Funky Fairy Journal & Tattoo Update!

I'm having so much fun making journals! I used to do collage-style covers with magazine pictures & so on, but being able to use a large image & dimensional items is WAY MORE FUN. Once again I've used a Stamping Chef image, this time Alyce. I'm popping in to play over at The Stamping Chef #49!
Oh, and I had a helper partway through:

Abby is very helpful when choosing embellishments!

(Not really. But she is awfully cute!)

Supplies: spiral-bound journal; jewelry wire & beads; assorted chipboard pieces & patterned paper; gems from the dollar store; home made enamel dots; Liquid Pearls; clear glitter glue; Plaid stencil; Dreamweaver embossing paste; lace from Webster's Pages; Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; and Alyce digi from The Stamping Chef

The embossing paste is untinted - it took on some of the paper's dye! Alyce's eyes have Dimensional Magic on them to make them pop. Her wings were painted with clear glitter glue.

The lace is adhered with Scor-Tape, and  then I dusted overtop with baby powder so that any exposed adhesive wouldn't pick up stray fluffy bits. Love the look on this frog's face! The red swirl was off-printed (like it hadn't been cut properly around the design) and so I sanded it & painted it with Liquid Pearls.

And I realized that I forgot to share the latest tattoo pictures - once it's healed I'll get Rob to take a proper picture to show off the whole thing. Right now it's scabby & itchy. The new additions are the leaf under the rose, the 'doodles' peeking out from various spots, and the three forget-me-nots. The double is for my boys, because they are never apart, and the single is for Rob. 

xoxo,
Jessi

Steampunk Grace!

My friend's daughter turned 13 this week, and I wanted to make her a journal that she'd love - mission accomplished! As soon as I handed it to her, she said "OMG, Steampunk! I love steampunk! That is so cool!" That's got to be one of my truly favourite things about creating - when someone really loves what you've made for them :)

Distressing seems (in my mind anyway?) to go hand-in-hand with steampunk, so I'm popping this in at the ALBC Challenge (distressing); and of course in the current challenge at The Stamping Chef - this image will be my go-to for steampunk for a long time :)

Supplies: So much stash - if I miss something you wonder about, let me know! Cogsley Copperpot digi from The Stamping Chef; wood veneer stars from Studio Calico; Sew Easy; HOTP printed vellum; DCWV gears paper; filigree corners from Dress it Up!; Memory Box stencil & Dreamweaver embossing paste; home made enamel dots; Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge dimensional magic; butterfly charm from Pink Paislee

I could NOT get a good shiny picture - but her goggles, eyes, and boots are coated with Dimensional Magic.

I tinted embossing paste & used a sunburst stencil - but in the collaging most of it got covered up ;) The vellum is stitched to the card stock layer, and then I bent up & tore the edges for a more distressed look.  The butterfly charm is attached to the stitching with a safety pin. I also distressed & rolled the edges of the gear patterned paper. The final touch was to bead the binding & add a ribbon bookmark.

I'll be right back with the brand-new Snarky Sisters challenge! 

xoxo,

Jessi

Card Blitz!

I have had a great crafty week! The temperature is cooler, the kids are mellow, and I was able to sit down & make all sorts of fun stuff. We are off on an overnight trip & of course last-minute-Lucy that I am challenges are ending before we get back, so here come a bunch of posts. Oh! And before I forget, some photos of the latest update to my tattoo - not the best quality, being car selfies of the back of my own arm, but you can get the idea at least :)
The newest part is the colour for the large lily & rose. The lyric around the rose reads "With every mistake...we must surely be learning," which is from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

So let's see...first up I'll share a journal that I made with the Naughty or Nice challenge & The Stamping Chef challenge in mind: 

Supplies: So. Many. Demented Beauty digi stamp from The Stamping Chef; Dylusions sentiment; Tim Holtz stencil; Dreamweaver embossing paste; Peacock Feathers distress ink; Spectrum Noir markers; Spellbinders butterfly die

If there's something I didn't list that you're curious about, just shoot me a comment :)

This sentiment is pretty perfect for most of the Stamping Chef images ;) To tint the embossing paste, something I am forever mucking up, I scooped a small amount of the paste into a piece of plastic packaging (free mixing dishes! Save those little things!) and added 2 drops of "hot pink" Ranger ink. You can see that it thinned the paste enough to allow some bleeding through the stencil - but I like the overall effect. Next time I try one drop. 

After colouring this pretty girl, I gave her some sparkly strands of hair & of course, sparkly eyeshadow. The piece of tulle was folded into a triangle (and then folded again) and tucked in behind the doily.

To attach the beads to the binding, I use jewelry wire, wrapping it around the coils as I go. Since I've done it a number of times I have a feel for how much the binding can support without making the book impossible to open. Last touch was tying a ribbon at the top coil to use as a bookmark.

Naughty or Nice Challenge - Anything Goes
The Stamping Chef Challenge - Anything Goes

Be right back!
xoxo,
Jessi

A Unique Blog Hop!

I was asked a few weeks ago by Andrea of Savvy Handmade Cards to take part in this cool progressive blog hop. I really enjoy learning more about my fellow crafty buddies, and so it was a no-brainer to accept the challenge :)

I first met Andrea through playing along at Tuesday Morning Sketches - I was sponsoring one week with my crocheted mats & she was the lucky winner! Of course I had to follow her blog to see what she made with them. That was close to two years ago (I think) and since then she's begun hosting her own challenge  on her blog, as well as creating some amazing heartfelt cards. I love seeing what she gets up to in her crafty time!

So the idea behind this blog hop is to answer a few crafty questions - and to put your own spin on it - so here we go!

1. How did you get started?
I've been crafting with one medium or another since I can remember. In high school I used to decorate HUGE cards for my friends' birthdays - I did cross-stitch - I painted a zillion clay pots - I putzed around with salt dough. In 2003 I branched out into card making. I got brave & booked a table at a craft fair, and it's taken off from there. Since then, I've been a regular vendor at the Sackville Farmers Market.
In 2010 I started this blog - holy moly almost 4 years! - and entering challenges. That has definitely pushed my creativity in new directions, and helped me learn to take better photos. Crafts for me have served as a creative outlet AND as a break. When I was getting started, my boys were just beginning the process of being diagnosed with autism (Connor was diagnosed in March 2003 and Riley in December 2003). We'd just moved to a small town in Nova Scotia where I knew no one, and I was home all day with two very active & non-verbal kids. Finding friends through my kids hadn't worked in the past - in fact, we had been asked to not attend a church playgroup because Connor was disruptive. Without a diagnosis to explain his behaviour, I accepted that and honestly, I wasn't strong enough to continue pushing out into the community and risking that kind of judgement. Going to the farmers market gave me social time & a much-needed break, and it still does.

2. What are you working on?
I'm lucky enough to be on 4 challenge teams - so I keep a list at my desk of the upcoming challenges for the month. When I sit down to create, I have those themes in the back of my mind in case I come up with an idea I want to use. I also have a number of favourite challenges to play along with, so I jot down those as well, and bring my 'challenge sheet' back & forth between my crafty desk & the computer desk. It's rare for me to sit down & say "OK, I'm making a card for X challenge!" Generally I just start to play & see where it takes me.
I recently went to a Jamberry nail wrap party, and one of the wraps inspired this creation -

Supplies: Mr. Huey's White mist; Dylusions purple mist; Flourishes flower stamp; Paper Smooches sentiment; Memento Gray Flannel ink; Adirondack Purple Twilight ink; clear EP; vellum & button from stash

I'm not so sure the shadow stamping works on this one, but I have more of the painted background to play with. I mixed the two mists to paint with - although one is pigment & one is dye-based, it seemed to work. I also gave it a spritz of hair spray once it dried - after 3 days the white pigment was still coming off on my fingers. 

Being inspired by my nails is definitely a first!

3. How is your work different from others'?

This is always a tricky question, like trying to define your own style. I think one unique aspect of my work is that I am comfortable creating in lots of different styles - CAS, layered, shabby chic - and that I can't easily identify what my own *look* is.

4. What do you create?

Primarily cards - but also journals, crochet, frames, whatever happens to strike my fancy. I generally make about 20 cards per week, but my personal record (at Christmastime) was 76 cards. Creating with a deadline spurs my creativity! I don't photograph everything that I make. Besides sharing stuff here on my blog, I also have a crafty Facebook page, and I try to share different creations there. 

One of my recent journal creations

 Supplies: Sweet Pea stamps digital mermaid; Tim Holtz & Memory Box stencils; Dreamweaver embossing paste; hand-dyed Prima flowers; Spectrum Noir markers; all sorts of random goodies!

5. What does your crafty space look like?

Well, it's not pretty. Most 'studio tours' I see on blogs belong to people with lots of space and (it seems like) lots of money. I'm a stay at home mom in a small house crowded with people & pets. Even if I did have lots of space & money, I'd still be a slob when it comes to crafting! I debated whether or not to share the *real* crafty space, and then I thought hey - someone's sure to see this & feel good that they aren't the only ones without the big room & fancy storage!

The brutal full picture. The shelf to the left is the newest addition. Random stuff up there for the most part, but one of the copy paper boxes is full of out-of-season cards. Stereo with CDs, because I always listen to music while I create. Family photos, cards from pals - and my grandmother's birthday present, still waiting to be mailed. D'oh. Don't forget the uuuuuugly paneling!

The storage tour! Beginning on the left:

Top: quilling papers, odd card stock

Top drawer unit: 12x12 papers, specialty papers (vellum, etc)

Bottom drawer unit: safe drying space - where I keep quilled pieces until they're dry, clay embellies, etc.

(To the left of that, barely in the picture - a cardboard box with Thickers, stickers, that sort of thing)

Next tower - with the CDs on top

Top: 6x6 plain cardstock, in a container. The sheet of 12x12 on top keeps the dust out.

CDs (right now listening to a lot of Lorde & Passenger)

Circle punches

Top drawer unit: my plain white card stock

pre-cut/scored/stamped card bases (I have a stamp for the back of my cards)

Embossing powders & sponges for the Distress tool

Bottom drawer unit: mists & inks

embellishments (that drawer is a black hole)

Buttons

And, skipping to the right - the tall tower, with boxes on top, holds all my Christmas crafty stuff. The pizza box is baby-themed stuff. There are more pizza boxes under the desk with all manner of stuff stuffed into them. I also keep a box of ribbon down there. 

I think this photo is probably pretty self-explanatory. Chaos. The plastic containers are for recycling & garbage, and I have a baggie there for 'compost' items (tissues, baby wipes). Cleaned stamps sit here waiting to be put away. The stack of paper pads are the ones I'm currently using a lot. The others live in a cloth grocery bag. 

The work surface. A stack of looseleaf & printer paper to use as scratch paper. My most-used tools are in that tray with the M. This is also the spot where I take photos - I have two sheets of 12x12 card stock that I place over the scratch pad. The card in progress will be a keepsake card if I ever decide where I'm going to glue those flowers.

The tower on the desk (at the very back here) is full of paperwork related to the kids, and flotsam & jetsam from around the house. It's what everyone regards as  the "safe place" to leave watches, etc. The pile of stamps, flowers, paper, etc. is all the things I've pulled out thinking OOH I should make something with that! Those items may be there a long time. There are two baskets - one with my most-used sentiment sets, and one with my dies. I have zero organization for dies other than that they go in the basket. There's a goldfish crackers box with sequins, stickers, chipboard, that sort of thing. In the desk drawer I keep my embossing folders & additional plates for the Cuttlebug, which is on the floor under the desk. 

For a rare moment in time, Abby is cuddled up in her crate - usually she sits at my feet when I'm at the desk, but I kept moving around. 

There you go - if only I could provide the soundtrack of the house to go with the photos, lol!

So, now that you made it this far, I get to tell you who I'm tagging to take part! I've chosen three of my Snarky Sisters:

Chris of Chrispy's Creations

We harbour deep suspicions that we were separated at birth, Chris and I. We are the Evil DoubleMint Twins, or EDMT for short. 

Donna of Yellow Dog Greetings

I've had the absolute pleasure of getting to meet Donna twice on her trips to the East Coast - including going to the zoo together this summer with our three boys! 

Lee of Violent Kittie

She is hi-freaking-larious - and being posted in Europe, is online at a decent time of day there while I'm up waaaayyyyy too early in the morning. I love our early-morning chats!

All three of these fabulous ladies came into my life via the Drunken Stampers - and they, with the rest of the Snarky Sisterhood, are an honest-to-goodness lifeline. Kids driving you nuts? Instant commiseration. Difficult or annoying family issue? Totally there for you. Just having a crap day? You get the idea. Go see them. You'll giggle, I promise. And then go see them again when they share their crafty stuff next Monday, August 18!!

*MWAH*

xoxo,

Jessi

Fairy Journal

Oh, did I ever have fun with this project! I've altered a plain spiral-bound notebook:

Supplies: spiral-bound notebook; Sweet Pea Stamps fairy (ching chou kuik); Spectrum Noir markers; Sakura Stardust glitter pen; AC yellow glitter; Sharpie White paint pen; Studio G clear glitter glue; white pearl Liquid Pearls; Martha Stewart butterfly punches; Cuttlebug embossing folder; Versamark; Shabby Blue & Pink Frantage EP; vellum; embroidery thread; pearls & gems from Dollarama; Basic Grey brad; jewelry wire & beads; Offray ribbon; glitter buttons; flowers from Michaels; feathers found in the yard :) 

I think I remembered everything I used! The blue vellum at the top was spattered & embossed with Shabby Pink frantage EP, and then stitched to the cardstock piece, and then glued to the journal. I used loose glitter for the yellow, and painted the wings with clear glitter glue. To bead the binding, I used jewelry wire - this way the book can still open - and I've added a ribbon tassel to act as a bookmark.

I created this especially for the Sweet Pea Stampers Fairy challenge, and for the Catered Crop vellum recipe swap :)

xoxo,
Jessi

Molossi Mood Board Challenge

My snarky sister Lee recently joined the Molossi DT, and they're hosting a Mood Board challenge - and as soon as I saw it I knew I would have to play along. I've already created two projects, and I can see me giving it another crack before the deadline of May 31. There are so many inspiring details!

 

This will be a picture-heavy post :) I created a mixed-media journal for my friend Denyse. We were talking a few weeks ago about them, and so I decided to surprise her with one! First I'll show you the completed project, and then tell you a bit about how I was inspired by the mood board.

There are so many supplies that I'm sure I'm going to miss some.

Supplies: spiral-bound journal; digital stamp (fairy with raven) from Sweet Pea Stamps; Spectrum Noir and Bic markers; Distress Crackle Paint in Antique Linen & Broken China; Memory Box sunburst stencil & leaf die; Tim Holtz bubble stencil; Dreamweaver Embossing Paste; flourish & bird stamps from PTI; Barn Door & Antique Linen distress ink; Versamark; Black detail, Clear detail, and Carnelian opalescent embossing powders from Stampendous; Dylusions purple spray; May Arts twine; Making Memories leaves; Jolee's daisies; Fancy Pants chipboard; Studio Calico butterfly veneer; ribbon, sheer fabric, buttons, beads & wire from stash

A special thanks to Glenda for the Making Memories leaves & that fabulous 'remember' veneer piece! 

I chose this particular fairy & raven image because Dee LOVES ravens, and she's really liked the other things I've created with the fairies & mermaids from ching chou kuik. Alrighty, so here's how I did it: first I painted some extra-thick card stock with the Broken China crackle paint, and the big chipboard piece with Antique Linen. Once they were dry, I applied embossing paste to them - the chipboard piece has the Sunburst and plain white paste. I used the Memory Box leaf die to make my own paper stencil for the purple leaves. I mixed wayyyyy too much Dylusions spray into the paste, and so the leaves didn't come out as sharply as I'd hoped - the paste still gave it texture, but the ink bled out around the stencil part itself. Never fear, unintended results are just an opportunity for embellishment, right?

I used the Carnelian embossing powder on the flourishes because on white it gives a nice orange-ish red colour - on blue it comes out more coppery. I then stamped the same flourish around the edges of the page with Barn Door distress ink, which is more muted - you can see in the right-hand corner where the truer red shows up. I just used a tissue to wipe the excess ink off the embossed areas. I then stamped & embossed the bird. At this point I hadn't added the white bubbles yet! The flourishes & crackle paint were inspired by the third picture, which seems to be of a door with some ornate detailing. My colour choices were also inspired by the board - purple was definitely necessary because it's Dee's favourite colour. There's a smidge of purple in the beautiful heart bubble in the first picture :)

To highlight the single word (I was going to use Thickers to say "daydream" like the photo, and then found this perfect veneer in the goodies Glenda sent me!) I swiped it across the Barn Door inkpad, and then embossed it with 3 layers of clear embossing powder. 

I just couldn't get the detail that I wanted on the raven - it's hard to colour something iridescent black after all :) I used gray & navy markers, and then painted it with Sapphire glimmer mist - which completely obscured all the feather details in the illustration. White Sharpie pen and a dampened finger to smudge it helped - and then I found that perfect little feather! I highlighted the eye & beak with a Sakura Black Glaze pen. 

The flowers were originally a sort of tan colour, and had doo-dads in the centres that I didn't really care for. I pulled those off, and dyed them with water & some reinkers....and after that, gave them a healthy spritz of Dylusions. The sheer fabrics were frayed & then zapped with the heat gun to melt them. The red feather I found in the bottom of a drawer when I was getting out a new bottle of Tombow glue. Score!

Once I was finished embellishing, seriously, the very last step (I do not recommend this, lol) I decided I needed to cover up a bit of the purple leaves. Trying to get a stencil to lay flat on an essentially finished piece? Not so much. It still provided the bit of extra "something" I was going for!

Here's a shot that gives you an idea of the dimension - the fabric & flowers really pop! 

To decorate the binding, I used plain jewelry wire & a variety of beads. I don't have any special pliers or anything for using the wire - I just looped it around a coil, twisted it several times, and then used large beads to cover up the twists. Every few inches of beads I would wrap it around another coil, looping back & forth to anchor it & give it a random pattern. I find it easier to work with shorter pieces of wire, so there are 6 altogether. To anchor the ends, I twisted it back on itself & then tucked it into the already-strung beads to hide the end. The wire lets the beads move on the binding so that you can still use the journal functionally. 

I had so much fun making this - my fingernails are still purple ;) and the best part? Dee LOVED it! Thanks for the inspiration, Molossi!

xoxo,

Jessi