Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge

It's been a while since I participated in a Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. This month's theme is to use office supplies.

What a challenge for me since I don't have any craft supplies w/me while I visit the States this summer. Bless my mom for sharing the wealth of goodies that she has.

I still kept it simple.

Here's the thing though: I recently purchased some of the Impressabilities from Spellbinders. The price was good and I thought 'why not?'. But after they arrived and I discovered that they weren't like the Cuttlebug embossing folders (the Impressabilities are more like metal stencils rather than plastic folders), I was worried that I would not be able to use the Impressabilities in the Cuttlebug.

After some searching, I found an Impressabilities tutorial on Facebook w/some details that were useful and even some info about inking the Impressabilities and using them to do something like letterpress. I just had to give that a try. And it worked quite nicely.

Thanks for looking. Here's what I used (my apology that I don't have any Papertrey Ink products ... yet):

cardstock: Coredinations and Bazzill

stamp: Hero Arts

embossing: Impressabilities

ink: VersaColor

ribbon: JoAnns

staples: Making Memories

December Blog Hop :: Reuse Repurpose Recycle

Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop is tonight. Going on right now. This month's challenge is to recycle. Use something on a project that is recycling from the holiday.

So here is a little ornament that my mom received after participating in a local craft fair. It's a cute little trinket and she was kind enough to let me use it on this card. I did not bring a lot of items from my personal craft supply, but I like the result here. The Cuttlebug embossing adds something to an otherwise plain card.

Have fun blog hopping and thanks for Papertrey Ink for always hosting.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
Merry Christmas embellishment and ribbon: unknown

Just a Simple Thank You

I made this card using some scraps. However, the labels are a new purchase. They are from Martha Stewart. They are supposed to be gift tags, but I just love the labels w/that hint of gold trim. So I added the stamping and heat embossed w/gold embossing powder. I'll probably do more of the labels like this. The ribbon adds another level of simplicity, but classic.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Joann
ribbon: Michaels
label: Martha Stewart

Holiday Card :: cps 85

I finally got around to making some cards this week. I was really into it last night and out of the blue the power went out - not all of it mind you, but just enough that I could not do the sewing - and I just had to have some sewing.

When things finally got back to normal this afternoon, I was still in the mood to sew, heck, I even took the time to change the color of the thread - twice!

I do like the results. I put a lot of thought into this card using this weeks Card Positioning Systems (cps) sketch. I love the Papertrey Ink papers, but I only have the swatches so this was a good sketch to put them to use. Also, I wanted to have the feel of using the ribbon like you would if you were wrapping a gift. Finally, that little christmas tree is adorable and it says "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" How cool is that? I thought cutting it out and adding foam tape would add a bit of punch. One more thing, I was going to use red ribbon w/a pattern, but I went for the monochromatic look. Love that.

I also entered this card in Steph's Stamptoberfest Happy Holidays Stamp Challenge on 2Peas.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
stamp: Studio G/Michaels $1
ribbon: Michaels
ink: VersaMagic
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
other: sewing

It's a Wedding Weekend!

I have a friend who's getting married this weekend. Should be a wonderful weekend too.

So of course, I had to assemble a wedding card for the newlyweds. I'm also going to get them a set of Thank You cards that they can use at their leisure.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co. and Papertrey Ink.
stamp: Stampin Up!
embossing powder: Ranger
ink: VersaMark
chipboard element: Bazzill
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
ribbon: Offray
hat pin: Joann
die cut letters: Quickutz Zoe
other: sewing machine

Happy Birthday Song on Paper

This is a scraplift! And an old one at that. I've been combing through some of my old CARDS magazines. I always go to my dog-eared pages first and sometimes wonder ... 'why did I like this?' I decided I would go to my mag stash more often for inspiration.

But this card is scraplifted from Alissa Fast and it's from the March/April 2006 issue (p. 99). I would have scraplifted more identically if I could have located my KI Memories note cards that she used as the base fo the card. Instead I had to use some note cards from Die Cuts With a View (DCWV); not a bad substitute just that I have those KI ones, but who knows where.

As for the happy birthday sheet music ... I just used Google Images to locate 'happy birthday sheet music'. I then imported the image into Photoshop and converted the image to a brush. That way I could better manipulate the coloring, which is a shade of brown.

Top it off w/stickers and it was a relatively easy card to produce.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:

note card and cardstock: DCWV
stickers: American Crafts
ink: VersaMagic
stamp: Katie & Co./Michaels $1
Happy Birthday sheet music: created using Photoshop

Feelin the Fabric :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Thanks for stopping by my blog ... just so happens that today is my birthday! Yea, me.

Wow, wow ... I am bit excited because I am very much in like w/this card. I've been wanting to use more fabric on my cards, but I just have not. Actually, I've been inspired by lurking on Donna Downey's blog and website; she had lots of fabric albums that are quite nice.

Well, my friend Ericka is an interior designer and she was 'purgin' the other day and had lots of fabric swatches that she was going to toss out. Lucky me. That's all is need are the swatches; most of them are at least a foot long. I just love the patterns and colors; mostly neutral/earth tones which is just my speed.

I like the rustic, natural and messy look of this card. But considering I have still not mastered the art of sewing a straight line w/my sewing machine, messy and unfinished is the look that I will get whether I strive for it or not. :-)

Oh, this card is based on Kazan's sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You.

So thanks for looking .... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
fabric: Ashley Manor and muslin
stamp: Stampabilities
ink: Staz-On and Tim Holtz/Ranger
flower: ??
button: Foof a la
rick rack: Creative Impressions
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Textile Texture
embroidery floss: DMC
twine: Darice
other: sewing machine

Workin Another Sketch CPS :: 76

I'm trying to get in the habit of submitting to several sketch blogs each week. I'll be working on a card for 2 Sketches 4 You before the week is out.

For now, I tried my hand at the Card Positioning Systems (CPS) sketch for this week. It was posted on Sunday evening. It's a rather simple sketch providing much room to improvise. As always, I wanted to do more, but sometimes simple is best.

I plan to send this to a friend who has her first chemo session last week after being diagnosed w/breast cancer. I'm going to include a set of Thank You cards that she can send out to her family and friends.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Creative Imaginations and Basic Grey
stamps: Inkadinkadoo
ink: Versa Color
bling: unknown
other: sewing machine

NOTE: I have other images, but Blogger is importing them upside down and sideways; oh well.

It's a Birthday Wish

I'm using this week's 2 Sketches 4 You sketch for a birthday card. I wanted it to be a bit busier than it is; I really do like the collage look. This card was easy enough. I stamped the sentiment before using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder for dry embossing. Then I did the machine sewing (sentiment layer first, then the top layer. I ended up laying down the loose strings on the inside of the card w/a small piece of tape (I don't like to do that, but oh well).

I was going to sew down the rick rack, but decided against it. I also like the bling.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: K&Co.
chipboard elements: American Crafts
rick rack: Creative Impressions
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots
bling brad: Joann
other bling: unknown
other: machine sewing

A Thanks Card

Here is a cute and simple Thanks card that I made while on vacation. Love simplicity.

Here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey's Sultry
chipboard letters: Heidi Swapp
ribbon: American Crafts
dry embossing: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder

It's the same thing, only different

So I've fallen in love w/my this little design. It's so simple and easy to put a card together. When I use the monogram I have the Photoshop template to work with or I can easily stamp a sentiment. I can use the Cuttlebug or not.

So here is a set of cards that I made for my girlfriends birthday. Now, if you ask "Did she get them on her birthday?" the answer is no. I will be hand delivering these babies.

Oh, but let me also say that I did not use ribbon or any foam adhesive (to give it some dimension) because I went to the post office the other day and they charged me 62 cents for postage on one of my cards. The reasoning: it's non-bendable - not because of the weight. What?
Here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: My Mind's Eye
sentiment created using Adobe Photoshop CS3
scalloped circle die cut: Quickutz
scalloped edge: Fiskars Threading Water Punch

Happy Father's Day

I made this card using last weekend's Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge. It's simple and masculine enough.

Here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill, Die Cuts With A View (DCWV) and craft supply
patterned paper: My Mind's Eye
circle punches: EK Success
sentiment created using Adobe Photoshop CS3

More Bazzill Just the Edge Cardstock Strips

Here are two more cards that I made using the Bazzill Just the Edge Cardstock Strips. The card above was a part of an article that I wrote on Craft Critique.

I did not have room for the other card as a part of the article. I love the simplicity of this card and I do like the fat zig zag strip.

Here's what I used for the card at the top:
cardstock: Archiver's
cardstock strip: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey's Boxer
ribbon: unknown
buttons: American Crafts
stamps: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
other: sewing

Here's what I used for the card below:
cardstock: Archiver's and Bazzill
cardstock strip: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger and VersaMagic
circle punch: EK Success
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
bling: craft supply
other: sewing

Craft Critique :: Bazzill Just The Edge Strips

I have an article up on Craft Critique about Bazzill's Just The Edge Cardstock Strips. I grabbed these when I first spotted them.

I like this card. I am improving on my sewing. I wanted to paint the tab on the side, but I did not get around to that.

I like this edge. Funny thing is I purchased the strips before I got my hands on the Fiskars Threading Water Punch which has the same shape.

Here's what I used:
cardstock: Archiver's
cardstock strips: Bazzill
patterned paper: Basic Grey's Boxer
chipboard flower: Colorbok
tab sentiment embellishment: Making Memories
sentiment: created using Adobe Photoshop CS3
ribbon: Michaels
circle punch: EK Success
other: sewing

sketch this :: 53

Over at sketch this, the weekly sketches are posted on Tuesdays. There's one sketch for both scrapbook pages and cards (or any other projects that you'd like use it for).

So I needed a birthday card for my friend; now let's just hope that it arrives to her in time or nearly in time. I think that she will love the pink and brown - she's so chic (an interior designer).

Here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill and Die Cuts With A View (DCWV)
patterned paper: Basic Grey
sentiment: created using Adobe Photoshop CS3
ribbon: Joann
embossing: Cuttlebug
circle punches: EK Success
other: distressing

A Card Challenge Submission

I did this card about a week or so ago for a card challenge - Weekend Sketch Challenge (wsc). vI like the way the card turned out. Still practicing that sewing thing - having trouble turning the corners.

cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Basic Grey
stamp: Stampin Up!
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
butterfly punch: Martha Stewart/EK Success
other: sewing