August 2012 Blog Hop - Papertrey Ink

Last night I made a card for the August 2012 Blog Hop over at Nichole Heady's Blog for Papertrey Ink.  You can see the blog hop post and everyone's incredible projects: HERE

Here are the inspiration photos:

 

Photo credits on Nichole Heady's blog - see link above

I love all these textiles! Autumn is such a beautiful season and I am always ready for the cooler temperatures and the sweaters, scarfs, tweeds and woolens that come with it. I decided to go with a fairly clean and simple card this time especially when my order arrived from Papertrey this afternoon with my new herringbone background set and impression plate to play with.

Here is my card:

First I used the new herringbone impression plate to emboss my smokey shadow cardstock. 

Then I used rustic cream cardstock and smokey shadow ink to create my herringbone panel after creating a 1.75 inch circle mask and having it hang partway off of the piece I was background stamping. 

I then added a strip of houndstooth patterned paper cut with the pinking die and inked with some wild honey distress ink to darken it to this lovely color. 

Next I created a frame for the masked circle with a limiltess layer 1.75 inch circle die out of smokey shadow cardstock and stamped my sentiment which is from the "We Go Together" stamp set. 

To embellish the card I picked 3 buttons from my stash to pick up on the grey and gold tones of the card and create some visual triangles as well as try to follow the rules of three. 

I love the sentiment on this card as I could use it for a variety of things....I left the inside blank - see picture below....but could even add a birthday sentiment and give it to my brother for his upcoming day...I love the masculine feel of this card!

Thanks for taking a look at my card!  I would love to know what you think of it!  I cannot wait to hop around and see what everyone creates today!  Happy crafting and hopping!

: )   Jill

A Get Well card for my sweet Mother....

Hello All,
Sorry I haven't been posting as much or visiting as many blogs lately.  It is summer and the sun has finally come to Seattle (most days at least) and my son is out of school which means lots of good Mommy and son time.

My sweet Mother also had to have surgery yesterday and we learned (most joyfully!) that the tumors removed were benign - or NOT cancer!  This is a HUGE relief!!!!  I have been trying hard not to worry (and to pray more instead) since I learned that she needed the surgery but in light of having just lost my sweet Stuart to cancer almost 5 months ago now not worrying doesn't come as easily anymore.  I am so blessed by my family and my mother, the mother of 7 children, is the most beautiful woman I know!!!!  She has always been my rock but these past two years while Stuart was fighting brain cancer she was by my side the whole way, along with my sisters and brothers and my Dad, and I just cannot imagine a world without her in it. 

I made a card for my Mom to take to her today.  I used challenge #36 with the theme of Silver and/or Gold over at the Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge Blog: HERE.  

Here are some pictures of my card:

The sentiment says:  "A Mother's love is richer than silver and gold" and is one I just wrote and printed out on my computer to go with the "silver and/or gold" challenge theme. 

 I used some Maya Road chipboard pieces with crackle paint and silver glitter glue to make the angel wings and dress form sparkle.  I wrapped the dress form in silver gray satin ribbon to make it look like one of those layered dresses that are so popular right now.

I used various cheery lynn dies - a border die and corner die as well as the scalloped square dies to line the inside of my card (for writing).  I did not take a picture of the inside though - whoops!  The cardstock is silver pearl cardstock from Paper Zone and is so beautiful. 

The background paper is from My Mind's Eye and had that lovely gold glittered Damask pattern already on it!  I also used a gold paint pen to make a border around the piece of patterned paper to help frame the card.  The photo doesn't show the glimmer in it as well as it does in person. 

Thanks for taking a look and leaving me some love!  I enjoy reading everyone's comments and cannot wait to visit other people's blogs to see what everyone does with this challenge.  Thanks Cheery Lynn for hosting!

Happy Crafting everyone!  And Heal Super Fast MOM!!!

: ) Jill

A card for the MFT sketch challenge: MFTWSC74

Hello,
Here is my card for this weeks MFTStamps sketch challenge.  You can find the information for this challenge:  HERE.

This week's sketch looks like this:

Here is my card:

I made this card for a dear friend of mine that has been so sweet and supportive over the past 2 years while my husband was ill with brain cancer.  Now I just need to make about 50 more to thank all of the amazing people that have helped our family through my husband's illness and passing.   My son and I are so blessed because we are surrounded by love, prayers, and amazing support.  I also appreciate all of the friendships and cyber hugs and prayers of support that we have received on line.  You are all such wonderful people!  Creating is such a balm to my soul and to hear your sweet comments and support means so much!  So thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Happy Crafting!

:)  Jill