Satruday Showcase {Enjoy Your Day}

 Welcome to this week's Papertrey Ink Saturday Showcase! Today we are sharing some fun projects using the Bloomin' Cute stamp set. Teacher Appreciation Week is fast approaching and as a mom of school-aged children I can always use a head start. I've made 6 tags to go on these mini Martinelli juice bottles. My kids have their regular teachers, plus a lot of specialty teachers as well, so I like to have a lot of gifts on hand. These will be a sweet and refreshing gift to send to the teachers!

To begin today's project, I die cut six of the Wine Bottle Tag #2 dies. You could also use the Wine Bottle Tag die as well, depending on your needs. I cut these out of white cardstock. I don't own the Bloomin' Cute dies, so I needed to stamp all of the bright blooms onto white cardstock. I used my MISTI to do all of the stamping, which made it go so quickly!

Once I had all of the stamping done on the tags, I heat embossed the "your day" onto some pink and red paper using gold embossing powder. This particular banner piece is included in the wine bottle tag die set. It also has a thinner banner piece for some of your smaller sentiments.

I used foam squares to pop up the banner pieces to give it some extra dimension. I usually ALWAYS use die cuts, so making something one layer is really hard for me! LOL! 

I used some wide red and white striped ribbon for half of the bottles and some New Leaf Grosgrain ribbon for some extra detail. I'm happy with how these turned out and I hope the teachers are happy with their gift for one of the days during the week! I have lots of other things planned as well, so stay tuned for those! Thanks for fluttering by!

Wishing you a joyous Easter!

I can't believe Easter is almost here! I am feeling grateful that it is later than usual this year so I have extra time to work on fun projects! Today I'm over on the SugarPea Designs Blog sharing these quick and easy Easter box/ baskets. If you stop by regularly, you will know that these are a favorite of mine this time of year.

Bunnies and baskets just go hand in hand for Easter, so I thought it would be fun to use the beautiful Egg Cut-Away Window Die to create some fun focal points for today's projects. I think I mentioned during the release that this die reminds me of the eggs that you can peek into and see a springtime scene or Easter scene. I loved those so much growing up! I die cut the egg portion using green cardstock and adhered it to the front of the box using foam squares for dimension.

The bunnies are die cut twice and glued together using the bunny that is included in the Window die collection. I added a pom pom tail using a hot glue gun for security. I would hate Peter Cottontail to lose his cotton tail! LOL!

I used the Easter word die to die cut the word; once from white cardstock and once from a specialty gold paper. I glued them together using liquid glue and then carefully applied it to the egg shape using strategically placed liquid glue. The sentiment is from the Easter Wishes stamp set and is heat embossed in gold and then adhered to the box/basket using foam squares.

I added a trio of sparkling clear sequins to the inside of the egg. I also added a purple polka dot bow to the box using a glue gun. I don't use ribbon like I used to, but an Easter basket is just calling for some! These are the perfect size to fill with treats and lipgloss, etc. The box is 5 inches tall, 3 3/4 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches deep. These were so quick and easy to make! I hope you get a chance to make all of the Easter projects on your list! Thanks for fluttering by!

Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash Challenge {hip, hip, hooray}

I'm excited to say that I am completely finished will all of my graduation cards for this year's graduates! Today I'm sharing an unconventional graduation design for this month's Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash challenge! You can read all about the challenge HERE.  I don't own any Reverse Confetti "graduation" stamp sets, but I didn't let that stop me from making something fitting for the occasion! 

 It's always fun to make graduation cards using the school colors of the graduate, so that is how I started off today's design. I felt like it would say "graduation" just with the school colors being present. I die cut the Triangle Cover Panel and then layered it over the top of the blue pattern paper from the Warm Hearts 6 by 6 paper pad using foam squares. I love adding a lot of dimension to simple cards to make them pop. 

I haven't had a reason to use the new Hooray and Cheers Word Duos Confetti Cuts so I was happy to use the "hooray" one for Today's design. I die cut it 3 times and glued them together using liquid glue. I adhered it to the blue tag base that was die cut using the Grid Stitched Tag Confetti Cuts.  l love how it pops out against the blue cardstock. Once it was adhered to the tag, I added a layer of Nuvo Crystal Glaze over the top to make it shine. Since it is for a young man, I didn't want to add any unnecessary sparkle, but wanted to add a little bit here and there where it was fitting.

The three sentiment strips are heat embossed in silver and then added to the tag base using foam squares. Each of these sentiments is from the Word Up stamp set. I have used this particular set SO much since I got it! I just love all of the different sentiments that it has! It really made this card possible with each of these fun and perfect sentiments.

Once I had added all of the black, I decided to layer the entire panel onto a piece of black cardstock to give it a small border. I really like the definition it adds to the design. This portion is slightly larger than a standard A2 card, but the base that I layered it onto is just a standard size. I tied a bow of silver cord to give it some added detail. Stay tuned for the rest of my graduation designs, which will be posted shortly! Thanks for fluttering by!

Saturday Showcase {What would I do without you?}

Welcome to this week's Papertrey Ink Saturday Showcase! I've got a trio of cards to share with you today using the beautiful Better Together stamp set. I am so in love with this set and all of the fabulous sentiments that are included. I couldn't decided which of the many sentiments to  spotlight, so I just made 3 cards! LOL! I really like how it includes a "handmade" sentiment as well so that I can stamp the back of my cards or any other project that I may make with this set.

 To begin, I die cut the two large floral bouquets using the Better Together Die collection out of white cardstock and stamped the image in black. I turned on some music and got to work coloring the images using Copic markers. There is a fabulous fiber artist that I follow on Instagram @lolliandgrace and she always uses the most fabulous color combinations. This particula bouquet image reminded me of many of her pieces, so I used all of the colors as the inspiration for today's projects!

 Once all of the coloring was done, I set the colored pieces aside and got to work creating the base for each of the cards. The Green Parakeet card uses the Bold Borders: Polka Dots with a tone on tone layer. The Raspberry Fizz and Enchanted Evening cards use the Bold Borders: Arabesque dies. I just love the tone on tone look and the texture that these create. I have some tips and tricks for the Bold Borders die cuts in THIS post if you are interested.

I also layered an oval on each card using the Pierced Feature Frames: Oval to give the cards a little bit more detail.  Once the frames were added using foam squares, I added the bouquets in the center.

 I love how the colors just pop against the monochromatic background! If you want your card to be even more colorful, you could make each of the background layers a different color to really make it interesting.

I totally forgot to take a picture of the inside of each of the cards, but what I did, was stamp the sentiment that I used for the focal point of the green card onto the ovals that were left over from the frames and adhered them to the inside. I used a different sentiment on the inside of the green card, and just stamped it directly onto the card base.

The green card, as you can see, is slightly different than the other two. I really wanted this particular sentiment to be the focal point for at least one card. I used the middle portion of the oval frame to stamp the sentiment in black. I layered it onto the card using foam squares. I stamped and colored a few of the single images that are included in the set in the same marker colors. Once they were done, I used the die cuts (linked above) to cut them out. 

I had fun arranging the different flowers and leaves around the sentiment using foam squares. For the other two cards, I stamped the sentiments onto a white strip using black ink and added them to the cards using foam squares.

The finishing touch is a trio of sparkling clear sequins here and there. I also spritzed them with Shimmer Spray after I photographed them. I love how it looks in real life, but can be distracting in photos. I hope you've enjoyed today's post!  Thanks for fluttering by!

Papertrey Ink Throwback Thursday {Some Bunny Loves You}

 Welcome to this week's Papertrey Ink Throwback Thursday! This is always a fun post to put together because I get to use some of my favorite older sets! When I buy products, I buy things with longevity in mind and multiple uses! These darling Carrot Treat Boxes stole my heart when they were first released and they still are so much fun to use! I also used the So Sweet stamp set that was designed to be used in conjunction with the boxes.

 Easter is on its way and baskets are ready to be filled! The Carrot Treat Box paired with the So Sweet stamp set creates the perfect presentation to make any basket shine. They never lose their style or charm and I reach for them year after year! I mentioned on the PTI blog that I have used these year round, and I will share all of the different ways I have transformed these boxes. Let me start off by sharing the very first ones I made when they were first released. I had so much fun that first Easter making them for family and friends. You can read that post HERE. I also shared some cutting tips when using this particular die that you may find helpful.

For today's boxes, I chose 3 colors of cardstock that would coordinate with the Pretty Pastels pattern paper pad. This is one of my favorites and I have used it EVERY year since it was released...that is  A LOT of years! LOL! I stocked up with the amazing sale so I will be able to use it for many more years to come! Ha ha! I have an Aqua Mist box, Winter Wisteria, and Berry Sorbet. These boxes almost look good enough to eat on their own! I used one of the included dies in the set to die cut the pattern paper pieces and adhered them to all four sides of the boxes.

 The Bunny is stamped in black and then I stamped the cheeks, nose and eyes with the coordinating images. It is so fast and easy to put this little guy together. I used the So Sweet die to die cut him and then adhered him to a tag that comes with the Carrot Treat Box die collection. 

After I had made all of those carrots that first year, I decided to try making some strawberry boxes. I loved how those turned out and you can see them HERE.  Then, Distress Oxide Inks hit the market and they were ALL THE RAGE! I loved the different results that you could get with those inks so I tried making some watermelon boxes. You can see those HERE. And my last alternate way to use the boxes can be found HERE.

To finish these boxes off, I used the other tag that is included for the sentiment at the top of the carrot. I just love the cute fonts that the sentiments are printed in. I also love the mix of sentiments to really make this set work for so many reasons. They are tied up with Spring Moss Swiss Dot ribbon and then the tag is attached using some Button Twine. 

I hope you enjoyed this trip down Carrot Box memory lane! LOL! I really have had so much fun with them over the years and today's project actually inspired me to try yet another modification, so watch out! Ha ha! Thanks for fluttering by!

Inspired By....Rainy Day Party {I'm here for you rain or shine}

We've had a lot of rain lately, so this card is just perfect for the current conditions! LOL! My kids keep complaining each day as it rains! I just keep saying "April showers bring May flowers" which they don't like one bit! Ha ha! Today's card is for this week's Inspired By Challenge which is such a fun one!

When I saw the cute cloud plates, they reminded me of Reverse Confetti Clouds! I decided to pull out the perfect set for this challenge; the Sealiously stamp set! I also paired it with the Cue the Confetti 6 by 6 paper pad because the dots reminded me of the cute favors in the inspiration photo.

To begin this design, I die cut the Stitched Note Frame out of white cardstock. I used the largest frame to place over the polka dot paper using foam squares and I used the note portion as the anchor for the cute seal.

As I mentioned earlier, all of the images for the card are from the Sealiously stamp set and I stamped and then colored them using Copic markers. I used the coordinating Sealiously Confetti Cuts to die cut the images.

The sentiment is heat embossed in white onto black cardstock and placed across the card using foam squares. Once I had all of the pieces in position, I spritzed the clouds with some blue ink using my color spritzing tool. I also added a few Nuvo drops to the clouds for some added rainy day detail. The seal and the umbrella got a quick coating of Nuvo Crystal Glaze for some shine and detail. I hope you get a chance to join us this week! Thanks for fluttering by!

Pinkfresh Studio April Essentials Release Blog Hop

Hello and welcome! I am so thrilled and honored to be participating in the Pinkfresh Studio April Essentials Release Blog Hop! I've got some fun projects to share with you today using many of the new essentials that you are sure to fall in love with! These new essentials that I have used today are staples that I personally have already fallen in love with and will be used often as I reach for them again and again! This post contains a lot of information and photos, as well as links to the rest of the AMAZING designers that are participating in the hop so sit back and enjoy!

Pinkfresh Studio Blog
Alix Davis
Caly Person
Cathy Zielske
Emily Midgett
Enza Gudor
Erum Tasneem
Heather Hoffman
Ivana Camdzic
Kelly Griglione
Laura Bassen
Lea Lawson
Natasha Valkovskaya
Rebecca Luminarias
Svitlana Shayevich
Yoonsun Hur
Zsoka Marko

Also, Pinkfresh Studio will be giving away the FULL April Essentials release on the Pinkfresh Blog and Instagram! Wahoo! I will also be giving away a $25 dollar gift card to the Pinkfresh Studio shop to one lucky winner who leaves a comment here on my blog!

The winners will be posted on Sunday April 14th on the Pinkfresh Studio giveaway page! You MUST check that page and claim your prize within two weeks!

Also, there will be a really cute gift with purchase! It is this darling house die that is so versatile for so many designs. This will load directly in your cart, easy peasy!

We will also be offering free/discounted shipping from April 8-11th on orders $50+. You must use the code APRESSFREESHIP50. Shipping is free in the USA, and $5.50 off for our International friends.

I gasped when I saw the gorgeous new Classic Edgers die cuts and couldn't wait to put them to use! It was hard to decide which one I like best, so I decided to just go ahead and use 4 out of the 5! LOL! I actually used a few of the other new essentials as well, one of which is the beautiful new Braided Ovals die set. These, paired with the edgers, set the stage to create a classic and clean set of note cards. I also used the Oval Foliage stamp set which complements these new essentials so perfectly.

To begin these notecards, I die cut four pastel colored pieces of cardstock using the new Stitched Rectangles to give that polished and professional edge that I am always looking for in my designs. I especially like using dies like this for CAS designs, because it adds just the right amount of detail without a lot of effort!

I die cut the white rectangle piece using the Stitched Rectangles die set as well. It comes with both clean cuts and detailed cuts, which I love. I was able to add the detail from the Classic Edgers to one side of each of these rectangles, choosing a different design for each one. I have quite a collection of edger type dies, but none of them have the sweet details like these! I will be using these quite a bit, I can tell! 

The Braided Ovals were also die cut from white and they set the stage perfectly for the gorgeous foliage and sentiments from the Oval Foliage stamp set. I am so happy with how these cards turned out!

 My second set of projects uses the new Classic Words dies that I will also be reaching for again and again. I don't own any word dies that also include the "shadow" portion, so I am so excited to have these! 

To begin today's designs, I used some Distress Oxide ink to create two blended panels that I die cut using the new Stitched Rectangles as well as the previously released Oval Foliage Die set. I have seen some of the Pinkfresh designers use this die set recently and I have fallen in  love! I am so thrilled to have this; I just love the detail it adds to my designs! This set the stage for the white "hello" and the vellum shadow. I used the bright and fun fruit from the Fruitastic stamp set to complement the words.

For this project, I used the Braided Ovals dies to create coordinating tags to go with my cards. The sentiments from the Fruitastic set are so unique and unlike any I have seen on the market previously! I love when a stamp set fills a void that I have in my collection, which sometimes seems impossible based on the magnitude! LOL!

These braided ovals nest nicely inside the foliage on the card, which is another design idea I can't wait to try, so stay tuned for that! 

My final project uses the Braided Oval again, but this time I used the larger of the two to showcase this amazing unicorn. This is the first Pinkfresh Studio stamp set that I owned and it is so much fun! It is called Magical Unicorn and I just love it! I normally just make the unicorn on a rectangle piece, but stamping it on the oval really gave the unicorn some shape and extra dimension. 

This card is very straightforward, but I had so much fun making it and adding in all of the flowers and sparkles. The horn is heat embossed in gold, which I just love! I had so much fun working on all of these projects for the release! Don't forget to leave a comment to be eligible for the 25 dollar gift card! Thanks for fluttering by!