Graduation confetti card

Okay, one last entry into this week's contest.  Here is a graduation card all decked out with celebratory confetti.  The seed packet die pocket is a money holder.  This card is all sparkly and festive.  Kind of a fun graduation card for a big accomplishment.  The scary thought is that I will need one of these types of cards for my own son in just 5 short years.  Where did my little boy go?

Supplies:
stamps: tag its #4, congrats all ways, turning a new leaf
inks and papers: versamark, harvest gold, summer sunrise, orange zest, white, kraft, chocolate chip
accessories: star border die, eyelet circle die, sequins, chunky glitter, limitless layers circles dies (large and small), seed packet die, turning a new leaf die, double ended banner die, scallop border die.

Card is a CAS of one Dawn McVey did awhile ago that I have stashed in my Pinterest archives.  I changed up a few things with the confetti and sequins.

Confetti seed packet card and envelope

Here is my second entry into MIM#155 challenge for this week.  I searched through my card sketches from the February 2014 release and found a sketch that would accommodate a seed packet die that I could fill with confetti pieces.  It was inspired by one of Dawn's card from the last release.  Anyway, I used a color scheme from a palette that Nicole gave us last year or the year before.  Again, I am trying to be original and come up with my own creations using sketches and color schemes I have collected.  This card turned out okay.  The colors looked washed out in my photo.  Also, too much green confetti tried to take center stage in my seed packet, and I didn't want that.  You can tuck a gift card or folded up money into the seed packet for a gift.  The left over confetti will go in the envelope for a fun, festive, and messy surprise when opening the envelope.

Supplies:
stamps: four square, ruby rose additions (free set)
paper and inks: sweet blush, hibiscus burst, raspberry fizz, new leaf, and summer sunrise
accessories: circle cover plate die, seed packet die, paper clip, twine, sequins

MIM #155, Create your own confetti with dies

Here is my first entry into this week's Make It Monday challenge. This week it is Danielle's turn to challenge us to use our PTI dies to make confetti and put it on a card or in a gift wrap.  I loved her clear box and gift card enclosure,  so I took that as my inspiration, however, it morphed into something I had not really planned.  My nephew has a 3rd birthday coming up.  At Christmas, I was told he loves rockets, so I wanted to use colors and stamps to go along with some ultra cool rocket stuff we got him for his birthday.  Living a hour away from Huntsville, AL and the US Space and Rocket Center, where my own son loves to frequent, means I have lots of access to cool space and rocket toys.  Since I am a sucker for giving gifts,  I tend to go a little overboard and can't choose just one gift.  Not sure what I will put in this little clear box, maybe some candy, but I love how this turned out.

Supplies used:
Paper: enchanted evening, royal velvet, hawaiian shores, limeade ice, and plum pudding, clear card stock
Ink: stazon white
Accessories: tag sale die, cover plate circles die, stars border dies, silver star sequins, We R Memory Keepers box punch board, twine

Make It Monday: following the rules

Here is my last entry for the MIM Papertrey Ink challenge this week.  I followed the rules to a T this time, with only one layer over the card base like Erin did.  I used lots of textured stamps including a very very very old Stampin' UP! Sale-A-Bration set that had a textured block and watercolored like flowers, so right off the bat I have two forms of texture.  I stamped the block in limeade ice and the flower in Hibiscus burst and simply chartreuse.  Then I used text style background basics in fine linen ink for just a bit more subtle texture behind everything.  I am so excited how this turned out.  I used a Think Big Favorites set for the sentiment (it was one of the early ones) in Baked Brown Sugar (SU!).  I used Rustic White card stock for my card base and the layer.

A few things I had thought to do to add more texture was to stamp the flower image again in versa mark ink over the colored images and emboss with clear embossing powder, but I sort of forgot as I finished stamping.  The other texture element I thought of adding was with the rustic burlap impression plate, but again, in my haste I forgot.  Honestly, I think the heat embossing could have been nice to add some real raised texture, but I think the impression plate texture might have been just a tad over the top and been too busy.  All in all I am happy with the card even without those two elements.

And I also used a sketch featured in this month's PTI newsletter, where they went back to old design team cards and made a sketch handout for us.  Fun.  It was the sketch with the rectangle panels on it.  If I can figure out a way to put the sketch in this post, I will.

MIM adding texture to flat cards

Edited:  What a wonderful surprise to wake up to on Monday morning; I won the MIM challenge I made this last batch of cards for.  This card was the randomly selected number for the week.  Wow!  I can't believe it!  Thanks to everyone at PTI for their fabulous challenges and creativity.   Can't wait to try out this week's new challenge using handmade confetti from dies.  Cool!  I think there are some graduation cards that I can use this technique for.

Here is my next entry into this week's Make It Monday challenge.  I stretched the rules just a bit, but I think it still counts as it is very flat, mailable, and yet includes lots of the textural tips that Erin shared in the credits of her tutorial video:  inlaid die cuts, using embossing plates, and stamping.
I also used some flat sequins for some added texture and bling with no bulk.  So this isn't really a one layer card, but it packs a lot of textural punch and won't need to be handled with care in the mail.

I used Scattered Showers 2 rain drop background with Illuminate Versamark ink,  the polka dot basics  embossing plate (some clouds the embossing is raised, some it is depressed), clouds dies, We Go Together stamps, and spring rain printed paper in bitty dots and gingham.

MIM and Card Concept challenges

Here is my entry into this week's MIM challenge to use stamps to create texture on a mostly one layer card.  And the Card Concept blog's color challenge, in which I still classify my style as clean and slightly layered here.


I am keeping this short and sweet.  Used the following PTI stamps and products: text style basics, sailor stamp set, big birthday wishes, fancy flourishes, limeade ice, chartreuse, espresso, white inks and papers, by the numbers strip die, and my paper scoring board for added texture. I also roughed up the edges of the espresso strip of paper to add texture.  The layered stamping of text, flourishes and compass in different shades also add depth and texture.  I wanted to emboss the flourishes but I was rushed and did not have time to let the white craft ink dry before doing the flourishes in versamark ink.  The scoring board was used at the bottom of the limeade ice layer for textured stripes. The die cut numbers are not popped up so the card is very flat and mailable.  I think this counts for the MIM challenge.

I got the inspiration for this card from Betsy Veldman.  Hers was much more gothic looking.  

MIM #153 Watercolored embossed resist backgrounds

It has taken me all week to get this challenge done.  We have had a crazy busy week (at least for us), and I had to dismantle my crafting table and move my basic supplies to make way for my new crafting table courtesy of my wonderful Mom!!  Love you, Mom!!  I gathered supplies last night and carried them down to my kitchen table so I could at least attempt this MIM challenge.  I wanted to do something different, original and to stretch my comfort zone.  I am really really good at CASing other people's ideas.  Up until now, it has always taken me too long to try to figure out something original.  It still takes a little while to settle on a sketch or color palette, but I am trying to simplify my idea boards on Pinterest so there aren't so many ideas to choose from.  Simplify, simplify, simplify!!  It is my new motto for 2014.

Anyway, here is what I came up with.  I used a sketch from Mojo Monday from 2013, a color palette from a past PTI color scheme download, and some of my new stamps that have not seen ink but maybe once.  I used the colors of hibiscus burst, raspberry fizz, summer sunrise, orange zest, and ripe avocado.  I used SU! watercolor crayons on acetate to make my watercolor paint.  I used the new modern herringbone set from Erin Lincoln, polka dot basics, and woodgrain mats sets.  I mounted each watercolored piece on coordinating card stock to ground it against the white background.  I think it is pretty.  Not the best, but pretty good for trying to be original.  Can I just say that stamping with versamark on watercolor paper and trying to line that up is hard.  I had to emboss each section as I went up the page before I could stamp the next section so I could try to see what I had stamped before.  Crazy.   That is why my herringbone background isn't exactly right, but it was usable and so I went with the pattern that happened after the first embossing and trying to line up the next set.

Happy March 1st everyone, and enjoy your weekend.  I am busy cleaning, baking Brookies (brownie and cookie cups all in one), and finishing laundry.  Also just enjoying the sounds of my two awesome sons enjoying their play time and seeing their creations with K'nex and Legos.  Sounds like a pretty good day to me.  God is good and everyone is healthy.  What more can we ask for?