artful notions: April 2015

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties <– you are here!

Make It Monday #210: Using Vellum To Soften Patterns

Tammy Hobbs

May Guest Designer: Dawn from Designs by Dragonfly

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

MIM #210: Using Vellum to Soften Patterns

Make it Monday's challenge this week is to soften patterns with vellum.

Lizzie Jones has a great video on Nichole's blog here:

Happy Mother's card came about with

the Rosie Posie stamp set.

My bg was created with the daisy from the set, together with Rosie Posie Step 2.

The striped vellum was cut with Bookmark #1,

and my sentiment from Garden Grace.

There's a strip of Chicken Scratch Gingham under the bookmark tag,

tied with twine.

I used the 0 from Number Clips die, completely smitten with this set!

Daisies look a bit orange in the photo,

but they're really Summer Sunrise, even the 2nd step.

The fussy cut is Harvest Gold with Summer Sunrise.

Hawaiian Shores center,

Soft Stone leaves.

Small daisy is Harvest Gold with Aqua Mist centers.

Always fun to learn something new. Thanks Lizzie!

Who knew there was tape especially for vellum? What a great tip!

Saturday, April 25, 2015

PTI April Blog Hop!

Are you blog hopping today with PapertreyInk?

Here's the inspiration Nichole has given us:

Don't know what the weather's like where you are, but if this doesn't

sing spring, don't know what does!

Used Coverplate: Stripes for my bg, doing several for another

card challenge, and loving the sponged ink stenciled look.

(Wasn't that a MIM some weeks ago?)

When my new Super Swoosh dies came, I didn't separate the words, but cut them

all, loved each one, and decided to create a greeting card set with them.

All the sentiments are double layered, white and true black.

I die cut, stamped and arranged the bouquets, and the cards came together quickly.

Those are matching envelopes peeking out behind the card.

I did a set of 4 cards, There's a 5th sentiment, Congratualtions. Will use that one later.

Pretty much all PTI:

Bitty Bouquets stamps and dies

Flower Favorites (butterfly)

Super Swoosh dies

Stripes Cover Plate.

PTI A2 sized envelopes,

card stocks and dotted vellum.

PTI Inks

Can't wait to visit other blogs to see how you all were inspired!

April 2015 Blog Hop

Friday, April 24, 2015

Tag You're It Challenge #20

It's time for a new challenge at Tag You're It!

We have some gorgeous inspiration for you from Jen Mitchell.

I didn't stray far from Jen's beautiful tag.

Almost neon brights over embossing, and

a great sentiment in black, slightly askew for interest.

Ranger Distress Inks: Squeezed Lemon, Crushed Olive, & Peacock Feathers.

PTI Tag Sale #1, Meadow Greens & Petite Pots (clear embossed),

PTI Sentiment die from Wet Paint.

Be sure and checkout the other designer's inspiration.

Play along for a chance to be our guest designer!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

MIM #209: White on White Die Cuts With a Pop of Color

Lexi Daly shows us a great way to brighten a CAS card,

with a lot of white on white and a 'POP' of Color.

I settled on Buttoned Up #1 as my main die, and

added a frilly button from Button Stacks, for my pop of color.

Button Boutique button card stamps and sentiment.

Lil' Inkers Stitched frames.

So many ideas for more 'white on white' on Nichole's blog.

Come play along all week here:

Make It Monday #209: White on White Die Cuts With a Pop of Color

Fusion 'Elegance'

Playing along with the wonderful challenge photo

at Fusion.

Almost fused both the photo and the sketch,

but don't think the sentiment counts as the flags.

The color intensity of the flowers called for my MISTI.

all PTI stamps, inks, and rainstones.

PTI: Brushed Blooms, Coverplate: Stripes

PTI Inks: Enchanted Evening, Spring Rain, Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet

PTI Stamper's Select

Encore Ultimate Metal: Silver ink with Wink of Stella

Fireworks Paris Dusk

FUSION {Elegance}

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Virginia's View Challenge #14 Layers & Dimensions

Playing along with Virginia's View Challenge blog,

where the challenge is to use layers and dimensions.

Not too hard for this cardmaker, it's what I love most about the craft!

Virginia's challenge photo is inspiring, check it out:

But it's her guest designers and Virginia herself, that take it up

many notches!

This is Virginia's sample of layering, and in my opine, exquisite!

My card is full of layers, and we'll stop at that!

I'm a farm girl, and it shows in the stamps and elements I'm always drawn to.

PTI stamps and dies, Garden Variety frame, Vegetable Garden Radishes,

sentiment from Petite Pots,

lots of pretty papers from my stash and some washi.

Where Virginia added a layer of gold string, I chose hemp twine.

See that white circle thingy going on in the upper left corner?

That's is a piece of one of my new die fav's from Waltzingmouse, Pretty Circle Die.

A funny thing happened while tri-inking the radishes, they sort of split up the ink, just

like a real radish does with it's color. Love it when that happens!

Some dew drops finish, and that's my layered card.

Like I said, not much of a stretch for me, as layering is my first love... in card making, that is!

Play along with Virginia's View Challenge here:

Layers+and+Dimensions.jpg

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Paper Sweeties April Release Rewind

It's rewind time at Paper Sweeties.

This month's release has been full of wonderful inspiration from the

design team.

Our final post for this release is to show how great the new stamps work

with some of the older sets.

Sweet Cuts Stitched Tags #1 is a must have in my stash! Sized great for embellies,

like the branch from Tree of Life Add-Ons Spring.

The sentiment is from Smitten.

Blueberry sequins are from PS too!

Chipboard 'love' has been sponge inked and sprayed.

You can purchase the new sets linked here:

What's New

Tree Of Life

Tree of Life Add-on: spring

Tree of Life Sweet Cuts

Tree of Life Add-on: spring Sweet Cuts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don't forget to visit each designer for more rewind ideas!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier
Jill Norwood

...Welcome to our April PJ Party

Waltzingmouse April PJ Party: Old Pajamas

Challenge 3 at WM's PJ Party is to use 'Old Pajamas'.

And a 'coordinating Spellbinders'.

I have the Opera tags, which coordinate with

their Christmas stamps. Just a die cut alone is still beautiful.

Together with a die cut cradle from Little Darlings,

a tiny tag from the Opera set, and some ombre seam binding,

my 'Old Pajama' card is done!

Getting under the wire,

Waltzingmouse PJ Party: Bedtime Story 'Special Delivery'

In the Bedtime Story Challenge, we are to use a sketch, this time

from the talented Cathy Weber.

My card uses the sketch,

but with the pram from 'Little Darling'.

And I can't stop loving to use the center circle from Pretty Circles Die Set.

One more to go!

...Welcome to our April PJ Party

Waltzingmouse April PJ Party: tag

My tag for Challenge #1: Shower with Gifts

Folk Art Medallion stamp set, Pretty Circles Die Set,

Folding Tag Die set, Stitched Tags Die Set.

Come play along, still a little time!

...Welcome to our April PJ Party

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Paper Sweeties April Release Party!

Today's the day, folks! All the goodies you've seen are yours to order.

And sweet goodies they are!

My card for the release uses just about every stamp and die in

the new set, Tree of Life Add-On: Spring.

The banner is made from triangles from the Sweet Cuts set: Fun Shapes.

The rest; the paper pieced wheel barrel, the flowers, the birds, nest, owl and leaves (it's a branch in

the set, I just cut to use as leaves), are all from Tree of Life: Add-On Spring.

PS Sequins, PS twine (blueberry).

If you haven't already done so, be sure to visit the design team's blogs for

more inspiration!

And don't forget to enter the PS April Challenge for a chance to win

a gift certificate & be a guest designer!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier
Jill Norwood

Tree of Life Add-on: spring

Nancy Penir (you're here!)

What's New

Tree Of Life

Tree of Life Sweet Cuts

Tree of Life Add-on: spring Sweet Cuts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Waltzingmouse April Pajama Party

Well, pajamas are on, and in the worst light possible to photograph, I'm

posting my first entry in the Waltzingmouse April PJ Party!

Had grandma duty all day, and my little guy kept me hopping!

While he napped, I did a card.

So glad I ordered 'Good Egg' for Easter.

Turned it, and Folk Art Medallion into a shaker.

The sweet sentiment reminds me of a baby card.

Shaker window done with Pretty Circles die.

I've warned DH not to expect dinner,

Jeanne Jackna & Cathy Weber have some fab inspiration for all the challenges.

I'm going back in the craft cave to try to do the tag, Old PJ's project & Bedtime Story

Sketch Challenges!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Paper Sweeties April Release Countdown!

It's Countdown time at Paper Sweeties!

2 new stamp sets, & 2 matching Sweetcuts sets!

This card features the new 'Tree of Life' & 'Tree of Life Add-On Spring'.

The sentiment is from the Add-On Spring set, embossed onto the hill shaped die

from Sweet Cuts Add-On Spring.

The Corners are a tire swing sweet cut, that I've sprayed with a copper and doubled over

black CS.

Do you like the texture on the tree?

Here's the how to:

White Neon Amplify, which is a puff paint, when heat is applied, puffs into that

chenille texture. Purely a happy accident!

Those are PS sequins (love!)

Don't miss Release Day tomorrow! Great inspiration coming your way from

the whole design team!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier
Jill Norwood

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Paper Sweeties April Release Sneak Peeks!

It's release time at Paper Sweeties,

and I have a sneak peek for you!

This die cut tree is from April's release, and is called, 'Tree of Life'.

It has dies (Sweet Cuts) for each stamp,

and has a companion set (stamps and dies!), called Tree of Life Add-On: Spring

My card uses some of the fun tree details, the nest, birds, leaves, and swing.

The wonderful dies make it so easy to create a scene!

Just happened to have a clip with a yellow bird in my stash, (Anthropologie),

which happily blings up my card!

Speaking of bling, those are PS Cookie Dough sequins blooming on the tree.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for another preview.

Official Release is the 15th.

Just in case you missed one, here's the rest of our talented design team.

What do you think? Is this going to be another great release?

I'd love to hear from you!

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Emily Frasier
Jill Norwood

Make It Monday #208: Ombre Stamping

Nancy Penir (me!)

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

MIM #208 Ombre Stamping

This week's Make It Monday, Laurie shows us how to ombre stamp

with our inks and makeup sponges.

So glad to finally have some use for those tiny sponges I've had in the back of the drawer!

Apple Prints stamps and dies, Cover Plate: Stitched

Inks: Scarlett Jewel, Pure Poppy, Orange Zest, New Leaf, Limeaid Ice, Harvest Gold,

True Black.

Fireworks! Bamboo Leaves spray

It was hard to capture the subtle shimmer of the Fireworks! spray,

But the effect is so lovely on the stitched cover plate!

Come play along on Nichole's blog:

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Paper Sweeties April Inspiration Challenge #30: 'Hoppy Easter'

Hi and welcome to Paper Sweeties April Challenge!

This month Debbie has give us this adorable inspiration:

Love Peeps!

And those spring colors!

Here's what I did to get you inspired a bit more,

From last year's set, Hippity Hoppity, and Sweet Cuts: Some Bunny Loves You.

My chickis is all dolled up with Paper Sweeties sequins, and so is her nest.

Even have the inside decorated:

Happy Everything sentiment

We have a special guest this month,

Jinny Newlin! Be sure to stop by her blog and give her some

Paper Sweeties love!

Annette Witherspoon

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties <– you are here!