Oh boy!

I made a card for this week's Mojo Monday sketch. I like the blocked layout and thought that the To the Moon set would be a perfect fit. I stamped and colored each animal with Copic markers on the smaller squares. The middle panel was stamped with white ink using Flannel Plaid, and then the sentiment was stamped three times vertically. Voila! One sweet little baby card. :)

Side note: I wish I would have noticed that measurements were provided in the sketch post BEFORE I made this card. It would have been so much easier! (and faster) lol

Stamps: To the Moon (Verve); Flannel Plaid (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Buckaroo Blue, Delicate Dots (Stampin' Up); White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Buckaroo Blue (Stampin' Up); Fresh Snow (Papertrey Ink); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copic: 0 Colorless, T1, T4, t6, E41, E42, E4, E55, E57, E59, YR12, YR15

There's no one like you

I'm jumping in with a post for the January Papertrey Ink blog hop today. Here is the challenge:

This month, in honor of the new year, we are challenging you to pick your
favorite project from 2011 and share it with all of us! To take it a step
further, you are also challenged to create a second card that is inspired by
the favorite project you select. Your new version of an old favorite could
carry over the color scheme, the layout or the stamp sets. We look forward
to seeing your best creations from 2011 as well as one of your first projects
for 2012!

I actually chose two projects and combined elements from both for my new card. It was too hard to pick just one! Click on the pictures to see the original posts.

I chose colors from both cards and then went a little crazy with the polka dots. The Harvest Gold card base is stamped with Vintage Cream dots. I used Vintage Cream ink to sponge the flower panel on the original card, so that tied it in nicely, plus it's a nice soft effect on the yellow. Like before, I stamped Fresh Snow polka dots on Hibiscus Burst cardstock, but this time I used two sizes of dots for a fun change. I like how the dots look like Sweet Blush, which was a color in the original card.


I re-created the large flower using polka-dotted Hibiscus Burst cardstock, crumpled up each layer, and then sponged with Raspberry Fizz ink. The button makes a cute flower center that breaks up the pink and brings another touch of yellow. This time,I used Ripe Avocado for the leaves as well as the sentiment strip, which was again distressed on the edges. The three paper strips echo the strips in the original card, but with a completely different look.

Put it all together and there you have my answer to this month's PTI challenge. I really like my new card!

Stamps: Friends 'Til the End, Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Harvest Gold, Hibiscus Burst, Ripe Avocado (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Raspberry Fizz, Fresh Snow, Vintage Cream (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: button (Papertrey Ink); Blossom Two dies (Spellbinders)

A note for you

I case'd another card that I stumbled across this week that uses one of my favorite SU sets. I bought Aviary last year with grand intentions (lol) and then didn't use it until now. This card caught my attention, so here is my recreation with very few changes.


Since I don't have white satin-type ribbon, I just used a ribbon without the ruffle look. (nothing I had looked right with that technique) I also didn't use a real button. Instead, I die cut several buttons with black cardstock and then glued them together. It's tied with embroidery floss from my stash of cross-stitch supplies. Very easy and very quick. I think this card would make a cute gift set in different colors!

Stamps: Aviary, Sweet Little Sentiments, Friend By Definition (Stampin' Up)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up); Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Misc: 1/2" square punch (EK Success); Top Note die (Stampin' Up); ribbon, Buttoned Up #1 die (Papertrey Ink); DMC #3777 floss

I was cleaning up my desk and started playing with the scraps left over from the first card. This time, I turned the card sideways, used more of the red, stamped a different cage to fit the space along with another bird, and embossed a different sentiment on black.

Stamps: Aviary, Small Sayings, Friend By Definition (Stampin' Up)
Paper: White, True Black (Papertrey Ink); Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up); Tuxedo Black (Memento); VersaMark
Misc: 1/2" square punch (EK Success); Top Note die (Stampin' Up); ribbon, white embossing powder (Filigree)

Unforgettable friend

I purchased this retired Stampin' Up set from my demo a few months ago. Isn't this elephant adorable? I kept it very simple with lots of white space, minimal coloring, and paper piecing. It makes for one very cute Valentine!


Stamps: Happy Heart Day (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: White, Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); Nordic Holiday 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Copic: R24, R29, YG13, YG17
Misc: Rickrack Border die (Papertrey Ink)

You warm my heart

I finally made another card! I've been spending time in my studio, but doing stuff like mounting stamps on cling foam and updating my inventory book. (note to self...do not get behind again!) Although it is satisfying to be making progress, I am getting sick of that project, so I had to take a break and do some fun stamping.


I was blog hopping and stumbled across a blog called My Craftroom Creations. She has some wonderful cards! This one caught my eye with the border of kraft-on-kraft hearts. I decided to case her card, but discovered that my heart punch was too big. I saw the rickrack border die on my desk and my card just evolved from there. After cutting out two kraft strips, I noticed the offset strip that was left in between and immediately saw how cool it looked with the regular pieces. Happy circumstance!

Warm Happiness is one of my favorite Papertrey Ink sets, so it's about time I used it for a card. I adore Heather Nichols' sweet images! The rest of the card is pretty basic. I just die cut and stamped the mug, embossed the white swirls, and cut a tiny heart from red cardstock. The mug stripes were stamped with VersaMark ink. The sentiment comes from another stamp set. Perfect, isn't it? :) I'm very happy with this card!

Stamps: Warm Happiness, My Punny Valentine (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); VersaMark
Paper: Kraft, Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Misc: Rickrack Border die, Warm Happiness die (Papertrey Ink); white embossing powder (Filigree); pop-dots

Beary Valentine's Day sketch card

I absolutely love how this card turned out! It's a new year of sketches for the SFYTT sketch challenge and I want to participate every month like I did last year. January's sponsor is The Cat's Pajamas, so I chose one of their cute sets called A Beary Good Year. Since I'm still on a Valentine kick, this is the result of my stamping session.


I started with an old Stampin' Up background stamp and added color to the hearts with Copic markers. Then I embossed both the kraft and red layers to add some texture. I layered a stitched black ribbon over the black strip, and then added my main focal point. It's comprised of a beaded circle die layer that is sponged with red ink and a white circle with traced black outline. The bear image is colored with Copic markers and cut out. Inside the card, I stamped the sentiment, "Have a beary happy Valentine's day."

Stamps: A Beary Good Year (Cat's Pajamas), Soft Swirls (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Paper: White, Kraft (Papertrey Ink); Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Copic: R24, R29, E42, E55, E57, E59
Misc: Basic Black marker (Stampin' Up); Standard Circles Large die, Beaded Circles die (Spellbinders); Heart Blocks embossing folder, Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

My heart is yours

I broke out another unused set for this card. It's called Heartbreaker and is from the BCDzyns line by My Favorite Things. Only four sets were released and I have three of them. I missed out on Text Me, since it seems to be no longer available. I love the sweet girl images and the accompanying sentiments.

I used a pretty paper from Stampin' Up for my background and kept the rest of the card very simple. I paper-pieced the heart, popped up the main image slightly, and then cut up the sentiment for an artistic look.

Stamps: Heartbreaker (BCDzyns by My Favorite Things)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Paper: White (Papertrey Ink); Razzleberry Lemonade (Stampin' Up)
Copic: 0 Colorless Blender, T1, E000, E00, E30, E55, E57, E59, R20, B91