Plaid on Green Stripes with Arrow

The dark plaid with its green weave makes a good background for my bright green word and arrow shapes, all on a muted green stripe.  Monochromatic and bold.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) limeade ice (bright green).
• Patterned papers are a stripe from PTI spring moss (muted green) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and a plaid from PTI three piece suit A2 paper collection (retired).
• Dies are from PTI get to the point (retired) and Impression Obsession thank you.
  

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1299)

Red, White, and Blue - Four Cards with Leftovers

A

A friend's cards, made with leftover pieces, inspired me to use up some of mine!  (Thank you, Judy!)  Except for the white label shape (card C) and the "hello" words, all of my shapes, frames, and banners were leftovers that I saved from other projects, along with the two less-plain card bases. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), dark indigo (dark navy), pure poppy (red), weathervane (gray), and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is from Pebbles Americana 6x6" paper pad.
• Embossing folder is Stampin' Up subtle (card C).
• Dies and punches are Elizabeth Craft hello (retired - all cards), PTI infinity frames (cards A and D), EK Success mini star punch (A and D), PTI double-ended banners (B), PTI framed out #10 (B), PTI tea for two (label - C), PTI sketched shapes (long narrow banner, trimmed shorter - C), PTI noted: simply stitched A2 vertical, and get to the point (arrow - D).

B                                                                        C

D

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1107)

Orange Herringbone with Brown and Cream

A bright orange herringbone die cut, backed with kraft, glows against a dark brown background.  The arrow adds a touch of orange to the cream sentiment strip.

I adhered my detailed die cut using an easy, effective Xyron technique posted on Vicki Finger's Twinkling Paper Studio blog.  Thank you, Vicki, for this great tip and for all your inspiration!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark chocolate (brown), classic kraft, orange zest, and vintage cream.
• Dies are from PTI mix & mat: herringbone, PTI sketched shapes, and My Favorite Things vertical stitched strips (retired).
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI think big favorites #18 (retiring), stamped with PTI dark chocolate ink.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1087)

Arrows - Teal and Dark Navy with Tan

Some stenciled arrows with teal and dark navy ink on tan card stock.  Lots of contrast on a simple layout.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark indigo (dark navy), tropical teal, and fine linen (tan).
• Stencil is My Favorite Things arrows abound, sponged with PTI tropical teal and dark indigo inks, using the round Ranger ink blending tool to apply the ink.
• Dies are Birch Press sugar script hello and PTI number the stars banner.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1060)

Pink Print with Navy and Gray

I've always liked bright pink with navy and with gray, and I used both for this card.  The arrow gives focus to the sentiment on this very simple layout.  The sentiment font, wavy triangle print, and arrow all contribute to a bit of a modern vibe.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark indigo (dark navy) and weathervane (gray).
• Patterned paper is from Reverse Confetti paper bliss 6 x 6" pad.
• Die is from PTI sketched shapes.
• The sentiment "just a note to say hello" is from PTI textile impressions (retiring), stamped with PTI enchanted evening (dark blue) ink- the dark indigo ink looked too gray when stamped on the gray card stock.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1006)

Birthday Banners in Green Frame

A very busy, happy card with lots of different shapes and bright colors.  The gray background and green frame keep it grounded.  I enjoyed creating all the details and movement with the arrow, banners, stars, bow, and diagonal words. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) new leaf (green), pure poppy (red), Hawaiian shores (turquoise), aqua mist, orange zest, and bright buttercup (yellow).
• Patterned paper is the large dot print from PTI soft stone (light gray) bitty big pattern pack.
• Embroidery floss (upper left) is DMC #721.
• Dies are (top to bottom) PTI cover plate: comic strip, PTI tiny tags, Poppystamps simple banner (retired), My Favorite Things (MFT) party banner (retired), PTI birthday trio, PTI sketched shapes (arrow), and MFT western star border duo (retired).
• Punches are Martha Stewart bow and Fiskars 1/4" star.
• The letters "happy" are from Essentials by Ellen basic alpha, and the star is from PTI birthday balloons, stamped with PTI new leaf ink cube.

(850)

Red Panel with White Stars on Blue

Using some white stars leftover from yesterday's card.  I chain cut my star panel from red card stock, inlaid stars in ten of the openings for an arrow shape, and added a white word.  I like the crisp contrast of the red and white on the dotted dark blue.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), stamper's select white, and bitty dot print from PTI enchanted evening (dark blue) pattern pack (retired).
• Die is My Favorite Things stitched star grid, cut twice with one row overlapped.
• The "thanks" word is cut with Silhouette Cameo, similar to this card.  I kept the same height, but compressed the width.  Love the flexibility to adjust as needed. 

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort. 

(770)

Blue Sun Rays and Red Stripes with Yellow

Nothing subtle about this card.  Bright and bold patterns, shapes, and colors make a strong statement.

When I tried using solid red instead of red stripes, it didn't work as well.  Sometimes busier is better!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) sun shimmer (yellow), stripes print from PTI pure poppy (red) pattern pack (retired), and blue sun ray and red polka dot prints from PTI comic strip A2 patterned paper (retired).
• Dies are from PTI wonderful words: hello, get to the point, and limitless layers: 2-1/2" circles.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(738)

Aqua Panels with Brown Frame

I wrestled with my card design till I tried a diagonal placement for the frame, taken from Laurie Willison's card posted here (the last card in her post).  And it went smoothly from there.  I'm very happy with the result.  Thank you, Laurie, for your inspiration!

Card details:

• Card stock is Stampin' Up soft sky (aqua) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) cocoa bean (brown), harvest gold (yellow), Hawaiian shores (light turquoise), and tropical teal.
• Dies are PTI cover plate: comic strip (frame), PTI get to the point (arrow), Avery Elle icon fill in the blank (asterisk), Poppystamps lattice edge, and Impression Obsession thankful.  
• I also used Fiskars 1/4" star punch.
• The sentiment "for you" is from PTI wonderful words: thank you, stamped with PTI tropical teal ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(651)

Red Angled Stripes with Blue and White

The red angled stripes have a bit of an "op art" feeling. Crisp and simple with some blue and white accents.

 Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source royal blue, Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red) and stamper's select white, and a print from Pink Paislee pen pals 6 x 6" pad
• The eyelet strip is from Doodlebug paper frills, lily white, discontinued.
• Arrow die is from PTI sketched shapes, inset with a tiny star punched with Fiskars 1/4" star punch.
• The word "thanks" is cut with Silhouette Cameo.  It's the same design I used for the top card here.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(640)

Cork Print with Orange

The cork print included a corner with a squiggly arrow and multicolored stars.  Perfect to accent a die cut "happy birthday."  I added an orange base and a line of stitching holes (backed with teal for contrast), along with some tiny gold stars.  For a family birthday.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) orange zest, tropical teal, sun shimmer (gold), and a print from the Simple Stories "so rad" 6x6" pad.
• Dies are PTI tipped tops (happy), wonderful words: birthday, and stitching lines.
• The gold stars are punched with Fiskars 1/4" hand punch.
• Corners are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" corner chomper.

(555)

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

Birthday Fireworks

It looks like fireworks to me, with the patterned paper and the "rocket" arrows.   This card was for a recent family birthday. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) tropical teal, pure poppy (red), summer sunrise (yellow),  the bitty dot print from PTI summer sunrise pattern pack, and a multi-color zigzag print from Echo Park "all about a boy" 6 x 6" paper pad.
• Dies are PTI get to the point and wonderful words: birthday.  I layered two colors of the birthday die cut, and I added a 1/8" strip of teal to the arrows. 
• The sentiment "Happy" is from PTI communique sentiments, stamped with PTI pure poppy ink cube. 
• The little yellow and teal stars are punched with Fiskars 1/4" hand punch.  Under the teal stars, there's a little flower from PTI framed out #10, stamped with pure poppy.  I thought it looked too floral for my overall design, so I added the stars, and now the flowers look like extra rays for the stars.

(417)

Triple Thank You on Yellow

Another day, another PTI anniversary challenge!  I've kept up with all the challenges so far, and it's been a great way to stretch and try some new things.  Moving slowly through my learning curve as a novice stamper, I decided to try a large stamp in three colors on my card today.  Definitely a challenge for me to get everything lined up and stamped correctly! 

This stamp set was still in the package, perfect for the challenge theme to use "a stamp set from your collection that hasn't seen ink."

The card is simple, but I like the colors, and the "thank you" message is loud and clear.  The dotted paper works well with the dotted lettering of the stamp.

 Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) lemon tart (light yellow), vintage cream, and the bitty dot print from PTI ripe avocado (green), pure poppy (red), and enchanted evening (dark blue)  pattern packs.
• The sentiment "thank you very much for everything" is from PTI wonderful words: thank you, stamped with PTI blueberry sky (medium blue), pure poppy, and ripe avocado ink cubes. 
• The arrow die is from PTI sketched shapes.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (424)

Bright Hello - Red, Gold, and Blue with Arrow

A bright hello with two dies from my "unused" collection - an arrow and chevrons.  They are such great shapes, I don't know why it took me so long to pull them out!

When my very-supportive husband looked at my first version, which used all solid red instead of the dotted red, he said "it looks kind of commercial" (aka boring).  So I changed to dotted red for my arrow and bottom strip.  Much better with the playful touch it adds. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source curry (gold), Papertrey Ink (PTI) enchanted evening (dark blue) and pure poppy (red), and two prints from PTI pattern packs: stripes in blueberry sky (medium blue) and bitty dot in pure poppy.
• Dies are PTI wonderful words: hello, get to the point, and diagonals (B).  The diagonals die is only six chevrons long, but it was easy to "chain cut" in my Big Shot for a longer strip.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (415)

Teal and Tan Birthday

A simple masculine birthday card.  Bold patterns and textures.  The arrow reinforces the "birthday" message. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source peacock (teal), a chevron print (or is it herringbone?) from Pink Paislee portfolio 6 x 6" pack, and the polka dot print from PTI fine linen (tan) pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI wonderful words: birthday and get to the point. (I made the arrow's shaft shorter.)
• Twine is PTI rustic jute button twine.

(368)

Spinners and Stripes

The patterned paper with game spinners inspired my card's theme and colors.  The spinner print and stripes work well together.  I like the finishing touches of the brown arrow and the clear spinner centers that I added.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark chocolate (brown), rustic cream, and the stripes print from PTI canyon clay (muted orange) pattern pack.  And the game spinner print from All About a Boy 6 x 6" pad by Echo Park.  
• Clear spinner centers are "pearls" of Viva Decor gloss gel pen, transparent (000).  It looks milky at first, but dries very clear.  (Click on the image to enlarge and see the centers better.)
• Banner notch is cut by hand.
• Die is arrow from PTI sketched shapes.
• Sentiment "You make my heart spin" is computer-printed in brown ink with American Typewriter font (expanded spacing).

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (364)

Turquoise Arrows and Asterisk on Gray

Bold graphic shapes with subtle background colors.  This card is for the "white space" lesson in Paula's Design Boot Camp on the Operation Write Home blog.  I used white (empty) space to draw attention to my focal point with the sentiment circle and the plain gray above it.  At first, I was tempted to do more with the background, but once my circles and arrows were strong enough, the plain gray looked just right to me.  Thank you so much, Paula, for your monthly design lessons!

Edited Dec. 31, 2013 to add:  My card was chosen as the model for this week's Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #205.  I'm enjoying all the variations as OWH card makers interpret my layout! 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source peacock (turquoise), Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white, aqua mist (light aqua), soft stone (light gray), and bitty dots (aqua mist) and stripes (soft stone) prints from PTI pattern packs.
• Circle punches are EK Success 2-1/4", 2", and 3/16".
• Dies are PTI get to the point and Avery Elle icon fill-in-the-blank.  I used partial die-cutting to lengthen the shaft of the arrow on the left. 
• Sentiment "Love you miss you" is computer printed in turquoise ink with Footlight MT Light font. 

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (319)

Bright Arrows on Dark Gray

Happy and bright.  Arrows, stars, and dots.  Curves and angles.  It puts a smile on my face. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) smokey shadow (dark gray), summer sunrise (yellow), and pure poppy (red).
• Dies are PTI get to the point (arrows), friendly flower (center shape), and block alphabet - upper case.
• Punches are 1/4" hole punch and Fiskars 1/4" star punch.
• Embossing folder is Sizzix chevrons.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (258)