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Today is a big day! Today marks exactly one year since I started blogging and it just so happens that today’s occasion coincides with the Papertrey Ink monthly blog hop – so of course I’m playing along.

Before I get to the projects – and boy are there some projects – I wanted to share some more of my ramblings about the oh so wonderful world of crafting. Yesterday, I brought up my struggle with competition and letting it take over my passion for this hobby. It was great to read everyone’s thoughts and insight on the topic. I loved the dialogue! As frustrating as it is to feel my competitive nature creep up when it comes to crafting – there is a much bigger and better side to this hobby that makes it easy to stay motivated!

I have been 100% amazed at how supportive, friendly and kind this community is. I’ve certainly come across my fair share of nasty commenters, nay-sayers and generally unpleasant people – but those experiences are in the minority, by far – although they do make for a rather amusing stories! (Some people can get really nasty about cardstock and stamps! Geez Louis!)

I’ve come to “know” several crafty people and each has been a true gem! I remember going to Stamp-A-Faire and having dinner with a room full of crafty ladies. We had the best time and it was wonderful getting to know everyone! I truly get the sense that this crafting community is full of cheerleaders and go-getters who enjoy encouraging each other – I love it!

It’s a blessing to have found this creative outlet and a community of supporters who are always ready to lend a hand, give a compliment or simply come by the blog to say “Hi” – it’s positively fabulous!

Now onto today’s projects – this is a long post so I hope you’ll hang in there!

The  assignment for this month’s Papertrey Blog Hop is to pick a favorite project from the past year and use it as inspiration for a second card!

This challenge totally fits in with my recent “Project Do Over” posts. Today, though, I’m taking a break from the projects that I don’t like and choosing two do-overs that are favorites of mine.

First up is a card I made for another PTI Blog Hop:

I had such fun stamping out this folk artsy pattern and I was so proud of my bow! Bows are just not my thing, but here it worked and I love it!
For my makeover card, I stamped a similar folk artsy design using several stamps from several different sets. I used a softer, more muted, Valentinesy color scheme this time around.

It’s so much fun to play around with stamps to see how they can be combined!

To create the symmetrical design, I started by using a pencil to divide the piece of cardstock into four  quadrants, with the top two quadrants being a little bigger to account for the twine I planned to tie at the top. Then I stamped the design using the pencil lines as guides for keeping things even.

My second project is a card make-over and a CASE – I’ll explain:

This card is one of my all time favorites:

I love the colors and the layout, with the blooms all gathered on the side of the card. For my makeover of this card, I’m actually CASEing a card that I saw on the Snow & Graham site. (P.S. If you’re not familiar with Snow & Graham – you will love it! So much beautiful stationery and so much inspiration)
This is the card that I saw and loved:
Similar to my card, this one has the flowers sort of gathered onto one side with a simple sentiment perched within the white space.
So, with this card and my card in mind, I did something that I try to avoid. I CASED this card. It took a little creativity to recreate this layout, which made me feel a bit better about replicating the design.
Here’s what I did:
Using PTI’s Beautiful Blooms #1, I die cut flower shapes from Post-Its to create masks. For this project, I opted for using the Post -It Full Adhesive notes, so make sure I got a good “seal” when adhering the masks.
Next, I simply adhered the die cuts on the cardfront.
I needed to create solid leave stamps for this card and since I don’t own any, I made some using the PTI Sending You dies and fun foam. Just die cut the shapes from the foam and adhere to an acrylic block.
I used the foam stamps to stamp solid leaf images all around the die cut masks. When doing this, be sure to stamp all edges of each mask to leave a clean, crisp negative image when they’re removed.
Once removed, I stamped the sentiment and centers on the flowers using the small dandelion image from the Botanical Silhouette Anniversary Set.
I know it’s a lot of photos and words – but I promise this is a really quick card to pull together!
Okee Dokee – I’m done (finally, right?!)
I hope I haven’t annoyed you with today’s long post. I love both of these projects and I hope they give you some ideas for creating fun cards of your own!
Have a great day!
Supplies:
 
Folk Art Card #2:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Mat Stack 5 {red flourishes}, Christmas Friends {bird images}, Sending You {green leaves}, Botanical Silhouettes {small pink flowers}, Mat Stack 1 {pink flourishes above and below sentiment}, Love Birds {sentiment}) Hero Arts (Sweet Hearts {heart images})
Ink: Impress Fresh Ink (Basil, Pink Lemonade, Sugar, Strawberry, Fuchsia
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink: Rustic Cream, Fine Linen, Vintage Cream)
Other: Pink baker’s twine
 
Masked Thank You Card:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Inside & Out Thank You, Botanical Silhouettes)
Ink: Impress Fresh Ink (Basil),  Ranger Industries (Jet Black)
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream)
Other: Papertrey Ink (Sending You Die collection)

Keep on crafting with these other posts

63 thoughts on “Papertrey Ink January Blog Hop & Another Blogiversary Post

  1. Both your cards are beautiful Amber. The second card is an amazing “CASE” of the Snow & Graham card (I don’t think it is a “CASE” – it’s an inspiration from their card). Thanks for the step by step directions. (And BTW, I did not even know they made a full adhesive sticky – where the heck have I been? Thanks for that lead too).

  2. Amber! This! This is why I, er, we all love you so much! Simply genius how you came up with your second card! I love your first one and the stamping is beautiful! But, I love the creativity that made the 2nd so beautiful! I am in awe!

  3. Amber you are amazing and such an inspiration. Love all of the cards, but I really love that you made you own stamps and all the yummy masking to end up making such a dreamy card.

  4. LOVE everything you make and you make it seem so effortless. I often stop myself from making cards because mine won’t look as great as what I see online…you’ve inspired me to try no matter what comes out! 🙂

  5. What a fabulous idea!!! I just love them both, but holy cow, that second one is FANTASTIC!! I love how your mind works!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!
    Hugs,
    Teri

  6. Wow, woman! I can’t believe how wonderful everything you make is! I’m envious of your talent and that you’ve found your niche in this stamping world so well. Your ability to combine stamps/images into a CAS card with maximum impact is your forte! Beautiful creations! Thank you for all the inspiration and calendars and tutorials, etc!! ;o) Hope you have a fantabulous day!

  7. Will you EVER cease to amaze?! I have been reading all your posts this week, and you’ve been perfectly expressing what I think most of us feel at points. But what you talked about today is something that strikes me so often – how kind, supportive and generous the online crafting community is. Even there there IS so much competition and the who’s who game is present, overall, everyone is just SO overwhelmingly kind and supportive!!

    I love all the cards (old and new – I remember when you posted the originals!), but that last one turned out even better than the one you cased, if you ask me!!

  8. Congratulations on your blog anniversary. what a wonderful way to celebrate with a blog hop.
    Love all your cards. You are truly one creative lady. I love how you shared your tip about creating your own stamping using a die. (I tolf you that you were creative)
    That last card is an amazing one.

  9. These are both really beautiful cards, as is the original card you posted. I enjoy reading your blog daily, although I rarely comment. You have such a sense of style. I never mind if the posts are long–there’s usually such good stuff there. I hope someday to meet you at Stamp-A-Faire, if I can ever make it out east.

  10. My jaw dropped when I saw your last card! That is brilliant. I love how it turned out and I had no idea post-its were available as full adhesive. I’ll have to remember that. Your blog is full of great inspiration. Thanks for taking the time to share. =)

  11. You can never have too many photos! IMHO! Lovely cards for the PTI hop. Gorgeous!!!! Love the re-do too. What a fun way to make a stamp …from foam sheets. And the masking is so cool! I have to try this!

  12. Wow Amber! These are gorgeous. The originals and the do-overs. I am so going to try my hand at imitating the void space card. What a creative technique and cool turn out!

  13. Amber, your cards are just stunning. The first one is so pretty and such a great use of a variety of stamp sets. Your second card is brilliant. I was expecting you to stamp the flowers after masking and then realized you left them white with a stamped center. How did you ever come up with such a cool idea??!! Amazing!!

  14. How do you think of these things??! This is amazing! I love the first one but the second is genius, I’m definitely going to give this a go, thanks for the inspiration!

    Love Beth xx

  15. I am totally in awe, Amber! You have a God-given talent that is the most amazing of any crafter I’ve seen! Both these cards are gorgeous and the last one is so very inspiring! I adore your long posting, so don’t stop…yours is the only one I always read from top to bottom including all the comments! Happy Blogaversary, sweetheart, and love you!
    Sharon

  16. SHUT UP with that white flower card…I am sorry to be rude! I actually said it out loud when I saw it, it’s soooo fabulous! Both of your folk art designs are spot on, just perfectly stamped. The eye candy from this post is sure to give us all cavities! Amazing projects, Amber!

  17. That technique that you shared is totally awesome!! That definitely deserves a try, thanks so much for sharing 🙂 You have a talent, for sure, and I love everything you have on your blog today!

  18. I love the first card, I’m planning to try that folk-artsy style that you have demonstrated a few times, I love it.

    The second card is amazing, stunning, beautiful, perfect! WOW! My 9 year old and I ooh-ed and aah-ed all over it, and then pinned it for future inspiration. 🙂

  19. Amber, Congratulations on your first complete year of blogging! I am sure we are going to be seeing much more of your work in years to come.
    I have been in awe of your style for quite awhile. Your masking technique using Beautiful Blooms is shear genius. Your result is much more beautiful than the one you CASE’d! And the In Bloom Thank you card too is so striking.
    You’ve so much natural talent Amber, thank you for sharing it with us!

  20. You clever, clever woman! Your version of that Snow & Graham card is pretty darn amazing. Your first card is pretty darn great though, too. I really like how you were able to tone down the boldness of the original to make it a little bit softer and more romantic. Beautiful!

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