Take Note Inspirations

Just a note: Hey everyone, thank you so much for the sweetie pie comment love! I am so dang happy to share this set with you all. And a big thank you to Nichole for illustrating the set so wonderfully. For all of you who like the tote bag and have requested....I will not be selling them in my Etsy shop. Although I would love to, the owner has a no-no policy on selling this tote. You can make them all you want for gifts, but that's it. I'll be making lots for girlfriendy Christmas gifts along with more notepads. If you'd like to purchase the pattern, it's by Alicia Paulson (Posie Gets Cozy blog)and you can purchase it here. It's called the Jane Market Bag. Now don't be scared because it's a downloadable pdf file. You just purchase it then download the file.....save it, print it off and you're good to go. And it's only $6 bucks. It's a few pages with good instructions. I only had one goof ball moment where I messed up and had to rip some stitches out. Yes, I'll admit it this one time, I made a mistake. Snort! Have fun with the pattern, have fun with my new stamp set!

I am so super duper excited for tonight's post. This month's release of my new set called Take Note is so near and dear to me. If there's one signature craft item that I make, it has to be my little notebooks. I have been making them for years for little gifts for friends, family and teachers. This stamp set came about when I brought some little notebooks as gifts to the Papertrey girls this summer at CHA while we were out to dinner one night. Jane and Julie were really fond of them I think and we just started chatting about them. Next thing I know, Nichole and I are dreaming up a stamp set. I sent Nichole sketches when I got back from CHA and here we are tonight with my new stamp set. Nichole works wonders with my sketches...she turns my little hen pecks into wonderfully illustrated designs. We go together like peanut butter and jelly!!

So let's move on to my first project created with Take Note. Each of the designers were assigned a sentiment label from Take Note so you'll be getting lots of inspiration tonight. I used the *grocery list* sentiment along with a polka dot outline circle to create a circle embellishment at the top of my notepad. Keeping with the grocery theme, I used strawberries and pears from the Fruitful stamp set in colors of Sweet Blush, Spring Moss and Dark Chocolate.
I stamped and cut out two strawberries to place on my grocery list circle embellishment. The 1-3/4" circle punch works great to punch out the circle accents. Then you can use the Super Jumbo scalloped punch(the blue one) for matting. A snippet of Sweet Blush Saddle Stitched ribbon and tied Vintage Buttons create a horizontal accent. A new Martha Stewart border punch was used with Dark Chocolate cardstock under the ribbon accent.

Now, check this out. I asked Nichole if we could do customized notepads to go along with the Take Note stamp set and she said let's go for it! So now, you don't have to take your junior notepads to get them cut. You can simply order them from Papertrey. There's two colors to choose from, white or cream.

The thickness of these notepads is about half of what I'm used to working with. After chatting with Nichole, we have some great ideas for these thinner notepads. I like them even better now than the thicker pads. You can use the pads to make a thinner notebook by themselves....or you can layer two notepads together and position a piece of Scor-Tape on top of the already gummed notepads to create a thicker notepad. Or check out this cool idea below. You can adhere one notepad to the the left side and one to the right side..........

Then when you close your notebook like in the photo below, you'll have two individual notepads that create an overall thicker notebook when closed. Is that a snazzy idea or what????

I hope you'll love this new set as much as I do. I can't wait to try each and every sentiment on more notepads. But wait, I have something fun to go along with my grocery shopping list. I whipped up a matching shopping bag using some pretty Amy Butler fabrics that I've had in my stash for a while.

I think it would be super cute to fold up a shopping bag....tuck a matching shopping notepad into the pocket............

......and tie it up for a pretty gift. This is what I love about crafting. You can mix and match stamping and paper crafting with sewing or quilting to create some fabulous gifts! I love it all!

Okay, let's go see the PTI girls' creations. I'll be blog hoppin' right along with you! Here's the links.......and thanks for stopping by. You'll be sure to see more notepads from me soon. :)

Nichole Heady
Becky Oehlers
Heather Nichols
Lauren Meader
Lisa Johnson
Dawn McVey
Debbie Olson
Geny Cassady
Betsy Veldman
Melissa Phillips
Niki Estes

Note: That flower embellishment on my tote was inspired from Heather Bailey. I'm calling them my Frizzy Flowers and you'll be seeing more of those on totes featured in my Etsy shop soon. Tote pattern is from Alicia Paulson.

More Grab and Go Bags!

EDIT: THE GRAB AND GO BAGS......WELL THEY WERE GRABBED FAST AND ARE NOW GONE. :) I would love to be able to mass produce these faster for you girls. I'll be making more soon, I promise. Thank you for your orders for the lucky girls who scored a bag.

Here's my latest version of my Grab and Go Bags. These little totes measure about 9" x 9" finished size. Vintage reproduction 30's style fabric....quirky little designs in green and orange. Perfect little Halloween gift, library tote, teacher gift, etc. Each bag is fully lined, has handle with sturdy stitching and features my signature ribbon and single button embellishment. Bottoms are box stitched so they stand up.
There's this little number....handle matches inside lining.

These two have adorable orange polka dot handles with matching lining.

And these hot little numbers with green polka dot handles and matching lining.

They'll be up shortly in my shop, but when they're gone, they're gone. I will be making more soon with some funky Michael Miller fabric and I've got some other tote styles that I'm working on too. Happy shopping!!