May PTI Blog Hop

I finally found an hour to make a couple of cards and played along with this month's blog hop. I chose the color combo above and used a few different floral sets.



Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Holiday cards: PTI Blog Hop

Welcome! I went a little crazy with all the beautiful color inspiration photos and created four cards! I had so much fun using new goodies and the great colors!





For this card, I used the Menorah Medley die to cut the Menorah into my cardfront. I stamped the sentiment and then impressed it with the Linen IP. I then also cut two more menorahs from Hawaiian Shores and Simply Chartreuse to use for the candles and flames.





I stamped the background of this card using BB:Super Stripes with Hawaiian Shores ink onto HS cardstock. I cute the square with the Limitless Layers: Square die and used Peace, Love and Joy to stamp the greeting in Hibiscus Burst ink.





This card has a background impression using Herringbone onto Ocean Tides cardstock. I cut the Star of David (from Menorah Medley dies) with Aqua Mist cardstock and adhered the matching circle behind, cut from Soft Stone.





The last card uses two impression plates: Herringbone for the Ripe Avocado cardstock and Peace Be Still for the Scarlet jewel portion. The image and sentiment, from In the Meadow, were stamped with A Muse ink onto Sweet Blush cardstock. A Sweet Blush satin ribbon was added.

Phew! Thanks for taking a look at my cards!
Melissa

Felt gift bag

Today I'm taking part in PTI's September blog hop, which is focusing on fabric and felt packaging ideas.



I made a gift bag out of PTI's Hawaiian Shores felt using Favor It Box 3 Die and one of the Damask Snowflake dies.



Here is the side view. I used a liquid glue to adhere it together, and needed to use some pressure on the side in order for it to glue closed.



I think these might be cute for a little teacher gift for the winter holidays!

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Wishing you...

Isn't that a gorgeous bouquet!!

I decided to pull out an old favorite floral set, Beautiful Blooms II for this month's blog hop. (In all truth, I made this card while a bunch of my stuff was already packed for SAF, and I was too lazy to unpack and repack) ;)



The sentiment is from Movers and Shakers: Sentiments.

Thanks for taking a look!
Melissa

June PTI Blog Hop

It's time for another blog hop! This month's inspiration photo is so pretty!



I tried to recreate the look of the textured pillow by stamping some flowers from Pretty Peonies and some dots from Polka Dot Basics. I then used the Linen/Canvas impression plate on that piece of cardstock.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Thanks

Blog Hop time again! Here's my card based on the inspiration photo:



I used the checkered background strip from On the Farm, hydrangea from Happy Hydrangea, "Thanks" from On the Farm, and "for everything you do" from WMS' Say It Loud.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Happy Birthday

It's PTI's April Blog Hop and here's the inspiration photo:

And my card:



I stamped the background using Damask Designs onto Vintage Cream cardstock. The flowers and leaves are from Rosie Posie, some cut by hand, some using the dies. The sentiment is found in Enjoy the Ride. I stamped a lined background onto the piece of Spring Rain cardstock using the little frame from Luck of the Irish.

Thanks for taking a look!
Melissa

Wish Big

It's March Blog Hop time!

Here is this month's gorgeous inspiration photo:



I loved the color scheme, and went with that as my inspiration. The background of my card was created by adhering strips of the star border die cuts in Aqua Mist onto the Aqua Mist base.



The focal image is from 2012 Birthday Tags, which I stamped twice.



Thanks for taking a look!
Melissa

Wishing you...

Hope you're having a great weekend!





I'm playing along with this month's PTI blog hop (interactive cards) as well as the week's Make It Monday (glittered buttons). Fun!



I stamped a background using the new Pretty Peonies set--stamped the outline and inside of the larger flower as well as the smaller outline, and colored a bit with Copics. The beautiful frame is also from that set, which I cut out by hand.



Here is a close up of the glittered buttons! The sentiment is from Movers & Shakers: Sentiments. Under the zipper it reads "a birthday as special as you are".

Thanks for coming by!
Melissa

"Wishing you" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Polka Dot Basics, Movers & Shakers: Sentiments, Pretty Peonies
Ink: Vintage Cream, Spring Rain, Rich Cocoa (Memento), Copics
Paper: Spring Rain, Vintage Cream, Kraft
Other: Zipper Dies, Spring Rain buttons, Diamon Glaze, Glitter, Foam Tape

June PTI Blog Hop

Welcome! I'm participating in the June PTI Blog Hop, and the challenge this month is to create a project based on the inspiration photo, below.



When looking at the photo, I noticed the different colors, the silver insect pegs, the hanging dresses, the cubbies,and all the various kid things stuffed in. I can relate to a lot in that photo--cubbies with random kid apparel and toys shoved in, pretty princess dresses, but I do wish I had a beautiful wall like that!

I just couldn't help thinking of my kids when making this card, so "your color my world" is the perfect sentiment -- as they sure do add color, and meaning to my life!



I used a butterfly, which is seen in the inspiration photo, and embossed them several times with silver embossing powder, and then colored with them with Copic markers. The Just a Ticket die mimics the cubbies and provides a landing spot for my butterflies, which I embossed into the white cardstock. In contrast to the photo, I left my background white so the butterflies could shine.

Thanks for taking a look!
Melissa

"You color my world" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams and Happy Trails
Ink: Versamark, Tuxedo Black (Memento) and Copic markers
Paper: Stamper's Select White
Other: Just the Ticket die, detail scissors, silver embossing powder, glue dots

PTI February Blog Hop

It's PTI Blog Hop time! This month's theme is scallops.

Here's my card, where I included some vertical scallops. I overlapped two rows, one cut with the large scallops and one with the small scallop die.



I also used the Mat Stack 4 die, Big Birthday Wishes and By the Numbers Dies. The patterned paper is from the Basic Grey collection, Hopscotch.



Thanks for hopping by!
Melissa

"It's your 4th birthday" (all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: Big Birthday Wishes
Ink: Walnut Stain (Ranger), Chestnut Roan (Colorbox)
Paper: Berry Sorbet, Hopscotch (Basic Grey)
Other: Small and Large scallop dies, Mat Stack 4 Die, Berry Sorbet satin ribbon, By the Numbers Die, Foam tape, Sponge

January PTI Blog Hop

Hello fellow hoppers!

Our theme this month was to use a stamp set that had not yet been used, or something that was gathering dust. I don't have any sets that are unused, but I pulled out an old favorite that hadn't been used in a while, Baby Button Bits.



It's funny...I had two patterned paper layers ready to adhere onto my card base, and as I was sewing them the focal layer was on top of the base and I loved the way it looked! So I went with it...and now I have a clean and simple card!



The cupcake is paper pieced with some My Mind's Eye papers, onto which I added a button tied with silk ribbon. The sentiment is from Enjoy the Ride.

Sorry for the dark pictures, I couldn't get them to look any better in Photoshop.

Thanks for coming by!
Melissa

October PTI Blog Hop

It's Blog Hop time again!

Here is this month's challenge: "There is always a lot of focus on Christmas in our industry this time of year, as that is what the majority of the population celebrates. However, this month's blog hop is dedicated to those that celebrate winter holidays other than Christmas. Create a project that celebrates Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or some other winter holiday as we embrace everyone's beliefs in a celebration of diversity through paper crafting."

I decided to create a Hanukkah card, and it will be very handy to have one ready to send to a friend at the beginning of December!




I used the candle and flame from It's a Celebration to create a menorah of sorts. I embossed the candle in white, and the flame in gold. I then cut out the focal image withe the Mat Stack 4 die. Tbe background, stamped in gold ink, is from Background Basics: Tin Type.



The sentiments for the inside come from Inside and Out: Holidays. I didn't have a Happy Hanukkah sentiment, but I felt that this saying worked well.

Thanks for looking!
Melissa

Celebrate....Dana!

Welcome!
This month's challenge for the PTI blog hop is to make a project inspired by a fellow blogger. Well, I am constantly inspired by Dana (granolagirltoo) and all her gorgeous creations on her blog, Kismet, Art, and Life .

Today I am showing a card I made featuring a rose based on Dana's amazing tutorial found here .



I followed Dana's great instructions and used the Beautiful Blooms II die #1. The background was stamped using Background Basics: Petal Power in Versamark on Smoky Shadow cardstock, and heat embossed with white detail powder (Filigree).



Now, my rose is definitely not as well formed and pretty as Dana's but I wish you could see how sparkly it is! I used Tattered Angel's Glimmer Mist in S.W.A.K. to color the rose.

Now, if you haven't seen Dana's blog you need to go immediately and subscribe as she posts the most amazing creations almost daily!

Have a great day!
Melissa

"Celebrate"
Stamps: BB: Petal Power, Fillable Frames #5
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Raspberry Fizz, Smokey Shadow, Stamper's Select White
Other: Beautiful Blooms II Die #1, White detail EP (Filigree), Raspberry Fizz satin ribbon, S.W.A.K. glimmer mist (Tattered Angels)

August PTI Blog Hop

It's Blog Hop time!



I really struggled with this month's theme to incorporate a brown bag into our project. I have a vision of making a mini album or pocket card with a brown bag, but all my efforts ended up in the recycling bin!

With no more "regular" brown bags in sight, I found a brown coffee bag to use.



I stamped some polka dots on the front of the bag, tied a ribbon and created a tag using Friendship Jar and the Fall fillers. I could see this being used to package up a gift for a neighbor or teacher.



Can't wait to see what everyone came up with! Thanks for stopping by!
Melissa

June PTI Blog Hop

It's blog hop time again! And our challenge this month is to use our favorite color combo. I don't have just one, but I do love Hawaiian Shores and Lavendar Moon together.

When I saw this card I was blown away! Loved it so much that I was inspired to try several of the elements on my own card. I used the same Label 4 die, sponged the background and paper pieced the lilies. The card ends up looking a very different style though.



Thanks for hopping by!
Melissa

(all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: YOF: Lily of the Valley
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Memento), Antique Linen and Walnut Stain (Ranger), Copics
Paper: Hawaiian Shores, Vintage Cream, Lavendar Moon Bitty Dot
Other: LM satin ribbon, HS buttons, Label 4 Die (Spellbinders), Rustic cream twine, sponge, In Bloom Impression Plate

April PTI Blog Hop

I'm back tonight with my card for this month's PTI Blog Hop. Our challenge is to use tissue paper...I only had white tissue, so I colored mine with a sponge and raspberry fizz ink. I folded my piece several times and cut it out using the small scallop die. Then, I layered each one over the next and tied a ribbon at the top.



For the sweet peas image I wanted to try paper piecing and colored using the Dotty Biscotti paper like Dawn did here , second card down.



Thanks for coming by to look!
Melissa

(all PTI unless noted)
Stamps: YOF: Sweet Pea
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Memento), Walnut Stain and Antique Linen (Ranger), Rasperry Fizz
Paper: Raspberry Fizz, vintage Cream, Kraft and Dotty Biscotti
Other: sponge, small scallop die, Copic markers, Girl Friday ribbon (Cosmo Cricket)