Our Senior Design Team challenge over at Papertrey Ink was to stamp on fabric and utilize it in our projects.  Use die cuts, or anything really…just be creative, so I came up with the CUTEST thing EVAH!  I don’t even care if I sound like I am tooting my own horn, because seriously…this is SO CUTE!  So here’s the deal… I wanted to use something you all may have hanging around in your altering drawers, so I came up with the darndest idea!  A onesie door pillow!!!  AW!!!  SHH… Baby is sleeping!!!

Too cute, right?  So this is easy peasy!  Just get a small pillow form (I happened to have one laying around, or you can upcycle a decorative one you may have (especially if this is for yourself) or make one.  About 6×4. Just check and  see how the newborn onesie fits.  Trim off the excess and seam it (either with stitching or Heat and Bond tape.)

I did all of the stamping and embroidery first.  It is easier to sew on those buttons when you can get your hand inside of the onesie.  I used some sewing tape you heat to applique the sailboat fabric.  I stamped everything with Dark Chocolate Palette Ink, which when heat set is permanent.  I hope you try this.  I was so smitten with the result!  Why don’t you go and check out what the other girls have done!

Michelle Wooderson

Lisa Johnson

Lauren Meader

Heather Nichols

Wendy Sue Anderson

Stamps: Men of Life, Fresh Alphabet

Ink: Dark Chocolate

Vintage Buttons: Spring Rain, Rustic Wood

Ribbon: Spring Rain Twill

Other: Newborn Onesie

On Route 66!

Off we go on a romantic trip for 8 days!  Yes…8 days of childrenless solitude!  Just the two of us!  How long do you think it will last before we want to kill each other?  Just kidding!

Yes, john and I will be headed out West.  Our flight leaves early tomorrow and we will be Vegas bound!  Whoot! Since I will be computerless for eight days (yes, I am a crazy one without an i-phone or internet on my phone at all) I thought I would share with you some of our fun itinerary.

My kind of city…not!

and for a fun date in the evening:

Yup…John and I are going to see the Blue Man Group.  Fun.

Hoover Dam

Grand Canyon

Four Corners!

Monument Valley

Mesa Verde

Durango and Silverton, CO.  I am so excited to ride this train.  This is a narrow Gauge Railroad which is a four hour journey each way from Durango to Silverton and back again.  John and I got tickets in first class in that bottom car.  The only car with a full glass enclosure so you can see EVERYTHING!  The highs, lows, rivers, rocks…everything!  I highly suggest a visit to their website.

Wigwam Motel in Holbrook AZ.  Yes I am serious, and yes, this will be the best part of the vacation bar none!!  I am so psyched to sleep here on Route 66!!

So these are some of the highlights of our big trip out in the wild wild west, where we will have stories of scorpions and rattlesnakes (or so says my imagination.)  At least I will sleep in a Wigwam.  Now if that isn’t a vacation, I don’t know what is!

Unfortunately there comes a time when you have to say goodbye to various teams.  This is one of those times.  I have enjoyed Sharon’s challenges immensely and will miss all of my crew mates terribly, but it seems like life has been getting a little crazy for me these days and I need to say goodbye.  With my upcoming travels and more of the same impending in my future, I didn’t think it was fair to commit to any more weekly challenges I may not be able to finish.  Thanks so much for everyone’s comments and love throughout my time on the SS crew.  I will participate when I can!

As for this weeks final challenge for me, we were asked to make a project featuring our favorite summer recipe!  So here is my card:

This is my absolute favorite recipe for the summer!  Peach Custard Pie.  Be prepared to die and go to heaven!

Here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 425

1 prepared pie crust ( I use pillsbury)

5 medium pealed fresh peaches

1  8oz container sour cream (actually a little less)

3 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:

4 tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

Put dough in pie plate, arrange sliced peaches, whisk all other ingredients and pour over top.

bake for 30 minutes, pull out add streusel topping and bake for 15-20 minutes more until knife comes out clean.

I LOVE THIS PIE!!!!

Go and see what recipes the other girls have shared, and if you would like to participate, please share your work over at splitcoast using keyword: ssnotime92!  Thanks Sharon and the girls for a fantastic time on the team!

Stamps: Fruitful, Trademarks

Paper: Spring Rain, Summer Sunrise, Kraft, True Black

Ink: Summer Sunrise, Melon Berry, Dark Chocolate, Vintage Touch Inking System

Other: Summer Sunrise Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Rustic Wood Buttons, Rustic Twine,

  Cupcake Collection!

 Heavenly Medley

Oh the wonderfulness of the 15th of the month!!  I wanted to pop in here and show off my other projects for this release that you haven’t seen yet!  WOO HOO!!  Show off time!  I just am so astounded at the amazing DT examples this month.  PLEASE go to the gallery and see for yourself.  All of the DT work will be there and the supply lists.  Trust me…you will not be disappointed!  I love my little PTI family.  It is so nice to be a part of a team where everyone is so motivated to bring their A-game on a daily basis.  Even if the mojo isn’t flowing, you are so encouraged by your fellow DT’s work that it is hard not to be inspired to do better the next go around.  What a blessing Papertrey is in my life.  I hope you enjoy these cards today.  You can view all of my supply lists for every project you have seen this week in my gallery.  Also, I don’t know if you haven’t tried Lauren’s templates yet, but I want to encourage you to do so if you have been thinking about it.  It is amazing the samples you get for each $5.00 download!!  We have teams that make projects that nobody sees unless you buy the template.  They are such a joy to see each month as well.  Some real knock your socks off projects!!!  A printable template and design ideas for $5.00.  Incredible! 

I am so pleased to share with you today Candice’s new set from Madra Designs through Papertrey called “Fruitful!”  There is also a “Fruitful Sentimets” for all of your jelly and jam making needs!  I wanted to show you today a really sweet project showing you that this set just isn’t for jam!  For all of you non-cooks out there (don’t get me wrong…I LOVE to cook), this will just give you a different idea to use this set.  When I was thinking about my project, I wanted to make something a little out of the box…or in this case…IN the box!  So I printed out one of my favorite Timeless Templates called “Rounded Wrap-Up”

I thought this would be a neat idea for a baby shower favor.  “Be Fruitful”…get it?  Or another idea would be to use this as a Bible Study favor if you were doing a study on the Fruits of the spirit!  Whatever your needs are, I just love this set and the summery color combo. You also can’t go wrong with tropical skittles for the goodie inside!

Stamps: Fruitful
TEMPLATE: Rounded Wrap-Up
Pear Box:
Paper: New Leaf, White
Ink: New Leaf, versamagic Aloe Vera
Ribbon: New Leaf Twill
New Leaf Vintage Buttons
Rustic Twine
Raspberry Box:
Paper: Hibiscus Burst, white
Ink: New leaf, Aloe Vera, Hibiscus Burst
Ribbon: Hibiscus Burst Twill
Buttons: Hibiscus Burst Vintage Buttons
Rustic Twine

Orange Box:
Paper: Summer Sunrise, White
Ink:Summer Sunrise, Only Orange SU!
Ribbon: Summer Sunrise Twill
Buttons: Summer Sunrise Vintage Buttons
Rustic Twine
Skittles

Who says you can’t blend the look of modern and country?   This new set from Nichole and our own rock star Mish blends so many styles into one cohesive theme!  The baskets are retro, vintage, and country, while the sentiments have a distinctively modern look.  So in honor of how well this set works across the style borders, I thought I would try to do the same thing in my project today.

Using my copics, I tried to give a real depth to the apples choosing to shade them the best way I could.  I got the effect of the shiny apples by just leaving a little bit of the kraft cardstock uncolored.  The sentiment was stamped and I used a nice black pen and a ruler to add the line.  This gives it the modern look from the front of the card.

What is that peeking out from the inside of the card?  I thought I would take the new patterned paper for this month and give the receiver a little country surprise inside!  I also used this paper for the pull tag on the front of the card.

probably my favorite little detail is the glassine bag I attached to the back of the front panel.  I cut it to have a scalloped edge, and it just screams caramel apple to me!!  It houses the little money slider for a nice gift for the teacher at the end of the year!

I hope you like this.  The set is completely addicting and I just can’t wait until you see everyone’s examples!  Prepare to be blown away!

Stamps: Vintage Picnic (to be released June 15th)

Paper: Rustic Cream cardstock, True Black, Kraft, Bitty Box patterned paper (released the 15th)

Ink: Palette Noir

Other: Copics, black and white check ribbon, Rustic Wood Vintage Buttons, Rustic Jute Twine, Small Glassine Bag, Tag Punch SU!

One of my favorite things about Papertrey Ink is that they get the best products known to man.  This is no less true for one of my favorite secret items!  Papertrey’s Filagree Detail Clear Embossing Powder is one of my all-time favorite tools in my arsenal.  Why?  Because it took me no more than four minutes to make these soap holders and coasters!  Try etching detailed work like this!  It will take you forever!  Not this way!

First, start out with a clear acrylic or glass block.  Then prepare your surface for embossing just like you would on a card.  (You have to prepare the side of your item that will be facing DOWN.  This is where you will be stamping)  I used an embossing buddy from SU!, but I hear a used dryer sheet does the trick as well!  This is the most important part of the process.  You want to make sure your item is static free.  Then stamp with Versamark Ink. I picked a very detailed flower image from “Friends ‘Til the End”.  This is my favorite image for these gifts.  Sprinkle on the Filagree Detail Clear embossing powder, and then knock off the excess.  This will easily come off, and will leave you with a perfect image.   This does not work with your normal types of embossing powder.  This is what makes this product one of my favorites.  Then you heat set, and you are finished!

This is a little hotel soap I had in my house, which didn’t have a logo on it.  It is the perfect gift item wrapped in this wonderful Green Tea Leaves patterned paper and finished with a Spring Moss Twill and a large Melon Berry button!  I simply added the black lines with a nice pen and a ruler.  Can you see this on your bathroom counter?

And as a coaster, it is so beautiful.  The embossing doesn’t interfere with the mugs, because the image is on the bottom of the glass.  Won’t you try this embossing powder??  It is INCREDIBLE!  A thousand gifts for literally pennies and seconds!!!  Could you imagine what you could sell these for?  I hope you try this and have so much fun in the process! 

The coasters are in the supply list.  Please scroll down for them!!

edited to add:  You may wash these with soap and water.  I have not tried them in the dishwasher, but that isn’t necessary anyway.

Stamps: “Friends ‘Til the End”

Ink: Versamark Ink.

Other: Papertrey’s Filagree Detail Clear Embossing Powder

Green Tea Leaves patterned paper

Spring Moss Twill

Melon Berry button

Clear acrylic blocks

Oh you have all been so patient with me!  What a month it has been.  I had a very famous Danish composer staying with me last week, so I was unable to play!  Now…yes now I am ready!  Our challenge this week was to use a half-circle in our projects!  SO MUCH FUN!!!  Check out what I did!

How cute is this?  Do you know that in Germany a red and white toadstool is good luck?  I made this for a student of mine who is going to music school for college (at my Alma Mater) next year!  I was so excited she made it in!  So I gave her this card today along with a pitch pipe!  I used a coluzzle to cut out my half circle and a 3/4 inch and 1/3 inch punch to do the funky toadstool dots!  The stamp set I used was “Forest Friends” from Papertrey!  So many images in that set!!  All of the smaller toadstools and grass come from that set.  For the sentiment I used “Around and About Sentiments”

Go see what the other girls did for this challenge!  And as always…go to Splitcoast and upload yours using keyword: ssnotime91 we want to see them!

• Sabrina, June Guest Designer
• Janine
• Jennifer
• Julie
• AJ
• Tammy
• Deb

Stamps:

“Around and About Sentiments”

“Forest Friends”

Paper: Pure Poppy, New Leaf

Ink: New Leaf, Spring Moss, Pure Poppy, Versamagic Wheat

Ribbon: Pure Poppy Stiched Grosgrain

So I thought I would share some pictures with you of Charleston, and my friends of Antioch.  There aren’t really any pictures of Charleston proper…bad girl…I guess because my parents live there, so I don’t take touristy type pictures there.  I just wasn’t thinking I guess!  I have more pictures than this from other people, but just haven’t been sent them yet.  So I will share a couple of those once I get them. 

This is St. Philips.  this is where we performed, rehearsed and recorded.

This is Martha.  One of our fabulous sopranos.  I wanted to make sure I just got some really pretty pictures of my friends.

This is Matt.  He is one of our tenors.  Doesn’t he look so happy! 

This is our other Matt!  He is one of our basses.  Matt is so sweet.  One of the most unassuming people ever, which is rare in our business.  What a darling he is.

This is Luthien (My tag-teaming alto!) and Matt hanging while they get set up to record.

This is Ray (one of our basses) waiting and waiting for the recording to start.

This is a live shot during our concert.

This is Amy and I at Cypress where we indulged in three course meals, and as you can see, were treated to the black napkin treatment!  Don’t know what that is?  Well, if you are wearing black, they give you a black napkin as to prevent the white lint from white linens from getting on your clothing.  Frou Frou I know, but I loved every minute of it!

 I must be looking at Stephen here!  That is my “Stephen look”, believe me…if you knew him you would understand.  He is like everyone’s little brother.  Next to me is Brian.  I love Brian a ton.  He is the only other Philly person in the choir with me and is up for any adventure!  He is a real foodie and we have had some really fun times recently!

So there you go.  Some fun pics from my stay, mostly of the great people involved!  Thanks for peeking into my world today!

Our senior DT challenge this month was to make our very own embellishments.  This is such a fantastic and EASY thing to do, just by using your leftover scraps of cardstock!  This is a great way to use those long thin strips that hang around in your folders.  You can even make them ready to sell just by adhering them to some clear cardstock and adding a simple hanging tag!  So here is how I made some embellies for an invitation card kit all ready to be boxed up and sold!

I took the open flip flop image from “Day at the Beach” and stamped them using Palette Noir ink and then colored them using copics that matched Raspberry Fizz and Summer Sunrise cardstocks.

I then punched out the flip-flops using a 1 1/4 inch punch.  Then I took scraps of my Raspberry Fizz and Summer Sunrise cardstocks and punched circles using my extra jumbo scalloped circle punch by Marvy.

Then using my Tsukineko glue pad, I stamped the thong part of the sandals onto the colored flip flop image.  Then I took my pliers and dipped them into glitter!

I then cut some Papertrey Clearly Creative Cardstock, which is nice and thick and durable.  I placed dimensionals onto the back, and then took a mini glue dot and placed it onto the paper backing of the dimensional.  This will adhere the dimensional to the clear cardstock.

Taking a tag punch and some mono multi and my cropadile, I made a tag already for hanging.  This ensures the user that while they are creating, they can hang up the embellies if need be.  It also finishes up the project to look 100% professional.

My finished invitation kit, all ready to be boxed up!  And how much did this cost me?  Take a look:

I don’t think I will be buying too many embellies from now on!  Not when I can make them myself!

Check out what the other girls have done!

Michelle Wooderson

Lisa Johnson

Lauren Meader

Heather Nichols

Kelly Lunceford is playing too!

Stamps: Day at the Beach

Paper: Bitty Dot Basics, White, Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, Clearly Creative Cardstock,

Ink: Palette Noir, Copics

Other: Glue Pad, Glitter, dimensionals