Thinking Inking

A Happy Hello

Welcome! I have a sunny little card to share today; we're wishing for Spring around here. . . I started with a Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Parade #2 mini stamp set, pairing it with Carta Bella's True Friends 6" x 6" paper pad. I found this lined notebook pattern in the paper pad and thought that it would be perfect with the flowers on Polka Dot Parade 2. 

I used a sentiment from Heart-2-Heart #12 for the inside of my card. 

To make my spiral edge notebook paper, I used a border die from the Spellbinders™ On The Edge set. I used the heart border from the same set to decorate the left side of the pink patterned paper. I used a banner die template from the Nested Lacey Pennants set for my "sending you a happy" sentiment, stamped in PTI's Ocean Tides ink. I dyed white seam binding with my Copic reinkers and scrunched it while it was wet. Okay, that's it for today's card. Any other details that you might want are probably below. Thanks for visiting!

The Scoop

Patterned paper: Carta Bella True Friends 6" x 6" paper pad

Spellbinders die template sets: On the Edge, Nested Lacey Pendants

Inks: PTI Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides, New Leaf, Harvest Gold; Colorbox Rouge Chalk Ink

Cardstock: Rustic White, Lemon Tart

Accessories: Dyed Seam Binding, (Copic R83, 0), glue, Prisma Glitter, X-Press It Foam Tape

Tools: Spellbinders Grand Calibur, Brother sewing machine

Papertrey Ink Sketch Challenge

Welcome! Today I have a couple of cards for you, both using the same sketch since I couldn't stop once I started playing with it. :-) You will find five fabulous sketches posted on Nichole's blog today, along with details on how to enter for a $60 PTI gift certificate. Better check it out! I chose Sketch #3 because I loved the multiple angles, and I knew that I had plenty of patterned paper to make pretty layers with! (Still working on that stash. . .)

For the sentiment, I used Tremendous Treats: Valentine, heat embossed in white embossing powder. The paper is Carta Bella's 6" x 6" pad from the True Friends Collection, paired with PTI's Hibiscus Burst and Stampers Select White cardstock. Buttons are all PTI Vintage Buttons as well. This card is for two sweet little sisters!

I liked this sketch so much that I wanted to crank out a masculine birthday card too.I flipped the direction of the angle because I wanted to use the Simple Sentiments Stamp Set set for a clean look. These papers were at the back of my stash (My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Sunshine 6" x 6" pad), and they looked like they would be perfect for a masculine card. I found some brads in my accessory drawer that weren't too frilly to go on a "guy card"--and now I have one ready for the stash! Now I need time to play with some of the other sketches, because they really are great ones. Thanks for visiting today, and be sure to visit Nichole's blog for links to the other DT participants, as well as details on today's giveaway!

Thank You for All You Do

Welcome! I was happily playing with new papers, stamps, and dies for the past few days, and I wanted to share this thank you card with you. I started with a newly released (January 2013) JustRite set, For All You Do Vintage Labels Three, pairing it with the Vintage Labels Three companion die. Then I went on an Easter egg hunt for other dies in my stash that might work well with Vintage Labels Three.

I have recently been trying to organize my die collection since it is threatening to swallow my work space alive. . . Yes, I know that it's a good problem to have, but I've been spending far too long looking for dies that I think I have, or using the same ones over and over because they are on the top of the stack. (I hope that you aren't like this too!) Anyway, my new die organization is a post for another day, as soon as I get most of the current ones in place. :-}

Back to the card! To frame the JRS Vintage Labels Three die cut, I used a couple of Spellbinders die templates from Decorative Labels Twenty Two--one to cut, and the second  (inner one) only to emboss. For the card front I used the 5" x 7" Detailed Scallops die, and cut the inside patterned paper layer with a 5" x 7" Matting Basics A die template. That pretty paper is from a new Carta Bella 6" x 6" pad from the True Friends Collection, and it makes me happy! After I got my big pink silk ribbon tied, the left side seemed to need a bit more attention to offset that huge bow, so I used a button as a flower and trimmed it with leaves cut from True Friends paper with a Foliage Two die template. Whew--that's a lot of babbling for a fairly simple card. I hope you're having a great week--thanks for visiting!

But Ours is my Favorite. . .

Welcome! I have another *love* card to share today. It could be an anniversary card or Valentines card. For me, it will probably be an anniversary card though. For the sentiment I chose an image from Papertrey Ink's Sending My Love stamp set, cut and embossed with a Spellbinders Marvelous Squares die template. I also used Classic Squares Large and Classic Squares Small as extra mat layers between the Marvelous Squares decorative layers.

Those pretty blue patterned papers are from Carta Bella's new Devoted 6" x 6" pad. I dyed some seam binding with a Copic B41 reinker and some colorless blender to coordinate with my paper. See the little rhinestones encircling the "O?" I glued them on, one at a time, with some Ranger Matte Accents. Worth it? Oh yes! :-) That's it for today's card--thanks for visiting!

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Papertrey Ink December 2012 Release in Review

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Papertrey Ink December 2012 Release in Review

Welcome! Today I have several cards to share with you from Papertrey Ink's December 2012 release, which will be available tonight at 10pm, EST, at Papertrey Ink. I had fun making these cards--a change of pace from the Christmas cards that I've been churning out since late August. My first card is made with Framed Out #11 and its coordinating die, along with the Limitless Layers Heart dies. I chose some fun papers from Carta Bella's new Devoted 6" x 6" pad. I dyed seam binding to coordinate with my Copic re-inkers, and rhinestones are from Zva Creative. 

I *love* the sentiments in the new Sending My Love set! I also used the man die from the Man and Wife dies, paired with more of the Carta Bella Devoted papers. I think my husband will like this card. :-)

What a fun set Love Potion is! Here I paired it with Raspberry Fizz, Limeade Ice, Orange Zest, and Stampers Select White cardstock and ink. I used a Copic G000 and colorless blender to shade the beaker, as well as Copic BG10 and 0 to add faint color outside the beaker and T1 and 0 to add a shadow for the beaker.

For a sweet old-fashioned Valentine, I used the new With All My Heart stamp set, along with the coordinating Limitless Layers Hearts dies and the older Parisian Doily die. Since this card base is only 3-1/2" x 5", it would still fit into an A-2 envelope, even with the protruding doily layer. 

Finally, I have a simple thank you card made with Quilled Elegance. It's a little smaller than A-2 sized. I used the Aida texture plate for the background.

If you would like to see some gorgeous projects with the Papertrey Ink December 2012 release projects, be sure to browse the following blogs! As a reminder, since the sets used in this post are from the December release, they will be available tonight at 10pm, EST, at Papertrey Ink.

Nichole Heady

Ashley Cannon Newell

Betsy Veldman

Cristina Kowalczyk

Danielle Flanders

Dawn McVey

Debbie Olson (here)

Erin Lincoln

Heather Nichols

Jessica Witty

Maile Belles

Melissa Phillips

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Papertrey Ink November 2012 Release in Review

You Shine!

Welcome! Today I have a fun little Christmas card to share. The focal image is You Shine from My Favorite Things. Those Christmas tree lights intrigued me--I needed to color them and gloss them up! Papers are from Carta Bella's Merry and Bright 6" x 6" pad--perfect cheery colors for the You Shine image.

These are the Copic markers that I used--sorry for a less than stellar picture. I had my son holding them for me in the library, where I was coloring while he studied. :-)

I used Ranger Glossy Accents on the light bulbs to give them shine. I wasn't worried about the Glossy accents smearing the Copic ink, but I did avoid getting it on my Memento ink outlines since Memento is water-based. I used a cotton sweater scrap saturated with Copic colorless blender solution to create texture in the girl's sweater.  I used three Spellbinders Paper Arts die templates: A-2 Fancy Postage Stamps for the focal image, Nested Lacey Sentiments for the sentiment banner, and Splendid Circles for the doily layer. Finally I added glitter to the star headband and did some stitching on the background papers. 

That's it for today--thanks for visiting!

Amazing Paper Grace Kit 3

Welcome! Today I have an Amazing Paper Grace card to share with you. Have you seen Becca Feeken's November Amazing Paper Grace Kit yet? I used one of the dies and a couple of the stamps from her November kit, but you can see the projects in the kit  HERE.

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This set contain a great variety of sentiments, and those decorative corner pieces are beautiful as well!

In addition to the kit dies, I also used a Spellbinders French Frills die template for the sentiment, airbrushing my Lavender Moon cardstock with a Copic RV63 and Copic Airbrush System. I added some self-adhesive pink rhinestones from Zva Creative and dyed the seam binding with Copic RV93 and 0 various inks. A bit of sanding, distress ink application, and stitching finished my card. Patterned papers are from Carta Bella's Beautiful Moments 6" x 6" pad.

Would you like to see what some of the other JustRite girls did with Becca's kit stamps and dies? Then be sure to check out the following blogs, and thanks for visiting!

JustRite Inspiration Blog
Sharon Harnist 
Heidi Blankenship 
Kazan Clark
Angela Barkhouse

So Very Grateful

Welcome! Saturday is World Card Making Day, so I wanted to be sure to post a card tonight in celebration of the event. For my sentiment I used a Papertrey Ink set, Framed Out #7, along with the new Harlequin Die Cover Plate (which is, unfortunately, out of stock right now; however, I did notice that the Hexagon Cover Plate is in stock right now, if you are still looking for one of those). 

How about those pretty papers? They are from a Carta Bella Traditions 6" x 6" paper pad. I wish I had a quilt in these patterns and colors! Inks are PTI's Enchanted Evening and Terracotta Tile. 

So, what are YOU doing to celebrate World Card Making Day?

Wishing You Peace

Welcome! I had a chance to get one more Christmas card made for the stash tonight and thought I would share it. For my focal sentiment I used Papertrey Ink's new Peace, Love, & Joy set.

To create a simple two-toned frame, I used a Spellbinders Labels Twenty-Five die template to cut, emboss, and mask my sentiment, while I airbrushed some Copic BG75 onto the center of the frame.

For the inside I used a sentiment from PTI's Happiest of Holidays. I also used some of the paper scraps from my card front to add a little  more interest inside. Patterned papers are from Carta Bella's new Winter Fun 6" x 6" paper pad.

To mat the focal image I used a Spellbinders Floral Ovals die template. A bit of sanding and stitching, a couple of silver bells, and some 4" tulle finished it. (While the tulle bows look a little big, they are not hard to mail since they compact nicely.) That's it for tonight--thank you for visiting!

Christmas Wishes to You

Welcome! Do you ever have those weeks when you just can't seem to get ahead? I had the best of intentions of getting several projects made today. . . Well, I got ONE card made--yes, just one. On the other hand, since I got home from Italy, my son's math, science, social studies, and language arts grades have risen from "the ship is listing--find the lifejackets!" to "it's a calm day on a sound ship."  It's amazing what some Mom-pushing encouragement can accomplish! ;-} He's adjusting to seventh grade expectations and quite a bit more writing than he has had in the past. We are still homeschooling, but we have switched to an online public school so that he has regular teachers and gets grades from a more objective source. Essay questions and graded discussions are now a big part of his educational experience, and I'm not sure which of us it has been tougher on. (Don't tell him I said that though. . .) On Thursday he is accompanying me to Sacramento for my Copic certification classes, taking his work along, of course. That is why I was asking for advice on must-see places in Sacramento. Thank you for the advice!

On today's card, I used two more of my new Papertrey Ink September release stamp sets, Bits & Buttons and Gingerbread Lane, along with one much older set for the strings and ornament tops, Holiday Button Bits. I paired the stamps with Carta Bella's new Merry and Bright 6" x 6" paper pad--loved the happy colors! Cardstock is Rustic White and Aqua Mist. Ink colors are Aqua Mist, Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush, and Simply Chartreuse. I also used some Versamagic and silver detail embossing powder for the ornament hangers. Ribbon is seam binding, and button is a PTI Aqua Mist Vintage Button. 

That's it for tonight--thanks for visiting!

Old-Fashioned Santa

Yes--I finally had a chance to pull out some of the stamps that arrived while I was gone! On tonight's card I used a couple of new Papertrey Ink September release sets: Santa Stationery for the focal image and Happiest of Holidays for the inside sentiment. 

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These are the Copic markers that I used to color Santa--a whole slew of them!

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Happiest of Holidays has some great sentiments--I know that I will pull this set out several more times this year.

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For papers I chose a new 6" x 6" Christmas Day paper pad from Carta Bella--it was perfect for a vintage image! I used three Spellbinders Paper Arts die template sets: Classic Ovals Large, Grand Ovals, and Grand Decorative Ovals One to frame my focal image, and then stitched around the card front for a finishing touch.

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That's it for today--thanks for visiting!

Amazing Paper Grace Kit Club

Good morning! I am headed to Kansas City today for a Copic Intermediate Certification on Saturday, but I have a special project to share with you today. I'm really happy to share a card using my sweet friend Becca Feeken's stamp set and coordinating dies for her newest venture, the Amazing Paper Grace Kit Club.

Becca is incredibly talented, and I am delighted to see her embarking on a new venture! You can find out more about her kit club HERE. 

Today I used both the Amazing Paper Grace Two by Two Postage die set (above) and the coordinating Signed, Sealed, Delivered stamp set (below).

The card that I made with Becca's stamps and dies is 5" x 7", if that helps you know how large the postage dies are. The foursome can easily be cut apart to use singly or in any other configuration.

For papers I used Carta Bella's Beautiful Moments 6" x 6" pad. The leaves are die cut with a Spellbinders Paper Arts Foliage die template from a white coffee filter and sprayed with Tattered Angels Olive Vine Glimmer Mist. At the top of the postage focal point, I used a Spellbinders Fancy Tags Two die cut. I suppose that the biggest questions is this: what would YOU do with Becca's kit? 

To see more pieces made with Becca's stamp and die set, check out these blogs. Thanks for visiting!

JustRite Inspiration

Sharon Harnist

Barb Schram

Marisa Job

Kathy Jones

Yesterday's Blog Posts:

Michele Kovack

Darsie Bruno

Eva Dobilas

Sheri Holt

Kazan Clark

Heidi Blankenship