PTI Post-Release Wrap-up!

WHEW.

What a week.  Release week is always crazy but I really *loved* this one. 
Things have calmed down around here in the last month or so and it was needed... this was the first time in a while that I've been able to create without being so tied up emotionally with grief, etc.

A few of the other DT girls and I were chatting about that this week.  I know that for me, I like to create when I'm happy. 

It makes my projects feel happier :) 
{You know what else makes me feel better?  Reading all of your comments on the last post.  Seriously, seriously funny.  I know that I need to address some of your questions regarding the Seedling Cakes, etc, so look for that in the next few days.}

So, now for some more happy Papertrey projects.

Since I've been on the topic of food lately, I thought I'd start off with "food" project...



I wouldn't eat this one, but I still think it's pretty cute :)

This card was totally inspired by the little cutie pie watermelon image in the Tag-its #4 set.  I really wanted to bring it to life, so I tried to stick as closely to the image as I could.

The card base is Raspberry Fizz with the white and Simply Chartreuse layers on top of that. I just used a few small plate and bowls to do the curves. {That's the way we lazy crafters roll.} I impressed the raspberry layer with the Linen plate and the chartreuse layer with the new Cane Print plate for some fun texture... I love how the impression plates really add to the simple design.



I used the scalloped circle die from the Love Lives Here collection for the "bite."  Just lay the card down on the cutting plate and center the die right in the middle of the fold.  Cute, right?  The Tag-its sentiment is embossed on clear cardstock and layered inside... super easy. 

Here's a little trick for the seeds...



just pull out your trusty Turning a New Leaf die and decimate it politely trim some seeds from it :) I just left the points and trimmed the rounded ends like so. White gel pen accents set them off... I think that's my favorite part :)

Next up... Wildflower Garden. 

Ok... fess up... when Nichole did her post on Wildflower Garden on her blog and mentioned that the images reminded her of sunprints, who thought to themselves, "Self, you should totally make a sunprint card!!"



Or was that just me?

My plan was this: use Enchanted Evening for the base, then emboss some of the images in white, and stamp some of them in white. I knew that embossing would be brighter than the ink and would give that sort of variation in blues and whites that sunprints have.

A little Enchanted Evening ink sponged over the embossing and around the card took the edge off of the white and added some depth.

And just a note about Think Big Favorites #4... those sentiments were made to work with the Edgers #3 dies.  And by that I mean that I don't think the die was designed with those sentiment in mind, but MAN.  Every single sentiment just nestles perfectly into that die.  Love that.



I kept Wildflower Garden out to use along with Beautiful Blessings...



I love the format of these sentiments. 

I thought it would be fun to highlight part of the sentiment so after I stamped it I actually cut the entire sentiment panel apart right along the "Do not fear" line.  That made some room to scoot the original sentiment apart and layer the Double-Ended Banner on top.  Just makes for more options when using the sentiments.



To give a little bit of color variation to the flowers, I just layered a few different inks right on the stamps.  Super simple to do.  Just ink the lighter color first and add accents with the darker color.  Make sure to huff on the stamp right before you stamp it down, too.



I went with a bit more of a modern feel with Wonderful Words Additions...


I know, I know... it's my old standby... Soft Stone cardstock, white ink, with white embossing.  Works every time :)

I started with by stamping and embossing the sweet little house from Love Lives Here on the base card and layering "forever" right on top.  The Additions sentiment is stamped on an overlay of clear cardstock.  I love adding a layer of depth in that way plus the shine and smooth texture adds another modern touch.

I'm also really happy with how the Wonderful Words die-cuts turn out... super fun.



Ok... this next card prompts a confession.

When we moved last year, I totally intended to make super cute "We've moved!" cards using this kind of design...



...didn't happen. 

I sent the "Hey, we moved!" note in the Christmas card :)

So.  I had to make the design that's been sitting in my head for awhile.  The best part about this card is that I cut the "card base" directly off of a cardboard box.  Talk about cheap and easy. 

I did a little light distressing on the front just for kicks... it just wouldn't be right to make it with totally perfect looking cardboard, right? Totally loving the map images in this set.  They are going to be perfect for so many kinds of cards... love the versatility there. 

I brought out Postmarks to finish the back... it was totally perfect for that.  AND... yeah... you can totally mail it just like it is.  I'm not even kidding with that!  I would use a regular stamp as instead of a postcard stamp but as far as size and depth, you should be just fine to drop it in the box :)



On to that super cutie pie whale from Whale Wishes!
Seriously... I think that image is adorable...



Hey, wait... did I use Soft Stone cardstock with white embossing again?

Yup :)



I added a little section of waves with the Small Scalloped Border die, then slid the sentiment right underneath.  The Enchanted Evening, Aqua Mist, Blueberry Sky combination is new to me, but I really love it!  Feels kinda fresh and new.

I stayed on the simple side for Flower Fusion #4.  The little flower has such a cute shape, so I thought it would be fun to show it off in felt...



Vintage Cream felt + any color of buttons = my favorite :)
Seriously... I just love that warm and cozy felt next to those bright buttons.

I did a bit of masking to make the sentiment go straight across the card then added a little extra detail with the leaves at the end.

I could send this card to practically everyone I know :)



And, finally... est. 1776.

I have to say... the Road Trip paper plus the est. 1776 paper is a match made in paper crafting heaven...



I stacked lots of the sentiments together and topped them all off with the eagle image.  I'm totally digging the distressing on the images... love the detail it adds.  The only sentiment not from this set is Celebrate... I stole that from Think Big Favorites #4.

The brass brad is one of the few things I've held on to for *forever.*  Seriously.  For-ev-er.  It has apparently made it this long for the sole purpose of being on this card :)



And that, my friends, wraps up this month's super fun release!



{Summer Watermelon} card
Stamps - Tag-its 4

CS - Raspberry Fizz, Simply Chartreuse, True Black, White, Clear
Ink - VersaMark, Signo White Gel Pen
Dies - Love Lives Here, Turning a New Leaf (cut up to make the seeds)
Impression Plates - Cane Print, Linen

{Sunprints} card
Stamps - Wildflower Garden, Think Big Favorites #4

CS - Enchanted Evening, White
Ink - Fresh Snow, VersaMark
Die - Edgers #3
Ribbon - Spring Rain

{Do Not Fear} card
Stamps - Beautiful Blessings, Wildflower Garden

CS - White, Simply Chartreuse
Ink - True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Summer Sunrise, Ripe Avocado, New Leaf
Impression Plate - Linen
Die - Double-ended Banner
Other - rhinestones

{Happily Ever After} card
Stamps - Wonderful Words Additions, Love Lives Here

CS - Soft Stone, True Black, Clear
Ink - Fresh Snow, VersaMark
Die - Wonderful Words
Other - Filigree Detail White Embossing Powder, Zing Embossing Powder (Mustard; American Crafts)

{On the Move} postcard

Stamps - Road Trip, Postmarks
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Pure Poppy, Fresh Snow
Other - cardboard

{Blue Ocean} card
Stamps - Whale Wishes

CS - Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Aqua Mist, Soft Stone
Ink - VersaMark
Dies - Small Scallop Border, Whale
Impression Plate - Polka Dot Basics II
Other - Filigree White Embossing Powder
{Without You} card
Stamps - Flower Fusion #4

CS - Kraft
Ink - Dark Chocolate
Die - Flower Fusion #4
Other - Vintage buttons, Button Twine

{Celebrate Freedom} card
Stamps - est. 1776, Think Big Favorites #4

CS - Kraft
PP - est. 1776
Ink - Dark Chocolate
Other - decorative brad (Karen Foster)