Shopping our Stash #130 - Tic Tac Toe!

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

Shopping our Stash has an AWESOME challenge this week! Tic-Tac-Toe is one of my favourite challenge formats - and I couldn't help myself. I needed to build up my stash of not-Christmas cards, and so I decided to make a card for every option in the tic-tac-toe board. 

Don't forget that we're looking for a few new members to join the team - check out the details for our design call on this post here. 

Since completing every option means 8 cards, I'll show you the collage & give you the challenge details, and then put in a jump for the rest :)

We're back to our usual one-week challenge, so you've got until next Monday, December 16th, to link up your projects. Make sure to tell us which items from the tic-tac-toe board you used!

Leslie

Alica

Deena

Lauren

Michelle

Chana

And now for the details on my cards:

Enthralled with Fall

This week's Tuesday Trigger inspired a lot of people to get inky - that usually discourages me from entering, since I've never won. I really, really love this card, though, and it was definitely inspired by the photo, so I am entering it anyway. I wonder if there are many other people who get discouraged when they see the same bunch of people win over & over again? It feels like a club I'm not part of.

ANYWAY.

The variation in colours in the leaves made me think of colour washing, and so I wanted to try a modified 'floating reinker' technique using an embossed panel. Well, let me show you the card, and then I can describe how I did it.

Supplies: stamps from Flourishes; Palette Noir ink; Versamark; clear detail EP; seam binding; beaded pins made by me; glimmer mists from Tattered Angels in Starfish, Yellow Daisy, Tiger Lily, Tattered Rose

I stamped the sentiment in a waterproof ink, and then stamped the rose hearts around it as a sort of frame. The hearts are all embossed, and then I started painting with the glimmer mists. I over-saturated the paper with Yellow Daisy first, and then quickly added the two pink mists. I used regular (110 lb uncoated) card stock for this, so I had to work fast. While the mists were still 'floating' I added the Tiger Lily, and then tilted the piece in different directions to allow the puddles to flow into each other & mix.

This is easiest to see in the area with the sentiment, since as it dried it left that wonderful watercoloury brush effect. And the entire panel shimmers like crazy!

The stick pins were made with beads from past crafting supplies, and corsage pins from Michaels, and then pierced through the paper so that the sharp parts don't hurt anyone. 

Here's the Trigger photo: the deadline is today.

I have somehow caught the "man cold" version of the cold Rob had last week - I don't know how, since HE didn't even have the man cold. I envision lots of naps today!

xoxo,

Jessi

Wedding Sequins

Sequins are of course one of the hottest paper crafting  trends at the moment - I am usually not the first on a trend, but this one is definitely growing on me! This time of year I tend to make a LOT of wedding cards, and I made these two similar cards - one in silver, one in gold.

Supplies for both cards: Martha Stewart wedding cake stickers; sequins; Liquid Pearls; lacy circle/oval Nesties; Bazzill cardstock; gold mirror paper

I got a little carried away with the sequins on the gold card - they just kept jumping on :)

There's a sequin challenge over at Catered Crop until August 17. 

Back to the crafty salt mines - I've been spending so much time playing that &*%^# Candy Crush that I'm neglecting my stamps. You know it's bad when your kids walk by & say "You're STILL on Level 65? How long are you going to be there?" Forever, apparently. *sobs*

xoxo,

Jessi

Shopping our Stash #112 - Your Oldest Punch/Die

**For my Tuesday Morning Sketches post, please scroll down or click here - thanks!!**

Back to our intermittent theme of using your oldest supplies at Shopping our Stash! This time we want you to use your oldest punch or die (that you still have, of course!). I imagine a lot of you were like me & bought cute little shaped punches when you started out...that don't work all that well, and ended up being passed on ;)

Of the ones I still have, two Martha Stewart punches are the oldest - the hydrangea punch, and the butterfly. I still use the butterfly one quite often, so I thought I'd give the hydrangea a turn, and rebuild my wedding card stash at the same time:

Supplies: papers from stash; Hero Arts wedding cake stamp; Spectrum Noir markers; classic small oval Nesties; Liquid Pearls; MS Hydrangea punch

For a change, instead of shaping the flowers first, I glued them on first, and then lifted the petals. That wasn't really a plan so much as a -whoops, forgot a step - but hey, it's over now. Stop living in the past ;) 

Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday, August 5th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!

Carla

Leslie

Alica

Deena 

Lauren

Michelle

xoxo,
Jessi

Shopping our Stash #111 - I do not need another...or maybe I do?

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

Pre-scheduling once again...I don't know how people do this regularly! I much prefer live-blogging. 

So how's that title for you? Clear as mud? Well, here's what we mean by this week's Shopping our Stash challenge: 

something you buy a lot of, like every butterfly stamp, or every Magnolia stamp, every pad of paper by a certain company, or every color of washi tape...

USE IT!

Obviously this item will be different for each of us, so be sure to tell us what YOUR item is in your post. I waffled - I have a number of things that I buy too many of, but in the end I went with the item you all might have guessed - BUTTONS. I do not need another button, but even though I have many, there are still times when I don't have the *right* one. I store them, by colour, in Ziploc bags. Riley loves to sort them for me :)

Supplies: buttons! 62, to be exact, all sewn on; PTI sentiment; Memento Gray Flannel ink; Paper Smooches clouds die; miscellaneous rhinestones in matching colours

I purposely chose a mix of sizes & types of buttons - clear ones as well, as they'd show up better on the white paper than they do on colours/patterns. It makes for a wonky rainbow, but I can tell you - although I didn't sell it, it got picked up off my table about a dozen times! It's just so HAPPY.

Come & play along with this challenge until next Monday, July 29th - hop on by & leave the rest of my teamies some love!

Carla

Leslie

Alica

Deena 

Lauren

Michelle

Chana

xoxo,

Jessi

Seeing Clearly

The Timeless Tuesday challenge this week at Flourishes is to use acetate.

WELL.

I had all sorts of grand plans, and then I discovered that my Staz-On was completely dried up. I'm not talking a little dry, I'm talking bone dry. Not a smidge of ink to be had. Well. I tested some Memento ink just to see, and nope. Well. Harumph. I modified my plans, deciding to do a popped-up panel. I'm not going to step-by-step the rest of the UGH moments that happened during  the making of this card, but let's just say I love the end result, and it was a hard-fought battle. LOL!

Supplies: Flourishes stamp set - Hearts and Flowers; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Mustard Seed Distress ink; Spectrum Noir markers; black rhinestones, black & white seam binding; acetate; classic small oval Nesties

The sentiment and single daisy heart are stamped on the card base. The acetate was adhered at the edges with foam tape, and the top stamped panel adhered directly to the acetate. I stamped the same daisy heart all around the top panel, trying not to overlap in too many places, and then trimmed it down to size. I think this would make a lovely sentiment for a wedding card! 

OK, I suppose that's enough to share with you for one day ;) I'll be back tomorrow with lots more to share!

xoxo,

Jessi

Drunken Stampers #129 - The Hangover!

Yep, it may not be 'high theaytre' but I laughed my rear off at this movie and its sequel. And I bet I'll laugh at the third one too - there is a 12 year old boy in my heart, I just know it. This week at Drunken Stampers we want you to create a project based on the movie "The Hangover:"

I was thinking about a tiger. Or a monkey (from the sequel). Or a mattress on the roof, although what exactly THAT card would be for? Not sure. In the end I decided to go with a nice lovely wedding which is exactly what that poor bride wanted:

Supplies: Annabelle Stamps script stamp; Pumice Stone distress ink; Hero Arts wedding cake stamp; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; 'dew drops' from Dollarama; classic small oval Nesties

Our linky will be open until next Friday night, May 31st. Check out what the rest of the Midnight Margaritas made:

Spike

Jackie

Barbara

Chris

Vicki

Barb M. 

xoxo,
Jessi

CAS(E) this Sketch #28 - Mr & Mrs

I had an idea as soon as I saw this week's CAS(E) this Sketch - a very literal take on it, but I do love how it turned out. Mostly. 

Supplies: Inkadinkado bridal couple; PTI sentiment, circles, and hearts (various sets); Memento Gray Flannel ink; Spun Sugar distress ink; Picket Fence distress stickles

I regret the Stickles. Not only did I stick my finger in them (more than once) before they were dry, they didn't really turn my crank on this card. Oh well. It's hard to see but I've stamped the largest circles in Spun Sugar ink off-stamped once - in person it definitely helps to balance the scattered dots, but even full-size it's very hard to make out in the photo.

I'm pretty sure it was the heart in the sketch that shoved me towards a wedding card - gotta love that!

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Morning Sketches #187

So much white space! I'm loving this week's sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches: 

Supplies: Paper Smooches stamps (sentiment & heart); Palette Noir ink; Barn Door distress ink; Autumn Leaves swirls; Colorbok glitter paper; standard small oval Nesties; red & black rhinestones; Sakura Stardust glitter pen

I traced over the heart outlines & the word 'forever' with the glitter pen. *love*

Sweet n Sassy Stamps is our sponsor this week - they have some super cute Easter images that were just released! Here's the sketch:

Wait 'til you see what everyone else came up with! This sketch is open until next Sunday, March 3rd. 

Sandra MacLean, Best of the Best Guest Designer

Angela 

Bonnie

Dawn

Debbie
Jenee

Laura

Theresa

Melissa

I think this is also perfect for the current Picture Perfect SPARKS challenge - look at this cutie picture!

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Morning Sketches #168 - Stamping Scrapping

Good morning & happy Tuesday! This week at Tuesday Morning Sketches we're being sponsored by Stamping Scrapping - wait until you SEE the Spellbinders dies Cindy's designed - my goodness! Go check them out :)
Our sketch this week was designed by Laura, and it's terrifically versatile! I flipped it on its side to suit the image I wanted to work with.

Supplies: stamp from Hero Arts;
Palette Noir ink;
Prismacolor pencils;
velvet paper from Kaisercraft

I had just the right size scrap of this velvet paper for that element in the sketch - score!- and I inked the edges of the cake & main panels with the black ink pad to help them stand out a little. They are also mounted on foam tape for dimension. I must say, I never thought I would see myself using so much white space, but especially for sketches I'm loving it!

This sketch linky will be open until Sunday October 21 (holy moly, time to get Halloween costumes going already!), and don't forget to check out what my teammates have been up to:

Best of the Best designer Alison

Angela 

Bonnie

Cheryl

Dawn

Debbie

Laura

Theresa

Melissa

Be right back with my SOS post!

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Morning Sketches #159 - with Sparkle Creations!

Happy Tuesday! Thank goodness Monday's out of the way, right?
It's a new sketch over at Tuesday Morning Sketches, and this week we're being sponsored by Sparkle Creations:

There are stamps up for grabs for a lucky winner....but you have to play along! Here's this week's sketch, designed by Melissa:

...and here's my card:

Supplies: papers from Kaisercraft "Madame Boutique;"
Hero Arts sentiment;
Versamark & white EP;
embossing folder from Cuttlebug;
Washi tape from We R Memory Keepers;
cake sticker from Wilton;
'dew drops' from stash

I heart washi tape - I adhered it to the card stock before embossing,
and LOOK how crisply the tape embossed!

There are loads of inspiration to be had from the TMS team and from our guest designer Shelby - go check them out!

Shelby, guest designer 

Angela 

Bonnie

Cheryl

Dawn

Debbie

Laura

Theresa

Melissa

Okey-doke, time for me to get some more crafting in before the heat returns...July was our hottest month on record ever. I really hope August isn't going to keep trying to beat the record - it's hard to try to work with paper when your hands are sweaty!

xoxo,

Jessi

Tuesday Morning Sketches #157

Well good morning, chickadees! This week at Tuesday Morning Sketches we're sponsored by Clear Dollar Stamps.

Click here to check them out!

Melissa has designed another great sketch for us to work with:

 

Supplies: stamps from Inkadinkado;
embossing folders from Cuttlebug;
Washi tape from We R Memory Keepers, K&Co;
brads from Making Memories;
congrats sticker from Doodlebug;
London Fog memento & Palette Noir inks

I love this music background stamp - it's exactly card-sized, and wood mounted, and I picked it up on sale at Scrapbooker's Paradise for $6. SCORE (ha, pun intended!). I do have a musical embossing folder, but I wanted a little more detail, so I chose the large polka dots. I swiped some London Fog ink directly onto the edges of the embossing to give a bit more dimension. Being me I didn't plan ahead with the sentiment, and although I do love to live dangerously by stamping those at the last minute I figured stamping over embossing was a little too risky, so a Doodlebug sticker sentiment to the rescue!

I did the same basic technique with the image layer - stamped the silhouette, embossed the panel, this time with a flourishy pattern, swiped with ink. I knew I wanted to use washi tape for the fun banner layer, but I wanted to avoid the sheer effect with this card, so I adhered the leaf washi to white cardstock first (2 strips, for a wider panel) and then cut it to size. The polka dot layer was trimmed with a banner end & then adhered right on top. The washi panel is then attached with a layer of foam tape, and the image panel is on a double layer. 

Don't forget to visit the rest of the design team from Tuesday Morning Sketches and see what they've created - some beautiful cards in the lineup today! And link up your own creation using the sketch by Sunday for a chance to win from Clear Dollar Stamps :)

Angela

Bonnie

Dawn

Debbie

Laura

Theresa

Melissa

xoxo,

Jessi

Cool Colours Free-For-All?

I had intended to get back to post these yesterday, but best-laid plans and all that jazz...but hey, the DYSU linky is  still open for another 9 hours, LOTS OF TIME. I feel like I preface a lot of challenge cards by saying eek, I'm not good at these ones...but colour challenges are my latest for that. I use so much patterned paper which, of course, by nature has lots of colours, and makes it hard to limit a card to the particular ones for a given challenge. Then I realized - hey, silly, you won't get any better at it if you don't practice, and to back that up, there are 3 challenges I follow that have colour challenges this week. It's a sign!
So, here's the first:

As I was pulling out the dark green cardstock, a scrap piece of patterned paper fell on the floor, and wah-lah! My card was born:

Supplies: stamp from Inkadinkado;
Versamark, Broken China & Tumbled Glass distress ink, clear EP;
Cuttlebug embossing folder; green cardstock from stash;
patterned paper from Basic Grey "Lemonade;"
'love' flatback button from Dress it Up!

Summer weddings are everywhere at the moment, and I can barely keep up with the need for wedding & anniversary cards. Like I said, the DYSU challenge #80 is open until this afternoon, so link up quick!

The other challenge I'm linking up to is Crafty Creations Challenge #178, which has a Free-for-All this week - and it's open until tonight. There are nearly 300 entries already! 

Supplies: patterned paper from Bo Bunny;
Palette Noir ink;
stamps from Paper Smooches - from dear sweet BARBLES!

The scooter is paper-pieced & the seat & wheel-cover (hubs? whatever!) thingies are popped up on foam tape. The sentiment stamp originally said 'hi' but I selectively inked & then added the "..." to leave the card open for any occasion. 

xoxo,

Jessi

Playing in Paradise #74 - Wedding/Anniversary

Happy Friday! It's Merlie's turn to challenge us over at Playing in Paradise this week, and she's given us this gorgeous floral prompt:

Use this beautiful arrangement to inspire your wedding or anniversary creations this week! I couldn't put away the idea of a heart made of flowers, so I went with it:

Supplies: paper from My Mind's Eye Indie Chic 'Saffron;'
Flowers from Prima;
brads from Basic Grey;
pink pearls

I cut a heart out of white cardstock freehand, and then clustered the flowers until I was happy with the arrangement. I attached some with brads (the darker centres) and the rest with a little dab of glue. Once it was dry, I added the pearls and glued the whole heart onto the card base.

Tis the time for weddings (and thus, anniversaries, of course!) so hopefully you'll have time and inspiration enough to play along with us this week! Make sure to visit the Scrapbooker's Paradise Ponderings blog to check out all the details & to link up your card before next Thursday at noon, July 12. (As an aside, did you know that the Scrapbooker's Paradise blog not only offers this challenge and projects by the senior design team, but also exclusive discount codes & new product features? If you're not following, you might be missing out!)

Don't forget to leave some love for my fellow teamies:

Merlie

Angela

Nina

Allison

xoxo,

Jessi

Moxie Fab Stuff!

There's always something fun going on in the Moxie Fab World, and today's the last day to get projects linked up for the Card Creations Week challenges (extended while Cath heals from shoulder surgery). There are also another 5 challenges open for Stamp It! week, and those are open until July 23, so lots of time to check them out.

My first card was hard to photograph. It's for both the Damask & Brocade challenge, and the Congratulations challenge.

Supplies: black cardstock; black detail EP;
damask stamp from Fiskars;
congratulations stamp from Studio G;
black rhinestones; Palette Noir ink for envelope

I have a hard time using black embossing powder since I find I generally make a mess with it. I love how this turned out - and the shine is perfect in real life. You can click it to big it to see the detail.

My next card is a baby card - which to me suits the Congratulations challenge as well! - and has a hand-crocheted mat, which I consider a doily, so it's for the Doilies & Lace challenge too.

Supplies: polka dot paper from MME;
stamped in Worn Lipstick distress ink with a tiny heart from PSX;
Feet from All Night Media;
sentiment from Studio G (London Fog memento ink);
embossing folder from Cuttlebug;
standard small & lacy circle Nesties;
mat crocheted by me

The Stamp It! challenges require that stamping be the primary technique, and I think this suits - all those little hearts! I used 'generation' stamping to create a gradient effect with the hearts on the background paper - the top & bottom areas are stamped with full-strength ink, and the centre dots are done with the second impression. The heart by the sentiment is also done with a second impression, and the feet are full-strength. I stamped the feet & sentiment before embossing, and the heart after.

My last two cards are both for the Doilies & Lace challenge - I love doilies. Love them, and use them often. 

Supplies: patterned paper from MME;
doily from Wilton;
sentiment from Wordsworth stamps;
bird from Inkadinkado;
London Fog memento ink; blue pearls

Supplies: paper from K & Co;
cake sticker & doily from Wilton;
scrap vellum;
Studio G sentiment; Versamark ink; Moonstone EP from Stampendous;
silver brads from Making Memories

So there you have it - another 4 cards, this time for 3 challenges. I guess four cards seems to be a good number in a post :) Like I said previously, the Card Creations week challenges are over tonight, so link up quick! And the Stamp It! week challenges are open until July 23.

xoxo,
Jessi

CCC #173 - Wedding or Anniversary

A second post in a row for a challenge I've got multiple cards for :) Over at Crafty Creations Challenges this week, Lindsey is asking us to make wedding or anniversary related paper crafts. It's that time of year where I'm forever realizing that I'm out of wedding cards, so I took the opportunity to get a little bit ahead of the curve! You can link up with CCC #173 up until Tuesday night.

Supplies: papers from Bo Bunny;
sentiment stamp from PSX;
Versamark & copper EP;
Twine from Paper Smooches;
clock piece from ancient stash, source unknown

Love the beat-up look of the clock, and how the bow turned out!

Supplies: papers from K & Co;
standard Oval Nesties;
stamps from Inkadinkado;
Worn Lipstick & Faded Jeans distress ink;
Versamark & clear EP;
blue & pink gems from stash

Supplies: black cardstock, cream velvet paper;
Cuttlebug embossing folder;
template from 'donpen' - although I don't think it's available any longer, there are 70 there!

Supplies: paper from My Mind's Eye;
hydrangea punch from Martha Stewart;
Cuttlebug embossing folder;
corner rounder;
stamps (Congrats & cake on envelope) from Inkadinkado;
Palette Noir ink; Tumbled Glass distress ink;
Liquid Pearls & blue flatback pearls

I cut various sizes of rectangle and rounded the top corners, basically making the cake
freehand. Next time I'll measure & write it down to make it easier to do again!

It's nearly 7, so time for me to wake the little monkey people and get them ready for school. Only a couple more weeks...better get in gear on those teacher gifts. (ACK!)
xoxo,
Jessi

Let's (try to) Get Trendy, Now :)

I have a bunch of cards I was inspired to make after seeing all the fun trendy goodness in the Let's Get Trendy Now workshop (go check it out here - Yvonne's got a new subscription form for an encore presentation if you missed it - it's free, so you've got nothing to lose!)
I have a feeling that I'll be sharing even more, since I really found this workshop a kick in the rear to USE some of that trendy stuff that I HAD TO HAVE....it's not just to look at, silly!
First up, a sketch:

Supplies: paper from Fancy Pants;
flowers from Prima;
brads from Basic Grey;
Liquid Pearls, 1"circle punch; corner rounder
Sentiment from Hero Arts; Bundled Sage distress ink;
'wedding day' brad from stash;

As soon as I took this picture, I realized rounding the top left/bottom right
corners was the way to finish it off - yes? 

For the heart shape, I sketched it out on scrap white cardstock, cut it out, and laid out & attached all the flowers to that piece. That way all those brad prongs don't show on the inside. Here's the sketch it's based on (pretty literal interpretation):

Next up, a two-fer: banners and baker's twine. These just go together for me.

Supplies: gingham paper & lion die-cut from K&Co;
green dotted paper & green/yellow buttons from Basic Grey;
scrap green cardstock & orange button from stash;
Baker's twine from Paper Smooches;
banner die from My Favorite Things; Martha Stewart fringing scissors

I always want my banners to curve, so I snip between each pennant to allow the whole line to bend slightly (you can see this better if you click the picture to view full-size). I added the twine afterwards by using a very thin line of Zip Dry glue, and the little bows were tied separately & glued on as well. Besides fringing the grass, I also snipped along the patterns in the lion's mane for added dimension.

Finally, another baker's twine card:

Supplies: papers from Memory Works 'Summer Fresh;'
baker's twine from Paper Smooches (red, blue, yellow);
Versamark & Barn Door distress ink; clear EP;
sentiment from Daisy Bucket

I tied the multi-loop twine bow following Emily's tutorial when she was a guest blogger at Do More With Less. Guess what I did, though? I put the camera down immediately after taking this picture, snagged the tails of the twine, and pulled the bow undone.

*blue air*

Since everything was already adhered it was a bit of a trick to re-tie the bow in a way I was happy with, but I did manage. 

Today's been a waiting day - waiting for the restoration company to come pick up the last of their equipment and put the sanitized pallets back in place. Then begins the next round: sorting & reorganizing what's left, finishing insurance documents (which involves tracking down prices for everything), and filing the insurance claim. However, after a good round of cleaning upstairs I feel like we might be almost back to normal!

xoxo,

Jessi