I Miss Your Smile.

Here's a pocket card I made for this week's Make It Monday Challenge by Papertrey Ink.  I cannot even begin to say how long it's been since I last threw a card into the MIM ring.  I'm sure it's been donkey's.

I used my favorite (darn near instant) pocket card maker which is PTI's Front & Centre Die #1 die.  Mind you, I haven't ever used it for anything else, not even as it was originally intended, which was to tjuz up bags (too much muss and fuss for this here crafter...It's just a bag ain't it? Kidding.  Kidding).  My only possibly useful tip to you in regards to using these dies for pocket cards, is to go for some fairly robust sookwang tape.  Trust me, the cheap and cheerful brands don't cut the mustard in regards to staying stuck.  I used 1/8" Scor-tape here.  And yes, I learned this the hard (read: embarrassing) way.

I also delighted in getting out my favorite wee gigham patterned full sized red rubber stamp from the fab Aussie company Darkroom Door.  Even though I do have a fair swag of gigham stamps, I always seem to need different ones for different tasks.  This beauty is perfect for that quality impression you need without any of that "lining up" business, which always seems to end badly where I am concerned. That dear sentiment is from Papertrey Ink's Healing Touch stamp set, which is so handy for that perfect, non-run of the mill, well-wish that is ever so handy.  Those juicy vitamin C packed oranges are from Hero Arts.  They are part of set of clear stamps packed with mega cool engraved fruits. Love.  I stamped them with Memento Inks in both Tangelo and Cantaloupe.

After rounding the corners and lassoing the pocket with three different strands of citrus colored string, that is pretty much this Pocket card done.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Here's to an inspired day for us all!

The Not So Clean Simpleton.

Look, I am not going to lie...I stink at Clean And Simple (CAS) cardmaking.  So much so that it's kind of funny.  I try and I try to stick to the pristine hand required to effectively execute the CAS style, but no cigar.  This card base started life as piece of Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream card stock and look at it now. This base has successfully integrated into the Witness Protection Program for paper.   It is definitely going to be at the courthouse on the day to testify and I'm going down.  

I used a mélange of Tim Holtz Distress Stains, Distress Inks, a few unwieldy squirts of Tattered Angels Glimmer and Chalkboard Mists and Mister Huey's Calico White.  I am sure the "less is more" mantra should have been more prominent in my thoughts when I took my hand at attempting to go CAS, but my evil crafting twin took over and the more grubby, stain-loving crafter in me was away.

Seeing that I had already gone off the rails as far as keeping things clean, I figured what the heck...I might as well add another layer seeing my chances of this being a truly CAS card has clearly gone to hell in a handbasket. The sentiment is from Embellishments stamp set from Papertrey Ink and the die-cut and the white embossed die-cut frame are both from Papertrey Ink's Photo Finishers stamp and die sets.   The real hero of this card though is the Bahama Blue dye ink from Memento.  What a killer color.  Without it, I am not so sure those wonderful butterfly stamps from Darkroom Door would have remained so crisp and vibrant post the onslaught of the "too many to name" mists and stains used.   But all in all, I had fun trying.  I, somehow, suspect that true CAS is not on the cards for this crafter.  But that's okay.  I'll just have to live vicariously through you crazy cool CAS gals and enjoy your beautifully executed projects all the more. *wink*

Thanks a huge heap for stopping by.  I enjoy your visits so.  Here's to a great day!

Just A Note Card.

Not much crafting time was had over the last two weeks of the precious papery kind.  I had a huge festival showcasing and selling my handmade gemstone bracelets.  Needless to say, I was busy, busy, busy in the lead up to the festival solely beading my little heart out.  The four day festival is now over until the next one in May 2012, so I can now get back to my regular scheduled and oh so beloved papercrafting.  Ahhhh.  

I made this card last month.  Not sure what inspired it, but I do recall having fun using stamps from an Australian company called Darkroom Door.  All of the correspondance-like images on the green background are from them.  Darkroom Door is certainly a company worth looking into if you are after quality red rubber, more photo-realistic  type images.  The floral image edging the green card base is from Unity's Itty Bitty line (also red rubber) presenting the delightful Unity and Webster's collaboration and it's called Beauty.

I also must confess that I adore that whopper of a label from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Well, anything from Waltzingmouse Stamps will usually send me and that's no great secret, but this one in particular is pretty special in my estimation.  It's from a wonderful set called Vintage Labels 18, which coordinates with the Spelbinders label of the same name. Divine.

The remainder of the card was put together with various other nifty bits and bobs from my papercrafting collection.  But the last of the nifty bits that bares mentioning is, just how cool wired ribbon is.  Love the stuff.  I know it may be a bit shiny for some, but if you pick your colors right, you will absolutely adore how easy it is to get a half decent bow when using this ribbon piped with a fine edging wire.  No crush, no fuss.  I got the several rolls I have from my local sewing shop in their haberdashery section.  Isn't the word haberdashery so cool?   Haberdashery. Haberdashery. Haberdashery. Haberdashery.  Love it!

Silly aren't I?  But really, thanks so much for stopping by.  I do appreciate each and every one of your visits so.  Here's to an inspired day!

Bee Positive!

On the days when I just can't seem to kick it into gear, the best I am able to muster is to craft an affirmation for higher spirits, warm & fuzzies, rainbows, sunshine, and all that jazz into my cards.  And then pray to the Good Lord that it will, even in the most miniscule amount, rub off on me.  This card is, indeed, one of those wishful thinking type cards.  I used the colors of this fortnight's CR84FN Color Challenge of Lavender, Celery and Gray.  I went to this challenge in particular because I love its slogan of "Spark Your Creative Spirit."  Yep, I felt like I needed to pull out all the stops in hopes that something would give.

I pretty much used all Papertrey Ink goodies in the making of this card. The only non-PTI items are the image on the Celery colored rectangle with pinked edging and the ribbon, flower and lamé trim.  The green floral image is a lovely Frangipani laden, red rubber stamp from an Australian company called Darkoom Door Stamps.  I have several of their stamps and they are worth a look at, as the quality is fab and the images are largely photorealistic and a lot of fun.

Thanks for popping by for a visit.  I hope to see you at the blog again soon.  Have a glorious day!

Supplies:

• Stamps:  Papertrey Ink Honey Bee and Honey Bee Additions and Garden Variety.  Darkroom Door Frangipani 
• Accessories:  Papertrey Ink In Bloom Impression Plate, Boutique Button Die, Garden Variety Dies, Pinking Shears, Corrugated Cardboard (yummmm), White and Gray Acrylic Paint, and purple paper flower (origins unknown),  a snippet of some silver Lamé from my stash and WRMK Corner Chomper.