Button Cards - Trees and Flowers

Two more button cards - above, brightly colored with a mix of button shapes, and below, monochromatic with simple round shapes.  I like the flowers growing from the "hello" word and the trees growing from the curving hillside.  These cards make me smile!  And I'll hope they bring a smile to the recipients, too.  Note:  The scanner captured my 3-D cards with out-of-focus backgrounds.  But the overall effect is true to life.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source strawberry (light red - retired) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) new leaf (green), cocoa bean (brown), rustic cream, and stamper's select white.
• Patterned papers are the leaf and polka dot prints from PTI winter wisteria (light purple) and spring moss (light green) pattern packs (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• Die is from My Favorite Things vertical stitched strips. 
• Buttons are from PTI vintage button assortments (retired), adhered with glue (Tombow green mono multi) and stitched with DMC #5 perle cotton in white and cream (ecru).
• Images are from PTI everyday button bits (retiring 2018), stamped with PTI new leaf, simply chartreuse (yellowish green), and cocoa bean ink cubes.
• The sentiment "hello" is from PTI polka dot parade #2 (retiring 2018), stamped with PTI new leaf ink cube.  The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI cocoa bean ink cube.

Tree card created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Button Cards - Balloons

Party balloons!  Hot air balloons!  And buttons!  I enjoyed poking through my sandwich bag of assorted buttons and then choosing the coordinating card stock colors.  These new-to-me stamps, designed for adding buttons, will also work well with my circle and button stamps and dies, so I won't need an endless supply of buttons to use.

Note:  The scanner captured my 3-D cards with out-of-focus backgrounds.  But the overall effect is true to life.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), amethyst allure (purple), and stamper's select white.
• Patterned papers are the bitty dot and stripe prints from PTI scarlet jewel (burgundy), melon berry (light orange), and plum pudding (purple) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired), and the bitty dot print from PTI aqua mist bitty big pattern pack.
• Ribbon is colored with Copic marker Y38.
• Buttons are from PTI vintage button assortments (retired), adhered with glue (Tombow green mono multi) and stitched with white #5 DMC perle cotton.
• Images are from PTI everyday button bits (retiring 2018).  The sentiment "sending smiles" is from Hero Arts many everyday messages, stamped with PTI true black ink cube.  The sentiment "just because" is from PTI keep it simple: just because.  All are stamped with PTI true black and blueberry sky ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Red, White, and Blue - Star and Chevron Prints on Gray

Bright and cheerful!  A mix of red, white, and blue patterns with some soft gray.

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things red hot (red) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) soft stone (light gray).
• Patterned paper is from Doodlebug patriotic picnic 6x6" paper pad.
• Red, white, and blue twine is by Doodlebug.
• Dies are My Favorite Things layered labels (retired) and an unidentified "hello" die by Taylored Expressions (thank you, Laura!)

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Triangles in Teal, Orange and Purple

Trying out a new stamp set with teal, orange, and purple triangles on a folded white card.  Orange and purple lines drawn above and below the sentiment help to set it off.

I like the energy of the colors and the diagonal layout.  In real life, the orange stamping is lighter, and it plays well with the teal and purple.

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

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white.
• Triangles are from Altenew trigonometry, stamped with PTI amethyst allure (purple), orange zest, and tropical teal ink cubes.
• The sentiment "just because" is from PTI keep it simple: just because, stamped with PTI tropical teal ink cube. 
• Lines are drawn with Copic 0.3 orange and purple multiliners.  

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Multicolored Prints on Green with Dark Navy

Two multicolored prints, diagonally placed on a textured green background.  The dark navy "thanks" is big and bold enough to stand out from the dots, stripes, and triangles. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) simply chartreuse (green) and dark indigo (navy).
• Patterned papers are from Simple Stories so rad 6x6" paper pad.
• Embossing folder is Darice dot point.
• Die is from My Favorite Things many thanks (retired).

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Black and White Dots with Teal

Black and white sentiment strip on black and white dots, layered on a textured teal background.  The lattice pattern of the embossing folder works well with the tiny, evenly spaced dots.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source peacock (teal) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) true black.
• Patterned paper is from PTI comic strip A2 paper pack (retired).
• Embossing folder is Stampin' Up square lattice (retired).  I used the debossed side of the card stock.
• The sentiment "thanks" is from PTI limitless layers: labels (retired), stamped with PTI fresh snow (white) ink cube, then white heat embossed.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Green Leafy Cluster on Kraft

A leafy cluster with a roughly striped texture.  I love the shapes and sizes of the floral and foliage images in this new stamp set, Altenew wings of hope, and for today's card, I used the abstract flower shapes as my two large leaves.

A friend designed this set in collaboration with Altenew (congratulations on your first release, Vicki!) and you can see more about it on her blog here.  Along with the images, the stamps feature a beautiful collection of Vicki's inspirational and encouraging sentiments, perfect for her "wings of hope" theme. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah desert storm (light kraft color) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) cocoa bean (brown).
• Embossing folder is Sizzix Tim Holtz stripes.
• The images are from Altenew wings of hope, stamped with PTI new leaf (green), green parakeet (bright yellowish green), and Americana (rustic red) ink cubes.  
• After stamping the berries with Americana ink, I used the same ink and a small brush to add some watercolored leaf details. 
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI stuck on you, stamped with PTI new leaf ink cube.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Green Leaves with Flowers on Blue Stripes

A green garland of flowers on blue and white stripes.  I needed to make a cheerful get-well card, and there's a stripes challenge today on the Papertrey Ink (PTI) blog, as part of their 11th anniversary events.  So, thank you to PTI for inspiring my card! 

Card details:

• Card stock is PTI pale peony (pink), lemon tart (yellow), Hawaiian shores (turquoise), amethyst allure (purple), new leaf (green), and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is the narrow stripes print from PTI spring rain (light blue) bitty big pattern pack.
• Dies are from PTI garden garland.  I also die cut the ends of my white sentiment panel, then inlaid it into the greenery.  The inlay makes a smoother surface under the flowers, and also it looks nicer without gaps or overlap between the white and green.  
• The sentiment "feel better soon" is from PTI stuck on you, stamped with PTI new leaf ink cube.

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Pinked Square - Brown with Green and Cream

A monochromatic feeling, with a variety of greens, browns, and cream.   All the angles and dots (embossed, printed, and die cut) keep the eye moving, but there's a resting place with the cream banner and its simple script sentiment.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) prairie grass (green), cocoa bean (brown), and vintage cream.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI fine linen (tan) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and a print from PTI turning a new leaf 8 x 8" pad (retired).
• Embossing folder is Lifestyle Crafts diamonds and dots.
• Dies are from PTI double-ended banners and mix & mat: pinked edge.  
• Techinique:  The pinked edge die is a rectangle, and I cut it twice to make my square.  Starting with a square piece of card stock (3-3/8"), it was easy to cut once, very close to the edge of the card stock, then align the die from the other end (the pinked edge locks into place easily), and cut again for a 3-5/16" finished pinked square.  Cutting that close to the edge of the card stock, the die might want to slide off, so I held it in place with Post-it tape for both cuts.
• The sentiment "with sympathy" is from PTI keep it simple: sympathy, stamped with PTI cocoa bean ink cube.

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Green Banner on Grays, with Aqua and Yellow Leaves

Today's card is for the color recipe challenge today on the Papertrey Ink (PTI) blog, where their 11th Anniversary celebration continues!  I chose Stephanie's color palette as a challenge for myself. 

At first, I thought of it as a sedate or even a somber combination.  So I'm surprised and pleased with the fresh and happy feeling of my finished card.  Thank you, PTI and Stephanie, for nudging me toward a color mix I wouldn't have tried otherwise! 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) soft stone (light gray), spring moss (light green), lemon tart (yellow), and aqua mist.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI smokey shadow (dark gray) pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• Dies are PTI cover plate: angles, turning a new leaf, and keep it simple frames. 
• Dots are made with my very old 1/4" hole punch.
• The sentiment "just a note" is from PTI keep it simple: just a note, stamped with PTI smokey shadow ink cube.

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Love - Red with Gray Stripes

Today's anniversary challenge on the Papertrey Ink (PTI) blog is to make a card with die cuts and without any stamping.  I thought of a many-layered Valentine for my husband, with die-cut hearts and borders and lots of color.

Then I cut out my first piece, a red "love" word, and set it down on a gray-striped background.  Loved the simple impact of just that.  So I inlaid a striped heart and tied on some striped twine and called it done.  Sometimes super simple is very good! 

Card details:

• Card stock is PTI pure poppy (red).
• Patterned paper is the tiny stripes print from PTI pure poppy "+ white basics" patterned paper (retired) and the narrow stripes print from PTI soft stone (light gray) bitty big pattern pack.
• Red striped twine is by WeRMemoryKeepers.
• Die is PTI wonderful words: love.

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Green Tree Thanks on Green

Today's card challenge from Papertrey Ink (PTI) is to make a card with one of their stamp sets that will be retiring in 2018.  I chose Polka Dot Parade #6, because I've used its sentiments but not the tree and leaf images.  I planted my tree on a "lawn" of the grassy green word, with leaves and flowers in two greens.  I'm glad to have this set in my collection!  Thanks again, PTI, for the challenge today!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) new leaf (green) and stamper's select white.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI green parakeet (bright yellow-green) "+ white basics" patterned paper (retired).
• Twine is PTI rustic jute twine.
• The images and the sentiment "many thanks" are from PTI polka dot parade #6, stamped with PTI new leaf, green parakeet, and classic kraft ink cubes.

Created for Operation: Quiet Comfort.

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Flowers on Tan with Kraft

Today's flowery card is for Papertrey Ink's anniversary Day 4 floral challenge.  My layout is super simple, offsetting the very busy stamped and sponged flowers.  I like the effect of the bright bouquet on a quiet tan and kraft background. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) fine linen (tan), lemon tart (yellow), spring moss (light green), sweet blush (pink), melon berry (light orange), and aqua mist.
• Patterned paper is the bitty dot print from PTI classic kraft pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired).
• Dies are from PTI color pop florals.
• Flower and leaf details are from PTI color pop florals, stamped with PTI vintage jadeite (medium green), raspberry fizz (pink), bright buttercup (yellow), amethyst allure (purple), and ocean tides (muted teal) ink cubes.  I also sponged the edges with some of the same ink colors.
• The sentiment "hello" is from Hero Arts many everyday messages, stamped with PTI classic kraft ink cube.

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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.

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Butterfly with Vellum on Aqua

I've been making a variety of sympathy cards lately - fortunately it's not because I need them!  But I always like to have some available, and also, our senior center asked if I would make some for them to use.

Though it's a sad time whenever I need to send a sympathy card, I do enjoy the process of creating designs with a calm and peaceful feeling.  Today's card has a nice mix of patterns and textures in monochromatic aqua and muted teal colors.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source pool (aqua) and Papertrey Ink (PTI) ocean tides (muted teal) and stamper's select vellum.
• Patterned paper is a bitty dot print from PTI ocean tides pattern pack (tone-on-tone prints - retired) and an aqua grid print from PTI pretty pastels 8 x 8" pad (retired).
• Embossing folder is Darice plaid.
• Dies are from PTI life is beautiful.
• The flourish is from PTI holiday photo finishers (retired) - a kind gift from Vicki (thank you!) - and the sentiment "with sympathy" is from PTI keep it simple: sympathy, both stamped with PTI ocean tides ink cube.

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