A few of my friends go to a craft retreat biannually but I have only been twice--a year ago and then again this past weekend.   It's a real treat.  I know some of you are thinking, "What? A craft retreat? What does that even mean and why would you even do that?" Believe me, I get that ALL the time!


Craft retreat - (noun)...okay, okay...


The craft retreat we attend is an old historic home in a small town 45 minutes to 3.5 hours away for all of my friends and myself. We book the house for a weekend (thursday thru Sunday) and that is what we get--a house geared towards crafters.  Think of a bed and breakfast but there is no breakfast made for you (unless you or your friends make it) and the proprietors do not live on site so we have the entire house all to ourselves.  There are several bedrooms,  three or four bathrooms, a full kitchen with pots and such so you can cook there or go out for meals. 


The living areas are empty except for 8'x3' tables and comfy desk chairs, which you can set up, rearrange or take down as you wish.  Provided are craft lights, power strips, cutting boards, paper cutters, die cut machines, dies, punches, cutting table, and a few walls covered in foam board and fabric to pin your creations on.  There are several types of crafts my group does there: card making, scrapbooking, shadow boxes, quilting, sewing, crocheting, and embroidery.  It works nicely for all of us.  


I was very happy with my creations this go round as I remembered my solid colored cardstock this time.  Oh, the little things...I have material for several blog posts now.  It is so nice to have a weekend dedicated solely to crafting.  Not only do we craft but we have a nice time fellowshipping with one another. We can see and can learn new techniques, see and use new products and tools, and get overall design advise just back having someone come look at your project or lifting it up for the room(s) to see.  


Oh, and did I say it is a kidless time?  No babies crying, no toddlers eating your food, no diapers to change, and you can enjoy quiet without realizing you must find your children because they are too quiet.  I did have trouble leaving my seven month old at home, but my husband does an amazing job of taking care of our children so I can go have a break and do my hobby that I am passionate about (and have invested quite a bit into).  I came home to huge hugs, a clean house, a roast in the oven, and happy kiddos and husband.  With today's technology I was able to video chat with my family while I was away.  It was so nice to see my kids and husband and show them the items I was working on.  My seven month old really bonded with her daddy while I was gone and ended up saying her first word today, "Dadda."  This made me so happy!


We already booked our next craft retreat for the summer and I already know I'm going to make my Christmas cards then.  I highly recommend something like this to the novice and serious crafters out there; crafting and girl time with your girlfriends is always fun!

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

This is the inspiration photo from Papertrey Ink's November Blog Hop Challenge.  I was immediately drawn to the toile-esque wrapping paper and the gingham pattern of the furniture. Using the red, green, and white color scheme with a hint of silver I came up with this card:

I was a few minutes too late uploading my image to enter this round, but I see this as a great test run and learning experience.  This was the first ever blog hop--let alone challenge--I have tried to participate in. I did make this card in twenty minutes, which has to be an all-time record for me. ;) 

~All products are Papertrey Ink unless stated~

Paper: Stamper's Select White, New Leaf, Pure Poppy
Stamps: Year of Flowers Collection, Fillable Frames #4, Christmas Poinsettia
Ink: Pure Poppy, Versamark - watermark
Embellishments: Pure Poppy Saddle Stitch Grosgrain, Linen & Canvas Impression Plate, Filagree embossing powder - silver
Other: Cuttebug, dimensional adhesive, craft knife

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

I have seen a lot of raised reversed cutout images lately in card magazines and in craft blogs.  Usually the cut out image is a butterfly or simple shape.  I tried a hummingbird for this get well card and it worked out well.  

The Spring Moss cardstock is raised above the turquoise fan patterned paper with dimensional adhesive.  The paper underneath the hummingbird I placed at an angle to mimic its feathers.  The flowers in the corners were stamped with watermark ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder.  The "Happy Healing" sentiment is also embossed but with silver.

Every hummingbird needs a flower so I made this ribbon flower on a Scor-tape circle I cut from an adhesive sheet.  Much cheaper than a Gluber and just as easy.

The embossed flower on the white, much more subtle but just as pretty, finishes off the inside.  

Paper: Papertrey Ink - Spring Moss, October Afternoon - Fly a Kite stack - turquoise fan pattern, Staples - white cardstock
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Year of Flowers: Carnation and Healing Touch Sentiments
Ink: Versamark - watermark, Powder Puff Cahlking Inks - Green with Envy
Embellishments:A La Mode - clear embossing powder, Filagree - silver embossing powder, Ribbon Boutique - cream satin grosgrain, The Paper Studio - turquoise sparkle brad
Other: Cricut, Pagoda Cricut cartridge, Score-tape, dimensional adhesive

I have not used my Spellbinders dies in a while so I pulled them out to use on this card.  I was very pleased that these Papertrey Ink stamps fit so perfectly within the second largest oval.  After I stamped them in Dark Chocolate ink I used clear embossing powder on top.  To fill the empty space at the top of the oval I pulled out my box of rhinestones and liked how the medium blue popped on the orange best. 

The slight overlap of the grosgrain ribbon over the card edges works nicely on this card.  One thing I have realized lately is I have a thing for polka dots.  Multicolored polka dots have to be my favorite, but all polka dots make me happy. :)
Paper: My Mind's Eye - Twinkle Twinkle Little Boy - multicolored polka dots and orange dots, Papertrey Ink - Dark Chocolate
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Congrats All the Way set
Ink: Papertrey Ink - Dark Chocolate
Embellishments: A La Mode - clear embossing powder, Kaiser craft - aqua rhinestones, Ribbon Boutique - brown grosgrain, Spellbinders - ovals
Other: cuttlebug

Screws on a card!!  How fun is this?!  My husband graciously let me raid his tool box and I found these screws and nylon twine.  FUN.

Our dear friend is quite the handy man.  He constructs all kinds of things for our church.  When I came across this paper a few months back I knew I would use it for his birthday card.   The nylon twine was silky like a horse's mane.  It was hard to work with not only because of the silkiness but because the braid unraveled as soon as it was cut.  I fixed this by rubbing some Glossy Accents on the ends.  It coincidentally matched the cream paper.  Worked out in my favor.

The thin cream paper I used tears so well and leaves a nice raw, rough edge with various thicknesses of fibers.  I really like the contrast of it to the straight lines of the other papers.

Paper: DCWV - The Guy Stack - blue tools and green plaid, Papertrey Ink - Enchanted Evening, The Paper Company - cream, Staples - white cardstock

Ink: Papertrey Ink - Enchanted Evening

Stamps: Justrite - Brayton Font

Embellishments:  The Paper Studio - screw brads, screws, nylon twine

Felt icing?!  Love it!  The texture is so fun.

I pulled out my Papertrey Ink numbers impression plate for this card.  The letterpress style impression is a refreshing texture compared to my usual embossing.  You'll see the glitter sprinkled around the pink background and on the felt icing; I tapped some of the green glitter cardstock scraps over them and the subtle glitter here and there was left behind.  It also was here and there on me all day but it was worth it.
Paper: Papertrey Ink - Hibiscus Burst, Doodle Bug Designs - limeade sugar coated gitter paper, DCWV - Nana's Kids stack - stripes, DCWV - The Glitter Stack - orange
Embellishments: Papertrey Ink - Hibiscus Burst satin luxe ribbon, numbers impression plate, Joann - clothing grade white wool blend felt 
Other: Cuttlebug, Cricut, Doodlecharms Cricut cartridge

I pulled out my pearl embellishments and pearl paint medium to adorn this thirtieth wedding anniversary card.   I had to snap pictures quickly as I was waiting for better sunlight conditions but they were not to be had before I needed to give the card away.  Thirty years of marriage is something to really be proud of especially in this day in age.  I am so thankful for the couple for which I made this card. 

I layered six cuts of each number on top of each other to make them thicker than chipboard weight and then painted on a few coats of pearl medium.  It created a gorgeous pearl shimmer.  I stamped the flourishes in Versa Mark watermark and applied a clear embossing powder.  The result on the Aqua Mist cardstock is subtle.  The large pearls are brads and the small pearls I adhered with Glossy Accents. I carried the flourish and pearls onto the raised mat with the numbers by masking off the flourish at the bottom that I had already embossed and set then stamped and embossed it there.  

Paper: Papertrey Ink - Aqua Mist, Staples - white cardstock

Ink: Versa Mark - watermark

Stamps: Inkadoo - flourishes

Embellishments: Papertrey Ink - Aqua Mist luxe satin ribbon, The Paper Studio - pearl brads and pearls, A La Mode - clear embossing powder

Other: Americana - Pearlizing medium, Cricut, Classic Font Cricut cartridge, Glossy Accents

I have had this flower die set for months now.  Since I have been playing with my Cricut lately and making a lot of mass produced invitations I have not used it much.  I must say I adore these cute flowers! They are beautiful flat or with the petals rolled down or up in this case.

The ribbon stems turned out well.  I like the movement they create.  The yellow, aqua, and white color pallet reminds me of a day full of sunshine.  I did ink around the edges of the card and petals to tone down the brightness and distress it a bit.  The only adhesive I used on this card was Scor-tape.  I love that stuff!
Paper: October Afternoon - Fly a Kite stack - yellow flowers and yellow print, Papertrey Ink - Aqua Mist
Ink: Powder Puff Chalking Inks -Ameretto
Embellishments: Basic Gray - aqua buttons, Papertrey Ink Satin Luxe Ribbon in Aqua Mist
Other:The Paper Studio - embossing folder, Papertrey Ink - Beautiful Blooms II #1 die, We R Memory Keepers - aquas floss in Spring Rain 

While talking with my best friend, she told me about a baby shower she was going to be hosting.  I offered to make her invitations and since she is my best friend I had to make the amazing.

I have been wanting to make invitations that pull out of a pocket for a couple years and decided this was my chance.  I learned quite a bit -- angels are not my friend while I am tired -- that will aid me in streamlining the process next time I make them.

I really like how the chalking around the edges looks like grass.  Can you tell I am enjoying using my KI Memories Classic Stack?  This zebra print paper has shown up in several of my recent designs.  The orange ribbon adds a nice detail and is also functional as a good way to pull the card out of the pocket.  

Of course the invites were cuter before I had to edit out information on them.  

Paper: Papertrey Ink - Dark Chocolate, New Leaf & Kraft, Staples - white cardstock, Doodlebug - juggle animals, Recollections - orange & light brown, The Paper Studio - medium orange & light pink, KI Memories - The Classics stack - blue zebra
Ink: Powder Puff Chalking Inks - Green with Envy
Embellishments: The Ribbon Boutique - orange grosgrain ribbon, googley eyes,
Other: Cricut, Create a Critter Cricut cartridge, Cuttlebug, The Paper Studio zebra embossing folder, Fiskars corner rounder, Crop-o-dile, Marvy Uchida paper cutter, brown ultra fine Sharpie, printer, Scor-tape