoying the Papertrey Ink challenges as part of their anniversary celebration this month. It's so fun to see how everyone interprets the challenge in their own way! Today's challenge is a color challenge with ten possible color combinations to choose from for our project. (see them here) I picked the combo of Hibiscus Burst, Sweet Blush, Ripe Avocado, and Spring Moss. Since I'm easing myself back into stamping, I chose the one that appealed to me the most and sparked an immediate idea. We can submit a card for each color combo, but I'm just not that fast a stamper! :) Besides, I'm longing for warmer weather and these colors remind me of spring.

Isn't it cute? I embossed the flower from Friends Till the End and then cut it out and popped it up for dimension. I stamped polka dots on the pink panel and then stamped the sentiment repeatedly on the green panel, finishing it off with distressed edges. I used ribbon saved from a long-ago package (yeah for using up stash!) and pleated it with glue dots. If my sewing machine wasn't up in the attic, I probably would have run a line of white stitching down the length instead of using glue dots. (note to self: find a small, inexpensive sewing table to set up somewhere) I used this month's SFYTT sketch for my layout.

I plan on trying out the other color combos at some point, but there is no way I could crank out ten cards in just one day! lol

Stamps: Friends Till the End, Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink)Paper: Hibiscus Burst, Sweet Blush, Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Fresh Snow, Ripe Avocado (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: ribbon, white embossing powder

PTI Go-To Sentiment Card

I love the concept demonstrated in today's Make It Monday video on the Papertrey Ink blog. Mixing up sentiments makes a cool focal point on a card and it's something I've always wanted to try. It turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated! It took three tries until I got the sentiments arranged how I liked. (and that was after hunting for and choosing said sentiments) Then I spent way too much time on the layered heart accent. Perfectionism strikes again! Still, I love the final card. It looks deceptively simple, but it sure wasn't a quick creation! lol I plan to give this card to my hubby for Valentine's Day.

Stamps: My Punny Valentine, Friends Till the End, Damask Designs, Everyday Classics, Mixed Messages, Limitless Labels (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: White, Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: Vintage Cream felt, buttons (Papertrey Ink), DMC #326 floss

You're so sweet

Thanks to everyone who commented on my humble little blog! It really made my week to read your sweet comments. Here's another card as a way to say thanks! :)

I bought these stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps back in May 2009 when they were first released as the company was getting started. I just love the adorable images and the build-a-gingerbread man possibilities inherent in the set. (well, two sets actually) You can see the sets here and here. I absolutely love Claire's designs and unique style. Most of her sets are on my wish list!

Recently, the Waltzingmouse design team did a series of posts using the new Grand Calibur from Spellbinders. I absolutely love their dies and Claire has so many matching images! Anyway, they issued a challenge to CASE one of their projects and post the result. My card is a CASE of a card posted by Belinda Chang Langner at her blog here. It jumped out at me immediately!

I didn't change much from the original card other than using a different die shape, color, and stamp set. Since Oven-Fresh Gingerbread Joy is geared more toward Christmas cards, I used a sentiment from a Papertrey ink set so my card could work for either Valentine's Day or a thank you card. I stamped the pink background with a small candy image, and then embossed the gingerbread man and sentiment. I used white embossing powder, but my jar is so old that it is more of a vanilla color now. I actually like the look. (I do need to get some new white though!) The white layer and gingerbread man are raised up on dimensionals just like the original card.

I had so much fun stamping this and I'm beyond tickled at the result!

Stamps: Oven-Fresh Gingerbread Joy (Waltzingmouse), Cupcake Collection (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Dark Chocolate, White (Papertrey Ink), Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Fresh Snow (Papertrey Ink), Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up)
Dies: Labels Ten (Spellbinders)
Misc: white embossing powder

Love is in the air

I wanted to stamp a card today, so I decided to participate in the SFYTT sketch challenge to get myself going. The sponsor is The Cat's Pajamas, yet another of my favorite stamp companies, and I own several of their sets. Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I used the cute rocket image and a sentiment from Puppy Love for my card.

 (edited to add another picture with much better lighting so you can see the true colors)

 Boy, did I struggle with this sketch! It seems like a straightforward and simple design, but I played with different papers/colors for a good hour before I settled on this combination. The rocket looked lost on plain white cardstock and the cloud paper I had didn't work with my colors, so I used Pretty in Pink ink to sponge cloud shapes behind the rocket. I then used the matching paper to paper-piece the rocket body. I love how the clouds help ground the rocket and also add a small fantasy element to the card. It turned out pretty cute after all!

Stamps: Puppy Love (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper: Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up), Bittersweet (Basic Grey)
Ink: Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up)
Punch: Heart (EK Success)

Thank goodness for resolutions.....

Woohoo! I'm finally participating in the Papertrey Ink blog hop! They are one of my favorite stamp companies and this month's challenge was perfect for me.

"With the new year comes a clean slate along with many resolutions. 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. "

That would describe most of my sets since I haven't stamped much this past year. (maybe two...not sayin') Not to mention, a lot of my sets have only seen ink for my inventory book. I'd claim that NONE of my sets are uninked, but I'm so behind on my clear stamps in said book that it wouldn't be true! With so many to choose from, I decided to pick a set I bought in my very first Papertrey order.

I made thank you cards since I have several people on my list and none in my card stash. I made my own background paper using the images from Boxes, Bags & Tags and then sponged the paper to give it a vintage look.

 

Both cards are simple without much in the way of embellishments, but I really like the classic look I achieved in the combination of pattern and color, plus I needed cards that would be appropriate for either men or women. The sentiments are from two other uninked sets. Bonus! :D These cards would be easy to mass produce in a short amount of time. Variations are endless just by altering the colors and sentiments.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the hop!

Stamps: Boxes, Bags & Tags; Around & About Sentiments; Home Made
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream
(all supplies by Papertrey Ink)

Some more random projects

Here's just a few more random projects....

I love making nugget boxes. They have a certain wow factor and are such a cute way to give candy. I got the template from this thread at Splitcoaststampers.

Stamps: Bodacious Bouquet, Sincere Salutations (Stampin' Up)

This was a birthday present for my daughter's friend's birthday. I painted her initial, added decorative paper, and stamped various words starting with that letter. I added some gingham ribbon, green pearls, and a name tag. It turned out pretty cute! I have letters stashed away to do the same thing for my two daughters, but haven't gotten around to it yet. lol

Stamps: Expressive Flexible Phrases (Stampin' Up), Antique Alphabet (PSX)

Just a simple little wedding card case'd from Splitcoaststampers years ago.

Stamps: Happy Hearts, Curvy Verses (Stampin' Up)

I have a weakness for Halloween stamps. The images are just too irresistible! I have nearly as many Halloween stamps as I do Christmas. :D

Stamps: Best Fiends, Web Wishes (Stampin' Up)
Punch: Spiderweb edger (Martha Stewart)

I case'd the idea of using words as a flower stem from Splitcoaststampers for a Mother's Day card years ago. It's simple but the layered flower makes for a pretty card.

Stamps: Paint Prints, Wonderful Words (Stampin' Up, Antique Alphabet (PSX)

So there you have it! I wish I had pictures of the other projects I've made in the past, but at least I found some. Now to start making NEW stuff with all my poor unused stamps!