Papertrey & CPS Issue A Challenge

Big news for Papertrey announced today! I am so excited about the new products! Today's Papertrey anniversary challenge is a partnership with CPS. The sketch can be viewed on the CPS Blog here.



I wanted to give the Kraft cardstock a rest so I decided upon a white/brown/pinks color scheme. I started with a 5 1/2" square base with a polka dotty circle from Papertrey's Borders & Corners: Circle set stamped in Berry Sorbet. The corner of the base was punched with the largest corner rounder from EK Success (the purple one).

I took a piece of Blossom cardstock and ran it through my Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dot folder. That piece was layered on some Strawberry cardstock that had been edged with the Fiskars Threading Water Border punch. I stamped the sentiment in Burnt Umber ink and attached that to the pink layers using ribbon and a touch of adhesive. That whole thing was then adhered to the base.

Then, I took a piece of Dark Chocolate cardstock and stamped the smallest dot in the Polka Dot Basics set in Frost White ink. I used that cardstock to cover a chipboard heart from Cosmo Cricket. The edges of the heart were sponged using the white ink. I wanted to add a little something to the heart so I scavenged in my buttons until I came across this little pretty that I threaded with white embroidery floss and adhered to the heart.

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend and you are enjoying the Papertrey Anniversary Countdown as much as am! Take care...

Recipe:
Cardstock: Dark Chocolate - Papertrey Ink; Ultimate White - Strathmore; Strawberry, Blossom - Paper Source
Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Heart Prints Sentiments, Borders & Corners: Circle - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Berry Sorbet - Papertrey Ink; Burnt Umber - Palette; Frost White - Colorbox
Tools: Swiss Dot Embossing Folder, Cuttlebug - ProvoCraft; Threading Water Border Punch - Fiskars; Corner Rounder (Purple), Corner rounder (yellow) - EK Success
Ribbon: 1/4" brown satin - American Crafts
Embellishments: Embroidery Floss - DMC; Pink Button - unknown; Chipboard heart - Cosmo Cricket

Papertrey Anniversary Sketch Challenge

Today was the first time in a few days that I've had the chance to craft. We worked on some home improvement projects while Sean was on his mini-vacation this week and the craft room was momentarily vacant. I really wanted to participate in Papertrey Ink's anniversary sketch challenge though, so I went to town while Sean was out being a rock star (tonight's particular venue is not my favorite - to say the least. I opted to stay home...and avoid a potential tetanus shot).



Anyway, today's card follows the sketch found on Nichole Heady's blog today. I stamped the stems/grassy stuff from the With Sympathy set onto Kraft cardstock in Ripe Avocado ink. The flowers (also from that set) are stamped in Pure Poppy and Frost White (Colorbox) inks. The sentiment is from the Green Thumb set and is stamped in Burnt Umber ink. The stamped panel is sponged with Burnt Umber ink and matted on a piece of the Linen Vellum cardstock. The vellum was scalloped with the Treading Water border punch.



I used my handy dandy glitter pen to dress up the blossoms just a smidge. I tried to capture the sparkle with my camera, but this is the best I could do. I hope you can get the idea.

My base is Ripe Avocado. The Pure Poppy strip was run through my Cuttlebug in the Swiss Dot folder (in honor of the polka dotty goodness announced today). The ribbon is Dark Chocolate Twill. I loves me some Papertrey twill!

I hope you've enjoyed today's card. Hopefully I'll be able to participate in any other challenges leading up to Papertrey's second anniversary. Until tomorrow - take care!

Recipe:
Cardstock: Kraft, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Linen Vellum - Papertrey Ink
Stamps: With Sympathy, Green Thumb - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink; Burnt Umber - Palette; Frost White - Colorbox
Ribbon: Dark Chocolate Twill - Papertrey Ink
Tools: Swiss Dot Embossing Folder, Cuttlebug - Provocraft, Treading Water Border Punch - Fiskars
Other: Foam Tape - Scotch; Glitter Pen - Sakura, Thumb Tack

Crafting Vs. Hockey - Round 1

Boy: So, Chimmer and his family were in today......
Girl has already stopped listening.
Girl: Name five crafters...Go!
Boy: Uh....
Girl: I'm only asking for five.
Boy: Martha Stewart.
Girl: That doesn't count.
Boy: Yes she does. She has her own line at Michaels.
Girl is impressed that he remembers her line is at Michaels.
Girl: Fine. That's one.
Boy: Nichole Heady.
Girl: That's two.
Boy: Torm.
Girl: What's her whole name?
Boy: Torm.
Girl: First name?
Boy walks away. Thus ending the hockey for today.

Home Sweet Home

I love these Maya Road chipboard trees. I bought them months ago and have been hoarding them like my life depends on it. I'm seizing the day and using one of my beloved trees for today's card.

I randomly stamped three of the individual leaves from Papertrey's Beautiful Blooms set in Versamark ink on Fennel Martha Stewart Crafts cardstock. The Versamark gives such a lovely, subtle effect that I absolutely adore (the ink pad is getting a little dry though, so I need to get a bottle of reinker). Then, I used Landscape Palette ink to ink the edges of the tree shape to "color" the chipboard. I covered the trunk in brown cardstock and inked those edges with Burnt Umber ink.

I wanted to add something to the tree, but I wasn't sure what. Then I saw it...my little birdhouse image from the Kim Hughes Pretty Birds set. Perfect! I stamped and colored the birdhouse and attached it to the tree branch with a smidge of brown & cream baker's twine.

To make the grass I took a strip of the Fennel cardstock and fringed it. I mussed the fringe so it looks a little more realistic(ish). I also added a little ink to the fringe for a little dimension.

I attached the tree and grass to a Kraft base with inked edges and a sentiment from Papertrey's Boards & Beams. I wanted to soften the grass edge so I added a band of Pure Poppy Twill. I added a brown button tied with the baker's twine to hide the ribbon seam and add a fun detail.

I hope you enjoyed today's card!

Recipe:
Cardstock: Kraft - Papertrey Ink; Fennel - Martha Stewart Crafts; Brown - Bazzill; Ultimate White - Strathmore
Ink: Landscape, Burnt Umber - Palette; Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink; Versamark - Tsukineko
Stamps: Boards & Beams, Beautiful Blooms - Papertrey Ink; Pretty Birds (Kim Hughes Collection) - Cornish Heritage Farms
Fibers: Pure Poppy Twill - Papertrey Ink; brown & cream baker's twine - unknown
Embellishments: Chipboard Trees - Maya Road; brown button - unknown
Other: Colored Pencils - Prismacolor; foam tape - Scotch

Crimes Against Humanity, World Peace, And Other Things I've Decided Over The Past Few Days

How's that for a title, heh? Anyway, I've been thinking and I've decided on a few things:

1. Whichever of our home's previous owners deemed it was a good idea to install laminate tile and apartment grade beige carpeting overtop of (once) gorgeous hardwood floors needs to be jailed for their crimes against humanity.

2. Macarons from Pistacia Vera could not only bring about world peace, but also cure world hunger and keep almond producers (many of whom are in California, right - now we're talking economic growth) busy until the end of time.

3. I could live forever and not get sick of the phrase "Oh, how cute are you?!"

4. I should put together an impromptu Super Bowl Party just so I have a reason to make potato skins. Who's playing? Isn't there a bird in the mix?

5. I am going to put a temporary moratorium on hockey speak in our house until my husband can name as many crafters as I can Blue Jackets players. Let's make it easy for him - he can even count company names. I'll still win (despite my valiant efforts to ignore hockey talk).

6. Of all of the poorly constructed/installed things in our house why is it that the most solid installation is the aforementioned apartment grade carpeting.

7. Anyone willing to (poorly) paint a single bedroom 5 colors (of beige) should join the flooring bandit in jail.

Well, those are my conclusions from the past couple of days. I intend to post an actual project shortly. Until then, ta ta...