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You may or may not have known this (it was news to me :)) but June is Fruit and Veggie Month. In honor of this, this week's challenge over at Pile It On is "Eat your veggies!".
After reading the intro and seeing my project, you may be wondering, "Hmmmm, I don't see any veggies?" :)
That's the beauty of this challenge - even if you don't own any fruit or veggie stamps ('cause I didn't) you can use veggie colors. So it's a pretty broad challenge - head on over and play along.
This week's challenge sponsor is  Simon Says Stamp! One lucky winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to spend in their store!!!

On to my card...


This card qualifies for the following challenges;
ColourQ - color challenge
Just Us Girls - dry embossing
Incy Wincy Designs - button up
Ooh La La Creations - bright and cheerful
The Pink Elephant - orange
Stampin for the Weekend - a card to cheer someone up

The top layer of white card stock was cut with PTI flower dies then dry embossed with swiss dots. The layer underneath was stamped in orange zest, spring moss and sky blue (Color box). The two layers are separated by dimensionals to give some depth. Easy, peasy :)

Hope everyone is enjoying their memorial day weekend! I've been cleaning and organizing today. Unfortunately, I've got work-related things to get done this weekend - not as much fun as I'd like...

Thanks so much for stopping by!
TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated):
Stamps: Shapes By Design (Dots and sentiment)
Ink: Spring moss, orange zest, dark chocolate, sky blue (colorbox)
Paper: orange zest, white, kraft
Other: orange zest ribbon, spring rain and dark chocolate buttons, swiss dot embossing folder (CB), flower dies (PTI), oval nesties

Another PTI Bloghop - YAY!
The challenge this month was to use felt. I also made a template for the Just Us Girls Challenge this week.
Here is my project. The card is first up...I used true black PTI felt for the flower.

Next is the template. It's the All Boxed Up template by Lauren Meader (sold in the PTI store).

On the inside there's a note pad and a little pocket for whatever. I also put some of this awesome DP in a clear pen (Pentel) to match. Easy-peasy :)

Not the most overwhelming use of felt, but it's on there nonetheless :)
Hope you are enjoying the blog hop. I've got a few things to do before bed so I'll peruse the entries tomorrow - can't wait! So many inspiring projects I'm sure:)
Thanks so very much for stopping by!
TTFN,


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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps: Background Basics: Tin Types, Mini Scrapbook Series:Tabs, Everyday Button Bits (sentiment)
Ink: Spring moss, Hawaiian shores, memento tuxedo black
Paper: sei DP, Hawaiian shores, True black, spring moss, white
Other: Nesties, mini tab die,  Hawaiian shores ribbon, velcro (closure), Hawaiian shores button, true black felt, swiss dots CB embossing folder

Howdy friends :)
The Play Date Cafe Challenge this week is a gorgeous, soft color combo chosen by Mona. So purdy :)
Outside....

I had prepared a piece of lemon tart card stock for a challenge many moons ago, then didn't use it so this was the perfect opportunity to waste not, want not... I used the emboss resist technique to stamp the white flourish and text (Chai Ink PTI). The little primas were white until I hit them with an airbrushed dose of RV34.
This card fits for these other challenges too;

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Summer blossoms
Belli Challenge - Hole punches (filled with green brads I've had forevah :))

Inspired by a few trials and tribulations over the past couple 'a weeks, here's some food for thought...


Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends. Thanks so much for stopping by!


TTFN,

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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps:  Background Basics: Text Style, Blooming Button Bits (sentiment), Fancy Flourishes
Ink: Spring moss, chai (vintage duo), versamark
Paper:  lemon tart, white, sweet blush
Other: EK Success Embossed Brackets border punch, sweet blush ribbon, primas, copics and airbrush system, brads, sewing machine, white embossing powder

When I saw this week's ColourQ challenge, the Year of Flowers: Daffodils set (from Papertrey Ink) sprang to mind. I can't believe I hadn't inked up this set yet! I love this whole PTI line - the fonts, the images... so many possibilities. Plus, I get to color with my copics, which is a plus.
I've missed the deadlines on the last few ColourQ challenges, but I'm back on the ball this week :)

This card also fits for Pollycraft Monday Challenge - Summer blossoms.
I'm loving vellum right now - it's so much more versatile then I ever imagined. Although this card is pretty clean and simple, I'm embarrassed to admit how long it actually took me to make :) Lets say I had a few "technical" difficulties... All part of the creative process, right?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you enjoy!

TTFN,

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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps:  Year of Flowers: Daffodils
Ink:  Hawaiian Shores, Dark Chocolate
Paper: White, lemon tart, brazzil basics brown
Other: vellum, copics

...on this one! Talk about under the wire :)

Here's my card for the latest Just Us Girls Challenge.

Gotta run! Thanks so very much for stopping by!

TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated):
Stamps: Background basics - text style, Pond life (sentiment)
Ink: Enchanted evening, colorbox white, colorbox ruby
Paper: enchanted evening, white, pure poppy, kraft
Other: sizzix star die, sewing machine

Hello all!
It's challenge time over at Pile It On again and this week we have an inspiration photo for you to sink your teeth into. It's from the White House Museum.

This week, the sponsor is Paper Jewels. They have a great selection of stamps and accessories. One lucky participant will receive a $15 gift certificate for their store.

On to my card. The room in the photo has an elegant, romantic feel. It also made me think of travel. So I tried my hand at a vintage-y card with a travel theme.


The background paper is vintage forget-me-not DP (free from internet!) with a faux silk treatment applied. The Eiffel tower postcard was a picture I had lying around - not even sure from whence it came (sorry)! The sentiment is from everyday button bits (supposed to say sending smiles across the miles - I just inked up the "across the miles" portion). Anyway, this is my attempt at vintage - please be kind - LOL!!!! Wish I had some of that awesome colored seam binding I've seen so many people using lately. It would work so well with this inspiration photo. Must order some...

The challenges this card qualifies for are;
Pile it On - Photo inspiration
Cupcake Craft Challenges - buttons
Practical Scrappers - punches
ABC Challenge - unused stash (my Eiffel tower pic)
Crafty Creations - around the world
La La Land Crafts - anything goes
Penny's Challenge - recipe
Craft Ann's - anything goes
Simple Saturdays - scallops
Shelly's Images - anything goes

That's it folks! Be sure to play along with us at PIO!!! We love seeing all your wonderful creations :)
Thanks so much for stopping by!


TTFN,

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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps: Everyday button bits (sentiment) 
Ink: spring moss, vintage duo (Chamomille)
Paper: spring rain, white, vintage forget-me-not (from internet), tissue paper (for faux silk)
Other: Spring moss ribbon, spring rain buttons, damask CB embossing folder, EK Success border punch, nesties labels 4

Hi ya!
It's rainy here today, and cool. Blech... Perfect crafting weather though :)
The challenge over at Just Us Girls this week is to create a pocket card. I'm not sure how I hadn't made one before today - so much fun! The colors used are from the most recent Play Date Cafe challenge. Love those too - I'm on a roll with true black. This is my third out of my last four in which I've used that card stock. I've always been partial to earth tones, but since card making has entered my life, I've definitely branched out color-wise.

Here's the assembled piece... I'm loving Delightful Dahlia lately. I can't stop using it. By the way, all the materials mentioned will be from Papertrey Ink unless otherwise specified :)

The sentiment is also from Delightful Dahlia. See the new border punch? It's from EK Success (Bracket punch) and what you can't see from the picture is that it also embosses! Love it :)

The other detail hard to see in the pictures is the dry embossing on the tab of the insert and under the sentiment (Cuttlebug damask folder) which has been brush with silver pigment ink.


I masked out the center of the insert and went back to my Text Style background set, which was again stamped in sweet blush ink. I was on a masking kick! The large main dahlia was stamped on sweet blush card stock and embossed with silver embossing powder. I then took R20 (Copic marker) to give it a little dimension.


That's all folks! Thanks so much for stopping by!
TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps: Background Basics-Text Style, Delightful Dahlia
Ink: Sweet blush, Memento tuxedo black, versamark, Colorbox silver pigment ink
Paper: Sweet blush, white, true black
Other: Silver embossing powder, sewing machine, copic (R20), Paper Studio metallic embellishment, sweet blush ribbon, EK Success Bracket border punch, Cuttlebug damask embossing folder

I've got a few awesome gifts from some very thoughtful, very sweet friends - Tanny and Sue.
The very wonderful, talented Tanny sent me this first one and, in following her lead, I thought I would list a few things that make me happy... this is a great exercise for perspective when one has had a bad day :)

10. Chocolate - always can cheer me up... at least until the sugar rush wears off...
9. The smell of the morning air - especially this time of year. AHHHHH!!! A fresh new day.
8. Water - yep, water. Being near it, hearing it, swimming in it... it makes me happy. Perhaps I was meant to be a dolphin or a fish...
7. Hugs - I do like my personal space but there's something super comforting about a hug. There's my "hubby hug" - I love how I can just fold up into his hugs and it's all encompassing and loving. Makes all the bad things go away. Then there's those hugs from parents, family and friends that really HUG you and make you feel they're so glad to see you and that you are loved.  I'm really not all that sentimental or touchy feely, I just love hugs... from people I know of course.
6. Frogs croaking, pretty purple lilacs, birds chirping, morning mist, a gorgeous sunset... all natural wonders. When I take the time to look, listen, and smell, it's always amazing and humbling. Realizing the wonder that surrounds me each and every day. It helps me slow down and regain focus when it seems the business of life is taking over. Life in general is pretty amazing when you stop to think about it, isn't it? Sorry, my Disney moment is over now...
5. Chocolate - oh, yeah. It made the list twice. It's that good and it makes me HAPPEEE!
4. Speaking of food, food makes me happy. There's nothing better than great food - sushi, thai, indian, etc - YUM-MY!
3. Paper crafting really makes me happy - this would make my husband's "unhappy" list, for the very real effect it has on his wallet :) Kidding - he really does love to see my creations. All the friends I've made through card making - wow. What a great community of people! All of the support makes me happy!
2. My sweet, furry family - 2 dogs and 2 cats. Can anything make you feel better than coming home to pets that are bursting with excitement to see you? I think not... they give me constant joy. Except when a hairball has found it's way onto my sofa...
1. My sweet, loving, supportive husband, family and friends make me happy, and thankful, each and every day!

This next gift is from the super sweet and talented Sue Lelli. You totally filled my day with sunshine!


Thanks so much my wonderful friends! I really appreciate your kindness and support! If you get a chance, please check out their blogs - really inspiring work from some very wonderful folks :)
Thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN,

Happy Mom's Day to all you mothers in blogland! I hope you had a wonderful day :)

I don't have a Mother's Day card to share tonight but a Thank you card for this week's ColourQ challenge.

 The stamp set is from Annabelle Stamps (Flowers with Love) - they are so super cute! They have weekly challenges too - some really great sketches. The card layout is pretty straightforward - the flowers were colored with copics, cut out and popped up on dimensionals.
So that's about it. For those that are interested, the Just Us Girls Challenge blog is still holding their DT call - they're a wonderful groups of ladies!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

FUN FACT: In the vast majority of the world's languages, the word for "mother" begins with the letter M.

TTFN,


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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps:  Flowers with Love (Annabelle Stamps), Background basics: Tin Types
Ink: Spring moss, enchanted evening, sunflower (colorbox pigment ink), tuxedo black (memento)
Paper: Spring moss, white
Other: Nesties, copics (B91, B93, B97, Y21, Y26, YR24, BG11, BG13, BG43)

What can I say... I'm restless :) I grew tired of my old blog template so began browsing for a new one. I found a couple of wonderful freebies (check out leelou blogs - awesome templates and backgrounds for blogger). I did come across Premades for a Purpose - Lena is selling blog templates (for a pretty nominal fee - $5 to $10 and she even will customize some for you if desired) to raise money to adopt a child. How I could I resist? Plus the templates are super cute! So, if you are in need of a blog makeover and want to see a few gorgeous, unique templates - check out her blog. That's where I got my newest "look" - I really like it as it's a bit more custom, and therefore, a bit more "me" :)
I've got a card and a template to share - this set is for the Just Us Girls Design Team Call!!! How exciting is that?!?!
So here's my project...

I chose Pick of the Petals from My Time Made Easy for my template. The packaging templates sold by MTME are great because come in several different formats, including those that can be cut with a machine, like my poor neglected Cricut. It was super easy to cut out and, despite how complex the box looks, it was pretty easy to put together. Niiiice!
I altered the sketch provided just a bit - I didn't add the three dots in the bottom right hand corner - just thought it might make it a bit too busy.
Here's a close up of the top of the box and the gift tag (nesties labels 4 and oval).

Next, a close up of the detail in the card. The pink card stock is not embossed -  it's actually diecuts of the same cardstock adhered to the base. I love how it looks (I first saw Betsy Veldman do this here). Doesn't it look cool?

I used black on this on again - yay me! I don't use black often at all (I've been on the same 12 pack of true black from PTI for over a year now :)).
I'm part way through another set using some more fun colors - I couldn't decide which to submit, so I'll probably enter that one too (I'll have to go back and revisit the rules before I do so though).
Thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps: Signature greetings
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, sweet blush 
Paper: True black, sweet blush, vintage cream, KaiserCraft patterned DP (Pretty in Pink - Chloe), Kraft
Other: Offray black ribbon, Nesties, sweet blush buttons, rustic twine, Pick of the Petals template (MTME)

Whew! This was a toughie for me - when I saw the most recent Colour Q challenge, I thought I'd be able to come up with something. But I STRUGGLED :) The colors are wonderful but for some reason, I had a hard time putting them together the way I had envisioned. I think it turned out ok in the end - still not quite what I was looking for - ah well.
This week's Just Us Girls Challenge is a sketch hosted by Maria - it is a fantastic sketch :)




I had seen someone on another blog (I totally forget who, darn it) stamp floral images in white on white then color them. It looked so cool. Mine isn't quite as impressive - I think if I'd used some bright pinks or maybe the burgundy... will have to try that next time.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated): 
Stamps: A Year of Flowers- Sweet Pea, Background Basics - Tin Types
Ink: Scarlet jewel, colorbox white pigment ink
Paper: Melon berry, Ripe avocado, white
Other: Copic melon berry trio plus G12, G40, G24, nesties, scarlet jewel ribbon, sage colored dew drops

Welcome friends!
It's time for another challenge at Pile It On! The challenge is to create a project using colors suited for boys. There have been a few changes over at PIO - there's a whole new fantastic look with cute little birds and trees and we've added a few new DT members as we sadly say good bye to a few others. The following ladies have decided to step down -Ann, Audrey, Dee, Jennifer, Jennifer B, Linda, Sam, Sammye Jo, and Tanja. Good luck in all your future endeavors gals! We'll miss ya and your talented creations :)

We welcome a few new super talented DT members - Patricia, Arianne, Neli, Deanne, Debbie, Helen, Nana, Yvonne, Anna, Melinda and Illy. So glad you can join us. Looking forward to working with you!

This week, the sponsor is In Style Stamps....

The challenges this card qualifies for are;

Hope you have a great weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN,
 
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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated):
Stamps: In Style Nathan, Birthday Basics (sentiment)
Ink: Enchanted evening
Paper: spring rain, enchanted evening, white
Other: curly clip (the paper studio), cuttlebug EF (argyle), copic markers, white gel pen