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

Go Challenge Yourself

Happy Holidays! It's the holiday season and nearly the start of a new year. So why not challenge yourself? In the crafty way. I know having 48 hours to prepare for Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah is a bit of challenge, but I want to be more selfish and focus on a challenge for you.

So over the next few days when things might calm down, sit in your craft area and think outside of the box.

Here are some resources to get you going ... and remember that even though some sites might be on hiatus for the holiday season, check the archives for something that will be new for you.

• The Papertrey Ink Blog Hop (December 26, 2008)
• 2 Sketches 4 You
• KWerner Design Color Inspiration Challenge
• fresh & fun
• One Pretty Thing
• Dish Cloth Aprons

That's all for now. Happy Holidays.

November Blog Hop

It's that time again. Time for Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop. This month's challenge is to create a floral embellishment.

I was really looking forward to this one. Mostly due to my recent fascination w/fabric and fabric brads in particular. And boy do fabric brads look nice w/felt and fabric flowers.

I like the flower for this one. It was really easy to make. The fabric used to make the first layer is from Joann. It's actually just a swatch from the upholstery department. I matched up the fabric w/the fabric brad. The fabric brad is from K&Co. Love those. I think they have 9 for $3.99 - not too bad.

If you want to see more of my fabric flowers check out some of my previous posts:

• So Thoughtful Card
• Thank You Card
  

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Archivers and Bazzill
patterned paper and fabric brad: K&Co.
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaColor
ribbon: Michaels
fabric: Joann
felt: unknown
flower die: Sizzix

October Blog Hop

It's the 25th of the month and time for another Blog Hop hosted by Papertrey Ink.

I've had this card done for a few days now. I did a scrap lift from the September issue of CARDS Magazine, which I am in.

It's a card from Melissa Phillips also known as MeliBean (p. 42). Her card is pretty and uses some pastels and florals. Very nice. I've been following her gallery on 2Peas for sometime now.

So when I decided to scraplift, I knew that I wanted to use the polka dot paper, though I can't recall who makes it.

Oh, well have fun w/this month's Blog Hop. Thanks for stopping by and thanks to Papertrey Ink for hosting.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: K&Co. and (can't remember the polka dot company)
stamp: Stampin Up!
paper flower: Bazzill
flower die cut: Cuttlebug
buttons: Foof a la
flourish rubon: K&Co.
ribbon: Michaels
rick rack: Creative Impression
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
floss: DMC
other: sewing

September Blog Hop

I'm way too excited about this month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. I have missed the last two. One because I was out of town and the other because I had absolutely no creative juice for what to do w/a cd case other than its initial use. Shame on me, eh? But I'm back, yes indeed!

So, here I am w/an actual idea and participation. My idea is not unique, as a matter of fact, I saw it on the Hero Arts Blog. I just love the idea of handmade book marks. I do a lot of reading, but you would not believe what I use as book marks: receipts, paper scraps, post it notes, torn pieces of newspapers, old bills or junk mail ... I could go on. How nice, to actually have a book mark for the purpose of marking my place in a book? So I've decided to give these to my reading group as an early holiday gift. There are only seven of us, so it's not a lofty project and of course, one for me as well.

The tree and the sentiment on the book mark are both $1 stamps from Michaels. For the stamped background, I used three different $1 stamps from Michaels that all say "Happy Holidays". Love that VersaMark look. And my seldom used colored pencils came in handy here.

As for the card, well, I've had that stamp- the trees - for some time. One of those wonderful $1 stamps from Michaels too. It looked so cute, like they usually do, but I've never used it. I got out my colored pencils here as well. Love that. I think I've used the Holiday Cheer stamp before. Maybe not. It's from Anna Griffin. Oh, and do you see the hint of Papertrey Ink Holiday Vintage paper? Yep, thanks Nichole for the free sample.

Enough gabbing, gotta hop around, right? Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply
patterned paper: Papertrey Ink
dry embossing: Cuttlebug
stamps: Michaels $1 = Katie & Co., Studio G and Oogaloo; Anna Griffin
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
colored pencils: EK Success and Loew-Cornell
circle punch: EK Success
other: sewing

Thanks :: 2 Sketches 4 You

Well, another Monday and another new sketch on 2 Sketches 4 You. I thought I'd jump in early because it's a busy week and not as much time for crafting. As a matter of fact, I may just miss out on this week's Blog Hop over @ Papertrey Ink. Actually, I can't think of anything creative to do w/a cd case, which is this week's challenge ... oh, well, I'll keep thinking on it.

So am I the distress queen or what? I just like the look. Though I was not going to distress the edges on this card ... but it just looked too plain, so I grabbed my handy Making Memories distresser and went to town. There's also a cool tutorial about distressing edges on CPS (I'll definitely get to their sketch before the week is out).

I also used some paper that I recently used for another card here. Oh, and that striped Sassafrass Lass paper. I made some Christmas card kits several years ago, so I fetched one of the panels because it matched up nicely w/the decorative edge paper. Love it when things come together; it's so rewarding, eh? (no, I am not Canadian, but I used to hang out in Toronto ... ha).

Oh and one more thing, that epoxy circle, that is one of those $1 goodies from Colorbok that are at Joann. Nice.

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: craft supply (Hollo's)
patterned paper: Sassafras Lass and Creative Imaginations
stamp: Hero Arts
ink: VersaMark
embossing powder: Ranger
square punch: Marvy
flower punch: EK Success
paper flower: Prima
button: Foof a la
brad: Bazzill ??
bling: Darice
circle epoxy: Colorbok
chipboard: DCWV
flower die cut: Cuttlebug
floss: DMC
other: sewing machine

July Blog Hop

Okay ... so I am way too excited for this month's Blog Hop. If you get a chance, check out some of my post over the past week as I prepared for Blog Hop. Love the challenge of using vellum; it made me think outside of the box.

Can't wait to see what you all did.

Details are below all of the pix. Thanks for looking.












































































... here's what I used:
**first two cards
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: AMuse
vellum: The Paper Studio
ink: Tim Holtz/Ranger
stamps: Inkadinkadoo, Rubber Stampede and Stampin Up!
ribbon: Michaels
brads: Miss Elizabeth's

**last two cards
cardstock: Bazzill Bling
patterned paper: SEI
vellum: The Paper Studio
stamp: Inkadinkadoo
ribbon: Dollar Store
flower punch: EK Success
bling: unknown
rick rack: Creative Impressions
other: machine sewing, distresser

July Blog Hop Preview

Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop is scheduled for next week - Friday, July 25, 2008 to be exact. I'm making this post in case you want to get involved.

It's alot of fun. There is a challenge and then you create something related to the challenge and you post it on your blog. There are some other rules/details that you can view here.

I'm getting a headstart because I missed last month's challenge. I was on vacation and although I had some craft items w/me, I did not have the main challenge item - a transparency. Crazy, most offices no longer stock them and I was unwilling to purchase a pack knowing that I have/had some at home.

Anyway ... I plan to schedule my post to go up on my blog and maybe someone can and will post a link to my blog in the forum (since there is a good chance that I will not be able to do it myself).

That's a long story, eh?

Thanks for looking ... here's what I used:
cardstock: Bazzill
patterned paper: SEI's Jolie Chocolat and Papertrey's Chocolate remix
stamp: Inkadinkadoo
ink: Ranger
ribbon: Offray
vellum: The Paper Studio