A Few Words About Alison & Nick Nocera

Hi there, everyone. I know it's been a little while since my last post, but I wanted to pop in and share the story of a couple of friends that could use your help. If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen me tweeting and retweeting about this earlier in the week.

Last weekend, on their way home from a craft show in Cincinnati, Alison and Nick Nocera from Alison Rose hit a patch of black ice and flipped their truck. Alison, luckily, escaped with "only" some gnarly cuts and bruises. Nick on the other hand broke his tibia/knee and is facing a possible surgery (my understanding is that he has been released from the hospital and is awaiting an appointment with a specialist next week). They have business and auto insurance which will cover the loss of their truck and inventory, but they are unfortunately without health insurance.

Nick was a teacher up until last year and left his teaching position so that the couple could really make a go of their business. If you're a local, you know how hard they've been working; independently in their shop, as a wholesaler for other businesses, even with the City of Columbus in efforts like the CoGo Bike Share. These are really wonderful, hard-working people and they could use your help. They really are some of Columbus's best. If you are willing and able, you can visit the donation page that has been set up for them right HERE.

Thank you for checking in and I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving. Take a moment to hug (or high-five if you're not a hugger) the people you love today. See you soon, folks!

Craft Show Update

Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to pop in and say thank you to everyone that came out and supported Craftin' Outlaws yesterday. It was a fantastic day made possible by really hard-working people and enthusiastic shoppers. And a special thanks to Megan from Stinkybomb Soap for absolutely everything! Her dedication to the show is admirable - from event logistics to early morning TV spots, she works tirelessly and we totally appreciate it.

Sean was able to raise $81 dollars for the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. With the Food Bank's buying power that will translate into $891 in groceries for families in need. So thank you to everyone that asked a question, received a compliment, or had their social media account hijacked!

I also wanted to pop in with an update about one more show I have coming up this season. The Holiday Hop Pop Up Shop will be December 7th from Noon to 10pm at the Garden Theater in the Short North. It's the same day as the North Market event, so Sean will be manning the table solo most of the day. I'll be around in the evening all the way up until closing time. The event features the crafts that you all know and love along with treats for kiddos (make & take table, Santa) and adults (beers on draft) alike. Check out the Facebook page for more information as the event draws near.

Now, friends, I am going to spend the rest of today doing a little low-key work with the cat on the couch. Have a wonderful day and I'll see you again soon!

Craft Show News

Hello again, everyone! I just wanted to pop in really quickly to give some updates on events I have from now until the holidays.

First up is Craftin' Outlaws this weekend! I'll be peddling my wares down at Vets Memorial tomorrow, Saturday the 16th, from 10am until 5pm. The event itself is free, but parking is $7 so make sure to carpool. It's definitely one of my favorite events all year and there are even more fun features than ever before. Stop by and say hello!

Sean will be doing his "Asked & Answered" booth all day, too. Ask him a question and he'll answer it for $1. Absolutely everything he collects is going to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. He keeps not a penny. You're essentially paying my husband to goof around all day and giving money to a very worthwhile charity at the same time. Everybody wins!

Next up is the North Market's 2013 Marketfare on December 7th from 8am until 5pm & 8th from Noon until 5pm. I always enjoy the North Market's holiday events, so I'm really excited to be participating in this one again this year!

I have one more event in the works that I'll make sure to share more info about as soon as I get it. You can also fine Poshta goods at Wholly Craft anytime, holidays or otherwise. Hope to see you out and about at one of these events. Thanks for the support!

Fancy Footwork - Day 5

Good morning, everyone, and welcome back to this month's Papertrey Ink countdown! I have two more cards to share with you, so let's get started.

My first card features the tango images paired together along with the coordinating sentiment.

I began by stamping the women's dance steps in Pinefeather ink and the men's steps in Ocean Tides onto white cardstock. Then, I die cut a circle shape out of the panel to make way for the sentiment. I attached a strip of Pinefeather cardstock that had been cut with the Pinking Shears border die to the back of the tango panel and adhered the whole piece to a Soft Stone card base.

Next, I stamped the sentiment in Pinefeather and a decorative circle in Ocean Tides onto a white die cut circle. I mounted that with foam tape to the card base inside the negative die cut area of the tango strip. Simple and masculine. You could also switch up the colors to make the card more feminine or seasonally appropriate.

I wanted to show that you can use the sentiments independent of the dance diagrams, so that's what I set out to do with today's final card.

I began by die cutting the Wine Bottle Tag shape from white cardstock and stamping it with my sentiment. The "You" is separate and goes with both this sentiment and the "make me feel like dancing" sentiment. This is particularly handy in the event that you want to stamp your sentiment in multiple colors, as I have here. I used Sweet Blush and Dark Chocolate inks this time (the "you" is easier to see in real life, but I couldn't get it to read well in the photo - my apologies).

Next, I adhered the tag shape to a Kraft card front that I had textured with the Wrought Iron impression plate. Then, I die cut the Man & Wife shapes using Kraft, Sweet Blush, and white cardstocks. I assembled those and mounted them to my Wine Bottle Tag shape with foam adhesive. As a final touch, I added teeny, tiny dots of dimensional paint to the woman's hair to resemble pearls.

Alrighty, I'm all wrapped up for another countdown, but there's plenty more to see. It's a group post day, so Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Cristina, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Maile, and Melissa all have projects to share. Melissa Bickford is also sharing a few more peeks of her new sets, so make sure to visit with her, too. I'll see you all again soon!

Recipes:
Two To Tango Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th), Framed Out #9 - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Pinefeather - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Ocean Tides, Pinefeather - Papertrey Ink
Other: Pinking Shears Border Die - Papertrey Ink; Circle Dies - Quickutz; Foam Tape - Scotch

Swept Couple
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Sweet Blush - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Sweet Blush, Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink
Other: Man & Wife Die Collection, Wine Bottle Tag Die, Wrought Iron Impression Plate - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch

Fancy Footwork - Day 4

Welcome back for Day 4 of November's Papertrey Ink Countdown! I've been absolutely loving the enthusiasm you folks have been sharing for Fancy Footwork over the past few days. Thank you so much for the warm reception! I have a couple of cards to share with you today, so let's get to it.

My first card uses the dance diagrams to create an all-over, monochromatic pattern. The images are relatively large, so the stamping process goes so quickly when covering a large space like this.

I began by stamping and heat embossing my footprints with VersaMark ink onto Winter Wisteria cardstock. I wrapped that piece with two widths of satin-edged sheer ribbon and adhered it to a white card base.

Next, I die cut a Photo Finishers shape from white cardstock and stamped my sentiment. I adhered that over the ribbon and embellished with a couple of custom-colored rhinestones.

My second card shows that you don't have to stamp a large area to get that great pop of pattern.

I started by die cutting a Mat Stack 1 shape from white cardstock and stamped the footprints with Berry Sorbet and Summer Sunrise inks. When I was finished stamping my steps, I die cut a circle from the center of the shape and mounted it to a Berry Sorbet card front that had been textured with the Sheet Music impression plate.

Next, I stamped and heat embossed my sentiment onto Summer Sunrise cardstock. That was then die cut and placed inside the negative in the Mat Stack shape. I also added an extra layer of foam tape really set the sentiment apart.

Two quick and simple cards for today. I hope you enjoyed them! Join me tomorrow for a couple of additional cards featuring Fancy Footwork. In the meantime, it's a group post day and the ladies have tons of wonderful inspiration to share. Check in with Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Cristina, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Maile, and Melissa for their contributions. Melissa Bickford is also sharing a few more peeks of her new sets for this month, so make sure to visit with her, too. See you tomorrow!

Recipes:
Swept Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Winter Wisteria - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Gray Pigment - Studio G; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Photo Finishers Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Marker - Copic; Small Rhinestones - Mark Richards; Medium Rhinestones - Darice; Corner Chomper - We R Memory Keepers; Sheer Ribbon

Cheerful Dance Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Sheet Music Impression Plate, Mat Stack 1 Die - Papertrey Ink; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Corner Chomper - We R Memory Keepers

Fancy Footwork - Day 3

Good morning and welcome back to Day 3 of the November Papertrey Ink coundown! Nichole is giving Fancy Footwork a proper introduction today and I am just tickled about it! I also have a couple of additional projects to share with you, so let's get started.

My first card today is a bright and cheerful number.

I started by cutting strips of white cardstock and randomly stamping them with the footsteps in Simply Chartreuse Ink. You could achieve similar results by stamping one large piece and cutting it down, but I wanted to have a little more flexibility with my footprints, so the strips worked nicely. I adhered those to an Aqua Mist card front and set the whole thing aside.

Next, I die cut and stamped the Limitless Layers heart shape. Then, I die cut a banner from Limeade Ice using my Sketched Shapes dies and heat embossed my sentiment using white detail powder. I adhered my sentiment banner to my heart and stitched on an Aqua Mist button to ensure a sturdy hold. I mounted the heart to my card front with foam tape and put a little wave in my banner for a sense of movement.

My next card today might be my favorite yet. I wanted to play around with the concept of dancing on air again and this is the result.

I began by die cutting a bunch of clouds, some from Shimmer White and some from matte white cardstock. Then, I laid them out on a piece of Aqua Mist cardstock to make sure I was pleased with my layout and took a picture with my phone. That allowed me to move the parts around without losing the layout that I liked. The matte clouds were randomly stamped with the dance diagrams and coated with a dusting of Perfect Pearls. The results are shimmery yet subtle.

I continued by mounting my clouds to my Aqua Mist panel with a mixture of flat and dimensional adhesive. Next, I stamped my sentiment on a strip of white cardstock and adhered it to the bottom edge of my cloudy panel. I colored some silk ribbon with a Copic and tied a bow along the seam. That whole piece was mounted to a Kraft card base with more foam adhesive. The final card is totally dimensional and has loads of texture. I love it!

Thank you for joining me today! I hope you've enjoyed today's projects. I'll see you back here tomorrow with a couple of additional cards, but you should definitely check in with Nichole and Maile as they showcase Fancy Footwork and Heather, Dawn, and Melissa as they share more peeks of their upcoming sets. Have a great day and I'll see you soon!

Recipes:

Feel Like Dancing Card

Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th), Polka Dot Basics II - Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Limeade Ice, Berry Sorbet - Papertrey Ink; white

Ink: Simply Chartreuse, Berry Sorbet - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko

Other: Limitless Layers Hearts Die Collection, Sketched Shapes Die Collection, Aqua Mist Button - Papertrey Ink; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; White Crochet Thread

Dancing On Air Card

Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: Aqua Mist, White Shimmer, Classic Kraft - Papertrey Ink; white

Ink: Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Papertrey Ink

Other: Clouds 1 & 2 Die Collection, 1/4" Silk Ribbon - Papertrey Ink; Perfect Pearls - Ranger; Marker - Copic; Foam Tape - Scotch

Fancy Footwork - Day 2

Good morning and Happy Veterans Day! Today also happens to be Day 2 of the Papertrey Ink countdown and I have two more projects featuring Fancy Footwork to share with you today. I want to say thank you for all of your enthusiasm for the new set, by the way! It's so much fun to hear what you think of the possibilities. And let me tell you...there are many! Let's start today with a Valentine (yes, I know how early that sounds), shall we?

I wanted to do something very, very simple that would be ideal for the fellas. You all know I have no problem putting bows on men's cards, but not everyone is in that camp. This card is as simple as die cutting and a smidgen of embossing.

I began by die cutting two hearts, slightly overlapped, from Kraft cardstock and textured that panel with the Herringbone impression plate (see, even a masculine/textile pattern). Next, I heat embossed the men's dance diagrams onto Pure Poppy cardstock and the women's dance diagrams onto Sweet Blush cardstock.

I adhered the colored cardstocks to a white card base and mounted the Kraft panel overtop with foam tape. Then, I stamped the sentiment onto a white cardstock circle using True Black ink and mounted that circle in the space between the hearts. Totally simple and not a bow in sight.

One of the great things about this set is that it's really versatile. You can use it for just about any lovey occasion (weddings, anniversaries, etc.), but it's also useful for friendship and encouragement cards. This next one is perfect for giving a blue friend a little boost. Sometimes you just need to that little reminder that there's something, somewhere worth doing a two-step over. Even if that something is as simple as someone being there for you, know what I mean?

I began by covering a white card base with striped Sweet Blush patterned paper. Next, I die cut a Wine Bottle Tag shape from white cardstock and stamped it with the foxtrot images in Spring Moss and Sweet Blush inks. I adhered that to the card front about 3/8" from the top fold.

The sentiment was stamped with Simply Chartreuse ink onto a die cut circle and adhered to the front of the card with foam tape. I finished the card with some Rustic Jute Button Twine and a Spring Moss button.

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed today's projects and I hope to see you back here tomorrow for even more. In the meantime, make sure to check in with Nichole, Dawn, Heather, and Melissa for a few additional peeks at their sets this month. See you soon!

Recipes:
It Takes Two Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Pure Poppy, Sweet Blush - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: True Black - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Herringbone Impression Plate, Framed Out #11 Die - Papertrey Ink; Circle Die - Quickutz, Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch

Reason To Dance Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Sweet Blush Striped Patterned Paper - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, Simply Chartreuse - Papertrey Ink
Other: Wine Bottle Tag Die, Rustic Jute Button Twine, Spring Moss Button - Papertrey Ink; Circle Die - Quickutz; Foam Tape - Scotch

Introducing Fancy Footwork

Welcome to Day 1 of this month's Papertrey Ink countdown! This month I have a set to introduce called Fancy Footwork (releasing on November 15th at 10pm. This $15 set includes dance step diagrams of the tango and the foxtrot along with a handful of coordinating sentiments. The irony here, friends, is that I can barely walk a straight line let alone dance, so I suppose I'll keep my toes twinkling on cardstock rather than in reality. No one likes a tango-related injury. How about we get on to a couple of projects, hmmm?

My first card is a lovey dovey number.

I paired Fancy Footwork with the Man & Wife Die Collection. I love this product combo, by the way. They work together so perfectly.

I began by die cutting my people (Soft Stone, Spring Rain, white) along with the photo frame (white) and clouds (White Shimmer). Then I stamped my dance diagrams onto Spring Rain cardstock with Versamark ink and gave them a dusting of Perfect Pearls to make everything shimmery. The effect is beautiful, but totally impossible to photograph well. Please use your imaginations.

Next, I stamped my sentiment onto the photo frame shape and assembled my people and clouds. I adhered the focal point to the card front with foam tape. By anchoring the people at their heads and feet it allows them to almost float there in the frame opening and reinforces the idea that they're dancing on air. I am in love with how this one turned out.

My next card is on the more playful side. I chose to use a color combo that was just a little bit retro in nature, so the card feels a bit like a sock hop or something.

I began by stamping my dance pattern using the male and female foxtrot images with Pure Poppy and Hawaiian Shores inks. I rotated the steps randomly, so it wouldn't look too repetitive even though I was using the same stamps over and over again. I adhered that panel to a Soft Stone card base.

Next, I die cut the label shape from Aqua Mist and stamped it with my sentiment before adhering it to the card front. I finished the whole thing off with a bit of Pure Poppy saddle stitched ribbon and some crochet thread. Simple, but gender neutral for just about anybody.

Alrighty, friends. That's all for me today. Check back tomorrow for even more fun with Fancy Footwork. Don't forget to check in with Nichole, Betsy, Cristina, Dawn, Heather, Melissa, and Melissa for more projects featuring this month's releases. Enjoy and I'll see you tomorrow!

Recipes:
Dancing Couple Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Spring Rain, Shimmer White, Soft Stone - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: gray pigment - Studio G; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Man & Wife Die Collection, Fabulous Frames Die Collection, Cloud 1 & 2 Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Perfect Pearls - Ranger; Foam Tape - Scotch

Sock Hop Card
Stamps: Fancy Footwork (available November 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, True Black - Papertrey Ink
Other: Fabulous Frames Die Collection, Pure Poppy Saddle Stitched Ribbon - Papertrey Ink; white crochet thread

November Sneak Peek

Hello, all! I'm just popping in here quickly to share a sneak peek of a stamp set I have releasing this month. It's a little ditty featuring dance steps and a handful of coordinating sentiments.

I've been having a lot of fun with this set and I'll be back tomorrow with a couple of projects to share. I hope to see you then! Have a great day!

November Color Play

Welcome to this month's Papertrey Ink Color Play feature. This month I'm using this beautiful photo from Better Homes & Gardens as my inspiration:

Aren't those colors simply wonderful? I know it seems sometimes like the stamping world has moved straight on to Christmas, but I'm still head over heels for Autumn's warm tones. Those rich golds, reds, and greens keep me feeling nice and toasty even as the air turns cool and the days grow shorter. This photo gave me such a gorgeous palette! How could I resist?

I knew I wanted to make a Thanksgiving card this month. I personally have so much for which to be thankful and Thanksgiving has taken on a more significant meaning for me in recent years. Unfortunately, with a family spread hither and yon, we can't be with everyone for the holiday itself. This year I am going to challenge myself to send as many Thanksgiving cards as I possibly can. Today's card is a start.

I began by texturing a Classic Kraft card base with the Rustic Burlap impression plate and set it aside. Next, I stamped my sentiment in Dark Chocolate and stems/leaves in Pinefeather ink onto a 2" strip of Rustic White cardstock (Side note: I was planning to use the stems from Mum's The Word, but they were a smidgen short for the layout I wanted to use, so I opted for the stems from Meadow Greens). Then, I die cut my mums from Rustic White cardstock and stamped my flowers using the Rock 'n Roll technique. The large mum used Canyon Clay and Terra Cotta Tile ink while the smaller mum used Summer Sunrise and Canyon Clay.

Next, I die cut a pinked edge from Terra Cotta Tile and tucked it under the right side of my Rustic White strip. I adhered that whole piece to the Classic Kraft card base and added my mums atop their stems with foam adhesive. I finished the card with a small Rustic Jute twine bow.

Thank you so much for joining me today! I hope you'll try out the color scheme for yourself and share your project over on the Papertrey Ink Challenge forum! Also, make sure to check in with Betsy, Dawn, Heather, Maile, and Melissa as they revisit the Love Lives Here: Holiday stamp set. Have a wonderful day! See you soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Mum's The Word, Meadow Greens, Autumn Hills - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Rustic White, Terra Cotta Tile - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Terra Cotta Tile, Canyon Clay, Summer Sunrise, Pinefeather, Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink
Other: Rustic Burlap Impression Plate, Pinking Edge Border Die, Mum's The Word Die Collection, Rustic Jute Button Twine - Papertrey Ink; Foam Adhesive - Scotch