...MoJo MoNDaY...329...

This week's MoJo MoNDaY sketch was another great one! 

Super simple and inspiring :)

I  turned to a pad of paper that was sitting on my desk...I just pulled out Valentine paper and LoVeY stamps this weekend...I don't normally do PReTTY...I'm much more comfortable with CuTE :)

But this echo park -yours TRULY- pad of paper definitely called for something pretty.

I pulled out my TaYLoReD EXPreSSioNS -Vintage Dreamer- set...it's absolutely gorgeous...but it hadn't been used yet because...I'm a little afraid of leaving my cutesy comfort zone :)

Here's what I came up with...The chevron rosette turned out well...I like how graphic it looks combined with the dramatic embossed  medallion stamped image.

I'm thinking this will probably just sit in a gift basket or be tied onto a present because the rosette is just too thick to fit well into an envelope.

Instead of doing a layer of paper on the bottom as pictured in the sketch, I stamped the sentiment there and added a few black rhinestones...I've never done a trio of stones like that before...but I'm thinking I'll be doing it again..I like how it seems to anchor the sentiment without being distracting.

I have a feeling I'll be visiting this sketch again before the week is over :)

Thanks for LooKinG!
jen

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...TaKe TwO...

Just had to do another take on the Mojo Monday Sketch...

This time things weren't quite so simple...lots of layering...12 layers of paper...but who's counting?? :)

I'm not sure if it's the GLaMPeR's influence or what...but i seem to be stuck on a ReD and TurQuoiSE color scheme...  I used an ADoRaBLe TaYLoReD EXPreSsioNS set...SPeCTaCuLaR... for the first time...and just happened to have a pad of paper on my desk (pink paislee-hey kid) that was a PeRFeCT match!!

After I got the card laid out...I realized I wanted something  -more-  but i wasn't quite sure what it was...I knew I wanted to use some of the cute glasses stamps in the set, but I wasn't sure how.  The I had a LighT BuLB moment...shrinky dinks...

I stamped the glasses with black stazon ink and cut them out.  Then I held the image still with the tip of a pair of scissors and blasted it with my heat gun...there were a few mistakes ;) but ot didn't take long before the little sets of glasses were coming out perfect...I LOVE them!! They just crack me up!! PLus...it's ToTaLLy fun watching them curl and dance and magically become an embellishment...if you haven't tried it... you SHouLD!!!

I just used hot glue to adhere them since it's clear and you can't see it at all :)

Here's the card and envie...

...and another shot of just the envelope.

Thanks for looking!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)
jen

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...Get BeTTeR BeaR...

Last Saturday, In honor of

WoRLd CarD MaKinG DaY

TayLoReD ExPreSsionS

began

I LoVe the idea of making cards and sending them to a place where they can make someone smile AND make someone's life easier!  I know how hard it is to visit someone in the hospital...You always try to bring them just a little something to add some cheer to their day...  I think it would be awesome if every hospital had a stash of homemade cards for you to pick from...not that I don't love Hallmark...but it's just not the same as a crafted card.

Jen Shults came up with a sketch for this week's challenge

This card had a LOT of scary layers, but it also has a LOT of rectangles, which would make it work for another challenge I saw

The FriDaY MaShUp Challenge was to use this color scheme or rectangles or both...

I didn't have the exact colors they wanted...but I tried to get close...

Hopefully that's ok ;)

....Here's my card....

I count 12 rectangles....HoLy SnaP!

I used the Taylored Expressions Beary Special set as well as the Accessories set....and then LaYereD...and LaYeReD...and LaYerED some more!!

I can only hope it ends up making someone feel just a little better.

If you have any cards collecting dust in your stash, I think this would be a WonDeRFuL opportunity for you to clear some space (and we all need more space) AND do something nice...WiN-WiN!! ;)

I couldn't wait and have already sent this (and several others) out to the hospital listed on 

Taylor VanBruggen's blog

The Department of Volunteer Services - Unit 115
Attn: Maggi Suttles
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Boulevard
Houston, TX 77030

Thanks for LoOking!

have a GreAt Wednesday!

jen

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...LCS update...

I had a great time participating in the TaYLoReD ExPreSsioNs  contest...

but I've been voted off the island  :(

To vote for one of the 5 talented ladies who made the final cut, 

go visit THIS THREAD

The cards are awesome and all of these crafters deserve lots of love and votes!

Here are my cards that didn't make the cut to the top 5

The assignment was to make two separate cards using the same stamp.

One card needed to be masculine, and the other feminine.

Here's my girly card.

...and the inside...

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

and a closer view of the BeaRy SpeciaL bear...I just used a little hole punch in his hand and strung the twine from the balloons right through his paw...it worked out great and allowed the twine to be free hanging and completely adjustable.

and the inside.

Cute cards and I'm glad to add them to my stash.  Even though I didn't make the final cut, I'm glad that the contest inspired me to start being creative and crafty again...I'd forgotten how fun it is ;)

Thanks for looking and have a great week!

jen

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...DS72 SketCh and a TreaT BaG...

just a quick HoLiDaY card I made last night to release some steam after doing 70 minutes of 6th grade MaTH...

BLLLLLLLeeEEeeEeeeeeCK!!

Least Common Multiple, Greatest Common Divisor, Improper Fractions...my head hurt and I needed something to reduce the stomach acid that had exploded from trying to convince an 11 year old that I wasn't an idiot and I did indeed know how to do his math (after I read the instructions in his math book ;)   )

So here is the sketch I used from the Deconstructing Jen blog....

It looked really complicated...but I just started layering...

...and kept layering, and matting...and layering some more ;)

I love the colors...I stamped the background with the birch trees in PTI Kraft ink and then colored in between them with a copic....I've never done anything like that before...I think I'll try it again...

Here's my deer up close...the wreath has liquid pearl and stickles dot decorations on it 

FeStiVe!!!

I'm going to link it up on her blog.

At 6:45 this morning...the boys leave for school at 7:05... Connor says to me..."do you have some candy or something that I can take in for Matt?  It's his last day at school" 

 ReaLLy??? 

He knew I went upstairs to craft after we finished homework last night...WHY didn't he ask then???????

Oh...silly me...he's a BOY...an 11 year old boy at that....

How could I POSSIBLY expect him to plan and think ahead?!?!?!?!??!

anyway...we happened to have  a bag of candy and I made a topper in under 10 minutes...

not the cutest thing ever...but really...10 minutes from the request to me handing it to him as a completed item?  It's not bad....Speed Crafting is never going to be for me...but I do have to admit, it makes waaaaaayyyyyy less of a mess than when I agonize over every decision and audition 27 papers for each section of a project...I just used what was sitting on my desk and t had to be good enough :)

Of course...now I'm looking at the picture thinking it needed a solid base layer and the sentiment is too big and maybe two BIG eyeballs would have been better....ack!  SiLLy!!  

Like the 11 year old boy cares about anything except the CANDY inside!!??!!??

Today at noon is the due date for all of the TE LCS entries to be posted...I can't wait to see all of the FuN creations!!  Then on Sunday the ToP 5 are picked...YiKeS!!  My stomach hurts just thinking about it...I'm going to go clean something to get my mind off it!

Happy FriDaY!!

thanks for LoOking!

jen

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...FaNg-TaStiC...

so...again...the TE stamps are still all over my cubby...I won't hear about the contest results until Sunday...and then I'll be able to post the cards I made here on the old blog...I am even less patient than I thought...the waiting is killing me!  And I've gotten a little OCD about checking the Splitcoaststampers gallery where the ToP 10+1 are posting their final cards...I'm checking all the time and obsessing about how AmAZinG all the cards going up are! 

Any way, to try to take my mind off of it,  I decided to finish a project that I pulled everything out for a few weeks ago...I saw a sketch somewhere that made me think of the PTI ~take three~ die cut...and then I just started picking and pulling TaYLoReD ExPreSsioNs goodies and some PTI things...

Here's what I ended up with...it's hard to see, but Dracula is peeking out of the frame....

You can see it a little better here...as well as the way the spider web and line from the spider to the web are sparkly...I used embossing powder that I'd added some PriSMa glitter too ;)

If Donny Osmond was a cute vampire in a TwiLiGhT movie...this is what he's look like.

You can't really see it, but not only is he wearing a SNaZzY purple outfit...He's SpaRkLy!!

Here's the matching envie.

Hopefully I'll be willing to part with some of the HaLLoWeEn cards I make this year...all the ones from last year are still being hoarded...ummm...I mean...saved...in my drawers.

Thanks for LoOking!

Have a GrEaT Thursday

jen

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...LaSt CarD StaNdiNg UpDaTe...

So the emails went out Sunday morning letting people know if they had been chosen to continue on to the 

TOP 10 

in the 

and

....WiNneR WinNeR...

...ChiCkEN DiNneR...

ok...to be honest, in my case it would be 

...SoY ProTieN BaSeD DiNneR...

since I'm vegetarian...

but that just really doesn't have the same ring to it ;)

You can see a listing of the rest of the AmAzinGly talented winners HERE

...and follow all the updates and such on the Spiltcoaststampers forum for Taylored Expressions TOP 10...

So...I would have blogged it yesterday but we were up visiting the MoUsE...

We hung out by the pool, ordered drinks, spent the night at the hotel, went to the park, 

met some new friends,

and hung out with some old ones.

Except for the fact that it was 104 degrees on October 1, it was a GrEaT time!!

Ok...back to the real world...time to get busy making my next entry for the contest.

This week we have to use one stamp to create both a masculine AND a separate feminine card...

Should be ExCiTinG!!

I can't wait to see what the rest of these talented women come up with!

none of us can post our cards on our blogs until after next Sunday...it's all ToP SeCReT until then ;)

Thanks for LoOkiNng and have a great week!'

jen

Thanks for looking!

Jen

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...MoJo MoNdaY...

Just a quickie this morning...

I still have all my TE stamps out...hoping that I'll still need them next week when the

  LaSt CaRd StaNDinG 

contest is down to just 10 crafters ;)

Decided to give the Mojo Monday 260 sketch a try...

I used the AdoRabLe ~What's Cookin'? set...It has a bunch of just the cutest images!

Here's my card....

I LoVe the apron!  I would totally wear it if it was my size and not made of paper ;)

The lie of paper is from American Crafts and called MaRgARiTa...gotta love that!

I bought it last year and it's sat unused in its bag collecting dust...

It's just sad that such HaPpY paper should have such a lonely fate...but now that it's on my desk, it's seen 2 cards in two days and I'm thinking there may be more coming soon...

ok...I'm off to make book club invitations...which is what I was supposed to be doing when I was making this ;)

Thanks for looking!

enjoy your Saturday!!

jen

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...SepTemBeR SkEtcH for YoU to TrY...

so after all the self induced stress of the TaYlOReD ExpReSsiOnS LCS contest...I picked up two stamps that I had paired together when I was looking through my TE stash before we had the contest assignment...

I absolutely LoVeD how the snowflake frame from Take Note ~ Holidays and the Snowman from Hangin' Out at the North Pole fit together.

I have also rediscovered crafty BloG - HoPPinG...how could I have forgotten what an amazing way to waste time that is?!?!?!


I visited Jen del Muro's blog to look at this month's Sketch For You To Try ...as well as at the eye candy all over her blog ;)

Here's the sketch...

As soon as I saw it, I just knew it would work perfectly with the TE stamps I'd matched up earlier.

The basket of 6X6 holiday papers was still sitting on my desk and this card came together in next to no time...

It worked up fast enough that I still had time to link it over on the SFYTT blog!  woo-Hoo!  Haven't done that in forever!!

Here's a close up of the frame and snowman...see how perfect they are together??

I love this card...it's a snowy, PrePpY Christmas!

I'm spending tomorrow working on book club invitations...hopefully I'll get them finished, blogged, and mailed tomorrow...shouldn't be hard since Connor is in a Boy Scout Merit Badge workshop all day and I'm sure the hubster will need at least TWO naps since it will be quiet :)

Thanks for looking and

Have A GrEaT WeEkeNd!!

jen

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...LaSt CaRd StaNdinG...top 15

ok...so I worked all week on my card for the

I found the stamps that I wanted to use pretty quickly...

the problem was...they were PreTtY stamps...

and PrettY and I don't usually do well together :/

I ended up with 4 cards...but then I realized that I didn't follow the directions on the last card I made...there was no patterned paper...which is a total bummer since I absolutely ADORE that card ;)

ok...so here's the card I went with

...I just loved how the saying went with the bird silhouette image even though they're from different sets...

Here's a closer view of that gorgeous bird stamp...I used PTI ribbon, some rhinestones, and a TE leaf die cut just to add a little interest.  I liked how the embossed stamp looked on the polka dot patterned paper...it made me happy just looking at it...I struggled coming up with the rest of the card...PreTtY just does me in every time!

This is actually the first card I made...I liked it, but it looks like every other card out there...there just wasn't anything special about it...at least it didn't seem special enough to me for this contest...

so then I made this one...this is what I would call the most masculine color palette of the bunch and both of the boys in my house chose this one...kinda funny... and again, I really liked this card, but I just thought there might be something better lurking in the supplies in my craft cubby...

So...I made this card last night and I LOVE it!!!

It is absolutely the most beautiful thing I have ever made when you see it in person.

The hubby approved.

I've never sponged a background before and it looks like I bought it...it absolutely screams SuNSeT...

Unfortunately...it doesn't follow the contest rules...I completely left out not only 2 different patterned papers...but ANY patterned paper at all!  OooOOoPs!!  ;(

oh well...it's in my stash now...and maybe someday I'll make something better and be willing to actually send this to someone...I'm not the only one that has a "mailable" stash and a "hoarder" stash am I????

Hopefully, I chose the right card to enter and get to move on.

The cards I've seen that have already been posted are AbSoLutELy AMAZING!!

to see the second round of cards, click HERE

I feel very lucky to even be in the top 15!

Thanks for looking

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...WoOOoOo-HoOOooO...

I got the best email on Saturday!

It was a notification that I've made it to the 

FiNaL 15

in the 

Here's the card that got me in ;)

I'm so excited to have been chosen to continue!  There were so many gorgeous cards entered into the contest...to see all the entries,  go look HERE

and for the rest of the 

ToP 15 cards

go HERE

So...I'll be busy spending the next week trying to make something that will help me move on to the next round.

Wish me luck :)

Thanks,

jen

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...It'S TiMe FoR...

TayLoReD ExPRreSsiOnS

NoVeMBeR

BlAsT from the PaST

BloG HoP

...with this really fun sketch from SaNkAri...

WeLcOme to the HoP...I hope you are enjoying what you've seen so far from the other HoPPeRs...I'm sure they are all fun and amazing creations!

I had grandiose plans and  GrEaT ideas for this HoP...then realized that all the stamps I wanted to use...and indeed...all the FaLL TE stamps I have...are new...let me tell you...that'll throw a wrench in your moJo! :(

Guess...I'll just have something ReaLLy GooD for next year.

Digging through all my TE sets...all I could find was a tree that didn't set off any FaLL/ThankfuL lightbulbs for me and a bunch of sentiments that said thank you...so...I went with a sentiment. :)

I also only used patterned papers that I've bought from TE or received in my Key Ingredients Kit  :)  It made me feel a little better about not using a stamp as my main image on my card...

I loved that the sketch gave me a nice space to create a focal point...for some reason I was feeling a CoRnUcOpia vibe when I sat down...so that's what ended up in my circle :)  

There are a LOT of patterns going on here...not sure exactly what I was thinking :)

(and don't look too closely or you'll see some contraband...the leaves in my cornucopia were made using the AwEsOMe new leaf die I got in my last order...golly...I am just such a ReBeL...bwahahahaha...)

Here's a close up of my TaYloReD ExPrEsSioNs stamp...a sweet sentiment from the FriEndShiP bLoOmS set.

Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest the GreAt creations on the rest of the HoP :)

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