Graduation Congratulations!

Wow - I can't believe it has been two months since I last posted.  So much has been going on!  I have a ton of pictures all edited and ready to post... so stay tuned.  I will be posting frequently!!

What do you think of my blog's new look? I created the header and blog background, as well as other elements all on my own! I have never taken a HTML code course - so I had to teach myself.  As for creating the digital background, I learned so much from this awesome tutorial on the blog Kevin & Amanda.  I used various digital scrapbooking papers and elements from Summertime Designs, which offers tons of free kits.  And finally - I used a file from my favorite website, SVG Cuts, for the awesome girl silhouette in my header!  I used the free program, GIMP2, which is the most amazing free resource I have ever come across.  

Today I wanted to share two of my most recent cards, which were for cousins who both just graduated from college.  I used the freebie image from SVGCuts.com called Graduation Cuddly Friends to make these cards.  

My husband has a great cousin, Patrick, who is my only family member currently following my blog... in fact he was one of my first ever followers!  So I'd like to say a huge THANK YOU Pat for all of your support!! :o)  About a week ago Pat graduated from Zane State College!!  Here is the card I made for him:

I've had this 12x12 congratulations paper forever, and finally found a great use for it!  I inked it with Broken China Distress Ink so it would match Zane State's colors.  I embossed the graduation cap and gown with my Sizzix Diamonds Texturz plate using my Big Shot.  Then I inked the embossed areas lightly with the Broken China ink.  I colored the skin using Copic marker E00 and simply free handed the face.  The eyes were made using various punches I have.  Finally, my Cricut is not cutting very accurately anymore so I wasn't able to cut out the diploma SVG that came with this file without it looking terrible.  So - I made my own diploma by simply rolling paper and stamping it with the Congrats to the Grad sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Mega Mixed Messages.  I also stamped the envelope with a rubber stamp.  

I really loved how this card turned out... so I couldn't stop there.  I decided to make another one, this time for my cousin Hilary who just graduated from Bowling Green State University.  Here is her card:

I made this card using the same techniques, just switched up the colors and a few other elements.  I used the Sizzix Dots embossing folder on the cap and gown.  Once I did that I thought it still wasn't feminine enough so used a flourish stamp to add some subtle detail. 

Here is a close up of the cards:

Here is a photo of the inside of the cards.  I used Inkscape to trace the logos and cut them in SCAL2.

Products Used

Stamps: PTI Mega Mixed Messages (Sentiment), Fiskars Family (Flourish), River City Rubber Works "Graduation Hand & Hats" (just the hats part)

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Broken China, Wild Honey, Walnut Stain), Memento Black

Copics: E00 (skin), Y21 (blonde hair), B00 & YR04 (detail on tassels)

Embossing: Sizzix Diamonds Texturz, Sizzix Dots Folder

Ribbon: Darice (Halloween Fun)

Spring Card Challenges

Many sites are currently having Springtime card challenges, and I wanted to participate!  One of the challenges was Bunnies, so that was my inspiration for this card.

My Mother-in-law gave me all of her old stamps, and this border stamp was part of her stash.  I am always so glad when a challenge gets me to use her old rubber mounted stamps.  I typically just use my new clear polymer stamps, but there is something special about stamping with her previously loved stamps.  

 I colored the images with both Prismacolor pencils and Copic markers.  The majority of the image was colored with the pencils and then blended with mineral spirits.  I love the effect you can get with the mineral spirits and pencils.  

Products Used

Stamps: Stampin' Up! (border), PTI Friendship Jar Spring Fillers (sentiment)

Patterned Paper: K&Company (from Super Paper Pad), Core'dinations (So Mod)

Prismacolor Pencils, Copics (B00, E33)

Glossy Accents and Diamond Stickles

Challenges

Creative Cowgirls Challenge Blog: Spring or Easter

Crafty Creations: Bunnies

Stampers R Us: Spring Theme

Make it Monday #8 & Other Challenges

PTI's Make it Monday for this week is Ink Blending Techniques.  Here is my creation:

To create the background I embossed my paper using a Sizzix Texturz plate.  I really wanted the flowers to stay white, so I decided to use the debossed side of the paper.  To make sure the ink wouldn't go into the debossed areas I colored them with a white crayon.  Then I used some distress ink to create the background.  I simply used a tissue to wipe the ink off of the crayon wax, and Viola! The flowers really pop off the paper in person.    

Products Used

Embossing Plate: Sizzix Texturz plate "Flower Rings"

Paper: PTI Stamper's Select White Cardstock

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Wild Honey, Mustard Seed)

Memento (Rich Cocoa), ColorBox (Canary)

Stamps: PTI Mega Mixed Messages ("thanks" sentiment)

The Paper Company Dots and Stripes stamp set 

Challenges

Papertrey Ink:  Make it Monday #8

Paper Sundaes: Challenge #62 Photo Inspiration

Spring Birthday Card

Tomorrow is my Aunt's birthday.  I always remember her birthday because it is on April Fools Day!  I made this card for her today.  I am heading to the post office as soon as I post this... I sure hope she gets it tomorrow!  

Products Used

PTI: Tulip - Friendship Jar Spring Fillers set, sentiment - Mega Mixed Messages set

Hampton Art: Border Backround stamp(script background)

Ink:  Tea Dye Distress Ink, Memento Rich Cocoa

Border Punch: Martha Stewart Doily Lace

Colored with Copic Markers, BV00, BV04, YG11, YG63

Go-To Sentiment Card

I've been meaning to post this card all week and time has just gotten away from me!  Last Monday was the start of "Make It Mondays" from Papertrey Ink.  The first challenge is to make a Go-To Sentiment card.  I only have five PTI stamp sets right now and four of them are Christmas oriented so my card had to have a winter theme.  Here is what I created!

Paper: DCWV Christmas Combo Stack
Stamps: Big & Bold Holiday Wishes, On Ice, & Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Broken China, Memories Baby Blue & Dew Drop Brilliance Platinum Planet
Shape cut on Cricut

My Final PTI Card Today

This is it! my last card for PTI's anniversary challenge Day #2. 

For this card I used the lovely hearts created by Lisa Johnson.

If you are familiar with my blog you know that I am obsessed with SVG Cuts!  They have great SVGs for free and to purchase for use with your Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot software.  This fantastic dino image was a free file!  He is supposed to be holding a heart, but I think this image by Lisa Johnson is much better!  I colored the hearts with Copics and used Glossy Accents on the big heart and Stickles on the smaller one.  I also added some perfect pearls to the rest of the circle.

Making these cards with the freebie's was so much fun.  I loved having a challenge to do and only about 24 hours to do it!  I am looking forward to using these tags in future projects.

Another PTI Card

I wanted to make more cards using the free stamps from PTI for their anniversary challenge today.  Here is the card I made using the adorable rainbow and sentiment by Melissa Bickford.

 

I made this card out of random paper I had laying around.  I colored the rainbow with Copics and then used a VersaMarker to wet the image and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  It really added a lot of shine! The sentiment is from a bunch of old stamps my mother-in-law gave me - it says (c) D.O.T.S. on it.  I also inked around the edges of the card with Niagra Mist VersaMagic ink.  

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge #2

I decided to check Nichole Heady's blog before I went to bed... and today's challenge literally got me too excited to sleep!  It is going on 3am and I want to keep crafting.  

Today's challenge is to make a card using one of the great free 4th Anniversary tags created by Papertrey's amazing design team!  I chose to use the tag designed by Dawn McVey.  I love love love her designs!  Here is her tag:

And here is my card:

I embossed the background with the Diamonds Sizzix Texturz plate and used a nail file to buff the raised parts to add more visual dimension.  The shapes around the tag I cut out on the Cricut.   The sentiment stamp is from PTI's Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers stamp set.  You can't tell from the photo but Dawn's circle is raised by foam dimensions and with the blue ring around it the tag really pops!  

You have until 7am tomorrow (2/7/11) to enter this challenge... and you can enter up to 9 times by using all 9 of the tags made by PTI's design team.  If I wasn't so tired I would keep making them tonight.  Maybe I'll be able to fit in another one or so later on in the day!  

Papertrey Ink 4th Anniversary Celebration!

If you haven't been able to tell yet from my previous posts, I LOVE PAPERTREY INK!! They are simply the best place to purchase stamps.  They are celebrating their 4th anniversary right now, and having great festivities along the way.  To follow along check out Nichole Heady's blog.

The first contest is for the world's most AMAZING prize aptly called the "Ultimate Card Kit", which includes: 22 stamp sets, 20 dies/die collections, felt, ribbon, buttons, cardstock and more (over $700 worth of fabulous stuff)!!  I never win anything... but I couldn't pass up this chance!  To enter this contest you have to post your favorite card from 2010 made using Papertrey products.  Here is my favorite creation.

The Papertrey product used in this card are the Candy Canes from Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers and the sentiment from my favorite holiday stamp set On Ice.   The candy canes are colored with Copic R29.  I cut out the trim and banner (created myself!) on my Cricut and the background was embossed in the Sizzix dots folder.  This picture doesn't really do this card justice.  It looks simple on here, but in person the candy canes visually pop right off the card.  I loved the way this card came out... and I love the stamps I used! 

 I made all my Christmas cards this year using Papertrey stamps and dies.  I posted photos of them in an earlier post which you can see here.  

Christmas Cards with Papertrey Ink Stamps

I stumbled across a wonderful crafting website: http://www.papertreyink.com/.  Not only do they sell exceptionally nice stuff but they have created a wonderful community for people who use their products.  Check out their blog at http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/.   

Here are some of the Christmas cards I created using products purchased from PTI.  The stamp sets I used for these cards are: On Ice, Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers, and Big & Bold Holiday Wishes.  For these cards I used various VersaMagic Dew Drop ink pads and Copic markers.

The following cards I created using the Cricut and some stamps from Michael's Recollections stamp sets, as well as PTI's Big & Bold Holiday Wishes stamps.  In addition to VersaMagic inks, on these cards I used VersaMark Ink, Momento Dew Drops and some Perfect Pearls to add shimmer.