{capture the moment}

Blog Hop!

Papertrey's second Blog Hop is underway tonight and we are SO excited about all of the participants!  If you would like to get in on all that is going on tonight, please be sure and stop by the Blog Hop section of our Customer Forum!

This month's challenge can be read in detail here.  We provided a fun swatch sheet of some of the patterns included in our new Father Knows Best paper Collection as a FREE download.  We asked everyone to see what they could create with the bits & pieces.  I decided to dust off my circle punches and integrate the with a transparency card!  I adhered the circles accross the cover of my card and then stitched across the center with my sewing machine.  I added a square of Summer Sunrise cardstock to the back of the front cover that had been sponged with white ink and stamped with Polka Dot Basics.  I also added one of my favorite "Happy Birthday" greetings from Birthday Basics.

As an embellishment, I layered Heidi Swapp transparency stars on top of one another and finished it up with a small yellow button.  I wanted to carry the Summer Sunrise color into the embellishment, so I cut a thin strip of the cardstock and tied it through the button.  I cut a piece of white cardstock the same size as the Sumer Sunrise block and adhered it to the inside of the card to use as a special place to add an interior message.

This was such a fun challenge!  I hope you will be sure to visit all of the other participants blogs to get even more inspiration!  If you want to recreate the projects you have seen, I am including the swatch download here again so you can just print & play!  Have a great weekend!!!

Download father_knows_best_collection.pdf

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Stamps- (dotted backgound) Polka Dot Basics, (sentiment) Birthday Basics
Ink- Burnt Umber Palette ink, White Craft from SU!
Paper- Father Knows Best Paper Collection, Summer Sunrise cardstock
Other- Transparency stars from Hiedi Swapp, Transparency from Office Depot, sewing machine, 3/4-inch & 1-inch circle punches from EK Success, button from DCWV, stars adhered with Glue Dots

Caterpillar Card Fun

I hadn't seen many people use the caterpillar bits & pieces that Candice included in her new Pond Life set, so I thought I would put together a little card using them.  The set includes the head, body segment & backside all as separate images.  I loved this detail because it allows you, the artist, to do two things; control the length of the caterpillar & alternate the colors used for each body part.  For my project today, I wanted to make a bright, cheerful, sunny card, so I pulled out my new favorites, Lemon Tart & Summer Sunrise.  I created a few different patterned papers using a variety of stamp sets (see the supply list below) to create a strip medley on the cover.

After I had completed stamping my caterpillar, I added this fun sentiment from Pond Life Sentiments.  I think it is just SO adorable!  I also added Stickles to the little guy.  He just needed a little accessorizing!  Did you purchase Pond Life with our most release?  I would love to see your projects using the little caterpillar.  He has so many possibilities!  I know the Simple Alphabet would fit in each segment of the body, which would be so cute spell out a child's name!

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Stamps- (caterpillar) Pond Life, (sentiment) Pond Life Sentiments, (dotted background) Polka Dot Basics, (flower) Garden of Life
Ink- Summer Sunrise & Lemon Tart from Papertrey, White Craft from SU!
Paper- Summer Sunrise, Lemon Tart & Stamper's Select White
Other- Summer Sunrise Swiss Dot Satin ribbon, Star Dust Stickles from Ranger, scalloped scissors from SU!, sewing machine, paper piercer

More Patterned Paper Layers

I had so much fun looking at everyone's take on the challenge I issued the day before yesterday!  It is really fun to see how stampers can take the same concept and each do something completely different with it!  I actually had a little stamping time so I decided to play around a little more with the layering possibilities included in Garden of Life.  I ended up starting with a base of Sweet Blush and adding the daisy shadow stamp in the Berry Sorbet ink. I followed up with the outline daisy image using white ink.  I just loved the way the images layered.  I think the paper almost looks store bought!

The sentiment is one of my personal favorites from Out on a Limb.  I created the flower with an old punch that I had, Berry Sorbet cardstock & Polka Dot Basics.  I am sending this card to a very old high school friend of mine.  Do you have someone in your life that you haven't spoken with in a long time?  Take a few minutes today and let them know how special they are!  Sit down and make a new card or use one from your stash!  It only takes a minute to address an envelope and add a stamp!  I love the idea of surprising someone with a beautiful handmade, heartfelt card.  I have been trying to make a real effort to send more "just because" greetings and not wait for the predictable special occasions!

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Stamps- (daisies) Garden of Life, (sentiment) Out on a Limb, (dotted backgrounds) Polka Dot Basics
Ink- Berry Sorbet from Papertrey, White Craft from SU!
Paper- Sweet Blush, Berry Sorbet & Stamper's Select White
Other- flower punch from Emagination Crafts, White Biggie Brad from Bazzill, corner rounder punch from Fiskars

Dreams Take Flight

I was playing around with Pond Life the other night and ended up designing some really fun patterned paper by pairing the dragonfly image with Polka Dot Basics.  I know, I have been using Polka Dot Basics a lot lately, but it is *so* easy to use and adds so much to a project.  I have made a mental note to design more background sets like this.  Just so versatile!

For my paper, I stamped the polka dots first with Groovy Guava ink onto Groovy Guava cardstock.  I then stamped the dragonflies with white ink on top of the polka dots.  I love how the white is just slightly transparent and you can see the polka dots through them.  The paper looked just a little bare, so I went back in and stamped the small hollow dot image intermittently over single polka dots.  The last touch was to add a little Star Dust stickles to the "encircled" dots.  I challenge you to make some of your own patterned paper today by layering images over a background pattern.  Link your creation in the comments section so I can take a peek!  Have a creative day!!!!

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Stamps- (dragonfly) Pond Life, (dreams take flight sentiment) Pond Life Sentiments, (polka dot background & small open dot) Polka Dot Basics
Ink- Groovy Guava & White Craft from SU!
Paper-Groovy Guava from SU!, Lemon Tart from Papertrey
Other- Lemon Tart satin ribbon, Star Dust Stickles from Ranger, paper piercer

Simple Little Things

Many of you have received our FREE anniversary set entitled "Simple Little Things".  This set was earned by dedicated customers who purchased 12 or more stamp sets during our first year (February 2007-February 2008).   The set is Limited edition and will not be for sale.  It is a very special thank-you for those who chose to support us in such a big way!  If you didn't earn this set, do not worry!  We are presenting this promotion again this year!  You have from February 15. 2008 through February 15th, 2009 to purchase 12 sets and earn the 2008 Limited Edition Anniversary set!  If you have any questions about any of this, just contact Customer Service!

I wanted to dedicate today's post to sharing with you a few projects that I created using this very special set.  This first one uses our new yellow, Lemon Tart, which is so trendy this season.

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I pulled out my White Sheer Blossoms and heat embossed it using Polka Dot Basics, and then rubbed Lemon Tart ink onto it with a sponge.  I just love the way this turned out and was pleasantly surprised that the flower did not warp at all when exposed to the heat gun! 

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I also heat embossed the patterned image from Simple Little Things repeatedly as the background to my card.  I love the texture and gloss that this detail adds.

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Stamps- (background pattern & sentiment) Simple Little Things, (dots on flower) Polka Dot Basics
Ink- Lemon Tart, Versamark (for embossing)
Paper- Lemon Tart & Stamper's Select White
Other- Epoxy brad from Making Memories, Super Fine Clear Detail Embossing Powder from Ranger, White Sheer Blossoms, Lemon Tart Satin Ribbon (utilizing the backside), sewing machine
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This uses the two sizes of "starburst" patterns included in Simple Little Things.  I really like how happy and bright this card turned out and I know JUST the right person to drop it in the mail to!

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To create the flower accent, I used one of my scalloped Cuttlebug dies along with the largest starburst stamped in Summer Sunrise.  I used a 1/8-inch hole punch to add a hole to each scallop.  The sentiment was stamped and punched out with SU! Word Window.  A yellow brad & small flower connect the tag to the center.  Star Dust Stickles added a little sparkle to a few significant areas.

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The patterned paper was created by stamping the larger starburst with Summer Sunrise randomly on white cardstock.  I then went back in and filled in the spaces around those with the smaller starburst and Lemon Tart ink.  The centers of the large sunbursts were accented with Stickles.

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Stamps- (starbursts & sentiment) Simple Little Things, (dotted background) Polka Dot Basics
Ink- Lemon Tart & Summer Sunrise
Paper- Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White
Other- Star Dust Stickles, yellow brad from Paper Studio, small orange flower from Doodlebug, Word Window Punch from SU!, 1/8-inch hole punch from Fiskars, Scalloped scissors from SU!
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There is a really unique leaf image contained in Simple Little Things as well.  For this project, I cut out the leaf and used it as an accent for a little yellow Prima.  I love how understated it made the focal point, and really an overall "calming" piece of artwork.

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Stamps- (sentiment & leaf) Simple Little Things, (dotted background) Polka Dot Basics
Ink- Spring Moss, Burnt Umber Palette ink, Versamark
Paper- Spring Moss, Stamper's Select White, dark green from Bazzill
Other- yellow flower from Prima, copper brads from Paper Studio, Spring Moss Twill ribbon, tag die from Cuttlebug
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This is one of my favorite projects of the bunch.  I am just in love with the tranquility and simplicity of it.  I have a feeling it is a concept I will be repeating in several different color schemes!

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This is another one of the White Sheer Blossoms, only this time I pierced holes down the center of each petal.  The center features a punched flower and a large brad.

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The pattern is stamped in white ink on Aqua Mist cardstock.  Repetition of square-ish shapes like this is incredibly easy and I encourage you try it if you've never experimented with it before.

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Stamps- Simple Little Things
Ink- White Craft Ink (pigment) from SU!
Paper- Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White from Papertrey, blue linen from Bazzill
Other- brad from SEI, small flower punch from All Night Media, paper piercing tool, White Sheer Blossom
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This is more of a masculine card that I created with Simple Little Things.   I also did some distressing & inking which is a little out of my comfort zone, so it was fun!

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The background paper was something really different for me.  I stamped two different types of images using Spring Moss & Burnt Umber inks.  After I was done creating the pattern, I *quilted* it on my sewing machine, following along the lines I had created with my pattern.  I think it added a really unique detail.

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Stamps- Simple Little Things
Ink- Burnt Umber Palette Ink, Spring Moss, Fayed Burlap Distress Ink from Ranger
Paper- Papertrey Spring Moss, Bazzill Natural & Chocolate
Other- copper brad from Paper Studio, scalloped circle die from Nestabilities, Spring Moss grosgrain ribbon, sewing machine, corner rounder punch from Fiskars
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My last project is a very simple use of the medallion image included in the anniversary set.  I stamped it repeatedly with Landscape Palette ink to create patternd paper.  The outcome was so pretty, I knew it could practically shine alone.  I did some very simple layering and added the sentiment along with three rhinestones as a small accent.

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Stamps- Simple Little Things
Ink- Landscape Palette Ink, White craft ink (pigment) from SU!
Paper- Papertrey Stamper's Select White, green from Prism
Other- adhesive rhinestones from Paper Studio,  corner rounder punch from Fiskars
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I hope you have enjoyed today's project!  For additional projects using this set please be sure to visit both the Design Team's Anniversary set gallery, along with customer contributions on our website.  Thanks for visiting!