I incorporated yesterday's sketch challenge while creating these cards which go along with the Ways to Use it Challenge today.

The first card is for a very dear friend of mine who let me borrow her sewing machine in a pinch when mine decided to go on strike.

The second is truely for the challenges....the Ways to Use it Challenge was titled "It's About Time"...I decided that although I appreciate some of the technology that we have these days, I enjoy the artistry and personality of tools from days gone by.

I hope that you are all enjoying the last day of the year and that the New Year will bring you all you strive for.

Happy New Year - Joan

It's been a while, but I've decided I need/want to get back into doing some challenges. I found school overwhelming this fall, but now I think I should be able to find a groove that includes stamping, workshops and work.

I started with this week's colour challenge....Barely Banana, Basic Gray and Dusty Durango. I used a sliver of designer paper because I loved the swirl of gray that it had.

It's the last day of 2009 - hard to believe.... I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year!

Thanks for visiting - Joan

Gearing up to get busy in the New Year. Here are some projects that I'll be doing at a workshop on January 5th. I've revamped the apricot one so that it was a little more exciting that my original plan.....glitter does do wonders.



I love the new butterfly set for the Big Shot....I'm sorry that I was in a bit of hurry to put the cover in the plastic - some of the glitter smudged so the butterflies have fat little bodies.

And for the clean and simple....I love this medallion stamp!

I'm hoping everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that you are looking toward a wonderful New Year.

Thanks for dropping by - Joan
Note the address change to j-jcreations.blogspot.com

Clean & Simple Christmas

Here are two of a few cards I made this weekend using the "Christmas Jingle" Simply Scrappin' Kit. I don't have them all done yet..hopefully after school today.

I used the gold elastic cord to act as "hangers" on the bulb trio. For the REALLY clean and simple one I added a bit of Dazzling Diamonds in the centres of each of the little snowflakes. I'm finding this kit a bit harder to make cards with...but it will come.

Hope you're having a great day - we're getting into the fall weather here.
Thanks for stopping by - JOAN

Gift/Party Boxes

During the summer I worked on putting together some of the little gift boxes which were created by BJ Peters from Stampin'Up! There was a photo of these cute little boxes on the demonstrator website and I thought I'd give them a try. I changed the pumpkin a bit by adding the vine and leaves across the front. I'm also using a different box base than was used in the originals because it was the only one I had.

Everything is made with the Big Shot dies and SU punches. There are a few more designs which I'd like to make and some others I'll share later.

Hope all is well your way - thanks for dropping by.
JOAN

Early Christmas

Here is a trio of cards from the 24 I made using one of last year's Christmas Simply Stampin' kits from SU!. I really am getting used to using brown as a Christmas colour - although I am a die hard red and green girl!

I like these kits because it's so quick and easy to whip up a set of cards - and you can keep them simple or spruce them up with embellishments you have on hand.

I'm hoping to delve into this years Christmas Kit this weekend.
Have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping by. JOAN

Razzlebird

Here is my card for this weeks Colour Challenge and Sketch Challenge from Splitcoast. The colours were Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry and Basic Black. I liked the combo!

My pieces for the sketch are a bit smaller than they "should" be. I took apart three clear rhinestones to attached to the circles in the corner....love how they caught the flash from the camera!

I didn't have a lot of luck with black ink on this bird image - a hostess set - Wings of Friendship. Instead, I did it with versamark and black embossing. You can't see in the photo, but I've also spritzed some black around the bird.

Hope you're having a razzleberry type of day. Thanks for stopping by - JOAN

Inspired Rose

This past Saturday's inspiration challenge on Splitcoast was from LAMA (Latin America in the Modern Age) I went into the kitchen section and selected the glass that is shown because it made me think of the medallion stamp that we have. I used Rose Red cardstock and embossed the medallion in white.

It is incredibly warm here today - it was suppose to get up to 33*C and I'm sure we're pretty close. Fantastic "fall" day!

Hope things are warm, sunny and happy in your neck of the woods. Thanks for dropping by. JOAN

Clean and Simple

I really think I'm going to enjoy the Monday "Clean and Simple" challenges on Splitcoast. That area is a challenge for me....so it all works out. This week's challenge was a sketch. It took a lot of courage to keep the card base plain and without a first layer.
I stamped the two little pumpkins onto Only Orange and then "whited out" the stars and band with white gel pen.

I'm going to have to find people to send all these Halloween cards to.

Thanks for dropping by - hope you're having a great day! JOAN

Boo

I've had the Crystal Effects drying on this....for a very long time. I made the pumpkins last week - took a while to put together.

I really like some of the Halloween paper we have right now. I don't go for the skulls, but some of the reverse sides are vintage scarey. I embossed the house onto Old Olive with black (not sure why it looks uneven, but it adds to the effect). I put a glue dot on top of my brads and then dipped them in purple SU! glitter. The pumpkins, as mentioned before, are covered with Crystal Effects. Everything has been raised with dimensionals.

My daughter got fabric on the weekend for her Halloween costume....I haven't sewn in so long, I hope I remember how!!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend - the weather was wonderful in Banff while I was there. Now back to the grind of another week. Enjoy. JOAN

Late Grad...

I guess since I was busy with grad I didn't getting around to posting a picture of our princess. It was a wonderful time and we are so proud of her. I was surprised to find that one of our local scrapbook stores had die cuts of various High School from the area. I got two so I could use it when I do my sons....which has already passed!

I actually think I need something else on the blue page, but I'm not sure what.....I'm NOT cutting out anymore grad hats! (Cute though they may be.)

I'm in Banff this weekend with my husband. Hope you're having a good one! JOAN

Summer Work

There was one day this summer when I was very productive with my son's scrapbook.... four pages in one afternoon. Unheard of for a newby like me! I was using up old Simply Scrappin' Kits and I've promised my self not to purchase anything new until they're all used up. So.....I better get back to work on them soon. I have his to do and then his sisters!

Thanks for dropping by - Have a wonderful day!
JOAN

Early Halloween...

This is from Saturday's Inspiration Challenge - the Halloween clothing for kids on the CWD website are too cute. I picked this pair of pants just because they have all the cool Halloween Colours. The designer paper didn't turn out too well in the photo - but the colours are vibrant. I embossed the tree and the greeting with black embossing powder. The green and orange pumpkins that are on the second layer of paper are "popped" out using Crystal Effects. I haven't used that in quite a while.

I have a second Halloween card to share....but I have to let the Crystal Effects dry.
Have a wonderful day - JOAN

Challenges...

I haven't done a challenge in a VERY long time.....I'm happy to see a new challenge on Mondays on Splitcoast - "Clean and Simple". I have a lot of difficulty with that so will be happy to see all the wonderful creations people have. I am thinking of this as clean and simple...the extra criteria for this particular challenge was to use dimensionals - which are holding up each of the shells.
I've also used the colours for Tuesday's Colour Challenge...Whisper White, Soft Suede and Pretty in Pink.

Have a wonderful day and thanks for dropping by - Thank you also for all the "welcome backs"! They're appreciated! JOAN

Cased Ornaments

It's never too early to begin making Christmas Cards. I cased this idea from Tamye Dunbar at our last team meetings. I loved the simplicity of it and the glitter!

I used the Delightful Decorations set with the matching punch as well as Baroque Motifs for the background. Elastic Cord was used so the ornament swings freely. This design is so quick and easy and looks great in all seasonal colours.

Hope you are having a wonderful day - JOAN

Fall is on the way....

Fall may be on it's way, but the weather is still beautiful here - I'm able to walk to school this year and I'm enjoying it.....including the fact that I get to walk with my husband!

I guess I used the colours from the "Autumn Meadows" designer paper as an inspiration for this card. I love the colours together - Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, More Mustard and Taken with Teal.
I stamped and embossed the Autumn Splendor leaves onto regular white cardstock and then used the sponge daubers to fill in the empty spaces. The "Wandering Words" were stamped onto velum and then attached under the strip of designer paper - attached with the corduroy buttons.

Hope you have a wonderful day - Thanks for dropping by - JOAN

Been Too Long.....

I can't believe I went the entire summer without posting to the blog - Wow! Can't say it was that busy - school start up has been hectic and now I'm trying to get back into the stamping world. I'm teaching a variety of things this year so it may be tough to get the stamping in there- but I'm going to try!

I love, love, love this black and white paper (Night and Day Specialty) from the Occasions Mini. I have a reputation for making black and white cards with - just a touch of teal.

I'll be making this card at an upcoming workshop.
More projects to come! - Promise!

Thanks for dropping by - Joan

Cest' la Fete!

I've incorporated two challenges in my card today - Friday's Limited Supply Challenge was to have words in a different language on your card (figures that I had used En Francais just the day before!) So I pulled out one of my old sets that I kept in French (Now working in a French Immersion school so I'll have more uses for them!!)
Saturday's Inspiration Challenge was from Bugaloo Soft Sole Baby shoes. Too cute. I picked this little purple pair and am happy with how the card turned out. I used the Spring Flower Set from the Sizzlets dies for the Big Shot. To get those perfectly spaced dots I used the paper
piercing template with a gel pen.

Now I don't usually share family photos - but I was proud of my drummer
boy on Friday night. The band played at a different lounge - which was nice - and they added 3 new songs to their repertoire. They performed one of them as an encore and Grant came out from behind the drum set to join the vocals. As a bias mother - I have always loved his voice!!! Once the ballad-like lyrics were done, he scooted back behind the drums to pick up the pace of the song. It was great.

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday and celebrating with the men in your life.

Thanks for dropping by!
JOAN

Fifth Avenue Mambo

Today's "Ways to Use It" Challenge on Splitcoast was to use text on your card. I decided to use En Francais. I've also used Melon Mambo which is one of the new In Colours! I love it and the fantastic In-Colour ribbon this year! I think I must be in a monochromatic mood right now. Oh well, I'm just happy to be creating!

Counting down - 6 more school days!
Counting down - 9 more days until grad!
Counting down - 12 more days until Canada Day!
Counting down - 17 more days until I walk back onto the UofA campus - didn't ever think that was going to happen!

Hope you're counting down to something!
JOAN

Turquoise Thank You

Today's Sketch Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers is shown in the thumbnail. I decided to make a monochromatic card for this one - and since I'll be needing some more musical thank you's I added the oval scallop at the bottom. I love the Pink Flamingo designer paper - it's so vibrant - although, I suppose today it's a turquoise flamingo.

I hope you're enjoying your day! I'm gradually getting ready for the end of the school year and for my daughter's graduation! Can't believe it!!!

Thanks for dropping by! JOAN

Four Friendly Monsters

I have been wanting to make these muppet-like cards for quite a while. I couldn't believe that with the big shot and all my punches I was able to put these four cards together in under an hour. Sooooo Simple!!!!!

I'm off to bed - two sleeps to the final concert! Not that many to the end of the school year either!

Hope you're having a wonderful day, and thanks for dropping by!

JOAN

Busy Birthdays...

Well, here are some of the cards I made yesterday using one of my old Simply Scrappin' Kits. I got 25 cards made using only half the supplies for the kit. If I end up duplicating them, which I think I will - I'll be all set for Birthday cards for Splitcoasts' Birthday RAK's!

I had a good time this afternoon watching the video that two parents took of one of my concerts at school last week. It turned out pretty well....except for the problems we had with the
sound system. I also watched the video that was taken while my daughter was in Europe with the Grade 12 class. They sure saw a lot. What a wonderful experience.

I'm planning to post some more of these quick and easy cards - I have a second concert this week so my mind will be on that - but I'll stay posted - pun intended! :)
Have a wonderful day!
JOAN

20 cards and then kicked up a notch

I made this set of 20 cards using the "Best Ever Simply Scrappin' Kit at one of Tamye & Lori's fantastic Stampin' Extraveganzas. I decided to try them again and kick them up a notch or two....which is what the second photo is. On some of them I guess you can't really tell - but brads, rhinestones and ribbon were added to a number of the cards plus extra stars.

Today I took an old Simply Scrappin' Kit that I hadn't used (am I the only one who does that???) I used the same cutting layout and have ended up with 25 cards. I just want to add some sentiments because none came with the kit and then I'll share them - hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!
JOAN

Easing down an old road

Well, thirty some odd years ago.......four young ladies went to see "The Wiz" in downtown Chicago.

Wow! I'm trying to use some of the scrapbook layouts I'm doing with old pictures I have. I'm not sure that the flowers go with "The Wiz" theme....but the colours were okay. I was trying out the butterfly layout I used a couple of weeks ago with the daisy die for the big shot. So now I'm hoping Stampin' Up gets more dies that can be used like this. The time for a new catalogue is fast approaching!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Thanks for dropping by. JOAN

Lucky Seven

The Vegas inspiration for this card was the Lucky Number 7. Whatever embellishment was used...there had to be 7 of them.
I used Chocolate Chip Craft ink on the velum so that it would show up better. The bottom layer is embossed in white.
I think I will add the extra word to this card when the opportunity comes to use it....

Thanks for stopping by - JOAN

Glitter!!!

There's tons of glitter, glitz and glam in Vegas - so it only made sense that there was a glitter challenge. I chose to use some of my Alphabet Stickies for this. I also think I may continue using glitter for the butterfly bodies from the Big Shot Butterfly die! I love how the Tombow glue sticks up and holds onto anything.

Hope you're having a wonderful, glittery day!
Stop by again soon....JOAN

Summer Fun Spread

I'm trying to do more scrapbook layouts. This one I got from Lori Waples. I can't believe how much I'm using my Big Shot - didn't think I'd use it much when I first saw it. Wow!

I've made this spread for some photos of my son as a baby in amongst some marigolds. I want to find some pictures I can use it for in my daughter's album with different colours.

I hope you're having a wonderful week. I have one concert today and another next week. Then I'll be able to relax a little bit before doing report cards again. Counting down until summer!!!

Thanks for stopping by! JOAN