PaperTrey November Blog Hop Challenge: Holiday Tags

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! It's the 25th of the month, which means time for another PTI Blog Hop. This month's challenge is to design a holiday tag. This challenge was perfect timing for me because I was in the process of working on the gift wrap for my annual gift of calendars to my family and friends. I took inspiration from recent posts by Nichole and Dawn to come up with these tags:


I kept the basic design of my tags the same for simplicity. The Tag Sale 2 die cut from Pure Poppy card stock, red baker's twine, and one of the background stamps from a Text Style set in white ink. The focal points were stamped with different images from the 2008 and 2009 Holiday Tag sets. (I hadn't ordered the 2010 set yet when I'd made these, but I will make a few more now that my order arrived this week!) I layered the tag images over one of the Limitless Layer die cuts, and even tried the lazy stamper's medallion technique that Nichole featured on her blog last month (I loved the look of it, but found it tricky to adhere the medallion to the tag; it also was a bit too time consuming for mass production). I finished off each tag with some sort of embellishment like the velvet holly leaves and sparkling red rhinestone berries, paper and felt poinsettias and other felt stickers.

The green prep cups and loaf pan were some great finds at my local Tuesday Morning. They are from Emile Henry, and if you frequent cooking stores you know that line of cookware is typically pricey! I love that shade of chartreuse green. So fresh. Incorporating these cups and pan into my crafting added to my inspiration and also kept me organized.

I made a total of twelve tags to attach to each of my gift bags. Here's a look at all of the finished tags:

Feel free to click any of the photos for a closer look. Enjoy the rest of the hop, and have a terrific Thanksgiving!

Thanks for stopping by!

Papertrey Playhouse Challenge #3: Tag Time

Hello and Happy Weekend! I'm desperately trying to fight off a cold bug that seems to have the upper hand right now. No fun. I will be filling up on more Vitamin C as soon as I finish this post! I played along with the current Papertrey Playhouse challenge, which is to make a creation with a tag on it, and as a bonus, to take inspiration from one of the PTI design team members. I love each of the DT members because they all have their own individual style. The one I'm most drawn to is Dawn McVey. I love how she selects unusual color combinations and creates unique layouts for her cards. My card layout is inspired by the one she did here (the card shown at the end of her post).

Though it's hard to tell in the photo, I used the woodgrain impression plate to create texture on my card front. Other than the kraft note card itself and the orange Dotty Biscotti paper, everything else was a scrap I had in my stash.

I'm off to nurse my cold. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Happy Halloween!


Card details:
Stamps, ribbon, button, twine, dies, impression plate, patterned paper by PTI; Indian Summer patterned paper by Basic Grey; Memento ink; brown cardstock from stash; Hero Arts note card.

PTI October Blog Hop: Winter Holiday Celebration

Thanks for stopping by! This month's challenge is to make a project that celebrates a winter holiday other than Christmas. I opted to make a card in celebration of the winter solstice. I kept my card simple, focusing on the frosty birch trees and emphasizing the sentiment that captures the essence of the season: peace. I haven't made a clean and simple card like this in a long time, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.


Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest of the hop!

Papertrey Playhouse Challenge #2: Pop of Color

Hello and Happy Friday! We made it through another week! I'm way behind on my Halloween projects, so I plan to spend most of my weekend getting crafty! I made this card last weekend in hopes of jump starting my Halloween mojo and to also fulfill the current challenge on the Papertrey Playhouse blog, which is to make a black and white card with a pop of color.

All of the stamps on this card are from PTI's Spooky Sweets II set. I love this set, especially that ornate circular frame! I made my own background paper by stamping the scroll image across the paper, then flipping it upside down, lining it up under the first row of images and stamping across the paper again. It gives the image a totally different look. More mileage out of our stamps, gotta love that!

I also tried my hand at making one of those crepe paper medallions. They aren't as easy as they look, maybe because the crepe paper can be so flimsy, and if you don't hold the folds tightly as you make your accordian pleats, well...there goes all your hard work! I finished off the card with some American Crafts grosgrain ribbon and a Making Memories metal Halloween charm that I bought some years ago.

Someone from the PTI forum just might be the recipient of this card, along with a treat!

Thanks for looking, and have a wonderful weekend!

Papertrey Playhouse Challenge #1: Felt

Happy Saturday and Happy World Card Making Day! I recently joined a new group over at the PTI Forum, Papertrey Playhouse. Our first challenge is to make a project incorporating felt. I wanted to make a fall card since autumn is here and it is my favorite season by far! I pulled out the Leaf Prints set, one of my Leaf Prints dies and Harvest Gold felt and got busy! A few buttons in shades of autumn, some scraps of paper from previous projects, and the great Fillable Frames #7 stamp set and die, and I was done! I gave this card to a dear friend who recently came back from a trip to China and brought me a beautiful scarf.

Hope you get some time to be crafty today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Card details:
All supplies by PTI except for ink, which is from Memento, and the We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper.

PTI September Blog Hop: Inspiration from My Fellow Crafters

Hi and Happy Saturday! This month's PTI Blog Hop challenge is to share a project inspired by another stamper. One of the fun things I have learned while practicing this craft is to infuse something unexpected or unique into a creation. I can't give credit to one specific individual, I get inspiration from EVERYONE! So, my card is for YOU and for all that you bring to this great hobby.

I'm participating in a Fall/Halloween swap on the PTI Forum, and this is the card I made for my recipient Jill (I hope it arrives in the mail today so I'm not spoiling her surprise!)

My picture doesn't show it well, but the ghost with the googly eyes is popping up out of the pocket! I attached him using some fine gauge wire I wrapped around a pencil so it had some spring. Inside the pocket is a Ghirardelli extra dark chocolate square as a special treat.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of the hop!

Card Supplies:
Stamps, cardstock pocket die and patterned paper by PTI; EK Success (circle) and Marvy (scalloped circle) punches; Memento ink; wire; googly eye accents; candy.

What's Perking?

When Paper Crafts magazine put out a recent call for projects for an upcoming stamp technique issue, I decided to submit this card in the marker category. I am by no means a Copic professional. I've taken only one Copic marker class at a local stamp store which introduced me to the basic blending techniques and rule of three markers (pick out one of each marker in light, medium and dark tones). I came away with a good understanding, but I would definitely like to take my skills to the next level. It was probably a bit ambitious on my part to submit a card in the color marker category, and my card wasn't picked, but oh well. Nothing ventured nothing gained!

The What's Perking set from Hero Arts is one of my favorites. It's definitely good for practicing paper piecing and coloring, plus it's just so bright and cheery. It was fun to pair the set with PTI cardstock and buttons, along with some patterned paper from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop collection.

Thanks for looking and have a good week!

Card Supplies:
Stamps from What's Perking clear set by Hero Arts; patterned paper from October Afternoon; PaperTrey Ink ocean tides cardstock, lemon tart and ocean tides buttons, button twine; Memento inks; assorted Copic markers; We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper.