Creative Cardmaker: Stitched Banners...

Want a quick and easy way to add a focal point to your card? Create a stitched banner! If you have a sewing machine at home, you can make a stitched banner in a FLASH!

The papers I used were from an older Studio Calico card kit, but you can use any scraps you have on hand! The butterfly punch is by Martha Stewart and the stamped saying is from the Make It Market mini kit: Lovely Laurels by Papertrey Ink.

The center butterfly is punched out to create a negative look, and the front panel of the card is popped up slightly. I always like the balance of something being centered on the card, yet the randomly placed butterflies add a little bit of unexpectedness to it as well.

You can read more info about this card and the stitched banner technique over at the Weekly Scrapper blog! See you again tomorrow with another Papertrey countdown post! 

Release Day: February...

Today is release day when all of the new products for the month will be available (10pm EST) at Papertrey Ink. I have a few more new sets to show you. What fun it's been with the 8th Anniversary festivities, hasn't it?

First up is the new Etched Easter Eggs, and I made some little gift tags for Easter with the stamps and dies.

The tags are cut with the new Enclosed: Basic Folded Tag, then I stamped the vines with Lovely Laurels. I tucked some Etched Easter Eggs dies into the stamped leaf sprigs.

Sequins are from the Lovely Laurels mini kit. Love these! Pink twine finishes off the tags. The eggs are actually backed with acetate cut with the Egg die, so they kind of shine and resemble stained glass, even though it's hard to see in the photos.

Easter Tag Set:
(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)
STAMPS: Etched Easter Eggs, Lovely Laurels
INK: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, New Leaf, True Black
PAPER: White
DIES: Etched Easter Eggs dies, Egg Die, Enclosed: Basic Folded Tag die
OTHER: Twine, sequins from Lovely Laurels mini kit.
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Next up, an Easter card with Easter Alleluias!

Love the big fonts in Easter Alleluias! I used Lovely Laurels again in the background and just inked up half of it at a time, so I could stamp the leaf sprigs going "out" instead of in towards each other, then tucked a "He is risen" sentiment inside. Added some stamped flowers and sequins from Lovely Laurels. Then I wanted a paper to add to the top that had all the colors in it that I used on my card to tie them all together, so I decided to make my own with Background Basics: Super Stripes.

Alleluia! card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Easter Alleluias, Lovely Laurels, Background Basics: Super Stripes

INK: Aqua Mist, Tropical Teal, True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold

PAPER: White

DIES: Lovely Laurels

OTHER: sequins - Lovely Laurels mini kit.

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Here are Blue Skies stamps and dies.

The rays are cut with Cover Plate: Blue Skies Rays die and stamped with the stamp set with Summer Sunrise ink.  Then I die cut and stamped the cupcakes. A fun little birthday card!

Sunny With a Chance of Sprinkles card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Blue Skies

INK: Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, Aqua Mist, Tropical Teal, Pure Poppy

PAPER: Raspberry Fizz Pattern Pack, Harvest Gold and White cardstock

DIES: Blue Skies, Cover Plate: Blue Skies Rays

OTHER: pearl by Melissa Frances, corner rounder, Martha Stewart scalloped circle punch.

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Here is Monthly Moments: Year Round Mini stamp set (February stamp). I also used the Birthday Classics: September set to add "happy" and "birthday".

The flowers are cut and stamped with Bitty Bouquets. Paper is from the new Luxe Silver Foil papers. I really like the purples and silver together!

 Happy February Birthday card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Monthly Moments: Year Round Mini, Bitty Bouquets, Birthday Classics: September

INK: Plum Pudding, New Leaf, Lavender Moon

PAPER: Lavender Moon cardstock, Luxe Silver Foil papers

DIES: Bitty Bouquets, 2" circle punch - Fiskars

OTHER: pearls by Melissa Frances.

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This is Keep It Simple: Mother stamp set that I stamped and embossed onto Sheer Basics Vellum. 

These pretty papers are the new Luxe Gold Foil papers (A2size), all I did was add a few things in the center, a 2" punched circle from Sweet Blush cardstock, a vellum circle cut with Limitless Layers 2 1/2" Circle die, a Swoosh die cut from Luxe Gold Cardstock and a flower cut with Bitty Bouquets.

With Love on Mother's Day card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Keep It Simple: Mother, Bitty Bouquets

INK: Pure Poppy, Spring Moss

PAPER: Sweet Blush, Sheer Basics Vellum, Luxe Gold Cardstock, Luxe Gold Foil papers (background)

DIES: Bitty Bouquets, 2" circle punch, Limitless Layers 2 1/2" Circle, Swoosh

OTHER: pearl by Melissa Frances, white embossing powder.

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Here is one more with Quilted: Spring stamps and dies. 

Isn't it pretty? A quilt lovers dream and a great set for getting to add lots of different colors. 

 Love Is the Tie Quilted card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Monthly Moments: Year Round Mini

INK: Lavender Moon, Scarlet Jewel, Pure Poppy, Spring Moss, Sweet Blush, True Black

PAPER: white

DIES: Quilted: Spring dies

OTHER: twine, clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh.

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Everything will be available on Feb. 15 at 10pm EST at Papertrey Ink. 

Want to see more ideas with the new products? Visit the PTI team:

Amy Sheffer

Ashley Cannon Newell
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Laura Bassen
Lauri Willison
Maile Belles
Melissa Phillips
Nichole Heady

Introducing Make It Market Mini Kit: Lovely Laurels...

Welcome back! Today we get to introduce a new concept by Papertrey Ink, Make It Market "mini kits" by Betsy Veldman! Visit Nichole Heady's blog to read more about these, but I'll show you 2 cards that I made with this mini kit of papers, stamps, dies and embellishments. One is on the simpler side and the second one is very similar, yet "stepped up" in its details!

On this first card, I simply stamped the leaves onto Linen Cardstock (new!). I inked up the leaf stamp with Spring Moss ink first, and then dabbed New Leaf ink around the edges before stamping.

Next, I stamped the berries and sentiment. Then the sequins and bird were added on top, and the panel is attached to one of the beautiful papers in the kit. Fairly simple, just some stamping and gluing!

Just For You card:

(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

STAMPS: Lovely Laurels

INK: Spring Moss, New Leaf, Pure Poppy, True Black

PAPER: Lovely Laurels mini kit, Linen Cardstock

DIES: Lovely Laurels

OTHER: sequins - Lovely Laurels mini kit.

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This card has been "stepped up" in a few ways. I have the exact same design here, but you might notice I added some dimension by using a die to cut and pop up the leaves. This is cut with the Lovely Laurels dies, and I really love how it only cuts part of it out, so you can bend up the leaves a bit...isn't that pretty?

I've added more detail in a few other ways as well. I cut the cardstock at an angle for a unique look. It's something unexpected rather than a straight panel like the first card. Then I used a small hole punch to make tiny holes on the sides of my card front to hold some twine from the kit. I wrapped the twine around twice and tied it in a knot, now we have shades of pink AND red on the card vs. the first card which had red only. Adds a little more depth.


Darker teal leaves were added to the wreath to add a bit more contrast to the design, and I think it really pulls the blue background paper out and adds a bit more color!

Just For You "stepped up" card:
(All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)
STAMPS: Lovely Laurels
INK: Spring Moss, New Leaf, Pure Poppy, True Black
PAPER: Lovely Laurels mini kit, Linen Cardstock
DIES: Lovely Laurels
OTHER: twine and sequins - Lovely Laurels mini kit.
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Just by adding a few extra details to your cards, it can really create a lot of interest and depth to the eye. Do you prefer the simpler one or the stepped up one? All of these new products will be available on Feb. 15 at 10pm EST at Papertrey Ink. To see more Lovely Laurels mini kit inspiration, visit the PTI team:

Amy Sheffer

Ashley Cannon Newell
Betsy Veldman
Dawn McVey
Heather Nichols
Laura Bassen
Lauri Willison
Maile Belles
Melissa Phillips
Nichole Heady