Papertrey Ink November 2014 Blog Hop!

Hello friends : )

Have you missed me? giggles!! I keep thinking the busi-ness will stop and I will have time to get back to making cards but... so far card making has been at the bottom of my "to do" list.  It does not mean I have not been playing with paper or SHOPPING! though!! LOL

I have been very busy creating special thank you gifts for my neckStyles™ customers.  Today we kick off our holiday special by offering our customers 25% off all of our scarves through Cyber Monday : ) It is always a fun and busy time preparing orders.  With each order we include a special thank you gift.  At the holidays we change it up a bit.  If you like you can see what we did last year HERE.  This year we are making beautiful tags using the Tinsel and Tags Make It Market Kit by Betsy Veldman for PTI.  I LOVE these tags so much!! I can't wait to share them.

I will post more about those later but that is not what this post is about.  Today I have made a card!! Just one snowy white card that reminds me of the scene out my window and the chubby little chickadees darting everywhere.

The Papertrey Blog Hop is well under way! You can read all about it HERE.  I hope that you'll "hop" over heeheehee and, if possible, play along.  Even if you can't find the time to enter a card I hope you'll visit the blogs of the very talented blog friends joining today's challenge.

Not sure when I'll be back again with another card but if I do not post before Thanksgiving I want to wish all my US friends the best holiday ever!

Patti

Supplies:

PTI white cs.
Large snowflakes from MIM Tinsel & Tags by PTI
Small snowflakes and sentiment from Phrase Play #6 stamp set by PTI
Die cut birds from Song Birds die collection by PTI
Snowy "hill" cut from Lil Inkers border die
Ribbon from my stash : )
I used So Saffron ink by SU

Wishing you a wonderful...

Hello friends : )  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Where does the time go? Here it is Sunday night and I'm just now getting my posting done. Yikes!! I feel a bit like I'm in fast forward because I should be making these birthday cards in shades of orange with turkeys on them but instead it is snow flakes! : )  I honestly don't mind when they turn out this pretty.  We had such an early snow fall this year I decided to forgo the turkeys and get right to the dazzle of winter.

My friend, Theresa is celebrating her birthday on Tuesday : ) she shares her birthday with our oldest daughter, Kelly.  I pulled out some stickers! to make these cards.  That's right stickers.

I cut an extra face for my card a little bit smaller than the card base.  I placed the stickers where I wanted them on the card face and stamped my sentiment.  Then I cut the paper 3/8" from one long edge.  Next I trimmed off a scant 1/8th inch piece from the other long edge and attached both pieces to the card base using foam tape.  Finally I placed a smaller sticker in the center of each large snowflake - across the opening.  Can you see the tiny silver specks? these are actually centers left behind after the large snowflake (in the first picture) was removed from the packaging.

Metallic papers are so hard to photograph huh?   I know the pictures are a bit overexposed but I wanted the stark white and as much of the silver shine to show.  Here are a couple close ups that I darkened a bit so you can see the detail in the snowflakes easier : )

I would like to enter my cards in the Virginia's View Challenge #9 All things Metallic.  Please visit Virginia's blog and have a look at the wonderful cards made by participants from all over the world! There is still a little time perhaps you might like to consider joining these talented paper crafters by entering a card of your own! : )

That's it for my post but before I go I will share a picture of the Tamale makers and me : )   I had hoped to do a photo journal of the tamale making process but alas! The best laid plans are in the minds of (wo)men : )  Still! I will report that the tamales were outstanding!! as was the Mexican Flan that accompanied dinner. 

me, Renae and Matthew : )

Our grandson's Mom was visiting from California and naturally Matt wanted her to make some of his old favorite recipes while she was here.  She did not disappoint him! : ) or us!!

(((Hugs)))
Patti

Supplies:
White cs by PTI
Stickers from my stash (sorry : ( no manufacturer's name to be found)
Sentiment from Birthday Classics: May Stamp Set by PTI

Gratitude Attitude!

I really love that catchy slogan : ) from Linda, owner of The Catered Crop Challenge Blog.

The challenge is to create a Thank You card : ) Easy right?! especially at this time of year when thankfulness is at the forefront of our minds.  I am thankful for many blessings in my life - it truly is all about having an attitude of gratitude no matter what your circumstances look like!

This darling cook comes from Stamping Bella and is called "Lulu's Two pies".  For my card design I took my lead from the folks at Mojo Monday challenge blog who have adopted a 3.5 x 5.5" card option once a month.  This narrow card allowed me to let the skirt and pie hang off the side and still fit in the envelope - love it!

I stamped Lulu directly on my white card face and colored her using Prismacolor pencils.  I stamped a skirt and apron as well as the two pies on a separtate piece of cs and colored them as well.  I then fussy cut the apron/skirt section and carefully glued it flat to the top of the image. Next I fussy cut out the pies (including her left hand, and popped the pies up for some fun dimension.  For the pie in her left hand I also secured the oven mit at her wrist and folded the pie a little down the middle which really gives a sweet 3D  look.

The picture doesn't show it off very well but you can kind of see the dimension.

This was a really fun card to create.  I enjoy fussy cutting and "dressing" my images but I have felt that the "new" CAS style would not lend itself to that sort of detail work.  I think I proved myself wrong with this card.  It's pretty CAS looking right? giggles maybe I'm fooling myself : )

The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Boutique Borders: Friends Stamp Set.

That is all for me today.  I am super excited because some special friends are coming over today to make authentic mexican tamalies! I have never had homemade tamalies - I can hardly wait!! I will try to remember to take some pictures and share them here on Saturday.

Have a wonderful day!!

Patti

We'll always be friends...

My card today is for a wonderful new challenge blog called Retro Rubber Challenge Blog brought to you by some fun and creative!! blogland friends.  Please consider joining this "far out" group!! : )

For this challenge we are asked to use our oldest stamp.  These groovy pair of jeans are definitely one of my oldest images.  It was included in a stamp set by The Angel Company.  The Angel Company introduced me to unmounted stamps and I never looked back! : ) sadly this company is no longer in business but I still enjoy many OLD stamps from my early paper crafting days.

I wanted to make a CAS card so I selected my favorite white cs from Papertrey Ink and stamped my image directly on the card face.  I added a hint of color to the jeans and also some ink splatters for a little added color.  Finally I added some flower brads that, in the paper craft hobby, are now a bit retro too! : )  The sentiment was a gift from a friend a few years ago that I have never used so therefore it qualifies as NBUS : ) Unfortunately I immediately transferred the image to my stamp storage when I got it and failed to note the manufacturer so I can't say where this sentiment is from.

Thank you, Jane and Katie for introducing this fun challenge blog.  I look forward to many more fun and inspiring challenges from you and your talented DT!

If you have some "never before used stuff" please check out blogland's talented and entertaining friend, Darnell, to learn more about NBUS : ) You'll be left giggling all day long!


(((Hugs)))
Patti

A Monkey In Boxer Shorts

What could be better? giggles

Hello friends! I pulled this sweet little monkey out of a huge folder of images that I have.  I used to be involved in a large on-line paper crafting group.  One of the neat things the group did was image swapping. Therefore, I do not own this stamp so I can't tell you the name of the image.  If any of you know the name or know who makes it I would love for you to share and I will edit my post to include the information - and then go buy it! LOL because I really do love a monkey in boxer shorts!!  but then again... who wouldn't!: )

The person who gave me this image stamped it off on a small 4.25 x 2.75" piece of paper which limits what you can do with it on a card.  I found this great sketch on CAS(e) This Sketch challenge blog and decided to fussy cut the little guy out.  Note to self: cut the tail out first so you have something to hold on to for that teeny little thing : )

Monkey lovers around here can really use a pick me up after the huge dump of snow we received yesterday! It was better than predicted but we still got over 15" of the white stuff.  These are the days I am blessed to work at home so I can enjoy the beauty from inside where I am safe and warm.

I hope you are safe and warm and getting inky in your part of the world today.  ((Hugs))

Patti

Supplies:
Papers by SU
Retired sentiment by The Angel Company
Large Polka dot EF by SU
colored with Prismacolor pencils shading using Gamsol

Make mine strong!

Good morning friends : )   Today I have a card that I made for a real coffee LOVER! in my life who celebrated her birthday this week.   She loves this color combo and she loves coffee and I love her so it is a perfect fit! : )

I CASED myself! with this card.  I had entered my original design (see it HERE) in a MIM challenge back in March of this year.  I was (happily) CASED by the gal who ended up winning the prize that week! (See Becky's card HERE)   Her card was SOooooo! much better than mine in every way so I CASED her back heehee and here you have it!

Here is a peek at the inside of the card.

It is not really dirty IRL - it is actually a soft pretty pink.  The shadows made it rough to photograph

All of these cards were made using Betsy Veldman's nifty DIY Cover Plate challenge.  You can see her tutorial HERE if you'd like to try this technique yourself.  I cut 10 coffee cups from my soft pink card face and attached it to my white card base.  I then stamped the coordinating coffee cup stamp inside each opening.  Next I dolled the coffee cup up with the little hand saver sleeve included in this, amazingly inexpensive $5, stamp set. : ). 

I really enjoyed this challenge and was not happy with my original card so I've been wanting to re-try it.  I'm so glad I did because I like this card much better. 

We woke up to the light covering of snow from yesterday's storm but luckily it should melt today! We are not quite ready for the snow to come and stay! : )

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Patti

Supplies
White cs PTI
Pink Pirouette cs by SU
SU ink used: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Pool Party and Pink Pirouette
Heart-2-Heart #1 Stamp set and coordinating die from PTI
Sentiment from the Movers & Shakers Sentiments stamp set by PTI 

Stacked Blessings!

I created this card for my friend Theresa who has overwhelmed me with her kindness, generosity and faithfulness!! : ) You're the best Oma!

I used the On The Farm stamp/die set from Papertrey Ink.

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful day.  We are actually watching snow fall! eeek  It is melting as soon as it hits the ground (whew) but we know it will not be long before all the green is burried under the white stuff.

Patti

I love November!

Hello friends : )

I just love November because with it comes a little reprieve in my super busy schedule. Pretty much all of my scarves are sewn and craft shows over.  We focus from here until Christmas on filling orders and making our customers happy! : )  It is the "funnest" time of the year in our scarf business.  We are so ready!!

I also love November because with it comes colder weather, soup, turkey and pumpkin bread : ) yummy treats that always make my home and belly feel cozy!! : )

I was blessed to get into my craft room quite a lot this past week.  I created this card for Laurie Wilson's "Partial Die Stamping" technique - this week's Make It Monday challenge. Check out Laurie's video tutorial HERE. 

Laurie is a super talented member of the Papertrey Ink Design team.  This technique is easy peasy and full of endless possibilities.  Please consider joining the MIM fun!! there is a prize!! : )

For this challenge I stamped itty bitty little flowers on my "Wonderful Words: Friends" die as well as my "Fillable Frames Die #4" both from Paper trey Ink.  The flower stamp I used is one that is included in the PTI "Happy Hexagons Stamp Set".  I had to snip off the letter s from my Friends die to fit the message I wanted to give my friend.  The "I miss You!" sentiment is from PTI's "Flower Fusion #6 Stamp Set"

I cut my flower from vellum and popped the top layer up using foam tape.  It is a little bit more "airy" looking IRL.  I was pleased with how it turned out.  I will use Laurie's technique often in the furture I'm sure : )

I hope you are enjoying a pleasant weekend.

See you again soon.

Patti

Supplies:

Solid cs by PTI
Patterned paper by SU - Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP
Flower stamp from SU's Mixed Bunch stamp and punch combo
All other supplies listed above