Score Lines (MIM #244)...

This challenge is a simple technique I've used before, but it's always good to revisit. Laurie Willison hosts this week's Make It Monday #244: Score Lines, where she shows us how adding just a few or many score lines can enhance your project.

For my card, I pulled out Painted Petals again. I love this stamp set! On white cardstock, I scored four 1/4" lines at the bottom. I stamped the leaves in Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. The flower is die-cut in white cardstock and stamped in Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst, Lemon Tart and Smokey Shadow inks and on foam tape for dimension.

To fill in the card a bit, I stamped additional flowers and leaves. I placed the panel on a Lovely Lady cardstock card base, leaving some of the card base showing on the right. That seems to be my favorite way for cards right now! lol

To finish the card, I stamped the sentiment slightly above the top score line and added glitter to the large flower. Just a simple couple of lines adds a little extra to the card, don't you agree?

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Painted Petals, Keep It Simple: Encouragement
• Paper:  PTI Lovely Lady, White Stampers Select
• Ink: PTI Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, Smokey Shadow 
• Dies:  PTI Painted Petals
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Score Board
• Other:  Foam Tape; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Bag Challenge...

My blog friend Susi saw this bag in her local grocery store and snapped a picture of it. She asked me if I wanted to use it as an inspiration photo to create something. I like challenges and said "let's do it!" We set a deadline of March 28th to get it done.

Isn't this bag pretty? Such nice colors and of course I saw lots of PTI colors in it right away!

I looked through a lot of my flower stamps and couldn't find one that I really wanted to use and decided to use Color Pop Florals (because I can't stop using this kit!).

On white cardstock I used the large flower stencil and rubbed Aqua Mist and Berry Sorbet inks, adding the centers with Hawaiian Shores and Pure Poppy inks. Next, I stenciled the leaves with Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. The smaller flowers were stenciled with Lovely Lady and Hibiscus Burst inks.

Because the bag looks like it has black in the center of the larger flowers, I added a little bit of black to the medium size and smallest flowers. To simulate the corded bag handle, I tied white crochet thread around the card. And I opted to go with no sentiment - I didn't want to take away from the pretty colors of the card!

Thanks Susi - this was fun to do and I can't wait to see what you created!

ETA - I'm adding the link to Susi's card so you can take a look at the stunning card she came up with! 

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Color Pop Florals Make It Market Mini Kit, Reasons To Smile
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy, Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Other:  Crochet Thread
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5" 

Easter Blessings...

Easter sure is early this year! Although we've had a few warm days, it still feels a bit too cold for Easter. I'm using a favorite stamp set again today - Tulip Time.

On Fresh Snow Linen cardstock, I used a stencil and rubbed Lovely Lady ink at the top and Lemon Tart ink on the bottom. The tulips are die-cut in white cardstock. For the large tulips I used Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold and Summer Sunrise inks. The smaller tulips have Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst and Raspberry Fizz inks. The leaves are stamped with Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. So many color combinations to choose for layered stamps! 

I couldn't make up my mind about which card base to use, so I used two different ones: Hibiscus Burst and Lemon Tart. They both go so well with the tulips! I tied a little white crochet thread around the tulips and placed them on foam tape for dimension. The sentiment is stamped in Smokey Shadow ink.

Happy Easter to you and your family!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Tulip Time, Keep It Simple: Easter
• Paper:  PTI Lemon Tart, Raspberry Fizz, White Stampers Select, Fresh Snow Linen
• Ink:  PTI Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz, Lemon Tart, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Smokey Shadow
• Dies:  PTI Tulip Time
• Other:  PTI Modern Backgrounds Stencil; Foam Tape; Crochet Thread
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Papertrey March 2016 Blog Hop Challenge...

I have to admit I had a hard time trying to like something in the inspiration photo. I didn't like the colors used, especially the grey background! Then I looked and saw the flowers and the leaves, the stitching and read about how paper and stitching were used together. And then I knew what I wanted to do.

On a piece of Fresh Snow Linen cardstock, I stamped the leaves in Spring Moss ink. With a hat pin, I poked holes in the paper where I wanted the stitches to go. Using 3 strands of light green embroidery thread, I backstitched the branches and part of the leaves. I added the French knots, using 3 strands of pale yellow thread.

The Stitched Pinked Edge Label was die-cut in Spring Moss cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in black ink and placed it on foam tape. I placed the panel on fun foam and adhered it to a Spring Moss cardstock card base.

This was challenging for me but I'm happy with the way the card turned out. Inspiration is "the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative". This is what the photo inspired me to do.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Harvest Berries, Beautiful Butterflies
• Paper:  PTI Spring Moss, Fresh Snow Linen
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Stitched Pinked Edge Label Collection
• Other:  DMC Floss #472 (green), #745 (yellow); Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Bonjour!...

For this card I knew what colors I wanted to use making it a very quick card to make!

On a piece of Fresh Snow Linen cardstock, I placed a little strip of Spring Moss Stripes at the top and the bottom and adhered the panel on a Berry Sorbet cardstock card base.

I die-cut the wrap and the flowers in white cardstock, stamping the wrap in black ink, the flowers in Berry Sorbet and the leaves in Spring Moss ink. I stamped the sentiment in black ink and added black to the flower centers with a thin black marker. The wrap is tied with Honeydew Twine and placed on foam tape. A few clear sequins a bit of glitter on the flowers finished the card.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Floral Wraps
• Paper:  PTI Berry Sorbet, Fresh Snow Linen, White Stampers Select, Spring Moss Stripes
• Ink:  PTI Berry Sorbet, Spring Moss; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Floral Wraps
• Other:  Glitter; Foam Tape; Pretty Pink Posh Sequins; Black Marker; Twine
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Ink Blending Over Heat Embossing (MIM #243)...

Another week and time for a new technique. This week's Make It Monday #243 Ink Blending Over Heat Embossing is hosted by Danielle Flanders. Danielle shows us how to emboss something and rub ink over it for an emboss resist look.

I started with a piece of white cardstock and stamped the happy birthday swirl in Versamark ink, sprinkled it with white embossing powder and heat set it. I used Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal and Limeade Ice inks to get the blended look. I used a stitched circle to cut it out, placed it on foam tape and adhered it to a piece of Fresh Snow Linen cardstock.

I stamped a few stars in Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal and Limeade Ice inks. The balloon is die-cut in Limeade Ice cardstock and stamped in coordinating ink. The balloon is also on foam tape for dimension. The balloon string is die-cut in white cardstock. The entire panel is adhered to a Tropical Teal cardstock card base.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Script Swirls: Birthday, Balloon Bash, Star Scribbles
• Paper:  PTI Tropical Teal, Fresh Snow Linen, Limeade Ice, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Tropical Teal, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Limeade Ice; Versamark
• Dies:  PTI Balloon Bash, Balloon Strings; Lil Inker Designs Stitched Mats: Circles
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other:  Zing Embossing Powder; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy Birthday...

You can see I really like this stamp set, One Big Happy and am using it quite a bit.

I die-cut three of the flowers and stamped them in Lovely Lady and Hibiscus Burst inks, adding Smokey Shadow ink to the centers. The leaves are stamped in Spring Moss ink. The MISTI really came in handy again to stamp these perfectly!

On a Lovely Lady cardstock card base, I placed a panel of white cardstock, leaving about 1/4" on the left side.  Happy is die-cut three times in Lovely Lady cardstock and stacked, with birthday stamped under it. I arranged the flowers on foam tape and added a few clear sequins.

I just realized today is the first day of Spring....winter sure went by fast!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI One Big Happy
• Paper:  PTI Lovely Lady, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Lovely Lady, Hibiscus Burst, Smokey Shadow, Spring Moss
• Dies:  PTI One Big Happy
• Other:  Foam Tape; Pretty Pink Posh Sequins
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Sending Get Well Wishes...

Color blending is very popular right now and I wanted to give it a try on an entire card front.

On white cardstock, I taped off a one inch strip with Post It Note tape and rubbed Aqua Mist ink below it. When I was done, I taped off the top of the Aqua Mist area and an inch above it and used Hawaiian Shores ink to fill in the area. I continued to use this same method on the card to add Dried Marigold, Berry Sorbet and Hibiscus Burst inks.

Sending is die-cut 3 times in white cardstock and stacked together. I stamped "get well wishes" under it in black ink. The little heart is punched in Hawaiian Shores cardstock from a border punch. The entire panel is on a piece of fun foam for dimension and adhered to a white cardstock card base.

I'm really happy with the way this one turned out!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Phrase Play #6
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, Hibiscus Burst; Tim Holtz Dried Marigold; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Sending
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch
• Other:  Fun Foam
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Welcome Little One...

Using Color Pop Florals again, this time for a baby card. I probably wouldn't have thought to use it for a baby card, but saw a card done by Marybeth (Marybeth's card) for a Make It Monday and got the idea from her.

I placed the flower stencil on white linen cardstock and used Sweet Blush and Berry Sorbet inks for the large flowers and Berry Sorbet and Pure Poppy inks for the smaller flowers. The leaves are inked in Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. I decided not to use the 3rd stencil (small flowers) on this one.

The banner is die-cut in Sweet Blush cardstock and stamped with Berry Sorbet ink. I placed the banner on foam tape for dimension. A different type of baby girl card and I guess I could do the same thing in blue for a baby boy card.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Color Pop Florals Make It Market Mini Kit, Keep It Simple: Baby
• Paper:  PTI Fresh Snow Linen
• Ink:  PTI Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet, Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse
• Dies:  PTI Double Ended Banner
• Other:  Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5" 

Just A Note

"Just A Note" is the first in a new series released by PTI this year "Splits".

I placed a polka dot stencil over white cardstock and rubbed Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores inks over it. It's adhered to a Hawaiian Shores cardstock card base with the left border showing.

I die-cut the Split, stamped it with Versamark ink, sprinkled it with Zing aqua embossing powder and heat set it. "Just A Note" is also embossed with black embossing powder. I placed the "split" on fun foam for dimension.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Splits: Just A Note
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist; Versamark
• Dies:  PTI Splits: Just A Note
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other: Zing Embossing Powder; Fun Foam; Heidi Swapp Stencil
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Sending Love & Sympathy

I'm going to get a lot of use out of PTI's Painted Petals anniversary set. It's so much fun to use!

The flower has 4 layers to it and I used Raspberry Fizz and Pure Poppy inks for the main portion and Scarlet Jewel for the bottom part. The stem is stamped in Spring Moss ink. I added the two little flowers clusters also stamped in Raspberry Fizz ink.

I'm having an "issue" right now with white backgrounds lol - I don't like seeing a lot of white background! I created a mask for the flower, placed a stencil over it and rubbed Soft Stone ink on the stencil to fill in some of the background. I'm much happier with the way it looks now!

The sentiment is stamped in Smokey Shadow ink. I placed the panel on a Raspberry Fizz cardstock card base, added Stone twine and a little bit of glitter on the main flower.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Painted Petals
• Paper:  PTI Raspberry Fizz, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Raspberry Fizz, Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, Smokey Shadow, Spring Moss, Soft Stone
• Tools:  PTI Modern Backgrounds Stencils
• Other:  Twine; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Sponged Stamping (MIM #242)

This week's Make It Monday #242: Sponged Stamping is hosted by Dawn McVey. She shows us how to use a sponge to put ink directly onto stamps allowing a variegated look. A very simple technique and one I should use more often!

Using a sponge blending tool, I randomly placed Harvest Gold and Summer Sunrise inks onto my flower stamp and stamped them on white cardstock. Can you tell where the flower is lighter and darker with the two shades of ink? The flower centers were stamped with Summer Sunrise ink and the leaves with Spring Moss ink (I didn't do the sponging technique on the centers or leaves).

"Happy" is die-cut 3 times in Spring Moss cardstock and stacked together. I stamped "anniversary" on a piece of white cardstock and placed it directly on top of the word.

The background was too stark looking so I added some faux splatters in Harvest Gold ink. I made the butterflies, stacking 4 die-cut butterflies together, which added some nice dimension. I placed a piece of Ombre Stripes pattern paper at the bottom of the panel and adhered it to a Summer Sunrise cardstock card base.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI One Big Happy; Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge
• Paper:  PTI Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, White Stampers Select, Ombre Stripes
• Ink:  PTI Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Spring Moss, Smokey Shadow
• Dies:  PTI One Big Happy
• Tools:  Martha Stewart Butterfly Border Punch
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

You Are Always....

Sometimes it's good to not think too much about details and just make a quick card, and that's what I did here.

On white cardstock, I added the strip of blue pattern paper. I stamped the sentiment in Smokey Shadow ink, added a few clear sequins and rounded the one corner.

Easy.....no thinking.....done!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Stylish Sentiments: Birthday
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; Recollections
• Ink:  PTI Smokey Shadow
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sentiments
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Celebrate Today

Color Pop Florals has to be my favorite (for now! lol) Make It Market Mini Kit! There's so much to do with it since it includes stamps, dies, stencils and pattern paper. I've been playing with it non-stop since I received it!

For this card, I used the 3 stencils that come with the set. The stencils are meant to be layered to make this design - stencil #1 has the big flowers, stencil #2 the leaves and stencil #3 the little flowers. You can use one or all of them together. Using all three really creates a beautiful look.

On white cardstock, I used Aqua Mist and Hawaiian Shores inks for the large flowers and Lemon Tart and Summer Sunrise inks for the smaller flowers. The leaves are stenciled with Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse inks. Did I mention that the stenciling is fast and easy to do?

Celebrate Today is die-cut 3 times in Hawaiian Shores cardstock, stacked, glued together and placed on an angle. The panel is adhered to a Lemon Tart cardstock card base.

Card Details:

• Stamps: PTI Color Pop Florals Make It Market Mini Kit
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Hawaiian Shores, Lemon Tart
• Ink:  PTI Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise
• Dies:  PTI Color Pop Florals Make It Market Mini Kit
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

It's Okay To Be Happy With A Simple Life

When this twig wreath originally came out I didn't think I needed it. But then I saw all of these cards being made with it and, well, it ended up in my cart. haha

I stamped the wreath in Dark Chocolate ink on Rustic Cream cardstock, adding the twigs around it in Ripe Avocado ink. The flowers are die-cut and stamped with Ocean Tides and Aqua Mist inks with Fresh Snow ink centers. A few of the flowers are on foam tape for dimension.

I had space at the top and added the strip of Holiday Plaid pattern paper since the colors in the wreath matched it. The panel was placed on an Ocean Tides cardstock card base. I did add a little bit of glitter to the flower centers.

I like this sentiment - it really says a lot!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Twig Wreath
• Paper:  PTI Rustic Cream, Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream, Holiday Plaid
• Ink:  PTI Dark Chocolate, Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, Ripe Avocado, Fresh Snow
• Dies:  PTI Twig Wreath
• Other:  Glitter; Foam Tape
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5" 

Ombre Stenciled Backgrounds (MIM #241)

Stencils are very trendy right now. I'm happy about that because I love working with them! So many times I think my background is too white or open looking and now I can just add a bit of stenciling to fix it!

This week's MIM #241: Ombre Stenciled Backgrounds is hosted by Betsy Veldman. I couldn't wait to get started on this challenge, in fact, I had a dream about what stencil and stamp set to use! Crafting on the brain? lol

I started with a piece of white cardstock and placed the Modern Backgrounds stencil on top. With a blending tool, from top to bottom, I rubbed Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise and Orange Zests inks on about 60% of the panel.

The flowers and pots are all die-cut and stamped perfectly...thanks to the MISTI! I used Raspberry Fizz on one flower and Pure Poppy on the other. The stems/leaves are stamped in Simply Chartreuse ink. The pots are adhered to the panel with a bit of glitter on the flowers on a Harvest Gold cardstock card base.

For the sentiment, I die-cut the banner using Boutique Borders: Baby and stamped the outline in  Orange Zest ink (I wanted the orange at the top to offset the orange at the bottom). I stamped the sentiment in black and placed the banner on foam tape. I added the little birdie, stamped in Harvest Gold and Summer Sunrise, also on foam tape.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Petite Pots, Boutique Borders: Baby, Birthday Classics: April
• Paper:  PTI Harvest Gold, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz, Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate; Memento Potters Clay, Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Petite Pots, Boutique Borders: Baby
• Other:  PTI Modern Backgrounds Stencil; Foam Tape; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

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Guess what??? I was a winner for this card! Thank you PTI!!

Congratulations to Lainey for being randomly selected as this weeks winner!  Please email Customer Service and provide the email address you would like your $25 gift certificate sent to!  And a big thank you to everyone else who participated in this challenge.  There were so many amazing entries!  Enjoy the rest of your week!