My Paper Creations

feel better soon

I was in a CAS mood when I was creating my cards for this month's Papertrey Ink release.  The card above was my favorite card that I created for the release.  I love the clean lines, color combo, and patterns along with a butterfly from my Butterfly Dreams set that I designed last year (kind of partial to that butterfly *wink*).  I paired my butterfly with a stamp from the new Mat Stack 3 Collection stamp set and a sentiment from Healing Touch Sentiments.  I used the butterfly die and the Mat Stack 3 die.  The patterned papers are from the Library Ledger and the It's Official paper pads (by Papertrey Ink).  I finished it off with a pure poppy button and a piece of Brown Sugar Twine from my etsy shop.

Have a great Monday!!

Niki

birthday girl

I had the chance earlier this week to play along with the current Wild Orchid Crafts challenge which is to use pearls and pins on our cards.  This was a great challenge for me because I've had these pins for years and I don't know if I've ever used them!  They look pretty, but I always worry about them poking the person who receives the card! lol  I was able to avoid that, however, because I poked them through the paper behind the bow so the end is covered and the card is safe to handle!

The cute little image on my card is a Mo Manning image called Ruby available through Stamping Bella and the sentiment is from my Butterfly Dreams stamp set.  The flowers are white cherry blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts.  Aren't they pretty?  I just love cherry and apple blossoms. 

Here's the copic markers used to color the image:
skin: E000, E00, E21, R12
hair and bag: E33, E35, E37
dress, hat, and shoes: R00, R02
tights: E51, E53
necklace: RV29

Okay, I am off to pick my son up from school.  Have a great rest of the day!

Niki

Supplies
Stamps: Ruby (Stamping Bella), Butterfly Dreams (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: white (Papertrey Ink), pink (Prism)
Patterned Paper: Tres Jolie (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: tuxedo black (memento), peach pastel (colorbox)
Accents: vintage cream satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink), white cherry blossoms (Wild Orchid Crafts), stick pins (CTMH), pearls
Tools: copic markers, rectangle nestability die (Spellbinders) circle punches, sewing machine, branch punch (Martha Stewart), sponge

butterfly birthday

While I was playing with the new release stamps from Papertrey Ink over the last week, I decided to pull out Butterfly Dreams and Background Basics: Diamonds to create a card that I would be able to share before the release. 

I stamped my rustic cream cardstock with the pattern from BB: Diamonds first.  I didn't worry about making sure the stamp was perfectly inked up because I knew I was going to be inking up the edges and was going for more of a vintage feel.  I added a piece of sweet blush polka dot patterned paper, sponged ink around the edges and stitched my layers.  Then, I wrapped the crocheted lace around the patterned paper and adhered it to my card.  I cut my rectangle for my sentiment and butterfly image and inked the edges.  Then, I die cut, stamped and colored my butterfly image.  I sponged ink around the edges of my die cut before adhering it with foam adhesive.

It's hard to believe it's already the big release day for Papertrey Ink.  Isn't this year just flying by?!  I probably won't make it to the release party tonight as it's my little girl's birthday today and I would rather spend the day spoiling her. *wink* 

Have fun at the party!!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Diamonds (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: rustic cream, sweet blush (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: dark chocolate, true black (Papertrey Ink), tuxedo black (momento)
Accents: crocheted lace (May Arts)
Tools: butterfly die (Papertrey Ink), copic markers, sponge, sewing machine, rectangle nestability die (Spellbinders)

vintage birthday

Tonight, I have a card to share that I just love.  I don't usually say that about my own cards, but I love everything about how this card turned out from the color combo and patterns to the sketch itself. 

I started out by stamping Damask Designs in black ink on lemon tart cardstock.  I love the yellow and black together.  Once I had my stamped pattern, I had to choose a color combo for my card.  I decided upon lemon tart, black, hawaiian shores, kraft, and vintage cream.  Just a small touch of hawaiian shores cardstock (available March 15th) makes all the other colors just pop.  I used a piece of vintage sheet music as my second pattern for my card.  I cut my circles for my sentiment.  Then, I die cut my butterfly and stamped the butterfly from Butterfly Dreams it in tuxedo black ink.  After coloring my butterfly with copic markers, I sponged the tea dye inks and dark chocolate ink around the edges of my stamped patterned cardstock, sheet music, sentiment circle, and butterfly die cut.  A little crocheted lace and hawaiian shores stitched ribbon finish off my card.

I have been thinking about offering some crocheted lace in my etsy store or on my blog.  Is this something some of you might be interested in?  Have a fabulous weekend!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Damask Designs (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: vintage cream, kraft, lemon tart, hawaiian shores (Papertrey Ink)
Other paper: vintage sheet music
Ink: true black, dark chocolate, tea dye duo (Papertrey Ink), tuxedo black (momento)
Accents: hawaiian shores stitched ribbon (Papertrey Ink), crocheted lace
Tools: butterfly die (Papertrey Ink), copic markers, sponge, circle nestability dies (Spellbinders), binder edge border punch (EK Success)

Butterfly Thank You

I got the chance this morning to play along with this week's sketch challenge over on SCS.  It's been awhile since I played along with one of the challenges over there!  It's always fun to try something different!  I pulled out Butterfly Dreams for my card.  I stamped some background paper with one of the background stamps and a text stamp.  I added a couple different pink papers and sponged all the edges with the tea dye duo inks and dark chocolate ink and stitched my layers together..  I added some crocheted lace, sweet blush ribbon, and a cream button.  Then, I added my sentiment panel that had also been stitched and the edges inked.  Last, I added my focal point image, the monarch butterfly.

Have a great day!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Text Style II (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: vintage cream, sweet blush (Papertrey Ink)
Patterned Paper: 2008 Bitty Dot Basics, 2008 Bitty Box Basics (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: sweet blush, dark chocolate, tea dye duo (Papertrey Ink)
Accents: sweet blush satin ribbon, cream button (Papertrey Ink), crocheted lace (May Arts)
Tools: butterfly die (Papertrey Ink), sewing machine, copic marker

Butterfly Dreams Day 4

Welcome to day 4 of the sneak peeks of Butterfly Dreams!  The stamp set and butterfly die will be available from Papertrey Ink on February 15th.

When I was creating with Butterfly Dreams, I seemed to get stuck on creating cards using vintage cream and pairing it with another soft color.  I love how they turned out, though, so I think it was a good thing!

For this card, I paired one of the background stamps from Butterfly Dreams with Background Basics: Text Style II to create the stamped pattern.  Then, I inked the edges with the tea dye duo inks and stitched around the edge before adhering it to my vintage cream card base.  I stamped the polka dots using Polka Dot Basics II, inked the edges, and wrapped a piece of dark chocolate twill around it.  I stamped the butterfly and sentiment on vintage cream cardstock and cut it out with a rectangle nestability die.  Then, I colored the butterfly with a pink copic marker, and inked the edges before adhering the piece with foam adhesive.

I love how vintage cream looks with aqua mist, too.  The colors are just soft and pretty!  I stamped the pattern in the same way that I did the first card using Butterfly Dreams and Background Basics: Text Style II.  I sponged the edges of my patterned paper and my card base with dark chocolate ink.  Then, I stitched the patterned layer to a dark chocolate and an aqua mist layer.  I tied an aqua mist ribbon around my stamped layer and stitched a dark chocolate button in the center of the bow.  Then, I stamped the sentiment in dark chocolate ink.  I die cut the butterfly and stamped it in dark chocolate ink. I colored the flowers and dots with a copic marker, added some rhinestones to the flowers, and adhered the butterfly to my card.  Last, I doodled the flight line.  (Wish that part had turned out better!  Don't you hate it when you mess up one tiny little thing when you're finishing up the card!)

Have a great weekend!

Niki

Recipe for pink/cream card
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Text Style II, Polka Dot Basics II (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: vintage cream, sweet blush (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: dark chocolate, sweet blush, tea dye duo (Papertrey Ink)
Accents: dark chocolate twill (Papertrey Ink)
Tools: sewing machine, rectangle nestability die, copic marker (Spellbinders)

Recipe for aqua/cream card
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Text Style II (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: vintage cream, aqua mist, dark chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: dark chocolate, aqua mist (Papertrey Ink), antique linen (ranger)
Accents: aqua mist satin ribbon, dark chocolate button (Papertrey Ink), clear rhinestones
Tools: butterfly die (Papertrey Ink), sewing machine, copic marker

Butterfly Dreams Day 3

Wow, I can't believe it is already day three of the countdown.  Today, I thought I would go in another direction with the style of my card and share a vintage inspired card.  Sweet blush and rustic cream are perfect for vintagey cards!

I used the second background stamp in the set to create my own stamped paper on the bottom and Damask Designs for the stamped paper on the top.  I stamped a piece of rustic cream cardstock with Text Style II and antique linen distress ink and then used a scalloped circle die to cut out my circle.  I sponged the edges of my scalloped circles, my card base, and my patterned stamped paper.  Then, I stitched my patterned stamped papers to my sweet blush card base and wrapped some crocheted lace around one side of my card.  I tied a sweet blush ribbon around the front of my card and added a vintage cream button to the center of my bow.  I die cut a butterfly from rustic cream cardstock, stamped my butterfly in sweet blush ink, sponged the edges, and added a body using the separate body stamp included in the set.  Last, I stamped my sentiment and adhered my butterfly and scalloped circles with foam adhesive.

Stamping with Background Stamps

I know many of you are pros when it comes to stamping with Papertrey's background stamps, but I thought I would share a few tips for those of you that might be new to using this style of stamps.  The background stamps are designed to make it easy to create your own stamped papers.  My background stamps are a little shorter than those previously released through Papertrey Ink, but they will work the same way.  I just shortened them so I could fit more butterflies in the set. *wink*

First, stamp your first row.  I always start in the lower left hand side of my paper.  Stamped patterned papers will look the most like real patterned papers if some of the stamped image goes off the edge of the cardstock.

Now, reink your stamp and realign it above your stamped image.  You can see with my butterflies that the top butterfly will hang over the edge of the cardstock again since I stamped the first row off the edge.  Align the stamp so the bottom row of butterflies stamp above and in between the butterflies previously stamped.

Repeat stamping until you reach the top of your cardstock.  To start your second of stamped butterflies, simply align the stamp so it matches the first set of butterflies you stamped.

Continue stamping until you fill your cardstock with your custom stamped pattern.

Lots more sneak peeks on these designers' blogs: Nichole, Lisa, Dawn, Heather, Alli, and Melissa.  I'll be back tomorrow night with more sneak peeks.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Niki

Recipe
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams, Background Basics: Text Style II, Damask Designs (Papertrey Ink)
Cardstock: rustic cream, sweet blush (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: sweet blush, dark chocolate (Papertrey Ink), antique linen distress ink (Ranger)
Accents: sweet blush satin ribbon, vintage cream button (Papertrey Ink), crocheted lace
Tools: butterfly die (Papertrey Ink), corner rounder, sewing machine, scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders)

Introducing Butterfly Dreams

 

It's hard to believe that the day is finally here when I get to share some sneak peeks at my first stamp set (releasing through Papertrey Ink on February 15th)!  This was the first set I created and it has been so much fun to stamp with the real thing for the past week!  Today, I thought I would share some tips on how I have been using the stamps with the coordinating butterfly die that will also be available on the 15th.  But first, some details on the stamp set and a sneak peek at some of the stamps in the set.

Butterfly Dream consists of 26 stamps (sixteen butterfly stamps, two background stamps, two antennae stamps, one butterfly body stamp, and five sentiments).  Six of the butterflies in the set coordinate with the butterfly die.  The butterflies range from realistic to whimsical and can be used for so many different cardmaking styles.  While I was creating the set, I also had scrapbooking in mind and I'm happy to say the set works very well for cards and layouts alike!  I have a layout to share later in the countdown.

Okay, how about we get to a sneak peek of some of the stamps in the set!

February is a busy month for birthday girls in our family so one of the first things I had to create with the set was a birthday card.  I used one of my favorite butterflies from the set, the monarch butterfly!  I could use this butterfly over and over and not get tired of it!  It looks so pretty with the wings colored to coordinate with the project.

I used one of the background stamps in the set to stamp the butterfly pattern across the bottom of my sweet blush cardstock.  Then, I stitched around the top edge,

I added some scalloped felt (the new true black felt cut with one of the new scallop dies!) and a strip of patterned paper (from Black and White Basics).  I stitched the felt in place first (under the patterned paper) and then, stitched the patterned paper in place and adhered the sweet blush cardstock to my true black card base.

I die cut a black circle, adhered it with foam adhesive, and stamped the Birthday Girl sentiment from the set.  Then, I die cut the butterfly, stamped the image, and colored it with copic markers before adhering it to my circle with foam adhesive.  Isn't the monarch butterfly such a pretty butterfly?!

Using the Butterfly stamps with the coordinating die

Now, I thought I would share a few tips about how I have been using the butterflies in the set with the coordinating die. 

First, die cut your butterfly image from whatever color of cardstock or patterned paper you are using for your project.  I have a cuttlebug and have found that the new dies from Papertrey Ink will use the same sandwich as the nestability dies from Spellbinders.  I stack them from the bottom: plate A, plate C, die, cardstock, plate B.  (Nichole will have more information on the stacks necessary for other machines.)  The new dies cut beautifully!


I placed my die cut on my black mat that I use for stamping.  The contrasting color is perfect for seeing exactly where I am stamping.  Make sure you are looking down over your project and you will be able to see an outline around the stamp as the stamp gets close to the die cut.  This makes stamp placement so easy.  (Sorry, my photo doesn't really show the outline very well, but in person, I found it to be really easy to see where I needed to stamp.)

And there is a perfectly stamped image!  Nichole has been using a little different method for stamping with the dies.  You can read about it in her post yesterday when she introduced Heather's new Fillable Frame Collection.

Nichole and Betsy are highlighting Butterfly Dreams today along along with Dot Spot.  Dawn, Heather, Alli, and Melissa also have some sneak peeks at their new sets releasing this month.

Thanks so much for all your support and encouragement over the last couple weeks!  It's exciting to finally get to share some sneaks at my new set.  Lots more to come over the new few days!

Niki