Doily with Red Heart or Blue Bird

Two cards with the same simple design.  Silver shimmery card base, with half of a white doily, a strip of dotted paper, and a bird or heart as focal point.  I like them both. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white, Paper Source royal blue, and Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red) and silver shimmer. 
• Patterned paper is from PTI smokey shadow (dark gray) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) "+ white basics" patterned paper (retired). 
• Dies are from PTI heart prints (retired), peace be still (dove), and Parisian lace doily (retired).  I used half of a doily on each card.  
• I used a McGill 1/16" circle punch for the birds' eye. 

(1399)

Purple and Yellow Butterfly with Doily

A layered butterfly and a lacy doily.  The purple, yellow, and cream make an elegant color combination for a friend's birthday card. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Hero Arts eggshell (cream) layering paper and Papertrey Ink (PTI) lilac grace (light purple), amethyst allure (medium purple), and gold shimmer.
• Embossing folder is Stampin' Up subtle (retired).
  
• Dies are from PTI life is beautiful (layered butterfly) and Parisian lace doily (retired).
• The inside sentiment "happy birthday" is from PTI think big favorites #12 (retired), stamped with PTI amethyst allure ink.

(1379)

White on Blue - Hello with Doily

Very simple with a lacy doily die cut.  I like the white on blue with a bit of texture. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), and stamper's select white.
• Embossing folder is Stampin' Up subtle.
• Dies are from PTI noted: pinked A2 vertical,  My Favorite Things mini delicate doilies, and an unidentified "hello" die by Taylored Expressions.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

(1089)

Purple Butterfly on White Doily - Before and After

After

For today's "transformation" challenge on the Papertrey Ink (PTI) blog, I chose a card from 2013 as my "before" card (below).  Though it has some nice elements, they just didn't work together.  The soft paper doily got lost in the mix, the butterfly looked too small and too heavy, and my overall design felt very disconnected.  

When I reworked the design today, I kept the same color scheme with a butterfly on a white doily and a dark horizontal bar.  But I changed the patterned background to embossed texture, and I used a larger and lacier butterfly, placed on a much more visible white doily.  The "after" version (above) works for me now, and I'm glad I tried the transformation!  Thank you, PTI, for an interesting challenge today!

Before  
(Note: the gray border is background, not part of the card)

Card details for "after" card:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink (PTI) lilac grace (light purple) and plum pudding (medium purple).
• Patterned paper is the leaf print from PTI winter wisteria (light purple) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• The lilac grace card stock is embossed with PTI cover plate: twist.
• Dies are PTI Parisian lace doily and life is beautiful.
• The sentiment "with sympathy" is from PTI communique sentiments, stamped with PTI fresh snow (white) pigment ink cube, then white heat embossed. 

Card details for "before" card are in this post.

(837)

Yellow Flowers with Gingham, Ribbon, and Doily

For a friend's birthday, I made a card with her favorite color.  Yellow flowers, ribbon, gingham, and dots, with a dotted vellum doily and a dainty bow.  She enjoys my drawings, so I colored one for the center. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white for the flowers, Papertrey Ink (PTI) bright buttercup (deep yellow), gingham print from PTI lemon tart (light yellow) pattern pack (retired), bitty dot print from PTI sheer basics vellum, and bitty dot print from PTI bright buttercup "+ white basics" patterned paper (retired). 
• The flower drawing is the same as this card, which has links to other cards using this drawing.  It's computer printed, then colored with Copic markers Y11,15,19,38, YR09,24,27, YG05, G14, E11,44, B21,24, V04, and W5.
• Dies are WeRMemoryKeepers nesting circles (1-3/4" and 2") and PTI Parisian lace doily.
• Ribbon is 3/8" satin.  
• Technique: Over the years, I've tried a few different ways to seal my ribbon ends, and none have worked very well for me.  This time, I tried a small amount of Ranger multi medium matte, which I thin a bit with water and use with a Quilled Creations precision tip bottle top as my favorite liquid glue.  I squeezed out a thin line of it onto my nonstick craft mat, then lightly dipped/dabbed the ends of my ribbon.  It dried clear, clean, and almost invisible.  Very quick and easy.  This will be my ribbon sealing technique from now on. 

(743)

Turquoise Damask with White Doily

Something lacy and a bit ornate, for a change.  The crisp white doily contrasts well with the tone-on-tone damask print. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) tropical teal, aqua mist, stamper's select white, and the damask print from PTI Hawaiian shores (medium turquoise) pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI Parisian lace doily, My Favorite Things stitched scallop edges (medium), and Memory Box fancy blossoms (medium).
• The sentiment banner is notched with scissors. 
• The flower center is punched with EK Success 3/16" circle punch.
• The sentiment "just because ..." is from Stampabilities card phrases, stamped with PTI Hawaiian shores ink cube.

(492)

Purple Doilies with Green

Beautiful fresh colors in this card.  The unexpected green accents and striped pattern mix well with my more traditional doily lace, scallops, and script sentiment.  I started with the tone-on-tone purple panel, then struggled to use it.  It really came to life when I inlaid a few small green pieces. 

This card would not have happened without a new (to me at least) double-sided adhesive by Ken Oliver, stick it, that cuts very cleanly with intricate die cuts.  It needs to be burnished/ pressed down hard with a bone folder to adhere properly.  Before making a card with it, I tested a sample with some heat, cold, and damp, and after a few weeks it's still holding strong, so I feel OK to use it with my Operation Write Home cards.

My typical adhesive sheet is scor tape (aka be creative.)  It's super strong, and I'll continue to use it with most dies when I want to cut them with adhesive backing.  But it doesn't quite cut all the way with such delicate detail as the doily dies.  It works better with simpler shapes, like the hello die. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) royal velvet (dark purple), winter wisteria (light purple), spring moss (light green), and the stripes print from PTI spring moss pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI fabulous frames (banner), Elizabeth Craft hello, My Favorite Things (MFT) mini delicate doilies, and MFT stitched scallop edges (small). 

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." (437)

Blue Ombre Doily - Miss You

A sentimental "miss you" card for today's Papertrey Ink anniversary challenge to create a blue ombre card.  My three blues flow nicely together with the soft gray. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) soft stone (light gray), enchanted evening (dark blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), and spring rain (light blue), with several prints from PTI pattern packs: blueberry sky stripes, enchanted evening damask (for the heart) and gingham, and soft stone bitty dot.
• Dies are PTI trendy tree tops (circle with heart cutout), limitless layers: 1-3/4" circles (pinked circle), and Parisian lace doily.
• The striped banner is notched with scissors. 
• The sentiment "miss you" is from PTI communique sentiments, stamped with PTI enchanted evening ink cube. 

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." (426)

Green Doily with Aqua and Cream

Today's card was inspired by Dawn's challenge on the Papertrey Ink forum, to make something inspired by this lovely photo on Pinterest.  I chose the photo's aqua, green, and cream for my colors, and those intricate china patterns reminded me of doilies and lace.  Thanks, Dawn, for a fun challenge!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) aqua mist, ocean tides (muted teal), new leaf (green), vintage cream, and the bitty dots print from PTI ocean tides pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI wonderful words: thank you, Parisian lace doily, and loop de loop.  Note: the "thank you" is cut from ocean tides, though my monitor makes it look a bit like the green.
• Embroidery floss is DMC ecru (cream) and 703 (green), tied in a square knot. 
• The vintage cream panel is edged with Copic marker BG72. 

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." (385)

Pink Butterflies with Doily

A sugary pink card for the day after Valentine's.  Damask, doily, butterflies, faux stitching - it doesn't get much sweeter in my crafting world. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source blossom (pink butterflies), Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's selsct white, raspberry fizz (dark pink) and the damask print from PTI sweet blush (pink) pattern pack.
• The faux stitching is drawn with Copic 0.3 pink multiliner and with Signo Uniball white gel impact pen.
• Dies are My Favorite Things mini delicate doilies and Impression Obsession butterfly set.
• I notched the banner ends with scissors.

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." (356)

Blue Stitched Heart with Doily - Before and After

After

Blue patterns with white texture from the die-cut doily and the hand-stitching.  I like this card a lot!  See end of post for my "before" version from last year.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white,  Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), enchanted evening (dark blue), and the gingham and bitty dot prints from PTI blueberry sky and enchanted evening pattern packs.
• Dies are Elizabeth Craft love, PTI coffee cozy details (heart), PTI stitching lines, and PTI Parisian lace doily.
• Embroidery floss is 3 strands of white DMC. 

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." (328)

Last year I made a similar card (click here for details) shown below.  It was a very nice card, but I do like today's better.  It's fun for me to take an older card and see how I can adapt or even improve it.

Before

Dots and Doily - Blue and White

Lots of details and a crisp blue-and-white color scheme.  I like it.  The dark blue edging on the patterned paper (Copic marker, see below for more info) is a small touch, but it makes a big difference in pulling the card together visually. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) enchanted evening (dark blue) and stamper's select white.
• I computer-printed the patterned paper, using white text (periods) on a blue background. 
• The patterned paper is edged with Copic marker B39. 
• The dies are PTI snowflake flurries (pinked circle) and Parisian lace doily.
• The dark blue circle is a 1-3/4" circle punch.  
• The heart is punched with a 1" EK Success punch.  The right side of the heart is popped up with foam tape.
• The  embroidery floss is DMC white.
• The sentiment "Love you" is computer-printed in Giddyup font, using blue ink to match the patterned paper, with a darker blue text outline. 

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." (287)

Purple with Butterfly and Doily

The post title pretty much says it all - purple, butterfly, doily.   Inspired by this week's layout #236  on the Clean and Simple Stamping blog.  Thank you, Natasha, for another fun sketch challenge! 

Note: the gray is background, not part of the card.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) plum pudding (purple) and rustic white (card base), lavender print from PTI pretty pastels 8x8" patterned paper, and bitty dot print from PTI winter wisteria pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI eyelet lace, signature series: butterfly (solid purple), and heart-2-heart #10 (dotted paper - larger of the 2 butterflies in the set).   The "signature series" butterfly has no antennae, so I cut an extra set of the "heart-2-heart" antennae in purple card stock, to glue under the patterned paper antennae and provide a foundation. 
• The dots on the butterfly are a few of the cutouts from the eyelet lace die. 
• Paper doily is 5", cut down to 2-1/4" and adhered with Scor Tape and Zig 2-way chisel tip glue pen.   
• My gluing technique: First I apply Scor Tape all across the solid center area and remove the tape liner.  Next I lay the doily face-down on a clean piece of scrap paper, and gently stroke the glue onto the lacy areas.  This works well for me.  However, in my experience, dots of glue will show through, and a finer tip glue pen is more likely to damage the doily.  On my wish list is a doily die, so I can use card stock and work with it more easily.

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." (277)

Bright Pink and Aqua Flowers with Doily

I went way outside my comfort zone on today's card!  Too busy, too bright for anything I would have dreamed up.  But that's the fun of a challenge.  Thank you to Debbie for the bold example on her inspiring blog, Thinking Inking.  And to Nichole and Papertrey Ink for ten days of 6th Anniversary challenges.  I made this card for the project favorites challenge. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) aqua mist (light aqua), Hawaiian shores (turquoise), raspberry fizz (bright pink), ripe avocado (green), and prints from the Hawaiian shores, raspberry fizz, and sweet blush (light pink) pattern packs.   Also a paper doily.
•  Dies are beautiful blooms II #3, take three, and heart-2-heart #12.
• I used a 1/4" hole punch for the flower centers. 

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." (254)

Blue Gingham with Doily

More of the lacy "love" theme.   This card has a bit of a country patchwork look, with gingham and polka dot prints and a sweet doily.  Not my usual style, but I really like it.  It was inspired by this card on Melissa Bickford's Just Dandy blog.  Thanks for your beautiful card and all your inspiration, Melissa!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink blueberry sky (medium blue card base), enchanted evening (dark blue), spring rain (light blue), gingham print from blueberry sky pattern pack, and polka dots from enchanted evening pattern pack. 
• The doily is from Ellen Hutson's small doilies pack.  (Discontinued)
• The dies are Papertrey Ink heart-2-heart #3, upper case block alphabet, and pinking shears border.  
• The tiny light blue heart is punched with a Fiskars 1/4" heart punch.
• The top line of the sentiment "sending you all my" is computer-printed with American Typewriter font in blue ink.

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." (209)

Pink Geraniums with Doily

A special card for a friend's birthday. I really enjoyed making this for her, with colors and details I know she will like.

Card details:

• The card stock is Papertrey Ink berry sorbet (coral pink) and Paper Source leaf (light green).
• My geranium drawing (which I scanned before coloring) is computer-printed on Neenah solar white and colored with Copic markers.
• The 4" paper doily is from Ellen Hutson - Essentials by Ellen/ Small Doilies.  (Discontinued)
• The scalloped circle with the geraniums is an EK Success 2" punch.
• The plain circle layers are die cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities Standard Circles SM. The layer behind the doily is 3", and the layer behind the geraniums is 2-1/8".
• The bow is Papertrey Ink sheer white polka dot ribbon.

I really like the effect of the circle layered behind the doily. I'll try that again sometime! (137)

Flowers in Blue Vase - OWH Blog Hop

My first-ever blog hop - Operation Write Home's spring "Bunny Hop" featuring springy, cheery cards. I started with some cheerful colors of card stock, imagining a spring bouquet. Then a vase and a doily came to mind. A happy collage. I had a lot of fun making it.

It may still be cold and wintry outside, but spring is here for Operation Write Home card makers! Deadlines coming up are March 18 for Easter cards and March 31 for Mother's Day cards.

For the blog hop, we were all asked to include a link to something interesting or helpful on the Operation Write Home website or blogs. Well, for me, it's everything! But to pick one thing - I really appreciate the easy, clear Card Guidelines, including the reasons why. Why A2 card size? Why no glitter? The answers are all there.

My card details are at the bottom of the post. I would love for you to leave me a question or a comment - and thanks for stopping here along the Bunny Hop Trail! For your next stop and more springtime inspiration, click here to visit Veronica's blog, Circle B Enterprises.

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." (061)

Card details:

• Paper punch for flowers - 1-1/4" scalloped circle (EK Success) and 1/4" circle for centers (very old punch from my office supplies).
• Paper punch for leaves - 1" heart (EK Success). Each leaf is half of a heart. Then I used my scissors to slightly round the "square" corner of the leaf (hard to explain, but if you cut a heart in half, you'll see it.)
• Vase - a rectangle, about 2-1/2" wide and 2-1/4" high, bottom corners rounded with corner-rounder punch. The shallow curve at the top was made with a 2-1/4" circle punch.
• Card stock - Papertrey Ink spring rain (light blue background), enchanted evening (dark blue vase), new leaf (green for leaves), plum pudding (purple), and blueberry sky (medium blue); Hero Arts mocha (brown table top); Paper Source poppy (orange), plum (lavender), and strawberry (pink).
• Doily - a bit less than half of a 4" paper doily from Ellen Hutson.  (Discontinued)
• Ribbon - 1/8" silk ribbon, colored with G24 Copic marker.
• Sentiment - no sentiment. Blank inside.

Two Blue Cards with Doilies

Two blue cards today with doilies. The top card has three shades of blue, and the bottom card is pale blue with pale gray. Card details are below. Both cards 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."

Top card: Card stock is Hero Arts powder (pale blue), Papertrey Ink blueberry sky (medium blue card base), and Paper Source lake (darker blue). Punches are EK Success plain circles 2-1/4" and 1-1/2", scalloped circle 2", and heart 1"; also an old nameless 1/4" punch. Doily is half of a 5-1/2" doily by Little Yellow Bicycle. (059)

Bottom card: Card stock is Hero Arts powder (pale blue) and Neenah colored with C0 Copic marker (pale gray). Embroidery floss and floral weave ribbon colored with C1 Copic marker. Punches are EK Success circles - plain 5/8" and 1-1/2" and scalloped 1-1/4". Doily is 3-1/2" by Little Yellow Bicycle. (058)