Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge - Floral

Hello once again...

My second card for the night is for the Floral challenge. This was much harder than you would think as Papertrey Ink has so many fantastic floral stamps is can sometimes be difficult to make a choice.

As time was somewhat of the essence, I settled on the Year of Flowers - Lily of the Valley. I love those flowers. So dainty, so fragrant. 

The photo is not the best as taking the picture at night with just my desk lamp is far from ideal. My apologies.

I have used a panel of pattern paper for the front of my card and used a MFT Homespun Stitch Lines die along the left side. Beside that is some homespun looking ribbon. This ribbon reminds me of old bed ticking. I just love it.

The sentiment, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, is from Think Big Favorites #6.

The flower is stamped on the coordinating die cut and then coloured very simply with the Copics shown below. Popped it up and the card is done. 

Quite a simple card I think but I love the stitching lines and that ribbon.

That is all from me for tonight. Thank you for visiting and leaving me your amazing comments. Have a great evening. Cheers.

~  Melanie  ~

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge - Card and Envelope Art

Good evening everyone and welcome...

I had wanted to get these posted earlier but like so many parts of Canada and the USA we are being pounded by a wicked snowstorm so needed to deal with that for most of the day instead of making cards.

Unfortunately I will not have the time to participate in all the challenges but I did manage to get two more done, although very quickly.

This first post tonight is for the Card and Decorated Envelope challenge.

I have used a white card with a blue panel on which I have stamped the Stitches & Swirls and then I added a couple birds and the Happy Birthday music from Songbirds. 

In the centre I have used Boutique Borders Birthday stamp and the coordinating die.

Finished off with a gingham bow and all done. Have to say not really happy with this but that is the result of rushing to get it done and not having enough time to think it all out. 

The envelope is stamped with the same stamps and again I used the Boutique Borders stamp and die for the spot for the name and address. 

I have run the envelope through an embossing folder for the back flap for a bit of interest.

Thanks for stopping by. Be back shortly with one more card for tonight. Cheers.

~  Melanie ~

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge - Multiply

Hello again....

Back for one more challenge today. 

This challenge was to use a shaped die multiple times.

I decided to use the teapot die from Tea for Two.

I cut out three teapots from scraps of pattern paper that I thought would look like old fashioned teapots. In the end I decided to stamp on the teapot outline as it really did look better.

I have created three shelves on which the teapots sit by running some cardstock through a wood grain embossing folder, rubbing on some brown ink and cutting into thin strips.  

I have added a strip of lace to represent the lace edging on the shelves and popped up the teapots. Very vintage I think.  :)

This was added to a soft green dotted paper which I then mounted up with some fun foam.

The sentiment stamped in black is from the same Tea for Two stamp set.

I am done for the day and still have two more challenges to catch up with so hope to be back tomorrow. 

Thanks again for coming by and again, thank you so much for your wonderful and kind comments. Cheers.

~  Melanie ~

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge - Package Inspiration

Welcome back....

On to the second challenge which was a tag or a gift package.

I have chosen to use a small bag I had and to decorate it.

I have used the fantastic stamps and dies from Don't Forget to Write. I LOVE that set so much.

I cut the circular frame with the inside removed from white cardstock and then stamped on the stripes with yellow ink.

Inside that I have used the "Gift" die and sponged on some yellow and pink ink for some colour.

Below that are the blossoms and a couple of leaves.

The transformation from a very plain and ordinary little bag to something that would be a joy to give and receive all comes down to a few stamps and dies.

Thanks for stopping by. Back soon with the next challenge. Cheers.

~  Melanie  ~

Papertrey Ink Anniversary Challenge - Stitching

Hello there everyone...

As you may know, Papertrey Ink is celebrating their 10th anniversary. They are having numerous challenges for us all to play along with and I am participating in a few of them.

You are about to get an onslaught of posts from me as I have completed a few of the challenges and will post them all right now, one after the other.

So...without further ado...here is the first one.

The challenge was to use felt or stitching on a project. As it happens, I do not own any of the Papertrey Ink stitching dies. But...I do love to do needlework so this challenge was one that I was looking forward to trying.

Basic white A2 card with another panel of white over the top layered up with a piece of fun foam.

I have stamped the cross-stitch border from Sew Simple Borders down along one side and the actually went back and embroidered it with red floss. Easy to do, just follow the X's.

I then used the X and O from Stitched Alphabet to cover the rest of the panel with red and black X's and O's.

I then used the dies from Apple Prints to cut out the parts of an apple from red, white and green felt.

I have embroidered the veins on the leaves and also an outline of the seeds inside the apple with embroidery floss and then combined the pieces with fabric glue.

The sentiment, which I think is absolutely perfect, is from the same stamp set and I have used Memento Tuxedo Black ink and cut it out with a Spellbinders die and sponged on a bit of ink so it would lot be lost in the background.

Challenge #1 is in the bag and now moving on to the next one.

Thanks so much for taking the time to visit with me and leave me your kind comments. Cheers.

~  Melanie  ~

Double D Challenge - Springtime

Greetings and welcome to my blog

I am getting in just under the wire for the Double D Challenge for this fortnight. You can see the inspiration photo below. Isn't it just delicious. So soft, so pretty and speaking of Spring.

I have chosen to focus on tulips for my card so I dug out a stamp set by that artful genius Marcella Hawley.

I stamped the tulips with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then coloured them with the Copics you can see below.

The sentiment is from a Power Poppy stamp set Everything's Even Rosier and cut with a Spellbinders die.

I have used a strip of pink paper down the left side and stamped in very soft pink with a Papertrey Ink stamp called Sew Simple Borders. The look is very subtle as you can see from this picture.

A scrap of a leafy green and heart paper on the right side is separated with a strip of lace and ribbon.

I have used two Spellbinder dies to cut out the focal image and a mat behind it. I have layered them up with pop dots as I do so love dimension on cards as you can see here.

So there you have it. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving me your kind comments. Each and every one makes me smile. Cheers.

~  Melanie  ~

Reverse Confetti March Sketch Challenge

Good morning everyone and welcome...

There is a new sketch on the Reverse Confetti blog for March and you can see it here. I am playing along. I do not have very many Reverse Confetti stamps yet but I am working with what I have.

I started with a white 5 x 7 card and sponged some Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Festive Berries around the edge. Layered on a piece of pattern paper cut with a bit of a curve for some interest.

 I cut out the words "love" and "hugs" and added them along the left side of the card. 

The focal image I have chosen is that adorable raccoon from Quirky Cuties: Rocky Raccoon.

Stamped him with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured him up with the Copics you see below. I fussy cut him out and then I paper pieced his shirt and then added another envelope on top of that.  He is added with some pop dots for some dimension.

That is all from me for today. Thank you so much for stopping by. Please do leave me your comments as they make my day. Cheers.

~  Melanie  ~

Papertrey Ink Make it Monday 276

Hello there everyone and welcome to my blog...

It is Monday so that means another fantastic Papertrey Ink Make it Monday and this week features Melissa Phillips and her brilliant and beautiful technique of colouring on kraft cardstock. Aren't her sample cards stunning?



Melissa suggested that we might like to try this technique with black cardstock as well as kraft and I have done just that. 

I have made two cards for this challenge, one on black and one on kraft. Let's have a look at the black one first.

I have used the fantastic dies from the Don't Forget to Write set to cut out a dark blue note card and the square inset in white. I really love that these dies already have that stitching line all around, in keeping with my love of stitching projects. I used the square die to cut out the centre and then I backed it with some decorative vellum-like paper. Actually, I have to confess that it came from a delicious box of chocolates. I loved the paper so much that I saved it. :)

I have used one of my all time favourite stamp sets, In Bloom, which I embossed in white on black card and cut out with the dies. I have used Prismacolor pencil crayons to colour in the two blossoms.

The word Note is again a die from the Don't Forget To Write set. I have cut it out four times for dimension. If you can see from this photo, one of the layers is pale blue and another is black and I have barely offset them for a teeny tiny bit of a shadow to match the black border around the blooms.

And that finished up that card. Next up, kraft.  :)


I started with a white card base, rounded the corners and very lightly sponged on some lavender ink all around and then stamped the cross-stitch stamp from Sew Simple Borders down along the edge. The other edge got a nice lavender ribbon and bow.

The centre panel is kraft and I have used the two large branch stamps from Stitched Sentiments in a pale green and the little blossom in lavender down both sides of the panel. 

On top is the beautiful lattice die from Garden Gate kit. I just adore this die. Cannot imagine why I do not use it all the time!

The stamp I chose is the Year of Flowers Gladiolus. I embossed in white on the same kraft cardstock and cut it out with the coordinating die. I used the same Prismacolor pencil crayons on this as well.



After beginning to assemble the card I did not like the look of the flowers just sitting on top of the lattice so I cut them apart and stuck them through the lattice. Much better.

I also did not like the idea of the lattice flat on the card (I do so love dimension) so cut the tiny foam squares into even tinier little slivers and stuck them on the back to lift it up a bit. Even better still. :)

The sentiment stamped in black and lavender is from Banner Sentiments and cut with the coordinating die.

And there you have it. Really loved this technique and plan to make some more cards for my stash along the same lines. Thanks to Melissa for another terrific challenge. 

And thanks to all of you for stopping to visit with me. I do so love it when you leave me your comments. Cheers.

~ Melanie ~