Frosty Friends Thank You

It's really been quite a while since I have updated my blog. 

Life... it certainly can put a hold on good intentions!! 

My husband and I, along with my son and his fiance 
spent Christmas and 

New Year's in Vancouver with my younger son, 

his wife and their new baby daughter. 

It was such a wonderful time and we are looking 

forward to our next visit in April. 

I needed to make several Thank You cards when 

we returned home, so I pulled out an old 

Close To My Heart set - Frosty Friends, 

along with Papertrey Ink's Quilted: Winter stamps 

to create 3 of this design:

Supplies (PTI unless noted)

Stamps - Quilted: Winter; Say It In Style (Close To My Heart)

Inks - Pure Poppy; Memento Tuxedo Black; Moonstruck Blue (Close To My Heart)

Paper - Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy

Dies - Spellbinder's Classic Ovals

Other - Copic Markers; 

Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.

Thank You Notecards

I've been busy with a few projects for my 
son's upcoming wedding in October. 
My future daughter-in-law asked for a set of cards 
for wedding gift thank-you notes. 
Here's the final set, packaged up and ready to use.

 

I made a total of 60 (3 1/2" x 4 7/8") 
A1 cards using a variety of stamps.

The wedding colours are blue and rust , so this was

my inspiration. A floral image from Vintage Vogue (Stampin'Up) 

 was stamped with Moonstruck Blue (Close To My Heart); 

stamped again with VersaMark and 

then heat embossed with Clear Embossing powder. 

The floral center was stamped with Canyon Clay ink.

The green lines were added with Simply Chartreuse ink 

using an image from Button Boutique. 

The sentiment (Star Prints) was stamped with blue ink 

and VersaMark and heat embossed as well. 

It is a simple and clean look that was important 

since I was making so many cards.

A small blue box from the Dollar Store was a perfect fit for 

two stacks of cards and matching envelopes. 

I'm going to add a pen and some stamps, so the busy couple 

will have everything they need to write their Thank you notes.

I added a tag using Tag Sale #11, cut from 

Canyon Clay and white card stock. The floral image 

and sentiment was added to the white panel. 

The small circle was created by stamping '60'  

(Mini Scrapbooking:Tabs) and 'cards' 

(Moments Inked: Planner Banners). 

I punched this out using a circle punch, 

then inked the edge before adhering it to the tag.

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Thank-you Bitty Bouquets

Bitty Bouquets is such a sweet set. 

I used the stamps to create a simple 
(almost one layer) card. I stamped one of the 
bouquets onto Confetti White card stock (SU), 
using Berry Sorbet, Lemon Tart and Spring Moss inks.

In order to highlight the floral image, I stamped 

a frame (Label Basics) with Kraft ink. 
The sentiment (Swoosh) was stamped with 
Dark Chocolate and Kraft inks. 

In order to create the swoosh across the card, 
I masked the frame, stamped the sentiment, 
then added the swoosh on the left side. 

Before attaching the card front to the Kraft card base, 

texture was added with the Canvas Impression Plate.

Supplies (PTI unless noted)

Stamps - Bitty Bouquets, Label Basics, Swoosh

Inks - Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Berry Sorbet, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss

Paper - Kraft; SU: Confetti White

Dies - Quilted: Spring, Canvas Impression Plate

Other - Canvas Impression Plate

Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.

Papertrey Ink May 2015 Blog Hop

 

It's time again for another Papertrey Ink Blog Hop. 

When I first saw this inspiration photo I kept wondering 

how to translate square coloured blocks into a card.

I kept coming back to the idea of a rainbow quilt - 

blocks of colourful squares assembled into a "paper quilt"!

I stamped one of the quilt blocks from Quilter's Sampler 
onto Stamper's Select White card stock with 
Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I hand cut each one 
so that I could remove some of the stitching lines 
and then glued them onto graph paper. 
This allowed me to keep everything aligned.

Using a variety of copic markers, I coloured 
30 squares in a rainbow colour scheme. 
The finished quilt was mounted onto another piece 
of white card stock to create a border. 
This was mounted onto a 4" x 4 3/4" Soft Stone card base.

After all of the work involved in making the quilt, 
I didn't want to cover it up, so I stamped the main 
sentiment (Purls of Wisdom) onto a vellum banner 
using Versamark, then embossing with black EP. 
A yellow star button from my stash was accented 
with black embroidery floss and then added 
to the banner over one of the yellow quilt blocks.

Supplies (PTI, unless noted)

Stamps - Quilter's Sampler, Purls of Wisdom

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Papers - Stamper's Select White, Soft Stone, Vellum, graph paper

Dies - Double-ended Banner die

Other - Yellow Star button; Black embroidery floss; Canvas Impression Plate; 

copic markers; Stampendous Detail Black Embossing Powder

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

Delightful Dahlia - Mistified!!

The first thing I wanted to try with my new MISTI 

(Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented) 

was the multi-step flowers from Delightful Dahlia stamp set. 

I've never been able to line these images up - until now!! 

And because it was so awesome, I decided to make a card set 

using a design by Nichole Heady ((from this post). 

All together I stamped 12 large and 12 small flowers - 

each with the three step stamps!!

I think I was making up for lost time with this set!!

PINK FLOWERS:

Inks: Pure Poppy, Hibiscus Burst & Sweet Blush inks.

 White adhesive pearls accent the flower centers.

Leaves: Fine Linen ink.

(full strength and stamped off once to create a shadow effect.)

Sentiments: Dark Chocolate ink.

Card bases: Hibiscus Burst . 

 All white panels were impressed with the Canvas Impression Plate.

 Sentiment: Mum's the Word

Sentiment:  Mini Blooms

Sentiment: Delightful Dahlias Additions

The inside of the cards were lined with white 

card stock and stamped with the small dahlia. 

Here's a sample of one of the card interiors: 

Sentiment: Big Birthday Wishes

 GOLD FLOWERS

 Inks: Summer Sunrise (full strength); 

Summer Sunrise (stamped off once) and Harvest Gold.

Card bases: Harvest Gold 

All other details are the same as the pink set above. 

Sentiment:  Mum's the Word

Sentiment: Mini Blooms

 Sentiment: Delightful Dahlias Additions

Sentiment: Delightful Dahlias

  I decided to give this set of cards to my future daughter-in-law when we visited with them earlier this month. I created a little gift box and tag to co-ordinate with the set.

The box was created with one piece of Hibiscus Burst card stock 

and some trial and error!! I wished I had made note of the measurements so I could refer to them if I wanted to make this again, but I was in a hurry to finish this before we left on our trip. All six cards and envelopes fit nicely into the box.

A Tag Sale #8 was used to create the tag 

and a white ribbon and bow are the finishing touches. 

 I stamped the outline image from the original Delightful Dahlias 

onto a piece of white card stock (cut with the 2nd die from Tag Sale #8) 

with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, so I could colour with copics. 

The leaves (Sending You) were added with Spring Moss ink.

The sentiments (Just For You) are stamped with Dark Chocolate ink.

I used the Linen Impression Plate to create some interest and 

then added this panel to patterned paper tag.

Wow! This was a long post!! 

Thanks for joining me today.  

 Karen C.

Papertrey Ink: Metallic Challenge

I've been busy with another project for the 8th Anniversary Celebrations at Papertrey Ink.The focus for Day 7 was metallics - gold and silver papers and foils were featured. You can see all of these wonderful products here.

 

Day 7 Challenge: 

I like colour. I like bright colours. 
But today we were to limit our design to the use of neutrals 
along with gold or silver metallics. 
I found a small piece of gold paper in my scrap stash 
and decided to cut a word die with it. 

Once I finished making one note card, 
I went ahead and made 3 more, 
since one little bitty card just wasn't enough!! 

Each card measures 3" x 4"

I had enough gold paper to cut 2 "you" die cuts and 
2 "note" die cuts from Wet Paint II Die Collection. 
Time to get more gold and silver paper!!

The white card with black stamping and gold sentiments needed an accent, since they looked too plain. (remember, I'm a colour kind of girl). 
Lots of Gold Dot Sparklers in two different sizes (from my stash)  
were added to the right of the sentiment.

Supplies (PTI unless noted)  

Stamps - Circle Scribbles; It's Official

Inks - Versafine Onyx Black; Versamark

Paper - Stamper's Select White; gold paper scrap!

Dies - Wet Paint II Die Collection

Other -SU: Gold Embossing powder; Stampendous: Gold Dot Sparklers; corner rounder

Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.

Day of Gratitude

I haven't posted since late September, but I'm hoping to get back to crafting and sharing more often.

September and October were tough months in my household and we're just starting to settle into a new routine. I had eye surgery at the beginning of the month and then near the end of September, my husband had a heart attack and spent several days in ICU at our regional hospital. I am so thankful to all of the professionals who helped us through a very difficult time. Once he arrived at the emergency department, it only took a short time for them to mobilize a special team of nurses and a cardiologist who performed an angioplasty and inserted a stent into one of his arteries. 

I made a set of 7 thank you cards for my husband to send to a group of friends who sent him a card and gift during his hospital stay.

Vintage Cream card stock was cut into 4 1/4" x 7" strips and then folded to create 3 1/2" x 4 1/4" cards. The leaf image and sentiment (Stampin' Up: Day of Gratitude) were stamped with Memento: Rich Cocoa ink.  A variety of copic markers were used to colour the leaves - a simple but dramatic look that added lots of colour to a CAS card. Linen thread (SU) was tied into a knot and added to the bottom of the leaf stem. To create some texture I used several different impression plates on the front of the card. (4 - Woodgrain; 2 - Herringbone; 1 - Canvas). My husband liked the woodgrain one the best!!

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - SU: Day of Gratitude;
Inks - Memento Rich Coca; Canyon Clay
Paper - Vintage Cream
Other - Impression Plates: Woodgrain, Herringbone,Canvas; 
SU: Linen Thread; Copic Markers: YG93, YG95, YG97, E19, E37, Yr24, Y17, Y21

These seven cards came together very quickly, but then I realized I needed one more card and some envelopes for this card size. 
Solution? I made another card using Leaf Prints (PTI). I stamped the small leaf images onto the card stock before impressing the front with the Herringbone Impression Plate. Another leaf was stamped onto Fine Linen card stock and then fussy cut. Linen thread was knotted and attached to the leaf.

I used a thinner card stock from my stash to make 8 little envelopes with co-ordinating stamps.  Label Basics rectangle was added to the front.

Card Details (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps - Leaf Prints; SU: Day of Gratitude; Label Basics; 
Inks - Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay;
Close To My Heart: Vineyard Berry; Memento Rich Cocoa
Paper - Vintage Cream;  Recollections: Cream (for envelopes)
Other - Herringbone Impression Plate; SU: Linen Thread 

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Ikat Thank You

I've been having fun with the Irresistibly Ikat set from Papertrey Ink.  

I had a panel of stamped cardstock left over from another project, 

so I decided to use it on a thank you card. The final size is 4"x 4".

I used a variety of blue inks to create an ombre effect and then 
added a sentiment in the darkest blue. Dark blue paper was used 
to mat the stamped panel before adding it to a white card base.

Raspberry Fizz card stock was used to make a flower with the Bloom Builder's #3 die. (I used the two smallest flowers on the die and cut them twice to create a 4 layer flower.)  A clear adhesive dot was added to the center.


Card Details: (PTI, unless noted)
Stamps -  Irresistibly Ikat, Mini Blooms (sentiment)
Inks - Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky; 
Outdoor Denim (Close To My Heart)
Paper - Stamper's Select White, Raspberry Fizz; 
dark blue paper (from my scrapbin)
Dies - Bloom Builder's #3; 
Spellbinders: Square Nestabilities
Other - Clear adhesive dot

I am linking this  card to the
Ombre Challenge in  the Moxie Fab World.

Thanks for visiting today. 
Karen C.

Thank You : Rainbows and Repeats

 I started making this card a few weeks ago for a Make it Monday Challenge (#99) at Papertrey Ink.  It sat on my messy desk but I finally finished it this week.
This challenge provided 6 different colour combinations and required us to use a repeating image. I chose these colours from Nichole's list and used the flower background stamp from Tin Types.

The card base and stamped panels use Stamper's White Select card stock. Scarlet Jewel card stock was used to create the large mat, the scalloped mat on the sentiment panel and the two vertical strips.

Details from left to right:
* Simply Chartreuse
* Summer Sunrise - the pattern can be seen in between the 2 strips of Scarlet Jewel. I used copic markers and coloured the space in order to further emphasize this colour,
* Canyon Clay
* Autumn Rose
* Vineyard Berry  
    (Close To My Heart)

Sentiment panel

The oval was cut from Framed Out #8 die and then the border was stamped with the co-ordinating stamp set. The sentiment (Through the Trees) was stamped with Vineyard Berry and then masked so that I could stamp the splotchy image from Grunge Me (using Summer Sunrise ink). Big Scalloped Ovals from Spellbinders was used to die cut the decorative mat. (It was impressed with the Vineyard IP before mounting it over the striped panel with foam dimensional dots.) An amber rhinestone star was added to this panel to give a little sparkle!!

Thanks for visiting today.
Karen C.

Many Thanks

I needed a thank you card last week and decided to use some stamp sets that I just received..
The Bloom Builders #3 die was also in my most recent order from Papertrey Ink. I had made a flower with cranberry card stock to 'test out' the die and it was sitting on my desk .... so I used it as the starting point for this card. 
10 layers of cardstock  (2 of each of the 5 sizes of petals) were layered to create a very thick and fluffy flower. I then added a beige button and embroidery floss to the center to hold them all together.

 Heather Nichols used Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo with the Stitches and Swirls stamp set for this card. I thought the combination of cranberry and Chai inks would create a really warm and rich look, so I used her card as an inspiration.
I wanted a ribbon across the middle of the card, so decided to create a plaid effect on the bottom portion of the card using Waltzingmouse Stamp's Off Beat Background.  The sentiment is from Fillable Frames #1 .

In order to make the flower 'pop' I ended up layering it over a beige circle  
(from one of the Limitless Layers 1 3/4" Circles) and a single green flower that I cut from  Stampin'Up's Daisies #2 die. I really like how the green flower looks like a set of leaves around the cranberry bloom.

Here's how I created the layered effect with various dies ............

Stampin'Up :  I cut all three flowers from the die, but used the middle size for this project.

Limitless Layers:   I used one of the 1 3/4" circles from the Limitless Layers die collection. Here's the metal die and the 2 card stock die cuts, before they were assembled.

The 'petal points' of the green flower fit perfectly 

in between the points of the Limitless Layers.

You can see the green and beige just peeking out from under the 

cranberry flower. It adds just the right touch of contrast and interest.

Card Details:

Stamps:  PTI Stitches & Swirls, Fillable Frames #1 ;   Waltzingmouse Stamps Off Beat Backgrounds .

Inks: Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo; Close to My Heart Cranberry .

Papers:  PTI Rustic white; ColorMates Light Coffee beige; cranberry and green from my stash

Dies: Bloom Builder's #3; Limitless Layers 1 3/4" Circles;   Stampin'Up Daisies #2 die .

Other Supplies: Cranberry satin ribbon, beige button, beige embroidery floss .

Iconic Images Challenge

I know a lot of paper crafters and stampers will say the same thing --- 

"I have many uninked stamp sets sitting on my desk, patiently waiting to be used."  

I received my latest Papertrey Ink order at the beginning of August and it's taken me several weeks just to get them in the cases. I finally finished putting a few sets away yesterday, but I need to actually use them before I  get my next box of goodies!! I did manage to finish this card earlier in the week using the new Daydreamer set and the Vineyard Impression Plate and Leafy Vine border die, but I wanted to accomplish more. 

I usually make cards for a specific person or occasion, but I'm 'caught up' for the month of August. So ... I decided to make some cards for my stash  - I challenged myself to use the new Iconic Images stamp set and some patterned paper that I have been hoarding.  I wanted to see if I could make at least three cards using the same papers and colour scheme.  Here's the result:

All three cards share these features:

Patterned paper: Basic Grey - Sweet Threads 
(used as my colour inspiration)

Stampin'Up Confetti White card stock

Stampin'Up Certainly  card stock

Brown card stock pieces from my scrap box

Memento Chocolate ink

Close to My Heart inks:  Sweet Leaf, Blush   

Here's each card with its' unique features:  
 (PTI products were used unless otherwise noted)

#1: Iconic Images: Pitcher with Flowers

Inside :

Additional Details:  Iconic Images - Sentiment;   Sending You die and frame stamp;

Fillable Frames die and stamp - inside sentiment panel:  Signature Series: Dressform - inside sentiment;  Canvas Impression Plate on main card front panels;  Sewing machine stitching on the main card front panel, matted image and scalloped panel;  EK Success Dotted Scallop border punch;  Brown button with brown embroidery floss;

Corner rounder;  Chocolate ink sponged on edges of confetti white card stock.

#2: Iconic Images: Silhouette

Inside

Additional Details:  Big Birthday Wishes - Sentiment;  Text Style stamp set;

Signature Series: Dressform - inside sentiment;  Postmarks - inside images;

Vintage Tea Dye Duo;  Tin Type Impression Plate;  Leafy Vine Border Die;

Doily Details die;  Limitless Layers 1 3/4" circle collection;  1 3/4" punch;

pink card stock from my scrap box;  EK Success Decorative corner punch;

Pink mini pearls (Kaisercraft.

#3: Iconic Images: Bird & a Small Medallion Image

By the time I started this card I only had a few strips left from the original 8" x 8" piece of patterned paper. In order to stretch it to finish the card, the three little strips have been pieced together with all of the seams hidden by the Spiral Notebook die!!

 Inside:

Additional Details:  Think Big Favorites #3 (I selectively inked 'hello' from the stamp)

Postmarks - 'Just Because' circle sentiment;  Library Card stamp;  Spiral Notebook die;

Turning a New Leaf die;  Turning a New Leaf Stamp set;  Sending You - inside sentiment; Polka Dot Basics - inside pink 'dots';  Woodgrain Impression Plate;  EK Success 7/8" & 1" circle punches;   foam dimensionals;   Pink pearls (Kaisercraft).

Whew!!   Mission accomplished!!

1 new stamp set has been thoroughly inked, 

1 piece of patterned paper - completely used,

scraps from my stash - used

other stamp sets, dies and impression plates - used

AND

3 cards for my stash

Now, it's time to head back into my crafty space and find the next stamp set that needs to see some ink!!  Have a great week!!

Thanks for visiting.

Karen C.