Little Red Wagon & Shopping our Stash

Hasn't this been a week? I must say most things about it have made me glad it's over, but I did get a couple of awesome shout-outs this week (and I'm all happy-flappy about it too...such a kid!)

Featured Itty Bitty Little Yellow Polka Dot Bikini at Little Red Wagon for this card
Saturday Shout-Out at Shopping our Stash for this card

And guess what? Today I have entries for both of their current challenges all photographed & ready to go. At Shopping our Stash, challenge #35 is Across the Border - use a border punch or create a border detail. In my case, I used some long-neglected Doodlebug border die-cuts, as well as an ancient carousel from Jolee's that I've been hoarding for too long to remember. I think we lived in this house already?

Supplies: striped paper from Basic Grey "Life of the Party;"
kraft paper from stash;
border strips (wavy red) from Doodlebug;
carousel from Jolee's

This week at Little Red Wagon, challenge #115 is to use two different ribbons on your card - and guess what I did? I learned how to use my Bow-Easy, almost a year after buying it. Emily sent me the link to an awesome picture tutorial that finally allowed me to see where I'd been going wrong on my previous tries. The tutorial is by Mylene Hillam, and is located here.

Supplies: papers all from Echo Park "For the Record;"
Tonic edge distresser; ribbons from Offray;
Labels 4 Nesties;
stamp from Studio G, Versamark, Fired Brick distress ink & clear EP

xoxo,
Jessi

For a Friend

I guess first I can start with our recent drama - besides the stomach flu claiming a second victim (Rob) - Connor's school and several others went through a lockdown on Tuesday. Someone reported seeing a male with a weapon walking near the regional high school, and as a precaution the closest schools went to Code Blue. In case you're unfamiliar with the process, a Code Blue requires that all doors (building and classroom) be locked, students must sit on the floor away from doors and windows, classroom windows are covered, and communication is limited. Generally a Code Blue drill lasts 20 minutes. Tuesday's Code Blue lasted 4 hours, and for the first 3 students were unable to use bathrooms, eat, or drink. All male students were searched. Metal detectors were used. And, to the terror of many kids, they were told that they were being searched because there was a man with a gun.

For a child with autism and anxiety issues, the obsessive side takes over - Connor has been calming himself by scripting (CONSTANTLY) and asking the same questions repeatedly. Don't get me wrong - I absolutely appreciate the work of the police & the school staff in keeping the kids safe. It's just difficult to explain things in a way that gets through the fear, and the fear is lasting much longer than I thought it would. In the days since, the police have stated that the report was never confirmed, and that searches were performed as a precaution. That's been some comfort for Connor, but being afraid for so many hours - and being searched! - will have an impact on a lot of kids, not just mine.

And now for something completely different: 

three pounds of yarn

approximately 42 hours

27, 641 stitches

Every single stitch infused with love for my friend.
xoxo,
Jessi

Playing in Paradise #49: Tic Tac Toe

It's much later than I thought & I have to run to get Riley, but I have just enough time to post my card for Playing in Paradise #49, which is a tic-tac-toe challenge - pick any row of three:

I chose the centre vertical row: bling, die-cut, and kraft, and used some of my awesome prize package from PIP Challenge #46 :)

Supplies: paper & stickers from Memory Works;
banner die from MFT;
Sakura Stardust pen; bling from $store coloured with brown Sharpie

glitter on the banner tips!

Once I got as far as stitching the banners on (I snip a little between each banner piece to allow it to bend easier) I didn't really want to add bling, and then I didn't have any in the right colour, but Sharpies to the rescue! 

You have until noon Thursday (January 19) to play along & link up - I'm hoping to make another card incorporating text if I get the chance. The last few days have been wild, and hopefully I'll be back later this afternoon to catch you up :)

xoxo,

Jessi

More Barbles goodness, and my first CREATE challenge!

I've finally added a label for the Barbles posts, because it seems to me there are going to be enough posts to group them together! Now to go through & tag the rest of the posts :)

GO DO IT. You know you wanna!

For this card I was inspired partly by the colours, and partly by the diagonal layout I saw within the photograph:

rose-colored glasses

And, for my first time, I've managed to create something for the CREATE challenge before the deadline. Rolled paper? I'm ALL OVER rolled paper! Here's my card:

Supplies: paper from Basic Grey "Lemonade;"
flowers quilled by me;
white sparkle die-cuts from K & Co;
rhinestone swirls & individual gems from $ store

and pretty much the same picture, but without the envelope.

And a second card, this time just for the rolled paper challenge at CREATE:

Supplies: papers from Basic Grey "Sweet Threads;"
Marvy vase punch;
Martha Stewart banner & leaf frond punch;
sentiment from MFT; stamped with Palette Noir & black EP;
heart doily from Royal;
pearls from $store

xoxo,

Jessi

YCU #5 - CAS? Yikes!

You know that CAS is not my go-to style, right? It's haaaaaaard. (you must read that in your head as a super whiny teenage voice.)

Link to the challenge post here

But I wanted to participate in the latest Young Crafters Unite challenge, so I persevered. This is the card that earlier in the week I said had taken me 3 days and I wasn't happy with it. Final count was four days.

Supplies: paper from DCWV "Mariposa Mat Stack;"
tulips stamp from PSX; London Fog Memento ink;
sentiment stamp from Inkadinkado;
coloured with Prismacolor pencils & Dove blender

Still not too happy with it - I had a hard time shading the purple pencils, and the London Fog ink was too light for the main image. Whatever. It's a simple, single-layer card that took me more time than some of the most complicated quilling designs I've done. Go figure.

xoxo,

Jessi

Barbles Challenge #2 and Little Red Wagon #115...

I had an idea in mind for this photo from Barbles Challenge #2:

and when I read that little red wagon's challenge this go-round was 'itty bitty yellow polka dot bikini'  the whole card idea came together.

Supplies: yellow MFP cardstock from JJ;
two dot folders from Cuttlebug;
shimmer quilling paper;
envelope: Wordsworth stamp & Mustard Seed distress ink

I find the shimmer quilling paper hard to work with - my usual glue doesn't seem to hold the coils as well, but I knew I wanted to use it because of the shimmer in Barb's picture. Each coil was rolled, shaped, and glued, and then I used coins to hold each coil while it dried. Luckily the edges of the paper aren't coated with the same shimmer material, so gluing the finished coils was not a problem. There were definitely some interesting words used during the initial phases of this project, though.

Go join in Barb's second Barbles challenge!
You have until January 31st to link up

So that's 3 of Barb's fabulous photos I've used as inspiration so far...two of them I've actually made more than one card. Still have to upload/edit those...and get my ideas for the other two down on paper. I am soooo loving this challenge :)

xoxo,

Jessi 

Shopping our Stash #34 - All that Glitters, Sparkles, or Shines!

..these are a few of my favourite things...but not to photograph. So please excuse the glare on the first photo!

Supplies: green paper from Basic Grey "Lauderdale;"
mermaid sticker from PSX;
clear & blue glitter glue from Studio G;
pearls & rhinestones from $ store

seashell sticker on the envelope is also from PSX

Shopping our Stash wants you to use either a Dilly Beans Stamps image or anything with shine, sparkle, shimmer, glitter, sparkle...etc...in this week's dive into your stash. Link up your creation by Tuesday January 17! For me, the items I pulled out of my stash were the gorgeous stickers from PSX (sniff) that I've been hoarding and doling out slowly over the last 4-5 years, and the yellow & green rhinestones.

So here goes the first of a few challenge posts from me today...Riley had the stomach flu Thursday night (horrors) and I spent the next couple of days sleeping. I'm hoping that was my body's way of fighting it off - but I know from experience that we have a full week of wondering whether anyone else is going to catch it. Lysol & sanitizer are currently my very best friends.

xoxo,
Jessi

Together we can do ANYTHING!

I wasn't actually planning to blog today, but then I saw this post over at little lovelies, which linked to this post at The Scrap Shoppe about noreply-blogger comments... which is something that's been cropping up for me lately. Usually after I've typed out my response to a comment....and then realize that I can't send it! So have a quick peek and see if you're set up to be 'noreply' - that is, assuming of course that you haven't chosen that on purpose!

And now, for something pretty to look at:

Supplies: papers from Basic Grey "Out of Print;"
clip art & sentiment from Crafty Secrets;
pink pearls from dollar store

This was from months ago, and was lost in the crazy warren of photo folders on the computer. The strips of patterned paper were cut from a striped piece, and then cut to different lengths to stagger them. They're also only adhered in the centre, so that they could be curled up a little at each end for dimension. 

Now to get back to the card that has been driving me crazy for 3 days...I keep putting it aside & then taking it back out again. We'll see if I give up on it :)

xoxo,

Jessi

A Smattering of Thank You Cards

I have quite a stash of cards that I didn't blog before Christmas, since of course I was busy blogging Christmas cards...so today I'll share the thank you cards!

Supplies: papers from DCWV "Citronella;"
'thank you' sticker from SRM;
deer, hedgehog, skunk, and tree from Walmart kit;
Cotton Ball fun flock from Stampendous;
sun's face from Market Street Stamps;
Memento London Fog ink

The grass/ground was made by cutting out the 'lime' pieces from a citrus patterned piece of paper and layering them. The extra clouds were cut out of another part of the patterned paper & popped up on foam tape.

Supplies: rainbow paper (made here);
Martha Stewart butterfly punch;
sentiment sticker from SRM;
rhinestone swirls from dollar store

 This was just plain FUN to do - I used my trusty "Zip Dry" glue to get the butterflies to stick where I'd folded them along the 'body' for dimension. The rainbow paper bled through to the other side, so no pesky white paper core showing through either. Score!

Supplies: papers and flower stamps from Basic Grey;
Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Mustard Seed distress inks;
Memento London Fog ink; 'thank you' stamp from Inkadinkado;

Supplies: papers from Kaisercraft "Chapter One;"
stamps from Pink Cat Studio;
Cotton Ball fun flock from Stampendous;
buttons from Basic Grey & stash;
standard circle Nesties; tumbled glass distress ink for sponging

Supplies: papers from Basic Grey;
sentiment sticker from SRM;
tulip stamp from PSX;
Palette Noir ink; coloured with Prismacolor pencils & Dove blender

Supplies: papers from MME;
buttons from Basic Grey;
letter stickers from K & Co

I have a whole page of challenge ideas written down in front of me, and hopefully I'll get some time at my desk today where I do something other than stare blankly at the space in front of me...

xoxo,

Jessi

Barbles Challenge #2 - Rose-Colored Glasses

If you haven't already, go over to check out Barbles' Challenge #2 - there are 5 fabulous photos to draw your inspiration from, and I have ideas for all of them. Yay :) There is definitely a post-Christmas slump going on for me in terms of cardmaking, and Valentine's Day is just not doing it for me so far.

rose-colored glasses...my inspiration for today's card

So, for this photo I was inspired by the colour, and the sparkle of the wine charm and glasses. Here's my card:

Supplies: glitter papers from Colorbok;
chipboard (cupcake & banner) from Martha Stewart;
lacey circle Nesties; loads of foam tape

Yep. Pink. Lots of pink, lots of sparkles :)

You have until January 31st to join in, so there's lots of time...do it!

xoxo,

Jessi