Gold Smooches!

It's Anything Goes at Paper Smooches SPARKS this week, and OMG I'm so excited. I'll spread them out over the week but expect to see a whole bunch of Smoochy goodness :) I'm also adding this card to the Moxie Fab World "All that Glitters is Gold" challenge. I had said to someone a while back that I was having trouble adding gold - it just isn't the metallic colour I tend to reach for. To help with that, every time I reach for silver I've started grabbing the gold too, and most of the time end up using gold instead.

Supplies: Paper Smooches stamps; Memento Tuxedo Black & Gray Flannel inks; Versamark; Stampendous Pirate Gold EP; black rhinestones & gold metallic paper from Dollarama

I wanted to have music notes stamped by the sentiment but my attempt on scrap paper was too dark - so on the card itself I stamped off once before stamping on the card. (It's really early...forgive the confusing way I said that.)

xoxo,

Jessi

Moxie Smooches!

So I was digging around in my "oh god where am I going to put this stuff?" box (it's a big box....) and found not only this package of Martha Stewart envelopes BUT this package of puffy heart stickers...and voila:

Supplies: Paper Smooches sentiment; Worn Lipstick distress ink; Martha Stewart envelope; Sticko heart stickers; Sakura Stardust glitter pen; red rhinestones from Dollarama

I envision this being a hug & smooch in an envelope - the kind of mail that you open & feel loved :)

Adding this to the Moxie Fab World Handmade Cards - Stickers & Tape challenge & the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Anything Goes. 

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Trigger - Fine Toothed Comb

So much lovely white space in the current Tuesday Trigger! I was initially thinking of doing some quilled flowers to echo the resin flowers on the comb, and then my idea took a left turn:

Supplies: Flourishes stamps; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; Sakura Stardust gel pen

This is essentially a one-layer card - I've made a panel just so the marker doesn't show on the inside of the card. I was inspired by all the white space, and by the shadow cast by the cup/bowl - crazy, but true. I've used a very pale blue to mimic that shadow around the bouquet, the second 'joy' in the sentiment, and at the border of the panel. 

Here's the Trigger photo:

I'm also going to throw this in over at Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes challenge.

xoxo,

Jessi

Fusion #18 - venti venti venti!

Since the weather's been getting cooler, I've been drinking more & more coffee - I'm generally having 4 or 5 great big mugs a day. The good news is that I'm taking less sugar/sweetener...the bad news....oh wait, there isn't any :)

The current challenge at Fusion had me thinking of my favourite coffee stamps - Paper Smooches, naturally - and since I love giving my coffee a face, I'm also tossing this into the General Craft Supplies challenge at Moxie Fab World. 

Supplies: stamps & twine from Paper Smooches; papers from Studio Calico; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; classic small circle Nesties; button & googly eyes from Dollarama; Bow Easy

I've given my go-cups dimension by paper-piecing them - once for the main cup, one more white layer for the lids, and a patterned cozy so that you don't burn your hand on these friendly little guys :)

Here's the prompt for Fusion:

I'll be back with more challenges :) 

xoxo,

Jessi

Drunken Stampers #143 - Thing! - Die Cuts

I'm really enjoying our Person/Place/Thing challenges this term at Drunken Stampers - with 2 teams, it means that we all get turns doing the different types of challenge. FUN!

There was no hesitation for me - I knew I wanted to give an autumn tree a whirl! Instead of several it turned into several eleventy billion die cut elements, but LOOKIE!

Supplies: MFT tree & leaves die; scrap card stock; Brushed Corduroy distress ink; Jane's Doodles sentiment stamp

Right? Didn't it turn out neat? I think my favourite part is the still-falling leaves. And yes, I love myself. Why? Does it show? 

So, ready to play with die cuts? COOL! Come play with us up until next Friday night, October 4th. And don't forget to go see what my fellow Yellow Canaries have created for you:

Barb - Barb's Creative Corner

Donna - Challenge Host - Yellow Dog Greetings

Jacki - Scullduggery

Jessi - that's me!

Lindsey - Bashful Blogging

Lynne - Scrapbook Lynne's

Vicki - The Cheerful Stamp Pad

xoxo,

Jessi

Kraft Journal Autumn Colours

When I saw the colour inspiration photo for this week's Kraft Journal challenge, I thought right away of one of my multicolour ink pads. Perfect match!

Supplies: kraft card stock; stamps from Jane's Doodles; Pumpkin Patch Kaleidacolor ink pad; Labels 4 Nesties; Prima paper leaves; brown rhinestones from Dollarama.

To be honest this isn't my favourite card I've ever made - my 'random' stamping didn't turn out quite how I wanted - but I do like how the inks blended & made the leaves look. 

Here's the photo:

Most of this week I've been working ahead on design team cards, but as usual I have some good stuff saved up for the weekend - including a really awesome pat-myself-on-the-back card for tomorrow's Drunken Stampers Challenge!

xoxo,

Jessi

Hello, MUSE!

It's been a while since I played along at MUSE - not for lack of trying! I keep ending up with unfinished projects in pieces (or the recycling bin). This week's card falls perfectly into my current inky experiments, though, and I went right to it:

Supplies: Butterfly stamp from Martha Stewart; sentiment stamp from Paper Smooches; flourish stamp from PTI; Versamark; Stampendous Detail White EP; Memento Tuxedo Black; Distress inks in Salty Ocean and Worn Lipstick

Karen M.'s card   

I was inspired first of all by the inked background - the blue/purple tones - the layout - the white embossing & black border - the butterflies - and even the same sentiment. I did use my heat gun to dry the inked piece before embossing the butterfly, but some extra powder still stuck. I kind of like it, though - like a little scatter of butterfly magic :) 

xoxo,
Jessi

Moxie Fab Washi Tape

So a while back I made this card with a sort-of-quilty washi background, and I decided I wanted to try it again - perfect timing with the Moxie Fab Washi/Stickers challenge.  Here's the original card:

I used the same tapes again - all from We R Memory Keepers - because I find having the tapes exactly the same width makes a big difference in my ability to line them up. I don't really want to talk about it.

Supplies: lots & lots of washi tape from We R Memory Keepers; Paper Smooches stamps; Memento Gray Flannel ink; Bic markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; Stampendous Canary Fun Flock; classic small circle Nesties; bling strips from Dollarama

It just wasn't enough to gloss up this fun chick's eyes, beak, and feeties....she needed some Fun Flock to fluff her up too :) Is it just me, or does her expression say "WHOA, you're old?"

A photo tutorial is truly beyond my capabilities, but the trick to getting the perfect edges? A craft blade, and a gentle touch. Once all your washi is lined up how you want it, carefully slice with the blade. The translucency of the washi tape makes it very easy to see where you need to cut. 

xoxo,

Jessi

Shopping our Stash #120 - For the Kids!

**For my Tuesday Morning Sketches post, please scroll down OR click here. Thanks!!**

This week at Shopping our Stash we want you to make something for a child - or with a children's theme. Since I am just a kid myself (if only at heart & sense of humour, lol) I have great fun making kiddie cards.

Supplies: Bo Bunny paper; Robot sticker from Recollections; googly eyes!; classic small Oval Nesties; sentiment stamps from Paper Smooches sets; Distress inks in Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Peeled Paint, Spiced Marmalade

Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday,September 30th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!

Leslie

Alica

Deena

Lauren

Michelle

Paige

Chana

I'm tossing this in as my last entry to the Simon Says Stamp challenge - since I bought my last batch of Distress inks there, and you can of course get Nesties & Bo Bunny products there as well, since they have eevvvverything :)

I may be back again today - I keep having this funny feeling that I've forgotten to post something with a deadline!

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Morning Sketches #217 - Stamp Fairy!

Good morning! Just wait until you see the adorable design team cards featuring Stamp Fairy images this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches - you are totally going to 'awwww' out loud :)

stampfairy.com

I happen to love Barry the Bear - and today I've used one of the Barry Winter images:

Supplies: Barry Winter digi from Stamp Fairy; Bic Markers; Cosmo Cricket papers; Flourishes sentiment stamp; Memento Gray Flannel ink; Picket Fence distress stickles; snowflake brads from stash; rhinestones from dollarama

I've added a smidge of Picket Fence stickles to the snowball - and used a paintbrush to smooth it out. 

Here's the sketch:

This sketch will be open until next Sunday, September 29. Don't forget to check out what everyone else made - all of us featuring a different Stamp Fairy cutie!

Larissa (from the Stamp Fairy DT!)

Angela

Bonnie

Debbie

Jenee

Laura

Melissa

I'm also submitting this  to the Simon Says Stamp challenge - since I bought my Memento ink and Distress Stickles there!

xoxo,

Jessi

Vintage Christmas

It's just about time for me to start decorating some envelopes to go with all the Christmas cards I've been making! Here are two more, in vintage style for the current jingle belles challenge.

Supplies: papers from Graphic 45; Spellbinders Snowflake die; Hero Arts adhesive lace; angel charm from Just Enough Stuff

I fussy-cut the little angels from a piece of the patterned paper, and adhered them with foam tape so that I could hide the 'loop' at the top of the angel charm. Don't look toooo closely at that snowflake...let me just say, that die & I are not friends. Never have been, likely never will be. Tricky little bugger.

Supplies: Graphic 45 paper; poinsettia & sentiment die cut from K & Co; gorgeous doily from Just Enough Stuff

The doily wasn't part of my original plan, but the patterned piece of paper had a collage of Santas. The lower right corner ended up having a super-creepy stalker-ish looking Santa and he just really had to be covered up. It was no bueno - Christmas really shouldn't give you the heebie-jeebies. 

I'm also going to toss these in over at Simon Says Stamp since you can of course get Spellbinders dies, K & Co, Graphic 45, and Hero Arts products there :) 

I have a meeting with Connor's school today - he is really having a rough start to high school, and I'm certain that today's meeting will bring some good changes. It's been a looooong time since I was able to get a September meeting - probably 6 or 7 years? - which is a very positive sign. The last few years of 'let's wait and see if he can do it' have been miserable for everyone. It's still anxiety provoking, though, as a parent, to go in alone as an advocate for your child - no matter how accommodating and helpful the staff are. 

Wish me luck - and Connor. He could use a break.

And, one last thing - 

PUPPY NOSE!

xoxo,

Jessi

Andrea's Savvy Challenge!

Andrea, from Savvy Handmade Cards, is launching a new challenge on her blog - and I *had* to play along! She's chosen a photo of a bouquet from her husband as the first photo inspiration:

So I printed it out, and it stared at me most of the week...until Andrea posted this card  and I decided that I also needed to try the Faux Patina technique. Of course, I didn't watch the video, I winged it. *koff* so first there was a failure. No photos of that - I'm still trying to rescue it into something else! So here's my card, inspired by both Andrea's faux patina card & her flowers:

Supplies: Cuttlebug folder; Versamark; Pirate Gold EP & sentiment stamp from Stampendous; Distress inks in Pumice Stone, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, and Seedless Preserves

I'm also going to throw this in the current Simon Says Stamp challenge because that's where I got my last batch of Distress inks - and of course they have all sorts of Stampendous & Cuttlebug products too!

*And I can't believe I spaced out & forgot to link up with Moxie Fab World's "All That Glitters is Gold" challenge! I had planned to, and then *poof* forgot. Thanks Barb & Nance :)

You have 2 days left to play along in Andrea's challenge - go check it out :)

xoxo,

Jessi

(Tuesday) Morning Sketches #216 - Raisin Boat!

MAN. Finally my stamps got here - and with a day to spare so you can still play along with us at Tuesday Morning Sketches! I'll skip the chatter & get right to it - Raisin Boat is the sponsor this week, and they sent each design team member a rental stamp set to play with. Check them out here! The set I received is called "Don't Blow It."

Supplies: Stamps from Raisin Boat; paper from We R Memory Keepers; Distress inks in Brushed Corduroy, Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Antique Linen; Memento Tuxedo Black ink 

The sentiment is in 2 separate lines - I used washi tape to selectively ink the words on the second line to break it up into 2 so it would fit on my panel. 

Here's the sketch:

This sketch will be open until tomorrow, September 22nd. Don't forget to check out what everyone else made - all of us featuring a different Raisin Boat set:

Angela

Bonnie

Debbie

Jenee

Laura

Melissa

xoxo,
Jessi

Sunflowers

The inspiration photo for the current Curtain Call challenge is absolutely stunning - and as soon as I saw it I had ideas. Plans, big plans.

Supplies: paper from MME; 1/8" quilling paper

Supplies: stamps from Jane's Doodles; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Distress inks in Shabby Shutters, Spiced Marmalade, Antique Linen, and Frayed Burlap; Bic Markers; Versamark pen; clear embossing powder

The quilled flower is pretty easy - the petals are made from half-length strips, and the centre from two strips joined together & rolled tightly. I use Aleene's Tacky Glue (and a toothpick, and a light light hand with the glue).

On the second card, after colouring the sunflower I coated & embossed it so that I could stamp the leaves in the background. I like the texture this gives too :)

The challenge is open until September 30th, so lots of time to play along!

xoxo,

Jessi

Scooting by...

Another awesome pun. I love those, just in case you hadn't realized. 

Supplies: Paper Smooches stamps; Memento Tuxedo Black & Gray Flannel inks; Barn Door & Tumbled Glass distress ink; Bic markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; Sakura Stardust glitter pen; black Sharpie

I made a little 'road' for the scooter by stamping the 'toot toot beep beep' stamp repeatedly. Before adding the shine to the scooter (which we can all agree makes it so much funner!) I added the glitter pen to the lights & smudged it a little to create a glow. I also traced the 'happy birthday!' sentiment. The stamped panel was then edged with black Sharpie - I love love love this technique for adding a border without adding extra bulk. 

I think this card would be perfect for a young guy - which may make me delusional, but hey. The sky in my world is very pretty too :) Playing along with The Paper Players this week: 

xoxo,

Jessi

I love you like....

**For my Shopping our Stash post, please scroll down or click here. Thanks!!**

**My Tuesday Morning Sketches post will be up as soon as the stamps get here - c'mon, Canada Post!**

The Pink Elephant is asking us to use digital images or papers this week - and since it's time to start on Halloween cards, I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to use!

Supplies: digi stamp from Whimsie Doodles (including sentiment); Bic & Spectrum Noir markers; Cosmo Cricket Matilda papers; Tonic edge distresser; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; buttons from stash

How could I possibly resist making the brain & blood all shiny? I also made the zombie's shoes bloody & gross.  (ewwwww)

xoxo,

Jessi

Shopping our Stash #119 - Your Oldest Flower

**If you are here for my Tuesday Morning Sketches post, sorry! My stamps didn't arrive in time but I will be playing along as soon as they get here!**

So, here's what should be an easy stash-buster for a lot of us - this week at Shopping our Stash we want you to use your oldest flower embellishments OR your oldest floral stamp. 

I went for embellishments - some tiny Primas:

Not sure there's much point in listing supplies for this one, since most of the sources are 'from my stash' - the heart was sketched in pencil & cut out, the doily I scavenged from underneath my salad at a restaurant, the paper? 

If you click to view full-size, you can see I've layered some of the blooms, so I used 6 out of the approximately 180 flowers left in the box of 250. 

Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday,September 23rd - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!

Leslie

Alica

Deena

Lauren

Michelle

Paige

Chana

xoxo,

Jessi

Autumn Silhouettes

A combo card for you this time - using the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch, and CASology's cue card "Silhouette."

Supplies: Studio Calico paper; butterfly stamps from Unity; leaf flourish stamps from Inkadinkado; sentiment stamp from Paper Smooches; Distress Inks in Brushed Corduroy, Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed; red & orange sequins

I couldn't escape the butterflies on the sketch - they just had me immediately thinking of these 3 butterflies from Unity (they come as one stamp, but I cut them apart). 

And a final little thing - I'm addicted to Sara Bareilles right now, as in listening to two of her albums at least twice each every day. This song just tickles me!

xoxo,
Jessi

Monochromatic at Seize the Birthday

I'm getting ready to send a big bunch of cards out to my awesome sister, and so while I've been making cards the last few weeks I've been making doubles of some. This is one of my 'doubles' - little differences, so I don't get bored :) They're perfect for playing along with the gals at Seize the Birthday, with the topping option of Monochromatic.

Supplies: image stamp from Paper Smooches; sentiment from Flourishes; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Purple Twilight Adirondack ink; paper from Memory Box; Bic Markers; Timeless Twine; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (OF COURSE)

Supplies: image stamp from Paper Smooches; sentiment from Flourishes; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Purple Twilight Adirondack ink; washi tape from We R Memory Keepers; Bic Markers; Timeless Twine; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (OF COURSE)

Shiny eyes, noses, teeth, and balloon. Happy :) And I only stuck my finger in the wet gloss on one balloon, so yay me :D

xoxo,

Jessi

Drunken Stampers #141 - Bartender!

PERSON is up in our Person/Place/Thing challenges at Drunken Stampers, and what kind of Drunken Stampers would we be if we didn't acknowledge one of our favourite people out there?

OH YEAH, BABY!

You know the DT has this one all wrapped up in a big bow!

Supplies: image & sentiment from Bugaboo; paper from Memory Box; Wonky Rectangles & classic small oval Nesties; bling from Imaginisce; Bic & Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic

I've added Dimensional Magic to Stella's glasses and her martini glasses, because of course I did!

Go look at what my sister Yellow Canaries did! 

Barb - Barb's Creative Corner

Donna - Challenge Host - Yellow Dog Greetings

Jacki - Scullduggery

Jessi - that's me!

Lindsey - Bashful Blogging

Lynne - Scrapbook Lynne's

Vicki - The Cheerful Stamp Pad

Remember, you can include a bartender on your card, or use the alternate themes of "drinks or a bar". This challenge is open until next Friday night, September 20. 

xoxo,

Jessi