Paper Crafters Sampler: Venetian Valentine

Time to release the 5th year of the Paper Crafters Sampler.  We start the first issue by preparing for the upcoming holiday, Valentine's Day.  We've made a few changes this time around by avoiding the most common color associated with Valentine's Day, red.

Inside the January issue, Venetian Valentine, you'll find soft and subdued colors, fancy flourishes, embossed surfaces and splashes of gold.  Tres le femme! The template of the month is the Fliptop Heart Trinket Box.

Here is a peek at the project I created for this issue of the Paper Crafters Sampler.

 

Straight To My Heart

For me, Valentine's Day has been much more about kids than it has been about romantic love. When we are children, we make Valentines for all of our classmates. As mothers, we help our children make those Valentines.  My hubby and I kinda jumped straight into parenthood, so we never developed a tradition for this holiday. Now, nearly all of my kids are adults. My 17 year old son doesn't need my help with Valentines anymore. And I am really glad I don't have to provide valentines for his class of over 300 kids :) So I think it is time for my hubby and I to start making some new traditions for ourselves. My focus for Valentines cards will most likely reflect that this year, as I will be thinking more about what I would like to give to someone who I have loved for most of my life.

This lovely color challenge from Pals Paper Arts was a great starting point for this card.

I got to use one of the new Valentines set from Stampin' Up! that is available through January 27, 2014. I bought it in December but didn't have a chance to use it until now. My boys, including the hubby, are in an archery league, so arrows seem doubly appropriate for us!

• Stamps: Love You More, Hardwood
• Ink: Soft Sky, Real Red, Basic Gray
• Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Real Red Core'dinations, Silver Glimmer and Foil
• Other: Big Shot with Hearts framelits, Circle Card and Label Card thinlits, and Arrows embossing folder, Paper Piercer, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Rhinestones Basic Jewels, Signo white gel pen, dimensionals, sewing machine and thread

 I added a few bits of the arrow image to the inside to round out the design. I am not sure if this is the one for my hubby this year yet, or not. It may go in the box at work for people to buy :)

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Oh, Happy Day!

Are you ready for some more new goodies from the Occasions Mini catalog that just started? I know I am :) I only ordered a few select items during our pre-order time, and with it being the holidays, I didn't even really get to play with them until the last week or so! I've been missing the challenges too lately and was itching to get back to them :)

So, I went hunting for some inspiration, and found this color challenge over at the Colour Q! Poppy Parade and Bravo Burgundy are both retired, so I substituted Real Red and Cherry Cobbler.

 

This sketch from Nacho Average Challenges was a good starting point for the card I ended up making too!

I haven't done anything masculine in a couple of weeks, so I figured I was due :) It was a great color combo for a nice, bright guy card! The new Arrows embossing folder is sure to be one of my new favorites too :) I created my own DSP again with the circle of rays image, then die cut it with the largest of the Starburst framelits. The Summer Starfruit starburst also has some paper piercing to add some interest. And check out the dots in the center of the "HAPPY". I added some white gel pen dots to make them look more like a lit marquee sign!

• Stamps: Starburst Sayings
• Ink: Summer Starfruit, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Basic Gray
• Paper: Summer Starfruit, Whisper White, Basic Gray Core'dinations
• Other: Big Shot with Starburst framelits and Arrow embossing folder, Sanding Block, Signo white gel pen, Smokey Slate Chevron ribbon, dimensionals

 Here's a little peek inside, because no card is finished until the inside gets a little love :)

I hope everyone is staying warm! It has been mighty cold for the last month or so. I am a Northern Minnesotan.  The coldest spot in the US pretty much every day is in my neighborhood :) We know cold. And yes, we see -20° routinely every winter through January and February. And -40° at least a couple times a winter. That is without the wind chill by the way, lol! So, put on those layers and keep moving! That's what we do :) That, and throw some more wood on the fire!

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