Cloud 9: November Blog Hop

Hello Friends,
Today is the day of the Cloud 9 Blog Hop for November 2012!  Yeah! 
Here is the yummy inspiration photo:



I had a ton of ideas bouncing around in my head after seeing this photo.  I was inspired by the windows and the trees inside and I got the idea of creating a card where the person would be viewing the Christmas Tree through a window.  Each year at Christmas time we always place our tree in the main living room window so that the neighbors can see it each evening when I turn the lights on. 
The idea of seeing the Christmas Tree through the window was the inspiration for this card:

I used some clear acetate to back the opening I made with the largest pinking squares stacklets die from WPlus9..  After looking at the beginning stages of my card I decided I needed a "window frame" in a creamy paper to offset or balance all of the red.  Since I had already used the largest stacklet die from WPlus9 I had to improvise and pulled out my Spellbinders pinking squares dies to create one. 

I then stamped and hand cut the tree (I don't have the die yet as it is sold out) and then stamped and hand-cut a second heart and popped it up with some foam tape. I layered it onto the largest WPlus9 stacklet die cut from some Crafty Secrets CD#3 red music paper I printed at home.  (Love this as I never run out of it!).

I used the Folk Art Flurries stamps to add some kraft ink snowflakes to the card front and then placed the beautiful sentiment from Pretty Patches Tree and colored in some of the letters with a copic marker. A Magnolia border strip of green cardstock was added along with a 1/8" border of May Arts velvet ribbon.

A little bit of diamond stickles on the faux "window sill" finishes the card!  You know me I have to have a little glitter on all my Holiday cards!

Thanks for taking a look at my card!  I am excited to see what others make!  I might need to make another card so I can incorporate some of the other colors in the inspiration photo!  I still have so many ideas in my head!  Happy hopping everyone!
:) Jill


NOTE:  The border diecut is from a Magnolia Stamps border die that has been discontinued. If you are interested in this type of product BlueMoonScrapbooking.com has a wonderful selection.

 

A little Pretty Patches Apple from WPlus9 for back to school time....

Hello Everyone,
I am here tonight with a card using a new little gem of a stamp set from WPlus9 called Pretty Patches: Apple.  I am still working on some cards for all of our favorite teachers at school and this set has been calling my name since I received it in the mail! 

I used retro sketches #26 to design my card.  Here is the sketch:

And there is a TON of gorgeous inspiration on their blog!!! Love it!

Here is my card:

 I made a window in my card base using the largest "Pinking Squares" dies from WPLUS9.  And then I created a "frame" for the window using red cardstock and the two largest dies again.  I seem to be really into making negative die cut spaces or windows in my cards this week!

 This is a side view of the window and a close-up of the beautiful perfect patches apple stamp.  I stamped the apple in red then colored the stem brown with a copic marker and added the adorable leaf in green ink before cutting it out and popping it up on an additional pinking square diecut stamped with a background from the "Country Charm" set also from WPlus9.  These were adhered through the window to the inside of the card. 

 And here is a first - washi tape on my card!!!!  I have picked up a few rolls of red and black tape for back to school projects and decided to be BOLD and BRAVE and try them out!  I must say they are  easy to use, easy to move around, and easy to cut in half to get any width you need!

The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "School Time" and is selectively inked up to  say "I LOVE SCHOOL" only one time. 

 Here is another view from the side.  I used the WPlus9's Chevron Impression Plate (LOVE THIS!) on the card base to add texture and then inked it with various distress inks adding a little bit of tuxedo black to the edges.  I was going for an "old time" or "vintagey" looking school card.

Here is a picture of the inside of the card.  I also inked the inside lightly with distress ink and added the sentiment "so very thankful" also from Pretty Patches: Apple.  I think I may go back and add the word "Teacher" up at the top left of the die cut if I end up giving this to a teacher.  I like to leave my options open as it may end up in the Principal's hands or Office Staff's hands too.  I have had so many people support my son and our family while we were going through my husband's cancer and death that I am always wanting to give back and say thanks to all the wonderful people at the school.

Thanks for taking a look at my card.  I am sure enjoying the smaller sets of stamps that I have been purchasing from WPlus9.  Pretty Patches Apple is only $6.00 and it is a little powerhouse of beauty in my opinion. My crafty budget loves the smaller sets.  I get new things to play with and I don't break my vow not to overspend! Until next time!  Happy Crafting blog friends!

:) Jill

Thinking of Autumn...a card following Freshly Made Sketches #49

Hello,
Wow - two posts in one day for me!  Love it when I get to play for an hour in the morning and an hour at night! 

Tonight I worked on a card for my son's teacher as my little one will be heading back to school in just under 3 weeks now.  Thought I better start getting prepared as I hate trying to do everything at the last minute as there is never enough time once September arrives! 

I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #49: HERE.  This is the picture of the sketch by Jen Mitchell:

Isn't it a great sketch! I had so many ideas floating through my head and could make a TON of cards with it...if I only had unlimited time in my crafty room....

Here are some pictures of my card:

I used a lovely stamp set by WPlus9 called "Winter Wishes" to make my "sweater" circles. 

"Autumn" and "Back to school" always makes me think of cozy wool sweaters and warm autumnal tones of browns, taupes, creams, and mustardy colors.  Not to mention textiles in general so I embossed the background with a chevron impression plate also a product from WPlus9.  The kraft panel is embossed with the "Old Parchment" embossing plate from Cheery Lynn Designs.  You can see the texture this adds better in the next photo.

The "Autumn Wishes" sentiment is from a set concepted by Michele Wooderson for Papertrey Ink called "Friendship Jar Fall Fillers" and is one of my favorite fonts.  The little acorn is from that same set and is colored with copic markers.  The die cut is from a My Favorite Things die. I liked the half circle edge as it mirrored my "sweater" circles below.

Those little baby tags show my love for all things Autumn.  They are from Stampin-Up's "Tiny Tags" set.  I use up my scraps making baby tags with their matching tiny tag punch and stamping them with a variety of stamps.  They sure are wonderful to add as embellishments to cards.  I always have a stash of them on my desk. 

Here is the inside of my card....another sentiment stamp from the Fall Fillers stamp set from Papertrey Ink.

Thanks for taking a look at my card! Happy Crafting!
: )  Jill

A card for the Cloud 9 blog hop...

8/16/2012:   Edited to add:  Postscript:  see end of post....
Hello,
Here tonight with a card I made for my Dad to thank him for helping me (and my son Tim) with some work at my house this last week.  Since my sweet Stuart passed away (it will be 6 months on the 15th of August) he has volunteered to help around the house with some maintenance that was put off during my husband's long illness with brain cancer.  I wanted to make a special card to thank him and this is what came to mind when I saw the sketch on the Cloud 9 site: HERE.  It is a card that says, "Grandpa, Work Less, Fish More." and is made with WPlus9's "Fish More" stamp set which I just love!  My Dad loves to fish and I thought it was the perfect card to send him a little note that says I appreciate all that he has done to help me this summer - and how I hope he takes some time now to himself to go fishing!!!

 I had this idea to make a "fishing hole" with a circle die.  I added some waves for water and then made a fishing pole out of a piece of kraft cardstock, a button and the stamps in the set. 

Here is a full shot of the card too.  I may have to redo it because as I was finishing the card I ruined the cream cardstock on the right hand side a little bit.  I tried cutting part of it off and distressing the edges but it still doesn't look "perfect".  The design is half the battle so whipping out another one of these soon shouldn't be a problem....right now I am off to put my little one to bed for the night or I would fix it and then post....but I have learned to post and fix later since I often do not make it back to my craft room and blog posts in time for the deadlines and end up not posting at all!

So....thanks for taking a look at my slightly marred card!  I was so inspired by all of the wonderful designers and can't wait to go and see what others have uploaded to the linky!   If you love WPlus9 stamps then you probably have already seen their new release with the adorable scarecrow and quilting dies and MORE!  I was lucky enough to win the 1st days release sets in a drawing and am so excited to receive them and PLAY, PLAY, PLAY!  Thanks again Dawn for my prize and for your inspiring stamps!  Thanks Cloud 9 for holding these amazing blog hops!  I am so excited to join in for the first time tonight! 

Happy Crafting everyone! 

: )  Jill
Edited to add (8/16/2012): 
Postscript: 
Hi Everyone - I just found out that my card was chosen as the winner among all of the outstanding entries for the August 2012 Cloud9 blog hop.  I am so excited and surprised!  I thought I would add the last picture of my card (that I took after the original post but never made it back to add).  Thanks so much for choosing my card!  I am so very honored!!!  And a little shocked too! :)