Designing With Papertrey

Greetings, Blogland! May I ask you a question? Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep your trap shut when you have huge news? Like HUGE news? Tis a tricky position, my friends, but today I finally get to share my secret. I have, by some crazy-amazing stroke of luck, been given the opportunity to design a line of stamps for Papertrey Ink. I've been a fan and customer since the beginning, so this is more than I could have ever hoped for (at least out loud).

You can see Nichole's lovely post about this year's stamp designer line-up on her blog. I want to thank Nichole, Julie, and Jane for giving me this opportunity. Their confidence in me means so very much. I also want to welcome and offer congratulations to the other new stamp designers, Erin and Lexi. Hooray, ladies!

Well, as I'm sure you've come to realize, Anniversary week announcements tend to mean contests. Today's contest is a challenge. Each of the stamp designers has put together a little freebie image for y'all to use on your own project (the download is available on Nichole's blog). Simply print the Stamp Designer Freebies Sheet and create a project with one of the images, adding your link to InLinkz list. Easy as pie! The winner will receive a collection of the stamp designers' favorite stamp sets (I've chosen Rhythm & Soul to be included).

The image I've designed for you to use is a little award ribbon and I'm going to share a couple of projects I put together as inspiration.

The first card uses the ribbon image exactly as it's shown on the download. I laser printed the image onto white cardstock and colored with Prismacolor pencils and mineral spirits. I die cut the center of the ribbon (it's 3/4" so it will work with a circle punch or die) and mounted it with foam tape. I die cut the Photo Finishers strip and stamped the sentiment in black ink. The strip was adhered directly to an Aqua Mist base that I'd corner rounded and stamped with polka dots. A little more foam tape to mount the ribbon and this card was all set.

On the second card, I wanted to use an image inside the ribbon center, so I just die cut a plain white circle and stamped away. I colored the ribbon with pencils again and embellished the star with a bit of glitter. Next, I die cut Fillable Frames #1 and stamped the frame and sentiment before adding the ribbon with foam tape. I stamped the largest dot burst from Dot Spot onto the base with Versamark and then wrapped Saddle Stitched ribbon and baker's twine around the whole she-bang. I mounted the frame/ribbon piece with foam tape and then stood back and patted myself on the back for a job well done (not really on that last part).

So there it is. Thank you for sharing in my excitement! Make sure to stop by the other stamp designers' blogs and welcome them to (or back to) the team:

Nichole Heady
Beth Silaka
Dawn McVey
Erin Lincoln
Heather Nichols
Lexi Daly
Lisa Johnson
Maile Belles
Melissa Bickford
Tiffany Pastor

Have a great day and I'll see you all again soon!

Absolutely Fabulous Recipe:
Stamps: Digital Freebie, Polka Dot Basics, Everyday Classics - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Fresh Snow Pigment - Papertrey Ink; black pigment
Other: Photo Finishers Dies - Papertrey Ink; Corner Chomper - We Are Memory Keepers; foam tape - Scotch; circle die - Quickutz; Prismacolor Pencils; mineral spirits

You Did It Recipe:
Stamps: Digital Freebie, Dot Spot, Simple Little Things, Fillable Frames #1, Text Boxed - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Spring Rain Pigment - Papertrey Ink; Versamark - Tsukineko; black pigment
Other: Fillable Frames #1 Die, Spring Rain Saddle Stitched Ribbon - Papertrey Ink; glitter glue; circle die - Quickutz; Cherry baker's twine - Divine Twine; Prismacolor Pencils; mineral spirits