Denise on the PTI forum asked for some pictures of how I store my PTI dies - so here they are:

I get the foam board at Michaels - a package of I believe 5 sheets, 10x14, made by Elmer's.  I cut the sheets down to 81/2-9x14.  The magnetic sheets are made by Quickutz and have adhesive on the back - with a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby, a package of 6 sheets (4x12) are a little under $5.  At some point, when I have some free time (HA!) I am going to label the exposed foam to the left of the magnets so I can quickly see what dies are on what sheet.

I then just store them on a shelf - or actually in this storage unit I bought from Michaels that sits on my shelf.  You could easily buy larger sheets of foam board and cut it down to any size you like - perhaps 12x14, and then put three Quickutz magnet sheets on each board.  I like this system because I can quickly flip through to get the die I want, and to put the die away all I have to do is stick in on the magnet.  Plus, if I am taking my crafting on the road, I can just grab all of the boards and put them into my travel case.

PTI October Blog Hop

Just a quick post with a card I made to enter this months blog hop - simple card, quick and easy to make.  I just stamped a bunch of background stamps onto white cardstock and used my 1 1/2 inch paper punch to punch out circles, which I then arranged and adhered onto crafters select white cardstock.

Robin's nest on my front porch

I just wanted to post a quick picture of the robin's nest that a bird has made on top of some fake hydrangeas hanging in my front porch - very cute!

Well, I finally had time to make a project for PTI's Make-It-Mondays challenge - I actually got so inspired after making my first card that I made a second!

This was my first card - I used the Mat Stack 1 die and the Background Basics: Diamonds impression plate and spring moss paper; the Mat Stack 2 die to cut Hibiscus Burst cardstock; the label is from the PTI free label set from earlier this year, spring moss buttons and sweet blush card base.

For this card, I used my woodgrain impression plate, applied ink to the impression plate using a brayer, set a couple of leaf print dies and the label die from Friendship Jars.  I then stamped the leaves using some Twinkling H20's - my first attempt at using Twinkling H20's and I really like them!

Baby blanket, hat and booties

Thought I would post a picture of the baby blanket, hat and booties I made for my two-week old niece, Emma Josephine.  All knit is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Aran.  The booties are a bit big for her right now, but she will grow into them.  I may have to knit her a bigger hat so that when the booties do fit, she still can wear a matching hat.

And here is the card I made to go with it - thank you goes out to Lesley who suggested instead of trashing the whole card after I originally colored the duck with some purple copics and it did not look so good, to instead re-do the duck coloring it in with yellow.

Loss of Pet Sympathy Card

Well, I actually had time to make some cards this weekend!  I still need to finish organizing my crafting area, but I must say that my new space is so much easier to work in - everything is much more convenient to get at, and therefore more convenient to put away.  I even whipped out my sewing machine to attempt sewing on a card for the first time (I will take a picture of that card later).  So, here is a card I made for a friend of mine who lost her best friend and companion of 13 years a week ago - her pomeranian Bitsy.

The picture was taken with my cell phone, using my office window as a backdrop, so please excuse the quality!

My favorite PTI project from 2010

Papertreyink (PTI, for those in the know) is having an anniversary celebration!  Today, Nichole asked everyone to reminisce about projects they have made over the past year using their PTI projects.  These little treats I made for my sons daycare classes using TT: halloween and one of my favorite PTI dies - Mat Stack 4.  I just love all of the images in this set!

Finished my first pullover sweater!

Just a quick post with a sweater I recently finished knitting and sewing up - will definitly knit another sweater in the future!

Christmas Star Ornaments

A little project I have been working on lately - I am going to attach these to presents at Christmas.  Very easy to make.  The metal stars came from http://www.factorydirectcraft.com/, paper is cosmo cricket mitten weather, button is PTI pure poppy, and the ribbon is from SU (real red).

A few cards

Well, I actually had some time to make cards this weekend - a thank you card for a friend of my Mom's, a birthday card (belated) for my sister-in-law, and a birthday card for a kindergarten classmate of my sons who is having a birthday party this Friday.

Halloween Treats and a Butkus Painting

Shocking - my second post for the week!  I decided this year to make halloween treat bags for the kids to bring to school.  Of course, Caleb is in kindergarten and daycare, and his daycare class is rather huge (40 kids)!  So, I ended up having to make 90 of these things (20 for kindergarten, 40 for Caleb's daycare class, and 30 for Brooks's daycare class) - I asked Caleb this morning if he liked them and he gave me the thumbs up! So, here is a picture of a few of them

and a close up of the monster tag (complete with googly eyes):

I also wanted to finally post a picture of a portrait of Butkus I painted recently.  Don't be too impressed - the outline of the picture was from a template.  However, the blending of the colors etc. was all me - I think it turned out okay!  Now I need to make one for Cammi and one for Payton.

That is it for today!  Working on Christmas stuff this morning - so hopefully will have some pictures next week!

Gratuitous picture of my Butkus

I figured I have not posted in a while - I have been busy knitting away and organizing my paper craft stuff, but never get around to taking pictures of what I make.  So, I figured I should post something.  This is Butkus sleeping like an angel on the couch.  He is a light sleeper, so I had to walk quietly to get these pictures.

Papertrey August Blog Hop Challenge

Well, this is my first ever Blog Hop Challenge - so please be kind!

This month's challenge was to dress up, alter or change an ordinary brown paper bag.  So here is what I created!

I used the Friendship Jars die to cut out the jar.  Next, I cut out the jar topper from Green Tea Leaves patterned paper using PTI's Friendship Jars Jar Toppers die. I stamped the label with some dark chocolate PTI ink, and the "Pumpkins" sentiment with ripe avocado PTI ink.  I colored in some white silk ribbon from PTI with a copic marker (sorry, can't remember the color).  Next, I diecut the various leaves using PTI's Leaf Prints dies and some cool sheets of very think cherry wood I found in the scrapbooking section of Michael's.  I stamped the leaf images from Leaf Prints with Terracotta Tile ink, garden green SU ink, pumpkin pie SU ink, and I believe daffodil delight SU ink, and then adhered the leaves to the paper big using my Zig glue pen.

When I first thought of this idea I was worried because I wasn't sure if the stores would be selling candy corn yet (being as though it is still summer).  Well, my compulsive shopping husband saved the day, as I remember that last year after halloween he went on a candy corn buying binge (even though he really doesn't eat sweets) because he couldn't resist the 75% off discount and thus we had a stash of these candy pumpkins sitting in the garage.  What luck!

Gift for Teacher

Just thought I would quickly post a couple of pictures of the altered clear paint cans I made for my sons teachers (I am filling them with various school supplies they can use throughout the year).  Would have liked to have done more with them, but my time was limited!

Jumbo Christmas Stocking

So, I was asked by my Aunt to knit up a Christmas stocking for my cousins wife.  You see, when my cousin was a baby his grandmother knit him up a huge Christmas stocking.  She has since passed, and my Aunt wanted a nice, knit Christmas stocking for my cousins wife.  So, here it is!

Welcome to my blog!

Well, my new Scottish friend, Lesley, convinced me that I needed a blog so that I can participate in all of the great Blog Hops hosted by our favorite obsession - PaperTrey Ink (aka "PTI" by us addicts).  So, here is my first post - but it is not stamping or card making related, because I need to make up some projects this weekend to post.  Instead, I will just post a quick picture of a baby blanket I made for my friend Daryl and his wife Jennifer to congratulate them on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Jackie.  So, here it is.

The pattern is from Berroco Booklet #292 - DK Baby - and was knit in Berroco Comfort DK Barley, Hummus and Turquoise.  Hopefully next week I will have a few more pictures of completed knitting projects to post, and maybe even a few cards.  Have a great weekend!