Nautical Inspiration at The Pink Elephant

As soon as I saw the inspiration photo at The Pink Elephant I knew I wanted to draw from the nautical touches.

Supplies: Verve Stamps; Map stamp from Hero Arts; Distress inks in Festive Berries, Chipped Sapphire, Stormy Sky; Memento Gray Flannel ink;  Lil Inker stitched rectangle die

xoxo,

Jessi

Masculine Birthday Trees

I told you my go-to is trees ;) Here's a birthday card that I think would be perfect for a guy - still addicted to using my distress inks for watercolouring! Entering over at The Pink Elephant's masculine birthday challenge. 

Supplies: stamps from PTI; Palette Noir ink; distress inks in Peacock Feathers, Broken China, and Mowed Lawn; stitched rectangle dies from Lil Inkers

I had fun playing with the tilted panels :) And a little black bling surely is manly enough!

xoxo,

Jessi

It's Graduation Time!

The town where I participate in the weekly farmers market is a university town, and convocation weekend is the same weekend as Mother's Day. Now it's time for the high school grads to be getting excited! Conveniently The Pink Elephant has a graduation challenge this week & I have a few cards from this week to share:

Supplies: Stamp from Unity; Versamark & black detail EP; star dies from Lil Inkers; black rhinestones; watercolour panel created with distress inks in Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Salty Ocean, Seedless Preserves

Supplies: unknown stencil; Dreamweaver embossing paste; Nesties label die; Stampin Up sentiment; Versamark & white detail EP; twine & button from stash

Supplies: Clearly Besotted feather stamp & die; sentiment from Reverse Confetti; Distress inks in Peacock Feathers, Pine Needles, Seedless Preserves; Versamark & clear EP; buttons & doily from stash; organza fabric & ribbon melted with heat gun

Close up of the melted organza because OMG look how cool the ribbon turned out!! 

Supplies: Stampendous Grad Chick; Reverse Confetti sentiment; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; Versamark & black detail EP; Squeezed Lemonade distress ink; PTI grunge stamp; yellow Doodlebug crushed velvet flock

Fluffy chicks are a must! I stamped them this way on a whim and I love how it gives the feel of the bird hopping with excitement :) 

xoxo,

Jessi

Hello Little Girl!

I realized that I have mainly boy cards in my baby stash - so I got to work on some baby girl cards! This one just warms my heart. 

Supplies: MME paper; Tattered Rose & Stormy Sky distress inks; stamps from PTI; Hello stamp unknown; Wplus9 banner dies; vellum scrap; Mossy Made button; unknown hearts and dots stencils

I first stenciled the hearts, then decided to overlay them with the dots. The sentiment banner is sponged with Tattered Rose ink and laid overtop of a vellum banner, and the edges of the panel are sponged with Tattered Rose as well. 

Perfect for the Pastel challenge at The Pink Elephant!

xoxo,

Jessi

Sunny Funny Bunny!

Creative Card Crew wants to see your Easter Critters this time around, and The Pink Elephant has a great Eastery inspiration photo. 

Supplies: Bugaboo bunny digi; Pink Cat Studio sentiment; Sizzix embossing folder; scalloped oval Nesties; Li'l Inkers sun & clouds dies; 1.5" circle punch; Spectrum Noir markers; Mowed Lawn & Broken China distress inks

Here's the inspiration photo from The Pink Elephant: 

xoxo,

Jessi

Sweet Valentine Shaker

I'm slowing down on the Valentine's cards but they're so much fun I can't resist still making a few :) This one is using an image from Mo Manning, and it makes me think of my darling Abby dog!

Supplies: digi stamp from Mo Manning; Spectrum Noir markers; Making Memories rub-on 'sweet'; Paper Smooches heart stamp; Picked Raspberry Distress ink; classic small circle Nesties; various sequins & confetti, microbeads as filler for the shaker

She likes to make sure I take regular breaks from crafting - you know, for my health. lol!

I'm entering my card in three challenges:

Just Us Girls - LOVE

The Pink Elephant - Be My Valentine

Virginia's View: Shaker Cards

xoxo,

Jessi

Playing with Inks & Stamps!

I've been having a play with lots of stamping this week - pretty sure I've used at least half of my inks! This one I had zero plan when I started out, and just kept going with it.

Supplies: Stampendous medallion stamp and clear detail EP; Hero Arts sentiment; Unity butterfly; Distress inks in Picked Raspberry & Peacock Feathers; Route 66 Tattered Angels glimmer mist; Tim Holtz design ruler & embroidery supplies; classic small circle Nesties; vellum; Wink of Stella clear glitter pen

I began by inking the medallion with both Distress Inks and then liberally spraying with glimmer mist. After stamping it & letting it dry (and realizing I had accidentally cut off the edge of the image, doh) I decided on this offset layout. I sewed the medallion panel onto the purple cardstock & then stamped the sentiment...which resulted in uneven inking & thus the Wink Of Stella to the rescue to pull the ink around a bit. I stamped the butterfly on the vellum with Picked Raspberry and quickly embossed it, stitched that on, and tada! 

I'm entering this over at STAMPlorations:

And The Pink Elephant - Anything Goes

xoxo,

Jessi

You Octopi My Thoughts!

I'd been wanting to make a Valentine shaker card and this week's challenge at The Pink Elephant gave me a push to get 'er done :)

Supplies: image & sentiment from Zap Pow!; Spectrum Noir markers; home made enamel dots; classic small oval Nesties; Shrinky Dink plastic; various microbeads & confetti bits

This octopus just always has to be purple :)

xoxo,
Jessi

Bluebird Birthday

**Here for my Bugaboo post? Please click here**

**Here from Becca's blog? Please click here**

Thank you so much for visiting - I appreciate each & every one of you!

When I approach a photo inspiration challenge, I make notes on what I'm drawn to in the photo. This week at The Pink Elephant they've got this photo:

My notes were: music notes, burlap, fall bouquet, white weathered wood.

The card that I made was directly inspired by three of those, even though it doesn't bear a large resemblance to the photo.

Supplies: Bluebird sticker from Penny Black; burlap ribbon from Stampin Up; wood veneer paper from MME; Colorbox Frost White pigment ink; white detail EP; gems from Dollarama; tag die from Cuttlebug; sentiment from Annabelle Stamps; Dusty Concord & Broken China distress ink; feather, button,  & fabric from stash

I picked up a few sheets of Penny Black stickers last week, and I love the detail they have (and that they help make a quick card...sometimes. Not this one. lol) The music notes on this one made me think of it for this challenge, and the bird made me think of the Fowl of All Kinds challenge at Open-Minded Crafting Fun - a two-fer! 

To create the 'weathered wood' I went back to my 'didn't buy enough' wood veneer, and swiped it with white ink. I decided to emboss it after  that to avoid smudging (not sure how it would dry on the veneer). It ended up a little more solidly coloured than I intended. The burlap was cut along one side to allow me to fray it a little bit. The blue fabric began as a 6" square, and I frayed the edges & heated it with my heat tool to melt it a little for a more intense colour & texture. I was really happy with how this turned out!

xoxo,

Jessi

Anything Goes at Catch the Bug!

**Here for my Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers post? Please scroll down or click here! Thanks!**

It's the week for Anything Goes at Catch the Bug, and I just had to have a play with this fun image of me in the morning :)

Supplies: Morning Coffee image from Bugaboo Stamps;  sentiment from JJ-coffee to go from Bugaboo Stamps; Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; Doodlebug Crushed Velvet flock in light pink

After colouring myself in, I added Dimensional Magic to the coffee pot & mug. Once it dried, I added the Crushed Velvet flock to her my robe, because my robe is super fluffy :) I had just the right amount of dark pink glitter paper to form one border - I like having the different colours & widths!

The rules are simple: Create an Anything Goes project and post a link to it on Bugaboo Stamps  challenge blog, Catch the Bug,  by 11/7/14 at  6:00 AM EST to be entered a random drawing for three digi prize packs –ten ( 10) (using Bugaboo only) seven (7) or four (4), using any image! 

New projects only no backlinking please!  Limit 3 projects per follower!

You may use any image on your project to win the Seven or Four-image prizes, but if you have Bugaboo images, we would LOVE to see them! :)

If you don't have any Bugaboo images, be sure to check out this weeks Freebie Friday that is posted in the store!

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

The Pink Elephant - Anything Goes

A Creative Romance - Pink!

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Sweet Pea Stampers - Pink!

Thanks so much for coming by! I'll be back tomorrow with a card for Stella Says Sketch - although we're on our way to Halifax for an overnight anniversary trip. 18 years! And the first time in nearly 4 years that we've gone away without the kids. (Good thing my post is prescheduled...the temptation to not come home is going to be pretty strong!)

xoxo,

Jessi

Catch the Bug - I'm so EXCITED!!!

During the Christmas in July challenge at Bugaboo, I was  the lucky second-place winner - which means I get to join the Bugaboo Crew for 3 months as a guest designer! Today's my first day on the blog, celebrating Freebie Friday with this cutie pie: AKV Winter-Sled:

Make sure you check out what the DT and my fellow guest designer Dawn have done with this sweet image, and then head on over to pick it up for your very own! 

Supplies: AKV Winter - Sled image from Bugaboo; Spectrum Noir markers; MME papers; Basic Gray button; Timeless Twine; Bow Easy; classic small circle Nesties; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; googly eyes

It really seemed like the inner tube needed some shine :) I tied the twine bow using the Bow Easy, and then sewed it to the centre of the button to keep it aligned how I wanted it. 

With the bow, this is perfect for the Creative Card Crew challenge - BOWS. The Pink Elephant is also having an Anything Goes challenge this week. 

I'll be back tomorrow morning with my first Bugaboo Saturday challenge card! 

xoxo,

Jessi

I'm Batty for You!

I'm right into the Halloween cards at the moment - and although it's not a big 'card' holiday the images are just too much fun. This digi is one that I have from before I was conscientious about saving artist names with the image - if you recognize it, let me know! 

Supplies: unknown digi image; Spectrum Noir markers; MME papers; PTI sentiment; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; spider brad from Dollarama

The look on her face just cracks me up. I think of Wednesday :) I'd originally left her dress black & white, and Connor said it should be purple - so that ended up influencing my paper choice as well. The edges of the pumpkin paper & the image panel are distressed & rolled. 

This is for the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon - Spooky, Spooky

The Pink Elephant - black & orange plus your choice (I chose purple)

Open-Minded Crafting Fun - Pumpkins & Jack-o-Lanterns (hey, there's both!)

Be right back with another Halloween card!

xoxo,

Jessi

Think Pink!

You already know that Breast Cancer Awareness is important to me - so of course I had to whip up a card for The Pink Elephant's "Think Pink!" challenge this week!

I was lucky enough to win a gift card for the Aurora Wings etsy store a few weeks ago, and this ethereal ballerina image was shouting my name.

Supplies: Ballerina - Star Dancer digi stamp from Aurora Wings; Spectrum Noir markers; Liquid Pearls and yellow glitter fabric paint; pink rhinestones from Dollarama; sentiment from Annabelle Stamps; Picked Raspberry distress ink; scraps of glitter & textured pink card stock

Since I'd printed out the image basically card-size, I attached it to the card front after colouring and then 'artfully tore' some papers to accent it. The Liquid Pearls were dotted on more or less randomly, and I highlighted the illustrated stars with yellow glitter fabric paint. A scatter of hot pink gems to finish it off :)

This is another hubby-don't-like-it card. I loved how it turned out, and when I showed him he said "She looks weird. Her hair shouldn't be the same as the other stuff." WELL. Insert raspberry noise here! 

xoxo,

Jessi

Husbands! AMIRITE?

So, that title. 

I was pretty excited with how this card came out, and I showed it to Rob, who promptly said "What's with the butterfly? It looks like you dug it out of the garbage."

To which I replied, "I'm definitely saying that you said that on my blog!"

Supplies: patterned paper from Pink Paislee; flower stamps & sentiment from Paper Smooches; Peacock Feathers & Spiced Marmalade Distress inks; Studio Calico wooden butterfly; lace from Recollections; Liquid Pearls; Frantage EP in gold & shabby pink; burlap & seam binding from stash; embroidery floss 

The patterned paper has stitched details, and I pierced & stitched along some of those. I also added some random french knots. I used a small piece of double-sided tape to hold the burlap scrap in place, laid the laces over top, and stitched through them all with matching thread.

The garbage butterfly (lol) was first covered in Spiced Marmalade distress ink, and then coated with a layer of 2-way glue. I embossed with the Gold Frantage, and then while still wet sprinkled it with the Shabby Pink & melted that.

Little Red Wagon is hosting a stitching challenge this week, and The Pink Elephant is hosting an Anything Goes challenge, so I'm popping my garbage beauty into those 2 linkies :)

xoxo,

Jessi

Last one for today...I think :)

**Don't forget about the Snarky Stampers/Rubber Dance blog hop!**

OK, I think this is the last card I've got that's for a challenge ending soon. Four posts in a row should be enough for the morning, anyway :) The Pink Elephant has a sketch challenge this week, and after several attempts I managed to make a card for it - several more cards started out and then took other turns than following the sketch :) 

Supplies: stamps from Unity; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; yellow glitter fabric paint; papers from MME; orange lace from Recollections; button from stash

I stitched the lace to the horizontal green panel - it's not going anywhere!

Here's the sketch:

xoxo,

Jessi

Watercolour Play!

I've got something that's a little out of my comfort zone today - but I loved making it! I cut a piece of card stock to size, and then used a paintbrush to create a watercolour background with Glimmer Mists. I've painted with them before but this time I started out with no idea where it was going to go. Once I was happy with the basic look, I dripped some red mist randomly around the paper (you can see where the paper was drier & wetter when I did that, lol)

Supplies: Yellow Daisy, Tiger Lily, Candy Apple Red glimmer mists from Tattered Angels; embossing folder from Cuttlebug; Spiced Marmalade distress ink; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; PTI sentiment; classic small circle Nesties; butterfly die cut from stash; black rhinestones from Dollarama

After the paper dried I embossed it with my favourite folder, and then swiped it lightly with the Spiced Marmalade ink to help the embossing pop. The butterfly die cut was a gift ages ago, in my stash of 'hmmm, what am I going to do with that?' stuff. I absolutely LOVE the shimmer from painting with these mists!

There are two challenges I had in mind while I was working on this:

JUGs - Watercolouring (The Just Us Girls team is also having a DT call!)

The Pink Elephant - Embossing

xoxo,
Jessi

How my house helps me create!

Or sometimes "helps", lol. This is a longish one, so bear with me. First up, how I make enamel dots at home - and then a card.

1. Preheat your oven to 375F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. You can re-use the parchment paper several times if you remember where you put it afterwards!

2. Gather your minions! Connor's on the left, Riley on the right. They actually argue over who gets to help with making these :)

3. Have your minions lay out plastic pony beads on the cookie sheet. You can buy these just about anywhere that sells kids' craft supplies - I got a bag of 1000 from *koff* Wal-Mart for about $8. 

They should be laid out about 1/2 inch apart, but when the minions do it I try not to be toooooo bossy about it. 

4. Put the tray in the oven & set the timer for 20 minutes. My oven normally takes about 30, but I like to check partway in case something goes wrong. 

It will stink. Don't hang out in the kitchen while they're baking. I leave the windows open & a fan going, and the smell dissipates within a half hour, but PU.

As you can see, if they are too close together you'll have some conjoined dots - they don't break apart nicely, so I just leave them like that & have a little collection of odd dots. It doesn't take long for them to cool or set - I normally take the parchment off the cookie sheet to speed up the cooling, and ten minutes later they're ready for step five:

5. (not shown) intervene when the minions fight over who gets to sort them by colour into baggies.

Since I've done it a number of times I may have missed a step thinking it's obvious - let me know if you need any clarification!

I wanted to include a card using enamel dots with this, and I was instantly inspired by the photo at The Pink Elephant this week - and that's where the second part of "helping" comes from.

The culprit:

Maggie, also known as Maggie Mittens, Twinkle Toes, Trouble, Whiner, and a variety of other names. Don't let that innocent sleeping face fool you - she is TROUBLE. I'd made my card, and put it (and others) in the little box I use for finished cards that aren't photographed yet. When I got up Wednesday morning, she'd been on my desk in the night (she's the only one of the three cats who's ever been caught up there) and knocked a bunch of stuff over. She also left footprints on the paper I use as my crafting surface - and somehow got her chubby clumsy butt into that tiny box, leaving smudges on the cards. So lucky for me that I had used a lot of white the day before.... one of the other cats is also a polydactyl, but hers look more like a 'thumb' sticking out than Maggie's. Plus, dirty feet? Definitely Maggie. 

So here's what she did to that card:

Yeah, can't really disguise those smudges. So I made a new one:

Supplies: lanterns stamp from Flourishes; sentiment from Paper Smooches; dots from PTI; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Spectrum Noir markers; Mod Podge Dimensional Magic; Distress inks in Squeezed Lemonade, Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass; home made enamel dots

I really loved the polka dot lantern, so I dug the scraps out of the recycling bin & had enough to piece it. The others are coloured twice, and all the lanterns were rolled around a pencil for dimension before adding them with foam dots. Then they're coated with Mod Podge Dimensional Magic for gloss. 

As I said twelve paragraphs ago, this was inspired directly by the photo at the Pink Elephant! The lanterns, colours, and neutral background :)

xoxo,
Jessi

Happy Father's Day!

I've got one last Father's Day card that you won't see until Tuesday - it's a DT card that my brain farted on when it would be posting live ;) I have two for you today, though! The first one is for the Anything Goes challenge at Paper Smooches SPARKS:

Supplies: Paper Smooches Beboppin' stamps; Memento Tuxedo Black & London Fog ink; Versamark; clear detail EP; Distress inks in Barn Door and Mustard Seed; Doodlebug letter stickers

The Anything Goes challenge runs until next Saturday.

My second card is for two challenges: Doodle Pantry, where the theme is Make it Manly; and The Pink Elephant, which is specifically calling for Father's Day. 

Supplies: pre-coloured digi from Got Tractor? at Doodle Pantry; classic small oval Nesties; sentiment from Studio G; Vintage Photo distress ink; papers from Simple Stories; unknown woodgrain washi

The lopped-off edge of the oval wasn't my intention, but when it was done? I liked it, so I went with it. I think this layout would make a good sketch :)

Father's Day was a tough one for me for years - despite years of effort my father & I are estranged, and although I'm not happy about that, I've finally made peace with the fact that I have made every effort possible. You cannot change how someone else behaves, you can only control your own reaction to it. I feel sad that my kids do not have a grandfather in their lives, but I can't force that to happen. 

It's only taken me oh, 15 years or so, but finally I think I've managed to transfer most of my feelings about Father's Day to gratitude that my husband is a wonderful father that I am lucky to have as a coparent. He is an incredibly supportive dad, always there for the boys - and always there for me. I shared this picture on Facebook this morning - we really need to take another with all four of us, since this is from 2012 and the boys are both taller than I am now. Plus Rob's beard is much uh, manlier, and my tattoo is completely different. 

l-r: Connor, Rob, Riley, me :) 

xoxo,

Jessi