Last-minute Gift Card Packaging

Hello, friends! I just wanted to pop in today to share some gift card packaging I put together for an early family Christmas gathering we attended this past weekend. I'm not the biggest fan of giving gift cards (I like to give gifts that people really get to open), but I know that sometimes they truly are the most appreciated presents (I know I appreciate them). In an effort to dress them up a little I try and put together special packaging with the recipients in mind. So the other evening I whipped up these gable boxes for my fella's cousins.

For Megan's box, I started with Aqua Mist cardstock that I stamped with tiny snowflakes and die cut using the gable box die. Then, I die cut the Christmas tree from one of the pieces, creating a window. I adhered clear cardstock to the back of that panel to close up the opening and assembled my box as normal. I stamped a sentiment flag and embellished the tree with a handful of tiny, red rhinestones and one larger, silver pearl. I tied on the small die cut tag, stamped with an image from To You From Me, using a bit of Baker's Twine. The window allows the green crinkle shred to show through and give a little color to the tree. Cute and easy!

Kirt's box is just as cute, but with a slightly more masculine feel. I began by stamping stripes onto Pure Poppy cardstock with the matching ink. I die cut the box and assembled as normal. Then, I stamped the tag image from the Tinsel & Tags kit using Ocean Tides and Pure Poppy inks. I used a fine point black pen to change the color of the snowman's features and then added black glitter with a very fine glue pen. I wrapped Pinefeather ribbon around the box and mounted the tag over the ends with foam tape. I used another small die-cut tag, this time stamped with Pinefeather ink and tied on with crochet thread.

It really is easy to make those simple gifts feel a little more special with just a few extra minutes of time. I hope this helps inspire those of you with a few more gifties to finish before the big day. If I don't see you again before the holiday, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday filled with joy and love!

Recipes:
Christmas Tree Gable Box
Stamps: Snowflake Flurries, To You From Me, Winter Snow Globe - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Clear Cardstock - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Pure Poppy, Fresh Snow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Gable Box Die, Coffee Cozy Details Die Collection, Sketched Shapes Die Collection, Tremendous Tags Die - Papertrey Ink; Green Apple Baker's Twine - Divine Twine; Self-adhesive rhinestones and pearl - Mark Richards

Snowman Gable Box
Stamps: Background Basics Super Stripes, Tinsel & Tags (Limited Edition), To You From Me - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Ocean Tides, Pure Poppy, Pinefeather - Papertrey Ink
Other: Gable Box Die, Tremendous Tags Die, Pinefeather Ribbon - Papertrey Ink; Circle Die - Quickutz; Fine Onyx Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Foam Tape - Scotch; Glue Pen; White Crochet Thread

December Papertrey Ink Countdown - Day 5

Good morning, All, and welcome back to Day 5 of the Papertrey Ink December countdown. I have a few more projects to share with you featuring Block Party, Drips & Dribbles, and the Text Block: Love die. Let's get right to it!

My first project features Drips & Dribbles. I put away my fair share of Harney & Sons and I'm sure under the right circumstances I'd shed a tear over an up-ended mug.

I began by die cutting the mini tag and mug shapes from Rustic White cardstock and the Loop De Loop border from Sweet Blush. Next, I stamped the mug with its coordinating image using Autumn Rose and Scarlet Jewel inks. I used a bit of a rock 'n roll technique for a bit of depth. Then, I stamped the tiny tag with the small heart from These United States and tied on a bit of twine. I slipped the twine through the slot in the mug and adhered the tag into place with a tiny bit of foam tape. Next, I stamped a panel of Rustic White with the splotches and rings from Drips & Dribbles using Fine Linen ink (at times stamping off once for a softer image). I attached the Sweet Blush border into place along the top edge of the stamped panel and adhered it onto a Kraft card base. Then I stamped my sentiment and added the mug with foam adhesive.

My second card is a wedding card made with the Text Block: Love die.

I began by impressing the die into White Shimmer cardstock and trimmed it out along the outer edge of the impression. I matted it with a piece of True Black and set it aside. Then I stamped the Background Basics: Art Deco pattern in Fresh Snow ink onto a Soft Stone card base. I heat embossed the pattern with clear powder for results that are very subtle and almost pearly. I tied a white ribbon around the card base and mounted my impressed Text Block panel to the card front with foam tape. It's a very simple card, but the shimmery and shiny finishes make it feel sleek and sophisticated.

My final card today is a playful, non-traditional Valentine-y number I put together using Block Party.

I began by stamping a heart pattern with the blocks onto a 3" square of white cardstock using Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, and Limeade Ice inks. I added the sentiment through the middle of the heart using Smokey Shadow ink. Then, I used a fine point glue pen to draw narrow lines along the top and bottom of the sentiment. I embellished those lines with fine glitter and set the panel aside to dry completely.

Next, I stamped the varied scallops trip from Ombre Builders onto Aqua Mist front using Fresh Snow ink. I adhered the card front to a white base and mounted my focal panel with foam tape. It's a fairly straightforward design, but it's versatile enough to work for any kiddo with a simple swap of colors.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post and all of the projects I've shared over the past several days! Make sure to check in with Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, Melissa Phillips, Lexi, and Melissa Bickford for more inspiration from this month's release. Take care and I'll see you again soon!

Recipes:
Spilled Tea Card
Stamps: Drips & Dribbles, Candy Cane Christmas, These United States - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Rustic White, Classic Kraft, Sweet Blush - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Autumn Rose, Sweet Blush, Scarlet Jewel, Fine Linen, Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink
Other: Candy Cane Christmas Die Collection, Loop De Loop Border Die, Rustic Cream Twine, Pack Your Bags Die - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch

Splendid Adventure Card
Stamps: Background Basics: Art Deco - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Soft Stone, True Black, Shimmer White - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Fresh Snow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Love Die - Papertrey Ink; Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; White Ribbon - May Arts

Pretty Cool Kid Card
Stamps: Block Party, Ombre Builders - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, Limeade Ice, Fresh Snow, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Foam Tape - Scotch; Fine Sugar Cube Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Glue Pen

December Papertrey Ink Countdown - Day 4

Greetings, everyone! Welcome back to Day 4 of the Papertrey Ink countdown. I have three more projects to share with you today featuring my new products releasing this month, Block Party, Drips & Dribbles, and the Text Block: Love die. Let's get to it!

My first card today showcases the new Text Block: Love die. I asked a male friend once what I should keep in mind when designing cards for fellas. He gave me a colorful answer that basically boiled down to the famous Joe Friday line... "Just the facts, Ma'am." This card is intended to follow that basic guideline. No fuss. No frills. Just a simple guy card that would be perfect for Valentine's Day, an anniversary, or any old "just because" day.

I began by stamping the pinstripe pattern onto a piece of white cardstock using Spring Rain ink. I ran that through the Xyron, die cut it, and trimmed out the parts of the die that I didn't want to use this time around. I then stamped a few choice words from Grand Ampersand onto vellum using Enchanted Evening and Limeade Ice inks. I heat set them with clear embossing powder before adhering the Text Block shape to the vellum. I die cut the block from a piece of Limeade Ice so I would have a perfect opening to drop the pinstripe Text Block into place. I then cut a window into a white card base and mounted the front panel to the base using foam tape. Easy.

My second card today is a silly little number featuring Block Party.

I began by stamping a random block pattern onto a white card base using Fine Linen ink, leaving a space for the square to be added later. Then, I stamped my sentiment using Smokey Shadow ink. Next, I stamped and die cut the square block onto white cardstock using Hawaiian Shores ink. I added that to the base using foam tape. That sentiment gives me a giggle every time I see it!

My last card today uses Drips & Dribbles as colorful paint splatters. I imagine this card being perfect for someone graduating from a creative education program or celebrating a milestone.

I began by creating my focal point. I die cut the Monthly Moments: Spiral Notebook Die from Soft Stone cardstock and heat embossed it with the paint brushes and jar from the Friendship Jar series. Next, I colored and glittered the paint on each brush.

Then, I stamped the "this moment" sentiment from Wet Paint and die cut the "celebrate" from the Wet Paint III die collection. I added those to the image panel and mounted it to a white card base that I had stamped with the splatters from Drips & Dribbles. It's bright, colorful, and full of movement.

Ok, friends. That's all for me today. Make sure to check in with Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, Melissa Phillips, Lexi, and Melissa Bickford for more inspiration from this month's release. Take care and I'll see you again soon!

Recipes:
Always & Forever Card
Stamps: Grand Ampersand, Background Basics Super Stripes - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Limeade Ice, Vellum - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Spring Rain, Enchanted Evening, Limeade Ice - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Love Die - Papertrey Ink; Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Xyron

It's Hip To Be Square Card
Stamps: Block Party - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: white
Ink: Fine Linen, Smokey Shadow, Hawaiian Shores - Papertrey Ink
Other: Block Party Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch

Celebrate This Moment Card
Stamps: Drips & Dribbles, Friendship Jar, Friendship Jar Fillers, Wet Paint - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Soft Stone, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Tropical Teal, Simply Chartreuse, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Winter Wisteria, Pure Poppy, Fresh Snow, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Wet Paint III Die Collection, Monthly Moments: Spiral Notebook Die - Papertrey Ink; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Colored Pencils - Prismacolor; Glue Pen; Xyron

December Papertrey Ink Countdown - Day 3

Good morning, friends, and welcome back to Day 3 of the Papertrey Ink December countdown! I have a really fun Block Party project to share with you today, so let's get to it!

I wanted to make something creative to keep my nephew entertained on the long drive between Tennessee (where he lives) and Ohio (where I do). After a little brainstorming, I came up with this magnetic building block book!

I began by creating the little blocks first. I stamped the blocks onto Rustic White cardstock using Terra Cotta Tile, Blueberry Sky, Limeade Ice, New Leaf, and Summer Sunrise inks. Next, I ran the whole sheet through the Xyron to apply all-over adhesive and covered the surface with clear contact paper. I made sure to burnish the contact paper really well, so it looked like matte lamination. The contact paper provides a protective coating for the blocks that will (hopefully) extend their life.

Then, I die cut each of the blocks. The stamped images are larger than the dies in order to give edge-to-edge coverage, so it was super easy to see where to place the dies for this step. I die cut the blocks out of thin magnet sheeting and applied the stamped blocks to their coordinating magnet shape by removing the adhesive backing and firmly pressing them together.

Next, I created the binder cover. I stamped the "title" with the Headline Alphabet using Enchanted Evening ink and followed up with a random block formation in the same inks I used on the block magnets. I adhered the stamped panel to the cover of a kraft binder and applied another layer of clear contact paper with more firm burnishing. I'm just imaging the messes a 3 year-old boy makes and trying to be proactive in the protection department.

Then, I worked on the inside covers. I stamped two pieces of 5" x 7" metal sheeting (make sure you use a magnetic metal; aluminum doesn't work...trust me) with sentiments from Block Party using Jet Black Stazon ink. Please note: Be careful with metal sheeting. The edges can be sharp, so take care not to cut yourself if you choose to try this project for yourself.

I adhered the metal sheets to the inside covers of the binder using strong adhesive and weighed them down with heavy boxes while it set. After the adhesive had set up, I applied more clear contact paper with more firm burnishing. This time it was in an effort to keep those sharp metal edges from harming little fingers.

Finally, I punched a couple of holes in a sturdy zip-top bag to contain the 54 pieces of magnet-y fun and popped it in the binder. All that was left to do was play with it a little bit. Honestly, I had enough fun playing around with it just for the photos that I may make another one for myself. It could be said that I'm not the most tolerant road tripper. After about a half an hour in the car I start asking if we're there yet. Perhaps a building block book of my own could stretch that to an hour. Maybe even two. Ha!

A few notes about this project (should you choose to make one):

• Don't try to cut through all of the layers of paper/magnet/adhesive at once when making the magnetic blocks. It will be too thick to get through your die cut machine successfully.
• Use the fairly thin magnetic sheeting. I used what I had on hand, but if memory serves you can find the printable magnet sheets at your local craft store. Those should work just fine. This project only used about 1/2 of a 9" x 12" sheet, but I was very careful to use it as efficiently as possible. I also had to help out the cuts with scissors in a few spots, but it wasn't bad.
• Use the metal shim to help you get nice, clean cuts.
• It's really hard to get all of the tiny bubbles out from under the contact paper when you're applying it to the metal. Don't sweat it too much. Kiddos won't care nearly as much as you do.
• This is a relatively labor intensive project. It will take you longer than you think. Trust me.
• Those really cute, tiny storage clipboards look like they will be perfect for this project...until you learn that they're made of (non-magnetic) aluminum. Don't waste your time. Again, trust me.

Alrighty, friends, that's all for me today. I'll be back again tomorrow with even more Block Party and Drips & Dribbles projects. In the meantime, Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, Melissa Phillips, Lexi, and Melissa Bickford all have more to share with you today. See you soon!

Recipe:
Charlie's Block Book
Stamps: Block Party (available December 15th), Headline Alphabet - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Rustic White - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Terra Cotta Tile, Blueberry Sky, Limeade Ice, New Leaf, Summer Sunrise, Enchanted Evening - Papertrey Ink; Jet Black Stazon - Tsukineko
Other: Block Party Die (available December 15th) - Papertrey Ink; Magnetic Sheeting - Darice; Clear Contact Paper; Xyron; Kraft Binder; Metal Sheeting - K & S Precision Metals; E6000; Corner Chomper - We R Memory Keepers

December Papertrey Ink Countdown - Day 2

Good morning, everyone, and welcome back to Day 2 of the Papertrey Ink December countdown! Today I'm sharing a few more projects featuring Drips & Dribbles as well as introducing the Text Block: Love Die. There's plenty to see, so let's get to it!

I wanted to start today with a holiday wine ensemble that I created to showcase Drips & Dribbles. I used the rings and a few of the splatters to add dimension and visual texture.

I began with the bottle tag. I die cut the tag from Autumn Rose cardstock and stamped it with the rings and splatters using Autumn Rose and Scarlet Jewel inks. Using the two inks gives the texture a bit more depth.

I embellished the tag with a die cut wine bottle, vellum glass, and word "Cheer" (I trimmed off the "s") from Uncorked. The sentiment, from Holiday Lights, was partially masked and stamped in Scarlet Jewel ink. I added some seasonal flair by adorning the wine glass with a sprig of holly.

The card followed many of the same steps. I die cut the bottle tag shape from Rustic White to use as my focal point and switched up my sentiment (the stamped portion comes from 2008 Holiday Tags). The focal point was adhered to the card front with flat adhesive and everything was mounted to a Rustic White card base.

My next project shows off the splatters in all their glory.

I began by heat embossing my sentiment onto a trimmed down Basic Bookmark 2 Die shape that I'd cut from Canyon Clay cardstock. Then, I randomly stamped my splatters onto a strip of white cardstock using Fine Linen, Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate, and Canyon Clay inks. I adhered that strip to a Kraft card base that I'd impressed with the Rustic Burlap impression plate. I mounted the sentiment flag with foam tape as a final step. A nice quick "I'm sorry" card is a nice thing to have in your back pocket should the need arise, no?

My final project for today features the new Text Block: Love Die.

The steps to this card are really simple, but they sound complicated so stick with me! I began by Xyroning four pieces of cardstock (White, Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, and Berry Sorbet). I die cut the colored cardstocks with the (still covered) sticky side face up. Then, I die cut an adhesive-free piece of white cardstock. Next, I removed the adhesive backing from the white piece that I hadn't die cut and laid it down on my work bench sticky side up. I placed the white die cut shape on the sticky surface and tacked it down lightly (you don't want to burnish until the end, just in case you need to make micro adjustments to the paper words). Then, I began filling in the negative spaces with the die cut colored pieces. Once everything was in place I flipped it over and rubbed the whole surface with a bone folder. That allows everything to get good and stuck. Next, I removed the adhesive backing section-by-section and sprinkled on a coordinating glitter (it truly is easier than it sounds). I set that whole thing aside and worked on my base.

I impressed the front with a Mega Mat Stack 4 die. I also created a mask that I used to protect the area outside the impressed shape from the stamped rays. I clear embossed the stamping and then tied the base with a baker's twine bow. I finished the card by mounting my Text Block: Love shape with foam tape. I love the glittery results I achieved with this technique!

That's all for me today, friends. Make sure to check back in here tomorrow for more with my new products for this month. Heads up, I have a super fun project featuring Block Party coming your way! In the meantime, Nichole and Heather are featuring Drips & Dribbles today so make sure to visit with them. Betsy, Dawn, Erin, Lexi, Melissa Bickford, and Melissa Phillips all have projects on their blogs today, too. So have fun hopping around and I'll see you again bright and early tomorrow!

Recipes:
Holiday Wine Ensemble
Stamps: Drips & Dribbles (available December 15th), Uncorked, Holiday Lights, 2008 Holiday Tags, Framed Out #8 - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Autumn Rose, Ocean Tides, Gold Shimmer, Vellum, Rustic White - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Autumn Rose, Scarlet Jewel, Pinefeather - Papertrey Ink; Versamark - Tsukineko
Other: Uncorked Die, Uncorked Words Die, Wine Bottle Tag Die - Papertrey Ink; Gold Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Xyron; Fine Kunzite Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

Mess Of Things Card
Stamps: Drips & Dribbles (available December 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Canyon Clay - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Fine Linen, Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Canyon Clay - Papertrey Ink; Versamark - Tsukineko
Other: Basic Bookmark 2 Die, Rustic Burlap Impression Plate - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree

Love Is...Card
Stamps: Hello Sunshine - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Versamark - Tsukineko
Other: Text Block: Love Die (available December 15th), Mega Mat Stack 4 Die - Papertrey Ink; Fine Crystal, Aquamarine Crystal, Garnet Glitters - Martha Stewart Crafts; Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Cherry Baker's Twine - Divine Twine; Xyron

Introducing Block Party And Drips & Dribbles

Good morning, Friends, and welcome to the December Papertrey Ink countdown! I am so very excited about the new products I get to introduce this month. I have two new stamp sets to share with you over the next few days. Block Party and Drips & Dribbles will both be available on the 15th at 10pm, but in the meantime I have all sorts of inspiration to share. Let's get on to some projects, shall we?

First I'm going to share Block Party with you. It's a totally loaded $24 set and it even has a coordinating set of dies! I am so stinking giddy about this set, I don't even know how to explain. I've been anxiously awaiting this set's debut since I first drew it more than a year ago. If there was ever a stamp set that would have appealed to Little Lizzie, this may be the one. I was always more interested in my blocks than my dolls (much to my mother's chagrin) and these images would have been right up my alley!

I started this first card by stamping a block formation onto white cardstock using Lemon Tart, Aqua Mist, and Spring Moss inks. Next, I die cut the new Phrase Play die from two pieces of white and one piece of Aqua Mist cardstock. I stamped the sentiment with Smokey Shadow ink onto vellum (I clear embossed it to set the ink) and sandwiched it between the layers of Phrase Play shapes.

I adhered the Phrase Play piece to the card front and embellished it with Lemon Tart letters and a Spring Moss star. I added a tiny bit of glitter to the star to give it a little extra something special. This design is so simple and could be done in nearly any color combination!

My second Block Party card for today was inspired by the playful primary colored blocks that I had as a child. The sentiment would be perfect for letting a little person (or big person) in your world know how much you enjoy them.

I began by stamping my tower in an ink combo of Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, and Orange Zest. I followed up with my sentiment in Smokey Shadow. Then, Maile-style, I trimmed away a strip of cardstock to play up the shapes a little bit.

I backed the panel with a piece of Swiss Dot Summer Sunrise paper for another fun punch of color. It's simple, but the bright colors give it plenty of interest.

My final card today features Drips & Dribbles. This $15 set of splatters, spots, and rings will pair perfectly with any of the beverage sets in your collection! It can also be used alone as a great background building set and it even includes a couple of coordinating sentiments. To start today I wanted to create an unconventional Valentine that you could give a fella (not necessarily my fella because coffee turns him into a crazy person, but some hypothetical fella).

This card seriously could not be easier. I began by rolling my coffee ring stamps in a few different colors of ink and then I sprayed them with water to get everything all sloppy and blended. Then, I simply stamped directly onto Rustic White cardstock. I followed up with a couple of the splatters using much the same technique. I set the base aside for awhile (maybe a half an hour or so) to let the rings and splatters dry before I added the sentiment with Dark Chocolate ink.

Next, I textured the card front with the Linen & Canvas Impression Plate for a smidge more dimension. It still needed a little something so I added a tiny, glittered heart die cut with foam tape. I feel like Valentine's Day is one of the few occasions that you can get away with giving even the manliest of men a little sparkle. But maybe that's just me.

That's all for me today! Make sure to check in with Nichole and Laura as they showcase Block Party today. Betsy, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laurie, Lexi, Maile, and Melissa Bickford also have inspiration to share, so make sure to pop over and see them, too! I'll be back tomorrow with more Block Party and Drips & Dribbles. See you then!

Recipes:
New Kid On The Block Card
Stamps: Block Party (available December 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Vellum - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart, Spring Moss, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Phrase Play #11 Die (available December 15th) - Papertrey Ink; Clear Embossing Powder - Filigree; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

Way More Fun Card
Stamps: Block Party (available December 15th) - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Summer Sunrise Patterned Paper - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Orange Zest, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Foam Tape - Scotch

Cream In My Coffee Card

Stamps: Drips & Dribbles (available December 15th), Signature Greetings II - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Rustic White, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Classic Kraft, Fine Linen - Papertrey Ink; Cognac - Palette
Other: Linen & Canvas Impression Plate, Coffee Cozy Details Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Fine Garnet Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

December Sneak Peeks!

Hi there, friends! I just wanted to pop in quickly to share a couple of sneak peeks for Papertrey Ink stamp sets I have releasing this month. There are two sets in the works!

The first is a set of beverage rings and splatters that you can pair with any coffee, tea, or wine set to add a little extra interest. These playful "messy" images are sure to be a fun addition to your collection!

The second set I have coming this month is a set of wooden building blocks and coordinating sentiments. This set may be the one I was most excited about getting picked up for this year. I've always been more of a building toys girl than a doll girl, so this would have been right up my alley as a kiddo. I've been having a grand ol' time putting together samples with this set over the past few days. I can't wait to share!

So I'll be back tomorrow and all through the countdown with samples featuring these great new sets. See you soon!

December Color Play

Good morning, Friends! Long time, eh? I'm so glad to be back sharing this month's Papertrey Ink Color Play feature with you. Here's the palette we're working with this month:

Christmas crafting is one of my absolute favorite things, but I tend to tire of the traditional red and green color scheme after a handful of cards. I wanted to find a color palette for this month that stays close enough to tradition to satisfy my seasonal whims, but gives enough of a twist that I’d stay excited about my project. The inspiration I found in this photo of vintage ornaments fit the bill perfectly!

I began by die cutting a Text Block: Christmas shape from Pure Poppy cardstock. I trimmed away all except the word "merry" and set it aside for a moment. Next, I trimmed a window from a piece of Aqua Mist cardstock and stamped it with one of the floral images from Songbirds in Fresh Snow ink. I lightly stamped the Christmas music line from Songbirds onto a white card base using Sweet Blush ink. Then, I die cut a scalloped accent from Pure Poppy cardstock using the Journal Card Borders Die and a leafy branch from Ocean Tides cardstock. I adhered the border shape, the "merry," and the leafy branch to my card base before adhering my Aqua Mist layer on top. Next, I stamped "Christmas" from Wet Paint Holiday under the "merry" die cut using Pure Poppy ink. Then, I die cut one of the larger birds from Songbirds from white cardstock and stamped it with a coordinating image using Sweet Blush and Raspberry Fizz inks. I filled in the leaves with Ocean Tides and the speckles with Aqua Mist inks. I die cut one of the more detailed birds from Pure Poppy cardstock and used the resulting flower as a layer on my bird. I mounted the bird to the card base with foam tape and added a glittered, self-adhesive pearl to the flower as a final embellishment.

Thank you so much for joining me today! I'll see you all again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Songbirds, Wet Paint Holiday - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Ocean Tides - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Pure Poppy, Fresh Snow, Ocean Tides, Aqua Mist, Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Christmas Die, Songbirds Die Collection, Journal Card Borders Die - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Glittered Pearl - Mark Richards

More Freshly Fallen

Hi there, Friends! The other day I promised that I would be back with a couple of additional Freshly Fallen projects and I'm here to deliver! It has taken me a little time to shake off the rust after more than a month of no crafting (!), but I hope you'll agree that the projects are getting better. I also still haven't unearthed my photo tent (which may account for the less-than-stellar photos), so I'm trying something different with today's pictures. Shall we get to it?

My first project is another holiday or winter card. This one has a few more steps than the two I shared the other day, but it was a lot of fun to put together!

I began by texturing a white card base with the Striped Sweater Impression Plate. I set that aside and continued by working on the shaker element. I die cut the largest of the Tipped Tops shapes three times; once each from white, Aqua Mist, and clear cardstocks. Next, I die cut the word "snow" and the three largest snowflakes from the Freshly Fallen Die Collection out of the Aqua Mist piece (making sure to save all the negatives) and heat embossed the "let it" sentiment with white detail powder I wanted to dress it up a little, so I stamped the dotted trails in Fresh Snow ink.

Then, I die cut the entire snowflake collection from white cardstock and heat embossed them with the coordinating images using silver detail powder. I inlaid the three largest ones into the Aqua Mist layer and then adhered the whole piece to the clear cardstock piece. Then, I added foam tape to the back of the clear cardstock to create a shaker box. I filled the shaker area with the three smallest snowflakes, some chunky glitter, and a handful of white and silver sequins. I affixed the white layer to the back of the shaker and adhered the whole thing to the base. I could have just adhered the shaker to the base, but I didn't want the texture to interfere with the seal on the foam tape. Better safe than glittered sorry. It's super fun and I love it!

My second card for today actually uses the snowflakes as flowers and it truly couldn't be easier!

I began with a smaller-than-average card base; this one is a 4Bar size (4 7/8" x 3 1/2"). I stamped the flower stems from Blooming Button Bits (though there are several sets with similar images) using New Leaf ink. Then, I went back and stamped the smallest snowflake from Freshly Fallen on each stem twice in a rainbow of colors (Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist, and Winter Wisteria). I wanted to fill the space above the flowers just a little, so I heat embossed the dotted snowflake trail with clear powder and stamped the tiny butterfly from Butterfly Kisses in Summer Sunrise ink. I like that the trail is nice and subtle with the clear embossing. I then went back to each flower and stamped a center (a dot also from Butterfly Kisses) using Lemon Tart ink. I added the sentiment in Smokey Shadow and embellished each flower center with fine glitter. You could whip up a whole batch of these in minutes!

That's all I have to share today, but I'll be back again in a couple of days with a few more projects. See you soon!

Recipes:
Let It Snow Shaker Card
Stamps: Freshly Fallen, Wonderful Words Snow - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Clear - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Fresh Snow - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Freshly Fallen Die Collection, Striped Sweater Impression Plate, Wonderful Words Snow Die - Papertrey Ink; Silver Detail Embossing Powder, White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Marshmallow Sequins - Pretty Pink Posh; Foam Tape - Scotch; Chunky Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Silver Sequins

Rainbow Flowers Card
Stamps: Freshly Fallen, Blooming Button Bits, Butterfly Kisses - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: White
Ink: New Leaf, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Aqua Mist, Winter Wisteria, Lemon Tart, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Clear Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

Stamp Designer Showcase: Freshly Fallen

Good morning again, All! I wanted to pop back in today to share a couple of projects with Freshly Fallen. I didn't have the opportunity to participate in the countdown last month, so I have plenty of ideas to share with you now. Hooray! I'm going to share two quick and simple cards with you today that you could easily create in multiples for the holidays if you're so inclined.

My first card is a very simple number that really lets the shimmer stock do most of the talking.

I began by stamping and heat embossing two snowflakes and a sentiment onto Night Shimmer Stock using silver and iridescent glitter powders. Then, I attached the panel to a white card base (easy writing surface is key) using foam tape. I embellished with a handful of clear rhinestones and called it good. Sandy on the Papertrey Ink forum recently asked which adhesive people liked for adhering rhinestones. I prefer Glossy Accents. In my experience, it dries clear and holds well.

My second card for today is also very simple, but that just goes to show that you don't need to go over-the-top every time to get great results.

I began by stamping my snowflakes onto a Classic Kraft base using Fresh Snow ink. I doubled up each of the snowflakes to make them feel a little more substantial. I followed up with accents in Enchanted Evening ink. Then, I die cut a Photo Finishers strip and stamped it with my sentiment, also in Enchanted Evening.

I mounted that to the card front with foam adhesive and tied a baker's twine bow around the card base just below it. Then, I went back in and embellished select spots on the Enchanted Evening accents with fine glitter. The result is a subtle shimmer that I love!

There you have it, two very simple holiday cards that you could whip up in a jiffy if you're pressed for time or just have a long list of card recipients. Thank you for joining me today! I'll be back again in a couple of days with more projects showcasing Freshly Fallen. Have a wonderful weekend!

If you're looking for this month's Color Play feature just scroll down. It's there. Promise!

Recipes:
Season's Greetings Card
Stamps: Freshly Fallen - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Night Shimmer - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Silver Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Iridescent Glitter Powder, Glossy Accents - Ranger; Rhinestones - Darice

Peaceful Holiday Card
Stamps: Freshly Fallen
Cardstock: Classic Kraft - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Fresh Snow, Enchanted Evening - Papertrey Ink
Other: Photo Finish Strips Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Glue Pen; Blueberry Baker's Twine - Divine Twine; Foam Tape - Scotch

November Color Play

Good morning, Friends, and welcome to November! The first of the month always means a new Papertrey Ink Color Play challenge around these parts and I'm excited to share this month's palette. Ready?

I found this photo thanks to B. Lovely Events. Aren't those tiny pumpkins just fantastic? I know we crafters can be tempted to jump straight ahead to Christmas projects this time of year, but I thought this autumnal palette was too good to pass up. I love the way the blue and oranges balance one another in these charming place settings. Plus, I thought it would be a great, gender-neutral palette to use for a get well card. 'Tis the season to have a few extra of those on hand, after all!

I began by stamping my knit pattern using Background Basics: Striped Sweater with Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay, and Terra Cotta Tile inks on Rustic White cardstock. Then, I die cut the mug from Candy Cane Christmas the (also from Rustic White) and stamped it with Dark Chocolate ink. I created a tiny tea bag tag from the smallest die in the Pack Your Bags Die Collection and stamped it with the small heart in These United States. I connected that to the mug using white crochet thread and set it aside.

Next, I die cut the largest panel from the Tipped Tops Die Collection and stamped it with the steam and a sentiment from Comfort Food. I also added a grounding shadow from Sunflower Bouquet. I adhered the Tipped Tops shape to the card base and mounted my mug with a bit of foam tape for dimension.

Thank you for joining me today! I'll see you again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Candy Cane Christmas, Background Basics Striped Sweater, Comfort Food, These United States - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Rustic White - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay, Terra Cotta Tile - Papertrey Ink
Other: Tipped Tops Die Collection, Candy Cane Christmas Die Collection, Pack Your Bags Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; white crochet thread

Stamp-A-Faire Era Kits

Good morning, friends! I'm just popping in here with a quick post about the 2014 Stamp-A-Faire kits. 

As originally promised, the popular Stamp-a-faire 2014 Era Kits are available for individual sale tonight at 10pm EST, exclusively at Papertrey Ink. These kits will only be available until December 31st, 2014 (11:30pm EST), so be sure to snag yours before they are gone at the end of the year! You can visit Nichole's blog for further details and pricing on the era kits from the other designers!

I can't wait until my studio is back in order and I can dig out the kit to try a few more projects with these techniques!

I just love that tile border! The Romans did such incredible things with tile. It pairs beautifully with the Faux Frescoes technique. 

Even bright colors and modern imagery work beautifully with the mosaic techniques I shared in my Mock Mosaics video. 

I hope you'll give the videos another watch and pick up one of these kits for yourself. They'll be available on the Papertrey Ink website tonight so you can pick up your own copy and start creating Roman masterpieces of your own.

Take care and I'll see you again soon! Hopefully with some snowflake filled projects! Enjoy the rest of your week!

October Sneak Peek

Good afternoon, friends! I just wanted to pop in with a quick sneak peek of the set I have coming out this month over at Papertrey Ink.

This little snowflake set has so many possibilities. I can't wait to share them with you! Unfortunately though, I have to keep my ideas to myself for a couple of reasons. Reason #1: my box took the scenic route on the way to the new house. Reason #2: there's a crew of three guys painting the entire interior (say that ten times fast) of our house right now and my studio is a hotbed of drywall dust, a giant sprayer thing, and buckets upon buckets of my pal Sherwin's "Snowbound." Needless to say, I can't really work in there at present. Until my box finds its way home and my studio is back in order the Design Team Ladies are going to do a fabulous job showcasing this new set. Thank you for understanding and I'll be back bringing you paper crafted goodness again in no time. See you soon!

October Color Play

Good morning, Papertrey Ink friends! Welcome to this month's Color Play feature! This month we're playing along with this photo of an apple picking party styled by Jessica of Oh So Printable via the Hostess With The Mostess Blog:

Isn't that an adorable idea? As cute as it is, I thought the colors in this month’s inspiration photo would be perfect for making a card for my husband. We recently moved and I wanted to give him something special to let him know how important he is to our home.

I stamped the house from Gingerbread Lane using Ocean Tides and Classic Kraft inks. I added the little heart from the same set in Pure Poppy and embellished it with Christmas Red Stickles. I created the background with the clouds from Up, Up, & Away by rolling their edges in Ocean Tides ink and stamping them off a couple of times to get a softened look. Then I stamped the sentiment from Tick Tock in Smokey Shadow. I die cut the In The Meadow shapes from New Leaf patterned papers and nestled my little house between the hills (the top hill was added with foam tape). A little baker's twine finished the whole thing off nicely. I'll have to sneak this into his lunch back in the next couple of days to give him a little extra love.

Thank you so much for joining me today! I'll see you all again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Gingerbread Lane, Tick Tock, Up, Up, & Away - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, New Leaf Patterned Papers - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Ocean Tides, Classic Kraft, Pure Poppy, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink; Versamark - Tsukineko
Other: Gingerbread Lane Dies, In The Meadow Dies - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Christmas Red Stickles - Ranger; Cherry Baker's Twine - Divine Twine; Clear Embossing Powder - Filigree

Text Block: Christmas - Day 5

Good morning, everyone, and welcome back for Day 5 of the Papertrey Ink new release countdown! I have one last project to share today featuring the Text Block: Christmas Die (available September 15th). There are few things that scream "Christmas" to me more than evergreens and snow, so today I put together a shaker card incorporating those elements. Let's get to it!

I began by stamping the snow background onto Aqua Mist cardstock. I followed up with the tree from O Tannenbaum. The snowbanks were die cut, inked along the top edge, and textured (to look like drifts) before being embellished with glitter and adhered to the card base. I created the shaker with clear cardstock, a Spring Moss die cut, and narrow foam tape strips. I filled it with the same chunky glitter I used for the snowbanks. I added a small, red rhinestone to the star topper on the tree as a final touch.

That's all for me for this countdown. Thank you so much for joining me this week. And thank you for your understanding regarding my brevity this month. Again, if you have any questions about this (or any other) post, just ask in the comments and I'll do my best to get back to you.

Don't forget to check in with the other ladies today and tomorrow for even more inspiration using this month's new releases. Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, and Melissa are all sharing their beautiful projects with you. Have a great day and I'll see you again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: O Tannenbaum (available September 15th), Snowfall - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Clear - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate, Fresh Snow, Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Christmas (available September 15th), In The Meadow Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Coarse Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Foam Tape - Scotch; Red Rhinestone - Mark Richards

Text Block: Christmas - Day 4

Hello again, friends, and welcome back for Day 4 of this months Papertrey Ink new release countdown! I have another project highlighting the new Text Block: Christmas Die (available September 15th) and I'd love to share it with you!

I focused on just the New Year part of the die yesterday, so I thought today I'd give the Christmas part a little attention.

I started by stamping a row of trees in Limeade Ice ink. I wanted more trees than were on the original stamp, so I did a little masking to extend the line a bit. I went back in and filled in the baubles with Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, and Summer Sunrise inks. Then, I glittered the baubles and coated them with Glossy Accents. This both gives them dimension and keeps the glitter contained.

While that dried, I die cut the Text Block: Christmas shape from Hibiscus Burst stock and trimmed out the sections I didn't want to use. Then I decorated a white card base with some patterned paper and a scalloped strip. I tied a crochet thread bow around the base and then mounted my tree and sentiment panel with foam tape.

Thank you for popping in today! I'll see you again tomorrow with another peek. In the meantime, Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, and Melissa are all sharing projects with you today. See you again tomorrow!

Recipe:

Stamps: Holiday Cheer - Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, Limeade Ice Bitty Dot - Papertrey Ink

Ink: Limeade Ice, Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, Summer Sunrise - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Christmas Die (available September 15th), Be Happy Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Sugar Cube Fine Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Glossy Accents - Ranger; Glue Pen; White Crochet Thread; Xyron