quatrefoil, gingham and vellum...

I am really loving a die called Cover Plate: Quatrefoil Die by Papertrey Ink, and I pulled it out the other day to play around with it again.

I cut one Quatrefoil piece out of white cardstock and three more Quatrefoil pieces using the plaid papers from the 6x6" Double Dutch Tiny Tablet by Lily Bee Designs.

I first placed the white border onto my card and then filled in the colorful centers with the plaid pieces! It's fun to create a design with the patterns. The little pieces pop out, and you can arrange them however you'd like. Everything is placed onto a white cardstock base, and I like how the white-on-white looks.

For the sentiment, a piece of vellum was added and a stamped "Thank You" from PTI's Think Big Favorites #4.  I really like how the patterns still show through the sentiment. To adhere the vellum, I used a few tiny dots of Elmer's Craft Bond Fabric & Paper Glue, which worked beautifully and dried clear.

Swing over to the Lily Bee blog for more card inspiration today from the talented Michi Nobeno.

Got sketch?

Hi there, I bet you thought I was never coming back, huh! The day of the August Papertrey Ink reveal, my brother and his family arrived for the week from South Dakota. We took them to see the ocean for a few days, New York City, and of course showed them around where we live, where the kids go to school, etc! I will miss them so much. It's ALWAYS hard to say goodbye again.

I am working on getting lots of pics up on Facebook from our get-together! Meanwhile, I was inspired to make a page with some of our new memories...

This week on the Pink Paislee blog, we are working with a sketch made just for us by Valerie Salmon from Got Sketch. All week you will see several unique ways to use one sketch - and I'm thrilled to see what the other girls will make with it too! I used this to make my page above.

It started out as an 8 1/2" x 11" page, but I decided to add some colorful cardstock strips to the side.  I like how the Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist and Soft Stone cardstocks created an "ombre" effect on the side of the layout. Serene, just how I feel at the ocean. I used a London Market soft blue floral paper in the background and mixed in some Prairie Hill goodies!

Kati and my nephew Eli were like yin and yang. I was so surprised that they hit it off right away and spent so much time together! We only see them once a year, so it was fun to see them click!

I used a Papertrey Ink die called Simple Circles to cut the white borders. All of the accents are from the fun Prairie Hill line by Pink Paislee!

For a complete supply list, visit the Pink Paislee blog.

Release day - August.

It's the 15th again, and that means the Papertrey Ink team is allowed to share what we've been working on for the month of August! First, meet the new Heart-2-Heart #7 stamp set.

I've used the leaves two different ways here - once as rows, and then I stamped them front to front to create little circles down the second card. The cute flower die is the Heart-2-Heart #7 die. Simple to layer and pull up the edges of the flower for a bit of dimension.

Heart-2-Heart #7 Cards:

STAMPS: Heart-2-Heart #7
INK: Spring Moss, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold
PAPER: white and Harvest Gold cardstock, Pure Poppy Pattern Pack
DIES: Heart-2-Heart #7 (flower), Heart-2-Heart #3 (heart)
OTHER: pearls by Melissa Frances, 2" circle punch by Fiskars.

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Next, meet the Framed Out #7 stamps and dies.
I popped up the pretty frame and added a flower from the Heart-2-Heart #7 in felt. I decided to try some different colors of stamping on the Spring Moss cardstock - used Spring Moss, Pure Poppy and True Black.

You're the Best card:

STAMPS: Framed Out #7, Background Basics: Houndstooth, Sunflower Bouquet, Think Big Favorites #19
INK: Spring Moss, Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, True Black inks
PAPER: Spring Moss cardstock, Pure Poppy Pattern Pack, script paper is by Pink Paislee
DIES: Framed Out #7, Heart-2-Heart #7
OTHER: felt, Ripe Avocado button, Pure Poppy ribbon, pearl by Melissa Frances.

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Here I've used the new Think Big Favorites #19 stamps and the Counting My Blessings dies, as well as Background Basics: Herringbone!

On the first card, I cut several "thankfuls" and layered them. The white ones are so pretty on white cardstock! This tone-on-tone look could be done with any color!

On this card, I alternated the look of the smaller herringbone stamp and left room in the center for the large word. This way the word really stands out.

I layered some leaves from the Autumn Acorns dies and hung a little Tiny Tags heart from the word with twine.

So in love with this card!

Thankful card set:

STAMPS: Background Basics: Herringbone, Think Big Favorites #19
INK: Summer Sunrise, Dark Chocolate
PAPER: white, Fine Linen Pattern Pack, Pure Poppy Pattern Pack, Dark Chocolate Pattern Pack
DIES: Tiny Tags, Counting My Blessings, Autumn Acorrns
OTHER: Dark Chocolate button, rustic twine, Pure Poppy ribbon.

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Here is a more modern looking one with the Thanks All Ways stamps and the Cover Plate: Quatrefoil die. I cut a quatrefoil shape, placed it on my card and glued down the pieces, then removed the outer piece. I only used half of the pieces for a slanted look.

Thanks for All You Do card:

STAMPS: Thanks All Ways
INK: Fresh Snow
PAPER: Smokey Shadow cardstock, Ripe Avocado cardstock, white, Autumn Abundance patterned paper
DIES: Cover Plate Quatrefoil die
OTHER: white embossing powder, My Mind's Eye brad.
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"Just a Note" features Sunflower Bouquet. I used chalks to give the sunflowers and vase a soft look.

The triangles of patterned paper remind me of a little tablecloth.

Just a Note card:

STAMPS: Background Basics: Newsprint, Background Basics: Houndstooth, Sunflower Bouquet
INK: Harvest Gold, Classic Kraft, Soft Stone, True Black
PAPER: White cardstock, Simply Chartreuse Pattern Pack
DIES: Sunflower Bouquet
OTHER: Chalks, Ripe Avocado ribbon, Little Yellow Bicycle pin.

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"Thanks for coming to my party" uses the cupcake from Foodie Fun and sentiments from Thanks All Ways, and they are just quickly stamped onto a graph paper by Crate Paper. Easy! I punched some red polkadot paper for the cherries on top.

Thanks for Coming to My Party card:

STAMPS: Foodie Fun, Thanks All Ways
INK: Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, Hawaiian Shores, Sweet Blush, Ripe Avocado
PAPER: Aqua Mist, Harvest Gold
DIES: corner rounder
OTHER: twine by the Twinery, red paper, graph paper by Crate Paper.
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Last, something different - a little folk art looking framed piece with the Autumn Hills stamps (tree and sentiment). I cut some leaves with the older Autumn Acorns dies with felt and wrapped them around a spool with rustic twine. The patchwork feel of the hexagons to me really went with the rustic, cozy feel of the Autumn Hills stamps!

Bountiful Blessings Frame:

STAMPS: Autumn Hills, Happy Hexagons, Background Basics: Houndstooth
INK: Classic Kraft, True Black, Pure Poppy, Spring Moss
PAPER: Ripe Avocado, Spring Moss, Classic Kraft cardstock, Summer Sunrise Pattern Pack
DIES: Autumn Acorns, Happy Hexagons, Teacher's Apple
OTHER: black paper - Crate Paper, ruler paper - Echo Park, Pure Poppy button, rustic twine, Dark Chocolate button, Fine Linen felt, twine spool, Maya Road pin, frame - Target.

That's it for me. All products will be available at 10 pm EST tonight at www.papertreyink.com! Let me know if you have any questions about these projects, I'll be happy to answer them. Have a good day!

Teach & Inspire.

I have a fun project that I couldn't wait to share with you today! The Papertrey Ink team members each created with the new Teach & Inspire stamp set and the Teacher's Apple dies, and I can't wait to see what amazing things they've come up with. I LOVED this set!! (I apologize in advance for a photo-heavy post!)

For a back-to-school gift for a teacher, I wanted to make a set of cards. Then I wondered how to package them all together. Hmm....a BOOK! Yes, perfect for a teacher.

Here is what my book of cards looks like from the front. Don't you just love that Script alphabet die?

I created a front and back for my book of cards with the Front and Center #2 die. Then for the inside pages, I made pockets with vellum to hold each card. To make the pockets, cut vellum 6 1/2" wide x 7" high. Fold up the bottom 3". Punch a notch in the center of the front with a 2" circle punch. Machine stitch the sides with a zig zag stitch. Finished pockets are 4" x 6 1/2".

Here you can see a little peek at the pockets. I clipped it all together with clothespins, but you could certainly bind it in a more permanent manner if you wish.

Now for the inside! I wanted to have a little cover page on the inside telling the recipient what it is for!

I have six cards - one tucked into each pocket.

I used the Background Basics: Herringbone background here to emboss the cardstock after stamping the lines and sentiment.

I stamped the little rulers onto the background for this one.

Made my own little button apple.

On this card, I placed the Block Alpha die onto Soft Stone cardstock and ran it through my Cuttlebug to cut out the alphas. I used the negative piece on this card, along with the circle from Think Big Favorites #19. I kept the alphas to use on the next card!

The alphas that were punched out were used on the next card! I used a ruler to line them up. (Started in the center with d and e and worked my way out to the sides. This way if you have more room on one side or the other, you can trim the card down to make it look more even and centered.)

Last is a card using the adorable pencil stamp!

So colorful!

One more thing. I know this post is a little long!

...it's a little pencil made with a pack of Rolos candy. I used Summer Sunrise Patterned paper and Melon Berry cardstock to wrap around the Rolos and just taped it on the back.

Hope you are INSPIRED to try making your own teacher gifts this year! Visit the rest of the team to see more with Teach & Inspire:

Ashley Cannon Newell

Betsy Veldman
Cristina Kowalczyk

Dawn McVey  

Jessica Witty  

Maile Belles

Melissa Phillips

Nichole Heady

"Inspire" Book of Cards gift set for teacher:
STAMPS: Teach & Inspire, Background Basics: Houndstooth, Think Big Favorites #19
INK: True Black, Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, Classic Kraft
PAPER: White/Melon Berry/Spring Moss/Classic Kraft/Soft Stone cardstock, Pure Poppy and Summer Sunrise Pattern Pack, vellum. Other: Mistables by Pink Paislee, orange check by Lily Bee Designs
DIES: Front & Center #2 die, Script Alpha die, Teacher's Apple die, Background Basics: Herringbone Impression Plate, Block Alpha die
OTHER: True Black ribbon, felt, rustic twine, Pure Poppy button by Papertrey Ink. Pearls by Melissa Frances, font is Typewriter, clothespins from craft supply store, Rolo candy.

Halloween inspiration.

Need Halloween ideas? You are in the right place today! The Papertrey Ink team is working with three different Halloween sets coming out this month - Happy Haunting, Mr. Bones and Tremendous Treats: Halloween. My first card is made with Happy Haunting.

I made three little faces from some of the eyes and mouths in the set on my stamping block, then stamped randomly onto Smokey Shadow patterned paper with Fresh Snow ink.

Next, I folded it in half and added a strip of new Royal Velvet dotted paper, and a tape I bought at Target. I wanted to cut out a ghost with the Happy Haunting die out of felt, but I didn't have any white felt on hand, so I used a baby wipe that was completely dry. Love the texture. I keep a pack of baby wipes by my desk to clean up with, but they have dried out over time.

A frame is cut out with the Framed Out #7 die and stamped with "Boo to you!" from the Happy Haunting set.

Boo to You card:

STAMPS: Happy Haunting
INK: Fresh Snow, True Black
PAPER: Smokey Shadow and Aqua Mist cardstock, Royal Velvet Pattern Pack
DIES: Framed Out #7, Happy Haunting
OTHER: pearls by  Melissa Frances, baby wipe, Smash tape from Target.

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Next up: a simple treat holder. Spider and sentiment are from Tremendous Treats: Halloween. I cut the shape from the Seed Packet die, a 2" circle from Summer Sunrise paper and then a web from the Spider Web Trio dies. The spider was stamped and cut out by me. I tried to keep it on the simple side for recreating multiples of these for a child's classroom!

The little spider ring is made from Smokey Shadow felt and Spooky Sweets II dies.

Trick or Treat candy holder:

STAMPS: Tremendous Treats: Halloween
INK: True Black, Fresh Snow
PAPER: Royal Velvet Pattern Pack, Summer Sunrise Pattern Pack, black and white cardstock
DIES: Spider Web Trio, Seed Packet die
OTHER: mini clothespin, tape from Target, candies.

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The EEK! card is made with Mr. Bones stamps and dies. I used the spider, the web and the eek.

I stamped the webbed background in Soft Stone ink and the eek in Lavender Moon. I really wanted the spider to dangle, so I punched a hole for him to dangle in and backed the circle with another punched Orange Zest circle inside the card behind him.

EEK! card:

STAMPS: Mr. Bones
INK: Soft Stone, Lavender Moon, Fresh Snow
PAPER: white and black cardstock, Orange Zest Pattern Pack, Summer Sunrise Pattern Pack
DIES: Mr. Bones
OTHER: scallop circle punch by Martha Stewart, rustic twine.

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Be sure to stop by these amazing girls' blogs too to see more Halloween inspiration!

Ashley Cannon Newell

Betsy Veldman
Cristina Kowalczyk

Dawn McVey  

Erin Lincoln

Heather Nichols  

Jessica Witty  

Maile Belles

Melissa Phillips

Nichole Heady