Paper, Scissors and Superheroes

Stamper's First Aid...

Whew!  Are you all still hanging in there?  Are you stamped out?  I'm here with my last post for the day! (For a full list of the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire events and challenges, click HERE)

This last challenge is called the Stamper's First Aid Challenge.  Customers were encouraged to submit a card of their own design that they felt needed a little extra something to really make it shine.  You know "those" cards...we all have them!  Something maybe doesn't feel quite right but you just can't put your finger on it.  Each Design Team member then selected a card to "remake".

I selected this adorable Strawberry Patch card by Kirsty Vittetoe.  I loved her color combo of Summer Sunrise, Pure Poppy and black.  So striking!  

Here is my take on her card with just a few revisions.  I kept the strawberries stamped with black ink onto white cardstock, but I chose to add a colored diecut version over top of one, giving the card a little more of a focal point.  When stamping and trimming the strawberry panel, I made sure that the main strawberry cluster that I wanted to feature was in a "sweet spot" -- meaning that it falls at the intersection of two lines if you were to divide this card up into thirds vertically and horizontally (rule of thirds).

I also felt that the red and white polka dot behind the stamped panel was competing for attention, so I moved the polkadots into the background with a more subtle print in the tone-on-tone Summer Sunrise Pattern Pack and matted the panel with a red texture.  And lastly, I altered the sentiment treatment just a bit.  Kirsty had her stamped below the strawberry panel which leaves it feeling like it's "floating" just a bit.  I stamped it onto a Photo Finish diecut strip and overlapped it just a bit with the strawberry panel.  This brings it up and makes it feel like it's more "connected" to the rest of the card design.  You could acheive this same effect by simply trimming a strip of patterned paper if you don't own the dies.  :-)

Kirsty, thanks for the inspiration!  I loved your card and I hope you don't feel like I "picked" it apart!  (pardon the pun!) :-)

Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you enjoyed all of the day's festivities!  You can check out Nichole's post to see all of the other First Aid cards HERE!

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Homemade Embellishments...

Challenge, Challenge time!!  (For a full list of the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire events and challenges, click HERE)

We've got a whole selection of handmade embellishment how-to's for you!  

I created these pinwheels using some of the Papertrey Ink doily dies and I have a video to show you how!

Click below to watch the video.  You'll also want to stop by Nichole's blog for all of the other Homemade Embellishments projects and videos as well as all of the info for entering a project of your own into the Homemade Embellishment Challenge!

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Camp Card Set Challenge...

 

It's time for another Stamp-a-Faire challenge!  (For a full list of the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire events and challenges, click HERE)

The team is ready to show you lots of different ideas for card sets and coordinating packaging!

I have a video ready to go for you, taking you step-by-step through creating this card set and matching wrap, which was created using a brown paper lunch bag and one of the Edgers dies!  

Very quick and easy AND inexpensive.  Gotta love that.  

Click on the video to see how I created this set and wrap.  Also, be sure to check out Nichole's blog to see all of the other Card Set projects as well as all of the details for entering a project of your own into the Card Set Challenge!

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Limited Supply Challenge...

Woohoo!  We're just trucking along through the day, aren't we?  I hope you're having a great time!  We are on the third challenge of the day!  For a full list of the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-Faire events and challenges, click HERE.

It's time now for our Limited Supply Challenge.  Nichole challenged the team to create a project using a limited list of supplies.  Besides the items on the list, we could use any inks or dies.  Here is my card and directly below that you will find the supply list and cutting sizes to recreate it if you wish.

 

STAMPS: Natural Beauties 

PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse

INK:  Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Enchanted Evening, Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Canyon Clay, Hibisucus Burst, Pure Poppy, Scarlet Jewel, Simply Chartreuse

RIBBON: Hawaiian Shores Bitty Dot

BUTTONS: Simply Chartreuse

DIES:  Celebrations Frame, Perfect Patches

CUTTING LIST:

Hawaiian Shores: 4 1/4 x 11 (scored and folded in half for card base)

Aqua Mist:  4 x 5 1/4" (bottom corners rounded)

Stamper's Select White:  4 x 5 1/4" (bottom corners rounded), 2 1/2" x 2 (for Perfect Patch diecut)

Simply Cartreuse:  3/4" x 4 3/4" ("v" notched at one end)

 

I just love the Natural Beauties set, so creating a card with it was not too tough of a challenge!  It's so pretty on its own and doesn't need a whole lot to go with it.  I wanted something very colorful, so I used lots of vibrant inks for my flowers.  The yellow flowers were done with Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, and Canyon Clay for the centers.  The blue were done with Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, and Enchanted Evening in the centers.  I tossed in some Hibiscus and Pure Poppy for the smaller flowers as well.

I created a window cut-out using the Celebrations Frame die.  Behind that is some Aqua Mist cardstock which I stamped with the lined flower images from Natural Beauties using Hawaiian Shores ink.  I did this on a card I posted a while back as well and I just love the light, airy look.  The "smiles" sentiment from this set is a favorite of mine as well.  I stamped it onto a Perfect Patches diecut which I diecut, then embossed with the coordinating dotted frame die from the same set.  

The Natural Beauties stamp set is a Stamp-a-Faire exclusive set and it's available today only from Papertrey Ink with a qualifying purchase of $100, limit one set per customer.

I hope you are enjoying all of the projects, videos, and challenges!  Click on the links to see what the other DT gals created with this limited collection of supplies!  

• Cristina Kowalozyk
• Ashley Cannon Newell
• Danielle Flanders
• Jess Witty
• Erin Lincoln
• Maile Belles
• Nichole Heady
• Dawn McVey
• Debbie Olson
• Heather Nichols
• Melissa Phillilps

Supplies not linked:  Natural Beauties exclusive Stamp-a-Faire stamp set (This stamp set will be available for free on Stamp-a-faire day (July 21st, 2012) to all customers who make a qualifying purchase of $100 or more between 7am EST and 11:30pm EST, limit one per customer.)

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Mini Book Challenge...

Welcome to the second challenge of Stamp-a-Faire!  For a full list of events and challenges, click HERE.

Up now is a Mini Book Challenge!  Mini books are such fun.  I love gathering supplies and photos and just sitting to create!  This mini book was created using the Card Base-ics #2 die.  

For the front cover, I used Fabulous Frames diecuts and the sentiment from the Stamp-a-Faire exclusive set, Natural Beauties.

Did you know that a wallet size photo (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") fits perfectly in the tabs of the Card Base-ics dies?  I love happy finds like that!  I often get photos printed in the wallet size -- they are the perfect size for sharing with friends and family.  I usually end up with a bunch of leftovers, so this is the perfect project to use some of those up.  If your favorite photo developer doesn't offer wallet size, you can use a photo editing program to lay out 4 wallet size photos on a 5x7 canvas and order them that way and just trim them apart.

For the pages of my album, I diecut the Card Base-ics from Stamper's Select White cardstock and thin chipboard.  I adhered the cardstock to the chipboard when I had the pages stamped and embellished.  I stuck with white because I knew I wanted to add lots of color with my stamping and bits of patterned paper.  I always thinkg mini albums can seem a bit overwhelming when you're starting out, but if you come up with a basic layout that you can use for each page, the task is a little less daunting.  My plan was to start with plain white cardstock and add stamping as well as a strip of colorful paper across the center of each page.  I selected 4 or 5 different patterned papers and did the cutting ahead of time.

I also diecut a bunch of labels and frames from those same patterned papers that I could use on my pages.  I also pulled stamp sets that have great sentiments to use on my pages.  Some of my favorites are Simply You, We Go Together, All About You, Fabulous Frames, Modern Wood Mats, Mini Scrapbook Series: Journaling Circle, Movers & Shakers, and The Sweet Life....just to name a few!  :-)

Doing the prep work ahead of time made it possible for me to just sit and create.  This album was really fun to put together!  Once my pages were finished, I simply punched three holes down the side of each and held them together with some 7 Gypsies binder rings.  

This album format would be great to give as a gift as well!  You could easily decorate the album and the tabs make it easy for the recipient to add their own photos.  I was thinking it would also be really fun for school photos.  You could make the album with a page for each school year and add your child's wallet-sized school photo each year!  Lots of possibilities! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  To see lots of other mini book ideas, be sure to visit Nichole's blog!  There is also a challenge with an Inlinkz list where you can enter your own mini album -- details are on Nichole's blog as well!

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Ribbon Techniques Challenge...

 

Hello and welcome to the 2012 Papertrey Ink Stamp-A-Faire event!  Last year the event was held in Cincinnati, but this year the event is all online so everyone can play!  And it's completely free!  The team has tons of videos, projects and inspiration for you all day long!  For a full list of events and challenges, click HERE.  I will have a total of 6 posts going up today, many of which include video tutorials for the projects shown.

 

The first challenge of the day is the Ribbon Techniques Challenge.  Nichole challenged 6 team members to create a project featuring one of the ribbon styles available from Papertrey Ink.  I chose to work with the Bitty Dot ribbon to create some cute little flowers.  

I used bits of ribbon and a candle flame to create these little cuties!

Click on the video to see how I made the flowers.  You can visit Nichole's blog to see the other team member's ribbon techniques.  She'll also explain all of the challenge details and there is an Inlinkz list where you can upload your take on one or more of the ribbon challenges and be entered to win a fantastic prize!

 

 

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