Altered comp mini's

WooHoo!  Have been wanting to replace my little notebook that I keep in my labcoat pocket for awhile now.  My old one is getting quite ratty tatty.  Wally World had those cute little mini-composition notebooks in stock and the cost was a whopping $0.77 each.  I bought 16 of them and decided that I would make a boat load of them to give to co-workers that want them (many will!).  I was surprised at how quickly they went together, even for me! 

These can not have a bunch of embellies on them as they would just start falling off after going in and out of pockets hundreds of times a day and I figured a few of the guys might like them as well if they weren't all covered in flowers and fru-fru.  I decided on the basic focal and got out the die cuts... can you see the largest blossom from BBII at PTI behind the label die?  Used Take a Note for the sentiments as they are just perfect for this type of occasion.  I did scuff up the comp books a bit to take the shine off and used a glue stick to attach the PP. Time will tell how well these hold up but I glued everything down very well.  Used glue dots to attach the focal and used the ATG gun tape for each layer using several passes on the back of each one.  I think they will just wear out before they come apart.  Don't you think they are cute?

Found some really cute paperclips at WW as well so I included one matching color on each.  My DH wanted one when he saw them so one other masculine book is missing but it was similar to the black one.  Now I need to finish up... I have about 10 more to go!  These are 100% PTI paper and stamps and dies as well as the buttons and ribbons.  The only things that aren't are the composition books and paper clips which came from Walmart (WW). 
Would love to know what you think?

Papertrey May Blog Hop Challenge

Eeek, I linked to the wrong post!  Please go here:  August Papertreyink Blog Hop

I just love the PTI blog hop... so many great projects and great inspiration.  If I had had more time this past week I would have come up with an outstanding Nobel Peace Prize project.. honest!  Since I didn't, I will just have to settle for a sweet Thank You card using the felt that is the requirement this month.

It won't win a Nobel but I do like the card.  It is so nice to have so many PTI felt colors to play with and since my new release order arrived on Friday, I finally had some time to play today!  It was torture having to wait so long to play with my new order!

I used the new balloon die to cut 3 colors of felt, Razz Fizz, Hawaiian Shores and Simply Chartreuse.  I stamped a Thank You sentiment in each color as well and punched it out with the SU window punch. Used Spring Moss for the card base and Ripe Avocado for the mat. They match the Chartreuse very well being a shade lighter and darker than Chartreuse.  Added the fun ribbon treatment with a strip of double sided sticky tape and finished with a Inside and Out: Thank You sentiment on the inside and added a balloon stamp inked in two colors.  Very simple but a fun look.

A very textural card with all the felt and it really didn't use up much of my stock!  Hope you like?

Spread your wings

Well, after creating a dud the other day, I feel much better about this one.  I love the Spring Moss / Enchanted Evening with Stone white card base.  It is not something I would usually pick but today... It worked!  I had to ink up this stamp and sentiment. I just love the image and the sentiment goes with it so well even though they are from different sets...Baby Button Bits (image) and Butterfly Dreams (sentiment and lower background).  I even stamped the inside.  I am getting better about using a sentiment or combo on the inside.  I love the look.

Did the scrunchy thing for the ribbon and love how it turned out. If you haven't done this yet, try it.  One strip of Scor-Tape or any very sticky double sided tape and a long strip of ribbon... stick and scrunch, stick and scrunch, repeat until the end of the card. In this one, I left a bit of tail at each end and clipped the V.  So easy peasy.

The body needed 3 little buttons.  I just wasn't in a big single button mood.  I'm glad.  Bugs have segmented bodies anyway, so I am being biologically correct. (So important, don't you know!)

So, get out a bug stamp... and make a card!

Feel better soon

Do you ever have an idea in your head for a card and you know it will look soooooo cool?  I did and it didn't come out at all.  So today I have a card that I am not happy with.  The idea was right, the execution was all wrong.  Shouldn't have used the pinking shears on the edges.  Wrong color mix.  Picked the wrong image to "shade" the dog.  Even my subtle flower stamp over the sentiment is just wrong for the rest of the images.

Well, that is how we learn!  I at least recognize what I did wrong so that card didn't work.  I'll just toss it in a storage box.  Some day, maybe this rather pathetic try will be all the rage.  I doubt it but I still won't throw it away... it has too much PTI on it! Ha!

If nothing else folks, don't be discouraged by a card that doesn't work.  Figure out why and learn from it.

Just needed to post a pic! Ignore!

I will be posting a card later but this is a picture that I needed to post on the PTI forum and the forum isn't allowing uploads right now.  Back later:

Fun with an old friend...

Decided to pull out a set that hasn't seen some love and ink lately, PTI's Green Thumb.  I haven't ever inked up the sweet little flower from that set.  I've used the pot before but not the flower, or the curley cues.  So, here ya are!  Had some fun with the stitches that my new machine can do at the turn of a knob and had to (absolutely had to) play with the zig zag die ... both sides.  Put them all together and stamp the sentiment in Momento's Rich Cocoa and, "How cute is this card?"  Suhweet!  Of course the final piece that I love is the clear doohickey over the flower.  It just called out to me.  No, really, it called!  What are those doohickies called?  I can NOT remember.  Oh, well.  Love it! Used PTI Summer Sunrise and Spring Moss ink on white, SM and Ripe Avacado CS.  Not a patterned paper in there.

Well, I am back to work for the weekend so Happy Mother's Day to all you moms.  I guess I would rather be working than someone that still has children at home.  No one should miss out on breakfast in bed made by their children (and hubby).  Ahhh, the memories, the mess...

Guess what I got?

I have a very old and reliable as well as very expensive Singer sewing machine.  I love it and know its behaviour inside and out.  I have used it to sew on cards a few times but I must adjust the tension of both the bobbin and the needle in order to get clean stitching on paper which wouldn't be a problem if I never sewed on fabric.  I do sew on fabric so I had to readjust the tensions back and forth.  Not something that is hard, just a pain in the keester. 

So there I was at Joann's yesterday, May 1st, just browsing around.  Guess what was on sale.  Yep, a Singer.  Actually, a nice Singer.  A $169.99 Singer for $99.99.  Happy Mother's Day to Me....Happy Mother's Day tooooo Meeeee....

Strictly for paper? Am I spoiling myself?  You betcha!  I love it.  I bought 8 extra bobbins and matched several PTI colors in thread so I can have wound bobbins ready to go.  This puppy has a needle threader on it, too!  I am in crafting heaven....

And... here is what I created to see how the zig zag stitching worked:

Just look at this PERFECT ZigZag! Suhweet!

I like the card as well.  Yummy colors, fun die cuts and buttons.  Oh, and so simple and straight forward. No special techniques (well, there is stitching..) or anything overly fancy schmancy.  Just a cute card.  Hope you like it and yes, you can come over anytime to play on my machine.  I like to share the love...