Happy New Year - a look back at 2018

Sending You Comfort

Its almost time to ring in a new year! Hard to believe that 2019 is here already! 

I thought it would be fun to look back on a few of my favorite projects for the year. Underneath each photo, I will share a link to the original post. So if you want to learn more, or are interested in the products used, you can find it quickly and easily.

This first card may possibly be my favorite of the year. Reason being is, I envisioned this card quite a long time ago. Then, I was able to bring it to life, not only by creating it, but also using products that I designed! Once again releasing products with Papertrey Ink has been quite surreal! Its a huge learning curve each and every time. I am grateful for the challenge. But most of all, I am beyond thrilled when I see someone else using my products. Its indescribable really. Thank you for wanting to use the products that start as a crazy idea in my head. It truly is sharing a piece of yourself with the world when you design products. Thank you for encouraging me with your purchases!

Thank you - Color Block Stencils

More craziness from inside my head. When I designed Color Block Stencils, I wanted the creation of a trendy, yet timeless, color blocked background to be simple. These stencils allow you to ink unique backgrounds easily, as they line up with the outside of a standard A2 card.

You Are The Best - Bold Basics

Bold Basics was a stamp set that I also designed to work with Color Block Stencils. How elegant is this card when paired with florals?! The color combinations are endless. From girly to a card for the guys, I am very proud of the stencils!

Love Word Die

This Love Word die is another one of my designs, but this carries an even larger piece of me as that is my very own handlettering! I was writing the word for a lettering challenge and Jennifer McGuire saw it and said she NEEDED it as a die! After I picked myself up off the floor, of COURSE I made it into a die! :D 

While this word die was released for the wedding season, with Valentine's Day approaching, I will be taking it out again!! For a video tutorial on this die and all the creative ways you can use it click here: 10 Ways to Be Creative with Die Cut Words

7 Unique Ways to Use a Stencil for Card Making

This card is on the top of my favorites list for sure! Colored pencils combined with a beautiful stencil from Gina K Designs! Stencils are a personal favorite tool for me. So much so, that I created a video tutorial showing you: 

7 Unique Ways to Use a Stencil for Card Making

Hello Friend

This card started my obsession with a fall color palette. It was inspired by a floral arrangement I saw at Michael's. Fresh and trendy, I continued to be head-over-heels for it for months! The gorgeous image from Gina K Designs didn't hurt things either. Also, pop over to the blog post and check out how an accident made a lovely accent on this card! 

Hello Friend

My favorite fall color palette paired up with a Die Kit of the Month from Spellbinders on this card. Along with sneaking in my own Color Block Stencils. I still love gold...

You're All Write

More Spellbinders fun, along with Pebbles. Pebbles has this sweet aesthetic that always calls to me. I guess you could say it is my happy place for supplies! 

Palm Beach Layout

I had to share a layout for this year. I still love taking photos. So much. But, I often forget to share them. This layout was of a trip my husband and I took in February. My husband was a finalist for Engineer of the Year at his company. It was an impressive feat as there are over 6,000 engineers in his company! We were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Palm Beach, Florida. However, our first trip alone in over 8 years was quickly ruined as we both came down with Influenza A. We spent the time in bed with Tylenol, in a stunning hotel, on the ocean. Glad I was able to capture a few lovely shots of the scenery before it all hit!

At least we were together...

Mail It Monday 

Mail It Monday moved itself over to Instagram and the community has grown immensely! There are over 1400 card-mailers joining in each week! Encouraging one another to mail cards. We share card drives for those needing extra love. Friendships have been formed. Small groups of card exchanges have begun. Its been so wonderful to watch how it grows. We would love for you to join in as well! Find Mail It Monday on Instagram. And if you want to become involved, simply post with the hashtag #mailitmonday. Your post will remind people to send love, send cards.

Pockets Full of Thanks

Once again, I want to end this year full of thanks and gratitude. Thank you for continuing to visit me here and on Instagram and on YouTube. Thank you for the comments, emails, and messages. I love them all---from kind comments to questions! Thank you for purchasing items through my affiliate links.When you click, you sent a small amount of money back my way. Those purchases help pay for swim lessons, tuba lessons, bass guitar lessons, and more. Being able to help my family in this way means so very much to me! I would hug you, if I could! Thank you for continuing to love the paper crafting industry. For supporting all the small businesses run by moms like me. Thank you for buying my stamps and dies as well! Thank you friends, thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Hey, from the very tips of my toes!

Happiest of New Years to you and yours! May 2019 be full of more happiness than sadness, more love than loss, and more wonderful moments of life!

Sincerely Yours,

All supplies are linked in the original posts. Thank you!

Papertrey Ink December Release - Now available!

The December release from Papertrey Ink is now available! What a lovely selection of products! Thanks for following along as I got to join in the team this month! Have fun shopping!

The new release. Affiliate links used. Thank you! :D

Papertrey Ink December Countdown Day 5

We have reached the final day of the countdown! Papertrey Ink's December release will be available on December 15 at 10 PM EST! I will be sure and have a post ready to remind you to shop. Not that you will need a reminder with all this cuteness! :D

Today I get to show off the most ridiculously cute stamp set with coordinating dies that you have ever seen! Its adorable. I want to hug this bear. Now! Super huge squishy hugs! Betsy Veldman has hit it out of the park again with this set, Bear Hugs! 

This bear has SO many little details to add, you will be amazed! You can stamp his body in many different ways-allowing you to be uber creative! The over-the-top part about this bear? He hugs things! From this heart, to flowers, to his very own little teddy bear! I can't even with the cuteness! The sentiments in the set are also fantastic and you will honestly find yourself grabbing for them on more than just cards with this bear. 

This bear needed a sweet place to land on this card and the new Shape Shifters : Oval 4 is perfection! I used the two outer images. The largest image is an oval outlined in hearts, where the hearts cut away. The middle oval is one that does not cut, but creates the arrows in the card stock. How is that for phenomenal detail?!?

Well, that is a wrap on the release. It has been so much fun playing along this month! Don't miss out on link to the rest of the team and their crazy talented projects, details on the products, and as always, a chance to win at the Papertrey Ink Blog!

Supplies. Affiliate links used. Your clicking costs you nothing, but sends a little bit of money my way. It is very appreciated!

Papertrey Ink Release Countdown Day 4

And the fun of the Papertrey Ink December release continues! We are to day 4 already and still filling the air with love and fun paper crafting products. Today I am sharing products, both in a series, from Lizzie Jones. Adorable stuff to make sweet and quick cards! I am also showing off a set of stamps that have coordinating tag dies called XO Skinny Mini and XO Skinny Mini Tag Dies. Rebecca Luminarias always brings such simple and elegant designs!

All the products I am sharing will be available from PapertreyInk.com on December 15 at 10 PM EST.

First up, Corner Adorner: December. This stamp set also has coordinating dies available, which we all love! This month features sweet scallops and makes highlighting anything on your card a breeze! Like this super cute tag from XO Skinny Mini Tag Dies!

Highlighting the tag with the corners truly makes it a strong focal point of this card. Which also draws your attention to the sentiment from XO Skinny Mini. 

On this card, you can see the next set in the Glorious Globes series. This December set is full of love and some really great sentiments too! I can see creating a lot of cards with this set, now and in the future.

(Random side note: the set will be getting ridiculous amounts of love in this house as my son is a reigning Geo Bee champ in his elementary and now middle school! He will be enamored with the globes and I will love to be able to make him cards that he won't groan over!)

The background was created using a new die set called, Bold Borders: Love. Isn't it wonderful?!? So much detail. I was also saving the drop outs, as those hearts along the edges will be perfect for adding to shaker cards! Or, a beautiful inlaid design for the next time I cut it out!

Don't miss out on any information, product details, amazing inspiration, and a chance to win. If you visit the Papertrey Ink Blog, its all there waiting! :D

Oh, and thanks for the nice comments and emails! Its been a ton of fun to play along with the design team this month! :D

Supplies. Affiliate links used. Thank you for your clicks!

Papertrey Ink December Release Countdown Day 3

Welcome back! Day three of the Papertrey Ink December release continues today with more sweet products perfect for sending love to that someone special in your life. Today introduces From the Heart stamps and dies and Everyday Elixir Label stamps. Creating with these products was quite fun and I look forward to using them more. Many elements to be creative with and to have some fun too!

The products I am showing this week will be available for purchase at PapertreyInk.com on December 15, 2018 at 10 PM EST.

From the Heart...well let's talk about this heart, shall we? SWOON! This is the stamp image that has a coordinating die. However, there are several other hearts, of the same design, but different size, in the set. I.love.these.hearts!

I decided to add in fun corners using my stencils, Color Blocks. To make them pop even more, I stamped over the inking with the scripted xo in the stamp set. How lovely is that?!!?

There are many words to be mixed and matched, allowing you to send love to just about anyone in your life. Heartfelt and sweet, there is something so warm about From the Heart stamps and dies.

My last little peek uses Everyday Elixir Labels. Building on the previous set, these additions allow you to create love potions, perfect for Valentine's Day! When I saw this stamp, I knew I needed to go into my stash and find my set of science beakers. Candy inside would be a perfect little gift! I stamped the sentiment on a circle die cut with Nesting Basics - Pierced Circles and Nesting Basics - Circles. And of course, I used that heart again!

I think even my teenage son will love this little surprise on Valentine's Day!

For more details on the products, amazing projects, and a chance to win, visit the 

Papertrey Ink Blog for more!

Supplies. Affiliate links used. As always, thanks!

Papertrey Ink December Release Countdown Day 2

Welcome to day 2 of the Papertrey Ink December release countdown! The clever designs keep coming. I love when stamp sets and dies make you want to get creating. When you enjoy the process and ohh and ahh over the results! Visit the Papertrey Ink Blog for tons of inspiration, product details, and a chance to win!

All the products I am showing this week will be available December 15th at 10 PM EST.

Up first is Love in Bloom Stamps and Die. This sweet heart image is created by layering several different images together. I love the depth created with the open and solid flowers. There are so many stamping possibilities! Not only with color combinations, but also imagine adding heat embossing with gold or silver!

I found it easiest to die cut the image first, then stamp. Each stamp has one portion of the image that lines up with the outside edge of the die cut. Easy peasy! I think the toughest part of this card was choosing colors! Ha!

I scored the card base with stripes. Foam mounted the heart to the card. I stamped one of the sentiments from Love Blooms onto white card stock and then trimmed it into a little banner. This card is perfect for a wedding or a wedding shower!

Oh, and I added more shine to this card with Nuvo Glitter Drops. The White Blizzard color I used here, brings out the ink color underneath. Such a cool effect!

Next up, we are moving more into the season of love! Perfect Match Stamps and Dies create some unique and fun Valentine's Day cards and other projects! For these cute boxes of cinnamon candies, I used the Matchbox Die. I created a clear cover for the box with acetate and then tied the boxes closed with twine and these adorable tags!

I stamped the match bases and die cut them with their coordinating die. I repeated the same process for the flame and adhered them to the match tops. How adorable is that heart center on the flames??! Such a sweet finishing touch!

On this tag, I added a die cut heart. Again, a super thoughtful finish to the project! One of the things I love most about this set is how well put together it is-tons of details and options that all work together!

The sentiment on the tags is also from Perfect Match. I stamped it in black to make it pop, but I am thinking that red might have been more fun! :D To make the tags, I used more new dies being released this month; Nesting Basics-Circles and Nesting Basics-Pierced Circles. I love how they layer together! And that little detail inside the circle is fab!

Please note that Nesting Basics-Pierced Circles do not cut circles, they are meant to be layered inside the Circles. They only create the small piercing holes.

See you again tomorrow! :D

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. Thank you for supporting me in this way!

Papertrey Ink December Countdown Day 1 - Text and Texture Bokeh & Words to Live By: Happiness

Welcome to day 1 of the Papertrey Ink December countdown! I am thrilled to be playing along this month and showcasing some of the gorgeous designs the team has in store for you this month! Today I start things off with a look at the latest from Betsy Veldman, Text and Texture Bokeh and Happiness. Clever designs for some seriously fun card making!

I encourage you to head to the Papertrey Ink Blog for a closer look at my projects, and to see what the rest of the team is up to as well!

These products that I am showing will be available on December 15, 2018 at 10 PM EST. So while I will not have links yet, that night, I will be sure and update them quickly.

Text and Texture Bokeh is a very cool stamp set! It comes with two large background images that are perfect for layering to create this stunning bokeh-effect background. Bokeh is the blur of lights or color in a photo. Like Christmas lights. By layering a lighter shade of ink (put down first) and then topping it with a darker layer of ink, this background is made.

Note on this background-I also accentuated some of the star bursts in the background with a darker ink. It really adds to the depth of the image.

The word happiness is a new die that has a coordinating stamp set, fittingly called, Happiness. Ok, so technically its called Words to Live By: Happiness. :D 

I die cut the word several times from card stock and layered them together to make the word appear like a custom embellishment.

On this card, I again created the background, but cut out a part of it to use on my card base. Leaving the other half of my card base open, allowed me to stamp some fantastic sentiments from Happiness. To draw more attention to the words, I surrounded it with individual bokeh images and star bursts. Oh, and I had to make it shine even more with some glitter. But in a "safe" format of Nuvo Glitter Drops. (WAAAAY less messy.) 

How fun is that font? I also love that the sentiments are separate, allowing you to stamp them in different colors. It brings a unique look to the card.

And all those other shaped dies I used? Stay tuned. :D

You really do not want to miss what is on the Papertrey Ink blog! What a talented team of designers! This week should be a ton of fun! Thanks for stopping by!

Sincerely Yours,

Supplies. Affiliate links used. Thank you so much!

New Papertrey Ink products will be linked when they become available on Dec. 15