Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Papertrey Ink September Release In Review

The Papertrey Ink September release will be available in the store tonight at 10 pm EST. Who's ready to shop? 

I have loved creating with these new products, and have just a few more things to share today.

First up, Enclosed: Bell, by Dawn McVey:


I used this pretty bell die a little differently. I left off the overlay layer (a bell-shaped frame with the word "joy" running through it, and instead layered on a glittery "holiday" die-cut from Christmas Cheer, (which I simply cannot put down!).


The holly is from Enclosed: Bell. The background is watercolored with Aqua Mist ink.


Stamps: Enclosed: Bell, Christmas Cheer

Dies: Enclosed: Bell, Christmas Cheer

Ink: Aqua Mist, Pinefeather, Pure Poppy, VersaMark

Paper: watercolor paper, white card stock, Soft Stone Stripe patterned paper, Make It Market Mini Kit: Holiday Folk, Luxe Silver card stock

Other: baker's twine, watercolor brush, foam adhesive, silver glass glitter




Deck the Halls is also by Dawn McVey. I love this pretty wreath!


I stamped the greenery in Spring Moss and Ripe Avocado, the pinecones in Dark Chocolate, and the bow in Pinefeather. The sentiment is from the Christmas Cheer stamp set and Christmas Cheer dies.



The background is stamped repeatedly with the Fa La La La La sentiment (from Deck the Halls) in Soft Stone.


Stamps: Deck the Halls, Christmas Cheer

Dies: Christmas Cheer

Ink: Spring Moss, Ripe Avocado, Pinefeather, Dark Chocolate, Soft Stone

Paper: white and Soft Stone card stock

Other: sewing machine, foam tape




Here's a CAS card using Treetops Glisten by Maile Belles. I created a snowy hill out of white card stock using one of the Sentiment Splits: Curve Vertical dies. I adhered the white panel to one of the patterns from the Treetops Glisten paper pack, stamped a sentiment and adhered some Treetops Glisten die-cuts that I loosely watercolored with Pinefeather ink.


Stamps: Treetops Glisten

Dies: Treetops Glisten, Sentiment Splits: Curve Vertical

Ink: Smokey Shadow, Pinfeather

Paper: white card stock, Treetops Glisten patterned paper

Other: watercolor brush, foam tape





This card features more of those watercolored trees, another of the patterns from the Treetops Glisten paper pack, AND ... another new die set, String Frames, by Erin Lincoln. I used the largest rectangle, which cuts the stitching holes at the corners, allowing you to create perfect string frames in no time. 


I used the largest rectangle die to add the baker's twine frame around this scene. Super cool, and lots of different choices in this fun die set.

Stamps: Treetops Glisten

Dies: Treetops Glisten, String Frames

Ink: VersaMark, Pinefeather

Paper:Soft Stone card stock, watercolor paper, Treetops Glisten patterned paper

Other: baker's twine, watercolor brush, white embossing powder


Be sure visit the design team blogs for lots more inspiration:


Thanks so much for stopping by, for joining us in our countdown, and for all the kind and encouraging comments. It means so much!

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Monday, September 14, 2015

Nativity Inspiration

It's Day Five of Papertrey Ink's September release countdown. Welcome, and thank you for joining us! 

Today we are featuring two more holiday product collections, both with some truly beautiful religious imagery and sentiments. This month's addition to the Petite Places series is a Nativity scene. As we've come to expect, Betsy has packed both the stamp set and the die set with the most amazing details. Also featured today is O Holy Night, an elegant sentiment set designed by Dawn McVey. They pair beautifully!

Today's featured products, along with the rest of the September release, will be available at 10 pm EST September 15 in the Papertrey Ink store.

I've got three Nativity projects to share with you today, beginning with a Christmas card.


 I used the Sentiment Splits: Curve Vertical die to cut a mask out of scrap card stock. I taped it to the bottom and did some sponging along the top edge of the mask to create a horizon line. Next I stamped the Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus image in black, as well as the tree and the Star of Bethlehem, also in black, leaving room for a die-cut stable. Before adhering the stable, though, I used the Star of Bethlehem layer from Scene It: Bethlehem as a stencil and sponged the stars. With all the sponging and stamping complete, I then adhered the stable. 


I actually stamped this stable with one of the O Holy Night sentiments. I know that probably seems random, but I originally stamped it to go with a different project. That one didn't work out, but I liked the pop from the black ink on the Kraft, particularly with the other elements stamped in black, so I decided to use that die-cut here. 

Below the stable is a three-layer stacked sentiment die-cut from Christmas Cheer. I had to do some hunting in my stash for the word "blessings" in a size and font that would work here. Of course, I could have used one of the many sentiment components from Christmas Cheer, but for some reason, the nativity scene had me fixated on the word "blessings." I found this one in the Etched Easter Eggs set, and it is perfect. (Yes, sometimes I can be a bit OCD about these things!)

STAMPS: Petite Places: Nativity; Etched Easter Eggs, O Holy Night
DIES: Petite Places: Nativity; Christmas Cheer, Scene It: Bethlehem
INK: Soft Stone, True Black, Classic Kraft
PAPER: Fresh Snow Linen card stock; Stamper's Select White card stock; Classic Kraft card stock
OTHER: liquid glue, sponge dauber, foam adhesive



Next up is a tag specifically designed for mass production. I'm feeling so ahead of the game with Christmas tags this year!


The how-to on these: First, I used the Minute To Make: Holiday Tags die to cut three tags out of the new white heavyweight tag stock. I forgot to mention the tag stock yesterday, but I used it for those tags, too. I can't say enough about it! It's soooo thick and sturdy (perfect for tags) and it stamps beautifully. And I think its heft just makes it feel that much more luxurious.

Anyway, cut three tags from white card stock (remember this die set comes with three identical tags wired together, so you can cut three tags with just one pass through your die-cutting machine), and three tags from Sheer Basics Vellum Patterned paper.


On the white tags, stamp sentiments from O Holy Night in Versamark and heat emboss in silver (or to make things go along even quicker, stamp in metallic silver ink). Stamp the Mary/Joseph/Jesus image and the Star of Bethlehem in True Black. Adhere a Soft Stone stable die-cut and a Soft Stone roof layer. String one stamped tag and one vellum tag together with True Black baker's twine.


And here's how it looks in action, tied to a kraft milk carton gift box. (I found 2-packs of these, in both kraft and white, in the Target Dollar Spot pretty recently.)

STAMPS: Petite Places: Nativity; O Holy Night
DIES: Petite Places: Nativity; Minute to Make: Holiday Tags
INK: True Black, VersaMark
PAPER: 160# Tag Stock, Soft Stone card stock, Sheer Basics Vellum Patterned Paper
OTHER: Target gift box, Smokey Shadow ribbon, True Black baker's twine


Last project for today: a nativity Christmas ornament:


I've had this empty PTI twine spool strung up as an ornament since last Christmas, but the spool was still just bare wood waiting to be decorated. As soon as I started thinking about ways to use the Nativity products, I thought a nativity silhouette might be just the thing for my sweet little ornament. Turns out, this was super easy to make - bonus!


I cut a piece of holiday-themed newsprint from my patterend paper stash (maybe Echo Park or My Mind's Eye?) to fit the spool, then stamped the different nativity images in black all the way around, and adhered the paper around the spool. That's it - really!


Oh wait, I did wrap some silver tinsel around the spool below the scene. And I adhered some greenery and a pinecone to the top. And I did give it a coat of matte multi-medium to help protect the paper from wear and tear.


I do like the simple, rustic look here -- it fits the nativity scene quite well.

As I said above, I had already turned the spool into an ornament sometime last year, so I don't have any assembly photos for you. But here are the basic instructions. (There may be a better way to assemble -- I'm known to overthink things!)
  1. Sponge Classic Kraft and Dark Chocolate ink onto the spool to age it.
  2. Take a length of rope or twine, approximately 18-20" long. Fold it in half. Thread the top, fold first, through the middle of the spool, stopping just when the fold peeks out from the bottom. (You might have to use a paper piercer or pair of tweezers to help pull it through, depending on how thick your rope is.)
  3. At the fold, tie on some jingle bells (buttons would work too) using some thread or lightweight string or twine. Knot securely and trim off the ends closely so they don't show. This will keep the rope from pulling back through the middle of the spool.
  4. On the top of the spool, you'll have what looks like two pieces of rope. Make a small loop from one piece of rope. This will be your hanging loop. While pinching the loop to keep it in place, use the remaining rope, as well as the other length of rope, to tie off in a bow. Trim the ends, and embellish as desired.
STAMPS: Petite Places: Nativity
INK: True Black, Classic Kraft, Dark Chocolate
PAPER: holiday text print (source unknown)
OTHER: empty PTI twine spool, rope, tinsel, rusty jingle bells, matte multi-medium


For more Nativity Inspiration, be sure to visit the Papertrey team:




Thanks for visiting! 


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Sunday, September 13, 2015

Quick + Easy Holiday Wraps

The countdown to Papertrey Ink's September release continues today with a truly fabulous assortment of holiday-themed products. Today, you'll be seeing a lot of gift wrap ideas that are geared toward quick crafting, mass production, and just keeping it real. The holidays are a busy time -- we get that! But that doesn't mean hand-crafted has to go by the wayside. I'm excited to show you just how easy and stress-free your holiday crafting can be!

Today's featured products, along with the rest of the September release, will be available at 10 pm EST September 15 in the Papertrey Ink store.


First up is Minute to Make: Holiday Tags 1 and 2, along with the Minute To Make: Holiday Tags die set, designed by Nichole Heady. Never have such awesome-looking tags been so crazy easy to make, thanks to the multi-step design! 


I chose to work with the Peace On Earth tag design from the Minute To Make: Holiday Tags 2 set. I had so much fun trying out different color combos (I'll show you those another day), before settling on this. The majority of this tag can be completed in three impressions (Aqua Mist, Scarlet Jewel, and Ripe Avocado). Then, I added the "on earth" sentiment in Spring Moss, and the bird in Smokey Shadow. 

I really appreciate that the die set has three identical tags, which makes it that much easier to cut a whole bunch of tag bases quickly.


I tied my tags on to kraft pillow boxes and embellished with some greenery cut from my yard. Super convenient, and the price is right! 



My tags are identical (except I forgot to add the wood veneer stars to two of them -- oops, thankfully an easy fix!), but I varied the wrap by using three different ribbon colors. 



STAMPS: Minute to Make: Holiday Tags 2
DIES: Minute to Make: Holiday Tags
INK: Aqua Mist, Scarlet Jewel, Ripe Avoado, Spring Moss, and Smokey Shadow
PAPER: white tag stock
OTHER: kraft pillow boxes; Smokey Shadow, Scarlet Jewel, and Soft Stone satin ribbon, True Black baker's twine, greenery, hot glue, wood veneer stars




Just as cute and just as easy to use is Lizzie Jones's Ribbon Sliders collection.


You have the option to die-cut the pre-printed sliders from the Ribbon Sliders paper pack (using the Ribbon Sliders dies), or stamp your own using the Ribbon Sliders Sentiments stamp set.


These seriously couldn't be any easier to put together. Here I've just threaded a length of ribbon through the die-cut pre-printed slider, wrapped it around a glassine bag, and tied off the top with twine. 


I just love these!

DIES: Ribbon Sliders
PAPER: Ribbon sliders papers
OTHER:  glassine bags, satin ribbon, baker's twine, cookies :)


Third is another cute and clever set designed by Nichole called In the Bag. The die is designed to cut a gift bag pocket front, which can be adhered to a card base (or anything else) for a quick pocket that's sized just right for a gift card. Cool, huh?


Here, I've cut my bag out of Soft Stone Stripe patterned paper. The sentiment is stamped and heat  embossed in white on vellum, then trimmed down. I strung some jute twine through the bag to make a handle, then adhered to a white card base.


To keep this quick and easy, I embellished with some pre-printed die-cuts (from the Make It Market Holiday Folk kit) and then added a few sequins along the top. I also tucked in a tiny bit of tissue paper just for fun.


The mittened hand at the top was die-cut from Aqua Mist felt.

STAMPS: In the Bag
DIES: In the Bag, Holiday Folk
INK: VersaMark
PAPER:White and Soft Stone card stock; Soft Stone Stripe patterned paper,  Holiday Folk
OTHER: silver star sequins, white linen thread, tissue paper, jute string, Aqua Mist felt



My last project for today is a beaded felt Christmas tree ornament using Erin Lincoln's Christmas Tree Change Up collection. The tree ornament doesn't truly fit the Quick + Easy Holiday Wraps theme, as it does take a little time to do all that stitching. But it sure is a fun way to add a handmade touch to otherwise boring packaging. (And compared to, say, knitting a sweater, it definitely falls on the quick + easy side!) 

Be sure to check out all the designers' post today, along with everything Erin has been showing the past few days. Amazing versatility in this collection!


I cut the tree from Vintage Cream felt and used a combination of silver and gold metallic embroidery floss for all the stitching. The embellishments include clear, white, and silver seed beads, as well as clear, silver, and gold sequins. Before closing off the bottom, I added a little fiber fill to give it the rounded shape. To the top I secured a loop of gold metallic ribbon for hanging the ornament and a decorative silver metallic twine bow.


I love the idea of the felt ornament package topper for either gift cards or for small food gifts that alone just aren't all that special or memorable. I've clipped this one to a chevron embossed brown paper bag using a mini clothespin.


I also used the embossed rectangle place card die for my stamped sentiment. The sentiment is from the Christmas Tree Change Up stamp set. For a little extra something I tucked in a branch die-cut done with the Branching Out die. 


When the goodies or gift card are gone, the recipient has an ornament to hang on their tree and keep for years.

STAMPS: Christmas Tree Change Up
DIES: Christmas Tree Change Up Favor Box and Stitching, Branching Out
INK: Ripe Avocado, Harvest Gold, Classic Kraft
PAPER:Rustic White and Ripe Avocado card stock
OTHER: chevron brown paper bag, mini clothespin, silver metallic twine, gold ribbon, seed beads, sequins, embroidery floss, Vintage Cream felt



Thanks so much for visiting!


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Saturday, September 12, 2015

Introducing Make It Market Mini Kit: Holiday Folk

Welcome to the first group post for Papertrey Ink's September release. This month, we are kicking off the holiday crafting season with a spectacular collection of holiday and gift-giving products. Today, in particular, we are introducing the newest Make It Market Mini Kit: Holiday Folk. Remember Wee Folk from a few months ago? Holiday Folk is the holiday version of that same charming folk art style. 

Today's featured products, along with the rest of the September release, will be available at 10 pm EST September 15 in the Papertrey Ink store.

I have two projects to share today. Both are loosely inspired by my favorite Scandinavian Christmas decorating style. I love the abundance of white and other light, neutral colors, and the uncomplicated, clean, minimalist look.


My first card is super simple, easy to re-create, and uses only the kit contents (plus ink, paper, and foam adhesive).


I started by trimming about 3/4" off the long side of a white card-size panel. Along the right side, I've created a subtle border by repeatedly stamping the sentiment in Soft Stone ink along with a tiny divider image in Aqua Mist. I adhered a tiny strip of Soft Stone Stripe patterned paper along that edge as well. Next I tied on some of the nice, thick rustic green twine from the kit. 



Like the previous Make It Market mini kits, Holiday Folk includes both some die-cut-ready printed papers, along with the same images in stamp form. For super quick crafting, die-cut the printed papers, but for mass production, it's fantastic to be able to stamp similar images. In the lower right, I've created a focal point using two pre-printed die-cuts.

Holiday Folk also includes an assortment of beautiful holiday patterned paper. On this card, I added just a tiny strip of the red star pattern to the right side of a card base before adding my main panel. Wood veneer stars are included in the kit, too, and they add a wonderful, natural, rustic touch to the Holiday Folk imagery.


STAMPS: Holiday Folk
DIES: Holiday Folk
INK: Soft Stone, Aqua Mist
PAPER: white card stock, Holiday Folk patterned paper
OTHER: heavy green twine, wood veneer stars (both from the kit), foam adhesive



My next card features the same, clean look and lots of white space as the first card, but with a few extra crafty touches.


For this card, I began with a light watercolor wash in Aqua Mist on watercolor paper. I laid out all of my Holiday Folk pre-printed die-cuts, then lightly marked where my ornaments and branches would go. I machine stitched some lines to "hang" my ornaments from, erased the markings, and adhered the ornaments and branches back in their places.

The sentiment is from the new Christmas Cheer set. I'm in love with the big, scripty font! I layered three of the holiday word die-cuts for extra thickness, then added some glitter to the top using heat and stick powder and clear glitter. Other ways to create the glittery look: stickles, Glossy Accents sprinkled with glitter, or even a clear Wink of Stella for a more subtle shimmer.

The word "greetings" is stamped in Pinefeather, trimmed down, and popped up with foam tape. Last,  I added the two cardinal pre-printed die-cuts and a few of those favorite wood veneer stars. The whole panel is mounted onto a white card base with a narrow strip of on of the Holiday Folk papers along the left.


STAMPS: Holiday Folk, Christmas Cheer
DIES: Holiday Folk, Christmas Cheer
INK: Aqua Mist, Pinefeather
PAPER: white card stock, watercolor paper, Holiday Folk patterned paper
OTHER: wood veneer stars (included in the kit), heat and stick powder, clear glitter, liquid glue, sewing machine


Holiday Folk is such a darling kit, and those woodland creatures have quite a way of charming themselves right into your heart!

Visit the Papertrey team for lots more kit inspiration:


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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Scattered Leaves


Happy Wednesday, friends! Today, I'm over on the Taylored Expressions blog with an inked and embossed background using the beautiful Scattered Leaves embossing folder. I do believe a little part of me is turning into a technique stamper -- hope you'll check out this latest creation over there!

The folks at Taylored Expressions are giving away a $25 gift certificate, too -- click HERE for all the details. Good luck!


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