Two with Text

I have a pair of cards to share today for this month's My Favorite Things guest designer challenge. The challenge was to use book or music text on your project. I have to admit that my "text" is text patterned paper. I read a lot, but when I'm finished with a book I either pass it on to friend who I know will enjoy it or donate it to the local Friends of the Library store for resale (sales support the public library--a great cause!). So, I really didn't have books around to use and improvised just a bit.

First up is a card based on this week's sketch challenge at Paper Craft Planet. Susanna used a Pure Innocence image in her sample card, so that got me thinking. I used the adorable You Make the Grade image on my card. She's colored with Copic markers to coordinate with the plaid paper I used to cover the cardfront. Something about plaid just says school girl to me, even though I never had to wear any kind of uniform during my own school days.

I incorporated text into the card by using a panel of text patterned paper. I punched one edge with a spiral edge punch and distressed the panel's edges with a distressing tool and some distressing ink. A piece of brown gingham ribbon, embellished with a button, is wrapped around the card.

Materials Used:
Pure Innocence You Make the Grade stamp set (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Taken with Teal and Kraft cardstock, spiral edge punch (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (October Afternoon); distress ink, button, twine (Papertrey Ink); Turquoise Stickles (Ranger); brown gingham ribbon (Offray)

And, here's one more project featuring text paper, this time with a reading theme. I used images from the I {Heart} Books stamp set to decorate a simple cover for a notepad. I thought I could keep this next to my bed for notes about books I want to read. I'm always on the lookout for a good book! I just started The Time Traveler's Wife the other night and want to have it finished before the movie becomes available from Netflix next week. After that, I have a book about raising a puppy to check out in preparation for bringing home a new dog sometime in the spring.

I used a kraft base for the note pad cover. I stitched the text paper to a red panel just a tiny bit smaller than the front of the cover. My sewing machine was acting temperamental, so ignore the not so straight stitching, please! I colored the reader image with Copic markers, then added the sentiment around her. She's layered on a red panel, then on a blue one that's also stitched to the text panel. The pad is already sitting next to my bed, with a spare bookmark inside, ready for use!

Materials Used:
I {Heart} Books stamp set (My Favorite Things); cream cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Real Red, Brocade Blue, and Kraft cardstock, word window punch (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (October Afternoon); sewing machine