PTI MIM - Beyond Paper Shaker Card

 I was incredibly excited to see the theme for this week's MIM. I saw Heather's video right after viewing the final video from the Online Card Class in which Jennifer McGuire also used aluminum and an embossing folder. Hmm...this had to be a sign for me to participate in this week's MIM! So I dug through my stash and found a package of Spellbinders colored aluminum that I purchased many years back. Then ran a piece of copper through my Big Shot using the Argyle Impression Plate to make this shaker card for a family member celebrating a big birthday in July! 

I think this black and copper theme is great for masculine cards. I worked with copper before the advent of home die cutters when we stamped an image on the copper, used a stylus to "deboss" the image and then took a small torch to it to change the color of the copper. It was my plan to heat this piece to change color, but to my surprise, using heat on this product simply burned off the copper coloring, revealing an aluminum base. (So I started over,,, but saved the aluminum for a later project).
I also dug out my black glossy card stock, which I have not used in awhile. It is the blackest of blacks and its shiny, slick surface is unforgiving. After several start-overs, I finally finished this entire card wearing gloves, which helped eliminate fingerprints, stray glue, etc.


Supplies:
Stamps: PTI A Little Argyle, Big Birthday Wishes

Card Stock: Black Glossy from Marcos, GinaK Pumpkin Spice (Card base)

Dies: PTI By the Numbers, Argyle Impression Plate

Ink: Encore Ultimate Metallic Copper.

Embossing Powder: Fine Line Copper

Sequins: Kelly Purkey at SSS

His and Hers Day 3 - Sympathy Cards

Anyone who crafts cards would tell you sympathy cards are one of the most difficult to create. I was very happy OCC covered this subject this week. Jennifer Rzasa did two videos covering a watercolor technique using Versamark ink, then pen-drawing in your image after watercoloring. The versamark resists the watercolor, making the lines of the image visible. The goal then is to pen over the watermark to make the image appear hand-drawn. Unfortunately, versamark ink did not work on my watercolor paper, but my Staz-on lines were so faint on the watercolor paper that I was still able to make line drawings after watercoloring. 

Please note the little knots on the ends of the twine - thank you Julie Ebersole!

Stamps: PTI Through the Trees, YOF: Rose, BB: Woodgrain, Botanical Silhouettes

Cardstock PTI; Watercolor Paper ProArt 140lb cold press

Watercolors: Angora

His & Hers Day Two

I am way behind with my homework. The His & Hers classes have proceeded this week without me, my focus on my work as our hospital goes "live" with a new electronic records system. Stress levels have been at an all time high, zapping any creative mojo by the end of the day. I will try to catch up a bit this weekend.

Day two of OCC brought many great tips from Jennifer, Shari Carroll and Cristina Kowalczyk. Their creative talent is so inspiring,  I want to try all their great tips and techniques. Today  I chose to use Jennifer's Kaleidoscope stamping technique to get three needed cards completed that I will need later this month. May is a very heavy birthday month for our family, with 6 birthdays and Mother's Day! This class was so timely, most techniques taught are fast and fun, yet produce striking results.

  

Supplies are PTI unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Feminine Card: Sending You, Women of Life, Birthday Basics Masculine Card: Leaf Prints, Birthday Bash Sentiments

Background text stamp: Judikins

Dies: PTI Headline Alphabet (mounted on PTI die cut coaster board, enhanced with Glossy Accents

They're Leaving on a Jet Plane!

Three of our grand kids are leaving tomorrow on their dream trip to Disneyland! Although I would love to be going with them, it wasn't in the cards this time. It doesn't mean that we can't send them with a little gift though. They've been busy doing extra chores around their house to earn their spending money, but what are grandparents for if they can't spoil them a little bit by supplementing their savings. :)

I wanted to give them each $20, but didn't want to just hand it to them. I did a quick Google search last night and found this great little tutorial/video for making a super-easy Money Card. So cute and quick!

And here they are:

       

Supplies used:
Stamps: PTI Tremendous Treats: Valentine
Memory Box card stock (white on inside), PTI card stock for die cuts
Designer paper: PTI, Cloud paper from Crate Paper Maggie Holmes
PTI Dies: Limitless Layers: Circles, Scallop border
MFT: Pinking edge die
Assorted Hearts: SSS Holiday Shapes die
EK Success: Larger scallop border punch
Copic Markers
Glossy Accents

His & Hers - Online Card Class Day 1

Great first day of class for the new Online Card Class focusing on His & Her cards.  My cards were made using a combination of tips from the instructors today. After viewing five videos of tutorials  and tips I am feeling very inspired!

I used a pretty simple layout, using similar colors, but changing them up a bit as appropriate.

One of the tips we learned was to use different fonts in the sentiment for feminine vs masculine cards. Men like plain, bold fonds, while women a little more frilling and curly. PTI has us covered on all bases!

For both cards I used patterned Paper from Basic Grey Kissing Booth 6x6 pad, PTI card stock, ink and Real Wood Veneer paper called Sticky Barc: Cherry that I die cut with a Half & Half die. For the female card I stained the wood veneer with a Hibiscus Burst ink using a sponge applicator.  For the masculine card I die cut "Birthday" from the veneer and filled the negative with another die cut from Dark Chocolate. 

Stamp Sets: Think Big Favorites #24, Turning a New Leaf, BB: Woodgrain and Wonderful Words: Birthday.

Thanks for stopping by!

April PTI Blog Hop - On Tilt!

From Nichole's Blog: It only takes a little *something* to take a project from ho-hum to amazing!  Even something as small as tilting your images or sentiments at an angle can have a huge impact.  This month we are challenging you to create a project that features something tilted. 

This entry for the Tilt challenge involves very little stamping, but is a great way to use some of those patterned papers we all collect and tend to hoard.

I used half-inch strips of patterned paper from PTI's Black & White Basics 8x8 paper pad, a little scoring, Beautiful Blooms flower Die, and sentiment stamps from Rustic Branches. Center of the flower is adorned with black rhinestones. All card stock and ink from PTI.

Hope you enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!

Butterfly Sympathy

I've needed to send too many sympathy cards already this year. Sympathy cards are no one's favorite to create, but I find it much easier to make any card when I don't need to send one the next day.

There was a recent challenge at PTI to use sequins on a card, so while mine were still out on my desk, I added a few to this card. (Hope they don't add too much bling for this occasion.)

I used Copics for the leaves and a light gray (T1) to outline the vine of the image and was amazed to see how it made the image pop. (Thank you Nichole Heady). Even DH noticed this detail!

Products used:

PTI cardstock; (Gold Vellum - from my stash)

Stamps: With Sympathy, Out on a Limb Sentiments

Die: Love Lives Here Butterfly, Small Scallop border

Other: Copics, Flower Sequins: Impress, Pearls: Kaiser Kraft