MIM#43: Ribbon Pleating

  This week's MIM challenge at PTI involves ribbon pleating.  I have used this technique in the past, but it was nice having a tutorial done by Dawn McVey.  Here is my take on the challenge.

     I knew I wanted to use the Mat stack #3 die for this card as well as PTI's Holiday Flourishes & Swirls paper designed by Heather Nichols. I decided to use the sunflower die to create my faux pointsettia.  It is stamped in Versacolor Burgandy to coordinate with the striped paper. As I was laying out my design on the cardstock, the thought of cutting a 1/2 inch off the right side of the card popped into  my mind.  Here's a close-up of the pleated ribbon.

 I love how this card turned out.  thank you for looking.

Supplies: CS:  Ripe Avocado, Fine Linen
Stamps: Sunflower, Holiday Wishes
Die: Sunflower
Other: PTI Holiday Flourishes & Swirls PP, Scarlet Jewel Satin ribbon

A Cased Christmas Card.

 Today's card is an easy card to mass produce for Christmas that I saw on Passion For Papertrey (Dec. '09).  I like to mail my Christmas cards by the first of December.  Since I have about 15 more to make, I am going to finish up with this design. The best part about this card is that it won't need extra postage. :)
   

      I still have a couple of ideas for Christmas cards that I'd like to implement, so you'll still see more Christmas cards.  Then there are still tags which I haven't even begun to make.  Thanks for looking.

Supplies:  CS: PTI: Enchanted Evening, Aqua Mist, White
Stamps: PTI: Wreath for All Seasons, Hero Art: Dot Flourishes
Ink: PTI: Fresh Snow, Colorbox: Navy
Other: rhinestones

Snomen Melt My Heart!

 My cards today are a case of Dawn McVey's card from the October 2011 release. I just love that little snowman die.

      Because these cards are very time consuming, I'll only make two more; one for each of my grandaughters. They loved the turkey card so much, I thought for Christmas, I would make them each a snowman. But for now, these two will be mailed off to my cousin & niece who have small children.

                

      In my excitement to get some photos before the rain came, I forgot to stamp the sentiment "Christmas Wishes" from Christmas Labels on the bottom of the snowmen.

Supplies:
CS: Vintage Cream, Ocean tides, Aqua Mist
Ink: Versamark, Versamagic: Sea Breeze
Stamps: Shape up Snowman, Polka Dot Basics
Die: Snowman Die Collection, Tiny Tags
Other: PTI Twill ribbon in Ocean Tides & Aqua Mist; Making Memories Little Letters

November 2011 Blog Hop

    Can you believe it is the 25th of November already?  Christmas is just a month away. The 25th is always a special day because it is PTI's Blog Hop. You can read more about it here. Not surprisingly this month's photo inspiration has a Christmas theme.

The white garlanded banister is what caught my eye when I saw this picture for the first time. It became the inspiration for my card. It also was a challenge since I have no stamps of a banister or garland. The rest of the card is quite simple, but was made in a non-traditional manner.  Only having the christmas tree die & no stamp, I sponged the image of the tree. I added a wee bit of white around the perimeter using a photo pencil. Since I didn't want the tree to have the woodgrain texture, I used my bonefolder to emboss the woodgrain texture in the background.  This resulted in a slight impression. Once again I rub some white on the woodgrain impression.

     Thanks for looking.

Thanksgiving Favors

     If you've visited my blog before, these pumpkins should look very familiar to you as I used one on all the different designs for my Thanksgiving cards. (#'s1-3), #4, #5.



   I used my Wishblade to cut more ovals to make more pumpkins. Then I cut some scalloped circles and pasted minitature mint patties between the pumpkins & circles to create a little favor.



Right before I assembled the favors, I made a last minute decision to stamp the Happy Thanksgiving sentiment from Autumn Tags on the back of the scalloped circles. I gave each of my co-workers one today as it was the last day of school for the week. :) In addition, a pumpkin will be placed next to each plate on the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

     For those of you who saw the turkey card I made for my 3 year old granddaughter, she loved it. In fact when she received it she called me up and left a message on my answering machine: "Gobble, Gobble".

My daughter says she is fascinated with it and carries the card around all the time. They plan on adding some twine to make it into an ornament for the Christmas tree.

Thanks for stopping by.  Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

True Meaning of Christmas.

 Every Christmas, I like to make Christmas cards with a religious theme as many of my relatives have a deep faith.  I also like to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas and downplay the commercialism whenever possible.  Back In October, PTI released a Christmas set designed by Dawn McVey entitled, Star Of Wonder. I fell in love with it even before I saw the wonderful cards made by the design team. So many ideas flowed into my head.  I immediately knew I wanted to stamp the image in blue. Today's card is an example of one of my ideas.

      The pattern papers are from K & Co. Let it snow.  Here's a close up shot of the image from Star of Wonder.  The ribbon is 1/2 inch silk. Not having an enchanted evening button, I punched a snowflake from one of the pattern papers.

   The next card is a slight variation. I reversed the papers and used a double limitless layer doily  as a background for the stamped image.

  A close up shot of the double doily from Limitless labels.

     Thanks for looking. I appreciate all comments/feedback.

Santa Claus

     Today's card is different for many reasons.  First of all, the finished size of the card is 5.25 by 6.5.
The image on the stamp is quite large itself. (3.75 by 4.25).  I found this rubber stamp at a garage sale this summer and fell in love with it. The company's name was illegible so I have no idea of the manufacturer. Santa is stamped in Marvy red.



       Another thing different aboutthis card is, it is not really a card, but a postcard due to the size. The sentiment is stamped on the back.

   The burgandy cardstock is from my stash. The background is made using a rubber stamp by Magenta inked with Soft Sage. (Memories)  I am not use to making cards without embellishments.  Perhaps I'll submit it for this week's Cas-ual Fridays Challenge #29.

  My card sure does have a lot of matting. The sentiment is just placed differently since it is part of the image.

Thanks for looking.

Big Pine Bough

Just a quick post today. I used Hero Art's Big Pine Bough for today's card which I cased here. I am trying to use up my non-PTI cardstock and ribbon as I make my Christmas cards this year.

   I actually used my sewing machine to stitch the left side of the card.

  An up close view of the pine bough.  I used Frosted Lace Stickles and crystals for embellishments the ribbon is a green organza.

     Thanks for stopping by.

Gosh, Darn That Rain

  I made this card earlier in the week for the Cas-ual Friday #28 Challege: Create a tag or a card with a tag on it.  However, rain the past 2 days prevented me from taking a decent picture to submit it on time.  Oh well. At least I have another Christmas card made.  Actually, I made 5 cards using this design.

     My tag is PTI's Tag #5. It is stamped in Peeled Paint using a stamp from Holly Jolly.  The die cut holly leaves are done in Ripe Avocado.



   The sentiment from Wreath for All Seasons was heat embossed using white embossing powder.

Thanks for looking. Maybe I'll be able to submit a card for tomorrow's new challenge.

Supplies: CS: Pure Poppy, kraft, white, Ripe Avocado

Stamps: Holly Jolly, Wreath for All Season

Die: Holly Jolly, Tag #5

Ink: Peeled Paint, Colorbox White

Other: Rustic twine, Pure Poppy buttons, white embossing powder, scallop punch.

MIM #41 Tips for the Essential Glue Pad

 Today's card was inspired by Jennifer Ellefson's MIM video. I bought a glue pad about 5 years ago.  I think I only used it once. Needless to say I was delighted when I saw the topic of this week's MIM sponsered by Papertrey Ink.  I was even more delighted when I found my pad & glue to be functional. (not dried out)Lacking flock and Perfect Pearls, glitter was my only option as I have a variety of glitter.
  I liked Jenn's idea about stamping on vellum. I loved the stamp she used on Mat Stack 4, so I took a similar route. Immediately I  knew I would use the nativity image form Star of Wonder.

     One of my favorite types of glitter is Sparklets by Denami Designs. I chose the blue ice. The glue was stamped on some blue tinted vellum. The ribbon is Spring Rain Satin.

    

      BB: Twinkle was stamped in Versamark onto Spring Rain CS. The sentiment also from Star of Wonder was stamped in fresh snow on Encchanted Evening. 

  



     This close up show has less glare.

  

   When designing my card, I couldn't decide if I wanted to stamp the background in Versamark or use an IP. So I made a similar card using the Diamond IP. Another difference is the glue was stamped on regular vellum.and the Spring Rain mat is aligned differently.

         I definitely like the blue tinted vellum better than the regular one.  Still can't make up my mind about which background I prefer. I'm off to make about 4 more of these cards.

      Thanks for looking.

Gobble Gobble

       I thought I was all done making Thanksgiving cards.  I decided that since I needed to get busy with Chistmas, I would skip making a card for my grandaughter, Olivia.  To me Thanksgiving is more of a grown up holiday.  On Sunday when I was browsing through some magazines, I saw a cute turkey card.  I knew I could whip it up in a stitch. (Don't know what magazine it was in) As soon as I got home, I made it. He is just so darn cute.

    
       He is basically made from my scallop circles Nestabilities and the Christmas Label die.
   On the inside I have this sentiment that I generated with my computer.
              The turkey is a funny bird
            Its head goes bobble-bobble;
        And all he knows is just one word...
               GOBBLE-GOBBLE!

Thanks for looking.  Tomorrow it'll be back to Christmas!

A Snowman is Love and Laughter All Rolled Up into One.

     Back in October when Nicole posted her lovely creations using the snowman die & stamp set, I knew he had to come to live in my house. Immediately I knew I would make the felt snowman ornament to put on the gifts for my two grandchildren & grandneices & nephew.  I made sure to order a package of the Vintage Cream felt.

   One of my grandneices (age 5) loves (I mean really loves) pink.  Her room is a very bright pink. She is getting the snowman made from the Rasberry Fizz & Hibiscus Burst.  My 15 mo. old granddaughter is getting the Autumn Rose/Scarlet Jewel snowman.

 The Blueberry Sky/Chartreuse snowman is going to my grand nephew and the Ocean Tides/Melon Berry is for my other grand neice.  She loves yellow, but I didn't have yellow felt. My grand neices & nephew live in Phoenix, so they don't get snow.

     I still have one more to make.  My grand daughter Olivia loves purple. I need to get some Plum Pudding buttons before I can make one for her.
     These snowmen were relatively easy to make. With the cutting out of felt, stitching, stuffing & gluing, each one took less than an hour.

thanks for stopping by.

My First Mojo Monday Challenge

     Today's card is based upon  Mojo Monday 214 sketch challenge. This is the first time I am participating in a Mojo Monday Challenge.

 

 

     I used the canvas IP plate on the Pinefeather card stock. However, it did photgraph well.

 A close up shot of the Holly Jolly die & sentiment stamped on Fillable Frame # 1.

     Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure return tomorrow to see some cute snowmen using PTI's snowman die.

Variation of Card

  Today's card is a variation of this card.  I had created the original card  for a MIM challenge. However, I never completed it before the deadline.  I was never really happy with the outcome of the tree.  Instead of punched snowflakes, I embossed the tree with a Cuttlebug folder I had bought a few years ago and forgot I had. Then I used my brayer to apply Fresh Snow ink.

   Just about everything else on the card remained the same.

   However, this time, I propped the holly die cut with a double thickness of dimensionals so it would be level with the button. I think I will make about 4 more of these cards as part of my stash for sending to family & friends.

   Thanks for stopping by.

MIM #40 Reverse Applique

      I am in Christmas mode now that my Thanksgiving cards are finished. I even put up some of my outside Christmas lights since we had unseasonally warm temps today (70 degrees).
     Today's card features the technique shown in PTI's MIM video: Reverse Applique. I am not a fan of this technique, but established this blog mainly for the purpose of participating in PTI's MIM & Blog Hop. So I decided to play along anyway. The layout of this card is simple and was quick to make.  I practiced on a scrap of cardstock to decide if I wanted to use a faux stitch or a real one around the Christmas tree. Because of the zigzagging of the die, I went with a faux stitch. I used my paper piercer to punch holes around the perimeter of the tree and connected each hole with a white gel pen.

  The pattern Paper I used is beautiful.  It has a whitish blue tint to it with patches of deep blue. It is from K & M's Let It Snow line.  However, it does not photograph well. I paired it up with Enchanted Evening cs.

    A close-up  view of the bottom of the card.  The sentiment from Peaceful Garden is stamped in Fresh Snow. The satin ribbon is Spring Rain.

  I made this card last night.  The more I see it, the more I am starting to like it.  I still don't know if I will use this technique again.  Thanks for looking.  What do you think about this technique.

Supplies: CS: Enchanted Evening
Stamps: peaceful Garden
Die: Christmas Tree
Other: Spring Rain ribbon, rhinestones,Fresh Snow,K & CO. Let It Snow PP

What's wrong with this card?

I wanted to make a Christmas card using Wreath for All Seasons. Using Impression Plate Tricks from MIM #13, I  intended to use the Woodgrain impression plate together with the Mat Stack 1 die to resemble a front door. This is what I came up with.

     
     After I stamped the wreath, I was disappointed with the outcome.  I went ahead & completed my card. I showed it to my husband who told me it was beautiful. (He tells me that about all my cards. He likes to humor me.) I mentioned to him that I needed to go to Michaels to buy some green rhinestones for the berries on the wreath. As I was driving to Michaels, it dawned on me that berries aren't GREEN. I had stamped the wreath in the wrong color. Since I was only a few blocks from home, I turned around and went home to made this card.

    Although the impression from the mat stack was not as crisp, this card represented my original idea. I ended up coloring my rhinestones with green copic for the first card.
   I had ordered Pure Poppy ink last month and still hadn't used it.  In my eagerness to do so, I made that crazy wreath.  Oh well, I'll probably send it to one of my widowed uncles. Men don't notice things like that.
Here's a close up of the sentiment.

 Supplies:

 CS: white, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado

Stamps: Wreath for All Season

Dies: Mat Stack #1, Holly Jolly

Other: Woodgrain IP, rhinestones, dimensionals

 

Final Thanksgiving Card & AChallenge too!

Today I am posting my 6th & final Thanksgiving card.  The inspiration for the layout of the card came from
CAS-ual Fridays Challenge.

CFC27:  Create a Clean And Simple card with a panel or design element that goes Over the Edge of the card front.

 This is the first time I am playing along with a Cas-ual Friday Challenge.

Since all my Thanksgiving cards have the same pumpkin, I knew that I would include the pumpkin on this card too, but I did not want it going over the edge of the card.  So I started leafing through my dies to see what might work. Aha! Half & Half.  

     When the card was completed, something was lacking.  I put buttons on the end of the Half & Half die; nah, it didn't look right; Neither did bows made from twine. I cut out another piece using the Half & Half  die, stamped Happy Thanksgiving & decided to let it hang off the top edge of the card. Voila! My card looked completed.  A close up of the tab.

     Thanks for looking. Interested in the other 5 Thanksgiving cards, check it out here. Now I am ready for Christmas.

Thanksgiving #5

  A quick post today.  Here's the 5th card in my series of Thankgsgiving cards. Basically, a quick & simple card. The ovals on the pumpkins were made using my Wishblade. Love PTI's impression plates.

 An up close shot of the leafy border die & Diamonds impression plate.

     Another close up shot. The sentiment is from 2009 Autumn Tags.

     Thanks for looking.  Comments are appreciated.

Supplies: CS: Kraft, Orange Zest

Dies: Leafy Border, Half & Half

Stamps: 2009 Autumn Tags

Other: PTI Bitty Dot Paper, Buttons, Diamond IP