Papertrey June Blog Hop

It's that time again! The 25th of each month is the day for Papertrey Ink's Blog Hop! This month participants were given this sweet picture below as inspiration for a card or project.

And here is my card:


I must admit that picture inspirations are the hardest for me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because I'm so visual that I have to fight the desire to duplicate every. single. thing. in the photo, which would be a disaster! :-) I chose to make a "happy healing" card for my boss, who is home right now having had back surgery. I am so glad that PTI came out with the Healing Touch Sentiments stamp set because it's more than just "get well." Sometimes the situation is more (or less) than that and it just doesn't sound appropriate to say, "Get well." Now we can be nuanced in our wishes and it just feels better, you know?

I chose Simply Chartreuse as the background cardstock because the color stood out to me. I sponged layers of colors to mimic the wall in the picture. I decided to focus on bringing out the tulle, wood, and white wicker aspects, as well as using some Smokey Shadow ink to represent the shadows in the photo. I made a butterfly using aqua tulle, embroidery floss, pearls, and pinking shears. The composition of the card is obviously based on that of the picture, with the "action" down in the lower right. I added a Healing Touch Sentiment, also in Smokey Shadow. (I used an atyou Spica black glitter pen over some of the flourishes and sentiment for some sparkle and highlight.) There, I did it, LOL! In my efforts to not be totally literal, this is actually pretty CAS for me--I hope my boss likes it!

Thanks for stopping by my blog to say hi! I am working today, and don't have reliable internet access there so will most likely be doing my "hopping" tonight and over the next couple of days. I can't wait to see what you all have made!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Healing Touch Sentiments, Fancy Flourishes
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Rustic White, Simply Chartreuse; stash
Ink: PTI--Smokey Shadow, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile; Versacolor--Cinnamon, Camellia; Colorbox--Yellow Citrus
Misc: Corner Chomper; Die--PTI Take Three; Embossing Folder--Sizzix; Tulle--Michaels; Pearls--Zva Creative; atyou Spica pen--Black; Embroidery Floss--DMC White

Papertrey May Blog Hop Challenge

Happy Blog Hop, PTI fans! Thanks for visiting my little home on the 'net. :-) This month's theme is flowers, and I'll bet everyone had a great time making a creation with what has to be the all-time favorite handmade card embellishment, right? I know you're busy trying to visit as many blogs as possible, so I'll stop talking now and list my supplies!

P.S. This is my 100th post! I should give away some blog candy, huh? ;-D Stay tuned . . .

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Flower Garden Sentiments and Garden of Life
Paper: PTI--Rustic White, Hawaiian Shores, Beautiful Blooms, Bitty Dot Basics
Ink: Versafine--Vintage Sepia; Ranger--Antique Linen Distress Ink; E.P.--Filigree Clear
Dies: PTI--Picket Fence; Spellbinders--Large Scalloped Circles and Fancy Tags
Impression Plate: PTI--Woodgrain
Misc.: Felt--PTI Pure Poppy; Twine--The Twinery Honeydew, Brads--Making Memories; Corner Chomper

Papertrey March Blog Hop Challenge!

I can't believe I'm remembering--on time--to participate in this month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! The challenge is to use embroidery floss in a "fun and inventive way." Although I have just about every color DMC floss from my cross stitch days, I was initially stumped. And then one night, as I was just drifting off to sleep . . . this idea popped into my head! Fortunately, the next day was my day off so I could make the idea a reality before I forgot it, LOL!


I selected the butterfly image with the lines from Butterfly Kisses (one of my first PTI sets--I would love to see the Design Team revisit this one!) and stamped it in a very light color to use as a guide. I stitched every other line in a deep mauve color (please, PTI, come out with an ash rose/mauve color, pretty please!). Next, I blended a lighter mauve color with a platinum-y metallic thread and stitched the remaining lines. Using a Smokey Shadow-ish color, I stitched a little body and teeny antenna. Then I curved the Birthday Wishes stamp from the same set and stamped it underneath the stitched butterfly. I attached the circle they are on slightly tilted because, well, I thought it looked cooler that way! :-D I matted the white circle with a pearlescent mauve one, and placed them both on a Labels 3 die cut of Ocean Tides Bitty Box Basics.

The background on the Ocean Tides cardstock I created by stamping the asterisk-like flowers--big and small--and the littlest solid butterfly image, all from Butterfly Kisses as well, in watermark ink and then embossing them with a sparkly embossing powder. Finally, I made a french knot in the center of each of the larger flowers, in an Ocean Tides-like floss, to create some tone-on-tone texture. I hope you like it!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Butterfly Kisses
Paper: PTI--S.S. White, Ocean Tides, Bitty Box Basics; Best Occasions--Pearlescent Paper Pack
Ink: Watermark; Versafine--Onyx Black; Embossing Powder--Filigree Clear and Ranger--Bridal Tinsel
Dies: Spellbinders--Classic Circles & Labels 3
DMC Floss: 317, 778, 927, 3726, 30762

PTI Blog Hop?

Ah, well, better late than never? :-D I made this card for PTI's January blog hop--where you were supposed to use a stamp set that had never seen ink, or hadn't seen it in a long while--and then completely forgot about it! So, I'm going through photos tonight and . . . there it was. Sigh. Hopefully, I'll be more on the ball in February! :-)

I chose the stamp set "All About You." I bought it when it was released and had yet to use it. I've used the "Additions" companion set, but just not this one. The choice wasn't easy as I had, ahem, quite a few uninked sets to choose from. :-) I'm not wild about the card, but I do like the colors, and I'm sure it will come in handy to perk up someone's day.

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--All About You
Paper: PTI--SS White; Chatterbox; stash
Ink: Versafine--Onyx Black; Versacolor--Narcissus & Camellia; Ranger--Tattered Rose & Crushed Olive Distress Inks
Embossing Powder: Ranger--Super Fine Detail
Buttons: PTI--Sweet Blush; stash
Trim: Michaels
Die: Spellbinders--ScrapMart exclusive
Misc.: Tim Holtz--Tiny Attacher; Fiskars--Corner Chomper

Papertrey July Blog Hop!

It's Blog Hop time for fans of Papertrey Ink! This month's challenge was to use office supplies in making your project. I knew I wouldn't get my July release goodies in time to use them for this card, so I went with what I had: I used PTI's Woodgrain Impression Plate to impress the card front, and then used some ink to go over it and emphasize the impression. I wanted to go for a desk look. Next I made a little file folder and teeny pieces of paper to go in it. I used Library Ledger to make the little papers. Finally, I used some ruler ribbon from my stash and stapled it on with my tiny attacher, and anchored everything with a swirly paper clip. This is certainly outside my box and I loved making it! Happy Hopping everyone!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Library Ledger, Simply Alphabet & Background Basics: Botanicals
Paper: PTI--Vintage Cream, Aqua Mist, Melon Berry
Ink: PTI--Aqua Mist; Ranger--Antique Linen & Tea Dye Distress Inks; Watermark; Versafine: Onyx Black
Impression Plate: PTI--Woodgrain
Ribbon: Bobbin Ribbon
Paper Clip: 7 Gypsies
Staples: Tim Holtz --Tiny Attacher
Edge Distresser: Heidi Swapp
Punch: Corner Chomper

June PTI Blog Hop!

June's challenge is to use your favorite PTI color combo! Well, here's mine: RIPE AVOCADO, SPRING MOSS, RASPBERRY FIZZ & HIBISCUS BURST!

Nichole asked participants to put their color combo up top on their post, in BOLD. I wish I knew how to make those color thingies--you know, like paint samples. You know, I'd happily take a class on computer design for papercrafting blogs. I'd like to know how to make other things too, like a badge, and a banner, and . . . well, I'll have to look into that. Anyway, here is my favorite PTI color combo. I really don't know why it's my favorite, except that it makes me happy to use it. Pink is my favorite color, and I do reach for green more than any other color (except maybe blue) when papercrafting. I needed a get well card, and since my June PTI goodies didn't arrive in time for me to play with them, (sad face), I decided on a favorite, Dawn's Scattered Showers. I stamped the raindrops with watermark ink on the Ripe Avocado cardstock and the paper pieced the umbrella and popped it up on a nestie. Some more patterned paper, a popped up sentiment, ribbon and dew drops--oh, and I used my 2-Way Glue Pen and added glitter to the outside edge of the circle. I also shaded the circle, but it seems to be really hard to see in my picture. This will go out today to hopefully cheer up a friend. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! *** Before I go I want to make an exciting (for me, at least!) announcement: On July 1st, I will be posting my first ever challenge! It will be a month-long card challenge and there will be TWO prizes! We're talking PTI gift certs, people! :-D So tune back in next Thursday for the details, I'd love to have you join in!

Supplies
Stamps: PTI--Scattered Showers & Scattered Showers Additions
Paper: PTI--Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, SS White; pp--stash
Ink: Watermark; Versafine--Onyx Black
Embossing Powder: Ranger--Clear Fine Detail
Punches: EK Success border punch; Corner Chomper
Dies: Spellbinders
Ribbon: PTI--Hibiscus Burst
Dew Drops: Stamping Bella
Glitter: Prisma