A Papertrey Princess Challenge....

... from me!

I'm very excited to be posting my first Papertrey Princess challenge... so here it is:

Create a card using at least two different patterned papers.

I actually made a set of cards using 3 or 4 patterned papers each. Here they are:








For this set, I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (ripe avocado, harvest gold), stamps (beautiful blessings, half & half), buttons and dies (mat stack #4, Half & Half.) I also used My Mind's Eye patterned paper and twine.

Thanks for looking!

Pages with Papertrey -- Sketch Challenge #1

As part of the Pages with Papertrey challenges I'm posting every month, I decided to post a sketch challenge mid-month as well.

I love sketches! I find them a great starting point for a layout. Sometimes I follow the sketch exactly, and other times, I'll change things (the # of photos, the placement of the title, etc.) or turn or flip the sketch. There are so many options with sketches....

For my first, Pages With Papertrey sketch, I decided to revisit a sketch that I used earlier this year. It's this sketch from the Crate Paper blog, posted in April.


Here's the layout that I made for it earlier this year...


I used AC cardstock, Crate Paper patterned paper, my Quickutz Jolly alphabet dies, Papertrey Ink dies (Mat Stack #1, Beautiful Blooms II #2) and My Mind's Eye brads.

And here's the layout I made using this same sketch last week:


As you can see, I used two photos instead of the suggested three and put some patterned paper in the space of the third photo instead.

I used AC (white) and Papertrey (sweet blush) cardstock, Studio Calico & October Afternoon patterned paper, Studio Calico & Lily Bee letter stickers, Papertrey Ink stamps (modern wood mats) & dies (Mat Stack #5, Bloom Builders #3) and My Mind's Eye decorative brads and a Fancy Pants fabric covered brad.

Here are a couple of close ups:





If you'd like to play along with this sketch challenge, just post your layout in this thread on the Papertrey Ink forum.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #11

I made another layout with this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps.




I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white, lavender moon), buttons, twine, stamps (Happy Trails, Modern Wood Mats) and dies (Mat Stack #5). The corrugated butterflies were sent to me from my friend, Joyce. The alphabet stickers are October Afternoon.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #10

After 9 attempts at making cards or tags with this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps, I decided to try it on a layout.

Coincidentally, this was also Challenge #8 on the My Scrap Shoppe online crop. Other challenges that this layout fits with are #4 (a new technique) & #5 (use a stamp, buttons and flowers-- I used buttons with flowers on them and stamps with flowers in them!)


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (vintage cream), buttons, twine, stamps (Iconic Images, Gratitude Journal) and dies (Journal Tabs). I also used Echo Park patterned paper.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #9

Here's another card I made for this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps, this time using Iconic Images.


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (kraft) and stamps (Iconic Images, journaling lines (the tiny brown asterisk at the centre of the pink flowers)) I also used a SU! scalloped border punch, SU! pearls and My Mind's Eye patterned paper.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #8

Here's another card I made for this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps, this time using my Mat Stack #1 stamp set.


I used I used Bazzill (red), SU! (Island Indigo) and Papertrey Ink cardstock (kraft), stamps (Mat Stack #1, Gratitude Journal) and dies (doily details, limitless layers). I also used a SU! scalloped border punch.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #7

Here's another card I made for this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps, this time using Sweet Love. I'm finding this technique a little addictive!


I used I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white, kraft, pure poppy, aqua mist), stamps (Sweet Love) and die (doily details, two triangles (to cut out the ends of my banner)). I also used a SU! heart punch and paper crimper.

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #6

This week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps is making me dig through my stamps and look at them in new ways-- I love it!


I used I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white, dark chocolate), felt (simply chartreuse), button, twine, stamps (Fall Elegance, Mehndi Medallion) and die (leaf prints).

Thanks for looking!

MIM #31 -- attempt #5

I am loving this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps. It's not something I've really done before, but it's lots of fun.

I was inspired by this card by Betsy Veldman to make this card:


I used I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white), felt (simply chartreuse), button, twine, stamps (Leaf Prints, Fillable Frames #9, Fall Elegance (sentiment)) and dies (leaf prints, Fillable Frames #9). I also used SU! cardstock (Calypso Coral).

Thanks for looking!

My Gratitude Journal, part 1

After making a Gratitude Journal for my SIL (which you can see here & here), I wanted to start on mine. But for some reason, I was a little stumped. So I worked on some other projects in the meantime.

Then, I was inspired by this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps and a card I made for it.

It's definitely going to be a work in progress, but I have the title page and the first page done.


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white, kraft), impression plate (woodgrain), felt (vintage cream, simply chartreuse), button, twine, stamps (leaf prints, BB: Text Style I, Fillable Frames #9, Gratitude Journal) and dies (leaf prints, Fillable Frames #9).




For this page, I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white) & stamps (leaf prints, Fillable Frames #8, Gratitude Journal).

Thanks for looking!

Five for Friday

#1. The kids started school yesterday! Hooray!

Well, Sage and Austin went for their staggered entrance on Tuesday afternoon and Jonah went on Wednesday afternoon. Yesterday, they all went for the whole day.

Yes!

As much as I adore summer and spending two months at home with the three of them, it was definitely time for them to go back. And so, it was time for our yearly first day of school on the front step photo. As you can see by the fingers they're holding up, Austin is now in the 7th grade, Jonah is in grade 4 and Sage is in grade 2.

#2. While the kids were in school yesterday, I tackled a big job that I've been putting off for a long time...


Putting my layouts in albums.

While I don't scrapbook in chronological order, I do like to place my layouts that way in albums. So I took my very large pile and sorted them by month, going back to February 2010.


Then I went through each month and put them in order and then slipped them into page protectors in the albums. I had four albums and was worried that it wouldn't be enough, but thankfully it was and I have room for a few more layouts in the last one. ;)

I got all of my 12x12 layouts done, but I have a bunch of 8.5x11" layouts that still need to be put away. Maybe today...

#3. It's my turn to post the Friday Praise Post at Scrapping Everyday Miracles. You can read my post here, where I share about how thankful I am for the great summer we had.

And here's the layout I made to go with my post (because it's no fun to post without a layout. ;) )


I used American Crafts (white) and PTI cardstock (kraft), The Girl's Paperie patterned paper, My Mind's Eye brads, PTI stamps (Fancy Flourishes) & dies (Beautiful Blooms II #1).

A few close ups:





#4. When I finished this layout, I decided to use the scraps to make a card for Mara's Papertrey Princess Challenge to include a banner on my card.


I used PTI cardstock (simply chartreuse, rustic white, vintage cream), The Girl's Paperie patterned paper, PTI stamps (Fancy Flourishes, Wonderful Words), twine, button & dies (Beautiful Blooms II #1, Two Triangles (to cut the end of the banner)).

#5. And one last card to share.

I made this one after I had made these tags (I just love the efficiency of using supplies more than once before I put them away!) Once again, I used this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps.


I used PTI cardstock (stamper's select white, hawaiian shores), stamps (Big & bold Wishes, Happy Trails) and die (Happy Trails). I also used some Pink Paislee patterned paper.

Thanks for looking!

Homebodies

I love being at home.

As much as I enjoy going out and visiting friends, I also love spending time at home.

And thankfully, my kids are the same way.

I made this layout for an inspiration challenge that Jeannine posted on Scrapping Everyday Miracles:


I used Bazzill cardstock & Pink Paislee patterned paper & die cuts. I also used a Papertrey stamp (Half & Half), die (limitless layers), buttons and twine.





How about you? Are you a homebody?

Thanks for looking!

And we're back....

... to school this week.

We delivered treats to the teachers today, which I think were all appreciated.

However, I didn't want to leave out some special women that I work with.... the secretaries at the high school where I substitute teach. So I packaged up some cookies for them, too. And I made them their own tags, again, using this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps.


(I apologize for the not-so-great photo. I took it quickly before we left for our school division banquet this morning and didn't realize that it was a little blurry.)

I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white), stamps (Fancy Flourishes (background, Falling Leaves & Fillable Frames #9 (sentiment)), buttons, twine and die (Tag Sale #3). The twill was from a set of dishtowels I bought at Pier 1 Imports several years ago.

Thanks for looking!

Back to School Feast

I was totally inspired by Elizabeth Kartchner's back to school feast that she posted pictures of recently. I thought that this would be a great way to celebrate a new school year. So I threw the idea past my kids on Friday and they were all on board with it. We decided to have it yesterday, since Sage & Austin meet their teachers this afternoon. (Jonah will meet his tomorrow.)

It was a lot of fun, mostly because a lot of references were made to the upcoming "feast" over the weekend. "What should we get for the feast?" "What are we going to drink at the feast?" "Should we make a cake for the feast?" I love anticipation.... it's so fun!

So here's what we did...

I made some decorations. A centrepiece:


And some straw toppers:


For these I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white, hawaiian shores), stamps (tag it #6) & dies (limitless layers). I also used my star punch and some MME patterned paper.

For our menu, the kids decided that they wanted to make their own pizzas:




While we were waiting for them to bake, we had a time of sharing for what the new school year would bring. And concerns or prayer requests were expressed and then we prayed for each other.

When the pizzas were done, we dug in:


I also made a Sunshine salad with spinach, mandarin orange slices and toasted pecans.




And for dessert, chocolate cake:


I made the little banner with Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white, hawaiian shores, harvest gold), stamps (tag it #6) & dies (two triangles). Again, I also used my star punch and some MME patterned paper. I put the triangles together and then ran them through my sewing machine to attach them together. I used the threads at the end to tie them to bamboo skewers.


I was super thrilled with how this turned out! (I'm thinking my days of decorating cakes with icing are now over--- from now on, I'm decorating them with paper! LOL!)



One more thing to share:

Before the preparations for the feast, I spent the morning baking these cookies to give to the teachers (our current ones and a few "old favourites", too.)

I made some tags for the cookie bags using this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: creating backgrounds with non-background stamps.


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white, kraft), stamps (Big & bold Wishes, Happy Trails, BB:Newsprint) & dies (Happy Trails, Tag Sale #3). I stamped the background with a Happy Trails swirl.


And on the back... my original first attempt for the front. I had decided that including the planes on the front made it a little too busy, so I made these the back instead, where I used a stamp from TT:Valentine for the to & from.



Thanks for looking!

Wisdom from my Lululemon lunch bag

There's a quote on my Lululemon lunch bag that says: "Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life."

I know for myself, this is definitely something that I struggle with. My mind is often on projects, to do lists, etc. and not always focused on the moment.

So for my challenge on the Scrapping Everyday Miracles blog, I chose to focus on living in the moment. My challenge is to create a layout that focuses on the miracle of the moment.

The scrap twist is one of my latest faves: Stamp on your layout. ;)

Here's the layout I made for the challenge:


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (kraft), stamps (Gratitude Journal) & dies (Journal Tabs, Two Triangles). I also used Lily Bee patterned paper & Just Cre8 stamps (clocks).

And I placed my journaling behind one of the photos:


Thanks for looking!

Yee-ha!

It's September, which means it's time to start planning Sage's birthday party.

This year, we've decided to go with a cowgirl theme, complete with a hayride. Sage & I started on the invitations today, using this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #30: Coloured Pencils.


I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (vintage cream, sweet blush), button, twine and die (mat stack #5. The image is from the internet (I did a search for cowgirl colouring pages, found this one and resized it in Word and then added the sentiment (the font is Bleeding Cowboys-- it seemed appropriate;) ). The patterned paper is Basic Grey. I coloured in the image with my SU! pencil crayons.

Thanks for looking!

Lunchbox card #1

I recently discovered the PTI Lunchbox Die and have decided that I would like it. However, I will wait to order it with the next release, so in the meantime, I decided to make some little 3"x3" cards to put in my kids' lunches when they start back to school next week.

Here's the first one I made, using this week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #30: Coloured Pencils.

I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (stamper's select white, pure poppy), stamps (BB: Newsprint, TT: Valentine) and die (mat stack #5). I coloured in the image using my SU! pencils.

Thanks for looking!