{CPS 104}

I finally got to do another CPS (Card Positioning Systems) Sketch--- I have done a bunch in the past, but haven't gotten to them lately. I'm so glad to have a chance to play today. I can always use some help with the layout of a card, so this is a great way for me to begin. I thought this new set from PTI was perfect for this layout. It's called Beyond Basics Borders and it's so versatile. I'm glad to have this "branch" and there's a little tree looking branch in the set, too. You can see it here.

I started with some Dark Chocolate cardstock and added the patterned paper from the 2008 Bitty Dot Basics line. I stamped the two patterns on Stamper's Select White in New Leaf and then added a mat of the same color cardstock. I roughed up the edges with an old pair of scissors---I think this does just as good a job of distressing my paper and I didn't have to buy another tool. I added the hello sentiment from the same set. At the last minute I added the buttons because it looked a little plain. I love these new buttons---well, I love any buttons! This was a pretty quick card---and I can always use a "hello" card---

I hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by today. David is in Africa right now, so I'll likely be up late stamping quite a bit---I don't sleep as well when he's gone. Hopefully it will turn into a extra blog post, or two! Happy Saturday~



CPS 104 Hello:
Stamps: Beyond Basics Borders
Paper: Dark Chocolate, New Leaf, Stampers Select White, 2008 Bitty Dot Basics in Dark Chocolate
Ink: New Leaf, Dark Chocolate
Accessories: Vintage Buttons in New Leaf, DMC floss
All PTI except for floss.

{Sending Hugs}

....and to think I didn't think I wanted this set----I LOVE this huge flower!!! This will be a short post, but I had to show you this card. I love the simplicity of it---








This was just a simple white card with some black flowers stamped on it---from Papertrey Ink's new Friends 'Til the End set. The flowers are amazing, but the sentiments alone are worth the cost of the set. There are all sorts of "friend statements". I love this one, "sending hugs"---I am a hugger, so any friend of mine would know that~ anyway, I added the words on the new colors, New Leaf and Melon Berry. I put the buttons on using DMC floss and called it a card. I stamped part of the flower on the inside with the Melon Berry ink.


I hope you enjoyed this simple card and post~~~have a great day!



Sending Hugs:
Stamps: Friends 'Til the End (PTI)
Paper: SS White, Melon Berry, New Leaf (PTI)
Ink: Palette Noir, New Leaf, Melon Berry (PTI)
Accessories: Melon Berry Vintage Buttons (PTI), DMC floss

{Praying for you}

WOW---what a week---I got these new wonderful stamps and had no time to play---that is just not right!

Here's a post with a quick card using Dawn McVey's new Damask Designs set and Papertrey's new colors, Melon Berry and New Leaf---they are yummy. You know, I received my new Talbot's catalog the other day and I was shocked to see how much orange was in there----now, I know everyone tells me that PTI really knows trends and all, but it was amazing how close all the colors were to the newest PTI colors---JCrew, Pottery Barn, the same thing---OK, I digress!






I started with a card in the New Leaf cardstock. I stamped the damask design using the border stamp on Melon Berry with Versamark and then embossed it using Clear Embossing powder. Then I stamped the larger damask design and sentiment on White cardstock and embossed and cut it using a Labels 2 die.

I tied a ribbon around the whole card and then tied on a beautiful new button with some linen thread. I wasn't happy with the look of the card, so I used some of my Black and White Basics patterned paper. I love black and white and I think it adds such great texture and class to anything you put it on---OK, that's a big statement, but you know what I mean. It is a little busy, but I kind of like it---what do you think?

Well, enough typing---I'm off to stamp--it's my day off and I need to use it wisely!! Have a great day~
Kathleen



Praying for you:
Stamps: Damask Designs
Paper: New Leaf, Melon Berry, SS White, Black and White Basics patterned paper (PTI),
Ink: Melon Berry, Palette Noir (PTI), Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories/Tools: Clear Embossing powder (Ranger), Heat tool (Marvy), Decorative Scissors, Labels 2 dies (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Melon Berry Grosgrain Ribbon, New Leaf Vintage Button (PTI), Linen Thread (Stampin' Up!)

{The Solid Rock}

Well, I had an experience yesterday that was new to me, but perhaps common among bloggers---I had spent FAR TOO LONG trying to put together a post---yes, it was long and had lots of pictures. I had taken something out of Microsoft Word and added it to my post----apparently, blogger doesn't like WORD----after several error messages upon trying to publish said article, I finally had to save it and leave for an appointment......only to come home last night at 10:00pm to find that I had SOMEHOW deleted all of the pictures but two and the entire body of the post---all that was left was the description. SOOOOOOOOO, this will be a shorter version of that post, because I just can't bear to do it all again---just imagine that I am explaining everything I did to make these two items and if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them---just ask me in the comments and I'll answer you!!! SOOOOOO, onto the stuff---

I have a friend who was having a bad week---she needed a reminder of who our anchor is if we know Jesus Christ. I was already making this little box and was using the Men of Life patterned paper from Papertrey Ink. I love this paper----especially for little boys or men---but, this friend of mine was a girl---hmmmm. How perfect was it that when she told me of her dilemma that the old hymn "The Solid Rock" came to mind. There's a line in that song that says, "in every high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil." What a blessing to know that we can cling to Jesus in the midst of hardship. So, I decided that this box would not only work, but was perfect for what I wanted to do.

I made the box out of Dark Chocolate cardstock and put patterned paper on the four sides and the lid. Then I made this little boat that I originally saw on Nichole Heady's blog here. Mine had a little issue after I got it together, but I didn't have a lot of time, so it had to do!



I filled the box with Ghirardelli chocolates---you know, the caramel filled squares..............LOVE THOSE! Anyway, I made the sails with Pure Poppy cardstock and Fresh Snow ink. (I didn't have any of those lollipop sticks so I used one of Joshua's Valentine's Tootsie Pops---is that wrong? I cut off the stick and left the candy---does that count? Does an 8 year old boy really mind a 1/2 inch stick on his tootsie pop???? I don't think so!) I made the boat just like Nichole's example except I put sails on both sides of the stick. I was able to do that by stamping the sails in Fresh Snow ink onto a transparency and then putting my paper on it to transfer the ink to the cardstock---does that make sense? I'm sure this is called something, but I've searched several places and can't find the name, so hopefully you know what I'm talking about---basically, I was able to have my image backwards so my sails lined up together. I also embossed the sails with my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing folder. At the last minute, I decided that this boat HAD to have an anchor---and of course, there's a anchor stamp in the set, so I cut out one of the "chains" I had used on the border and attached it to the anchor.

Anyway, that's the box---next I made a card. This Men of Life Stamp set is so much fun to work with. I started with a 5.25 square card in Kraft cardstock. I added some patterned paper to it and then stamped some Spring Rain and Dark Chocolate cardstocks in Fresh Snow (LOVE THAT INK!) to make little border strips. I made the background for my little sailboat with my labels 2 dies. I sewed the sails together with linen thread and the button. I added the "Thinking of you" sentiment in Dark Chocolate ink and assembled the whole thing---it actually happened really fast. As I'm looking at the picture I realize that I forgot to add my ribbon---Just imagine some Pure Poppy ribbon around the patterned paper and a little knot tied 1/3 of the way in from the left---do you see it? I can't believe I did that!!! HORRORS!!! CAN YOU REALLY GIVE A CARD WITHOUT RIBBON ON IT? Well I did and she loved it---so now I know! Anyway---that's my little project for the day. I think my new stamps arrived from PTI, so I need to go look at them and see if I have some time to play this weekend! Before I go, I am going to post the words to the hymn that I mentioned earlier---I am so grateful I learned all those old hymns when I was young. They often "come back to me" when I need them most. I printed the words to the hymn on Spring Rain cardstock and glued it inside the card. What a great reminder of how great our God is---I hope you enjoy your weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by---what an encouragement you all are to me!!

Hugs,
Kathleen

The Solid Rock

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When darkness seems to hide His face I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone faultless to stand before the throne.

ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND. ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND; ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND.

Anchor box and card:

Stamps: Men of Life, Polka dot Basics (PTI)Paper: Pure Poppy, Kraft, Dark Chocolate, SS White, Spring Rain, Men of Life Patterned Paper (PTI)

Ink: Fresh Snow, Dark Chocolate
Accessories/Tools: Cuttlebug & Swiss Dot Embossing Folder (Provocraft), Labels 2 Dies (Spellbinders), Button (Foof-a-la), Hot Glue gun, Lollipop stick, Threading water punch (Fiskars) Dimensionals, Linen Thread (SU!)

{Joshua's Valentine}

Craft Critique is having a Carnival where they show all sorts of blog posts where you can see lots of Lovely Valentine's projects! Check it out here!!! There are some great ideas!!



Ewe won't believe what my son came up with----this papercrafting momma was soooooo excited~~~

I was talking with Joshua about his Valentine's for this year and he wanted to use the folded heart that I had used for something else.

Anyway, he wanted me to make "an animal" to hold the heart---well, momma doesn't draw. And he said, NOOOOOO, you have this and this---and he started pulling out all this stuff---my oval punch, the small heart punch, google eyes, etc. And this is what we came up with!

I was pretty proud of him! There's a package of Sweet tarts on the back---of course!!




Joshua's Valentine:
Stamps: Heart Prints (PTI)
Paper: SS White, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Ink: Palette noir, Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Accessories: Labels Two (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Scalloped Oval Punch (Marvy), Google eyes, Pink brad (SU!), Medium, Large heart punch (EK Success), Stickles

(PTI Sketch Challenge}

OH MY! Have you been over to Nicole Heady's blog yet? YOU HAVE TO GO!! (I'm a screamer---I admit it!) If you thought the cardstock contest was great---just wait until you see the RIBBON contest---yes, you heard it right---just go to Nichole's blog and read the challenge---then make a card using the sketch and enter the contest to win. Win what, you ask, well----wait for it---
















WOULDN'T YOU JUST LOVE THAT? 95 spools of Papertrey Ribbon!!!! All just for making a card (which I needed to do) and uploading it here---OK, I know I'll have a VERY small chance to win---but hey, I still have a chance AND I made a card that I needed to make. Here's my card based on the sketch challenge from Nichole's blog post.

I was inspired to use the gold after seeing this card on Debbie's blog. I haven't used this gold shimmer cardstock very often, but I love it and wanted to use it for this card. I started with a 5 1/4" square card of Stamper's Select White paper and cut the gold cardstock to 5 1/8". I used the ticket corner punch on all the edges. Instead of using patterned paper on the vertical strip, I decided to use sheer gold metallic ribbon.

I stamped the branch and flowers from Out on a Limb with versamark on more white paper and embossed it with gold filigree embossing powder. I attached this piece to a piece of black cardstock. I then stamped the sentiment from Out on a Limb Sentiments and embossed it as well. I cut it using one of Spellbinder's double ended tags---I just cut off one of the ends. I attached it to the ribbon with a little piece of the ribbon. Finally, I added black rhinestones to the corners and the three that were part of the original sketch.

I hate making sympathy cards and often put it off, so I'm grateful for this challenge today to get it made and in the mail. I actually needed two sympathy cards today, so I decided to just make two of the same card (do you think I can enter twice!!! SNORT![and if you know me, you know that's not too far off the mark!]).

You still have time to put together a quick card---remember----it's for RIBBON!!! DO IT NOW!!! (or don't, and I'll have a better chance!! *wink*---sort of!)

Have a great day~



PTI Sketch Challenge card:
Stamps: Out on a Limb revised edition, Out on a Limb Sentiments (PTI)
Paper: SS White, True Black, Gold Shimmer Cardstocks (PTI)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories/Tools: Sheer Gold Metallic Ribbon (PTI), Cuttlebug (Provocraft), Double Ended Tags Trio (Spellbinders), Dimensionals, Ticket Corner Punch (SU!), Gold Embossing Powder (Filigree), Heat tool (Marvy), Crystal Stickers-black

{PTI Color Challenge}

Have you been to Nichole Heady's blog lately to find out what's up with PaperTrey Ink's Second Anniversary? She is having all sorts of give aways and sneak peeks of what's to come in the next year. Today she posted a color challenge---you can enter to win over $100 of cardstock just by making a card using these four colors----Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, & Ocean Tides. I made a quick card (that took me forever because Joshua is sick and I've been up and down the stairs!)

I used Heart Prints to decorate this simple card. I used all the colors above and 4 different small hearts and stamped numerous hearts. I randomly chose nine hearts to put on the front of the card. Then I cut them out (I haven't been able to find that punch---and I'm really missing it tonight!) and put them on the card with Scor-tape. I stamped XOXO from Heart Prints with Palette Noir ink and added some Tiny Twinkles from Taylored Expressions. I added the Summer Sunrise Grosgrain ribbon and a button to finish it off. Except for the constant interruptions (and the cutting part~) this was a fast little card. And now I'm entered to win all that cardstock---as much as I use this cardstock, I'd LOVE to win it!!

Thanks for stopping by--I hope you have a great Saturday. I hope to show you the Valentine's goodies that the kid's are taking to school soon!

PTI Color Challenge Valentine
Stamps: Heart Prints (PTI)
Paper: SS White Cardstock (PTI)
Ink: Ripe Avocado, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, & Ocean Tides (PTI)
Accessories: Summer Sunrise grosgrain ribbon (PTI), Foof-a-la button, Linen thread (SU!), Tiny Twinkles (Taylored Expressions), Glossy Accents (Ranger)