Thursday 29 September 2011

Make It Monday #34 (Part 2)

I did promise you another MIM card yesterday so here it is!

It's another one with By the Numbers chipboard. I made the die-cut and then stamped it over with *drum rolls* PTI Half & Half stamp set! I love how it turned out with the SU! Calypso Coral ink pad! It just looks so summery! In fact, it reminded me of those bikinis they used to sell at the shops here last summer! lol
 

Someone was also selling PTI Star Prints on our auction site here in NZ last week, so I went and snatched it before anyone else did (how could I not???)! I thought it might look nice with the numbers as an extra accent on the card.

I must admit that the new SU! In Color is great. I only got these two colours in my recent SU! order but I love how the Calypso Coral and Pool Party are going together (very happy with my choice)! They make a very summery and fun match.


I also Mod Podged my numbers and stars just to add a bit of gloss to them. The numbers were looking a bit dull (actually the photo's making the colours brighter than they actually are) and I didn't want to ruin the colours with glitter. So I grabbed out the (Gloss) Mod Podge hiding in my room.

I think I'll be using the Half & Half stamp set more with my die cuts now... totally thrilled with the results :D Thanks for poppin' by again!
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMP: PTI Half & Half, Star Prints
INK: SU! Calypso Coral, Pool Party
PAPER: PTI Stamper's Select White
OTHER: PTI Coasters, Glossy Mod Podge, PTI By the Numbers Die Collection, ScorBuddy

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Make It Monday #34 (Part 1)

Hi everyone! I have yet again procrastinated (from study) and have made a card lol I thought I might tackle this week's Make It Monday!

Now, I don't have any chipboard at home, so I substituted it with PTI coasters (which I love). I had enough left over bits to cut out numbers using By the Numbers die set, which was great!
 
The card is somewhat similar to one of the cards I did earlier in August in style, but the thick chipboard certainly makes the numbers POP! I added in an extra pop-factor (lol) by glittering my numbers.

FYI - for those wondering why I always make cards with "24" on them - I never know what number to go for. But I figured I'm 23 now, so most of my friends would turn 24 next year, which means, 24 is the safest bet for actually using the cards I make now. So long story short, I'm being efficient and preparing for next year!


I do think I may have over-done the sentiments a little. Initially I had no "birthday" sentiment, then I realised I'd already stuck "-th" onto my numbers. Then it didn't make any sense (grammatically) and being pedantic as I am, I went and added the extra sentiment from Birthday Bash Sentiments in.
  

A close-up view to show you the chipboard - I layered 5 coaster layers to get the thickness that I did. 4 is also not too bad. By the way, I used Zig 2 Way Glue to put together my layers.
 
I also added a bit of background stamp with A Little Argyle. I thought I'd try using the dotted stamp image over from the same set and halfway through didn't really like it so stopped lol

Anyway, I have another MIM card coming. It's drying up Mod Podge in the sun atm. I'll post it tomorrow after my biochemistry test!

Thanks for coming!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMP: PTI Big Birthday Wishes, Birthday Bash Sentiments & A Little Argyle
INK: StazOn Tuxedo Black, Versamark, SU! Calypso Coral
 PAPER: PTI Stampers' Select White, Melon Berry
OTHER: PTI Coasters, By the Numbers Die Collection, Celebrate! Cream Satin Ribbon, Corner Chomper, Zig 2 Way Glue, Glitter

Sunday 25 September 2011

Whale of a Day

Hi again!

The other night I had some fun mix & matching stamps that I had never even thought of using and somehow came up with something fun!

Some of you may flip when you find out which sets I got the stamps from!

So here's the card. I really struggled halfway deciding what to do with the whale. I just got a Fox & Friends stamp set from Stampin' Up and was dying to put it to use. In the end, I went back to the window card method.


Now you'll be wondering where I got my dots from! And surprise surprise, it's from PTI's A Little Argyle set!!! I don't know about you, but I never EVER noticed there were dots sitting in that set. I always went straight for the argyle images. Anyway, Just to make the dots closer, I doubled them up and stamped in between dots.

I was so disappointed I didn't have any whale sentiments, but managed to find one hiding in the Tiny Treats: Birthday set!


And here's the inside of the card. I just love it. The waves were made from Beyond Basic Borders set and I was blown away by the way it turned out! This set I never really used and failed at selling on PTI forums. But I'm slowly finding uses for some of the stamps! So I'm keeping it for now ;)

So today's lesson is to look twice at your unloved stamp sets! I suggest you all go back and find a stamp set you don't use much and take another look at it. There may be something hidden in there that you may have never noticed before!

Thanks for coming by!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMP: PTI A Little Argyle (dots), Beyond Basic Borders (waves) & Tiny Treats: Birthday (sentiment), SU! Fox & Friends (whale)
INK: SU! Early Espresso, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist & Not Quite Navy
PAPER: PTI Stampers' Select White & Ocean Tides
OTHER: Spellbinders Nestabilities Large Circles, Plastic box from PTI stamp packaging (for the window)

Friday 23 September 2011

Carnations + Half & Half

Hi everyone! Sorry for little update (I did warn you though). I've just finished two assessments today and have a practice run of my practical exam tomorrow (yeah, on a Saturday!).

Anyway, I've been in some dire need for some de-stressing, so I went and made some cards. My SU! order just came and along with it my long-awaited white embossing powder! I couldn't wait long enough for it to come back in stock at PTI lol

So I decided to go back to the good old Year of Flowers: Carnations set. I just love this set. It is so elegant and pretty <3


I love the next card soooo much! I couldn't believe how well the blending worked out on the flowers! I used my brand new Calypso Coral ink pad from SU! with the Tim Holtz Blending Tool to give some colour. Just head over heels in love how smooth the blending went (usually I do something stupid and get sharp edges in the blends).


I'm going to head over and make another one in yellow now!

Thanks for coming by!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS

{Wishing You Every Joy Card}
STAMP: PTI Half & Half, Year of Flowers: Carnations
INK: Versamark (for embossing), PTI Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Simply Chartreuse
OTHER: PTI Half & Half die, Edgers #1 die, SU! White Stampin' Emboss Powder, KaiserCraft Rhinestones

{I Often Think of You Card}
STAMP: PTI Half & Half, Year of Flowers: Carnations
INK: Versamark (for embossing), PTI Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo, SU! Calypso Coral
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Melon Berry
OTHER: PTI Half & Half die, SU! White Stampin' Emboss Powde, Tim Holtz Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool

Saturday 17 September 2011

Old Cards to Share

Hello everyone! It's been a few days since my last update. I don't have any new cards to share with you today, but I thought I could show you some of my old ones from before blog-days :)

Do note that some have really poor quality photos having been taken on my phone.

So here's the first card. This one I remember having a lot of fun making it. I cut out a circle with my Spellbinders Nestabilities in the middle and put a big hole through it. Then I cut out a ring to stick behind to give the frame effect.


And I used Banner Builders banners with glitter on them on the inside so it could show through the hole I made.


The next card is another one using the HAPPY stamp from Birthday Bash Sentiments set. 

When I made all these cards, I only had Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, Smokey Shadow and Ocean Tides ink pads so I didn't have all that much to play with.

But this card did well utilising lots of PINK! It has a white frame that has been foam mounted. It's not that obvious in the photo. And the stamping was done all on the underlay (or whatever else you might call it).


And the next card doesn't get much simpler. I really don't know when I'll be able to put this card to use since all my card sending are usually done for birthdays and Christmas/New Years - which in New Zealand happens to fall in Summer season - so I end up sending Christmas cards instead.
Anyway, simplicity as always. Not much really to say except that the rustic nature of the cardstock makes so much difference!


And a close up view for the kicks!


That's it folks. Done for today! Wishing everyone a fab weekend!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS

{Window Banner Builder Card}
STAMP: PTI Banner Builder, A Little Argyle & Birthday Bash Sentiments
INK: PTI Raspberry Fizz & Orange Zest, StazOn Tuxedo Black & Moonlight White
PAPER: Non-PTI kraft, brown, cream
OTHER: Celebrate! ribbon, Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Standard & Small, Glitter, Corner Rounder

{Happy Happy Birthday Card}
STAMP: PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
INK: PTI Raspberry Fizz, StazOn Tuxedo Black
PAPER: Non-PTI white
OTHER: Celebrate! Pink Satin Ribbon, Button, Corner Rounder

{Happy Summer Card}
STAMP: PTI Beyond Basic Borders, Life & Daily Design Sentiments
INK: PTI Ocean Tides, Orange Zest & Smokey Shadow
PAPER: Non-PTI rustic cream

Monday 12 September 2011

Keep It Simple

Today is about keeping it simple. It's something I try to live by, though not always easy - at least I can keep my cards simple!
 
This card is something I've made a few times already, before the blog was born. I thought I would share today seeing that I now have replenished my stock of Rustic Cream cardstock :)


I stamped a large sentiment from Paper Smooches and heat embossed it with black embossing powder. 
 
You can put just about any sentiment for this card. And I tied baker's twine arond the card with coordinating buttons to finish off!

Here's a close-up view which shows the embossing a little better.
 

I scored some lines where the baker's twine was to go, and found that it makes it easier to place the twine into place (and at an even intervals).

That's it for now! Will have to make more cards to share later since I've now run out of my stash!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMP: Paper Smooches Pretty Phrases
INK: Versamark (for embossing)
PAPER: PTI Rustic Cream
OTHER: Baker's Twine, Buttons, Black Filigree Embossing Powder, ScorBuddy

Sunday 11 September 2011

Make It Monday #31 (Part 2)

Hi everyone!

Here's the seond part to my Make It Monday challenge cards fresh off the tabletop!

For those who viewed my MIM part 1 post, I have updated with a photo of the blue/green one that I've finished :)

Here are two more cards that I made.


This one uses Tiny Treats: Birthday in the background. I admit that I struggled with this card a lot. I started off with a different idea, and that fell down through the roof, so I flipped my red cardstock over and started anew. 
 
It looks better now, but you may be able to tell that I've tried to mask my Banner Builder stamp with lots of baker's twine!


And yes, I can't not use Scattered Showers! Here's a simple background (perhaps a tad too simple) of the umbrellas and I put all the focus onto the red umbrella.

Thanks for coming again!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
{PARTY Card}
STAMP: PTI Alpha Blocks & Tiny Treats: Birthday
INK: SU! Real Red, Versamark
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Pure Poppy & Stamper's Select White Cardstocks
OTHER: Baker's twine, Clear Filigree Embossing Powder, Corner Chomper (aqua)

{Scattered Showers Card}
STAMP: PTI Scattered Showers
INK: Versamark, SU! Real Red & Early Espresso, PTI Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo
PAPER: PTI Kraft & Rustic Cream
OTHER: PTI Half & Half die, Edgers #3 die & Scattered Showers die

Saturday 10 September 2011

Make It Monday #31 (Part 1)

UPDATE (11 Sept): Just added photo for the blue/green version!
 
I've been meaning to blog all week. I've been meaning to attempt Make It Monday, but I only just got around it!
  
 So with the new Papertrey Ink MIM, we had to use a non-background stamp and use it to make backgrounds. I went back to one of my fav stamp-happy, ink-happy stamp which I actually used earlier in the year when I was trying to make use of my new SU! ink pads!

So here it is:


Yep, lots of colours is what I like about this card. It's vibrant and depending on which colours you choose, you can get quite different looks with it, not to mention easily turning it to a masculine card. I'm currently making a blue/green version as well.

The HAPPY stamp I used for the background is from PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments set. I always wished there were more stamps of this style because they make fab background stamps :)
 
Also, I don't have a Layerz Mat Stack #1 die, so I improvised with scissors. Turns out, Mat Stack #1 is such a simple shape that it's very easy to make your own layers. I guess that means $9 to spend on something else for me! ;)

Thanks for visiting!

 
SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMPS: PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
INK: PTI Orange Zest, SU! Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Pretty In Pink & Melon Mambo
PAPER: PTI Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream & Dark Chocolate
OTHER: PTI By the Numbers & Mat Stack #1 die, Jute Button Twine

 
Here's a blue/green version I promised!


I used a satin ribbon instead of the button twine and offset the mat stack die cut to the side a little (because I misplaced my ribbon! lol).

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMPS: PTI Birthday Bash Sentiments
INK: SU! Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy & Baja Breeze
PAPER: PTI Hawaiian Shores, Vintage Cream & Enchanted Evening
OTHER: PTI By the Numbers & Mat Stack #1 die, Celebrate! satin ribbon

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Simplified

Hello again! 

Classes have started again and I haven't much time to share cards for the next couple of months, but I still have a couple left in the stash!

Here's a ridiculously simple looking card I made end of last week with Papertrey Ink's Banner Builders set. I love the set, but I have yet to discover more creative uses for them.


Kraft cardstock & yellow went so well together. I love this card. It is a little fiddly punching holes into the die cuts and putting baker's twine through with buttons and all. Some corners ripped as I tried to pierce holes into them :(

Banners are heat embossed and it turns out clear embossing on Lemon Tart cardstock = subtleness to the max. I also heat embossed the "celebrate" sentiment from Fillable Frames #5 with clear embossing powder at the bottom too. I overheated towards the end and hence the sort of cool looking gradient effect. It was unintended. LOL.

Thanks for coming again and hope everyone has a great week :)

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMP: PTI Banner Builder & Fillable Frame #5
INK: Versamark (for heat embossing)
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Lemon Tart & Summer Sunrise cardstocks
OTHER: Baker's twine, buttons, PTI Banner Builder dies, Filigree clear embossing powder

Monday 5 September 2011

Back to Scattered Showers

Oh I'm running out of cards to post!

Anyway, before I make a dash to GirlGuiding tonight, here's another card to share.

Pretty simple card, using my fav Scattered Showers set and the Edgers #1 die.


I also added some rhinestones on the leftmost umbrella (just because they look very cute on these umbrella die cuts).
 
I won't make this a long post, but this could make an easy card to make for whatever occasion.
 
Thanks for popping by.

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMPS: PTI Scattered Showers
INK: PTI Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo, SU! Real Red & Early Espresso
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Dark Chocolate & Vintage Cream
OTHER: PTI Scattered Showers & Edgers #1 dies, KaiserKraft rhinestones (Lippy Red), Corner Chomper (aqua)

Sunday 4 September 2011

Happy Bird-Day Card!

Here's one more! Yep, this marathon's still going, but it will probably end pretty soon. Back to class on Monday. This one week break has not felt like a break at all. Even though I didn't do any study (purposefully so I get a good rest), I don't feel all that rested up. In fact, I feel even more tired and miserable (maybe I shouldn't have worked those 2 days?) :(

So a happy card today to make it all better!

Yes, another Tiny Treats card. I'm in love with those super cute wee images and can't get over colouring them in! I actually had to go out and get pencil sharpeners today so I could colour things in better (I couldn't find any at home!!!).


I think the colours make it look more like a baby card more than anything else, but who cares, it's cute. I'm sure some girl will love it.

To be really honest with you. I've seen someone's project that looks very very much like this before. I just can't remember where! I've tried searching all over PTI DT's blogs and the Gallery and gave up. If anyone knows where the idea popped from, do let me know.

I also tried to do more of the colouring pencil MIM (why not) and went and tried to shade in the edges of the pink cardstock... didn't really go down all that well. It's subtle, it's sort of there, but didn't really come out the way I was hoping to.


Here's a closer view. I just like this angle. There's a wee camera flare (I won't call it a lens flare since it's actually sunlight reflected off the camera lol) just so you know we've had some amazing sunny days ;)

That's it for the last day of my break! Thanks for poppin' by again!

PS - It's actually Fathers' Day here today. I didn't make a card for Dad. My family does not appreciate cards all that much. There's a high chance of them ending up in the recycling bin, so I used to add card liners and write in there. Then they could keep the liner and give back the card for me to re-use later LOL But anyway, we got Dad a gas stove (highly needed after all our earthquakes/aftershocks + power cuts and what else!)


SUPPLIES & TOOLS
STAMPS: PTI Tiny Treats: Birthday
INK: Versamark
PAPER: PTI Sweet Blush & Vintage Cream
OTHERS: PTI Mat Stack #5 die, Baker's Twine, Crayola 48 Coloring Pencils, Papermania Mini Polka Embossing Folder, Aqua Corner Chomper

Saturday 3 September 2011

More Christmas Cards!

Yes, I've been busy this mid-semester break!!! ;)

I tossed whether I should post a birthday card or a Christmas card, then decided to carry on with the festive season theme since it looked like some people liked the reminder to get them started!

So here's another one I made the other day. It would have made life easier if I had something like Take Three dies but unfortunately I didn't, so I had to improvise (and I needed the excuse to use my new corner chomper!).


I'm quite happy how this card turned out. I will make more later leading up to December. I got my New Leaf cardstock and just didn't know how to make use of the bright green colour (I'm a very pastel tone/neutral colour person). Now I have a solution to the problem! Thank goodness, green is part of Christmas colours lol

I also heat embossed the images with black Filigree embossing powder and then coloured them in with my trusty colouring pencils, yet again. I just haven't put them away since I made the umbrella card lol

Thanks for coming by again!


SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMPS: PTI Tiny Treats: Christmas
INK: SU! Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Old Olive & Real Red, Versamark
PAPER: PTI New Leaf & Vintage Cream
OTHERS: Corner Chomper (aqua), Filigree Embossing Powder (black), Crayola 48 Coloring Pencils, Papermania Victorian Fleur Embossing Folder

Friday 2 September 2011

Tiny Treats Christmas Cards

Hello again! What a BEAUTIFUL start to Spring it is in New Zealand! I admit yesterday was miserable weather BUT today's sunshine totally wiped it off my memories! So today shall be first day of Spring for me!

However, we did get an early start to the morning today with a 4.9 magnitude aftershock wake-up call at 3.30am! I rarely wake up to anything below magnitude 5 these days (we've had a few thousand aftershocks and you kind of get used to them pretty quickly), but this morning was a good going shake. I vividly recall waking up from a REALLY random dream about... cat food. LMAO.

Anyway, today I've finally done what I've been planning for a long time - to use my Tiny Treats sets! And even better, to colour them in with my good ol' colouring pencils (then I get another entry into Make It Monday challenge now, don't I? lol)

And yup, it's a whole set of Christmas cards this time!

(I suggest you click on the picture and see it in large size)

I just love these cute wee sets. They are the cutest wee images EVER and I wish PTI made them mega-sized soon! Preferably with next release! Would love to see my Santa and reindeer BIG!


I made them small (because it makes the cards even cuter!) - but I didn't think twice about size and the the dimensions are 4.25" x 4.25" (easy to measure out using my ScorBuddy), which means there is no standard envelope that will fit it perfectly. DOH! PTI envelopes come in 4" x 4" so next time... I will make them a tad smaller lol

By the way, I can't believe that stamping has made me work in INCHES! I personally can't stand the imperial system that America uses, but PTI has certainly has done its job well if I'm now working all my cards using imperial measurements!!! I even bought my ScorBuddy in imperial measurements D:

I did stamp over with A Little Argyle stamp in the background, but the camera refused to pick it up. You may be able to see a hint of it in full size.

Thanks for popping by again!


SUPPLIES & TOOLS:
STAMPS: PTI Tiny Treats: Christmas & A Little Argyle
INK: Versamark, SU! Real Red, StazOn Tuxedo Black
PAPER: PTI Kraft, Pure Poppy
OTHER: PTI Coasters & Rustic Jute Button Twine, Crayola 48 Colored Pencils

Thursday 1 September 2011

"Bring on the Happy"

My gosh, was I surprised to see so many lovely comments and feedbacks about my last Make It Monday card on Facebook and here - it totally made my day! Thank you all!

Anyway, to more cards I promised. I had a friend turn 24 last Saturday. Because of our mid-semester break, many of us have gone travelling, so she decided to hold off the party (for us, it usually means a nice lunch out lol) for another couple of weeks.
   
So I went ahead and made a card for her. I, in a not-that-obvious-way asked her what her favourite colour was *lol*. Apparently it's pink now, so a pink card it was. I hope she didn't put two and two together and realised I was making her a pink card lol
 
  
I decided "bring on the HAPPY!" sentiment from the Big Birthday Wishes set was fitting for my dear friend. 24 and she's already fought off cancer and had her share of tough times, and I decided it's time she gets happy (mind you, she's happy pretty much 24/7 though...).

I also made another one in blue for another friend who will be turning 23 shortly.
 
  
My card stash box is looking very happy now. Most are double-ups but it makes me happy just opening them up and looking inside :)

Thanks for coming by again!

SUPPLIES & TOOLS
STAMPS: PTI A Little Argyle, Big Birthday Wishes
INK: Versamark, StazOn Tuxedo Black
PAPER: PTI Stamper's Select White, Melon Berry, Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist & Hawaiian Shores
OTHER: PTI By the Numbers die, Mat Stack #4 die, Edgers #1 die, baker's twine