{capture the moment}

Happy 4th!

A Passion for Papertrey in the UK

Two very dear & dedicated customers, Kate & Steph, recently created an entire blog dedicated to Papertrey fans in the UK & the rest of Europe called A Passion for Papertrey.  It is a wonderful testimony to all of our wonderful customers abroad.  They put a lot of time into the design of the site and update it regularly with Papertrey projects and other chit chat. 

They even have monthly challenges with Papertrey Prizes!

There's also help available for finding someone to share orders with to save on the cost of shipping!

I think any of you that happen to live on that side of the ocean will enjoy the close-knit camaraderie found there! I'm truly honored that Kate & Steph invest so much of their time into the upkeep of the site!  It is truly destined to become an invaluable resource for our foreign friends!

A little kitchen organization...

David & I recently finished up some projects around the kitchen that we have been meaning to do for ages.  Even though I am an avid cook, my kitchen is teensy-tinsy, so space is of a premium.  My vast collection of both tea and spices were literally overflowing one of my cabinets, to the point where every time I opened it, things were falling out of it!  I decided that switching all of them over to universal containers would make it so much easier to store them.

I ended up using our 8 oz. round clear top tins to store them all.  They are a bit on the larger side because I buy most of my spices in bulk, but the average spice container would fit in the 4 oz. making it a lot more economical for this type of organization.

I designed the labels just in the regular Avery Address Label template found in Microsoft Word.  I used the clear address labels (#18660) that they sell because they tend to be a bit more waterproof, which is a good characteristic to have in the kitchen.  The labels can be  found at any big box or office supply store.  Or you can order them directly from Avery HERE.

David built me a simple shelving system that fit on the back of our narrow pantry door to hold all of the tins.  If any of you decide to take on a project like this, I found after a bit of trial and error that it is best to alphabetize the spices.  Since they are all in similar tins, it can be difficult to find something if they aren't in a particular order.  Since I have alphabetized them, it is a cinch to find things when I need them and easy to put them back where I got them.

I ended up using our tea tins for my vast loose leaf tea collection.  The lids on these tins have an airtight seal so it will keep my teas nice and fresh, therefore a longer shelf life.  For these labels, I chose to use a white shipping label (#8163).  They fit the large tins well and left plenty of room for some fancy embellishing.  I created mine on the computer, but it would be just as easy to stamp them with some of your favorite decorative stamp images.

The majority of my teas are from Mountain Rose Herb Company.  My sister used to work there and always gave me teas as gifts.  They are an organic company and have an amazing selection.  If you are an avid tea drinker, you should check it out!

It has been SO nice to have these menacing areas of my kitchen nice and orderly!  Sometimes I feel like I am in someones else's kitchen!  I hope maybe today's post inspires you to tackle an area of your house that could do with a bit of organization.  I still have a lot to do myself in a few other spaces in my house, especially the ol' studio.  What is the worst problem area in your house?

Senior DT Challenge: Fun With Fabric!

I've mentioned many times in the past how fascinating it is to me the way so many handcrafts and their individual supplies are now merging into one another.  One of which is fabric.  This pliable medium is SO fun and easy to incorporate into paper crafting, offering you so many new levels of exploration with the supplies you already have on hand.

The challenge this month was to stamp on fabric and then integrate it into a project. While I was experimenting with some different techniques, I accidentally left the cap off of one of my Copic markers and it had bled onto the fabric I was working with.  At first I was frustrated with what I had done to my work in progress, but then decided that I actually liked the look and would embrace the technique!

The fabric I used was an old white bed sheet that I have been saving for ages, thinking I would one day have a good use for it!  If you don't have any old ones, you can get a new sheet at any big box store for a bout $5.  I used a ruler and various Copic markers (aqua mist, ocean tides & spring rain) to create a series of stripes.  I chose to use the broad tip, but either one would work depending on the final look you were going for.  One thing I LOVE about this technique is the color coordination.  Since I have Copics that coordinate with our colors, I am able to create stripes in dozens of different combinations that coordinate with our products too.  What's not to love about that!

I love how *artistic* the stripes look, almost like some kind of watercolor paint technique, only without the mess!  After I completed the stripes, I adhered a piece of white cardstock to the back of the fabric using Heat n' Bond.  If you don't feel like getting the iron out, you could also use wide pieces of Scor-tape.

The cardstock provides some stability so that you are able to get a more defined cut and a bit of the embossed look when using Nestabilities.  Here I have used Labels 1.  You can run the fabric back and forth through your machine several times for a clean cut or just a few times for something it bit more rough, like I did here.  I used my fingernail to pull a few of the threads loose around the edges to help reinforce that.

 

(click photo for a larger view)

Once the die-cut shape is integrated into a project, it really adds a little bit of zest that it would have been lacking without the pretty patterned fabric.  The aqua mist cardstock was embossed with a paisley embossing folder from ProvoCraft.  Spring Rain Twill was used as a border through the center of the card.  Polka Dot Basics & Fresh Snow ink were used on the lower portion of the card. 

 

(click photo for a larger view)

Spring Rain buttons and embroidery floss with a few bitty cardstock leaves thrown in, make up the focal point created on top of the die-cut fabric.  The sentiment (from Vintage Picnic Sentiments) was stamped in True Black ink directly onto the fabric.  Overall, just a fun little card to brighten someones day!

I challenged the senior design team to take a new look at fabric in their stash and incorporate it into a fun project.  You won't believe some of the incredible things they have come up with!

To read more from Heather Nichols, CLICK HERE.



To read more from Lisa Johnson, CLICK HERE.

To read more from Michelle Wooderson, CLICK HERE.

To read more from Lauren Meader, CLICK HERE.

To read more from Becky Oehlers, CLICK HERE.

 

To read more from Wendy Sue Anderson, CLICK HERE.

Want more?  Here are a few other projects I personally have done in the past that execute some of the ideas surrounding today's challenge...

To read more about these rustic fabric flowers, CLICK HERE.

To read more about how to construct this simple fabric purse, CLICK HERE.

To read more about stamping your own custom t-shirts, CLICK HERE.

I hope you enjoyed all of today's inspiration!  So what are you waiting for!  Go grab some fabric, experiment and have fun!  You never know what you'll come up with!  I'd love to see what you create!  Please feel free to leave a link in the comments section!

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Ink: fresh snow, true black
Paper: aqua mist, spring moss, classic kraft, stamper's select white
Other: spring rain vintage buttons, spring rain twill, scalloped scissors (Fiskars), DMC embroidery floss, Labels 1 Nestabilities.
Finished Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

THIS is where I'll be for dinner Saturday night, along with three additional days & nights, basking in the Florida sun.  David & I are going away on an *official* honeymoon, to compensate for the one we never had.  This summer marks our ten year anniversary and he planned this special getaway to celebrate.  I am really looking forward to it.  The blog will be a bit quiet in my absence, but I will have plenty to share when I return the 25th!

Have a great week!

June Honorable Mentions

Well, it was another amazing batch of entries this month for Guest Star Stamper!!!  I am really pleased to announce all the winners and honorable mentions!

Tracey Cuccia chose to use the popular black & white with color pop look that is so trendy right now.  And I love the way that the trend pairs with Star Prints!!!  The large flourish from Fancy Flourishes provided her with the perfect framework to *dangle the stars from.  What a fun way to break in several different patterned starts from the set all at once too!  I just love this project!!!

Lizzie Jones hand-crafted this INCREDIBLE wrath for the upcoming July 4th holiday!  Talk about easy and inexpensive!  A bit of ribbon and some paper and you are good to go!  Having the coordinating punch makes it a snap to prepare all those stars for their masterpiece!

Kara Vrabel developed this adorable baby gift that includes a card and *wish in a bottle*.  I really appreciated the clean simplicity of it and the heartfelt thoughts behind the special wish.  Definitely something unique to bring to a baby shower!

Jennifer Holmes created a baby announcement that is so completely beautiful, it just makes me swoon!  Every little detail is just perfect in every way, just like the 10 little perfect toes she is celebrating here!

Suzanne Dean used bright vibrant colors and our new Day at the Beach set to create this super summer-y ensemble.  She adapted the Lolli-pop Along template to suit her needs beautifully.  I love the colors she used for all of those tropical fruity drinks.  And the little bit of shimmer & sparkle she added to them really took it up a notch as well.

Leigh Ann Baird got super creative and made these fun vintage style fans, perfect for those hot summer days out on the porch!  Let Freedom Ring made the perfect patterns and accents fro her *cool* project!

Resqbarbie altered Recipe Wrap-Up to be the perfect postcard portfolio for her daughter to use while vacationing this summer.  Images from Day at the Beach adorn the cover while the pockets inside hold everything she needs to keep in touch with friends & family.

Kelly Eubanks kept it simple with this sailboat card using Men of Life.  I like the way she wrapped the twine around the turquoise mat along with the subtle distressing around the edges of the kraft card base.

Shannan Teubner made this pretty little number using Damask Designs paired with a sentiment from Mega Mixed Messages.  the pattern she built is impeccable and I just love the stitching detail she added around the perimeter of the mat.  The black stripes in the background really help to ground everything and maintain the focus on the patterned element.  Well balanced and perfectly executed!

Travelingmama did this super sweet & simple card using the little chickie from Birds of a Feather.  I'm thinking of all the images out there that you could create a similar card with for the same stunning results!  In less than ten minutes nonetheless!

Regan D'Agostino used one of my favorite images for baby cards, the nest & eggs from Birds of a Feather.  Her bow created with ripe avocado stitched ribbon is perfection (perhaps I need to beg her for some private lessons!)

Lisa Henke's colors and overall layout really caught my eye.  Everything is perfectly balanced without being too much or too little.  Plus, who can resist an adorable little strawberry trio from Green Thumb?

Catherine (Dancing Pear Designs) created this stunning flameless candle holder.  Doesn't it just scream beachy summer to you?  She assembled the For Keep{sake} box from clear cardstock.  It was accented with Background Basics: Text Style.  Fluffy fibers and silver sea-themed charms intertwine around the top of the delicate looking construction.  The tag is stamped with Star Prints and is the perfect message to keep things low-key and take time to savor the days of summer. 

We look forward to working with Catherine as a guest on our template team this month!  So if you liked her project today, you will be seeing more from her in one of next month's new template design downloads!

Even though only one Template winner receives the top prize of earning the guest position on our template team for this month, there are three other wonderful projects that I thought deserved special mention!

Julia Aston designed this patriotic version of our Captured Card Case to be used as a fun cookie box, complete with a star shaped window.  The same idea could be executed for a variety of holidays!

Tracey Cuccia used Basket Basics to create this elaborate money bouquet.  Butterfly Kisses provided the perfect images to intermingle with the *cash* flowers.  What a fun gift this would be to receive!

Yvette Farrell gave Let's Do Lunch a fun & fresh makeover!  I loved all her bright colors and the way she creatively cut a flower to frame the latch.  A perfect use for large buttons is integrating them into template projects, like Yvette did here.  Lunch with all the *trimmings*!!!

So there you have it!  Didn't everyone do an AMAZING job!  I just feel so blessed to have so many talented stampers utilizing our images in so many fabulous ways.  Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your art with us!

Want to see your project highlighted here next month and perhaps win a prize?  The categories for this month's Guest Star Stamper Contest can be found HERE!  You have until July 13th to complete your projects, so you have plenty of time to think it over and put something fabulous together!  I look forward to seeing all of your amazing entries!

These three...

• 3 laughs, each distinctly different and contagious.
• 3 smiles, that inspire me to do everything in my power to make them happy.
• 3 important reasons to keep focused on the true meaning of life.
• 3 of my most prized processions, all in a row.
• 3 blessings that bring me more happiness & joy than my heart can hold.
• 3 little people that will make a big difference in this world one day.
• 3 sets of eyes that sparkle when I walk into the room.
• 3 reasons to fall in love with being a mother all over again, just like it was the beginning.

*official* June Release Party Contest

This month has been full of food related projects and images.  That got me to thinking about how some of my favorite foods & recipes ARE my favorites because of a happy memory associated with them.  Do you have any memories associated with a particular dish or recipe that you still eat today?

As always, we are giving away the June "I Want It All" prize package to one lucky winner tonight (a $176 retail value!!!).  All you have to do to have a chance to win is answer the following question...

"What's your favorite memory associated with a favorite food?"

Contest closes at 11:30pm EST.  The winner will be randomly chosen and posted here shortly before midnight.  Please play nice, only one entry per person.

Good luck to everyone!

THIS CONTEST IN NOW CLOSED

 

Congrats, Jodi!  Please contact customer service with your shipping information so we can get your prize package out to you.  And thanks to everyone else for playing!  So many fun answers to read through.  I truly enjoy getting to know each of you a bit more on a personal level like that! 

Have a wonderful week!

Tonight is the night!

The night we have all been waiting for is finally here!  Can't you just feel the anticipation in the air!  Now is your chance to be one of the FIRST to get to play with all of the amazing paper crafting goodness that we are offering up this month!!!  I wanted to let you know a few things about tonight so you can know what to expect!

The release party begins at 10pm EST on our forum.
Be sure to stop by OUR FORUM and enjoy the camaraderie and chit chat about all of our new products.  It's fast-moving and a super duper way to pass the time until you can begin filling your cart.

You can't have a party without a contest.
Tonight we will feature a contest, HERE ON THE BLOG.  There is a post that will go live @ 10:30pm EST entitled "OFFICIAL Release Party Contest" with a question for you to answer.  Share your answer with us and you will be eligible to win:

Our "I Want It All" package
this includes the entire June release (a $176 value)

The contest will close at 11:30pm EST and the winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator.  I will announce the lucky winner here before midnight!

Stamp Set Reveal @ 11pm EST

At 11pm EST I will reveal all of the stamp sets in their entirety here, on the blog.  This way you can have a little time to look at everything and make informed decisions about your purchases.

June Quick Picks!
For those who want it all with just one click!  HERE is a list of packages and prices for the June Quick Pick Selections along with all of the other new merchandise being released!

We look forward to seeing all of you tonight!!!

Introducing Fruitful & Sentiments

I am very pleased to introduce two more stamp sets to our June line-up, Fruitful & Fruitful Sentiments.  Both of which are designed by Candice Aguilar.  Fruitful ($24) is filled with several different fruits, each in two sizes for lots of options.  All of the fruit is divided into pieces to that you are able to easily stamp each attribute in a different color.  Fruitful Sentiments ($15) was created with inspiration Candice had while make her own homemade jams last year.  The sentiment set is chock full of fruit names and things you would make in the kitchen with all of them (jelly, jam, preserves, etc...).  I am so heads over heels in love with these sets, I don't even know where to begin!  Well, I suppose a project is ALWAYS a good place to start!!!

(click on the image for a larger view)

Here is a little ensemble I created, centered around homemade peach jam.  Peaches here in the south have the most wonderfully rich flavor and are so good in my favorite recipes, such as peach pie, peach cobbler and, of course, peach jam. Slipping these two little items in a small basket makes the PERFECT small thank you gift! 

I cut a square of linen fabric with pinking shears and screwed it into place tightly with the jar ring.  Melon Berry Bitty Dot ribbon is tied around it and added my hand-stamped tag.  I used spring moss Bitty Box paper for the scalloped tag background.  I think I love this patterned paper almost as much as Bitty Dots!  And take a look at that sentiment.  I just adore the fonts Candice chose for this set.  Love, love love 'em!!!  "Peach" and "Jam" are two separate stamps, allowing you to mix and match them with the different fruits from the set.

(click on the image for a larger view)

Here's a closer view of the card.  Rather than layer the "Peach Jam" words over the peach again, I chose a different sentiment from the set, "Handmade with Love".  I think anything that is made from scratch along with fresh, natural ingredients is just FULL of love, and that my friends is why we enjoy giving & receiving gifts like this.  The love put into it is felt every time it is tasted!

Some of you have inquired about the "rock & roll" technique that I refer to often here on the blog.  I thought I would show you how quick and easy it was to get the variegated look I got on my peach image.  First I inked the peach with Summer Sunrise ink.

I then tapped one edge of the peach with a slight rolling motion into my Melon Berry ink.  You can see on the stamp that the darker color is now present.

And this is what you get when you stamp with it.  I think it is such a pretty look with this particular image.  The little extra touch really goes far in making the peach look more realistic.

I did something a bit different with my background paper for this card too.  I cut up a piece of spring moss Bitty Box paper into four sections.  I adhered them all to my card cover and stitched around the edges.  I then was able to go back in with my fingernail and distress and curl up the edges a bit.  It spices things up a bit and provides some extra texture.

The completed peach image was matted with a bit of the same linen fabric I used on the jar lid.  My handy dandy pinking shears were used to trim the edges.  A small scrap of Melon Berry Bitty Dot ribbon is used to make a tab held in place with one of our Rustic Wood Buttons.  I used Rustic Jute Button Twine to tie the button in place, finished off with a small bow.  Peach perfection!

(click on the image for a larger view)

I don't know about you, but summer seems to be the biggest social season.  Invitations to cook-outs and pool parties abound.  I never like to attend things like that empty handed and this margarita mix is the perfect thing to bring along and surprise a hard working hostess with! 

This classy gift starts with containing your favorite margarita mix recipe (bringing the bottle of tequila separately) in a large mason jar with a little Stitched New Leaf ribbon and a lime stamped tag. You may want to add quantities of mix & tequila needed per drink to the back of the tag so it's easier for the recipient to make individual servings. This gift is quick, easy and inexpensive!  The hostess can choose to break it open that night to share with her guests or save it for later after the party as she celebrates her successful evening!

(click on the image for a larger view)

The card is SUPER simple, but that's what you need when time is limited during these lazy days of summer! It's just a bright stamped background matted on a Smokey Shadow card base  (love that combo!).  The sentiment, from Mega Mixed Messages, is PERFECT for this card and the accompanying gift!  It's simple stamped in black at the corner of the patterned block.  A bit of new leaf stitched ribbon rounds out the project.

The background was created with these fun lime (a.k.a. lemon or orange too) stamps from the set.  I love the two different sizes, paired with the fact that the outside rind is a separate stamp from the interior section.  I stamped the rind with New Leaf ink and the interior with Chartreuse Palette ink.

After I trimmed it up, I went in with my T1 Copic marker and outlined each lime slice.  I think it really helped to make them jump off the page!

(click on the image for a larger view)

The fruit contained in this set don't have to be used just for edible gifts.  They work well for everyday applications too.  How about using raspberries to make some pretty patterned paper?

I stamped the raspberries in Scarlet Jewel and the stems in Ripe Avocado.  Notice the two different sizes once again.  After I had stamped the raspberries, I added the script from Background Basics: Text Style in Dark Chocolate ink directly over the images.  It helped to fill in all of the extra white space surrounding the berries.

The heartfelt sentiment is from Friends 'Til the End.  The border  punch used with the ripe avocado Bitty Box paper is called Upper Crest (Fiskars).  Scarlet Jewel twill finishes off the card, with a small rustic wood button tied to the bow's center.

(click on the image for a larger view)

Last but not least, a sweet baby card using the strawberries from Fruitful. (I had to prove to Beth (a.k.a. Babies in our forum) that Fruitful could be useful for baby cards!)

An easy way to layer the two is to stamp the second stem where you want it, than stamp an entire strawberry on a separate piece of cardstock.  Cut it out WITHOUT the stem, then you can add it to the top of the original stem with a little foam tape.  Much easier than trying to cut that awkward little stem out!  The sentiment is from Bitty Baby Blessings.  I thought the fonts from that set paired well with this particular image.

The patterned paper was created with the small daisy cluster from Vintage Picnic.  The pattern was stamped with ripe avocado ink onto spring moss cardstock.  I think this pattern has such a wonderful, dainty feel to it and I know I will be using it again and again.  Oh, and I almost forgot, how about those Raspberry Fizz buttons!  Gotta love those!

So there you have it!  You have now officially seen it *all* for this month's release!  What do you think of Candice's new set?  Do you make any delicious homemade fruit concoctions that would coincide with her theme?  Or do you happen to just love fruit images and want to use them for everyday projects?  Share your thoughts with us and have a chance to win...

• Fruitful stamp set
  
• Fruitful Sentiments stamp set
  

You have until 11:30pm EST , TODAY, Sunday, June 14th, to share your thoughts here.  One comment will be randomly chosen to win this prize package!  The winner will be announced HERE on our June Prize Page, just before the release at midnight.  Please play nice, only one comment per person. 

Thanks for stopping by today and I look forward to seeing you tonight at the release party!

Visit Becky Oehler's blog today to see hat she has created with Fruitful.

Lisa Johnson has one last peek at Heavenly Medley to share.

Lauren Meader pairs Fruitful with her new templates for the month over at her blog today.

Wendy Sue Anderson, our Distinguish Guest Designer this month, has some projects that she has created with a few different June release sets!

Complete supply lists for all of my projects today can be found HERE.