Card Transformation

One of the fun posts on the Papertrey Ink blog is the weekly Transformation Tuesday feature, where one of the design team showcases a previously-made card that they revised. I participated this week with a card using the Warm Regards stamp and die sets. My original card turned out nice, but the embossed sentiment didn't stand out unless the light hit it just right:

I updated the card with a vellum circle embossed with the same sentiment, and a strip of lighter cardstock behind it. Now it's worthy of sending!

Papertrey Ink September Blog Hop Challenge

This month's  PTI September blog hop challenge features this warm and cozy fall table setting:

My take on the inspiration piece used the Simply Gourd-eous stamps and dies for the pumpkin and gourds (love this set!). Palm Prints offered some leaves, and Mix & Mat: Plaid created the background. Sentiment was cut in burgundy from Words to Live By: Kindness. 

I love Fall!

Create Along With Us

Every month as they release new products, Papertrey Ink has a "Create Along With Us" event, where they invite their customers to create a card inspired by one of the projects presented that month by the design team. I am always wowed by the work of these creative ladies and save quite a few to my Pinterest account. This month one of my saved ideas was this card by Lizzie Jones -- I like its simple repeat stamping, and the pointed cut.

I used the same To the Point die to cut kraft paper stamped in gold with Festive Berries, and added a big Big Basic Birthday Wishes die cut. Kraft color Bitty Big plaid serves as the base. Love that stuff!

PaperTrey Ink February Blog Hop Challenge

This month's inspiration piece is a pretty Spring picture. Bunnies, grass, a metal stand, pastels...

I was at a crop this weekend and didn't have my entire arsenal of products with me, but I did have the Garden Variety stamp and die set, which made a very nice embossed copper watering can filled with grass and spring flowers, as well as one of my new Brushed Birds (love these little guys), set on a Mix & Mat: Confetti mat, and a sentiment from Cutaway Tags: Spring on a Banner Style die. Whew! I sure made good use of some of my PTI goodies this weekend!

And I got home in time to unload my car (no small task), and post this entry to the blog hop.

PTI Anniversary Challenge #2

Papertrey Ink is celebrating its 11th anniversary to coincide with its February release, and as they do every year, there are lots of challenges. This one is to use at least one Papertrey product, and transform a project already done into something else.

I chose to transform a card I made recently as part of a Make It Monday challenge using reinkers and baby wipes.

I wanted to try a different idea from the same technique video, rolling up the baby wipe to make rosebuds. Can't say mine exactly look like rosebuds, but with a few leaves, you can use your imagination. :-) I used the same Mix & Mat: Herringbone, and a different saying, Quoted: Right Moment, stamped in black and clear heat embossed for a little shine. This time I used a trellis embossing folder instead of arrows, and the effect I was going for was more feminine instead of rather masculine.

This was another fun challenge!

PaperTrey January Blog Hop Challenge

I enjoy participating in the monthly PTI blog hop when I can. This month's inspiration piece had a party theme.

Pretty, but it didn't suggest any ideas to me. I need birthday cards this month, so I forged ahead, playing with and discarding one idea after another. Pastels, sprinkles, cake, white. I just couldn't get happy with anything. Eventually I cut a Mix & Mat: Flourishes from vellum, white heat embossed a cake on it, colored it from the back with my Real Brush markers, stamped a sentiment from Boutique Borders, and then let it sit a couple days while I contemplated what to do next. How to adhere it? How to add a bit more color? It wasn't until I was sorting some scraps that I discovered a piece of Bitty Big dots that I had cut a stitched rectangle from. And guess what! I could cut around the edges and turn it into a frame that was the perfect size. Problem solved. Glue under the frame, and the dots complement the sprinkles theme and add some color.

Sometimes a project (or any problem!) just has to sit for a few days until the answer reveals itself!

PTI Create Along With Us

PaperTrey Ink hosts a monthly Create Along With Us challenge on the reveal day of each new release. The idea is to use one of their sample projects as inspiration for one of your own. Michelle Leone made this pretty card using the latest Quoted stamp, and some bitty big paper.




I made my own version, using a prior Quoted stamp, and some Aqua Mist Bitty Big paper. I like the design so much, I'm sure I will be doing something similar with the entire Quoted series as well as other stamps that will fill the center.