Stationery Wedding Gift

Another hand-stamped and stenciled stationery set. The inspiration comes from the wedding invitation (behind the stationery sheet).

Because I'm only using one stamp, I just used my Tim Holtz Grid Block aligning it at the top of the sheet and the lines made it easy to center the stamp. The stamp is from Papertrey Ink's Damask Designs set. It took me a few months to find the right greens (Limeade Ice and Prairie Grass inks from Papertrey Ink and Pine Needles Distress Ink for the stenciling). I got the variegated effect by inking the stamp with Limeade Ice and then dabbing the edge of Prairie Grass over the top of the first ink.  I also stamped 2 1/4 inch adhesive paper circles for a decorative envelope seal.

Papertrey Ink has a Deluxe Stationery kit with paper, envelopes, adhesive sheets and a small container (I put the envelope seals in this). So easy to decorate. And then the paper and the envelopes fit so nicely into one of the Basic White Stationery Boxes. I attach patterned paper and a piece of cardstock decorated like the stationery to the box top.

I wanted to make a customized stencil that was at least translucent to ensure proper placement of the initials and found Papertrey Ink's Vellum to be sturdy enough for the job. I was really surprised to find that the Distress Ink was smudge proof after a few hours. That definitely needs more experimenting. The vellum is white, the picture was taken after I had used a blending tool over it a few times : D.

This is the second Monogrammed Stationery set I've given a young newlywed couple.  I told them they could either write letters to each other or write other people. I don't know if I'm #analog or #Luddite lol.

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The moose antlers (Tim Holtz Trophy Antlers (now retired, buy them if you find them if you like them) and jingle brads colored with Mushroom Alcohol Ink) and the star die underneath them are what I intended to work on this morning... and then some gifts to wrap... but then I started looking for the makings of a very important present only I kept finding other things like tea bag papers (being accumulated for a project) and scrapbook stickers and a stamp set I could not find at all 6 months ago... So today will be a test to see if I can complete the tasks I CAN find without wandering off to find the missing parts lol.

Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground for peeks at more crafty places : D.

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Sadly not much has happened on my desk (except the addition of a few more things to put away... which is actually a happy thing). Most of my crafty time has been spent knitting (Christmas Knitting Time has commenced!!!!). The first of three has been knit, the ends woven in and is in a nice warm soak getting ready for blocking.

The only Black Friday shopping I did was 5 of these wood crates at Jo-Ann's. A nice sturdy little shelf (on the left) to hold lots of stamps. Plus now my craft room smells pleasantly of pine : D.

For more craft spaces head over to Julia's Stamping Ground : D.

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My desk is covered with goodies to put away.

This is where the real crafty activity has been. I signed up for the Craftsy Class, Adventures in Garter Stitch. The pattern is pretty simple, but still easy enough to forget where I am, so I made a reminder that can be folded up and slipped in the safety pin marking the right side.

The fully dressed fashion forward teapot with cosy and Wool Tea Warmer is now off my desk and in it's new home : D I was going to show it last week, but was distracted by things like 2 feet of snow on Monday lol.

For more crafty peeks, head to Julia's Stamping Ground : D.
Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground to have a gander round other crafty spaces.

WOYWW 389, the Teapot is finally dressed

The tea pot is back and is only missing a button, and a few ends to be woven in. I do not call my self a Knitter, I just knit. The tea cosy was made up as I went along.  Sort of like a hat for a tea pot, with ribbing to keep it close, and gaps for the handle (with a little trap door to keep it closed) ...

... and a gap for the spout. But if you are wanting to keep the pot even warmer...

... there is a Wool Tea Warmer. Inspired by a couple of Deskers who should know who they are XD. This is the bit that really took some time, but I did learn to do a proper Judy's Magic Cast-On (only took me months and rewinding of several Craftsy Classes - 40 Ways to Cast On and Bind Off worked the best for me... and apparently there are even more ways).  The bottom is stuffed with 2 loosely wound balls of the yarn. And everything is properly blocked (soaked in water and then dried flat). Blocking has improved my knitting by 90%. I am a blocking convert.

Head over to Julia's for peek at more crafty spaces.

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 Sample, sample, sample, sample. Pulling out all sorts of green for another stationery set. This time I'm working off the wedding invitation.

 I went to the New York Sheep and Wool Show in Rhinebeck where I met this little guy (a young alpaca I believe).

I bought 3 silk caps for spinning (I'll be writing a post about it soon). They are a lot shinier than they look in this picture though.

 It was crowded. I met people from all across the country. The person pushing the stroller is the end of the line for some very yummy falafels being sold under that tent in the background. I stood in line for 45 minutes. It was worth it. 

Then I needed a little space, and I found it. Monty Python fans may recognize this as "A Larch" : D.

Hop over to Julia's Stamping Ground for a gander at more crafty spaces : D.

A Gender Neutral Card : )

A gatefold card made for Online Card Classes Wild Card. The card base is Papertrey Ink's Ocean Tides, stamped with the foliage stamp from Friendship Jar: Flowers set with Fine Linen ink. The flowers are cut from one of the small dies in the Friendship Jar: Flowers set out of patterned vellum. The hearts are Limitless Layers: Heart Stitches cut from Classic Kraft and the plane is Tim Holtz' Mini Airplane covered with a technique from Creative Chemistry 103 (also on Online Card Classes).

 The gatefold opened. Simon Says Global Exploration, so it's there as well. 

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I need to do a bit of clean up. Had to take my new Tim Holtz Postage die (found for $11 on Amazon with free shipping) out for a spin. The purple post it have enough life in them for at least a few more masking tasks, so there they sit huddled together at the back. In the front is actually gold foil adhesive paper, looking dull as can be : D.

So lots and lots of crafting to do.. Christmas is coming (and to quote Babe the movie, "Christmas is carnage lol).

Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground for more crafty peaks : D.

Poe with Gold and Vellum

A card made for Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #263: Background Building with Frames.  I started with Ocean Tides cardstock and added the frame die cut from Tag Sale #10 cut from a gold foil adhesive. The vellum is cut with Friendship Jars: Flowers (2 times) and is adhered to the card under the focal point with Ranger Matte Multi Medium. I love how the light reflecting off the frames catches in the vellum. The focal point is the Poe stamp from Wendy Vecchi's Metro Art stamp set (fussy cut, Tim Holtz collage crazing medium with  a little Distress Crayon worked into the crazing). I had made this a few months ago and it was just waiting on my desk for the perfect project : D.

Simon Says Halloween Inspiration, and since Poe always reminds me of Halloween, I'm entering it there as well : D.

Stitched Ornament (a small study in contrast)

I love experimenting in contrasts. In this case, glassine from my late father's stamp collection (postage) cut with Papertrey Ink's Stitched Ornaments: Topped dies and stitched together with Rustic Twine. I also love that the twine is the support for the structure, and how the very opaque and sturdy rustic twine contrasts against the translucent, and fragile glassine.

It does take a bit of concentration to make sure the stitching is done slowly and deliberately. It helps to use a rounded tip needle too. Projects like this one which require and slow and deliberate pace create a meditative space for me. And the crinkle of the glassine reminds me of my father turning the pages in his many stamp albums (a sheet of glassine between each page of stamps). In many ways, one of my first introductions to paper crafting.

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 Getting ready to do some cards from Online Card Classes Wild Card (interactive, moving cards... it's like they made it just for me! lol). But first I want to finish stitching this ornament (papertrey ink's stitched ornaments: topped) made with glassine from my father's stamp collecting supplies and some rustic twine (also papertrey ink). Also I've lost my favorite pair of regular use scissors, so this is my second favorite pair. The button in the back is waiting for the package with the matching felt to be delivered. The package is frustratingly close, but no movement at all since 8:38 this morning and no estimated delivery date. Also in the package is the stationery set needing to be decorated for a wedding in a couple of weeks.... no pressure lol.

It requires a bit of patience so the glassine doesn't tear. It's actually very meditative, and can not be rushed lol.

Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground for more crafty peeks : D.

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 Between projects once again. To the right is my Lawn Fawn Rooting for you set, which I have used, but not nearly enough (fun root veggies with appropriate puns and faces). Top and center are spinster related Holiday stamps. And by Spinster I mean the original definition of the word, a woman who spins (yarn, not a lycra-clad stationary bicyclist).

Sheep and an alpaca. Someday I'll spring for the matching dies, but for now the stamps are making me happy : D.

Head over to Julia's Stamping-Ground for more crafty peeks : D.

Papertrey Ink September 2016 Blog Hop

It's Papertrey Ink's September Blog Hop. The frame is made with the medium String Frame die, and strung with Rustic Twine. The tag is cut with Fillable Frames #9 and stamped with Make It Market: Don't Forget to Write and a stamped off image from Woodblock Prints in Dark Chocolate. The cardbase is Classic Kraft.

It is also in keeping with this week's CASology's cue card, so I'm adding it there as well.

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I still had a bark caption left over from last week's CASology card (the cue card was bark), so I got out my Tim Holtz Alphanumerics (stored on magnetic vent cover sheets for ease of use).

I've no idea what I'm going to use it for, but I love knowing I have it on hand lol.

I'm the Guest Designer this week on CASology. The cue word is frame : D. Stop by if you have a chance : D.

Hop over to Julia's Stamping Ground for a peek at more crafty spaces!

Reflecting on Mirror Board

CASology's cue card this week is Frame (I also have another post where I'm the guest designer). The frame is made by stamping the two frame elements from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: You are a Masterpiece with Distress Embossing Ink and Ranger Super Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder. Then being careful to leave a clean line at the frame edge, I used Wild Honey Distress Marker to color in the frame with just a bit over the outside line which was then drawn out with a Water Brush. This image shows the reflection of the embossing powder.

This image shows the reflection of the Mirror Board and the watercolor effect of the Distress Marker and Water Brush.

Simon Says Clean and Simple, so I'm entering it there as well.

CASology: Frame

This week's CASology Cue card is Frame. I'm tickled pink to have been asked to be this week's guest designer! The frame stamp (embossed with Ranger's Super Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder) is from Pink Paislee's Quack, Quack with a small circle of Tim Holtz' Mirror Board. The sentiment comes from Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: You Are A Masterpiece.  The cardstock is Classic Kraft from Papertrey Ink.

Bark

This week's CASology cue card is bark.  So I used a Papertrey Ink Sweet Speech die and cut a photograph of the bark of a maple tree.  I drew a bit of ground with a pencil and used a die cut from Papertrey Ink's Come All Ye Faithful set.

And Simon Says Clean and Simple, so it's there as well : D.

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I am in between active projects, but I have a couple on simmer, like the little frame from the $1 store at the back... There are also a lot of blending pads to put away lol.  The stamp set is a lovely multi-step rubber stamp set (Some Like It Hot Papertrey Ink). I was asked to be a guest artist at CASology next week (the cue card will be announced on Tuesday) so stop by if you are looking to do a little Clean and Simple : D.

For the record, if you love coloring, but you aren't sure what medium you are going to use... I am LOVING Onyx VersaFine, a fast drying pigment ink (though I usually give it a quick shot with the heat tool, just to make sure.

Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground for more crafty peeks : D.

Hand Decorated Stationery Set

 Stationery gift set using Papertrey Ink's Make It Market kit: Don't Forget to Write. The basic white stationery box is decorated with some pattern paper and the square die cut frame, stamped and stenciled. I used the Deluxe Stationery kit's paper and envelopes.

 Close up of the stationery monogram. The leaves were stamped with Spring Moss. The flowers were stamped with Tattered Rose Distress Ink and the N was stenciled with Enchanted Evening. Details and lines were added with a water brush and Frayed Burlap smooshed on the craft sheet spritzed with water.

 The envelope fronts were stamped using the same leaves, flowers and details.

Vitamin Sea

I long to go to the ocean, but since I can't at the moment, I made a couple of cards.  Both made on Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream cardstock. This one is all one layer. First I blended a little Tumbled Glass Distress Ink on the card front. Then I stamped the scallop shell with Fine Linen and Canyon Clay, painted a little Iced Spruce around the shell and then wrote "vitamin sea" in pencil. I was very careful about the amount of water (very little) and then used a heat tool to dry it quickly, so no wrinkles.

The scene is masked and then Tumbled Glass was blended on in layers. Before removing the mask, I "drew" a shore line with Embossing Ink (Distress Ink) and used Antique Linen Distress Embossing Powder.  The wave line is made by painting it with a finger and Grit Paste. Not a single stamp was used lol.

This week's CASology Cue card is Beach.

Thank You Card set

Vintage Cream A2 cardstock, one of Papertrey Ink's Woodblock Print stencils inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink. Thank you sentiment from Big & Bold Wishes stamped with Ground Espresso Distress Ink and the pen and ink bottle from Crafty Secrets' French Mail stamped with Gathered Twigs. 12 cards done in 30 minutes... that's my new record : D.

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There's a lot going on here. I was waiting for the Stickles to dry on the shaker card and I did more sampling for a set of 12 cards (also finished today lol).

 the front of the shaker card (featuring Lawn Fawn's Loads of Fun stamp set).

the inside is stamped and stickled and the laundry basket turned into a cupcake with candles from Papertrey Ink's Wishes Come True stamp set.

The set of 12 cards with the background stenciled with one of Papertrey Ink's Woodblock Prints stencils.

Head over to Julia's Stamping Ground for more crafty peeks : D.