A Day Late And Dollar Short...Again!

Seeing that I have somehow missed a day and the February Papertrey Ink Blog Hop has passed me by, I, accompanied by myself, will have our own little Blog Hop here on my site.  I made this card  Thursday Australia time too, which was Wednedsay US time and photographed and neatly tucked the card on my desk in plenty of time to have it all Inlinkz-ed for the hop.  Go figure? *Still scratching my head wondering where my missing day went?*  But alas, best laid plans...  Hopefully, someone will stumble by and have a look at my February PTI Blog Hop offering even though I seem to have found myself a day late and a dollar short.  Ya gotta laugh!  

Crazy Love Card (for these crazy days):

Crazy Love Card Supplies:

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #11 and Mat Stack 3 Collection, Crafty Secrets Artsy Banners, Hero Arts Small Stitched Flowers, 7 Gypsies Screen Prints Rockin' Renaissance
• Paper:  Bazill Kraft, Cosmo Cricket PP, Japanese Silk Paper (red), 7 Gypsies Lille PP, Leather-look Embossed PP,Websters PP, Rosies' Place PP (black and white scallop), Papertrey Ink Soft Stone and Fine Linen, Misc. Cream C/S
• Ink:  Memento London Fog, Brilliance Red Rocket, Adirondak Orange Sunset, SU Chocolate Chip, Versa Magic Cloud White, Tim Holtz Distress Ink In Old Paper, Pumice Stone, and Tea Dye
• Accessories:  Pinking Shears, Spellbinders Eyelet Circles Nestabilities, Papertrey Ink XL Rick-Rack Die, Mat Stack 3 Die, Pure Poppy and Enchanted Evening Baker's Twine, and XL Scallop Die, Tim Holtz Tattered Florals Die and Burlap Embossing Folder, and Satin and Organza Ribbon (silver) Blue Vintage button

C'est tout!  Thanks, as always, for popping by.  I appreciate it immensely.  Hugs.

The Best Birthday Gift Ever!

WARNING: **The following section of this post may be a bit mushy for some.  Feel free to scroll down a little for pretty card pictures and related text, skipping this section entirely if you wish...Don't worry, I'll never know.**  *wink*

Today is my gorgeous daughter Jolie's birthday and she is and has been for the last 9 years, my best ever birthday gift, hands down.  You guessed it, she and I share the same birthday.  Beautiful Jolie was born after only a 40 minute labor, wide awake, a picture of health, active and just beaming (or maybe that was me), much like she remains to this day.  How blessed did I feel to have my wonderful, healthy, baby girl and that was truly the gift to beat all gifts.  Not to worry, I won't gush on any further, I just wanted to quietly share with you how blessed I feel when our birthday rolls around and I can, once again,  reflect on one of the many reasons I am so very grateful to have her in my life.  Happy Birthday Jolie!  You're truly the best birthday gift ever!  Love you darling girl!  <End excessively sentimental, love-filled rave>

The following card is my latest entry for CR84FN Color Challenge.  It has a definite babushka-esque quality to it hence the slew of pictures (sorry).  I have also submitted this card for Papertrey Ink's MIM #3 challenge featuring Scor-tape and glitter.  I hope you enjoy this card.  I totally had a blast making it for so many reasons!  

The Shabby Babushka's Birthday Card: 

 

Supplies used:  

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink's Big Birthday Wishes and Birthday Basics and Hero Arts Daisy Outline Designer Woodblock.
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Soft Stone, Aqua Mist, Rustic Cream, Misc. Medium Violet Textured Cardstock, Cre8tive PP (soft pink polkadots on violet and distressed stripe), and .22 Chipboard
• Ink:  Memento Sweet Plum and Rich Cocoa, Distress Ink in Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, and Walnut Stain
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Labels One, Papertrey Ink Tag Sale 3 Die, Shape Up Series Cupcake Die and By The Numbers Die, Scor-Tape, Silk Flower, Ribbon Rose, and Pom Pom trim, Soft Pink Vintage Lace, Silver Glass Glitter, Gray Cotton Garden Twine, Jute and Fiskars Medium Scallop Circle Punch

Thanks so very much for stopping by! Hugs. 

The Perils Of Stamping On A Slope.

I just had to giggle at my silly self when I finally had a good look at this card.  The hysterical thing is, I didn't realize that my card front was perched at a tilt until I went to upload the pictures of one of my latest creations just now.  Oopsy Doops!  What is even funnier is that I was really diggin' making this card too and maybe a little bit proud of it as well.  Oddly enough, it sold on the weekend during Saturday's local craft market and ended up going to a lady who beat out (almost literally) another gentleman who wanted to buy it for his dad.  I haven't ever seen two folks vying for my cards before (or anything of mine really) so that was not only kind of strange, but a little bit (clandestinely speaking) cool.  So you can imagine the mild coronary I had this morning, when I noticed the card front sloping to one side (not the paper so much, but the actual stamping has slid over) when perusing the photographs to upload. Eek! So, I thought I'd share a chuckle with you at yet another of my not so little crafting flubs that I can't even get rid of the evidence of because the card has driven out the lot!  Oh well.  Let's hope my cock-eyed stamped card is just viewed as yet another quirky creation by an off-kilter crafter.  That could work.

Supplies used on The Rough Ride Card:

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Handwritten Notes and Mat Stack 2 Collection, Tim Holtz (Stampers Annonymous) Enjoy The Journey (all stamps on the tag), and Hero Arts Cars Cling
• Paper:  Bazzill Textured Navy C/S, October Afternoon Road Trip, Papertrey Ink Stampers Select and Soft Stone, .22 Chipboard
• Ink:  Memento Paris Dusk, Blue Danube, Tuxedo Black, and Lady Bug, Brilliance Rocket Red, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Old Paper, Antique Linen, Barn Door, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans,  and Vintage Photo, VersaMagic Cloud White
• Accessories:  #4 Shipping Swing Tag, Cotton Garden Twine, Tim Holtz Alterations Styled Labels, Papertrey Ink Mat Stack 2 Die, and Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Circles Small

As always, it's been a real pleasure to have you stop by.  Thanks! 

Waltzingmouse Stamps February Blog Waltz: Hopping With Buttons!

Two posts in one day? Yep, I am on fire!  Seeing that there is already smoke coming off my fingers from crafting and blogging, I thought I'd pop in one more post for the day.  I made the following card for the Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz which is all about buttons.  Mind you, I haven't gone button mad in the following card by any stretch, but sometimes less is more, right?  I have also placed a link to my other post I put up today of a card that I think may also qualify for the WMS blog waltz and it is loaded with gorgeous real vintage buttons!  Thanks so much for waltzing by.  You've made my day!

Card number #2.

Supplies used for my Vintage Rose With Button Study Card:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Roses In Bloom, Papertrey Ink Mega Mixed Messages, Hero Arts Lace Background Designer Woodblock
• Paper:  Basic Grey Curio, Jovial and Kraft, Papertrey Ink Scarlet Jewel and SS C/S
• Ink:  SU Chocolate Chip, Versafine Onyx and Olympia Green, Memento Sahara Sands, Distress Ink in Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, and Fired Brick
• Accessories:  Paper Doily, Medium Sullivans Tag Punch, Tim Holtz Ornamental Bigz Die, PTI Bakers Twine, Jute, Uniball Gold Gel Pen, Tonic Edge Distresser, and one sweet Vintage Button!

CR84FN Color Challenge Still Fuelling My Creativity.

I am thoroughly enjoying myself whilst dabbling with the various crafting challenges I have come across recently.  The following card is my latest entry in the CR84FN Color Challenge.  I figure as long as I am having fun, why not?  I thought the colors of this week's challenge where quite unusual combined, albeit lovely, and not often ones that I would personally team up, but would use a fair bit of separately.  So this week was an interesting stretch which certainly did spark my creative spirit as is the aim of this beautiful game, right?  *wink*

Thanks so much for popping by and having a look at my latest CR84FN Color Challenge card:

John Keats' A Thing Of Beauty Card Supplies: 

• Stamps:  Unity (sentiment), Waltzingmouse Stamps Very Vintage Christmas (tag background)
• Ink:  Versafine Sienna, Brilliance Galaxy Gold, Distress Ink in Mustard Seed, Brushed Corduroy
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Ocean Tides and Aqua Mist, Basic Grey Green At Heart and 7 Gypsies
• Accessories:  #4 Manilla Shipping Tag, Tim Holtz Tag and Bookplate die (bookplate) and Circles Embossing Folder, Vintage lace and actual vintage buttons with threads still attached (I thought that was so cool), Jute, Basic Grey Brads, and Spellbinders Nestability Eyelet Circles

Hope to see you here again soon! 

Still Kicking It Old School With A Stamp & Go!

I call these two numbers my Stamp & Go cards.  I call them this because I make them out of previously cut and stored die and off cuts only.  In other words, I don't specifically pick out the die and paper and cut it just for the card du jour, but simply gather die cuts (sometimes already embossed) from my stash and stamp on them if feeling a little stampy, glue 'em down and off I go.  Seriously, it's just that simple and simple sometimes is just the ticket.  I really enjoy Stamp & Go cards when I am not feeling particularly creative and rather low on mojo, but am still after a little pick me up that papercrafting often gives.  I approach the card making session a bit like one would a puzzle.  I essentially just ink up a stamp that caught my eye or I thought would be fun to use at that time and gather other scraps and beautiful items that called to me just at that moment.  I like the challenge of assembling something from the off cuts or other previously prepped bits and bobs that didn't end up getting used in a past crafting session.  Fundamentally,  Stamp & Gos are a little papercrafting game that can perk me up, don't add pressure, and often leave me pleasantly surprised with a fun, easy creation.

Thanks for visiting and allowing me to share a little bit about my sometimes unorthodox papercrafting processes as I continue to trundle along joyously on my crafty journey!

NB:  The only downside to Stamp & Gos made from stuff squirrelled away in your stash, I find, is it can be hard to recall where the papers originally came from.  Not a major problem in the greater scheme of things, but can tend to highlight my vagueness, in particular, when trying to list the exact supplies used.  Oh, well.   You'll forgive me this one indiscretion now, won't you?  

Typewriter Card:

• Stamp:  Hero Arts My Type Cling
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Kraft and Rustic Cream, Pink Paislee Father Christmas (polka dots) PP
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Lady Bug, VersaMagic Cloud White, Distress Ink in Pumice, Vintage Photo and Tea Dye
• Accessories:  Tim Holtz Alterations Die in Baroque, Papertrey Ink Bookprint Impression Plate, Rustic Twine

Old Telephone Card:

• Stamps:  Cavallini Papers & Co. Inc. Vintage Office
• Paper:  Misc. Yellow and Orange C/S, Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934, Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream C/S
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo White, Adirondak Chilli Pepper, Distress Ink in Pumice, Old Paper, and Vintage Photo
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Nestabililities Standard Circles, Scalloped Circles and Label Seventeen, Papertrey Ink Linen and Canvas Impression Plate, WRMK Corner Chomper Scallop

Last Minute Valentine's Day Cards.

I am totally a "Last Minute Larry/Larrena" when it comes to holiday cards.  Well, I have really outdone myself this time as I have only just finished my Dearheart's Valentine's Day cards! I guess it could have been worse and been after Valentine's Day, right?  Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking to it.  *shifty*  I guess the real big deal about Valentine's Day for us is that it is also our wedding anniversary.  Corny I know.  So without further ado, please let me introduce you to Last Minute Larrena's Valentine's Day cards:

Cutie Patootie Post Haste Card:

Cupid's Arrow Card:

Thank you so much for stopping by and a huge love-filled Valentine's Day to you all!  *SqUiSHy Hugs* x

Cutie Patootie Post Haste supplies:

• Stamps:  Crafty Secrets French Post, Papertrey Ink's It's Official, Fancy Flourishes and Daily Design Sentiments
• Paper:  Misc.  Black C/S, Papertrey Ink Fine Linen and vintage Cream, Basic Gray PP, Cosmo Cricket PP
• Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black and London Fog, Versafine Black Onyx and Crimson, Distress Ink in Tea Dye
• Accessories: Provocraft Conversation Hearts Embossing Folder, Papertrey Ink Heart Print Dies, Gray Felt, Baker's Twine and Spiral Notebook die, Fiskars Small Label Punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 17,  and Heart Brads, WRMK Scallop Corner Chomper

Cupid's Arrow supplies:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Sweethearts and Papertrey Ink Mega Mixed Messages
• Paper:  Misc.  Black cardstock and textured Red, Basic Grey PP (Jovial, Curio, and Basic White)
• Ink: Versamark, Brilliance Black, Distress Ink in Tea Dye and Vintage Photo
• Accessories:  Tim Holtz Flourish Alterations Die, Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacy Squares and Classic Squares, Tonic Paper piercer, Papertrey Ink Heart Print Dies and Bookprint Impression Plate (on flourish), Red Felt, Fiskars Small Tag Punch, Detail Black Embossing Powder (on arrow), Heart Brad, Pinking Shears and Twine.

Sparking My Creative Spirit With CR84FN!

This week I have been totally bowled over by the amazing paper creations which abound in the crafty bit of the blogoshphere that I love to hangout in, particularly over the last week.  I noticed that there were so many utterly drool-worthy creations that were designed especially for CR84FN.  So I decided to check them out a bit further.  Well,  Hubba!  Hubba! is the best I could manage when I saw the bevy of beautiful creations already linked for the challenge and the gorgeous kickstart creations on display by the CR84FN DT.  Beyond amazing!  CR84FN currently has a color challenge on that just had me want to swoon (mind you that isn't so hard to do when you pair up chocolate and pink). Bliss.

So I thought, why not?  Here's my first CR84FN Color Challenge card:

Happy Valentine's Day Beautiful! Card:  

• Stamps:  Inkadinkado Happy Valentine's Day Woodblock, Hero Arts Canvas Stripe and Old Letter Writing (I never can tell which is the right side up with this stamp?) Woodblocks
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream and Rustic Cream, Lincraft Bright Pink
• Ink:  VersaMagic, Pink Petunia, SU Chocolate Chip, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Tattered Rose, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Tea Dye, and Spun Sugar
• Accessories:  Vintage Crochet Lace, Spellbinders Nestabilities Pinking Circles, Pinking Sheers (I concede that I may have gone a bit pinking mad), Glitter Paint in Antique Rose, papertrey Ink Impression Plate, and Jute

Thank you so much for stopping by! x

Papertrey Ink 4th Anniversary Color Challenge.

Now that I have gotten the taste of entering into challenges, I couldn't resist entering into Papertrey Ink's 4th Anniversary Color Contest.  The challenge was to create a card or project using the favorite color palette of one or all of their ever so capable PTI design team members.  I chose Heather Nichols' preferred colors of Papertrey Ink's Ripe Avocado, Spring Rain, Dark Chocolate and Kraft.  Gorgeous!

I was able to incorporate all of the colors in this card.  I didn't have any Ripe Avocado cardstock left though, so I had to settle for it as an exact color match only in the blossoms (If you squint you might spot it).  Other than that, All the cardstock matched exactly (Not that you can tell with the heavy handed distress inking that I love so much).    I really tried to pull the distress inking back a bit, but no cigar.  What can ya do?  Thanks so much for stopping by! x

Wish Big Card

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Big & Bold Wishes, Hero Arts Asian Flower Pattern and Dots Cling
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Spring Rain, Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Rosie's Studio Pattern Paper
• Ink:  Adirondak Expresso and Cloud White, Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Brushed Corduroy, VersaMagic Cloud White
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Nestablities Mega Ovals and Mega Scalloped Ovals, Sizzix 3D Rolled Flowers (both sizes), Velvet Holly Leaves cut with PTI Leaves Die, and WRM Corner Chomper Cloud

Love Notes, Leaves, and A Lark.

I really enjoyed making this card for so many reasons beyond the obvious feathery (my fave) motivations.  I enjoyed  using this Sizzix Bigz Die of a bird for the first time (of course, of course), but I also thoroughly enjoyed using this Papertrey Ink Mat Stack Die, as I tend to have little to no success with it generally.  I just find it, personally, to be a hard shape to use.  All I seem to see is bookplate, bookmark...boring, boring, boring.  But this time, I saw a lovely window frame, perhaps somewhere in the Mediterranean if I let my thoughts go. I was so excited to finally get some use out of this die, particularly seeing how frenzied I was to get a hold of it in the first place.  Afterall, I have seen it used so often by so many other crafters with much success, I was starting to feel a hint of buyer's remorse simply because it wasn't getting any real play with me.  I also seem to have accumulated a fair few leaf dies as well and generally just cut my leaves out by hand.  I know, I know,  that pretty much defeats the purpose of having such nifty tools.

This card is, in fact, a Valentine's Day card in disguise.  I make and sell my cards at many of the local markets and festivals around the joint and if I am really kidding myself by pretending to be a shrewd businesswoman (which I am so not), I try to make cards that I can use after holidays like Valentine's Day if they don't sell.  Mind you, I still haven't figured out how to repurpose Christmas cards yet, but I am working on it. Thinking.  Thinking.

Love Notes, Leaves, and A Lark Card: 

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Favor It Weddings, Tattered Angels Screen Prints Rockin' Renaissance, Hero Arts Screen Print and Friend Definition Cling
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Sweet Blush, Vintage Cream, and Stamper's Select White,  7 Gypsies Conservatory Pattern Paper (love), Handmade Japanese Silk Paper (pink), and various scraps of handmade paper from my stash (origins forgotten...sorry, I clearly don't eat enough fish), Chipboard .22 weight
• Ink:  Distress Ink in Broken China, Pumice, Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, Brick Red,  Marigold, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain, Memento Sweet Plum and London Fog, Versafine Vintage Sepia
• Accessories:  Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves Die and Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Tattered Rose and Bronze Distress Stickles, Sizzix Bigz Bird Die, Papertrey Ink Mat Stack 3 Die (yay!), Sullivan's 3" Tags Punch (smallest of the three), Jute, and Basic Grey Brad

Thanks for flying by for a visit.  It's been lovely.  x

One Of My Favorite PTI Card Creations of 2010

I did not have a hope of narrowing down my favorite Papertrey Ink creation for 2010, so I had to close my eyes and haphazardly point to pick just one.  The problem of picking one favorite is because most if not all cards I've made seem to have taken me a little ways further down my papercrafting journey for one reason or another.  Be it that I tried a new technique (some with greater success than others), received a new stamp set that thrilled me or was greatly moved and inspired by a creation from another fabulous crafter or three and that is just for starters!  I am certain that each card I made had some "little thing" behind it that endeared me to it specically or had me grow just a bit more than the card before.  You just have to look at (or guffaw at) the first or second card I ever made, some years ago, to see how I have evolved into the papercrafter I am today.  Having said that, I don't know if I have become a better/more complex crafter, but I sure have learned a ton and had a bucketful of chuckles along the way.

So my chosen Papertrey Ink card for 2010 is this Christmas card I made showcasing Papertrey Ink's Stocking Prints:

Thanks so much for allowing me to share with you a little bit of the joy that papercrafting and Papertrey Ink have bought to me in 2010.  Happy 4th Anniversary Papertrey Ink! xx


Edited to add:  The fun brick wall was made from an embossing folder from Tim Holtz.  It's called Bricked. (I wish I was that clever!).  *wink*

Old School And Still Cool.

This little number is (kind of) quick and (sort of) easy to make.  As it will be no surprise to you that I love all things vintage-y with a kind of Shabby flair. In actual fact, I prefer to marry the two styles and create a sort of legitimate love child type style of card from the two if left to my own devices.  Is that even a style of papercrafting?  Probably not, but that is what I seem to aim for when in the throws of my Dr. Frankenstein papercrafting groove.

This card would definitely have been classed a straightforward "quick and easy" card to make if I had found the flower die a lot easier to use.  I didn't find it at all intuitive to say the least, but I am okay with the end result, despite the need for much reworking and running repairs while creating this felt bloom.  Lessons learned here:  1) use top quality felt 2) Use a lightweight shim when cutting even if you don't normally do with other dies of the same brand 3)  Work with embroidery-like floss and an embroidery needle for cinching if needed and 4) don't be afraid to glue that son of a gun to within an inch of its life (I used Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive) in order to get a secure shape that you are happy with if all else fails.  Oh yes...and have fun!

So Cool! Card:

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #4, Handwritten Notes, Hero Arts Variety and Quality Cling
• Paper:  Misc. Red, Black and Gray Cardstock
• Ink:  Memento Lady Bug, Versafine Black Onyx, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pumice and Old Paper 
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Bloom Builder #2 Die and Fillable Frame #4 Die, Tim Holtz Bricked Embossing Folder, Provocraft Dots Embossing Folder, Keisercraft Rhinestones, Gray felt, Gingham Ribbon, and, Vintage fabric button, Papertrey Ink Baker's Twine in Pure Poppy, WRM Corner Chomper 1/4"    

My First Play-Date With Waltzingmouse Stamps.

I was absolutely thrilled to have been introduced to Waltzingmouse Stamps last year and I have no idea how on earth I managed to live my crafting life without them.  I adore everything about this magnificent company and the amazing talent that seems to gracefully and joyously surround and contribute to it.

Prior to now, I hadn't managed to get myself organized enough to participate in their challenges (well actually, I just didn't have the confidence to play amongst those so supremely talented as the beautiful bevy of crafters assocoated with Waltzingmouse Stamps). So whilst I seem to momentarily have plucked up the courage to give it a go, I thought I'd quickly post a card I made in order to participate in the CASE Challenge posted on the WMS blog on the 25th of January, 2011.

I CASEd the supernaturally talented Mona Pendelton's DT project entries of the 21st of January, 2011.  My card is an inspired creation mixing two of her genius offerings:  Mona's first layout and the Thank You card from her Gift Ensemble.  Here's my first ever bash at a WMS challenge:

The Best Balm card:

• Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps Rescue Remedies and Crafty Secrets Artsy Banner
• Paper:  Papertrey Ink Fine Linen and Vintage Cream, Cosmo Cricket Mitten Weather DP
• Ink:  Memento Sweet Plum, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Old Paper and Antique Linen
• Accessories:  Spellbinders Nestability Labels 4 Die, Vintage Crochet Lace, Brown Gingham ribbon, Jute

It has been a real joy!  Thank you for stopping by. x