Papertrey Blog Hop {Special Edition}

Tonight I'm participating in a special blog hop to show appreciation for one of the most amazing women in the papercrafting industry.  Nichole Heady.  Here's a big THANK YOU to Nichole not only for all the endless inspiration you've giving me and countless others, but also for the simply amazing products that your company (Papertrey Ink) has to offer.  You and your products have truly made this hobby more enjoyable for me!  I just love everything PTI!!  Congratulations on your much-deserved success!! 

This card uses PTI white and simply chartreuse cardstock.  I stamped the "Grateful" sentiment (from the Signature Greetings stamp set) several times in multiple colors.  I finished this simple card off with a bit of ribbon, a button tied with twine (Enchanted Evening) and a bit of bling. 

Nichole, I hope you are enjoying the many thank you notes from your loving customers and friends.  Let this be a reminder that you are doing a FABULOUS job and there are many of us who admire what you do each and every month!!  Keep up the great work!!!  And THANK YOU!!!!!

Lauren

A Muse Lounge Monthly Challenge - August

The theme for this month's challenge is Stick to the Pattern.  So, we need to create a project with either a stamped pattern or patterned paper.  Here are my takes on this challenge.  I should mention that all stamps and patterned paper are by A Muse. 

This first one shows a pattern I created with Leaf Frond II stamp and gingham paper.  Nice and simple.  Just how I like it.  I just love the lime green and orange color combo.  I just so happened to have the perfect coordinating ribbon and button on hand.  Don'tcha love it when that happens?

For the second one, I stamped a Christmas tree background in unconventional colors just for fun.   I scalloped the bottom edge with a Martha Stewart punch and adhered colored cardstock behind the scallops.  I topped the center trees with a bit of bling and tied it up with a bit of ribbon.  The sentiment is one of my favorite new A Muse stamps!!

This last one is uber-simple with some gingham punched squares and nice, simple sentiment.  Doesn't get any easier than this, but I like how it turned out.  I just can't get enough of this petite gingham patterned paper...it's the best!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and as always your comments are very much appreciated!!

Lauren

Papertrey Chicks Challenge

This week was my turn to host the weekly Papertrey Chicks Challenge.  With today being the first day of school, time seemed to pass me by very quickly.  So I cheated a bit and decided to use a Clean&Simple card sketch.  It's FTL67.   It's a clean and classic design that can be interpreted any number of ways.

Being in a time crunch, I kept pretty close to the original sketch design.

I used Orange Zest and Spring Moss as my color palette.

All Supplies Papertrey unless otherwise stated:

Stamps:  Polka Dot Basics II, Text Style II, Signature Greetings

Ink: Memento

Patterned Paper:  Bitty Dot Basics

Dies: Beautiful Blooms II #1

Felt, Ribbon, Rhinestones: Hobby Lobby

Button: Dark Chocolate

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your week!!

Lauren

You're My Anchor

Wow, has it really been over 3 weeks since my last post?  Time flies and I've been very busy lately with the boys' birthdays and travelling to my step-sister's wedding.  But I found a little time today to play with my "toys".  Today's post is of a card I made using my new Waltzingmouse stamps (I just found this company and LOVING it!) and Out to Sea by PTI. 

For the "rope" border, I used Waltzingmouse's Vintage Labels No. 3 stamp set , which matches the Nesties Labels 3 and stamped in Colorbox Creamy Brown chalk ink.  The anchor, sentiment and stars are all from Out to Sea by PTI.  (PTI Scarlet Jewel, Enchanted Evening and Versamark inks.)

I wrapped a little PTI Rustic Cream twine around the kraft card front and adhered my frame over it (Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 3 cut from PTI Scarlet Jewel cardstock).  Then I added a little PTI Enchanted Evening saddle stitch ribbon and adhered my focal point label over it with foam dimensionals.

I then added a few stars stamped in Versamark to the bottom left corner since it just looked too blah without a little something more. 

My goal was a clean masculine card and I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out.  I'm loving these Nestie-friendly stamps by Waltzingmouse!!  What a great idea, especially for someone like me who has almost all of the Nestie Labels!!

Thanks for stopping by and, as always, your comments are very much appreciated!!

Lauren

MFT Guest Designer Contest-June

This month's MFT Guest Designer Contest's theme is "Some Like It Hot" and we can take that in any direction we want to.

I created 2 cards for this contest.  The first is this one...

Since this is the type of card I'd only give to my hubby, I made it more masculine. The fireplace scene is from an older MFT Christmas set Home for the Holidays and the sentiment is from MFT Who's That Grillin' Guy?

I used Spellbinders dies to cut out the front panel and frame, and adhered it with pop dots to add dimension. The woodgrain stamp and impression plate are from PTI.

  I colored the scene with Prisma pencils and added a little twine and button to finish it off. 


Here is the second card I made for this contest.  This sassy little lady is laying down the law in her kitchen, the "hottest" room in the house. ;) 

 

Isn't this sentiment just great?!  How many times have I wanted to say these very words myself? ;)  The main image is from MFT Lovin' from the Oven and the sentiment is from MFT Twisted Threesome.  This sentiment set is filled with tongue-in-cheek sassy sayings like this one...just LOVE it!!

 I paper pieced the main image and adhered her to a Spellbinders die cut with pop dots.  All patterned papers are by October Afternoon. 

I added a little crocheted lace and some die cut kitchen utensils to add a couple of finishing touches. The sentiment label is adhered with antiqued brass brads.  Thought that added a little something to the vintage feel of this card. 



This was a fun contest!  Thanks for looking, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated!!

Lauren

OLW6: Overlapping

This week's One Layer Wednesday Challenge is Overlapping.  Here's my take on the challenge...

I made this square card with A Muse's Marigold stamp using Papertrey Ink's Hawaiian Shores ink.  The sentiment is also Papertrey- Signature Greetings.  I used a square Nestability as a template for the black outline.  And then, because I couldn't help myself, I popped a matching rhinestone in the center of the flower. 

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated!!

Lauren

May Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Tonight is Papertrey Ink's monthly blog hop.  This month's theme: Felt. 

Easy enough, right?  Well, I must admit I struggled with this a bit.  Since my felt stash is just a couple of days old, I haven't had much time to play with it, so I decided on something that a felt novice could handle with relative ease.

The felt clouds are from a My Favorite Things die which includes 3 different sizes of clouds.  The felt scallop border is a die from Papertrey, the felt sun is a Spellbinders die.  The great thing about felt, which I've learned, is that steel dies cut through it beautifully.  If it's a stiff enough felt.  This felt came from Hobby Lobby and is quite stiff. 

 

The patterned paper is Papertrey Ink Bitty Dot Basics and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink Up Up and Away Sentiments stamp set.  The center of the sun is stamp with an image from Papertrey Ink Daily Designs in Memento Ink and then I added a button to finish it off.  The ribbon is something I had on hand, but I'm not sure who makes it.

Playing with felt and dies was fun and definitely something I plan to incorporate into more cards and projects that I make.

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated!!!

Lauren

A Muse Celebration Challenge

Well, I've been challenge-happy lately as you can see from my last several posts.  This week is A Muse's  9th Birthday Celebration and they issued a "Celebration Challenge" in honor of the occasion. 

Here's my card...

Isn't it a cutie??  All stamps are by A Muse.  I used Party Chick, Happy Bird-day and Fancy Borders.  The paper is by PTI and the inks are Memento and Versamagic.  I chose my colors based on the ribbon.  I thought that ribbon was so fun and cheery so I made a card that was inspired by it. 

I colored my little chick lightly with Prismas and added a fun little green rhinestone to the top of her party hat.  I just love her...A Muse has the cutest little stamps.  They are having a new release tomorrow called "Everything's Rosy" and the sneek peaks are BEAUTIFUL!!  Go check them out at amuseartstamps.com !!

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated!!!

Lauren

My Favorite Things Guest Designer Contest

Wow...2 posts in one night!!!  Whew!!

OK, so I'm starting to get a little bold.  I've submitted a card to My Favorite Things for their June Guest Designer spot.  Their challenge for us was to use either fabric or felt on a project.  Having no felt on hand and very little fabric, my options were limited.  But did that stop me?  Nu-uh.  Here's my card...

I had a little bit of left over toile fabric from some cafe curtains I made several years back.  Now that fabric and felt are becoming very popular in cards and scrapbooking, I guess I need to do a little shopping.  ;)  I used a Papertrey scallop die to cut the fabrin in my Cuttlebug and glued them down with Scor-tape.  I used Spellbinders Petite Scallop Oval dies to create the focal point.  The sentiments are from a My Favorite Things set- Clearly Sentimental about Mothers.  The cardbase was embossed with a Papertrey Impression Plate.  The background of the focal point is a Hero Arts stamp, while the flourish brackets are Papertrey Ink. 

As it happens many times, I think this card is much prettier in person than online, but I still like the way it turned out. 

Thanks for stopping by!!! And wish me luck....  ;)

Lauren 

More Unity Challenges!!

As a part of Unity's Anniversary celebration (seems like lots of companies are having their anniversaries this time of year), they issued several challenges.  I've already posted my take on one of those challenges, but today I'll show you my take on a few more....

First up is their challenge for us to use a tree or bird image....this was a "no brainer" for me.  I love trees.  A lot.  I think I own every tree image available in a stamp right now.  No kidding.  I really dig trees.  So I had no shortage of options.  Here is what I came up with.

The tree and little bird images are from Giggle Grove, the background stamp is a Unity incentive stamp for being a member of their kit of the month, and the sentiment is from one of those monthly kits (not sure which one).  The patterned paper is by Basic Grey. 

Unity's next challenge was for us to creat a project using a stamp from our first Unity purchase.  Along with trees, I'm obsessed with houses.  I think I also own just about every house stamp on the market today.  So, it should come as no surprise when I tell you my first Unity order included the tree set used in the previous challenge and a sweet little set of houses a called Pixie Lane.  Here is my card using Pixie Lane.

I used My Mind's Eye paper to piece the house and a Spellbinders die to cut the center out of the top layer of cardstock.  The sentiment is also from Unity, a set called Hodge Podge of Happiness and it's one of my favorite Unity sets.  The cardstock is Papertrey as well as the button. 

The fourth challenge issued by Unity was this sketch:

Here's my take on it...

I used My Mind's Eye patterned paper and DCWV stitch rub-ons for the strips on the bottom.  The pocket, flowers, and sentiment stamps are from a Unity Kit of the Month...sorry, don't know exactly which month. I embossed the posies with white embossing powder to help them stand out.  I then added some bling to the flower centers and the pocket.  The twill tape is Martha Stewart. 

I have had so much fun participating in Unity's Anniversary challenges.  Thanks for stopping by, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated. 

Lauren

Unity Anniversary Challenge #1

This week is Unity's 2nd Anniversary and they have lots of fun stuff planned.  Today they issued a challenge using this sketch:

You have to use ribbon and at least 3 buttons on your card, along with Unity stamps. 

Here's what I came up with.  I've had this daisy set for a while and had never inked it up.  But they were the first thing I thought of when I saw this sketch. 

The stamps are all Unity...Crazy for Daisies and the March Kit of the Month.  The patterned paper is by K & Company, the cardstock is by Papetrey Ink.  The green ribbon and the buttons were just pulled from my stash.  I also used Memento Rich Cocoa ink and Spellbinders dies. 

Thanks for stopping by, and as always, your comments are very much appreciated.

Lauren

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge: Tissue Paper

When I read that this month's challenge was tissue paper, the first idea that came to my mind was to "upholster" the couch and chair from On My Couch.  So that's what I did. 

I added various decorative accents from On My Couch, On My Couch Additions and Chair-ished.   The paper is Green Tea Leaves and Rustic White cardstock, all by Papetrey. 

The couch, chair, rug, and pillows are all made from tissue paper applied to cardstock using Modge Podge.  I also added another layer of Modge Podge over the tissue paper to give the furniture a "leather" look.  Kinda fun how that works.  The couch and chair are cut from matching dies. 

I was lucky enough to have colored tissue paper in my gift wrap stash that matched the colors in the patterned paper.  The sentiment is stamped on a Spellbinders die label.  I also have a gold gel pen that I used to accent the picture frame and lamp to add a little more detail.  The "wood floor" is stamped on Cosmo Cricket woodgrain patterned paper.  You can see the detail much better in person.  The floor stamp is from Papertrey's Chair-ished set. 

Finally, I scored a strip of cardstock and adhered to the top of the card to make it look like crown molding.  I also should have added a small strip as a baseboard, but I didn't think of it until the card was assembled. Oh well. 

Hope you enjoyed looking!!!  Thanks for stopping by and, as always, your comments are very much appreciated! 

Lauren

Another Mother's Day Card

I am blessed to have many "mama's" in my life, which means this time each year I'm a busy little bee making special cards for each of these special ladies.  My great-grandmother is even still living...which means my family has 5 generations.  That has made for a priceless photograph. 

Anyway, here is another Mother's Day card I made today with a new Hero Arts cling stamp set I recently bought.  The background is stamped randomly with stamps from the set, while the center flower is colored with Prismas and cut out.  I layered the flower over a Papertrey Ink die and matching frame stamp.  The center flower is also adhered with pop dots to give it more dimension, but it's hard to tell in the photos.  I used a marker to color the center dots of some of the background flowers to add a little more detail. 

Of course I can't tell you who's getting what card, but check back as I will be likely be posting a couple more Mother's Day cards before I start moving into my Father's Day list.

Thanks for looking, and as always, I appreciate your comments.  Enjoy your day!!

Lauren

Papertrey Chicks: First Challenge

The Papertrey Chicks has issued it's first challenge: Argyle, Hibiscus Burst, Spring Rain and Smokey Shadow.  Since I don't have Hibiscus Burst or Spring Rain ink (yet), I had to improvise with some Memento colors (Rosebud and Summer Sky.)

  

The argyle pattern was made from Papertrey's new argyle background stamp set.  It's an amazing set that lets you create your own argyle pattern in three different sizes.  The leaf stamp and sentiment are from Papertrey's Blooming Button Bits set.  The center die cut shape is Nestabilities, and is cut out of Papertrey's Rustic White cardstock.  Since this is a 4x6 card, I had to cut down a piece of 12x12 cardstock.  The card base is Bazzill, as is the ribbon.  I added a couple of buttons from my stash tied with twine to complete the card. 

Thanks for looking and all of your comments are very much appreciated!!  Your thoughtful words truly make my day!!!

Lauren

Personal Challenge #4: One woman's trash...

I'm a paper snob.  I buy the good stuff.  Now don't get me wrong,  I certainly have more than my share of cheap paper packs that I do use.  But there's something about those boutique-y companies that draws me in.  So, with that comes a fabulous stash of scraps.  I just don't have the heart to throw them out, so they collect and collect and collect.

Today I made 2 cards made solely from scraps.  I didn't cut into a single sheet of fresh paper. 

This first one was made from Papertrey Spring Moss cardstock and My Mind's Eye patterned paper.

 

The focal point background (the reverse polka dots) is stamped with a Saavy Stamp in Colorbox Creamy Brown onto Spring Moss cardstock and adhered with pop dots. This ink is a perfect match to kraft cardstock. The cupcake is punched with a Martha Stewart punch.  I added a little glitter glue to the "frosting" on the cupcake to make it sparkle a bit.

All the edges are also inked with Creamy Brown. Not sure who makes the ribbon. The sentiment is a My Favorite Things stamp, stamped on Spellbinders label.

The second card was made from Papertrey Ink Rustic Cream cardstock.  Does anyone still have the plastic box of pre-punched squares that you could buy at the craft stores?  They come in a variety of colors and are about 1.5 inches big.  Well, that's what these squares are.  I was going through a drawer yesterday and came across the container of squares and thought 'what the heck am I going to use this for?'  I bought them before I realized the value of a square punch and haven't touched them since getting the punch.  But today I used them as the mat for the punched umbrellas. 

The umbrellas are punched from scraps with a Martha Stewart punch.  The sentiment is by A Muse.  The twine and button are Papertrey.  I think the ribbon is American Crafts. 

 It feels good making a few things from what was otherwise garbage.  Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!!

Lauren

Birthday Wishes

This card is a perfect example of the other side of my personality.  As you can tell from my blog so far, I really like the clean & simple look of lots of white space.  The flip side of that is my love of a shabby-chic feel.  I also call it "vintage country".  Not too frilly and frou frou, but just enough girliness to make me forget that I live in a house full of boys.  Big and small.  Well, at least until I hear the yells of the WWF Smackdown going on in our living room.  Usually my 10-month-old prevails.  He shows no mercy.  But I digress. 

When I saw that the tabs from the Papertrey scrapbook stamp set fit perfectly in the humps of their large scallop die, I couldn't wait to make a card.  This really does expand the versatility of this stamp set, which was impossible to resist to begin with.  Overall, this card is still fairly simple, but it has a few more details than my typical project. 

The card base is Papertrey Rustic Cream cardstock.  (Have I mentioned how much I love this paper?) All the stamps and buttons are also Papertrey Ink. (Have I mentioned how much I love this company?)  The patterned paper is by My Mind's Eye. (Love them too!) The yellowish green solid paper is the reverse side of the floral print.  The inks are Memento Rich Cocoa, Versamark and Papertrey Vintage Chai and Chamomile.  I added a little crocheted lace to finish off the vintage feel of this card.  I really liked how the design from this tab stamp matched the loop at the top of the frame stamp.  The frame die and scallop border die are also by Papertrey.

I know exactly who will be getting this card. ;)  Thanks for looking and enjoy your day!! I need to go rescue my almost 4-year-old from the death grip his little brother has on him.  Ah, the joys of boys... ;)

Lauren