more Monthly Moments: January...

I have a quick layout to show you today made with the Monthly Moments: January products (Journal Card Collection and stamps). I thought it would be fun to try one larger photo that has meaning to me and add a few details over the top.

This photo was taken at my mom's house over the holiday, my first Christmas there in 14 years, and I wanted to journal about my happiness, why it was significant. Really wish I could have fit more journaling on the page now, but I can journal on the back, I suppose. Being there was surreal. Magical, almost! There's just something about being home and safe and secure with your parents. Even though I'm 43 years old, there's still that safe and loved feeling you get at home, you know? That familiarity still there after being gone for so many Christmases. My girls played in the snow with their aunt, uncle and cousins...squealing with laughter as they flew down the hill in their sleds, their faces lit up with rosy cheeks and big smiles. My dad pulled the kids around with the 4 wheeler, over the bumps they would hop up off the sled, giggling and screeching with delight! Made my heart so happy for them and for me, as well! It wasn't about the gifts or the holiday for me. Just time well spent with family and happy memories my girls won't forget.

The papers are from the Monthly Moments: January Journal Cards, and I punched large 2" circles from them, added some stamping and die cut a few Fancy Flakes to go with it. Nothing too fussy, just some quick embellishing and little bit of stamping.

More projects coming tomorrow with the next Gossomer Blue kit! Visit Ashley, Melissa and Heather for more Monthly Moments inspiration.

Two Feet Deep...

The Papertrey Ink team is back with another group post, this time we are featuring a few new things being released on Sept. 15th: the Two Feet Deep stamp set and dies, the Double Bow Die, and the Fancy Flakes Dies. These are so pretty for gift wraps, tags and cards!

First, I decorated a kraft box and added a gift tag. The tag is made with the skis and sentiment from Two Feet Deep. I used a stripe stamp from an older set (Candy Cane Christmas) with red and pink inks to create a border for my tag and my package. Then I die cut the skis, stamped them and added Martha Stewart white craft glue and white embossing powder to make them extra "snowy". I didn't heat emboss the powder, just left it as is. I used Ripe Avocado patterned paper and the Holiday Button Bits dies to add a bit more color.

The Double Bow is so easy to make!! I was pleasantly surprised at how quick it went together. Visit Nichole's blog for a video on how to use this die. I used Melissa Frances Crepe Paper in Cream to make my bow. It comes in large sheets. I actually cut 2 layers of the crepe paper the same time to make it a little thicker and not so see-through... and just love how it turned out. I glued the 2 layers together at the tabs with Scor Tape (just like Nichole did it in the video). The center is an adhesive resin swirl by Melissa Frances also, just attached it right on top.

To decorate a craft gift box, I cut a strip of Classic Kraft cardstock about 4" wide by the same length of the box. I stamped/embossed the snowflake from Two Feet Deep in a random fashion. The stamp matches the larger Fancy Flakes dies! (You can see on the tag above, I cut a smaller Fancy Flakes snowflake to top the tag!) To help the package tie in with the tag, I created a similar striped border for my package just like on the tag with red/pink inks.

And I have one more card...

I used the "Let it Snow" sentiment from Two Feet Deep, the Mistletoe & Holly stamp set, Candy Cane Christmas and the Fancy Flakes dies. And a strip of Pure Poppy cardstock and a strip of Classic Kraft cardstock.

The Fancy Flakes look so pretty layered. And how cute is that star center!
Many of you have been asking for more "design tips", so I'd like to share a little something about my projects today. I have found that a design is more interesting when you have an element that is placed vertically AND something that is placed horizontally. So on my box, you'll see the snowflakes are horizontal, but the red dots are vertically placed. On the ski tag, the skis and sentiment are vertical, but the holly breaks up the vertical lines, because it's placed horizontally. Same with the card...the sentiment and holly are placed across the card, while the stripes and cardstock strips are placed up and down. Hope that makes sense. It moves your eye around the card and makes all of the detail so interesting to find.

Also, to make sure everything coordinated in my set, I took a couple of elements I loved the most and repeat them on each project...the snowflakes, the stripes, and the red dots.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the team has done with these products. I have a feeling everything is going to be so different!

Ashley Cannon Newell
Betsy Veldman
Cristina Kowalczyk
Dawn McVey
Erin Lincoln
Heather Nichols
Laura Bassen
Maile Belles
Melissa Phillips
Nichole Heady

All supplies by Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Warm Winter Wishes tag and gift box:
STAMPS: Two Feet Deep, Candy Cane Christmas
INK: Fresh Snow, Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Sweet Blush
PAPER: Classic Kraft, white, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado Pattern Pack
DIES: Holiday Button Bits dies, Two Feet Deep dies, Double Bow die, Fancy Flakes dies
OTHER: Twine, white embossing powder, crepe paper and resin swirl by Melissa Frances.

Let It Snow card:
STAMPS: Two Feet Deep, Candy Cane Christmas, Mistletoe & Holly
INK: Sweet Blush, Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado
PAPER: Pure Poppy, Classic Kraft, White cardstock
DIES: Fancy Flakes dies
OTHER: Twine.