Think BIG - PTI Anniversary

Yesterday's challenge was to "think big"! Here's a couple little "numbers" (wink) for ya. The qualify as "big" for two reasons the use of the large numbers and the monumental birthday that they are for!!

It's late enough that I think I can let the cat out of the bag. My baby brother turns 30 on 2/13. So what better way to celebrate than to receive 30 birthday cards from his big sis! That's my Project 30! I thought it was such a fun and unique idea-the whole family got involved. I've posted several of the cards already and will trickle the rest in over the next week or so. Let me tell ya, there are some dosies!

This first card came from the idea that Nichole used here during the January release of By the Numbers dies and stamps. Here is used just the dies to cut out 30's after i used the Polka Dot Basics II impression plate. I then ran the numbers through my Xyron and voila! I LOVE how this turned out!!

For the next card, I used By the Numbers again, but this time gave it a more vintage/retro look. Cause ya know when someone turns thirty.... they're now vintage! LOL!

PTI Anniversary Cont...

Here's a couple more cards using this weeks freebies from PTI. The first is a pinwheel tag by Maile. The pinwheel just evokes a childhood whimsy for me. When I come across one in the store, I can't help but pick it up and give it a go! (**Note this card is also part of Project 30. ;) wink**) Although it's not too clear in the photo, I embossed the card base with Tin Types impression plate. I layered Maile's tag with a Berry Sorbet Nestie Petite Scalloped Cirlce on top of MatStack 3 - one of my new fav layers! It's all topped off with some lavendar twine one of my crafty BFFs, Alicia, shared with me. Next up is a romantic card based on Beth's tag. I went to my stash of left over background paper and came across one of my favs - a Plum Pudding Damask background stamped on Lavendar Moon paper covered in a golden shimmery ink mist. This was all matted with a perfect gold lined cardstock. I also pulled out Matstack 1 and stamped the large image from Round & Round; I just love the dotted line scroll work! Finally it's topped off with Beth's tag layerd on top of a Nestie Petite Scalloped Circle and 3 gems. Thanks for stopping by!

PTI Day 5 Color Challenge

Ok....so I was able to combine Nichole's freebie tag with Jessica's favorite color combination. I must say I love her choices!!!

The tag is printed on soft stone, the card base is Aqua Mist (my personal fav!), and this lucious Basic Grey paper has Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist and Raspberry Fizz splashed in. It's all topped off with a layered Swiss Dot Summer Sunrise bow.

This card is also part of a secret project I'm calling Project 30. I'll give more details next week!

PTI Anniversary Day 3 - Make It Monday

Yes I know it's Tuesday, but we have a week for this challenge. I combined a Lisa's tag along wtih the first Make It Monday challenge. if you haven't seen Erin's video - head over to Nichole's blog to check it out! This was a super fun challenge as it got me looking through all my PTI stamps set to find "love" related sentiments. I really love how this turned out. The finished card is about 5x7 ish. If you're wondering the emobossing is a Cuttlebug embossin folder, that I used a stylus to emboss. It was a pain, but added the needed texture to the card.

Thanks for stopping by and keep your fingers crossed for me!

PTI Anniversary-Day 2

So day 2 of PTI's 4th Anniversary, if you can imagine, is more amazing than the first! Today provides an opportunity to design your own stamp set! OMG! Can you believe it?

To get an extra entry in today's contest, Nicholle has provided a freebie download. When I sawy Melissa's tag I knew I wanted a rainbow of paper on the card front. I added texture with the Polka Dot Basics II impression plate on the strips of colored cardstock. A seam binding edge and bow complete the card. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

2010 PTI Fav(s)

Papertrey Ink, my all time favorite stamp company is celebrating their 4th Anniversary. Nicholes post today, asks us to reflect on our favorite project and products from 2010. This was difficult as I couldn't narrow this down to just one I have a couple so here they are!

• I love this first card because it has my two favorite colors (Aqua Mist & Lemon Tart) AND my single most favorite flower (Friends Til The End) from PTI!!! When I got this set, all I did was cut these flowers out and color, color, color. Hey PTI how about a die for this one?? :)
  
• When Everyday Button Bits was released and I saw that bicycle, I knew those wheels just had to be flowers! A good friend my age, who was diagnosed with cancer, received this card because she owned a bicylce that had flower patterns in the tires. Can you imagine?
• I think I secretly want a VB Bug, because this little Car and Die form Enjoy the Ride got lots of mileage at my house! (Again with the Aqua Mist *wink*)

• I wish I had a picture of the litte girls dress at church that inspired this beauty. The dress was white with the chocoalte brown patter and then a pink shrug and ribbon at the waist! Ohhhh it was divine. Here I also tried my hand and the popular layerd paper flowers.

• Last but not least.... I cased this card idea from a fellow PTI'er who layere the text and polka dot backgrounds. It turned out so good! I also love, love, love the Sweet Treats II and that wicth. I wish you could see this one in real life as I used the Martha glue pad and her amazing glitter.

Well that's my PTI year in review favs. I hope you join the festivities....but don't leave too many comments 'cause that will reduce my chances of winning. ;)

Happy Birthday....Barnyard Style

I'm two for two this week, which is not too bad when one is trying to get back into the crafty swing of things. I chose to participate in CPS Challenge Skecth 201.

My PTI order came early this week and I couldn't wait to play with the new Big Birthday Wishes stamp set and By the Number dies! Let me say they are AMAZING! I paired the new stamp set with another of my loves, which is Musical Backgrounds from Waltzing Mouse. It's all tied together with simply adorable paper from Doodlebug Designs Barnyard collection.

I don't usually show the inside of a card, but I couldn't resist here. I am in love with this #2. I think the font is simply divine. That's all for today. Have a great weekend!!

My cup runneth over...

I have so much to be thankful for and this sentiment really hits home, my cup runneth over.....

I made this card for a dear family friend who always opens her home to us whenever we go to Colorado Springs. I took my inspiration from Card Patterns Sketch 98.

I decided to bust out some paper that I had never cut into, use a stamp set that has really never been used and add that lace that I bought some time ago. I will say that if you don't want to lug out a sewing machine, lace can be intimidating. Here I hand stitched pleats every inch so it would lay more flat. Then I adhered to the back of the cardstock strip with Score Tape.

See that little tea bag tag? that's a stamp from Tea for Two additions, PTI of course, that I stamped along with a sentiment in side the tag and hand cut. I then used some plain ol' thread and adhesive to adhere to the tag and the tea cup. This week i'm challenging myself to use up some supplies, especially those that have never been touched, so stayed tuned for more creations!

Getting back into the swing of things

First off I want to send a big THANK YOU to all who commented on Reanne's card. She was over the moon excited about all the wonderful comments you left. You really boosted her crafting ego. Now she asks everyday if she got more comments! LOL! All the decorations are down, we're back into a routine and my house is somewhat back to normal, what ever normal is. So I decided to try and get back into the crafty swing of things. It seems that the holiday's are so full of crafting that you don't realize the break you take after. As I try to reclaim my mojo I went to CPS for inspiration and decided to participate in the challenge #200.

The first card I whipped up I am super proud of. Why you say, cause it ain't nothin' special. Well.... I finally inked up my Just the Ticket stamp set and busted out the matching die! I've had this set for months! And oh yeah.... I used some supplies from the massive stash! Again the card isn't super elaborate, but I love the color combination and the giant bird. This would be perfect for a kids birthday or supper funny for an adult birthday.

Next up is a thank you card. I'm not so thrilled about this one as I really wanted the three flowers to show, but then realized the images were too big and had to chop it off. What i do love is that this sketch is super quick and easy. You can make it all fussy if you want, but you don't have to!

It's almost time......

for Santa to come! Yipee! Oh how I love Christmas. I've been busy making goodies, cards, shipping out packages, etc. and have negletec the blog-o-ronie. So I have a fascination lately with felt. I decided to pick up some at Joann and try my hand at hand made felt flowers.

I used my Delightful Dahlia PTI dies to create the petals and a button from my stash. For my first flower I think this turned out really good! I think the ladies in my family will be getting some of these for the holidays!

Today I'm also sharing one of the Christmas cards I sent out this year. I think it is just stunning! The Through the Tress set form PTI reminds me of the winter aspens of Colorado with a lone cardinal. Thanks for stopping by!

Orange Winter Wishes

This weeks Whimsie Wednesday challenge is a Sketch by my dear friend Alicia, aka CraftyAl. I thought I would combine this sketch with the OTWC color challenge.

I really pushed the envelope on this one by creating a winter/holiday cardin halloween colors. Well maybe not so much a strecth...... these colors also happen to be the school colors where my hubby went, and my son wants to go to, high school.

I just adore this little cheerleader image. Notice the sparklie orange & black paper? LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! I picked it up at Joann on sale a few weeks ago. Tip: you can color your own gems with your Copic markers! I didn't have any black gems, but a little coloring and voila!

Supplies Paper: PTI (Orange Zest); Neenah (White); Core Couture (Catwalk, Black Tie) Stamps: Whimsie Doodles (Snowgirl); PTI (Polkadot Basics II) Ink: CTMH (White Daisy), Copic Other: Gems

Birthday/Anniversary Calendar

I am trying to get a head start on Christmas gifts this year. I decided to make, for a family member that shall remain unnamed, a Birthday/Anniversary binder. It has a page for each month that allows you to write in birthdays and anniversary's for each day of the month. The pages have a pocket that can hold cards for those special days. Here's a close up of the covered. The colors aren't true to life here, but to capture the text I had to modify slightlly in Photoshop. The cupcake to me was the perfect image....you can't celebrate a birthday or anniversary without cake! My color scheme is mainly PTI Lemon Tart, with the text accent in PTI Summer Sunrise. Lastly a close up of the spine. I really like how this turned out! Now I have to get to making cards to fill the inside!!!

Supplies

Stamps: PTI (Calendar Basics, Cupcake Collection, Wedding Day, Simple Alphabet)

Paper: PTI (Lemon Tart), Neenah (White)

Ink: Copic, PTI (Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise), Palette (Black)

Other: Spellbinders Labels 4, 3D Adhesive

Wreath for All Seasons

Ohhhh I love this stamp set! It's from the September PTI release and a must have set for any stamper. Here is a quick and easy birthday card I made for a good friend last week. I used the twig wreath in a medium brown ink paired with the small dots/berries in PTI Spring Rain. I also used the PTI Mat Stack 3 die - love this too! I finished off the card with a simple satin bow and some distressed ink around the edges.

Whimsie Wednesday Challenge 53

My good friend Alicia is the host of this weeks Whimsie Wednesday Challenge 53,so I decided to play along. I finally broke down and selected some images that i really loved! A set of adorable Christmas cupcakes ( of Whimsie calls them muffins, but I'm all about cupcakes) aka Muffin for Christmas.

I just loves these images!!!! I started with the Chirstmas tree and used my Copics, then added a touch of Glossy accents to the ribbon and bow, and topped off he star with some Stickels. The ATC base was stamped with PTI's Text Style and finised off with some old MM rub-ons. Now all I need to do is make a card base to put this beauty on!

HEC #11 - Trick or Treat

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted!!! Well I am in full swing Halloween here. This is for HEC's Challenge #11 Trick or Treat. I was lucky enough to get the Treat theme.

I have to say that I have fallen in love.... that is with Martha Stewart's Glitter! Oh be still my beating heart! I used her glue stamp pad here with some black glitter and am sooooo loving the results! I highly recommend this product.

Supplies:

Stamps: PTI (Polka Dot Basics, Text Style, Spooky Sweets II)

Cardstock: PTI (Orange Zest, Plum Pudding), DCWV (Green)

Other: MS (Black Glitter), Ribbon, 3D adhesive

Ahhhhhh Fall & HEC #10

So fall is my FAVORITE time of year. The crisp air, the need to wear jeans and sweatshirts, fall aroma's. I love it all. Over in the PTI forum I participated in a Halloween/Fall swap. While I equally love Halloween, I was much more inspired by fall.

I pulled out a couple supplies that I hadn't used is a loooooooooong time - Twinkling H2Os and a fall mix embossing powder. If you have never used Twinkling H2Os ooooh they are fabulouse. Here I used 3-4 different fall colors - yellow, red, green, orange, and a gold. I layered the colors to create a fall look and die cut the scalloped edges you see on the left side of the card, as well as the dicut and embossed leaves.

Hopefully you can see the shimmer on the leaves in this close up along with the shimmer to the fall color mixed embossing powder I used on the leaves on the card. There's lots of gold tones, including the gold embossed sentiment - thanks Ted and HEC for Challenge #10.

I hope you all enjoy your fall!

Mr. & Mrs..... and they live happily ever after

Hey there! What a busy week and it was a short work week! So this week I have been working on a wedding card for a wedding DH and I are going to this evening. The invitation was a pale cream, a bit of shimmer cream and a pale blue. I took inspiration from these colors and created this card.

So I know it's a bit of overkill with all these images, but I liked the natural lighting because it shows you the true colors adn the flash show you all the shimmery goodness of the cardstock!

I used my medium scallp border die from PTI to cut some blue and pewter cardstock. I used an embossing folder for the damask at the top of the card. Throw in a strip of stamped vellum and a couple of strips of ribbon and voila!

Inside I cut an ivory mat and stamped the sentiment. Then I die cut the frame, embossed and adhered with foam tape.

I love how it turned out and hopefully the happy couple will too!

The "Mom's" gathering

So last night my best group of girl friends, "the Mom's" as I call them, came over last night for some food and fun.... and oh yeah a little crafting of course! We had some much fun! Amy and I made a few cards; Amy more than me. Pam brough crafts, but was too overwhelmed to start and Kim.... well her craft was making us drinks! :) Here's Amy's Halloween card. She decorated the inside and out! The inside is on the left and the outside is on the right. I just love the gems she put at the bottom of the card on the inside!

I pulled out an oldie but goodie...Witchybella! I forgot how cute she is. I paired her with the Spiderweb Cuttlebug embossing folder and a sentiment from PTI's Spooky Sweets II.

Here's a close up on her dress detail. The shading came out sooo good!

Back 2 School

Since I can't volunteer at school during the day, I try to treat the teachers with crafted items to help make their day better. Every year at the end of school I would give the teacher a jar with their favorite snack. So it dawned on me, that I should give it at the beginning of the year and make sure it stays stocked throughout the year.

I found these jars at Dollar Tree for $2 and put in the teacher's favorite salty snack. I used a white gel pen to hand write teacher, the teacher last names and notes on each piece.

I found these cute containers at Target in the Dollar spot and they were 50% off! Love a good deal! Here I just wrapped cardstock and patterned paper around the middle, die cut a Nestie circle for the lid and some nestie stars for the tag, added an eyelet and tied to the container with PTI twine.

Lastly are some notepads and pens. I had some mini-legal pad cut in half vertically and then create a cute wrap around holder with a matching pen. It couldn't be a back to school post with out a picture of the kids!