This little lovey is for 2 Red Bananas challenge this week, which is titled Rub-a-dub Dub. Cute, huh, and I was thinking girly bubble bath time, wrong-o, we have to use Rub-on's. This card has no actual stamping on it, all rub-on's, and some ribbon at the top. Splitcoast Stampers CAS challenge was to be inspired by Anthropologie shoes and handbags. I really like the colors on this Dahlia clutch, and pulled my inspiration from there for this card.

It's beginning to feel a lot like autumn...

It's the end of August, and it already feels like mid-October with the cool temps, crisp air, and bright sunshine. But boy, oh boy, is it ever cold this morning! :) This card was created last night, but I just wanted to chillax after creating it. Be sure to check out the challenges at Sweet Sketch Wednesday for the layout and colors, Cinema Saturday is now showing a challenge to incorporate the color brown into your work, and finally Paperlicious #20 tossed out a creative challenge to stamp a light colored background then stamp a darker sentiment over the light background. Doesn't this card just shout crisp autumn days???????????? Thanks for sticking with me this week, I hope to be a little more creative in the coming weeks, in fact, I woke up with an idea for a winter/holiday card.

Details:
Cardstock: Bazzill Melon, spring moss; DCWV yellow #3, red #3; GP white
Ink: SU! Tangerine Tango, So Saffron
Stamps: Apples in a Basket digi stamp from TDS; There She Goes Polka Dot Hello
Accessories/Tools: 5/8" brown organdy ribbon; brown copper mini flower brads; dimensional tape; twine; 1/16" hole punch; mini-scallop deco edge scissors
Copics/Prisma/Markers: 0 colorless blender, YR09 Chinese Orange, R27 Cadium Red, R29 Lipstick Red, E35 Chamois; PM-88 Dark Brown, PM-197 Green Tea; Silverleaf pen

TMS 8 and some friends...

Well, I am back to work, and the first few weeks of school are always the most difficult to get adjusted to. Now I need to be a little more creative about combining some challenges to get it all done, which is what I have done here. Tuesday Morning Sketches tossed out a color challenge to use light green, eggplant, and kraft colors. Stamp n' Scrap Hawaii and KJKC challenge thread wanted us to button it up with buttons. Over at The Diva Stamper, we were presented with a sketch. Cute Card Thursdays wanted us to start over, with a theme of "New Beginnings"-- like babies, a new car, house, job, etc. I chose babies, as we have 4 prego ladies on a staff of 50 (yes, we all are aware not to drink any water at work!). Stampin for the Weekend also wanted babies. C is for circles at ABC Challenges. Yep, I think that is it, 7 this time!

Details:
Cardstock: light green, eggplant, kraft, white; DCWV printed papers
Ink: SU! lovely lilac
Stamps: SU! bold butterfly (flowers); SU! So many scallops
Accessories/Tools: 1/16" hole punch; crop-a-dile; dimensional tape; Making Memories large metal buttons; 5/8" satin eggplant ribbon

who is that?

Who is that chickie posting, can't possibly be Jen, she is MIA~ but yeppers, it is me, live in the cyber-flesh! Going back to work sure has taken a up all my stamping and bloggin time, at least initially. After the school year gets up and running smoothly, I am sure I will carve out a niche for all my favorite things. I fully intend to get caught up on some stamping this weekend. ;)

Tuesday Morning Sketches combo

I really struggled with Tuesday Morning Sketch's challenge this week, then I went looking for a few other challenges to couple with it (smart, huh?) to help guide me with where I wanted to go creatively. I found 365 Cards with the challenge to include alphabet stickers and at least one number (rub-ons count, right??????), Storage Units, Ink and More! and Dancing in Pajamas both have "Back to School" themes. Hearts and Hugs also posted a back to school theme challenge, but make it a gift. Gift card holders count as gifts, right? Project Tuesday wanted to see our gifty card holders. FINALLY, Die Cuts R Us DT posted a color challenge for Chocolate Brown, Teal, and White (or Ivory). Yep, I think that's it, 7 challenges in one card!

Now, on to the details:
Cardstock: DCWV white, red #1, brown #1; SU! In-Colors Curry, Bermuda Bay
Stamps: Apples in a basket from TDS, sentiment cut & pieces from rub-on letters and numbers
Accessories: 5/8" Offray brown organdy ribbon; 1/16" hole punch; twine; copper mini-flower brads; dimensional tape
Copics/Prisma/Markers: silver leaf pen; 0 colorless blender, W-5 Warm Gray #5, Y15 Cadium Yellow, E31 Brick Beige, E47 Dark Brown, G07 Nile Green, R27 Cadium Red, R29 Lipstick Red; PM-197 Green Tea, PM-88 Dark Brown

It's a Sweet, Sweet Day... and then some!

How many of you look at this card and hear Bon Jovi's "Wanted, Dead or Alive?" Sing it with me now:

I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride

I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive...

You KNOW you know all the words to that song, too!

This is my card for Sweet Sketch Wednesday's sketch 11, along with a few other sketches. This card also works for Color Throwdown Challenge #56, Crafty Creations Challenges to use tags, A Spoon Full of Sugar's "travel" theme challenge, and ABC Challenge's requirement to use buttons. PHEW~ talk about a mouth full! In case you are wondering, no, I really do not have a tone of time to go looking up challenges, but my girlie Joni hooked my up with THIS BLOG which lists weekly challenges. DUH! Talk about keeping it simple and oraganized for me.

Here are the details:
Cardstock: SU! dusty durango, soft suede, bermuda bay; Bazzill French Vanilla; Copper Metallics
Ink: SU! Basic Brown, Tangerine Tango
Stamps: Born to Ride by Prickly Pear; Defining Adventure by SIWS by Jen
Accesories/Tools: twine; dimensional tape; Making Memories large eyelet; 1/16" hole punch; Fiskars Large Star Punch (to make the "buttons")

** This is a more involved version of a card I posted on Monday for CAS**

When it comes to back to school time, it is important to remember the coaches in our lives as well. My dear friend's hubby is coaching HS football this year, being married to the wonderful woman that is, I am sure he will make a fabulous coach to those boys. So, I put a twist on the traditional Back to School card for this coach-- Time to hit the field and show achievement! Good Luck, Brown (and boys!)!

Details:
Cardstock: SU! In Colors Curry; Bazzill Espresso, French Vanilla
Stamp: $1 achievement definition; The Paper Studio alphabet "typeset" font
Ink: SU! Basic Brown
Accessories/Tools: 2" circle punch; Large Long Classic Rectangle; 5/8" brown organdy ribbon; dimensional dots; Swiss Dots cuttlebug dry embossing folder

What's happening at Card Patterns..

{This card measures 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square}

Sketch #28 is what is happening! I knew I wanted to use one of my friend Joni's images for this card. As soon as I saw the sketch, I immediately knew which image to use. So here's what I came up with!

Details:
Cardstock: Bazzill Dark Olive; Coredinations Scarlet; DCWV Animal Crackers stack "plaid" DP; GP White
Stamps: abc ladybug from Inktegrity by Joni
Accessories/Tools: 3/8" Offray "moss" satin ribbon
Copics/Prisma/Markers: Y15 Cadium Yellow, R29 Lipstick Red, RV pink, W-5 Warm Gray #5, 0 colorless blender; Blush Blossom Stampin Write

It's Manly!

I have been a card-creating fool the last 24 hours! I completed 3 challenges, created a background digi, and started some other cards. PHEW! Anyways, this card is for the Clean and Simple Challenge over on Split Coast, which is for masculine cards. These are always a challenge for me, as I love blingy, ribbon, and pretty fluffy things. Since the men in my life are motorcycle enthusiasts, when it comes to masculine cards, that is where my mind goes. There is just something so freeing about being on the open roads on a motorcycle!

This card also works for Digital Tuesday, Pile It On Challenge, Stampin for the Weekend, and Three Clovers Designs. PHEW! I think that about does it for this one card.

Details:
Cardstock: Copper Metallics; SU! In Colors Soft Suede
Ink: SU! Basic Brown; Colorbox Dragonfly Black Pigment
Stamps: Prickley Pear Born to Ride; Digital Background "defining adventure" available at Say It With Stamps, by Jen
Accessories/Tools: Fiskars large star punch; dimensional dots

This adorable card is for one of my DD's pre-K teachers. Karsyn's favorite color is purple, and I wanted the card to be representative of her, hence the shades of purple, girly-girl, and a cutie little furry friend.

Details:
Cardstock: DCWV Violet #1, Lilac #2, Grade School Stack DP; GP white.
Stamp: Dorothy Anya (digi)
Accessories/Tools: 5/8" Amethyst satin ribbon; orange mini round brads; lilac mini round brads; lilac photo corners
Copics/Prismas/Markers: 0 Colorless Blender, V09 Violet, Y15 Cadium Yellow, W-5 Warm Gray #5; PM-98 Black; gold twinkelette; Stampin' Write Blush Blossom

Back at it with TMS~ EDITED TO SHOW IMAGE

This card was designed for TMS sketch #6. Here's my card, in full glory! See, I told ya the image was C U T E!

Details:
Cardstock: Bazzill Heather Gray; Co'ordinations Scarlet; DP from Sport Solutions Collegiate Stickers and Papers
Ink: SU! Real Red, Going Gray, Basic Black
Stamps: Amuse clear stamp set "sports"; something else from another company TBA
Accessories/Tools: 5/8" Ohio State printed grosgrain ribbon; football brad; sponge dauber
Copics/Prisma Markers: Red twinkelette, gold twinkelette; 0 colorless blender, R02 flesh, R27 Cadium Red, R29 Lipstick Red, E35 Chamois, E47 Dark Brown, C5 Cool Gray #5

To achieve the "vintage" weathered look, I used an old sponge dauber. My plan was to just spong some dark gray around the edge of he card, but then I realized by dauber was dirty-wet (telling me a little someone had been playing in my stuff!), and the going gray ink combined with the dirty-wet stuff already on there to leave a brownish-gray shade, which looked Uber-cool and vintage. So I went with it and used it all over!

Mojo Monday, on Sunday! ;) I was so ahead of what I needed to do, so I went looking for some challenges, and I came across TPE#27 for brown, turquoise, and a neutral. (plaid is a neutral, right??) and Mojo Monday #99 sketch. Now, whether I actually stuck to the EXACT requirements, that is up for debate, but this is my take on the challenges for a card i needed for a co-worker.

Details:
Cardstock: DCWV espresso#1, turquoise #1; GP white; DCWV Grade School Stack
Ink: none
Stamps: SIWS by Jen "Explore. Dream. Discover."
Accessories/Tools: 1/16" hole punch; flower brads; 5/8" orange satin ribbon; dimensional tape

Things are *sew* simple over at The Greeting Farm! The challenge this week was to incorporate stitching on the project-- whether it is machine, hand, or faux, we had to show you our threads!

This card has hand-stitching on it, more like anchor stitches, not the traditional zig-zag or line of stitching you would think. Is this type of stitching included? I dunno, but it is my best effort. Those of you who know me, know I do not sew at all, so this challenge is a reach for me! The layout is from Digital Tuesday Challenge sketch #19.

Details:
Cardstock: DCWV slate blue#3; Coredinations Hot Pink; DCWV Grade School Stack DP
Ink: none
Stamps: TGF Dorothy Digital Anya; "Teaching form the heart" Digi-Migi from SIWS by Jen
Accessories/Tools: 1/8" hole punch; twine; heart brads; crystal effects; red DMC floss
Copics/Prisma/Markers: Stampin Write Blush Blossom; gold twinkelette, red twinkelette; PM-197 Green Tea; Y15 Cadium Yellow, W-5 Warm Gray #5

A quick and simple gift for someone!

These creations are gifts for the team I am working with this year-- third grade. I will have 3 grade level team members, plus myself. I always give a small token to start the year. I found this template on Splitcoast Stampers for the calendars (2009-2010 available). I purchased the stand-alone clear acrylic frames at Wal-mart for a $1 each.

Follow the directions on the calendar to assemble, cut cardstock/DP to fit your frame, assemble, and VIOLA! a quick, simple, adorable, USABLE for anyone!

I know, you have probably been asking, "Where has Jen been?" and telling me there is a glare on the picture. Well, for starters, the school year will begin soon, so I needed to work in my classroom. Got my classroom all done, then my principal said I had o move to another room. GGRRRR! At least there is an EXCELLENT custodial staff at my school to get it all done Wednesday morning. So, in the past 3 days I have set up TWO classrooms for the school year.

Now, on to this card. Sweet Sketch Wednesday posted challenge #10, and I had NOOOOO IDEAAA what I was going to do with it, then I was out shopping today with my DD and ran across some items to give as gifties to my fellow grade-level co-workers. I thought it would be nice to give them each a card to remind them to take time for themselves this year (because teachers have a habit of NOT doing that!)

The inside of this card reads: Remember to take time to play each day!

Details:
Cardstock: Bazzill Melon, spring green, black; DCWV espresso, lilac; GP white; DP is from DCWV grade school stack "recess" paper

Ink: Colorbox Dragonfly Black

Stamps: Schoolgirl Sophie G, floor digi (freebie-- go get it now!)

Accessories/Tools: Amethyst 5/8" satin ribbon; pink blingies; clear heat embossing powder; dimensional dots; purple paper flowers; orange mini round brads

Copics/Prismas/Markers: white gel pen; gold twinkelette, red twinkelette; 0 colorless blender, Bo2 Robin's Egg Blue, E31 Brick Beige, E35 Chamois, E47 Dark Brown, G07 Nile Green, RV11 Pink; PM-197 Green Tea

Gettin' BLINGY wit it! CAS on SCS

What do all those letter mean? CAS is an acronym for Clean and Simple, and SCS is Split Coast Stampers. Each week a new CAS challenge is posted in the SCS challenge forums, and this week the challenge is to show off your bling! on the inside of this card, the sentiment reads, "Wishing you a season filled with sparkles and cheer!"

This is my latest creation, it is difficult to see in the picture, but there is a little bit of crystal snow on each tree to make it blingy!
<--------------------------------------------------------- Details:
Cardstock: Georgia-Pacific white
Ink: SU! Forest Foliage
Stamps: Memory Essentials X-mas tree wheel (Hobby Lobby); SIWS by Jen "Wishing you a season filled with Sparkles and Cheer" (on inside)
Accessories/Tools: Fiskars eyelet boarder punch; Stampendous Crystal Snow ultra fine glitter in white; glue pen; silver thread

Yeah, baby! check out this email from the Design Star over on Tuesday Morning Sketches, Melissa Craig:

Hi Jen,

I am so excited to tell you that you're the random winner for last week's sketch challenge!! Whooo-hooo!!

Please get in touch with ----- -- --------- to claim your prize. You get to select 3 individual digi's. Congratulations!!

You can reach Toni at ---------- -- ----------

Hugs, Mel

How cool is that~ I'm a WINN-AH!!!!!!!!! If you have not started following along with the sketches over at TMS, now's a great time to do that. You never know what you will win! Good luck to all, and be sure to try the sketch she posts tomorrow. ;)

Another creation with Inktegrity

I've used another image from Inktegrity by Joni to create this super cute card, which was designed with two challegnes in mind: Card Patterns sketch 27 and 2 Red Bananas. CP sketch 27 was, well, a sketch. And 2RB challenged us to use only cardstock and ONE OTHER embelly. Talk about a challenge for me~ I love embellies! But I did it with a little creative thinking.

See that "button" up on the top corner? That isn't a REAL button, but instead a "faux" button made using this tutorial by my girly Joni, and I carried it a bit further to make faux "brads" to go on the sentiment label. The only REAL embellishment on this card is about 6 inches of satin ribbon. Pretty clever, huh? :)

Details:

Cardstock: Light Autumn Red, Light olive green, Dark Olive Green; GP white; kraft

Ink: none

Stamps: "Out on a limb" by Inktegrity by Joni; Sentiment a FREEBIE available from Say It With Stamps by Jen

Accessories/Tools: deco-edge scissors; Cuttlebug embossing folder "Distressed stripes"; 1" cicle punch; 1" flower punch; 1/4" cream-colored satin ribbon; 1/8" hole punch; dimensional dots

Copics/Prisma Markers: PM-98 Black, PM-48 Light Cerulean Blue, PM-197 Green Tea; 0 colorless blender, E35 chamois, E47 Dark Brown, B02 Robin's Egg Blue, B24 Sky Blue, YR09 Chinese Orange, R27 Cadium Red, G07 Nile Green; SU! Blush Blossom stampin' write marker

Feast or Famine?

When it rains, it pours! I had nothing but my paper crafting and regular household chores to do all summer, but this week has been C R A Z Y with errands to run, extra thngs to get done, and I am back to work in my classroom preparing for hte upcoming school year. PHEW~ finally have a chance to post a card I finished last night. Once again, I combined 2 challenges in one. So here goes~

Sweet Sketch Wednesday posts a weekly sketch challenge each Wednesday, and Cute Card Thursday posts a challenge each week as well. And this is what I came up with! To share the Recipe:

Cardstock: Paper Pizazz "Ladybugs" DP; GP White cs; Bazzill Kraft, Cherry Red; SU! Bermuda Bay
Ink: None
Stamps: "Apple" from Inktegrity by Joni "Dream Big" Collection; "Hello, friend." one-liner by Say It With Stamps by Jen
Accessories: 3/8" red grosgrain ribbon; large white eyelets; prima flowers; "swimming pool" blossom braddies by Doodlebug Design; crystal effects; mini flower brad (black) by Making Memories
Prisma/Copic Markers: 0 colorless blender, R27 Cadium Red, R29 Lipstick Red, G07 Nile Green; PM-98 Black; white gel pen; Stampin Write Blush Blossom marker

*************************************************************************************

And this little lovely is for a friend of mine who is returning to college this fall to take some classes towards her Masters in Nursing. (I think that is what she said!) Anyways, what student doesn't need a cute new notebook for class? I whipped this baby up Tuesday night, but was to tuckered out to post it on Wednesday.

Details:
Cardstock: DCWV "Animal Crackers" light blue leaf DP with glitter; Bazzill navy; GP white
Ink: SU! Real Red
Stamps: Nurse Anya; computer generated one-liner
Accessories: 3/8: red grosgrain ribbon; mini flower brads (silver) by Making Memories
Copics/Prisma Markers: Chamois, Dark Brown, Robins Egg, Lipstick Red, Colorless Blender, flesh; Gold Twinkelette

CAS2 over on Splitcoast Stampers has us in stiches this week. Literally, we are to use stitches on our cards! For some reason, I was desperate to use a ladybug on my card, and I found this perfect little cutie over at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. (If you have not checked out her stuff, you really should, it is CUTE!) Anyways, CAS is an acronym for "Clean and Simple," and that is how i tried to keep it. I could have layered this baby up, but that would have taken away from the simplicity of it all.

Deets:

Cardstock: GP white; DCWV Textured brushed cotton in black

Ink: none

Stamps: Doodle Ladybug by Landsay's Stamp Stuff

Copics/Prisma Markers: R27 Cadium Red, R29 Lipstick Red; PM-98 Black; Sharpie microfine writing pen (black)

Accessories: SU! Scallop circle punch; Fiskars Medium circle punch; dimensional tape; crystal effects; K i Memories glitter black letters ("cute" font); Offray 1/4" checkered ribbon

Technique: faux stitches

TFL~

jen

Apparently I am 'Shackin' Up!

That is what the folks over at The Digi Shack call it when they combine with another challenge or sponsor one. he he -- isn't it cute? So this card is doing double duty, as it is the sketch challenge for both Tuesday Morning Sketches and The Digi Shack.

Deets:
Cardstock: Bazzill Crushed Pear, Dk. Brown; SU! Dusty Durango; DCWV Corduroy Cream textured cardstock
Ink: none
Stamps: TDS lamp (freebie from blog a few weeks ago); SIWS "light of mine" button hole
Nesties: large classic oval, large classic scallop oval
Copics/Prisma Markers: 0 colorles blender, E31 Brick Beige, E35 Chamois, Cadium Yellow; Silver leaf pen; Sharpie microfine black marker
Accessories: K i Memories "retro flower" ribbon; light green satin ribbon; Offray sheer brown 3/8" wired ribbon; pink button; silver thread; burnt orange prima flowers; Making Memories mini flower brads antique gold finish



Here's a close up of the "This Little Light of Mine" buttonhole soon to be available at Say It With Stamps, by Jen. So much you can do with it! These circular digi-stamps are designed to fit in 1" punches and have a hole in the middle reserved for a botton, hence the name "buttonholes," or any other embelli you like.

TFL~
jen

another merger completed!

This card is a merger between 2 challenges: 2 Red Bananas and Card Patterns Sketch 26. This card is in honor of my DD Karsyn, who loves the color purple, but also, when she broke her arm we took her to Nationwide Children's Hospital ER.

There were paintings by patients and this one painting in particular had this saying written in black crayon across a sunset. I knew immediately I HAD to make a digi-migi outta it!

The Deets:
Cardstock: DCWV Corduroy Cream, Brushed Black Cotton; Paper Pizazz "Soft Tints Lavndr Ticking Stripe."
Ink: Versamark
Stamps: Inkadinkado Sketchy Flourishes (difficult to see, but it is on the black); Digital Sentiment Image (a digi-migi!) available at Say it with Stamps, by Jen
Accessories: Large 2 1/2" Fiskars Star Punch; Dimensional Dots; Blingies; Offray Amethyst 5/8" satin ribbon

Oh, and I have a tip to share~ when trying to cut out small corners and around tiny turns, use a pair of cuticle scissors! These are already curved, and maneuver nicely around the Riley and Sophie G Moose bodies. :)

Happy Birthday to an ole' Ho who can still work it!

Ther eis a group of us on SCS who are known as "Ho's", and one of the leaders is having a birthday! We have an informal challenge thread, and it was suggested to make a fancy fold card, but i dispise working with those, so I suggested a birthday card with a cake instead. Someone else asked "is there any what to fold a cake?" My reply was YES!

I do not know the real name of this fold, but I call it "Joni's foldy-technique thingy" in honor of my friend Joni who make cute card with this fold. It reminds me of a layer cake-- get it, you can fold a cake!

Deets:

Cardstock: Bazzill Pretty Pink, Sunshine Yellow, Bling Jade Green, Rose White; Colorbok White Plaid vellum

Stamps: Sophie G Perfume

Ink: Colorbox Dragonfly black pigment ink

Accessories: hot pink rhinestone blingy; making memories mini flower brad (copper); silver leaf pen; Hottie Pink shimmerz; Heidi Grade plastic flower embellis (Love Pink); clear embossing powder; Cuttlebug embossing folders (D'vine Swirl and Swiss Dots)

Copics/Prisma Markers: RV11 Pink; E31 Brick Beige; E35 Chamois; E47 Dark Brown; W-5 Warm Gray #5; PM-197 Green Tea; Gold Twinkelette Marker

Techniques: Heat Embossing; Fancy Fold (I call it "Joni's Foldy-thing)

This is my card for Splendid Stamping with The Greeting Farm's weekly challenge. This week it happen to be a sketch. Even thought I used Dorothy Anya, I could not help but think she would make the most adorable little first grader, and I am willing to bet she is one sweet student who is a pleasure to teach and have in class. ;)

Deets:

Cardstock: DCWV Yellow #3, Premium Stack "The Grade School"; Dark purple; GP white

Ink: none, this card is completely digital!

Stamps: Dorothy Anya; Teacher's Pet sentiment available at Say It With Stamps by Jen

Copics: 0 colorless blender, V09 violet, Y15 cadium yellow, E31 brick beige, C3 cool gray #3, C5 Cool gray #5

Accessories: Gold Twinkelette marker; Provo Craft quilled stickers, Red DMC floss, dimensional dots; Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

Isn't she CUTE? This is a Sophie G Schoolgirl available at Hanna Stamps. I immediately thought of my own DD starting school when I saw her~ Thanks Kristi!

I knew I wanted to use this stamp for the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge this week, which is a sketch, and what goes better with this stamp than the DCWV "The Grade School" Premium stack? On to the deets~

Deets:

Cardstock/Paper: "The Grade School" DCWV Premium stack papers, blue #3, white; Bazzill Cherry red cardstock

Ink: Colorbox Dragonfly black pigment ink

Stamps: Schoolgirl Sophie G, digital sentiment available at www.sayitwithstampsbyjen.blogspot.com

Accessories: scallop edge scissors, 1/16" punch, quilled stickers by Provo Craft, silver eyelets

Copics: 0 colorless blender, V09 violet, RV11 pink, E35 chamois, E31 brick beige, E47 dark brown, R27 cadium red, B24 sky blue

Technique: paper piecing