It's Not All Black and White

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Papertrey Ink Hop

Hello Hoppers! Or if you haven't come from the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop and would like to check it out, you may do so here. This month's challenge is to use buttons. Now that's an easy one. I kept my card simple and just used the button as an accent, because I'm considering mass producing this one for baby shower thank yous. But hey, I love clean and simple anyway.

I used a bird punch on some My Mind's Eye pattern paper for my bird and added the graphic, modern legs from Bird Watching Additions. The elegant, yet clean and simple senitment is from Damask Designs. And the single little button is from the Holiday Mix. I would guess it's Raspberry Fizz though. Cardstock is white, kraft and spring moss. Die cut is Spellbinders Labels 1.

A few little tips for threading your buttons:

  • Set the button in place and pierce the holes with a paper piercer (or needle) first, then do the actual sewing. (Yes, I read that somewhere else, but maybe you haven't yet.)
  • Pull the thread through starting from the back and just tape it in place with a little bit of scotch tape. That way you won't accidentally pull it the whole way through, and it secures it permanently.
  • When you're doing an "x" stitch, do all of the stitches one direction first, then do the other direction. It makes a neater looking x.
  • Then just secure the end of the thread to the back with another little piece of tape. Personally, I find it much easier than trying to tie a knot.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Button Thanks

I deviated a little bit from the sketch, but this is basically Fall-To Layout 83 from Clean & Simple Stamping. I really had fun with this simple little card. I love the bit of scalloped trim on the sentiment layer. Cute, hm? Not to mention those buttons! Fun! I pulled out an older PTI set for the sentiment, Butterfly Kisses. And the pattern papers are from a Nana's Nursery DCWV stack.

Thanks for stopping by today!

What's In It?
Stamps- baby button bits, butterfly kisses (PTI)
Paper- hibiscus burst, new leaf, dark choc, white (PTI), Nana's Nursery (DCWV)
Ink- black (Memento)
Other- holiday mix buttons (PTI), border punch (SU), copics, dimensionals, needle, thread

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Birdie Mom

I sat down with no particular card in mind, but I did want to use this really cute Mom stamp from Queen for a Day. And I also wanted to use my bird on a branch punch that has gone unloved since it arrived. Now that I'm done, I think it could be for "your mom" obviously, but wouldn't it also be cute for a new mom? I just love how it turned out with some of my favorite papers, colors, and yummy polka dots.

What's In It?
Stamps- Queen for a Day (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- white (PTI), old olive (SU), Ooh La La for Her (MME)
Ink- black Memento, saffron SU
Other- SU bird punch, AC ribbon, Labels 4 die, sponge, dimensionals, Taylors tiny twinkles, PTI holiday mix buttons, thread, needle, sewing machine, copics

I'm sorry that I forgot to get back to you about last week's ultrasound. It was Friday afternoon, and baby is doing just fine, thank goodness. Of course, I got no definite answer on the age old boy/girl question. I simply can't imagine my child being obstinate and not giving us a clear view, but we're pretty sure it's a girl! Just no painting the nursery pink or buying clothes yet since it's not a sure thing.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Going Green

It's design team challenge day for Lizzie Anne Designs, and today we're Going Green! Click here to see the challenge details, and get a link to all the eye candy the girls' have whipped up for today. By the way, you'll also find a pleasant surprise or two while you're there...a SALE...and...blog candy! I pulled out Cute as a Bug, because I thought this little creepy crawler would look fab in green. I colored him with some Copic markers and added just the tiniest touch of pink to my otherwise green card, for his smiling cheeks. A sentiment and a decorative strip of layered papers, and he's ready to go bug somebody.

What's In It?
Stamps- Cute As a Bug (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- vanilla, wasabi (SU), perhaps (BG)
Ink- black Memento
Other- Copic markers, corner punch, white gel pen

Monday, March 15, 2010

Wonderful You

This is a quick, but fun little card I whipped up using Queen For a Day, Lizzie Anne's April Monthly Mix set. You can see the whole set here. I think it has some really great unique stamps, a little different than the regular LAD sets. Have fun perusing. The whole team will have a challenge hop for you this Wednesday.

What's In It?
Stamps- Queen for a Day (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- hometown (October Afternoon), rasp fizz, new leaf, white (PTI)
Ink- onyx black (versafine)
Other- border punch and ribbon (SU), spring mix buttons (PTI), dimensionals, Copic markers for coloring ribbon, thread, needle

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Blog Candy Winners

I probably won't have a card for you today, as I'm going to help my mother-in-law start cleaning out her mother's house. It will be going up for sale very soon, as grandma needs to start staying in assisted living.

So, the winners are:

For the first prize package with PaperCrafts and an Abundant Blessings stamp set:
#23
Holly Jordan said...
Hi Bethany!! Thanks for the chance to win somw awesome goodies. I love your blog. Very inspirational to me :) Congrats on the baby news <3
MARCH 5, 2010 10:45 AM

And for the second prize package with PaperCrafts and a spring mix of stamping goodies:
#27
Mandy said...
Thanks for sharing! How sweet of you! :)
MARCH 6, 2010 7:43 AM

Thanks to all who entered and follow along with my little blog. If you're a winner, please email me as soon as you get the chance with your mailing address. I'd love to get your package in the mail ASAP.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Having a Bloomin' Good Day

Hello! I can't tell you how happy it makes me when we have sunshiny days! Perfect for this Bloomin' Good Day sweetheart from My Favorite Things' Pure Innocence line. I colored her with Copics and paper pieced her dress with an older Basic Grey paper in the Sultry collection. Still cute, right? I have so much paper, I think I could make about two cards for everyone in the world before running out. So, I'm trying to give it all some love. All of the layers, except the focal point and card base are from that Sultry 6 x 6 paper pad.


I faux stitched the brown layer, punched the green edge, and embossed the pink layer with a Cuttlebug folder. The pink and white layers got a little tea dye ink on the edges. And the whole she-bang is based on Mercy's sketch this week.

Cheers to you! And see you in the morning with a blog candy winner.

What's In It?
Stamps- pure innocence blooming good day (MFT)
Paper- choc chip (SU), white (PTI), sultry (BG)
Ink- memento black, PTI tea dye duo
Other- brads, paper piercer and template, white gel pen (SU), Copic markers, labels 1 die (Spellbinders), birds and swirls (CB), scallop diamond punch (EK Success), star dust stickles, dimensionals

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Baby Bird Thanks

First, I'm sorry for the delay in choosing a blog candy winner. I think some of my email subscribers just got the post yesterday. So I'm going to pick a winner on Thursday morning, March 11, to give them a chance to enter also. Thanks for your patience.

And now for today's card. It's very clean and simple, but I like it. I used the sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping this week and the color challenge from Stamping Around. After finishing my card, I think the color they're asking for is a darker pink, but this should work too. I decided to add to my stock of baby thank yous, just to be ahead of the game.

I stamped a bird on each circle in a tone-on-tone color. Then I adhered the circles with temporary tape so I could fiddle with the placement. Then I was able to stamp the dotted circle border from B & C Monogram Edition right over top of the colored circles, using dark brown ink. The sentiment was originally a one liner, so I inked the "so much", stamped, cleaned, inked the "thanks" and stamped again. Each bird got a light blue gem stone eye, and I popped up the yellow circle.

Thanks so much for taking a minute to stop by! I hope you're getting as much sunshine as we've had here lately. I have high hopes that all the snow may melt very soon.

Stamps- bird watching additions, simple little things, b&c monogram edition (PTI)
Paper- kraft, celery, banana, pretty in pink (SU)
Ink- same as above plus choc chip (SU)
Other- circle punch, tiny twinkles (Taylored Expressions), dimensionals

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Blog Candy

Hello! I have a couple of extra copies of the latest PaperCrafts magazine, so I put together some blog candy for all of you. I'll try to keep this post at the top of my blog until Sunday, and I'll pick a random winner (or two, actually) and let you know who that is on Monday.The first name drawn will get the magazine (March/April issue) along with a Tips, Tools, and Techniques CD, and this Papertrey Ink Autumn Abundance stamp set.
The second name drawn will get the magazine and CD, as well as a few spring themed items, including an alterable notebook, blue heart and green balls straight pins, and a bottle of my favorite Star Dust Stickles.

Please leave only one comment by Sunday night. You must leave a way for me to contact you and respond within a couple of days, or I'll pick a new winner. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Thankful Bunny

Okay, I think Joslyn has me hooked on this size card now. It's the sketch for the week on Lizzie Anne Land, and the size is 3.5 x 5.5 inches. So fun!

I stamped the green and yellow squares with In the Background using white ink, and edged them with a brown punched border. The bunny (Lucky You) is done in white embossing powder, then I just rosied up his cheeks with a Copic marker. You may notice that I mirror reversed the sketch. It just worked better since the bunny faces to the right. Sentiment is from A Harvest of Memories.

What's In It?
Stamps- Lucky You, A Harvest of Memories, In the Background (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- celery, saffron, choc chip, kraft, white (SU)
Ink- cocoa (memento), versamark, PTI white
Other- detail white ep, SU border punch, PTI buttons, Copic E93, thread, sponge, dimensionals, glue dots

Friday, March 5, 2010

Chicks In a Row

I finally finished my card today for last week's Sketch For You to Try from Jen. But it's such a cutie. I love the layout to start with. Then I paired these darling chicks (Lucky You) with some chickie paper from Cosmo Cricket's new Garden Variety series. What In It?
Stamps- Lucky You (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper- chocolate (SU), cream (PTI), Garden Variety (Cosmo)
Ink- Cocoa (Memento)
Other- circle and scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders), Girl Friday ribbon and Garden Variety button (Cosmo), brads (SU), sewing machine, thread, dimensionals, Copic markers

Baby News- Last night was the first time I couldn't comfortably button my skirt! Eeeeek! Ultrasound is next Friday. Any guesses...boy or girl?

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Bee-utiful Friend

The girls at Lizzie Anne Designs have really outdone themselves with this month's Mix, Lucky You. Every stamp I pull out, I think this is my favorite. Such as this tree with the buzzin' bees. Again, how cute!?! What's In It?
Stamps: Lucky You (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Paper: kraft (SU), white (PTI), Earth Love (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: black, cocoa (Memento)
Other: copic markers, pearls and urban prairie button (basic grey), hemp (PTI), tags die (Spellbinders), paper piercer, dimensionals, star dust Stickles (Ranger)

How many of you watched the Canada / USA hockey game? Wow! What a game! Also, I'll be back later today with some blog candy. So stay tuned.