I don't think I've ever been more excited..

about a Papertrey Ink release than this last May 15th Release.  I love flowers and gardening, although I don't spend as much time in the garden as should.  With this release I can suppress my guilt by spending my time gardening with stamps, ink and paper in my craft room.

I think the thing I like best about Papertrey is the versatility and compatibility of all of the products.  From the coordinating colours of  the ink, paper, ribbon, and buttons to the stamp sets and dies, one has a limitless choice of combinations - a treasure trove of creative possibilities.  To the point, sometimes its hard to know where to start!

so........... I just jumped in and started..

Stamp Sets:  Year of Flowers Collection, Garden Variety
Paper:   Kraft, Lemon Tart, Sweet Blush, Spring Moss
Ink:  Versamark, Memento Rich Cocoa, Fresh Snow, Summer Surprise, Harvest Gold,  Simply Chartreuse,  Hibiscus Burst, Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo.
Tools and Other Supplies:  Seed Packet Die, Seed Packet Frame Die, Button Card Die, Tag Sale #1 Die, White Filigree Embossing Powder, Stampin' Up Melon Mambo & Wild Wasabi Embossing Powder,  Copic Markers, Cappuccino Bakers Twine from The Twinery.

Make It Monday Card

Line Frame - 101

A quick and simple Birthday Card for a co-worker.  Happy Birthday, Ramona!

All images, dies, paper and ink

from Papertrey Ink

PTI Make It Mondays..

My Make It Mondays Contest Entry.. 

Go To Sentiment Card..

A Christmas Collar for Zoe..

I have found so many ways to use my Papertrey products beyond conventional cards. An annual favorite is Zoe's Christmas Collar. This year I used the PTI snowflake dies cut from PTI all wool felt and layered each with PTI buttons sewn on to a child's head band I found at Target in their dollar bins. The colors just happened to coordinate with her favourite winter jammies.

In previous years I have made not only Zoe, but my sister's and mother's dogs bandanas that I have stamped with several of my Christmas themed PTI stamp sets and they wear them through the holidays tied around their necks. You can tell that they feel special wearing their handmade gifts created with my favourite products.

(I apologise for the poor photo quality.)

Door Nobs..... Spooked..

As promised:

The tag that was hung on my door was a large cutout of a ghost much like the little ghosts I chose to use on my door hangers with the text printed on the front of the ghost. You could use a jack-o-lantern, a bat, a witch or any other Halloween image. I've chosen to use the individually wrapped popcorn balls from WalMart placed in a cellophane bag and coordinating ribbon and a tag to match.

The text:

Your house was SPOOKED during the night by some

one in the neighborhood who wants to give you a fright!

A bag of treats has been left for you, full of

Halloween candy and other goodies too!

Now it’s your turn to give someone a fright by placing

three bags of candy and ghosts during the moonlight!

You have only one night to spread your ghosts, so the

whole neighborhood will be haunted to the most!

You will need to make 3 ghosts and 3 bags of

treats to take to 3 houses on your street!

You will need to place a copy of this rhyme in each goody bag

you leave, so the next house will know how to proceed!

Once your house has been spooked, place your ghost

on the door so we will come no more.

Have a

Happy Halloween

Stamps: PTI- 2009 Halloween Tags.
Paper: Summer Sunrise
Ink: Mememto Tuxedo Black
Window Dressing: Scrap Ribbon, Jute twine

Halloween Tags and Traditions

A few years ago just about this time of the month, I found, as I began my early morning routine of walking the Whippet, an unexpected surprise hanging on my door nob. It was a friendly Halloween ghost cut from white cardstock with a set of instructions written in poem imprinted across its chest. Hanging behind him was a bag of Halloween goodies. I later discovered that it was my Mother who had placed it there. Someone had placed one on her door nob a couple days before and she had followed the instructions written on her ghost. I've decided to revive and share this Halloween tradition with my family and friends. They are nearly finished, but have taken a little different approach. Once I make a trip to the candy store and fill the treat bags I will share the complete project, so, if you choose, you can "Trick or Treat" your own family and friends in a similar way. Above are some of the tags that will accompany my own "Trick or Treats" that I place on unsuspecting door nobs.

Stamps: PTI- Polka Dot Basics II, 2009 Halloween Tags.
Paper: PTI - Kraft, Select White, Summer Sunrise, Lavender Moon.
Ink: PTI - Smoky Shadow.
Window Dressing: PTI- Vintage Buttons, Jute Twine, Corner Rounded Punch, Crystal Effects Spellbinders Nestabilities.

Trying to get back into the swing..

Seems Summer's past like a blink of the eye. My sister and my niece and their two dogs Jake and Fergie have come and gone. The Summer vacationers have put away their sand buckets, sea shells and tanning lotion and have returned from whence they came. The beach is quiet except for the cry of the gulls and a few lazy local walkers taking in the afternoon sun. Abd I am basking in the blessings of Autumn, as I try to get back into the swing.


Stamps: PTI- Polka Dot Basics II, Background Basics-Text Style, Beyond Basic Borders, Vintage Picnic, First Fruits.
Paper: PTI - Kraft, Vintage Cream, Summer Sunrise, Spring Moss, Father Knows Best Patterned Paper.
Ink: PTI - Ripe Avocado, Smokey Shadow, Vintage Cream Pigment Ink.
Window Dressing: Jute Twine, Corner Rounded Punch, Copic Markers, Cream Acrylic Paint.

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!

Where liberty dwells, there is my country.
- Benjamin Franklin

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —

Shirley's 2 Girls - Who Let the Dogs Out?

My entry for the Twisted Thursday Card Challenge over at the Ladies With an Attitude blog. The layout is modified, but there is definitely purple in the card. My new "BFF" stamp set from Shirley's 2 Girls just arrived today and is a perfect welcome card to give my sister's two Wire Haired Terriers, Jake and Fergie who will be arriving Tuesday with my niece and sister to spend the summer with Zoe, my Whippet and me. The two dogs kinda look like a Wire and a Whippet, don't you think?


Stamps: S2G - BFF Stamp Set; PTI - Polka Dot Basics
Paper: SU! - Perfect Plum, Black; PTI - Guide Lines Patterned Paper
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Distress Ink Black Soot.
Window Dressing: PTI Plum Pudding Twill Ribbon, EK Success border punch, Go West Whimsey Canine acrylic paw print, Adirondack Shell Pink Paint Daubber, Lyra Rembrandt Pencils, mineral spirits.

Wishing Shirley's Two Girls a Happy Anniversary!

Be sure and check out the blog candy that is being offered over at Chick's With Tape in celebration of their company Shirley's Two Girls!

Thinking of you and wishing you well.. TGH..

(click on the card to view a larger version)

This card is for a long time friend. Hoping the next few days go by quickly and his recovery is not only fast but complete. Thinking of you today and many tomorrows.


Stamps: PTI- Tea for Two: Cornish Heritage Farms - Aged Sheet Music Scrapblock
Paper: SU! - Kraft, Elegant Eggplant; PTI - Ripe Avocado, Very Vanilla.
Ink: SU! Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke; Versamark Clear.
Window Dressing: White embossing powder, Gold embossing powdeSU! Gold organdy ribbon (which I think I will replace with PTI Ripe Avocado twill ribbon and a small button.)

Memorial Day Cards for Heros Blog Hop

On this Memorial Day weekend set a little time aside to remember all the men and women who have put themselves in harms way to keep our country free. If you are a stamper, scrapbooker, card maker or can write a note of encouragement, visit Cards For Heros and find out how you can get involved. The link above will take you directly to the Cards For Heros Bloghop