Papers & Plums

Butterfly Art

 A few weeks ago I ran into this really great idea on Ali Edwards blog. She made this fun piece of framed art using only patterned paper and paper punches. I thought to myself, even I can do that, how fun!  =) So I filed it away as an idea to try out....soon. My walls are very bare so I've been wanting to come up with ways to decorate them by doing some of it myself. Just for the fun of it.

A couple of days ago I was again reminded of this project from this blog. Lolly Chops made a slightly different take on it and I really loved the result. She even has a picture tutorial on the process so how could I go wrong? So, last night I went to work on my own version. I think I must have punched out twice or three times more butterflies than I needed but once I got started I just couldn't stop!! The patterned paper I chose is from Basic Grey.

I proceeded to pick out the colors and sizes I wanted to use and spaced them on a white 8"x10" piece of card stock. I loved how lolly clustered hers in the collage she made, so I went with that idea. Using foam tape I then attached the butterflies one at a time. This was so easy and a lot of fun to make. I will be hanging it on one of my bare walls today. =)

 

This is what I love about blogs. There are so many great ideas out there to be inspired by. This project fulfilled a desire I had to make something for my home. So thank you Ali and Lolly for the inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by,

Sara

February Blog Hop - Spring Card

 I am participating in my first Papertreyink blog hop! Been wanting to do that for a while now but never got around to it. The challenge for this month was to create something "springy". That is right up my alley. I cannot wait for the weather to improve and for the first flowers to make their appearance. I absolutely love spring in Oregon. It is so colorful and bright. My favorite - watching the dogwood trees in bloom. The first time I saw those trees I could not believe my eyes! Gorgeous.

So, here's the card I made for the challenge. Suffice it to say, there was a lot of hand cutting involved. Like the look of it, but didn't  love doing it. =)

Supplies Used: {Stamps} PTI Beautiful Blooms, Butterfly Kisses, Sentiment from Amuse {Paper} PTI White, Aqua Mist, Spring Moss {Ink} PTI Pure Poppy, Dark Chocolate, SU! Old Olive, Summer Sun {Other} Rhinestones, Glossy, glitter and dimensionals

Dawn's Favorites Color Challenge

wow, one more challenge. I am on a roll this week. =). Quick post though cause it's almost dinner time.
I picked a color combo from Day 5. It was the "Just Because" card and the colors, white, Aqua Mist, Lemon Tart and Chocolate. Here it is:

 

Seriously, I gotta work on my photography skills. I am trying!!! =) I used my NEW set Butterfly Kisses that arrived in the mail yesterday as a Valentine's gift from my husband to moi! So fun! =)

Ok, gotta run.
Sara

CPS 102

I decided to participate in another challenge this week. This one is from the Card Positioning System blog. The sketch was for the card only, but since it's Valentine's Day tomorrow, I thought I would make a little box o' chocolates to match for my sweet husband. =) He already got it (since he reads my blog I couldn't keep it a secret) and I can report that he likes it.

I find that I like using card sketches quite a bit. It really gets you started. However, I have to admit that I was not crazy about this particular one...but that is why it's called a challenge I guess. =) But once I started stamping it sort of grew on me. I had fun, and that is the main reason I do this so the sketch worked!!

For the card I used PTI Stamper's select white for the Card Base, SU! Close to Cocoa for the panel and a small piece of PTI Pure Poppy to add another row of scallops. I used Polka Dot Basics to create the background and Heart Prints for the Hearts (as the name of the set so aptly suggests. =)

And here's the nugget tin that I got from PTI. Love their stuff. So much fun to play with. I stamped the labels using Holiday Treats and a variety of words from Heart Prints and Mixed Messages. The ribbon was a gift from my sister. I don't know where she got it but it matches the Pure Poppy color really well.

Ok, that is it for tonight. Thanks for stopping by once more,

Sara

Friends 'til the End Challenge

Today's challenge from Papertreyink celebrates friendships. To participate, you have to create a card for your best friend. Well, I have four most wonderful, faithful, beautiful and kind best friends, so I am assigning this card to all of them. =) They are the kind of friends you can trust completely, the kind that is there for you in a heart beat if you need them and the kind that encourages you and cheers you on. Andee, Psalms, Kelly and Summer...you are the very best!!!!!

 

I used PTI Stamper's select white for the card base, then I layered a piece of Pure Poppy on top of it. I created the pattern using Guide Lines. When it came time to create a sentiment I realized that I really will need to buy the new set being released the 15th, because I wish I could have said something more sincere than "hi friend" (this one is from Beautiful Blooms). lol. But I don't have any other "friend" type sentiments handy. So, I will simply enable myself and decide that I "need" that new, beautiful set "friends 'til the end". The pink flower is from Target. I can't remember the brand 'cause i threw away the packaging.

Ok, thanks for popping by again,

Sara

Bitty Dot Sketch Challenge

A quick post tonight, I have a lot of things to do but I wanted to squeeze in the time to participate in PTI's challenge for today. Here's the card I made using the sketch from the "connect the dots puzzler".

I really enjoyed using the color combo from yesterday's challenge, so I decided to go ahead and use them again. Not so sure if that was a good choice or not. That is a craaaazy amount of color!! =) But I had fun making it + I now have one more card for my Birthday stash. Now I just hope to win all that fun ribbon that's at stake.  he he

Thanks for popping by today,

Sara

Over the Rainbow Challenge

Papertreyink is hosting another fun challenge and a chance to win free products today. I am so excited! =) This one really was a challenge for me because I don't normally use this many colors on one project. I tend to work with only a couple of colors at a time or with shades in the same family. In other words -  I go for safe options. =)

That made this card all the more fun to make since I had to step outside of my creative comfort zone. And isn't that how we grow and change the way we do things anyway? By punching out little circles of Pure poppy, Summer Sun, Old Olive and Tempting Turqoise and adhering them to a piece of Stampers Select White card base I was able to incorporate all the colors without any of them being overpowering. For additional interest I added a couple of scored lines, one on each side of the dots (unfortunately that is hard to catch in this photo). For my main image I used the cute and curly set from SU! that matches the curly label punch. Inside I stamped a sentiment from mixed messages and an image from pocket sillhouettes.

There it is, my official entry! Hope you enjoy it. I know i had fun making it.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sara

A New Baby Girl

My sister-in-law just had a baby. =) A sweet little baby girl. I am heading over there today to visit and to drop off a dinner for the new little family. I had planned to bring a little gift with me to the hospital but I was not so organized that I got it done on time. However, this week, as I made my gift I also discovered that the project will work as an entry for PTI's contest of altering a bag of some sort. Double fun!
So here's my gift and my entry:

I used a kraft coffee bag to hold my little chocolate nuggets. I cut it down to make it smaller and clipped it together with a paper clip. For the lable I used my SU! curly label punch. I made the embelishment with a heart from Heart prints and two punched out branches (Martha stewart) It's simple but sweet. I used Pretty in Pink and Rose Red for my colors. I happen to know that the new mother likes pink. =) For the pattern on the bag I used white ink and my new favorite set, polka dot basics. The heart has a layer of glossy on it, sprinkled with a bit of glitter. As you can see in the photo it isn't quite dry yet. Oh well. =)

Here's a peek at what's inside. I used the Holiday Treats set along with an assortment of sentiments from mixed messages. The little bird is from memory box.

I hope she enjoys this little treat. I know I am a sucker for chocolate, so by default I simply assume everyone else is too. Don't tell me if I'm wrong, please. =)

Thank you for stopping by.

Sara