PTI 9th Anniversary Day 10: Paper Crafting Alphabet

Ever heard of Paper Crafting Alphabet? Well, you have now as explained here by Nichole from Papertrey Ink. The challenge was to use anywhere from the first three to ALL of the letters in your first or last name. Write the letters in a single column on a piece of paper and use the chart on her blog as a reference for each letter. If you have a "double" letter, skip the duplicate letter and move onto the next letter in your name. Use your first or last name, depending on which one has a more interesting array of letters. If you want to keep things simple, use the first three letters of your name. If you want something more complex and challenging, use all of the letters in your name. Doesn't this sound like fun? Well, it was, and I will use this tool for years to come.

My letters worked out like this, and my card is below:

• K = Kraft Card Stock
• A = Add a border
• T = Tie on some twine
• H = Heat Emboss and image or sentiment
• Y = Incorporate a shade of yellow
• M = Mix together two stamp sets

The obvious is my Kraft card stock base. After heat embossing the stems from Botanical Silhouettes in white, I stamped the blooms using Summer Sunrise. Because it didn't show up too well, I restamped a couple times using my MISTI. Wanting them to shine, I also stamped in VersaMark and heat embossed those in clear. They actually appear more brown so my "incorporated yellow" is Harvest Gold for my add a border. To finish the card, I wrapped the front Kraft panel with white crochet thread/twine, attached a little "Thanks" and tied it off in a bow. The two stamp sets I used are: Botanical Silhouettes and Trendy Tree Tops. This wraps up 10 great days of challenges in honor of PTI's 9th Anniversary. What fun! Now I just hope I win one of the many gift certificates because my "want" list is very, very long and expensive. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Kraft and Harvest Gold

Ink: VersaMark and Summer Sunrise

Stamps: Botanical Silhouettes and Trendy Tree Tops

Dies: None

Other: White & Clear Embossing Powders, SU Window Punch & 1/8" Circle Punch and White Crochet Thread

PTI 9th Anniversary Day 9: Saturday Snail Mail

The 9th day of PTI's 9th Anniversary brought another fun challenge here. We were to create a card for the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G warehouse staff at Papertrey Ink and mail it to them. In additon, they just started a new hashtag campaign, #saturdaysnailmail, for social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. I'll definitely mail the card and hope to post on Twitter as don't have Instagram or Facebook accounts. This will be an ongoing campaign for Saturdays. We'll see if I remember to do this in the future.

My card pretty much says it all as I truly do appreciate the PTI staff more than they know. They are always willing to respond to customer service inquiries and make things right, wrap and package our goodies safely and quickly, restock items as soon as possible and brightens our day when USPS or UPS drops by with a delivery. Thanks for another great year and look forward to many, many more!

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Enchanted Evening and New Leaf

Ink: Enchanted Evening

Stamps: Layered Banner Banter and Boutique Borders: Thanks

Dies: Edger #3 and Layered Banner Banter

Other: New Leaf Bitty Dot Paper, Corner Rounder and SU Dimensionals

PTI 9th Anniversary Day 8: Color Pop Fortune Teller

Day 8 during Papertrey Ink's 9th Anniversary brings us to another fun challenge on Nichole's blog. Our instructions were to print out the Color Pop Fortune Teller square, fold it according to her detailed instructions and create a project using at least three colors selected using this tool. Before flipping back and forth, we were to pick a number between 2-5 and our birth month (April) for our color scheme. My numbers were 4 and 4, and the "flipped" colors were Raspberry Fizz, New Leaf and Ripe Avocado.

I tried something new to me, and not sure I'd do it again. It was it bit more work than I had bargained for making sure not to overlap color or go outside my margin. First, I die cut the butterfly three times on a 4x5.25" piece of white card stock, that would eventually be placed over my white card base. My ink blending tools using Raspberry Fizz and New Leaf ink pads went to work on the card base. Then I stamped Ripe Avocado butterfly highlights, a few dots using a Gelly Roll Glitter Pen, and my sentiment stamped also in Ripe Avocado. The top piece was then adhered to the card base. Another challenge met as I'm pushing myself to finish two more.

Here's my card:

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: Raspberry Fizz, New Leaf and Ripe Avocado

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies Layers and Boutique Borders: Thanks

Dies: Beautiful Butterflies Layers

Other: Ink Blending Tool and Gelly Roll Glitter Pen

PTI's 9th Anniversary Day 5: Sampler Square Challenge

WOW, this was the challenge of all challenges. In fact, several people posted on the PTI Forum for clarification of the rules. This is for Day 5, and here's Nichole's instructions: "…cut nine 1-1/2” squares from white cardstock, then alter all nine of the squares using a variety of techniques, colors, stamps, etc. Be sure to do something different to each square! "

The first challenge was to decide on a color palette, then which stamps would work well in a 1-1/2" square, and which nine techniques to use so each square would be different. My color palette besides Stamper's Select White is: Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal and Gray/Silver with bits of Black. Here's what my 5-1/2" card looks like:

Techniques & Products Used Per Square: Top Left to Right

Square 1: Smooshing + Sizzix Embosslit Beautiful Wings

Square 2: Emboss Resist + Beautiful Blooms II

Square 3: Dry Embossing + Picnic Plaid Impression Plate & Jolly Holiday Die

Square 4: White Shadowing + Iconic Images

Square 5: Ink Blending + Stylish Sentiments: Birthday and Scene It: Celebration

Square 6: Inlaid Die Cut + Jolly Holiday Die

Square 7: Silver Dipped Die Cut (& heat embossing) + Harvest Berries

Square 8: Two-Step Stamping + Rosie Posie & Rosie Posie Step 2

Square 9: Ombre Stamping + Ruby Reprise

I know just the friend who will be receiving this because she saves all the cards I send her. She will appreciate the hours I spent creating and designing this. Admittedly, it was a fun challenge but not something I'd make on a regular basis because I just don't mail 5-1/2" cards. I'm an A2 kinda gal!

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Hawaiian Shores, Harvest Gold and SU Going Gray

Ink: Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, Delicata Silvery Shimmer, VersaMark and White Pigment

Stamps: Rosie Posie, Rosie Posie Step 2, Beautiful Blooms II, Iconic Images, Stylish Sentiments: Birthday, Scene It: Celebration, Harvest Berries and Ruby Reprise

Dies: Jolly Holiday and Sizzix Embosslit Beautiful Wings

Other: VersaMarker, Silver and Clear Embossing Powders, SU Ticket Corner Punch, Corner Rounder, Rhinestones/Gems, Gelly Roll Glitter Pen and Patterned Paper (stash)

PTI's 9th Anniversary Day 3: Grab & Craft Challenge

Already on Day 3 of Papertrey Ink's 9th Anniversary festivities as can be seen here. The challenge was to create a project using supplies we could "grab" in 5 minutes. Can you tell I still had birthdays on my mind? Because I used a Kraft card base, I should have used some richer colors so they would stand out a little more. If I had dies for Scribbled Sentiments, I would have die-cut the middle "happy" in Harvest Gold to add dimension. Think it falls in the masculine category though so all is good. It's readable in real life. : ) Here's my card.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Kraft

Ink: Berry Sorbet, Harvest Gold, Hawaiian Shores and Dark Chocolate

Stamps: Scribbled Sentiments and Stylish Sentiments: Birthday

Dies: None

Other: Corner Chomper

PTI's 9th Anniversary Day 2: Dress Up Inspiration

With the introduction of Dress-Up Dolls during Papertrey Ink's Anniversary Release, Nichole challenged us to go through our closet or online clothing retailer to select a piece of clothing or outfit to use as an inspiration. Saw some beautiful outfits online and was definitely drawn to the colors in this one.

(Women-Outfits)

Adding to my birthday stash, I came up with a design stamping black stripes on Stamper's Select White. Topped that with a thin black strip and Berry Sorbet as the main color popped up for dimension. This is it.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Berry Sorbet and Black (stash)

Ink: VesaFine Onyx Black

Stamps: Background Basics: Super Stripes and Birthday Cheer

Dies: None

Other: SU Dimensionals and Black Gems (stash)

PTI's 9th Anniversary Day 1: DT Favorites

The challenge for the first day of PTI's Anniverary celebration here was to choose one of the 13 Color Recipe Cards to create a new project. It took me a while to decide on a color combination because they are all gorgeous. PTI's Design Team is amazing! Here's the one I went with for a birthday card:

Even though there is no way I could do justice like Kay Miller did with this color palette, I wanted to use it anyway. Since we have lots of February and March birthdays, at least I'm building my stash. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: Sweet Blush (sponged) and Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Scene It: Celebration

Dies: Scene It: Celebration

Other: Zig Clean Color Real Brushes (pink/yellow/orange balloons), SU Old Olive Marker (balloon strings), Black/White Twine, Sponge and Fine Black Sharpie (dots)

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Blue Ombre (Day 8)

Thursday's challenge for PTI's 8th Anniversary on Nichole's blog was to create a new project that features a blue ombre effect using all our favorite shades of this beautiful color. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, unfortunately I sold off all my SU ink pads and the bulk of my card stock preparing to replace them with my PTI Anniversary order so this was a bit of a struggle for me. Spring Rain ink and card stock wouldn't quite meet the criteria for ombre. Dug out three Pentel Color Pens, scribbled them on an old CD case, spritzed with water and "smooshed" a piece of watercolor paper in it to get various shades of blue. Hopefully, this qualifies.

I covered my white card base with a piece of SU Designer Paper before adhering my watercolored design. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White and SU Designer Paper (stash)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Boutique Borders: Congrats and Keep It Simple: Get Well

Dies: None

Other: Watercolor Paper, Pentel Color Pens, Sequins (stash) and SU Dimensionals

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Heavy Metal (Day 7)

PTI's Heavy Metal Challenge on February 11 here on Nichole's blog was to create a project featuring nothing but metallics and neutrals. Because I tend to lean more toward gold than silver, I found a way to incorporate that into a card.

Because my black ink didn't stamp really well (even stamping twice using my MISTI), I ended up masking each stripe and stamping VersaMark before heat embossing the black stripes. It was several more steps than I anticipated but worth it. Opted to add a vellum die cut beneath my gold "Celebrate" to add dimension to the focal point. That's it for this challenge.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Classic Kraft and Vellum

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and VersaMark 

Stamps: Background Basics: Super Stripes

Dies: Boutique Borders: Congrats and Uncorked Words

Other: Black Embossing Powder, Quickie Glue Pen and (Gold) Metallic Paper Stack (DCWV)

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Spring Into Action (Day 5)

Since we're all looking forward to Spring, PTI wants us to "spring" into action and use a stamp set from our collection that hasn't seen ink…or hasn't been used enough. Don't even ask how many sets I "had to have" but yet I've only used one stamp from each set. Today's card uses stamps from two different seldom-used sets. Looks like the number of entries each day is increasing so I won't keep you. Hope you're having a great Monday ~ here's my card.

The vellum was die cut using Take Three, which is just a tad bigger than the opening of Framed Out #12. Embossed the sentiment in white and stamped the frame using Sweet Blush ink. The Berry Sorbet panels stamped using VersaMark and Fancy Flourishes were attached with SU dimentionals to the Bitty Dot paper for added dimension. Added some sequins for a little bling.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Vellum, Berry Sorbet and Berry Sorbet Bitty Dot

Ink: Sweet Blush and VersaMark 

Stamps: Framed Out #12 and Fancy Flourishes

Dies: Framed Out #12 and Take Three

Other: White Embossing Powder, Sequins (stash) and SU Dimensionals

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Build A Bouquet (Day 4)

Using florals from different stamp sets, we were to build a bouquet for Sunday's challenge here. Since a good majority of my stamp sets include flowers, I just needed to narrow it down to the right size blooms. Therefore, I used stamps from three sets. Thought it would be fun to "smoosh" some inks together similar to what Betsy did. What I did was smear five different ink colors in an old CD case and "smoosh" them together with a paint brush as you can see in my background. The rest is self-explanatory.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Winter Wisteria and Stamper's Select White

Ink: Royal Velvet, Ripe Avocado, Harvest Gold, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Hawaiian Shores and Winter Wisteria

Stamps: Beautiful Blooms II, Ruby Reprise and Reasons to Smile

Dies: Lil Inkers Stitched Rectangles

Other: Twinery Twine, Black Fine Point Marker and SU Dimensionals

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Gift Tag (Day 3)

Today's challenge on Nichole's blog in honor of PTI's 8th Anniversary was to create a handmade tag for a matching gift bag. It's not very often I make tags because even if I use a gift bag, I usually include a homemade card. However, my Tag Sale #9 dies were staring me in the face wanting to be used. Here's my tag (both layers) as I was creating it.

Tag before I tied it together with twine.

Tag attached to gift bag.

Edited to Add: Entering this in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, H is for Heart

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, Classic Kraft and Scarlet Jewel

Ink: Scarlet Jewel and Pure Poppy

Stamps: Grunge Me, Sketched Shapes and 2012 Birthday Tags

Dies: Tag Sale #9 and Bubble Talk

Other: Twinery Twine

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary & Maile Belles Inspiration (Day 2)

Friday was the second day of PTI's Anniversary Festivities which challenged us to seek inspiration from Maile Belles' creations and find one to recreate. It was hard to choose because I just love her style, and she was instrumental in me "needing" to buy Watercolor Wonder. This first card was a fun one because it is very similar to card stock in her newly-created paper pad. Here's my card:

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: Tropical Teal, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist and Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Watercolor Wonder and Wet Paint

Dies: Tipped Tops

Other: Enamel Dots (Michaels) and SU Dimensionals

I was on a roll after perusing Maile's blog here so I recreated her third card from the same post last March. Here's mine:

Edited to Add: Both cards are also being entered in Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, All Things Bright and Beautiful

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores, Harvest Gold and Sweet Blush

Stamps: Wet Paint

Dies: None

Other: MS Butterfly Punch, Glue Dots (Joann's) and Black Gems (Michaels)

Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary Begins With Recipes (Day 1)

The first day of Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary has many of us off and running to create as many daily challenges as possible through February 15.

There are lots of awesome gift certificates up for grabs, and I sure hope I'm a lucky winner because I've got a long wish list. Nichole provided eight Color Recipes and eight Sketch Recipes as inspiration, and our challenge was to select one of each to create a project. First I'll show the "recipes" I chose and then my card.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Harvest Gold, Classic Kraft and Hawaiian Shores

Ink: New Leaf and Raspberry Fizz

Stamps: Harvest Berries

Dies: Wet Paint Cuts

Other: SU Dimensionals

PTI's 7th Anniversary ~ Day 10 (Special Delivery)

Today was the final challenge for Papertrey Ink's 7th Anniversary, and you can see it here. What a ride it's been! Nichole wasn't kidding when she said to use the last ounce of creative energy to create a card and a coordinating envelope. I opted to keep it simple since I'm just finishing now, and it's almost my bedtime. One-layer cards are very challenging for me, but I managed to be successful on this one. I actually like the results, and it's very self-explanatory.

Edited to Add: Also entering this in Simon Says Monday Challenge We Love Stamps. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White

Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse and SU Night of Navy

Stamps: Mum's The Word and Boutique Borders: Birthday

Dies: None

Other: Clear rhinestones from my stash (colored with Aqua Sharpie)

PTI's 7th Anniversary ~ Day 9 (Building Blocks)

Anyone else wearing down like I am? Between all these fun challenges and watching the Olympics (plus the everyday mundane chores), I am running out of steam. This blog hasn't seen so many posts on a regular basis. How does the Design Team do it so frequently?

Speaking of the Design Team, let's get started with today's challenge here. Each team member has a basic list of six "building block" options that are numbered. Our instructions were to roll a die nine times to see which item numbers we were to use in creating a card. If we didn't have a certain item, we could roll again. I did that for Melissa's fiber selection because I don't have any embroidery floss. Since my PTI inks and cardstocks are limited, I had to make substitutions or I'd still be rolling again and again. Let me just say that I wasn't feeling too lucky when I rolled this combination: 1) Pure Poppy, 4) Sweet Blush, 5) Spring Moss, 3) Stamper's Select White, 6) Dawn's Sketch, 6) Congratulations, 4) Inlaid Diecuts, 6) Felt and 2) Baker's Twine.

A Stamper's Select White card base was covered with a layer of SU Certainly Celery, from which I die cut Boutique Borders: Congrats and inlaid it over a piece of pink & white baker's twine tied in a bow. The border was stamped using VersaMark and "Congrats" using SU Real Red. Tipped Tops Dies were used to cut two-layered stars from SU Pretty in Pink card stock and white glittered felt. Here's my card:

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, SU Certainly Celery and SU Pretty in Pink

Ink: VersaMark and SU Real Red

Stamps: Boutique Borders: Congrats

Dies: Boutique Borders: Congrats and Tipped Tops

Other: White glittered felt (Joann's), Twinery Twine and foam mounting tape 

PTI 7th Anniversary ~ Day 1 (Color & Sketch Challenge)

This challenge was actually announced on the first day of Papertrey Ink's 7th Anniversary, but we have until 7 am EST on February 15 to post our creations. They've kept us so busy with each day's challenge I didn't get to try any of the recipes provided until now.  Our task was to select any one Color Recipe Card and one Sketch Recipe Card from the seven options shown for our project. There's no limit to how many combinations we use or cards we make. Since I have three cards to share and a long post, let's get started. 

Pictured are the Color and Sketch Recipes I used for this fun birthday card.

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White, New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, SU Regal Rose for Hibiscus Burst, Aqua Mist and SU Real Red for Pure Poppy

Ink: VersaMark

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies

Dies: Mat Stack #2 and Edgers #3

Other: SU Melon Mambo Embossing Powder, SU Dimensionals, Twinery Twine and SU Clear Rhinestones

My second card is a sympathy card, which I hope I don't have to use anytime soon but prefer having at least one ready and available when needed. 

Edited to Add: Also entering this in Simon Says Get Krafty Challenge for today. 

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: SU Always Artichoke for Ripe Avocado, Simply Chartreuse for New Leaf, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Classic Kraft and Vintage Cream

Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse (full & stamped off) and SU Soft Sky

Stamps: Mum's The Word and Boutique Borders: Sympathy

Dies: None

Other: Corner Chomper, Twinery Twine and SU Dimensionals

My third and final card for today is a special birthday card for my husband's aunt, when she turns 90 later this month. It's hard to see in the photo but the patterned paper has tiny, pink hearts so I felt the punched hearts and rhinestones finished it off nicely. Here are the recipes I used:

Supplies: (all PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Harvest Gold for Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz and Bravo Burgundy for Scarlet Jewel

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes

Dies: By The Numbers and Nesties Scallop Circles

Other: Heart Punch (really old), Pink Heart Rhinestones (Studio G) and SU Dimensionals