Thoughts turn to Spring

Ever since the PTI blog hop challenge to make cards that remind you of Spring, all I want to do is make flower cards! I need to work on some Easter projects and invitations for my DD's birthday party but instead I have 2 flower cards to share with you today. I used PTI's new Retro backgrounds dashed lines, which I stamped in Versamark on the Ripe Avocado layer. I really like this stamp, it gives things such a cute hand stitched look. Next I inked up a lovely Lilac stamp from the SU! set Flower Garden. I don't use this set often enough. After stamping the Lilac I masked it off with some Eclipse tape and stamped over it with French Script in Frayed Burlap distress ink and then the Linen background in Old Paper ink. I colored the Lilac with various copic markers and then swiped lightly over the whole panel again with Old Paper to give it an aged look. The paper started out white but you'd never know. I pierced around the outer label and added some sparkle to the flowers with my Spica glitter pen.

Supplies: Stamps: SU! Flower Garden, French Script and Linen. PTI Retro Backgrounds and Mixed Messages. Ink: Palette Noir, Versamark, Ripe Avocado, Frayed Burlap, Old Paper. Paper: PTI White, Ripe Avocado and Plum Pudding, PTI Bitty Dots dp. Accessories: markers, Spica glitter pen, Liquid Pearls, Nestablities, border punch, ribbon, button, slot punch.

I used my new set of Labels One Nestabilities dies to cut the Lilac panel and a larger layer from PTI's Plum Pudding cardstock. Both cards are very similar, with only a few changes in details. I might make another one still, I really loved these cards. One thing I realized is that I definitely have to order more of PTI's Ripe Avocado and Plum Pudding paper. I got it in the pack of assorted cardstock they released this month and I must get more!

Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend!
Kim

PTI February Blog Hop

Thanks for stopping by! This is my first time participating in Blog Hop. I'm having such a good time with all my new PTI goodies and I love spring so I have flower theme projects to share!

Stamps: Retro Backgrounds, Wise Owl, Beautiful Blooms, Just Hatched. Paper: Kraft, White, Melon Berry, New Leaf. Ink: Fresh Snow, New Leaf, Melon Berry, Chocolate Chip, Palette Noir. Accessories: Melon Berry Ribbon, corner rounder, border punch, copic markers.


Stamps: Just Hatched, Retro Backgrounds, Wise Owl, Beautiful Blooms. Ink: Melon Berry, New Leaf, Fresh Snow, Noir, Aqua Mist. Paper: Kraft, Melon Berry, White, Bitty Dots dp. Accessories: Ocean Tides twill, white ep and Vintage Button.

Both of my cards have similar main images. I thought they turned out pretty cute, considering I had a dreadful cold and felt terrible while I was stamping. If you don't like them I'll blame the cold medicine! :)

I used the new Retro Backgrounds stamps on both cards, can you see where? Probably because I'm obsessed with gardening I saw that a couple of them could be used to make garden soil. I made one using the scalloped borders and one with the straight lines. I also used the dashed lines as a background on one. The flowers were made using stamps from Wise Owl and Beautiful Blooms. I {heart} the new PTI colors this month- New Leaf and Melon Berry, plus the buttons and Bitty Dots paper. I am also catching up on other colors and I think the twill ribbon is FABULOUS! It's got such a great texture. I also think the saddle stitch is easy to work with. Don't get me wrong, I love the satin ribbons, especially with dots but find they're harder to work with. I have to get more of that twill!

Finally I have a little Spring flower seed starting kit. I plan to give this away as a door prize at our next garden club meeting. I love pink and green. To me it is a perfect spring color combination, the color of fresh new foliage and bright pink tulips. {sigh}. To get the sentiment "Bloom Where You're Planted" to fit on the tag I inked up the first half of the sentiment and stamped and then inked the rest and stamped it below. Not the easiest thing to do with such small lettering but I love being able to use it this way.
Stamps: Just Hatched, Retro Backgrounds, Wise Owl, Beautiful Blooms. Ink: Melon Berry, New Leaf, Fresh Snow, Noir, Aqua Mist. Paper: Kraft, Melon Berry, White, Bitty Dots dp. Accessories: Ocean Tides twill, white ep and Vintage Button.


I've had this little wooden basket for ever and knew that someday it would be the perfect project and I finally found it. I gave it a quick coat of white acrylic paint but not too heavy because I wanted it to look old and distressed. Then I added some "mossy" accents using PTI's New Leaf ink. The grass in the basket is cardstock run through my paper shredder. I found the buckets at Target's dollar spot months ago and was so happy that 2 fit perfectly in the basket. I poked holes in the bottom of the buckets and put a cellophane bag of potting soil in each. I made some seed packets for two of my favorite types of flowers - poppies and hollyhocks and I think it's done. :) I hope you like this project. Here's a closer look at the seed packets.

Supplies: Stamps: PTI - Just Hatched, Wedding Day, Simple Alphabet, Polkadot Basics, Limitless Labels, Beautiful Blooms, With Sympathy and Karen Foster small casual alphabet. Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Palette Noir, Gable Green and Pretty in Pink. Paper: PTI White and Raspberry Fizz and SU! Green Galore and Gable Green. Accessories: Green ribbon, tag punches, safety pink, Raspberry Fizz ribbon, vintage button, Nestabilities.

Thanks again for stopping by, I can't wait to see what everyone else has to share tonight!

One more day to Blog Hop!

Before PTI Blog Hop tomorrow night, I wanted to share a little stationery project I made for a friend. I apologize if the photo is a little dark. I don't have a light tent (but am thinking about one) and for larger projects like this I have to use my kitchen counter, which is not ideal. :)

I used Lauren Meader's All Boxed Up Timeless Template (found at PTI) to make the box that holds the set of cards, envelopes and envelope seals (in the little glassine bag). I chose a nice spring-y color combination and kept the card clean and simple. I don't like to add too much bling and bulk to cards I'm giving away as gift sets so the recipient doesn't have to use extra postage to mail them or worry about ribbons and buttons not going through postal machines. I was tickled to find that the dotted leaf stamp from Beautiful Blooms coordinates really well with one of the rectangles from Borders & Corners Rectangle. That makes me so happy when things just work out that way! I added some score lines with my trusty Scor-Pal to set off the border of blooms and leaves on the bottom. I think it's pretty self-explanatory so I won't go into more details. I hope you like it!

Supplies: Stamps: All stamps are by PTI. Fresh Alphabet, Simple Alphabet, Beautiful Blooms, Borders & Corners Rectangles, Holiday Tag Collection and Faux Ribbon. Ink: SU! Regal Rose and Palette Landscape. Paper: PTI White, SU! Regal Rose and Old Olive. Accessories: ribbon, cuttlebug, Scor-Pal, My Timeless Template (All Boxed Up).

It's VSN weekend!

I was excited, let me tell you. I took Friday off work and I was looking forward to a nice weekend with lots of stamping. My DH was going to take the DD all afternoon Saturday so I could stamp. And don't you know that Friday I came down with a bad cold and I felt like absolute dirt all day yesterday. :( Today I felt better and got 2 challenge cards done. I will do some more later today but they won't count toward the "official" VSN weekend. Still it's fun to play and it gives me some cards for my stash.

My first card was hard. I shouldn't have started with this challenge first. It was to make a card using a stamp you don't like. I chose Fishy Friends. I don't know what it is but I just can't get myself to make cards with this set. I don't know what to do with it and I wish they would have included some sentiments. Anyway, I stamped the Fish and Crab and colored over them with a VersaMarker and embossed with clear ep. Then I stamped some seaweed using various foliage stamps and some rocks, which I also embossed over in clear. I sponged and brayered on some color that I hoped was "ocean-y" looking. Now what colors to use for the card? Keeping with the theme I decided to use Glorious Green, which is one of the colors I absolutely detest but it matched my ocean color. I also used Yo Yo Yellow (or Yuck Yuck Yellow) to layer on the image panel. I added a strip of Tempting Turquoise and then piled on some dew drops for bubbles. The green card front was also embossed using a cuttlebug plate. In the end I don't hate it but I just don't like Glorious Green. I may have to use that crab stamp again though, he's pretty cute.

Supplies: Stamps: SU! PTI, Judith, Art Impressions, sTamp It and Print Works. Cardstock: Glrious Green, Yo Yo Yellow, Tempting Turquoise, White. Ink: Palette Noir, Jardin Moss and N ew Leaf, Marvy Pale Green and Salvia Blue. Accessories: alcohol markers, versamarker, clear ep, dew drops, cuttlebug, corner rounder.

The next challenge was to use New Loves, meaning new things within the last 2 months we love. I just got a big ol' box of PTI supplies last week and had some new stamps last month as well so I decided to use those. This was easier of course because I love all my new goodies! The vine and flowers and from their new set With Sympathy and the sentiment is from Wedding Day. I'm finding lots of uses for Wedding Day already. It's a great set for Anniversaries, Valentine's Day, just because and also has some nice general sentiments like this "Many Thanks" stamp. I also love this new vine from With Sympathy.

Supplies: Stamps: PTI With Sympathy, Wedding Day. Cardstock: PTI White, Ripe Avocado, Plum Pudding and Bitty Dots dp. Ink: Ripe Avocado, Sweet Blush. Accessories: Nestablitieis, punches, ribbon.

I'll be back later this week with some things for the PTI Blog Hop. See you then!

All Boxed up for MIL

I recently bought my very first Timeless Template designed by Lauren Meader from PTI. I love creating these little note card ensembles. I've already made another one for a friend that I will share later but the very first one I made is this one for my MIL. I just wanted a nice little gift to say "thank you" for all the nice things she does for our family.

Supplies: Stamps by PTI - Wedding Day, Simple Alphabet, Fresh Alphabet, Borders and Corners Rectangle. Ink: Palette Noir. CS: PTI White, Black and SU! Cool Caribbean, plus PTI black and white dp. Accessories: adhesive sheet, CD tin, scallop circle punch, copic marker, gift bag

I went with Black and White since it's a color combination she likes to wear and it's timeless (no pun intended :)). I added just a little bit of Cool Caribbean for an accent color. The CD tin holds the matching envelope seals (pictured laying in front of the tin), which were stamped on an adhesive sheet and then punched. Below is another picture showing the gift bag that I put it all in. I was so tickled that I had a gift bag to coordinate. It had red ribbon handles, which I cut off and then I added this aqua ribbon from my stash. {sigh} I love it when things unexpectedly come together like this! :) I'd like to say I had it all planned from the start but the gift bag was a stroke of luck!



And if you can stand two more pictures, here's one of the side of the box and the interior. I hope you enjoy the project. Do try out one of Lauren's templates. They are fun! I just bought several more that I can't wait to try.

















Have a great one!
Kim

Here I am again!

Well, since I was up so late doing the connect the dots challenge (see post below) for Papertrey Ink, I also managed to do the sketch challenge that's being done by CPS that Nichole linked on her blog. Another Valentine card finished! This was a lot of fun I must say. I made the heart out of a piece of red felt that's been on my table forever and used up some of my button stash in honor of the big PTI announcement that they'll be offering buttons to match their exclusive color line. I seriously am in big economic trouble with this month's release. I had plenty of "old" things still catching up on like more colors of cs, ink and ribbon and now look at all of the pretty new things.....what's a girl to do? Buy the color combo pack for one thing. That's a great way for me to try out the other colors a little at a time. Thanks PTI! :) Now for my card.
Supplies: Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Heart Prints. Ink: Fresh Snow, Pure Poppy. Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Baja Breeze. Extras: Felt, glitter, buttons, floss, trim, scor pal.

Good night all, can't wait until the next day of reveals on PTI!

PTI Sketch Challenge

Papertrey Ink is celebrating its 2nd anniversary this month. Woohoo! I have followed this company since the beginning and I am a loyal customer. In fact, I get more and more excited with every new release. The stamps, paper, ink, embellishments, everything is WOW!!!! To top it off, PTI has a fabulous design team who inspires me every month to see the endless possibilities with these stamps.

For Nichole's Anniversary challenge today we were to create a card using a sketch for a chance to win a collection of PTI ribbon. {PICK ME!! } Here's my contribution. Our daughter loves owls right now. She has a little book with an owl in it and has to have it read to her every night. So, for Valentine's Day I made her this Owl family card using Wise Owl as the main stamp set. The card also incorporates Polka Dot Basics, Out on a Limb and a little bitty heart from Heart Prints. To make Mommy Owl, I stamped a little flower in her feathers from Out on a Limb and added some eyelashes with an artist pen. Baby girl owl also has lashes. I'm not wild about the color I chose for their feet but that's the way it goes! :) I also noticed that my ribbon is not straight in the photo. Oops - that's what I get for rushing to take photos!

Supplies: Stamps: Wise Owl, Polka Dot Basics, Out on a Limb, Heart Prints. Ink: Fresh Snow, Palette Noir, Pure Poppy, Palette Landscape. Cardstock: Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Pure Poppy, White. Accessories: Ribbon, copic markers, glitter pen, artist pens, Raindots.

I hope I get to participate in the next challenge!

Yahoo and a card for Dad

Wow, I checked my blog today and I have comments on cards! I was so excited, I'm practically giddy. My blog is very new and never have I had anyone look at it until now. You PTI gals ROCK! Thanks for the kind words and inspiration.
I was a total spud over the weekend and did very little. My baby girl was sick all last week and this weekend the DH finally came down with it as well so I didn't get much time for crafting. Here is a card I made to thank a co-worker for her kindness. It's really simple but I was having a good time playing with my Guidelines set. I haven't even begun to explore all of the possibilities of that set. It's been way too neglected.

Supplies: Stamps: Borders and Corners Rectangles; Guidelines, Simple Little Things. Cardstock: White, Soft Sky, Groovy Guava. Ink: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky. Accessories: Cuttlebug, scallop paper trimmer, ticket corner punch, dew drops, ribbon.

Here is a card I made for my Dad's birthday. The sentiment is from PTI but the tree is from Stampin' Up's Lovely as a Tree set. That set is really versatile. The tree was stamped on Fabriano cardstock in Palette Noir. I added color using ink and a water brush and also some sponging. I didn't keep good track of the ink colors used on this one. Sorry!

Supplies: Stamps: PTI, Stampin Up, Art Impressions. Cardstock: Ivory, Really Rust, Kraft, Black, Fabriano paper. Accessories: cuttlebug, ribbon, hardware

Thanks again ladies for checking out my blog. You made my day! :)