Welcome to my crafty blog... a "garden" of colourful cards, quilting, sewing projects, knitting...and what ever else happens along the way!!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Papertrey May 2011 Blog Hop Challenge


May is the month when many flowers are in full bloom after a long winter's sleep.  
For the blog hop this month we want to see your favorite take on flowers.  
You can stamp backgrounds, create custom floral embellishments, showcase unique 
flower center additions (buttons, rhinestones, beads, etc...),flowers die-cut from 
different materials (like fabric, felt, vellum, etc...) or anything else you can dream up! 




     I just received my new order from Papertrey Ink with all sorts of  flowery goodies. 
I wanted my card to include the violets image from Year of the Flower Collection and the seed packet and accessories from Garden Variety. So Much Fun!!  
      I actually tried several different coloured card stock and ink variations, but this is the one that I liked the most. I don't know about others, but when I get a new stamp set it often takes a bit of trial and error before I get 'comfortable' with the possibilities. 

     I didn't get the seed packet frame in my recent order, so I ended up cutting it out by hand!! Yikes. The frame is on my wish list now!! 
     I also stamped the violet on white card stock and after colouring with copics I fussy cut it before adding it to the embossed white background. I also did a lot of heat embossing with white on the Royal Velvet card stock. I really like the way that it 'pops' on that dark background. 

Here's a quick overview of the goodies that I used:
Stamps: PTI Butterfly Dreams (sentiment); Garden Variety; Year of the Flowers Collection 
PTI Dies: PTI Button Card; Garden Variety Die Set;
Cardstock: PTI Royal Velvet; Lemon Tart, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; SU Lovely Lilac; Versamark
Other Supplies: White Detail Embossing Powder; Stampin' Up Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder; rhinestones; copic markers; EK Success Dotted Scallop Border Punch 

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy the Blog Hop!!
Karen C.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Two Plants & an Ant!

     I wanted to create a decorative gift wrap for a few perennials as part of a gift for my sister-in-law. I really liked what Jessica Witty did here with some new Papertrey Ink products. I'm waiting for my 'picket fence' die, but I knew that I wanted try to duplicate this look. Here's my version:


      I started with 2 potted plants, placed on a heavy cardboard base and
then  wrapped together with a strip of Kraft card stock. PTI's Wood grain Impression plate was used  on the card stock before I sponged it with some CTMH Brown Bag ink. An additional strip of paper was used to make a handle. The edges of the paper were punched with a dotted scallop border punch.


The 'picket fence' was made with strips of Rustic Cream card stock and then stamped with Background Basics:Woodgrain in CTMH Bamboo ink. I'm sure the new picket fence die will make future projects much faster and simpler!!
The little dots were added with Chocolate ink to imitate nail heads.


     Several butterflies were die cut and stamped with PTI Butterfly Dreams stamp set.  The little tag is from Tiny Tags - first diecut and then stamped. Orange and cream Baker's Twine from the Twinery was used to accent the tag.


     Hopeful Ant from High Hopes Stamps was perfect for this card. Water colouring pencils were used on the image and then it was mounted onto a cranberry background. The patterned paper from My Mind's Eye was edged on the top and bottom with a scalloped border punch and then added to another cranberry mat. A cranberry ribbon and bow accent the image. The sentiment, (Playful Expressions from TPC Studios) was stamped in CTMH Cranberry ink.

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Flower Fusion Fun

I haven't been in my crafty space too much over the last week -  - 
I ended up with a rotator cuff injury which has really sidelined me!! 
Hopefully physiotherapy, ice packs and lots of quiet time will help it heal quickly!! 

I finally spent some time organizing and stamping a little bit today.  When I saw 
Betsy Veldman's card using Papertrey Ink's Flower Fusion #1 stamp set and die,
I knew I wanted to try something similar.  Betsy used some red, blue and green,
but I decided to try a soft pastel colour scheme for my niece's birthday this month. 
Here's my version:


Card Front:

Papertrey Ink Products 
Dot Spot  - flower centers
Take Three: Summer - sentiment
Flower Fusion #1 stamp and die 
Friendship Jar Label stamp and die
Love Lives Here - heart
Canvas Impression Plate
Stamper' Select White card stock 

Inks:  Close to My Heart: 
Blush, Sweet Leaf, Lilac Mist

Other Supplies:  
The Twinery Baker's Twine
Kaisercraft pearl 
EK Success Dotted Scallop Border Punch


Inside:

Papertrey Ink Products  
Big Birthday Wishes - sentiment 
Flower Fusion #1 stamp and die;
Love Lives Here - heart


Inks:  Close to My Heart: 
Blush, Sweet Leaf, Lilac Mist












Thanks for visiting. Have a great week!  
Karen C.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Princess Birthday

     My nephew's daughter will be celebrating her fourth birthday later this month. She loves princesses and the colour purple so I decided to make her a little princess birthday card and a matching bag.  When I was a little girl I always loved going to the library to find a collection of books to bring home. This book bag will hold lots of goodies!!


     I've had this Stamping Bella's Everyday Princess stamp for a while and knew that it would be a fun image for her card. I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto PTI's Stampers' Select White card stock and coloured it with copic markers. A few pink rhinestones were added to the crowns.

     Once it was cut and embossed with a Nestabilities die, I sponged the edges with some purple ink and then mounted it on a piece of patterned paper. A small lavender bow was added to the image panel. The card base was made with pink card stock that was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder.
     The inside of the card was finished with sentiments from Big Birthday Wishes and Everyday Button Bits. The number "4"   (PTI's By the Numbers die set)  was cut from the patterned paper and mounted onto purple paper, cut with one of the Limitless Layers 1 3/4" circles. Purple dashes outline the number and the circle. Pink dots and purple dashes were added to the outside edges of the white card stock. 
The accent strip on the bottom of the card was made by cutting a piece of the patterned paper and mounting it onto the purple paper that had been punched with a dotted scallop border punch.

Here's a closer view of the fabric purchased on a recent shopping trip. 

Here's the book bag that I made for Lilly. I had some pink fabric in my stash, so I made strips along the pockets and the top of the bag to add a little brightness. It has similar design details as these:  here  and  here, that I made for my other grand nieces.


Card Details:
Stamps:  Stamping Bella Everyday Princess; PTI Big Birthday Wishes, Everyday Button Bits.
Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU Pixie Pink, Lovely Lilac
Papers:  PTI Stamper's Select white; pink card stock; purple and patterned paper from my scrap box
Other Supplies:  Nestabilities Labels #4; PTI By the Numbers die set;  Kaisercraft rhinestones; lavender ribbon;  EK Success Dotted Scallop border punch; copic markers; pink and purple Marvy markers; Embossing folder: Sizzix Curlique; corner rounder.


I've been busy sewing over the past week. 
My 5th grand niece was born last week and I made a few little things for her. You can see those sewing projects here.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day!!
Karen C.

Sewing Projects for Baby Parker

     One of my neices had her second daughter last week - here are some of the sewing projects that I completed for sweet baby Parker, using one of the fabrics  I purchased on a recent trip to Duluth. This single knit fabric has lots of bright colours and little 'zoo' animals - lions, giraffes, elephants, zebras and cats.


A cute little dress for this summer....

Two matching bibs that have been backed with some soft, thick terry towel....

Here's the same fabric used to trim a hooded bath towel - a soft pink
terry towel was chosen, but the bright trim adds a punch of colour.


I included this card for the new parents. (You can find the details for this card here)
  
This one was for the new baby.  (You can find details for this card  here )


Thanks for visiting!  Have a great day.
Karen