Knit Bits...

Welcome to the Papertrey Ink countdown! We are back with another group post by the design team, and today are featuring a new stamp set by Papertrey Ink called Knit Bits. This stamp set (along with the other new ones I am mentioning today) will be available tomorrow night for purchase.

I love this background in the Knit Bits set and stamped it repeatedly in Fine Linen ink on white cardstock. I added the string and heart from Knit Bits, the needle is from the new Stitched Sentiments set, the buttons are from Button Up, and the sentiment is from Purls of Wisdom - all new sets coming out this month. LOVE how they all work together! Oh, and can't forget the stamped stitches - those are from the new Sew Simple Borders.

The stamping ink colors I used here are Raspberry Fizz, Lavender Moon and Sweet Blush, along with several shades of brown - Fine Linen, Classic Kraft and Dark Chocolate.

Next up, I used the heart from Knit Bits on this little baby card, along with Button Up (my favorite set of ALL this month!) and Purls of Wisdom. I cut a white card base, then cut a white Cover Plate: Circles die and layered it over the top. I stamped the buttons and cut them out with the coordinating Buttoned Up #1 dies.

Are these buttons not adorable? Oh my heck. I just can't get over how cute they are!!

For ink colors here, I used Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Aqua Mist, Harvest Gold, Raspberry Fizz and Hawaiian Shores inks by Papertrey Ink.

Last, I have a tag and a sewing project to share with you. It's not "knitted", but a neat idea to sew something easy for a quick gift! I'll show you the outside first, then explain what is inside. :)

This is one of the clear card boxes by Papertrey Ink that I've wrapped with a strip of Classic Kraft cardstock and Dark Chocolate ribbon, then I added some seam binding, a tiny tag made with the new Hanging by a Thread stamps and Thread Cards dies, the larger tag was stamped with the new Stitched Sentiments (frame), Purls of Wisdom for the sentiment and Knit Bits heart and string. I can't get over how well they all work together. FUN to mix and match all of these!

Ok, you are probably thinking, yes uhuh, nice... but...what is inside the box? It's a little tissue holder that holds the mini packages of Kleenex - you could keep this in your purse, car or on your desk at work. It measures about 5.5" x 4" and fits just perfectly in this clear card box. You can tuck a card underneath inside the box.

I found the instructions here at tishastamps.com to make the fabric tissue holder, and gave it a try with some material I had on hand from Stampin' Up!. It was really easy to sew, and I plan on making more of these for gifts. I didn't serge the edges like she said to do, I just sewed the front pieces to the back with a 3/4" seam allowance (lay wrong sides together) and then turned it inside out after it was sewn all the way around. I did cut my pieces slightly larger than she said to cut them in her instructions. The reason is because the first one I made was too small. I couldn't get the tissues in there very easy without really stuffing them in. The tissues were in a big wad by the time I got them in the holder. I wanted a bit more room to slide them in easier, so I made a second tissue holder about 3/4" bigger all the way around. Now it's much easier to get the tissues in!

I think it would be a nice gift for someone going through a hard time, just to show them you care and are thinking about them. OK that is it for me today - hope you enjoyed the projects. xo. Visit the other girls to see what they 've made with Knit Bits:

Ashley Cannon Newell 

Betsy Veldman
Cristina Kowalczyk

Dawn McVey

Erin Lincoln
Heather Nichols

Jessica Witty  

Maile Belles

Melissa Phillips

Nichole Heady

Christmas blessings...

Hello, Papertrey Ink fans. You are probably here looking for the "Stitched Sentiments" group post project. We had a tiny glitch, and I'm sorry to report that my stamp set didn't arrive yet, so my post will be a little delayed. Stay tuned! :)

Meanwhile, I have a couple of other Christmas cards to share with you that I've made recently.

The Card Kitchen asked me to be a guest designer this week over at Jillibean Soup's card club, and I made 8 cards with their kit and have quite a bit left over to make more. My cards will be posted a few each day this week, so keep checking back to their blog see more ideas.

On the first one, I used the Queen and Co. striped tape in the kit (LOVE!) and added it to white cardstock to really make it pop, cut the strips out, then added the strips to the kraft card base that comes in the kit. The only item I added here was the embroidery floss. The white cardstock under the tape really made it stand out.

The teal paper was one of my favorite things in the kit, so on the next card, I cut the woodgrain paper with a star punch and layered some cute products against the teal paper. Reds, pinks and blues...one of my favorite color combinations.
Really quick to make! Cut teal paper, punch stars, layer stickers and chipboard and adhere! (Add stitching if desired, but not necessary!) The kit comes with 8 card bases and 8 envelopes. Pretty cool, huh?

How about one more... here the Joy tag was already cut out for me, all I had to do was add some die cuts and stickers over the top.

I will be back with Papertrey Ink countdown posts and all of my release projects here over the next couple of days, so stay tuned...have a lot to show you. In other news, I am getting ready for my parents to arrive in one week to spend Thanksgiving with us, our first one together in 12 years! I am giddy with excitement! We always put our tree up after Thanksgiving too, so they will be here to help us with that tradition also - two holidays in one. I can't wait! Really need a good dose of my family to brighten my spirits. xo,

Heart-2-Heart #10 and Background Basics: Inspiration

Today is day one of the Papertrey Ink countdown to preview the new stamp releases for November, and I have a few things to show you! All of these new products will be ready for purchase on November 15th. Today I worked with the Heart-2-Heart #10 stamp set and dies (butterflies and sentiments) and the Background Basics: Inspiration stamp set (the block words).

On this card, I used the Heart-2-Heart dies (butterflies) with new Sweet Blush patterned paper. I also stamped the Background Basics: Inspiration in white and then embossed with white embossing powder. I painted over the top of the embossing with Soft Stone ink. To do this, I put a few drops of the Stone Stone ink refill in a paint tray and mixed in a touch of water, then with a large flat brush I painted over the embossed stamping. The deeper of color you paint on, the more the white words will stand out. Sorry my pictures turned out a bit light, but the Soft Stone is a little bit darker than it looks here.

You might also notice the new Soft Stone patterned paper? SO pretty. I thought the top needed a tad bit of a darker color, so I added some black stitches and a strip of Smokey Shadow patterned paper.

The Smokey Shadow felt and the Limeade Ice felt look great together with the pink and gray.

Next up is a flat card (except for the pearl). I stamped the BB: Inspiration in black, then stamped a Heart-2-Heart #10 butterfly in Summer Sunrise ink, with a Pure Poppy heart stamped in the center and Pure Poppy antennae. Since this particular Background Basics:Inspiration stamp said "happy" and "laugh", I decided to use the older "Happy Trails" stamp set with it and add a birthday saying in Pure Poppy ink with a butterfly trail in Sweet Blush ink.

I added a Heart Border die with Pure Poppy patterned paper and Smokey Shadow patterned paper. I like the block saying - reminds me of subway art, which is so popular right now.

One more...and this one didn't photograph that well, but it's really pretty in person! A sympathy card in Lavender Moon, Soft Stone and Winter Wisteria inks and papers. Sympathy cards need really soft, soothing colors, and I LOVE how the new gray (Soft Stone Pattern Pack) looks with the purples.

I used the Background Basics: Inspiration in Lavender Moon ink on Lavender Moon cardstock. The butterflies are die cut and stamped in Winter Wisteria and Lavender Moon. The white banner and circle shapes are cut with the new In Stitches dies! The frame is reminiscent of an embroidery hoop and would be really cute cut out with Classic Kraft paper too! I decided to use white and glitter up the edges a bit.

The banner is die cut with the new In Stitches dies also and folded up, then I stamped a Heart-2-Heart #10 saying across the banner.

I hope these inspired you today! For more sneak peeks, visit Betsy Veldman and Cristina Kowalczyk!