No card to share with you today, but since I'm at loose ends I figured I'd say a live "hello" and let you all in on what's up in my world :) Run now, folks!
I've been in Vancouver since March 5th, and so all my posts for the month were pre-scheduled. I was so pleased with myself that not only did I get my DT work finished ahead of time, but I even did all the posts - last time I came out I had my posts pre-loaded with the photos & then 'winged it' with live blogging while on vacation. I am so organized, I preened...oh, hubris. Silly me.
So, I was supposed to fly home yesterday - but on the weekend, my Facebook feed started filling up with terrible predictions of a huge storm hitting home mid-week. Then snow accumulation predictions began - 30 cm being the smallest amount expected - and I began having palpitations. I was already to have a 4.5 hour layover halfway through the trip, and I thought OH CRAP, I'll be in Toronto until the end of my natural life. Well, at 2 AM yesterday Rob texted me to say the airline had called & I needed to check my flights. Not delayed, guys. Cancelled! They completely shut down all the airports out there.
Figuring I was still stuck on the first 2 legs of my trip, off I went to the airport. Usually I fly Air Canada, and as anyone who's ever done it will tell you, customer service is not a concept they're familiar with. Last time going home my flight was bumped to a smaller plane, eliminating my seat (in between me printing my boarding passes at home and arriving at the airport). They quickly changed my flight, handed me new boarding passes, and said RUN THE PLANE IS WAITING FOR YOU! So I ran, blithely assuming that my destination was still Toronto. Nope. Found out ON THE PLANE that now I was headed to Ottawa - what? - and then Toronto. And in all that, they never did book me on the final leg to Moncton, so I arrived home extremely late, tired, and sans baggage. I couldn't even report my missing baggage because all the Air Canada personnel had left the building. Not just the guy whose job it is to take such reports, every.single.damn.person.
Enter Westjet pilots & staff, who saw me losing it & tried to help me - even though it wasn't their airline that had caused the problem.
So this time, I'm flying Westjet. I get to the airport, fully expecting to be obligated to take the first legs of the flight, and the agent said 'well, if you have a place to stay here, I'd stay here. There will be thousands of people stranded in Toronto" and proceeded to give me more travel options. There was still an advisory in place for travel today, so she booked me for flights on Friday, giving me a direct flight to Toronto (score, instead of stopping on the way) and making sure to note in my itinerary that if I had to rebook again, I was not to be charged for changing anything. She apologized multiple times for the inconvenience, was patient, and other agents came over & commiserated.
That said, yesterday was a pretty rough day - lots of tears. Three weeks is a long time to be away from home, and the let down of not being able to go home when I expected really sucks. I miss my family, my dogs, and my friends. But now I have a few extra days to spend with my mom, get some laundry done, and fart around on the computer.
This trip has been really fun - I got to see most people multiple times, spend time just BEING with the people important to me (instead of rushing around like a crazy person), meet a new blogging friend (Hi Lesley!) and eat amazing food cooked by all sorts of people I love. (Not to mention drink, my goodness). I didn't take a single picture the entire trip. I brought my camera, and every time I thought to take a picture I realized I didn't want to leave the moment I was in to do it. I have thoroughly LIVED every minute of this trip, and it was liberating to just pause and enjoy everything and everyone.
Since I haven't prepared anything for the month of April in terms of design team work, I'm going to be hopefully crafting up a storm once I can bring myself to let go of my boys, all three of them. I am so appreciative of how understanding all of my design team coordinators have been. Besides, I have new crafty stuff to play with when I get back!
I'm slowly catching up with my reader today since I have the spare time, and please don't be offended if you haven't heard from me lately - checking in to bloglovin this morning for the first time in more than three weeks had my total at over 1400 unread posts, so I'm slowly making my way through & reading everything, but I'll never catch up with comments! I've missed all of you, though, and I can't wait to get back into the regular swing of visiting with all of you.
So, that's that. Back to farting around on Facebook & Blogger for a bit!
xoxo,
Jessi
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Shopping our Stash #144 - Oldest Tree Stamp!
This week's Shopping our Stash challenge is a great one - dig out your oldest tree stamp! Now, I'm sure I had tree stamps before the Lovely As a Tree set, but I don't have them anymore. It's very convenient that my now-oldest tree stamp is also my favourite!
Supplies: Stampin' Up! Lovely as a Tree; Paper Smooches sentiment; Brushed Corduroy distress ink; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; papers from DCWV
Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday, March 31st- hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday Morning Sketches #242 - My Creative Classroom!
Good morning! By now I'm wrapping up my trip to Vancouver - I head home tomorrow, March 26 - writing this the morning I'm leaving, I imagine by the time this posts I'll be tired and ready to come home to my people & my pets after having had a wonderful time with family!
I had so much fun making my card for this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches - seriously, I ended up giggling to myself :) (My Creative Classroom is our sponsor this week - check out the amazing classes they offer!)
I had so much fun making my card for this week's Tuesday Morning Sketches - seriously, I ended up giggling to myself :) (My Creative Classroom is our sponsor this week - check out the amazing classes they offer!)
Supplies: Paper Smooches cat, oval, pawprint, yarn ball; haha! from CTMH; You.are.old. from Unity; papers from Fancy Pants; Bic markers; Distress Inks in Peacock Feathers, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass; Wplus9 banner die
I mean, really - even if this card is a little teeny weeny bit mean, how could you not smile? And if anyone is going to laugh at you, it's going to be a cat.
Here's the sketch - I really love the tilted square element. Super fun!
This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 30th - be sure to hop around & see what the rest of the team created!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Seize the Sketch #16!
Good morning again! Time for another fun sketch at Seize the Sketch - this one designed by Jen N! I was working ahead for the month of March so that I wouldn't miss any design team posts, and a friend sadly had to say goodbye to her kitty. I hadn't really planned to use this sketch for her card, but it came together perfectly once I got started creating:
Supplies: Paper Smooches stamps (from 3 different sets of course); Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; Shabby Shutters distress ink; W plus 9 banner die; Corner Chomper; Studio Calico heart veneer; papers from MME; kitty veneers from Lindsey
The banners were cut from white cardstock and then inked directly with the Shabby Shutters distress pad. In a crazy coincidence, they exactly match the green paper on the bottom - not planned but I like it!
Don't forget to check out the design team's fabulous projects!
Shopping our Stash #143 - Buttons & Bows!
You KNOW this challenge is right up my alley! This week at Shopping our Stash we want to see your creations using BUTTONS & BOWS! I was all over it:
Supplies: stamps from Flourishes; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Picked Raspberry Distress Ink; Bic & Spectrum Noir markers; Stampendous Fun Flock; Studio G clear glitter glue; May Arts ribbon; buttons from stash; classic small circle Nesties; Corner Chomper
I couldn't resist making the dandelion fluff...fluffy :)
Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday,March 24th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday Morning Sketches #241 - The Stamp Doctor!
Good morning! We've got a fun sketch for you this week at Tuesday Morning Sketches, and a new sponsor too - The Stamp Doctor. Mechele is fabulous, and you'll love what she has to offer!
Supplies: all papers/images from MME; banner veneer from Lindsey; sentiment from Annabelle Stamps; Memento Gray Flannel ink; Dress it Up square buttons
This snippet of patterned paper made a perfect focal point! And the buttons have been in my stash for at least 5 years, and ended up being a perfect match. You've got to love that!
Here's the sketch:
This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 23rd - be sure to hop around & see what the rest of the team created!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Shopping our Stash #142 - Sentiment(s) Only!
We've got a great challenge this week at Shopping our Stash - one of those tricky "gotta read the challenge description" challenges ;) We want to see your cards using JUST the sentiment, no images! With the gold mirror card stock this was a challenge to photograph.
Supplies" Cuttlebug embossing folder; Stampendous Pirate Gold EP; Hero Arts sentiment; background created using my faux-faux-patina tutorial (and I have no idea what inks/sprays I used, lol)
This really is an easy-peasy challenge - great for using some of those great big sentiments we all have kicking around!
Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday, March 17th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday Morning Sketches #240 - Bugaboo!
Good morning! It's time for the judged challenge at Tuesday Morning Sketches, and you know what that means - follow the twist for your chance to win our handpicked top spot! This time around the twist is 3 B's - use three things beginning with B on your card (buttons, bows, bling, balloons, black, brads, bears...you get the idea!)
You can still be in the top five if you just use the sketch, and it's a fun one! Bugaboo Stamps is our sponsor this week, and I am a huge fan of their funny people - especially Stella. I've used Life of the Party on my card.
My B items are: birthday, bling, brad, black, balloon!
This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 16th - be sure to hop around & see what the rest of the team created!
You can still be in the top five if you just use the sketch, and it's a fun one! Bugaboo Stamps is our sponsor this week, and I am a huge fan of their funny people - especially Stella. I've used Life of the Party on my card.
Supplies: Bugaboo Stamps digi, Stella: Life of the Party; Bic & Spectrum Noir markers; Paper Smooches 'let's party'; Spun Sugar distress ink; paper from Fancy Pants; brad, bling, lace, & ribbon all from stash; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; clear glitter glue from Studio G.
Naturally I've glossed up her glasses, the balloon, and her shoes! Here's the sketch:
You might be wondering where the circular element is on my card - I've used glitter glue, which you can just see in the photo below:
My B items are: birthday, bling, brad, black, balloon!
This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 16th - be sure to hop around & see what the rest of the team created!
xoxo,
Jessi
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #3 - P is for Paddy!
By now I should be safely ensconced at my grandmother's apartment in BC, and as this goes live, probably hungover. (We were formerly Drunken Stampers, so that aside seems appropriate. lol) I've still got a fun card to share with you for the Snarky Sisters' third challenge - not sure this one counts as 'snarky' but it's got a bite to it!
Supplies: leprechaun digi from Pink Cat Studio; computer generated sentiment; Bic & Spectrum Noir markers; American Crafts yellow glitter; shamrock gem from Dollarama; googly eyes.
I glittered up his belt & hat buckles, and pot of gold, with the yellow glitter. Seemed to work better than the colour of gold glitter I was first going to use. And googly eyes, because I asked Rob what he thought and he said "If there's ever a question, ALWAYS use the googly eyes!" Smart man. I think I might keep him.
If you want to get your Blarney on with us (disclaimer: no idea if that means something dirty.) The linky will be open until Friday March 21,and you should go check out what the other Sisters have been up to:
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Seize the Sketch #15!
This edition of Seize the Sketch was designed by Cathy - I instantly had my idea, and it turned out just as cute as I'd hoped!
Supplies: papers from Bo Bunny; stamps from Paper Smooches (several sets); Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Bic markers; Classic small circle Nesties; Wplus9 banner dies; googly eyes from stash
Don't forget to check out the design team's fabulous projects!
Shopping our Stash #141 - 3-2-1!
Today is the last day that I'm "live-blogging" until the end of March - it feels strange, I'll tell you. I'm going to miss chatting with all my 'friends in the computer!' I've got all my design team work finished for the month, so you'll continue to see my posts but I won't be around to comment. A huge thank you to all of the many talented women on my design teams for stepping up to help while I'm away :)
This week at Shopping our Stash we have a fun recipe challenge for you - 3-2-1! The best part? You choose your own 3-2-1, and tell us what it is in your post. I found this to be a really fun challenge.
Supplies: stamps from Annabelle Stamps; Basic Grey brads; Bo Bunny paper; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Bic markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Of course I've glossed up Mr. Monstah's eyes, toof, crown, and toenails, and his balloon. (OF COURSE!)
My items for the recipe:
1 patterned paper
2 stamps (monster & sentiment)
3 brads
See? Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!
Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday, March 10th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!
xoxo,
Jessi
Tuesday Morning Sketches #239 - Digital Delights!
Good morning! Today is the last day that I'm "live-blogging" until the end of March - it feels strange, I'll tell you. I'm going to miss chatting with all my 'friends in the computer!' I've got all my design team work finished for the month, so you'll continue to see my posts but I won't be around to comment. A huge thank you to all of the many talented women on my design teams for stepping up to help while I'm away :)
So, to the business at hand - Tuesday Morning Sketches! Debbie has created a really fun sketch for this week, and I decided to go monochromatic with my card:
So, to the business at hand - Tuesday Morning Sketches! Debbie has created a really fun sketch for this week, and I decided to go monochromatic with my card:
Supplies: papers from MME; sentiment from Hero Arts; Gray Flannel Memento ink; Ranger enamel dots; yellow glitter fabric paint; twine from stash
The focal flower is cut from another piece of the same patterned paper, adhered with foam dots, and then jazzed up with some yellow glitter. The enamel dots were made on a scrap piece of acetate first & then glued on to the card. To keep the twine in place, I used a 1/8" hole punch to create notches for the twine to rest in.
Here's the sketch Debbie created:
This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 9th - be sure to hop around & see what the rest of the team created!
xoxo,
Jessi
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