Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Just thought I'd pop in to share another My Mind's Eye layout that I did about awhile back... This is one of my all time favorite pictures of Kati when she was little! She was 2 years old here, and grandma Brenda was here visiting from South Dakota in April. I remember the weather was nice, so we took some walks around the neighborhood, played outside, rode bikes, etc. By the time April arrives in New York, we are longing to be outside again after the long winter...
I cut the doily paper out and made flowers with it to accent the outdoor feel of the page.


Tomorrow is the first day of March, and I'm just SO excited for spring to arrive once again. I can't wait to watch the green grass and perennials sprout back up, plant new flowers, and feel the warmth of the sun again! I'm REALLY looking forward to it...

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Monday, February 27, 2012

I am really, really loving My Mind's Eye products lately. I just ordered some of their new things - take a peek here at Two Peas...their new lines really hit it out of the park for me this time! What do you think?

Speaking of My Mind's Eye, I found a layout that I made a long time ago that I forgot to share made with their doily stamps - I think maybe they were from the Stella Rose collection.....
I stamped them randomly on the page and then added journaling to each - one thing I love about Taylor in each little stamped image! She won't let me take many pictures of her anymore, so I grabbed this photo from last Valentine's Day. I want her to know how much I love her and her fun attributes!
The ink pads here are by Jenni Bowlin - Chewing Gum (pink), Lemon Drops (yellow) and Cough Syrup (red).

I just finished some projects for a guest spot next month and can't wait to share them - love how they turned out! I'll be back soon. Have a great day! xo
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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Yesterday I had the chance to play around with my Silhouette Cameo for a few minutes. Santa brought me one for Christmas, and I was a little intimidated to open it and get it going. BUT...it actually turned out to be super simple, and I'm wishing I would have tackled it sooner!
These are called the Decorative Circles by Karla Dudley from the Silhouette Digital Designs Shop. I cut the heart circle with a Melon Berry cardstock and the hello circle with Pure Poppy cardstock, then layered them together. I backed the circles with Basic Grey paper from the Konnichiwa line. Chevron paper is Nantucket by Pink Paislee, polkadot paper is Aqua Mist patterned paper. Background cardstock is Ocean Tides.
I stamped the background with a "just thinking of you" stamp from the Mat Stack 2 Collection with Hawaiian Shores ink and True Black ink. Loving the Cameo - and all you can do with it!

My girls are off school this week for a winter break, so I've been trying to keep them busy with swimming at the Y, sleepovers, doctor appointments for Kati (she has to have her tonsils out soon). Going to the Children's Museum today and having grandma over for her birthday dinner... busy, busy. Next week things should be back to our normal schedule! :)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

I love making cards, but I'll admit, I do find it easier to make a girly one. I struggle with manly cards every time! So...I tried to step outside my box and create a couple of "boy" cards. I gave this one to my husband for his birthday. Love the sentiments on the front {I think he liked them too - I saw a smile on his face!}...

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A simple card here made with the Movers & Shakers Sentiments stamps on the kraft cardstock! I blended in some Funky Town paper (chevron) and the new Aqua Mist patterned paper.

I think brads are making a come back! They remind me of the whole confetti trend, which I love, so fun and festive! I plan to make more fun things with brads...
Brilliant card:
Stamps: Movers & Shakers Sentiments
Ink: Classic Kraft, True Black
Paper: Pure Poppy cardstock, yellow cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper,
Funky Town patterned paper
Dies: star punch by Fiskars
Other: Basic Grey brads.
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This one uses Ripe Avocado cardstock. What man doesn't like the color green?

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I used the new Framed Out #1 stamp set in the center and also cut a frame in half to make the brackets! Celebrate is from the Think Big Favorites #13. "Making years count" is from the Movers & Shakers Sentiments.
Celebrate card:
Stamps: Think Big Favorites #13, Framed Out #1, Movers & Shakers Sentiments
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, True Black
Paper: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Kraft, Aqua Mist cardstock
Dies: star punch by Fiskars
Other: Basic Grey brads, True Black ribbon by PTI, Calico White mist by Studio Calico.
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I had a lot of fun with the 5th Anniversary Celebrations with Papertrey Ink and hope you did too! There is a Papertrey Ink giveaway happening at Moxie Fab World, stop over and enter for your chance to win some Papertrey Ink stamps!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Hi everyone! It's the 15th, and that means we get to share the rest of our Papertrey Ink projects for this month! All of these FUN new products for the month will be up for sale today.
I had a lot of fun stamping the frames on this card with the new Framed Out #1 stamp set! LOVE this set! I used Dark Chocolate for the middle frame, Classic Kraft ink in the center, and Fine Linen ink for the outside frames. The tag behind the white is cut with the Half & Half dies with new Aqua Mist patterned paper.
Thank You So Very Much card:
Stamps: Framed Out #1, Movers & Shakers sentiments (I appreciate you)
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Classic Kraft, Fine Linen, Raspberry Fizz, Canyon Clay, Orange Zest, True Black
Paper: white cardstock, kraft cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper
Dies: Half & Half
Other: Aqua Mist button by PTI, Basic Grey brad, rustic twine by PTI, Twinery Twine (teal).
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On the next card, I cut a Papertrey Ink calendar page as my card base (cut down slightly), and used the new Framed Out #1 die to cut a hole in the card. On the inside, I used the Framed Out #1 stamps for the frames and sayings!

I punched little paper "confetti" with my hole puncher and added some brads to give dimension to my confetti! Here you can see the card standing up and the hole in the front of the card.
I stamped the big Happy Birthday using the new Think Big Favorites #13 stamp set with Pure Poppy ink.

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  Birthday Confetti card:
Stamps: Framed Out #1, Think Big Favorites #13
Ink: Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, Hawaiian Shores
Paper: Calendar Pages by PTI
Dies: Framed Out #1
Other: Basic Grey brads, Hawaiian Shores Grosgrain Ribbon by PTI
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Next, we have some little girly birthday cards with flower barrettes attached to the fronts! I used one of the new Frilly Flowers dies to cut these little felt flowers and stamped the Frilly Flowers leaves! It's a card and a little gift in one...
Here you can see the back. I simply attached the petals together with a hot glue gun, and attached a hair clip onto the back with hot glue also. I cut a notch out of the paper on the card to slip them on the card front. I just used a circle punch to do that and slid the punch into the paper half way to punch out the notch.
With these flowers, you can stack them two ways. I die cut the 3 flowers out of Papertrey Ink felt. On the yellow flower, I staggered the flowers, so the petals laid opposite each other when I hot glued them together. On the Aqua Mist felt flower, the petals are stacked more evenly. Funny how they look so different - but equally as cute though! The tops of the flowers are by Maya Road. I thought they would make cute centers. :)
The sentiments were stamped with the new Movers & Shakers stamps.
This is what the card looks like before clipping the flower to the card. How fun would a little package of barrettes or headbands be for a birthday gift - or as cute (and inexpensive) party favors?
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Wishing You cards with Birthday Barrettes:
Stamps: Frilly Flowers (leaves), Movers & Shakers Sentiments
Ink: Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores
Paper: Aqua Mist Pattern Pack, Raspberry Fizz Pattern Pack, 
Pure Poppy cardstock
Dies: Frilly Flowers dies
Other:  Maya Road flower centers.
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"Brighten Your Day" card was made with a new stamp set and dies called Lighten Up and Lighten Up Sentiments. I stamped, "wish I could lighten your load" on the inside of the card with Lighten Up Sentiments. This card is a little more modern for me, but the stamp set screamed modern, so I ran with it and used a modern design with a modern color palette!

Everything is by Papertrey Ink here. I cut a piece of cardstock up for the light "rays" and stitched it back onto my card. I stamped off the Smokey Shadow gray ink to make it a bit lighter before stamping the lamp base.
Brighten Your Day card:
Stamps: Lighten Up, Lighten Up Sentiments
Ink: True Black, Smokey Shadow, Orange Zest
Paper: Canyon Clay, Harvest Gold, white cardstock
Dies: Lighten Up
Other: pop dots.
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Next up, I used the Background Basics: Medallion with the new Beautiful Butterflies...

I punched two small holes in the corner and hung a little butterfly banner inside - a fun surprise to whoever opens the card!

Two little hearts from Love Lives Here dies make cute butterfly antennae...

 Friendship Lightens Every Burden:
Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies, Lovely Leaves (sentiment), Background Basics: Medallions
Ink: Autumn Rose, True Black, Dark Chocolate
Paper: Kraft, Lavendar Moon, Canyon Clay, Plum Pudding cardstock,
Autumn Abundance pattern paper by PTI
Dies: Beautiful Butterflies, Love Lives Here (scalloped circle and mini hearts), Eyelet Lace Border die
Other:  PTI button,twine and felt.
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Here is a card set made with Maile's new Beautiful Butterflies set. I stamped a couple of the butterflies with Summer Sunrise and stamped again without re-inking, creating a lighter butterfly of the same color. The bottom butterfly is stamped with Orange Zest. I added a plaid oval from the Sweet Spring set.



Beautiful Butterflies card set:
Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies, Sweet Spring
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Raspberry Fizz, True Black
Paper: White cardstock
Dies: none
Other:  PTI Aqua Mist button,twine.
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"With Gratitude" was made with a new stamp set called Lovely Leaves.
I stamped the tree trunk and sentiment, then used new Classic Kraft ink on kraft cardstock and punched out a few little circles. The hearts rub ons are from the Sweetness line by Pink Paislee. I really like how the Sweet Blush cardstock looked with the Melon Berry cardstock!
With Gratitude card:
Stamps: Lovely Leaves
Ink: Dark Chocolate
Paper: Sweet Blush, Melon Berry, and Kraft cardstock by PTI
Dies: Mega Mat Stack 5 die
Other: Sweetness Press Ons by Pink Paislee, Twinery twine, Little Yellow Bicycle heart pin.
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"Girl Talk" was made with the new Heart-2-Heart1 # stamps and Heart-2-Heart #1 die (coffee mug).
To stamp the sentiment on a curve, I bent the "let's get together" stamp around in a half circle before sticking it to the stamping block.
Girl Talk card:
Stamps: Heart-2-Heart #1
Ink: True Black, Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy
Paper: kraft and Aqua Mist cardstock, white cardstock, It's Official Patterned paper pack by PTI, Nantucket paper by Pink Paislee
Dies: Heart-2-Heart #1, Heart Border, 2" circle punch, heart punch
Other: Pure Poppy grosgrain ribbon.
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This card is made with the Lighten Up Sentiments.
I also combined the Love Lives Here stamps and dies, along with Background Basics: Houndstooth and a Wonderful Words die. I didn't have a small square punch, so to make the smaller squares, I used a 2" square punch and then cut the 2" squares into 4 smaller squares.
 You Brighten My Day card:
Stamps: Love Lives Here, Lighten Up Sentiments, 
Background Basics: Houndstooth
Ink: Pure Poppy, True Black by PTI, Chewing Gum (pink) by JBS
Paper: Pure Poppy and Sweet Blush cardstock, Creme cardstock, brown cardstock, Pink Paislee Hometown Summer paper
Dies: Love Lives Here, Wonderful Words die
Other: circle punch, square punch, corner rounder, Twinery twine 
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Well, I hope I've inspired you to go make a card or two. Don't forget to see what the other gals have been up to this month as well...

Earn free stamps

Did you know you can earn free stamp sets each year at Papertrey Ink?
Why, yes you can!
You can earn this pretty set I used here with your Customer Reward Points -- it's called "Pretty Peonies", and it's oh, so beautiful!
To create this card, I started with stamping the flowers with Summer Sunrise ink and the leaves in Simply Chartreuse. I added a strip of Pink Paislee paper from their new London Market line and cut a border out of Aqua Mist cardstock with the Edgers #3 die. A frame and sentiment were stamped from the set with True Black ink and then brushed over with a Vintage Cream ink pad. A tiny heart from the Love Lives Here dies in Raspberry Fizz cardstock finishes it off nicely!

Visit Nichole's blog for more information on how you can earn this stamp set for yourself. For more inspiration, visit the other team members:

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

You spin me right 'round.... (can't get that song out of my head!)

The new Movers & Shakers dies designed by Nichole Heady for Papertrey Ink were designed to allow you to create interactive elements on your cards! There are several different dies that will be available on the 15th of this month with this set: Spinners, Poppers, Sliders, and Zippers. I am super excited about these and can't wait to see what everyone has made with their assigned die! The possibilities are endless. I love that!

My assignment was to use the Straight Track die from the Movers & Shakers: Spinners die set.
The item on this card that moves is the yellow star - it slides up and down the track and spins around! It's very easy to create this interactive element. Let me show you...

First, you'll cut a piece of cardstock, then place the straight track die on your cardstock and run it through your Cuttlebug or other die cut machine. You'll want to cut the circles as well with the other die in this set (Spinners).

Since I wanted to back my card with dark cardstock (to represent nighttime with my stars), I cut the little circles from black also, so it wouldn't show as much. You'll stack up the circles, adhere them together (with the 2 small ones in the center) and slide the finished sandwich onto the track. I attached my star to the circle with pop dots, so it was raised up a bit and easier to grab . The circle below isn't attached to anything, so it can slide.
Here is the star in action - it slides up and down and twirls around.
The stamps I used are the Movers & Shakers: Sentiments and Simply You (both go with these dies). I also added the cute arrows and stars from the older Postmarks stamp set.


You are What Happened card:
Stamps: Movers & Shakers Sentiments, Simply You, Postmarks
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, True Black
Paper: Enchanted Evening, True Black cardstock, Pink Paislee Snow Day paper (graph)
Dies: Movers & Shakers: Spinners
Other: Basic Grey brads.
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I have one more example using the Straight Track. Notice I used it vertically in the first card and horizontally on this one. I used the Sending You and Postmarks stamps to create a little sliding mailbox.

I used the same technique here on this card and attached the mailbox to a circle under the track with pop dots. The mailbox slides back and forth.
I cut a little slot in the mailbox to hold the mail. The mail was made with the Friendship Jar Spring Fillers stamps.


Sending You Birthday Wishes card:
Stamps: Sending You, Postmarks, Friendship Jar Spring Fillers
Ink: Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, True Black
Paper: Aqua Mist patterned paper, kraft and white cardstock, Pink Paislee Snow Day paper (graph)
Dies: Sending You, Movers & Shakers: Spinners
Other: Twinery twine, machine stitching.
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Fun, right? I can visualize interactive balloons, clouds, birds - and all kinds of interactive things on cards!

Grab the Movers & Shakers quickly before they sell out - I know they'll be very popular! Now visit the other team members to see more of these fun elements. I can't wait to see what they've made.