A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Random thoughts

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here's a quick birthday card I made with Crate Paper's Random collection. I added some crystal effects to the paper letters to give a bit of shine, added a few stickers and die cuts and I was done!

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Cheep cheep

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000+13:00

I recently bought a few stamps from Market Street Stamps. Highly recommend them and the company. Great stamps, fab customer service and fast shipping!

If you're tempted, this is one of their sets called Cheep Talk. Cute birds which I paper pieced. Added some stickers from Crate Paper's Random collection and there you have it. Can't wait to use these again :)

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Best wishes

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000+13:00

Love the combination of pinks with blueberry sky. Here is a card which features some die cut fabric flowers using PTI's beautiful blooms dies.

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Happy birthday

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000+13:00

I needed to make a birthday card for the teenage daughter of friends so decided to put a couple of new Hero Arts stamps to work. The butterfly is coloured with copics.

I had enough time to make a matching bookmark from PTI felt. Abi is a keen reader, so I'm sure it will come in handy!

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Adventures in fabric

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000+13:00

I have lots of fabric scraps left over from various quilts I've made and thought it was about time I put some of them to use in card making. Of course, for a card you don't need much - a few centimetres will do the trick.

I had fun trying to cut the fabric with my PTI flower dies. I found they work best with a piece of cardstock underneath the fabric to give a bit more stability. However, still needed a few passes with my cuttlebug. I think these fabrics are some Amy Butler designs (sorry too long ago to remember!)

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Best wishes

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000+13:00

I've been a bit short time of time for crafting recently, so have been looking for quick and easy projects I can pull together quickly.

Here's a simple card featuring more of Crate Paper's Random collection. I added some crystal effects to some of the flowers, stamped a sentiment, added some faux stitching and I was done.

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Another gift set

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000+13:00

I've been making a few extra gifts. Here is another set of cards and matching notepad. More Restoration paper and chipboard from Crate Paper. The background uses Michelle Wooderson's 'one sheet wonder' technique described here.

These are so easy to make and hopefully will be appreciated by the recipent:

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Embrace happiness

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here is another easy to mail card which uses the In Bloom impression plate. I use some impression plates (like linen/canvas) all the time, but have to make a real effort to dig out some of the others.

The detail on this one is absolutely stunning and it makes great 'patterned paper'. All you need to do is add a label and you're done.

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Windmills of my mind

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000+13:00

Well, not really, but I've had the song on my mind since making this card. I used the same svg file that featured in an earlier post but cut it smaller (2 inches).

The instructions say to fasten the spokes with an eyelet or brad, but at this size, that's a bit tricky. Aftrer gluing the 2 windmill pieces together in the centre, I pushed a needle in through the back and carefully threaded each spoke onto the needle. I then applied some more glue in the centre and pushed the spokes down until the glue dried. I used Tombow multi which dries quite quickly. Once the windmill was dry, I removed the needle and attached a button.

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Big birthday wishes

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000+13:00

Time for another card using washi tape. This is an easy to mail birthday card. Need a few more like this for my stash. I coloured a clear rhinestone to match. That's what I love abbout copics!

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Thinking of you

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000+13:00

Love this butterfly stamp from Hero Arts. This card features some washi tape, and I pulled out my copics to colour the butterfly to match:

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Soaring high

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000+13:00

Time for another cheery card. A nod to my Scottish heritage perhaps? Well, actually no. My Dad changed his name and my family really hails from Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.

But I still love tartan.

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Gift set

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000+13:00

It's always good to have a few small gifts on hand for Christmas and other occasions, so I decided to put together a set of notecards and matching notepad.

This set features Crate Paper's Restoration collection. To make the patterned background, I cut strips of paper and glued them onto a piece of cardstock, using the technique which Michelle Wooderson describes here. I then trimmed the panels to the size I wanted and stitched around the edges with my sewing machine.

And here are the other cards:

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Butterfly birthday

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000+13:00

I've been making a few birthday cards for January birthdays. Needed to get these organised and mailed before my holiday. I'm now away for 6 1/2 weeks in Europe. Have arranged for some scheduled posts but I won't be posting quite as much as usual, so please forgive my absence!

Here is a simple card which uses Crate Paper's gorgeous Random collection. I just whipped out the sewing machine to add a bit of stitching. The butterfly is pretty shiny IRL - that's crystal effects which gives a great 3D gloss:

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Best wishes

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000+13:00

I thought it was about time I pulled out my In Bloom impression plate which hasn't seen much use. For this card, I used the letterpress technique which I used in this post.

I need a few more easy to mail cards for my stash, so this will be perfect. The fresh snow ink shows up beautifully against the dark background. Must try this again!

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Paper windmills

2011-12-21T06:00:00.001+13:00

Do you remember these from when you were a kid?
I've been having fun making some paper windmills. Or pinwheels if you prefer. Run with them or blow on them and watch them spin.

I found a template on line and was contemplating cutting them out, but then discovered this great svg file courtesy of Heather Bailey and Denise Hill:

Supplies
Paper - SU Bella Rose DSP
Accessories - cricut, Heather Bailey Pinwheel svg

Gift card

2011-12-19T06:00:00.001+13:00

Well, actually it's cash, but I made a gift card holder and thought it would also be a nice way to package up a gift of money. Usually I don't like to give gift cards or money, but this is for a teen, so I'm sure it will be appreciated!

Supplies
Other: Stampin' Up! 1/4 inch Riding Hood Red Taffeta ribbon (retired)

Christmas packaging

2011-12-16T06:00:00.001+13:00

PTI has a fantastic new die for creating holiday and birthday packaging. It's the 'Front and Center' die which allows you to cut shaped panels which can be attached to a paper bag or lunch sack to create a pretty bag.

For this one, I used some cardstock and patterned paper which I've had in my stash for ages. The snowflakes were from Stampin' Up.

This was so easy and produces such a great result. Can't wait to make some more for other occasions!

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She sells sea shells?

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000+13:00

Well I always had trouble with that rhyme, but I love PTI's Friendship Jar Summer Fillers. Cute pint jar which can be filled with so many images, including these shells. Webster's Pages Yacht Club paper - how appropriate.

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What a doll

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000+13:00

Another card using a vintage paper doll and some Webster's Pages goodness. This time it's paper from the Yacht Club collection. Fabric ribbon from the Wonderfall Collection.

Love that measuring tape ribbon and hope I can find some more somewhere!

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Tartan happy birthday

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000+13:00

Well, Japanese tartan really. It's the washi tape clan. A good masculine birthday card which is easy to mail. Och aye!

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Just a note

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000+13:00

Time for a few more easy to mail cards for my stash. This one features PTI's Banner Builder. One of those 'just because' kind of cards that could be adapted for all sorts of occasions.

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Sumer Is Icumen In

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000+13:00

Lhude sing cuccu!

Well that's the idea anyway. A slow start to summer here, but time to chase it along with a card which screams 'summer' to any Kiwi - sand, shells, a day at the beach followed by a barbie. What more could anyone ask for?

Of course, by the time summer proper arrives, I'll be off to cooler climes - 6 1/2 weeks in the UK and Europe - fab.u.lous. Not the greatest time of year to be wandering round outdoors admiring the scenery, but I plan to spend lots of time indoors sampling seasonal fare with friends and family. Can't wait!

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Thanks

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000+13:00

I love this paper collection from Pink Paislee - so much so that I've nearly used it all up! This card uses up some scraps that I had sitting around after finishing other projects. Very satisfying to find a use for them!

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Mehndi medallion

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000+13:00

I made a set of cards using PTI Mehndi Medallion. Clean and simple and easy to mail. Not much more to say really!

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Wish big

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000+13:00

I recently spotted some cute 1920s paper dolls here. I was such a fan of paper dolls growing up that I just couldn't resist using one with some Webster's Pages Wonderfall paper and fabric ribbon.

How sweet :)

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Just a note

2011-11-25T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here's a simple card I made recently for my aunt. It features my new favourite background stamp - envelope pattern from Hero Arts. What I haven't shown is how many 'out takes' it took to get a card base that looked halfway decent. Using A2 size stamps is a bit trickier than I imagined. Or maybe I'm just 'background challenged'? Anyone got any hints or tips?

Supplies
Paper - SU sahara sand, PTI pure poppy
Stamps - PTI Tiny Tags, Hero Arts Envelope Pattern
Ink - Versafine onyx black, versamark
Accessories - Tags svg, clear embossing powder, PTI cream button twine

Congratulations!

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000+13:00

Friends of mine are expecting a baby at the end of the year. They know it's a little boy, so I thought I might as well get a head start on the card.

I love PTI's 'Hanging Out' stamp set but couldn't justify buying it as I have a couple of similar sets. Here's my take on the washing line using the string from Banner Builder, posts and grass cut with my cricut and images from a Quickutz die set. The 'pegs' (clothes pins) are the ends of little brown brads:

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His and hers

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here are a couple more calendars I plan to give as Christmas gifts. Again, these use patterned paper and came together really quickly:

And here is one of the pages:

Supplies
Paper - White cardstock from stash, SU Nouveau Chic DSP, Crate Paper Toybox Collection, Basic Grey Curio Collection
Stamps - PTI Calendar Basics
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Perpetual Mini Calendar Maker for PSE, calendar page svg, calendar CD case

Die organisation

2011-11-18T06:00:00.000+13:00

I've been storing my dies in a 'display book', but the clear pages have started tearing as I've been pulling dies in and out. That's why I was so excited to see Heather Nichols' post here about a new way of organising her dies. I store some of my clear and cling stamps in a folder and thought it would make sense to add another folder with dies. We have Office Max here too and I was hoping that maybe I would find the same [IN]PLACE line had reached our shores.

No such luck, but I did find some sturdy A4 zip pockets at a local stationery store. I kept one at full size for storing border dies:

And used my sewing machine to stitch the others to create either 2 or 3 pockets to hold smaller dies:

Very happy with the result!

Take 2 - Round and Round

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000+13:00

I needed a few easy-to-mail cards for my stash. Haven't inked up PTI's Round and Round anniversary set for a while, so thought it was time it saw some daylight. I used my new Hero Arts music background stamp. Love the fact that it's full A2 size and I don't have to line anything up.

Here's what I came up with. No sentiments yet - I'll leave the cards blank until I decide who to send them to and for what occasion:

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FAQ

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000+13:00

From time to time I get asked questions and since I wasn't sure how replying to comments would go, I thought the best way to asnswer some of them was right here:

1. Did you make those or buy these glittery buttons ?

I made them. Guess you could use glue and glitter, but I used stickles for these ones. Just apply and let dry (preferably overnight).

2. What svg file did you use for the rolled roses here?

This is one of Penny Duncan's fabulous files. You can see the rolled rose here and download the files here. If you have an electronic cutter, I suggest you check out the rest of Penny's blog. She makes a huge range of cutting files in all the main formats - SVG, DXF, GSD and PDF.

3. How did you make these flowers?

It's super easy. I used PTI's satin ribbon for these but you can use any kind of ribbon or strip of fabric. Take a needle and thread, put a knot in the thread, start at one end of the ribbon and, using a running stitch, stich close to one edge. Then just gather the ribbon along the thread until you have the flower the size you want. I overlap the ends a bit to make a rosette kind of shape. Put a button, pearl etc in the centre to cover up the little hole and you're done.

4. How do you tie your bows?

Most of my bows I just tie by hand. For double bows, like the one on this card, I use the bow easy. I use a 'cheaters' method and attach a strip of ribbon to the card front, then tie my bow separately and attach it with a glue dot. As for ribbon, I think PTI's grosgrain or saddle stitch ribbon produce the nicest bows. If you're looking for great tips, I found Dawn McVey's bow tying video really helpful. You can check it out here.

Best wishes

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000+13:00

I have an svg file for cutting rolled roses on my cricut, but it doesn't work so well with felt. That's because you need to use something like heat n bond to stiffen the felt before the cricut will cut it - ok if your felt item is going to be glued down, but not so useful if you want to roll it up!

Long story short, I ended up buying one of the rolled flower dies from MFT - My Favorite Things. The die cuts very well - even using a scrap of craft store felt for this one.

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Felt bookmarks

2011-11-08T09:58:00.001+13:00

Haven't posted for a few days because my Mum has had a very bad stroke and is in hospital. But I thought I'd pop in and schedule a few more posts. Would appreciate your thoughts and prayers for Mum and the family!

In the last few weeks, I've been working on some Christmas gifts. Decided to break out PTI's bookmark die and some felt. PTI's wool felt cuts like a dream and these are the result of a few hours of crafting:

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HB2U

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here's a grungy birthday card and bookmark combo I made for my Godson.The stamp set is Tim Holtz's Bitty Grunge which has lots of fabulous grungy images.

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Cards Magazine

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000+13:00

I don't think I ever showed you this card which was picked up by Cards Magazine in August. Yesterday, my print copies of the magazine arrived, along with a few scrapbooking supplies. So exciting to see my card there on the page!

I've used some of my favourite Crate Paper Restoration collection, along with an svg dress form file. Can't imagine ever sending a Girls' Night Out invitation myself, but it was fun creating it all the same.

Birthday crafting kit

2011-10-26T06:00:00.001+13:00

It's my friend Pattie's birthday this month. Like me, she loves cardmaking, so I decided to put together a crafting kit as a gift.

I decorated a white metal box with patterned paper (from Basic Grey's Nook & Pantry collection)

And filled it with all kinds of goodies:

I used glassine bags to hold ribbon and a variety of embellishments:

And also included a portfolio of patterned paper and a stamp set:

Happy Birthday Pattie!

My new favourite ink

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000+13:00

Up until now, I've been a strictly dye ink kind of gal. I've just had so many bad experiences with pigment ink - too goopy, takes too long to dry, patchy coverage, smudging. You name it.

But all that changed this week when I took delivery of some A*Muse Studio pigment inks, thanks to Kristie from the PTI forum. Thanks Kristie! And all my bad experiences just melted away. Can I just say I LOVE this ink, absolutely love it. It's pigment, but not as I've ever experienced before. Not goopy, gives great coverage, dries as fast as a dye ink. A-ma-zing!

So if, like me, you're a die-hard dye ink fan, a pigment-a-phobic, you should definitely try this ink. Check out A*Muse Studio here.

So here's a birthday card I made to test out the ink. Rather limited colour choices for now, but all that's going to change pretty soon :)

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Bloomers

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000+13:00

Love the hydrangea image from PTI's summer jar fillers. In fact, that was one of the main reasons I ordered the set (the other was to get the pint jar image). I coloured the flowers with my copics (PTI royal velvet trio). For once, I also filled in the jar using B000. After I'd stamped the image and started to colour, I realised I'd used Versafine ink rather than Tsukineko Tuxedo Black which works better with copics. Got a bit of smudging, but not as much as I expected.

As the hydrangeas don't have stems, I masked off and used the stems from the daisy in the Jar Fillers set. The tulip stems from the Spring Fillers set would work well too.

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Damask paper
Stamps - PTI Friendship Jar Summer Fillers
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - copics, PTI jar label die, foam tape

Bliss

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000+13:00

I finally succumbed and bought the large rolled rose die from My Favorite Things. I can cut paper and card stock rolled flowers using an svg and my cricut, but cutting felt which is to be rolled up is a bit more difficult because it needs to be stabilised with heat n bond or something similar and then would be visible.

So I've been cutting felt flowers as if my life depended upon it. Here is one cut from scarlet jewel felt. Such a gorgeous colour! Bliss :)

And a close up of the rose:

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A little whimsy

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000+13:00

This is a card I cased from Danielle Flanders' blog. You can see the original here (scroll down a bit). After seeing her card, I just had to have that adorable Jenni Bowlin stamp - what a cutie! I recycled some of the stamp packaging to make the border:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, polka dot from Jenni Bowlin packaging
Stamps - PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments, Jenni Bowlin Whimsy Silhouette
Ink - Tsukineko Brilliance graphite black
Accessories - stapler, cricut, bakers twine, foam tape

More calendars

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000+13:00

Can you bear to look at a few more calendars? I've had a wonderful time using up stacks of patterned paper and churning out calendar pages with my cricut and photoshop elements. This is one of my favourites and features Basic Grey's Curio Collection:

Supplies
Paper - white cardstock from stash, Basic Grey Curio Collection,
Stamps - PTI Calendar Basics
Ink - Memento cottage ivy
Accessories - Perpetual Mini Calendar Maker for PSE, calendar page svg, calendar CD case

Birthday wishes

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000+13:00

My aunt's birthday is at the beginning of November. I've made her this set of notecards as a gift and today I made a birthday card to accompany them. Since she loves flowers, I used a rolled rose that I cut with my cricut. My next challenge is to try and cut one of these using felt. Will let you know if it works!

Supplies
Paper - SU sahara sand, PTI scarlet jewel, ocean tides, vintage cream
Stamps - PTI Mat Stack 3 collection, Round and Round (sentiment), Hero Arts Envelope Pattern
Ink - Versafine onyx black, versamark
Accessories - matstack svg, banner svg, rolled rose svg, clear embossing powder, foam tape

Thankful

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000+13:00

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, but it is good to remember to be thankful for all the blessings that we have. I was inspired by the mums (as in chrysanthemums) die that Papertrey Ink just released and went looking for a cutting file I could use with my cricut. Thanks to the SVG Cuts blog, I came across this great project featuring a 3D chrysanthemum svg file. And here's what I did with it:

Here's a close up of the 'mum':

Supplies
Paper - SU sahara sand, PTI terracotta tile, orange zest, ripe avocado

Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - chrysathemum svg, thankful svg, glue gun, PTI button, glue dots

MIM #35 - washi tape take 2

2011-10-07T06:00:00.001+13:00

I had so much fun making my own washi tape using tissue paper and scor-tape for this post that I decided to keep going and make some more. I turned this tape into panels for the focal point. Love this butterfly from Hero Arts!

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Make it Monday #35 - washi tape

2011-10-05T06:00:00.001+13:00

This is the first Make it Monday challenge I'm taking part in for months. This one was a lot of fun - check it out here on Nichole Heady's blog. I love washi tape and this is such a great idea - make your own. Haven't had so much fun in ages.

So without further ado, here's what I came up with:

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Steampunk debutante

2011-10-03T12:31:00.002+13:00

I don't remember noticing steampunk the first time it was around in the late 80s and early 90s, but I like Graphic 45's 'Steampunk Debutante' collection. Here is a card I whipped up recently for a friend's birthday:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante paper pack
Stamps - PTI Fancy Flourishes
Ink - PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - PTI scallop die, foam tape

Luscious part 2

2011-09-29T06:00:00.000+13:00

Here's a bold spring card which features more of the Luscious line from Basic Grey. It's been a slow start to spring here, so this should help get in the mood!

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Basic Grey Luscious patterned paper and chipboard
Ink - PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories -We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, beads, crystal effects

Take 2 - botanical silhouettes

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000+13:00

A bit low on inspiration this week, so I shamelessly cased one of Melissa Phillips' gorgeous creations and produced these. You can see Melissa's card here:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Botanical Silhouettes
Ink - Versafine onyx black, vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - MemrieMare cabbage rose ribbon, vintage button, foam tape, scor-tape, SVG files

YOF morning glories

2011-09-24T06:00:00.000+12:00

I've been churning out cards which feature various images from PTI's Year of Flowers Collection. Here are the morning glories, coloured with the Blueberry Sky copic trio:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, blueberry sky, bitty dot patterned paper
Stamps - PTI YOF Collection, Garden Variety, script background
Ink - Versafine onyx black, versamark
Accessories - doily, cabbage rose ribbon (MemrieMare), paper doily, seed packet frame svg, copics

GratitudeJournal

2011-09-19T06:00:00.001+12:00

I was inspired by Dawn McVey's Gratitude Journal stamp set to make a journal of my own. I decided to use PTI's coasters as covers, so my album is 4 inches square and bound with a D ring. Jenni Bowlin's Haven paper collection turned out to be exactly the right size.

I decorated my book with journaling blocks, chipboard pieces and various little tags and doodads. Danielle Flanders gives instructions for the little twine 'flowers' here on her blog.

A few more pages:

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Calendar basics

2011-09-16T06:00:00.002+12:00

I've been making some calendars with PTI's Calendar Basics stamp set. Thought it was a nice idea for a Christmas gift, and makes a change from all the notebooks I've been churning out recently! I've made most of them using patterned paper which makes it really quick and easy.

I use PTI's cd calendar cases and created wrap-around covers like Nichole Heady showed here (just scroll down a bit through her post):

I've used Anna Forrest's great script for PhotoShop Elements which lets you generate mini calendar pages in a variety of languages. Here is one in German for one of my cousins in Vienna:

Supplies
Paper - White cardstock from stash, SU Haiku DSP
Stamps - PTI Calendar Basics
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Perpetual Mini Calendar Maker for PSE, calendar page svg, calendar CD case

More notecards

2011-09-14T06:00:00.001+12:00

Here is a set of notecards I made using Turning a New Leaf. I've gone for a simple gradient effect using cardstock. The leaves are embossed, but that might be hard to see on a photo:

And 2 more:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, aqua mist, hawaiian shores, new leafe
Stamps - PTI Turning a New Leaf
Ink - Versamark
Accessories - clear embossing powder, PTI buttons

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, royal velvet, raspberry fizz, hibiscus burst, summer sunrise, orange zest, terracotta tile
Stamps - PTI Turning a New Leaf
Ink - Versamark
Accessories - clear embossing powder, PTI buttons

Colour swatch book

2011-09-12T06:00:00.014+12:00

For a while I was tempted to buy PTI's colour swatch folder, but I decided it would be more fun to make my own instead. I was inspired by Lisa Johnson's book here but decided to make mine 4 inches square - the size of PTI's coasters. I used 2 coasters as the covers. I cut out the title with my cricut and applied some crystal effects for a bit of shine.

And here are a few pages from inside. I also cut these with my cricut. As it's on a ring, I can add more colours as they become available.

Supplies
Paper - PTI cardstock, Damask paper
Accessories - cricut, white labels, Crop-a-dile, eyelets, crystal effects

In need of a pickup?

2011-09-09T06:00:00.001+12:00

Well, a card is bound to help. This is one I recently sent a friend who was going through a tough week. Used my copics to colour the truck and added some stickles for that touch of glimmer:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, royal velvet, hibiscus burst
Stamps - SU Loads of Love and Loads of Love Accessories
Ink - Memento tuxedo black
Accessories - copics, foam tape, stickles

Thinking of you

2011-09-07T06:00:00.001+12:00

I love this little envelope - cut with an svg file and my cricut. The little letter inside pulls out so I can write a message on it.

These flower centres from Prima are great - they make handmade flower embellies look so realistic! I think I need to order a few more :)

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Asian Fusion (sentiment)
Ink - Versafine onyx black, vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - PTI Beautiful Blooms dies, envelope svg, MemrieMare cabbage rose ribbon, Prima flower centre, fabric glue, foam tape

Grown with love

2011-09-05T09:00:00.001+12:00

Here's another card using PTI's Garden Variety set. I stamped my own background using the trowel and fork images from the set and for the focal point used an image from the YOF Collection I coloured with copics. That colouring is really addictive!

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, plum pudding, Bitty Box patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Garden Variety, YOF Collection
Ink - Versafine onyx black, memento tuxedo black, PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - coin envelope svg, seed packet frame svg, copic markers, MemrieMare Cabbage Rose ribbon, foam tape

Thinking of you

2011-09-02T06:00:00.001+12:00

I've been trying to make some one layer cards which are good for posting. Here is one which uses PTI's latest anniversary set, Botanical Silhouettes. Might try and make some more of these in a variety of colours:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, enchanted evening
Stamps - PTI Botanical Silhouettes
Ink - Versafine onyx black, SU brocade blue
Accessories - PTI canvas/linen impression plate

YOF rose

2011-08-31T06:00:00.001+12:00

Yet another flower - the rose from PTI's Year of Flowers Collection which is the mini version of the set. I found this flower particularly challenging to colour - need to do more work on the shading I think!

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, lavender moon, bitty box patterned paper, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Garden Variety, YOF Collection
Ink - Versafine onyx black, memento tuxedo black
Accessories -various copic markers, coin envelope svg file, seed packet label svg file, MemrieMare ribbon

Christmas notebooks

2011-08-29T06:00:00.001+12:00

I'm making a few notebooks to have on hand for Christmas gifts - either as 'stocking fillers' (although we don't actually use stockings for Christmas), or as extra gifts to have on hand. Here are a couple more I've added to my stash. Great way to use up patterned paper and other elements you might have lying around:

Supplies
Paper - PTI dark chocolate, pure poppy, SU kiwi kiss, baja breeze, Bella Rose DSP
Stamps - PTI Take Note
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Memento cocoa
Accessories - SU buttons, PTI scallop border, paper doily

How luscious

2011-08-25T06:00:00.001+12:00

I love the Luscious collection from Basic Grey - gorgeous colours and patterns. I've been experimenting with crystal effects and love the look it gives little paper embellishments. The little pink flower is so shiny in real life but probably doesn't show up so well on a photo! No sentiment as I haven't decided who to send it to yet.

Supplies
Paper - PTI hawaiian shores, stampers select white,Basic Grey Luscious patterned paper and chipboard
Stamps - Hero Arts Luscious Bold Flowers
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Crystal effects, PTI button, bakers twine, foam tape

Masculine cards

2011-08-23T14:34:00.000+12:00

I need a few more masculine cards for my stash. Here is a simple birthday card which uses Crate Paper's Toy Box collection:

And this one uses stamps from Steampunk by Tim Holtz. I cased one of Jen's card for this card. You can see her card here:

Happy birthday supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, SU baja breeze, Crate Paper Toy Box patterned paper, elements and stickers
Stamps - PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Cuttlebug diamond plate embbossing folder, stapler

Just because supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, vellum, SU basic grey patterned paper, riding hood red
Stamps - Tim Holtz Steampunk, PTI Mega Mixed Messages
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Versamagic black (for vellum)
Accessories - Distressing tool, foam tape

With gratitude

2011-08-19T06:00:00.001+12:00

Today I broke out Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante collection. Love the colours and patterns here. I want to incorporate a butterfly and thought I'd make my own with fussy cut images from the paper and some crystal effects. Hard to see here, but the butterfly is very shiny IRL! I combined stamps from several sets to make the sentiment:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante
Stamps - PTI Botanical Sihouettes, Take Note, Mat Stack 3 Collection
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Zva pearls, crystal effects, foam tape

Happy birthday Matt!

2011-08-17T06:00:00.001+12:00

The husband of a friend recently turned 40. He's a real petrolhead, so I made this car themed card for him:

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft, smokey shadow, Crate Paper Toy Box patterned paper, elements and stickers
Stamps - Tim Holtz Steampunk
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories - Cuttlebug diamond plate embossing folder, stapler, distressing tool

Have a sweet day

2011-08-15T06:00:00.002+12:00

I've been using up some scraps again - this card uses various papers from Pink Paislee's Sweetness collection. Stamps from PTI's Garden Variety set. I decorated the mini clothes peg using scor-tape and glitter:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Gardden Variety
Ink - Versafine onyx black, PTI vintage tea dye duo, Memento cottage ivy, angel pink, rhubarb stalk
Accessories - envelope and watering can svg files, lace, mini clothes peg, scor-tape, glitter

YOF glads

2011-08-12T06:00:00.001+12:00

Here is another flower from the mini YOF collection by Papertrey Ink. This one is a gladiolus, coloured with the lavender moon copic trio:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, plum pudding, bitty box patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Garden Variety, YOF Collection, unknown text stamp
Ink - Versafine onyx black, memento tuxedo black, PTI plum pudding
Accessories -various copic markers, coin envelope svg file, seed packet label svg file

Flower notecards

2011-08-10T06:00:00.001+12:00

I recently attended a vintage card class at my local scrapbook shop. We got a kit for various cards and I had some pieces left over so decided to make a couple of extras - notecards to give as a gift:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, DCWV glitter sheet, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper, digi paper
Stamps - Tim Holtz Postcards
Ink - Versafine onyx black, PTI vintage tea dy duo
Accessories - doily, PTI enchanted evening satin ribbon, making memories yellow ribbon, vintage lace, foam tape

Butterflies

2011-08-05T06:00:00.001+12:00

I've been experimenting with tracing butterflies with my SCAL and making my own cutting files. Here are a couple of simple cards which feature layered butterflies:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, DCWV Mariposa stack patterned paper, vellum, digi paper
Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages
Ink - SU chocolate chip
Accessories -Butterfly svg file, SU chocolate chip ribbon, foam tape, PTI buttons

Cameo delight

2011-08-03T06:00:00.000+12:00

I love cameos. I found this larger size from a supplier on ebay and couldn't wait to try one out:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, plum pudding, Bitty Dot patterned paper, Coredinations textured cardstock
Stamps - PTI Garden variety, script stamp
Ink - Versafine onyx black, PTI plum pudding, fresh snow
Accessories - resin cameo, seed packet frame svg file, PTI true black stain ribbon, clear rhinestones, paper doily, vintage lace

Notecards

2011-08-01T06:00:00.001+12:00

I've made a set of cards I can give as a gift. They use PTI's new anniversary set, Botanical Silhouettes. Simple, but hopefully my Aunt will like them!

And two more:

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft
Stamps - PTI Botanical Silhouettes, script background stamp
Ink - Versamark, versafine onyx black, memento lady bug, rhubarb stalk, SU brocade blue, groovy guava
Accessories -PTI blueberry sky, melon berry, pure poppy, scarleet jewel satin ribbon, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

Anyone for eggs?

2011-07-28T05:00:00.001+12:00

Here is a card which features PTI's spring fillers for the Friendship Jar set. I paper pieced some eggs for the jar. Sorry about the strange angle for the photo - it was difficult to capture the jar without too much glare as it has a layer of acetate over the top to make it look more realistic!

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft, Green Boutique patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Friendship Jar Spring Fillers, Friendship Jar
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Stazon
Accessories - PTI Friendship Jar dies, label die, large scallop border die, acetate, staples, foam tape, Quickutz metal sheets, PTI new leaf grosgrain ribbon

Webster's pages vintage

2011-07-26T08:31:00.000+12:00

I love several of Webster's Pages collections and the petite pages are perfect for card making. Here's one example - a birthday card. The ledger paper is repurposed from a Jenni Bowlin stamp packet - I just aged it with some ink:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, melon berry, Webster's Pages Hollywood Vogue/Wonderfall Petite Pages paper & journaling notes
Stamps - PTI Birthday Bash sentiment, Jenni Bowlin ruler
Ink - Versafine onyx black, SU groovy guava, PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - sewing machine, PTI melon berry and ripe avocado buttons

Summer card camp 2011 week 4

2011-07-21T17:30:00.000+12:00

Well, it's been a bit of a crazy week. Haven't had much time to create or to even think about this week's colour combination, except to realise I didn't have quite the right green for the second colour so had to improvise a bit.

I was intending to make a floral sort of card, but ended up with something else entirely. I was tidying up some paper, came across a helicopter, and this is the result. I do need a few more masculine cards in my stash, so this will fit the bill nicely:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Crate Paper Toy Box patterned paper

Ink - PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - Crate Paper chipboard and stickers, stapler, foam tape

YOF sweet peas

2011-07-19T05:00:00.001+12:00

Here's a card I made with the sweet pea flower from PTI's YOF Collection - the mini version of the flowers. Coloured with copics from the plum pudding and ripe avocado trios:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, lavender moon, bitty box patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Garden Variety, YOF Collection, unknown text stamp
Ink - Versafine onyx black, memento tuxedo black, PTI lavender moon
Accessories -various copic markers, coin envelope svg file, seed packet label svg file

Summer card camp 2011 week 3

2011-07-14T05:00:00.002+12:00

Hi and thanks for popping by. Well, the time is flying by and it's week 3 of the card camp. This week's colour combo is a much more muted neutral palette. Love that pop of red, though. And this is what I came up with. Needed to make a birthday card for a friend, so the timing was perfect. She's a big fan of red, so hope she likes it. I made my own flower embellishment by gathering ribbon into a rosette shape:

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft, Basic Grey Curio patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Just the Ticket, Turning a New Leaf
Ink - Versamark, Memento cocoa, PTI fresh snow
Accessories - PTI linen canvas impression plate, clear embossing powder, leaf svg, PTI pure poppy saddle stitch ribbon, coconut shell button

Tulips

2011-07-12T05:00:00.003+12:00

Love this tulip image from PTI's Friendship jar Spring Fillers. Here it is coloured with the plum pudding and lavender moon copic trios. I've discovered that colouring is a lot of fun - go on, give it a go!

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, lavender moon
Stamps - PTI Friendship Jar, Friendship Jar Spring Fillers
Ink - Memento tuxedo black, sweet plum
Accessories - copic markers, PTI label die, foam tape

Summer card camp 2011 week 2

2011-07-07T05:00:00.003+12:00

It's week 2 of the 'summer' card camp and here's another yummy colour selection. The only gripe is that there are a couple two many colours for my comfort zone - 3 or maybe 4 is about my max. So guess it's good to be pushed a bit. And here's what I came up with using the daffodil image from PTI's Year of Flowers Collection:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, bitty box basics patterned paper, Coredinations cardstock, DCWV patterned paper
Stamps - PTI YOF Collection, Garden Variety
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Memento tuxedo black, PTI fresh snow
Accessories - seed packet frame svg, copic markers, MemrieMare cabbage rose ribbon, paper doily

Sunflowers

2011-07-05T06:00:00.001+12:00

Here's another card from a vintage card workshop at my LSS. DCWV glitter paper and lots of sewing:

Supplies
Paper - Bazzill basics cardstock, DCWV glitter sheet, poem extract
Accessories -ribbon scraps, sewing machine, kaisercraft rinestones, foam tape

Colouring practice

2011-07-01T06:00:00.003+12:00

I finally bit the bullet and bought some copic markers. Just a few to try out - and now I'm hooked!

It's incredibly restful just sitting quietly and colouring. Concentrating on the small picture in front of you and thinking about colour and how to shade. Reminds me of quilting - time slows down and you get caught up in what you're doing. I've started small (literally) with the new YOF Collection from PTI - the miniature versions of the flower stamps. And I'm quite pleased with my first efforts:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white
Stamps - PTI YOF Collection
Ink - Memento tuxedo black
Accessories - various copic markers

Summer card camp 2011 week 1

2011-06-29T20:07:00.000+12:00

I'm taking part in the summer card camp hosted by Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner. Actually, winter card camp would be more accurate for those of us down under. This week winter has finally hit and it's cold - especially the mornings when I run at 6am! But here's a colour combination guaranteed to warm anyone up. I think you might need your sunnies for this one:

And here's what I came up with:

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft, Webster's Pages Yacht Club patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments, Vintage Ornament Additions
Ink - Versafine onyx black, PTI fresh snow
Accessories - PTI ribbon, clear rhinestones, copic marker

Vintage flowers

2011-06-29T06:00:00.001+12:00

Yet another card from a vintage card workshop I recently attended. I came away thinking I must use more tulle on my cards - love the effect:

Supplies
Paper - Bazzill basics cardstock, DCWV glitter sheet
Accessories -ribbon scraps, tulle, sewing machine, brads, foam tape

Make it Monday #20

2011-06-27T06:00:00.008+12:00

I haven't made too many of these challenges (the week always seems too short) but this week's challenge (reverse masking) inspired me.

I decided to make a card for my godson, Jonathan, who lives in London and has just passed his Common Entrance Exam. He's very sporty but has to work for academic results, so I'm doubly proud of him. For the card I ended up doing both reverse masking and ordinary masking to get the checkerboard pattern and then the red surrounds on the car. Really pleased with how this one turned out:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, kraft
Stamps - PTI Enjoy the Ride, Tim Holtz Bitty Grunge
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Memento lady bug, PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - PTI Enjoy the Ride die, glass brads, copy paper, removable adhesive, foam tape

PTI June blog hop challenge

2011-06-26T02:00:00.000+12:00

It's time for another PTI blog hop. Welcome and thanks for visiting.

The challenge this month was to use the photo at the bottom of the post for inspiration. I loved the gradient of colours so wanted to create a similar effect on my card:

The bikes are all digital images I printed using Photoshop. To make my gradient strip, I inked up the back of one of the Polka Dot Basics stamps with stripes of different coloured inks.

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white
Stamps - PTI Enjoy the Ride (sentiment), Polka Dot Basics II
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Memento new sprout, lady bug, rhubarb stalk, SU groovy guava, PTI aqua mist
Accessories - Bicycle png images, scor-tape, prisma glitter

Sweetest day

2011-06-22T06:00:00.002+12:00

Sweet paper from Pink Paislee in today's card - it's a sheet from the Sweetness collection (6x6 pad). I fussy cut the flowersand popped them up to add a bit of dimension. The tulle was recycled from some gift packaging:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, SU pink pirouette, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper

Ink - PTI vintage touch tea dye duo
Accessories -tulle, crochet lace, foam dimensionals

For you

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000+12:00

I recently attended another vintage cardmaking workshop at my LSS. Here's one of the cards I made which features a background panel made up of ribbon scraps:

Supplies
Paper - Bazzill basics cardstock, DCWV glitter sheet, mariposa stack
Accessories -ribbon scraps, sewing machine, eylets, crop-a-dile, letter stickers

Birthday grunge

2011-06-17T06:00:00.002+12:00

Here is another grungy birthday card which uses Tim Holtz's Bitty Grunge. I love the look of versamark on dark cardstock like this grey:

Supplies
Paper - PTI smokey shadow, SU sahara sand
Stamps - Tim Holtz Bitty Grunge, PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink - Versafine onyx black, versamark
Accessories -foam tape

Vintage birthday

2011-06-15T06:00:00.000+12:00

Here is a shabby birthday card which features patterned paper from Pink Paislee's Sweetness collection. The envelope is an svg file I cut with my cricut - the mini letter comes out so I can write a message on it underneath the sentiment.

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, melon berry, berry sorbet, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Round and Round (sentiment)
Ink - Memento cantaloupe, rich cocoa, bamboo leave, dandelion
Accessories - SU lace, PTI buttons, envelope svg file, MemrieMare wrinkled ribbon, foam tape, sewing machine

Embellish background stamping color trends challenge

2011-06-13T06:00:00.001+12:00

It's time for another challenge over at the Embellish Blog. You can check out the details here. I thought these were gorgeous colours - guaranteed to brighten anyone's day!

And here's what I came up with. I'm a Jane Austen fan, as is a good friend. So I thought I might pop this card in the post for her:

Supplies
Paper - PTI kraft, terracotta tile, hawaiian shores
Stamps - PTI Garden variety, YOF Collection (sentiment), background script stamp
Ink - Versafine onyx black, Versamark, PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - frame svg, Jane Austen silhoutte, PTI hawaiian shores and new leaf satin ribbon, scor-tape, foam tape, rhinestones, WR Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

HB2U

2011-06-09T06:00:00.000+12:00

Or happy birthday to you if you prefer. Here's a grungy masculine style birthday card I might just send to my brother. The stamps are from Tim Holtz's Bitty Grunge set:

Supplies
Paper - PTI smokey shadow, blueberry sky
Stamps - Tim Holtz Bitty Grunge, PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink - Versafine onyx black, versamark
Accessories -foam tape

Vintage butterflies

2011-06-07T06:00:00.000+12:00

Here is another card featuring patterned paper from Pink Paislee's Sweetness collection. The butterfly image is from SU's Bliss set, one of this year's sale-a-bration sets:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, Pink Paislee Sweetness patterned paper
Stamps - SU Bliss, Tim Holtz Postcards
Ink - Memento cantaloupe, rich cocoa, bamboo leave, dandelion
Accessories - SU lace, foam tape

Vintage Easter

2011-06-03T06:00:00.000+12:00

This is the final card from the vintage card class. This one features a paper serviette layered onto gold cardstock with mod podge - gives that gorgeous metallic layer underneath the focal image. So simple and yet so effective:

Supplies
Paper - Bazzill cardstock,paper serviette, metallic cardstock
Accessories -Kathleen green collage sheet, ribbon, embrodery thread, gold beads, sewing machine, gold brads

Birthday wishes

2011-06-01T06:00:00.000+12:00

This card features a lot of scraps - things lying around on the table and left over from previous projects. I love the soft colours from Graphic 45's Once Upon a Springtime Collection. The background papers are from a free vintage digital paper download:

Supplies
Paper - PTI vintage cream, Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime patterned paper, digital patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Mega Mixed Messages
Ink - Versafine onyx black, PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories -PTI aqua mist ribbon, vintage lace, paper doily, scallop scissors, sewing machine, PTI butterfly die, PTI felt, Kaisercraft pearls

More notebooks

2011-05-30T06:00:00.002+12:00

Can you bear looking at a couple more notebooks? These are going into my gift stash ready for Christmas.

Supplies
Paper - PTI dark chocolate, ripe avocado, spring moss, turning a new leaf patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Take Note
Ink - SU chocolate chip
Accessories -PTI buttons, vintage cream button twine, SVG tag

Supplies
Paper - PTI new leaf, hawaiian shores, aqua mis, green boutique patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Take Note, Just the Ticket
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories -PTI new leaf ribbon, SVG ticket

Papertrey May blog hop challenge

2011-05-26T03:50:00.001+12:00

Hi and thanks for visiting :) The challenge this month is to create something featuring flowers. I decided to make a rolled flower embellishment from felt. Melon berry felt to be precise. Here's what I came up with:

And here's a close up of the flower. I cut a circle from the felt, then cut round the circle as Maile shows in this post (scroll down a bit). I then rolled it up and secured it with fabric glue. Two stick pins act as 'leaves':

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white,Webster's Pages Hollywood Vogue patterned paper
Ink - PTI vintage tea dye duo
Accessories - PTI melon berry felt, Jenni Bowlin stick pins, sewing machine, fabric glue

Cameo birthday

2011-05-24T06:00:00.002+12:00

Here is another card which features Webster's Pages Hollywood Vogue patterned paper and a gorgeous resin cameo:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white, enchanted evening, blueberry sky, Webster's Pages Hollywood Vogue patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Butterfly Dreams (sentiment), WMS Very Vintage Labels 5, Tim Holtz Postcards
Ink - Memento tuxedo black
Accessories - SU lace, PTI enchanted evening satin ribbon, foam tape, resin cameo

Happy Easter

2011-05-22T19:57:00.000+12:00

This is another card from my recent vintage card class. This one uses a square from an old scarf and a scrap of lace found at a local market

Supplies
Paper - Bazzill cardstock
Accessories -Kathleen Green collage sheet, sewing machine, eylets, ribbon, lace, scarf

Me and my big bright ideas

2011-05-20T06:00:00.000+12:00

Yet another notebook to go into my stash of gifts. Always handy to have on hand :)

Supplies
Paper - PTI new leaf, hawaiian shores, aqua mist, green boutique patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Take Note, Just the Ticket
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories -PTI buttons, SVG ticket, stickles

I've been redecorating

2011-05-18T06:00:00.001+12:00

Yes, you are in the right place. I was getting a bit tired of the old layout and it seemed like time for a change of decor!

I love DCWV's Mariposa stack. Here's a super simple card (no stamping!) which uses one of the gorgeous patterns from the stack. I added a bit of depth by fussy cutting the large butterfly and adhering it with a glue dot in the middle, so I could pop the wings up:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white,DCWV Mariposa Stack
Accessories -PTI enchanted evening satin ribbon, glue dots

Felt flower

2011-05-16T06:00:00.001+12:00

I took Heather Nichols' advice a while ago and pre-made some embellishmentsto use on projects, then couldn't think of how to use them. So this flower has been sitting around for ages. Finally decided to make this simple card and combine it with a stamp from Fancy Flourishes.

Supplies
Paper - PTI enchanted evening,bitty dot patterned paper
Stamps - PTI Fancy Flourishes
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories -PTI ocean tides, pure poppy felt, ocean tides button, ocean tides grosgrain, PTI beautiful blooms II die, red thread

Big birthday wishes

2011-05-14T08:26:00.000+12:00

Here is a simple birthday card I made using cardstock elements from Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934 collection:

Supplies
Paper - PTI stamper's select white
Stamps - PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
Ink - Versafine onyx black
Accessories -Cosmo Cricket chipboard, Pink Paislee artisan tape