PTI's December 2017 Blog Hop Challenge

Hi there!  Just popping in to contribute to the Blog Hop over at Papertrey Ink today!  I just love the inspiration photo...so soft and pretty, and gets me thinking ahead to Valentine's Day!

When I saw this photo, my mind immediately went to my To Have and To Hold set.  I die cut the wreath three times for dimension, then stamped it in New Leaf and sponged in some Green Parakeet to brighten the background and add more green tones.  I stamped several of the flowers in various shades of pink, and then hung the wreath with a bit of pink and white bakers twine over a Sweet Blush sponged backdrop.  After stamping the sentiment from the same set, a white panel and Sweet Blush base anchored my card.

Make It Monday #307

Whew!  I wasn't sure I would get this card done in time, but I really wanted to try the Faux Stained Glass technique that Laurie introduced!  It was fun to pull out my alcohol markers for this and I will remember it for the future.

For my card, I used the Butterfly Cover Plate.  I die cut the top panel from white card stock, then layered that on vellum and a die cut panel of foam before applying it all to the base.  Some of the colors I used turned out to be a little too light for this technique so I had to play and adjust...but that's what I love about Make It Mondays!  Merry Christmas!

Supplies

Stamps: SSS Happy Birthday
Paper: 110lb white card stock, vellum, foam, PTI Autumn Rose
Dies: PTI Butterfly Cover Plate, Double Ended Banners
Other: Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers, tape, glue

Lawn Fawnatics #18

Good morning!  Today I'm playing along with Lawn Fawn's Emboss Resist Challenge.  I remember when my SIL first taught me this technique--it seemed magical!

I embossed my background with mini snowflakes from the Winter Alpaca set before blending with light blue ink, and then went back and added more snowflakes with white pigment ink.  This created softer, more subtle snowflakes but helped to fill the sky!  I die cut a shimmery winter hill (better seen in person!) for the little alpaca to stand on, and colored him in with my alcohol markers.  Just love the sentiment that goes along!  Makes me want to sing :)

PTI's Make It Monday #306

Good morning!  It's a bright, sunny, and cold day here in western VA!  I do wish we would get a sprinkling of snow...maybe for Christmas!  I just loved the winter scene Betsy created with Fan Brush Trees.  Though I don't watercolor often it was fun to try this method!

I watercolored my background and stamped it with snowflakes before working on the trees.  Then I added the hills from In The Meadow and brushed them with white pigment ink before stamping the sentiment.  A bit of ICE Stickles added a frosted look!

All supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted:

Stamps: What the Doodle: Snowflakes, Enclosed: Wreath

Dies: In the Meadow

Ink: Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, New Leaf, Pinefeather, HA Unicorn

Paper: Pinefeather Card stock, Strathmore Watercolor Paper

Other: ICE Stickels (Diamond)

Lawn Fawnatics #17

Hello!
I am playing along with the Lawn Fawn color inspiration challenge today!  

I decided to create a peaceful winter scene, focusing on Winter In The Park.  Here's what I came up with:

Stamps: LF Winter in the Park

Dies: LF Winter in the Park, Trick or Treat, Mini Wreath; PTI In The Meadow

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, PTI Pure Poppy, Versamark

Cardstock: Recollections Heavyweight White, PTI Blueberry Sky, New Leaf, Pinefeather

Other: Recollections Detail Embossing Powder in Snow, Wink of Stella Clear & White

PTI's November 2017 Blog Hop Challenge

Hi crafty friends!  Happy Thanksgiving weekend!  While I'm excited to kick off the Christmas season I'm happy Nicole chose one last fall-themed challenge for the Blog Hop...I do so love fall!

I love so many things about this photo and tried to incorporate them all!  I used an ivory background, fall colored stamped leaves, some patterned paper similar to the napkin in the photo, and a copper base and stacked sentiment.  This card is going to my hubby, who single handedly cooked Thanksgiving Dinner from scratch!  LOVE!

Stamps: PTI Leaf Prints

Ink: PTI Americana, Summer Sunrise, New Leaf, Kraft; Distress Ink Spiced Marmalade

Dies: PTI Blooming Cute

Paper: copper, ivory, patterned--various from stash

PTI's Create Along With Us: November 2017

Hooray!  It's release week at PTI again, and that means Create Along With Us!  I really missed this last month.  I love seeing all the DT's use of products and techniques--it's when I feel the most inspired to create!  This month, Lizzie Jones' Snowfall Style card caught my eye:

I grabbed my What The Doodle: Snowflakes set and got to work!  I started with a Dark Indigo base, and cut a top panel from white card stock.  Using three different shades of blue and multiple sizes of snowflakes, I stamped down the side and across the bottom.  I stamped the sentiment from the same set, and finished it off with some drops of Diamond Ice Stickles in the center of each flake.  I'm with Lizzie--gotta have some winter sparkle!

  

Lawn Fawnatics #16

I'm relatively new to the paper crafting world, but Lawn Fawn has quickly become a favorite and I am very excited to begin taking part in their challenges!  My oldest Lawn Fawn set is Trick or Treat--mmm, candy corn!!  For this card I started with a base of orange polka dot paper from my stash.  After die cutting, stamping, and coloring five pieces of candy corn, I stamped the sentiment on a white panel, layered it on a black panel, and arranged the candy corn down the edge of my card.  Trick or Treat!  Does anyone have Halloween candy left??

We Love You Dawn! Blog Hop

Yesterday Papertrey Ink posted a blog hop in honor of one of their designers Dawn, who is currently in the hospital recovering from surgery.  Though relatively new to card making, I have followed Papertrey Ink from the beginning and Dawn is one of my favorite designers!  Her story is amazing; her faith and joy more so!  So today I wanted to jump in and make a card for her in the hopes that it will encourage and inspire her as her work has done for me!

I started by pulling out two of Dawn's sets: A Cheerful Heart and Enclosed: Heart.  I stamped the tiny floral image from Enclosed on a trimmed panel of white card stock.  Then I stamped the verse from A Cheerful Heart on a panel of Aqua Mist card stock.  I used Dawn's To The Point: Edgers Dies to finish the edges of the Aqua mist panel, as well as one of Raspberry Fizz.  I layered the three panels together atop a Raspberry Fizz base.  For embellishment, I die cut two of the floral images and popped them up with adhesive next to the verse, and heat embossed black centers to all the flowers.  Get well soon Dawn!

PTI's Make It Monday #301

Today I'm playing along with PTI's Make It Monday.  Lizzie has a fun tutorial on Matting with Glitter!  Here's her card:

I decided to go with a clean and simple design to make a Thanksgiving card, and I love how the glittered mat gave it a little oomph!  I started with a Pinefeather base and cut the edge a bit with the Medium Scallop.  I die cut two ovals from the Noted: A2 Collection and stamped the top with a sentiment from Give Thanks, in Pinefeather ink.  The bottom oval is my glittered mat :)  I added a glitter strip to the inside edge as well.  Happy Friday!

30 Days of Thanks

Years ago I worked at a Christian bookstore.  One holiday season, a turkey tapestry showed up in our store and I fell in love with him.  I was so afraid that someone would buy him before I could!  But that turkey must have been meant for me because no one else showed any inclination.  Ever since, I have hung him in my home 30 days before Thanksgiving and made it a priority to think of something each day that I'm thankful for.  Like an advent calendar, he helps me focus my heart and mind during this season on the "little" things in life that are most important.  Will you join me this year?  Let's light up social media with the joy in our lives!  #30daysofthanks

Day 30: convenience of scripture and Christian music on my phone

Day 29: cooler fall weather

Day 28: Nathan making coffee for me

Day 27: wonderful years with Grandma

Day 26: hubby let me sleep in

Day 25: Heidi & Patrick's friendship and proximity

Day 24: God is always there to listen, no matter how early or late

Day 23: that I can be a stay at home mom

Day 22: solo grocery shopping trip

Day 21: God's strength and patience 

Day 20: the colors of fall

Day 19: Friends who cooked dinner for us!

Day 18: Glenn, who loves Mere so well and introduced me to my favorite coffee

DAY 17: My sisters-in-law!

Day 16: Hot Earl Grey tea on a cold, wet day

Day 15: My husband who encourages me to get to the gym!

Day 14: My son's preschool experience

Day 13: Medicine for when my little guy is sick

Day 12: That my son feels better, and for my niece's 3rd birthday!

Day 11: A day of rest

Day 10: My mom friends and their kids!

Day 9: Time to make some cards

PTI's Make It Monday #300

300!  WOW!  Excited to play along this week with Melissa's Build-A-Wreath challenge!  She made three beautiful wreath cards:

Not sure how to get those images to line up in a row; I'll have to look into it!  For my card, I started with a background of patterned paper from PTI's text-style Chocolate Remix.  I added an ivory rectangle cut from PTI's Noted: Scalloped A2 Collection.  Using Lawn Fawn's mini wreath, I die cut a wreath each out of orange and yellow card stock, and offset them slightly before glueing together.  I added a little bow from the set using the same patterned paper as the background, and stacked two die cuts of the word Blessed from the Inspired series for the sentiment.   Happy Fall, ya'll!

PTI's Make It Monday #299

I just wasn't able to finish my card for last week's MIM, so I'm happy to be able to jump right in to this weeks'!  Dawn made a very pretty Christmas themed sentiment window card.  

I am so excited to start making Christmas cards...but first I need a Halloween card for my nieces.  For my front panel I used a sheet of paper from PTI's Halloween Prints.  I ink blended the background, and cut some pumpkins from textured orange yardstick using the Autumn Pumpkins dies.  I added little faces from the Pumpkin Expressions set, and stamped the sentiment from there as well. To finish it off I added some die cut bats from Lawn Fawn's Trick or Treat mini set, and some purple bling for eyes.  

PTI's Make It Monday #296

Wow, what a rush my first SAF was!  I wish I'd had time to blog each project but I had to settle for just popping them on Instagram.  Hope ya'll had fun too!  I love today's Make It Monday for its simplicity--I'm a C&S girl at heart.  Lexi made a cute card by simply repeating a telephone image and adding a sentiment--what could be easier?!

For my "Small Images on Repeat" card I chose to focus on the apple from PTI's L'Shanah Tovah mini stamp set.  I die cut three apples and stamped them in Pure Poppy and a bit of Scarlet Jewel for depth, and did the leaves in New Leaf and Green Parakeet.  I used Distress Ink in Walnut Stain for the stem, and popped them up with foam tape on a small panel (great tip!) atop a Pure Poppy base.  The sentiment, from the same set, was embossed in gold for holiday flourish.  Happy (almost) fall and New Year to those celebrating now!

SAF 2017: Take Ten Warm Up Challenge

I am sooooo excited to be taking part in my first SAF over on the PTI blog!  I am even more excited to be able to join my sister-in-law for this event, which happens to coincide with a milestone birthday for her.  I chose the following photo to inspire my first card:

For my card, I used PTI's Tropics and Still Life: Summer sets.  Appropriate, I thought, given that we are in Florida and both love lemons :)  I stamped various leaves in multiple shades of green around the edge, adding a few lemon slices from the Still Life set.  To finish, I stamped the "for you" sentiment in black on Green Parakeet card stock, and popped it up using foam tape.  Happy Crafting!

Stamps: PTI's Tropics, Still Life: Summer
Dies: PTI's Tropics
Ink: SSS Lucky, Green Leaf; HA India Ink Black; Ranger Dye Ink Electric Lime, Lemon Twist
Card stock: Heavy weight white, PTI Green Parakeet

PTI's Make It Monday #295

It's so nice to be back after a busy but wonderful summer!  This weeks' MIM challenge was to make a Z-fold card.  Ashley created a great video to show us the steps!  I knew I wanted to try a fall scene for mine...though it's still hot here, I know fall is not far away.  Plus, all the beautiful releases from PTI this month have me thinking leaf-y, all-things-pumpkin-y thoughts!  Is anyone else anxiously awaiting for the new Mix & Mat die to be restocked??

I started by ink blending the card to create the sky and grass.  Then I stamped the tree and adhered the leaves in a pattern reminiscent of windy fall day.  After blending some ink on the fence to distress it, I used liquid adhesive to add it to the scene.  The finishing touches were the clouds and pumpkins, some of which I popped up with foam adhesive tape for dimension.  This card was so much fun to make! 

Ink: Distress Ink Tumbled Glass, New Leaf, Antique Linen, Carved Pumpkin, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo, Bundled Sage; PTI's Scarlet Jewel
Stamps: PTI's Through the Trees, Tag Its #7
Dies: PTI's Autumn Pumpkins, Picket Fence, Heart 2 Heart #6; Taylored Expressions Leaves
Other: Foam Adhesive tape, Tombow Aqua liquid glue

CAS #220

Hello and welcome!  While I've played along with a couple CAS Colour Challenges, I believe this is my first CAS Sketch challenge.  I really liked the simplicity of the design and the challenge to incorporate some bling--definitely out of my comfort zone and hence the challenge!

I started with a tent fold of PTI's New Leaf card stock and added a strip of white scalloped card stock, die cut with PTI's Small Scallop.  The stitched rectangle came from PTI's Noted: Scalloped A2 collection, and I stamped it with a lily of the valley from PTI's Year of Flowers Collection set.  I colored the lily leaves with my new Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers (LG2 and LG4), and added some white Wink of Stella to the blossoms just to make them stand out from the white base a bit.  I popped the rectangle up with some dimensional foam (horrible shadow from late night photography...), and finished the card off with some little rhinestones I had in my stash.  Thanks for visiting!

Rainbows

Hello!  This is my first time playing along with one of Paper Smooches' challenges and I'm pretty excited!  The challenge theme for April is "showers."  My eye was immediately drawn to the bright, colorful rainbow behind the raindrops in this photo...which is how I hope to see life as well :)  Always working on that...

For my card, I mainly used Paper Smooches' Rainbow Dies and Spectrum Stamp and Die Set.  I set the background with some rainbow patterned paper from my stash, adhered to a white card base, and then topped it with an ink-splattered panel.  The sun and clouds were die cut from the Spectrum set, and given a bit of shimmer with my Wink of Stella pens (clear and white).  I used the Rainbow dies and various scraps of card stock for the rainbow, which was also treated to a glaze of clear shimmer.  To finish it off, I stamped a sentiment from Little Yellow Bicycles' Faith set.

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm also entering this in CAS-ual Fridays CFC #171 challenge.

CAS #213

Well it's March, and my New Years' goal of participating in the CAS colour challenges has been...well...a challenge!  I've missed several weeks, but I was too excited about this weeks' to let the moment pass.  Though I did not attend JMU and am not a huge fan of football, I do live in Harrisonburg and my son loves to see the Duke Dog when we're out and about at community events!  Here are the colors for this weeks' challenge:

For this weeks' challenge I used PTI's Royal Velvet, SU's Crushed Curry, and Hero Arts' Silver.  I used a Royal Velvet base, topped with a frame of Crushed Curry and a white panel on top.  I misted my inks with some Perfect Pearls to create the splatter effect on the background, then die-cut the sun and clouds from PTI's Heart-2-Heart #6 and popped them up with foam adhesive.  The sentiment is from the same set.  Go Dukes!

To be like Hannah...

Lately, I've been spending some of my devotional time following Rebekah Jones' Heaven is Calling Bible Journaling Video Series.  The videos are great...part art lesson, part devotional...love it.  If you have any interest in Bible Journaling I highly recommend it.

The 1st and 3rd lessons were both based on 1 Samuel.  In 1 Samuel Chapter 1, Hannah, calls out to God with her pain and desires for a son; in 1 Samuel Chapter 3, we see that she has been given a son and that he is serving under Eli in the temple.  
Several things stood out to me--as a mom--as I read through 1 Samuel 3:1-10.  First, Hannah was a woman who kept her promise.  After having her prayers answered by our good Father God, she gave her son back to the Lord.  He was raised in the temple in the service of God, even if he may not have known him yet...train a child in the way they should go Proverbs 22:6); we don't have to wait until our children understand!  Let them see and follow.  
Though Eli and Samuel lived during a time when visions from the Lord were few, that did not stop them from ministering.  Steadfastness of heart and hand is something I desire for my son...that he will not be blown about by every wind (Eph.4:14) of teaching or emotion. 
When the Lord called to Samuel, who mistook Him for Eli, Samuel still responded...immediately...three times.  Obedience without pause.  May I be so responsive to God, and may I train my son to be the same.  Finally, when Eli realized that it was the Lord who was speaking, he gave Samuel instructions as to how to respond.  And although Samuel had never communicated with God before, he trusted. 

May I be like Hannah...and Eli...as I raise my son to follow the Lord.

PTI's Make It Monday #276

Hello!  Welcome back to myself!  It's been a few weeks since I was able to participate in Make It Monday and I've missed being part of one of my favorite challenges.  Part tutorial, part contest...everyone wins!  This week, Melissa is using colored pencils on Kraft card stock.  I just love her results!

I decided to go floral as well, since it has certainly felt spring-like lately!  For my card, I layered some patterned paper on an A2 size card base.  I die cut a rectangular shape and embossed the daffodil with white powder.  Then I used my water color pencils and water brush to color in the flower.  A cut of yellow grosgrain ribbon and a sentiment strip finished it off!

Stamps: Year of Flowers Collection
Dies: Noted: Scalloped A2, Monthly Moments: Mini Journal Card
Paper: Ivory card stock, Green Tea Leaves Collection
Pencils: Derwent Watercolour Pencils
Ink: Green Parakeet






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CAS(E) this Sketch #206

Hello hello!  I'm playing along with CAS(E) this Sketch today and was so excited to try out my new SugarPea Heart Beat die on my card!  Here is the sketch:

I wanted the heart beat to be at the top, so I first cut out a strip from red card stock.  Then I ran the die through again on a piece of patterned paper from PTI's Simple Valentine, and fit them together.  On top I added a heart from PTI's Heart Prints, and a die cut and sentiment from PTI's Inspired: Love.  To make it pop on the red heart I embossed part of it in white.  Happy Valentine making time!

PTI's Make It Monday #273

Spinner cards!  What a fun 'twist' on a project (sorry, I had to)!  This week Lizzie Jones from Papertrey Ink posted a great video about how to make these unique cards.  My first two attempts failed but I was happy with my third!  Here is Lizzie's card:

For my card, I started with a pink card base.  I die cut and stamped the middle sized heart from Heart Prints using Pure Poppy ink.  I tucked two strands of thread between them and then sandwiched the spinner between the card base and my top panel of patterned paper from Simple Valentine (can anyone else just not get over the amazing paper sale?!).  For the sentiment I die cut a stitched rectangle and frame from the Noted: Scalloped A2 Die Collection and used stamps from Heart Prints again.  Hoping my nieces love this one!

Make It Monday #272: Masked Heart Wreaths

Wow; it's been awhile since I played along here at Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday!  This week Melissa Phillips shows us how to make a masked heart wreath.  So pretty!

I began by using a Spellbinders die to cut a heart out of white card stock.  Using the masking technique, I stamped the small floral image from PTI's Enclosed: Heart in Pale Peony and Amethyst Allure around the edge.  For the leaves I used Close to my Heart's Sea Glass.  To add dimension, I die cut and stamped the large "Love" from Enclosed: Heart in the center, as well as a small floral image on the top left of the heart (which I popped up with foam adhesive).  I added the sentiment "to you" from the same set on the bottom, and finished by going over the little dots in "Love" with my white glaze pen.  

CAS-ual Fridays CFC 165

Hi there!  Today I am playing along with CAS-ual Fridays' Challenge called Everything Turns to Gold.  

I loved the look of Channin's card--the bright gold on a deep, rich jewel tone background--and it inspired my own design.

I started with a base of Papertrey Ink's Scarlet Jewel cardstock.  On the side of the card, I stamped the circle boarder image from CAS-ual Friday's RAD stamp set, and embossed it with gold.  For the sentiment, I die cut a stitched rectangle from Papertrey Ink's Noted: Scalloped A2 die collection, and gold-embossed it with a quote from CAS-ual Fridays' BREATHE set.  I popped it up with some foam adhesive to add some dimension.  

Happy Stamping!
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