12 Kits of Occasions

I am so excited to post here today as a Guest Designer for the May 12 Kits of Occasions. I have so much to share with you!

This awesome kit full of fun goodies was put together by my friend Joyce who asked me to play around with her kit. This kit is brimming with papers, images, embellishments,  and quotes that are nautical, summer, and Father's Day themed.

For my first card, I used the Tipped Topped dies with one of the nautical striped papers. I paired it with Father's Day sentiment block (LOVE the stitching!) and added a popped up anchor as an accent. Hard to see but I also embossed the blue card panel with the linen texture impression plate before I adhered everything.

My second card uses another stitched sentiment panel. Great quote on it! I paired it with a banner cut from a wine bottle tag die and used foam tape to adhere the sentiment. And for just a tad bit of softness on this otherwise very masculine card, I added three red pearls.

I chose some brighter colors for my third card. I really liked the stamped image 'following seas and fair winds'. My DH who is in the Coast Guard loves that phrase so I paired it with a 'wishing you' sentiment and layers a bunch of papers and banners on top of a Hero Arts notecard. I think it makes for a great Good Luck type card.

This next card uses another great quote from the kit. I added the stitched quote panel to the corner on top of one of the pretty 'superhero' type paper. I also tucked in a few red banners along one side. Has a bit of a Captain America type feel to it.

I also made a card for the director of my girls' summer camp. She's fabulous, works hard, and has planned a great summer so I'm hoping to give this to her along with a small gift sometime this summer. 

This card was completely centered around a strip of popsicles on one of the collage patterned papers in the kit. I cut the strip off that I wanted and paired it with a matching scrap patterned paper I had in my stash. Love that it has a weathered look to it. I stamped a few popsicles with a little masking and the sentiment from PTI Summer Sweetness. 

And my final card was so simple that its my favorite. I gathered some of the rustic twine into a circle and adhered a die cut sailboat on top. I added the die cut cork THANKS underneath.

And even after all that, I still have lots of kit supplies left over. YAY!

Thanks so much Joyce for letting me join you this month! Be sure to check out The 12 Kits of Occasions blog and all the amazing Design Team creations...I can't wait to see what the other designers created!

Cathy
http://emptynestcrafter.blogspot.com
Jeanne
http://akeptlife.blogspot.com
Jessica
http://thepaperparade.blogspot.com
Joyce
http://cards-by-the-sea.blogspot.com
Kara
http://kandrdesigns.blogspot.com
Kelly
http://ginghamgirlsadventures.blogspot.com
Kim
http://cupcakescardsandkim.blogspot.com
Marybeth
http://marybethstimeforpaper.blogspot.com
and the other Guest Designer this month, Lindsay
http://occassionalcrafting.blogspot.com

Thanks for visiting and hope you'll stop by again! Have a great weekend.

May, 2014 12 Kits Supply ListStamps:  PTI:  Boutique Borders: Congrats, Boutique Borders: FatherWPlus9: DocksideVerve: Protector, Happy Phrases, Father’s DayWaltzingmouse: Ocean Bound, Man of the Hour,Tying the KnotMama Elephant: Sketchy LettersAltenew: Faux Veneer Ink:  PTI:  Pure PoppySU:  Night of Navy, Real Red, Baked Brown Sugar, Daffodil DelightVersafine:Onyx Black Dies:  PTI: Text Block: Birthday, Boutique Borders: Congrats, Cover Plate Modern Cross QuiltWPlus9: Dockside, Nautical Notions,PS: Quote TagThe Cat’s Pajamas: Wave Pattern Paper:  Fancy Pants Nautical 6X6 pad.   Card Stock:  PTI:  Stampers Select White, Pure Poppy, True BlackSU: Soft SkyMichaels:  WhiteFancy Pants:  Since I did not know if any of my solid card stock would match the patterned paper colors, I got 12X12 sheets where one side was solid, so you could use that as card stock. Other:  Balsa Wood from Michaels, DCWV Adhesive Cork Stack, Misc Washi Tapes, Natural Twine, Rustic Twine 

ColourMe #22

When I saw the Colour Me palette this week, I immediate thought of fall leaves which is a refreshing change from the spring flowers I have been making lately.

I used the petals from Oopsie Daisy to form a line across the panel. I used one of the Happy One Liner dies for the sentiment and stamped the rest underneath. And I LOVE that I have a thanksgiving card done already.....

Thanks for taking a peek!

ColourQ #243

I can't stop playing with Oopsie Daisy though I've only played with the stamps so far. Haven't yet touched the dies. Its a great set with lots of possibilities for color so I just had to use it with this week's ColourQ palette which screams happy and bright. It also uses purple which I have a lot of but never seem to use.

I stamped assorted sizes of the Daisy images and colored in the larger ones with the pretty ColourQ color. I love that this set has lots of individual petal designs.

Sentiment is from Wet Paint III.

Thanks for stopping by!

CASology #97

CASology's cue card this week is BEE.

I have to admit bees and I are not good friends so bee images are intentionally lacking in stamp stash. Let's just say that my house has also been home to bee hives hiding behind the siding which causes very confused bees to wander aimlessly around my house until they drop dead. Its not the flying bees that bothers me as we never really saw them. What freaked me out were the dozens of dead bees I'd find on the floor of my daughter's bedroom. Really gross.

ANYWAY, I did have a cute bee image from an older PTI set, All About You. To keep it simple, I stamped a block from Bitty Background Basics in the center in Memento Brilliance Yellow to ground my flying bee.

I'm loving these background blocks so I've been using them a lot lately. Hope you are having a great week. Thanks for visiting.

PTI May 2014 Blog Hop

Color challenges are my favorite so using the Aqua Mist-Melon Berry combo for this month's was very inspiring. I had all sorts of grand plans and ideas brewing but in the end time and life's circumstances got in the way this week so I only had time to make two cards yesterday.

I was very tempted to use the Life is Beautiful butterflies but I knew I'd be seeing a lot of them around the Hop today. I wanted to make two very different type of cards with this color combination.

First card uses the largest Delicate Details die. I randomly smeared Aqua Mist and Melon Berry inks on a white card stock panel which I then die cut. The Delicate Details die surprisingly cuts easily (I tend to be weary of intricate dies) if you run it through your machine with a couple of passes. Only a few pieces that I had to punch out thankfully.

I embossed the sentiment from Think Big Favorites in white on a banner of vellum which I draped across the center of the die cut. I love that the details of the die can still be seen through the vellum.

My second card has a more graphic feel.

I found three arrow dies still wired together (can't remember what set this is from!) so I die cut it three times on the card front. I paired these arrows with an inspirational sentiment from Building Blocks. I scattered a few enamel dots in charcoal and aqua mist to draw the eye down the sentiment.

Great weather here today! Looking forward to hanging out with friends later. DH is off from military duty today so we're blessed to spend the day with him today. May we all remember the fallen soldiers and their sacrifices which helped grant us the freedom to spend our days as we want to.

Looking forward to seeing everyone's creations on the Hop later. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great weekend!

CASology #96

What a great CUE word this week at CASology! Flowers are on my mind as I look out my window and see my beautiful bright pink azaleas and purple rhododendron in full bloom.

These flowers are from the new Oopsie Daisy PTI set. I'm excited to play with these more as there are so many design possibilities. Colors inspired by the fun bright palette at ColourQ this week.

Quick share today. Lots of fun stuff planned with friends this weekend. I'm a little behind with reading and commenting on blog posts this week...hopefully will get to them sometime this long weekend.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a good weekend too.

ColourQ #242

I have to admit that the bright colors at ColourQ scared me a bit...that is, until I got PTI Summer Sweetness in the house! Those colors were perfect for this fun set.

I stamped two rows of popsicles and masked a portion to stamp the sticks. I also added a few melting droplets next to each stamping twice without reinking.

I have lots of other ideas for this set and can't wait to play some more.

Thanks for stopping by!

CCMC #21

Spring is in the air and everyone has flowers and butterflies on the mind it seems.

Guess I had it on my mind too since I couldn't wait to play with the PTI Life is Beautiful butterflies. I don't have the stamp set yet but the dies are just wonderful.

I layered one of the intricate cut butterflies in Scarlet Jewel on top of a solid one cut out of Aqua Mist. The result is so pretty, almost looks like the butterfly has a shadow. I stamped an Aqua Mist square from Bitty Background Blocks in the corner to ground the butterfly and the sentiment is from Words of Comfort stamped in Dark Chocolate. Colors inspired by the pretty subtle palette at Colour Me this week.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather with the cold I caught from my girls but nothing made me happier than happy mail from PTI this week! Hope you are having a great week. Thanks for visiting!

Two For Saturday

Got a quiet weekend with the family planned this weekend. Its been a while since we've got a chance to just BE and not have to run to this and that, cook and entertain and be on the go. So before the weekend gets underway I wanted to share two cards.

First card is a small card using AMuse notecards I've been hoarding. Love that they are pre folded, smaller, and the inside is already white so I don't have to line the card stock. Inspiration came from this week's CASology challenge SPLASH. I used a fish image from Tiny Treats Valentines and added a circle from Sketched Shapes for the water.

Next card is for the ColourMe: Striking challenge which features a dark blue and a curry color. LOVE this color combination as it is good for both masculine and feminine cards. PTI released a new butterfly set this week with big open area wings which reminded me of this
old Hero Arts wooden butterfly stamp I have. I colored in some of the wing with dark yellow perfect pearls and added a glitter enamel dot. Die cut Hello is from PTI Phrase play. Sweet and simple I think.

Thanks for visiting and hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Make It Monday #164 & ColourQ #241

I haven't played along with Papertrey's Make It Monday challenge in a while but had to try this week's Clustered Stamp Sentiment technique.

I embossed the sentiment from Think Big favorites in clear on white card stock then stamped a variety of dots from the Bits & Buttons mini stamp set and Polka Dot Basics3. Colors were inspired by this week's ColourQ challenge.

This technique was fun and easy though for me the hardest part was mixing up the colors just right and making the dots that stem from the clustered sentiment appear random and floating.
Will have to try my hand at this technique again with different stamps and colors. The variety is endless!

Colors a little off in the pic....its very cloudy here in NJ and I'm using my phone to take the pics. Misplaced my little handy point and shoot. Ugh. Hoping it will turn up soon!

Thanks for visiting. Hope you are having a good day!

Two Cards to Share

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day. We went away for the weekend to visit my husband who is on military duty. It was nice to get away and not have to cook and clean up for a day or two. And we even got to go to a local flea market for a few hours since it was MY day and they all joined in without complaint even though I KNOW it was the last thing they wanted to do.

Before I left I had a chance to make two cards that I want to share with you today.

This first card features another metal embellishment I had in my stash for the METAL CASology challenge. I paired it with the Simple Stars cover plate which I cut out in dark blue shimmer card stock and backed it with silver shimmer card stock to keep the metal/silver theme going. The pictures don't do this shimmer card stock justice honestly. Its looks so pretty in real life. I also popped up a few stars with foam squares for interest.

Next card uses a Penny Black scene stamp that I won last year but never used. I wanted to echo the color scheme at the Fusion Card challenge this week so I lightly watercolored a yellow background and embossed the scene in black on top. The bottom sentiment is from PTI City Scene sentiments.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week.

Three More Cards

I have three more cards I want to share with you this evening from my marathon craft night yesterday.

First card is a thank you card inspired by the monochromatic color scheme at Colour Me this week.

I wanted to pair the cherry cobbler with grays as my neutral though my first instinct was to use kraft. I die cut two large banners out of patterned paper from X, offset and cut them to make room for my white embossed sentiment. I added a few cherry enamel dots because well, I love them!

For my next card I used the relatively new PTI Sketched Stars dies in Aqua Mist and Enchanted evening. I paired it with the dotted star trail in Harvest Gold from Super Stars and added the sentiment from Simple Stars. Card design inspired by this week's sketch at CAS(E) This Sketch.

My final card is from Watercolors for Cardmakers Day 1 using the Vibrant Watercolor Wash Background technique demonstrated by Laura Bassen. She uses an acrylic block to apply the watercolor to her paper. I loved the way she had a white border around so I used a smaller block and applied the color just to the center. Sentiment is from PTI Half and Half and card base is PTI Tropical Teal which I haven't used much yet.

That's it for me tonight. Thanks for stopping by!