PTI Day 6 challenge... card sketches

I used the triple block sketch on Nichole's blog for my entry into today's challenge.  I needed to make a card for my nephew to send with some Cars movie metal cars that my sons no longer play with and are great to hand down to our sweet Andrew.    Andrew will be two this April so these cars will be great to give him right now.

Here is my card.  I had very little time to play along today, but this little beauty I whipped up in just 10 min. flat.  Thanks to my dies and the simple layout.  Perfect.

PTI Day 5 Challenge

Today we were supposed to find an inspiration piece on Pinterest for gift packaging or tags.  Well, I found lots of ideas and color ideas, but I didn't use them for this project really.  I had a gift of cards to wrap up for my sister in law, so I needed to create a tag that hinted of what was inside.  So that was my inspiration piece.  I am using a waxed paper bag from Michelle Wooderson's little shop.  I knew those would come in handy sometime.  Inside I have some cards I made using the On The Farm set from PTI.  My sister in law and her husband have several chickens and call their house the Peacock Farm and Inn. So I had to get this set just to make little goodies for them.  The tag reflects their little family of three.  I am trying to send out little RAK's to friends and family all year and this is my first installment.  I love to give gifts.

I have had a very busy day making Valentine's Day treats in my kitchen for our homeschool co-op Valentine party on Tuesday, and I did not think I would get this project done in time to post  (hence the very dark photos since it was at night).  Tomorrow I hope to bust out the egg whites I have had aging in the refrigerator and make a couple of batches of French macarons (lemon filled and hazelnut with chocolate ganache).  Yumm!!  I just took a class a couple of weeks ago on how to make them, and I want to try the technique we learned before I forget.  Valentine's day sweets seemed like a good excuse.  Enjoy the PTI festivities.  I am looking forward to Day 1 of the projects for new products.  Yea.

Happy New Year and a New Cause

Happy New Year to everyone!!  2013 will no doubt be full of wonderful things as well as hard things, as that is the way of life.  We are looking forward with great anticipation  for the things God has in store for us to grow us and mature us and to make Himself known through each of us individually and as a family.  It will definitely not be a boring year!

With a new year comes a bit of a new endeavor.  I am always very nervous about starting something new, and I tend to jump in with both feet sometimes without always doing all my homework.  But I think this is something that will totally be in God's hands and if He wants us to be successful, then it will take off.   "What is it?" you ask.  Well, as many of you who have come to my blog know, I have a few passions and talents in the creative and food areas.  I want to use those things to be a blessing to others. As some of you may know as well, we just had a very unexpected diagnosis in our youngest son this November, when John was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Although the brain tumor was mostly removed and the pathology came back benign, we will be going through some form of treatment to eradicate the part of the tumor that is left.
As a result of meeting with our oncology and radiology doctors, we have crossed paths and become more aware of the issue of children's cancer and pediatric cancer treatments.  It is a very heart breaking thing to see so many children, most of whom are very young, having to go through such illnesses, and the effects of the treatments used to try to cure them are so hard on their little bodies.  We as a family would like to do something to help them and future children who may be diagnosed with brain and other cancers.  That is why as of January 2013 we are going to try to raise funds to go towards finding out a way to treat childhood cancers with better and less harsh treatments and to find a cure for these conditions.  Funding for most research in this area does not come from government grants, but is mostly funded privately.

How are we going to raise funds? What is our goal for this year?
1.  I will be selling handmade cards and gift packaging in my etsy.com store.  Most of the net profits of those cards and items will go towards our goal.

2.  I am also a consultant for two direct sales companies, and I will be donating all my profits from the sale of these items to this cause.   The first company is Jordan Essentials which is an all natural skin care company that sells body care, hair care, mineral make up and face care products.  I love love love all their products.  I highly recommend their basic body care set for everyone, especially during the cold winter months when our skin is so dry.  It would make a great Valentine's gift, Mother's Day gift, wedding or baby shower gift.
The second company is Dove Chocolate Discoveries, which is a high end exclusive line of ready to eat chocolates, chocolate based beverage mixes, chocolate baking mixes, chocolate flavored savory rubs and sauces, and baking/candy making chocolate.  I am very much a chocolate lover, and I love their products.  We have some fabulous items that would be perfect for Valentine's Day.

3.  Our goal for this year is modest in amount, but will require us to work hard to make the cards and items needed to meet that goal.  Our goal is to donate at least $400 to the Children's Hospital of Alabama oncology department.  All the money will go into cancer research.
It may seem like a very small goal, but it will take selling at least 200 single cards to reach that amount.  As a busy homeschool mom and homemaker, that will not be an easy thing to accomplish.  My oldest son is very artistic and has said that he will help me make cards if I cut out materials.  I am trying to get my children involved so that they have something big to work towards and will learn how to work towards a goal, pray about it, and see God provide.  I am also trying to teach them how to give and help others, to work for something bigger than their wants.
My youngest son loves to help me in the kitchen and manage things, so I will be getting his help in some endeavors that may show up in the store in the near future along the lines of baking mixes.
My husband is an IT guy so I hope that he can help me post items and run the techie side of this, but mostly he will help keep me grounded, cheer us on and pray with us for God to provide for us to give towards this cause.

I am starting out small.  Right now I need to get things up in my etsy.com store to sell.  Be looking for that in the next week or so.  I will be mainly focusing on birthday cards, Valentine's/Love/Anniversary, friendship/encouragement, thank you, get well/feel better cards, and things like that.  I want to make cards to encourage my boys to be the young men God wants them to be and work hard at what He is calling them to do right now, so you will see cards like that too.

I hope and pray that you will join me in this endeavor.  Check out my stores, they are all linked above if you click on the names.  Check into them monthly and see what new things we have up and the specials that are going on.  I hope that you will take the time in 2013 to send a card to a friend or loved one to say that you are thinking of them and wishing them well.  I can't tell you how excited most people get when they see a non-junk mail or bill envelope in their mailbox.  It is a treat that is so rare and we have lost the art of doing.  Make someone's day and give a gift of your time and attention.  Life is so short and we are never guaranteed a tomorrow.  Make sure you are spending your time building the relationships that will last and have eternal impact.

PTI Anniversary Day 4 Year of Flowers...

Here is another entry for the contest today.  I am having fun breaking out some sorely underused stamp sets.  I have been very inspired by some of the other entries as well, and I have pinned a few ideas onto Pinterest for later use.  Here is a technique that Nichole Heady used when this carnations set came out.  I have also seen Maile Belles use it recently.  It is taking the back side of your stamp to essentially color in the line images.  Of course if your image is asymmetrical, it doesn't always cover as closely as you like, but it gives it a cool look.  I was inspired by Valentine's Day colors on this card.  Sort of soft and pretty.

I think I might get one more card done tonight to enter while I wait for the creme brûlée that I am making for a dinner party for my mom to get done.  Happy Crafting to all of you who stop by my blog.

Day 4 Year of Flowers Anniversary contest

Here is another pretty little number that I made late this past Summer.  I sure wish I was better at that watercoloring.  I made several different ones of these in the different flowers, but this one and the marigolds turned out best.  Lisa Johnson made such a beautiful set, so I tried my own hand at them.

PTI anniversary Day 4 contest.. part 2

This oversized card is from Nichole Heady's idea file.  She made such a super pretty card when this stamp set came out.  I love the carnations.  I can't wait to bust them out later and make another card for this contest.  I like the layers of stamping in the background and the soft center of the large flower.  I have had these in my card stash since the stamps were released and I purchased them, but didn't know how to send them since the elements spill off the card base.  I think my larger envelopes will hold it.  Or I will just have to hand deliver it.

PTI Anniversary Day 4 contest… Year of Flowers

I have a few cards to post for this contest only because I have a few cards in my stash which I have made with the Year of Flowers stamps.  A few use the large images and one uses the mini images.   Some I CAS'd from Nichole's and Lisa Johnson's ideas, and one of which I made using a layout from Kloset Kreations' blog.  She makes cards like this a lot.  I love the clean and simple lines.

So up first is the card I actually made today using that layout from Kloset Kreations.  Thank you, Deanna, for your inspiration.  I wanted a very bright and cheery card using the YoF Daffodil stamp.  It screams bright and cheery days of Spring, so it needs some yellow and spring greens.  I am not a Copic or other medium coloring person, so it is so nice that these images really look great embossed in white.

PTI Anniversary Contest Day 1... Betsy Veldman and Nichole Heady inspiration

This card is inspired by two of the design team members.  First of all Betsy Veldman took the crafting world by storm with her chalkboard technique.  That is what my black button card element is supposed to be.  Secondly, Nichole Heady never includes herself as part of the design team, but the rest of my card is inspired by her.  She has such a beautiful clean style that truly brings out the possibilities in the PTI products.  There are so many times when I wouldn't be interested in a stamp set, but then Nichole does something with it in her projects that makes me have to put it on my wish list.


I always have such a hard time knowing what to do with the button cards when I make them.  Any tips and tricks out there?  I look for card sketches but I have such a hard time not being overly literal with those sketches.

PTI Anniversary Day 1 Challenge…Thanks, Dawn

I just love Dawn McVey, who is one of Papertrey Ink's awesome design team members.  I can't count how many of Dawn's projects I have pinned to my Pinterest Boards.  She has such a bright cheery design style, and her personality is just as bright.  I have personally emailed and sent cards to Dawn because through her blog and sharing of her life, she kind of feels like a sister to me.  I always look forward to release months where she has products she designed coming out because I get a full weeks worth of inspiration from her.  It's like a morning coffee break to read her blog.   So here is my card based on one of her favorite picks from this past year, actually this past release in January.  I love the bright yellow background and cheery accent.  I chose to go with a butterfly focal point.  Dawn used to do amazing cards with butterflies as her focal points.  Can't wait to see what you have in store for us this year, Dawn.

PTI Anniversary Day 1 Challenges…Jess Witty Design Inspiration

Jessica Witty is one of the awesome design team members at Papertrey Ink.  She has a fresh clean style and a way of using PTI stamp images in completely unique ways.  I especially like it when she incorporates her love of food into her projects.  We share a common interest in that.  I am using one of her favorite projects from last year as my inspiration for this card.  I changed up the bright focal point but the rest is pretty much a direct copy.  Thanks, Jessica, for being such a wonderfully talented design team member.  I am looking forward to seeing what you cook up this year. ;)

PTI Anniversary Day 2 Challenges... last one

This didn't turn out quite like I hoped.  I used an old card layout and design that Dawn McVey did back when she was doing her Color Couture collections.  My kraft Mat Stack 1 stamping was too much, so you don't get the good color contrast.  Plus my lighting tonight is pretty bad so the photo doesn't look so hot.  But alas, here is my last card.  I love all the cards everyone has made and entered into this contest. So creative.  Now onto Day 1 challenge projects.  I really want a good chance at winning the $300 wish list.  :)  One can dream a little.

PTI Anniversary Contest Day 2

This is a separate entry so I can enter this card into the contest.  It is using Heather Nichols' digital design for the Anniversary celebration.  Love this little design, but really had no time to try to figure out something unique to do with it.  I sort of CASed Ashley Cannon Newell's idea.  I did switch up the kraft back panel and made it into a triple striped panel and the button details are different.  Wish I had more time to play with this card.

Papertrey Ink Anniversary contest....using stamp designers digital images

Here is my entry for Day 2 of the PTI Anniversary event.  I used Melissa Bickford's image on a simple square card inspired by her samples.  I hope to fill the card with a tea bag or two in a little glassine bag.  I am sure a friend will need a little pick me up soon.

The second card uses Heather Nichols design.  I sort of copied the elements in Ashley C. Newell's sample, but gave it a little twist.  I have a hard time coming up with my own ideas, too time consuming to figure out how to fit images with sketches and the like.  I find CASing much easier.   I don't get much time to stamp anyway.  Just wanted to enter the contest.