Christmas Tree Cuppie!

yep, another day with 2 posts! now, don't get too used to this, but I am trying to get caught up on all of my DT stuff while I've been sick.....not sure what tomorrow will bring, so enjoy the cards while I can make them! grins!
I'm also working on some super secret behind the scenes super-hero stuff that I can't show you until next month, but I hope it will knock those socks right off of ya!

as promised, I'll also have some blog candy starting next week to say thank you for being so patient with me!  pop back by for that if you would like a chance to win. as always, you do not have to be a follower to play along.

ABC Christmas Challenges has a new challenge this week of 'O Christmas Tree'. Our sponsor is the always cute Bugaboo Stamps. please stop by the ABC Christmas challenge blog to see the amazing projects created by my teamies. they always come up with so many gorgeous and inspiring things!

my card uses the cutie image 'Christmas Cupcake - lights' by Bugaboo.  papers are Basic Grey Aspen Frost as is the fun flair badge. roses are Prima, fun paper clip is K & Co., and the charm comes from Stamp & Create. on the cupcake, the stars were painted with shimmerz and the lights were coated with crystal effects. some itty bitter rhinestones were also added. the card base was sprayed with Studio Calico Mr. Huey's mist. gosh, I so love that stuff for holiday/winter cards! oh yes, the sentiment is a stamp from PTI that seemed so perfect for this image. :)

thanks as always for stopping by! I hope you have a most wonderful weekend! :)

Pinspirational photo

Challenges:
Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July
Crimbo Crackers - anything goes
Stamp and Create - Christmas in July
Papertake Weekly - die'ing for a punch
Sparkles Christmas - Christmas trees
Sentimental Sunday - Christmas in July
DL Art - Christmas in July
Creative Belli - Christmas
DRS Designs - so charming
Shelly's Images - Christmas in July
Crafting by Designs - Christmas in July
Crafting for All Seasons - Christmas in July
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - bling it on: shimmerz paint & rhinestones
Loves Rubberstamps - how charming
Pinspirational - inspiration photo above
Crafts 4 Eternity - anything goes
Card Crafter's Circle - Christmas in July

My Complete Cardmaking Publications...

Coffee of the Day - Moon Pie

Hello and Happy Friday! Today is a MUCH better day and yesterday was wonderful! nothing much happened, which was perfect in contrast to the day before. grins! actually celebrated with pizza for dinner last night, so that was quite the treat. :)

anyhow, since the newest issue of Complete Cardmaking With Your PC has already hit the newsstands in the UK, I thought it was about time I showed you the 2 cards I had published in the last issue. Thank you again to Tammy at A Day for Daisies for including me with her DT in the article, as well as my friend Suzie for sending the magazine to me! :)

btw, if you would like to order your own copy, click here and look for issue #43. several of you have already told me you ordered one and really enjoyed it. I like that you get a CD chock full of great images with it. you can possibly find an issue at your local book store like Barnes and Noble or at JoAnn's.

My cards are on p. 38 and feature the beautiful image, 'I Love My Mama's Tummy.' both also use Spellbinder dies.

This first card was created with papers from the My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline Howdy Doody collection, vintage buttons,  a sparkler from Webster's Pages, tag cut from PTI die, Prima flower, SU! linen thread, and stitching stamps from Gina K. Shimmerz was painted over the little flowers of the  main image. love my washi, and you haven't seen it for a bit, have you? better get busy using it again. ;)

this next card uses Basic Grey papers from the Serenade collection (did you really think I would try to get a card published and NOT use my beloved Basic Grey?!?grins!), flair button is also BG, border die is MFT, buttons are vintage, rose is Prima, glimmer mist was sprayed on tag, heart was punched from vintage sheet music, and shimmerz was again painted on main image flowers.

thank you for sharing this excitement with me! I have lots more coolio news coming up soon, so will post when I'm able.  enjoy your weekend! :)

-----> you KNOW how much I love Basic Grey, right? well they are now in partnership with Jessica Sprague and have released several of their collections in digital form!!! not only is THAT exciting news, but those same collections are on sale for a limited time only right here.  this is not a paid advertisement, just a VERY excited BG lover!!! :)

Sweet Christmas Mousie

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Swirl with Bourbon (that's the coffee flavor, not what I added to my coffee! grins!)

I want to begin my post by thanking those of you who left me such wonderful birthday comments last week! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness! :) had a quiet day with just me and the dogs, but on Saturday did celebrate with the entire fam. went to our fave paper store, since Jocelyn had never been before, and also got in a bit of antiquing. had both lunch and dinner out, which was quite the treat! then everyone headed back to Camp to get ready for the next group to arrive. While we were out and about, they surprised me with my gift from all of them - they are buying me my next tattoo! I am so excited! trying to decide which of 2 I want to get. I really want to get a pink bow for my cancer battle, but also want a tat on my foot, and think that during the summer is the ideal time to get that one. my tats have to be symbolic, and for the most part are related to my faith walk. I'll keep you posted!

now on to my card - we have a new challenge over at ABC Christmas Challenges: M is for Men or Mice. We are sponsored by Tammy and her fabulous Shape EZ templates. these are so much fun to work with!

I am using the Shape EZ Tipped Scalloped Flower template, digital papers from the Carta Bella Merry & Bright collection, a cutey image from Bugaboo called 'Christmas Mouse - Cocoa'. the sentiment is from a PTI set, flourish die and border are both Tim Holtz, gorgeous twine is Maya  Road, stitching stamp is Gina K. shimmerz paint was added to the bow, spoon, shoes, and heart on main image. stickles were added to the Shape EZ flowers. I have a 'thing' for polka dots, if you haven't already been able to tell, so I added dots to the mug with my white gel pen. some rhinestones on the sentiment punch, a doily, and a button complete the card.

colors are a bit off in the scan because I didn't want to put the lid down on the scanner & crush the flowers. I did the best I could with the editing, but I am no Einstein in that area. please forgive me.

enjoy your day! sending you big hugs!

Challenges:
WAW - anything goes with encouraging senti
Creative Craft - a stitch in time
Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes
Crafting By Design - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - glitz & glimmer (shimmerz paint, stickles, rhinestones)
Digi Sketch - theme: Christmas
Pause, Dream, Enjoy - anything goes
Paper Nest - animal love
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra - anything goes Christmas
A Little Bit Crafty - something sweet
Sparkles Christmas - buttons and bows
Docerela - kraft cs
Jingle Belles - a digital Christmas (papers and image)
Sister Act - anything goes
Stampin' for the Weekend - anything goes
Sweet Stampin' Christmas - cute & cuddly with non-traditional colors (pink & blue)

Tea and Cake with Jellypark - sound good?

Coffee of the Day - Maple Vanilla


Today starts both a new challenge and new releases over at Jellypark. I was so excited to make this card because the challenge is to use die cuts and/or punches. I knew when I saw this cute little tea and cake ticket that it would be great to pull out my fun die cuts and go to town! I may have gone overboard, but hey, it's pink & fun!


I used papers from the K & Co. Wild Raspberry collection. the house and ticket are edged in pink stickles. the teacup & picket fence die cuts are from PTI, clouds & grass die cuts from MFT. the heart is a punch by EK Success. stickles was also used to accent the cupcake & headband on the ticket as well as the prima flower centers.

Please be sure to stop by the challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT has created. I can guarantee you will be soooooooooo inspired! also, starting next month, Jellypark Friends will welcome Guest Designer, Sara Moreno!

Pink Saturday - thank you, Beverly, for doing this each week! :) can you tell I love pink?!
Paper Shelter - die cuts and punches
Karen's Doodles - punch it out
Glitter Geeks - all around the world (being from the States, I so love the idea of having tea & cakes like is written on the ticket every day... went to school at Oxford for a summer and would jump all over the chance to go back)
Through the Craft Room Door - punches with a twist

A Long Hello! :)

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Spice

I have a long hello for you - a long hello CARD that is! sorry, I just could not resist myself on this one! giggles!

I was so inspired by the beautiful photo over at the Paper Cupcakes blog this week as well as the colors above that I just knew I had to play along in the challenges. I combined all kinds of things from all different mfgs., which I'm sure will have them all spinning in circles, but gosh, I kinda think that is part of the fun of having all of these supplies! :)

the flower stamp you will recognize from yesterday's post - those beautiful flowers from Shady Tree Studios Backyard Spring set. I watercolored the flowers, again used the white gel pen on the stamens, and added little highlights in the center with a gold glitter pen. The jar comes from PTI, as does the little matching ruffle die. the water was stamped onto vellum cs which adds a neat effect irl. I wrinkled the little ruffle bit before adhering to help it look more like fabric. Papers are from K & Co. Ancestory. com collection, as is that gorgeous leaf border sticker. you will see more from that sticker pack in my upcoming moleskin journal I just know! :) lace ruffle was a leftover scrap I applied to the back of the main image using double sided tape. the sentiment is a SU! rub-on. they truly make the very best rub-ons, in my opinion. and I think it is one of those products of theirs that rarely gets noticed, but is absolutely FABULOUS!!!!

the card is sized to fit in a legal envie. edges were inked with vanilla craft.

have a most amazing day! love ya!
Jennifer

p.s. Nancy at Shady Tree Studios has just posted 2 wonderful FREE digital images that are perfect for 4th of July projects! go check them out!

Paper Cupcakes - photo inspiration
Lily Pad Cards - inspiration - Kathy's Lily Pad Palette
House That Stamps Built - watercoloring
Ruby's Rainbow - flowers
Word Play Weekend - blue
SCS Ways to Use it - no white cs
Daring Cardmakers - something old (vellum - found it in a box.... & vintage button), new (PTI stamps & die), blue (paper, inks, flower)

Painted Shady Tree Flowers

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Creme

Good morning! whew.... I had quite the scare on my compy just a bit ago...... after I downloaded the day's updates, I logged onto the internet to discover the dreaded Internet Explorer 9 had snuck its evil little way onto my beloved Sheldon!!!! oh no, I was NOT about to let that happen! after dealing with that monstrosity for a while on David's computer, Sheldor the Conqueror quickly took out the Sword of Justice and sent the horrid infiltrator on its way....... all is safe again and I can peacefully resume my blurffing and inspirational jaunts across cyberspace. disaster averted and joy has returned! grins!

now onto a project - FINALLY you say! I was so inspired by several projects I saw on Nichole Heady's blog recently featuring these glorious swaths of paint that I had to try it for myself. and of course I just HAD to use pink paint! ;) I really like the way it turned out, in my own shabby little style, and will do this again some day soon. I used the flower trio stamps from the Backyard Spring set by Shady Tree Studio. I stamped these in brown staz-on directly over the pink acrylic paint that I brushed onto a page from an old book. the aging on the page's edges is natural, not done with inks this time. Papers are from Basic Grey Curio and Sweet Threads. the little banner die in the upper right corner is from PTI. I adore these sparkly roses from Making Memories! they come with glitter already on them, but I added a bit of stickles to the leaves for a bit more shine. the same stickles was added to the centers of the stamped flowers. I also highlighted the stamens on those same flowers with white gel pen to help them stand out a little from the paint. Couldn't for the life of me find my label maker, which is what I wanted to use to make a sentiment, so opted for these metal tiles I received in a swap eons ago......

All of you have a wonderful day! and big new stuff is coming from Shady Tree in the next few weeks! keep your eyes open for fun! :)

OH MY GOSH I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY IS PINK DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOO HOOOOO! GO CELEBRATE! :)

Deep Ocean - flowers
Use it Tuesday - die cut or punch not used before or in a while (banner die)
Hooked on Crafts - Anything Goes
Karen's Doodles - flowers
Simon Says Stamp and Show - metal
Pile it On - metal
Stampin Sisters in Christ - doodles (around the banner die, but gosh, I didn't do a very good job of it.....sigh)
Crafty Emma's - sparkly flowers
Stamp, Scrap, & Doodle - photo inspiration
Stamp Something - pretty papers
Totally Papercrafts - diecuts and punches
Southern Girls - anything goes