PTI Ink Success!!!

After I watched Nichole Heady's videos last week, I decided to give the PTI inks another chance. I just love PTI and I refused to give up. Plus I can be a bit stubborn. Just ask the husband. ;) I noticed that she did a lot of soft dabbing on the ink pad. That definitely wasn't my technique. It was more like smush, smush, smush, dab, dab, dab...stamp. She has also suggested to use the back of a spoon to get the ink incorporated. I'm too lazy to go all the way downstairs for a spoon so I just used my finger. My new technique is to smush the ink pad with my finger, dab, dab, dab, dab, dab, dab and lightly press onto the paper. IT WORKED!! I was soooo happy!! Especially since the new Hawaiian Shores ink pad is on it's way to my hot little hands!


Stamps: PTI Floral Fusion, Fancy Flourishes, Communique Sentiments, BG: Texts
Ink: PTI Sweet Blush, Spring Moss
Paper: PTI Spring Moss, Sweet Blush
Misc: PTI Sweet Blush Ribbon, copic marker, CB Butterfly die, flat back pearl

Thank you for your Hospitality

I've been kind of blue lately, so I thought I would make a nice Spring like card for our PTI Swap over on SCS. We take turns hostessing and it's my good friend Angela's turn. I've been in lots of swaps before, but our PTI swaps are hands down, the best. I've basically stopped swapping except for our PTI Swaps. Anyway, I always have a difficult time coming up with something new and fresh every time. I thought this one turned out cute. But I'm hoping it's not too cute. (Sometimes I go overboard with the cutesiness. Ahem.)

I tried using PTI's new formulated Spring Moss ink but it just doesn't seem to like me. I ended up using a Martha Stewart chalk ink for the door. (I like Martha's pigment inks much better than PTI's. Shhh..don't tell!) But that's okay because I just can't get enough of those PTI stamps. Or ribbon. Or buttons. Or cardstock. Never enough. It's an illness.

I hope that wherever you are, you are staying warm, spending time with your family and are surrounded with love. Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: PTI Home Made, On My Couch additions, Floral Fusion

Ink: Versamark, SU Old Olive, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa,Versamark Sepia, Martha Stewart Chalk Inks

Paper: PTI Spring Moss & Vintage Cream

Misc: PTI Spring Moss Satin Ribbon, clear embossing powder, brad, pop dots

Crafting away those Winter time blues

Hiya!! Have you missed me? I sure have missed blogging!! I got too busy with life and then I lost my Mojo. Luckily, a sweet little contest given by PTI got me back into the groove. In case you live under a rock, Nichole issued a challenge for her anniversary festivities here.

We got a record breaking 7 inches of snow the other day. It's extremely rare in this part of the country to get any snow! The kids were ecstatic and we jammed packed the day with every snow activity possible. I was frozen to the bone! So I thought some Spring Time colors were in order for today. I used PTI's Friends Til the End set. I definitely do not utilize it enough. I just love it. I thought it was perfect for the flower embellishments challenge. I am going to send it to my Mom since she has been going through a rough time taking care of my father after his bypass operation. Hopefully it will brighten her day. Take care blogging friends! Hope to be back again soon!!

Stamps: PTI Friends til the End, Communique Sentiments, Turning a New Leaf, Background Basics: Text Style
Ink: SU Whisper White Craft ink, PTI Raspberry Fizz, Memento Black, Ranger Lettuce
Paper: PTI Sweet Blush, Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, New Leaf, White Select, Clearly Creative Cardstock
Misc: White embossing powder, PTI Buttons & Twine, Rhinestones, glue dots, pop dots

Sweet as can Bee

It's been a long ten days since I've posted. Lots going on and not enough time for me. I got my new PTI stamps last week and I couldn't wait to ink these cutie pies up! I snuck away this morning and whipped out this card while the girls watched tv. Sometimes I feel guilty but in reality, it will  probably be the only "alone" time I will get all weekend.

I put some glitter on the wings and adhered a rhinestone to the bee's head. Gotta have that bling! For the sentiment I used two different stamps. I always have trouble lining it up. So this time I stamped the last word first, which was "bee". Then I stamped the beginning of the sentiment and lined up the last word with the "bee" word. I think it came out pretty straight.

Hope you all have a great weekend! :)

Stamps: PTI Baby Button Bits
Ink: Versafine Sepia
Paper: PTI Summer Sunrise, Lemon Tart, Select White & Bitty Dots in Spring Moss
Misc: PTI Lemon Tart buttons, Spring Moss Satin Ribbon, rhinestone, Martha Stewart Glue & Glitter

Saturday Scrapbook Sketch Challenge #2

Over at the Inspired Crafters Blog we have a scrapbook sketch every Saturday. We take turns posting either the sketch or an inspiration piece. This week was a wonderful sketch taken from the 52 sketches blog.

I grabbed a photo that was on my daughter's All About Me poster that we did for school last year. It's such a cute picture. I found her walking around the house like this and I just grabbed the camera. It's not the best picture, but it caught her at the moment that I wanted to remember.

I'm not 100% happy with this page. But I'm just chalking it up to practice. I should have inked the flourish in a darker color and I should have used a darker journaling pen. But other than that, I guess it' okay. I'm normally not a circular type of girl. I like those boxy, clean lines. I know, how boring. I tried to match up the DSP with her cute little strawberry dress. And I couldn't resist using the PTI buttons. I've never been in love with buttons before, but PTI makes it easy. :)

Stamp: PTI Fancy Flourishes
Ink: Martha Stewart chalk ink
Paper: SU Certainly Celery, PTI Spring Rain & Sweet Blush, Basic Grey Nook & Pantry DSP
Misc: MS Journaling marker, PTI Sweet Blush buttons, flat back pearls, EK Success scallop punch, prima flower, Creampuff font for title, leaf die cut from Silhouette

Holiday cards...too early or too late? hmmm...

Over at the Inspired Crafters Blog we are holding challenges to get our holiday cards done early this year. Great concept for this procrastinator who didn't even send any cards out! It's unfathomable isn't it? A card maker did not send out cards for the biggest card sending occasion of the year. But this year things are changing. It makes this all very convenient when you have a basket full of stamps, dsp, ribbon, punches and embellies sitting on your craft table from last month.

This card came together easily. Well, besides the fact that I didn't have to look very far for the supplies...but because I had this cute Basic Grey paper that I loved. And it matched up perfectly with the cute stamped image of the eskimo girl. I doused her in some Martha Steward Glitter. LOVE this stuff!! I have been a glitter avoider for years and years. I hate that it gets everywhere. But Martha makes it easy to love. So much so, that I am now the proud owner of about a dozen bottles of her shiny happiness. Don't be surprised if you start seeing it on all of my projects in the near future. ;)

Stamps: PTI Holiday Button Bits, Basic Grey Snow Baby Bitsy Stamp
Ink: SU Ruby Red, Ranger Tea Dye Ink
Paper: PTI Aqua Mist, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses
Misc: SU Certain Celery twill ribbon, MS Glitter, pop dots, copics

Blast from the past Layout

I wanted to post this layout that I did a couple years ago. Mostly to motivate ME to get into my messy craft room and just do it already. I have been making excuses all week as  to why I can't start a new layout. I'm hoping that this page reminds me WHY I love scrapbooking. This is one of my fondest memories of my girls playing together.

I also finally got around to making a blog for my Project 365. A week late, but not bad for me the procrastinator. You can find it on my sidebar.

I hope to be back in a few days with some more projects to share!

First Sketch with Inspired Crafters!!

My first completed scrapbook page for 2010. Oh how I've missed scrapping! This definitely isn't my best, but it's a start. It's so weird going from a 5x4 canvas to 8x11. Thank goodness for sketches! Of course me being, well me, I couldn't make the sketch exact. I thought I'd scale it down from 12x12 to 8-1/2x11 since I'm just getting back into it.

This one was a nice one to ease me back into the swing of things. It's from Page Maps and it was chosen by my friend Banu for our Inspired Crafters Saturday Scrapbook Challenge. A few of us started a blog so that we can have our own challenges. I'm very excited about it! Banu has done an excellent job of getting things started and organized. Thanks Banu!!

I'll be back soon with more pages.

Stamps: PTI New Leaf & Fancy Flourishes, CTMH Today's Date
Ink: PTI Aqua Mist, SU Pumpkin Pie
Paper: SU Pumpkin Pie, PTI Aqua Mist, My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow
Misc: QK Silhouette (Hero arts butterfly), Amienne font for title

Thanks a Melon!

To my friends who encouraged me yesterday, I thank you. Each one of you warmed my heart more than you know.

 

I know you can't see it, but I made her feet, ponytails and the watermelon 3-D with pop dots. Added some stickles for some shine. I haven't played with my copics in months so I need some practice desperately!

Stamps: High Hopes (stamped image from my friend Angela)
Ink: Memento Black
Paper: PTI Raspberry Fizz & Select White, SU Certainly Celery
Misc: Copics, brads, Nesties Ribbon tag, prima flowers, flat back pearls, PTI Raspberry Fizz Swiss Dots Satin Ribbon

Fear

It's something I live with every day. Oddly enough, I never realized this until recently.

I'm afraid of heights.
I'm afraid of disappointing people.
I'm afraid of failure.
I'm afraid of people not liking me.
I'm afraid of my kids getting kidnapped, hurt or killed.
I'm afraid of new situations.
I'm afraid of living up to my own expectations.
I'm afraid of change.

I'm just afraid of too many things.

And it's got to change.

They may not seem like huge fears but each one of them prevent me from doing things that I wish I had the courage to do.

So... to start off the New Year I decided to tackle one of my fears. Change. I've been wearing my hair pretty long for a while. But I've always envied the women who could pull off short haircuts. I've never been able to do it. But I found a great stylist and knew if anyone could do it right, she could.




So I chopped off a good 6 inches. You should have seen the mess of hair on the floor. My girls kept commenting on just how much there was.

I know many of you have seen this picture already, so you don't have to comment. :) I think I am mainly doing this for me. To document the fact that I can overcome a fear and I can make a change and actually survive it.



Here's to a New Me in the New Year. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
xoxoxo