Papertrey Big Bloom Take 2

 Hello, friends!  I'm back with another card using the gorgeous Into the Blooms: Big Bloom Die by Papertrey Ink.  One card just wasn't enough.  :) 

This time I went much less dramatic, with a simple design and soft color palette.  I actually used many of the same products including the new Just Notes Stencil Collection to create the grid pattern behind the big bloom. 

I know this flower can be colored to look like many other varieties, but I couldn't help patterning it after another beautiful garden rose.  I blended Papertrey's Harbest Gold and Lemon Tart inks for the yellows, and Cordord and 9th's pink lemonade for the pink edges.  The leaves were a mix of C9's sprout, grasshopper, and avocado inks.

To get the torn look across the bottom of the paper I used a fun edge die in the Just Notes Dies and chose a sentiment from the Just Notes Stamp Set.  It's a fabulous collection with so much to offer.  I'm a huge fan!

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today! 

Papertrey: Big Bloom

Good morning!  I'm excited to start sharing some of the cards I've made guest designing with Papertrey's newest release.  One of the first things I noticed when I opened my box was the Into the Blooms: Big Bloom Die.  It's, you guessed it...a big bloom.  And it's gorgeous! 

It's a bit of a chameleon of a bloom, too, and can look like a lot of different flowers depending on how you color it.  Papertrey's Design Team's samples have been amazing!  Though it isn't necessarily meant to be a rose, I chose to color it like it was one.  

I can't tell you the name of the rose, but I know my grandma could. :) She loved roses and grew more varieties in her yard than I could ever hope to remember, but she could tell you the name of each and every one.  

I inked up the Into the Blooms: Big Bloom Die with Concord and 9th's buttercup, pink lemonade, and  dragonfruit inks as well as Papertrey's harvest gold ink.  The leaves were a mix of C9's sprout, grasshopper, avocado, and clover inks. I added a couple leaf sprigs from Papertrey's Into the Blooms: Clover Dies and a sprinkling of enamel dots. 

On the upper panel, I die cut the bottom with the pretty Elegant Edges: Flourish Die.  Then I stenciled on the diamond-ish stencil from the Pro Stamper's Box: March and blended white around the edges to soften things up. I used the new Just Notes Stencil Collection to create the grid pattern on the bottom card base.

I finished the card by embossing "Mom" from the Mother's Day Sentiments Stamps Set and a secondary sentiment from the Just Notes Stamp Set.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I'll be back to share more projects this week. :) 

Papertrey Ink March Release Insta Hop

Hello!  I'm overjoyed to be joining Papertrey Ink this month as a guest designer.  Never in a million years did I ever think those words would be coming out of my mouth.  It is such an honor!  I purchased my very first acrylic stamps from Papertrey.  SO many of my most favorite designers have been part of the Papertrey team over the years. To say I am a fan is an understatement. 

Today I am joining a fun Insta Hop with them and of course there is a giveaway. Make sure you head over to my Instagram account, so you can join the fun.  

I've made lots of cards with Papertrey's March release, and I'm excited to share them all with you, but I'll start with my husband's favorite. :) Papertrey's Pro Stamper's Box for March has beautiful layering flowers and frame dies.  I couldn't wait to ink them up!  And I wanted to use lots of them, so I made an extra large A7 size card.  

I started by die cutting several of the elongated hexagon frames from the Pro Stamper's Box dies.  After arranging them on my card, I set to work stamping lots and lots of flowers. 

I inked them up using a bunch of Papertrey inks.  Starting in the center row, the flowers are Hibiscus Burst and Raspberry Fizz; Saffron Spice and Honey Nut; Spring Rain and Enchanted Evening; Sweet Blush and Pale Peony; and Autumn Rose and Royal Velvet.  The leaves and stems are Ocean Tides and Pinefeather. 

I embossed two Sentiments from the new Just Notes Stamp Set (love it!) on pinefeather cardstock and die cut it with some coordinating dies and called it a day. :)  Thanks so much for visiting today!  Don't forget to visit my Instagram account, so you can join the Insta Hop.  You will surely leave inspired and you just might leave winning a gift certificate, too. :) 

12 Kits of Occasions: All Is Calm, All Is Bright

Hello!  I'm thrilled to share my projects for the 12 Kits of Occasions today.  This month I am the hostess and got to create the kits for my friends.  I knew what I wanted to do right away, but admittedly I struggled lots while creating the kit.  Here's why: I was trying to portray something close to my heart.  As I explained on the 12 Kits Blog, this kit represents what brings so much peace and happiness in my life - the beauty of nature and more importantly the Lord Jesus Christ.  When I focus on these things, truly all is calm and all is bright.  And so I love the Christmas season, this beautiful time of year when we all strive to focus on what is good in the world, when joy abounds, and when hearts are full of giving.  And I hope that somehow you feel all of that as the 12 Kits team shares their creations today.

I've long loved Neat & Tangled's So Foxy stamp set and have big plans for lots of Christmas tags with it, but today he is the darling star of my first card.  This card features so many things I love: Festive Florals from Lil' Inker Designs, Snowflake Die from The Stamp Market, and Sentimental: Winter from Winnie & Walter.  From here on out I kind of created the cards in sets.

I love so many of the background stamps from The Stamp Market, so I used them to create patterned papers for the kit.  These cards feature Jumbo Plaid (my favorite background stamp!) and Diamond Design. 

Don't you just love hand lettering?  This Merry Christmas Greeting from My Favorite Things is another favorite of mine.

This tag is so simple, but it was one of my happiest discoveries from the kit.  The background die is from PTI's Scene It: Bethlehem with the Christmas star, but I found that if  it is tilted just the right way, it makes it look like the tree (from PTI's Tinsel & Tags kit) is lit up and glowing.  The image of a peaceful, clear night, the world covered with freshly fallen snow and the single glow from a Christmas tree brought me so much happiness.

I purposely created the kit with a very neutral color palette.  I wanted it simple, but I added just a few touches of metallics that I think are so fun.

This card features more beautiful lettering.  This time from MFT's Hand Lettered Christmas.  The greenery comes from Concord & 9th's Just Because dies and in case you are wondering, I would love an ornament just like this on my tree. :)

 Another simple card, but I think the Stemmed Leaves from The Stamp Market are so pretty.  I added a few gold jewels from Pretty Pink Posh (thank you, Jeanne!).

Concord & 9th's Ornamental die is huge, so it really felt like I was creating an ornament for the tree with this project.  I wanted C9's Merry Die to stand out, so I tucked PTI's rustic wreath die behind the vellum.  I almost didn't include the patterned vellum in the kit, but I adore the softness it adds to this ornament tag. (It's much prettier in person.)

Honestly, it doesn't get any simpler than this, but I gotta say...this next card makes me smile big.  The Stamp Market's Skinny Upper Alpha paired quite nicely with PTI's Wet Paint: Holiday stamp set.

And for the the finale, a favorite message.  I used some oldie but goody products on this one - Papertrey's O Holy Night stamp set and Sketched Stars dies.

I have more to share in the coming days...sick kiddos didn't allow for me to finish up a few of my projects using some of my very favorite critters and elements in the kit. But regardless, this pile makes me so very happy...

Thanks so much for sharing some of your time with me today!  And please do stop by the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog to see what my teammates have created.  They are one talented bunch, and I sure do love them!  Have a blessed weekend!
PS I think I mentioned most everything I used today, but you can find a full list of all the supplies I included in my kit here.

12 Kits of Occasions - End of Summer Soiree

Hello!  I'm popping in for a quick post to share a couple projects I made with our latest kit from The 12 Kits of Occasions.  Michelle sent a wonderful kit with the theme "End of Summer Soiree".  I loved the variety of elements she included.  In truth, I made more cards than I am sharing here, and I don't have my typical group photo because I had already used some of the cards, but hopefully you enjoy these. :)

My first card uses some wonderful flowers Michelle included in the kit from The Stamp Market's Petal Patch.  I loved them and happened to have purchased them and some other goodies from The Stamp Market a few months ago, so I pulled them out and used them on the card as well.  The background is heat embossed with the Diamond Tile Background, and I fussy cut a sentiment from Scripty Sentiments. 

I needed a card for a child last week, so I pulled out a set I've always loved but never used enough, Mama Elephant's Up and Away.  I did a simple watercolor and popped this little monkey up on some patterned paper from the kit.  I kind of love how this banner Michelle included in the kit is floating through the air.  I may be the only one who appreciates that, but it makes me smile.

You can see all my wonderful friends' cards using this kit by visiting the 12 Kits of Occasions blog here.  It's definitely worth the trip. :) Have the most wonderful weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

The 12 Kits of Occasions - Summer Fun!

Hello!  This is probably a bit shocking to see a new post from me.  As life would have it, shortly after my last post we've had one major health issue after another within our family and friends, including the passing of my grandmother.  Most of the cards I made I sent to my grandmother, and it's been a struggle to get back into making cards again.  But I am thrilled to be able to join my 12 Kits of Occasions friends today using a kit packed full of summer fun.  

I decided to really embrace the "summer" part of this kit.  There were lots of cute patterned papers, and this particular one seemed perfect to use with The Stamp Market's Skinny Upper Alpha Dies, which I was anxious to try out.  I framed the card out with one of MFT's Stitched Rectangle Stax, and added this cute pineapple and hibiscus (from Papertrey Ink's Some Like it Hot set) that were also included in the kit.  Simple, but it makes me smile.

When I was making my first card, I layered some plain black letters under "SUMMER" to give it more dimension.  I ended up really loving my scrap piece of negative die cuts, so I trimmed it down and used it on the next card.

As soon as I opened my kit from the wonderful Birgit, I saw this cute flamingo and knew I had to use him.  He's also from PTI's Some Like it Hot. (Why don't I own this cute set?!) I popped him up on top of a trio of Echo Park's Palm Leaves, and used that fabulous negative scrap piece in the background. 

Obviously I only scratched the surface of the kit here, but it felt good to dip my toes back in the cardmaking pool again.

You can see oodles more inspiration by my wonderful friends over on the 12 Kits of Occasions Blog.  Hoping you have a beautiful Sunday and a wonderful week!  Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs! (PTI Transformation Tuesday)

Hello, friends!  I have a quick card to share today.  Papertrey has a new feature called Transformation Tuesday.  I love the idea of transforming a card and was eager to join the fun.  I made this birthday card a long time ago and found it a couple weeks ago.  I still have it because I was never satisfied with it and couldn't bare to send it.  So, I took the parts I liked--stacked sentiments + sentiment on a flag--and simplified the whole thing.  

Better, right?  I can't tell you how nice it feels to finally be content with this card.  Hope you are having a wonderful week!

(All supplies PTI unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Wet Paint III
Dies: Big Hugs, Sketched Shapes
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal

A Friend...

Hello!  My friend (and super talented cardmaker) Michele is the guest designer for Time Out Challenge #84, so I just had to make time to play along. An added bonus was that the theme of the challenge is "flowers and friends make life a garden" and I just purchased The Stamp Market's Watercolor Bouquet Stamps and was eager to use them.  And let me just tell you, I am absolutely in LOVE with this set.  I only had a few minutes to make this card, and it came together so quickly with these beautiful stamps.  I used a sentiment from Papertrey's Choose Joy set, another favorite of mine.  I thought it was pretty perfect for the challenge, too.  

I'm happily linking this up to the Simon Says: Anything Goes Challenge as well.  

We had a beautifully rainy day, which means my garden is happy, and therefore I am happy, too.  I hope you week is off to a great start! :) 

Celebrate Card Set

Hello!  I hope you've been having a wonderful weekend.  It's been beautiful here, and although I've spent lots of time outside, I did carve out a little time over the last few days to create a coordinating card pair for Papertrey's Make It Monday #286 and the Simon Says: Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.

My sister is a teacher and she and her two daughters will be celebrating the last day of school in a couple weeks, so I used them as my inspiration, choosing colors and stamps I knew they'd love.  PTI's Irresistibly Ikat is a stamp set I have admired for years, but somehow always got passed up for something newer.  A few weeks ago I saw it for sale at a killer price and snatched it right up.  And I'm so glad I did!  I paired that with "celebrate" from PTI's Good Times die set and Wet Paint III for my card set. 

For my first card I stamped a background using just one stamp from PTI's Irresistibly Ikat Set.  I didn't want to cover it up much, so I die cut one of PTI's Stitched Circles Dies in vellum to ground my sentiment.

My second card is even simpler.  I used several stamps in the Irresistibly Ikat set and created a medallion of sorts using the same inks as before.  This sentiment comes from PTI's Wet Paint III as well.  This card came together really quickly, and I love that although they coordinate, each card is very different.  So here is my official entry for PTI's Coordinating Card Pair Challenge:

However, as I was cleaning up my stamped practice sheet and scraps, I realized I could probably make another card, so I did. This was the bonus card I made. .

And here they are together.  :)

I loved playing along with these challenges.  It's always fun to get lots of good use out of your supplies. Thanks for stopping by today!