Papertrey & My Favorite Things

It's February, folks.
And that means lots of good stuff is coming from Papertrey Ink :)

February brings Papertrey's big ol' anniversary celebration, and we're kicking things off today by bringing you our favorites from this year...
favorite products...
favorite projects...
favorite memories.

So, here are a few of my favorite things :)

My favorite products should come as no surprise.

If you don't have the items on this list, get 'em.
You'll love 'em. Promise.

I'll even put the links in for ya...
1. Background Basics: Houndstooth
2. Bells & Boughs stamps & dies
3. Parisian Lace die
4. Clear Cardstock
5. Filigree Clear Embossing Powder


Nichole also asked us to pick our favorite project from this year.
True to form, I picked, like... 49 or something :)

{It seems like all of you other on-top-of-it bloggers - obviously, I am not that - got around to a 2011 Review post, so we'll just consider this to be that.}

First up...

I think this one comes close to my truest design self at the moment.  Made it on the fly in just a few minutes.  In general, if it's a snap for me to put together, the design is better and I feel better about it. 

However.
Lots of my favorite projects from this year were more involved,  like this one...

or this one...

Both totally inspired by PTI sets (Fruit Fusion and Garden Variety).

I love that about Papertrey. 
The designs just get me.

Sometimes the idea hits as soon as I look at the images that Nichole sends us of the new stamps for each month, as with the strawberry cookies.  Other times I'll go on a hunt for inspiration and find it in something to pair with the set, as with the chocolate mint cakes.

Sometimes inspiration comes from Nichole or the design team.  She suggested pairing Gratitude Journal with a rolodex and, man, that was it... I could just see it...

This project is definitely a personal favorite because of the post project story.  In December I spoke at a women's Christmas gala where I presented this project and two others as part of a talk about simple ways to honor your blessings.

There were 160 women there.
And 45 minutes for me to fill.
I was terrified.
Terrified.

I knew I would be but I knew I should accept the offer, anyway.
It totally fit in with my goal of trying new things... scary-to-me things... this past year.

From even simple things like fancy cookies to watercoloring {see below} that I normally wouldn't do because I would let my perfectionism crush my spirit.

In the end... it went really well :)
And I loved it.
Loved it.
And so I love that project :)

Along with this one...

Yeah... I had no idea how that would turn out.
But I did it.
And I liked it.
And I still use that $4.99 watercolor set.

Do you ever have that feeling after you've finished a project... that I-like-it-but-maybe-no-one-else-out-there-is-going-to-like-it feeling?  {Can anyone relate?}  One of my favorite favorite things about PTI is that, man, Nichole really does encourage us to try new things... to be creative... to do something super cool.  And it never fails... if I send my I'm-not-sure-about-this project off I'll get the most encouraging email from Nichole or comment from one of the design team girls back.  Lots of my favorite projects were like that.  I love the feeling that our little DT is rooting for each other :)

Some of my other favorites are similar to the first one up at the top... the ones that really feel the most like me & where I am right now. 

Here they are... just for kicks :)

There you go... lots of my PTI favorites for you today :)

Sooo... what are your favorites?
Do you have a favorite PTI product or project?

Leave me a link and I'll try swing by to take a look :)