Birthday blog hop for Kristine!!!

Today is Kristine's birthday! One of the lovely founders of the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog and we're hosting a birthday blog hop for her. You should have arrived from Pamela's blog and after my post, hop along to see what Randi has brought for her birthday gift today for Kristine.

We each selected from a list of her favorite things and one thing she likes is cinnamon spice. I found this delightful collage of cinnamon spice goodies online and so pick your favorite and enjoy! I see mulled spiced cider, pumpkin pie and every sort of warm, brown, spicy goodness. Happy birthday and may your day be filled with joy!

Papertrey DT color challenge

After a long day of writing I went downstairs to try to make at least one card for the current Papertrey challenge, which offered up favorite color palettes of the designers. I have been on the computer for two solid days, just about, but without much time to blog hop, so I'll be visiting other folks' blogs soon! Anyway, I chose Michelle's color palette as very soothing and as I worked I found my fingers making a sympathy card. I unfortunately have need of one and I'm trying not to make them so doleful and dark as I usually do. I added the little black bird near the sentiment and roughened up the edges of the paper around the tree and mat because grief is a rough period to get through. Thanks for looking.

Stamps: PTI Through the Trees
Paper: Kraft, vintage cream, PTI designer paper with spring moss and aqua
Ink: versamark, Spring Green, vintage cream
Other: aqua ribbon, clear EP

PTI Paint a Sketch Challenge

Papertrey Ink is celebrating their third anniversary with a number of fun challenges, cool product teasers and great giveaways. Today's challenge is to 'paint a sketch.' Nichole provided the sketch, with the measurements (to make it easier for literal stampers like myself) and then your color palette to 'paint' your sketch was determined by the first letter of your user name. So as Peggysue I fit into the color palette you see listed above.I was so sure I had some smokey shadow somewhere in the house, I spent at least 45 minutes looking for some and then gave up and simply used some gray. I know as soon as I put some in my cart and hit 'buy' I'll find the missing cardstock and ink . . .I blame it all on the kitchen remodeling.

AND right before I took my photograph I got blood on the cream colored ribbon . . . I had cut my finger preparing dinner and that sucker was still leaking. Ugh! So rather than contribute more of my DNA to the card recipient than a person might wish, I put on new ribbon. Aren't you glad? :) Thanks for looking and good luck to everyone playing! There is quite a list already! I have seen some beautiful cards and I hope to make it all the way through the list to look at all of them.

Stamps: PTI Guidelines Two, Giga Guidelines, Damask Designs (sentiment)
Ink: Versamark, Scarlet Jewel, Black, Vintage Cream
Cardstock: Kraft, Gray, Scarlet Jewel, Sweet Blush
Other: cuttlebug folder, Vintage Cream satin ribbon, Sweet Blush ribbon, decorative pin, rose, rhinestones, Fiskars corner punch

Stampin' Sisters in Christ . . . two shall become as one

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is the ever thankful and upbeat Randi, who selected this verse from Mark 10: 7-8 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (NASB)

The challenge is to follow this simple formula . . . whatever you use, you should use two of that item, so two different pieces of patterned paper, two brads, two pieces of ribbon . . . going by twos. As you can see on my card I have one stamp but it has two stems for two buttons. Two pieces of different designer paper, two colored scallops beneath the central image, two decorative pins on the upper right and two words in the sentiment. (I only have one strip of ribbon but I was fuzzy from cold medicine and didn't notice until after I had glued it all together)

Our sponsor this week is the Digi-Ink Company and the winner receives three images of their choice. Please check out the home page to view Randi's thoughts on the verse she selected and also to enter your card or project using Mr. Linky. Hope you can play along this week.

My thoughts . . . two shall become one . . . this isn't always easy. Valentine's Day is coming up and it is all about hearts and flowers and romance, all the things celebrated in popular songs. That swoop! feeling you get in your insides when you first fall in love. If you're not feeling swoopy or romantic in your marriage right now, you might think something is wrong.

But what really makes a marriage is the little every day moments in those 364 days inbetween major romantic holidays. Hundreds or perhaps even thousands of daily choices we make after those swoop! feelings have faded. What are our actions or reactions? What is our tone of voice when we're tired or cranky? Do we choose to forgive, accept, move on? Do we choose to love? Because as you grow older you realize more and more that love is not an emotional gut response but a daily choice. Sometimes it does feel like hearts and flowers and sometimes it feels like you're slogging through the mud, but hang in there or enjoy the moment as the romantic moments come. Thanks for looking.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Every Day Button Bits, Through the Trees (sentiment)
Paper: white, PTI patterned paper (hearts), random gingham pink, PTI New Leaf and Hibiscus Burst
Ink: black, PTI New Leaf
Other: pins, petite scalloped nestabilities, paper ribbon, PTI hibiscus burst buttons

P.S. I have a new post on the Women to Women Sharing Jesus blog site as well that Diane was gracious enough to put up, have a look if you get the time.

Compose a Card and Papertrey Peeps Challenge

Have you heard? Our new little PTI blog group has started issuing challenges. The first was from Lori and she challenged us to use a button or buttons! Becky Oehlers, a Papertrey Design Team recent alum, has started a new challenge on her blog linked to music, composing a card. I missed her first one but this one I made time to try. The rules are that you have to follow the cutting and color guidelines, the rest is up to you. This challenge was white on white, with five scored lines 1/4" apart and flowers. I like the five lines, they remind me of a music staff (wonder why!) so I punched out my flowers and have them cascading down the side along the lines.

I do have to mention this is the first time I've ever used a scoring tablet. I asked for one for Christmas and gave my family directions to the one I wanted and they bought it for me! It had remained in its package until now, I was too scared to score, but not any more! Thank you dear family for a lovely gift.

The last flower on the bottom right is pink to offset the pink (Hibiscus Burst) bird in the left hand corner of the tree, and if you notice the pink button in the top flower also is pink, to create a color triangle with the brightest color used to focus your eyes more in the center of the card, or at least that's my theory and I'm stickin' to it. Thanks Lori and Becky for great challenges. You can find Becky's blog here and our Papertrey Peeps blog here to look at other creations following these challenge. Thanks for looking!
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Through the Trees
Ink: Black, PTI Hibiscus Burst, white craft
Paper: white, PTI lemon, aqua, hibiscus and summer sunrise
Other: random Fiskars punch, PTI buttons in aqua mist, hibiscus burst, summer sunrise and lemon tart, white detail EP, scoring tablet

PTI anniversary birthday card two

Yup . . . another card that could use some work. :) This is the second entry for the PTI anniversary birthday card contest. The free image in this card is the sentiment at the bottom. I wanted to see what it would look like printed on cream cardstock and I like that, just not what I did to it.
I need practice using Ocean Tides cardstock colors too . . . I've seen such pretty cards using it and when I do, it falls flat. Practice, practice, practice.

PTI anniversary birthday card one

Papertrey Ink is celebrating their third anniversary and in honor of that, they are holding a number of contests and hosting giveaways. The contest for today was to create birthday cards using free digi images from their design team. I should know better than to start creating at ten thirty at night and trying to rush it as well. I am not happy with either one because neither lived up to the idea I had in my head, but here goes my shot at entering to win, because entries must be posted by 7 a.m. EST and frankly, I'm not coherent early in the morning so tonight is it! :)
The card is not cute but that cupcake image is, don't you think?