From the Heart

Hi everyone! I'm getting ready to make a quick trip to Minneapolis and the Mall of America...I'm positively giddy about hitting up Archiver's and seeing what's new at the Paper Source. Woot!

Before I head out, I need to post this week's Play Date Cafe colors:

I loved these colors so much, I made two cards (you'll see the second one next week). I needed to make a little Valentine's Day greeting for my parents, so I made this card:

Yep, those are my kids (not some random kids).

For this hybrid card, I started with the photo. Two Peas is carrying new Photoshop actions to alter photos, and I thought I would pretend to be photographer-like. I used Adrienne Looman's Bold Tea Action to give the photo the high-contrast look. As a forewarning, these actions are addictive!

After I altered the photo, I clipped it (Control-G if you're using Photoshop) to one of Meredith Fenwick's Fun Frames. I colored the hearts with a Copic after I printed the card front. Here's a close-up:

I can't believe I have a picture where they are both looking at the camera and no one is biting, howling, or pulling hair. ;)

I finished off the card by adding the Hero Arts digital sentiment. There are some cute love sentiments in this set.

If you'd like to join in this week's PDCC, the winner will receive a prize from My Creative Classroom:

You can link up your projects HERE. Good luck!

I also wanted to say that sadly, this post is my last with The Play Date Cafe. It was a hard decision, and I'm going to miss my awesome teammates! They are the sweetest ladies and so talented. Thank you especially to Julie for doing such a fab job leading the team. I'm going to miss them! :)

Have a great week!

Supplies
Cardstock: (magenta) Bazzill
Specialty paper: (Premium matte photo paper) Office Max
Digital supplies: (Bold Tea Photoshop Action) Adrienne Looman; (frame from Fun Frames 1) Meredith Fenwick; (sentiment from Love in Hearts and Borders digital brush) Hero Arts--all from Two Peas in a Bucket
Copic maker: (YG00)

Martini Time

Hi everyone!

It's time for this week's Play Date Cafe post. This week's colors are black, white, and a splash of emerald:

Do you ever have those indecisive crafty days? For some reason, I had a hard time coming up with something with only green. I flipped through my papers and realized I need more green papers. ;) I considered some stamps...nah.

Finally, I looked at my digital files and saw a great image.When in doubt, go with a martini (or maybe it was that I needed a martini by that point):

I started with the digital martini image and created my own sentiment. Isn't the font perfectly retro?

In the original image, the olives were solid black, but I couldn't easily recolor them in Photoshop. To make them partially white, I erased the centers of the olives in Photoshop. I finished by coloring and shading the images with Copics.

You know how I said I was having an indecisive crafty day? I considered a sheer ribbon, black bling, and changing the design. Nope. Went with the graphic look. Here's a close-up:

Want to join in this week's PDCC Color Splash? The winner will receive a prize from Viva Las VegaStamps.

You can link up HERE. While you're there, you can find out who is the new Private Blend Designer.

Ideas? Here's something about here: *I may live in the land of the Frozen Tundra, but I only really enjoy the snow when I'm looking out the window.  :)

Hee hee. Check her out on the Play Date Cafe site.

Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies
Cardstock: (True Black) PTI; (Gumball) Stamp School
Digital image: (martinis vector image) Tack-o-Rama
Font: (Designers) Dafont.com
Copics

I'm Here for You

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a good week.

It's time for another Play Date Cafe Challenge. Here are this week's colors:

Do you ever have projects that you love the idea, get all the way done, and then realize it didn't work? Yep, that's what happened to me this week.

I originally started out making a gift bag. I got all the way done, but once I saw the picture, I thought "this looks super lame." So, I cut the bag apart and made it into this card:

You can still see the brown paper bag as the card front. ;) I die cut the various papers, added some Bella Blvd washi (thanks, Heather!) and a Freckled Fawn arrow.

For the sentiment, I used my brand-spankin' new stamps from Precious Remembrance (I literally got the stamps an hour before I made this project). I also used the "X's" stamp to add a little texture to the digital purple paper. Here's a close-up:

Like the colors? Want to play along? This week's winner will receive a fabulous prize from the PDCC prize vault. You can link up your projects HERE.

Thanks so much for looking! Have a great weekend!

Supplies
Cardstock: (kraft) PTI
Patterned paper: (stars--Large Hexagon from Everyday Eclectic) Echo Park; (ivory--One of a Kind from The Sweetest Thing-Honey) My Mind's Eye
Specialty paper: (premium matte photo paper) Office Max
Clear stamps: (sentiment and cross stitch from Positive Thoughts) Precious Remembrance
Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento
Specialty ink: (Opaque White Mr. Huey's) Studio Calico
Digital elements: (purple papers from Wishy Washi) Jen Martakis at Two Peas in a Bucket
Embellishments: (wood veneer arrow) Freckled Fawn
Washi: (pink airmail) Bella Blvd. 

Something Other Than Paper

Hi everyone!

Do you ever have one of those crafty times where you can't get the project to work? That's what was happening when I first started playing with this week's Play Date Cafe colors. So, I decided to leave the paper behind and do something different this week.

First up, here are this week's Play Date Cafe colors:

And here's my take on the colors:

I made felt hair clips. Here's a picture of my reluctant model wearing it (she said, "You're not going to show my face, are you?").

And here's a picture of the two clips:

I used 100% wool felt from Felt on the Fly (luxurious!) and the larger Beautiful Bows die from My Favorite Things. The bows came together quickly other than the glue...the thick felt wouldn't hold and I ended up sewing the layers together.

When I finished with the bows, I attached the base to a hair clip (Hobby Lobby sells the clips by the bag).  Easy peasy! Here's how it looks underneath:

Now I used felt, but you could also make these bows out of paper for some super cute party favors (bows or bow ties). How fun would that be?

Want to join along with the PDCC this week? The winner will win a gift certificate to Simon Says Stamp:

You can link up your projects HERE.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies
Felt: (Brown, Turquoise wool felt) Felt on the Fly
Dies: (Beautiful Bows die) My Favorite Things
Buttons: (Hawaiian Shores button) PTI; (green) My Favorite Things
Twine: (green and white twine) Jillibean Soup; (turquoise) DMC

A Tag and a Bag

Hi Everyone! If you're looking for the Season's Givings blog hop card, please click HERE. I was overwhelmed at the sweet comments about the card. Thank you! And if you're a new follower, welcome. :)

After a two week break, it's time for another Play Date Cafe Challenge. Here are this week's colors:

I was pretty gaga over the colors...the orange is so cheerful! Here's the gift bag I created:

I die cut a PTI wine tag out of the Ruby Rock-It gingham paper and tucked the top part of the wine tag inside a small gift bag. I figured in a pinch, I could use the tag for a bottle of wine. ;)

The sentiment, house, door and window stamps and dies are from the Where the Heart Is stamp/die set. I used the "thanks" sentiment thinking I could put a small hostess gift inside (as in thank you for your hospitality).

Here's a close-up to see the house and the cute arrow paper clip better:

When I was done, I thought the bag needed one more orange element at the top. I don't have any orange tissue paper, so instead, I took an orange Copic marker and quickly drew stripes on a piece of white tissue paper. Problem solved, and it was cheaper than buying specialty tissue paper. :)

If you would like to play along with this week's PDCC color challenge, you can link up your project HERE. We love seeing your projects!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!


Supplies
Cardstock: (white) PTI
Patterned Paper: (Miscellanea from the Cook line) Ruby Rock-It
Clear Stamps: (house, windows, door, sentiment from Where the Heart Is) Simon Says Stamp
Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento; (Antique Linen Distress Ink) Ranger
Markers: Copic
Dies: (house from Where the Heart Is) Simon Says Stamp; (Wine Tag and Picket Fence) Papertrey Ink
Accessories: (arrow clip) Kikkerland

Sew Perfect

Hi everyone! Thank you for the sweet comments about my Moxie Fab post. The kind words made me feel all mushy inside. :)

Everyone's busy, so let's get right to it. It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge! Here are the colors:

And here's what I came up with:

I used the stitched boxes stamp from our sponsor this week, Jenni Bowlin, like a button card. Instead of buttons, I substituted layered hearts. I printed off some digital papers from Two Peas, die cut the hearts, and sewed two hearts together for each square.

Here's a close-up of the card:

I layered some vintage sewing patterns I have to fit with the sewing theme, and finished the card off with a sentiment I made in Photoshop.

Admittedly, I found these colors hard, but it's always good to challenge yourself, right?

If you want to play along, the winner will receive a prize from Jenni Bowlin:

You can link up your creations HERE. It's a two-week challenge this time. :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies
Cardstock: (Grapecicle) My Favorite Things, (white) PTI
Digital Patterned Papers: (navy damask and blue polka dot from Blue Sky) Baers Garten; (script and marbled brown from Mustard Sky) Adrienne Looman; (purple from Tweetheart Solids) Truman Studio all from Two Peas in a Bucket
Clear stamps: (Perf Marks) Jenni Bowlin
Dye Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento
Distress Ink: (Victorian Velvet) Ranger
(button, ecru floss, and sewing patterns) craft supply

What's Brewing?

Hi everyone! I hope you're having a great week.

It's busy, busy, busy here. My daughter's birthday is a few days after Christmas, and she's having a birthday party with friends a few days before Christmas. Luckily, I got most of the party planning finished last weekend. Now, just 15 favors to wrap... :)

It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge. This week's gorgeous colors are Evergreen, Gum Drop, and Candy Cane Red:

I decided to make a non-traditional Christmas card:

In Photoshop, I stamped the Rhonna Designs ledger digital brush in pink on both the top and the bottom. Then, I created my own sentiment to match the chemistry stamps.

After printing the panel, I stamped the There She Goes flasks--they are so cute! I added the bubbles and hearts by curving stamps from the set. My coloring is rusty, but here's a close-up:

I thought this card would work well with a bottle of wine (as a gift, not to drink while you're staring at the card). With a little redesigning, the card could work as wine tag, too. 

Like the colors of this week's Play Date Cafe challenge? The winner of this challenge wins a prize from Simon Says Stamps.

You can link up your projects HERE. 

Thanks so much for looking! Have a great week!

Supplies

Cardstock: (white) PTI

Patterned Paper: (Holly Jolly Christmas) Echo Park

Clear Stamps: (Chemistry) There She Goes Stamps

Digital Stamps: (Distressed Backgrounds digital brush) Rhonna Designs

Dye Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento

Markers: Copics

Twine: (Peapod) The Twinery

Follow Your Heart

Hi everyone!

Anyone out there shopping for the holidays? Anyone have any suggestions for crafty items I can pass along to my hubby?

It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge. Here are this week's colors:

Isn't that a pretty combination? I am in love with the image in the top left, and almost made a card like that. Instead, I came up with this super clean and simple card:

I love that large Solid Poppy stamp. I simply did a little rock-and-roll inking on it and used the same darker blue for the Swissgirl sentiment. This sentiment set is so cool...I used it for THIS card, too.

Want to play along? This week's winner receives a gift certificate to ScrapbookPal.com:

You can link up your projects HERE.

Have a great day (or night)! Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies
Cardstock: (tan) Bazzill; (white) Papertrey Ink
Rubber stamps: (Solid Poppy) Impress Stamps
Clear stamps: (Dream Big) Swissgirl Designs
Pigment ink: (Sky Blue) Brilliance; (Indigo) Versacolor
Twine: (Natural) May Arts
Button: (Sweet Tooth) My Favorite Things

Old-Timey Christmas

Hi! Last week at Two Peas, Polka Dot Pixels released a series of digital chalkboard elements. I always love seeing the new releases, but I was positively giddy when I saw her new Chalked Journaling Title Cards. I love the old-timey fonts and scroll work....just like title cards in silent movies. (*squeal*)

I was so excited to start playing with them, and the timing was perfect for this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge. It's Color Splash time with the color maroon:

Using the journaling cards and these colors, I made a set of Christmas cards:

I'd love to say I pulled off Betsy Veldman-style stamping on these (like she did HERE), but the sentiments are the digital Chalked Journaling Cards.

I simply enlarged each journaling card, printed them, matted them on a piece of white cardstock, and adhered them to chevron paper. Other than spending a ridiculous amount of time deciding which shade of red chevron paper to use for the background (insert eye roll here), I made the set of cards in no time.

Here are four of the cards:

I think I'll be making more of these as last-minute Christmas cards... hee hee

Want to play along with this week's PDCC Color Splash? The winner will win a prize from the PDCC Prize Vault. You can link up your project HERE.

Thanks for looking!

Supplies
Cardstock: (Sweet Tooth) Stamp School
Patterned Paper: (Chevron Pack) Amuse Studio (thanks, Glenda!)
Digital element: (Chalked Journaling Title Cards) Polka Dot Pixels at Two Peas in a Bucket

Hugs to You

Next week I'll be traveling to Pennsylvania for work, but since I only have a few hours of work, I decided to extend the trip a couple of days and take my daughter. My mom is driving down to meet us, too. We're planning on going to the Hershey Factory. It's been about 10 years since I've been there, but I loved the Wonka-ness of the place. I'm really looking forward to seeing my daughter's face when she sees all the chocolate (well, maybe I'm looking forward to a little chocolate also. ;).

It's time for another Play Date Cafe challenge, and this one is a 2 week challenge. Here are this week's colors:

I loved those fingerless gloves (they wouldn't work in South Dakota, but I love how they look). It reminded me of a coffee cozy I saw a while ago (sorry I can't remember who to credit for this idea!). I used one of my husband's wool socks to make this cozy:

I started by cutting off the ribbed cuff of a wool sock. I stitched over the edges with some felt ric-a-rac to keep the edges from fraying. Yes, the hand stitching is atrocious....I was obviously paying more attention to the TV show I was watching. Seriously, though, I think a little adhesive would help when stitching through the heavy ribbing of the sock.

I die cut the white label and pink heart from Stamp School wool felt and added the same "homespun" stitching on the heart. The circle is digital paper from the "I Wanna Be" collection at Two Peas. Here's a close-up:

I slipped the cozy over a travel coffee cup just to show you how it looks. Other than the stitching, the project came together very quickly. Now I'm looking at my kids' sweaters to see what kinds of cuffs they have...

I also make a hybrid card to go with the coffee cozy:

I started by layering portions of the chevron papers from the same "I Wanna Be" collection. I printed the image along with a pink solid and green with grey hearts paper from the same collection. I die cut the same pink felt I used on the cozy.

For the arrows, the veneer arrow wasn't long enough, so I used two different arrows and covered them with the heart. I finished the card off with a Waltzingmouse sentiment. Here's a close-up:

Want to play along? This week, the PDCC is sponsored by Scor-Pal:

You can link up your project HERE, and remember, you have two weeks for this challenge.

Thanks so much for looking! Have a great week.


SUPPLIES

Coffee Cozy
Other Patterned Paper: (green chevron digital paper from I Wanna Be) Edeline Marta & Armina Designs at Two Peas in a Bucket
Other Paper: (premium matte photo paper) Office Max
Fibers: (Whip Cream and Cotton Candy felt) Stamp School
Dies: (Labels #10) PTI; (heart) WPlus9

Card
Cardstock: (kraft) The Paper Source

Other Patterned Paper: (all digital papers from I Wanna Be) Edeline Marta & Armina Designs at Two Peas in a Bucket
Other Paper: (premium matte photo paper) Office Max
Clear Stamps: (sentiment from Sweethearts set)Waltzingmouse Stamps
Dye Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento
Dies: (Limitless Layers) PTI; (heart) WPlus9
Accessories: (wood veneer arrows) Studio Calico

Be Your Best Self

I hope you're having a good week! This week, I led my daughter's Brownie troop to get their "I Love Scrapbooking" badge. I think I may have to steal the badge from her, although they need an "I Love Paper Crafting" badge (hee hee). I spent a solid hour die cutting pieces for two cards, and some of the girls finished their cards in 10 minutes. If only I could craft that fast. ;) It was so much fun to work with the girls.

It's time for a new Play Date Cafe Challenge. This week's colors are wisteria, fuchsia, and plum:

I went ultra CAS for this week's card since it's all about the sentiment:

Can I say how much I love this Rhonna Designs sentiment? Crazy love!

To make this card, I simply stamped the sentiment with the digital brush and selectively recolored portions. I tried a couple of other techniques with the sentiment, but ultimately, I liked the highly graphic look. I don't think I need a close-up of this card since it's pretty clear-cut. ;)

Want to play along with this week's Cafe challenge? This week, we're being sponsored by Simon Says Stamps, and the winner will win a gift certificate from them:

You can make anything for the challenge...a card, a layout, a tag, fabric creations, baked products (seriously! I'd love to see that!)....anything goes as long as it uses the colors. You can link up HERE.

Last week for my World Card Making Contest post, I was offering a copy of the Paper Crafts Tips and Tricks to a commenter. The winner is the super-talented Kelly Griglione. Kelly, I'll drop you an e-mail.

Thanks for looking! Have a great day!

Supplies
Cardstock: (white) Stamp School
Other paper: (Premium Matte Photo Paper) Office Max
Digital stamp: (Insta Quotes digital brush) Rhonna Designs

Thinking Happy Thoughts

Happy Halloween (and Happy Day of the Dead)! It's been a crazy week--both kids have been sick but with different illnesses. But, I'm thankful that's all. My thoughts go out to all those affected by Sandy.

I did manage to make a card for this week's Play Date Cafe Challenge. This week's colors are Cinnamon, Squash, Sage, Vanilla:

We were all sent stamps from DRS Designs. The stamps are unmounted red rubber, and they stamped beautifully. This week's digital challenge at Two Peas in a Bucket is to use orange, which worked great for this week's PDCC colors. I got the cutest elephant ever from DRS Designs, and I used him to make this card:

I started by printing some digital papers from Truman Studio's new Fall Days papers. Then, I paper pieced Jungle Jim the Elephant onto the squash paper and used some older My Mind's Eye to paper piece her nails (I'd say his nails, but the nails look more girly to me :). Here's a close-up:

I partially stamped the sentiment from DRS on the (slightly distressed) patterned paper. I die cut some of the Fall Days papers and added a bunch of stitching to finish it off.

If you like the colors and want to play along, DRS Designs is offering a prize to this week's winner.

You can enter your project HERE. While you're there, be sure to say "thanks" to Amy Tsuruta and Connie Mercer, the Private Blend Designers, as this is their last week. They were awesome teammates!

If you'd like to enter the Two Peas Digital Challenge for this week, you can find the details HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I really appreciate it.


Supplies
Rubber Stamps: (Jungle Jim the Elephant, One Line Happy Thoughts) DRS Designs
Dye Ink: (Tuxedo Black) Memento
Digital Patterned Paper: (orange and plaid from Fall Days) Truman Studio
Patterned Paper: (red and kraft polka dot from Kraft Days) My Mind's Eye
Die: (Scalloped Border die) My Favorite Things
Twine: (Natural twine) PTI