It's been a crazy week, but in between all the appointments and commitments I managed to get some valentines made. The ones going to Wisconsin were in the mail earlier this week. I have one to share today for a couple of challenges. First off, the current Time Out Challenge:

I was attracted to the red and white color combination, the embossed background, and of course the hearts. On our way to Wisconsin in January, we stopped at Buffalo Stamps and Things. All Alexandra Renke products were 20% off with a coupon so I picked up some paper, a die, and two embossing folders. This one was perfect for Valentine's Day, but I can easily see using it for an anniversary or a wedding card.

After running the white cardstock through with the embossing folder, I used an old, old corner punch to add a bit more interest. The sentiment, from Papertrey Ink's "Keep It Simple: Valentine" was embossed in gold on a banner die cut from Pure Poppy cardstock. The whole panel then was added to a top-folding Pure Poppy card. CAS, but pretty.

Here's a closer look at the amazing dimension you get with the embossing folder. 

I'm also linking this up to Simon Says Monday Challenge: Add Some Red.

The current optional "topping" at Seize the Birthday is Black and White. I often participate in the challenge without using the "topping," but this time I had an idea and decided to go with it. I'm a huge fan of red, black, and white, but I don't think I've ever created a card (birthday or otherwise) that was just black and white. Here's what I came up with:

I knew I wanted a tone on tone background. Last weekend, I organized and cataloged my die collection so I knew I had the perfect Impression Plate by Papertrey Ink for a birthday card: "By the Numbers." I also found an Impress die that cuts five candles and I die cut them from a variety of patterned papers by My Favorite Things. After I embossed the sentiment from Papertrey's "Wishes Come True," there was really only room for three candles. Since this isn't meant to be an age-related birthday card three candles was fine.

I have another idea or two for this challenge, but need several "custom" birthday cards for friends and family before I start playing again.

Since this is definitely CAS, I'm also entering it in the CAS on Friday challenge which is "Birthday."

Seize the Birthday has become one of my favorite challenges; possibly because at least half the cards I make each year are birthday cards. Any birthday card is allowed for all of the challenges, but there is also a "topping" challenge each time. The current topping is "stamping only." Theses cards almost meet that criteria. Both cards do use a Stitched Circle die from Simon Says, and a few rhinestones, but it's probably as close as I get to a stamping only card. 

Both cards use Simon Says gray cardstocks and Simon Says "Bohemian Lace" stamp set. The sentiment for the card on the right is from Papertrey Ink's "Good Times" stamp set, and the one on the left has a sentiment white embossed on a thin black strip from Mama Elephant's "Occasional Labels." Here's a closer look:

I've put creating a stamping only birthday card on my "to do" list. The challenge is open until January 29th, so it just might happen!

 

I have another card made with the Pinkfresh Studio "Dainty Flowers" and "Noteworthy Frames." This one is a thank you note for a friend who gave us a very generous and unexpected gift certificate for Christmas.

The dainty flowers were die cut from metallic cardstocks and tucked into the "Noteworthy Frame" die cut in Soft Stone. That piece was die cut with my trusty "Stitched Rectangle" die from Simon Says. The sentiment from Papertrey's "Thank You Kindly" set was stamped in black . Finally, that panel was adhered to a top-folded card from "Smoke" cardstock (Simon Says.) 

This card is for the current CAS on Friday Challenge: Flowers.

 

The current challenge at Time Out is "Loving" and although it's definitely time to think about Valentines, I have a wedding card to share. It's another CAS design, but one I love and will definitely use again. It would work for a wedding, anniversary, or a Valentine, I think.

One of my favorite ever products from Papertrey Ink are their Mix and Mat dies. Each set has three dies that come grouped together. You can die cut them as is, or separate them and use two together, or each separately. In this case, I used the two inner dies from the "Pretty Brackets" set die cut in white.

I trimmed it down and used foam tape to add some dimension before adhering it to a white card. I'm a huge fan of white on white, and all the card needed was a some heart from My Favorite Things heart dies cut from Pure Poppy cardstock.

I love the stitched edge around the middle die cut on this Mix and Mat die. I decided against adding a sentiment to the front of the card, and went with the wedding messages on the inside. 

I'm back with a CAS birthday card for the current challenges at Seize the Birthday and Wednesday's Simon Says Challenge: Use Something New.

Sometime in November I purchased two dies I'd been eyeing for some time: the Pink Fresh Studio's "Dainty Blossoms" and the Noteworthy Frames. After Christmas I had time to play with them. Today's card uses only the "Dainty Blossoms," but I'll be back later with some cards using both dies. I love the way they look, but I must admit that die cutting the blossoms requires some time and patience even with a metal shim. I do not, however, regret either purchase. 

This card uses just two of the eight dies included, both die cut from metallic cardstock (which might have been one of the reasons they didn't cut so easily.) I adhered them to a white card and added a bow tied with beautiful silver cord that my friend, Michelle, gave me. The sentiment is embossed with Platinum embossing powder on one of Papertrey Inks "Skinny Mini Banners." I almost didn't order that set of dies, but I'm already glad I did. It was the perfect size for one of Simon Says "Tiny Words" phrases (another new purchase with a lucky blog win from Simon Says.)

It's cold and raining here, and we woke up to no heat. A heating contractor is due here in an hour or so, and I'm hoping it's a simple fix. We certainly don't want to leave the house without any heat while we're away for a week.

 

The latest challenge on CAS on Friday is "Make a Christmas Card." I've shared a few of the cards I made, but haven't shared the ones I made using the tags for Tracey McNeeley's 25 Christmas Tags challenge. I spent the better part of a day right before the holiday turning some of the tags into cards. They've all been mailed now, so it's a good time to share. I'll be entering the first one into the CAS on Friday challenge.

The card I'm entering is the only card I made this year in non-traditional colors, and it's one of my favorites. 

The tag uses Papertrey Ink's "Warmest Wishes" set. I ran the beautiful Altenew embossing plate through the die cutter with Raspberry Fizz cardstock, mounted it on a top-folded white card, and added the tag. 

Here are a few more:

This card went to Hannah. Sarah set me the cutest video of Hannah opening the card and giving it a very close examination. My grandchildren are young enough that I don't expect much appreciation from them. Sometimes the card is destroyed in just minutes. It's the pleasure of making it that matters. In this case, the card was truly appreciated, and it survived the holiday season.

Using the Simon Says stencil "Falling Snow," I covered a black card with white embossing paste to create a backdrop for the tag created with Neat and Tangle's cute "So Foxy" stamp, Simon Says "Merry and Bright" and "Diagonal Stripes." 

This turned out to be another fave:

I die cut Simon Says "Diamond Pattern" from Blueberry Sky paper (PTI) and left the die cuts remain in place. I adhered it to a card made from "Spring Rain," and then added the dimensional tag created with stamps from PTI's "Winter Hills" and the "Tag Sale 10" die.

The next card uses the same "Diamond Pattern" die cut this time from Pure Poppy cardstock. In this case, I released all the little pieces to expose the white card behind the cute penguin tag stamped with My Favorite Things "Chill Wishes" and some more embossing paste with the "Falling Snow" stencil by Simon Says.

And one more:

The tag for this cards was die cut with PTI's "Tag Sale 4" and the beautiful holly (and die) are from Hero Art's "Happy Holly Days" which I watercolored with Zig markers. The bow was die cut with a die from Concord & 9th's "Mistletoe Card Frame." It's hard to see clearly, but the tag is mounted on Pure Poppy that was embossed with Papertrey Ink's "Tintype" Impression Plate. 

When I started making tags for Tracey's challenge I didn't expect to turn many of them into cards. In the end, I think I created 15 or 16 cards from the 26 tags. I ended up needing all of them so it turned out to be a worthwhile endeavor.

 

 

 

Today is the monthly blog hop at Papertrey Ink. I truly did not expect to get a card made for the hop, but found some time this afternoon to play around. I love the pretty inspiration piece.

Strangely, considering the number of Papertrey Ink stamps and dies I own, I didn't own a single Papertrey heart die. I found one by Concord and 9th, however, that seemed made for this challenge. The die itself is designed to cut the heart into a larger piece of cardstock, but I was able to fussy cut around the outside edge to create the heart I was looking for. I adhered it to my new "Shape Shifters Oval 4" die cut from a piece of Pink Peony Bitty Big patterned paper and then to a white top-folded card.

To replicate the pretty flowers, I fussy cut a group of flowers from the Make It Market kit, "Color Pop Florals," and then added a sentiment die cut from "Swoosh" in Hibiscus Burst. All in all, I'm happy to have my first Valentine made!