Paper Pretties Scrapbooking Challenge!

Well ladies....I have a challenge for you today! I know that many of you are wonderfully talented card makers, but that many of you don't scrapbook! So, the challenge this month is going to give you card makers a chance to try your hand at some journaling! I challenge you all to love your handwriting and journal, in your own hand, on a scrapbook page.

Use your Paper Pretties stamps if you have them, and if not, feel free to play along anyways! You have until next Thursday, Sept. 4th to upload your creations to the Paper Pretties Gallery under weekly challenges. You can use keyword PSC2.

Here is my sample:


The patterned papers that I used are from the Chatter Box Reading Room Collection. I LOVE this collection! It is one of those that has been in my stash for a while...just waiting to be cut into. I feel like I should enter a support group or something.... "Hi, my name is Colleen and I hoard pretty paper...". :)

The stamps that I used are Sealed With A Kiss from Paper Pretties and Office Accoutrement from SU! I did my journaling with a Le Plume pen in dark brown. The flowers were stamped in White Daisy ink from CTMH onto chocolate chip card stock from SU! and then they were cut out by hand. I then coated them with clear embossing powder and heated them with my heat gun.

My main image was coloured with CTMH water colour pencils and then blended with OMS. I used an edge distresser around my journaling block and a corner rounder on all of my photos.

Red buttons in the flower centers and brown metal photo clips provide little accents to tie the page together!

Thanks for stopping by today and I can't wait to see what you create!

Growing Up Fast!

I recently made this card for my little nephew in Canada. He is having his 4th birthday, and he will be starting Junior Kindergarten right around the same time. I figured I would kill two birds with one stone, and make him a birthday card with Look Out World from Paper Pretties.

This card gave me my first chance to practice with my new rectangular nestabilites that I purchased over at Papertrey. I got the rectangles to start, but hope to add to my collection over the next few months... *wink*.



The yellow cardstock is Barely Banana from SU! I don't know what it is...I never used yellow before, but ever since I got this package of Barely Banana, I use it on everything! I used my slit punch on the corners of the mat for the main image, and then tucked the stamped image in behind the slits to hold it in place. I then put a button on each corner and tied a piece of American Crafts ribbon around the center behind the main image.

The sentiment is stamped in Midnight Blue StazOn, and the little spiral clip on the right side covers the tiniest little blemish of ink....but shhhhhh.....don't tell anyone, ok? :)

Mr. Cooper was coloured with pencils and blended with OMS.

** Be sure to join me tomorrow for my Paper Pretties Scrapbooking Challenge! I will be posting my challenge one day early this month because we leave for DISNEY early on Thursday morning! **

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Fun Day!

Last Saturday I made the drive to New Hampshire to a scrapbooking store called The Paper Tree. The purpose of my trip wasn't just to shop (although I did some of that too!), but instead it was to take three classes being taught by the Lauren Meader!

The first class was by far and away my favourite of the day....we made this adorable little stationary kit!


It almost looks like a little lunch box, wouldn't you say?!

The belly band slides either up or down, and then the top flips up and the whole thing folds open. Lauren said that this is her favourite project to date....and I have to admit that I love it too.

This is what the box looks like when it is unfolded. There are four monogrammed cards (and envelopes) in each side of the box.

This is one of the cards. I monogrammed my project with a "T" for a lucky friend who has an upcoming birthday! It is in the mail on its way to her as we speak. :)

I have since tried to recreate this box....and I finally figured it out after a couple of mistakes. I jotted down some rough notes while taking the class in hopes of being able to make these boxes again. Let's just say, it's a good thing I worked through my 'rough notes' before tucking this little baby in the mail to my friend! LOL

Have a great day!

Genuine Boy

I have a card tote to share with you today. I have made these totes before, and featured them on my blog many times before...but they are so cute, and they make great gifts....so I can't resist!

This particular tote was made as a gift for a woman who is having a baby boy. The request was to make the cards appropriate to be used as thank you cards for potential gift givers.

I used papers from a Provo Craft Slab with American Crafts Ribbon that reads 'genuine boy' on the outside of the tote. The brackets around this sentiment were traced and cut out of card stock. I used plastic punctuation from American Crafts as my pattern for this task. The buttons are random ones that came from my Mom's sewing stash the last time I raided her button bucket.



I decided to use the kangaroo from Just So Hoppy by Melanie Muenchinger as the main image on my cards. I stamped the sentiments 'It's a Boy' and 'Thank You' onto the balloons in the set, and cut them out and popped them up using dimensionals. Both the kangaroo and the balloons were coloured using coloured pencils and then they were blended using OMS.

The scalloped edges were made with scissors and then I ran the scalloped pieces of card stock through my Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots folder. Linen thread serves as the string for the balloons. I LOVE the linen thread from SU!. I have been using it a lot lately. It gives a similar feel as the hemp twine to a project (IMHO), but it is much finer and easier to work with.

I made two cards of each design and tucked them into my trusty tote. I just got an email from my friend today (waving 'hi' Stefanie!) and she LOVED it!

Stay tuned for more totes later in the week!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Way To Go!

This card was so much fun for me to make! I have a neighbour who asked me to make a humorous card for her brother-in-law who was turning 5o. I immediately thought of the set 'Way To Go' that I purchased over at Gina K.

The toilet was stamped onto the blue card stock and it was then coloured with a white water colour crayon from SU! The toilet paper holder was stamped directly onto the card base also, but I then stamped it again on white, trimmed it out, and layered it onto the main image to give the look of dimension. I actually popped up the dangling end of the tissue with a small dimensional to make it look as though it is hanging. The plunger was stamped onto a separate piece of card stock and then coloured, cut out and popped up with dimensionals.

The black and white tile floor was made from scrap that I had left in my scrap bin from a 'page-a-day' scrapbooking calendar. I pieced it around the toilet base and then the plunger was put on top. The sentiment was stamped in black StazOn on twill tape. I used black brads and paper piercing to accent the corners a bit and added stickers to punched circles highlighting the recipient's age....I am sure he appreciated that!

Inside the card I stamped the above birthday message (from the same set). I added the little toilet brush to finish it off! Who could resist a smile after seeing that?!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Anniversary!

My husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on August 9th. I posted the card that my son made for my husband...but I realized that I still haven't posted the one that I made! So, here it is!

I made a card previously that I really liked...you can see it here. Since the card was well received...I decided to use the same technique on this card base also. I ran the base through my Cuttlebug using the script embossing folder. I then used White Daisy ink from CTMH to highlight the embossed areas. The stamp is Sealed With A Kiss from Paper Pretties. The sentiments are all from the same set also. I stamped the main image on water colour paper and then cut a heart in the front of the card and put the stamped image behind. I used thin red ribbon to stitch around the heart to highlight it. Luke and Lexi were coloured with water colour crayons.


The big, red brads next to each sentiment are from Imaginisce and they are called Jingle Brads. The ribbon is from A. C. Moore in the clearance bin. I bought it after Valentine's Day and it has been hanging around here ever since.

I have mixed feelings about this card....it is WAY busier than anything I generally make...but, it is going to be around for a long time since I gave it to my husband! Maybe it will grow on me.....


Don't forget to check out the sale that Christie is having over at Paper Pretties! You can find the details here.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Going Places

Phew....what a week! I haven't gone to bed before midnight once this week...and it is catching up to me!! I have been doing a lot of stamping in the evenings...but that means that I haven't had much time to blog...or see my poor husband! I think he is feeling a bit abandoned! :( I have finished a lot of projects that were on my 'to do' list...but I still have a ways to go. The good news is that I will have a lot to share with you over the next few days! :)

The card that I want to share with you today incorporates two past Prettie Girl challenges. First, first Jana's sketch challenge, and second, Jessie's challenge to use three embellishments on one card. My three embellishments are dimensional stickers, ribbon and brads.

This card is for the birthday of a woman who is a travel buff...so, what better stamp to use than MFT Going Places?! Christie has MFT stamps over in her online store here. She also has a sale going on right now! Here are the details:

"From Friday August 15th until August 31st:

When you spend $25 in the Paper Pretties Boutique, you can choose any one of the Paper Pretties' sentiments for free.

When you spend $50 you can choose a Paper Pretties' sentiment and a roll of American Crafts ribbon.

When you spend $100 - you can choose a Paper Pretties' sentiment, a roll of American Crafts ribbon and you'll get FREE SHIPPING!!!

When you check out, simply leave us a note in the comments box telling us which sentiment and which ribbon you'd like and we'll make sure it gets put in your order! Orders over $100 will automatically not be charged shipping. *Please note that these offers cannot be combined.*"



Now, back to my card! The patterned paper is called Legacy Collage by Beth Cote. I used SU! Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon and cardstock. I also used some Barely Banana too...love that combo! The travel words dimensional stickers are by K & Company and the brads are JoAnn Essentials. I then used an oval punch and arrow punch for my accents.

I think that sums it up! Thanks for stopping by today!

A Prettie Boy??

Today is the 11th wedding anniversary of my husband and I. When our little guy, Noah, heard this, he decided he wanted to make Daddy a card (I didn't get a card!). Noah is 6 years old....and he has been exposed to my crafting since birth. So, needless to say...he knows his way around my craft room pretty well! He also has a craft desk full of supplies in his own room too...but I digress.

Here is a photo of Noah's card. He chose the medium himself....foam instead of paper. He then cut out all of the layers for the main image himself. I helped him with the stamping. He chose the heart and the sentiment from Sealed With A Kiss by Paper Pretties. He then gave his image a dash of red, and then moved on to the inside of the card.

Noah wanted to make a smiley face so we chose brads for the eyes and nose and we used a gel pen to draw on the mouth. Noah then added his personal message.

What do you think Christie? How about a junior, junior design team?! :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kids With Fur

Last night I managed to get my challenge card completed...you know...the one that was supposed to be posted on Wednesday? I don't know what has been going on with me this week...but man, have I had problems creating! I am happy with how this little card turned out...so maybe my mojo is coming back! Let's hope so!

This challenge was issued by Jodi, and it was to make a 3 x 3 card. Wow....that's tiny! I didn't realize just how tiny until I cut my card base! The challenge was then to find a Paper Pretties stamp that would work!

I decided to use this cute little dog from Rainy Day Friend. The idea of cutting out these squares this way actually came to me in my sleep. I love how it looks. I really wish I would get inspiration in my sleep more often! It came together so easily.

The sentiment is from one of the MFT sentiments sets. I used a white gel pen to make the dots that frame the images. I added two brown brads and a bit of brown and blue grosgrain ribbon to finish things off. The image was coloured with coloured pencils and blended with OMS. The papers are all from my scrap bins.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Pizza, Anyone?

While blurfing around the other day, I came across a tutorial for this cute little pizza box and note cards by Jen del Muro for The Cat's Pajamas. You can find it here. The cards measure 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 and the box itself is 4 inches square.

I am one of those deprived little souls who doesn't own Nestabilities...so I had to change the top of my box. I did go with the cupcake theme though...because, really....who doesn't love cupcakes?!


It's difficult to see the colours in this second photo, but the yellow is SU! Barely Banana. The green is some random card stock from who-knows-where. The cupcake stamps are from Inkadinkado and the set is called Birthday Cupcake. I used coloured pencils and OMS for the colouring. The cupcake on the top of the box was given a dash of SU! Dazzling Diamonds for a bit of shimmer and a red button for a cherry.

I used my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder on the top of the box as well as on the cards. The ribbon on the box top is SU! and the ribbon on the cards is CTMH. Some paper piercing and a few scallop punches and voila! There you have it!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I Tried!

I tried to upload this photo last night...but blogger wasn't having any of it! So, here I am trying again today...and blogger seems a bit more agreeable! :)

This is Bunny Slippers. Isn't she cute? She was just released to the public over at Paper Pretties on the first...but, if you were a member of the Stamp of the Month Club, you would have gotten her a whole month before that! It isn't too late...you can still join the SOTMC and get some of the 'oh so cute' upcoming stamps. Keep checking back...because you will see them popping up here, as well as on the other Prettie Girls' Blogs too! You can find all of the links in my sidebar!



So, back to my card!

I used papers from a Provo Craft Super Slab. The blooms are random...I really don't know where they came from. They were in my 'bloom box'. :) I stitched all of the panels with my sewing machine and purple thread. The edges of the main image and mats were distressed with my Making Memories edge distresser. The edges of the sentiment were inked with CTMH Hollyhock ink. The main image was stamped with StazOn...my 'go to' ink for everything! I used SU! watercolour crayons to colour the image. The sentiment is actually hanging there...it moves around....it isn't stationary.

Thanks for stopping by today!

It Was a Raging Success!

On Friday night, we had another Stampin' In Your Jammies release party over at Paper Pretties. Four new stamps were released...so make sure you pop on over and take a peek! The party was a raging success...we broke the server....again. :) But, it bounced back and we were able to finish the party. What fun!

Prettie Girl, Charmaine, issued challenges at the top of each hour, and I have my first challenge card to share with you today! The challenge was to make a black and white card with one splash of colour. Some of the girls massaged this challenge just a bit....colouring in faces and hair too! LOL! My lady looks a little on the pale side, but I like her anyways! :)

The stamp is from Rubber Romance. {Christie has some of the Rubber Romance stamps in her store here. She also has several other manufacturers in stock too...so be sure to check it out!} I used a black card stock base and ran it through my Cuttlebug using the script folder to emboss it. I then used my White Daisy ink pad from CTMH to highlight the embossed areas. The image was water coloured with SU! watercolour crayons. The red scalloped edge was made with scissors. I used punches for the circle and oval shapes on which the sentiment is mounted. The sentiment is from MFT...Essential Sentiments, I think. I embossed the sentiment with super fine black embossing powder...although you can't really see it in the photo.

Don't forget....I have issued my first Paper Pretties scrapbooking challenge! You can find the link to the challenge here. You have until Thursday, August 7th to complete the challenge and upload your creation here...the Paper Pretties Weekly Challenges Gallery. Use the keyword PSC1....Pretties Scrapbooking Challenge One! Get crackin'....I know there are some closet scrapbookers out there! I can't wait to see what you come up with! And, as a little extra incentive...Christie might just have a little something-something to send to the challenge winner!

Thanks for stopping by!