Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I just thought I would post a quick one today. I wanted to showcase the treat bags I made for work. I originally created a few of these little bags to give away for Valentine's Day but decided I wanted to do something a little bit different. I chose to keep the kraft colored card stock as my base but stamped them with a few different Paper Trey Ink stamps. I also used various stamps and die cuts for the tops of the bags. I assembled them in an assembly line style.


The first one I made I used a little tag I had lying around with a little heart as my focal point.


I chose not to use this design because I would have had to die cut by hand all the little tags and I didn't feel like spending time on that. I also used black ink on the banner and I decided I didn't like the looks.



Instead I chose to cut hearts out with my Silhouette digital cutter and stamp the Happy Valentine's Day in red ink. I figured that using a digital cutter would make it faster!! I filled them with Dove milk and dark chocolate hearts.


 I am hoping my fellow co-workers will enjoy getting a treat for Valentine's Day!!

Nora

Monday, February 13, 2012

Paper Trey Ink Day #9

Paper Trey Ink has had challenge contests the last 8 days. I was able to join in again today. The challenge was to create something that contained both leaves and butterflies. I chose to make a card. Please excuse the lighting on this card as I took it with artificial light.


I used PTI Berry Sorbet and Spring Moss as my color palette. The stamp sets I used for this are PTI's Turning a New Leaf and Flower Fusion #1. I used Flower Fusion #1 die and Love Live's Here die for the butterfly. The flowers I used a pop dot to lift them off the page.


I love how this card came out and will be sending this to one of my friend's whom I haven't seen in over a year.

Thank you for looking!!
Nora

Monday, February 6, 2012

Paper Trey Ink Anniversary Day #2, Card #2

Three posts in one day? That is unheard of for me!! I created another card for Paper Trey Ink's day 2 anniversary challenge. I used the free image designed by Dawn McVey. I want to be her when I grow up!!! (though I know I am older then her by about 10 years) I LOVE her style!!


My card didn't come out the way I pictured it but that is ok. You would think this took me minutes to make but took hours because I played around with ribbon to try and make a nice bow but it just didn't look right. I finally decided on this floss I had in a box but it wasn't what I really wanted. I knew I should have bought the Doodlebug Twine in Bubblegum!!! It would have been perfect!


The polka dots peeking out is a  Mat Stack #3 stamped image. The "Happy Birthday" sentiment is the free image you can download from Nichole Heady's blog today. I also used some Raspberry Fizz paper and the limitless layers 1 3/4" dies once again. I think I would try this design again but with different colors.

Have a great night!!
Nora

Paper Trey Ink Anniversary Day #2!

It is the second day of Paper Trey Ink's Anniversary countdown. Today they gave a sneak peek of what some of the new lines of stamps will be this year. Their fabulous design team made samples with an image from their new set and Nichole posted some freebie print designs for us to all play along.

I chose to use the "Bee Mine" image by Beth Silaika to make a card with. I colored it in with Copic Markers and set aside. I used a piece of PTI Dotty Biscotti patterned paper and layered it over white cardstock. I then die cut with my Silhouette digital cutter a heart border out of PTI Lemon Tart cardstock and used 3 PTI dies (Label Basics, Limitless Layers 1 3/4" circles) to cut out the other elements. I put it all together, with the finishing touch being a pop dotted heart on as the bee's wings.


Oh! I forgot to say that before I put the whole card together I inked every single element. Want to know a secret? I wasn't going to ink it at all but the ink smudged on the print out and I didn't want to have to print it out again. The ink covered it up!! I actually like the look of the inking but I think any paper is naked without it.

Thank you for looking!!

Nora

A Birthday and an Anniversary!

Happy Monday!! I wanted to start the week off right by posting a few things I made last week. I tend to take photos of my projects and then it sits on my camera. However, I pulled them off the camera yesterday to post my Paper Trey Ink's projects so I figured I would post them today.

The first card I created was an anniversary card for a teacher at work. I actually made two cards for him to choose from but only photographed this card. He and his wife were married on Valentine's Day so I wasn't sure if he would like the colors I used on this card or would want to veer away from the traditional red and pink. I should have trusted my gut because he chose this one!! This card was another CASE from someone else's card that I saw on the web. I do not have a link to the original and I apologize.


I used my Silhouette digital cutter to cut out all the hearts and then layered them over each other. I really like how this came out and will be making a similar design for Valentine's Day if I have a chance!! I will also post the inside of the card, though that is very simple.


I did not stamp directly on the inside of this card because I figured if the teacher didn't like it I would just pull the label off and put a Valentine sentiment inside. I am always thinking!!

The next project I created at 4:30 a.m.  Friday morning when I couldn't sleep. Work has had me stressed out as of late and I often wake up really early. I was actually awake at 3:00 a.m. but wouldn't let myself get up until 4:30 a.m. Imagine what I would have gotten done if I had?


I LOVE the colors on this card!! The patterned paper is a scrap of Sassafras Lass paper I had in my scrap drawer. I then used a Paper Trey Ink Mat Stack #3 to stamp and die cut to make the label. Out of all the Mat Stack's, this is my favorite. I keep hoping they will make some additions to the collection because I would buy it!! I then die cut and stamped an image from PTI's Cupcake Collection and layered it over a die cut piece of green cardstock. The bow was tied before I put the label on. I think this is my new favorite card and I just hated to give it away!!

To go with the card, I die cut a bag using my Silhouette digital cutter. I didn't have patterned paper the exact green color that I used above but the one I used was close enough.


I used PTI's Tag Its #10 set to make the little tag in the same colors as the card. I then further tied the two pieces together (and not literally!) with the same ribbon I used on the card.

Charlotte said the little girl loved the bag. It was big enough to fit a gift card and two nail polishes too!!

Thank you for looking. I hope this inspires you to create something yourself this week!!
Nora 

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Paper Trey Ink Challenge

Paper Trey Ink kicked off their 5th anniversary celebration today. They issued a challenge to make a project that was inspired by one of their design team members favorite projects. I chose to use Dawn McVey's card. I LOVE almost anything she makes and am constantly stalking her blog for new ideas. Thank you Dawn for all the inspiration you have given me over the last year.

Below is the card by Dawn that inspired me.


One of the products that she listed as her "favorite" on her list was the Mat Stack #4 Die. I chose to use the colors on her card and the Mat Stack #4 die and stamp set on the two cards I created.

Card #1


The first card I made is just a simple Valentine. I used the Mat Stack #4 stamp set and the 2010 Love Tags to make this card. I then placed two heart glitter stickers over my stamped images to complete the card. Simple but effective!!

Card #2




The second card I created for the challenge I used almost all Paper Trey Ink products. The main image is a Mat Stack #4 stamp and die, and the overlaid frame is a Tag Its #10 Stamp. I embossed Raspberry Fizz paper with a Sizzix embossing folder and the butterfly I die cut from a 6" by 6" piece of Lily Bee paper. I really like how this card came out and it will go to a co-worker tomorrow. I am forever forgetting people's birthdays!! I should just make these type of cards in bulk!!

I just want to thank all of Paper Trey Ink's design team for all their hard work. Their designs are so inspiring and make me want to get all the products they use. That is a sign of good marketing!!

Thank you for looking and hope you are all having a fabulous time watching the Superbowl. I am choosing to create!!
Nora

Saturday, February 4, 2012

A Challenge and a totally CASED Valentine Card!!

Thank goodness it it the weekend!! I live for the weekends, which I have to say is sad. It is the only time I have to get in my craft room and craft, unless I neglect my chores. Who needs to do those anyways?

For the first part of my post, I want to invite everyone to come to Scrapjazz.com and join me in the card challenge I posted. The challenge is to create a card using a holiday stamp (sentiment or otherwise) to create a Valentine card. The twist is to use an alternative color other then red/pink. I hope you come on over and play!!

The card I created for this challenge I used a penguin Christmas Eve Chowder by Unity Stamp as the focus of my card. I didn't have a sentiment that I liked so I printed one out using the computer. This is a great technique if you are ever in need of one and you don't own the right stamp!!


I chose Aqua as my alternate color choice but had to add the red hearts and the red twine for a splash of color.

My next two cards are a CASE. I loved this card by Maile Belles but didn't have the "exact" supplies she used so I improvised. I seem to be the queen of that lately!!


The first card I used a polka dot embossing folder by Quickutz for my background. I then placed a heart border that I cut using my Silhouette digital cutter. I used the Paper Trey Ink stamp Tag It's #10 to stamp the heart and sentiment and layered another Silhouette die cut of a key over it. This was SO EASY and I love the way it came out.

The second card I chose to follow the same basic design but I used patterned paper and a brighter pink for the stamped image. I also chose to mimic Maille's design a bit further by adding the buttons at the bottom of the stamped heart.


I am not sure which one I like better but both will be sent out to a special friend for Valentine's Day!!

I hope you have a fabulous Saturday full of FUN!!!

Nora