Festive Friday Challenge #43 Ocotber 25 - Nov 5, 2014

Hello Friends,
Are you ready for the most wonderful time of the year?  I am trying to get ready hence I joined in the Festive Friday Challenge #43 today!  Here is the wonderful inspiration graphic:

 

I was inspired by the deep red and dark grey tones in the photo as well as the pops of white.

I used a new stamp and die set from Paper Sweeties called "Trim the Tree".  This tree actually stamps and die cuts all in one piece but from the first moment I saw this set I knew that I would be cutting the sections apart to make some cute "wonky" Christmas trees.  I actually made 3 cards today but will share the other two later on. 

I selectively inked the sentiment so that the word "wonderful" could be in red!  I love it!!!


Thanks for taking a look at my card!  So nice to be adding to my Christmas card stash!
Christmas Crafting is my FAVORITE!  Did I just sound like Will Ferrell in ELF or what?!  LOL!  Anyone ready for some spaghetti with maple syrup?
Hugs,
Jill

Make the Season Bright Stamp Set - Paper Sweeties

Trim the Tree Sweet Cuts Dies

Trim the Tree Stamp Set

Trim the Tree Bundle - stamps and dies

Paper Sweeties 2nd Birthday Designer Blog Hop!

Hello Friends,
Today I am excited to be a part of the Paper Sweeties 2nd Birthday Designer Blog Hop!  Paper Sweeties (and its lovely and talented owner and creator Debbie Marcinkiewicz) is celebrating its 2nd year in business - Hooray!

You should have arrived here from the lovely Miriam Prantner's blog.  If not you may wish to start at the very beginning of the blog hop at the Paper Sweeties Blog so that you don't miss any of the wonderful inspiration!

I just love playing with Debbie's sweet stamps, dies, and other yummy supplies when I have time to create in my craft room.  For our inspiration we are using the Paper Sweeties Inspiration #22 challenge for August 2014 with the theme of "Let's Celebrate!"  Here is the lovely graphic:

I created a tag and two cards using this wonderful inspiration.  I used Paper Sweeties  "Sending Sweet Thoughts" stamp set and the matching  Sweet Cuts dies.  I also used a Happy Birthday stamp from a lovely sentiment stamp set called "Occasions".

I started off by creating this fun Happy Birthday tag.  I cut the sweet cuts cupcake dies from various colors of felt to match the inspiration graphic.  And added some lovely gingham ribbon so that I can hang it from a gift bag or use it as a gift tag.

 On this card I embossed some vellum and then used my Copic markers to color the back side of the vellum using the inspiration colors.  A sweet cupcake and sentiment complete this card.

This last one is a long card with a sentiment "Sending Sweet Thoughts" placed on banners sticking out of the cupcake's frosting.
 

I hope you will join in the August 2014 Challenge to help us celebrate Paper Sweeties 2nd Birthday! 

Enjoy hopping along to see all of the wonderful inspiration prepared by everyone!  I cannot wait to go take a look myself!  The next stop on the hop is the wonderful Gail Lass.  If you get lost along the way you can refer back to the Paper Sweeties Blog.

Happy Birthday Paper Sweeties!  WE LOVE YOU DEBBIE!!!!

:) Jill

Welcome to the neighborhood....Paper Sweeties July Inspiratio Challenge #21....

Hello Friends,
So nice to have you visiting my blog today.  I am here with a very quick post...I made a card on this lovely Sunday for the Paper Sweeties July Inspiration Challenge #21.

Here is what I came up with....

A card to welcome a new neighbor using a sweet stamp set called Home Sweet Home from Paper Sweeties.  I kept this one really simple just adding some light copic coloring to the house including a very pale yellow for some light in the windows!  And then just a sweet twine bow to finish it off.

My niece Lauren was in town this weekend and took Tim to a Steam-Punk themed Live Action Role Playing Event (LARPing) at a local area park.   They made costumes together on Friday and then went to the event on Saturday!  They had a WONDERFUL time together and while they were gone I was able to have a lovely visit with my sweet sister Beth who was up from her home out of state. So blessed to have such sweet family members! 

Thanks for visiting me here on my blog!
Hugs,
Jill

Sending Springtime Hugs....The Shabby Tea Room - week #209

Good Monday Morning to you friends!
I am here today with my design team post for The Shabby Tea Room - week #209.  This week's host is Aneta with the theme of "Spring is Near" and this lovely inspiration photo:

Aneta asks that you create a card or project inspired by the photo and INCLUDE BABY BLUE, BIRDS AND SPRING FLOWERS.  

Here is my card:

  The "baby blue" and "flower" elements are obvious but I thought I would add a detail shot to show the "birds" which are from an embossing folder.  I embossed a piece of vellum with the birds and butterflies folder and then added some color with some aqua blue ink on the birds and some kraft ink around the edge of the vellum. 

 The sweet wheelbarrow is a digital cut file from our sponsor this week:  - The Cutting Cafe!  
I used the pdf version and hand cut the wheelbarrow for my card.   I love how sweet it looks filled with flowers!  The sentiment on my card is from a Paper Sweeties stamp set called:  Sending Springtime.

The Cutting Cafe is your one stop shop for affordable cutting files and printable stamps. They offer a huge selection of products for just about any occasion. 

Thanks for taking a look at my project for this week. I hope you will hop on over to The Shabby Tea Room to see all of the inspiration for this week's challenge and to hopefully join in the fun!
 Have a great week everyone!
:) Jill

Showering my sister Beth with love...Week #207 at The Shabby Tea Room:

Hello Friends,
Happy Monday everyone!  I am here with two cards created for The Shabby Tea Room - week #207.  This week Tina is our creative host and she has chosen the theme of 'Wishy Washi' along with this beautiful photo for inspiration!   Tina asks that you create a card or project inspired by the photo and INCLUDE WASHI TAPE!

I was inspired by the cream, greens, and pinks at the bottom of the photo.  Are you wondering where I used my washi tape on my designs above.  Here is a process photo:

 I layered strips of Washi tape onto white cardstock and then die-cut my mats with the taped pieces.  I love that putti colored polka dotted one!  So sweet! 

 Both of these cards were given to my sweet younger sister Beth at her bridal shower this past weekend.  She loves nature and earth tones as well as the color green.  I tried to incorporate her colors into the cards.

This week our sponsor is:   Digital Papers by Janet Etsy!     I used a digital file from our sponsor called "Flower Strips".  I cut the strips from two sheets and layered three of the designs onto some copy weight paper with glue.  I then diecut my large mat and saved the outside or negative piece to create the second card:

 I was having a very difficult time getting my photos to show true colors outside as it was a very dark and overcast day when I took these here in Seattle.  Here are some indoor shots under artificial lighting:

I am not sure which photos are better but I thought I would share both.  The cards definitely look better in real life - as usual!  This card is kraft cardstock with a layer of embossed vellum over the top.  The "wedding couple" stamps I used are from two sets at Paper Sweeties:  Live, Laugh, Love and Wedding Day.  The sentiment "Celebrating You Today" is from a PTI set.  I was trying to find a Wedding Shower" sentiment but do not think I have one in my stash so I had to get creative!

Thanks so much for taking a look at my cards!  I hope you will hop over to The Shabby Tea Room to look at all of the projects from the design team and our guests!  We would love to have you join us in the Tea Room this week! 

:) Jill

Make it Monday #150 - Window Screen Cards...

Hello Everyone,
Do you ever fall in love with a card at first sight and HAVE TO CASE IT!!!! ?

Well I fell in love with this week's Make it Monday video and the cards that Melissa Phillips made and I just had to try CASEing them...

I used stamps from Papertrey Ink and Paper Sweeties as some of the products Melissa used I do not have in my crafty stash at this time.

Here are my cards:

The tiny feathers sticking out as leaves behind my flower are from a Cheery Lynn Designs Feather die set that comes with a tiny ink well!  Thought they worked great here!  The floral paper is from Iralamija's shop on ETSY. 

And a couple details shots:
I added glossy accents and glitter to the "screen" on this card because of a glue mistake but I love how it looks:

 On these two I turned the "screen" portion in the opposite direction so I could bring the focus on the diamonds in the center of the heart:

Melissa thanks for inspiring me!  I have a ton more ideas buzzing in my head but I already stole all the time I can this morning and am off to some appointments with my son...

Thanks for taking a look!  I cannot wait to go and look at everyone's cards for this MIM!
Hugs,
Jill

The Shabby Tea Room - Week#200 "So romantic"

I am so excited to be guest designing for The Shabby Tea Room for the month of January 2014.  What a lovely way to start the New Year!  Thanks Debbie for inviting me!

The theme for week #200 starting on Monday January 6, 2014 is "So Romantic".  Here is the inspiration photo:

We were asked to create a card/project inspired by the photo using roses.  Isn't this a gorgeous picture?  I love the roses, velvet ribbon, and pocket watch as well as the different papers and decorated tin can at the top of the photo.  So much to be inspired by.

January, February, and March in our family includes the birthdays of all 5 of us girls plus one of my nieces too.  With all of those birthdays to prepare for I decided to work on a birthday ensemble since I need to create several in the next few weeks for gift giving!  Here is what I came up with:

 I created a large Medallion using a Brenda Walton Sissix die as well as a card and tag. 

 The card uses two sets from Paper Sweeties.  The sentiment is from the stamp set called "Occasions".  While the polka dot frame label is from a set call "Beautiful".  The die cuts for the card itself are from Cheery Lynn Designs.

 Here is a close up of the medallion.  It is so much prettier in person! 

 Here is the little tag with a sweet little rose covered cottage.  This die is from Impression Obsession and I love using it for house-warming gifts or really any occasion!

I thought I would take a photo of the medallion hanging on the handle of a gift bag outside too to see if the light was better.  I love how easy it is to dress up a plain gift bag with one of these.  

Thanks for visiting my blog.  I hope you will check out all of the beautiful projects from the design team in the tea room this week and hopefully come and play along with us.

: ) Jill

"Sweet Summertime" at the Shabby Tea Room....

Hello Friends,
I am very excited to share with you that Debbie has asked me to be a month long guest designer over at "The Shabby Tea Room" for September 2013!  This week's theme is "Sweet Summertime" and here is the beautiful inspiration photo:

The Shabby Tea Room:  Week #182

Paper Sweeties is the sponsor this week so I thought it was only fitting to make my cards using my sweet Abigail stamp set!  And since I have several very special young ladies celebrating birthdays this month I went with birthday sentiments on my cards.  The first card pulls more of the pinks and aquas from the inspiration photo with just a hint of purple in it.  Here is a photo and a close-up:

And the second card has more of the purple and pinks with just a hint of aqua on her dress which I added to the design paper with a copic marker:

I hope you join in the fun at the Shabby Tea Room!  I am so excited to be the guest designer for the month of September!  Thanks Debbie!
:) Jill

Paper Sweeties stamp sets used in my cards:

$10

Abigail is a sweet little girl with shoulder-length hair, dressed in a pretty camisole and bloomers!

SKU: PS-A. Categories: All Products, Sweeties.

   

Related Products

- See more at: http://www.papersweeties.com/shop/all-products/abigail/#sthash.G461123B.dpuf

$10

Abigail is a sweet little girl with shoulder-length hair, dressed in a pretty camisole and bloomers!

SKU: PS-A. Categories: All Products, Sweeties.

   

Related Products

- See more at: http://www.papersweeties.com/shop/all-products/abigail/#sthash.G461123B.dpuf