PTI MIM #348: Lotsa Letters

This week's Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday is hosted by the very talented Michelle Leone with her vibrant "Fiesta" card using a fun rainbow of letters. 

Decided to try my hand at this technique and will definitely keep it in mind for future cards. Rather than use a rainbow of letters, I ink blended the bottoms of mine for an ombré effect. Here's my entry for this week's challenge. 

Thank you for stopping by, and I really do appreciate your comments!

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted):

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, True Black and Bitty Dots

Ink: Tropical Teal, Hibiscus Burst and  VersaMark

Stamps: Painted Petals

Dies: Block Alphabet Lower Case and Shape Shifters: Oval 3

Other: Ink Blending Tool, Black Watercolor, Paintbrush, White Nuvo Drops, White Embossing Powder and Foam Tape

PTI MIM #210: Using Vellum to Soften Patterns

Lizzie showed us here how to use vellum to soften those bright patterns from patterned paper or ones we've stamped ourselves. Heidi Swapp Pink Color Shine was staring me in the face asking to be put to use so I sprayed some Stamper's Select White card stock and let it dry. Using Royal Velvet ink, I randomly stamped two images from Reasons to Smile to be covered by vellum. Here's a closeup view:

My next layer is a Tipped Tops Die cut from vellum and adhered underneath the butterfly from Beautiful Butterflies. For cohesiveness to my theme of smiling, I die cut the word "Smile" from SU Elegant Eggplant using Block Alphabet dies and adhered the vellum behind the letters. Here you can see the card in full view. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Vellum and SU Elegant Eggplant

Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Royal Velvet and Heidi Swapp Pink Color Shine

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies and Reasons to Smile

Dies: Block Alphabet, Tipped Tops and Beautiful Butterflies Layers

Other: SU Elegant Eggplant Marker, Glue Dots, Sponge and Foam Tape

PTI MIM #198: Three-Panel Cards

It's not unusual for me to be posting my Make It Monday card at the last minute, but it's not very often I enter two challenges in one day (the other being Papertrey's January Blog Hop). Ashley shared her talents with us in a great video explaining how to create three-panel cards from half a sheet of 8-1/2"x11" card stock. Some of you know I've been struggling with a card design for our dear friend's grandson who achieved the level of Eagle Scout. We will be attending his Court of Honor this Saturday so I needed a special card for him, and this challenge fit the bill. Here's the front of my three-panel card:

The white with blue stars background paper I printed from my computer because I sold all my SU inks and don't own any blue ink…yet. Block alphabet dies were used to personalize this for Drake. This top portion was die cut using Edgers #3. The red stripes were stamped using Background Basics: Super Stripes after using my computer to print the words "Eagle Scout" on the white card base. A blue star from Fancy Flakes Dies was adhered to cover up a bit of red that bled onto my white stripe. (I know I should have kept that a secret.) 

(and here's the inside)

"Dreams Believed and Dreams Achieved" from For The Graduate were heat embossed using white embossing powder. It closes with velcro (that's the circle you see above the word "dreams"), but it's so strong I'm not sure I like that. The "Congratulations You Did It!" middle section is a perfect place to write a personal message. A pocket attached to the bottom section will hold a gift card, cash or personal check. This was adhered with Scor-Tape. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, SU Real Red & SU Night of Navy

Ink: Pure Poppy & VersaMark

Stamps: Background Basics: Super Stripes, Boutique Borders: Congrats, and For The Graduate

Dies: Block Alphabet, Edger Dies #3 and Fancy Flakes (star only)

Other: Printer (white w/blue star paper) and Eagle Scout (on front of card), White Embossing Powder, Velcro Circles (stash) and Scor-Tape

PTI MIM #197: Homemade Foam Stickers

OMG, it was such an exciting day in the Seattle area that I almost didn't get a card made for Laurie's challenge for this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday. (It's been a busy week.) She showed us how to make our own homemade stickers from foam. That's just what I did on this card for dear friends of ours who invited us to their home to watch last week's Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers and today's overtime "come-from-behind" win against the Green Bay Packers for the NFC Championship. Now we have Super Bowl XLIX fever in the Pacific Northwest…anxiously waiting for February 1! If you don't like football I know you could care less, but it was very exciting to say the least.

GO HAWKS!

Using Kraft ink and the football in Have A Ball, I stamped some full strength and some stamped off to get a lighter color. Inked the edges of the white card base also using Kraft ink. Two strips of colored paper under the striped paper show off my green foam stickers die cut using Block Alphabet. Three green sequins added a nice finishing touch (I think). 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Kraft and SU Not Quite Navy (I think)

Ink: Kraft

Stamps: Have A Ball

Dies: Block Alphabet

Other: SU Pattern Pack (solid & striped blue), Green fun foam and sequins (Joann's)

PTI MIM #188: Stamping Ombre Backgrounds

Well, today is Wednesday, and I've not only watched Laura's fabulous video here for this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday challenge, but I've also created a card with an ombre background. My ink color choices are very limited because I recently sold all my SU inks and haven't yet added to my supply of PTI inks. I will definitely try this challenge again when I have more ink options. Since I need to pop a wedding card in the mail tomorrow, I ran to my stamp room before we lose power again. Lost it twice yesterday and wind gusts are still unstoppable here. Better hurry ~ here's my card.

My ombre background was created with a Stamper's Select White die cut from Tipped Tops dies and stamping repeatedly (overlapping somewhat) the striped flag banner from Sketched Shapes. Ink colors were stamped in this order (bottom to top): Simply Chartreuse, New Leaf, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, and repeated Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Simply Chartreuse and New Leaf. Using Sweet Blush card stock, I die cut again from Tipped Tops and foam mounted that on my Soft Stone card base as a frame for the ombre background. "Love" from Wet Paint Dies from Berry Sorbet card stock was cut three times and glued together for added dimension. 

In the above photo, you can get a better look at the Vellum hearts and initials of the bride & groom that I popped up with foam tape and added glitter glue to make them sparkle. The Block Alphabet dies even include the Ampersand so I lucked out. Three lime satin sequins finished it off. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Soft Stone, Sweet Blush, Stamper's Select White, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet and Vellum

Ink: Simply Chartreuse, New Leaf, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores

Stamps: Sketched Shapes

Dies: Tipped Tops, Wet Paint and Block Alphabet

Other: Foam tape, SU Heart Punch, Lime Satin Sequins (stash), Foam Tape and Glitter Glue

PTI MIM #151: Drop Shadow Die Cuts

Betsy Veldman showed us how to double cut our dies and offset the layers to create some depth for PTI's Make It Monday here.

Since I needed another teen birthday card for another young man, I chose the "happy" die from Pretty Peonies, the numbers from By The Numbers dies and the "th" using Block Alphabet dies. My card base of SU's basic gray was stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and PTI's Polka Dot Basics II and corners rounded. A Basic Black layer was then covered with Soft Stone embossed with the Woodgrain Impression Plate. For "Happy" and "th" I used the same two colors but alternated them: Aqua Mist and Ocean Tides and stamped the design on the bottom layers using Ocean Tides ink. The "13" was die cut using SU Bravo Burgundy and Soft Stone with a design from Half & Half stamped in Bravo Burgundy on the bottom layer and popped up using SU dimensionals. For the finishing touch I punched three small stars from Basic Black and added Glossy Accents to make them shine.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Soft Stone, Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, White, Black, SU Basic Gray & SU Bravo Burgundy

Ink: Ocean Tides, Memento Tuxedo Black and SU Bravo Burgundy

Stamps: Pretty Peonies and Half & Half

Dies: By The Numbers, Block Alphabet and Pretty Peonies

Other: Corner Rounder, small star punch, Glossy Accents and SU dimensionals

Holiday Cards Tied Up With String (Take #2)

Here's another card for PTI's December 2013 Blog Hop, which was all about tying up projects using string in different ways.

This card uses a white card base with a second layer dry embossed using a Sizzix snowflake embossing folder, cut two pieces & inked the edges, leaving room for my "Merry Christmas" sentiment in black from PTI's Communique Curves stamp set. My Kraft tag was die cut with one of the Half & Half dies, which I shortened to fit at an angle. Using SU's Real Red ink, I stamped the plaid design from PTI's Half & Half stamps on white cardstock, die cut "ho" twice using Block Alphabet dies and rounded the corners. Also die cut the same "ho" from SU Real Red cardstock and adhered all three pieces to my tag. Finished it off by punching a small hole in the top of the tag and tying a piece of black & white Twinery Twine.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: White, Kraft and SU Real Red

Ink: SU Real Red and Momento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Communique Curves and Half & Half

Dies: Half & Half and Block Alphabet

Other: (non-PTI) Corner Chomper, Sizzix snowflake embossing folder & Twinery Twine

'Tis The Season To Be Jolly ~ Make It Monday #139

Since I need to get started on some Christmas cards, I decided to try Dawn's technique again using border stamps to create a frame. To view Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #139 video showcasing Stamped Square Frames, click here.

Starting with a white card base, I then stamped Boutique Borders: Birthday four times using Simply Chartreuse ink on a smaller piece of white cardstock and adhered it to a piece of Simply Chartreuse which I popped up on dimensionals. The red sequins are placed at the four corners where the borders intersect. Hopefully, I balanced my card by adding a bow of red/white twine just above my stamped sentiment, 'tis the season to be jolly.

Each "ho ho ho" was die cut twice using white cardstock and stamping one of the Half and Half patterns using SU Real Red ink. Each letter was backed by another die-cut in SU Real Red cardstock. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: White, Simply Chartreuse and SU Real Red

Ink: Simply Chartreuse and SU Real Red

Stamps: Boutique Borders: Birthday, Communique Curves and Half & Half

Dies: Block Alphabet

Other: Twinery Twine, sequins (Michaels) and SU Dimensionals

PTI July 2013 Blog Hop (Card #3)

Just had to try another one of Nichole's Fruits of Summer Color Inspiration for July's Blog Hop. I had to substitute because I don't have all of PTI's inks and cardstock…yet.

Summer brings lots of social events so I'm due to send some more thank-you notes. Hence, this card came to life. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: SU Pink Passion, SU Regal Rose & SU Green Galore

Stamps: Background Basics: Super Stripes

Dies: Block Alphabet

Other: Felt, sequins & SU Pink Passion & Green Galore markers, SU color spritzer tool, corner rounder punch

PTI July 2013 Blog Hop (Card #2)

My second attempt is based on another of Nichole's Fruits of Summer Color Inspiration for July's Blog Hop.

This one is a fun birthday card that I'm also entering in the Birthday Card Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Rustic Cream, SU Baroque Burgundy, SU Real Red, SU Summer Sun, Aqua Mist & New Leaf

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Wonderful Words: Hello & Pretty Peonies

Dies: Block Alphabet

Other: Star Punch

PTI Make It Monday #120: Overlapping Ombre

Yes, I need to make a new resolution. It's past my bedtime and here I am trying to create a card for Make It Monday where Nichole Heady shares a tutorial and challenges us to use overlapping ombre. Since I needed a baby girl card congratulating my DH's nephew & wife on the birth of Sophie last Tuesday, I decided to incorporate the ombre theme on my onesie card. I started by inking the first third using SU Pretty in Pink, second third in SU Regal Rose, and the final third in SU Red Rose to get the ombre effect. My sentiment from Signature Greetings was selectively inked to omit the word "bundle" so I could include "Sophie" using Block Alphabet dies.  Before I die-cut them, I ran my Stamper's Select white cardstock through the Big Shot using Sizzix Swiss Dots embossing folder. Lesson learned once again: die-cut the letters first and then dry emboss. However, I was afraid the letters were too delicate to emboss once I die cut them.

To create my onesie, I started with a 4-1/4" x 11" piece of PTI Stamper's Select White cardstock and folded it in half. Then I used a 1-3/8" punch to cut half a circle for the neckline and again for the leg openings. For the sleeves, I cut in about an inch and then at an angle to the leg opening. These were edged with scalloped circles cut in pieces. To finish off the sleeves, I used a scallop border punch. In lieu of buttons, I added a small, white pearl to the center of each black sequin. For the finishing touch, I sponged the white edges with black ink. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: SU Pretty in Pink, SU Regal Rose, SU Rose Red and Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Signature Greetings

Dies: Block Alphabet

Other: Sponges, SU 1-3/8" punch, SU Scallop Circle Punch, SU Scallop Border Punch, black sequins (Neat & Tangled) and SU pearls

PTI Make It Monday #119: Flagged Borders

You guessed it ~ it's Sunday night and here I am with another PTI Make It Monday which challenges us to create a project utilizing our take on the challenge. Thought I would kill two birds with one stone by designing a special graduation card incorporating a flagged border as demonstrated by our illustrious Dawn McVey. Of course, I had to use the school colors, which are navy and gold.

Also entering this in CAS-ual Friday's CFC104: Banners and Flags. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: SU Night of Navy and White

Ink: SU Night of Navy and VersaMark

Stamps: Mat Stack #1, For The Graduate, Tag Its #4, Heart-2-Heart #5, Background Basics: Super Stripes

Dies: Mat Stack #1, Limitless Layers 1-3/4" Circles, Block Alphabet

Other: Zing Metallic Gold Embossing Powder, gold sequins (Joann) and SU Dimensionals

PTI March 2013 Blog Hop: Sequins

Our challenge this month was to use sequins.

Yes, I really do know someone celebrating her 91st birthday this month. Started with a Rose Red card base, rounded one corner and added a strip of paper from LilyBee Designs. Added sequins that are very close in color to PTI's Hawaiian Shores. The "happy" die cut from Aqua Mist is stamped using Hawaiian Shores and backed with a second die cut from SU Going Gray to create a shadow. After die cutting the "91" from By The Numbers and "st" from the Block Alphabet Dies using SU Pretty in Pink cardstock, I ran them through my BigShot using a Sizzix Swiss Dots embossing folder and sponged some ink on them. I popped these up using SU's dimensionals. To finish it off with some added bling, I misted the card with Shimmer Sparkle.

Supplies (all PTI unless noted): 
Stamp Sets: Pretty Peonies
Dies: By The Numbers Dies and Block Alphabet Dies
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, SU Rose Red, SU Pretty in Pink and Lily Bee Designs Head Over Heels
Ink: Hawaiian Shores
Other: Sequins from JoAnn's, Sizzix Swiss Dots EF, Shimmer Sparkle & Sponge Daubers, Corner Rounder