Quilted...

I love the quilted look and am a quilter myself, so I thought it would be fun to bring this look to a card again for today's Scrapbook Expo cardmaking post! I grabbed the Quilted: Summer stamps and dies to make my card. It came together so quickly, just love this set!

First, I die cut the frame and stamped all of the fun triangles! I left some of them white to make it look like a pinwheel. You could also take the frame off and just use the pinwheel, with a stamped stem using the stripe in the stamp set! I die cut a flower and stamped it also.

Then I attached these pieces to a white card base, added the flower over the top. The larger pinwheel pieces are popped up with dimensional adhesive.

The Scripted stamps were used for a sentiment at the bottom.

Hop over to the Scrapbook Expo post to read more about this card. Happy "almost" summer!

Make It Market: Don't Forget to Write...

Betsy Veldman designed another GORGEOUS Make It Market kit coming May 1st at Papertrey Ink called Don't Forget to Write! I had the pleasure of working with this kit to show you a sneak peek of it, and let me tell you, I think this is the best one yet! It's sooo pretty! The dies and stamps are some of my all time favorites! Here is a tiny peek of the kit...there is so much more.

What do you think? This is just a small sample of what's to come! Love, love, love! Visit Nichole Heady's blog for more info on this kit - coming soon on May 1st!

Watercoloring stamped images...

Happy hump day! Spring break is over for us, thank goodness. Ha. I love my kids, but honestly being with them for 10 days was exhausting. lol This week is flying by! Catching up on cleaning the house (I like when it stays clean for more than an hour!), laundry and some assignments. Yesterday I had a post due for Scrapbook Expo's Weekly Scrapper blog, and I felt like painting with watercolors. I started with some flowers and branches...

Then I wanted to add a pretty bird, so I used the Spring Woods stamp set, stamped it with Aqua Mist and Tropical Teal (it is a 2-step stamp), then added a tiny bit of water over the top to blend it to make it look painted.

Would you have guessed that the bird was a stamp? So easy, right!

Swing by to see the full tutorial and finished card at the Weekly Scrapper blog! I'll be back with more projects either today or tomorrow! :)
Danielle

Revisited: Fancy Folk Art...

Each month on the 1st, the Papertrey Ink team revisits an older stamp set to give you fresh ideas of what you can do with it! Today we are using the Fancy Folk Art stamps and dies. I have one card three ways for you today:

1. a one-layer card (simple),
2. a card using the dies and an extra technique for the sentiment (intermediate),
3. and one with extra dimension, ink blending in the background, and splitting the sentiment (advanced). 

You can use these same tips with any stamp and die set, however, to step up your cards!

1. First is the one-layer stamped card or "simple" version! 
Everything is stamped directly onto the card base with Fancy Folk Art.

The leaves are stamped in Stormy Seas ink and the flowers with Pure Poppy, Aqua Mist, Tropical Teal and Bright Buttercup inks, then the sentiment over the top.

Nothing wrong with this one, but let's see how we can "step it up"!

2. Next is the "intermediate" version! 
I added a couple more steps in my process to add extra dimension. The big floral piece is die cut and stamped first, so I could raise it up off the card with pop dots. Then I placed the die cut directly onto the card and actually stamped the sentiment right over the top (before raising it up!). It did stamp through the holes of the die cut onto the card base. The die cut was then adhered with pop dots to help it stand off the card, and I also stamped and cut out another banner to place over the top.

Can you see the dimension of the die cut that is standing up off the "intermediate" card? I love dimension!

Now should we "step it up" a bit more? :)

3. Last is the "advanced" version: 
I will call the last version of this card "advanced", just because it has a few more steps to creating it, but I really think the extra steps give it a bit more "WOW" factor and detail to look at! What do you think? Which version do you prefer?

The floral is die cut and stamped, but before adding it to the card with pop dots, I did some ink blending in the background with a sponge and Aqua Mist ink. I really love how the soft aqua brings out the teal and red! It also brings out the white banner and white edges around the die cut, which really makes it pop. When placing the die cut on the card, I adhered it on an angle. This way I didn't cover up the two tulip shapes. The slight tilt of the floral piece makes a huge difference!

The sentiment stamp was cut apart! (YES, I cut the stamp!) I wanted to stamp only the "many thanks" separately in Aqua Mist under the die cut. You could also mask off the banner if you'd like. I don't mind cutting my stamps apart, because they can be put back together very nicely on the acrylic block. I stamped the banner in black and cut it out and added it over the top of the floral piece. I've also added the clear sequins as another detail that adds sparkle and catches the eye, without taking the attention away from the pretty floral.

I hope you enjoyed these tips for adding more detail and color and "stepping up" your card designs!

Visit Betsy, Dawn, Heather, and Melissa for more Fancy Folk Art ideas!

Stenciled backgrounds...

Recently I've started dabbling in ink blending on my cards! It's such a fun way to add color. You can ink blend directly onto the card or over a stencil like I did here today.  *Note: this card is inspired by Betsy's Sending Love card from her post on the 14th.

Over at the Scrapbook Expo blog, I show a few step-by-step photos with the supplies I used and talk about why I love this technique!

 I've used the Modern Stencil collection, the Bitty Bouquets stamps and dies and the Big Birthday Wishes stamps.

Swing by the Weekly Scrapper blog over at Scrapbook Expo to read more!

Pedal Pusher revisited...

Happy Monday! The senior design team for Papertrey Ink is revisiting an older stamp set today called Pedal Pusher to share a few more ideas of what you can do with it! I had SO much fun with it! The layering possibilities are amazing with this set of stamps and dies!

First, I made this card and used the leaves from the stamp set to stamp around the edges of a white piece of cardstock. I added some tiny flowers from the Quilted: Summer stamp set. The bottom striped piece of cardstock was created by stamping with Background Basics: Super Stripes stamps with Raspberry Fizz ink onto Lovely Lady cardstock.

The bicycle die cuts are so much fun, because they have several layers you can stamp, so the bike pieces are in different colors, such as the wheels and basket. I cut a seat separately and trimmed it off the bicycle die, so I could stamp it in aqua and add it over the top of the orange bike.

The vellum butterflies were die cut with the Cover Plate: Bitty Butterflies. You can find the vellum HERE. Some of them are folded in half to just show the profile of the butterfly!

Life Is a Beautiful Ride card:

STAMPS: Pedal Pusher, Quilted: Summer

NK: Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, New Leaf, Aqua Mist, Ripe Avocado, Lovely Lady

PAPER: white, Lovely Lady

DIES: Pedal Pusher, Cover Plate: Bitty Butterflies

OTHER: enamel hearts.

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Next, I used gray cardstock in the background (just one from my crafty stash) and layered a Cover Plate: Bitty Butterflies die cut over the top trimmed in vellum.

The banner was made to set over the top of the empty space on the butterfly cover plate. I like how it grounds the bicycle, so it's not "floating" on the card.

Here you can see the dimension a bit better. I love this cute bicycle die! It has special meaning to me now, as my new guy talked me into buying a road bike and bicycling with him, his favorite past time. THIS is the one I got, and it has aqua on it, my favorite, so I had to stamp this bicycle with aqua!

Just Keep On Pedaling card:

STAMPS: Pedal Pusher, Quilted: Summer

INK: Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, New Leaf, Aqua Mist, True Black

PAPER: white cardstock and Sheer Basics Vellum by PTI, gray cardstock-craft supply

DIES: Pedal Pusher, Cover Plate: Bitty Butterflies

OTHER: clear sequins - Pretty Pink Posh.

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Visit Betsy, Dawn, Melissa and Heather to see more ideas with Pedal Pusher. 

Have a great day!

Design Team Tips: Black, White, Gold, and Stormy Sea...

Hello! Lately I've been noticing a trend in black and white backgrounds! I decided to create some stamped backgrounds, combine them with a touch of gold, and add a bit of Stormy Sea cardstock as well. These are so fast to make, and using a black and white combo really takes the guess work out of creating a color palette! Easy peasy!

Both of these cards were stamped with Bold Blossoms stamps in the background. On this card, I used the Enclosed: Leaf die to cut two items: one (outline) from the Luxe Gold Adhesive paper and one solid piece for the background from Stormy Sea cardstock. I placed the gold paper over the top.
The vellum butterfly is cut out of the Sheer Basics Vellum with the Cover Plate: Bitty Butterflies die.  The saying was stamped with Bitty Butterflies.

The Love card also uses the Bold Blossoms stamps in the background of the card with the Framed Love die cut from the Luxe Gold Adhesive paper again, like the first card. The sentiment is stamped again with Bitty Butterflies stamps (link above).

Gold, gray, black and white really makes for an elegant color palette, with not much thinking involved when it comes to choosing colors that go well together. I hope you'll give this color combo a try! Have a great weekend!

Stitched Sentiments Revisited...

Today the senior design team members at Papertrey Ink are revisiting an older stamp set today to give you new ideas for using it! The stamp set we are using today is called Stitched Sentiments, which you can find HERE in the Papertrey Ink shop! Do you have this set? It's one of my absolute favorites!

I've paired Stitched Sentiments stamps with the Life Is Beautiful dies for these cards today.

To create each of these cards, I've cut a panel of white cardstock, stamped the stem, flowers and sentiments with Stitched Sentiments, then wrapped the panel with twine. I used the Life Is Beautiful dies to cut out the back panel of the butterfly in patterned paper, then the front of the butterfly in vellum.

The stamped panels are then backed with patterned paper. On this teal card, I used paper from the Vintage Linens Patterned Paper Collection.  I actually started with the patterned paper in mind that I wanted to use first, then pulled my colors for the stamping from the papers to get a cohesive design. A few gold sequins add a little sparkle and finish off the card.

Here is a different color combo, but same design. I used the Vintage Linens Patterned Paper Collection again for the back of the butterfly and the floral background paper.

The vellum butterflies are just adhered in the centers.

Last, a soft gray one made with the Stormy Sea + White Patterned Paper Collection and Stormy Sea cardstock and inks. I also used a new ink color called Lovely Lady. This time I stamped the stem above the butterfly instead of below it. Which do you like better?

The Stitched Sentiments stamp set comes with other sentiments also, so you could easily use this design and change out the sentiments to create birthday cards, love and thank you's as well. I think I may make a few card sets with other sentiments and put them up in my shop!

Be sure to visit the other ladies to see more with Stitched Sentiments: Betsy, Dawn, Heather and Melissa. Happy New Year!!!

You card set:

STAMPS: Stitched Sentiments

INK: Lovely Lady, Stormy Sea, Pure Poppy, True Black, New Leaf, 

Melon Berry, Tropical Teal, Aqua Mist

PAPER: Stormy Sea cardstock and patterned paper, Vintage Linen Patterned Paper, 

vellum, Tropical Teal Patterned Paper

DIES: Life Is Beautiful

OTHER: twine, sequins.

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Creative Cardmaker: Gold, vellum and layers...

Happy November! I can't believe it's November already...oh my! I have another quick card tutorial up for you at the Scrapbook Expo blog. Swing by to see how to make this card!

I've used Gossamer Blue's gorgeous Gramercy Road line. I couldn't help but to pull it out for fall again...it's perfect in every way!! Don't you just love that gold embossed floral paper?! The sentiment is stamped with Papertrey Ink's Basket of Blessings stamp set in Dark Chocolate and Classic Kraft inks. I'll see you soon. Be sure to check out my SHOP tab at the top of my blog, I'll be adding new things here and there! Happy fall!

Danielle

Creative Cardmaker: holiday cards...

Are you getting a jump start on your holiday cards yet? I went to the Scrapbook Expo last Friday with my friends Claudia and Laura and picked up the super cute Claus & Co. line by Simple Stories. I couldn't wait to make some fun cards with it.

So today on the Scrapbook Expo blog, I have a tutorial up to show you how to make FIVE holiday cards! CLICK HERE for the tutorial link. I'm also going to be putting these five cards up for sale in a little card set soon. Be looking for these and more on the "shop" tab at the top of my blog.

Supplies: Simple Stories – Claus & Co. 31 Chipboard Stickers, Chipboard Frames, Wood Veneer, Washi Paper Tape, Interactive Elements. Other: Super Star Borders die by Papertrey Ink, Wet Paint Holiday stamps and dies by Papertrey Ink, twine by the Twinery, clear 6 MM sequins by Pretty Pink Posh and gray cardstock from the craft store. 

Thanks for swinging by! The next Papertrey Ink countdown will begin soon, and we have LOTS to show you, so stay tuned!

Creative Cardmaker: Adding unexpected dimension to cards...

Good morning! I'm up with another Creative Cardmaker post over at Scrapbook Expo's Weekly Scrapper blog. Today I'm talking about adding unexpected dimension to your stamped backgrounds, so break out your stamps and dies, and let's get started!

I've used Papertrey Ink's Quilted Summer stamp set for the flowers and stems, the Scripted stamp set for the sentiment, and the Life Is Beautiful dies to cut out the butterflies. For inks, I've used True Black, New Leaf, Pure Poppy and Aqua Mist.

Head over to the Weekly Scrapper to see the full tutorial!

Link me up if you give this a try. Would love to see how it inspired you. 

Have a great day!

Danielle

SAF 2015: Runway Inspired Challenge...

For the Runway Challenge, the designers each selected a runway outfit to use as inspiration. I chose this one:

Inspired by the aqua background with the peach, red, navy and kraft colors, I made this card...

The Brushed Blooms stamps and dies were used and the Branching Out die. I layered them together and popped up the blooms with some dimensional adhesive.

So Grateful For You card: 
STAMPS: Brushed Blooms, Lovely Layers
INK: Pure Poppy, Melon Berry, Classic Kraft, Enchanted Evening, Dark Chocolate
PAPER: Aqua Mist, white, Enchanted Evening Pattern Pack
DIES: Brushed Blooms, Lovely Layers
OTHER: sequins.
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Visit Nichole's blog to play along in this Runway Inspired Challenge for your chance to win, and you MUST see all of the gorgeous cards made by the team! Truly inspirational! Now it's your turn, can't wait to see what you'll make!