Celebrate Your Day!

I can't believe the weekend is already winding down!  Yesterday, I finally got my Cuttlebug!  PTI's small scallop die and Polka Dot Impression plate had been staring at me all week and I had no way to use them.  I found it on sale for 40% off, so today I had to play with it a little bit.  My husband even got into it and kept making polka dot impressions!

I did manage to make a card - amongst napping, laundry, hockey, and rearranging the unfinished basement family room to include my crafting space!  More on that later...

Tomorrow is my in-laws anniversary so here is the card I made for them.

I am in love with Signature Greetings and Year of Flowers: Violets!

Well, I need to finish getting ready for my busy week!  Dr. Seuss' birthday is on Tuesday so we will be celebrating all week in Kindergarten - hat day, Wacky Wednesday, silly sock day, etc - needless to say, I am going to need every ounce of energy I can muster! And my evenings aren't looking any less busy.  That's okay though, Friday will be here before I know it and that means another month of PTI peeks start!  Woo-Hoo!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

Supplies: (All Papertrey Ink unless noted)

Cardstock: Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Spring Rain, Bitty Box in Spring Rain, PP from DCWV's Old World Mat Stack

Stamps: Signature Greetings, Year of Flowers: Violets

Ink: Enchanted Evening

Other: Fresh Snow Twill ribbon, Spring Rain button, Button Twine, Small Scallop Die, Gem from Michael's

Poppy Seed Challenge #1

I love challenges!  Today I am participating in Lisa Johnson's 1st Poppy Seed Challenge.  
The only requirement is to somehow incorporate each of the 3 seeds she has listed. I love crystals and flower stamps, but rarely use yellow.  I enjoyed working with my Lemon Tart cardstock though!

I stamped the small flower from Year of Flowers: Violets in Versamark Ink then embossed with with American Crafts ZING! Clear embossing powder. 
I stamped the big violet onto some Pretty Pastels PP and the leaves onto Bitty Box  PP in Spring Moss using Dark Chocolate ink.  Then added three Gems (purchased at Archiver's) to the center of the flower.

This sentiment is from Asian Fusion and is also stamped on some Pretty Pastels PP in Dark Chocolate ink.  The buttons are both from the Holiday Mix collection and are tied on with Rustic Cream Button Twine.

Hope you are enjoying your Saturday!  Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

(All products are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.)

Compose a Card with Becky #5

I am so excited to play along with Becky's challenge this week.  Find details here.  I have been wanting to play the past few weeks, but haven't found the time.  When I saw the polka dots on this weeks challenge, I knew I had to participate!  For Becky's challenges, she gives you cutting and color instructions.  I am now in love with Aqua Mist and Pure Poppy & White Polka Dots! 

Here is my card.  I actually wrapped Pure Poppy Swiss Dot ribbon around the 2nd mat layer of cardstock because my white ink pad desperately needs a re-inker!  I love the look though and will definitely do this again! 

Here is a close up of the details! 

Who enjoyed that Blog Hop last night?  I know I did, what a great challenge!  I best be off to work; have a great Friday!  I hope everyone is able to squeeze in some crafting time this weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

Supplies:  All Papertrey Ink products

Cardstock: Aqua Mist & Stamper Select White

Stamps: Asian Fusion

Ink: Pure Poppy

Other: Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon in Pure Poppy, Vintage Buttons in Pure Poppy, Button Twine & a flower punch

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

It's time for another Papertrey Ink Blog Hop! For details check out www.papertreyink.com Here is what Dawn says about the challenge... "Since we just finished up our 3rd Anniversary Festivities, we thought we would do something extra special for this month's Blog Hop! Design Team Appreciation Day! Your challenge is to go through the Design Team gallery or any of the Design Team Members' blogs and find a project that is especially inspirational to you! Then recreate the project with your own spin, making it unique!..."

Well, after finding PTI over a year ago I started checking out the DT Blogs and the one that really caught my eye was Dawn McVey's. There was always something about her projects that drew me in. Her Raspberry Suite is still the first place I go for inspiration when my creative mojo is low. Thanks Dawn!

For this challenge I came across this cute card. You can find it here on Dawn's blog.

Here is my take on her card. What I really loved about Dawn's card was the layout, so that I kept that the same. I used Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, Kraft & Vintage Cream. The Kraft is stamped with Polka Dot Basics II in Dark Chocolate. Then I added a Flourish in White - which is something else I have seen Dawn do and have always wanted to try! I love the big Saddle Stitched bow with the button! After I added the butterflies from Butterfly Kisses (stamped on Bitty Box PP), I started looking for a sentiment. I had just gotten Signature Greetings and when I saw "You Make Me Smile" I thought that was perfect.

Here is a close up of the details!

Thanks for checking it out and commenting! I loved being able to participate in another PTI Blog Hop!

~Anika

Card and Notebook

Today was a bittersweet day.  An Aide at our school decided to take a new, less stressful, job.  She has been working in my classroom for an hour a day for the past three years and I will miss her dearly!  The school won't be the same without her, but we are happy for her! 

I decided to make her a card and notebook set.  I came across this Sweet Sunday Sketch and wanted to give it a try.  

Here is the coordinating notebook.  

And the set together. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

Supplies: (All PTI unless noted)

Card stock: Stampers Select White, Berry Sorbet, Aqua Mist, Bitty Box Patterned Paper in Aqua Mist and Spring Moss

Stamps: Fancy Flourishes and Whimsy Greetings by The Paper Company

Ink: Berry Sorbet

Other: Spring Moss & Berry Sorbet Vintage Buttons, Rustic Button Twine

Feel Better Soon & some Kid Creations

My husband's coworker had knee surgery earlier in the week so this is the card that I made for his crew to sign for him.  My stamp choices were rather slim for a masculine get well card, so I just chose the "Feel Better Soon" sentiment from an old set that I have.  The cardstock is PTI's Select White, Kraft, and Bitty Box Patterned Paper in Ripe Avocado and Dark Chocolate.  The green buttons are from my New Leaf Vintage Buttons and the brown ones are from a mix I picked up on clearance at Wal-Mart.

I also wanted to share some of my student's projects from the past week.  I think I have a future PTI Click Simple Template designer in my Kindergarten class!  She threw this house together during Choice Time the other day.  You can even see the door on the front wall.  She had so much fun making it and playing with it and was really worried about how she was going to get it home without smooshing it!

I was trying to figure out a simple way to have my class make Valentine cards for their parents.  I decided to cut some PTI cardstock and patterned paper into pieces for them to use - kind of like the kits Michelle Wooderson puts together.  Here are some of the cards they made.

They had a great time making them and I think they turned out pretty well!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

The last of my Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day!  I made these two cards for a couple coworkers who are obsessed with coffee.  I actually found this stamp set at Christmas time so I could incorporate coffee into the projects I made for them then.  I got it at Michaels, it's called Coffee Cafe by TPC Studio.  

For this card I used PP from PTI Simple Valentine, along with Sweet Blush and Kraft.  The raffia is from Target.

On this card I used more of the Simple Valentine PP with Pure Poppy.  The ribbon and buttons are also from PTI.  I love this sentiment "You're the cream in my coffee."  So cute!

Have a wonderful day!

~Anika

PTI Challenge: Asian Fusion - Origami

Today's Anniversary Challenge on Nichole's blog is to incorporate Origami into your project.  Here is what I came up with.

Thanks for checking it out!

~Anika

PTI Challenge: DT Colors, Melissa

**Note: There are 3 posts today for the Papertrey Ink contest.  Details can be found at Nichole's blog.

Here is the last card I was able to make tonight.  It uses Melissa's color palette.

The colors actually turned out pretty good in this one, but those three buttons look like they are floating off the page!  Weird!!  Anyway, I'm excited to try all the other DT Favorites someday, but for tonight, this is it!  I need some sleep.

Thanks for checking them out!  

~Anika

PTI Challenge: DT Colors, Dawn

Dawn's favorite color palette and my card.

I promise all the colors are there!  I don't have any good lighting for pictures at 9:30 PM!  The card base is Hibiscus Burst, the Ribbon and button are Raspberry Fizz, the flower is Summer Sunrise, and the sentiment and backing on the punched edge is Dark Chocolate.

~Anika

PTI Challenge: DT Colors, Betsy

Here is Betsy's color palette and the card I created.

 

~Anika

PTI Challenge: "Paint" by Number

Since my creative juices were a little low today after all my crafting over the weekend, I enjoyed being "told" what to do for my card today!  This is what I made following the directions over at Nichole's blog.  

The colors aren't what I would typically put together and I don't know that I have ever used 5 different colors on a card, but I like them and think they make a good gender neutral card.  This will make a great card for my stash.

Thanks for looking!

~Anika

Supplies:  (All PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Vintage Cream, Ocean Tides, Kraft, Spring Moss, Bitty Box Patterned Paper in Lemon Tart

Stamps: Polka Dot Basics II, Whimsey Greetings by The Paper Company

Ink: Dark Chocolate, Versamark

I Love You

This is the card I made for the PTI Sponsored CPS Sketch.  Find the details at Nichole's blog

or at the CPS Blog.

I love square cards but don't make them very often.  I really like the way the patterns and colors came together in this one.

Thanks for checking it out!

~Anika

Supplies: (All Papertrey Ink unless noted)

Paper: Stampers Select White, Pure Poppy, Simple Valentine Pattern Papers

Stamps: Whimsey Greetings by The Paper Company Studio

Ink: Pure Poppy

Ribbon: American Crafts Premium Ribbon

You're the Best Ever

Here's another Valentine.  I have had Guide Lines Two for a couple months and I have barely pulled it out.  I thought it deserved a little love!  I wasn't quite sure about this color combo at first, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.

Last night, we went to visit my parents.  A week and a half ago, my daddy fell and broke his ankle so he is stuck at home on the couch. :(  I brought a couple Valentine's I made with so that he could pick one out for Mom since he won't be getting to a store to buy one!  This is the card he chose, Mom will love it!  Well, I am off to sing at church this morning, then going to a get together with my mom's side of the family, then back home to watch the Super Bowl while baking cookies and making a card for the PTI sponsored CPS sketch.

Have a great day!

~Anika

Supplies: (All PTI unless noted)

Cardstock: Stampers Select White, Hibiscus Burst

Stamps: Guide Lines Two, Big & Bold Wishes

Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Pure Poppy, & Berry Sorbet

Embellishments: Felt Heart from Martha Stewert, Vintage Button in Pure Poppy, Button Twine

Sending You...

I am in love with PTI's Big & Bold Wishes!  I am finding uses for it on everything.  Maybe it's just because I don't have many sentiment sets, but I think this one is a must have!

This Valentine will be on it's way to my California on Monday morning.  My best friend and her husband are stationed in San Diego with the Navy.  

Thanks for looking!

~Anika

Supplies: (All Papertrey Ink)

Cardstock: Stampers Select White, Simple Valentine Patterned Paper

Stamps: Big & Bold Wishes

Ink: Raspberry Fizz & Pure Poppy

Embellishments: Vintage Buttons from the Christmas collection, Swiss Dot Satin Ribbon in Pure Poppy

PTI Challenge: Emboss Resist

Today over at Nichole's blog she introduced us to a new weekly challenge called Make It Monday.  I am so excited about this!!  The challenge she issued was to make a project using the Emboss Resist technique.  Here is the card I came up with.

This card made me realize how few PTI stamps I have!  Of my dozen sets, 3 are Christmas themed and 1 is Halloween, and most of the rest are background builders.  I really need to work on fixing this problem over the next couple months!!  Anyway, I managed to find a flourish to work with and since I love pink and I have Valentines that need to be worked on, I used pinks for my color scheme.

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika

Supplies: (All PTI unless noted)

Paper: Stampers Select White, Bitty Box in Raspberry Fizz, Simple Valentine Patterned Paper

Stamps: Fancy Flourishes, Fresh Alphabet

Ink: Raspberry Fizz pigment ink, Versamark

Misc.: Button Twine, American Crafts ZING! Clear Embossing Powder, Prima Flower, and Martha Stewert wooden heart Button

PTI Anniversary, Day 2 Contest: Dawn's Image

This is the last card I will have time for tonight.  Would have loved to make all nine, but someone has to get ready for Parent Teacher Conferences!  This one uses Dawn's image - I love the colors!  Find more details about the contest here.

PTI Anniversary, Day 2 Contest: Niki's Image

Here is the 3rd card I made for PTI's Anniversary Contest.  Find the details here.

PTI Anniversary, Day 2 Contest: Heather's Image

What a cute little cupcake!  This is the second card I made for Papertrey Ink's Anniversary celebration contest today.  Find the details here.

PTI Anniversary, Day 2 Contest: Becky's Image

If you didn't already know, Papertrey Ink is celebrating it's 3rd Anniversary! They sure know how to throw a party too!  This is the first card I made for todays contest, find the details here.  I love this little scene that Becky created.