Papertrey Ink January 2012 Blog Hop

This month, in honor of the new year, Papertrey Ink has challenged us to pick a 

favorite project from 2011 and share it!  To take it a step further, we were to create 

a second card that is inspired by the selected "favorite project".  The new version 

of an old favorite could carry over the color scheme, the layout or the stamp sets.
 

When I received my order for Stitches and Swirls and the Bloom Builder #3 I knew I wanted to create a card with both of these items. I made this card in December 2011 and it quickly became one of my favorites of the year. The full post can be found here. The cranberry, cream and tea dye duo colour scheme seemed to suit the holiday season.

Here is another version of this card using a different colour scheme ...... something a little brighter as a birthday card for my sister-in-law. 

Blue is a her favourite colour, so I created the lower plaid pattern (Waltzingmouse Stamps) with Dutch Blue and Bamboo inks from Close to My Heart. The Stitches and Swirls images were stamped with Bamboo ink and then the same ink was sponged on the edges of the card. The blue grosgrain ribbon from my stash was a perfect match to the blue ink. The sentiment,  from Mega Mixed Messages, was also stamped with Dutch Blue ink.

I couldn't find a blue card stock in my stash that matched the ink and ribbon... the one I finally chose for the Bloom Builder, was a lighter blue, so I stamped all of the petals with Dutch Blue using Text Style.  I stamped a piece of  Vintage Cream card stock with Polka Dot Basics and Bamboo ink.

Here are some of the layers of 'petals' after stamping, die cutting and sponging the edges. You can see the lighter blue card stock and the effect of stamping in the darker blue. It created just the right colour match to the ribbon and a little extra texture detail on the blooms as well!

The beige polka dot 'flower'  (above left) was cut using Stampin'Up  Daisy #2 die and then placed under the blue blossom.  It created another layer and coordinates with the Bamboo ink and the button and embroidery floss.

Here's a close up of the final bloom .... I love the fullness that you can achieve when 10 layers of card stock are used.   I think I may have to make this again using pinks .... and peachy tones ..... and lemon yellows ..... and violets ...
I think I will just have to create a whole rainbow of coloured Blooms!!
Can you tell that this is one of my favourite designs ? !!

The inside of the card uses another image from the Stitches and Swirls set and a sentiment from Daydreamer. I stamped the flower and leaf image in Bamboo ink and then went back over the flower with a blue marker to get the two colour effect. It was fast and easy and added a little something extra to the inside.

Card Details:

Stamps-  PTI: Stitches and Swirls. Mega Mixed Messages, Text Style, Polka Dot Basics, Daydreamer;  

Waltzingmouse: Off Beat Backgrounds

Inks-  CTMH Bamboo, Dutch Blue

Paper-  PTI Vintage Cream; blue card stock from my scrap stash.

Dies-  PTI: Bloom Builder #3;   Stampin' Up  Flower: Daisies #2 die
Other Supplies-  blue grosgrain ribbon; PTI Lemon Tart button, embroidery floss; blue marker

Thanks for visiting today. Enjoy the rest of the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop.

Karen C. 

January Birthday Wishes!!

Happy 2012 !!

I've been absent from my blog for almost a month, but I'm finally back for another year of sharing cards and projects that I enjoy making for family and friends!!  We still have a Christmas wreath hanging over our fireplace, but all 
of the other festive decorations have been tucked away until next December!!

This month I haven't spent much time in my craft room at all.  I was 
diagnosed with Inflammatory Arthritis in November and it has affected my 

shoulders, wrists and hands, making paper crafting and sewing a challenge.

My doctor has prescribed medications, rehab and exercise, so  I'm hoping 

that I can enjoy some of the things that I love to do, as I start to feel better. 

It may be that it will take me longer to finish projects .... and I won't post as often, 

but I will continue to work on card making and sewing projects  whenever I can.

So ... without further ado ... here is my first post for the New Year ....
a birthday card for my sweet 3 year old grand niece. Little girls love dress up and  princesses, so Everyday Princess from Stamping Bella with lots of pink, was a fun place to start !!  

Papertrey Ink's Quatrefoil Cover Plate is such a great way to add interest and detail as the background. Add some sentiments in the spaces and the card is almost done!!  A small image from Mehndi Medallion was also used in the cut outs along the edge of the cover plate. Love it!!

The flower accent was coloured with a copic marker and the button was die cut with felt.

Card Front:

Stamps:  PTI Tiny Tags and Tiny Tags II. Mehndi Medallion;   Stamping Bella: Everyday Princess

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  CTMH Hollyhock

Papers:  PTI Stamper's Select White; Raspberry Fizz

Dies:  PTI Cover Plate Quatrefoil;   Button-Up #2; Nestabilites: Label #4

Other Supplies:  Copic markers; PTI Raspberry Fizz Felt; Prima flower and beige embroidery floss; 
Kaisercraft 'Lippy Red' rhinestone; Sakura Gelly Roll Silver glitter pen.

I always use PTI's Big Birthday Wishes stamp set and By the Numbers dies to celebrate children's birthdays.... little ones love to see their ages in print!!

Card Interior:

Stamps:  PTI Big Birthday Wishes;   Waltzingmouse: Off Beat Backgrounds

Inks:  CTMH Sweet Leaf, Hollyhock  
Dies:  PTI  By the Numbers

Thanks for visiting today. Have a great week-end.

I have a few more January birthday cards to share, so will try to be back soon!!

Karen C.