Happy Fourth of July with FMS143 + CQC248 + MFW Wonderful Words + Virginia's View #5

Today is a very special day for my family. After fifteen years enjoying the 4th of July celebrations, this is the first year will be doing it as American citizens! Our US journey began as a one, maybe two, year assignment for my husband in October 1999 and took on a few twists and turns we never anticipated.

There were so many factors that went into the decision to apply for citizenship, but the biggest surprise was how quickly things happened. I had a little heart attack when we received notice that our Naturalization Oath Ceremony was June 25, just two days before we were traveling to Canada for a wedding. Thankfully, we live near a State Department Passport Agency, who were able to expedite our new passports in 24 hours, allowing us to make the trip.

A few different challenges are combined to help create this card.

I pulled out PTI and MFT dies, along with a Paper Studio embossing folder and glitter paper to make the card. Does anyone out there recognize the Rummage magnetic stamp from Making Memories? This is one set that always makes it through any purges in my craft room.

Once again, my Wink of Stella came out and highlights the "happy" and "4" with a little glitter.

The design is based on the Freshly Made Sketch #143 and palette comes from Colour Q Challenge #248. I am also linking this card to the Moxie Fab World Wonderful Words Challenge and Virginia's View Challenge #5 Die Cut.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy 4th of July to all my American family & friends!

Jacquie

HB2U Darnell + The Cutting Edge Challenge #1 + The Curtain Call Birthday Bash + MFW

There is a birthday party happening out in cyber space for our wonderful, generous and funny blogging friend, Darnell, of djkardkreations. The party starts with Bev at Happy Dance (where you MUST check out the hamster wheel shoes) and ends with a Linky Party at Ardyth's blog home, Maskerade. Be sure to click through all the festivities and join in the fun!

I used a few speech bubbles, assorted "happy" stamps and a word die to make this bright and happy card. All the dies are inlaid, including the "birthday"word die, which has a few extra cuts layered on top.

A bit of Wink of Stella on the birthday sentiment adds just the right touch of glitter and shine.

This card was inspired by a brand new card challenge from Jackie Rockwell that is based on creating cards with die cut elements. You can find the details for The Cutting Edge Challenge #1 here.

The colors from The Curtain Call July 1 Birthday Bash Inspiration Photo steered me towards the Lawn Fawn patterned papers. You can see the details of this challenge here.

ETA I am also linking this card to the new Moxie Fab World Wonderful Words Challenge - head over here for the details.

Happy Birthday Darnell!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

MIM #163: Envelope Wraps + CTS#75 + MFW Hip on Handwriting + The Card Concept #9 Monochromatic Purple

With crafting time at a premium right now, I was happy to see a few challenges come together on one card. We have a wedding to attend next month and I thought the Make It Monday 163: Envelope Wraps from Danille Flanders was a great idea to add a little extra design to our card & gift. You can check out her tutorial here.

The wedding colors are lavender and grey, which makes this card perfect for The Card Concept #9: Monochromatic Purple Clean & Simple category. The card design is based on the CAS(E) This Sketch #75 and I am also entering this card in the Moxie Fab World Hip on Handwriting Challenge.

The wedding invitation has the bride and groom's initials intertwined, so I took that idea as a starting point for my design. I masked a couple of Wet Paint stamps to isolate the "l" and "j" before clear embossing them on a piece of watercolor paper cut with a Half & Half die.

I created a heart stencil and used a watercolor technique with Plum Pudding ink. After the panel dried, the embossing was ironed off and a touch of Wink of Stella added.

The envelope wrap was made by cutting both ends of the panel with the Half & Half die and using stamps from the Grand Ampersand stamp set. The ampersands were stamped first and left to dry for a few minutes, then lightly painted with a wet brush, pulling the ink off the image.

The sentiements were added before the panel was completely dry, allowing the ink to bleed slightly.

Happy Mother's Day to those celebrating this Sunday! I'm feeling a little sad this year, as it is the first one that I know for sure my mom doesn't know her children or grandchildren (or husband for that matter). It is a strange thing to miss someone who is sitting beside you, with a smile on her face and ready to give a hug anytime. Alzheimer's is a sad & challenging disease.

This photo was taken on a family vacation to Scotland in 1966, the first time my maternal grandparents met the five of us kids! I love all the tartan and distinctly remember carrying my uncle's transistor radio everywhere we went.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CAS(E) this Sketch! #71 + CASology #89: Joke + MFW Styling With Stencils

I have a couple of cards to share today and I don't think it took me more than half an hour to make both of them.

The CASology Week #89 cue word is JOKE. I was enjoying looking through the gallery and lamenting the fact I didn't own any of the great stamps being highlighted this week, when it occured to me this Papertrey Ink stamp could work.

I paired it with a couple of die cut arrows and answered the question with a stamped message inside the card. Truly a QACAS card!

This second card was inspired by CAS(E) this Sketch! #71 from Gayatri Murali.

I finally have my hands on the PTI Wet Paint stamp set and you will be seeing this one a lot!

The paint splats were created first with a Tim Holtz stencil and Distress Inks (Faded Jeans, Mowed Lawn and Peacock Feather).

I place both the sentiments on a stamp press and stamped them together. Another QACAS card!

This second card is also being entered in the Moxie Fab World Styling with Stencils Challenge - there is still another week or so to play along.

We are heading out for a family movie night - it isn't often we find something all four of us want to see AND we are all free AND the movie is still playing in the theater.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

OCC Clean & Simple 3 + Fusion #6 + CTD#284 + CTS#69 + MFW Stencil + SSS Glitter

My apologies up front for so many cards in one post - all of these are based on techniques from the Online Card Class Clean & Simple 3: One Layer Cards and some have incorporated the sketch or color palettes from other challenges.

This first card uses dies to emboss the square on the card base and make a stencil from acetate. The stenciled image was inked after the modeling paste dried.

The embossed square made it easy to create the glitter frame using 1/8" adhesive tape and loose glitter. This card is being entered in the Fusion #6 challenge, Moxie Fab Word Styling With Stencils challenge and Simon Says Stamp Wedesday challenge Glitter It.

My next card use a few techniques I still feel very challenged to get right - coloring with Copics and using spray mists.

My favorite element is the Viva Pearl Modeling Cream that is used to stencil the stars. I moved the stencil around the panel, learning the hard way I needed to patiently wait for one set of stars to dry before adding another.

Don't you love the shimmer of the pearly finish? This card is also being entered in the Moxie Fab World: Styling with Stencils challenge.

I immediately thought of using the Color Throwdown #284 colors when I saw this geometric inking and embossing technique.

Dusty Concord, Broken China and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks were as close to the CTD colors as I could get. I will definitely look for something to give me narrower masked lines between the shapes next time - 3/8" washi tape was the thinnest I had on hand.

Are you still with me? This is another masking technique and comes close enough to the CAS(E) This Sketch!#69 that I will enter it in the challenge.

The flower images are from the same AE Oh Happy Day stamp set as the sentiment - this is probably the first time they have seen ink.

Finally, here are a few cards that I'm posting just to link to the Online Card Class gallery. I mentioned in the Forum I was having trouble getting an even impression along the sides of the card when trying the selective embossing technique. As you can see, there is barely an impression on the right side of the sentiment panel.

This is the same technique, but came out with a more even impression. The inked card front is a bit of an experiment - not sure if I like it or not.

For my last card, I played with one of the color techniques - fast, clean and simple as long as the die cuts are straight :(

Most of these cards will be filed in a "technique box" and act as references when I'm looking for inspiration in the future.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Color Throwdown #282 Guest Star Stamper + MFW Hexagon + Avery Elle May Guest Designer Search

I am so excited to be joining the talented Designers at the Color Throwdown as the Guest Star Stamper for CTD282 and this fun, fresh palette!

Remember if you don't have the exact colors, it’s OK to substitute whatever is close to this week’s colors.  I used My Favorite Things Electric Red and Jellybean Green inks along with Mustard Seed Distress Ink to make this card.

Avery Elle's Thanks a Bunch stamp set is used to create the bouquet and tag. They are masked and the chicken wire stencil is added in the background. This is definitely one of my favorite looks right now!

A little Wink of Stella clear glitter pen was added to all the red flowers to finish off the stamped panel.

You have until 6:00 p.m. EST on Monday to link your project over at the Color Throwdown blog.

I am also linking my card to the Avery Elle May Guest Designer Search and the Moxie Fab World Hexagons: Happy for Hexagons challenge - there is plenty of time to join on these too!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Cleaning off My Desk

I had a leftover stencil from the card I posted here and decided to use it before tackling any other challenges.

You can see there are bits of molding paste and plenty of gold shimmer from the Heidi Swapp Color Shine. The leaves were also leftovers from the wreath I made on this card and are tucked loosely into the openings on the cover plate. A few flower blossoms and a sentiment flag finish this one off.

The Color Shine is more shimmer than glitter, but I am still going to link this card to the All That Glitter is Gold Challenge at Moxie Fab World.


I smiled big when I saw the Case This Sketch! #47 challenge this week.

More die cuts hanging around the office are getting used - these Ribbon Candy Borders were leftover from this card and perfect for a pretty literal take on the sketch.

The Technique Tuesday sentiment is embossed on vellum and overlays the green ribobn border. An inked wood leaf finishes the card off.

This card is being linked to CASual Fridays Challenge #115 and CASology Week 63.

With Simon Says . . . Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, I am also linking this card up there.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

MIM #133 + MFW All That Glitters + SSS Anything Goes

I am really enjoying the Make It Monday #133: Create a Flocked Look With Dimensional Paste challenge from Danielle Flanders this week. You really should check out her tutorial at Capture the Moment and play along - I'm finding it kind of addictive!

A Quatrefoil cover plate stencil and Golden Light Molding Paste create the raised design.

Before removing the stencil, gold Heidi Swapp Color Shine was sprayed over the whole panel. Why yes my friends, I spray misted! I did leave the panel alone for the color to set a bit, but needed to remove the stencil before the molding paste set.

I was thrilled to have a pretty clean panel when the stencil came off - there was a little bit of color bleed in the top right corner, but that was it.

I love the color variation as the Color Shine settled in the nooks & crannies of the molding paste.

A gold shimmer cardstock ampersand and sentiments from the PTI Grand Ampersand Stamp set finish off the card.

This card is also being linked to Cath's All That Glitters is Gold Challenge at Moxie Fab World and Simon Says Stamp where Simon Says . . . Anything Goes this week.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Papertrey Ink September 2013 Blog Hop Take Two + MFW All That Glitters is Gold

I'm back with another card for the PTI September Blog Hop where the inspiration this month is wreaths. You can check out all the details here at Capture the Moment.

For this card, I created my own wreath using a small leaf die from Happiness In Bloom Leaves set and Pinefeather cardstock. A Pinefeather circle provides a base for the leaves.

The "Peace" is die cut from gold shimmer cardstock and cut down to fit on the wreath. The gold ringed berries are gem stickers that have been in my stash a long, long time. I think a handful get used every year and I still have plenty left.

This photo captures the soft glow of the gold cardstock nicely - perfect for the All That Glitters is Gold challenge Cath has issued at Moxie Fab World. There is still plenty of time to play along!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie