Psssst….

Psssst - I can't believe I've done two posts in one day!!!  I participated in the Friday Mashup this afternoon before getting back to convention prep - before babysitting Elliot this evening - Yay!

The mashup this week is:

1. Create a project with "Sketch."
2. Create a project using some "Sponging". 
3. Or Mash it Up and create a project with "Sponging using the Sketch

 I love sponging!  I especially enjoy sponging two colours around one edge - like I did on my sentiment piece.  I used a blender pen and ink to colour in the flower…….can't wait until we get the Blendabilities!  WoooHooo!

And now I'm off - hope you're Friday has been fantastic!  Thanks for visiting!

Joan

Ombre Butterflies

Good morning - I actually made this card yesterday before I went to school, but I never got around to posting it through the day.

I've created it for the SUO Challenge which was a NO layer card.  I'm actually getting a bit more comfortable with these.  I picked a spectrum of blues for an ombre effect with the butterflies - the top one is popped up with a rhinestone. Rhinestones are scattered around - not something I'm used to doing (scattering!) but I like how it turned out.  I used my markers to colour the sentiment in a opposite ombre to the butterflies…..didn't realize it was opposite until I stamped it though.

Off to school now - still lots of prep for Teacher's convention, but I hope to get some stamping done this afternoon.  

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.

Joan

My blue spectrum…..

Soft Sky, Costal Cabana, Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, Island Indigo, Night of Navy, Midnight Muse

Merry Mojo Monday

Ornaments are the thing this week over at the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.  And I used the sketch from Mojo Monday this week also.

When selecting an ornament I decided to go with one that I don't use very often….in a set that I use a lot!  To get the dots on the circle, I brayered some Old Olive ink onto the embossing folder.

Now I'm off to get my hands dirty with some paint - hope you have had a wonderful day.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Joan

Catching up...

Welcome to another MDS Monday - Holly has a great sketch for us today and wants us to use stitching  on our page.

One of the things I love about MDS is that you can flip images -it's nice to be able to make the little animals from the Storytime kit face the direction I  want/need them to. I've attached my photos and the two top strips of paper with stitching, and I've "stitched" the button on also. by making a piece of Baker's Twine the length between the button holes.  I actually discovered something I never used before - because the piece needed to stitch the button was so small, it was hard to grab and place it properly.  I increased the "canvas zoom" and was able to manipulate things better.  Not something new, but I'd never used it before.  

Here is the sketch for you.  I hope you try it out and then link your creation to the challenge blog so we can take a peek!

Enjoy your Monday - Thanks for dropping by.

Joan

Hey There!

Hey There!  It's Sunday Stamps - and today we have a sketch challenge for you.  I love love love the new watercolour items in the Occasion Catalogue - I don't do well at watercolour, but I'm willing to practise!  For today's card, I have used watercolour paper with Tangerine Tango ink - on my card, the dark centre section has been popped up.

I'm also really liking the new Just Sayin' set with the co-ordinating framelits!

So - check out the Sunday Stamps blog to see what the rest of the design team has come up with - create your own project and then link it to the blog so we can enjoy it too.

Here's the sketch….

Hope your days is going just tickity-boo!  Thanks for dropping by!

Joan

Starry Thx

My first project of the day was to complete the Friday Mashup - and I combined it with the Create with Connie and Mary Sketch.

The MashUp this week is…

1. Create a project with "Stars."
2. Create a set of "Thank you Cards with Matching Envelopes". 
3. Or Mash it Up and create a set of "Thank you Cards & Envelopes using Stars."  

I used the little star from the Thinlits Circle Card - I wish we still had the star punches…..I used our retired one for the embellishment.  The top large star is a piece of card stock covered with the gold striped washi tape and then punched out in the star shape.

The small star from the Sale-a-brations Banner Blast set was used to add stars to the matching envelope.  I love matching envelopes - rarely ever have plain ones!

Hope you accomplish all your plans for the day.  Thanks for taking time to stop by!

Joan

Hexagon Hello

Hello, Hello……I'm not quite sure what's happening to me!  Maybe it's because I'm busy getting ready for a Teacher's Convention, but my "style" - if I really have one, is changing a bit.  I'm veering more and more to simpler layers.  However, be assured, even if the layers are simple….there are still dimensionals being used!!!!!!!  I will not give up dimensionals!

Anyway - the challenge I completed today is relatively new challenge blog - Colour Me….!    This week they are using Gumball Green, Blushing Bride, Pumpkin Pie and Pool Party.  I pulled out my Six-Sided Sampler set because I haven't used it in a while.  Tomorrow I have an order arriving, so I'm looking forward to some (more) new toys!

Hope you have something to look forward to.  Thanks for visiting!

Joan

Buttercup Monster

WooHoo Wednesday! I love seeing what the Freshly Made Sketches gals have every week.  They never disappoint!

I love the pennants framelits that we have now and I am having fun combining the Word Bubble framelits with words from sets other than the set they match.  I pulled out my little Monstermaniacs again - they're just so cute.  I managed to fussy cut the eyelashes, but there was no way I was going to attempt the antennae!  She is popped up on the card.

I couldn't think of any sort of embellishment I wanted to add, so I used one of the pieces from the Circle Card Thinlits to get some small chevron shapes that fit perfectly on the embossed piece.  These little pieces are also popped off the card.

Hope your Wednesday has had something in it to make you cheerful.  Thanks for dropping in for a visit.

Joan

Happy Flower

Good Morning….Happy Day!

I joined the SUO Challenges this week and they wanted participants to use some of the new products that we have right now.  There are so many fun things in the Occasions Catalogue!

I've seen a lot of rainbows created with this awesome image from "Happy Watercolour" and I've been thinking about trying out as a flower.  I think it would work wonderfully as a sunrise or sunset also - so that may be next.

The new Watercolor Wonder DSP has been torn and distressed for the grass and I used one of the "Word Bubble" framelits for the greeting as well as using the "thought" bubble for outlining the clouds.

I find it hard to believe that I left the card with absolutely no embellishments - but it's all good.

And it's extra good because Stampin'Up! has extended the deadline for the Paper Pumpkin Promotion

Any new Paper Pumpkin subscribers who sign up at  www.mypaperpumpkin.com  between January 11 and February 10, 2014, will receive a FREE set of 2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers -a $19.95  value-with their Welcome Kit.

And if I reach my goal of 7 new subscribers by January 25, I will receive a $500 grab bag of retired product (which I'm more than happy to share with the new subscribers!)  AND a special gift from Shelli Gardner, our CEO.  Exciting!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful happy Wednesday.

Thanks for visiting.

Joan

Deck the Halls...

I know we're barely into the year, but I think I'm on a roll with participating with Merry Monday so far!  This week they have a colour challenge with ribbon added.  I've used Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip with the Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon sprucing up the ornaments.  (I'm sorry that the embossing powder is so shiny in the photo!)

Here is their challenge:

Also - here are the Weekly Deals for January 21-27.  Remember I'm putting my own order on Friday, January 24 - so if you want to have a chance to receive the Hostess Benefits, e-mail me with your order, or shop-on line at my store and use the Hostess Code….  GW3A4MHJ

Hope your Tuesday has been terrific!

Thanks for dropping by!

Joan

Watercolour Butterfly

Welcome to MDS Monday, where today we are working with Tami's sketch and playing with your choice of MDS Watercolour options.

This card certainly evolved over time.  I began trying to create a flower with a collection of watercolour brush strokes overlapping in a circle.  It worked out okay, but I wasn't that thrilled with it in the end.  I then decided to stay more true to Tami's sketch and laid down the large watercolour wash from "Beautiful Today".  I walked away from it for a while, came back to the computer and by accident discovered what a coloured wash looked like on a coloured background.  I think you'd be hard pressed to get this effect in real life.

I decided that a white Swallowtail would be the best addition.

Accidents can be a good thing - and easy to deal with on MDS because there is no wasted paper.

So, here is Tami's sketch and I hope you give one of the watercolour options a try.  Be sure you link your creation back to the MDS Monday blog so we can take a peak.

Have fun, and thanks for dropping by.

Joan

Grungy Valentine

Today I joined the Dynamic Duos and Paper Players Challenges. I have a bit of a hard time with single layer cards - but that's why doing challenges is a good thing - they make you work out of your comfort zone from time to time.

I also thought it was time to see what the grunge look was like using subtle colours.  Not too bad, I think.

Hope your day is working out your way!  Thanks for taking time to stop by.  

Be sure to check back tomorrow to see what we have for you from MDS Monday.

Language of Love Mashup

Took time to do the Friday Mashup this morning before getting some more prep work done on the upcoming Teacher's Convention.

The Mashup this week was:

1. Create a project using the Colors "Coastal Cabana, Real Red & Crumb Cake."
2. Create a project using "Hearts & Arrows. "
3. Or Mash it Up and create a project using "the above colors along with Hearts & Arrows."

I pulled out the Language of Love set I received at Leadership  and combined it with the arrow from the Label Card Thinlits.  The Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon was easy to stamp on using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, which helped to keep the ribbon in place while I stamped.

It's a sunny day here and the temperatures are suppose to be above zero - so I suppose I'll go out and try to chip more packed snow off of the driveway….as well as doing more stamping, prepping, and arting.

Hope you have an enjoyably full day!

Thanks for stopping by,

Joan

Geometric Hooray

I played along with Freshly Made Sketches and Create with Connie and Mary this afternoon.  I don't have the little triangle punch yet, so I just cut out the triangles from the "Geometrical" set I got at Leadership.

I also did a little water colouring - love the idea from Brian Pilling at Leadership!  This will be one of the cards we do at next months' technique class!

My Undefined Flower

This afternoon I got the chance to ink up my very own stamp….the one I carved using the Undefined kit at Leadership.  I have carved one other stamp, but haven't used it yet - shame on me!

I took the colours from this week's Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge - Costal Cabana, Strawberry Slush and Wisteria Wonder.  I really quite like the combination.  I used markers to colour in the sections of my image…..

Speaking of….

When you sign up for Paper Pumpkin between January 11 and February 10, 2014 you will get a FREE package of 2012-14 In Colour Markers ($19.95 value)

You will receive the Welcome Kit your first month, but I KNOW that the February and March kits are "out of this world" fantastic! Unlike anything that's been in the Pumpkin before.

Use this link to sign up today - naming me as your demonstrator…..

https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en-ca/signup/
Not sure what Paper Pumpkin is? Contact Me!

Weekly Deals - 

January 14 - 20

ALPHABET PRESS TEXTURED IMPRESSIONS EMBOSSING FOLDER Price: $9.95 $7.46 BASIC BLACK 3/4" CHEVRON RIBBON Price: $12.50 $9.38 CALYPSO CORAL CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD Price: $7.25 $5.44 CHALK TALK FRAMELITS DIES Price: $30.95 $23.21 FRAMED TULIPS TEXTURED IMPRESSIONS EMBOSSING FOLDER DIE Price: $9.95 $7.46 NEUTRALS CORE'DINATIONS Price: $29.95 $22.46 NOTE CARD ENVELOPES Price: $6.95 $5.21 STORYTIME ENSEMBLE - DIGITAL DOWNLOAD  Price: $21.95 $13.17

These are the fantastic deals available this week from Stampin'Up!  Hop over to my on-line store to take a closer look.  You can order 24/7 and have your goodies delivered right to your door.  Or you can e-mail me with your order -   j-jeffery@live.com  .  

Here is the link to my store…

Hope your Wednesday is going Wonderfully!  Thanks for dropping by!

Joan

Leadership Make & Takes

A super fast post this morning before I head to school showing you the make and takes we did at leadership. 

Donna Griffiths shared ideas with us about the bundles that are in the Occasions catalogue - and then we each received the Happenings Simply Created kit to make three cards….and take the rest of the kit home.  Fun easy kit to work with - as all Stampin'Up! kits are!

 Brian Pilling gave us some watercolour techniques and then we completed this make and take with the Vivid Vases set we received along with an aqua painter.

Finally Brandi Barnard talked to use about the geometric trends and we finished up the evening creating three bookmarks.

I'm looking forward to stamping with some of my new stuff after school today!

Check back to see what I create….

Thanks for dropping by,

Joan

Reeling in Balloons

Welcome to MDS Monday - this round I'm the host with a scrapbook layout. To be honest, I went to the photo layout portion of the resource palette on MDS for some inspiration.  I don't use that area enough - and it can be a big help.  I've elongated the photo boxes to fill more space. I initially thought I would group the photo boxes  and drop on photo into them - but I ended up catching Elliot reeling in a balloon someone gave him while he was in the trampoline at his birthday party.  They worked perfectly in the slender photo boxes!

 The little stars at the bottom of my sketch can be anything you desire.  I decided to use balloons - to fit the theme of the page.  To create the "shadow" on the balloons, I created a curved line with the Freeform tool, got it the size I wanted, thickened the line size, changed it to white and finally change the opaqueness.

Here is the sketch - have fun with it - and you've gotta check out what the rest of the MDS Monday Design Team has done with their sketches…. AWESOME!

Thanks for visiting - 

Joan

Foil Hearts

It's a colour challenge this go round at Sunday Stamps….and they are Night of Navy, Silver and Strawberry Slush.

I've used the Silver foil paper embossed with hearts and the Happy Watercolor stamp set to create the splatters across the bottom.

If you'd like some inspiration, check out what the rest of the Design Team has come up with and then be sure to link your creation back to the Sunday Stamps blog so we can enjoy it.

Have fun!

Thanks for visiting.

Joan