During the February Papertrey Ink release count down I was oohed by a card made by Cristina Kowalczyk (full post here).  

At the time I did not own the circle cover plate, but it found it's way into my cart. ;)

I set out to make a card using the elements Cristina used: circle plate, ombre, and tag at the top.

Inside got some stamping love and a library pocket for the gift.  

Had I not seen Cristina's card, I still would not have the circle cover plate.  I had to pay homage to the card that inspired me so. 

Thanks for looking!

Paper: PTI - Kraft, Soft Stone, Royal Velvet, Plum Pudding, Winter Wisteria, Lavender Moon
Stamps: PTI - Stylish Sentiments: Birthday
Ink: PTI- Royal Velvet
Die: PTI - Cover Plate: Circles
Other: Library pocket, Cuttlebug

For this simple card, I adhered six different colors of chevron die cut cardstock.  It's quite cheerful.  It sat on my shelf near my work area for a while just to make me smile when I looked over that way. :)

Have a happy week.
Paper: PTI - Stamper's Select White, Winter Wisteria, Hawaiian Shores, New Leaf, Lemon Tart, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz
Stamps: PTI - Think Big Favorites #16
Ink: Raspberry Fizz
Die: Chevron Stripes

I know what you are thinking...another?  Have you seen the prize for winning today's contest?! It is a custom made back-of-the-card stamp with your name on it AND custom return address stamp!

This candle image is from Lizzie Jones. I thought it went nicely with the font for this sentiment.
Paper: Melon Berry, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Staples - white
Stamps: Heart-2-Heart #2
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Mat Stack 3 & Mat Stack 3 Layerz, Double Ended Banner, Limitless Layers 1 3/4" circles
Embellishments: PTI printable, By the Numbers Impression Plate

This card for the contest features Heather Nichols' design from the printable.

I added some glossy accents to the aqua banner for dimension.

The party hat is a fun embellishment from Jolee's Stickers.

Fun little birthday card with a pom pom to boot.

Paper: Spring Rain, Limeade Ice, Staples - white

Embellishments: Jolee Stickers, orange pom pom, glossy accents, PTI printable

Papertrey Ink's Anniversary extravaganza continues! The challenge today is to use the free printable with a design from each stamp designer on it.  

This card features Dawn McVey's design.

Paper: Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, Simply Chartreuse, Staples - white cardstock
Dies:  Heart Border, Limitless Layers: 1 3/4" circles
Embellishments: Cuttlebug - polkadot embossing folder

Today I have a juvenile boy birthday card to share.  

I believe this is the first time I have used my ticket border die.  For this card I tore the perforations to stack the tickets.  

For a little interest, I added embroidery floss to anchor them.  

Paper: Close to My Heart - star paper; PTI - Lemon Tart, Pure Poppy, and Blueberry Sky
Stamps: PTI - Just the Ticket
Ink: PTI - Simply Chartreuse and Orange Zest
Embellishments: blue floss, PTI - ticket die

Here is the first card I am sharing that I made at the July craft retreat I attended.   The colors are cheerful and the textures are nice.  The cream is a water color paper with a great textured tooth. I like how the harlequin stamp looks distressed stamped on it.  I like the torn edges in contrast to the crisp, straight lines of the cream and aqua. I just like torn edges in general.

In hindsight I wish I would have made the flower removable so it could be a magnet or a pin.  It is a little embarrassing how long it took me to sew together those four felt flowers folded into quarters.  I tell you this because I was working on my first cup of coffee while I was sewing it and by the time I got my second cup of coffee I was a crafting bee zipping through the rest of this flower, finishing the card, and moving on to several others.  It took me forever to sew 2.5 petals together!  Lesson learned: I should finish drinking my coffee before crafting. ;)

Thanks for stopping in! Have a fab weekend!

Paper: PTI - Hawaiian Shores and Simply Chartreuse, water color paper

Stamps: PTI - Think Big Favorites #12, Jenny Bolin - Harlequin

Ink: PTI - Simply Chartreuse and Hibiscus Burst

Embellishments: PTI - Hibiscus Burst felt, Vintage Cream and Hawaiian Shores buttons, Beautiful Blooms II #1

Other: cuttlebug

A shaker card for a girl was a new territory for me.  Out came my sticker maker, die cutter, and off to work I went.  This was the result.  I cut the butterfly in the paper and a fun foam sheet which I adhered together with my Xyron sticker maker.  It makes this soooo easy!  I layered an acetate sheet between the paper and the fun foam and put the peachy-pink back on after I stamped it with a subtle butterfly that coordinates with the die.  

A bit more adhesive and then attached it to a card base.  Mounted the sentiment strip and it was complete.  I really like these micro jewelry beads for the shakers since they work so well and have a nice noise when you shake it.


Thanks for looking.


Paper: DCWV - The Stack 6 - whimsical outdoors and dots, PTI - Sweet Blush
Ink: PTI - Hibiscus Burst and Sweet Blush
Stamps: PTI - Pretty Peonies Anniversary Set
Other: Pretty Peonies Anniversary Set die (butterfly), Xyron 5", Cuttlebug

I joined the banner trend bandwagon with this card and I must say I like banners on cards.  

The banners were just a strip of a party confetti print paper that snipped into five pieces and cut the V shape into.  To thread my floss through, I pulled out my Big Bite to make small holes on the top.  I only attached it behind my cardstock base so you move the banners and it flaps around when you move it.  


I pulled my Spellbinders ovals out to stamp the sentiment on; they have proven to be a valuable investment in my paper crafting time and again!  


Paper: PTI - Blueberry Sky, Canyon Clay; The Paper Studio - Birthday Extravaganza stack - path confetti
Ink: PTI - Dark Chocolate
Stamps: Movers & Shakers
Embellishments: Lime green floss, Cuttlebug - circles embossing folder, Spellbinders - Ovals
Other: Cuttlebug, Crop-a-dile Big Bite

I am really liking my On the Links golf themed stamps.  They lend themselves easily to masculine cards, but with color changes you can make a feminine one.  Glad I purchased this!  Now that I am getting older, I have many more friends taking up golf.  


The three lighter golf bags were stamped with watermark ink, which made that great green.  It needed some oomph so I stamped the golf balls on the edges.  Next, I ran it under the Canvas & Linen Impression Plate to give it texture.  After I stamped the navy golf bag, I cut it out quickly with a craft knife and adhered it with dimensional foam.  I feel like I achieved a bight and masculine card for this one, which totally reflects the recipient for whom I made it.


Paper: PTI - New Leaf, Staples - white, DCWV - The Guy Stack - green plaid
Ink: Versamark - watermark; PTI - Fresh Snow and Enchanted Evening
Stamps: PTI - On the Links
Other: PTI - Canvas & Linen Impression Plate, Cuttlebug, craft knife, dimensional foam

For this week's MIM challenge, I chose to do a masculine birthday card with Dot Spot.  I always forget about this set, but I like it a lot.  I used a good old Sharpie to make my border line.

Instead of stamping a dot in the center, I glued a silicon drop to them.  I picked these up last year at a tiny scrapbook shop.  They were sold in unmarked bag for dirt cheap and they take Copic marker beautifully.  They actually look like beads of water in person.

The inside I kept sentiment free so I could write a nice lengthy note.  :)


Thanks for stopping by!


Paper: PTI - Rustic White
Ink: PTI - Enchanted Evening, Simply Chartreuse, Orange Zest
Stamps: PTI - Dot Spot and Think Big Favorites #16
Embellishment: Sharpie - ultra fine navy, handmade silicon drops

The sentiment on this card was computer generated, die cut, and stamped.  The medallions are a patterned paper and the lace was stamped in Melon Berry.  I used a craft knife to cut along the lace edge to make it look realistic. 

I wanted an airy feeling ribbon so I opted for seam binding, which I had to double up on since it was too sheer.  The camera captured the distinction between the two papers that appears underneath but you couldn't really tell in person.  I think the pearls finished the medallions off nicely.

On the inside the sentiment is computer generated again.  I think I am in love with this frame.

I cut a medallion out for a cute addition to the back.  This is what they looked like before I placed the pearls on them.  

Paper: My Mind's Eye - Stella and Rose - Hazel Fancy Doily; Papertrey Ink - vintage cream, simply chartreuse, Georgia Pacific - white cardstock

Ink: PTI - Spring Rain and Melon Berry

Stamps: PTI - Pretty Peonies Anniversary Set and Homemade Hodgepodge, Kaiser Craft - lace

Embellishments: The Paper Studio - Pearls, seam binding - white

Other: Computer, printer, craft knife

For this card I played with my PTI anniversary set for the first time. I must say that I am in love with these peonies.  After making the focal flower I decided that I didn't want to take away from its beauty so I used a lot of white for the rest of the card.  

I used Copics V15 and V17 to shade it after stamping it with Plum Pudding ink.  To add a little sparkle, I used purple Stickles for the stamen.  I hand cut the flower, leaves, and frame with a craft knife.  On the frame I used C1 to shade the Versamark stamped area to give a bit more definition in the thicker parts of the frame.

On the inside I stamped a simple 'happy day' sentiment and few outlined peonies.  The 'day' part I made by masking and selectively stamping letters from 'happy' as only 'happy' is included in the set.  

The tiny peony worked well on the back with the 'homemade' stamp.

Since the card ended up being an irregular size, I made a quick envelope from this paper I found in my stash.  I thought it worked nicely with this card.

Paper: PTI - Plum Pudding and Simply Chartreuse, Staples - white, DCWV - Latte Stack - floral paper, watercolor paper

Stamps: PTI - Pretty Peonies Anniversary Set and Homemade Hodgepodge

Ink: PTI - Plum Pudding and Spring Moss, Versamark - watermark

Other: craft knife, Copics - V15, V17, C1

I was so inspired by Papertrey Ink's 5th anniversary designer's favorite color combos download that I came up with four pages worth of my own combinations after looking at some inspiring pictures.  This is one of them: Kraft, Enchanted Evening, Canyon Clay, Spring Rain, Simply Chartruse, and cream.  

Today's card I have used some homemade washi tape for an embellishment.  It is made from cream tissue paper and Scor-tape.  My husband thought it was cool that I used masking tape on a card. *sigh*  Next time I'll use another color besides cream.  The wood grain came out fantastic!  Look at those deep grooves--so much interest with texture.

Inside I used the simple "and many more" sentiment to stay simple and clean.  (I was feeling a bit stamp happy so I really had to restrain myself.)  The edges of the Spring Rain cardstock were inked with Enchanted Evening.  I love the richness of this ink pad.

The back is fun as I continued the tape down the back instead of cutting it or folding it under the paper on the front.  My blog stamp and a "homemade for you stamp" finishes it off. 
Paper: PTI - Kraft, Enchanted Evening, Canyon Clay, Spring Rain; Staples white
Stamps: PTI - Happy Day and Homemade Hodgepodge; Technique Tuesday - Cake & Candles; Justrite - Brayton font
Ink: PTI - Enchanted Evening and Orange Zest
Embellishments: PTI - Simply Chartreuse vintage button; cream tissue paper
Other: PTI - Happy Day die; The Paper Studio - wood grain embossing folder; Cuttlebug

These patterned papers are from a super fun 6x6 stack called Fly a Kite by My Mind's Eye.  The colors exude happiness to me.  And then there is the orange chevron pattern; I'm in love and I think my husband knows. ;)  I finally got around to buying Papertrey Ink buttons with my last order and I must say that I cannot believe it took me so long because I truly have been missing out on beautiful button gloriousness.  This red one looks like a delicious hard candy.  

This dotted, scalloped paper accent on the inside worked well with this card.  I am glad I kept the scrap, but better yet I am glad I found the scrap so I could use it. Organization saves the day!

Paper: My Mind's Eye - Lime Twist collection - Fly a Kite stack -  chevron and number polka dots; PTI - Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores; My Mind's Eye - Lime Twist collection - Life of the Party stack - Sweet Cupcakes (green polka dot scollop runs around the edge of this paper); Staples - white cardstock
Stamps: PTI - Happy Day

Ink: Versamark

Embellishments: PTI - Pure Poppy button and Hawaiian Shores grosgrain ribbon; green floss

Other: Zing - white embossing powder; PTI - Happy Day die, dimensional foam adhesive, Cuttlebug

I had a little boy's 2nd birthday card to make and thought a shaker card would be fun.  

After some thought, I purposely put a lot of these red beads inside the pocket so it had to be shook to read 'happy' and 'birthday.'  I have literally had these beads since 2001.  I haven't a clue why I purchased them as I haven't used beads in my other crafty endeavors but they work great here.

The Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #50 last week was on how to make a shaker card.  Since I wanted to use this cute paper, I opted not to use a die to cut the pocket area in the paper and fun foam layers but instead used a craft knife.  The city blocks are so well defined I thought it lent itself to have one cut out for the shaker pocket.

I kept the inside of the card simple as well--two strips of paper and a sentiment.  Easy peasy.  Now I just need to get more beads in my stash to make more shaker cards.  I like beads in the shaker instead of confetti, little paper cutouts, glitter, etc. because of the movement, sound, and texture.  
Paper: Echo Park - Little Boy stack - Road Map; Papertrey Ink - Hawaiian Shores and Pure Poppy, Staples - white cardstock; acetate
Stamps: PTI - Birthday Basics
Ink: PTI - Pure Poppy and Orange Zest
Embellishments: red beads (unknown)
Other: fun foam and craft knife

When I began organizing my stamp collection (blog post all in itself), I found I really did not have anything for preteen and teen boys.  I knew right away this set could be quite useful for me.  


Yes, I am on a torn paper kick.  You'll see it here and there in my upcoming posts.  I ruin a lot of paper to get the right torn look sometimes, but it is worth it to me.

I heat embossed the skateboards with black and aqua embossing powders.  The aqua powder I grabbed on clearance last week!  It is my first colored embossing powder and I must say I really like it.   The glossiness is a nice contrast against the matte papers. 

I kept the inside pretty simple with the torn paper detail and the framed sentiment.  I really like how the orange ink pops here. 

This little stamp is on the back of the card and is one of my new stamps from Homemade Hodgepodge.  Cute, cute.  I usually stamp my blog address on the back of my cards, but I left the stamp at home while I was at the craft retreat.  I'm hoping these stamps will quell some of the questions of "Did you make this?"  Why, yes, I did and you would be surprised at how long it took me to make it since I am normally a slow crafter.  Just don't throw it away in front of me, okay?  :o)
Paper: Authentique - Freebird stack - polka dots and distressed orange; PTI - Simply Chartreuse; Staples - white cardstock
Stamps: PTI - Boy Basics: Skater Dude, Fillable Frames #4, Homemade Hodgepodge
Ink: Versamark; PTI - Hawaiian Shores and Orange Zest
Other: PTI - Boy Basics: Skater Dude die; Fiskars - corner rounder; Zing - black & aqua embossing powders; dimensional foam adhesive, cuttlebug

Today I have a colorful birthday card to share.  It is just so cheerful with all the bright colors! I had picked this fun scalloped paper up at a summer clearance at my local craft house and supplier.  Who doesn't like a good sale?!  My sweet sister-in-law got some too and I can't wait to see what she does with hers--it's such fun paper!


I am really happy with my decision to go with the neutral kraft for the second mat.  I like what it brought to the overall look.  I fussed with embellishments for a few minutes before I came up with this final combination--just a touch of bling.  I really like items work well together from different companies.

This ice cream cone was cut from a Papertrey Ink die I have had for a few months but had yet to use.  I busted out my PTI felt for the scoops for the first time.  Wow!  This stuff cuts beautifully!!  No frayed felt edges just a crisp image.  If you look closely you will see the detail on the cone itself; I used my linen impression plate for the waffle cone look.  Yum!

These stickers were the coordinating ones for the colorful scalloped paper.  I've never used stickers on my cards before but the coordinating, vivid colors begged to be put on the Hawaiian Shores paper.
Paper: Echo Park - Summer Days, Papertrey Ink - Hawaiian Shores, Kraft, Staples - white
Stamps: PTI - Think Big Favorites #4
Ink: Colorbox - fuchsia from a rainbow strip
Embellishments: PTI - Hibiscus Burst wool felt, Sweet As Can Be die, Spiral Page die, Cosmo Cricket - teal button - Pixie-Licious collection, dark pink button, The Paper Studio - pink rhinestone, The Ribbon Boutique - purple saddle stitch ribbon, cleat embossing powder, Echo Park - Summer Days stickers

For this 80th birthday card I put away my bright colors and focused on more subdued ones.  There is quite a bit of interest going on here with textures and detail and I didn't want take away from that.  The curved lines of the Labels Four die is elegant to me.  I layered two sizes of the die cut from beautiful premium linen textured paper.  I placed them on top of the floral emboss paper.  There is something about solid color embossed paper--it makes me happy.  The numbers were cut from metallic cardstock which has a nice sheen.  The delicate eyelet border and tiny rhinestone stars are sweet details that work nice here.  

I kept the inside sentiment simple for this joyous occasion.
Paper: DCWV - Latte Stack - floral print & green woodgrain - Metallic Stack - metallic lavender, Recollection - lavender & cream, Staples - white cardstock
Embellishments: Ribbon Boutique - silver grosgrain, The Paper Studio - rhinestone stars, Fiskars - eyelet punch
Other: Spellbinders - Labels Four, floral Cuttlebug embossing folder, Cuttlebug, Tie the Knot Cricut cartridge, Lyrical Letters Cricut Cartridge, Fiskars corner rounder

I have been messing around with this medalion since the summer and hadn't liked anything I had done with it until this card.  The embossing and vivid green coupled with layering it on the polkadot paper and accenting with rhinestones sealed the deal for me.

Paper: DCWV - Lemon Flower Stack - yellow polkadots, Papertrey Ink - Plum Pudding
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Mendi Medallion, Technique Tuesday - Cake and Candles
Ink: Papertrey Ink - New Leaf, Memento - Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen, Powder Puff Chalking Ink - Very Berry, Versamark - watermark
Embellishments: The Paper Studio -amethyst brads, A La Mode - clear embossing powder