...CaS(E) sketch and CoLoR CHaLLenGE...

Here's a sketch/color challenge combo that I worked on Wednesday night...

GreaT CAS(E) this sketch...clean and simple is a WoNDeRFuL starting point for me...I really just need a basic layout...I don't often KeeP it clean and simple...buuuuuuut that's a whole 'nother issue :)

...and here's this week's color combo over at the CoLoR THroWDoWN CHaLLenGE...

I have to admit...these colors threw me for a bit of a loop...it was the gray and kraft-y color together that had me wondering how things would turn out :)

Here's my finished product...I found a pad of paper that was just PeRFeCT...MME...kraft FuNday HaPPy DaY..the number paper made me think of this cute FaWN LawN set...JusT My TypE...

Here's my paper pieced phone...I think I need a red and kraft polka dot phone!!  It would match my house EXaCTLy!!...

...and here's a close-up of my button detail...still the same button/twine-y bow combo that I seem to be stuck on...but I layered a few more buttons on there...it looks a little more masculine to me this way...and this color combo seemed boyish...so I tried to keep the FRiLL to a minimum.

...and the envelope...good gravy...it's the same exact layout as EVeRY envelope I've done lately...I'm thinking I need to break out of this vertical strip rut on the next one!!!


I am SeRiouSLY LoVinG this pad of paper...it's SuPeR think and the patterns are just AMaZiNG!!

There will definitely be another post using this week's CoLoR Challenge :)

Thanks for LoOKiNG!!
jen

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...FraNkLy...he's DoTTy!!!!!

so...I might have taken just a few liberties with this week's MoJo MonDaY Sketch...

So here's the sketch...

...and here's my card...

It's all good and law abiding until you get to that center area...See...I did stick something behind the rectangle panel...but the shape and scale are waaAaAaay off...oh, well...hopefully the sketch NaZis won't catch that! :)  It's  such a small liberty...man...I must reaLLy be a RuLe FoLLowEr, cuz it bothers me! :)

Here's a close up of my pumpkin and my PoLkA DoTTy Frank...He CrAcKs me up!!!  I love that stamp!!  All stamps are PaPeR SmOoCheS and the paper is a stack I bought from tayLorEd ExPreSsions...but it came pre-cut, not in a pad, so I don't know who it's from...it's AwESoMe though!!!!

I'm also linking up to Wee MeMorIeS again...since this time I did use a PaPer SmOoCheS HaLLoWeEn stamp :)

And also to the  Simon SayS StaMps ChaLLenGe  again to show them a little more HaLLoWeEniE goodness :)

One more...I'm linking up to the ABC DT ChaLLenGe ...which was make something with a PuMpKiN...

Thanks for looking!

Have a Spectacular Thursday!

jen

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...HaLLoWeEn MonStRosiTy...

here's my take on this week's SSSC...

here's the cute sketch...

...And here's my MonStEr-OuS card :)

I hand cut my monster out of felt and added a giant GoOgLy eye :)

He looks like the green cousin of a purple monster on the cute doodLe bug paper you can just see in the background on the card...

I'm also linking up to the SimOn SaYs StaMp ChaLLenGE which is HaLLoWeEn :) I'm thinking I might link up more than once to this one :)

and the wee MeMoRiEs ChaLLenGe...I have to do another card for this too...using paPer SmOocHes stamps!

Thanks for looking!

Have a HaPPy WedNeSdaY!

jen

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...KeEpSaKe BoX...

I made this box for a chaLLenge I saw asking you to use a TechNiQue you'd never done before...but now...I have NO idea where I was when I saw it :(

But...it did inspire this...

which I can link up to the AllSoRts ChaLLenge because it has a fLoWeR :)

I used UltRa ThiCk EmBoSsing EnaMel...is that right?...GoOd GoLLy...I shouldn't have been using it if I don't even know what it is!...UTEE ...ok...so...I am NOT a TeChniQue-Y gal....I am plain jane..NOT all ArTSy-faRtSy...

Things like this scare me...I tore pieces of old book print into tiny pieces, mod podged them onto cardstock...cover the whole thing with Versamark DaZZLe ( you can see in the top picture how it's a little sparkly) and then heat embossed the UTEE...and then did the inking and embossing part again....and again....and again...and then...because it still wasn't even (here is where that NOT being TecHniQue-Y thing was REALLY coming into play) I heat embossed it yet again...so there are like 5 coats on there...I thought FOR SURE it would do that cool crackle glass thing...ummmmm....no.  

EpiC FaiL!! 

But it's still kinda pretty and I did use my RoLLed fLowers die for the first time...and I like the chunky gLiTTer on the rose..it looks festive...I'm thinking that it'll be a good Christmas embeLlie :)

I'm also linking up to...

who's ChaLLenGe this week was something 3-D...got that! :)

and 

who's ChaLLenge was ...AnYthIng GoeS... :) you gotta love those!  and there is some really fun stuff on their blog! And HaPpy BirThDaY to them! They are 4 this week!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Have a HaPpY HuMp day!!!

jen

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...HoMe for the HoLidAys....

...ok...I hope you're sitting down...because it's only Monday night and I have CoMpLetEd my MoJo MonDay ChaLLenGe card!!!!!

For some reason, this is a challenge that I always seem to be scrambling at the last minute for...kinda like the post from Sunday....that was not something to be proud of...it was embarrassing...

Here's is this week's FabULouS Sketch...

Any time there is a ribbon on an angle, it looks like a present to me :) so...I went with ChRisTMas...

it didn't hurt that all the fabby new paper I ordered from taYLorEd ExpResSions came today ;)  woo-hoo...nothing more motivating than NeW PaPeR...

The CraZy for ChaLLenGes blog is working with

One of the greatest charities you can donate your cards to is Operation Write Home! The mission of OWH is "Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them. This merry band of thousands of card makers is made up of Americans - and citizens of other nations too - who care about our military, and want to support them through creativity and encouragement. Crafters of all ages and levels of experience have participated since 2007...and are on the way to a landmark one MILLION cards! Care packages filled with hundreds of handmade cards are sent to our contacts, restocking every 6-8 weeks, and are sent in time for the long journey back home to loved ones. Each box is packed with great care, alternating styles, colors, and card makers from all over the USA, creating 'eye candy' for heroes who see only khaki around them. The topper on each box is a plastic bag filled with 20-30 letters from adults and children across the country, letters handed out especially to those in need of a positive word from the homefront."

I just loved this idea...since I started blogging more and working on chaLLenGes, I have amassed quite a hoard collection of cards that I probably won't ever use...

What an AmaZing  OptioN for them all my unused cards...Woo-Hoo!  No more piles of cards sitting on my desktop getting all crumpled and cHeWed by the cat :)  

Now I have an excuse to make even MoRe...  I'm just doing my CiVic DuTy by crafTinG...who knew card making could be PaTRioTiC?!?  and...if you click on the challenge link, it let's you know how to get hooked up sending your cards overseas...

ok...enough babbling...but I chose the paper and stamp while thinking of...letters home :)

One last link up for this card is the PaPeR SunDaeS ChaLLenge this week...which was LoTs of LaYerS...this card definitely has that one covered...just each of the pennents on the mini banner is 4 layers...plus another 15 under that...not counting the paper piecing on the house circle...I'd say that's pretty thorough.

Here's a close-up of the little house so you can see how cute the multi colored shingles are :)

Also please note...the WoRLd's SmaLLeSt BoW!!!!!  (insert angels singing here)

Seriously...it's made from unraveling baker's twine (which is 4-ply) and using one strand...honestly...that siLLy bow could be the thing that took the longest on this card!!

...and the matching envie...so that whoever gets this card mailed back to them...knows it's HaPpY mail inside!!

Thanks for Looking!

Have a TeRriFiC TuesDaY!

jen

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...4 BirDs WitH one CaRd?...

Sometimes you just try to squeeze too much in...
...thanksgiving dinner...
...a Mythbusters marathon...
...this card...

I started knowing I was going to use the Mojo Monday sketch...and honestly, I should have just stuck with that because round cards are near impossible for me anyway...but noooooo....

then I thought I would throw in this week's Color ThRoWdoWn....

aaaaaand....the CuTe Card ThurSday...theme is Animal Crackers...use an animal on your card...

aaaaaaaaaand since I was already doing an animal, I might as well make it a cute little teddy bear and take care of the CuPcaKe cRaFt ChaLLenge too...

whew...that is an awful lot to ask of one little card...

I also made it a birthday card...so I'm sure if I looked around the blogo-sphere for 20 minutes, I could find yet another challenge it would fit...YiKeS!!

Then, after struggling and producing my card...I realized my husband had the camera at the Air Show with the boy...so there's no flippin way to post photos...

can I just say...GrrRRrrrrrRRRRRrrRr?!?

And perhaps this is a lesson on waiting until the last minute and procrastination and being a more organized crafter...

BwaHaahAhaHahahahahahhaaahaha...riiiight!

The only lesson I learned is that I really need another camera!  ...and hubby has the same idea, because when I texted him to find out where he was and when he would be home...his response was...~the iPad2 has a camera~  ReaLLy??? ReaLLY??  NOT what I was looking for!!!  But, I guess you just gotta love a mac junkie! :)

I'll add the pictures before I post...but I blogged while photo less...and grumpy...

here's the pictures now :)

I love that TE bear!  He is soooo SweEt!

Here's a close up of him with his stripy belly!

...and since I had to wait for over 100 Air Show pictures to download...I thought I'd share Connor's favorite... boys only...big gun...all you can eat hamburgers...could be the best day of his life...hey....obvs...no bullets in gun...it was just to show people how heavy they are...

thanks for looking...and letting me vent a little...
oooh...I should go play with that new Paper SmOocHes hot concoctions set....vent...venti...you were following me right???

Have a GreAt WeEk!
jen

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...a SpOokY oooooOOops...

okay...let's get the oops part out of the way first...

NOT that a Taylored Expressions Sketch ChaLLenGe is really ever an oOps...but I made it thinking I had time...yeah, well.... the  ChaLLenge might have been over a week ago...I know...fine print and I are NOT really tight! :)

I do still have another day for this awesome color ChaLLenge over at Dancing in PaJaMas though!  I double checked to make sure!!  I LoVe these colors...I NEVER do grey unless prompted...but this combo ScReAmeD HaLLowEen to me :) ...of course...right now...just about everything ScReaMs HaLLoweEn :)

I'm not sure how close a match my green and purple are to what they were loOking for, but hopefully the rainbow police aren't out there removing cards that aren't perfect! :)

Here's my card...I used the new TE a la carte SpOokY stamp...since I thought I was doing a TE chaLLenge...I colored the letters with copics and used stickles on my ghost to help him shine! :)  I also paper pieced another ghost on top of him to make him look like he was really popping out of that "O".  I also ran my vellum background circle through a cuttlebug spiderweb folder...I LoVe how it turned out...not perfect but the web is reaLLy visible!

You can see the PoP better in this picture.   Oh...and how I hand stitched in green around the edge of my webby circle...

...and here is the matching envie.

I am sorry I didn't get this done in time, but I'm definitely glad I didn't notice earlier and make something different instead...I like how this card turned out!...very HaLLoweEniE with a male edge...no bows...no ribbon...this is about as masculine as it gets for me!   :)

Thanks for Looking!

Have a WoNdeRfuL weekend!

jen

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...HeLLo DeeR...

GoOd MorNiNg...

I made a cute little ChrIsTmaS card combining a few ChaLLengeS for today...
I used the September Sketch for You To Try
...since the month is almost over, I figured I'd better get on this before the October sketch is out! :)

Here's the sketch...which I LOVED!!! All I could see was toooooooooons of different, fun,  patterned papers when I looked at it! :)

...and here's my PeNnY bLaCk ChriStMas take on it...this stamp is sooooooooo cute!!! Look at that face! ack!

but all that patterned paper is where the second chaLLenge comes in...

Wee Memories chaLLenge 

this week was to use patterned paper...ummmm....pretty sure I've got that covered here!!! 

The third ChaLLenge was from 

icopic

...and here's a better shot of this week's little ReD! :)  You can kinda see the tinsel glitter I added on the bottom of her dress here too...It's fun and sparkly IRL.

This stamp has been sitting for WeEks...waiting patiently to get all inky...this was the first time she got dirty...but I'll DeFinIteLy be using her again!!

***RaNdoM TiP***

I wanted to add a red jingle bell in the center of my button...but the only one I had was GiNorMouS!...so I dug around and found some cute little bitty guys...but they were gold...ummm...yuck with this card...sooooo....

here's my tip for the day...but only try it if you're wearing gloves or don't mind technicolor fingertips...

Just color your metal bells with a copic in the color that you want :)  Mine were pretty small, so I threaded the top through a large headed quilting pin to make it easier to hold while I colored...then I pulled it off and colored the top...my fingers looked all gruesome and bloody afterwards...but my JinGLe BeLLs were LipSticK ReD!  PerFecT!!

See???  It was totally worth looking like I'd had an unfortunate run in with the garbage disposal for a few hours! :)  Those red guys are just right!

...and here's the envelope.

Have a WonDeRfuL HumP DaY!!

jen

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...PeNny bLaCk CupCaKe...

I combined two ChaLLenges today...both of them are due in just a few hours :) 
nothing like a squidge of procrastination...

I used this sketch...

SkIppIng StOnes DesIgns ChaLLenge

...and these colors...

color throwdown #160

And this is what I made...

I loooooove this Penny Black stamp...and I had a pack of Bo Bunny paper that was just perfect! :)

...and the envie.

Thanks for Looking!

Have an AmAzInG MonDaY!

jen

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