Sunday, September 27, 2009

Adding just one more detail.....

Have you ever made a card and just wondered.....what if I just add one more detail?  Well this card was one of those times!! I had it all made and thought.....it is just missing something.  So, I simply added a punched Martha Stewart butterfly, some bling, and rounded the corner.  Making this a so so card to one I REALLY liked!!  See for yourself. 
For this card I broke out PTI's Life stamp set.  Stamped and stamped off some of the flower images in various shades of ink.  Then stamped some Background Basics:  Spots and Dots on the base card with Versamark.  I am telling you, PTI makes their background stamps SOO easy to line up time and time again.  You've just go to try it for yourself!  Added a border punch, sentiment, and button embellishment!                     
If you look close enough, the butterfly in the second photo is actually stamped with some of the Spots and Dots!

Thinking of You
Stamps:  Life (PTI), Everyday Classics (PTI)
Ink:  Ocean Tides (PTI), Kraft (PTI), Lemon Tart (PTI), Creamy Caramel (SU), Noir Palette, Versamark
Cardstock:  Ocean Tides (PTI), Kraft (PTI), Lemon Tart (PTI)
Misc:  Border Punch (EK Success), Misc. buttons, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, rhinestones, button twine, corner rounder punch (CM)

Friday, September 25, 2009

Guidelines X 2

Hello to you all!! I wanted to show 2 masculine cards I made recently. Boy I had fun stamping this background paper!! I hadn't pulled these sets out for a while and now am sorry I haven't sooner!! I LOVE these sets......the possibilities are endless. Here I paired the original Guidelines with Guidelines 2, changed up the main base colors, and whalaa.....2 different cards!



Now take a look at the other card but in brown as the base color. Wow, don't know which one I like the best!!
It's Your Day card
Stamps: Guidelines and Guidelines 2 (PTI), Star Prints (PTI)
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Vintage Cream, and Enchanted Evening (all PTI)
Cardstock: Enchanted Evening, Kraft, and Ripe Avocado (all PTI), Misc ivory
Misc: Ripe Avocado and Enchanged Evening buttons (PTI), Fiskars Upper Crest punch
Thank You card
Stamps: Guidelines and Guidelines 2 (PTI), Star Prints (PTI)
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Vintage Cream, and Enchanted Evening (all PTI)
Cardstock: Ripe Avocado, Enchanted Evening, and Kraft (all PTI), misc. ivory
Misc: Rustic Wood button (PTI), Fiskars Upper Crest punch

Thursday, September 24, 2009

No buttons???


Yep, here I've used my favorite new PTI stamp set.......Everyday Button Bits!! I needed to make a quick, easy card that was "mailable" and wanted to use this set again. So, instead of using buttons here on this card, I punched out 2-3/4" circles and 1-1" circle for the "tree tops". I love how this turned out! What about those yummy Dark Chocolate polka dots? This color is much darker than Burnt Umber and gives better coverage. Also used on this card was the new Vintage Labels stamp set......those double lines around the trees. This set coordinates wonderfully with the Spellbinders Labels I dies. But you don't have to use it with them.....just simply stamp them on your paper and whalaaa.....you have an instant cool border! This was my first try lining up the stamp with the die and I think it turned out pretty good.


Here is a close up of the trees. I popped the middle tree up as well as the embossed Label die. It's really hard with my less than wonderful photo taking skills to see but the smaller tree tops are stamped with Polka Dot Basics 2 in Ocean Tides ink. I think this ink is way too light and hope that this is one of the colors PTI chooses to reformulate soon. PTI has already chosen to reformulate some of their inks and from what I hear, the coverage is much better. However, this color does match and that is what the grass is stamped with as well.

PTI's Everyday Button Bits stamp set also includes 17 sentiments!!! I see myself using this set over and over again!! Everything you need in one stamp set!!

Tree card
Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI), Vintage Labels (PTI), Polka Dot Basics 2 (PTI)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI), Ocean Tides (PTI)
Cardstock: Kraft and Ocean Tides (PTI)
Misc: Ribbon (Michaels)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Buttons anyone??

I know buttons have become a HUGE thing to use in the papercrafting world lately. Well, Papertrey Ink came out with a stamp set that you can incorporate buttons into the image!! What a fantastic idea!! I made 2 cards using 2 different images from that set. Shall we start with #1? This first one uses the bicycle stamp from Everyday Button Bits and the buttons were simply stitched onto the carstock with DMC floss. But first the base had to be stamped with Polka Dot Basics 2!! Then I layered a strip of Bitty Dots pattern paper punched with the Upper Crest border punch by Fiskars. See that thin strip of Bitty Dots paper underneath the bicycle? You can't throw scraps of it away!! This actually came from when I punched my border....it was the leftover piece. The sentiment is also from this set and I love how my "oops" turned out. I originally had it all stamped but when stamping I moved so I just stamped "the ride" on a small piece of SpringMoss cardstock and adhered over my "oops." I also utilized my scor pal for some embossed lines under the Bitty Dots paper. Here's another view:








Ok, now onto #2!!! I just had so much fun making these cards.....I don't know which one turned out to be my favorite! This one uses the cherry leaf image and uses buttons for the cherries!

I started this time with my favorite cardstock of all time......kraft. Then layered some Bitty Dots paper onto Pure Poppy cardstock. Oh that color of red!!


Now, take a look at that ruffle of ribbon!! I just followed these easy steps that I found here on this blog. Using some saddle stitched ribbon and adhere using scor-tape. Love that detail!! Again the sentiment is from this set too stamped in Fresh Snow ink. This border punch, Fiskars Apron Lace, is fast becoming my favorite to date. Oh yeah, used my scor pal again to make some embossed lines. Here's a close up of the ruffled ribbon embellishment.

Well, let me know what you think!! Have a wonderful day!



Bicycle card

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI), Polka Dot Basics 2 (PTI)

Ink: Noir Palette, Versamark, Plum Pudding (PTI)

Cardstock: Plum Pudding (PTI), Spring Moss (PTI)

Pattern Paper: Bitty Dots (PTI)

Misc: Plum Pudding buttons (PTI), Scor-Pal, popdots, Grey SU marker, DMC floss



Cherry card

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits (PTI)

Ink: Noir Palette, Fresh Snow (PTI), Ripe Avocado (PTI)

Cardstock: Kraft, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado (all PTI)

Misc: saddle stitch ribbon (?Michaels), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars), Misc red buttons, Scor Tape, Rustic Jute Button twine (PTI)

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I finally found these.....

border punches!! I have been stalking Michael's for about a month now ever since I heard about them on a message board. Well, they are the Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page punches!! Literally, I'd looked everywhere and just couldn't find them. Well, this weekend we made our usual weekend trip to Walmart and what did I find? There they were in the the fall and Halloween candy aisle!! The sets of them!! These immediately went into my cart!!




I came right home and made this card using the Spider Web punch.....now I haven't experimented with the corner punch to actually punch around a whole page but I sure had fun with this Halloween card! This card uses Inkadinkadoo's Trick or Treat clear stamp set. When I saw it at Michael's a while back, I knew that's what I was using my coupon for! I had so much fun coloring the trick or treaters using my ancient SU markers but the colors actually matched very well to the PTI cardstock. I started with stamping a star cluster from an unknown stamp set from Target (threw the package away a while back) in Versamark Dazzle champagne color. Now IRL, this background is real shimmery. Then I punched my spider web border on black carstock after adhering the middle layered section. The trick or treat sentiment and swirly flourish to the right are also from that stamp set from Target.

What do you think of this? I love to read your comments!

Stamps: Trick or Treat (Inkadinkadoo), Unknown Halloween set from Target
Ink: Palette Noir, Versamark Dazzle champagne
Cardstock: New Leaf (PTI), Plum Pudding (PTI), True Black (PTI)
Misc: SU markers, Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page spider web punch

Sunday, September 6, 2009

On my Couch!!


Has anyone used this stamp set yet? Well, I am addicted to using it and you will be tired of it once I show you all that I've made with it!! You can literally "upholster" your couch with anything you want!! Here I stamped the couch stamp on some patterned paper by My Mind's Eye, cut it out, and then just matched up the paper with some cardstock from PTI. Also paired this set with the newest Polka Dot Basics II set. Love these polka dots because they are much closer together than the original set. However, you can't have one polka dot set without the other, right? The background dots are heat embossed on kraft cardstock with clear embossing powder. The mini dot "wallpaper" is also from this new set.




Do you see another of my new purchases? It is my most favorite punch yet.......the Fiskars Apron Lace border punch!!! I finally broke down and bought it with my Archiver's coupon. HAD to have it!!! Check out that bow.....Isn't it the perfect bow?? It was the easiest thing to make using Nichole's post here. This bow paired with that Aqua Mist button was just the right touch!! Oh, I have to say that I am in LOVE with the matching products.....buttons, ribbon, ink, and cardstock!!!


Hope you all have a nice day!!

Stamps: On My Couch (PTI), On My Couch Additions (PTI), Polka Dot Basics II (PTI), Everyday Button Bits (PTI)
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye
Cardstock: Kraft, Lemon Tart, and Aqua Mist (all PTI)
Ink: Versamark, Charcoal Palette, Noir Palette
Other: Apron Lace punch (Fiskars), Aqua Mist button (PTI), Lemon Tart ribbon (PTI), clear embossing powder, heating gun, rustic jute button twine (PTI)

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Coach's cards


Ok, we finally had our summer baseball party and guess what? It happened to be the same day and time that Brett's 1st Fall baseball game was!!! Well, he played his game and we rushed over there because it was a swimming party. He received his trophy, borrowed a swim suit, and had a great time. Tim and I collected $ from all the parents of the players and purchased gift cards to thank them for all their time, patience, and energy that they gave to our kids. You have to admit these people do have the patience. I don't think that I could ever be a coach!! The practices, fund-raisers, parents.....the list goes on. Anyway, Brett is absolutely loving baseball this year. He actually prefers to watch SportsCenter on TV than anything lately!! Go Royals!!



I made these cards for each of the players to sign for the 2 coaches we had. In the stamp lineup were several sets on this card including: Star Prints (PTI), Let Freedom Ring (PTI), and Grand Slam (TAC--an oldie but goodie). I LOVE how this came together. I had someone comment on how the color "grey" was making a comeback.....now for this card I didn't choose grey but rather these were The Sharks baseball team colors!! Don't you just love the font for this card? This is the font for all the words included in this set!! I created a small bit of my own patterned paper for where the stars are placed. Well, I hope you enjoyed this card......I have a VERY hard time making masculine cards but this one I like!!


Stamps: Star Prints (PTI), Let Freedom Ring (PTI), and Grand Slam (TAC)
Ink: Noir Palette, Charcoal Palette, Fresh Snow (PTI)
Cardstock: Going Gray (SU) and misc. white/black from my stash
Other: Pop dots and EK Success border punch (my favorite one)