Papertrey November 2016 Blog Hop Challenge

Lots of ideas this month from the inspiration photo - so many pretty colors, the trees, stockings, presents and ornaments. I'm glad this month was easy because I've been busy with the usual year end rush of getting things done for the holidays. Each year I say I'm going to start earlier, but that never seems to happen!😎

On a piece of white cardstock, I stamped the tree in Versamark ink, sprinkled it with gold embossing powder and heat set it. The little dots around the tree are stamped in Hawaiian Shores ink and the ornaments colored with a Copic marker. I stamped the tree stand in Tropical Teal ink and the star in Raspberry Fizz ink.

Merry Christmas is stamped in Tropical Teal ink on a piece of Hawaiian Shores cardstock with a bottom border of gold foil cardstock. It's on fun foam for dimension. I lightly edged the panel with Raspberry Fizz ink and placed it on a Hawaiian Shores cardstock card base.

You can see the embossing a little bit better with the card on an angle:

 Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI O'Tannenbaum, Keep It Simple: Merry Christmas
• Paper:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, White Stampers Select; Gold Foil
• Ink:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, Tropical Teal; Versamark
• Tool:  Heat Tool
• Other:  Zing Embossing Powder; Fun Foam; Copic RV17
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Happy 21st Birthday...

A friend of mine asked me to create a money band for a gift of bills she was giving her son for his 21st birthday. I wanted to do a little more than just wrapping a band around the money.

For the background, I took a piece of cheery birthday pattern paper and adhered it to a piece of white cardstock for support. The money has a piece of navy blue cardstock wrapped around it for the band. I die-cut a scalloped circle in white cardstock and added a layer of Lemon Tart cardstock that I scored with lines.

The numbers were die-cut in Simply Chartreuse and white cardstock and placed on the yellow circle, with the "one" on foam tape for dimension. The blue band is adhered to the pattern background so it won't move.

I placed the money in a clear box (an empty PTI stamp box) and added confetti on the bottom to make it more festive looking.  

Project Details:

• Paper:  PTI Lemon Tart, Simply Chartreuse, White Stampers Select; DCWV
• Dies:  PTI By The Numbers, By The Numbers Mats, Scene It: Basic Backer; Standard Circle Nestabilities
• Other:  Foam Tape; Clear Box; Confetti
• Size:  5.0" x 6.75"

Papertrey Nov 2016 Create Along With Us...

I wasn't planning to make something for this contest because I'm making more Christmas cards right now than birthday cards. Then I saw Laurie Willison's simple birthday card and used the same idea for a Christmas card.

Here's Laurie's card that I used for inspiration:   ⇓  ⇓  ⇓

For my card, I started with a piece of white cardstock and stamped Happy Holidays in Pure Poppy and New Leaf inks. I really like these two colors together - very Christmasy! I added a strip from Holiday Plaid along the right side.

I felt like the card had a little too much blank space at the bottom and added the dotted double line. Quick and easy - which is really nice during this hectic time of year!😳

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Keep It Simple: Happy Holidays, Inside & Out: Love
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Holiday Plaid
• Ink:  PTI Pure Poppy, New Leaf
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Merry Christmas...

Just a simple card today using printed pattern paper and ready made cards.😊

I added a pretty stocking and candy cane pattern paper onto a store bought green card base. I bought a bunch of these card packs one year at Michael's after Christmas so I think it's about time I started using them!  

Next, I die-cut the stocking in red and white paper. I die-cut a few candy canes in white cardstock and stamped them with green and red inks. I adhered them to the back of the stocking and sprinkled them with a little glitter.

I placed the stocking on foam tape. The sentiment is stamped in red ink on a strip of white cardstock and is on foam tape for additional dimension.  I like how the stocking and candy canes match perfectly with the pattern background!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Peaceful Pinecones, Christmas Critters
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; Recollections; DCWV
• Ink:  Color Box Warm Red, Sour Apple
• Dies:  PTI Christmas Critters, Building Blocks; Memory Box Eyelet Stocking
• Other:  Foam Tape; Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Walking In A Winter Wonderland...

I fell in love with this deer (Altenew's Modern Deer stamp set) when I saw it - look at that sweet face!

I started with a piece of white cardstock and lightly rubbed Enchanted Evening ink on it to create the look of a wintry sky. Next, I stamped the deer in Kraft ink, adding his eyes and hooves in Cocoa Bean ink. 

I stamped the snow on the background and around the deer, sprinkled it with white embossing powder and heat set it. I added the tree and the snow drift, also die-cut in white cardstock. The sentiment is embossed with gold embossing powder.

I placed the panel on a piece of fun foam and adhered it to a Dark Indigo cardstock card base. I thought it needed a little color so I added the little red bird.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  Altenew Modern Deer, Snowing
• Paper:  PTI Dark Indigo, White Stampers Select
• Ink:  PTI Enchanted Evening, Kraft, Cocoa Bean; Versamark
• Dies:  Memory Box Tall Birch, Resting Birds; MFT Snow Drifts
• Tools:  Heat Tool
• Other:  White, Gold Zing Embossing Powder; Fun Foam
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Not A Creature Was Stirring...

This card is very similar to one that Amy Sheffer made during PTI's September release. But it was so cute I had to make it for myself with a couple of changes. These little critters are adorable!!🐭🐭

I die-cut the Keep It Simple frame in white cardstock and placed it in the middle of a white cardstock card base. Next, I die-cut the mice, and with the help of the Misti, stamped them in Seattle grey ink with Pale Peony ears. The sweater is stamped in Green Parakeet ink and the scarf and candy cane in Pure Poppy ink. The nose is stamped in black ink and I added the eyes with a thin, black marker.

I placed the mice on foam tape for dimension. Next I die-cut the holly and stamped it in the same green and red inks, adding it to the frame corner. I stamped the sentiment and added a strip of Holiday Plaid pattern paper along the bottom of the card. A little bit of glitter on the holly was the final step.

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Christmas Critters, Christmas Critters Sentiments
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Holiday Plaid
• Ink:  PTI Pure Poppy, Green Parakeet, Pale Peony; Amuse Seattle; Memento Tuxedo Black
• Dies:  PTI Christmas Critters, Keep It Simple Frames
• Other:  Foam Tape; Glitter; Black Marker
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Operation Christmas Child...

My friend has participated in Operation Christmas Child for a few years and told me how much fun it is to fill a shoebox with toys and everyday necessities for a child. Then I saw on Betsy Veldman's blog that she was donating the commission she makes on a particular stamp and die set to this organization. I felt it was something I also wanted to do.

Originally I was going to just fill one shoebox and then decided to do one for each boy and girl, ages 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14 for a total of 6 boxes. I had a lot of fun buying things to put in the boxes! We are so fortunate and take so many things for granted, like a simple toothbrush. On the OCC website, I read a story about one little girl who was so thrilled to receive her box containing her own toothbrush after sharing a toothbrush with 25 other girls! Yuck, I can't even imagine that!

All of the my boxes contain toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap and washcloth, band-aids, lip balm, tissues, combs, socks and a Beanie Babie. Depending on the age and gender, I also included crayons, pens, pencils, notepads, glue sticks, safety scissors, hair clips, elastic hair bands and toys (yo-yo, harmonica, jump rope, Matchbox cars, puzzles, watercolor set, foam ball, marbles, etc.). Each box has about 25 or more items in it.

This is for a little girl, age 2-4:

And a boy, age 5-9:

If you donate $7 with the box, OCC provides you with a tracking number and will notify you with information about the country where your box will be delivered. I'm looking forward to seeing the journey the boxes take! November 14-21 is the collection week so I'll be dropping them off on Monday at a local church.

There's Beauty To Be Found In Every Corner...

The leaves in this area are at their peak of colors right now and are just gorgeous to look at. This is one of the many reasons I enjoy this season so much, the Autumn leaves are like looking at a work of art.

On Rustic Cream cardstock, I stamped the leaves in Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, Pure Poppy and Morocco inks, trying to capture some of the beauty I see out my windows. 

I placed the panel on a Spring Moss cardstock card base and rounded the right bottom corner. My last step was stamping the sentiment, which is appropriate for what I'm seeing right now.

Card Details:

• Stamps: PTI Year of Flowers: Marigold; Altenew Simple Flowers
• Paper:  PTI Rustic Cream, Spring Moss
• Ink:  PTI Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, Pure Poppy; Memento Morocco; Versafine Onyx Black
• Tools:  Corner Rounder
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Assembly Line Card Making (MIM #267)...

No new technique this week, just some tips for making multiples of the same card, in Laurie Willison's Make It Monday #267: Assembly Line Card Making video. A perfect time to see this since so many of us will be making a lot of holiday cards.

I used my new favorite set, Sweet Holiday Wishes for my cards. I'm in love with this stamp set and coordinating dies and can't stop making cards with it because it's so much fun to use! If you didn't get this set, I highly recommend it!!

On white cardstock I stamped the cookies in Kraft ink, adding the sentiment in Cocoa Bean ink. The first layer of icing is die-cut in Pale Peony cardstock and the lacy icing die-cut in white cardstock. I glued both layers together and placed them on the card. Cookies have to have sugar on them (isn't that a rule?), so there's lots of glittery "sugar" on each cookie. The cookie panel is adhered to a Pale Peony cardstock card base.

Once I had my "prototype" completed, it was easy to stamp the other 3 cards with the help of the Misti, and to cut out the additional die-cuts. These cookies look good enough to eat, don't you think?

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI Sweet Holiday Wishes, Holiday Button Bits
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Pale Peony
• Ink:  PTI Kraft, Cocoa Bean
• Dies:  PTI Sweetest Holiday Wishes
• Other:  Glitter
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Let Me Know If There's Anything I Can Do...

Did you enjoy getting that extra hour of sleep last night?

When I made this card, I was in the stenciling mood and pulled out one of the stencils included in the Garden Gate Make It Market Kit. On white cardstock, I stenciled the leaves in Simply Chartreuse and Spring Moss inks to give them a little bit of color shading.

The banner is die-cut in Simply Chartreuse cardstock and stamped with black ink. I placed the banner on fun foam for dimension, about an inch from the bottom of the card. This was quick and simple to make!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI The Skinny
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Simply Chartreuse
• Ink:  PTI Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse; Versafine Onyx Black
• Dies:  PTI Sketched Shapes
• Tools:  PTI Garden Gate Stencil
• Other:  Fun Foam
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

Thanks...

It might not seem like it, but I do buy from stamp companies other than PTI. lol This card uses stamps from Altenew, a new stamp company that's only been around since 2014.

On white cardstock, I stamped the flowers in Amethyst Allure, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise and Hawaiian Shores inks. The stems are stamped in Spring Moss ink.

I stamped the sentiment and the little dots in black ink and placed the panel on an Amethyst Allure cardstock card base. These are such fun looking flowers!

Card Details:

• Stamps:  PTI City Scene; Altenew Simple Flowers; WPlus9 Hand Lettered Thanks
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select, Amethyst Allure
• Ink:  PTI Amethyst Allure, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores, Spring Moss; Versafine Onyx Black
• Size:  4.25" x 5.5"

That's A Wrap (MIM #266)...

This week's Make It Monday #266: That's A Wrap was easy and a lot of fun to make! Lexi Daly shows us how to create our own custom designed wrapping paper with stamps! Luckily Lexi included paper guidelines for us to download - that made it so simple to line things up!

I started with a piece of white printer paper, and using the "square" guideline, stamped the snowflakes in Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet and Raspberry Fizz inks. Isn't this a delightful color combination from Betsy Veldman?

I stamped "let it snow" in Smokey Shadow ink and added silver Stickles to the snowflake centers. Once my package was wrapped, I tied white fun fur around it (snowflakes = fun fur!) and added a matching snowflake tag with sentiment.

Here's the full sheet of paper: (I always have a hard time trying to photograph white!)

And the wrapped package:

Project Details:

• Stamps:  PTI What The Doodle: Snowflakes, Tiny Treats: Christmas
• Paper:  PTI White Stampers Select; Printer 
• Ink:  PTI Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet, Raspberry Fizz, Smokey Shadow
• Dies:  PTI What The Doodle: Snowflakes
• Other:  Fun Fur; Stickles