CHA Chicago

I'm home from a wonderful weekend in Chicago at CHA!  It was so much fun to meet the Papertrey ladies, my fellow PTI addicts, and see all the goodies in person.  Everyone I met was so sweet.  Here's a few pics from the weekend.  Nadine brought everyone plumeria hair sticks as a gift from Hawaii.  Check out the shot of her and the PTI ladies below.  Click on the photos to enlarge.

Inside the PTI booth

Me & Dawn McVey

     

  

                           
 Meeting Nichole Heady!





Nadine and the Papertrey Ladies.





 
Jennifer K and Nadine looking gorgeous!

After the show on Friday night.
Top row:  me, Marjorie (moodyblue),
Chere (docmicro), LeAnn (sillyleann)
Seated:  Nadine (wahinelei), Taheerah (LittleMissT),
Jennifer (JenniferK)

 

Nadine and I got to meet Laurie (Laurie Beth) and her sister.  I'm a huge fan of Laurie's work.  So glad she introduced herself!

Us Hawaii girls! 
Maria will soon be joining us in blogland (right Maria?)

Card & Bookmark

So...I wasn't going to place a Papertrey order this month since I'm shopping at CHA next weekend.  As you can see, I caved.  I couldn't resist the new dies, All booked Up and School Time.  Anyhow, here's a card and coordinating bookmark I made for my FIL.  There is a Barnes & Noble gift card attached inside the card.  I CASE'd the layout from Nichole's card in this post.

I used some patterned papers from Father Knows Best and 2008 Bitty Dot Basics.  I distressed the edges (something I rarely do) with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  The "happy birthday" sentiment is from Birthday Basics and the little tree on the bookmark is from Through the Trees.
I absolutely love the new bookmark die!  It's so easy to whip up a quick bookmark for any occasion.




All supplies from Papertrey Ink unless noted

Stamps:  All Booked Up, Through the Trees, Birthday Basics
Paper:  white cs, father knows best pp, summer sunrise bitty dots pp, dark chocolate cs
Ink:  Dark Chocolate, Goldrush (CTMH), Vintage Photo distress ink (ranger), Vintage Cream (bookmark sentiment)
Accessories:  Mat Stack die 3, bookmark die, dark chocolate twill ribbon, 1 3/4 circle punch (EK success), long rectangle nesties (dark chocolate layer), foam dimensionals

Classy & Elegant

I'm sure you all saw the gorgeous eye candy last week during the Card Style series on Moxie Fab World.  So many wonderful cards!  I thought I'd play along with the Classy and Elegant challenge.  I made a set of cards using last year's exclusive CHA set from Papertrey Ink.  The sentiments are from Enjoy the Ride.  Click on the photos below to see them bigger.

The colors are Terracotta Tile, Plum Pudding, Melon Berry and Hawaiian Shores.  I stamped the images on Vintage Cream backed by some black cardstock.  The black makes the colors pop even more.  I pierced some holes beneath the sentiment on the "happy for you" and "congratulations" cards just for a bit more detail.

All products from Papertrey Ink unless noted

Stamps:  Floral Fusion (2009 CHA set), Enjoy the Ride
Paper:  Vintage Cream, True Black
Ink:  Terracotta Tile, Plum Pudding, Hawaiian Shores, black (memento), Groovy Guava (SU!)
Accessories:  satin ribbon (papertrey), black brads (making memories), slit punch (SU!), paper piercer, foam dimensionals

Simple Gift Card Holder

Hi all, this is a quick gift card holder I made for my husband's birthday.  He's one of those people you can't shop for because he either buys what he needs or wants something you couldn't possibly pick out on your own (guitar accessories & equipment).  Therefore, he gets a gift card or in this case a coupon for $$ to add to his guitar fund.

I stamped the arrows from Get to the Point in Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest, Pure Poppy and Simply Chartreuse.  The sentiment and "Happy Birthday" are from Get to the Point sentiments.  I attached that kraft piece to a black card base that is 5" x 7" and scored at 4 1/4" to form a flap. 

I added some patterned paper from the Men of Life collection to the inside and then punched slits to hold the coupon.  I created a coupon using two Labels 10 dies and some alphabet stamps from Stampabilities.  I wrote his gift amount and a little note on the back of the coupon.  Let's just say he was plenty happy with this simple gift:)




Stamps:  Get to the Point, Get to the Point sentiments (Papertrey), tenly alphas (Stampabilities)
Paper:  True Black, Kraft, Pure Poppy, Men of Life pp (Papertrey)
Ink: White (Memories), Hawaiian Shores, Orange Zest, Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey), Black (Memento)
Accessories:  corner rounder, labels 10 (Spellbinders), slit punch (SU), scor-pal

OLC Fun

Here's a one layer card using Papertrey's Through the Trees, BB: Woodgrain, Father Knows Best and Up, Up and Away. 

• First I sponged the sky using my homemade scallop punch cloud template and Breeze ink (CTMH).
• Sponged the grass and little hill using Tart lime (stampabilities) and Ripe Avocado (PTI)
• Inked up the tree trunk with Dark Chocolate (PTI) and then "kissed" it against a woodgrain stamp from Background Basics: Woodgrain.
• Stamped leaves in Ripe Avocado.
• Stamped sun with Sunflower (CTMH).  Large rays are stamped off once.
• Stamp sentiment from Through the Trees.
• Added the leaves on the ground using the single leaf from Father Knows Best.

Home Again

I am finally back home again after a nearly two week vacation!  I put 1700 miles on the car...whew...no wonder I'm exhausted.  It was great to spend time with family in Tennessee and Georgia.  Man was it hot down there!

While I was gone a package arrived for me.  My husband, who had to stay behind and work, put the box up in my craft room.  It was killing me that it was sitting up there for over a week without me.  What's so special about this package?  Well, waaay back in February I won the egg hunt contest that was part of Papertrey's 3rd anniversary.  The prize was two stamps sets, the Egg Hunt paper pack and a basket of eggs filled with ribbon, buttons, inks, and other goodies.  The stamps and paper arrived after three weeks, but the basket never did.  I waited the six weeks that I was supposed to wait and then contacted PTI's customer service.  Long story short, the first basket went MIA between Nichole Heady's house and mine.  A couple of emails back and forth and Nichole sent a second basket my way.  It was so worth the wait.  Tons of ribbons and buttons and other goodies!  Check it out:

See that envelope with my name on it?  It's a handwritten card from Nichole herself!  Remember this card she made for the Delightful Dahlia introduction?  So cool to get this from her.

Now I just have to find my mojo again and get crafty.

The Big 60

I made this fun card for my husband's uncle who is celebrating his 60th birthday today!!  He's throwing a big bash this weekend complete with a private show from the Celtic fusion-rock band Seven Nations.  It should be a blast.  Can't wait!

I finally got around to using Get to the Point from Papertrey.  This is a fun set that can be used for so many things.  I just need to get the creative juices flowing so I can use it even more. 

I paired the arrows and sentiment with some patterned paper I've had forever.  I inked the white edges with Simply Chartruese ink.  The circle dotted stamp around the sentiment is from Inque Boutique who are no longer in business.






Stamps:  Get to the Point, Get to Point sentiments (PTI), Circle It (Inque Boutique)
Paper:  white, terracotta tile (PTI), Birthday Script patterned paper (outdoors and more)
Ink:  terracotta tile, simply chartruese (PTI), sunflower, indian corn blue (CTMH)
Accessories:  pop dots, circle nesties, corner rounder

Birthday Balloons

Here's a quick card using Up, Up & Away.  It was totally inspired by Niki's adorable card using this set.  I kept this pretty simple.  Nothing too creative, but it sure is an easy and cute birthday card. 

• Stamped the balloons on some Spring Rain bitty dot paper and then colored them with Copics.
• Stamped a few clouds with Brilliance Sky Blue ink.
• Popped up two balloons and the grass with dimensionals.

All supplies from Papertrey Ink unless stated otherwise.

Stamps:  Up, Up and Away
Paper:  Stampers Select White, Bitty Dot pp, green unknown
Ink:  Memento tuxedo black, Brilliance sky blue
Accessories:  Up, Up and Away balloon dies, Copic markers, pop dots

Celebrate Today

I'm finally getting to post this card I made last week.  Things have been busy with work and the end of the school year for the girls.

I've been wanting to use this color combo for some time now.  I love Pure Poppy on Kraft and Hawaiian Shores with Pure Poppy, so I thought this would work.

I made the flower by stamping polka dots in Hawaiian Shores onto vellum.  I then cut them out with my cuttlebug flower dies.  I love how it looks paired with this image from the PTI 3rd anniversary set.  The little blue dots are felt pieces that I punch with a regular hole punch.  Gotta love that PTI felt!




All supplies Papertrey Ink unless stated otherwise

Stamps:  Polka Dot Basics II, Round and Round (anniversary set)
Paper:  Kraft, Hawaiian Shores, vellum
Ink:  Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Labels 10 (spellbinders), brads (target $1 spot), hole punch, Hawaiian Shores felt, cuttlebug flower dies, copic markers

Papertrey May Blog Hop Challenge

It's Blog Hop time again for Papertrey!!!  This month's theme is felt.  I love PTI's new line of felt.  I chose to use some of their Hawaiian Shores felt for this card.  I also used felt from Hobby Lobby that I already had on hand.  No stamping on this card.  YIKES!

Quick explanation:

• SU's Top Note die for the large black felt piece
• Cuttlebug flower die for all blossoms except biggest HS piece
• Blossom Two nestie for largest flower
• Delightful Dahlia dies for leaves
• Green Boutique patterned paper on black cs layer
• rub-on for sentiment
• rhinestones colored with Copic marker
• black brad for flower center

Chocolate Leaves

I finally had time to make a card!  I cannot believe I haven't stamped anything in two weeks.  I knew that I wanted to participate in Ted's fun May challenge.  Have you seen it?  Oh my, what a creative challenge.  He called it Eat Your Heart Out!, a menu challenge.  Go check it out and play along.

Here are the rules I had to follow since my birth year ends in a 2:

• card base = brown
• technique = paper piecing
• embellishment = floss, string, thread
• main image = leaves

Here's what I came up with:

I can't tell you how hard this challenge was for me.  I started with another idea, using a different stamp set, and worked on it forever before giving up.  In the end, I decided to keep it simple.  The paper piecing was the hardest part.  I couldn't get any creative juices flowing.  I wanted to stick to leaves and not add any flowers, etc. so I just decided to paper piece two of the leaves that I stamped on the base.  I added the button for balance.  What do you think?





All products from Papertrey Ink unless noted

Stamps:  Year of Flowers: Violet
Paper:  Dark Chocolate, Vintage Cream, Green Tea Leaves pp
Ink:  Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate
Accessories:  new leaf button, DMC floss 967, long rectangle nesties (spellbinders), pop dots

So Sweet of You

Happy Thursday everyone!  I worked on this card in pieces, over weeks.  That's how I make a lot of my cards.  I stamp some cardstock when I have time.  I punch out something when I have time.  I put two layers together when I have time.  You see how it goes.  I rarely sit down and finish an entire card all at once.  It usually slowly evolves.

• So, I had stamped a piece of vintage cream cardstock with my Tin Types background, in Ocean Tides ink.  Then it sat. 
• I walked by it a day later, and punched out five butterflies.  They sat.
• A week later, I stamped this piece of Kraft cardstock with my woodgrain stamp.  Guess what...Yep, it sat around too.
• After another week, I thought I should get those pieces off my desk and focus on finishing the card.  I cut the base of Ocean Tides cs and the rest of the card came together in no time.  I love the Dark Chocolate button I found in my stash.  I rubbed a little vintage cream ink over it to show the texture.

What's my problem?  Not enough time?  Maybe, but I don't really care.  It doesn't bother me.  I live an unhurried life.  I'm just grateful to have stamps and goodies to play with.  And eventually I'll find time to finish a card.

All from Papertrey Ink except where stated

Stamps:  Background Basics: Tin Types & Woodgrain, Signature Greetings
Paper:  Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream, Kraft
Ink:  Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate, Bamboo (CTMH)
Accessories:  martha stewart butterfly punch, melon berry satin ribbon, dark chocolate vintage button, rustic twine

Mother's Day Dahlia

This is the card I brought to my stamp gathering for everyone to make.  I cased this from the talented Jackie Pedro.  You can find her card here.  I like Jackie's card much better, but I wanted to recreate it using what I had. 

The CB embossing folder is called Floral Screen.  I stamped the dahlia and leaves from some patterned paper in the Everyday Blessings collection and used pop dots behind them for added dimension.  I colored the center of the dahlia with a gold gelly roll pen.  I chose to stamp my "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment inside.

Thanks for stopping by!  I really appreciate all your comments and encouragement.




Stamps: Delightful Dahlia (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Stampers Select White, True Black, Everyday Blessings pp (PTI)
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Floral Screen cuttlebug embossing folder, EKSuccess embossed curves punch, aqua ribbon (unknown), pop dots, gelly roll pen, copic marker, corner rounder, Delightful Dahlia dies