Krafty Inspiration

I knew right away what sentiment I wanted to use on my card for the Kraft Journal's CAS Inspirational challenge.  The trick was then deciding what else to include!

Supplies: light coloured kraft card stock; classic kraft ink from PTI; May Arts kraft twine; feather stamp from Clearly Besotted; sentiment stamp from Stampers Anonymous; chipboard feather from Dusty Attic (and inked with the kraft pad)

I was about to say that inspirational/just because I love you cards are some of my favourites to create....but let's be honest. I love making pretty much everything but the Dreaded Man Cards and sympathy cards :)

xoxo,

Jessi

Take your Pick at The Kraft Journal!

I actually had time to play in some challenges this week - right before we head off on vacation to the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Hold on to your collars, multiple posts coming up :)

Here's my card for the Take your Pick challenge at The Kraft Journal:

Supplies: Lil Inkers star dies; Reverse Confetti sentiment; Waltzingmouse stamps splats; Versamark & white detail EP; trim from Webster's Pages; light kraft card stock; buttons & fabric from stash

I used tiny pieces of double-sided tape underneath the round parts of the trim. The orange fabric is organza, frayed at the edges & then heated with my heat gun to get that fun melted/multicoloured texture. My picks from the board were orange, aqua, and fabric. 



xoxo,
Jessi

Guy Stuff at The Kraft Journal

With one of my fave challenges, Take Your Pick, I made two cards to play along with The Kraft Journal this week:

(using masculine, black, white)

Supplies: Unity Stud stamp; PTI Father's Day stamp; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Bo Bunny houndstooth paper; Studio Calico veneers

(using masculine, fish, black) 

Supplies: Kaisercraft fish paper; unknown alphabet stickers

xoxo,

Jessi

Father's Day!

Father's Day is just two weeks away, so I've been crazy busy making the Dreaded Man Cards. Trees seem to be my go-to this year, and there's one to follow, but I also saw a great mug Amy shared with the Coffee Lovers FB group and that saying just had to go on a card! Both cards are for The Kraft Journal's Father's Day challenge, and this first one is also for little red wagon's Use it Up - first time this embossing folder has seen paper!

Supplies: light kraft & chocolate cardstock; Walnut Stain distress ink; embossing folder from Crafts Too; unknown alphabet stamps

Supplies: light kraft and chocolate cardstock; all stamps from PTI; Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Walnut Stain, Gathered Twigs

Loving the kraft, green, and brown combo on my dad cards this year! 

xoxo,

Jessi

Home & Heart

This time of year I like to have a few "new home" cards on hand - it seems to be a popular time to move (which makes sense because moving when there's snow on the ground? NO.) I put one together for this week's CAS Embossing challenge at The Kraft Journal:

Supplies: light & regular kraft card stock; stamps from PTI; Kraft ink from PTI; Versamark & copper EP; embossing folder from Sizzix; Nesties labels die; May Arts twine; buttons from stash

I just picked up the copper embossing powder last week, and I have a feeling you'll be seeing a lot of it in the next little while! I wanted to use both dry and heat embossing on my card, and looking through my folders thought this one was perfect for the theme. 

xoxo,

Jessi

Happy Mother's Day!

One last catch-up post from me for today - this is my card for the current challenge at The Kraft Journal, Mother's Day: 

Supplies: light kraft card stock; Sizzix embossing folder; classic small oval Nesties; Spellbinders butterfly die; vellum; Frayed Burlap distress ink; Stampin' Up pearls; vellum; unknown sentiment stamp; buttons from stash

I cut out three butterflies from vellum so that I could fold up the wings for some dimension. The pearls hide the adhesive perfectly. And of course, a button frame - I was binge-watching season five of The Good Wife, so I got all sorts of sewing done on cards  this week :)

xoxo,

Jessi

Smile!

This is the card I was working on during this week's class at the library - we were working on stitching, layering, and distressing. I think it's a perfect pick-me-up for a gal pal! Entering it in this week's Anything Goes - Girlfriends challenge at the Kraft Journal. 

Supplies: kraft card stock; tiny tags dies & fleur de lis stamp from PTI; butterfly stamp from Unity; Smile stamp unknown; Tea Dye distress ink; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; May arts twine; Tonic edge distresser; patterned paper, doily, buttons from stash

xoxo,
Jessi

Mother's Day two-fer

I've got two cards to share in this post - the first I'm entering in the 'Take Your Pick' challenge at The Kraft Journal. The second was my first attempt at that challenge, and eventually the kraft paper just didn't work on it...so I used most of the same supplies & made another.

Supplies: kraft card stock embossed with Cuttlebug folder; patterned paper from Simple Stories; sentiment from PTI; Walnut Stain distress ink; lace, seam binding, and button from stash

The lace is attached to the back of the patterned paper with double-sided tape, and the seam binding bow is sewn on with the button. I've chosen lace, bow, and embossed as my three:

Supplies: papers from Simple Stories; PTI sentiment; Walnut Stain distress ink; Hero Arts lace

I love the lush vintage colours in this paper pack! This card is so similar that I figured I'd pop it in the same post just because :)

xoxo,

Jessi

And now for something completely different

I've been playing around with tags this week, trying out new techniques on a small scale. I decided to share this one with you since it's perfect for the Earth Day/recycling challenge at The Kraft Journal. 

Supplies: kraft tag (approx 2.5"x4"); cream burlap; clip art from MME; torn cardboard 

I used a snippet of burlap & frayed the edges, and peeled one side of the cardboard to expose the corrugated centre.

xoxo,

Jessi

Tenia is my MUSE!

ok, so everybody knows the ever-fab Tenia Nelson from Jazzy Paper Designs, right? She's the guest MUSE at MUSE this week, and as soon as I saw her card I thought OOOOOH! (As an aside - she is also one of the organizing forces behind a terrific blog hop coming up on April 2 in support of Autism Awareness - Light it Up Blue for Autism Awareness - come join the Facebook group & check out all the fab crafters & sponsors coming together for a cause that is so close to my heart.)

So my card - I was inspired by Tenia's layout, the smidge of vellum, the embossing, the kraft, the splatters - and came up with this:

Supplies: Gladiolus & splatter stamps from PTI; FAITH stamp from Stampabilities; Frayed Burlap distress ink; Versamark & Pirate gold EP; Tim Holtz tissue tape; kraft card stock; cream vellum; stitching supplies

As an extra wink to Tenia I used the music tape :) Here's her card:

I'm also entering my card over at The Kraft Journal for this week's CAS-Faith challenge. 

Whew, three posts before 5 a.m....gotta love it!
xoxo,
Jessi

Easter Lilies

I've been cleaning out my desk area this week - in about a million years I might be done. Besides finding some awesome fun stuff I'm mostly disgusted by just how many things I put under my desk because I "might" use them - old pair of jeans? Package of sponges? EGG CARTONS?? Dear heaven. And I won't even mention the size of the dust animals under there. I'm taking a break from it for a couple of days so I can make some pretty things & remember exactly why I am spending all this time *ugh* cleaning.

Supplies: Inkadinkado lily stamp & sentiment; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Mowed Lawn distress ink; Spectrum Noir markers; yellow glitter fabric paint; Timeless Twine (peapod); white and kraft card stock

A very simple layout letting the lilies be the stars - and it has such a different feel from the card I shared with this same stamp earlier in the week! Love that.

I'm popping this in the linky at The Kraft Journal for "anything goes - spring!"

xoxo,

Jessi

Take Your Pick at the Kraft Journal

It's been quiet I know - I put my stupid back out again just as it was starting to get better. Honestly. However, on the bright side? I was pathetic enough this time to rate hubby going out &  finally buying a heating pad, so there's a new love of my life ;) I got my vintage Easter fix playing along with The Kraft Journal this week.  I used the choices of white, button, and bunny (I figured the girl's costume counts!)

Supplies: Clip art image from The Graphics Fairy; kraft card stock; Tim Holtz bubbles stencil; Dreamweaver embossing paste & white detail EP; Basic Grey button; Timeless Twine; Tonic edge distresser; Wilton doily

This was my first time using embossing powder on paste - I was a little heavy-handed with the paste, so a little bit of smudging of the stencil. The paste bubbled when heated & gave it a really neat distressed feel so I carried that through with distressing the edges of the panel. I used my Bow Easy to make the multi-loop bow and stitched it into place with the button to keep it aligned how I wanted it. 

Here's the chart with the options for the challenge:

xoxo,

Jessi

More Vintage St. Pat's

I'm sorry but it's really going to be all-St-Pat's-all-the-time for a couple days around here! This one is for The Kraft Journal. 

Supplies: Vintage clip art from The Graphics Fairy; Basic Grey brads; Dress it Up shamrock buttons; scrap of doily; Mowed Lawn distress ink; Inkadinkado stamps; tonic edge distresser

I stamped the background using a square medallion-style stamp, and wasn't too fussy about inking it so that I got a slightly shabby look. Found the piece of doily on the floor (thank you cat) and it was perfect. (Maybe not so much sarcasm with that thank you!). 

xoxo,

Jessi

Inlaid Die Technique...oh my!

You know those crafty ideas that sound so great before you get started, and once you're halfway through you're questioning your sanity & wondering what the heck you were thinking? Yeah, this card.

Supplies: Memory Box floral die; two colours of kraft cardstock; Paper Smooches sentiment; Antique Linen distress ink; Corner Chomper

Swear to peanuts, the sentiment is legible in real life. I wanted it to be tone-on-tone, and the camera just wouldn't cooperate nor would my editing software. (ya gets what ya pays for). Everybody and then some seems to be using this inlaid die technique all over the place, and famous last words I thought ohhhhh how hard can it be? Some of those pieces are really little. I said some bad words. I picked lots of little pieces off my shirt after they magically flung themselves away from the paper. All that said, OHHHH EMMM GEEEE look I did it! (possibly never again). 

I was inspired to try this lunacy because of the Kraft Journal's challenge to create a CAS one layer card. I did have to trim my card & place it on a white base because crooked sentiment. Keeping it really real this morning ;)

xoxo,

Jessi

Super Sparkly!

I decided to play a bit with this week's Kraft Journal challenge - misting on kraft isn't something I've tried before, and I love it! I'm using this bird stencil for the first time, and entering in Open-Minded Crafting Fun's Up in the Sky challenge too. 

Supplies: unknown stencil; Sizzix Labels die; Paper Smooches sentiment; Versamark; Pirate Gold & Carnelian EP; kraft card stock; Tiger Lily Tattered Angels glimmer mist; scraps of vellum & textured gold paper

I used two colours of embossing powder on the sentiment, which I also curved on the block to get it 'wonky'. The coppery colour from the mist is just stunning - much more copper than orange as the mist usually turns out. 

Open-Minded Crafting Fun

The Kraft Journal - Celebrations

xoxo,
Jessi

Cutie Patootie!

Ohhh I am excited with how this card turned out! I have really been having a great time just playing around lately. I was inspired by the current Kraft Journal challenge, and once I'd grabbed my tag and doily (knowing I'd add twine as my third option) I just had fun with it. I wanted to create a vintage-y feeling baby card that would work for either gender (as well as the Open-Minded Crafting Fun no pink/no red challenge!)

Supplies: Crafty Secrets vintage photo clip; kraft tag; Paper Smooches kraft twine; Doodlebug patterned papers; PTI sentiments; Brushed Corduroy distress ink; Versamark and clear EP; buttons from Dress it Up; doily and lace from stash

I was working on baby cards this week, and these papers are from a Doodlebug pad that is primarily boy-ish. Lots of scraps and odd sizes left, so I just chose a few and fiddled around until I was happy with the layout. The doily is wrapped around the side of the tag - somehow creating a cleaner look than trimming the doily. All the edges are distressed. The tag has a smidge of lace and kraft twine tied to hold it in place. 

I usually find that maybe every few months I get a card that I say to myself SELF you rock. Lately it's been happening every couple days - which keeps me making more & more! 

Here's the challenge board for The Kraft Journal: (I used Doily, Tag, Twine, and Top Fold)

And the link for Open-Minded Crafting Fun:



xoxo,
Jessi

A Simple Valentine

Hey, for once I'm entering Vicki's Flashback challenge before the last minute! Woot! I kept several challenges in mind while creating this card. The Kraft Journal is celebrating Valentine's Day, and at Little Red Wagon they're playing Peek a Boo.

Everything on this card has been in my stash for at least a year - the rose button is probably closer to 6 or 7 years, as is the embossing folder. The Studio G sentiment has got to be 3 or 4 years old, and this is the only time I've used it this year, even though I absolutely love the font.

Supplies: kraft card stock; Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder; Studio G sentiment; Brushed Corduroy distress ink; Labels 5 Nesties; Paper Smooches kraft twine; Bow Easy; rose button from Dress it Up

I embossed the card stock and then die-cut the label. I used foam tape to adhere it to the card base for some dimension - which also made it easier to attach the rose button, since despite my 20 minutes of sawing away at it I was unable to remove the shank backing. (grumble)

xoxo,

Jessi

With Heartfelt Sympathy

This week I made a number of sympathy cards - I find it so much easier to make them at the same time. I kept the Kraft Journal "make it in minutes" challenge in mind while I was creating, and hit on just the right idea. 

Supplies: stamps & mat stack die from PTI; Cuttlebug embossing folder; kraft card stock; Distress inks in Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen

I was smart and cut out two of the mat stack pieces, because I knew I would (and I did) muff up the stamping on the first one. The sentiment initially had a period on the end, which I cut off - somehow the period just seemed rude. Offended by punctuation? I was. After embossing the white cardstock I sponged it with Antique Linen to tone down the brightness a notch, and attached it & the sentiment panel with foam tape. 

Even with my stamping boo-boo this came in at around 15 minutes to create :)

xoxo,

Jessi

Merry Monday & the Kraft Journal

These challenges just really wanted me to combine them! Merry Monday's prompt this week is Houses, and The Kraft Journal is Anything Goes - Winter.

Supplies: papers from American Crafts; sticker from Bo Bunny

Super simple! 

xoxo,

Jessi

Monster Love

I love this week's Take Your Pick challenge at The Kraft Journal - I paired it with the {expired}sketch from Fusion, and this adorable monster!

Supplies: Monster digi from Dawn Moore; patterned paper from K& Co; Making Memories rub-ons, Cuttlebug embossing folder; kraft card stock; 1 1/8" circle punch; classic small oval Nesties; Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge dimensional magic; Tim Holtz design ruler & embroidery supplies

The green piece of paper is a misted snippet that had been laying on my desk - no idea what I used to make it. The end of the patterned piece came die cut that way (the whole pad is). The monster's eye, tooth, horns, and heart are all coated with some Dimensional Magic for gloss :)

Here's the FUSION sketch I used, although it's expired:

And the Kraft Journal options: 


Back to the crafty grind (oh, poor me, lol!)
xoxo,
Jessi