Cherry Tree Birthday

I wasn't going to post something today, but then I thought "how many times do you get a chance to post on leap day?" lol   I made this card for a February 22 birthday, which is also George Washington's birthday.  The story is that George received a new hatchet and went about chopping everything, including his father's favorite cherry tree, killing it.  Furious, his father asked George if he knew who killed his tree and George replied, "I cannot tell a lie, I cut it with my little hatchet".  George's father was no longer angry, but happy his son had told him the truth.  Okay, enough of the history lesson....

I used white for the card base and layered it with a tiny boxes pattern paper.  I cut a doily and edged around it with a light tan ink.  Next I layered it with Autumn Rose cardstock, and stamped the tree image onto white.  I stamped small circles in rhubarb onto the tree and then added the stems to create "cherries".  The ground was made by cutting two pieces of Spring Moss paper and overlapping them.  I stamped the sentiment, added the ribbon and twine, the gems in the two corners and a little glitter on the cherries.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Through The Trees, Harvest Berries
• Paper:  PTI Autumn Rose, Spring Moss, 2008 Bitty Box Basics
• Tools:  Cheery Lynn English Tea Party Die
• Other:  Ribbon, Gems, Martha Stewart Glitter
• Card Size:  5.25" x 5.25"

Baby Shower Sign

Someone asked me to make them a sign for a baby shower.  She wanted a baby carriage made of blue and brown and provided the wording for the sign.  For the sign base, I used chipboard and covered it with a light blue paper.  I didn't really have anything to make a baby carriage, so I made it using scalloped circle nestabilities, adding scalloped lace along the edges made with a Martha Stewart punch.

The wheels were made with regular circle nestabilities; I drew spokes on them and added the center blue crystals.  The words and carriage handle were made on the Cricut.  I put the carriage on 3d foamies for additional dimension and adhered it to a doily diecut with a Cheery Lynn die. My final step was adding the bow.  The second picture is a little dark but shows the final product.

Project Details:

• Paper:  DCWV; Bazzill
• Tools:  Cricut; Standard & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities; Martha Stewart Eyelet Border Punch; Cheery Lynn French Pastry Die
• Other:  Ribbon, Adhesive Gems, 3d Foamies

• Use What I Have:  I rarely use my Cricut anymore!

Make A Wish

I came across this birthday paper that I've had for a long time and decided it was time to make a few cards with it.  I used white for the card base, topped it with the pattern paper and rounded the right hand corners.  I added a strip of black, that I embossed with the "Spots & Dots" Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The sentiment,  from Think Big Favorites is stamped onto a Mat Stack 1 diecut.  I added a couple coordinating star diecuts and star adhesives. Quick and easy to make.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Think Big Favorites #1, Mat Stack 1 Collection
• Paper:  DCWV
• Tools:  PTI Mat Stack 1 Die, Stampin' Up Star Punch, Spots & Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder
• Other:  Adhesive Stars
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  DCWV paper is several years old; never used this Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, and I've had it for quite some time.

New House

I'm starting to use white on white more often, I really do like the look. I also like using black, white and red.  For this card I used a white card base that I embossed with stripes.  I layered it with red cardstock and stamped the house and fence images onto white, and distressed around the edges.  I stamped the sentiment, added the Charcoal twine and thought I was done, but the card looked like it needed something else. So I colored just the door with red, which really brings out the red layer.

I had a hard time taking this picture - the black and white lines look distorted in the picture but they aren't; I think the lines are creating an optical illusion.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Boards & Beams
• Paper:  PTI White Stamper's Select, Pure Poppy
• Tools:  Nestabilities Tag Trios; Cuttlebug Stripes Embossing Folder; Distresser
• Other:  Twine, Copics
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday, Dad

I was lucky with this card that it didn't take me too long to come up with an idea.  You know me and trying to make a "male" card.  I used white for the card base and topped it with a layer of green and a matching green pattern. I used card edgers on the top and bottom of the pattern paper to add a design.  I added a 2-1/2" strip across the middle of the card.

The tag was made with a PTI die and I added brads to the corners and the top.  The happy birthday sentiment was stamped onto a PTI die and mounted on foam tape.  I cut the letters out with PTI's alphabet dies, attached them to coaster for a little support and popped them up on foam tape.  The tag is also popped up on foam tape!  I added the Charcoal twine which completed the card.  Happy Birthday Dad!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Communique Sentiments
• Paper:  Colorbox; Anna Griffin; PTI White Stamper's Select
• Tools:  PTI Tea Label Die, Card Edgers #1, Block Alphabet Die, Tag Sale #3
• Other:  Twine, Brads, Foam Tape, PTI Coaster
• Card Size:  5.0" x 7.0"

• Use What I Have:  Brads & Anna Griffin paper - had these forever!

Take A Moment To Remember

I saw this style card on Dawn McVey's website and absolutely loved it!  I changed mine a little bit, but the design is all Dawn's.  I used Plum Pudding for the card base and topped it with a cream paper (that has bits of fibers in it), on which I inverted the corners.  I stamped the "Remember" sentiment, the "happy birthday" sentiment and all of the flowers and leaves.  I added clear crystals to the center flower and lilac twine at the base of the card.

After I finished the card, I thought the stamped flowers/leaves looked a little flat so I colored the bottoms of them with Copics.  I was much happier with the image after I did.  This was a simple card to make, but  it's impressive looking.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Rosie Posie, Birthday Basics
• Paper:  PTI Plum Pudding
• Tools:  Inverted Corner Rounder
• Other:  Crystals, Copics, Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday

I made this card for one of the Papertrey contests last week, but when I re-read the rules, I realized I didn't do it correctly. lol  I used Orange Zest for the card base, rounding the right hand corners, and layered it with a piece of Spring Moss cardstock.  I added another layer of star pattern paper, using card edgers on the bottom.

I cut a circle of Spring Moss and a circle of white, stamped with an orange border and sentiment.  I added 3 stars, made with a Stampin' Up punch and adhered with brads.  My final step was tying the twine around the spine.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tag-It's #10
• Paper:  PTI Orange Zest, Spring Moss, Bitty Baby Blessings
• Tools:  PTI Card Edgers #1; Stampin' Up Star Punch; Standard Circle Nestabilities; Corner Rounder
• Other:  Brads, Honeydew Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  I have hundreds of brads - need to use more of them!

Valentine Doodad

I've been so busy with the PTI contests I didn't have a chance to post my Valentine doodad.  These are boxes I made from diecuts a friend sent me; she sent me 15 that were already cut and I used one as a template to make an additional 20 diecuts.  I put the boxes together using scor-tape to make sure they would stay together.  I wrapped the boxes with tulle, added the hearts on the side and the sentiment stamped on a portion of the Hearts Border die.  The boxes are filled with Hershey Kisses and conversation hearts.

The inside of the box:

I made 6 different colors:

Project Details:

• Paper:  PTI Kraft; DCWV; Recollections
  
• Stamps:  PTI Sweet Love, Tag-Its #11; Studio G $1
• Tools:  PTI Heart Border die; Scalloped Heart Nestabilities
• Other:  Tulle, Ribbon, Clear Bags
• Project Size:  2.5" x 2.5"

Pocket Card

I think this is the final day for Papertrey's February release contests.  Todays challenge:  create a project with some sort of interactive feature, using at least one PTI product.  One of today's prizes is a $500 PTI gift certificate!!  How nice would that be to win!  I decided to make a pocket card.

I used Enchanted Evening cardstock for the card base, rounding the corners.  I scored 1-1/4" from the top and folded it down.  I covered the front and lined the inside of the card with a blue/brown striped paper.  I stamped the outside sentiment from Birthday Bash Sentiments onto White Stamper's Select cardstock, layered it on Enchanted Evening and popped it up on foam tape.  I added the tan circles on the "pocket panel" and wrapped twine around the brads.

For the inside sentiment, I cut a piece of tan paper slightly smaller than the card (3-1/4" x 5-1/4"), stamped the sentiment from Birthday Basics on white and layered it onto the blue.  I folded a circle made from the striped paper on the top edge of the card and added the blue circle and brad.  This will make a nice male birthday card.  Interactive feature:  pulling out the sentiment.

This is the card closed:

And with the sentiment pulled out:

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Birthday Basics, Birthday Bash Sentiments
• Paper:  PTI Enchanted Evening, White Stamper's Select; Heidi Grace
• Tools:  Standard Rectangle Nestabilities, Standard Circle Nestabilites; Corner Rounder
• Other:  Brads, Twine, Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Valentine's Day

Wasn't is just Christmas?  Time is going by so quickly!  I used pink cardstock for the card base, cutting the right hand side with card edgers.  I ran a piece of white cardstock through the Cuttlebug to emboss it with swiss dots.  I diecut the 9 hearts with various scraps (love using scraps!) of pink papers and adhered them to the white, placing some of the hearts on foam tape for dimension.  I added the buttons, one threaded with twine, and the ribbon on the spine.  I made the sentiment on the computer and layered it with the matching card base cardstock.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI Tiny Boxes, White Stamper's Select; DCWV; Bazzill
• Tools:  PTI Card Edgers #1, Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder
• Other:  Hibiscus Burst Buttons, Twine, Ribbon
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  I need to use more of my huge button supply!

Happy Birthday

And yet another Papertrey contest today - I'm determined to win something!  Today's challenge:  make a project using leaves and butterflies and at least one Papertrey product.

I used Hawaiian Shores for the card base.  I stamped Harvest Berries onto White Stamper's Select cardstock, stamping the leaves once with the full ink, and then again after stamping off the excess ink on another piece of paper.  I think the darker and lighter leaves give the image a dimensional look.  I added the berries in cantaloupe ink and used an inverted corner punch on the corners.

I stamped the sentiment from Think Big Favorites #12 onto a 3/4" strip vellum and adhered it to the back of the white cardstock with scor-tape.  I added butterflies (stamped with a little "flying" tail) and the pearls.  My final step was to adding "Caribbean" twine, a perfect match for Hawaiian Shores paper!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Harvest Berries, Think Big Favorites #12, Spiral Boquet
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stamper's Select, 2008 Bitty Dot Basics
• Tools:  Inverted Corner Rounder, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch
• Other:  Vellum, Twine, Pearls
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  Haven't used Spiral Boquet for a long time and the vellum is several years old!

Iris Folding Hearts

I saw the pattern for this card in the January 2012 issue of Cardmaker magazine, submitted by Dawn Thomas.  I've seen cards with iris folding but never tried to do it because I thought it was complicated.  I was wrong - it was really easy to do and looks great!

I used Raspberry Fizz for the card base and topped it with a layer of white that I embossed with the Cuttlebug.  I cut the hearts out with nestabilities and used 3 different types of pink paper to create the iris folding.  After you complete the iris folding there's a triangle left in the center, and I used a doily to fill that in.  I printed the sentiment on the computer and cut it out with scalloped hearts, edging around them with a light, pink ink.  I added the ribbon, twine and pink gems to finish off card.

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI Raspberry Fizz
• Tools:  Standard & Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, Cuttlebug Hearts Embossing Folder
• Other:  Ribbon, Twine, Gems, Doily
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Fly Away Valentine

Another contest for Papertrey today - a "hearts challenge" - we have to make a project that incorporates hearts into the design.  Easy enough since Valentine's Day is just days away!

This valentine is for a 12 year old boy, a "difficult" age to make a card since it can't be too frilly!  I decided to used Papertrey's Fly Away stamp set.  I used White Stamper's Select for the card base and layered it with bright blue and a green/blue heart patterned paper, rounding the corners on the right hand side. Using the matching Fly Away Die, I diecut the plane with White Stamper's Select, stamped the plane image and colored it with Copics.  The clouds were made with Clouds 1 & 2 Die Collection, edged with a light blue and adhered to the heart paper; the middle, small cloud is on foam dots for dimension.

I made the sentiment on the computer, diecut it with a tag nestability and attached it to the plane with twine.  The plane and banner are also on foam dots for dimension.  I added the two hearts to the banner and white twine to the spine.  Perfect colors for a 12 year old boy, instead of the standard pink and red!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Fly Away
• Paper:  PTI White Stamper's Select, K&Company Lovely; DCWV
• Tools: PTI Fly Away Die, Clouds 1 & 2 Die Collection; Tag Trios Nestabilities; Corner Rounder
• Others:  Copics; Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Hello, friend!

Papertrey Ink is having another contest today.  Today's contest is to pick from 5 sketches and create a project based on it.  Of course we must use at least one Papertrey product.  I picked Sketch #1:

I wanted to use black, white and red as the colors for my card.  I used white for the card base and topped it with a layer of Pure Poppy and a layer of Black & White Basics pattern paper.  I used Tag #5 as a template to cut the tag so it would be long enough on the card.

I stamped the flower from In Bloom in red ink, adding a bit of black to the center and outlined it with a light gray to enhance it just a bit.  I matted the flower on layers of True Black and Pure Poppy and adhered it on foam dots for a little dimension.  My final steps were stamping the sentiment from Flower Fusion #11 and adding the Pure Poppy buttons, threaded with black and white twine and tied into a bow.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI In Bloom, Flower Fusion #11
• Paper:  PTI Pure Poppy, True Black, Stampers' White Select, Black & White Basics
• Tools:  PTI Tag #5, Standard Oval Nestabilities
• Other:  PTI Pure Poppy Buttons; Twine, Copics
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  It's been a long time since I used Black & White Basics paper!

1st Valentine

This little dog from Tiny Treats is so cute!  I used Kraft for the card base and layered it with heart pattern paper.  I stamped the dog on white and colored him just a bit with copics.  I matted the circle on a red circle and placed them on a heart doily for the background.  I added a strip of pink hearts and the sentiment, made on the computer.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tiny Treats: Valentine
• Paper:  PTI Kraft; K&Company Lovely; DCWV
• Tools:  PTI Heart Border; Standard Circles Nestabilities, Tag Trio Nestabilities
• Other:  Heart Doily, Copics
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

be mine

I made this card using a Recollections card for the card base.  I topped it with a piece of white cardstock that I ran through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots embossing folder.  I cut a large square of pink and topped it with four 1-1/4" squares.  The lacy heart was made from a Martha Stewart punch.  I added the sentiment, popped up on foam squares and the ribbon to finish off the card.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tag-Its #11
• Paper:  Recollections; K&Company Lovely; Core'dinations
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Lacy Heart Punch; Stampin'Up Window Punch
• Other:  Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Ribbon, Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

be my valentine

I saw a card similar to this on Pinterest and liked the style and colors; it's nice to see colors other than red and pink for Valentine's Day.  I used a white, ribbed paper for the card base, rounded the right hand corners and topped it with a strip of scalloped blue paper and a strip of heart pattern paper.  I die cut a scalloped square and layered it with a white square that I paper pierced around the edges.  I die cut the two hearts, added the sentiment and white twine.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tiny Treats:  Valentine
• Paper:  K&Company Lovely, DCWV
• Tools:  Standard & Scalloped Square Nestabilities, Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, EK Success Scalloped Border Punch, Paper Piercer, Corner Rounder
• Other:  Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

• Use What I Have:  I've had the ribbed paper for about 5 years.

Look Who's Turning 2

Today's not my normal day to post, but Papertrey Ink is having a contest and the prize package is worth about $1,000!  Of course I'm entering!  The "rules" are we have to create a new project inspired by one of the design team members and use at least one Papertrey product (like that's a problem for me lol).  I had to make a birthday card for a 2 year old and one of Ashley Cannon Newell's favorites is the Banner Builder Collection dies, which is one of my favorites too.

For this card I used Lemon Tart for the card base, topped it with White Stamper's Select and a piece of Heidi Grace pattern paper, rounding the bottom corners.  I cut the banners using the Lemon Tart and White and added "Jack" using Block Alphabet and Block Alphabet Upper die collections.  I adhered the banners to a piece of Enchanted Evening twine.

I cut the "2" with a By The Numbers die, cutting it twice in Lemon Tart and blue, overlapping them for a shadow effect.  I used pinking circle nestabilities for the sentiment (made on the computer) and placed it on foam squares for a little dimension.  My last step was to add the tiny heart with the "xoxo", made with the Tiny Tags stamp set and matching Tiny Tags die. I edged around it with blue ink to soften it up a little bit and attached it with a silver brad.

Use one Papertrey product?  No problem - I used 9 !!

Card Details: 

• Stamps:  PTI Tiny Tags
• Paper:  PTI Lemon Tart, White Stamper's Select; Heidi Grace, Bazzill
• Tools:  PTI Banner Builder Collection Dies, By The Numbers Dies, Tiny Tags Dies, Block Alphabet & Block Alphabet Upper Dies, Pinking Circles Nestabilities, Corner Rounder
• Other:  PTI Enchanted Evening Twine, Brad
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

MIM #51 - Dimensional Sentiment Banner

I wanted to use my new Flower Fusion stamps and what better way than to combine them with a new technique (PaperTrey Make It Monday #51)!  Nichole made a card last year with a folded banner and must have received a lot of requests on how to do it.  It was easy to do!

I used Raspberry Fizz for the card base and topped it with a layer of yellow cardstock, rounding the corners on one side.  I stamped the flower pattern onto white cardstock using Flower Fusion #12, Turning A New Leaf and the berries from Harvest Berries.  I used a black glaze pen to color in the button holes on the flowers.

The banner was made but cutting a strip of 1/2" x 11" wide cardstock; like Nichole I stamped the back with polka dots and then folded it to create the zigzag effect.  I marked the strip at 2" intervals so I knew where to fold it.  I stamped the "birthday wishes" sentiment and added a little twine bow on the end.  So easy to do but looks really nice! 

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Flower Fusion #12, Turning A New Leaf, Harvest Berries, Simple Little Things, Polka Dot Basics
• Paper:  PTI Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White; DCWV
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Sakura Glaze Pen, Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

My heart is yours

Sometimes picking out the colors to use on a card is the hardest part of making it.  I saw this card on Maile Belles' blog and knew I had to make it because white on white is simple!  I used white for the card base and embossed it with a Linen Impression plate.  I added the 6 rows of hearts, cut with a heart border, adding just one red heart on the last row.  When looking for a sentiment, I found "my heart is yours" in with my Studio G $1 stamps and thought it was perfect for this card.  I added the twine and it was done.  An easy Valentine card!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  Studio G $1
• Paper:  PTI White Stamper's Select
• Tools:  PTI Linen & Canvas Impression Plate, Heart Border; Tag Trios Nestabilities, Corner Rounder
• Other:  Twine
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"