MIM #65 - Background Patterns

Another Make It Monday with Papertrey? Heck Yes!!! This week's MIM is all about using scrap papers to make fun backgrounds. If you'd like to see Dawn McVey's fun tutorial on how she thinks through her background made with scrap papers, click here.

And I am still enjoying last week's MIM using a color inspiration that Nichole Heady picked out. So I am going to use that color palette with Dawn's background technique! Here is the one that I picked:

And here is the card that I came up with for this week's challenge:

Since I don't own any patterned papers within my chosen color scheme I had to make them up myself. I used Background Basics: Houndstooth, BB: Text Style, and images from the Sending You stamp set to make patterned paper. I used the Sending You stamp set for the sentiment and words on the flowers. I used all PTI gear except for the leaves (sizzix) and the twine (MME).

Thanks for stopping by!

Papertrey Ink's MIM# 64- Using Color Inspiration

Can I just say that I {LOVE} this week's MIM over at Papertrey???!!! I am one of those people who look at color challenges and say, "Huh?". It is a great tutorial on how to look at color inspiration and incorporate that into a project. I really had a fun time with this card. So let's dive right in, shall we?

Here is the inspiration color palette that I used:

I wanted to use some colors that I wouldn't have paired together since that seems to be where my greatest problem lies. I look at those colors and just don't have anything that comes to mind and I just sit there and stare at the screen with that look. You know which one I'm speaking of. :)

So here is my take on the challenge:

Now, I am not really sure how well I incorporated these colors but I feel like I'm moving in the right direction and that is success for me! I wanted to play with my new Strawberry Patch stamp set (PTI) but everyone and their mothers have used the typical green and red combo for the strawberries. I thought I could take this in a different direction and the result reminds me of some vintage pillowcases that I saw at a thrift store recently.

Totally out of the ordinary for me but it was a fun challenge. If I have time I think I am going to try some of the other color inspiration photos and see what I can come up with.

Thanks for stopping by!

Update my Etsy Shop

Since January I have had some health issues that have been keeping me from putting much in my shop. I am finally turning a corner and I am feeling better now than I have in a long time! I think the lovely spring weather helps as well, too, don't you?

Here are a couple of things I am adding to my shop this month:

I am adding some new colored tags in my shop.

I am also adding some new cards to my shop with matching envelopes and gift tags. I have made a couple of different styles so far, so come and check it out!

Papertrey Ink- MIM #61

Hello, hello! I have some new posts to get out so I decided to dive right in. I really like the challenge over at Papertrey Ink's Make it Monday. The goal is to make flowers using leaf dies. I decided to take it a step further and see what I could come up with using other dies as well.

Here is the card that I came up with:

I used several dies to make this flower and let me show you how:

I used three different die sets from Papertrey Ink. I used "Sending You" (SY), "Love Lives Here: Holidays"(LLH:H), and "Simply Jane" (SJ). The cardstock colors are different in the break down so that you can see what the dies looked like before assembly and they are grouped by set. I cut 4 sets of leaves from SY in Harvest Gold (PTI), one set of wings from the angel in LLH:H, and one set of silhouettes from SJ.

I didn't have anything that I could use for the leaves so I had to cut those out by hand (I think it was Simply Chartreuse cardstock from PTI; either that or New Leaf).

Once I cut the cardstock for the petals in harvest gold, I used my copics to color them. Here are the colors I used:

I got out my Tag-It #3 die (PTI) and then used BB: Text style stamp on it. I also used my Garden Variety set to stamp various images on the tag and used the sentiment "Your smile is planted in my heart" in the upper right hand corner.

I am pleased with the flower I came up with. I can't tell if it looks like a daffodil or a daylily but either way it is cheery. :)
Thanks for looking!

MIM #53- Creative Coasters

It has been some time since I posted here on the blog and Papertrey had so much fun inspiration going on during their 5th anniversary that it gave me a good incentive to post something.With Valentine's Day being this week I was busy with lots of school events. But I did manage to squeeze in some time to make something for PTI's MIM #53 - Creative Coasters.

The challenge was to use PTI's coasters in a project and I decided to use it for spring themed cards. I will be entering them in the MIM contest and be sure to check out my etsy shop where I will be selling a group of them.

I used an oval die on the coaster to make an Easter egg and then embossed it with a Basic Grey folder. Using a craft mat I splattered distress stains and sprayed some glitter mist on it and then swiped the egg through the puddles. I also added some Stickles to give it a little glam. As extra accents I used dies from the Love Lives Here collection as well as some vintage buttons (all from PTI).

Thanks for stopping by!

Very Valentine's Gift Tags and Treat bags

Since I am up late already I thought I'd share on my blog some items that I am currently listing in my Etsy shop. I am trying to get some things ready for Valentine's Day next month and made some extras of these to put in my store.
These gift tags come in a set of 6. I scooped up some of this Jillibean Soup paper and couldn't wait to use it!

Next, I have some treat bag kits that I just listed in my shop. I love the double sided paper from My Mind's Eye "love me" set. These kits are all ready to go: just drop in your goodies, tie with the included ribbon and address the ticket. Clip it using the included mini clothespin and let them think you spent hours slaving over their goodies!

I put several different styles up in my shop and I thought they'd make cute baby shower favors or wedding favors.
Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas gifts for Teachers - Homemade Body Scrub

I absolutely {love} Christmas time! I think that it has to be my favorite holiday. I love the snow we get here, the time spent with family and the fact that my kids are out of school for a couple of weeks. There are so many things to do leading up to their Christmas vacation that I end up vegetating most of their Christmas break till I catch a second wind. I get overwhelmed and race around like a mad woman beforehand, though. I promise myself each year to get more organized, cut back on volunteering, shop early, etc. and each year I find myself in the same place. LOL Oh, well!

I love making handmade gifts to give to my kid's teachers. This year I tried something different. I like to make baked treats but I know that teachers can get so many of those things that they regret it come January. I made some body scrub for their teachers this year, instead. I got the idea from a blog called Deliciously Organized. I made a scent I called Christmas Candy because it reminded me of candy canes. As a funny side note on of the teachers said her daughter tried to eat it because she thought it was a dessert. It came out wonderful and I even had some left over for some gifts for friends. I had to snap a few quick pictures before I sent them on their merry way to their new homes. So forgive the picture quality. I like the way the tags came out.

 I cut the tags out using a seasonal Christmas Cricut cartridge. On the back side I used a Christian stamp from Stampendous. It's hard to tell but I got to use my Papertrey patterned paper to make this tag; it's from their Flourishes and Swirls set. it's such a pretty set. I tied on some lace ribbon and added two tags to each jar. One was the pretty one above and the other was a tiny tag that I punched out with a MS punch to add the "To and From" stamps. Add a rustic jingle bell, a tiny safety pin, some twine and cream seam binding and there you have it!

This could be a great gift year round, just change out the fragrance. I put them in some quilted mini mason jars that you find with the canning goods. It was the perfect size!

Thanks for looking!