Christmas in August

Since I finally took out all my lovely PB stamps, I can't help but making another card for the Simon says Challenge: Christmas in August:)

I think the timing is perfect. As a matter of fact, I just checked the PB website and they released some really cute Christmas sets. I think they will be available for purchase next month and I might hold my other orders for them. But I missed the Touch of Whimsy collection, and I want them now badly too.

Well enough of the shopping enthusiasm, here is my final card:

The image and sentiment are both from the same set, Christmas critters, I believe. I can't find the package of the stamp set on my extremely messy desk at the moment, hehe.

Here is the close look:

I first colored the mouses grey. I'm afraid it's too light since I only have C1, so I put yellow on it again. I just love these cute little creatures, so sweet.

Penny Black/ Ground challenge

This week's Penny black Saturday challenge is about using Penny Black stamps to create the background.

I WOWed at all the fabulous creations made by the DT and had no clue how to start mine. Then I remembered the sponge dauber background card showed on Stamptv.com before and decided to give it a try. Here is my finished card using the images from PB in the garden set:

Here is the close up of the focal image and you can see the subtle butterflies in the circles as well.

PB hedgehog had always been my favorite, and now I would say that furry cat is just adorable too!

PTI Make it Monday #26

This week's technique is about decreasing Apertures. I think it's super cool and it's a brand new technique for me to try the first time.

I used PTI stack mat 2 die and then the scalloped circle die from love lives here. In the middle I used the circle image from love lives here. It all paired up pretty well. The raspberry fizz works well with aqua mist. Then I was stuck. I don't know what to do with the bottom part of the card. I finally struggle an idea to ink some polka dots and a ribbon with a button on it.

I don't know if I can shake off the excess glitter without ruining the whole card. So I thought it may be a good idea to substitute the glitter window with a piece of clear cardstock. I stamped the sentiment on the window and it all went well until...... I put them together!

I did heat the ink on the clear cardstock, but apparently it was not dried. I wish there were an ink eraser. Oh, please let me know if there IS such a thing.

I was just about giving it all up, then I made the final attempt. I stamped the heart again and cut it out by hand. The heart covered the accident pretty well, and there you go: if I have TWO hearts, they will always be with you as well.

Here is the finished card. I have truly understood my limitation in making cards by now. I think I should probably just give up the making card part, and only focus on hoarding all the PTI goodies:)

Mojo Monday 202

Ok, another sketch from Mojo Monday:

And here is my take:

I didn't use the ribbon tails since I thought it might be too much. But after substituting them with three rhinestones, I KNEW the tails would be better! Sign,,,,,,, Well, overall it's still a cute little card, don't you agree?

Paper: K&Company, PTI

Stamp: PTI pear

Mojo Monday 201

It was a frustrating week and there were claim after claim at the work when it's clearly not our fault! Anyway, business is business, just got to deal with it. I didn't feel creative at all, but I finally made a card this morning. Well I got to agree with others, it's kind of expensive to keep this papercrafting hobby, but it definitely better than a therapy.

Here is my card using Mojo Monday sketch 201,

paper: K&company

Stamp: PTI day dreams, Tiny Tags,

Ribbon: PTI spring moss

A blind date card

Today is Papertrey Ink's Stamp-a-faire day. I can't express my excitement more when I saw a new card and a challenge everytime I refreshed Nicole's blog page.

I'm going to put it short before I miss the submission time:) I took the challenge 7, which is making a card layering 2 or 3 images from different sets together.

My first thought was paring beautiful bloom with the signature series: flower. It didn't worked out. I tried quite a few sets and they all didn't match very well.

Finally it worked out with pairing Dot Spots and Giga Guide lines:

The interesting thing is the dots peeked through the top image as you can see below:

I used the sentiment from Giga Guide lines as well, on the fillable frame 10. I always like to use the sentiments coming with the set. Nothing really fancy. The colors I first decided were two shades of blue. I planned to use Ocean Tides as the matting, then I wanted to make it a happy bright card, so I changed to Pure Poppy. But when I had another look, I really should have used the sentiment " Happy July Forth"! Well, I guess I will just save it for someone whose birthday is close to that then.

A not so succeed dry brushing card

This week's PTI Make it Monday is about dry brushing technique. To be honest, I think PTI's techniques are too advantaged for a new stamper like me. Although I enjoyed watching them, I have been skipping majority of them because I don't want to use a sewing machine, I don't have re-inkers, I don't have an impression plate and etc.

I already gave up playing along this time since I don't have any paint either, sign...... But I just remembered that the only re-inker I have is the thick textured fresh snow ink. So with my very limited creativity, I paired it with the craft cardstock.

Here is the final card,

As you can see, the dry brushing was more like rubbing ink pad all around the edge of the cardstock. Maybe it's the paint/re-inker, maybe it's the brush, maybe it's me:P

I embossed the wish big using black embossing powder and I run it through cuttlebug using the the cavan impression plate.

I always thought PTI's impression plates are too expensive comparing to the cuttlebug ones. I finally carefully picked up one recently and just receive the plate. I was very very impressed and I still don't know if it really worth it, but I had to say that I love it.

Stamps used: PTI Day Dreams, Big and Bold wishes.