December AEI♥U Challenge

I picked up a couple of the newer Avery Elle dies and haven't really had a chance to play with them until today. The December AEI♥U Challenge Sketch is perfect for using the Simply Tags Love Notes Die.

As you can see, this one is being used as a gift card holder. I recommend checking out Nina Yang's tutorial to see how fun and versatile this die set is.

I used the same opening shape on the front and back of the pocket - extending the back piece and cutting into the front piece.

A circle die cut is paired with one of the new AE Pinked Dies to provide a home for the sentiment from the All Squared Up stamp set.

The tags are not adhered together which allows a little bit of movement as they hang from the twine bow.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

2013 Year in Review

I'm enjoying catching up on a few favorite blogs and seeing the Year in Review posts that are popping up this week. Looking back on my own posts over the last year, I see a mix of cards that make me happy and more than a few that make me cringe.

Today I am going to highlight a few of my favorites, a few of the most frequently pinned cards from my blog and a few from the most visited posts.

Love the color palette, chevron & diagonal stripe.

My daughter's favorite.

Favorite butterfly stamps & one of my most pinned cards.

Most pinned card - love the texture.

Stencil & ink.

Love the texture.

Molding paste & color shine spray.

Just really like this one.

Most visited post.

Favorite tags.

Love the mix of textures.

I have learned to use my embossing folders this year and hope to have more fun with them and stencils next year. 

I want to take a moment and sent a huge shout-out of "thanks" to all the wonderful challenge hosts and design team members who provide inspiration all year long. I know that in addition to the existing challenges, there are a few new ones that are going to hit the paper crafting world in the next few weeks. One that I plan on playing along with is the Craft Hoarder's Anonymous Blog hosted by my dear friend Gloria Stengel.

Thank you for visiting my little blog and all your kind comments throughout the year!

Jacquie

Make It Monday #145: 2013 A La Carte + RIC#50 Sympathy Card

I missed the Make It Monday #144: Heat Embossing on Vellum and am happy to have a second chance to play along because of this week's challenge to revisit any of the 2013 challenges. You can check out the details here.

I paired this challenge with the Runway Inspired Challenge #50 to make a sympathy card.

Matthew Williamson Spring 2014

 

I heat embossed the PTI floral image and sentiment on the vellum and then attached the punched butterflies and ribbon.

I hope you are all enjoying a holiday break. Our weather has been fabulous, and we've been trying to get out and enjoy it as much as possible before heading back to the regular routine in another week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Papertrey Ink December 2013 Blog Hop Take Two

With the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop challenge to use string this month, I thought I would link up these treat boxes that we gave away to friends this year. For details on the Blog Hop, check out Capture the Moment here.

 I used some of my 12"x12" scrapbook papers to make a quick tray (the paper was cut to 8"x12" and each side scored and folded at 1.5"). They fit 15 of our holiday brownie bites perfectly!

The tags are stamped with images from the Santa Stationery and tied with jingle bells and Baker's twine.

Thanks for stopping by again,

Jacquie

Papertrey Ink December 2013 Blog Hop

The challenge for the Papertrey Ink December Blog Hop is to use string on a papercrafting project. You can find all the details here at Capture the Moment.

I kept it sweet and simple. using string to tie a few tags onto these gifts.

The Joy tag is a repeat of one I created for the October Blog Hop using the Joy One Liner die, but I added a few bells as I tied it to the gift.

The smaller package is wrapped with kraft paper and sealed with a diamond pattern washi tape. A couple of the Tremendous Tags and a heat embossed sentiment from the Grand Ampersand set finish this one off.

My favourite tool for stringing jingle bells onto the twine is this flexible eye needle. The eye can twist wide open to easily thread a thick twine, and collapses flat to pull through the bell.

Happy Boxing Day to all those enjoying an extra day off today! Depending on where Christmas day falls in the week, dear husband sometimes get a nice long weekend, but not this year.

Enjoy the hop!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Merry Monday #88 + Fusion & Freshly Made Sketches #117

The Merry Monday challenge this week is to use an animal on your Christmas card. I have a few bird dies and stamps that could have worked, but the deer head pillow in the Fusion inspiration photo made me look a little further in my stash of bits and pieces. This Tim Holtz reindeer charm was begging to be used.

I used a felt pad and alcohol ink to carefully add a touch of color to to the charm. A couple of embossing folders add texture and a Hero Arts stamp finishes the card off.

For this next card, I used the sketch #117 from Freshly Made Sketches to make a baby boy card - two new babies arrived at my husbands office this week!

I followed the sketch pretty closely, using a stamp, dies and a brad to complete the sentiment. The sketch has a stitched line on the flags and I think my resolution for next year will to actually use my sewing machine on a card.

Thanks for stopping by, especially during the busy holiday season!

Jacquie

Fusion + Simon Says

There were two babies born to employees at my husband's office this week. I knew the first one was expected any day, so had a card ready for her. A Taylored Expressions die (picked up during their great Black Friday sale) is paired with a Papertrey Ink die to make this super simple card.

As the first grandchild for both sides of the family, I think there is no doubt she will be treated like a princess. Cotton Candy Stickles in the negative space from the "hello" die cut adds a touch of bling to the clean & simple design.

This card is being linked to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to Bling It On!

My husband keeps adding to his Christmas card list and I am happy to oblige him. This card was inspired by the photo at the Fusion Challenge Blog. Yes, they are back with a month long challenge!

This Gourmet Rubber Stamps Oh Christmas Tree set was picked up on clearance after Christmas last year because I loved this sentiment/tree stamp so much.  My stamp sets are sorted by company and all the orphan stamps & sets live in a basket together. Looking for another stamp the other day, this set was peeking up at me from the bottom of the basket!

I was so happy to have an opportunity to use it this year and love that the tree shape fits the inspiration photo. The red pompom & tinsel trim and a touch of glitter pen on the star add a little bling to finish off the card. This card is also being linked to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge to Stamp Out 2013!

I have a baby boy card to make before picking up my son. He has finals this week, so will be done at noon. His sister's school doesn't have finals until the second week of January. He is thrilled not to have any school work over the winter break and she is thrilled to have a couple of extra weeks to study.

Hope you are enjoying the holiday season and thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CAS(E) This Sketch #57 + Muse #48 + Paper Smooches + CASual Fridays #123

It is not often I can hit four challenges with one card, but I think this one really works well for them all. The initial inspiration was from the CAS(E) this Sketch #57 and CASual Fridays Challenge #123: Let It Snow.

I decided to make one of the circles on the sketch a window, with the sentiment peeking through from the inside of the card instead of putting it in the bottom left corner. The other two large circles became vellum snowflakes.

 I had the card finished to this point yesterday and then saw the Monday Muse challenge this morning. Marion Vagg has given us this delightful Inside/Outside card to work with and I knew my card wasn't quite finished.

My inks and stamp set were waiting for me on the desk and it just took a couple of minutes to add a little interest to the inside of the card.

Not as stunning as Marion's card, but I like the surprise on the inside!

This is also being linked to Anything Goes at the Paper Smooches Sparks challenge blog as my sentiment and snowflakes come from their Fresh Snow stamp set.

I'm finally getting the hole in my family room ceiling fixed - our leaky pipe was replaced a month ago, but we really wanted to make sure everything was completely dry before closing it up.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#49 + Muse#47

Even though my poor little blog has been neglected this week, trust me, I am crafting up a storm. Most of what I have been working on is for our Christmas cards (which are almost all in the mail - yeah!) and not for any specific challenges.

I had to take a little break in the holiday madness to make a couple of birthday cards for my baby boy who turns 15 tomorrow. This card was inspired by the colors from RIC#49 and the die cut sentiment on the current Muse card from Therese Calvird.

The sentiment panel is popped up with foam adhesive, but looks a little flat in the photo.

These are a few of our Christmas cards - I really wanted to use some of the pretty holiday papers I have collected. The flags are mostly hand cut because it is so much faster than die cutting when working in bulk like this. The photo of these first two didn't make it out of the camera in time for last week's Merry Monday chalkboard challenge.

These cards are a modification of one I did last week for the Modern Whimsey MIM challenge. I didn't have the time or energy to make the banner, but love the extra dimension from the embossed panel.

Once we make it through this weekend, the worst of the preparation and holiday parties will be done for us and we can relax and enjoy the season a bit more. Hope you are having a great December!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie