New Spring Moss Ink

The new PTI Spring Moss Ink.  The tags are photographed on top of a piece of Spring Moss Card Stock.

Make It Monday #23: Pockets with Edger Dies

I'm back with another Make It Monday challenge with PTI.  What a great concept that Dawn came up with.  It was a lot of fun making this card.  I used a color combo that I've had in my mind for a while.  I really like it together; Kraft, Melon Berry and Royal Velvet.

I used so many dies to make this card!  Mat Stack 1, Edgers 1, Tiny Tags, and Beautiful Blooms II #1 and #3.

I used the All About You stamp set, as well as Faux Ribbon for the "friends always" sentiment, Polka Dot Basics, and the tiny flourishes on the Mat Stack came from Calendar Basics.

I have plans to send this to a dear friend who has been struggling with an illness for over a year now.  She just announced to her closest friends and family that she will not be accepting any invitations to social events at least until the end of the year so she can focus on her health.  I told her quickly via email how I will be here when she is ready.  So, I wanted to send her a special card to let her know even though we haven't seen each other in quite a while, I'm still thinking of her.  I hope you all like it!

Oh yeah...SO excited about my new camera!  I just got a Nikon D3100 SLR and I LOVE that I can finally get some IN FOCUS macro shots!  Can't wait to play around more!

Summer Card Camp 2011 Week 1

I figured it certainly couldn't hurt for me to participate in the Summer Card Camp Classes.  I have SO much to learn.  This first week's color combo was rather difficult for me, but the end result turned out ok, I guess.  I used PTI's Flutterby Friend and Communique Curves Sentiments for the Happy Birthday stamp.  The base is PTI's Spring Rain Card Stock with Spring Rain ink sponged onto Stamper's Select White Card Stock.

Thanks for looking!

Make It Monday #21: Polaroid 2-Step Masking

I'm happy to be participating again in the PTI Make it Monday Challenge.  I am really enjoying using techniques that are completely new to me.

I used Flutterby Friends with the Mat Stack 4 die.  I used the reverse side of the butterfly stamps to obtain the color. 

I admit that I'm not that crazy about the colors, but I'm participating in the Summer Card Camp Classes and this is the color scheme for the week.

Thank You

I needed to make two very special Thank You cards for two very special friends.  I was lucky enough to be the big winner when Denise January from Sassy Stampin' celebrated several things on her blog including being published in CARDS, receiving recognition from Cosmo Cricket for a card, being a Favorite Find at MFT, and revealing a completely redesigned blog.  You can read all about her accolades here.  I received a FABULOUS box of goodies and a gift certificate to PTI!  SO generous! 

I've wanted to step out of my comfort zone a bit and try some new things on my cards.  I figured this was the perfect opportunity to use some of the beautiful Basic Grey patterned paper she gave me and the MFT rosette die that I HAD to have after I received her gorgeous card.  This is what I came up with:

I trimmed down the paper for the rosette so the butterfly would take center stage.  I really like how it turned out.  I've never used so many layers.

My second card went to my very first PTI friend, Cathy Weber from The Empty Nest Crafter.  When I first started with PTI, I joined in my very first exchange on the message board.  I was lucky enough for Cathy to send me a fabulous Halloween Card and a few other goodies.  She has been so sweet ever since and she made me feel welcome in a place that can be a bit overwhelming at times.   I hope she doesn't mind me sharing how special she made me feel when I opened this amazing treasure in the mail, out of the blue.  I just keep staring at the card.  I love it. 

So I knew I need another special thank you card.  Here is what I sent to her:

The smallest butterflies are from a Martha Stewart punch.



Thanks for looking!

Make It Monday #19: Rock and Roll Technique

I'm back for another Make It Monday from PTI.

Once I saw Lisa's amazing video, I knew I wanted to use this technique using Giga Guidelines to create my own patterned paper.  Once I started stamping, I realized that the paper would be too bold, so I decided to cover the paper with vellum to soften it a bit.  On the Mat Stacks, I also covered the 1 3/4" punched image with vellum, and stamped the Thank You sentiment directly onto the vellum using selective inking.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Father's Day

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed making Father’s Day cards this year.  Having to make masculine cards is something I usually fear, but Denise from Sassy Stampin' graciously gave me a pad of Curio Basic Grey patterned paper.  Once I paired a couple sheets of that paper with the Turning a New Leaf die, they came together quite nicely!  I also used some Real Wood Thin Cherry sheets for die cutting and also as a base. 

Make It Monday #18: Tissue Paper Texture: Attempt #2

Ok, so I decided to have another go at this technique.  I took some white tissue paper, and sponged on some Chamomile Ink.  I crumbled the paper, just like Betsy, and glued it onto some Road Trip Paper that I had stitched onto some Ocean Tides cardstock.  I just used Elmer's glue, waited for it to dry, and filed off any excess tissue paper.  I made some melon berry and ocean tides felt flowers using an MFT die.  I affixed that all onto some Melon Berry cardstock and then onto a Fine Linen base.  The stamp is from Think Big #4.

Make It Monday #18: Tissue Paper Texture

I decided to participate in another Make It Monday Challenge at PTI.

As I was looking through my tissue paper collection from The Dollar Tree, I realized I didn't quite have the type of paper to create a "vintage" or "soft" feel for a card.  This is what I had:

So, naturally, the Cupcake Shape Up Series Die seemed like the most appropriate choice.

I was really hoping that the crinkled paper would stay, but once I put it through the cuttlebug, it flattened right out.

I look forward to trying this tissue paper technique again!

Teacher Appreciation Cards

I have some cards to share today that I made for all of my kindergartner's teachers.  She had two main teachers, but a total of 8 "specials" teachers including computer, spanish, math lab, library, physical education, drama, music and art.  I used papers from October Afternoon Schoolhouse. 

Mother's Day Card

Her is a card I made for my sister.  The patterned paper is from the Restoration Collection by Crate Paper.

Inspired by Maile

Maile Belles from Simply Stamped is simply amazing.  She created a "Lovely Birthday Card Set" that is publised on page 16 of the 350 Cards & Gifts magazine from Paper Crafts.

Maile is a master at using white on white and I couln't help myself and had to give it a try.

This set went to one of my daughter's teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week.

I had SO much fun making all these tags.  My desk had about 20 different stamp sets on it and I used several sets for a few of them! 

One of these was also included in the gifts for all the teachers at her preschool:

Inspired by Melissa

Although I haven't been posing lately, I HAVE had fun making lots of things!  I have 3 sets of cards I made that were all CASE'd.  (Oh, if I only had more originality!)  Here is one:

The first set was inspired by my friend Melissa at Melissa's Paperie.  She participated in a Make It Monday Challenge from PTI about embossing.  Her creations were stunning.  I LOVE sets of cards.  You can find her post here. 

So here is what I created:

I was too lazy to do the embossing, though! 

This set was given to one of my daughter's teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.