September 2010 Papertrey Blog Hop

The CHALLENGE IS:

One of the most fun things about this hobby is the people you meet, whether in person or online, and the things you learn from them. Now is your chance to show off any skills you might have learned from a fellow stamper, and perhaps even give them a little shout out to thank them for the inspiration they have provided. Create a project using one of your favorite learned skills and perhaps after a little blog hopping, we will ALL learn some new tips and tricks and continue to pass on the love of this hobby!

This is a great challenge because I was feeling uncreative and I couldn't find the time to do the hobby I love. Then I came across Mish's post. I would like to start by giving a SHOUT-OUT to Mish. Thanks Mish for that great post about having a date with my stamps and feeling creative again. I was just searching for ideas for a Halloween card and got my idea and technique from Monica, the M.A.D stamper. She used a sponging and masking technique and this is what I created.


I used the largest nestie for the circle. Then I used a smaller nestie to cover the center of the larger circle. Next, I used my brayer to color the whole circle orange, then I took off the center circle and what I was left with was a white center. I sponged a little yellow in the middle and then stamped the tree using PTI's Through the Trees. Finally, I sponged black around the edges and added some bats and embellishment and VOILA, the Halloween card was made.



It was so simple and quick to make, I cranked out five in no time with lots of different paper. .

Remember and Never Forget 9/11/01

The world changed for all of us on this day....but remember and pray for those who lost so much..

Mission Organization

Sorry it has been a while but with school underway I feel like my head is spinning! Between driving to two school (I have one in middle school and the other in elementary), afterschool practices (baseball and dance), I barely have time to breathe let alone sit down and be crafty. So last night I decided that I had to organize my life so I can get back to doing what I love.

I went to this great blog called eighteen25 and the mom on this blog had a wonderful and cute way to organize myself for the week. She gives this awesome template that you see in the picture frame. I printed it on cardstock that matches the scrapbooking paper I put behind it. I sponged it a bit with different ink pads to give it a vintage feel. I matched the colors to my kitchen because I love fall colors and my house is filled with rusty reds, greens, browns (you get the picture.)
I got the frame from Walmart for $4. What a steal and I got a fine tip overhead projection marker that wipes right off the frame with water and the kids can't take it off by just wiping it with their fingers. (HA HA Mom's little secret.) If you use a dry-erase marker curious children like my son will erase your entire month in one second. That's tragic. This ideas is great because I'll only shop for the food I need for the week and just get what I need and I hate thinking about what to cook and if I already know ahead of time cooking can be done in a snap. I still have to fill my calendar but I just wanted to share this great organizational but classy tool for your home. Hey and its eco-friendly. I'm not wasting paper: just write, wipe and use again. Here is where you can get the template. Let me know what you think. I love it!!!!

August 2010 Papertrey Blog Hop

Hi Ladies!!!Long time I haven't posted but life has just taken off with school starting this week and I started working 12 hr shifts this week but that I will leave for another post....I didn't think I would make it tonight my shift as a nurse was a little longer than anticipated. I realized I dont own any of the PTI Halloween stamps so I had to be creative since I wanted to make a Halloween paper gift bag...I hope you like it !!!!

Bella and Prismacolor pencils

Sorry it has been a while since my last post but I took the kids to Disney World and let me tell ya I had to recover from that vacation!!!! My legs were achy, I had tons of laundry and I had to do some school supply shopping. UGH!! But here I am doing what I love and I wanted to share with you how easy it is to color with your Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol.
Here is a card made by another blogger that I admire, Stephanie from the UK.

She created this beautiful card using her Copic markers and I thought to myself, can't I create this too with my Prismas? So I tried and here are the results.
Now here is my card.

Now here is what I used color it. For the pants: PC947 Dark Umber for the edges and PC940 Dark brown for shading or lightly coloring in the pants. Do the same thing for the jacket. I used PC956 Lilac for the dark highlights and PC1026 Greyed Lavender to lightly color the jacket. Then I also used it to color in the bags and the headband. I used PC1005 Limepeel for the flowers on the bag, PC1086 Sky Blue Light all around the image, and used PC944 Terra Cotta and PC945 Sienna Brown for her hair. This is what your image should look like before you apply Gamsol.

Now use your odorless paint thinner and a blending stump to blend the colors together and this is what your image will look like after you blend.

Of course you can't just color the image once and that's it. Now I took my dark brown and colored the pants again to make them even darker. It is your own preference of how dark you want it to be. Then I used my blending stump again dipped in Gamsol and here is the final result.


What do you think?

July 2010 Papertrey Blog Hop 2

This is my entry, Yvette, for the PTI July Bloghop. I was inspired to do this set by Laurel Seagrave. Her notecard inspired me to use my damask stamps from PTI. My set includes: a birthday calendar, tin paper-clip holder, notecards with stationery box, wall hanging and matching notepad. All items can be placed in my gable box as a wonderful gift box. I will also give you the details on how I made each of these items when I post again. Office supplies used are: paper-clips, binder ring to hold wall hanging and birthday calendar, and a paper pad. Take a look and enjoy!!

July 2010 Papertrey Blog Hop

Here is my entry (Vanessa) for Papertrey Ink's July Blog Hop. Being a teacher and seeing their July release I was inspired to make a teacher set. I hope you like it. It was extremely easy and fun to make. I will give you all the details and show you each item. I used Teacher's Apple, Just for You and the library card stamps from PTI to make this set. It includes office supplies because one is a post-it holder, a notecard holder, a long note pad, and a card that has a removable bookmark. Again I will share the details of each item on my next post.

Shopping Bella

Since the weekend is approaching and we all like to shop a little on the weekend :)
I thought I would share my card with shopping Bella but before we get to my card I think we are starting to approach 500 hits on our blog and when we do we will post some blog candy....so keep posted on the deets and photos for that....
On to the card:
1. A2 base is made from Michaels Kraft cardstock
2. stamped the image on white cardstock and colored with prismacolor markers
3. the designer papers were just from old, old, old scraps I found in a folder in the house
4. I cut the circles of scraps with different size circle nestabilities and the bella image with an oval and orange scrap cardstock as the mat.
5. The strips on the bottom were also in the scrap pile.

From a bunch of scraps a quick and cute card. Well keep checking back here we are working on some projects to post this weekend since we will be indoors with the storm Bonnie approaching South Florida this weekend. Pray we don't lose power or flood. Be back soon, Yvette

Flowers and Jane Austen Continued

Here is part two of my Jane Austin inspiration. Here is the same type of card I made yesterday but changed it up to be pink. Again I used K & Co paper called Classic Margo with a dark green base. I used my Prismacolor pencils to color the flowers from my Lockhart stamp called "Rose of Sharon." Is there anyone out there using Prismacolor pencils? Let me know, I am very interested to see how many people use colored pencils and oppose to markers. Are you interested in knowing which colors I used? Yes you say, okay, here it is:

For the flower I used: PC928 Blush Pink as the base color then I used PC995 Mulberry in the center of the flower. All the other colors I used are on yesterday's blog for the leaves and basket. Don't forget your odorless paint thinner to blend the colors nicely.

Have any of you read any Jane Austen books? Who is your female favorite character? There are so many distinct female characters in each book. On the right side of our blog you can take a quiz to see which female heroine you are. Did it match with your favorite character?

Flowers and Jane Austen

I am just a few pages away from finishing Jane Austen's book, "Mansfield Park." I am a big fan of Jane Austen and the classics. I have already read "Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion." Now I am in a vintage-type mood so here is my Jane Austen inspired card. In every book or movie you would see the women of this period picking fresh flowers for their houses and this Lockhart stamp reminds me of those flowers. I colored them with my prismcolor pencils and used the Gamsol technique to give it that smooth blended effect. I'm like my sister. We see so many cardmakers using Copic markers and although I have tried them and various crafting conventions and I absolutely love how they feel and color, I, like my sister find it very difficult to pay $5+ dollars for one marker. I will keep playing and experimenting with my prismacolor pencils until I get the effect I want.

In case you are interested here are the colors I used:
For the flower: PC1088 Muted Turquoise and PC1086 Sky Blue Light
For the leaves: PC1090 Marine Green and PC1005 Limepeel
For the basket: PC946 Dark Brown and PC1080 Beige Sienna
Highlight around the flowers: PC914 Cream
and ultimately don't forget to blend the colors using a stump dipped in Gamsol (Odorless Paint Thinner).
The paper I used is K & Co. and Kraft cardstock.

If any of you try this, let me know how it goes and if you are a pro at using Prismacolor pencils I would love for you toshare some techniques and color combos with me.
Has anyone read any Jane Austen book? If you have please let me know which is your favorite. I am torn between Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice. They are my all-time favorite.
Enjoy and have fun creating!!!

Get Well

Lately we have had a few sickies in the group so I have needed some get well cards.
I used my Lockhart stamp for this task and colored it with my prismacolor and SU markers. I know they would have blended better with Copics but right now they just cost too much and I WANT so many other things.

I cut it out with my Oval nestabilities and embossed.
The base of the card is Kraft cardstock with a blue mat from Michaels bazzill cardstock
The gingham paper is from Kay and Co and the plaid I could not find a name on the paper so I dont know who makes it.
The orange ribbon is from the dollar spot at Target and the buttons are from my stash
The get well sentiment is a PTI stamp stamped in SU Chocolate chip. The tag I just cut by hand since I didnt have anything that size.
I dont need Copics!!! I dont need Copics !!!
I hope you liked my card.

Teen cards

I needed to make some male teen cards and this is what I came up with. I must tell you I love my Inkadinkado stamps. I like their stamps and with a Michael's or Joann's 40% coupon it becomes a real value.

I started with black cardstock to make an A2 size card
The designer paper is from Basic Grey Ambrosia.
I stamped the skull, border and you rock stamps onto white card stock and cut out with my fiskars cutter. I did not have my Nestabilties yet.
I took orange and red glitter gel pens and colored the border and skull and sentiment.

I hope you like it... I think it looks cool, lets see what the teens think: they may just roll their eyes at it...

I wanted a simple card I could easily mass produce. I was running low and needed to just have some quick cards on hand....PTI to the rescue. Last year my sister, sister in law and I went to CHA in Orlando Fla and purchased enough PTI product to qualify for their free stamp set called "Floral Fusion" I must tell you this stamp set has been loved...

I took kraft card stock and made an A2 size card.
The green paper is from Making Memories I just cut strips of it to put on the cards.
I took some cream color cardstock and stamped the stems in SU mellow moss and
the flowers in a lilac stamp pad I have of Anna Griffin ink.
The sentiment is also from the floral fusion set stamped in SU Chocolate chip and the dots on the flowers are also Chocolate chip marker.
I grabbed buttons out of my stash and added Michaels rhinestones to them and the flowers. Voila in about 30 minutes I have about 20 cards made all for different
occasions by changing the sentiments.

Here is a close up of the card:


I hope you liked my card!!!

Just Because

This is a card base I made and had left over so I can't even begin to tell you what
paper was used but the stamp is a stamping bella stamp colored with my prismacolor
markers. I added some dew drops on the side. I must have a million of them. I think when we get closer to 500 hits we will think about some blog candy just to spark things up a bit. Maybe I will get together some blog candy for the 1st person that comments on our blog if they leave their email address. Tell me how we could improve upon our posts to make you ladies comment? We seem to get hits but no comments....:(

On My Couch

I thought I would share with you a card I made with one of my favorite stamp sets from PTI on my couch.
1. The base of the card is black cardstock from michael's cut to be an A2 card.
2. The mat is from Basic Grey Ambrosia one of my favorites they made. Just seems to
fit my card style.
3. Cut out Nestablities Labels 1 on black cardstock and outlined the inside the
die with a white gel pen to make with frame around it
4. The sentiment was stamped on the bottom of this piece of cardstock also from
on my couch.
5. I cut a circle with my nestabilties and embossed with my cuttlebug embossing
folder.
6. Stamped my couch on making memories paper I got at Big Lots and adhered to the
card.

I hope you like it. If I don't post alot in the next week I will be at Disney but my sister will continue to post so just check back.

Birthday Bella

I don't know about you girls but I just love my stamping bella stamps...Those skinny little stylish gals. Anyway here is a birthday card using one of my bellas. I colored her with my Prismacolor Markers which I am still learning to use, so I am open to any tips you may have. I know copics are easier to use but I cannot justify that cost for a marker when there are so many other things on my wish list. I made a A2 size card out of white cardstock and used brown cardstock from Michaels for my mats on everything. The green cardstock is also from Michaels and was embossed with my Cuttlebug embossing folder swiss dots. The designer paper is from Basic Grey Ambosia, I just love their paper!!!! I purchased about 6 of their 6x6 notebooks when frugalities.com had their sale so you will see more of their paper in the near future. I just checked USPS and my package should arrive today :)

Baby Girl/Baby Boy

I have to say when I saw this card by Heather Nichols, one of the designers of Papertrey Ink, I had to make this card. Let me tell you it was so fast and easy to make that I was able to mass produce this card. I'm a teacher and a lot of my co-workers are expecting and I am ready for any baby occasion that comes my way. This card was done using Papertrey stamps: Enjoy the Ride and Polka Dot Basics 2. I also used Inkadinkado stamps for the sentiments: Baby Boy and Baby Girl. You will have fun making this card.


Now here is the baby boy version of the same card.You can use a bow or buttons to embellish.

Friendship

Since this weekend is 4th of July and there is a lot of decorating and cooking to be done, here is a quick post of some easy cards I made.
Here is a picture of two sets of cards I made for friends. The reason why I made two sets was because I used two different punches and this card was quick to make. I cased this card from Heather Nichols, one of the designers from Papertrey Ink. I made multiples using all the different sentiments to change it up.
Here is a picture of what I used:


List of items needed: Papertrey's Ink "Green Thumb" stamp set, dark green, light green, white, and kraft cardstock, Stampin up White Craft ink pad, Stampin Up Mellow Moss ink pad, Papertrey's True Black ink pad, light green ribbon, green buttons, Martha's Stewart's lattice and doily lace punch, and hemp cord.

The card measures A6, which is 4 1/2 x 6 1/4.
Okay, here is a question for those of you reading this post. Do you prefer me taking a picture of all the items I used or is the picture of the card is enough? Let me know what you think. It does take time to find everything and put it in my basket but if you prefer the visual I'll keep doing it. First person to answer please attach your email addr to your comment. Thanx : )

Ok ladies another masculine card. I have a few male birthday's coming up in the near future. I used green cardstock from Micheals I think it was bazzill . The designer paper that is a map is from a Kay and Company mat stack. The tag, paper clip and stamp were all from Making Memories Vintage finds kits and Passport kit. The Happy birthday sentiment is stamped in SU chocolate chip but is a PTI stamp. The compass that I stamped in PTI's Avocado ink is also from my Steve Hampton Ebay buy. I told you I got my money's worth from that purchase. Around the compass I stamped my PTI Vintage Labels stamp then cut it out with my Labels 1 nestabilities. Then I took a one inch strip of card stock and wrapped twine around it and added 2 buttons from my stash and voila I have a birthday card for my brother in law....Hope ypu liked it.

Eclipse and a Masculine card

Last night Vanessa and I went to see Eclipse. A girl's night out and what a treat it was. I am still on Team Edward because I still picture Jacob in my head as "Shark Boy" but I must say he has surely grown up during the Twilight series.

Ok enough of that on with my card.....For my birthday Vanessa got me some great PTI
stamps and I made a masculine birthday card with it..

I just used Kraft color paper as the base of the card and a piece of Kay and Company designer paper from one of their mat stacks. The stamp set from PTI is called Through the Trees. I took another piece of kraft paper and used my brayer to get some blue ink on the top half of the card then I brayered green on the bottom half of the card. The blue used on top is a Anna Griffin blue pigment ink and the bottom is SU mellow moss. I had to undust my brayer to use it remember when we used it all the time. I then stamped the text with a Hampton Arts background stamp I have had in my stash since the Steve Hamptom Ebay purchase. I used Avocado ink from PTI for the
text. Once that dried a bit then I stamped the tree from my stamp set with SU chocolate chip and PTI avocado. I added my sentiment over the text in black memento ink. The final touch was twine and buttons from my stash....I got the idea from Pine from PTI. Those design team ladies are just so creative I follow all of their blogs.

4th of July

Hi ladies with the 4th of July just around the corner I thought I would post the cards I made. For the base of all the cards I used DCWV cardstock pack and designer paper pack called The Summer Stack. The base of the card is off white and I embossed
the baby blue and navy blue paper with my Cuttlebug stars embossing folder. I cut a strip of the designer paper to add where the two embossed papers meet. For the first card I used my PTI Vintage Picnic stamp set and colored it in with my Stamping Up and Prismacolor Markers I cut it out with my Labels 1 nestabilities and embossed the edges.I love this stamp set!!!



For this card I used my Joanne's dollar bin stamp Yankee Doodle Dandy and just colored it in with the same markers as above and cut it out with my square nestabilites.



For my final card I used my Hampton Arts Stamp..I got this stamp when everyone on splitcoast was buying the unmounted stamps in a box from Steve Hampton on ebay. I can't tell you what a great buy those stamps were. I colored the stripes on this one with my red SU marker and cut with my square nestabilities.Well ladies I am hoping to have some time to make some pies for the 4th of July but with the kids home and work we will see what time permits. I'd rather stamp than cook but also Eclipse opens this week and I need to make time for that too. Tell me what you think of the cards or should we just hang up and give up on the blogging world....Next I will have some masculine cards which is an area I struggle with.....Take care

Wedding Card

This is a super-easy wedding card that I made that I would like to share with you. It is an 8 1/2 x 11 white cardstock folded in half. It's a pretty big card but I liked this particular card that way.

Here is a photo of all the things I used to make this card.

List: Oval and oval scalloped nestabilities, Cuttlebug embossing folder Birds and Swirls, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Offray white ribbon, pearls, silver embossing powder and Gemstone cardstock. The cardstock has such a nice shimmer to it.
The picture really doesn't do any justice to that paper.

All you have to do is cut and emboss the Gemstone cardstock. Don't worry if you had to emboss it sideways. When I did that I first said to myself, "Oh No! My birds will be facing the wrong way but don't worry you won't be able to see it once you put the flat piece of paper over it. Then, cut the second piece of Gemstone cardstock. But don't emboss it. The last piece you cut it to the size of the Cuttlebug folder and then emboss it. Adhere all your pieces to the card and then add the ribbon. Cut your ovals out using your nesties and stamp a wedding sentiment in the front. I borrowed my sentiment from my sister. It's great having a sister who has the same hobby as I do because we always swap what we have. We have a rule: NEVER buy the same the same stamp set because we can always borrow from one another. Now here is the best part. I punched two large butterflies to represent the couple and the little butterflies are their future little ones. Stupid I know, but that's what I thought of when I stuck them down with glue dots. Add pearls in the center and lift up the wings a bit to make it seem like they are flying. And THAT'S IT!! EASY HUH? Try it and let me know what you think.
Have a great day!!!

Graduation Time

Well here is another graduation card for you ladies. I made this for my husband's nephew who was graduating from High School this year. I can't believe how the time flies. This card was made using our great Big Lots find of $1 clear stamps my sister mentioned on an ealier post. I had to buy them because they were such a steal. The Argyle paper was another $1.00 find from Tuesday Morning it was paper from Making Memories. I just loved how masculine it looked and since argyle seems to be so "in" with the card making and scrapbook world. The diecut with the sentiment is from my favorite company Papertrey Ink. The sentiments are from different stamps sets just all placed together on one clear block. Well have a great day. Hopefully in the next couple of days we will be able to post more since my sister and I have some up-coming crafty days planned.

Father's Day

Father's day is quickly approaching and here is the card I made using Papertrey's chair stamp set. What dad doesn't have a favorite chair?

Everytime I go to my dad's house he is always sitting in this one chair that doesn't even match with the rest of the furniture. It's so funny because no one else sits on the chair but him. It was passed on to him by his neighbor who was going to get rid of it. Let me tell you something about my dad. He does not like to throw anything away and I quote, "you can't throw that away, it's still good." I've heard that expression for many years. So he took the orphan chair and gave it a home. He even converted the sofa into a day-bed for his spare bedroom. Talk about recycling, huh.

Well enough about my dad's chair which, by the way, was the inspiration for the card.
I used dark brown cardstock as the base and as the mat around the chair. I stamped the chair and the rug using Stazon's Timber Brown. I colored the chair and rug using my Prisma colored pencils. (I would like to buy some Copics and experiment with them but they are costly.) I stamped the sentiment, you are chair.ished, because it's all about my dad. Finally, I glued brown ribbon and put twine through the button holes and glued onto the card. And there you have it a Father's day card.
Hope ya like.

Graduation Part 2

Hello All!! Remember yesterday how I showed you the cheap stamps my sister found for me? Well here is the next card I made with my great stamp find. I needed a card that was quick and easy but still nice. Yesterday I made a card for the gal graduate. Today I made a card for the guy graduate. I wanted it to be clean and simple. The guys definitely don't want me to adorn their card. I used Martha Stewart's background dot stamp for the side of the card. I used Papertrey's True Black stamp pad. Then I stamped the graduation hat with Stampin Up's real red. I used red colored tape beside the dots to finish the clean, simple look of the card. Easy and fun to do.

Graduation Time!

Yes, it's that wonderful time of the year when students move on and/or graduate. Although classes are done here in the south, I know my nieces in the north are still in school until the end of June. So here is one of the cards I made for those graduates out there.

My sister found the most inexpensive stamps at the store. I could not believe she found a bunch of stamp sets for $1. Yes ladies you heard me ONE DOLLAR. Here is a picture of the stamp set I used to make this card. What a great find don't you think?


You know I had to create with our fortunate find. First, I used the All Night Media Stamp Art Template of the clouds and sponged the clouds using Stampin' Up Bliss Blue onto the white cardstock. I have not used the cloud template in years!!


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Being frugal, I used left-over blue patterned paper across the middle. Then, cut an oval and a circle shape from my nesties to make the center. I used a background stamp (Martha Stewart) to add pink (Stampin Up Pretty in Pink) since it's a graduation card for a girl. Then kept with my sky motif using the stars and butterfly to bling it up a bit. Tell me what you think?