I prefer Rose Ann's, but mine is fine, too. Instead of enbossed lines around the edges, I used a large clear gem in the center of my flower because that hole in the middle (which her flower does not have) really bothered me. My sentiment also doesn't quite balance as well as Rose Ann's does. But that's okay. I got close, and it makes me very happy!
Thanks for the inspiration, Rose Ann!
Edited to add: I did place an order this morning at Papertrey. The only stamp set I bought was Dot Spot, though. It struck me immediately as incredibly easy to use and versatile, and even a good set for scrapbook backgrounds for boy pages...which makes it extra appealing. I'm mighty tempted by the Asian set and the violet set, but want to wait and see how my initial love of them plays out.
The rest of my order was paper (a couple of sample packs of the colored cardstock, three packs of white [I wish I'd made that 4]), the cream twine, and three packs of the clear card boxes.
Here are my feelings about Papertrey. What a quality company with GREAT ideas! They take coordinating product to a whole new level. The plan to release a flower set for each month of the year is brilliant, although I won't be investing $180 in outline flower images. I can't wait for pansies and daisies, though. They are my all-time favorite flowers. Packaging products like the clear card boxes and templates are genius (and affordable). The monthly releases are exciting but hard on the wallet. I've gotten to the point in my stamp collecting where impulse purchases are very, very rare. I love that things don't get discontinued (at least not yet) at Papertrey, and that makes me feel like I can be more sensible and take time with purchases. Still, because I want to be Nichole when I grow up, there are often sets that scream at me to buy immediately, such as Through the Trees, Turning a New Leaf, and Dot Spot. Not once have I regretted those impulse buys.
I guess you could say I'm a Papertrey fan!
Supplies
stamps: PTI Friends 'Til the End
ink: Palette Noir, VersaColor Split Pea
paper: PTI white
accessories: gemstone
Like my blog readers tell me: Quit picking it apart! Your card is beautiful! I may just have to CASE your CASE!
ReplyDeleteOh, I think yours is every bit as beautiful as Rose Ann's. I loved her card, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I love your card, it's beautiful and can't wait to Case it!
ReplyDeletecindyb
This is just stunning Susan! I'm going to have to Case this if you don't mind! I just love your style! Hugs Kate xx
ReplyDeleteI love the card also. Wondering if you ordered any PTI goodness from the February release.
ReplyDeleteSusan.. I am honored to have your case me, and your card is STUNNING! I love the beautiful images, and your added bling! Thanks for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteLove your card, Susan! As far as pansies, many people thought the Violet stamps just released looked like pansies. You could totally make them look that way by paper-piecing them in purple and yellow. I'm hoping for lilies of the valley in May.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your card, Susan! Even I can do that --- and I will! Also, I agree with everything you said about PTI. I don't think there's a better company out there. Everything they do is top-drawer, and I love it all. Trouble is, I WANT it all, too!
ReplyDeleteI love their stamps too but don't own any. I need to order enough to make the price of postage to Canada worth it but never seem to have that much extra cash on hand to justify it....oh well, one day when I win the lotto.
ReplyDeleteAhh don't we all want to be Nichole when we grow up *sigh*?! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThough you yourself are oozing style - I love your card. I find one layer cards hard to make but you make it look easy!
x
P.S Another total PTI fan here too ;D
I keep wondering if I would love PTI so much if you hadn't been the reason I went there in the first place! I think you should get a cut of what your Followers spend there. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for the card, I would have had to place something black in the lower right corner of Rose Ann's, beautiful as it is, to balance the heaviness of "Friend". Your own unique genius did the color such that the balance feels perfect on yours. And yet again the image goes off the page.........if only you could teach me how to do that so it feels so perfect.
Ditto Bahb's first paragraph. I had $57 in my cart at PTI last night(the Dots were outstanding) but went to bed when I realized it needed to be $60. Had to check your blog this morning before I went back there. Thank you for your reliability in posting such beautiful, simple cards and suggestions. I will probably buy Turning a New Leaf now.
ReplyDeleteBrenda R....do buy turning the leaf - you will not regret it at all....I think PTI are a really forward thinking company...they have it all....but I must, like most U.K. and European residents wish wish wish they would give us a branch over here...their shipping international is so unaffordable. I have 10 sets and am thankful for each one. They are so adaptable. Another company coming up in the wings is www.waltzingmousemakes.com - some great design also...give Claire some years and she'll be up there too.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the new PTI violets are not violets as I know them...yes, they are more like pansies but not quite.
Your card is, as usual, excellent.
I love seeing beautiful OLCs :o)
ReplyDeleteYou really captured the feel of your inspiration piece. I really do like yours because the flower really fills the space. The gem is a wonderful addition. And there's that split pea color in use. Wasn't that the one you used recently and didn't like because it reminded you of diaper fillings? It really works here.
ReplyDeleteUp until last fall, I was not a fan of clear stamps. I liked the concept of being able to see where you were stamping, but I guess the few sets of them that I had purchased weren't the best quality because I wasn't always happy with the results so I avoided buying any. But last fall I had to have the EBBs after seeing so many wonderful things made with it (and like you I have yet to use a button). I was very impressed by how well it stamped and that changed my mind about clear stamps. Or at least the PTI ones. I've since purchased three more sets plus the one I won on somebody's blog... :-) ... along with some cardstock. I have to say, I love PTI too. I entered just about every one of their daily contests the last two weeks in hopes of getting the $100 gift certificate because I could spend that in seconds. But, alas, it wasn't in the cards for me so I will have to spend my own money. Although that could be a bit while my finances recover from this snow. In the last week I've spent as much on snow plowing as I make in two weeks of pay.
Although I liked parts of many of the new releases, none of them wowed me enough to need to get them at this point... at least not until I see how other people are using them and then they will go on my wish list. I also like the monthly flower set idea and I do think the violets are pretty.
I've only ordered from PTI once so far, but I love the quality of their card stock. Since I need to be more frugal in the future (daughter going off to college in the fall), I decided not to get any new stamp sets any time soon. Since I've started checking out your blog regularly, it has become so obvious that less is more anyway.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the inspiration1
Petra
I think it's gorgeous, Susan! :) And I totally agree with you, Papertrey ROCKS!
ReplyDeleteLove your card--can Spring be far off???
ReplyDeleteLike others, the shipping costs (to Canada in my case, as with Karen) have prevented me so far from ordering from PTI. So many stampers I admire -- such as YOU, Susan! -- are fans of their products. This is a beautiful, classy card.
ReplyDeletePTI might be hard on your wallet but try postage to Australia and you may think it's not quite so bad (even with a favourable exchange rate). Gorgeous card as usual.
ReplyDeleteI love the flower and leaves not colored in like this. It's very striking!
ReplyDeleteLove your CASE which I may just have to CASE ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea putting the gem in the centre and off setting the flower image.
TFS
I agree with every word re PTI just wished I could get their stuff using USA shipping prices!!!!
Love it! I'm so going to have to CASE your CASE. All the cards I've made with that set & haven't done this yet? Crazy!
ReplyDelete