My Sheri Crafts Challenge #102: Got Snow?

Our new challenge today @ My Sheri Crafts asks that you include a snowman or snow 'girl' in your project. I chose to use a retired JustRite stamp set (Vintage Christmas) and follow the current Sketch Challenge at JustRite Papercraft, where Sheri is Challenge Hostess.

I stamped the darling snowman in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic Markers, adding Stickles to the snow.  Using Spellbinders Standard Circles I die cut Mr. Snowman and another red circle backing. I then stamped the snowflake border from this same set onto a small card cut from Labels Twelve and added more Stickles. A stamped sentiment, border and snowflake from JustRite's Antique Christmas Tags: One were added inside the small card, which I attached to the front of my larger card following Sheri's sketch. I'll stamp inside the large card next Holiday Season when I know who'll receive this. It's only January 19th and my first 2013 Christmas card is done -- YAY!!!

I'm also entering my card at: JustRite Friday Challenge #88: Sketch

While contemplating this challenge, I saw this FUN melting snowman project here. After 5 nights here in the desert SW well below freezing, to see a snowman melting seemed fitting to me -- Hee!  I hate cold weather -- give me 110-degree summers over this any day!!! I used the small rock (plentiful in our 'yard') for his head, but my paint was a bit 'yellow', so I covered it in felt instead by just running a basting stitch around a piece of white felt. Then I grabbed a couple sticks from a bush in our 'frozen' back yard and finished decorating my melting snowman with product from my stash.  Hope he brings you a smile!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #094: My Family

The challenge this week @ My Sheri Crafts is to create a family-themed project or card for a family member. My original idea had to be scrapped as my die cutting machine is 'ill' and out for repairs!  :`(  Sooo glad it's still under warranty and should soon be back and cutting like 'new' again!

Since my SIL just had major surgery and is home recovering, a Get Well Soon card for her fit the bill perfectly. 
I began with Heartfelt Creations China Fragments' Tea Cup stamp set that coordinates with Spellbinders' Nested Tea Cup dies I won last fall. LOVE both these stamps and dies, which were cut from white CS, colored with Copics to coordinate with Authentique's Delightful floral PP. The cup is aged with Black Soot distress ink and popped onto a doily  spritzed with Smooch Spritz Pralines & Cream. Want2Scrap's clear rhinestone 'steam' swirls from the cup's rim. A Lace Doily Accents border edges the left side. My sentiment from Little Paper Shop is stamped onto a JustRite Custom Antique Labels One Die that's accented on each end with halves of a decorative die from Lacy Doily Motifs, then laced with Martha Stewart ribbon tied into a bow to finish this card!
Hope it brightens my Sister-in-Law's day when she receives it and that you'll be inspired to create a family-themed project to post @ My Sheri Crafts now!

My Sheri Crafts #089: Picture This!

For our current challenge @ My Sheri Crafts we're asking that you use the inspiration photo below to create a card/project based on what you see in this display! This was sooo much FUN!!! I focused on the large pink/green tray at the center of the top shelf for my card's inspiration. My pink paper resembled the pattern on the tray, plus I also brought in the lemony yellows, as well as the checks and polka dots from the various napkins.


This time of year always makes us think of all the fabulous fresh summer fruits and this photo certainly conjures up many yummy and delicious ideas! I chose this cherry stamp as my focal image because I love the dotted leaves and the variety/colors of buttons you can choose for the cherries.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for this challenge -- please join us @ My Sheri Crafts!!! 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink's Everyday Button Bits
Ink:  Memento's Rose Bud & Bamboo Leaves
Papers: Simple Stories Fabulous & Summer Fresh; Basic Grey's Serendipity; Cosmo Cricket's Material Girl; PTI's Vintage Cream CS
Dies:Spellbinders' Standard Circles, Petite Scalloped Circles, Picot Edge Circles, Classic Triple Scallop/Postage Edgeabilities
Embellishments: Basic Grey's Pins & Tags; ribbon, buttons & beads from stash

Inspiration Photo

JustRite Friday Challenge #076: Stars & Stripes

For the current JustRite Friday Challenge -- "Stars & Stripes" - create a project with stripes and use at least one star -- I immediately knew what I wanted to make for a male family member! You may think only of a patriotic theme but we are not limited to red, white & blue for this challenge, so just have FUN, whatever colors you decide to use!

I'm hoping to find time to do yet another non-patriotic challenge card, but this one is very patriotic, using papers from Bo Bunny's Liberty 6x6" pad. I first cut and embossed the largest star die shape with Spellbinders Stars Five from the center of my paper; then re-cut that star with the next smaller die. I then cut the largest star again from the pad's blue solid paper. Both stars were layered, stamped with Best Wishes from JustRite's Clear Spring Words and attached to the inside through my original die cut. I love the depth this gives. Five tiny clear Recollections stars below my sentiment add just a touch of bling.

Fussy cut eagle

Next, my eagle was fussy cut from a second sheet of the BG paper, edged with Antique Linen distress ink and added with foam tape for extra dimension. To complete the bottom edge, I stamped the 'patriotic bunting' border from JustRite's Lace Borders Cling set on vellum with white ink and colored with Copics R29 and B29 on the back of the vellum. Finishing off the card is a Jolee's Boutique red/white/blue striped ribbon.

JustRite Border @ bottom edge

Inside of card

Hopefully this card qualifies as 'masculine' in the eyes of my recipient, whose home in the country includes a large American flag flying proudly in his front yard, along with mainly red/white/blue patriotic decor inside. Maybe he'll add this card into it somewhere?! Regardless, I totally enjoyed creating it for him and that's what matters most -- so grab some JustRite stamps and let me see your Stars & Stripes creation!!!

Also entering my card at this fabulous new challenge I found:
IBSIC#15 ~ Red, White & Blue

JustRite's Friday Challenge #073: Anything But Square

Summertime is my time to catch up, since we're usually inside avoiding the desert heat, so I'm hoping to create/post more. One thing that I've wanted to do for a long while is the creation I'm sharing today and posting for JustRite's current challenge -- "Anything But Square". As you can see by my photo below, this card started out as elegant, lacy embossed-edge teapot stationery with matching envelope given to me by our dear friend/former neighbor, whom I'm hoping doesn't see this before I'm able to give her her card in person. Regardless, hope she likes my effort.

I cut her beautiful stationery sheet in half using Spellbinders' Grand Labels Four, as well as my Vintage Cream top-folded card's bottom edge only, thus allowing the white lacy top/sides to extend beyond my card. This embossed stationery is sooo gorgeous on it's own that I felt it merely needed an elegant sentiment to complete it's transformation. With my sweet friend Lucy in mind, I chose JustRite's Friendship Nested Sentiments (now on sale for only $5) for the front and encased "Friends are a Gift" with Want2Scrap's lovely Fancy Tags Two Pearl Nestabling. My buttery yellow CS not only blends well with these fabulous teapots, but reminds me of her sunny yellow-painted kitchen and teapots.

Inside of Card & Envelope Front

Again, VersaMark ink, gold embossing powder and pearls finish off the card's interior with another sentiment from the same JustRite set that truly reflects my feelings, not only in celebration of her upcoming birthday, but every day.
Happy Birthday, sweet friend, and I hope you're reading this after we've properly celebrated your special day!  ;~)

Original Stationery Sheet & Envelope Back

My Sheri Crafts Challenge #086: Summer Lovin' Theme

The surfboards on this My Sheri Crafts Summer Lovin' challenge card are actually a magnet that my friend Ilene and I found long ago in a clearance bin at Michaels. Our thought then was they'd make great focal points for cards, so I've finally done just that -- what do you think?

I really had fun with this challenge, creating my waves with a Fiskars texture plate, layering on real 'craft' sand from my stash and making my 'Surf's Up!' sign using my latest fun purchase -- Washi tape! My preferred creative style is more classy/elegant, but it's really fun to just play around sometimes and see what you can come up with. It's summer, so have FUN with your paper crafting -- besides, here in the desert SW it's already been 110, so dreaming of cooler activities/places is the 'norm' for now!

Everyone @ My Sheri Crafts hopes you'll create a Summer Lovin' project and share it with us by June 8th -- maybe you'll be our next Guest Designer?!

Paper: White, blue, Kraft, orange CS
Stamps: JustRite 50pt Times New Roman Font
Ink: Staz-On Jet Black; Antique Linen Distress, Faded Jeans Distress
Dies: Spellbinders Inverted Scallop Circles, Nested Lacy Pennants
Miscellaneous: Washi tape (Target); toothpick, Sakura Jelly Roll glitter pen

JustRite Friday Challenge #073: Anything But Square

Having recently received lots of gorgeous shimmer paper from a dear friend from MN and having recently purchased JustRite's Christmas Mini Sentiments, I was anxious to make a Christmas card on this toasty 111-degree day here in the desert!
I love the shape of Spellbinder's Heirloom Ornament cut from this gorgeous cream and gold glittery paper and thin chipboard, and especially paired with Spellbinder's Labels Four, so JustRite's Friday Challenge was
perfect. I've mounted my ornament on a Grand Labels Four shaped card cut from cream CS and pop dotted atop a layer of red shimmer paper. My ornament is trimmed with Tim Holtz Washi tape, holly leaves cut from a retired Spellbinders' die, accented with glitter from Sakura's Gelly Roll pen and Copic colored holly berry gems (which really match IRL but my shimmery paper and photo lights make them look a bit off).
My "From Our Family" mini sentiment was die cut using JustRite's JB-08950 Nested Frames Dies to which I then added the decorative edges only from a Spellbinders' Fancy Tag. I'm just smitten with these mini sentiments which let the rest of my card take center stage! I just looked at JustRite's Super Sale and they're are sold out, but if you hurry you can still get their Halloween Mini Sentiments here before they're gone -- you won't be sorry!

Happy Birthday, Cupcake: Spellbinders/Nestabling Style

Needing a card for my cupcake-baking friend's birthday and needing to actually use my stash of Want2Scrap Nestabling, I chose this cupcake paper from The Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby).
Labels Five pink pearls by Nestabling really set off my focal Spellbinders' cupcake diecut image. I first cut/embossed the cuppie in Papertrey Ink's Kraft CS and distressed with Antique Linen distress ink for dimension. I used a metallic pink paper with embossed flowers for my "frosting", re-cutting the cuppie die and hand trimming along the bottom frosting edge. A single flower from that same paper sits atop and pink Cotton Candy Stickles dot the flower centers.
Fiskars' Upper Crust punch decorates the right edge and my focal image is pop-dotted over pink Making Memories ribbon. I stamped my PTI birthday greeting (curved to fit) onto a SBs' banner die to finish off this simple card.
LOVE how well the SBs dies, Nestabling and clear stamps all work so easily together to make a fun, blinged out greeting in quick fashion!

JustRite Friday Challenge 055: Color

WOW -- a truly fabulous
C O L O R palette for this week's JustRite Friday Challenge! My mojo had gone missing during my recent "stay-cation" (enjoying our son's visit with us), but I'm finally feeling its return. Woo-Hoo! I totally think this palette is beach perfect, but I chose to use my new Forever Friends cling set from JustRite and I'm quite pleased with the result!
I so enjoy using my Copic markers in ways included on this card -- to color the small heart on the sentiment stamp, to add a bit more color to the tiny heart sticker adorning my large sentiment (it was very pale aqua before) and most of all, coloring my seam binding for my wrinkled ribbon/bow, all using B01 Mint Blue. You truly do not have to be someone who colors (well or otherwise) to derive fabulous benefits from Copic markers!
I cut/embossed the 3 largest Spellbinders' Heart Circles' dies in Papertrey Ink's Linen & Vintage Cream CS, as well as my Ribbon Tags Trio Three die from Linen. YES -- the JustRite Forever Friends' cling stamps fit these Spellbinders' ribbon dies -- a HUGE bonus for me! I then stamped my two sentiments and antiqued all pieces in Papertrey Inks' Chamomile/Chai inks. Happily I now have another birthday card to add to my stash!

Papertrey Ink May 2011 Blog Hop: Flowers

Papertrey Ink's monthly Blog Hop time again and this was a very fun one, as the theme was your favorite take on flowers! I was the lucky giveaway winner of the Limited Edition CHA 2010 stamp set, Four of a Kind. This set features these awesome big flowers and large-scale sentiments -- perfect for what I wanted to create -- a Shrinky Dink keychain tag. Don't you just love seeing the scale of the stamps on the accompanying card versus those on the tag, knowing both were made with the exact same stamps? So fun!
Needing a large die, I chose #3 (#1 being the smallest) Spellbinders' Grand Scalloped Oval, using it for both tag and card. Cutting my polyshrink plastic first, I then punched a large hole and stamped with Ripe Avocado, Raspberry Fizz and True Black inks. No need to let dry as heating with my heat gun to shrink sets the ink. I just love how it turned out! I simply die cut another scalloped oval with the same die, stamped my card (5" x 6 1/2") and finished it off by rounding the corners,  adding knotted PTI Swiss Dot ribbon and then ZVA Creative Pearls to both card and tag and it's all ready to give away! Anxious to see all the creative ideas I KNOW will appear throughout this Blog Hop today!!!

JustRite Friday Challenge 054: Sketch and Embellish Blog: Square Trends Color Challenge

Edited to Add:  Trying to fix some glitches today that resulted on this post when Blogger was having a temper tantrum!

Due to creative time constraints this week, I've combined JustRite's Friday Challenge, to create a square card following their posted sketch, with Embellish Blog's Challenge sponsored by JustRite to create a square card following their posted colors. Once I chose my CS colors, I really enjoyed creating this square card in these luscious pastel colors with Stampin' Up CS!
I used Spellbinders' Grand Scalloped Squares on my 5 1/2" square card. Tattered Angels (Cosmos) Glimmer Mist covers my Lattice Rectangles sentiment frame and Butterflies (retired die) and ZVA Creative Pearls accent the bottom left corner.
My birthday sentiment is from JustRite's All Occasion Nested Sentiments' stamp set and my decorative border is Martha Stewart's Garden Rail border punch topped off with ribbon from my stash that I pleated onto 1/4" Scor Tape.
Hope you're all having a crafty week; I'll be enjoying my son's visit! ;~)

Happy Birthday, GF

Amidst all the goings-on at my house lately, I managed to hurt my back, so I'm not quite functioning as I'd hoped. Thanks to a dear friend's reminder, I did manage to get a project finished in time to celebrate another GF's birthday yesterday with the two of them! Many months ago I had made the four woven ribbon panels for this basket with the Birthday Girl in mind, as blue is her favorite color. I took the simple route and finished it with glittered handmade paper from my stash, using Spellbinders' Lacey Circles and a silver pearl. I then created a simple square matching card with Lacey Circles, Lacey Squares and a birthday greeting from JustRite's Baroque Nested Frames from the supplies I had out on my work space. Full directions/details for the basket panels, box and woven handle can be found on Becca Feekens' blog here. I also previously made this Easter basket for a little girl. Hope everyone is managing to stay warm and safe wherever you are!

Birthday Greetings: JustRite Style

Paper: K & Company's "Margo" DP; PTI's Vintage Cream CS
Stamp: JustRite's Baroque Nested Frames & Occasions
Ink: Memento's Rich Cocoa; Tim Holtz Peeled Paint Distress Ink
Embellishments: Lace (Hobby Lobby); PTI's Silk Ribbon; Kaiser Pearls
Tools: Spellbinders' Wizard; Nested Heart Dies
  

Among my many family/friend Dec./Jan. birthdays are a few ladies, so I've managed to get another card done using some of my favorite K & Company papers (again). These Nested Hearts are another fav of mine and I doubt I'll tire of them soon!
I've used JustRite's Baroque Nested Frames & Occasions' Happy Birthday stamp on my heart in Memento's Rich Cocoa ink. I took my cream lace and "antiqued" it with Copic YG03 & 0 Colorless Blender, another fav thing to do with my Copic markers, topping the lace edging off with a narrow silk ribbon & bow. Hope my recipient likes her card!

My Sheri Crafts Challenge 30: Veterans/Troops

I kept my entry for My Sheri Crafts Challenge this week fairly simple, because I think this Soldier sentiment is such a fitting tribute to all our service men and women, that it needs little else to clutter up the poignant message it conveys to those that serve!!! A bit of red/white/blue, stars and stripes and it's  done. Happy Veterans Day and Thank You ALL for your service to the United States of America!!! God Bless America and keep us forever free!!!
Paper: Red & Navy "speckle" and White CS from my stash
Stamp: Paper Inspirations "Soldier Calligraphy"
Ink: Memento's Lady Bug & Danube Blue
Embellishments: American Crafts Ribbon; Stars from stash
Tools: Spellbinders' Wizard and Labels Four dies

JustRite Friday Challenge 043: Show Your Support

I chose to use "Thinking of You" for the JustRite challenge to "show support" this week and designer papers in my favorite color. I really love the versatility of JustRite stamps, this sentiment in particular, and that it fits perfectly in the middle-sized Spellbinders' Nested Hearts die. I embossed that same die on DP, hand cut along the outside edge and placed it behind my stamped heart for added color/accent. A bit of lace, some leaf ribbon and a paper rose finishes off my card -- hope you like it as much as I do!!!
Paper: K & Company's "Margo" DP; Cosmo Cricket's "Material Girl"; PTI's Vintage Cream CS
Stamp: JustRite's Just a Note Borders & Centers
Ink: Memento's Pear Tart
Embellishments: Lace (Hobby Lobby); Leaf Ribbon (enhanced with Copic YG 03) and  Paper Rose
Tools: Spellbinders' Wizard; Nested Heart Dies

JustRite Friday Challenge 036: Color Challenge

JustRite's Color Challenge for this week included the "twist" to also create a handmade embellishment. Mine did just that in the making -- twisted, curled, turned & flattened out once again, as I used shrink plastic.
After Copic coloring my main floral image from JRs Plant a Little Love, I took black Stazon ink to stamp "Just Because" from Just a Note Borders & Centers on almond Shrinky Dink. I die cut it with Spellbinders' Lacey Squares, colored the flowers with Copics R29 & YG67, punched a 3/16" hole and shrunk it with my heat gun -- what a fun process!
I decided it was best to let the floral image take center stage, so simply tied red tulle through my embellishment and upper corner of my Lacey Square, added black & red layers and pop dotted it onto a 4 1/4" square note card, finishing with my 1/2" corner rounder.
Appreciate your stopping in for a peek today!!!
Stamps: JustRite's Plant a Little Love & Just a Note Borders & Centers
Inks: Memento's Tuxedo Black & Stazon Black
Papers: PTI's Vintage Cream, Pure Poppy & Black CS
Embellishments: Copics & Spica Glitter; Shrinky Dinks Plastic; tulle
Tools: Spellbinders' Wizard & Lacey Squares Dies; WeRMemory Keepers' Crop-a-Dile & Corner Rounder

Happliy Ever Challenged #10: A Golden Opportunity (Christmas Card)

Here is a simple gold card for Ted's challenge at Happily Ever Crafter (don't you just LOVE that blog name?): use shiny gold on your project!
I began with a purchased gold deckle-edged card, die cut Spellbinders' stars from Spellbinders' gold craft foil and then pop dotted the center star. My sentiment and star's "glow" are both stamps from Papertrey Ink's Silent Night set and the three long rays were created simply using a ruler and a Zig Embossing pen. All embossing was done with DeNami Design's Gold Embossing Powder. A shiny gold braided cord finishes off my card -- a very simple but, I think, striking Christmas card!

Happy Birthday, Mom

My MIL's birthday is coming up and I decided I'd CASE one of Yvonne's cards that she designed as Spellbinders' First International Guest Blogger. I chose to use shades of pink for my card and JustRite's wild rose stamp from their Plant a Little Love set as my centerpiece. Stamped on PTI's Vintage Cream CS, I colored the flowers with Copics: RV02, RV14, RV19, G07, G24 and BG000. I needed the larger Octagon die for this flower to fit, so then just hand cut the same die, leaving a narrow pink border mat. The Doodle Parts swirls are a bit hard to wrap around the frame while also laying over/under each other and gluing down. Think if I make another like this, I'll attach those with a small glue dot on the back of the frame -- learning by doing is always the best way to learn! Also, after re-reading Yvonne's directions, I see that she actually used foam tape to pop the swirls up, which would have alleviated the difficulty I had trying to attach them with flat glue dots, but still think it's a gorgeous card that my MIL will like.

JustRite Friday Challenge 031: Back to School and My Sheri Crafts Challenge #17

I recently came across this idea on SCS where they used salt/pepper shakers from the $1 store to make pretty, but inexpensive decorative gifts. I decorated mine to celebrate "life long learning" using my JRS Just a Note Borders & Centers and 15-pt. TNR stamp sets. Blue Bazzill Bling paper, Encore Ultimate Metallic Blue Ink embossed with clear EP, Spellbinders' Stars dies and lots of sparkly stars and silver/glittery ribbon swirls finish off my gift and matching card.
Edited to Add: I always link to challenges to make it easy for you & I forgot to do that. They are: My Sheri Crafts and JustRite Inspiration, so now you can go check both of them out!!!

JustRite Friday Challenge 014: Double Vision: Mother's Day Card

So excited to use my new JRS Plant a Little Love set that I won by posting my cards on the JRS Flickr gallery! This challenge was perfect for me, as we were required to use two different JRS sets (I have exactly 2) and two differently-shaped Spellbinders' dies (I have many more than 2) -- LOL! This flower stamp was sooo fun to color with my Copics and I couldn't resist using a bit of glitter for the centers. Wanting to keep my focus on those gorgeous flowers, I kept the rest of my card fairly simple. Hope my Mother-in-Law likes it!

Paper: PTI: Stampers' Select White & Berry Sorbet CS & 2008 Bitty Dot Basics DP
Stamps: JRS: 3 1/4" Round: Plant a Little Love; 2 3/8" Round: Wood Stamper w/Bonus 25 pt. Times New Roman Font Set
Ink: Memento: Tuxedo Black
Embellishments: Art Institute Glitter: Mimosa; ribbon from stash; Hobby Lobby: decorative trim; Copic Markers: R00, R20, R22, YG11, YG63, YG67

Tools: Spellbinders' Wizard, Circle & Classic Scalloped Circle dies & Labels Six die; MS Scallop 3-Dot Punch; ProvoCraft Swiss Dot Embossing Folder