Not the best priorities!

Ok......Confession:  I don't always have my priorities straight.  I went to Hobby Lobby today to get some adhesive (b/c I was out.).  What did I come walking out with?????? Six new Copic markers!  And no adhesive!  I just couldn't help it!  Really, I tried.  But I couldn't narrow it down to any less than 6, and that took up all my $.  I had been wanting to get a few blues to color jeans and a few nice pinks.  Then I had to get a few greys to color in my "sidewalks" I like to make. 
    I figured I'd spent the last couple weeks "practicing" coloring, it was time to bite the bullet and actually make a card with one of my new little girl stamps. 

So here is my first copic card.  I may keep it forever! 

I am SO in love with these markers I can't even stand it!  The only part of making this card that was not fun was glueing everything down with my 2-way glue pen!  I really need adhesive!

Sorry for all of you that tuned into my blog today to see the cards and tags I made for the red stationary box.  Maybe tomorrow!


~J

Creativity is all spent up, and so is my adhesive!

Hey everyone.  I've been very creative today and have got alot done.  However, about the time my adhesive ran out, so did my creativity-so that worked out well! 

Here is the finished blue stationary box.

Here are the 4 tags:

And the (3) 3x3 cards:

Last, but not least-the full sized cards:

Hope you like them!  So the question is.........how much should I charge at the craft fair for one of these stationary boxes?  Any suggestions?

I will be posting everything from the red box tomorrow.  (After I get some adhesive!)  Have a blessed day-

~J

Stationary Boxes

Hey everyone.  I am going to be making a lot of these stationary boxes coming up for a craft show I plan on renting a booth at.  Here are the two I made today.  Tomorrow I plan on getting the cards and tags done for the insides.  I'll post them when I get them all done!

C Ya!

Shutter Card and My Newest Love!

Hey everyone!  Thanks for stopping by today. 

          I tell you.....it sure is great to be crafting again.  It's good therapy!  Today I have a few things to tell you about.  I'll start with this shutter card I made today.  It looks totally complicated.  But it is SO VERY EASY.  It somewhat resembles the swing card I posted yesterday, but differs when it's opened.  Here it is....

This is the view when it's closed.  I just love the owl punch!  It punches out everything you need for him!  Three sizes of circles for his eyes, the middle section and the heart!  And yes, I know I need to re-paint my fingernails.  Focus on the card-not my chipped nails ladies!

Here is the open view:

L to the O to the V to the E it SO STINKIN' Much!  I feel a camp coming on for interactive cards!  I have lots of ideas for them!

So, moving on to my new love that's quickly climbing to the top (up close to hubby and kids-but 1 step lower!)

      COPIC markers!  They are alcohol based markers that make them so incredibly blend-able with other shades.  So you can create highlights and shading on your line-art image stamps.  This markers are professional grade artist markers that are made in Japan and used by comic makers.  Hence the reason for the price-$6.49 a piece!  Needless to say my collection will grow by only a few markers at a time, but I'm such a life-er now.  I've spent hours on youtube (pathetic, right?  I know!) watching people do tutorials on how to color, blend, shade and highlight images.  I am a crazed lunatic now.  I always LOVED coloring as a child.  And now I can color everyday without feeling like I need to beg my daughter to bring out the crayons and coloring books!

So I bought a few new line-art stamps I fell in lust with while watching videos on youtube.  Bought my first 10 or so markers over the past few weeks and have been practicing alot.  I'm even taking a Copic Class at a scrapbooking store tomorrow!  Here's some of my practicing.

I just took a scrap of cardstock and stamped all my new images out so I could play and practice.  See the "sidewalks?" They are not part of the stamps!  I made them with Copics and a ruler!  My next step will be some blues so I can do blue jeans on them.
         Now........here's what I made for my daughter to give as thank you's to everyone who attended her birthday party.......

I've gotten much better than when I first started.  Do you see the gradual shading of the dark on the right side of her pants to the lighter on the left side?  And how her hair is lighter on top where the sun would hit it?  That's the look you want to go for with Copics.  And something you cannot do with water based markers.  That's actually several shades of browns blended together where you can't see the lines.  It gives images so much more depth and demintion instead of looking flat.  So what do you think?

Going broke buying Copics and loving it-
~J

Did you think I fell off the face of the Earth?

      I didn't. Although for awhile it sure felt like I did.  Wow-it's been a rough few weeks!  My daughter had strep first, the next week my son had it, then my daughter came down with what we thought was the flu a week later, for 6 days (fever got up to 105 degrees a few times), come to find out it was re-occurring strep.  Even though she never once complained of her throat hurting!  Then we had the kid's birthday party over this past weekend, so we had family in town.  I started to come down with strep so I got put on anti-biotics. 
      
      Needless to say-I haven't hardly set one foot in my craft room other than to check my email.  Until yesterday.  I was feeling better, so I got motivated to clean up and re-arrange my craft room.  But every time I do this, I get sidetracked and come across an idea or two and end up making something instead of cleaning!  So here's what I made yesterday.......

It's called a "swing card".  It was so much fun to make!  This is the closed view.

This is the view of when you start to open it.  The front part with the sentiment is going to flop or "swing" around to reveal.....

LOVE IT!  I can't wait to make more.  I plan on posting several items tomorrow.  Including my new found love.....

More to come tomorrow!

Glad to be back~

-J



MIA

Hey-just wanted to write a quick post letting you know I'm not MIA.  I am around.  My daughter is very, very sick with the flu and although she sleeps the whole day (and night) away, I have no desire to do anything creative right now.  I just keep feeling so helpless looking at her lying on the couch.  Yours prayers for her quick recovery would be much appreciated.  Her birthday party is Sunday-and she's looking so forward to it, I'd hate to have to cancel it.  Praying she'll be better by then!

Hope to be crafting again in a few days-thanks for your understanding!
~J

Penguins in a Pyramid

Check out this card I found online that was made by Connie Babbert.  And guess how she made the penguins.......that's right.  The OWL PUNCH! 

Isn't it darling?  Connie has a lot of cute things on her blog-u should totally check it out.  Thanks Connie-this is so going to be my inspiration for some Christmas cards this year!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I should have a project of my own to share.  Trying to spend the day today cleaning up my scrap room~

~J

So you're one of those.........

Are you one of those people that think they don't need the owl punch?  I was too until I saw numerous uses for it (other than making owls) on alot of blogs.  Reindeer, Ghosts, Flowers, Penguins.  Just by making your cardstock a different color and making a few snips here and there-you get something new!  Check this out:

Isn't this amazing?!  I made it using the Owl punch and the larger of the two scallop circle punches!  I found the idea for it here:

http://valitasfreshfolds.blogspot.com/

So my goal over my next few posts is to convince you that you do need the owl punch.  Let's see how many ways I can find to use it!

Later~

J



Last One!

Number 9, Almost Done!

Ok.........Truth:  I'm SO SICK OF BIRTHDAY CARDS!!!!!  I'm burnt out.  Ready for something new!  But I've got one more to go after this one.  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...........here's #9.

I CASE'D this card from a video I saw on YouTube.  Loved it, so I had to do it.  I ordered the stamp set specifically for this card.  Can't you just see it in other color combo's?  Can't wait to try it with some of my favorite colors.  Just not Birthday themed!

STAMP SETS: Printed Petals, Bring On the Cake
CARDSTOCK: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Poppy Parade
INK: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Poppy Parade
WOW Factors: Both Scallop Circle Punches from SU, and a Old Olive Brad

Later Gator~
J

Emboss Resist

The technique I used on card #8 is called Emboss Resist.  It was so much fun to do!  I can't wait to due more!  Hope you like it!

STAMP SET: Bliss (Sale-A-Bration), Bring on the Cake
CARDSTOCK: Glossy White, Whisper White, Perfect Plum
INK: Versamark, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry, and Elegant Eggplant
WOW FACTOR: Heat Gun, White Embossing Powder, Post-it notes (for the clean lines) and Stampin' Sponges

7 down, 3 to go

We're in the home stretch now!  Here's number 7.......using a sneak peek from the upcoming 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog!  The paper is called PAISLEY PETALS and the Stamp set is called FOUR FRAMES.  This set coordinates beautifully with the DECORATIVE LABEL PUNCH.  (The words are from FABULOUS PHRASES).   Each of these will be available for you to purchase in the month of April with any $20 purchase!

Here's the details:  Spend $20 and you get to purchase these exclusive goodies that won't be available on regular orders until July!

The stamp set is available in wood or clear.  Price for Wood Mount is $20.95.  Price for Clear Mount is $15.95.

Here's a sampling of the 12x12 paper.  It's available for purchase with any $20 order placed in April as well.  It's $9.95.

I just love being a demo and getting the goodies ahead of time so I can have time to play!  But this way, customers get to take advantage too!  I love SU!
 
~J

Card #6

Struggled with this one alot to get it to where I was happy with it.. but think it turnded out well.  I really couldn't figure out where I wanted to put the clip with the ribbon.  Oh well!



STAMP SET:Bliss (SALE-A-BRATION) and Bring on the Cake (OCCASIONS MINI)
CARDSTOCK: Basic Gray, Concord Crush, Blushing Bride, Whisper White
INK: Pretty in Pink Marker, Elegant Eggplant Marker
WOW FACTOR: Mini Paper Clip, In Color Ribbon, Color Spritzer Tool

B-day Card #5

Cute, Cute, Cute!  I'm loving this stamp set and coordinating punch!

B-day card #4

This one is my favorite so far.  What do you think?

Although I think we'll take the time to ink the edges of all the squares on Friday night.  It's worth the extra effort you put in.  I wish I would've done that to mine.

Tune in tomorrow for a card made with the new Create-a-Cupcake and Build-a-Cupcake set and punch!  Fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~J

Another One.....B-day Card #3

Another one using the stamp set BRING ON THE CAKE.  I used WHISPER WHITE for the card, POPPY PARADE for the ink, and the DSP is called SUNNY GARDEN. This paper is so
Spring-y.  I love it.  I couldn't resist adding some embossed butterflies when I saw this paper.  The colors of the butterflies are PEAR PIZZAZZ and PEACH PARFAIT. 

Have a blessed Friday!
~J

Boy's Birthday Card

My oldest will be 8 on Saturday (sigh....).  Craziness.  Where did the last 8 years go?  I  swear it was just yesterday we we bringing his little 5 lb. 11 oz. butt home from the hospital.  Now he won't stop growing and will be taller than me in just a few short years!

This is the card I made for him.  We will also be making this next Friday night at my Birthday Camp.  It's "customizable" with this awesome stamp from BRING ON THE CAKE in the OCCASIONS MINI.  You can color in the number for the particular kid!  How great is that?

STAMP SET: Bring on the Cake
CARDSTOCK: Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White
INK: Pacific Point Marker, Real Red Marker
DSP: Celebrations

Have a great Thursday....

~j

Manly Birthday Card

Hey.  It's no secret that most card makers struggle with making cards for the men in their lives.  I'm no exception.  But here's my attempt at a birthday card.  We will be making this at my Birthday Camp next Friday night.  I used Early Espresso for the card, Crumb Cake for the die cut (made from the TOP NOTE DIE for THE BIG SHOT) and Early Espresso Ink.  The stamp set I used is in the OCCASIONS MINI.  It's called BRING ON THE CAKE.
Have a great evening-they'll be alot more Birthday cards to see on my blog in the next week and a half!  Come back and check them out-

~J