The Card Concept: Cozy Cottage

Hi Card Concept fans! 

We have a new challenge on the blog today: Cozy Cottage

I love the warmth of the country nook in the photo and tried to reproduce 

that feel on my card. So many ways to go with design.

Lots of layers and textures with PTI's BG Basics: Super Gingham, picking up the 

blue check curtains.

And then there's the stamps and coordinating dies from the Greetery.

The images almost stamp themselves! 1st time using so many of the

stamps on my card. Oopsie Daisy, Bountiful Wreath, Robin & Wren.

Because I love layering, these 3, 4 & 5 step stamping are what makes 

depth and realistic form so successful. 

Sentiment: Greetery's Comforting Commands.

Greetery's Crimped Frame Die

Play along on the Card Concept Blog. Our challenges are 2 weeks long.

We'd love to see how you're inspired!

The Card Concept #120 {Cozy Cottage}

Alleluia! Happy Easter

It's Easter week and I have so much to do, baking, shopping, playing with grandkids...

but somehow I found time to be in the craft room (early morning!) and create a card

for PapertreyInk's new challenge: Transformation Tuesday.

This week Melissa Phillips took a beautiful card she made, and simply 

changed colors and styles. 

I did a card for the Card Concept Challenge with Brushed Birds,

and a cover plate with branches.

With a few birds left over, decided to do the second card using the Shape Shifters: Circle 1 die,

together with Beautiful Berries: Spring, changing up the colors from aqua & yellow, 

to Amethyst and Yellow. I added a bit of glitter to this one as well.

I enjoyed this challenge, transforming or tweaking a card a bit, using the same or similar elements

and stamps.

Find Melissa's cards here:

           Transformation Tuesday with Melissa Phillips           

A peek inside 

also playing along with this weeks' Word Art Wednesday: Anything Goes

Challenge #328 - #329 - Anything Goes

Below is a list of PTI products I used. If you click on the item,

it will take you right to the product.

Brushed Birds Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink - Brushed Birds Die

Papertrey Ink - Shape Shifters: Circle 1 Die

Papertrey Ink - Infinity Frames Die

Beautiful Berries: Spring Stamp Set

Papertrey Ink - Beautiful Berries: Spring Die

Perfect Match Lilac Grace - Inkpad

Perfect Match Amethyst Allure - Inkpad

Perfect Match Winter Wisteria - Inkpad

Perfect Match Blueberry Sky - Inkpad

Perfect Match Stormy Sea - Inkpad

Perfect Match Mint Julep - Inkpad

Perfect Match Prairie Grass - Inkpad

The Card Concept: Spring has Sprung

The Card Concept begins a new challenge today, very timely,

called: Spring Has Sprung.

Crisp white, bright sunny yellow, with a few color accents, guided my choice to

center a card around Easter, in a favorite style: Clean & Layered.

I was recently introduced to Lindy's Magicals, during a craft weekend (thank you Marcia Hill),

and created a bg for my birds with them, and a scrap left over from a die cut.

Marcia demonstrated  her Magicals, and I was hooked! You never know what will 

turn out after the powder dries, and these little jars are filled with iridescent magic!

With the exception of the Magicals, and some sequins, my Clean and Layered card uses all PapertreyInk stamps & dies.

Inks are another new find from the Craft Weekend, Catherine Pooler Inks.

(Thank you, Colleen, Linda & Marcia!)

You will find links to each PTI product at the end of the post.

Hope you'll be inspired to play along.

A list of styles, and much more inspiration by the designers can be found on

The Card Concept Challenge Blog.

Happy Crafting!

Stamps: Brushed Birds Stamp Set, Forest Floor: Spring Stamp Set

Dies: Papertrey Ink - Cover Plate: Nesting Die,

Papertrey Ink - Brushed Birds Die

Cardstock: Paper Basics - Sea Shimmer Cardstock (12 sheets)

Lindy's Stamp Gang: Magicals (Amazon)

Inks: Catherine Pooler, Tiki Torch, Tiara, Mint to Be, Aquatini, Skylight

Full Ink Collection: Complete Bundle 39 Colors

Love Birds

It's a gray morning here in my neck of the woods (valley),

perfect for staying indoors, watching the cooking channel, 

and being creative with PTI's latest stamps and dies.

Stephanie Gold's video for MIM this week, 

shows us it's OK to use many different kinds of papers for our cards.

My colorful bg paper is actually a napkin. Bright and bold, with b&w dots, I decided to

bring out all the brights from PTI.

The sentiment die is Enclosed: Heart, cut from glitter paper and Raspberry Fizz

cardstock. 

I have a stash of vintage music papers my daughter gave me, and among them was

one with the words, 'sweet - heart'. 

(I know, you don't luck out with that happening often, right?)

I pink inked the edges before all the gluing.

Next was to take my pink crepe paper, gather it, and heat emboss with 

Stampendous: Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel.

I've seriously crushed over every card I've seen made with the new Brushed Birds set.

These 2 are the small birds stamped with PTI Pinks. 

Speaking of crushing, the Farmer's Market Florals? It's going to be hard not 

to use them for ALL projects! Gorgeous. I stamped the leaves, first with Fine Linen

then with Vintage Jadeite. Made for an interesting color combo.

The sweet ferns are from Make It Market: Wonderland Kit. (Olive Twist ink).

A sprinkling of sequins, because, why not, and my card is ready for 

someone special. Probably the DH. He's a keeper!

Birdhouse

The celebration continues as PTI presents the last of their 

new release today. So many new and fabulous sets!

Some time ago, Nichole Heady designed a birdhouse template.

She has challenged us to use it to create a birdhouse of our own.

Before assembling, I stamped my birdhouse with 

Backgound Basics: Farm & Barn.

then arranged die cuts from Songbirds around the circle.

I used the Medium Scallop Die to create shingles for my roof.

The base is cut 3 times from Jar Bonnet Collection.

Such a cute idea. I can see doing several for a Spring

Tea Party.

Play along on Nichole's blog here:

6a00d8341c64e753ef01b7c8dd2ea9970b-pi

PTI's 10th and Hello There

PTI's celebrating their 10th Anniversary, and the fun

and festivities have just begun!

With a team of talented designers we're inspired to recall

5 sets from their first year in business.

I don't have any of the 5, but Nichole allows for adapting 

a set we do have to one of the originals.

Take Three: Summer reminds me of Text Boxed, with it's

PTI Classic reverse stamping.

The bird images were cut with the square die from Be Happy,

and stamped with Dark Indigo.

Background stamped with Turning a New Leaf, and 

sponge inked with Pale Peony.

Scripted die sentiment.

Can't wait for tomorrow! More fun to come!

Celebrating the Past, Present and Future: 2007

The Card Concept Challenge #22 - Thank "fall"

A wonderful Autumn picture inspires at the Card Concept.

Love playing in this challenge, where we must pick a style

from one of the designers and create our card.

I have to say, created the card first, then chose the style, Classy & Elegant, based on 

Colleen's gorgeous inspiration.

Background wallpaper created with PTI's Friendship Jar Fall Fillers

PTI: Songbirds stamps and dies

PTI Cover Plate: Deco

Banner created with PTI's: Just a Little Something, and sentiment from First Fruits

Sequins from Make It Market Shakers & Sprinkles

Play along here:

Challenge #22 - Thank "fall"

Paper Sweeties June Release Countdown

Welcome back for Paper Sweeties June Release Countdown!

By now you know the theme of this month's release, Showers!

So let's get right to it!

My card features a fussy cut an image from Showering You With Love.

Also from Splish Splash, the cloud image, 

and the heart die (love the dies from: Beautiful Little Wishes!)

Where did the egg come from? March release had a grouping of eggs in the Bloom and Grow set.

I selected and copic colored one egg than fussy cut it and placed it in the nest.

You're going to love these stamp sets and the sweet cut dies this month!

Tomorrow is release day! Until then, check out my teammies to see 

their creations!

Amber Kroening
Annette Allen

Annette Witherspoon

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties

Kerin Sylvester

Kristi Schurr

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala

Nancy Penir (me!)

Tammy Hobbs