MIM #97: 2012 A la Carte

Coming in late with my post for the last MIM of the year.

Nichole listed several videos and challenges to choose from. I actually chose to combine 2.

#53 Creative Coasters Jennifer Ellefson shows us how to use die cut coasters.

And #64 Using Color Inspiration with Nichole Heady

First please forgive the awful lighting. Just got back our harddrive, supposedly fixed. Can't find any of my tools to crop, lighten, etc. (Need it to be 5:00  quick!)

Just dying to use the new Stitched Sentiments stamp set.

Some to the buttons are die cut from coasters and either stamped or attached to red poppy.

The color inspiration came from using purple, red, pink and yellow together.

Another card using the same two challenges.

The embroidery hoop is die cut from a coaster.

Love the sentiments from this set!

Family is home safe, Christmas and all it's hectic joy is over.

But... love coming back to the stamps and dies!

Happy Healthy Prosperous New Year to all!

December Blog Hop White on White

Merry Day After Christmas!

and welcome to the December 2012 Blog Hop!

Our challenge was to do a project utilizing white on white.

Oh so perfect for a cold winter's day.

We had rain all night, and looking like a rainy day today as well, so all is dreary outside.

Just got my new Mat Stack #6 and used the middle size to cut an opening in the card.

Then matted the largest size as a frame, after I glittered it all up.

The card front is embossed, and a die cut and embossed pretty peony is on the corner.

Inside the card is a vellum embossed happy anniversary. Bridal embossing powder was used.

The peony is hand colored with copics: BV00, BG10 and E11. Very subtle and hard to see detail,

but it was a white on white challenge!

Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with.

Such a busy week behind me and a busy one coming, but just had to play along.

Check out the blog hop on Nichole Heady's blog on PapertreyInk.com.



MIM #96 Patchwork Die Cuts

MIM with Melissa Phillips and cutting die cuts.

What fun to learn new techniques!

This year has been one of the busiest in my life. Have enjoyed every new application to a craft I already love.

Melissa encouraged us to cut up our die cuts and play with scraps.

I'm sure my scrap pile is double (triple?) my full papers.

So there was plenty to choose from!

I needed a few more cards for Christmas, so perfect timing.

The card's an A2 size with a diagonal theme.

Cut my background papers, as well as the damask snowflake die cut and topped it with another cut snowflake. Everything popped up with some foam tape.

Sentiment from In the Meadow stamp set. All PTI, except the bling.

Here are a few more cards I did. Should say practiced on before liking the one posted.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who does a few, doesn't like them and finally gets one that's postable!

I tried embossing the fancy flourish, and cutting the snowflake into 4ths. Felt it was too busy.

 

 



MIM #95 Layered Glitter Shapes

Merry Christmas to all!

Heather Nichols challenges us to glitter and layer shapes this week at PapertreyInk.

Nothing I love better than playing with glitter!

My darling granddaughter is turning "7" on the 21st,

so challenge this week became a birthday card for Reagan.

Shape Up Series: Sweater is the base for the card.

Knit bits was stamped and embossed in white. (Long cable).

A bit of lace on the sleeve and under the red ribbon, made the sweater more feminine.

The 7 was die cut from PTI's By the Numbers. Glitter is Martha Stewart.

Following Heather's instructions, the 7 was put through the Xyron, button was attached, then glittered.

Closeup of bells and felt leaf die cut.

Snowflake also double die cut, once with Ocean Tides and then with stone, and white embossed.

Check out Heather's tutorial on Nichole Heady's blog at PapertreyInk.





MIM #94 Detail Glitter Technique

Merriest of Christmas Seasons to all!

Erin Lincoln reminds us that a little glitter here and there adds sparkle to any project.

Deep in the middle of my grandchildren's cards, I decided to double duty.
Can you see the glitter?
Hint, it's in the center of each snowflake. With a twinkle on Santa's eyes and berries on his hat.

Santa is a big favorite at gma's house, cuz I made Father Christmas dolls for years.

Maybe in the next few days I'll post a few that still have a home with me.

Each of 10 grandchildren receive a special card this year.

With the help of Papertrey's Santa Claus stamp set, they will get a card with a postcard inside.

The stamp set really did the work for me. Such sweet images and phrases, who could resist

planning an eventful card that says, "you've been nice"?

Each will list 5 items they want, and Gpa and Gma will choose 1 (or 2) to give them for Christmas.

 

both sides of the postcard are decorated,

and the envelope even gets special treatment!

Now to address the adult cards!









MIM #93

Ashley Cannon Newell challenged us to use our die cuts in non traditional ways.

By cutting them, a frame can be created for a sentiment, or they can simply get more mileage.

Had to go with a Christmas theme, so chose the sweet home from Boards and Beams.

Added a piece of lace to ground the house, kinda looks like snowflakes?

2nd pix shows without the lace.

Would love to hear which you think looks better.



Die cut from Vintage Linen and stamped in Pure poppy,

my 'cut' is to pop open the house and mask and emboss the sentiment,

"Love overflows and joy never ends...",

in silver. Didn't think it popped enough so added some bling.
Tree and wreath in new Limeaid, stamped in Chartruese.

Side view shows the pop-ups

The new dies from Home for the Holidays finished off the card.

All mounted on Ocean tides, framed in Scarlett Jewel.

Pattern paper from Authentique.

Thank you Ashley!

Nov. '12 PTI Blog Hop

My love affair with paper began with pop up books.

If you're not familiar with Robert Sabuda, find a book store and peruse his amazing talent.

Winter's Tale is filled with wonders that delight with every turn of a page.

Had to submit one more card simply done just as he designed his cover.

It has long been my favorite!

Seriously wouldn't change much about his cover, had to throw in new leaf ribbon and a PTI button.

The deer's head is from a Cricut cartridge, otherwise all cardstock is PTI.

Peaceful Pincones, Mistletoe and Holly sentiment.

Happy Hopping!



November 2012 Blog Hop at PapertreyInk!

It's Blog Hop time at PapertreyInk!

My inspiration came from a notions book I purchased when Borders was closing last year.

I was instantly drawn to it's quilt like cover and vintage colors.

I love to include tags with my towels that I sell on Etsy.

 

Did a bunch! Some one layer, some multi-layered.

 

The tags seemed to call out for a place on a thank you card.

All PTI products except the wool felt, I found at a quilt shop.

Have fun at the blog hop!

Can't wait to see everyone else's book choices!



MIM #92

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's almost here. The rush to Christmas!

Have the whole family here so almost didn't get to post. But how do you not post something when Melissa's giving the tutorial?
There's always quiet time in the early morn!

The wreath is a Hero Arts stamp

Wanted it to shadow the embossed wreath on the vellum, so I stamped it, then 'added' to it's girth with Papertrey's Peaceful Pinecones

here's what it looks like it stamped on stone cardstock.

There are heart sequins inside, just as Melissa showed on her tutorial.

But they move and didn't cooperate during photo shoot!

Embossed sentiment also from Peaceful Pinecones on a diecut photo strip.

Love what it looks like on PTI's text-style candy cane prints.

PTI pure poppy twill ribbon.

Hope peace and joy are yours throughout this season!

Thanks to my sweet daughter, I have a seasonal banner.

Thank you Melissa, as always, enjoy your secrets!



Faux pockets - Take 2

Dawn McVey has a tutorial of garland stars she did for a baby shower

over at Nichole Heady's blog on PTI. It's so sweet, thought I'd do a few snowflakes and put them in a pocket on a card!

You sew the die cuts together forming a chain.

My card uses all the snowflake dies and stamps from PTI.
Apologies about the photos, but it's getting dark outside.

When you pull the pink snowflake with the bells', out pops "wishing you", "a", "cozy", "Christmas".

Lots of layers to the center snowflake

One more card done for the stash!



MIM #91 Faux Pockets

Dawn McVey challenged us to use faux pockets on our cards.

There's a complete tutorial on Nichole Heady's blog at PapertreyInk.com.

My card features a few of the new stamp and die sets.

The 'pocket' is a mat stack 4 with the top chopped.

The Santa face from Santa Stationary is heat embossed in white on Pure Poppy cardstock.

When the tag is removed, theres a message from the same set, stamped in Scarlet Jewel and Spring Rain, separated by a heart jewel.

Details are die cuts from Peaceful Pinecones and Snowflake Medley.

Much too much fun, and, making headway with the Christmas Card!

MIM #90 Creating Focal Point Sentiments with Stamps and Dies.

Have a bunch of cards to post for this weeks challenge, so getting right to it.

Betsy Veldman showed us how to use portions of a stamp, and to use dies

to get the sentiment we wanted.

Have to warn all, I have many on an ever growing Christmas list this year,

including 10 precious grandchildren, each of which get one of

grandma's cards!

So many of my cards have a happy, jolly theme (Thank you PapertreyInk!)

First from the new Happiest of Holidays sentiment collection.

Masked off 'Christmas' and put it on the bottom in red.

Holly Jolly has buttons for 'o's', and Winterberry and Candy Cane Christmas dies.

Cardstock: Pinefeather

Just have to tell, the candy berries are the centers of o's I cut out.

I just know there are others who cannot bear to throw away the

extra from die cuts!

Full on shot shows the die cut letters from Modern Alphabet.

One more card for one of my sweeties



Letters cut from Modern Alphabet again, with cork.

I love, love, love, the new Gingerbread Lane set from last month's release.

Hard to see, but there's some 'icing' separating the 2 pattern papers, cut from 'loop de loop'.

Here's another, can you tell, I'm diggin' this technique?

Honestly, had fun doing the card, but not one of my favs.

Next, another card with the sentiment focal point die cut on the bottom.

Hope that counts as 'focal point'.

Fussy cut all those little star lights!

 

Love to hear what you think of these so far.

And a quick thank you to all for encouraging words.

It's so much fun to read!

More Floating Images MIM #89

More Christmas cards, using Nichole's 'window' technique.

Such fun to plan and do!

If you're going to do a window, do a window!

Wanted to try a simple card using a technique I found on folding a half circle to form a tree.

Completely sure everyone but me has done this before!

The window looks out onto a snowy scene.

PTI cardstock, button and ink

Authentique patterned paper

A peek at the inside.

All stamps Papertrey Ink.

Yes, the sentiment is double stamped. Thought it would give it a snowy effect.

 

One more using the new Pincone stamp and die set.

Will not be putting this stamp set away. Have many plans to use it through the season!

Someone's blog I read said she loved to collect pinecones.

Got me thinking of putting them in the Friendship jar.

Tried the ombre effect on the stamps, with Heather's color embossing technique.

Just be sure to stamp the versamark first, then the color choice.

If you haven't tried this yet, pop on over to Nichole Heady's blog. She's got a great tutorial

on creating a window for your card!