{capture the moment}

Vintage Button Basics

Papertrey's latest addition of Vintage Buttons has taken over by storm!  The feedback we have gotten has been amazing and we are looking forward to introducing more colors each and every month! There have been many questions regarding the USE of the buttons.  This month I have challenged the Senior  Design team gals to showcase some of their favorite button techniques.  To begin though, I thought I would share some links I discovered that use buttons in ways that don't necessarily involve paper!

From the Etsy shop P8 Button Art...

A beautiful cuff bracelet created with a bit of knotted string and pretty pearl buttons.

And here is a necklace she created with a single layer of buttons with a few seed beads mixed in.

Cover the front of a small tote bag with a variety of buttons.  The colors and textures will be a good conversational piece!

Stitch a button to the end of a hairpin to create color coordinating accessories for a special little girl in your life.  Would be a great project for a group of girls together or even party favors.

A little hot glue and you can make some magnets for the fridge of the side of your office file cabinet.

Portions of images that are circular in shape can be replaced with buttons, like they did here with these embroidered napkins.  You could do the same thing with your favorite stamp images.

You can even use uniquely textured, shaped or patterned buttons as stamps. Just attach them to some kind of handle, such as corks shown HERE.

With four hole buttons, you don't always need to stitch them in place with a simple "x".  Try two horizontal lines or four french knots.  If you are applying a row off buttons to your project, you could use different types of stitches for each one.

So now that I have gotten you started, how about some direct project inspiration by our design team!  Not only have they compiled several ideas for how to use your buttons in your next paper crafting project, they also offer tips on their favorite ways to attach the buttons securely an neatly!  You won't want to miss a single word!

• Lisa Johnson
• Michelle Wooderson
• Becky Oehlers
• Heather Nichols
• Lauren Meader

And last but not least, the amazing Maggie Holmes.  This will be her last presentation for us as a Distinguished Guest Designer!  We've all enjoyed her contributions so much!  Please be sure to stop by and let her know how she has inspired you during the last two months!

So what are you waiting for?  Get out those jars of buttons and try something new!  Break out of your mold and just have fun experimenting with new techniques and mediums.  Exploration & discovery are one of the most exciting and motivating parts of this craft!  Please feel free to link up in the comments section with any button projects you create so we can all see!

March Honorable Mentions

The competition was definitely tough this month for our Guest Star Stamper contest!  There were SO many fantastic projects!  It has been so amazing to watch you all grow as stampers the longer that this contest is in place!  I wanted to highlight the winners today along with some of my other favorites!  Enjoy!

 

 

Jen Caputo won for her scrapbook layout incorporating various images from Damask Designs.  I loved how the Ocean Tides & True Black color scheme complimented her focal point photo.  Playing on the different scales of damask patterns in the set worked wonderfully together as well.  I was just enthralled by the final product!

Barbara DeBose picked out some choice elements from Spooky Sweets II to accent some beautiful photos of her daughter.  She also added the dotted Journaling Lines image to add some handwritten notes to the bottom corner.

Julie Smith created a masculine page using the large ivy image from With Sympathy as one of her focal points.  I also love the alphabet border she created at the bottom.  There are so many fantastic details to this layout, you'll just have to click on the link to see the rest of the details!

Kacey Elliott paired New Leaf & Raspberry Fizz elements to highlight some of her favorite photos.  Her pull-out tag and incorporation of Damask Designs were some of my favorite attributes that she integrated.

Dana Seymour was clever enough to combine Fresh & Trajan Alphabets for her title.  LOVE the way that looks and will have to try it sometime.

jtkshaw used Friends 'Til the End to create this simple, clean layout.  I loved the way she integrated ribbon to represent leaves on the flowers.

 

Fiona's project using Friends 'Til the End used some of the brightest & boldest color techniques I had seen within all the submissions.  Her project really jumps out at you from the photograph and begs to be recreated!  I also loved the diagonal lines she stamped for her background paper.  It was the perfect way to anchor the entire project.  Beautiful job, Fiona!

Tammy Butz kept it simple with the way she stamped her project, but added a fun ribbon detail that relaly helps to accentuate the sentiment!

Adela Rossol used the shape and size of the large blooms to inspire her actual card shape.  The stark contrast of the red, black and white is just stunning as well.

malgirl65 stamped the large floral image onto kraft cardstock using white ink to build a background layer. Then she colored another image with vibrant hues of yellow and orange to add a s a punch of color.  I love the contrast of the two elements.

Natasha Trupp kept it pure & simple with the floral images here.  I loved the way she just added a few flowers sparsely at the top, and then made the addition of a more densely stamped strip at the bottom.  Another great way to get two contrasting looks from one image.

Sheri Watts created a stunning variegated rainbow effect with her floral image.  She was really able to showcase it by pairing it with a bold black geometric background.

Courtney showcased some hand-stamped patterned paper created with the variety of words found in Friends 'Til the End.  I also liked the matting layers she created for the focal point.  I thought it was really unique, especially the little pop of doodling added in.

Kate W used Friends 'Til the End with one of our exclusive Timeless Templates, Lolli-pop Along, to create this fun version.  The colors she chose are so bright and cheerful and would certainly brighten anyone's day!!!

Karen Haman watercolored the focal point flower on her project created with this set.  I loved the way she paired a simple, clean design with an elaborate image like this.  Such a great way to showcase the flower!

And last but certainly not least, Kristy paired the images from this set with one found in With Sympathy.  I really liked her color scheme as well.  The small butterfly details were a perfect finishing detail.

Heartnhome won in the Best Use of Previous set category for these beautiful candle holders she created from our exclusive small heart tins!  The punched holes are such a nice detail that allows the candlelight to bounce around the room!  Even better is the way she decorated the lids of the tins using Heart Prints!  Be sure to click on her linked name to see the other photos of her project!

Dana Gustafson used the adorable ice cream cone image from Love Songs for her colorful card.  I love the way she used alternating colors for the three cones, and of course all the sparkle & shine she created with glitter!

Carolyn King pulled out the old favorite My Punny Valentine to create this fun little masculine card.  I love how she used some fuzzy felt to echo the fuzziness you might find on a squirrel!

Janelle decided to use a play on words as the inspiration for her project.  Heart Prints Sentiments filled this role.  Her interior interactive element is something you have just got to see!

Dancing Pear Designs used one of my personal favorites, Honey Bees, for her beautiful project.  I love the way she used two different sized frames from Borders & Corners to highlight the central bee image.

Maile Belles was able to create a super simple layout by just using the bitty butterfly image from With Sympathy and a well-loved circle punch.  A few Scor-Pal details and rhinestones make it PERFECT!

I hope all of these amazing entries have filled you with inspiration today! Go get out a stamp set that you haven't inked up yet and create something fabulous!  And while you're at it, you can try your hand at entering next month's Guest Star Stamper Contest! 

Moxie Monday Spotlight!

Did you see it yet? My dearest friend, Cath Edvalson, and her fabulously trendy Paper Crafts Magazine blog, Moxie Fab, featured Papertrey ink stamps yesterday! 

Click ---> HERE <--- to check it out!

She picked out several of her favorites and has asked her readers to let her know which ones they like best out of the batch!

Stop by and check out all the super nice things she had to say about our images, and be sure to say hi so you'll have a chance to win one of two prize packages!  She'll be featuring stamping inspiration and products through Friday, so it ought to prove to be a wonderful week-long read! 

Enjoy!

*OFFICIAL* March Release Party Contest

This month we are offering several beautiful and versatile stamp sets that we know you will be SO excited about!!!  For this month's release contest, we want to hear more about what you like and what you might want to see in the future!

Tell us what appeals to you most about the sets being released this month.  What characteristics you are looking for when selecting the stamp sets you purchase? Style?  Number of sentiments?  Or are you focused more on the images?  We want to know!

One comment will be randomly selected to win our entire March Release (a $135 value!).  This contest will close at 11:30pm EST.  The winner will be announced here shortly before midnight.  Only one comment per person, please.

Good luck to all!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

 

Congratulations, Angela!  Please contact Customer Service to claim your prize package!  And thank you to ALL of you for your sharing you insightful thoughts with us!  It really helps us to gauge future product decisions!  Have a fantastic rest of the evening!

Introducing Mega Mixed Messages

Our original Mixed Messages set was something I designed to fill a need that I had for really stylish mini sentiments that would be perfect for tags and smaller projects.  The set quickly became one of our best sellers.  Once it became a main staple for everyone, we got many requests to do a larger version, for the projects where you needed something a bit bigger.  Well, you asked and now you will receive!

Mega Mixed Messages is an exact replica of all 42 sentiments included in the original set, they are just twice as big!  Here is a visual example of the difference in size...

As you can see, there is quite a bit of difference between the two.  With all of the dozens of occasions that these sets fulfill, having the two different sizes will certainly give you endless options to choose from to suit every projects needs.

While brainstorming some fun ways to showcase this awesome new set, I came up with the idea of Custom Card Collections.  I am really excited about the concept and look forward to *passing it on* with the remainder of this post!

 

The inspiration behind the Custom Card Creations came from Lauren's new printable template, File it With Flair (available March 15th).  It is SO darn cute, all filled up with A2 cards, and I was trying to think of a way you could give it as a gift and offer the recipient some different sentiment options to suit their changing needs.  This is where Mega Mixed Messages and our white mailing labels come into play!

The basis of Custom Card Creations is to provide someone (or yourself!) with a stack of beautiful cards, all with a special blank spot for one of a variety of white mailing labels all stamped with various sentiments from Mega Mixed Messages. It's all about the presentation and quick & easy prep work when it comes to projects like this.  I promise you, it couldn't be any easier than this, and the final look is like something from your favorite stationery boutique!

The presentation and storage of the label sentiment system is half the fun!  I decided on a *matchbook* type system that would be small enough to fit into the File it with Flair box.  To begin, you need to cut down your label sheet into the appropriate sized pages for your matchbook.

This diagram illustrates how you want to trim the left and right edges just a tad.  Then cut the sheet into three long strips, right in between the columns.  As a last step, cut each of the strips in half, leaving you with five labels per section (or page). 

It is very important that once you have all the pages cut down, they are all oriented correctly with their tab at the bottom. 

Let me interject that our mailing label sheets are ideal for this project because there is no writing or brand names all over the backing, like Avery and others.  The backing will be seen by the recipient as they flip through the pages of the matchbook to find the sentiment they want.  Our backing is plain white, making projects like this look more professional. And you can't beat our price either, 600 labels (20 sheets) for $6.

Making sure that the tabs are at the bottom, stamp a variety of sentiments from Mega Mixed Messages onto all of the labels.  (I also added the small flourish from Mother to the side of each one). To create the matchbook style backing for this stack of sentiment pages, you want to cut a piece of cardstock to 4 x 7", then score 1/2" & 1" from the bottom.

You want to fold over the bottom edge of the cardstock along the score lines and insert the stack of sentiment pages, with the bottom tabs that I referred to earlier, at the bottom.  This will ensure that the tab is getting attached to the matchbook and not any portion of the pretty labels you just stamped!  Staple the cardstock backing and pages together, just like a matchbook.

Download Custom Cards Sentiment Portfolio Template

Next, you will want to download the template above and print it onto your cardstock of choice.  Cut on the solid lines and score on the dotted lines to format the base for your Sentiment Portfolio.

When folded up, the completed portfolio looks like this.  You want to be sure to do all of the exterior embellishing before moving onto the inside.  A couple strips of the new Friends 'Til the End paper are added to the two front flaps.  3/4" circles of kraft cardstock are attached with eyelets (reference the two small circles included on the template for placement).  Twine is wrapped between the two discs, like an office envelope, to keep it shut.

(be sure to click the above photo for a large view)

After the outside is complete, it's time for the inside!  The sentiment *matchbook* that you created earlier, gets adhered to the inside left flap of the portfolio.  A piece of cardstock cut to 4-1/8" x 2-1/2" is adhered on three sides to serve as a pocket, perfect for holding postage stamps or special envelope seals.

All that's left after the completion of the portfolio is the blank cards themselves.  I kept them really simple with just a block of patterned paper, some lines of stitching I created with my sewing machine and the blank strip for the sentiment label to be added later.  You can use any card design you wish for this collection, or even a mixture of more than one, but it is VERY important that the blank *sentiment mat* measure exactly 1-1/8" x 2-3/4" so that the labels fit appropriately.

(be sure to click the above photo for a large view)

Here's the finished ensemble, with everything tucking neatly into the Filed with Flair box for presentation or storage!  I found that you could easily fit 18 cards and envelopes along with the Sentiment Portfolio into the box.  For projects like this, I like to use the pre-scored notecard and envelope set that we carry.  You literally just need to create your card fronts and adhere them in place!  So easy!  

Download Custom Cards Collection Logos

Did you notice the special labels used on the box & inside the portfolio?  I have formatted them into a printable pdf, in both black and brown, so you can use them when you make your version of today's project!

The Custom Cards Collection DEFINITELY counts as a Thrifty Gifting option!

Wow!  Less than $10 for one memorable (and practical!) gift!  I'm thinking teachers, friends, family.. even my mom is a good candidate since she is always asking me for more cards!  I hope you enjoyed today's presentation and find it useful as you create gifts in the future!

So how many of you own the original Mixed Messages set?  Are you exctied about the NEW bigger option?  If you are new to Mixed Messages, what do you think about having SO many sentiments in one little 'ol stamp set?  What appeals to you most?  I would love to hear from you!

One comment will be chosen randomly to win a copy of Mega Mixed Messages!

The Fine Print: Only one comment per person please.  Contest will close at 11:15pm EST, March 14th.  Winner will be announced by 11:30pm EST HERE, on our official March Release Prize Page. Winner will be responsible for contacting Customer Service to claim prize.

This will be Maggie's last release with us as a Distinguished Guest Designer!  Stop by her blog today to see some projects she created using several of this month's new stamp sets!!!

Becky Oehlers has showcased Mega Mixed Messages today along with me!  You simply must check out what she has done!

Lisa Johnson has another project to share using her new set, Life.

Melissa Bickford is tiptoeing through the tulips one more time with a few additional peeks at her new set.

Lauren Meader has yet again wowed everyone with more samples using her newest templates!

Stamps: Mega Mixed Messages & Mother (both available March 15th)
Ink: Ripe Avocado
Paper: spring moss, classic kraft, (ripe avocado) Friends 'Til the End patterned paper (available March 15th)
Other: File it with Flair Template (available March 15th), pre-scored cards & envelopes, white mailing labels, 3/4" circle punch, eyelets, bookplate, twine, sewing machine, stapler
Finished Box Size: 6" high
Fished Card Size: A2 (4.25" x 5.5")

Introducing Friends 'Til the End paper

You've let us know loud and clear how much you LOVED the floral image from last month's Friends 'Til the End stamp set!  As a follow-up we are introducing these stunning monochromatic papers that will be a great basic to add to your collection!  The following color combinations are included...

• ripe avocado/spring moss
• ocean tides/aqua mist
• summer sunrise/lemon tart
• plum pudding/lavender moon
• dark chocolate/white
• hibiscus burst/sweet blush

I used the ripe avocado/spring moss for my project above.  I just love them ALL and look forward to seeing what all of you do with them as well!

Introducing Mother

Mother.  Someone who we can turn to for advice and count on no matter what .  One of the few people who has know you your entire life.  The annual holiday set aside to observe this important person in our lives is right around the corner, May 10th to be exact.  In order to make this the most memorable Mother's Day yet, for both you and your own mother, myself along with our incredibly talented design team have put together THE best collection of homemade gifts from the heart.  All of which use our NEW Mother stamp set.  A bit further down this post, keep your eye out for the FREE download that includes complete supply lists, instructions and full-color photographs of all eleven of the gifts mentioned by the team today.

Want to know the BEST part about today's presentation?  I know the economy is hitting a lot of folks hard right now.  Everyone's trying to make a dollar stretch as far as possible as the price of necessities seems to increase overnight.  Isn't this the PERFECT opportunity to create gifts that are inexpensive to the pocketbook, but extravagant when it comes to meaning and gratitude? 

Almost all of the gifts that the team and I have created

would cost less than $15 to put together!

Talk about a bargain!  I can guarantee you that the recipient would prefer it over a new purse or a gift certificate to a spa ANY DAY!  So, what are you waiting for!  We are giving you plenty of notice!  Start planning now for what you would like to create for Mom!  Just you wait and see how good it feels to give a gift from the heart!

Before I get to the rest of the team's presentations, I wanted to share my personal project with you.  When the idea for this gift came to me, I was SO excited to execute it!  It was fun, easy and will surely serve as a very memorable mother's day gift for my mom.

To begin, you will need one of our clear top nugget tins, spring moss Bitty Dot Basics paper (cut to 3.25" x 5") and four photos that are cropped to measure about 2" x 1.25".

Adhere the photos to the spring moss paper.  Apply Scor-tape around the outside edge of the clear window on the top of the tin lid.

Adhere the photo mat FACE DOWN on the top of the lid.  The end result will be your photos peeking though the interior of the lid.

Next, you want to create a pretty top for the tin.  I found that if you cut your cardstock down to EXACTLY 3-7/16" x 5-5/16" and round the four corners with a corner rounder punch it will fit perfectly.  I love this sentiment from my new Mother stamp set,

"Everything I am today, I owe to you because your love showed me the way." 

This is exactly how I feel about my mother, so I knew this would be the perfect phrase to use.

I adhered the completed piece to the lid of the tin with Scor-tape, just so I know it isn't going anywhere.  It's definitely a good idea to do all of your embellishing and stamping for the topper before you adhere it in place.  Just makes everything easier!

I wanted to put some pretty little feet onto the tin and decided to do so with beads.  You could easily just glue four beads to the bottom of the tin, but I decided to take it up a notch and add a decorative silver bead as well.  After some brainstorming as to the best way to attach them, it occurred to me that these headpins I normally use for making my own stick pins, were the PERFECT solution.

I turned the tin over and pierced one hole in each of the four corners of the tin bottom.  I used a paper piercer to do this.  A few light taps with a hammer allowed it to go through the tin bottom easily.

After adding the beads to all four headpins, I simply inserted them through each of the holes I just pierced, folding the end of the headpin down so that it was flat against the tin bottom.  I used strong tape to hold down these ends.

The finished bottom looks like this.  It is amazing how a small, quick & easy addition like these beaded legs really dress up an ordinary tin!

In case you were wondering what my vision was at this point, I wanted to create a jewelry box.  To continue, every jewelry box needs dividers.  I designed some super easy-to-use dividers for our nugget tins for Christmas a few months ago. 

You can go HERE to see the original post and complete directions on how to assemble the dividers.

Or, you can just go directly  HERE to download the FREE template!

I began by printing the template onto a piece of Stamper's Select White cardstock.  I then used Heat-n-Bond iron-on adhesive to attach some pretty cotton fabric to the WRONG SIDE of the template.  (I used a quilter's grade cotton and it worked beautifully.  I'm not sure how other fabrics would work for this particular project, but I would love to hear from you if you try something else that works well too!)  I was REALLY impressed with how well this technique worked and look forward to making more "fabric" paper in the future!  Look out Amy Butler! *wink*

I then flipped the cardstock over to the RIGHT SIDE of the template, with all of the printing, and cut out the divider pieces using a craft knife and ruler. I scored on the appropriate score lines using my Scor-Pal, just as I would if there weren't any fabric on the opposite side.  I folded them according to the original instructions and was thrilled with how well the fabric took the folds!

Here is the tin with the fabric cardstock dividers officially added.  I just LOVE how it turned out!  The addition of fabric really helps to make the tin feel more sophisticated and inviting.  I'm sure you noticed the addition of the decorative metal piece on the front, too.  It is just a little something from my stash, but I did find a source for similar bits and pieces that you can check out HERE.  The piece was adhered  in place with just a few small dabs of Gorilla Glue.

So this means the jewelry box was complete!  Although... shouldn't there REALLY be a sentimental piece of jewelry to put inside...

This is a bracelet and accompanying poem that I wrote, inspired by other "color symbolism" bracelets I have seen around the web. 

You can download a copy of the poem here...
Download Colors of Mother Poem

I picked out beads for the bracelet based on the colors listed in the poem.  After a bit of bead play, I found an arrangement I liked. 

The poem is designed to be trimmed and rolled into a scroll that will fit in the long compartment in inside the jewelry box.  I love the idea of my mom using this small tin as her *everyday* jewelry box.  Perhaps kept on her bedside table to put her jewelry in as she prepares for bed each night.  It warms my heart to think about her reading the special message on the lid each night, and then seeing all of the special photos inside as she tucks her jewelry away.  I think it will really be something that she cherishes for years to come.

I decided to create a card to go along with my jewelry box, and of course the two need to coordinate!  I used the flourished "Mother" image in the lower corner of the card, flanked by another one of my favorite sentiments from the set.

"I never knew the depths of your love until I became a parent myself." 

Don't you just LOVE that Mother image!  I think it has such a pretty flourish to it!  Because it it still maintains "clean" lines it can go from vintage elegance to understated simplicity with just a few changes in color and embellishment choices!

One of my favorite details is the leftover fabric cardstock strip I added to run down the center of the card.  It was a great way to use up a leftover scrap and help to integrate the two projects together.

Here's shot of the completed ensemble.I'm just over the moon with how it all turned out and I hope you feel as though this is something you could easily  recreate on your own after all these detailed instructions!

So now it's on to the rest of the team! To help you execute all of the design team's projects, I have compiled a thorough pdf that you can download and keep on hand as an easy reference.  You can download it here...

Download Thrifty Gifting- Celebrating Mother

Now for a run down of the other contributions!  Click on each individuals name to link to their Mother's Day creations!

• Geny Cassady
• Niki Estes
• Lisa Johnson
• Dawn McVey
• Lauren Meader
• Heather Nichols
• Becky Oehlers
• Debbie Olson
• Melissa Phillips
• Betsy Veldman
• Michelle Wooderson

Aren't you just SO excited to get your hands on this new set and create your own gift for mom!  I am anxious to see what all of YOU create with it once it arrives at your doorstep!  One lucky winner will have the set arrive FREE of charge!!!  Let us know which gift from the team is something you plan on making this year!  Or perhaps one of the sentiments you saw from the new sentiment tugged at your heartstrings?

One comment will be chosen randomly to win a copy of this all-new Mother stamp set!

The Fine Print: Only one comment per person please.  Contest will close at 9am EST, Wednesday March 14th.  Winner will be announced by noon EST HERE, on our official March Release Prize Page. Winner will be responsible for contacting Customer Service to claim prize.

Melissa Bickford has a few more things to inspire you using Wishing You!

Stamps: Mother (available March 15th)

Ink: Fresh Snow

Paper: spring moss, ocean tides, aqua mist, Bitty Dot Basics (spring moss)

Other: vintage cream buttons, clear top nugget tin, hydrangea flowers from Prima, beads (for legs) and 21 gauge (.028") headpins, decorative metal hardware (substitutes can be found at Nunn Designs), paper piercer & hammer, fabric for lining, scalloped scissors from Paper Studio, Scor-tape, Heat-n-Bond Iron-On adhesive sheet & iron, corner rounder punch (Fiskars), Leafy Branch Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (ProvoCraft), sewing machine

Finished Card Size: 5" x 5.5"

Introducing Life

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is seeing the stamp designers I work with, grow and change as they gain more experience, practice & perspective.  Lisa Johnson has really exemplified this point with her contribution to the March release, Life.  This collection of silhouettes and meaningful *life* lessons is full of sophistication, all with just a touch of Lisa's rustic whimsy.  She has been sharing some incredible samples on her blog already this week.  If you haven't checked them out already, be sure to do so!

I became so inspired when I started using the images found in Life.  All of the silhouettes can take on different styles depending on your color choices and sentiment combinations. 

One of the sprig images in the set reminded me a bit of lavender, so I decided to base my color scheme for this project on the idea of that.  The *lavender* is stamped in Lavender Moon ink onto Vintage Cream cardstock.  I did just a bit of sponging with distress ink around the edge to help warm it up.  The background was created with an image from Background Basics: Retro, using Plum Pudding cardstock.

I love, LOVE, love this little detail that I created with the twine.  It's wrapped around the card front a few times and tied in a bow through one of our vintage cream buttons.  It's so dainty & delicate, a fun departure from standard ribbon. Here's a little tip for when you try this look yourself.  I notched the edge of card front with a 1/16th-inch hole punch to allow a place for the twine to be cradles.  It really helps keep it in place so it doesn't roll around!

To showcase some contrast, this project uses the same sprig image from above, paired with a few other silhouettes from the set.  They are all stamped in True Black ink onto crisp white cardstock.   I think it really achieves a hip & modern look.  The True Black Gingham ribbon is tied in a bow and embellished with one of our new True Black vintage buttons.

Don't be afraid to use these silhouette images by themselves rather than a group.  In this project the sprig is stamped in Spring Moss onto Vintage Cream cardstock and used a bold focal point.  Our Spring Rain Gingham ribbon and Spring Moss Bitty Dot Basics paper help to set the tone for the color scheme.

I created this beautiful patterned strip using the same sprig as found in the focal point.  I stamped the image repeatedly with spring moss ink, then went back in with spring rain ink and randomly added a small flower image from the set.  I went back in with a marker and added small dots of a slightly darker blue to the centers.  It made such a pretty pattern that I am looking forward to recreating again in the future, perhaps with pink instead!

(click on above photo for a larger view and to see the shadow stamping a bit better)

My last project demonstrates how you can shadow stamp with your images without re-inking in between, creating a lighter shade of your main ink.  When doing this, be sure to rotate the stamp just slightly so that the *shadow* image is slightly off-kilter from the original.  This is a quick and easy way to add a bit more dimension to your stamped images.

The background for this card was created with Guide Lines Two using Versamark ink on Melon Berry cardstock.  I love the tone-on-tone look and the subtlety of it.  To point out an additional detail, the stitched border continues right across the focal point block, which helps to ground the floral silhouettes.

Aren't you just SO excited to get your hands on this set!  I am anxious to see what all of YOU create with it once it arrives at your doorstep!  One lucky winner will have the set arrive FREE of charge!!!
From what you have seen here and on Lisa's blog, what type of project will be first on your list?  What color scheme are you excited to integrate with the images?  We want to know! 

One comment will be chosen randomly to win a copy of this all-new Life stamp set!

The Fine Print: Only one comment per person please.  Contest will close at 9am EST, Wednesday March 13th.  Winner will be announced by noon EST HERE, on our official March Release Prize Page. Winner will be responsible for contacting Customer Service to claim prize.

Lisa has a few new samples on her blog today that you won't want to miss out on!

Lauren has put together another peek at her templates releasing this month!

Melissa has some additional projects to share using Wishing You!

 

CLICK HERE for complete supply lists for all of today's projects.

Introducing Hibiscus Burst

This month's color selection is Hibiscus Burst.  A gorgeous, vibrant shade of pink that will be a fabulous addition to your Papertrey color collection!

It is in the same color family as Raspberry Fizz, just a lighter shade that is appropriate for spring, babies and anything girly!

With the ribbons, ink and cardstock, of course comes buttons!

We will be slowly making buttons available in some of our older colors as well.  March brings us True Black.

All of these new products will be available March 15th!

Introducing Guide Lines Two

Many of you guessed today's announcement during the sneak peeks, and expressed your excitement at the possibility of a second edition to our popular Guide Lines stamp set!  In an effort to offer up even MORE possibilities, versatility and styles, Guide Lines Two combines a brand new grid and several decorative elements that will just make you swoon!  The best part?  Most of the decorative elements in the new set also coordinate with the grid found in last year's Guide Lines set!  Talk about versatility!

To begin, if you are not familiar with the original Guide Lines set, you might want to read THIS POST that explains a bit about what these sets are designed for. 

Now, the grid included in Guide Lines Two is even easier to use than the first and offers a more detailed design that really adds to the pattern.  As you can see it integrates circular frames and the small dots in the middle of each opening.  All of the individual design elements in this set nestle perfectly within each circle, with the cross points allowing you to line up each image exactly the same across the page just like the original Guide Lines set.

As another new feature of this set, there are "frames" that fit around the outside of each of the circles found in the grid.  Most of the frames have four points, like the one shown in this example, making it easy to lineup with the four cross points found in the grid.

Finally, to complete this sample pattern, I added a different decorative element, centering over each of the "dots" found in the grid.  The finished look is a perfectly aligned pattern that looks as though it is printed for an upscale boutique.  This type of pattern building takes no time at all and allows you to recreate patterns to your hearts content, in any array of colors you can imagine.

I used the above paper to create this simple vintage card.  I found that the pattern was so beautifully detailed, just a simple sentiment and button detail were really all that was needed.  (Recognize the sentiment?  It's from Lisa Johnson's new set that is debuting this month!)

When creating these types of patterns, you don't always have to go monochromatic with your look.  For my next pattern, I started by stamping the grid along with my first design element in Hibiscus Burst ink.

I then went back in and added the second element in Summer Sunrise.  I love how the Hibiscus Burst dots of the grid show through as accents to the centers of the Summer Sunrise elements. 

(click photo above for larger view)

I thought I would also share with you a little technique I have found myself doing a lot lately.  If you look at a lot of today's patterned papers available for purchase, many times they have a *canvas" look to them, which often helps keep them looking up to date.  To recreate this type of look with my own stamped papers, I sometimes like to take the Palette New Canvas Pad and press it firmly onto the surface, right on top of the pattern.  The New Canvas ink pad is a very subtle * soft white in color, and the canvas texture of the ink pad surface transfers well when using this technique!  Give it a try!  I know you will enjoy the results!!!

I integrated this bright and cheerful pattern into this fun little card that is certain to brighten someone's day.  It was really amazing how well Guide Lines Two adapts to different styles of projects, which is confirmed by the contrast found between the first project and this one.

I layered a scalloped rectangle and oval to create this accent, with the sentiment coming from Damask Designs.  I loved the way the three-button detail turned out, accenting the top of this sentiment block.  The Hibiscus Burst Bitty Dot & Stitched ribbons hang down from the top of the card, creating fun textural borders.

When using this set, you can also do tone-on-tone stamping.  Here I used Versamark ink on Ripe Avocado cardstock.  I decided to go super simple with this one and repeat the same decorative element in the center of the circles and over the dots that are found in the grid.

Once integrated into my final project, I was able to use the curvy edge of the grid image as a decorative border of sorts.  I love how *clean & modern* I was able to go with this set.

That *empty space* at the edge of the card cover, allows the flourish found at the end of the sentiment to really become a focal point and not get lost in the shuffle.  (This sentiment & flourish are found in one of the other new release stamp sets that will be debuting later this week!)

This last project is a perfect example of how the small design elements found in the new Guide Lines Two can be used to build patterns without the grid, allowing you even more options and exploration.  Here. I just repeatedly stamped the element in Vintage Cream ink onto Melon Berry cardstock.

Pair that pattern with some Dark Chocolate polka dots (created with Polka Dot Basics) and a beautiful flower, along with a few pearls for good measure, and you have yourself and irresistibly beautiful creation, perfect for any recipient that loves anything shabby chic and romantic.

The *thinking of you* sentiment is from Beyond Basic Borders and is stamped using Dark Chocolate ink.  The small button is one of our very own cream vintage buttons.

So, there you have just a few examples of the different types of patterns you can build with this amazing background set.  As I have mentioned before, many of the design team members have already commented to me about how much they LOVE this set.  I know you will have the same high opinion yourself, once you are able to give this set a try for yourself!  How about we give you a chance to WIN a set, just for letting us know what you think of these first peeks at it!  Or, in fact, if you have the original Guide Lines set, let us know what you like about it!

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly to win a copy of Guide Lines Two stamp set!

The Fine Print: Only one comment per person please.  Contest will close at 9am EST, Wednesday March 12th.  Winner will be announced by noon EST HERE, on our official March Release Prize Page. Winner will be responsible for contacting Customer Service to claim prize.


Haven't seen enough?  Stop by Heather Nichols' blog to see what she has created with Guide Lines Two!

Lauren Meader has a peek at another Timeless Template that will be debuting this month!  You will NOT want to miss this!!!

Lisa Johnson created more projects using her new set, Life, that totally left me inspired!

Melissa Bickford has a few additional peeks as Wishing You to whet your stamping appetite!

To see the supplies used in all of today's projects, please CLICK HERE.