Papertrey Playhouse Challenge #8 Love

I'm so happy to have been able to participate in the latest Papertrey Playhouse Group Blog Challenge.  It got busy and I wasn't able to create for the last couple of challenges, but never fear!  the ideas I had for those challenges are still with me (for now) and I plan on utilizing them and will post them here once they're finished.  A good idea is still a good idea even if it's late right??

But on to the current challenge.  Amy challenged us to create a Valentine's card (perfect for me since I've been in overdrive on these lately) but we weren't supposed to use the traditional pink and red on them.  HHHmmmmm.  That ups the ante a little doesn't it??!

In my recent create frenzy I came up with this.  I really love so many things about it.  My color scheme is green & red.  Had to include the red as it was one of 3 colors on the label that inspired the whole thing.  Hope Amy will forgive me.  :)

I try to practice the 3 R's - reduce, reuse, recycle - as much as I can.  This is such a cool example of reusing & recycling.  I'd peeled this label off a green pepper sauce bottle at a local bar ages ago.  Peeling labels is a bad habit of mine.  But this one came off so neatly and I just knew I could use it somehow, at some time so it got tucked away in my odds and ends in the office.

To be pulled out as the PERFECT accent for this challenge.  :)  I even had Mel take me there Monday night for dinner so I could peel some more off.

Supplies: Card base & env - The Paper Company; dies - Spellbinders - banners (yep, this is a new one & an instant favorite!), Accucut - heart 7; font - CK Journaling; cardstock - core'dinations; patterned paper - PTI Distressed Dots in Ripe Avacoado; Copic YG95 & airbrushing system; Label - McIlhenny

PTI Jan Blog Hop

Papertrey Ink's January Blog Hop is all about showing a little attention to stamp sets or products that haven't been used much lately or ever in some cases. 

I've been on a card making/crafting binge lately so this was a good challenge for me.  I've used a ton of PTI stamps in my creations but there were a few sets that had been languishing.  Here are my creations using those sets.  :)

The Just the Ticket stamp set & die were one of the first few sets I bought from PTI.  I just loved the idea of the tickets and the possibilities for embellishing them.  I haven't even scratched the surface of the ideas I had when I saw it, let alone the ideas I got from the PTI DT.  And with new sets showing up regularly this one got pushed to the back a little bit.  I'm happy to have moved it front & center with this card.  Simple but sweet and super easy to mass produce if needed!

 I was so tickled by these!  I'd cut down some 5x7 card bases for a class a few months ago.  Since I'm a little bit of a pack rat I kept them.  And they turned into these cute little things!

And the others are 3x3 cards I created with inspiration from the latest Scrapbooks Etc magazine.  Love the idea of little cards that are fast and easy to make and really easy to hide in a pocket, wallet, lunch or numerous other places.

Click any photo to view it larger.

Supplies:

Ticket to Love
Cardstock - Core'dinationsThe Paper Company; Patterned Paper - Melissa Francis, Making Memories; Ink - The Paper Company; Stamps - PTI Just the Ticket; Die Cuts - PTI Just the Ticket, Accucut heart 7; Twine - The Twinery

Mini Cards
Cradstock - Core'diantions, The Paper Company; Patterned Paper - Basic Grey, The Paper Company; Ink - Tsukineko, The Paper Company; Stamps - PTI - BB: Sheet Music, Paper Tray, TT: Valentines, FF: 5, BB: Polka Dots Basics, Vintage Labels, FF: 11, Love Lives Here, Impression Obsession - CAC Notebook; Dies - PTI - notebook, MS:1, Love Lives Here, QK - CC:Hearts, XO, sm heart, heart with arrow; Spellbinders - Label 1; Accucut - small heart 7, Twine - natural - Creative Impressions, red/white - The Twinery; button - unknown; Glimmer Spray - Tattered Angels; corner rounder - Fiskars

Wooo to the Hoooo!!

Just a quick post to share some happy news.  I'm up to my eyeballs in pre-show prep and appointments but I wanted to share this.  I'll update the blog this evening with links and likely with a few other posts for the PTI & PTPH blog hops.

Sometimes you have to take the leap and just go for it!!  And while I'm a little apprehensive, I'm glad I decided to try out.  Just announced today......

I'm on the These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things (Fav Things for short) challenge blog design team!  Wooo Hooooo!!!!! 

I'm very excited to be a part of this for so many reasons.  I remember when Julie first started talking about this and am so proud of how it's grown; beyond her wildest expectations.  I've never been part of a challenge group so that's going to be well, challenging.  :)  And though I've never really stopped creating it does seem like I've stopped creating layouts, so I'm pretty excited to get back to the 12 x 12 format. 

Meet Abigail!

I'm so in love!  I just adore Annie Rodrigue's (scroll just a bit to see her bio if you click the link) images from Kraftin' Kimmie.  I saw a sneak peek of one of the new images coming out and fell totally in love.  Jennie was super sweet and bought it for me as a present.  And I just got to color it.  I can't wait to color it in all kinds of other color combination's - this one was totally inspired by Suzanne Dean's version which is the second one shown on the image page.

What I'm happiest about is the hair.  I managed to do pretty decent highlights and make it look black rather than grey.  And I like this new paper to color on - it's ANW Crestwood Iced White Metallic.  Just a hint of shimmer thru the colors and where I left it white.  Very cool.  What do you think of her?

Finally slowing down.......... for just a minute

Ever have one of those series of days where it just feels like you can't catch your breath?  Eating is pretty much whatever jumps into your hand as you run past and bathroom breaks are cherished for some peace & quiet???  It's been a little bit like that around here for the last week.  And I'll only have a few days to recover from it before it starts again.  But, as Mel would say, it's kind of a gold plated problem.  A good problem to have in other words.

Jennie Black has been in town for classes and a certification.  We've literally been all over the Valley sharing tips, techniques and creating cards with Copic colored images.  Though we haven't been able to do any coloring in the evenings as we'd hoped, I've picked up lots of stuff just listening to her.  I can't wait to try out some of the things I've learned. 

Hot on the heels of Jennie's visit will be CHA Winter 2011.  I'm surprisingly looking more forward to this lately.  Part of it is the chance to see friends in the industry again.  Part of it is finally being able to talk about some of the really amazing new releases that are coming out.  Part of it is seeing all the new stuff I haven't been fortunate enough to see yet.  And part of it is that I'll have a special roomie this time - Julie Tucker-Wolek.  I'm saying the chances of seeing a full moon or an old grey cat are limited - and that's a good thing!

Something else I'm pretty excited about is beginning a monthly Copic class at Scrapbook Barn in Gilbert. The first class will review some of the basics - ink & paper recommendations and decode the color names.  And we'll be working on smooth coloring to create 2 cards.  One of the things I think will be so neat about these classes is that the projects for it may be cards one month, a scrapbook layout another and something altered the next!   Here's a look at the 2 cards we'll create in February.  All the details for them are on the Class Projects tab and class info can be found on the Class & Events Calendar to the left.

I'm really excited about this one.  It features a super cool, ridiculously easy new fold I picked up from Jennie.  You'll be recreating this fold yourself after you see it!

Did you notice that this card uses the same paper as the first one?  But they look totally different!  That's thanks to airbrushing!  LOVE how this opens up so many options for me.

I'm really excited about the possibilities for this class and can't wait to get going on more projects for it!

Creation is MESSY!!!

Boy is it!  Take a look at the not one, not two but THREE tables I had in use on Sun when I was working on one version of my HOME banner.  I've got at least one or two more versions in mind for it.  :)

Thankfully the tables were still set up from 2SGNO the night before.  Though it was really like a 2nd Saturday Girls & Boys Night Out since Mel had some guys over to watch the playoff game.  And I'll admit, I made sure my seat was in a spot where I could see the tv.  At one point on Sunday, Mel started laughing.  I couldn't figure out why until he said "You're actively using all 3 tables!"  Why this is such a surprise to him I don't know.  I've told him I need a bigger room.  Seems to me he saw proof of that.  You know, he IS talking about taking down the pool table................  :D

In any case, here are a few pics (not the best since its inside at night) but they should give you the idea of the banner.  Still some more I want to do to this one before I call it done.  For sure I'll add "is where your ♥ is" to the last segment.  Just haven't decided how I want to do it yet.  I'll be shopping this version and the others around to local stores to offer up as a class.  I'll have it posted on my Class & Event schedule to the left as well as on the Class Projects tab once it's scheduled. And I'll include photos that aren't so washed out. It's really much brighter in real life.

 

The banner is created out of stitched canvas with batting in between.  Denim ties between each house in the neighborhood.  Can you see pretty flowers in the window box of the Red house.  And the tree in the front yard of the Blue house complete with a swing reminds me of my favorite ever tree that used to be at my grandparents house in Iowa. :)

The next two houses on the block show off a beautiful chimney and brick work on the Green house and gorgeous blue shingles with a rusty fence and tiny flowers at the Brown house.

The very last house on the block will contain "is where your ♥ is" along with the key to open the door.
 
I can't wait to create my other neighborhoods!

Supplies: lots and lots of goodness used here!  This is as complete a list as I can remember.
Patterned paper: October Afternoon, TPC Studios, Autumn Leaves, Scrappy Cat, Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye
Cardstock: Core'dinations, TPC Studios, additional unkn scraps
Dies: Spellbinders: pinking circles, circles, rectangles, squares, Halloween fence scene, scallop border petites, Grand Calibur  AccuCut: heart, arrow 3, GrandMark IV
Additional tools: American Tag Long Reach Pro to punch holes and set eyelets between houses and for key
Adhesive: Tombow Mono Multi, Liquitex Matte Medium, foam squares unkn
Additional items: Flower Soft, Modern Masters Metal paint and rust activator, Prima Flowers, Queen & Co micro brads, buttons unkn, lg brad unkn, brick stamp: Papertrey Ink, ink, TPC Studios, eyelets: American Tag, denim: assorted blown out jeans, Fiskars Pinking scissors, thread: variegated primary Coats & Clark, acrylic paint: Delta, wire: unkn, canvas & batting: fabric supply, glitter: unkn, chipboard letters: Li'l Davis Designs

To start the new year.........

a bevy of beautiful ladies and a few other stamped & colored delights.
I've been busy coloring the last week or so and would love to share what I've come up with.

The Raychel stamp from Kraftin' Kimmie has got to be one of my very favorite ever.  I don't consider myself a stamper but after playing with this image I may have to revise that.  I usually have a difficult time picturing how to use a stamp other than they way it's originally shown.  I was delighted to have come up with several ways to showcase her.  What do you think?

 

 

All images were colored with Copics and many highlighted with Spicas.  I even used the airbrush system on the Kisses 5 cents card.  The inside of the frog cards say "to find my prince!" 

I was also pretty pleased to find a way to use this Hattie stamp well beyond Halloween.

 

And here's one the uses Papertrey Ink's Enjoy the Ride.  While I was making it I wondered how many people would actually "get it".

And one last colored card.  I'm not sure this stamp company is even still around and that's to bad.  They have such a great name, Dewy, Inkum & Howe.

Supplies: Patterned papers - October Afternoon, Basic Grey, Webster's Pages, Scenic Route, Cosmo Cricket
Cardstock - Club Scrap, Paper Company, Core'dinations
Ink - Tsukineko, TPC Studios
Dies - Spellbinders, Papertrey Ink, Quickutz      Die cutting machine - Spellbinders Grand Calibur
Additional stamps - lips - Unity Stamp Co, bracket frame & frog -Papertrey Ink

What an end to '10!!

If it's any indication of what's ahead it's gonna be GOOD!  Better than good actually, GREAT!

Mel had a NYE gig at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar in Mesa.  We had a fabu dinner with some amazing friends at Cucina Tagliani.  Our first time there and the food was fabulous.  The time spent with friends and conversation was even better. 

About 9ish we all left to head to the gig.  I had been going back and forth about if I wanted to go or not.  And even remembered to bring my camera.

Hanging out in the backstage area watching the opening band, The Stephanie Eason Band.  I'm not into country but she was really amazing.  Tiny little thing with a huge voice!  If you have an interest in country I'd recommend checking them out if they're anywhere near you.  I doubt you'll be able to get that close for much longer!

Out of the blue, the side door opens and a ton of people start piling in.  And clogging up the area.  Weird.  After a few minutes I figure it's time for me to find out what's going on.  Thankfully I'd just left my camera case/purse in the green room.  Head for the door, slithering between several very large, alert men.  Look at the manager and ask "What the hell's going on?"  Thankfully not at the top of my lungs which would be typical.  And thankfully I'm quick.  I saw the expression on his face.  Quick look behind me.  And I just said "I came to get my purse."  Snag it off the couch and head back out.

And waste NO time telling my friend that Toby Keith was in there talking with the lead singer.  And then watch as the rest of the guys in the band are informed that they'll be playing with Toby to open the show! 

I headed to the front of the stage area where the Regulators had already taken up their posts.  Get a good spot front and center.  Not a surprise at all if you've ever been with me to a Caroline's Spine or Stumbles concert!  What followed was crazy!  Pushing, shoving, someone's boobs imprinted into my spine.  And that was before Toby even came out!  For 30 minutes Mel was Toby's band leader.  Letting the rest of the guys know what song was next - and how to play them since several were ones they'd NEVER played!  By the end of the 1/2 hour set I'd taken 210 photos!  Here are a couple of our favorites.

Toby with Nick, Tim & Jeff

Toby & Mel

Toby & Mel - cheesing it up

Toby & Mel

Toby & Mel

Toby & Richie

Toby & Richie

Toby & Tim

Toby & Nick

Toby & Mel

Toby with Mel, Tim and Jeff

Happy New Year!