Showing posts with label Send Love Today. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Send Love Today. Show all posts

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Make it Monday Challenge #98: Chalkboards

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This week's Make It Monday challenge with Papertrey Ink involves a technique to making cards look like chalkboards.  I really love this effect and my husband especially loved the cards I made.  He actually did a double take to see how it was done.  He said, "You're really getting good!" ...  warmed my heart and scored him some points :)




I liked the way it turned out - so I made two.  Both are destined for the Operation Write Home basket (only 48 more to go to meet my 2013 goal).  I have a few more ideas using this technique so I might hide away in my studio a wee bit longer.


Papertrey Ink Stamps:  Beautiful Blessings, Button Boutique and Winterberry
Button and felt (the best in town!) also from Papertrey Ink.

I didn't send out many Christmas cards this year - just ran out of time.  Instead I opted to send out some 2013 calendars.  I made couple different versions.  The original inspiration came from one of the Papertrey Ink designers but I can't seem to find the link (sorry).


Don't you just love the colors aqua and coral together!  Buttons and bows - can't go wrong.




My mother-in-law was so delighted when she received her new year's surprise in the mail.




This sweet little girl is headed for another Send Love Today sweet 16 in Johnstown, PA

 
 
Hope you had a great start to the new year! 
 
 
Deb

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Make It Monday #69

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This week's design challenge from Papertrey Ink is to make something based on one of the Inspirational Sketches provided by Nicole Heady.


I spent a few hours of the morning making two cards - one for my current Send Love Today assignment and then second for a sweet young lady graduating from high school today.  I particularly like this layout and will likely use it often in the future.  I think it has the feel of opening up a gift and getting a glimps of a little treat.

PTI Supplies: Pink patterns 6x6 paper, berry sorbet satin ribbon
PTI Stampsets: Beautiful blessings and Background Basics Medallions

Here is the Graduation Invitation - my secondary inspiration source.
School colors: Navy blue and silver
I used two-sided piece of paper  for the top sheet.  I rolled back the paper and
secured it with brads.  This really gave the card a three-dimensional feeling -
almost like opening a gift. Did you notice that the emblem was cut out from the invitation? 

Today the sun was shining through the clouds and really warmed up the Island.  One comes to not take the sun for granted in the Pacific Northwest, and each time you are lucky to feel its warm kiss on your cheek it's a small miracle in an otherwise ordinary day.

Wishing all of you experience a miracle each and every day of this coming week,
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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Make-It-Monday #68 and a Birthday Wish

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This week's design challenge from Papertrey Ink is to make a Pocket Card based in the sample from Heather Nicoles.  I always love Heather's cards - great colors and design mixes.

Pocket Card Samples by Heather Nicoles

I decided to make two different cards.  One for my sweet mama for her birthday and the other for my current Send Love Today assignment.

A little note is tucked inside this pocket card to wish my
Send Love Today assignment a week full of warm hugs.

This pocket card is a pretty means to present a gift card to my sweet mama.


Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet mama!!

Lunch at the Dockside Grill at the John Wayne Marina in Sequim, WA
(Yes - those are the magnificant Olympic Mountains in the background.)

No whales today, but lots of fishing boats to entertain us while dining.


Nothing better than a hand-crafted hot cocoa with real chocolate and
whipped cream to celebrate a birthday!


Wishing everyone a week full of God's warm hugs,
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Friday, May 25, 2012

PTI blog hop

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This month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop challenge is to create something based on this inspiring photo - Bright greens with bold black & white patterns.






Here's my creation - destined for my Send Love Today assignment.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Scrappy Bits

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Another Make It Monday challenge from Papertrey Ink. This week the challenge is to make something using paper scraps for the background. Well, let me tell you - have I got scraps! I don't throw out any of the beautiful bits and pieces left over from a project - be it paper, fabric, felt, ribbon ... You get the idea.  I think I get this habit from generations of savers.  My grandfather, orphaned during the Great Depression, saved every nut and bolt in baby food jars.  If you needed anything, go ask Pap Pap and rest assured he'd have it or something that would do just fine. 




This sweet thing is destined for my Send Love Today assignment.
I plan to tuck a packet of lotion in the card as a special treat.

All paper (except the white card) is from my scrap collection.
Papertrey Ink Stamps:  Tagged Sentiments
Other Papertrey Ink Products: cardstock, ink, felt

I often incorporate scraps into my cards. It's really easy with so many lovely border punches, die cuts and such. The challenge is in storing the scraps so they don't get lost or end up all over the place. I have found the simplest way to store scrap paper is in a binder. I place the scraps in plastic paper protectors organized by color. Pieces of felt and buttons are likewise stirred in jars organized by color. Ribbon is stored on little spools in a plastic organizer and fabric bits are stored in baskets. I don't throw anything away until it's nearly a speck.


A 3-ring binder with plastic protector sleeves provides an
inexpensive and easy way to organzie left over paper scraps.


Little scraps become itty-bitty adornments in future projects.
I often use Glossy Accents or fine glitter to make the die cuts extra special.
Pre-cut die cutouts from paper scraps just waiting for a project.


Scrap bits used to make little gift boxes, cupcakes and other special
finds in this birthday menagerie.



Stop back tomorrow to see what this collection of pink paper scraps turn into for Mother's Day.



Any guesses what these bits of scrap paper and ribbon will become?




Saturday, May 5, 2012

Make it Monday Color Challenge

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This week's Papertrey Ink Make It Monday Challenge is to make something using the color inspiration sheet provided.  I chose to make the (near) same card that Nicole Heady made but using a different color palette.

Nicole Heady's Sample




My version of Nicole's card using a different color palette.

All PTI product used to create this card.
PTI Stamp Sets Used:  Flower Fusion 12, Background Basics Medaliion,
Tiny Treats Birthdays, Tagged Sentiments

Isn't it interesting how a simple change, like a different color palette, can make a card look completely different?  This one is destined for a my new Send Love Today assignment - a 40 year old woman with glioblastoma brain cancer. 


A RECIPE IN REVIEW



To celebrate Cinco de Mayo I made Arroz Con Pollo to satisfy my mother's craving for saffron rice.  There are many different ways to make this simple Chicken with Rice dish.  Today I used a recipe from Martha Stewart Living.  It was a very easy dish to make and relatively inexpensive.  Saffron can be pricey, but you need only use a pinch (altough I used three pinches).  This recipe is very traditional with the strong Spanish undertones of saffron.  For more color, you may want to place pimientos on the top.  I give this recipe a "two thumbs up" given that the pan was empty at the end of dinner.

Arroz Con Pollo

  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Pinch of saffron
  • 6 chicken thighs (6 ounces each)
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (2 to 3 cloves)
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 4 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
  • 3 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia
  • 1 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
                           
Combine wine and saffron; let stand until ready to use. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large braiser or heavy-bottomed, straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium, and cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato, and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the bay leaves. Cook until wine is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chicken, stock, rice, and olives; bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender, about 45 minutes. (If rice is not done, add more stock, cup at a time.) Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.


Enjoy your week! - Debbie

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Papertrey Ink February 2012 Blog Hop

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The Challenge: This month, it's all about being interactive! Show us how you take your cards to the next level, whether you have received your Movers & Shakers dies, or you're just inspired to create a pop up or swinging card without them. There are so many options for this theme, and we can't wait to see what you have to share!


I'm used this month's PTI Blog Hop 'interactive' challenge to make a little 'gift-card' for my Send Love Today assignment - a  young boy who loves dogs.  I often incorporate little "gifts" into the cards, such as baseball collector cards, sweet treats, samples of lotion, guitar picks, and then build a card around the gift.  In this particular card, I used Gel Gems with a dog image.  I can image the little boy removing the Gel Dog and sticking it to his window.  

Papertrey Ink Supplies used:  Prefolded cardstock and envelope. 
To make this card, I cut out a window.  I glued an old PTI transparency sheet
from one of the PTI stamp sets to the inside of the window and then placed a
sheet of yellow cardstock behind it for the background. The Gel Gems
were stuck to the front of the transparency window for the recipient to peel off.





Have you sent any love today?
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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Papertrey Ink Design Challenge: Brayer Impressions

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Time for another weekly design challenge from Papertrey Ink.
This week, the challenge was to use a brayer to ink over an impression.
See How-To Tutorial Video Here.

Here's my take on the challenge.
With all of the snow falling in many parts of the U.S., warm mittens and
snowflakes come to mind.

A little something for my new Send Love Today assignment.


Papertrey Ink Stamps Used: Mat Stack Collection & die, Tag It's #3, Tiny Treats Christmas
Papertrey Ink Supplies Used: White cardstock (the best card stock by far!), baker's twine, buttons, aqua mist and pure poppy dye ink (from the new manufacturer - love it!).



Has the snow hit your part of the world?  I'm still enjoying the last little bit of Pacific Northwest sunshine.
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Sunday, September 25, 2011

More Papertrey Fun

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This week's Make It Monday challenge from Papertrey Ink
was to use the Frosted Image technique.

This is the little lovely that I created for my
Send Love Today assignment.






Papertrey Ink also has a Blog Hop contest going on today.
The challenge is to create something with inspiration from
this photo.



This is my creation for the Operation Write Home basket.




Have a great week!

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Sunday, May 29, 2011

Remembering Our Brave Warriors

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Operation Write Home

In honor of Memorial Day and all of the brave soldiers who have so unselfishly sacrificed their lives so that Our Great Nation and its citizens can live in freedom, I spent most of the weekend making cards for Operation Write Home.  If you are not familiar with OWH, it is a nationwide charitable organization that helps our military heroes stay in touch with their families.  Homemade cards are crafted and sent to various military units throughout the world.  As of May 13th over one million cards have been shipped overseas!!! 

OWH had put out a special request for additional creative "miss you" cards - cards with no particular holiday theme.  Over the weekend I crafted twelve cards for our heroes, plus a few more birthday cards for the family and another weekly card for my Send Love Today assignment.

Here's a peek at what kept me busy this weekend.


Happy Little Cards - ready to for OWH

A couple of my favorites.
Stamp Set: Papertrey Ink Love Lives Here

Birthday cards for some sweet darlings.
Stamp Sets from Papertrey Ink:  Make A Wish and Little Bitty Bird


A card for my oldest step-son who turns 35 this coming week.
I wonder if he is still able to swing from the monkey bars like in the photo.
Sentiment from Papertrey Ink: Make A Wish

A thank you card made at the special request of my mom for a dear friend.
My mom is the bridesmaid in blue.
Thanks tag from Papertrey Ink: Tiny Tags

A simple weekly card for my Send Love Today assignment.
Stamp Set from Papertrey Ink: Tiny Treats Birthday

A sympathy card for this week's Papertrey Ink Make-It-Monday challenge.
I find making sympathy cards so difficult.
Stamp Sets from Papertrey Ink: Daily Design Senttiments and Love Lives Here

Now, onto some sewing projects for Miss Eloise!  Have a wonderful holiday and don't forget to keep our military families in your thoughts and prayers.

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