PaperTrey Princess Challenge-Inspiration

Hello there all you wonderful PTI Princesses...I hope you are doing well! Sorry for my falling off the grid for the last few months, between kids, our crazy life and training for my very first marathon (I'm doing the NYC ING on November 6, 2011!!) there has been very little time for crafting...plus I have been in a terrible crafting funk...stuck making the same style card, over and over again, to the point where I haven't made anything in months. So please help me: what inspires you? Where do you turn, be it a blog, magazine, crafting website or really anything when you need a kick start for your crafting mojo? Do you keep a notebook or have a system to keep all your inspiration organized in one place? What do you do to prevent, or get out of a creative funk?

I promise, my next time around I will come up with a technique-centered challenge, complete with pictures, because I am sure my current state of crafting inactivity will be gone by then!!

Make it Monday: Embossing

This week's MIM challenge was to use heat embossing. I decided to make a "Tim Holtz" inspired distressed tag, heat embossing the sentiment on last. I used BB:Text Style for the background and stamped a few floral images from Flower Garden (one of my fav's).

Make it Monday: Distressing Edges

This week's challenge was brought to us by the uber-talented Lisa Johnson...she reminded us of an often overlooked technique, distressing edges of paper with something as simple as a pair of scissors. I decided that instead of a traditional card, I made a little distressed gift holder which perfectly fits a bar of my homemade oatmeal soap.

Make It Mondays Challenge #4-Creating with Fun Foam

This week's MIM challenge was to use craft foam in a project. I decided to die cut out a bunch of buttons, which I then stamped with different PTI background stamps and image stamps like the flower bunch from Asian Fusion. I also used Owl Bellies, which worked PERFECTLY for the smaller buttons! The possibilities are endless!

Make it Mondays Challenge #2

This weeks challenge was to use vellum in a sentiment strip (here). I needed to make invitations for the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon at my daughter's school and decided to incorporate this week's challenge. I started by making the background paper using YOF:Violets, which I stamped in chocolate ink and then highlighted the centers of the flowers with a little yellow Stickles. I printed out the invitation on my printer, cut them out, scored them and attached them to the card base. I also made little felt rose pins for each teacher which I pinned to each invitation. Easy peasy! I hope they like it!

PTI Make it Monday

This is my second entry into PaperTrey Ink's Make it Monday challenge to use repetitive sentiments. I doubled up and also used a color scheme from PTI's Day 5 Anniversary challenge. I used Lisa Johnson's color choices as seen here . She used Pure Poppy, Spring Rain, Kraft and Vintage Cream CS. It's such a nice summer-y color combo. As you can see, I made a notebook, complete with a pocket to insert another notepad when it needs to be replaced and a ribbon loop to keep a pen handy. Hope you like it!

PaperTrey Ink's January Blog Hop 2011

New Year's Resolution

With the new year comes a clean slate along with many resolutions. This month's blog hop challenge involves you challenging yourself to use a Papertrey stamp set that has yet to see ink or even one that might be collecting a little dust! Go through your stash and see what little used treasure it might hold. If you are in need of inspiration for your chosen set, feel free to utilize the gallery posted in the side bar of each set's sale page on our website, or go to the Previous Countdown page on Nichole's blog where each set is organized by month of release. 2011 is the year where what's old is new again!

I went down to my crafting cave and found this gorgeous set (Four of a Kind, last year's CHA set), with no ink on it! I also pulled out another crafting supply that had not been used before, purple flock, which I applied to the thistle image. I double stamped the image with 2 different color purples and used 3 different greens to get the multi-colored leaves and stems. I finished the card up with a small banner and a sentiment from Simple Sentiments. I am so glad I finally showed this set some love...think I have a new favorite flower set!

PaperTrey Princess Challenge-Go Vertical

Today's challenge was inspired by Nicole Heady's (of PTI) New Year's Year post about trying to go outside her usual comfort zone this year while stamping. Initially I was going to propose a felt challenge, but decided that I wanted to try something entirely new...I have NEVER made a card with a vertical sentiment. I turned Fillable Frame #11 upright, stamped a sentiment and image from Daily Designs, colored with a little bit of Copics and Stickles and made a loopy ribbon (which on closer inspection looks a little crooked; oh well, it's handmade). So here's my attempt to do something different...something vertical. Can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with!