Christmas in July

Hello.  Today's project was created for the Sparkles Christmas Challenge. This week's theme (aside from Christmas) is to create a project using ribbon, lace, or twine. 

Thanks for looking!

Supplies

Papertrey Ink:  Love Lives Here Holiday Stamps and Dies, Pure Poppy and Vintage Cream Card Stock, Stitching Lines

Crafty Secrets:  Cream Thistles Paper

Spellbinders:  Poinsettia, Lacey Circles, and Large Circles Dies

Other:  Rick Rack, Lace, Gold Embossing Powder, Vellum Paper

Papertrey Make it Monday #219

Hi, there.  It's time to share another Make it Monday project with you.  Lizzie at Papertrey Ink has shared a technique called 'Texture Kissing' with us and invites everyone to play along for a chance to win a $25.00 PTI gift card.

I chose Spooky Sweets stamp set to create this little treat box. 

I applied the 'texture kissing' technique to his face using PTI's BB: Retro stamp set. 

Since it's July, I don't have any Halloween candy lying around (boooo).  So, I decided to make some little tags to fill up my treat box. 

 I wish real spiders were this cute...

Again, I applied the challenge technique to the jack-o-lantern.  This time in summer sunrise ink. 

I love those glaring eyeballs. Spooky fun! 

Thanks for looking!

Supplies

Papertrey Ink:  Background Basics Retro Stamp Set, Spooky Sweets Stamp Set, Summer Sunrise Ink, Classic Kraft Ink, Kraft card stock, Spider web Trio, Tag Sale #5, Tag Sale #8, Canyon Clay Buttons

Spellbinders: circles, scalloped circles, stars

Crafty Secrets:  black spiderweb digital paper

Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge

Happy Saturday!  I am so excited the weekend is here.  We are heading to Prescott for the day and hoping to get a little relief from the Phoenix heat.  The town is hosting wild west style shootout on the square and my little girl is so excited to attend.  I cannot wait to see her face.

Today's project was created for the Papertrey Ink July Blog Hop Challenge and is inspired by the photo below:  

I love this month's inspiration photo.  Those butterflies are lovely with their different shapes and combination of patterns. 

I created a custom cover plate using the butterfly die from PTI's Love Lives Here collection. 

 

Crafty Secrets created this gorgeous floral paper and I knew I wanted to use it the moment I saw those patterned wings.  I decided to throw in one aqua colored beauty just like the photo. 

I heat embossed the sentiment in gold.

I just love that paper!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:

PTI:    Aqua Mist Paper, Love Lives Here Die Collection, Mini Blooms Stamp Set,

Spellbinders: Butterfly Circles

Martha Stewart:  Butterfly Punch

Crafty Secrets:   Paper from Creating with Vintage Patterns

Merry Monday Challenge #167

Hi.  I wanted to share a quick tag I made for the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.  I stumbled upon this site after checking out Marcia Hill's blog and am so excited to have found it.  Who doesn't love to create Christmas projects year round?

The challenge for this Merry Monday is to use a heart somewhere in your Christmas project.  I chose to use Papertrey Ink's Layered Hearts dies and background stamp set to create the backdrop for this sweet little deer. 

I just love this reindeer die.  Isn't he a handsome fellow?

I created the argyle background by spraying Dylusions Ink Spray over my stencil. I love how deep and vibrant the sprays are but boy are they messy!   It took me a few minutes of wiping and re-wiping to clean off my craft mat.  Next time, I will use them outside on a newspaper so I can quickly toss out the mess and be done with it.  The supplies were easy to clean, though.  I rinsed off the stencil in the sink and it looked brand new in just a few seconds.  The intense colors are worth the finished product.  I highly recommend giving them a go if you haven't. 

I used a little tea-stained lace trim and scarlet ribbon to break up the deep red hue.

The sentiment is stamped in chalk ink over clear vellum paper.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:

Dies:  Papertrey Ink Limitless Layers Hearts, Tim Holtz Tag & Bookplates, Tim Holtz Reindeer Flight

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Background Basics:  Hearts, Signature Christmas

Ink:  Papertrey Ripe Avocado, Cloud White VersaMagic
 

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday #218

It's time for Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday again.  One of the reasons I am so in love with PTI is because of their weekly challenges.  There are so many occasions when their challenges either push me out of my comfort zone and force me to learn something new or I have to figure out how to incorporate more modern styles into my go-to vintage-y nature.  Today's challenge was no different. 

Lexi has challenged us this week to create a watercolor project using a die cut stencil.  I do NOT do watercolor.  It's beautiful and different and I've always admired it from afar but it's not for me.  Every time I've given it a shot, my colors look muddy or the paper warps.  I've tried less water and the brush seems to fray the paper.  And yes, that's when using watercolor paper.  I look at Lexi's beautiful cards and think, how did she get her cardstock so flat and those colors to shine so lovely?  But when it comes to watercolor, I already know the answer.  It's just me.  And I am OK with that.  That said, I am always up for a challenge.  So, here we go.

I chose to use a Spellbinders Lattice die to create a watercolor background in yellow and orange.  Don't forget to check out Lexi's tutorial to learn to use your dies as a stencil. 

See how those little lattice squares are not so perfect?  Um, again, ALL me. 

I just love a button as a flower center.  There's no rhyme or reason to it but it always makes me smile.  I love the little things in life that do that. 

Thanks for looking!

Supplies

PTI:  Tag Sale # 3 , Canyon Clay Vintage Button, Mini Blooms sentiment

My Favorite Things:  Fringe Circle Die

Sizzix:  Branch with Leaves Die


 
 

Papertrey Ink Create Along with Us: July 2015

I cannot believe all of the fabulous happenings going on over at Papertrey Ink. There are so many goodies being released this month...ALL of them are spectacular.

Today's card is for Papertrey Ink's Create Along with Us challenge.  The idea is to create something using inspiration from one of the design team members' projects made showcasing this month's release products. As all of the DT members outdid themselves this month, it was incredibly difficult to choose where to pull inspiration from so I chose to go with the one idea I never follow through with but always should:  decorating the inside of my cards. 

Melissa Phillips creates some of the most beautiful cards I have ever seen and this week she elevated her projects further by adding a personal touch to the inside of her cards. Make sure you stop by and check out her beautiful designs-you won't be disappointed!

I used the little sprigs from my Love Lives Here Holiday Set to border the sides of my card and to stamp the inside.  I love this idea.  I am guilty of working endlessly on the front of a card only to open it up to nothing.  Adding a little something to the inside just makes it flow a little more cohesively than the bright white nothingness I usually leave behind. 

Yes, it's a Christmas in July card.  When you live in the desert during the summer, you sometimes imagine that the holidays (and good weather) are closer than they are :).

Thanks for looking!

Supplies:

Papertrey Ink:  Tinsel and Tags Stamps & Dies, Love Lives Here Holiday, Stamper's Select White Cardstock, Smokey Shadow Ink, Sweet Blush Ink, Basic Background Stamps:  Tin Types & Retro

Tim Holtz:  Iced Spruce Ink

Spellbinders:  Lacey Circles

Other:  Music Sheet Vellum

 

Halloween Tag Trio

I know we are months away from Halloween but I was digging through my stamp collection over the weekend and couldn't resist playing with some of the goodies I found!

Don't you love the spider frame?  I stamped this little guy using Versamark and then coated him with glossy accents to give him that in-a-picture-frame look.  I know most people probably wouldn't put hearts in their Halloween projects but I was almost a Halloween baby and I have always loved everything about it...Trick-or-Treating, bobbing for apples, but mostly the joy and anticipation my kids get from picking out costumes and waiting for Halloween candy!  I simply cannot wait for this time of year.

I love the details on this spooky fellow's hat.

Jack-o-lanterns are my absolute favorite!  I love the toothy ones that grin...so stinkin' cute!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies
Stamps:  Papertrey Ink:  Background Basics Chevron Stripes, Retro
Crafty Secrets:  Halloween Postcard 
Martha Stewart: Elegant Witch

Dies: 
Papertrey Ink:  Limitless Layers Heart Stitches and 2 1/4" Hearts,  Tag Sale #5, #8, #10
Memory Box:  Fringe Circle

Expendables:  Jolee's Boutique, Tim Holtz Seasonal Chit Chat, ribbon


 

Little Dancer

Hi, there!  I wanted to share a quick card I made using pink and cream...one of my favorite color combos.  I just love how girlie and soft they are together.

This little darling was stamped using the Little Dancer Stamp Set.  I cannot believe this sweet little set is ONLY $1.95...such a great deal!

The star background was stamped in sweet blush using Halloween Fun and Christmas Joy.

The tutu and leotard were colored with a Rose Pink copic marker.  The photo doesn't show it well but I dabbed on some diamond stickles and it really shines in person.

The stitched tag and tiny tag were cut using PTI's stitched tag die and tiny tags die collections.

Don't forget to stop by Crafty Secrets and link up your project.  One lucky individual will win a $25 gift card to their online store. 

Thanks for looking!

Summer Fun

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic Fourth!  I still cannot believe July has arrived. Where has the time gone? Before you know it, we will be Trick or Treating.

Today's projects were created for a couple of challenges:  Crafty Secrets' July Linky Party and Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday Challenge #217.

The first project was created for PTI's Make it Monday Challenge #217.  This week's challenge is to create a custom border using stamps instead of dies.  Laurie has a quick tutorial if you want to check it out.

I chose to create my border using the sweet little snail stamp from PTI's Baby Button Bits.  I love this whole set. Both the sentiment and the flower stamps are from this same set.

The beautiful yellow gingham background is from Crafty Secrets' Retro Kitchen Download. There are so many great images in this kit but if you participate in this month's linky, this pretty paper is free of charge.  

My second project was created for the Crafty Secrets July Linky Party.  This little tag was created using the FREE digital image Sandy at CS is giving away to all those who play along in this month's linky.  I couldn't help but smile when I saw the little sentiment as we just experienced our first trip to Disneyland last week and although it is only a 6 hours away, with an infant, a toddler, and a near teenager in tow, I can honestly say if this question wasn't being asked aloud by one of the kiddos, my husband or I was thinking it.  Those car trips can be interesting, to say the least. That said, it was a wonderful trip and we are so thankful we got to go.  We made some of the most wonderful memories. 

The image itself is from the Crafty Secrets Digital Summer Printable Sheet. I used PTI's Tag Sale #8 and #10 to cut the tag and inked the Mini Blooms in Sweet Blush, Pure Poppy, and New Leaf.

Again, that lovely gingham paper is from the Crafty Secrets Retro Kitchen digital download. 

Thanks for looking!