Wplus9 March Release: Group Post Day

Hello again everyone! Long time no speak. Since my last post I've been enjoying some well needed and uninterrupted time with family. But I'm back today for the Wplus9 Group Post and release day.

Before I get to the card, I'd like to share a bit of news with you all. This will be my last month with Wplus9. I've truly enjoyed my time as part of the Wplus9 Design Team and working with the amazingly talented Dawn and the DT girls. But, I've come to realized that change, even though I can be hard at times, can be a good thing. I hope now to focus more on my home and family and my own stamp designs through Papertrey Ink. But, I thank Dawn endlessly for seeing the potential in me from the beginning (over a year ago) and giving me this wonderful opportunity to grow.

Now, back to my Group Post creation featuring Brothers & Sisters and All Occasion Label Die (yep you heard me right, Wplus9 now has coordinating dies! Does it get any better than this?! Yay!!!)...
Onto a kraft card base I stamped the gorgeous Dogwood image, from Flora & Fauna I, a few times in True Black. Then attached a strip of True Black cardstock.

Die cut the All Occasion Label Die from white cardstock and stamped with the background vine image, from Design Basics: Backgrounds II, in Ripe Avocado. Then layered the label images, from Brothers & Sisters, over that and attached. From the same stamp set, I stamped the sentiment onto a punched circle and attached with dimensional adhesive.

Now, be sure to get all the fun details about this months release here and you do not want to miss what the rest of the Design Team has to share with you all today. Stop by and check them out...

• Dawn
• Elise
• Hannah
• Jinny
• Kerrianne
• Savitri

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed! Have a great day!

Maile

Embellish Color Trends Challenge with Birds

It's time for another Embellish Color Challenge! Check it out... The Challenge: To create a project using the colors pictured above and to incorporate birds. The Sponsor: Tiffany Doodles! Check out their digital stamps and other what-nots here.

For today's project I've used: Birdies Housework, Clouds & Love Banners. Started the card by printing the digital images onto colored cardstock. The clouds were printed onto Rustic Cream cardstock, cut out and attached to a Rustic Cream cardstock block with dimensional adhesive. The cloud block was then attached to a Dark Chocolate card base.

The banner was printed onto kraft cardstock, cut out and attached above the clouds. The birds were printed onto Blueberry Sky cardstock, cut out and attached at either end of the banner. Finished the card off with Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon and a few buttons.

Now it's your turn to join in on the Embellish Color Trends Challenge fun! Look here for the challenge details, the Design Teams amazing creations and the fabulous prize. To share your projects, either link here (just below) or over at the Embellish blog. Hope to see your challenge creation soon!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great one!

Maile

Forever & Always:

• Digi Stamps: Birdies Housework, Clouds & Love Banners
• Cardstock: Rustic Cream, Kraft & Blueberry Sky
• Accessories: Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Rustic Jute Twine & Blueberry Sky, Dark Chocolate & Fine Linen Vintage Buttons

Color Cue {12} Challenge

Hello all! It's time for this months Color Cue {12} Challenge. Check it out...Colors I used: Kraft, Lavender Moon, Hawaiian Shores and Rustic White. Here is my take...

Today's card started by combining and stamping images from both Flora & Fauna I & Spring Post to create these unique postage stamps.
Here's an idea of how to quickly stamp your own. I started by stamping the dogwood image and then carefully selecting parts of the image to layer the postage stamp over. Then cut them out.

I then arranged and attached them directly to the kraft card base. Cut a strip of vellum cardstock, stamped with the sentiment (from Spring Post) and embellished with buttons and rustic twine. Here's A Tip: To hide the adhesive, I carefully placed Scor-Tape behind the buttons and then attached the vellum strip onto the card base.

I hope you too will join us in the Color Cue {12} Challenge fun! Look here for this months challenge details.

Now, be sure to stop by and see what the rest of the Wplus9 Design Team has come up with to inspire you:

• Dawn
• Elise
• Karrianne
• Jinny

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy your day!

Maile

Happy Birthday:

• Stamps: Flora & Fauna I & Spring Post
• Ink: Dark Chocolate, Lavender Moon & Hawaiian Shores
• Cardstock: Kraft, Rustic White & Vellum Cardstock
• Accessories: Lavender Moon & Hawaiian Shores Vintage Buttons & Rustic Jute Button Twine

Doily Details

Hello and welcome! Tomorrow is the big day.......Papertrey Ink Release Day!!! But first the Papertrey Ink Design Team has another Group Post to share with you. Today's assignment from Nichole is to showcase Delightful Doilies and the doily lineup.

For today's first project I combined a previous set, Gobble, Gobble, with the new Delightful Dolilies to create a super cute peacock.
Which I turned into a tag. Here is what you needed to create your very own...

A large and medium Delightful Doilies, Tag Sale #4 and a Gobble, Gobble turkey stamped in black. I folded the doilies in the same way that Nichole did here.

I spread a good amount of glue onto the top half of the tag and attached the large doily into place.

Then attached the smaller doily on top with a piece of dimensional adhesive

Adhered the "Happy Birthday" tag into place and topped it all off with the turkey body.

Embelished the tag top with Royal Velvet satin ribbon and attached to the gift box. Isn't he cute?!

How about a modern card...

I stamped the larger doily in Berry Sorbet onto a white card base. Die cut and stamped the medium doily in Stormy Sky Distress Ink and then attached to the card base with dimensional adhesive.

Stamped a button for the center, which I attached to a small Delightful Doilies Die (cut from Summer Sunrise). Stamped a sentiment tag and attached everything to the center of the doily. For a bit of added shimmer, I painted a little Glimmer Glaze on each layer of the doilies. It's gorgeous in person.
So, I've gone a little crazy with the buttons again. This time, I played around with Delightful Doilies and stamped almost every small image onto a die cut coaster board button. I think every set I pull out now a day's will end up on a button. Lol.

For even more Doily Details fun, stop by and check out what the rest of the Design Team has up their sleeves...

• Nichole Heady

• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Heather Nichols
• Lisa Johnson
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Erin Lincoln
• Jessica Witty
• Danielle Flanders
  

Thanks for stopping by, have a great one!

Maile

Peacock Happy Birthday Tag:

• Stamp: Delightful Doilies, Gobble, Gobble and Tag-it's #1
• Ink: Plum Pudding, True Black & Stormy Sky Ranger Distress
• Cardstock: White
• Accessories: Royal Velvet Satin Ribbon, Tag Sale #4 Die, Delightful Doilies Die Collection & Gobble, Gobble Die & Buttoned Up #1 Die

Live, Laugh, Love:

• Stamp: Delightful Doilies
• Ink: Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, True Black & Stormy Sky Ranger Distress
• Cardstock: White & Summer Sunrise
• Accessories: White Embroidery Floss, Glimmer Glaze, Buttoned Up #1 Die & Delightful Dolies Die Collection

Flower Fusion #1

Hello and welcome! Who is loving everything that the Papertrey Ink Countdown has had to offer so far?! I know I am.

Today, I am super excited to be sharing Flower Fusion #1 with you! Flower Fusion #1, designed by Melissa Bickford, is the first set in a new ongoing series. Each month a $5 floral set, sometimes with a die, sometimes with out, will be released. Different sentiments will be included in each one and the stems/flowers can be interchanged between sets. I already can wait to see what next month brings! Oh the mixing capabilities!

Now for a few samples... First up a super simple number, which I love. Started by stamping the extra large sentiment, from Think Big Favorites #1 (more on this set over at Nichole's blog), onto a white card base.
Under the sentiment I stamped a long stem, from Green Thumb, in Simply Chartreuse. Then embellished the card with a hand cut leaf, a die cut flower (both from Flower Fusion #1) and a Dark Chocolate button with twine. I'd love to create a set of these simple beauties in every color!
Next up, a bouquet of these fun flowers. I started by stamping the stems (in different directions and heights) along a Rustic Cream card base. Wrapped with Simply Chartreuse satin ribbon and stamped a sentiment (also from Flower Fusion #1) just under the bow.

Die cut and stamped the flowers in Hibiscus Burst and Orange Zest. Attached them on top of the stems (at different heights) with dimensional adhesive and embellished with Dark Chocolate buttons.

This is my favorite way to use this set, to create a vine using just the stem image.

Here's How: With a pencil, I lightly drew two straight lines across the card base.

I then stamped the leaves, one on top the other, in one direction.

Then again, in the opposite direction.

To finish the card off, I filled the space between the leaves with button flowers; which I created by stamping the die cut Flower Fusion #1 flowers with one of the images from Bitty Background Blocks and then embellished the centers with Dark Chocolate buttons. I then stamped the sentiment.
Finally, I paired Flower Fusion #1 with a watering can, from Green Thumb.
In the center of this gorgeous doily (a little sneak peek for you!), I stamped the stem in Ripe Avocado and attached it to a Fine Linen card base. Stamped, cut out and attached the watering can with dimensional adhesive. Die cut a Flower Fusion #1 flower from Hibiscus Burst and topped the stem. To finish the card off with a bang!...... I pulled out my well loved handmade Button Boutique buttons (the ones I made in this blog post) and embellished the flower center and watering can along with a tiny sentiment flag (sentiment also from Flower Fusion #1).

I hope you have enjoyed this fun look at Flower Fusion #1. I have a feeling that this series will quickly become a favorite of mine!

Well, that's it from me today. Be sure to see what these lovely ladies have in store for you today:

• Nichole Heady
• Melissa Bickford
• Dawn McVey
• Heather Nichols
• Lisa Johnson

Thanks for stopping by today!

Maile

Thanks So Much:

• Stamps: Flower Fusion #1, Think Big Favorites #1 & Green Thumb
• Ink: Dark Chocolate, Simply Chartreuse & Orange Zest
• Cardstock: White
• Accessories: Rustic Button Twine, Dark Chocolate Vintage Buttons & Flower Fusion #1 Die

Have A Wonderful Day!:

• Stamps: Flower Fusion #1
• Ink: Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate, Orange Zest & Hibiscus Burst
• Cardstock: Rustic Cream
• Accessories: Simply Chartreuse Satin Ribbon, Dark Chocolate Vintage Buttons & Flower Fusion #1 Die

Celebrate Today:

• Stamp: Flower Fusion #1, Bitty Background Blocks & Fillable Frames Additions 1
• Ink: Simply Chartreuse, Orange Zest, Hibiscus Burst & Dark Chocolate
• Cardstock: Rustic Cream
• Accessories: Rustic Button Twine, Dark Chocolate Vintage Buttons & Flower Fusion #1 Die

Hi There!:

• Stamps: Flower Fusion #1, Green Thumb, Beautiful Blooms II & Button Boutique
• Ink: Ripe Avocado, Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise & Stormy Sky Ranger Distress
• Cardstock: Hibiscus Burst, Fine Linen, White & Coaster Board
• Accessories: 1/4" White Silk Ribbon, White Embroidery Floss, Parisian Lace Doily, Flower Fusion #1 Die & Buttoned Up #1 Die

My Favorite Papertrey Ink Color Combo

Lots of exciting stuff happening for Papertrey Inks 4th Anniversary! Have you been keeping up with the festivities and challenges? Have you had a chance to listen to the very first podcast of Papertrey Ink Radio? I'm super excited to have been apart of it!

Well, today brings us to yet another super exciting and fun challenge. In honor of today's fabulous announcement over at Nichole's blog, the Design Team has assembled together a colorful array of our favorite color combos for you to play with. Here's my current favorite...
I've been pairing Lavender Moon and Harvest gold together a lot these days. Like here, here, here and here (scroll down to the third card). Purple and yellow are complimentary colors, which makes them a perfect match. Check out what I've come up with using my color combo of choice...
I pulled out both Life and Larger Than Life to create the sprig of flowers. Stamped them onto Rustic Cream cardstock in Lavender Moon and Chai (as my Fine Linen color to fit the combo). I wanted to keep these images light in color so that the sentiments, once stamped over, could really stand out. I really love the look of sentiments layered over images, it help to build a strong focal point.
Have you seen Erin's amazing Go-To Sentiment concept? It's amazing and I couldn't wait to try it out for myself! Check out her video here, it's the first addition to the new Make It Monday Series. I'll break down the sentiments for you: "friends" & "forever" from Flutterby Friend, "There's Nothing Better Than A True Friend" from In Bloom and "So Blessed To Call You Friend" from Signature Series: Cupcake. Once the stamping was done, I attached the panel to a kraft card base. Wrapped with twine and embellished with a few Harvest Gold buttons.

Now that you've had a peek at my favorite color combo, stop by and check out the rest of the Design Teams favorites...

• Nichole Heady
• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Debbie Olson
• Heather Nichols
• Lisa Johnson
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Erin Lincoln
• Jessica Witty
• Danielle Flanders
  
  

Thanks for stopping by, have a great one!

Maile

True Friend:

• Stamps: Life, Larger Than Life, Flutterby Friend, In Bloom & Signature Series: Cupcake
• Ink: Chai from Vintage Touch, Lavender Moon & Dark Chocolate
• Cardstock: Kraft & Rustic Cream
• Accessories: Rustic Button Twine & Harvest Gold Vintage Buttons

Button Boutique

Hello and welcome! The Papertrey Ink Countdown has officially begun, yay! I bet you've been waiting anxiously for this moment. Well, today is also the Design Team Group Post day and Nichole has given us a super fun assignment: to create a project using the new Button Boutique stamp set and the rest of the new button product line-up (which is available Feb. 15th). Be sure to stop by Nichole's blog for all the details, your not gonna want to miss this one! Trust me.

So, today's post is all about buttons! And if you've been around me for a while, you will know that I am crazy for buttons. This is my kind of post!

So, this is how it all started for me...
Check out my fine pile of mini blank canvases. These little die cut coaster board gems have unlimited possibilities! After a fun session of stamping buttons, this is what I ended up with...
I love this mound of button goodness. This was fun! Now, let me give you a closer look...
This group was stamped using the images included in the new Button Boutique.
Next, I took it a step further and pulled out a bunch of previous set I thought would look great covering a button. This is my favorite, the flower/leaf collection. Sets used: Beautiful Blooms II, Beyond Basic Borders, Way To Go, Kiddo, Banner Builders & Floral Frenzy.

Here's a few patterned buttons using other sets. Sets used: Banner Builders, A Little Argyle, Cupcake Collection, Floral Frenzy, 2011 Birthday Tags & Asian Fuzion. I also used a couple soon to be released sets: Bitty Background Blocks & Background Basics: Newsprint.

A few of them were covered using a two step stamping process. Set's used above: Beautiful Blooms II, Beyond Basic Borders, Floral Frenzy & Bitty Background Blocks.

Here's How... First step: Covered the entire button using the large circle from Beautiful Blooms II. This time stamped in Summer Sunrise. This is a great way to quickly change the color of your handmade buttons.

Second Step: I stamped the pattern or flower. In this case, I used a flower from Floral Frenzy stamped in Berry Sorbet.

Then finally, I put these buttons to use. I strung them up with button twine and attached, at varying heights (using multiple layers of dimensional adhesive), to a Rustic White card base.

Finished it off with a sentiment.

How about a fun Button Card idea for sharing these little goodies...

Here's How: Also included in the Button Boutique set are images perfect for building your very own and unique button cards.

I started by die cutting the button card from both cardstock and Clearly Creative Cardstock.

I stamped the button card images onto the cardstock. Then stamped and threaded my handmade buttons; which I arranged and attached to the Clearly Creative Cardstock with dimensional adhesive (this way they can easily be removed and used by the recipient.

To attached the clear cardstock permanently to the button card: I flipped the clear cardstock/buttons over, placed Scor-Tape behind the buttons (this way the adhesive is hidden) and attached to the button card.

One last fun tip! I love the look of the real life iridescent and shimmery buttons. This same look can be achieved, on your handmade buttons, by using a shimmer spray or paint. Can you see the shimmer in the photo above? Pretty, don't ya think?!

For even more Button Boutique fun, stop by and check out what the rest of the Design Team has up their sleeves...

• Nichole Heady
• Betsy Veldman
• Dawn McVey
• Heather Nichols
• Lisa Johnson
• Melissa Phillips
• Michelle Wooderson
• Erin Lincoln
• Jessica Witty
• Danielle Flanders
  

Thanks for stopping by, have a great one!

Maile

Button Boutique Handmade Buttons:

• Stamps: 2011 Birthday Tags, A Little Argyle, Asian Fuzion, Banner Builders, Beautiful Blooms II, Beyond Basic Borders, Background Basics: Newsprint, Bitty Background Blocks, Cupcake Collection, Floral Frenzy & Way To Go, Kiddo
• Ink: Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado & Stormy Sky Ranger Distress
• Cardstock: Coaster Board
• Accessories: Buttoned Up #1 Die

Happy Birthday Card:

• Stamp: Tag It's #1
• Ink: Stormy Sky Ranger Distress
• Cardstock: Rustic White
• Accessories: Rustic Cream Button Twine & Button Boutique Handmade Buttons

Button Cards:

• Stamps: Button Boutique, 2010 Love Tags (solid heart circle) & Bitty Background Blocks
• Ink: Pure Poppy, Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush, Summer Sunrise, Lavender Moon, Dark Chocolate, True Black, Chai Vintage Touch, Stormy Sky Ranger Distress & Shabby Shutter Distress
• Cardstock: White, Kraft & Clearly Creative Cardstock
• Accessories: 1/4" White Silk Ribbon, Rustic Cream and Rustic Jute Button Twine, Scor-Tape, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze in Icicle & Button Card Die

Exciting News!

Hello everyone! I have got some exciting news to share with you today, and boy am I happy to finally let it out!......... I am a stamp designer for Papertrey Ink!!! Stamping Simply is the name of my stamp line; kind of a different take on my blog name, Simply Stamped. Since Simply Stamped is where I share my stamped creation with you all, I thought it would be fitting to name a stamp line Stamping Simply, which is what I do when I make the creations I share.

Fortunately, I don't have to wait very long to share my first set with you, which will be available on March 15th. But for now, in honor of Papertrey Ink 4th anniversary, the stamp designers have put together a few fun circle tag images (that coordinates with a 1.75" circle). Nichole has assembled a downloadable PDF, including all of these images, which is available to you for free.

All of you are challenged to create a project from one of these images, submit your creation to win and become a Guest Stamp Designer! One randomly selected customer will be chosen to work with Nichole on the creation/concept of a stamp set to be released in May. How exciting it that!!! Check out Nichole's blog for all the details.

Here's a card I created using my "Celebrate You!" pinwheel tag image...
I started with a white card base. Stamped a white cardstock strip with two different sized polka dots, in Enchanted Evening and Sweet Blush, and attached. Die cut a Mat Stack #5 from Pink Shimmer cardstock and adhered. Wrapped the card base with Berry Sorbet twill ribbon.

Printed the pinwheel circle onto white cardstock. Colored the pinwheels with Enchanted Evening, Berry Sorbet and Sweet Blush colored Copic markers. Then colored the circle outline with a Berry Sorbet colored Copic marker. Punched the circle out, attached it to an Enchanted Evening scalloped circle with dimensional adhesive, and then attached the scalloped circle on top of the ribbon.

I truly can not wait to see what you all create for this challenge! Hope you enjoyed the news and have a wonderful day!

Maile


Celebrate You!

• Stamps: Polka Dot Basics II
• Digital Image: Celebrate You! from a free Papertrey Ink PDF found here.
• Ink: Enchanted Evening & Sweet Blush
• Cardstock: White, Enchanted Evening & Pink Shimmer
• Accessories: Berry Sorbet Twill Ribbon, Copic Markers, Mat Stack #5 Die & Limitless layers: 1.75" Circle Die Collection