Jen Caputo

Two Cute & Simple Cards

I don't have a lot of crafty time these days so I wanted to make some cute & simple cards.

This one was inspired by FTL 51 (I rotated the sketch).

And this one started out as being inspired by FTL 49 but I got a little side tracked.

All stamps are from My Cute Stamps. I combined quite a few sets like Jelly Beans (for the birdies and the speech bubble in the bee card), Little Forest Friends (for the bee), and Matryoshka Dolls (for the 'hello' greeting).

Here's a close up of the bee card - I stitched the ribbon onto the card but it barely shows up :(

Almost out of this paper...

I'm so sad, I'm almost out of this green graph paper.  I've been using it a lot because I love it to pieces! (literally.. ha ha)

So this was a happy accident card. I'd planned it all out but when I put it together it didn't fit the way I wanted (the owl and the sentiment would not both fit on the card). So, I had to cover up the word "thanks" on the sentiment and then I got to use my favorite American Crafts Thickers alphas in it's place!

Inspiration for the card design came from FTL 47!  I'd never played along with her sketches before but I loved this one so I had to give it a shot!

Supplies
Stamps: Little Forest Friends from My Cute Stamps
Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Club Scrap
Ink: Copics, Memento Black, PTI Ripe Avocado
Alpha: American Crafts
Punches: EK Success, Circle Nestabilities

I ♥ Robots

I really do... except, of course, for Cylons (I just started season 3 so if for some reason I may end up liking them at some point, please don't tell me - I didn't read that wikipedia page, I just linked to it, I WILL remain spoiler free!!!) .... :)

Ok.. end Battlestar Galactica chatter.  Er wait... not yet... Have you guys seen this show?  It's so awesome. I'm definitely addicted. I'm watching an episode or two or three every night!

So I created this Robot/Battlestar inspired card, for Kristina's Color Inspiration #55.  This was her palette:

It was based on her boss's skirt. I NEED that skirt!

It was nice to finally have a chance to use this wrench charm too.  By the way, I dedicate this card to Chief :)  hehehe  I sure hope someone knows what I'm talking about...

Credits
Stamps: My Cute Stamps - Space Ships & Robots
Paper: Club Scrap (Rust - paisley patterned), PTI Rustic White, Smokey Shadow, Summer Sunrise
Ink: PTI Smokey Shadow, Summer Sunrise, Palette Cognac, White gel pen
Other: PTI Twine, Club Scrap Wrench Charm, EK Success Border Punch, Fiskars 1" Square Punch, Sewing Machine

Happy Father's Day

Since I'm pretty sure this didn't make it to my dad on time... here's a peak at your card! Love you, Dad!

 

Supplies
Stamps: Father Knows Best by Papertrey Ink, Background Basics: Text Style by PTI
Paper: PTI Spring Moss, Craft, Rustic White, Dark Chocolate
Ink: PTI Ripe Avocado, Dark Chocolate
Other: Twine (Papertrey Ink), Buttons (Unknown)

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Yesterday was Adam's 30th birthday!!!  Obviously a big day :)  This is the card I made him.

and the inside

I'd been wanting to try a yellow/gray card for a while and I thought this adorable robot from My Cute Stamps' "Space Ships & Robots" set would work perfectly.  I love how he can wear that cute little hat!

To celebrate Adam's birthday we went to see the Detroit Tigers (our hometown team) play the White Sox.

We (the Tigers) lost.  It was a double header and the Tigers actually won the early game but not the one we went to unfortunately.  Oh well, it was still a great time!  Here's our group of 10!

We were amazed at our ability to pose for this picture with barely any obstructed heads in 2 seconds flat!

CPS117

I love the summer but it totally zaps any spare seconds I have for being crafty!  Adam had to go downtown tonight to finish cleaning out the condo (we close tomorrow!!!!) so I had a few minutes to play.  I decided to make it easy on myself and followed along with CPS117.

Supplies
Stamps: Little Forest Friends - My Cute Stamps, Hello Doodle - My Cute Stamps
Ink: Memento Black, Copic Markers
Paper: Club Scrap (Lime and Blue), PTI Stampers Select White
Other: Circle Nestabilities, Corner Rounder,White Embossing Powder

And for those who like to know the colors:

Greetings from Seattle

We flew out to Seattle on Thursday night and our headed home in the morning.  I haven't been here since middle school. This city is awesome :)

Thought I'd share my Mother's Day cards.

The inside:

Supplies
Stamps: Life, Mother - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Spring Moss, Melon Berry
Paper: Stampers Select White, Spring Moss, Melon Berry
Ribbon: Melon Berry Satin
Other: Labels 1 Nestabilities

Two "Cute" Thank You Cards

I have barely had any time to play in the craft room lately but I had to get in there and get my fingers inked up before I went crazy! 

I decided to break in Spunky Nature from My Cute Stamps. It's such an awesome versatile set. I only used 7 of the 16 images from this 12.99 set on these cards - I can't wait to play with it more and see what other combinations of images will present themselves.  I can't believe what an amazing value these stamps are!

 

 

I found this piece of patterned paper in my stash by Cosmo Cricket that seemed to coordinate so well with Spunky Nature.

The "Thank You" greeting is from Matryoshka Dolls set!  (It's only $7.99!!)

Far Out!

I haven't posted in almost a week so this will be a catch up post.

I'll start with a quick card I made tonight using the Space Ships & Robots set from My Cute Stamps. I always wanted to be astronaut when I was a kid so this set is so totally me!

The patterned papers are from Scenic Route, the cardstock is Bazzil, the Ink is Palette. Ribbon from my stock, a Nestabilities star die, and a new EK Success border punch!

 

So I have a new obsession - couponing :)  Adam thinks I'm being ridiculous, but come on - who couldn't use a few extra bucks in their pockets these days?

Basically you don't buy stuff unless you have a coupon, and it's on sale.  That sounds like a lot of work keeping up with that kind of stuff doesn't it?  Well not so - there are legions of blogs out there dedicated to mashing up coupons and sales and telling you what to buy and where to buy it.

Some of my favorites

• It's Hip 2 Save
• Mashup Mom
• Bargain Briana
• Frugal Coupon Living
• The Bargain Jargon

And so on...

Anyway, I thought I'd show you my latest take.  In honor of Earth Day, Walgreens was offering 15% off your entire purchase (20% off walgreens brand items)

Here's what I bought:

• Walgreens re-usable bag - FREE (Earth Day Special)
• Skintimate Shaving Cream - $3 - 15%off = $2.54
  But you get $3 back in Register Rewards (money you can spend on your next trip).
  $.46 profit!
• 2 Glade Soy Candles: 5.99 each - 15% off = 5.09 each
  $2/Easy Saver Coupon in the booklet at Walgreens each
  $4/off each - printable here
  FREE (w/overage)!
• Energizer Batteries - 3 packs of 16 (2 AA, 1AAA) On Sale for 8.99 each - 15% off = $7.64
  - $1 coupon off each - printable here
  Plus, the batteries each had a Gillette Quattro Platinum razor in them (no idea why)
  Plus, it generated a $2 Register Reward
  Total: About $6 each with bonus razors!
• Nature's Bounty Vitamins (Fish Oil (9.34 after 15% discount) & Melatonin (7.22 after discount)) -
  Buy One Get One Free Walgreens sale
  2 - $2 off coupons printable here
  $5.34 Total for both jars of vitamins (regular price - over $20!)
• Plasticware - 2/$.80 when you scan the coupon in the Walgreens flyer (I forgot to do this... arg... so I paid $.79 each but they would have been that price for both if I remembered the coupon
• Paperplates - $.80 when you scan the coupon in the flyer (again, I forgot to do this so I paid $1.43)
• 2 Glade Plugin Refills - on sale 2 for $5 (15% off = 4.25)
  Plugin Oil Heater - 3.99 (3.22 with sale)
  $1 off of 2 refills from a coupon in last Sunday's paper
  Free oil heater when you buy any refill from a coupon in last Sunday's paper
  Plus, this generates a $1 Rebate Reward
  Total Cost: $2.15 for 2 refills + the nightlight oil heater

All in all, my final total including our crazy high sales tax was $37.40.  I saved $11.58 because of the 15% off sale and $42.87 in coupons and Walgreens sales!

And I have $6 in Register Rewards to spend time I go.

Seriously, how fun is that?

My receipt:

 

Ok, last thing.  A recent pic of me for my mom.  I've lost 19.5 lbs in the last 12 weeks and I got a haircut after I saw her last over Christmas so she wanted a new photo.

Picture taken this weekend at Rockfest!

Sorry Adam, this is what you get for making faces at the camera all the time.

 

Notebook paper doodle fun

 

I was just so tickled with myself  when I finished this card.  See that "notebook paper" that the flowers are resting on...  It started out as PTI's Stampers Select White.  I used Heather's Journaling Lines set to stamp the lines in Spring Rain.  I drew the pink line with a copic marker.  And then I punched the holes with a new punch from EK Success.  Custom made notebook paper in a matter of seconds.   I love it!

The notebook paper screamed for doodley type images so I was happy to oblige with these fun flowers from My Cute Stamps' Celebrate Today set.. I stamped them with Memento Black, colored with copics, and then cut them out. 

A little patterned paper and another EK Success Punch finished this quick card off.

 

Supplies
Stamps: My Cute Stamps Celebrate Today (Flowers, leafs), My Cute Stamps Hello Doodle (Hello), Fancy Pants (stems), PTI Journaling Lines (lines on notebook paper)
Paper: PTI Stampers Select White, Club Scrap Kraft, PTI Bitty Dots (Sweet Blush), Making Memories green vine
Ink: Memento Black, Palette Landscape, PTI Fresh Snow, Copic Markers
Punches: EK Success
Ribbon: PTI Spring Moss Grosgrain
Other: Button, Brads, String

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge 3

How cute is that Ice Cream cone?  don't you want to eat it up!  It's from the adorable Sweet Chocolate set from My Cute Stamps and I think it looks adorable all iced up with glitter.  I used Dawn's color challenge as my inspiration for this card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Sweet Chocolate from My Cute Stamps
Ink: Memento Black, PTI Dark Chocolate
Paper: PTI Stampers Select, PTI Bitty Dots in Pure Poppy, Pure Poppy, Vintage Cream, Bazzil Pink, Club Scrap Kraft
Dies: Nestabilities Circles & Scallop Circles
Punches: EK Success Border Punch, Creative Memories Corner Rounder
Other: Making Memories Eyelets, PTI Sweet Blush Twill Ribbon

Quick Card & Hybrid Page

I whipped this card up tonight in a matter of minutes thanks to some fun goodies from The Paper Maven along with a Making Memories rub-on.  The bunched up fabric thing is actually a Venetian blind sample.  A friend of mine picked up an organizer full of them for $5 at a Great Indoors going out of business sale.  He just wanted the organizer so he gave me all the samples thinking I could do something crafty with them.  Kinda fun huh? 

Next, I have a hybrid scrapbook page for you!

I used one of my digital scrapbooking templates to size and print the pictures and to print the journaling in the shape around the circle. I also designed a file in Adobe Illustrator of the large scallop circle (about 6.5 inches) and cut it with my Wishblade.
I curved the "'till the end" sentiment on the block to make it match the curve of the flower.

Supplies
Paper: PTI Raspberry Fizz, PTI Ripe Avocado, Kraft
Stamps: PTI Friends 'Til the End, PTI Borders & Corners: Circle (small flowers in each scallop)
Digital Template: Sketch Collection #28 @ Scrapbookgraphics.com
Ink: PTI Fresh Snow, Raspberry Fizz
Buttons: PTI New Leaf
Ribbon: PTI Ripe Avocado Grosgrain
Chipboard Vine: Maya Road
Chipboard Letters, Metal: Making Memories
Flowers: Prima
Paint: Kaiser

PTI Blog Hop - Backgrounds

It's blog hop time at Papertrey Ink!

The challenge was this:

Background building sets have rapidly become one of Papertrey's signature traits.  For this month's Blog Hop, we want to see all of your very best backgrounds.  They can be multi-colored or monochromatic.  Simple or elegantly detailed.  They can be created with a set originated for that purpose or a reinvention of images that were not.  Be sure to include a separate photo of your completed background BEFORE you add it to your project so we can see it in all its glory! 

I created two projects for this blog hop because I wasn't sure I loved the first.  So I'll show you the one I do like first.

Here is how my background started.

As you can see, I drew my color inspiration from this makeup ad. I loved those rich regal colors together!  I used Background Basics: Retro to create the card pretty simply, just alternating colors as I stamped down my sheet and adding the circle detail in the center with a different color.

My finished project:

In order to allow the card to still fit in a A2 sized envelope, I trimmed about a 1/2" off of the right side so that the completed width is still 5.5".

Supplies
Stamps: PTI Friends Till The End, Background Basics: Retro
Paper: Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz, Ripe Avocado, Ocean Tides
Dies: Nestabilities Large Rectangle
Other: PTI New Leaf Button, PTI Ocean Tides Saddle Stitch Ribbon, String, Corner Rounder

This was the original card I made.  I wanted to try a clear card and while  I love the idea, I'm not so sure on my execution.. I think I need more practice...

The original background, scored a piece of acetate and stamped the border image from Damask Designs using Staz On White

And the finished Card

I'm not sure if you can tell but the only paper adhered to the front of the card is the Lavender Moon. The Plum Pudding is adhered on the back of the front of the card and the white paper is adhered on the inside of the card.  When the card is closed and flat they are perfectly matted.

Supplies
Stamps: PTI Damask Designs
Paper: True Black, Lavender Moon, Plum Pudding, Stamper's Select White
Ink: Plum Pudding, Staz On White, Versamark
Dies: Nestabilities Large Rectangle
Other: PTI True Black Button, PTI Plum Pudding Saddle Stitch Ribbon, String, Acetate, White embossing powder

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge #1

Dawn McVey always has the best color combos ever! When she decided to host a color challenge I had to play along. You can see her swatch above.

And here's my card.

Have you noticed I'm kinda diggin' that anniversary set lately?

For the inside I use the remnant of the scallops I cut for the front to get the reverse scallop effect. I thought it looked kinda cool.  I cut the scallops with the Long Rectangle Nestabilities and then just trimmed off the part I didn't want to use.

Supplies
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Everyday Classics, Mega Mixed Messages
Paper: PTI Stamper's Select White, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Fizz Bitty Dots. Club Scrap Orange
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate, Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz. Ranger Adirondack Terra Cotta
Ribbon: Summer Sunrise
Dies: Nestabilities Long Rectangle Large, Small and Large Circles & Scalloped Circles

Fern Card

This was another one of my GSS entries at PTI last month. I submitted it for "best use of a previous set". I was pretty happy with it :)  I'm kinda likin' odd shaped cards lately :)

Supplies
Stamps: PTI Text Boxed, PTI Limitless Labels
Ink: PTI Melon Berry, Ripe Avocado, Vintage Cream
Paper: PTI Melon Berry, Ripe Avocado, Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate, Bitty Dots Patterned Paper
Buttons: PTI New Leaf
Other: Long Rectangle Nestabilities, Scallop Scissors

Congratulations, you did it!

Friday was my good friend, Quinn's, last day of business school!  We are celebrating today with lunch at our favorite place in Chicago for pizza and beer - Piece. Yum, can't wait for my white pizza with spinach & goat cheese!

Here's a glimpse of the inside of the card I made him.

Supplies
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Everyday Classics, Simple Alphabet. Stampin' Up (Celebrate on the inside). Apostrophe from Messy Dates by Autumn Leaves
Paper: PTI Stamper's Select White, New Leaf
Ink: True Black, Spring Rain, New Leaf, Spring Moss
Punch: Creative Memories Corner Rounder
Other: Button, String, Foam Tape

KWerner Color Inspiration Challenge #46

I decided to play along with Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration Challenge #46 since I've loved seeing what everyone else is doing with her challenges!

Here's this weeks:

 

And here's my card:

I just received PTI's Anniversary set "Everyday Classics" and couldn't wait to use it!

Supplies
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Every Classics
Paper: True Black, Bitty Dots, Raspberry Fizz, Stamper's Select White
Ink: True Black, Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush, Spring Rain
Punch: Fiskars Threading Water
Ribbon: Spring Rain Twill
Button: Hibiscus Burst Vintage Button

CPS106 & CPS107

I forgot to post last week's CPS card in time so I'm doubling up this week.

First my CPS 106 card.

This was the sketch:

And my sample:

All of the goodies are from The Paper Maven except for the greeting which is Papertrey Ink.

Next up, CPS107.

And my sample

Everything is from Papertrey Ink.

Stamps: Beyond Basic Borders
Paper: New Leaf, Spring Rain, Bitty Dots, Stampers Select White
Ribbon: Spring Rain Twill
Button: New Leaf
Other: Long Rectangle Nestabilities, Making Memories rub-on (Have Fun)

I made a matching envelope to go with it which you can kind of see underneath the card.

Technorati Tags: CPS106,CPS107,Papertrey Ink,The Paper Maven,Cards

CMWC46 @ Papertrey Ink

I'm the challenge hostess this week at Papertrey Ink so I thought I would share my challenge here in case anyone wanted to play along :)

I was watching Lauren's video post today and was so inspired by her non A2 sized card that I decided to base this weeks Casual Mid Week Challenge on it!
Your challenge is this:

• Create a card that is any size except A2 (4.25"x5.5")
• Make a matching decorated envelope
• Don't forget the inside of your card - let's see something special in there!

Above you can see my sample showing the inside of my envelope.

And this one shows the front of the envelope with a little bit of a peak of the inside of the card.

If you are a big PTI fan like me, I hope you'll play along :)

Technorati Tags: Papertrey Ink,Cards,Challenges

PTI Blog Hop: Spring!

 

Once again, it's blog hop time at Papertrey Ink!

The challenge was this:

Easter and other spring celebrations will be here before you know it!  And besides, there's nothing better to beat the winter doldrums than to turn our minds towards those first spring flowers bursting through the ground and the birds returning with their sweet songs.  Your challenge this month is to put a little "spring" into your step, by incorporating the flowers, familiar sights and colors of spring into a project.  Think birds nests containing newly laid eggs, flowers in pretty pastels, new green leaves, baby chicks and anything else that speaks to your creative soul! We look forward to seeing all of your interpretations of this fun challenge!

My card was a disaster from the start.  I'm not happy with it but I spent soooo long on it I decided I had to post it.

I like the inside though so you can see that :)

Supplies
Stamps: PTI With Sympathy, Spring Tags, Heartfelt Basics
Paper: New Leaf, Melon Berry, Summer Sunrise, Stamper's Select White
Ink: New Leaf, Melon Berry, Summer Sunrise
Dies: Nestabilities Circles, Scallop Circles. 
Other: Scallop scissors, Melon Berry Ribbon

Technorati Tags: Papertrey Ink,Cards