PTI Blog Hop- Entry 3

Whew... my third and final entry.

(What can I say? I'm super competitive by nature.)

I have to say that I wasn't horribly thrilled when I heard about these new dies. They weren't something I thought I absolutely *had* to have in my hot little hands.  But, after playing with them myself, I now know how much fun it can be to make an "interactive" card. I thought it would be a PITA (crass, I know), with lots of fussy folding and cutting... but these were quite simple and pack a big punch.

I think this final card is my favorite.

This last one features another die from the Movers and Shakers: Poppers collection. I paired it with the beautiful Anniversary set, Pretty Peonies, and Celebrations. Those gorgeous frames in the new Anniversary set work quite well with the Celebrations die!

I used a classic color combo: Raspberry Fizz and Ripe Avocado. I also got to pull out my new Raspberry Fizz: Bitty Dots patterned paper too. Definitely love this paper!!




Aren't those flowers just gorgeous?!
I wish PTI had dies to match, because I had to "fussy cut" all of those flowers. Let me tell you, I like the effect, but I can think of a lot better things to do with my time. Like dishes.... Ha.

I colored a little on the flowers, too, to try to add some dimension and depth. I'm most definitely not a master, though I am fairly pleased with how it turned out.

As I was working with the pieces of this card, I knew I needed some more contrast between the Raspberry Fizz Celebrations die cut and the RF patterned paper. Since there's no "Layerz" type die for the Celebrations die (oh, how I wish there was!), I was sneaky and die cut another Celebrations frame in Smokey Shadow (to complement the Smokey Shadow sentiments), cut it in half, and glued each end on the Raspberry Fizz die cut so that it looked like a shadow. It's one of those things that I am sure I read somewhere and filed in my "Nifty Techniques" subconscious file, but I was all proud of myself for being so clever. Don't worry; the feeling passed quickly.

Isn't that pop up just awesome!?! Definitely adds something unique to the card.

I'm really quite pleased with this one... I need to stop getting so attached to cards, because I am very reluctant to give them away when I really like them. It's getting out of hand.

Thanks for checking out my submissions... I hope everyone enjoyed the blog hop!! I'm definitely going to spend some quality time on Nichole's blog tonight after hubs heads to bed, so I can check out everybody else's submissions. Can't wait to get more inspiration!

Supplies: (All PTI unless otherwise noted)
Ripe Avocado, Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz plain cardstock
Raspberry Fizz Bitty Dot pattern paper
Celebrations stamps and die
Pretty Peonies
Happily Ever After
Raspberry Fizz, Smokey Shadow ink
Olive ink (CTMH)
Martha Stewart doily edger punch
Martha Stewart markers
Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop- Entry 2

Welcome to PTI Blog Hop Post #2!

In the interest of time, this one will be short and sweet.

  Using another color combo from Pinterest (eggplant, peach, and putty, which I translated to Plum Pudding, Melon Berry, and Soft Stone), my Movers and Shakers: Poppers dies and my Beautiful Butterflies set to create this card:

The "You" from "Simply You" was stamped with my Glue Pad and then heat embossed with Zing! Metallic Purple embossing powder. I also tried to do a monochromatic effect with Fresh Snow ink, and it's much more visible in the photo above. I stamped the shadow of the butterflies with Smokey Shadow ink.

For some reason, the butterflies in the interior are coming out much more orange than they are in real life. I think it looks like the butterflies are fluttering right out of the card! :)

Thanks for fluttering by to check out my submission!

Supplies (all PTI unless otherwise noted):
Soft Stone, Plum Pudding, Melon Berry cardstock
Movers and Shakers: Poppers dies
Beautiful Butterflies dies and stamps
Simply You stamps
Melon Berry felt
Smokey Shadow ink
Fresh Snow ink
Sorbet ink (CTMH)
Essential Glue Pad
Ranger Clear Embossing Powder
Zing! Metallic Purple Embossing Powder

Papertrey Ink February Blog Hop

On the 25th of each month, Papertrey Ink hosts a blog hop to showcase the ways their customers utilize their products. The theme this month is "interactive" cards, and while I may have viewed this theme with trepidation a few weeks ago (remember my goofy shaker card?), I now am equipped with an arsenal of "interactive" dies, courtesy of my cute hubby's Valentine's Day gift.

This is the first post of three today (I was able to make all three today waiting for my darling, annoying, ever-helpful husband to come home from chopping wood at his parent's house.), so I hope you'll bear with me. My dishes may not have gotten done, but I surely have three cards to enter into this contest!! It's the little things in life that make me happy. :)

The first card I created was using the dies that I was most excited to receive: Movers and Shakers: Sliders. They're just cool. I paired it with my Movers and Shakers Sentiments set, Celebrations set, and my Mat Stack 5 set to create this card:

This color combination is not one of my favorites... I found it on Pinterest (again) and it was pretty in theory. I also messed up on this one: I put the Celebrations die cut panel down too low on the Slider, so when you pull on the ribbon, the bottom of the panel drags. Boo. Ah well, there's always next time.

I shall return again soon!!

Supplies (all PTI unless otherwise noted):
Melon Berry, Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Aqua Mist cardstock
Movers and Shakers sentiments
Celebrations
Mat Stack 5
Think Big Birthday
Movers and Shaker: Sliders dies
Sorbet ink (CTMH)
Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Hawaiian Shores ink
1/4 inch white silk ribbon

A shadow box and a poem...

Today's post has a somber beginning.

A friend of mine contacted me a couple of weeks ago. She had had the most awful thing happen to her: she'd had an early-term miscarriage.

After initially dealing with this awful disappointment, she decided that it would make her feel better to have the baby's short life remembered in some way, so that she would still feel close to her. She asked me if I would be willing to make a shadow box for her and to include a few items that were unique to her baby: the sonogram photo, a small crocheted blankie, the meaning of the baby's name, and a beautiful poem that described the feelings one might experience after having such a loss. She didn't want it to be depressing; she wanted it to be very baby-girl-ish and cheerful. I did the best I could to create a respectful, not-too-somber shadow box.

The shadow box itself is a 12x16 inch shadow box, leaving plenty of room for the various items that she wanted to be included.

(I have blocked out the last name of the family to maintain their privacy.)

The poem that she asked me to include is from Susan Erling.

Just Those Few Weeks

A poem by Susan Erling

For those few weeks—

I had you to myself.

And that seems to short a time

To be changed so profoundly.

In those few weeks—

I came to know you…

And to love you.

You came to trust me with your life.

Oh, what a life I had planned for you!

Just those few weeks—

When I lost you,

I lost a lifetime of hopes, plans

Dreams, and aspirations…

A slice of my future simply vanished overnight.

Just those few weeks—

It wasn’t enough time to convince others how special and important you were.

How odd, a truly unique person has recently died

And no one is mourning the passing.

Just a mere few weeks—

And no “normal” person would cry all night over a tiny, unfinished baby, or get depressed and

Withdraw day after endless day.

No one would, so why am I?

You were just those few weeks, my little one,

You darted in and out of my life too quickly.

But it seems that’s all the time you needed

To make my life so much richer and give me

A small glimpse of eternity.

I challenged myself to create something totally unique, something that I'd never done before. I utilized my Cricut and my home printer in addition to my stamping techniques, and I think the combination of all three really creates something distinctive. I can't imagine the tragic and sudden loss a mother must inevitably go through during a time like this, but I hope this cheerful piece helps her to deal with the awful loss, and to remember that God has a reason for everything He does.

The only reason that I even am sharing this story is that, while tragic, this is something that occurs frequently. I myself have had three friends go through this horror, so I know it is something that, unfortunately, can be quite common. It occurs to me that someone else might want to have something like this done, maybe not to commemorate a miscarriage, but to celebrate a life in a respectful, meaningful, and unique way.

What would you do...

... with $500 of PTI gift certificates??

Well, considering my only two readers (that I know of) are my cute hubby and one of my students, I can safely assume that you BOTH answered "why, I'd give them to Emily, of COURSE!!" ;)

Today's challenge was to create "interactive" cards, because PTI is coming out with a new line of "interactive" dies and stamps. (For "interactive" read "something on a card that is fun for guys to pull, rip, or otherwise remove." "Guys" can also be substituted with "children.") The winner of today's challenge (and thank GOD they don't base the winning entry on the technique and overall look of the card itself, because I'd be out from the get-go) gets a fantastic prize package chock full of "interactive" cardmaking supplies AND!!! a $500 PTI gift certificate.

Well, I've never made an interactive card in my life, so this challenge was definitely a challenge.

For my first card I decided to make a pocket card. Now, I've never understood the point of a pocket card, other than for holding a gift card or money in a clever, non-traditional way. The little pull-tab is supposed to have a note on it, but if you're going to write a note, shouldn't it be on the inside of the card??

Anyway.
Here's what I came up with.

Definitely not my normal style. But I like the color combo. I found a necklace in these colors the other night and thought, hey, that'd make a pretty card!! Thanks, Pinterest!!

My next card is a "shaker" card. It's got a little compartment full of something... sprinkles, microbeads, confetti... in this case, glitter, that the recipient is supposed to "shake" and enjoy the little beads rattling around in there. Again, I've never understood the point of having a card that you have to shake to enjoy... I usually just enjoy looking at the beautiful design and the lovely message. But, I suppose these cards are geared more towards kids. I made mine a "Get Well Soon" card, because I figured the pretty glitter getting all shaken up with cheer up someone who's not feeling well. Yeah, right.

Again, not really my style, but I like the color combination (another Pinterest find) and the pretty floral feel to it. It almost looks like a little wreath that has a sparkly background, huh?

I won't say it was necessarily FUN to branch out of my usual style, as I was slightly stressed over how these cards were going to come out, but it definitely taught me to appreciate those who do these types of things well. And if you are the recipient of one of these cards.... well, you are probably a man or are ill, so in either case, I apologize for the poorly-constructed card you have just received. :)


Supplies: (all PTI unless otherwise noted)

for the Pocket Card:
Smokey Shadow, Melon Berry, Aqua Mist, SS White cardstock
Lace Bouquet
Aqua Mist ink
Melon Berry felt
Aqua Mist button
Rustic Jute twine
Aqua Mist ribbon
Flower die
Martha Stewart eyelet lace punch

For the Shaker Card:
Plum Pudding, Autumn Rose, Simply Chartreuse, Sweet Blush, Vintage Cream cardstock
Rosie Posie
Mat Stack 2
Fresh Snow, Autumn Rose, New Leaf inks
Olive CTMH ink
Acetate
Spellbinders Nestabilities Scalloped Circles and Circles
Spellbinders Lacey Pennant dies
Chipboard
Martha Stewart glitter
Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch
Martha Stewart Rose Leaf punch
Yellow Stickles
Patina Stickles

Butterflies and Overthinking...

Hi there...

Today is going to be super quick.

While reading today's installment of the PTI Anniversary festivities, I realized that there is a pretty gaping hole amongst my arsenal of frilly, flowery, girly-fied stamps.

I have no butterflies.

"WHAT?! How can this travesty have occurred?!" one might ask.

Yeah, I know, it's *really* not a big deal, Emily. Get a grip.

We were challenged to utilize both butterflies and leaves in our submissions today, neither of which I have much (leaves) or any (butterflies, apparently). I then remembered that I have a lovely Martha Stewart butterfly punch, so I finally felt better about that gaping hole in my crafting supplies. (It also gave me the supplies needed to enter the contest, which, if won, would definitely fill that gaping hole in my crafting supplies much more fully.)

Something else I discovered today: I think too much. I created my card in less than 30 minutes, and I have to say... I like it. I think it's simplistic, but elegant, with a nice use of color and balance of space. (Wow, I sound conceited.) I now know that if I want to get something accomplished that I actually like, I need to stop thinking so much and just start creating.

I doubled the butterfly punches and bent the wings slightly because it kinda looked to me like they were taking flight that way. I inked the edge of the butterflies' wings with Chai tea from the Tea Dye Duo, just to give some contrast and make them stand out.

So there you have it. My grand revelations for the day.

On a side note: I have kind of a cute story. My little sister (who was probably the cutest, sweetest little girl while also occasionally acting the part of a devil) has the nickname "Ladybug." She's been called that since... I don't know when. She's 20, so we'll say for 19 years. Anyway, she decided that since she was "Ladybug," I had to be "Butterfly." I'm not sure how she came to that conclusion... I'm not graceful or flutter-y.... but she stuck to it. I still get butterfly-themed Christmas gifts from her occasionally, and I still give her ladybugs.

Thanks for stopping by!! :)

Supplies: (All PTI unless otherwise noted)
Berry Sorbet, Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Ripe Avocado cardstock
Rosie Posie
Think Big Favorites
Tea Dye Duo
Rosebud Memento dye ink
Olive CTMH ink
Martha Stewart Butterfly punch

A Valentine for my Valentine

Today I have created my valentine for my loverboy.

It may have started as the PTI challenge for today (use hearts somewhere within your project), but it ended up being an adorable valentine for my own valentine.

I started out with PTI's "Love and Marriage" (every time I use this set, I hear Frank Sinatra singing the theme song to that show with Al Bundy, the shoe salesman), because, somehow, that set is the only set within my arsenal to contain hearts and other manner of valentine-y stuff.

When I started, I was just going to have the cute little scalloped square within the cute little red frame on a 5 x 5 inch square card. Then I realized that I wanted to put some ribbon on it (I know, not the most masculine of additions), and I thought.... a frame hanging from a wall might have a bow on the top of it, which in real life nobody would question, so why not make the card background look like wallpaper?

Well, my Background Basics skills tend to leave something to be desired, particularly on large backgrounds. I wanted to use my BB: Botanicals, which I think have a very wallpaper-y feel to them, but I know they would become wonky, and I didn't want my darling hubby to have a wonky Valentine's card.

Soooo... BB: Polka Dots came to the rescue.

I know, it doesn't look very wallpaper-y, but it's cute, and I think it kinda coordinates with the little dots around the edge of the heart with the cute silhouettes in it.

A little embellishment with some images from Mat Stack 5 (man, I love that set), a little Sakura Stardust pen, a mushy note inside... (I'll leave that particular aspect to your imagination ;) ) and voila! Valentine's card for hubs.

Now all I have to do is get the gift... I should really get on that, huh? At least I know I have dinner planned for V day: lasagna. I've never made it before, BUT hubs is confident that I will be just fine. It's just a bunch of layers... how hard could it be?

Thanks for dropping by!!! :)

Supplies: (all PTI unless otherwise noted)

Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, SS White cardstock
Love and Marriage
Mat Stack 5
BB: Polka Dots
Heart Prints dies
Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist ink
Lacey Squares Spellbinders Nestabilities
Tulip CTMH ink
Red/White ribbon from my stash
Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll Pen
Ranger Liquid Pearls: Opal