Monday, September 30, 2013

Happy Fall Y'all!

Welcome To Prickley Pear Design Team Monday!  The leaves are all starting to change colors in our neck of the woods (Wisconsin)...and it always amazes me how quickly the go once they start!  The nip in the air in the evenings is refreshing...I do love living where the seasons change!
Designer: Heidi Erickson using Trees In The Moonlight - HH0141, Harry The Monster - EE0162,
Godzilla the Monster, sm - DD0176, Scalloped Oval 2-Fall - CLR027A.
Designer: Jessica Pascarella using Scary Tree - KK0039.


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Happy Tuesday!

Welcome To Prickley Pear Design Team Monday on Tuesday!  I was away for the weekend, and if I don't post this now, my Tuesday will turn into Wednesday!  Time does fly!!  

Designer: Heidi Erickson using EE0162 Harry The Monster, CLR027A Scalloped Oval 2 Fall Clear Set, CLR031A Poinsettia 2 Holiday Clear Set, D031 Poinsettia Leaf Die.  Love how she used the poinsettias as a fall card embellishment!

Designer: Jessica Pascarella using CLR033 Spring Flourished Ovals Clear Set, FF0168 Leaf Spray.  One main image stamped in three different colors for a crisp and clean and simple card!

Designer: Kina Nunziante using HH0143 Steampunk Tinman, GG0045 Gears Background.  Love the subtle detail of the gears in the background...and such a fun color scheme!


Designer: Michelle Pearson using FF0164 Homer the Raven, EE0161 Brewing Up A Batch.  I stamped Homer once on the tag and then again so I could pop him up and give him some dimension!  DId you catch the paper piecing on his hat/scarf?!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Organizing My Prickley Pear Collection...

It's finally Thursday!  The weekend won't be long behind!  Don't know about you, but this time of year makes me want to hole up in my stamping studio and either organize or create!

This week the organizing had to happen...and I thought I'd give you a peek at how I organized all of my Prickley Pear images and dies!


I should have taken the photo of the rubber before I stuck it all in my binders, but I didn't think fast enough!   I have my current collection in 3 large white 3-ring binders.

They are all foam mounted and then organized by them in each binder.
As you can see, I'm not overly picky about how clean my stamps are...I know they work even with a bit of black staining on them! 
Some pages are mixed theme, but that is the beauty of a binder system, you can expand any time!
My clear sets are organized in a CD organizer that I laid on it's back.  There are two prefect compartments that will hold a ton of the clear sets.  For now I have embossing folders on the other half...but they can be moved out!

I do not care for the packaging that sticks shut after you put the sets away, so I simply removed the liner and the clear sets and slip them into small clear card protectors and then store them in this case.  They are much easier to slip in and out when I'm on a stamping spree!
The dies I have in these sweet little two ring binder boxes that snap shut.  I cut 8 1/2 x 11 magnet sheets down and then taped cardboard on the back of each sheet.  I added the cardboard because these magnets are so strong that they stuck together and that caused a bit of angst for me since when I'd separate my pages some of the dies would pop loose!  The cardboard prevents the pages from sticking together and the magnets are strong enough to keep my dies in place.
 Here is a peek at one page of my binder box.
and another!  Each of these boxes will hold about 8-10 pages of dies I'm thinking...I have 6 pages in another die binder filled and there are room for several more!

We would love to see how YOU organize your Prickley Pear stamps and dies!  I know it's a never ending process for me to keep organized...but for now, this works for me!

Monday, September 16, 2013

One Love...

Welcome To Prickley Pear Design Team  Monday! We have a fun variety of cards to share with you today...from Wedding to Thank You to Fall!  Enjoy!
Designer: Heidi Erickson using CLR016 Heart Key Crown Clear Set, D016 Heart Key Crown Die.
I love the beautiful heart embellishment and sentiment embellishment on this card, all done using our stamps and heart die! 

Designer: Jessica Pascarella using CLR024A Mini Owl Clear Set, CLR018A Oak and Maple Leaf Clear Set.
Check out the fun shadowing behind the leaves on this card!  The twine is the perfect touch of yellow on the lower portion of the card! 


Designer: Kina Nunziante using CLR033A Flourished Ovals 2 Fall Clear Set, D033 Flourished Ovals Die, EE0170 Nutty, sm, CLR027A Scalloped Oval 2-Fall Clear Set.
I love the adorable little squirrels colored up so cute, and check out the fun use of the fall swirl from the Scalloped Oval Set for corner embellishments!


Designer: Michelle Pearson using HH0140 Spiderweb ATC, EE0161 Brewing Up A Batch, DD0151 Sm Dancing Witch, EE0087 Bubbling Cauldron.
I used Distress Stains to  embellish my ATC as well as a few gems, a bit of washi tape and some paper embroidery to finish off this card.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Thursday, Thursday!

Happy Thursday to ya!  How is your week perking along?!  Mine has been busy and productive...the kids are back in school so the routine is settling in again.  I saw my first tree with leaves turning...it's hard to believe fall is right around the corner when it's been in the high 80's here...but weather happens quick these days!

Here is a peek at what our design team has been up to this week!

Designer: Heidi Erickson using GG0179 Jingle Bells, CLR031A Poinsettia 2 Clear Set, D031 Poinsettia Die, Sled.  Love the vintage color scheme...and the distressing on the oval piece!  Use a dot of Viva Decor pearl paint for flower centers!

Designer: Kina Nunziante using CLR033A Flourished Ovals 2 Fall, D033 Flourished Ovals Die, EE0166 Retread.  What a cute little kitty in the corner and the chalkboard effect for the center image is perfection!


Designer: Michelle Pearson using GG0170 Owl and the Pussycat, EE0143 Dancing With Leaves. I colored the image with Copic markers...I love the feather stroke for skies and moons!  Washi tape and variegated floss are a fun embellishment along with Candi dots, all of which are flat for mailing!


Designer: Steph Ackerman using HH0142 Zombie Xing.  Fun the way she popped up the center of the image and the distressing is spot-on!

Monday, September 9, 2013

The Joy You Give To Others...

Hi there!  How is your Monday going?! I think you need a quick break!  Take a peek at some crafty inspiration while you do!


Designer: Heidi Erickson using GG0031 Black Eye Susans and FF0156 The Joy.  I love the white gel pen accents on her beautiful Copic coloring!  Also, how fun is the accent on the word Joy in the sentiment?!  That is a fun fresh look to give any sentiment!


Designer: Jessica Pascarella using FF0157 Baby, CLR032 Spring Crosses Clear Set, D032 Cross Die.
I love the patterned paper she used to piece the ross and diaper!  Also how cool is the light beam?!

Designer: Kina Nunziante using JJ0084 Steampunk Tinman, CLR025A Gears 2 Clear Set, D025 Gears Die.  Check out the fabulous yellow brick road and the sprinkling of gears amidst the flowers!
Great sheen to the tinman too!

Designer: Michelle Pearson using GG0183 Roasting Marshmallows, D034 Floral Border Die.  You caught a sneek peek of her earlier...but did you notice the fun candle?!  I added some dimensional gel paint to it for a waxy appearance!