Someone Remembers

PTI's Everyday Blessings is my favorite religious set. The crosses are so pretty, and the sentiments useful and heartfelt.



Today's card was inspired by similar cards I've seen recently in magazines and on blogs that use a popped matte over a stamped image. In particular, check out this sweet card by Maile Belles.

For my card, I used the Creative Memories oval cutting system to cut a matte in PTI's white cardstock. To position the cross properly, I lay the matte flat on the card and stamped the cross in black. After stamping the sentiment on the matte, I popped it on the card, and then finished the card by adding brilliant blue gemstones to the cross (they look a bit darker in the photo...sorry about that).

Have a blessed Sunday!

Look, Ma! No Buttons!

The rebel in me wanted to use PTI's Everyday Button Bits without, you know, buttons. Don't get me wrong. I love the look of buttons on cards, and I bought the set to use up all the buttons in my stash, but mailing cards with buttons--especially the big ones--is awkward. So here's an easily mailable card!

The blossoms were created using a tiny flower from Hero Arts stamped repeatedly in pretty in pink and pixie pink. Then I used a Sakura stardust pen to add a little bling to the center of each flower.

On a completely unrelated note, PTI announced that they are going to offer their own dies and texture plates. Sigh. This was inevitable, but it makes me sad. I really cannot justify the expense of a die-cut machine or buying new dies every month (you know I would, don't you?...it's a disease, I say!). Shoot. Sometimes standing on principle really stinks. But I stand on my principle that paper, ink, and bit of embellishment are all you really need to make lovely cards. More is nice, if you can afford it, but sadly, this blog will stay die-cut free for the time being. At least until I win the lottery....

Supplies
stamps: PTI (Everyday Button Bits, Simple Little Things); Hero Arts (flower)
ink: SU close to cocoa, green galore, pretty in pink, pixie pink
paper: pixie pink, white
accessories: Sakura stardust pen, dimensionals

Clean and Simple Fishy Scene

It's amazing how long my showers get in the depths of winter; all that hot water is so comforting. So here's a little tropical scene that represents my longing for warm water. Please excuse the pun. I had it so it used it.


I bought the ocean wave border punch (Martha Stewart) because Krystie Lee has one and I want to be cool like she is. The white panel is popped on dimensionals, but everything else is flat, flat, flat. The colors are bright and cheerful, and carry the design well enough without bling or other embellishment. At least I think so because every time I look at this card, I feel warm and have to smile.

Supplies
stamps: A Muse (coral), PTI (fish, sentiment)
ink: SU passion pink, only orange; Palette noir
paper: SU cool caribbean, PTI white
accessories: dimensionals

Bitty Birthday and an Absent-Minded Mystery

SU's Bitty Birthday is such a cute set. I like how easy and quick it is to color because, as you all know, I'm lazy that way. I chose a fun, preppy color scheme for these two cards and added a bit of bling (rhinestone on the first, glitter on the second) as a little something to spruce up these very clean one-layer cards.

I love how the Gina K Deluxe cardstock doesn't let the Bic mark-it markers bleed through. Thanks again, Bahb!


Now to the absent-minded mystery. I remember emailing someone to tell them I would send them a card they really liked if they sent me their snail-mail address. I remember that the someone replied with her address. I DON'T remember who the someone was, which card it was, or if I actually did send the card. Sigh. It's not that I don't love each and every one of you, but I'm the queen of absentmindedness. Plus, I'm really lame.

Of course I've cleaned out email and my recycle bin in the last week, so a search of sent, received, and deleted emails came up empty. Sigh.

If you're the person, please let me know so I can punish myself appropriately and get your card to you (if I didn't do it already). Go to my profile page for the email link.

Sigh.

Supplies
stamps: SU Bitty Birthday, PTI Birthday Basics
ink: palette noir
paper: Gina K
accessories: Bic Mark-It markers, glitter, glue, rhinestone

Bwwaaaahaaaahaaaa!

I have nothing to say. I'm laughing too hard.

Geeks need valentines, too.

Supplies
stamps: Clear and Simple Stamps, Hero Arts (alphabet)
ink: Palette noir
paper: PTI white
accessories: not a one

CAS52 Inspired by kmahany

This week's CAS52 challenge is inspired by kmahany's sweet mushroom card. Love this layout as it gives smaller stamps a chance to shine.

I started with PTI's Day at the Beach, a cute set I haven't done justice to since I bought it last summer. Of course, I had to pull out the bold brights because I just adore all these gray, frigid days of Ohio winter...the blah, colorless landscape, the air crystals that somehow don't even have the spirit to sparkle, the heavy iron sky. It reminds me of the lyrics to a Jimmy Buffett song: "I shot six holes in my freezer, I think I've got cabin fever,...I've got to go where it's warm!" Well, this card takes me there.


BTW, I had planned on putting tiny rhinestones on the flip flops but didn't have orange or bright green ones in my stash. I almost fainted. Must go to Michael's ASAP! (Yes, I could just color the clear ones with sharpies...don't be all logical, people! I want to shop.)

Next up, Everyday Button Bits. This set came to live with me in my last order, mainly because it's stinkin' cute but also because I did a PTI button share run by Krystie Lee and have dozens of the things sitting unused. Ever since I got the set, I've wanted to try to use the images without buttons though. I'm a closet rebel, I guess.



The balloon card uses only the largest balloon on the three-balloon stamp. I used 3/4" and 1/2" circle punches to make the balloons. They looked a bit too plain, so I added black gemstones (Hero Arts). Not sure I like the effect, but it did make the card more visually balanced. The color is berry sorbet from PTI. Yummy.

If you haven't played along with the CAS challenge yet, give it a go with some stamps you haven't used yet. Come on, you KNOW you have some.

I think I'm putting on some Jimmy Buffett when the kids head off to school. I need some tales from the tropics today. "I blew out my flip flop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heel, had to cruise on back home...." Rock on, Parrotheads.

MargaritaVille Live

A Study in Contrast: Subtle and Bold

Today starts the Papertrey Anniversary Celebration, so it's appropriate that I have a couple of cards with PTI stamps today.

The little tree from Through the Trees (Papertrey) stumped me at first, but I soon realized it would be perfect for a grid card. Brilliance Pearlescent Beige ink is so lovely and subtle and shimmery when stamped on white cardstock, I just had to make a go of it with the little rhinestones that match so well.



I tried several sentiments before finding one that was the right scale (note: the three-line sentiment in Through the Trees is TOO BIG!). This one from Floral Frenzy (another PTI set) fit perfectly. It also allowed me to decorate the inside of the card:



I really, really like subtle cards like this, but sometimes I like to cut loose with bold, bright color. So I made this:

I should have stuck with the Floral Frenzy sentiment, but otherwise, this card works for me too.

Subtle? Bold? In general (not just in this instance), which do you prefer? Inquiring minds want to know.

Supplies
stamps: PTI
paper: PTI white, SU passion pink, basic black
ink: Brilliance, Palette noir
accessories: dimensionals, square punch, rhinestones