Handmade Knit Scarf & Tag

I haven`t done any knitting since last spring, so I decided to tackle a really simple scarf for my sister-in-law`s birthday. I found some beautiful yarn at
my local knit shop:  Lampo - Allssandra Filate (polyamide/polyester blend).
It's a ribbon like yarn in a range of turquoise, blues and navy with shots of silver metallic slubs. 

I added a new pair of 6.5 mm Bamboo knitting needles and started knitting. 

I cast on 22 stitches and then knit it long enough so that it could 

be worn in a variety of ways. (The scarf measures 65` x  4`)

Once I finished I added a little gift tag/envelope and it was ready to wrap.

The `gift tag` is actually a little envelope I made using Papertrey Ink`s Tiny Envelope die. I cut it out of white card stock and then stamped Background Basics: Circles using my `new`Autumn Rose ink. I tucked the label from the yarn into the tiny envelope ..... this gives the fiber content and the care instructions for the finished scarf.

The label and image are both stamped with Close to My Heart`s Indian Corn Blue ink and stamps from Hand Knit (Stampin`Up).  The little ball of yarn and the knitting needles were stamped, coloured and then fussy cut and finally added to the front of the envelope with foam dimensional tape.  (I actually cut the little knitting needles out and then "slid" them into two slits that I made on the ball of yarn, so it looks like I'm in the middle of a knitting project!) 

A Little Helpful Hint for Knitters!!

I like to knit while I`m watching television, but it always bothers me when my yarn goes flying across the floor or underneath my chair when I pull on the ball to release more yarn. I've seen Yarn Bowls on various sites and thought they were a really neat idea. My husband suggested that I try putting it into a coffee can or large container to prevent the yarn from taking flight!!
Here`s what I came up with:

It was just the right size and it was free!!
(But I still like the decorative Yarn Bowls - maybe a birthday gift??)

When I finished knitting each day, I neatly tucked the scarf and my knitting needles into the container and they were kept clean and organized until I was ready to pick them up again. 

I am linking this to the Sew Darn Crafty Party at Sew Many Ways
Thanks for visiting today!!
Karen C.

Ink & Card Stock Swatch Books

When I first started stamping several years ago, I faithfully created a "stamp book" as an inventory and reference. I have found it to be very helpful when I'm trying to decide on a sentiment and/or image I want to use on a card or photo album. I also created a set of PTI card stock swatches but always found it too small to be useful. (1 inch squares just didn't work for me!)

Recently, I decided to update by making a little 'flip book' for my card stock and then a second one for my growing ink collection. I used a number of ideas that Lisa Johnson suggested in this post.

In the past, I would take out all of my card stock packages in order to find the right colour and then try to find a colour of ink that would match.  I grouped the card stock and inks into colour families, so everything I have in the "green family" is together. With my new booklets I can see at a glance what colours I have and how they can work together.

Card Stock

When I first found Papertrey Ink, I purchased  a card stock sampler so that I could see the various colours. I also have a few packages of card stock from Stampin'Up, Close to My Heart and Michaels. I've included all of these in my book. 

Each page was die cut with PTI's Library Card Tag Die and labelled on the back with the company and colour name.

 In some cases I have purchased the matching colour of PTI's new ink formula, so I have stamped an image (Botanical Silhouettes) on the white label and on the coloured paper. This quickly shows me the coordinating colours that I have in my stash.

The front and back of the book is made with several layers of cardboard (from cereal boxes) and card stock. I decorated the front of the booklet by stamping the square block from Quilter's Sampler and then gluing squares of PTI card stock in various colours. The title was stamped with DJ Whimsy Alphabet (All Night Media). On one side I added CRAFT WORTHY (PTI: Button Boutique) and the date (PTI: Library Ledger and LL Additions)

On the inside of the booklet I stamped the sentiment PINK (C.C. Designs); chirpie KETTO  and dragonfly KETTO  (Stamping Bella).

On the back cover I added the image and names of the colours that came with my first PTI card stock sampler. I also stamped some butterflies (PTI: Butterfly Dreams) and polka dots with my 'new' PTI inks!!  I just received the newest card stock sampler, so will soon update with the additional colours.

I have also included a listing of all of the PTI colours with the Copic Trio markers. I have highlighted the copic markers that I already own, so it's easy to see if I have the right markers to recreate that hue when colouring an image. I can also use this to help make a list of markers that I will need to add in the future.

Inks

When I first purchased inks, I got a variety of pads and cubes from Close to My Heart. Over time I added a few more from Stampin'Up and Michaels. Since the new inks from PTI have been introduced, I have some of these in my stash as well.  I made this little flip booklet for all of my inks using the Angled Label Die from Label Basics. The front cover was stamped with CTMH Polka Dot Alphabet in PTI's Autumn Rose.

I labeled each stamped image with the company and the colour name. Now, when I'm looking for a colour match for patterned paper or card stock I can quickly pull out my ink swatches and check to see if I have a good match.

 I have some CTMH inks that are a fairly good match to the PTI card stock colours, so I will  continue to use these rather than purchase a new ink pad. (Orange from CTMH is a good match for PTI's Orange Zest).

 I'm so glad that I took the time to make these booklets. They sit on my desk now and are used regularly. They have saved me time and frustration when trying to coordinate ink and paper colours.

Thanks for visiting.
Karen C.

Papertrey Ink February 2012 Blog Hop Challenge

This has been an exciting month at Papertrey Ink - Lots of fun and innovative products were released during their 5th Anniversary Celebrations. Several of the new dies and stamp sets focus on making interactive cards -Spinners, Poppers, Sliders and Zippers!!

This month's Blog Hop has challenged us to make a card with an interactive feature.  

I had seen an idea for making a swing card on the Papertrey Ink Forum 

and after watching this video I decided to try that style of card.

After many attempts (and lots of discarded stamping and papers) I was determined to keep trying. Giving up after investing so much time was not an option!!  It's not my most favourite card, but I think I will try this design again, now that I have figured out some of the tricks to making it work!!

Card Closed:

Papertrey Ink Supplies

Kraft card base; Tag-Its #12 stamps; Limitless Layers 1 3/4" Circles; Tea Dye Duo
Other:  Close to My Heart: Clover Meadow ink; beige paper scraps; pink Prima flowers; pink pearls;  corner rounder; foam dimensionals

Card "Swing":

Card "Open":

Papertrey Ink Supplies:  Framed Out #1 Mini Stamp Set & Die;  Tag-Its #12 
Other:  Patterned paper from my stash;   CTMH: Clover Meadow ink;  Memento: Tuxedo Black ink;   The Twinery:Baker's Twine; foam dimensionals

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy hopping!!

Karen C.

Teacup Girl

This is a birthday card I made for my niece who lives in New Zealand. She loves a 'cuppa' tea, so I though the little Teacup Girl (Stamping Bella) would be the perfect image for her card!!

The card base (Core'dinations: Bahama Blue) has been embossed with the Cuttlebug Polka Dot Embossing folder. I wanted a little more texture and interest so I added a 'dot' of glitter to each of the polka dots!! The Teacup Girl image was stamped and coloured with copic markers and then cut out using Nestabilities Label #4.   The sentiment "Tea Time" (Tea for Two Additions) and the leaf image (Just For You) were stamped onto the tea cup with Memento Tuxedo Black ink so that I could use my Copic markers to colour the cup.

I love PTI's Bloom Builder's #3 die set. It can create a large fluffy flower or a smaller version like the one I use on this card. I pulled the colours from the tea cup and the background card stock to make this detail, and then added three small tags (Stampin'Up's Tiny Tags punch and border stamp). The sentiments are from PTI's Tiny Tags, Tiny Tags II and Tea for Two Additions. I used my copic markers to colour the tags so they blend with the rest of the card.

The inside uses the dandelion images from Botanical Silhouettes and sentiments from Daydreamer and Just the Ticket.

Card Details:

Stamps:   Stamping Bella: Teacup Girl;  PTI: Tea for Two Additions, Tiny Tags II,  Just For You, Botanical Silhouettes, Daydreamer, Just the Ticket

Inks:   Memento Tuxedo Black,   Close to My Heart: Buttercup, Ocean.

Papers:   PTI: Stamper's Select White, Rustic White;   Core'dinations: Bahama Blue; yellow from my stash

Dies: Nestabilities Label #4; PTI: Bloom Builders #3;

Other Supplies:   Copic markers,  Cuttlebug: Polka Dot Embossing folder;  Stickles;   SU: Tiny Tag punch; yellow brad;  corner rounder.


Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Blog Giveaway Update

Papertrey Ink's Flower Fusion #2 Die  
was offered as a giveaway on my blog between Feb. 2 and Feb. 5th, 2012. A winner was announced on Monday February 6th. Unfortunately, the individual who won did not provide any contact information and has not e-mailed me with that information.

Therefore I revisited the list of comments and randomly 
selected an alternate winner. Congratulations to Leigh!!

Comment #15: 

Leigh  said .......

What a sweet card, Karen! 

And what a great discovery!

February 3, 2012 9:20 AM

Thanks for visiting!
Karen C.

Love is in the Air

I finally got a chance to participate in some of the festivities at Papertrey Ink's 5th Anniversary Celebrations. Today Nichole Heady introduced some wonderful new stamps and dies for February. One of my favourites is the Hearts-2-Hearts #1 set by Melissa Bickford. I can hardly wait to see the final reveal. 

Meanwhile, I've set my sights on making a few cards for Valentine's Day with some of the stamp sets I already have. Today's challenge at Papertrey Ink was to make a card using Hearts!!   I used a variety of stamps and dies for this:

Fly Away stamps and dies, Postmarks and Love Lives Here, along with the Sunshine Impression Plate were used to create a fairly simply and clean card.  The little heart stamp was centered in the middle of each of the sunshine circles. I coloured the airplane with copic markers and added a little pearl to the tail. I tied a little piece of Pure Poppy Baker's Twine to the sentiment banner and attached it to the end of the airplane. Foam adhesives were used to raise the sentiment banner and the airplane on the card front.

The inside of the card uses the house and sentiment from Love Lives Here, with Pure Poppy and Chocolate inks.

Thanks for Visiting today.

Karen C.

Cupcake Bugaboo & a Giveaway!!

Details for the giveaway are at the end of this post.

My little grand niece in New Zealand celebrated her first birthday last month, so I made this card and popped it in the mail at the beginning of January. 

I started by stamping Cupcake Bugaboo (from Stamping Bella) onto white card stock and then colouring with copic markers. Stickles were used to accent the sprinkles on the cupcake. The image panel, as well as a pink and white polka dot mat was cut with the Nestabilities Label #11 die.  Close to My Heart Buttercup ink was sponged around the edges of the image panel.

Pink Baker's Twine was tied around the front panel and onto the tag. Finally, a few clear bubble gems were added to the various flowers on the patterned paper and the edges were sponged with some Blush ink before attaching it to the card base.

The floral patterned paper gave me the inspiration to use the little flower from Tiny Tags for the sentiment.

And then .... a happy accident .......

I found that the Flower Fusion #2 die was perfect to use as a mat for the Tiny Tags flower. I used the die to cut a second layer from the polka dot paper.

Here's the Tiny Tags Flower layered on top of 

a pink layer of card stock cut from the 

Flower Fusion #2 die. So Sweet!!

 
Here's the inside of the finished card: 

Stamps from Big Birthday Wishes and a die from By the Numbers.

 Card Details:

Stamps-  PTI: Tiny Tags, Big Birthday Wishes;  Stamping Bella: Cupcake Bugaboo

Inks-  CTMH: Blush, Buttercup;   Memento: Tuxedo Black

Paper-  PTI: Stamper's Select White, Vintage Cream;  floral and polka dot papers from my stash.

Dies-  Nestabilities Label #11;  PTI: Tiny Tags, Flower Fusion #2, By the Numbers

Other Supplies-  Copic markers; Stickles; The Twinery Pink Baker's Twine; clear bubble gems.

        A Tiny "Flower" Give Away

If you have the Tiny Tags stamp and die set,  
(or even if you don't have them!) you may want to 
add the Flower Fusion #2 die to your stash. 
And .........since I have an extra die I thought
I would offer it to my blog visitors. 

Just leave a comment at the end of this post 
by 11 pm Sunday February 5th  (EST).  
I will randomly choose a name and  post the 
results on my blog.  Make sure to check back here on Feb 6th .

Edited Feb. 16, 2012

The original winner, ldid not respond, so it was necessary to re draw a winner from the comments. Please visit  this post   for the winner.

This 'tiny' give away is open to all blog visitors. Good Luck!! and Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.