Leafy Sampler Square

My leafy sampler card was created for yesterday's Papertrey Ink 9th Anniversary challenge.  Here's the challenge:  "In honor of our 9th Anniversary, you are challenged to cut nine 1-1/2” squares from white cardstock, then alter all nine of the squares using a variety of techniques, colors, stamps, etc. Be sure to do something different to each square!  ..... adhere the nine squares to a 5-1/2” x 5-1/2” square card front ..."

So I decided to use 9 different ink techniques, all of them new to me.  I'm not a "get inky" kind of crafter.  Even the inky basics of blending, smooshing, and splattering were new experiments for me.  I was surprised at the nice results I got on my first try, which will encourage me to do more with these techniques, and my squares even look pretty good together!

I chose just a few stamps and colors to give my design some unity.  My nine different techniques were ...
Top row: Doodling on a stamped image (with white gel pen and Copic olive 0.3 multiliner), ink splattering, sponging on a stencil
Middle row: Emboss resist, ink smooshing, watercolored background with reinkers and a stencil
Bottom row: Ink blended background, multicolor stamping (reinkers dabbed onto the stamp), and shadow stamping with two colors of ink.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) mint julep and stamper's select white.
• Twine is shore (light blue) stripe from The Twinery.
• Stencil is by Crafter's Workshop.
• Inks are PTI blueberry sky (medium blue), new leaf (medium green), and pinefeather (dark green).
• Stamps are from PTI turning a new leaf.

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Circles with Aqua and Rust

A simple design with some details that I really like - the 2 different rust-colored borders, the embossed and printed circles, the dark marker edging on the patterned paper, and a touch of embroidery floss.  I'm glad I placed the banner a bit to the right of the circle-patterned paper's left edge; it adds to the illusion that the dark marker edging is a narrow layer.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source pool (aqua), Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white, terra cotta tile (deep rusty orange - less red than my picture), the stripes print from PTI terra cotta tile pattern pack, and Carta Bella 12 x 12" all bundled up/ snowflake swirl.  I almost never buy 12 x 12" paper, but the circle pattern is a nice scale for cards. 
• The circles print is edged with Copic marker BG75.
• Embossing folder is Sizzix retro cirque.
• Dies are PTI double-ended banners and My Favorite Things wavy edge (retired).
• Embroidery floss is DMC #920.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI terra cotta tile ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Turquoise, Aqua, and Gray Stars

This week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday challenge is to "create along with us," choosing a February release project created by the PTI design team for inspiration.

My card started from Amy's lovely butterfly card.  I thought her color scheme - nearly monochromatic - and variety of patterns would work well in a starry design.  Thanks, Amy, for a beautiful project to inspire me!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) stormy sea (medium gray), mint julep (light green), tropical teal (deep turquoise), and several prints from PTI pattern packs: aqua mist (pale aqua) bitty dot, Hawaiian shores (medium turquoise) damask, tropical teal gingham, and smokey shadow (dark gray) leaf.
• Silver tinsel weave ribbon (3/8") came from PTI but is no longer available.
• Dies are PTI cover plate: stars and photo finish strips.  The stars are inlaid into the stormy sea background.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI tropical teal ink cube. 
• The two tiny stars were punched with a 1/4" Fiskars hand punch.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Blue and Green Confetti with Green Eyelet Lace

Today's card is for a Papertrey Ink 9th Anniversary Celebration grab and craft challenge.  Using a kitchen timer, I took five minutes to gather a "grab bag" of supplies.  (See photo below.)  To meet the challenge, I needed to make a card with all of the supplies, and no others.

I chose a confetti stamp (new to me) for my background.  It made me think of the bubble-patterned sentiment stamp.  Then the eyelet lace die seemed to go well with the confetti circles.  Six colors of ink and four of card stock, with some metallic gold thread tossed in for fun.

Then "all I needed to do" was design a card.  This is not the way I normally work!  Normally, I would be going back and forth, choosing and changing elements as I go along.  The thread was the hardest for me to use.  Without the challenge, I would have skipped it, but I like the sparkly touch it adds.  My little dark green and dark blue stars look very similar, even in real life, so I didn't really need both colors.  The stamped confetti background was fun to make.  All in all, I'm happy with the card, and I'm glad I gave this challenge a try.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) rustic white, blueberry sky (medium blue), vintage jadeite (light green), and new leaf (medium green).
• Metallic thread is "or" (gold) by DMC.
• Die is PTI eyelet lace.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI wonderful words: thank you, stamped with PTI blueberry sky ink cube. 
• The background pattern is PTI confetti toss, stamped with PTI spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky, enchanted evening (dark blue), vintage jadeite, new leaf, and pinefeather (dark green) ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Multicolor Tweed Patchwork

Today's challenge for the Papertrey Ink 9th Anniversary celebration is to use a favorite piece of clothing as inspiration.  My multicolored cotton jacket, below, has been in my wardrobe for years, and I really enjoy wearing it.  It goes with everything, fits me beautifully, and gets many compliments.

I thought it would be fun to create a card with bright tweedy patchwork and colorful thread slubs.  My jacket looks great with khaki pants, so I chose kraft for my card base.  I was happily surprised with the finished card.  I like it a lot.  And it makes me smile, just like the jacket does!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) classic kraft, tropical teal, fine linen (tan), lemon tart (yellow), melon berry (light orange), and aqua mist.
• Embroidery floss is DMC #721, 3281, and 3804.
• I stamped my tweedy squares with the stripes and banners from PTI bitty background blocks II, using PTI raspberry fizz (pink), orange zest, and tropical teal ink cubes.
• The sentiment "hello" is from PTI polka dot parade #2, stamped with PTI tropical teal ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Brown Branch on Kraft

Edited February 10, 2017 to add: For the Papertrey Ink (PTI) 10th anniversary, we were asked to pick a PTI project from the past 10 years that we are most proud of.  This is one of my top favorites, and I chose it today because it shows many of the things I love about PTI.  Great inspiration and interesting challenges - dies that play so nicely together - gorgeous rich card stock colors - versatile tone on tone patterned paper - stamps in simple but lovely fonts - ink that truly matches the card stock colors.  And I'm proud of it because it's beautiful! and it stretched my creativity to make it.  

It's the Papertrey Ink (PTI) 9th Anniversary celebration with ten days of challenges on Nichole's Capture the Moment blog.  PTI is, by far, my favorite source for papers, dies, inks, and stamps for my card making.  Classic designs, great quality, and beautiful inspiration.

My card is for the Feb. 5 challenge with Design Team Favorites color inspiration.  It's Danielle's color scheme of Dark Chocolate, Classic Kraft, Melon Berry, Scarlet Jewel and Summer Sunrise.   I love the rich deep colors with the bright starry accents.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark chocolate (brown), classic kraft, summer sunrise (yellow), melon berry (light orange - less pink than my image), scarlet jewel (burgundy), and the stripes print from PTI scarlet jewel pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI tipped tops (smallest size), branching out, and star gazer (button shapes).  The buttonholes are covered with little stars that I punched with a Fiskars hand punch.
• I inlaid the kraft shape into the stripes, making a flat surface for the branch.
• The sentiment "hello" is from PTI winter woods, stamped with PTI scarlet jewel ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Red Diagonal Stripes with Blue Stars

The red and white diagonal striped paper took center stage for this design.  I like the narrow gold stripe (shiny in real life) and diagonal stamped sentiment. 

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things red hot (red), Papertrey Ink (PTI) enchanted evening (dark blue) and luxe gold, and PTI pure poppy (red) "+ white basics" patterned paper.
• Embossing folder is The Paper Studio tiny stars.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you, and "very much" is from PTI wonderful words: thank you, stamped with PTI enchanted evening ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Blue Stars with Ombre Stripes

A chain of blue stars on ombre stripes.  I tried several different background colors before choosing this light kraft.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah desert storm (light kraft), Papertrey Ink (PTI) scarlet jewel (burgundy), enchanted evening (dark blue), and the scarlet jewel print from PTI ombre stripes A2 patterned paper.
• Dies are PTI super star borders and Elizabeth Craft hello.  The small stars with the "hello" are leftovers from the star border die. 
• Top and bottom right corners are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" corner chomper.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Star on Blue Houndstooth

Strong red and gold lines and shapes, contrasting with a quiet blue houndstooth print and gray chevron texture.  Intense and a bit dramatic.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source curry (gold), Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red) and stormy sea (gray), and houndstooth print from Simple Stories so rad 6x6" pad.
• Embossing folder is Sizzix chevrons (retired).
• Die is My Favorite Things stacking stars.  I inlaid a 1/4" red dot, punched with my very old office supply hand punch.
• The sentiment "thanks" is cut with the Silhouette Cameo, using my design from this card.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Blue Jay with Leafy Branch

A cheerful card with a bright blue jay.  I enjoy watching blue jays outside, though they certainly don't play well with the other birds.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white, spring rain (light blue), simply chartreuse (medium green), and the bitty dots print from PTI spring moss (light green) pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI winter woods (bird), PTI double-ended banner, and Poppy Stamps meadow leaf.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) ink cube.  The 2-step blue jay is from PTI winter woods, stamped with PTI blueberry sky and smokey shadow (dark gray) ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Green Leaflet on Green

A bright green card with embossed and die cut leaflets.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source spruce (dark green - retired) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) new leaf (medium green) and rustic cream.
• Die is PTI branching out.  I used one leaflet from the top of the branch.
• Embossing folder is Cuttlebug leafy branch, borrowed from a friend.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI communique sentiments, stamped with PTI new leaf ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Stripes and Arrows - Hello

A blue striped background and multicolor arrows.  There's an energy that I like in the color contrasts, patterns, and diagonal layout.

In real life, the striped background is more blue.  It's a challenge for me to capture the deep rusty orange color, which often looks too red on screen.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) terra cotta tile (rusty orange), smokey shadow (dark gray),   stripes from PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) pattern pack, and arrow print from Pink Paislee pen pals 6 x 6" pad. 
• Die is Savvy Stamps hello.
• The banner is notched with scissors.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

525

Thanks with Teal and Kraft

Simple and bold "thanks" with starry texture and a bit of plaid.

This is my first card design for Operation: Quiet Comfort.  As explained on their web site, "Operation Quiet Comfort exists solely for the purpose of honoring and comforting America’s military men and women who become sick and injured while serving in harm’s way.  We also provide support to those who care for them.  We collect, package and ship supplies for U.S. Military men and women receiving care at medical facilities abroad."  The packages also include cards with messages of support and encouragement ...  "thinking of you, patriotic, thank you, cheerful cards." 

Now that Operation Write Home has ended, I'm excited to start supporting our heroes far from home with Operation: Quiet Comfort. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) tropical teal and kraft, and the gingham print from PTI aqua mist pattern pack.
• Die is My Favorite Things many thanks.
• Embossing folder is Darice stars asst (assorted).
• Twine is by We R Memory Keepers.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Rust Birds on Sky

Three rusty-red birds on a background of blue sky and tan trees.  The damask print has the effect of a bark pattern.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) terra cotta tile (deep rust), blueberry sky (medium blue), and the damask print from PTI fine linen (tan) pattern pack.
• Embossing folder is Darice dot point.
• Dies are PTI cover plate: winter woods, Impession Obsession (IO) birds, and IO sm. bird set.
• I added some detail to the birds with Copic black multiliner and E15 marker.

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Shimmer Gold, Cream, and Scarlet

Lovely shimmery colors for a family anniversary celebration.  I like the embossed textures and the mix of heart, star, and flower shapes.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) shimmer in gold, cream, and scarlet.
• Dies are PTI heart-2-heart #11, flower fusion #9, and sketched shapes (large circle).  
• I inlaid the gold heart into the cream flower, so that the scarlet background color would show through slightly and give more definition to the heart's edge.  In real life, it makes a difference.
• Embossing folders are The Paper Studio tiny stars and Stampin' Up petals-a-plenty (retired).
• The sentiment "anniversary wishes" is from PTI keep it simple: anniversary, stamped with PTI scarlet jewel ink cube.

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