Happy Birthday

If you don't have the Bitty Bouquet stamp set, I really recommend it! I'm getting a lot of use out of it.

Using my Quatrefoil Cover Plate, I impressed a piece of Hawaiian Shores cardstock and layered it on a white cardstock card base. I die-cut three bouquets and stamped them with Spring Moss and Hibiscus Burst inks, adding black centers.

I die-cut a scalloped circle in white and a plain circle in Spring Moss stripes. I layered them, stamped the sentiment in black ink and placed it on foam tape.

Crochet thread is wrapped 3 times around the card. I added 3 clear sequins and glitter to the flowers. I guess I'm living up to the "rule of 3" with this card where groups of 3 are supposedly more appealing to the eye.  

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Bitty Bouquets, Sketched Shapes
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stampers Select, Spring Moss Stripes
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss, Hibiscus Burst; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Cover Plate: Quatrefoil, Bitty Bouquets, Limited Layers: Circles
• Other:  Foam Tape; Sequins; Crochet Thread; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Hello Friend

I'm all about quick cards recently....and this falls right into that category.

I tapped Peacock Feathers distress ink on a piece of acetate and spritzed it with water. I picked up the acetate and "smooshed" it onto the watercolor paper, moving the ink around where I wanted it.

When it was dry, I stamped the sentiment in black ink. I placed the panel on a Tropical Teal cardstock card base, added a few sequins and crochet thread.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Think Big Favorite #3
• Paper:  PTI Tropical Teal; 90# Watercolor
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers Distress
• Other: Sequins; Acetate; Crochet Thread
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Hope Your Birthday Is Unforgettable

Here's my cute, favorite, little elephant again!

I stamped the elephant on a piece of 4" x 5.25" white cardstock and colored him with Copics. I added a strip of Sweet Blush polka dot paper down the left hand side. The balloon is die-cut in the same paper and placed on foam tape for a little dimension.

The sentiment is stamped in black ink. I rounded the right hand corners and placed the panel on a white cardstock card base. A few clear sequins completed the card.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  WPlus9 Unforgettable
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Sweet Blush Polka Dots
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Copics:  R81, W00, W1, W3
• Dies:  WPlus9 Unforgettable
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Sequins; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge

For this month's challenge, Nichole posted this photo for inspiration. I love butterflies, but this looks vintage to me, which really isn't my style.  But, still lots of inspiration and ideas from the photo!

I started with white cardstock and stamped 3 large butterflies in Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores and Pear Tart inks. I added the layer of dots around the edge in Pure Poppy, Tropical Teal and New Leaf inks. Even though the colors are bright, I decided to use my new Keep It Simple: Praying For You stamp - so this card can be used for a sympathy or get well card. I'm hoping the colors will help brighten up the recipient's day!

To help fill in some of the white space, I stamped 3 small butterflies in Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise and Rosebud inks. The sentiment in stamped in Smokey Shadow ink. I rounded just the one right hand corner and thought the card was done.....

Then, while looking at the butterflies in the above picture, I noticed many of them were dimensional. Okay, no problem. I die-cut butterflies in coordinating cardstock and repeated stamping the dots layer. For dimension, I curled the butterflies using a bone folder and placed them right on top of the stamped ones. Much better, don't you think?

And to show the dimension:

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Beautiful Butterflies, Beautiful Butterflies Layers, Keep It Simple: Praying For You
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Berry Sorbet, Hawaiian Shores, Limeade Ice
• Ink:  PTI Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal, New Leaf, Smokey Shadow, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold; Memento Pear Tart, Rosebud
• Dies:  PTI Beautiful Butterflies
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Still Young At Heart

I see these ladies all over Pinterest and finally bought one of the stamp sets at Michael's.

The image is stamped on white cardstock, die-cut with a stitched rectangle. I colored her with Copics,  making sure to use bright colors and that her outfit coordinated with her hat and sneakers! I placed the colored image a layer of Summer Sunrise cardstock on an angle. 

I stamped the sentiment in black ink on a little rectangle cut in Pure Poppy cardstock, placing it on foam tape, slightly to the side of the main image. The Pure Poppy gingham paper is layered on a white cardstock card base. 

To help fill in some of the white bottom I stamped the grass in black ink and colored it with a green Copic. I also added glitter to the visor of her hat. This will be us someday!  LOL

I'm happy with the way this turned out - it really looks like a nice summer-like birthday card. It's hard to read the sentiment in the picture - it says "still young at heart...slightly older everywhere else".

Card Details:

• Stamps:  Art Impressions His & Hers Campers; WPlus9 Unforgettable
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Pure Poppy Gingham
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Copics:  B12, E50, R24, R29, R81, T2, Y11, Y13, Y35, Y38, YG25, W1 
• Dies:  Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles
• Other:  Foam Tape; Glitter
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Birthday Wishes

This card was inspired by a card Laura Bassen made using Zig Brush Markers. At the time I didn't have the markers and used distress inks instead.

I inked up a Plaid embossing folder with Versamark ink and pressed the plaid image onto a piece of 140# watercolor paper.  I sprinkled it with white Zing and used my heat tool on it. Next, I used a variety of distress inks to color in the blocks by placing the  ink on a clear block and adding water with a brush. When it was dry, I cut it with a stitched circle.

I layered the Lemon Tart stripes paper on a white cardstock card base, rounding the right hand corners. The circle is on foam tape.

I die-cut the banner in True Black cardstock and stamped the sentiment in Versamark, sprinkled it with white Zing and heat embossed it. The banner is on thin foam tape.

I added a few sequins and white thread around the spine to complete the card. I really like the look of the black and white sentiment and need to use this more often!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Phrase Play #6
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Lemon Tart Stripes, True Black; Watercolor 140#
• Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Peacock Feathers, Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Shabby Shutters; Versamark
• Dies:  PTI Building Blocks; Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Circles
• Tools:  Corner Rounder; Heat Tool
• Other:  Darice Plaid Embossing Folder; Foam Tape; Sequins; Crochet Thread; Zing
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday (MIM #218)

This week's Make It Monday #218 - Watercolors With Die-Cut Stencils really looked like it would be fun to do and provides another use for our dies! And watercoloring too - count me in!

I decided to use my Cover Plate: Twist and die-cut it in white cardstock. I adhered the die-cut to a piece of watercolor paper by using my Xyron and repositionable adhesive. Confession #1 - this adhesive had a date of May 2007 on the box...lol...that's when I bought it (luckily it still works)!

I wanted this card to be very summery looking and selected bright, summer-like colors. I tapped the inks on my craft mat and spritzed them with a little water. Using a brush, I colored in the openings of the Cover Plate. Halfway through, I realized I needed another color for the diamond openings and picked pink. Confession #2 - these colors are really out of my comfort zone because they are bright!

The sentiment is stamped in black ink on a strip of Simply Chartreuse cardstock, backed with foam tape. I added clear sequins to finish it off. Confession #3 - when I finished the watercoloring I didn't like  the look of this and was going to toss it.  But once it dried and I finished it, I thought it did look summery and not so bad after all. So it's a keeper.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Keep It Simple: Birthday
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Simply Chartreuse; Tim Holtz Watercolor
• Ink:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold; Memento Pear Tart, Rosebud, Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Cover Plate: Twist
• Other:  Sequins; Foam Tape
• Size: 4.25" x 5.5"  

Thanks

It's going to be another HOT day here again today. I'm counting down the days to Fall! Another quick card for today.

I die-cut the butterfly in a piece of scrap paper, and die-cut the word "thanks" through the middle of it. Thanks is die-cut again in Plum Pudding cardstock and placed back into the butterfly. I rounded the corners and adhered the panel to a Plum Pudding cardstock card base.

I placed a bunch of clear sequins on the card to help fill in some of the white background.

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI Plum Pudding, White Stampers Select, Happy Spots
• Dies:  PTI Swoosh
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Sequins
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Hooray! Hooray!

Here's another one of these cute little critters! They sure come in handy for kid's cards.

I placed a layer of purple pattern paper on a white cardstock card base, rounding the right hand corners.  I die-cut two Journal cards, one in Spring Moss and one in white.

The critter is stamped in black ink and colored with Copics. The 6 is die-cut three times in Plum Pudding cardstock, glued and stacked together. Happy Birthday is stamped ink black in on a Spring Moss banner.

I finally got around to using my Type Strips die...and used it for Olivia's name, cut in Summer Sunrise cardstock. I like the look of these letters and will be using this die again in the future. The white journal card is on foam tape.

To finish the card, I tied white ribbon around the spine, added a few sequins and the heart.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Keep It Simple: Birthday, Type Strips II; Stampin' Up Cheerful Critters
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Spring Moss, Summer Sunrise, Plum Pudding, Happy Spots
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Copics:  E31, E33, R81, Y32, YG93, V15, W1
• Dies:  PTI Journal Card #7, Bountiful Banners, Block Alpha Numbers, Type Bits Strip, Flipping Out
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Ribbon; Sequins; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Love Is All You Need

A simple card sometimes is all you need (in addition to love...lol). I think one of the PTI Design Team made something similar to this, but I can't remember who.

I scored the front of the card using my Scor-pal, about 1/2" in on all 4 sides. Just adding these lines helps to take away so much of the plain, white background.

The hearts and "love" are die-cut with Raspberry Fizz pattern paper. I die-cut the banner, stamped it with the sentiment and placed it on foam tape. 

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Wonderful Words: Love
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, 2008 Bitty Box Basics
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Wonderful Words: Love, Building Blocks
• Tools:  Scor-Pal
• Other: Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Celebrate Your Big Day With Cake

This is a stamp set I got with a $50 purchase from Stampin' Up. I really like it when companies offer something extra with a purchase. I wish more companies would do it!

On Kraft cardstock, I stamped the cake images in Versamark ink and sprinkled them with white Zing embossing powder. I melted the embossing powder with my heat tool.

I die-cut the tag and stamped the sentiment in rosebud ink. I stamped the word "celebrate", (which is part of the sentiment) on Raspberry Fizz cardstock, fussy cut it and placed it on foam tape. I stamped "happy birthday" on Hawaiian Shores cardstock, trimmed it and rounded the corners.

The glitter at the bottom of the card was made with a piece of scor-tape, drenched with clear glitter. I tied pink sorbet twine at the top and placed the tag on foam tape.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  Stampin' Up Big Day
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, White Stampers Select, Raspberry Fizz, Hawaiian Shores
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Rosebud; Versamark
• Dies:  PTI Tag Sale #7
• Tools:  Small Corner Rounder; Heat Tool
• Other:  Scor-Tape; Glitter; Twine; Foam Tape; Zing Embossing Powder
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday To You

Some of my favorite paper from PTI is their striped paper! I guess I really like anything with stripes or polka dots.

I added a layer of Spring Moss stripes on a white cardstock card base, cutting it slightly smaller so you can see a white edge around the card.

The tag is cut in white cardstock using Tag Sale #7. I added black and white Washi tape on the one side, stamped the sentiment in Spring Moss ink and added a few small sequins.

I threaded Charcoal twine through the top hole and glued the tails onto the card so they would stay in place. The tag is on foam tape (of course!). Black and Spring Moss might be a new favorite color combo for me....

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Flower Fusion #9
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Spring Moss Stripes
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss
• Dies:  PTI Tag Sale #7
• Other:  Twine; Sequins; Washi Tape; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25"x 5.5"

Hello

Laura Bassen is my downfall (I want everything she uses!!) - she posts the most beautiful cards and makes everything look so easy. Therefore, when she used this pearlescent embossing paste, I knew I had to get it!

I placed a circles stencil over a piece of white cardstock and filled the holes with the embossing paste. It doesn't use much paste at all to cover the stencil. I set it aside to let it dry.

In the meantime, I die-cut "hello" in Raspberry Fizz cardstock. When the card was completely dry, I attached the word. The picture really doesn't show how beautiful the embossing paste really is!

Card Details:

• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Raspberry Fizz
• Dies:  PTI Swoosh
• Other:  Heidi Swapp Circles Stencil; Dreamweaver Pearlescent Embossing Paste
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday

I copied this style card from Heather Nichols, changing it up just a bit. Heather almost always uses Kraft cardstock and I really liked the use of red and white inks on it. 

On Kraft cardstock, I stamped the flower images, first in Berry Sorbet ink and then in Pure Poppy ink (my new favorite ink combo!), slightly overlapping the flowers.  The stems are Simply Chartreuse ink and the smaller flowers, Fresh Snow ink. I rounded the right hand corners and added white ink around the edges. I cut a red strip of Pure Poppy cardstock and placed it under the flowers.

In white cardstock, I die-cut the banner, stamped the sentiment in red ink and placed it on foam tape.  To finish the card, I added glitter on the flowers and Maraschino twine around the spine.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Bitty Bouquets, Sketched Shapes
• Paper:  PTI Kraft, Pure Poppy, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, Fresh Snow, Berry Sorbet
• Dies:  PTI Sketched Shapes
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Twine; Glitter; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Congratulations On Your New Arrival

Simple cards continue....

I took a piece of blue baby pattern paper and placed it on a white cardstock card base, rounding the right hand corners.

I stamped the sentiment in black ink on a banner die-cut, placing it on foam tape. A little blue ribbon completed the card. It took longer to type up this post than it did to make the card!  lol

Card Details:

• Stamps:  Taylored Expressions Bringing Home Baby
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; DCWV
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Sketched Shapes
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Foam Tape; Ribbon
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday Champ

Happy Fourth of July! I know it's not football season yet, but this is a nice red, white and blue card to post for today.

On a white stitched rectangle, I stamped the jersey in Spring Rain ink with Enchanted Evening accents. I added the sentiment and #1 Fan in Pure Poppy ink. The rectangle is attached to a panel of Enchanted Evening cardstock, impressed with the Cover Plate: Center Stage die.

I die-cut the football and stamped it in pearlescent brown ink, placing it on foam tape. The stitched stars are die-cut in Spring Rain and Pure Poppy cardstock and also on foam tape.

To finish the card, I tied maraschino twine around the spine.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Football Frenzy
• Paper:  PTI Enchanted Evening, White Stampers Select, Spring Rain, Pure Poppy
• Ink:  PTI Spring Rain, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening; Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate
• Dies:  PTI Football Frenzy, Cover Plate: Center Stage; Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Stitched Stars
• Other:  Twine; Foam Tape
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Celebrate It's Your Birthday

Happy July! I know once we hit July we're heading toward Fall. I know it's a long way off but at least we're going in the right direction!

I was playing around with watercolor again for this card. I placed Tropical Teal, Simply Chartreuse and Aqua Mist inks on a piece of acetate and spritzed it with water. I transferred the ink onto a piece of watercolor paper until I got the effect I wanted. I love this color combo (thanks Heather Nichols!).

Celebrate is die-cut 2 times in white cardstock and once in gold foil paper, stacked and glued together. I stamped the sentiment in blank ink. The watercolor panel is on a Tropical Teal cardstock card base.

To make the card a little more festive looking, I added stars cut in Tropical Teal and Simply Chartreuse cardstock.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Good Times
• Paper:  PTI Tropical Teal, Simply Chartreuse; 140# Watercolor; Gold Foil
• Ink:  PTI Tropical Teal, Simply Chartreuse, Aqua Mist; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Good Times, Small Sketched Stars
• Other:  Acetate; Water
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Thinking Of You (MIM #216 - Adding Color To Cover Plates)

Happy July!!!

I wasn't planning to make a card for this week's PTI MIM #216 - Adding Color To Cover Plates (hosted by Laura Bassen) but decided to do it. When I started inking up the Cover Plate, I didn't like the way it turned out because the Tropical Teal was too dark. I was going to throw it out but decided to use it by cutting off the portion I didn't like....

On white cardstock, I die-cut Cover Plate: Twist and inked it with Tropical Teal, Simply Chartreuse and Aqua Mist inks, rubbing the ink on the cardstock with a blending tool. As I  mentioned, the Teal was too dark so I cut off most of the bottom and trimmed off the edges. 

I adhered the partial Cover Plate to a piece of white cardstock and placed it on an Aqua Mist cardstock card base. I die-cut the butterfly in Aqua Mist and stamped the "layer" on it in coordinating ink. The antennae is cut in Smokey Shadow cardstock and the butterfly placed on foam tape.

I stamped the sentiment in Smokey Shadow ink and added glitter to the butterfly. It looked like it needed something else so I tied white crochet thread around the card.

It turns out I like the look of the partial Cover Plate! I'm glad I didn't throw it out.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Beautiful Butterflies Layers, Keep It Simple: Thinking Of You
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Aqua Mist, Smokey Shadow
• Ink:  PTI Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, Tropical Teal, Smokey Shadow
• Dies:  PTI Beautiful Butterflies Layers, Cover Plate: Twist, Beautiful Butterflies
• Other:  Glitter; Foam Tape; Crochet Thread; Tim Holtz Blending Tool
• Card Size:  4.25" x 5.5"