A Dip Into Digital

We had another milestone birthday in our family, so it was time to use PTIs  By the Number stamp set again.

I haven't been stamping much lately. In fact, last month's PTI purchased stamps haven't seen ink.
I've been busy dipping into the world of digital scrapbooking.  I have many old family photographs,and for quite awhile  I have been considering creating some scrapbook pages with them. I started a course at Jessica Sprague a year ago but never got far with it. Then I started it again this year and have really enjoyed learning how to use Photoshop Elements and how to create digital scrapbook pages. This page features my sister several decades ago. :)

I have also been inspired by Rhonda's digital Project Life . Thanks,Rhonda. After explaining  Project Life and my consideration of starting this project to my husband, he responded very enthusiastically. While I enjoy making cards and other paper projects, I like the idea of starting Project Life. I know it may seem odd to some that I would  do this not having any children to pass these photo journals to, but I if Ed and I can enjoy them now and later then that is a good reason for me. When I showed these first completed pages to him, he seemed sincerely pleased that I had done them. It made my heart happy that I could this for us. In addition,  I enjoy the creative process and  I am learning new skills that will help keep the brain cells active. :)

I have long believed it is the little things that make life wonderful. I am always saying, "oh this is a special moment". So I am excited to record the little things and special moments of our lives.



Supplies:
Card:
Stamps:Big Birthday Wishes(PTI),Banner Stamps (Pink Persimmon)
Ink:Ocean Tides(PTI)
Paper:
Other:Super Star Border, By the Number, Buttoned Up #1 dies; rustic twine (PTI)
Scrapbook Page:
Victoria Paper Collection (Adrienne Looman)
Victoria Elements (Adrienne Looman)
Photoshop Brush & PNG files:Doilies (Adrienne Looman)
Photocuts Masks 7 (Carina Gardner)
Project Life Pages:
Photo FreedomVol. 1 (Echo Park)
Life Cards 3x4 Brush and PNG (Lori Whitlock)
Jessica Sprague Now We're Rocking Lesson 3
Antique Flair Buttons (Polka Dot Pixels)

50 and Fabulous

One of our nieces had a milestone birthday recently, so a handmade card to celebrate this important birthday was in order.

I used Crafty Secrets digital Party Cats stamps with the trace feature and print and cut feature of the Silhouette Cameo.  Learning to used digital stamps with the Cameo means more digital stamps will be finding their way to my projects. Then I colored these party cats with Copics and added them to the card with dimensional tape. I also used PTI's Big Birthday Wishes stamp set and By the Number dies. 

I am linking this to Crafty Secrets April Linky Party. 

Spring is in the Air

Spring is in the air.... somewhere, just not here. The jonquils, forsythia, and rhododendron buds are shivering. And I've been wearing fleece and Uggs since snow, rain, and cold have ruled here this week.

I quickly snapped a few pictures before these cards and treats headed out the door.
A step card with Peter Rabbit

And a carrot box filled with chocolate.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Waltzingmouse Blog Party

It's the 17th of the month which means it's time to party with that cute little waltzing mouse! And today the little furry fellow is feeling lucky.

If a four-leaf clover is good luck, how lucky is a wreath of four-leaf clovers?

I made the wreath using the Silhouette Cameo. While I cut the clovers from different shades of green cardstock, I cut the bow from white cs and colored it with Copics. The sentiment and pretty frame are from Waltzingmouse Stamps Fancy Phrases, stamped in New Leaf ink and matted on Berry Sorbet cs.

For this second card, I used one of the first Waltzingmouse Stamp sets I purchased and still one of my favorites, Irish Blessings.   I also used the beautiful digital stamp, designed and offered by Claire.Thank you, Claire!

Again using the Cameo, I resized the stamp, used the trace feature, and finally the print and cut feature to get my cut stamp.Then I colored it with Copics. I stamped the sentiment and the clovers from Irish Blessings on a panel of Aqua Mist cs and then impressed it with a linen impression plate. I stitched the halves of  two doilies and then added the sweet bouquet.  

Happy Saint Patrick's Day and the luck of the Irish be with ye!

Supplies:
Stamps: Irish Blessings, Fancy Phrases, digital stamp (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Ink: Memento Black Tuxedo (Tsukineko); New Leaf, Aqua Mist (PTI)
Paper: Aqua Mist, Berry Sorbet, Stamper's Select White (PTI), green (the Paper Studio), Blending Card by X Press It (Copic)
Other: Silhouette Cameo; Copics; Parisian Lace Doily die, Linen Impression Plate(PTI), French Pastry Tiny Doily Die (Cheery Lynn Designs)

The Chalkboard

The  old chalkboard  on a wooden stand was part of the useful classroom decor of a former colleague. Even though she  had a white board and a smart board in her room, she continued to  also use the chalkboard  until she retired last year. When Marcia, another teacher in the department, transferred to the school where I tutor, she brought the chalkboard with her and frequently uses it.  So I thought it appropriate that I use the trendy chalkboard technique for Marcia's birthday card.

 I used stamps from three Crafty Secrets sets : Sweet Kids, Frame It, and French Mail for the vintage  "chalkboard". Roses from PTI's The Sweet Life add a touch of color in the corner.

Sweet birthday wishes for a wonderful teacher.

I'm linking this to Crafty Secrets March Linky Party. Be sure to check out the other participants and the wonderful new Crafty Secrets digital stamps.



Supplies:
Stamps:Sweet Kids, Frame It, French Mail (Crafty Secrets); Sweet Life (PTI)
Ink: Berry Sorbert, Pure Poppy (PTI);  Versamark (Tsukineko)
Paper: Rustic Cream, Sweet Blush, Ocean Tides (PTI); Lost and Found-Market Street (My Mind's Eye)
Other: White Filigree Embossing Powder, scalloped border punch (Fiskars), Faux Crochet Border die (My Favorite Things)

Papertrey February Blog Hop Challenge

The 25th of the month means PTI's blog hop! This month the challenge is all about monograms. A postage stamp with a beautiful letter adds a personal touch to a set of 3-inch note cards.Who doesn't love something cute on which to jot a reminder or note ? I used Ambassador Monogram Edition and Postmarks stamps sets for these notes.

Using the Silhouette Cameo and a file by Lori Whitlock, I made a small box to hold the notes.

On the box I added a little dimension by using the stamp die for the monogrammed stamp. Twine keeps the box closed.

This tiny note set would be such a special thinking-of-you gift.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out more monogrammed inspiration here.



Supplies:
Stamps: Ambassador Monogram Edition, Postmarks (PTI)
Ink: Pure Poppy (PTI); Memento Paris Dusk, London Fog (Tsukineko)
Other: Postage die (PTI), Silhouette Cameo, Bracket Flap Square Box (Lori Whitlock-Silhouette On-line store), twine (Really Reasonable Ribbon)

Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party

The 17th of the month means it's time to party with Waltzingmouse Stamps. This month's theme is doilies. Much of the time doilies are used with many layers and embellishments--and to be honest, those cards speak to me. Maybe that vintage look speaks to me since I discovered this week that I am vintage. On a blog the other day, the writer described the pack of beautiful vintage letters she had recently received---vintage letters from the 1970s. What? The 70s-vintage?  I laughed aloud (better than crying) with the realization that the letters that I wrote to my sweetheart during high school and college would be considered vintage by this young woman today.
Maybe that little shocker is the reason I steered away from a vintage shabby styled card and went with a clean and simple design using this sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch

I used Waltzingmouse Stamps French Country.  I began with two of the background stamps from the set. I stamped the decorative border in Memento Paris Dusk and  the smaller design in Lemon Tart (PTI). Then with Copics, I colored the border.

Now for the doily since that is this month's theme-- I love, love, love this small two-inch doily, a new die from Cheery Lynn Designs that I purchased from Chic and Savvy Crafters.  I confess I must stop myself  from hanging  garlands of tiny doilies everywhere :)

After I stamped the rooster on the doily, I stitched the doily onto the stamped panel and added the sentiment.

The stamped panel is matted with Enchanted Evening cs and mounted on a Harvest Gold card base.

The other participants of the blog party can be found here. I'm  looking forward to seeing what you doily divas have created.



Supplies:
Stamps: French Country (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Ink: Memento Paris Dusk (Tsukineko), Lemon Tart (PTI)
Paper: Stamper's Select White, Harvest Gold, Enchanted Evening (PTI)
Other: French Pastry Tiny Doily die (Cheery Lynn Designs), Copics