Project Inspiration {Berry Sweet}

Hello and welcome, friends! It's my turn for this month's Project Inspiration from Papertrey Ink! I'm sharing all of the step-by-step photos that are included in the newsletter, but I will add  more details to explain the process even more. One of my fabulous and supportive blog readers asked a question about one of my cards during the March release; I had mentioned that I used inspiration from Pinterest and she wanted to know more about that. I decided to incorporate that answer into this post as well, so Becky, this is for YOU!! Thank you for your sweet support and kind words!

I have saved things on Pinterest that pop up on my feed that 1. remind me of a stamp set I have 2. remind me of a die set I have 3. I like the colors 4. I like the theme etc. Hopefully you get the idea. For today's card I was inspired by a baby shower invite that I had saved. When I saw the truck and the berries it reminded me of the Patriot die collection and the Sweet Celebration Die so it went to the inspiration folder! 

To begin, I die cut all of the pieces for the truck from white cardstock and then colored them with Spun Sugar, Saltwater Taffy, Abandoned Coral, and a touch of Festive Berries.

This is the inspiration photo.

I assembled the truck using liquid glue and then cut and colored the leaves, flowers, and berries using the same technique as the truck.

I used the Exquisite Leaf Frame Hot Foil Plate and champagne foil on a panel of Berry Sorbet cardstock and trimmed it down. I used the Nifty Plaid Background Stamp using Fresh Snow ink and then die cut the panel using the middle size in the Love to Layer: Rectangles. I also die cut my favorite in the On the Edge: Scallops Collection from Pale Peony cardstock.

I adhered the scalloped piece to the hot foil panel and added it to an A2 card base using foam squares. I also added the plaid panel using additional foam squares.

I stamped the sentiment, which is one of my favorites and is included in the Feathered Friends Mini 3 stamp set, in black ink and then die cut it using the smallest die in the Love to Layer: Delightful Brackets. I placed the truck and then the sentiment above it using foam squares.

I filled the truck with foliage and berries and one berry blossom. I also tucked bits and pieces underneath the truck and off the side of the sentiment.

I ended up with quite a few pieces left over, so I will most likely put them to good use!

I added glitter to the leaves, berries, and flowers for sparkle and shine! As you can see, the inspiration photo was a great starting off point, but from there, I just had fun doing my own thing! This card was a joy to create! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Papertrey Ink April Release Countdown Day 3

I'm back today with more cute mushrooms, but this time they are from the new Wild About Mushrooms stamp set AND there's a coordinating Wild About Mushrooms Hot Foil Plate!

I really like this stamp set because there are multiple varieties of mushrooms to pick from and to mix and match!

There are two different sentiments included in the set and they are both for birthday cards!

I used red foil on Pure Poppy cardstock for a tone-on-tone hot foil look!

This sentiment fit perfectly on one of the Just Tags die cuts!

My second card for today uses quite an assortment on products today. I stamped the large Reflections: April scripture verse on an A2 panel of Kraft cardstock using Fresh Snow ink.. I added some Fresh Snow ink around the edges of the panel, too!

I die cut the pieces for the new Sapling Frame stamp/die set and then stamped them using Simply Chartreuse ink. I added some green ink on the bottom and Aqua Mist ink at the top. I then stamped the scripture verse over the top of the the frame. Once that was done, I added the tree, which is from the new Towering Trees stamp set, to the middle of the frame and then glued the little "sapling" branches using liquid glue.

The sentiment at the top is from the Sapling Frame stamp set as well. In the two corners I added die cuts from the new Edgers: Decor die set. I added some blossoms that are die cut using the Sweet Celebration die set to reinforce the sentiment! Join me tomorrow for some Father's Day inspiration! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Bloom With Happiness

Hello friends! for those of you who saw my last post, today's cards were made while I was impatiently waiting for THOSE dies to arrive! I was itching to use the cute rainboots, so....to bide my time, I pulled out some equally fun rainboots to scratch the itch! ha ha!

Both cards feature the fabulous Pro Stamper's Box: February; I actually just used the "assembled examples" ideas from the website for both of the cards. I was just having fun with all of the little images that I didn't want to use brain power to think up a layout! LOL! Do you ever have those times when you just want to play and have fun and not have to think too hard? 

Both cards use the the Cover Plate: Quilted die for the background; one done in Aqua Mist and the other is Green Parakeet.

I used the new  Watercolor Wonderful Stencil Collection on the largest of the ovals included in the Love to Layer: Ovals die collection. I simply used the 3 stencils on a panel of white cardstock and then framed the portion I wanted to cut out with the oval die and then ran it through my die cutting machine.

I made a few adjustments here and there with swapping images because I didn't actually stamp enough for both cards with what was shown on the assembled examples image.

I love how you can customize the rainboots with different stamps to create fun looks!

I used both of the included sentiments between the two cards. These were so fun to make! I absolutely ADORE making summer cards, but I'm having so much fun with spring, I hope I can make a few more before the industry switches gears! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

Beautiful Blessings of Spring

I'm on a spring card kick if you haven't noticed! I treated myself to a few of the new goodies from Honey Bee Stamps that I simply couldn't resist! The tulips are getting ready to bloom here and I can't wait....so, in the meantime, I will make some paper versions!

For this card I used the delightful Lovely Layers: April Showers-Honey Cuts and the Blessings of Spring Stamp Set. A few additional products found their way into my shopping cart, so I'm hoping to sneak more crafty time to play with those soon!

I die cut the umbrella pieces from Bitty Big: Pink Posey pattern paper, with the exception of the black stem and the pink handle, and then added some SU! Regal Rose ink around some of the edges. I used the layering guide that came with the dies, so I used that for shading cues. I glued everything together with liquid glue and foam squares to create the illusion of a real umbrella.

I set that aside and got to work on the flowers. I die cut all of the pieces I planned on using to create three flowers each, but as you can see, I didn't end up using that many. These are good sized blooms, so you don't need too may to fill up the boots. I die cut all of the pieces from white cardstock and then colored them with finger daubers and distress oxide inks.

The boots are die cut from Lemon Tart cardstock with some shading using SU! Crushed Curry ink around the top portions. I used liquid glue to add the bottom portion that is covered up by the sentiment! ha ha!

The bird was die cut from Fine Linen cardstock for all three layers. I added dark brown distress oxide ink to the base , left the middle layer as-is, and then added lighter brown to the top layer and then glued it all together. There is an impression where the eye is so all I needed to do was use a fine-tip sharpie marker and a white gel pen to create a realistic looking eye.

I cut a piece of Echo Park gingham pattern paper to 4 by 5 1/4 inches and adhered it to a top-folding A2 card base using a tape runner. I added the boots using foam squares and then the umbrella. I had fun filling the boots up with the bloom and additional leaves. The birdie is perched on the toe of the boot. I added the sentiment and some glitter and a few dew drops for a raindrop feeling! I can't wait to play with these darling dies again soon! Thanks for fluttering by!

 

The Greetery {A Note to Say...Hello!}

 

Hello and welcome friends!  I'm popping in with something fitting for the upcoming spring season. As I was preparing my Easter dinner and dessert, I chose to serve strawberry shortcake and those beautiful berries inspired today’s project. When the To Pie For Die came out, it was autumn pie season so I was thrilled to pull it out for the spring season and make something fresh and fruity!

To begin, I die cut the strawberries using the BotaniCuts Strawberries Die  from white cardstock. I used finger daubers and Distress Oxide inks to add the color to both the greenery, berries, and flowers. I added some extra detail using colored pencils to the individual leaves, the berry tops, and the little strawberry blossoms. Once that was done, I set them aside and got to work on the pie.

As I mentioned earlier, I used the To Pie For Die; I die cut the crust portion from Fine Linen cardstock and the “filling” portion from white cardstock. I used the extra bits of lattice strips to weave though crust for an authentic lattice pie crust. I used some brown ink to add to the edges of the crust for that “golden brown” look and over the top of the intersecting lattice portions for realism. The “filling” was colored using the darkest ink I used on the berries. I glued the entire thing together to complete the pie and set it aside.

The background was created using the Square Dance Stencil. I used the same color ink for all of the steps for a subtle tone-on-tone look, but used different pressure for each of the steps.  I added some ink splatter in a darker ink for some contrast and interest. I added it to a top-folding A2 card base using liquid glue and then got to work with the arrangement of the card. I didn’t have a “set” idea for the sentiment so I had fun looking through options, but finally settled on the Scripty Hello Die and the accent sentiment from the Scripted Sentiments Stamp Set.

I used the swirly portion from the Frosted Frames Die and left the loops intact because I like how it “grounded” the frame a bit more. I added it to the stenciled background panel using liquid glue. I added the pie with foam squares pretty much in the middle of the card, added the berry cluster using additional foam squares. The sentiments are also added using mini foam squares. I added a few berries and leaves to the bottom with some additional blossoms for added interest. This is one of those cards that just makes me happy and I sure hope that it makes the recipient happy, too! Thanks for fluttering by!

Spring Brings Hope Anew

Hello and welcome friends! I have quite a few springtime projects to share with you today. Over the last few releases and crafty sessions I've ended up with a lot of extra bits and bobs that I set aside to use on other projects. I like adding tags to baked goods and gifts here and there during the year, so I decided to sit down an make some tags with the extra bits. As you can see, this is NOT a tag....this ended up being one of those "if you give a mouse a cookie" situations! ha ha!

Let me explain; I DID make tags, which I'm sharing in this post, but those tags inspired cards, which meant making MORE bits and bobs to use, which turned out to be a few crafty sessions full of pure delight. Easter came WAY too early this year, and I wasn't ready to be done, so I chose to make some springtime cards.

This card was the second in the series and I will explain how I made it. To begin, I used the Exquisite Leaf Frame Hot Foil Plate and Glimmer Hot Foil-Champagne on Lilac Grace cardstock.  I trimmed it down and then stamped the "brings hope anew" portion of the sentiment at the bottom. The sentiments are from the Spring Snowdrops Stamp/Stencil set and they are just perfect for my cards.

The bunny and egg are from the new Spring Silhouette die set that was released in February. I die cut them from white cardstock and then colored the bunny with Classic Kraft ink and colored the eye with a fine-tip Sharpie marker and then added a white dot using a white gel pen. The egg is colored using a blending brush and Speckled Egg Distress Oxide ink. I added speckles to the bunny and egg using brown ink. The butterfly is from the Elegant Eggs die and it got some splatter as well.

I used a few different die sets for the foliage and flowers; the dotted detailed leaves are from the Into the Blooms: Blossoming Beauties die set (I used these on my Flash Sale project this week), Winter Medley Die for the flowers and greenery they are glued to, and finally, the BotaniCuts Strawberries Die. I arranged them around the egg and then added glitter to finish it off. The entire panel is adhered to a top-folding A2 card base using foam squares.

My second card is actually the first card I made with the tag as inspiration. As I mentioned earlier, it was the tags that inspired the cards. I had so much fun with this little tag that I thought it needed a bigger, card version. As you can see, I got a bit carried away with the Shimmer Spray (it's almost gone so it ended up spraying with globs of glitter) but it actually looks just fine in real life.

This card was made exactly the same way as the first, just with Berry Sorbet cardstock and a different sentiment, but it's from the same set.

Here are two of the original tags. The tag base is from an old retired PTI die, but they are cut using Aqua Mist and Berry Sorbet cardstock. The oval is from the Love to Layer: Delightful Brackets Die...I also had this out from my Flash Sale project. I am planning on blogging that project, so stay tuned. The eggs are left over from THIS card if you're interested in seeing how I made them.

The "thinking of you" sentiment is from the Perfect Pairs: Essentials stamp set. I had that out from the Flash Sale as well and it fit perfectly in the space for the tags.

My next series of tags uses the same tag base, but this time I die cut it twice: once from pattern paper and once from white cardstock. I glued them together for a sturdy piece. I used the Vase Collection 7 stamp set and then filled them with the flowers and greenery from the Winter Medley die I linked on the first card.

The For You tag uses an old tag die as well and the same gingham paper as the two previous tags. A few strawberry blossoms from a project I'll be sharing in a few days and the main flower is from the Into the Blooms II dies. The purple flower tag has lots of leftovers from THIS POST. I will talk more about the elements when I explain how I made the card that was inspired by the tag.

I decided to actually add a similar tag directly to the card front. Over the years when I have made tags, I have suggested to my readers that if they aren't into tags or tag making, they can simply add them to a card front. THIS is what I'm talking about! ha ha! As you can see, I didn't deviate from using the Hot Foil plate for the background; such a perfect frame for your focal point. The purple rectangle layer uses the new Elegant Script Hot Foil Plate and has such a fun subtle detail on the tags. The tag-tag, not the tag on the card, features a sentiment from the Rejoice! Stamp Set. I added glitter to finish off the card. A new, full bottle of Shimmer Spray arrived yesterday so I can add some to the cards that didn't get any (I didn't want to risk any more blobs). So, in the end I made WAY more pieces than I had leftover, but I had SO much fun! And, to enhance the "if you give a mouse a cookie" theme, I decided that I want to deliver these cards around the neighborhood with some lemon cupcakes so that required new cupcake boxes (because I was out) and edible butterfly accents for the cupcakes. So....you can see what happens when you simply want to "use up" the extras sitting on your desk! LOL! ha ha! Thanks for fluttering by!

P.S. I also started a new sewing project so I will be sharing that soon on my other (sorely neglected) blog.

 

Hello, March!

Hello and welcome! We've ushered in a new month and that means spring is on its way! It's my turn for this week's Papertrey Ink Flash Sale and I chose something festive and fitting for the upcoming spring season with some St. Patrick's Day touches! I chose to use the Tuck It Sentiments stamp set and the coordinating Tuck It Die paired with the ever-so-sweet Into the Blooms: Clover die.

The inspiration for today's card actually came from the Shamrock food truck that was parked at the gas station as I was getting gas today! ha ha! I saw the white truck and the green shamrock's floating across the side and I just KNEW I wanted to tuck some clover greens and blooms into the sentiment! I was wishing there was a sentiment about being lucky, but I thought this HELLO was cute, so I used it!

To begin, I die cut all of the clover pieces and colored them with small blender brushes and PTI ink pads. The greenery and clover pieces are colored with Green Parakeet, New Leaf, and Pinefeather ink. The blossoms are colored with Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet, Bright Buttercup, and Honey Nut ink.

Once that was done, I got my hot foil machine heating up with the Ornamental Swirl Hot Foil Plate and in the meantime got the focal panel ready. I die cut the largest oval included in the Love to Layer: Ovals die collection. I stamped the cute dotted detail and the hello sentiment before I die cut the slits. The Tuck It Die has the large bar pieces to keep both sides connected (they are not meant to be snipped) and if you die cut first, it will leave those impressions and can possibly impede the stamping process and you may not get even coverage with the ink. I'm sure that was clear as mud! ha ha!

My hot foil machine alerted me it was at the right temperature, so I cut a 4 by 5 1/4 inch piece of New Leaf cardstock and added some Pinefeather ink around the edges. I used Champagne foil to do the hot foiling; something gold, but not bright gold! I layered that panel onto a top-folding A2 white cardbase using foam squares for dimension.

I was also originally drawn to the clover die set because it includes stems; just perfect for the Tuck It series! I decided where I wanted each clover to go and then slid the stems in place. I secured them all in the back using clear tape. I used mini foam squares to attach the clover and blooms. I also added some PTI Gems: Clear in varying sizes to the center of each clover. I also added some glitter for added sparkle and shine. I layered it onto the green panel and called it done! Thanks for fluttering by!