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

Flashback Friday 19.0 - CAS

Clean and simple? Hmm, not really my forte. I had to dig around, and found 2 from my first few months of blogging, complete with scanned/washed out pictures. Here's the very first one, from October 2010:

Original post here, with supplies

Besides wanting to go back & learn how to use my camera ages before I actually did, I think I might still be happy with this card. I do sort of want to reach in and ink the edges of the embossed panel & tag, though :)

Anyhow, if you'd like to play along over at Flashback Friday, poke around through your blog & find your first posted CAS card & link up by January 27. Have fun!

xoxo,
Jessi

Guest Designer at Playing in Paradise!

I was lucky enough to be the winner at Playing in Paradise Challenge #46, using buttons, with these entries.  And guess what? When I was about to start making my card for today's challenge, Tall & Skinny, the postman knocked on the door & there was my prize package: the Happy Day Collection Kit from Memory Works!

Click to go check out the challenge!

I already had a vague idea of what I wanted to make - a tall and skinny card, with vertical elements to emphasize the "tall and skinny." The kit was perfect! Check it out:

Supplies: papers and sticker elements from  Memory Works;
'because I love you' stamp from Studio G;
buttons from Basic Grey

The card base measures 8.5" by 4." The bottom layer of striped paper is Celebrate, the ledger paper printed with months is from Title Strip, and the numbers from Birthday Memories.  The polka dotted numbers and alphabet stickers are from Expressions Cardstock Stickers. I've linked to all those products separately, but of course they're available in the Happy Day Collection Kit as well. 

So how did I make my card? The element pieces were cut out of the large sheets, and I tore the numbers piece carefully along one edge. The months piece has a scalloped edge, which I fussy-cut, and then punched out holes in each scallop with a 1/8" punch. I pulled out my handy-dandy bag of embroidery floss bobbins, picked some matchy colours out, and made little tassels. 

The sentiment panel uses another bit of the ledger design. I used Martha Stewart markers to ink up the letters in different colours, huffed, then stamped. Then I took out my Basic Grey buttons and used all the clear-ish ones that I generally find hard to use. They just don't show up well on darker patterned paper, but they were perfect for this ledger design. I stitched the buttons on with alternate 'finishes' - tying some on top, and others sewn straight onto the paper. 

After sewing the buttons on I adhered the whole panel with foam tape. The number stickers are stuck directly to the paper, and the letters spelling out "all days, always" used a double layer of foam tape. This card is for a dear friend of mine, and I loved all two hours I spent fiddling with it. Good thing I plan to hand-deliver it, because it also weighs about 3 ounces :)

So, head on over to the Scrapbooker's Paradise blog to link up YOUR card for challenge #48. Thanks so much to Pam and all the other talented design team members for having me as a guest - it was such a blast!

xoxo,

Jessi

ETA: I've fixed the link to go directly to the #48 challenge post - for some reason it's not showing up in the general challenge link I'd posted before. Sorry about that!

Keep Looking Up! Barbles Challenge #2

Guess what? Barb is hosting another challenge, Keep Looking Up! She's given us five photos to use as inspiration points, and the challenge runs until January 31st. I am ALL OVER THIS. I love each & every photo, and Barb took them herself. (She's talented, guys...) For my first challenge card I used this photo as my inspiration:

And here's my card:

Supplies: teal paper from Basic Grey "Sweet Threads;"
doily patterned paper from My Mind's Eye "Paris & Co;"
trees stamp from Stampin' Up!; sentiment from Studio G;
Memento London Fog ink;
sky inking done with Milled Lavender, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold,
and Spun Sugar distress inks, and Frost White Colorbox pigment ink;
the sun was done with the white ink & then a very light layer of Mustard seed.

I knew as soon as I saw the photograph that I wanted to use the group of trees, and ink up my own version of a winter sunrise. It was fun & messy, especially once I got into the pigment ink...

So, check out the challenge, see what catches your eye, and make some cards! You have all of January to hop to it, and look at all the gorgeousness you can be inspired by:

xoxo,

Jessi

My first Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge!

I was so super lucky to win my first Paper Smooches stamp set from sweetie pie Barb at kinsale creations in December as part of her first Barbles challenge (ahem, check my sidebar for the link to her second challenge...awesomeness!) I've coveted PS stamps for a while, and this particular set, Hope, is one I wanted for a very specific reason. A close friend has been diagnosed with cancer, and the prognosis is not good. You can't give someone in that situation a get well card. This set is perfect.

When I saw the inspiration photo for this SPARKS challenge I immediately had an idea for my card, and I ended up making two versions. Here's the photo:

I love the rainbow colours, the text, the inspiring messages, and the white space. I find white space very challenging to incorporate into my cards - patterned paper and I are thisclose and I don't like to leave it out too often ;)

Supplies: Hope from Paper Smooches;
twine from Emily at Art from the Heart (who made me covet PS stamps sooo badly!);
brads from Basic Grey;
inks for "hope" (from top to bottom): Taken with Teal (SU!); Broken China Distress ink, Citrus Adirondack,
Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold, & Fired Brick distress inks;
Ribbon stamped in Versamark, and sentiment stamped in Memento London Fog

Supplies: Hope from Paper Smooches;
rainbow coloured rhinestones;
Memento London Fog ink for sentiment & border words (faith hope love);
Inks used for "hope" from top to bottom: Taken with Teal (SU!); Broken China Distress ink,
Citrus Adirondack, Mustard Seed, Dried Marigold, & Fired Brick distress inks;
ribbons stamped in Versamark

For my second card I wanted to include the distressed effect of the text in the inspiration picture, and so I stamped off once after inking each colour.

This SPARKS challenge runs until January 11, so go check out all the awesome entries already there & then make something of your own :) 

xoxo,

Jessi

Thank goodness, December!

*link up your 2011 favourites at Ingenious Inkling until January 10th*

Original post here, with supplies

I was determined to not pick a Christmas card as December's favourite. I haven't gotten my Christmas craft supplies put away yet, but I'll have to this week so that I can make room for Valentine bits & pieces!

I was still catching up with Sookie Stackhouse for much of December, but there were a few other books that crept in:

 Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston Once you get past the eerie "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" aspect, it actually becomes a fun read. IF you can get past that.

 Angelina's Bachelors by Brian O'Reilly This definitely made me hungry while reading it, but it's a quick and light read that I picked up & finished on Boxing Day. 

(In case you're interested, the total number of books that I read in 2011 was 211.) 

Thanks for checking out my favourites :)

xoxo,

Jessi

November...getting closer, thank goodness!

Original post here, with supplies

Oh yeah, I definitely love this card. Texture, sewing, fun stuff!

Don't forget to link up at Ingenious Inkling! You have until January 10th.

November & December's reading was incredibly un-diverse. That's because I started reading the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, and I had to read them all. Immediately. 

 The Sookie Stackhouse books, or Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris

I'm still on the wait list for the third season of True Blood at the library...and I can't wait! 

  Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress. Funny. The concept is funny, the execution is hilarious, and I actually found myself gasping and laughing out loud while reading.

xoxo,

Jessi