Introducing The Text Block: Mom Die

Good morning, Friends! It's Day 4 of Papertrey Ink's Anniversary Countdown and today is all about Mom! I'm very excited to be introducing the Text Block: Mom Die to you this bright and shiny morning. This newest Text Block features a super versatile sentiment celebrating Mom. The message is perfect for Mother's Day, birthdays, or just a note to let her know she's special. You're going to love it!

I want to kick off this countdown with a Mother's Day card that any mama would enjoy.

I began by stamping a white card base with Background Basics: Needlepoint in Lemon Tart ink. Then, I stamped the flower and leaves from Ruby Rose in Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise inks, and Simply Chartreuse inks. Next I Xyroned a piece of Spring Rain cardstock and die cut it with the new Text Block: Mom die. I adhered the die cut to a piece of clear cardstock (mostly for stability) and embellished with a scalloped, Loop De Loop die cut. I used foam tape around the edges to mount that piece to the card front, carefully layered over the floral image.

Then, I die cut a second Text Block: Mom shape, this time from Lemon Tart, and used a 1/2" circle punch to pop out the "is" circle. I adhered that to the Spring Rain shape and sprinkled it with clear glitter for a bit of sparkle. I love how the "is" looks like the center of the flower!

My second card uses this new die to create a birthday card, just for Mom. I was inspired by Laura Bassen's (fairly) recent Make It Monday tutorial about camouflaging die cuts.

I began by stamping the candles from Wishes Come True repeatedly across the bottom half of an A2 piece of white cardstock. I wanted the final result to be fairly soft, so I used a gray pigment ink I happen to have on hand rather than a bolder black or dark brown. Then, I went back and filled in the outlines with the patterned candles in Spring Moss, Winter Wisteria, Aqua Mist, and Spring Rain inks. I added the flames in Harvest Gold before running the panel through my Xyron machine. Then I die cut the Text Block: Mom die from the center of that panel as well as from four piece of Winter Wisteria cardstock.

Next came the process of assembling the card. I adhered everything onto a Winter Wisteria card base. There are some tiny pieces, so it took awhile, but I love the way it turned out! It still looked a little lifeless though, so I added clear glitter to each candle flame to make them twinkle just a bit. I'm smitten, y'all.

Well, that's all for me today, friends. I'll see you again tomorrow with more of this month's new releases. In the meantime, Nichole and Dawn are giving the Text Block: Mom die a little extra special attention today. Have a wonderful day and I'll see you all again soon!

Recipes:
Floral Mother's Day Card
Stamps: Ruby Rose, Background Basics Needlepoint - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Spring Rain, Lemon Tart, Clear Cardstock - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet, Lemon Tart, Simply Chartreuse - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Mom Die (available February 15th), Loop De Loop Border Die - Papertrey Ink; 1/2" Circle Punch - EK Success; Foam Tape - Scotch; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Xyron

Mom's Birthday Candles Card
Stamps: Wishes Come True - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Winter Wisteria - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Spring Moss, Winter Wisteria, Aqua Mist, Spring Rain, Harvest Gold - Papertrey Ink; Gray Pigment - Studio G
Other: Text Block: Mom Die (available February 15th) - Papertrey Ink; Fine Crystal Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Xyron

Papertrey & 8 Project Favorites

Good morning, Friends! Today is the kick-off for Papertrey Ink's 8th Anniversary festivities. It's finally here - can you believe it?! There is so much good stuff coming at you over the next 10 days. For realsies, y'all, you're going to love it.

Today, Nichole is introducing the design and illustration teams with a contest over on her blog. You could win up to $300 in wishlist goodness, folks. That's huge! So you're definitely going to want to head over there and see what's what. Plus, there might be a new face. Just throwing that out there.

As part of today's introductions we're sharing a memory from the past year. I’ve been a part of the Papertrey Ink team since 2012, but this past year may have been the biggest one for me yet! For the first time I was able to participate in Stamp-a-faire as a presenter instead of just hanging out cheering from the sidelines. I was so excited to take on the challenge of coming up with techniques and projects, but it also meant I had to step outside my comfort zone and learn how to produce videos. You all should have seen the crazy contraption I put together to hold my camera! I’ll admit (months after the fact), I thought I was way in over my head a couple of times and I still have no idea how I shot in HD (ha!), but I had a wonderful time and your collective enthusiasm gave me the confidence to relax and enjoy the experience. I can’t wait to grow further and share even more with all of you in the coming year!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank Nichole, Julie, and Jane for keeping me around. I love this job, folks. In fact, it's barely a job. It's like...recess with deadlines. Ha! But really though, I seriously feel so fortunate. I get to work from my home doing something creative that truly makes me feel fulfilled. I mean, I get to help facilitate the creativity of others. How incredible is that?! I could not ask for more and I owe it all to Nichole, Julie, and Jane.

We're also sharing our favorite projects from the past year. It was so hard to choose! You can click on the title of each card to visit the original posts and see the construction details. Here we go!

Birthday Confetti Card

Y'all, I have a thing for confetti. This was also the first Text Block die in the series, so it holds a special place in by heart. I also love how colorful and texture-filled this card turned out. I've also noticed, while looking through my favorites from this year, that I tend to favor reds, oranges, greens, and blues. This card hits on all of those.

Stamps: Bitty Background Blocks II, Birthday Style, It's A Celebration (now in The Vault), Foodie Fun, Holiday Cheer - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, Tropical Teal - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Pinefeather, Scarlet Jewel, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Birthday Die, Tremendous Treats Halloween Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; W2 Marker - Copic; Xyron Machine; Glossy Accents - Ranger; Foam Tape - Scotch

Moving Box Card

I thought I was so darn clever with this card. That newsprint makes it. Thank you, Dawn, for that ingenious background set. The 3D box was a lot of fun, too. Little did I know that just a couple of months later I would be packing up my own house. Ahhh, foreshadowing, how do I love thee? And look! More reds, blues, and oranges.

Stamps: Bowl Of Sunshine, Background Basics Newsprint, Putting Down Roots - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Terra Cotta Tile, Classic Kraft, Aqua Mist, Packing Paper - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Classic Kraft, Smokey Shadow, Terra Cotta Tile, Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Bowl Of Sunshine Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch

Celebrate Paint Splatters Card

Who doesn't love a rainbow paint splatter? The paint on the brushes is even glittered, people! I'm a glitter fan. The Wet Paint die cut was the perfect complement to the Friendship Jar image. And the white embossing kept the paintbrush image from overwhelming the sentiment. Nice and bright and clean and colorful. Love!

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

Birthday Bouquet Card

I'm not too proud to make myself a birthday card. Plus, this card features the rock 'n roll technique, which is one of my all-time favorites. The Larger Than Life images work beautifully with that technique. I used the Friendship Jar set on this card too, but this time I curved the die cut to give the card some dimension. 

Stamps: Friendship Jar, Larger Than Life, Wet Paint - Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: Terracotta Tile - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Aqua Mist, New Leaf, Limeade Ice, Summer Sunrise, Terracotta Tile, Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink
Other: Jar & Lid Die, Wet Paint Cuts Die Collection, Aqua Mist reinker - Papertrey Ink; Pearl Shimmer Spray - Tattered Angels; Crochet Thread; Foam Tape - Scotch; 3D Shimmer Paint - Scribbles

Watermelon Pop Card

I love this card so hard. I remember that I was so excited about the watermelon-rind pattern that I actually ran out to our backyard to show Sean. He was covered in mulch, but still willing to humor me. That man's a keeper! Anyway...I also love the glittered watermelon seeds on this card. They make the popsicle feel a little extra special. It's just so fresh and summery and, right about now, fresh and summery sounds perfect.

Stamps: Summer Sweetness, Watercolor Wonder - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: New Leaf - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Pinefeather, Pure Poppy, New Leaf, True Black, Classic Kraft - Papertrey Ink
Other: Summer Sweetness Die - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Fine Onyx Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts; Circle Die - Quickutz

Wherever You Go Card

I think the thing I love most about this card is the color scheme. It's simple and crisp and gender neutral, which is great for cards that you have pre-made and on hand for those last minute needs. I also really love the texture from the Guide Lines Grid Impression Plate. The impression plates are perfect for adding subtle texture and I use them a lot.

Stamps: These United States, For The Graduate - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Aqua Mist, Vellum, Harvest Gold - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: True Black, New Leaf, Harvest Gold - Papertrey Ink
Other: Mat Stack 1 Die, Trendy Tree Tops Die, Guide Lines Grid Impression Plate - Papertrey Ink; Circles Die - Quickutz; Foam Tape, Vellum Tape - Scotch; Glossy Accents - Ranger

On My Mind Card

I love the colors and textures on this card. That Rustic Burlap Impression Plate will always be one of my favorites. Using it with white cardstock gives it a clean, more modern look. I'm also still quite smitten with Bowl of Sunshine. Those bowls remind me of my childhood spent in my family's kitchens. Plus, it was made for a very special friend and it makes me think of her all over again.

Stamps: Bowl Of Sunshine - Papertrey Ink

Cardstock: Classic Kraft - Papertrey Ink; white

Ink: Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink

Other: Bowl Of Sunshine Die Collection, Tag Sale #10, Rustic Burlap Impression Plate, Spring Moss Button, Rustic Jute Button Twine - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch

Desert Neighborhood Card

I love those dunes. I used actual sand to give them realistic texture and I was so tickled at how they turned out. The In The Meadow dies are so great for these layered hill details. I also adore the cactus paired with the Ikat pattern. The result is so fabulously southwestern-y. And those soft, overlapping clouds...so good. Also, green, blue, orange. Just sayin.'

Stamps: Putting Down Roots, Irresistible Ikat, Up, Up, and Away - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Spring Rain, Classic Kraft, Fine Linen - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Simply Chartreuse, Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate, Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Canyon Clay - Papertrey Ink; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Linen & Canvas Impression Plate, In The Meadow Die Collection, Rustic Jute Twine - Papertrey Ink; White Detail Embossing Powder - Filigree; Foam Tape - Scotch; Sand

So those are my favorites from last year. This year is going to be just as amazing. You can bet on it! There are so many wonderful and inspiring things coming your way. Make sure to check in with Nichole every day for more anniversary announcements and chances to win prizes. So many prizes! Have fun over the next several days and I'll see you again soon!

February Color Play

Good morning, friends, and welcome to this month's Papertrey Ink Color Play feature! This month we're playing with a color combo inspired by Natty By Design. The colors in her sewn circle garlands are so playful and fresh. I thought this lively combination would be simply perfect for a birthday card.

Source

I began by die cutting the Text Block: Birthday shape from Hawaiian Shores stock. I adhered that to a piece of label paper (sticky side up) and sprinkled glitter onto the exposed adhesive. I placed my text block on a white card base and lightly traced around it with a pencil. I used that outline as a guide for stamping my leaves and placing my Royal Velvet banner. Once those things were done I erased my lines and adhered down my Text Block.

Next, I stamped the flowers from Friendly Flowers onto a scrap of white cardstock. I trimmed out the larger flower and die cut the smaller flower to make layering easy. I mounted the larger flower to the card base with foam adhesive and added the smaller flower shortly thereafter.

I used a regular hole punch to punch out a small circle of Royal Velvet and adhered it to the flower's center. I covered that with Glossy Accents as a final touch. I'm really happy with how the colors translated and I'm glad I was able to maintain a fair amount of white space.

Thank you so much for joining me today! Have a wonderful day and I'll see you again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Friendly Flowers - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Hawaiian Shores, Royal Velvet, Royal Velvet Striped Patterned Paper, Self-adhesive sheets - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz, Royal Velvet, New Leaf - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Birthday Die, Get A Handle On It Die Collection - Papertrey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Glossy Accents - Ranger; Sugar Cube Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

Text Block: Party Time - Day 5

Good morning, Friends! Welcome back for Day 5 of the Papertrey Ink January Countdown. I'm back today with one final project featuring the Text Block: Party Time Die and I can't wait to share!

I wanted to incorporate vellum to give the balloons a transparent look, so I went with a window card for today.

I began by die cutting a Text Block: Party Time shape and traced the balloon outlines onto the back of a piece of vellum lightly with a pencil. Then, I colored in those spaces with Copic markers on the front side of the vellum. The result is a little bit streaky and spotty, almost like transparent watercolor. I went back and erased my pencil lines and used a colorless blender to clean up any areas that went outside the lines. The mistakes remove easily from the vellum, making this step super no-fuss. I adhered the Text Block: Party Time shape to the vellum and set them aside.

Next I stamped a piece of Melon Berry cardstock with Background Basics: Diagonals using watermark ink. I die cut a window in the center of that piece as well as the front of a white card base. I adhered the vellum piece to the underside of the Melon Berry piece and then mounted the whole thing to the card base with foam tape. I finished it off by using Scor Tape to create a glittered frame over the seams in the front panel. Easy!

That's all for me for this countdown. Thank you so much for joining me these past few 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 of this month's release. There's still so much great stuff to see! Take care and I'll see you again soon!

Recipe:
Stamps: Background Basics Diagonals - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Melon Berry, Vellum - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: VersaMark - Tsukineko
Other: Text Block: Party Time Die (available January 15th) - Paperrtey Ink; Foam Tape - Scotch; Markers - Copic; Scor Tape; Fine Sugar Cube Glitter - Martha Stewart Crafts

Text Block: Party Time Die - Day 4

Good morning, All! Welcome back to Day 4 of the Papertrey Ink January Countdown. I have another project to share with you featuring the new Text Block: Party Time Die. Let's get to it!

The other day I made a card for a tween girl, but today I wanted to try my hand at a card for a tween boy.

I began by building a focal point by die cutting the Text Block: Party Time shape from Enchanted Evening and Summer Sunrise cardstocks as well as Striped Spring Rain Patterned Paper. I stamped stars onto the balloons of the Summer Sunrise layer with Orange Zest ink and then used Heather Nichols' DIY Epoxy Embellishments technique to make them super dimensional and glossy. That technique is awesome, but it does take a significant amount of time to dry, so this isn't a whip-it-together-on-your-way-out-the-door-to-the-birthday-party sort of card.

Once everything was nice and dry I assembled my focal point onto a scrap of white cardstock. That just serves as a nice, sturdy base. I mounted that to a white card base using foam adhesive and then added a few narrow stripes of cardstock to give the focal point a bit of additional visual weight. Plus, it's just a fun detail.

Thank you so much for joining me today! Check back tomorrow for one more project featuring this great new die. In the meantime, make sure to visit Nichole, Ashley, Betsy, Danielle, Dawn, Erin, Heather, Laura, Laurie, Maile, Melissa Phillips, Lexi, and Melissa Bickford for more of this month's release. See you tomorrow!

Recipe:
Stamps: Bitty Background Blocks II - Papertrey Ink
Cardstock: Limeade Ice, Orange Zest, Spring Rain, Enchanted Evening, Summer Sunrise, Striped Spring Rain Patterned Paper, Clear Cardstock - Papertrey Ink; white
Ink: Orange Zest - Papertrey Ink
Other: Text Block: Party Time Die (available January 15th) - Papertrey Ink; Glossy Accents - Ranger; Xyron