Friday, September 13, 2013

More Lawn Fawn Stamps!

Left : Lawn Fawn A Good Apple
Right : Lawn Fawn Critters on the Farm
Custom Crops is having the 'Back to School Sale' which initially will ends on 16 August 2013 but extended till 23 August 2013. It is having 20% discount off all items!

Although the discount is not that much compare to the last time I bought from them, I need some stamp sets for my next projects. Thus, I just selected two (2) Lawn Fawn stamp sets only. This time is my smallest purchase in Custom Crops first because the discount offered is not that much and secondly is due to my budget limitation. There are few Lawn Fawn stamp sets and dies that I wanted so badly but due to the next projects urgency, I have to trade them for these two (2) stamp sets.

Lawn Fawn Critters on the Farm
I ordered and paid on 23 August 2013 and the shipping notification was sent to me on 29 August 2013. I thought Custom Crops shipping is the fastest but my PTI parcel beats it this time! Both of the orders was shipped on the same day but my PTI parcel arrived three (3) days earlier.

Sample or free gift from Custom Crops
As always, Custom Crops have sample in customers' order. This time sample is the same as previous order - a bunch of different sizes and colors card stocks, a partial of Cosmo Cricket - Delovely: Delirious and a little brad! To be frank, I am yet to use any of these free samples! Hopefully I have a chance to use them soon!

Well, with these two (2) stamp sets arrival, my next projects are going to start off soon or else it will be a waste that I purposely purchased these stamps and dies! Hope to see my new projects in next two weeks!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I Was Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19 Top 3!


Thanks to Barbara Himelman for informing me! When she commented on my blog that my card was picked for Top 3, I could not really believe it. Thus, I quickly navigate to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge blog to check. Indeed, my card was picked as Top 3!

I do have some instincts that my Hanging Up the Lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival! card will get picked as winner for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19. I have the instincts because I started to receive good feedback and comments on my Hanging Up the Lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival! card after I posted it on my blog. One of the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge design team, Michelle Stewart even says that she wants to CASE (Copy and Share Experiments) my design! LOL!

My Hanging Up the Lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival! card is a clean and simple card based on Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19. I use very little craft supplies even the stamp set I use is a 2x3 mini stamp set and I use only one stamp image in the set. I could not believe that such simple card like this can have such big impact! I guess simplicity is the key here. :)


Even though I did not win any prize (only a "Top 3" badge), I am so glad that I was selected as one of the Top 3! This is because Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge is not randomly selecting the Top 3 but is carefully evaluated by the design team! A big thanks for Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge design team for picking me!

This is my first time joining Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and I already have a good start! I will be continuing to join their challenges and hope that they able to get some prize sponsors in the future.

Thanks again to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge for picking me!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

My First Papertrey Ink (PTI) Stamps and Dies!!!


From left to right in clockwise
PTI Movers & Shakers Sentiments Stamp Set
PTI Boutique Borders: Thanks
PTI Boutique Borders: Thanks Die
PTI Zipper Border Die
My first Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamps and dies has finally arrived today!!!

I been admiring PTI dies for a while. There is a time whereby I am so desperate that I asked for a shipping buddy to buy PTI Onesie dies and ship to me. Somehow, it was lost in transition. :( I asked for a shipping buddy because that time PTI only offer to ship via USPS Priority Mail International which cost at USD$32.54 for a dies that cost USD$13!

However, when I return to PTI website months later, they offered to ship via USPS First Class International but with insurance. Well, that really put a big smile on my face after I done the shipping cost estimation in their shopping cart! From there onward, I start to look through PTI stamps and dies collection and make my wishlist.

Finally, a small portion of my wishlist could only be materialized on 27 August 2013 due to budget issue as well as fasting month and public holidays (my previous PTI dies was lost in transition during fasting month and long public holidays). However, in my this purchase, I did not include my earliest desperation of PTI Onesie dies as that project is past due. I will consider buying that dies when my budget permit again. :P

Printed thank you message card 
PTI send me a shipping notification on 29 August 2013 that my parcel has been posted. After about 11 days, the postman delivery my parcel but no one was home and he left me a notification stating that it is box. Thus, he unable to fit into my mailbox. When my husband told me that I have a box parcel, I was surprised and been wondering why there is a box parcel as my recent purchases are flat items.

My kind heart husband collected the box parcel for me this afternoon. Guess what and I know why PTI send a box parcel instead of padded envelope. It is because one of their stamp packaging is not flat but plastic boxed! I guess that is the reason why the stamp cost a bit expensive than the other brands as well.

PTI Movers & Shakers Sentiments Stamp Set - Front
PTI stamp packaging needs a bit of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) whereby the clear and black printed sticker or label is provided as in SRM sticker style and you need to paste it onto the acetate by yourself. The acetate is not double sided either. The acetate is sticking to the stamp front while the stamp back (the face that you ink up and stamp onto paper) is covered with a thin plastic. The 4x6 stamp sheet are divided into two (2) portions means I get two (2) 4x3 stamp sheets. The arrangement of the stamps inside the stamp sheets are different from the one showing in their website as well but all the stamps are included. The card inside the packaging consists of instructions and some explanation or suggestions how to use those coordinating stamps. The upper part of the back of the card packaging, it promote the rest of the coordinating products. The bottom part is printed with the stamps that contain in this stamp sheet as one showing in their website. As mentioned earlier, the outer packaging is a plastic box. On the upper portion of the plastic box, it has a border sticker that contains information - front is on the collection and the back is on company address and the box contents on the left and item number, made, designer name and price on the right.
PTI Movers & Shakers Sentiments Stamp Set - Back

PTI Boutique Borders: Thanks - Front
The mini stamp set packaging is a bit different and much simpler. It's outer packaging is using glue seal plastic like other brands I used to buy; just without the hanging hole. The storing of the stamps on acetate is the same as described above. The card packaging is in one sheet with a header flipped from the same sheet. The header contains the stamp collection and designer name. At the back of the card packaging, on the left upper part, it contains item number, made, designer name and price. The center part is the printed images of the stamps at 50% actual size. The bottom part is stated with PTI office and website address and packaging contents.
PTI Boutique Borders: Thanks - Back

Envelope that contains the dies - front
The dies are sealed into an envelope where it stated in the front, "Just What You've Been Dying For. Your New Papertrey Ink Dies Are Enclosed. Enjoy".
Envelope that contains the dies - back - with a sticker seal

PTI Boutique Borders: Thanks Die
The dies packaging is very straight forward - it is sealed in zipper lock plastic without anything included inside (please refer photos). I guess the dies packaging is designed as such because most users will put them together with the coordinating stamp.
PTI Zipper Border Die

I think I need to get a glue seal plastic to store the 4x6 stamp set as the box plastic packaging do not work with my current storing system. Not to mention that it takes up lots of space while hard to look for it. 

Anyhow, the PTI stamp and dies are here now and my next project can start soon! As well as arranging my loose ribbons nicely using that dies.

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

Hanging Up the Lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival!

Hanging Up the Lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival!
Made this simple Mid-Autumn Festival card for my manager and his family.
Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19
I adopt the simple sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19 as shown above by rotating it clockwise so that my lanterns will 'hang' accordingly.


Close-up : The hanging colorful lanterns
The lanterns are stamped onto a light blue pattern paper in a 'hanging' style. Instead of coloring it, each lanterns are paper pieced. Then, a white-green twine is attached onto the 'hanging' lanterns so that the lanterns look like hanging from the twine.


Close-up : The customize sentiment
The sentiment, Happy Mid Autumn Festival is customized using alphabets and stamped directly to the pattern paper.

The pattern paper is then attached onto an orange card base.

Dimension : 10.16cm x 15.24cm or 4" x 6"
Type : Horizontal fold
Inlay : None

If you would like to have a similar design of these items or individual item, please fill up the custom order form here. Please do include the color or theme you prefer, purpose of the item(s) (farewell, retirement, birthday and etc) and message (if any).

This card is entering the challenge(s) organized by :
1) Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19 (ends on 08 September 2013)
Edit to add : This has card won Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge - Sketch #19 Top 3. Please read here or refer here.
2) Loves Rubberstamps Challenge 68 - Anything Goes (ends on 09 September 2013)
3) Bearly Mine Challenge #102 - Anything Goes (ends on 10 September 2013)

Stamps and tools used :