Thursday, January 31, 2008

Meet My Furbaby, Sophie, and RAK requests!!

As I am sitting here, with Sophie climbing all over me, I decided that I want to share her with all of you. Sophie is 15mths old and she is the sweetest dog ever!! My brother calls her my catfish bugeyed dog, which I personally think is very mean, but I think she is cute!! I know I am partial, because I love her, but she is so sweet and soft and cuddly, how could you not!!! Now, people who know her will tell you, she is a little highstrung, do they make ridalin for dogs??? Sophie's favorite thing to do, besides lick(she is insane about that), is to sit on my keyboard so that I can't type. Sometimes, I am literally typing around her. One of the two pictures of her, is her laying on the bed, waiting for my husband to lay down. He eats frosted flakes every night in bed, and she sits and stares at the bowl just waiting for a handout. The other picture is her looking up at me from the floor by my stamping table. I can't tell you how hard it was to get a good picture of her, she would not sit still!!! Darn digital cameras!!! By the way, the pillows all over the floor, are not normally there. My DH refuses to put them in the chair when we get ready to go to bed, so he throws them on the floor. Men!! I have only been at it for 3 yrs, but I give up. I am sure some of you out there must understand.

Again, I would like to say, that I would love to start some sort of RAK list. Something to where when I have extra cards, I can mail them out to people. So if you are interested, or know someone who needs a pick me up, you can email me at jessi96@yahoo.com or leave me a post on here and I will get in touch with you. You can also pm me over on SCS, my screenname is knightrone. Be sure to include your mailing address and birthday/anniversary!!Have a great day or night, whatever your case may be!!!

What am I going to do?

Do any of you out there in blog land have the same problem as me? I am what you could technically call a challenge chaser. I try to participate in every challenge I can. I find them fun, and well, challenging. What I have the problem with is, what do you do with all the cards? I have made a ton of cards, and I am not sure what to do with them. I literally have 6 photo boxes full of cards that I have made. I used to, before I quit working in July, only make CASED cards. I would go through the gallery at SCS and pick out samples for a certain stamp set, and then make 4 to 6 of each sample. Now, I have a massive backpile of cards. I gave some away to a lady who sells them to raise money for cancer research, and I would love to do something like that again, but I can't remember how I found her. So, if any of you out there know of someone who does something like this, let me know!!! Also, I want to put together an RAK list, so if you want to be on that, send me an email with your address, birthday, anniversary, kids birthdays, what ever you want to include. Thanks in advance. Now, on to my card!! This card was made for todays way to use it challenge on SCS. The challenge today was to use staples of any kind, they don't even have to be fancy. Since I have a very neglected Fastenator, I decided that I should definitely use it. I started with a 5 1/4x51/4 confetti Cream base. I matted some of the fabulous Outlaw DSP from SU on Creamy Carmel. All edges were sponged with Chocolate Chip ink and all but the base were distressed using my Making Memories distressing tool, makes it so easy!! I then stamped the main image from Bronc Buster on Confetti Cream and matted it with Close to Cocoa and then Chocolate Chip, all edges were distressed and sponged with Chocolate Chip. I should say that I distressed each edge before attaching them to each other. I then matted all that on a piece of the Outlaw paper. I used my fastenator to attach hemp cord that I wrapped around to look like a rope, work with me here people!! I also put another staple in the top corner, just cause I felt like it needed it. I colored the staples, which started out silver, with my Chocolate Chip marker and heat set it. It will probably smear, but I'm not touching it to find out. The stars are my favorite part of this card. I used my large and small star punches from SU and since I don't have any chipboard, I punched out two stars extra stars for both the large and the small ones, out of the cardboard that comes in the DSP packages. I glued them all together, then sanded and sponged the edges. The layers have a pop dot between them to give them some dimension. I am not sure how I will use this card, so I didn't put a sentiment on it. Thanks for looking and have a great day!!
stamps-Bronc Buster
paper-Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Carmel, Confetti Cream and Outlaw DSP
ink- Chocolate Chip
tools- fastenator, staples, hemp cord, edge distressor, sponge, sanding block, lrg and small star punches

Let it Snow!!

It is snowing here, and I dont know what it is, but it just makes me so happy!! I guess if I had to go drive around in it , I wouldn't think it was fabulous, but just sitting here looking out the window is fun!!
I just now got to check out the ways to use it challenge over on SCS, so I will be posting my creation later, as soon as I figure out what I want to do. Unfortunately, I am not feeling very inspired this morning!!

This is a card, I have been working on for a few days for Julee Tilman's Mojo Monday sketch. If you haven't heard of it, check her out here on her fabulous blog called Poetic Artistry. I have struggled with this card for a while. I work on it, walk away, go back later. I am not 100% happy with it, but I do like it. I wish I would have put some ribbon around it, but I don't think it can survive another over haul!! It is pretty self explantory!! Thanks for looking and I will be back with more later.

stamps-All Holidays
paper-Bravo Burgandy, Mellow Moss, Confetti Cream, and Recollections DSP
ink- Bravo Burgandy
tools-petaloo flowers, vintage brads

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

I Love Butts!!

Bunny Butts that is!!! I was up half the night due to the wind storm, and of course, me being me, had to check out today's sketch challenge over on SCS. As soon as I saw it , I knew what stamp I wanted to use. Don't you love it when that happens!! I got this stamp on one of my shopping sprees over at Rubbernecker. Isn't it adorable!!! After I got it stamped, and markered in some grass, I just thought that it needed something. I decided to color the tails the different colors that I was using for the card. Who knew it would be so cute!!! Then I thought, well, these butts need some sparkle, so out came the stickles, a girl's best friend, and viola, sparkly bunny butts!! I don't know what it is, but I always love the way a card looks when it has a white panel as one of the main focal points, it just makes everything POP!!! So anyway, this card was very simple and pretty self explanatory, so I am just going to list the supplies at the bottom. Thank you all for the encouraging words and comments. This(blogging) is so much fun!!! By the way, after the thunderstorm and the temperature dropping, it snowed. How's that for crazy weather!!!


stamps-Grand Bunny Bottoms sku84-01 by Rubbernecker
paper-Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, DCWV glitter stack
ink-stazon black
tools- Heidi Swapp ghost flowers and white flowers, Petaloo flowers, rhinestone brads, soft subtles brads, SU markers, icicle stickles

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Can you believe it???

It has gone from 64degrees when I left my house this morning. By the time I got home, it was 32. I was only gone for four hours!!! Now I don't know about you, but that is just weird to me!! Good old Southern Illinois!!! The winds here are horrible too, around 30mph right now, with gusts up to 70mph!!! It's kind of breezy!!!

I decided to make another card for today's color challenge over on SCS. I was in such a hurry to get to my Mom's to help her pack today, that I didn't put my all into the first one. I loved the coloring on it, and I very proud of myself for doing it, but not the rest of it. I got a lot of comments saying that they never would have thought to put that sentiment with it, but every time I see it, I always think of it as a pick me up, if you know what I mean. I would give this to anyone that I thought was having a bad day, or down in the dumps, and I think that that sentiment would be perfect. Anyway, I started out for my Mom's today, and to go by the accountants(I am the treasurer for my village, STOP!! don't be impressed, there are only 52 people in my village!!!) to pick up the revised forms for the village, and I got a phone call. It was the representative from the Signature Home Styles party I had just had. She was calling to tell me that my order would be delivered that day. Let me say this, I had an excellent party, got TONS of free stuff, and had lots of people order from me. I knew it was going to be a lot, so I wanted to be home to get it(honestly, I don't know how people that work handle getting deliveries!!). As I had posted earlier, I was on my way to help my Mom pack, she is moving this weekend, so I had to call her and tell her that I was sorry, but I would be there as soon as possible. So, after running my errands I came home and colored the image that is on this card. As soon as I got it done, the FedEx guy showed up, and I had to leave to go help pack, so it has been laying on my desk waiting for me to get home. I got this image from Rubbernecker, and I love it. In fact, I love them so much, I go to the website every Tuesday, to search for treasure. I found it today, and can't wait to get my prize!! Anyway, I stamped this image in Basic Gray on watercolor paper. I then colored it in using my SU markers. I used Yo Yo Yellow on the flower centers, Creamy Caramel on the frame with Close to Cocoa to accent. I used Mellow Moss on the leaves and stems with Always Artichoke to accent. The background I went over with a Prismacolor cool gray marker and accented it with a going gray marker. I then blended it all with my aquapainter. I covered the petals with Perfect Pearls powder by Ranger, but unfortunately, you can't tell in the picture. I stamped the sentiment, which is from Small Script-SU, on textured white paper from Archiver's, which is what the main card is made out of. I sponge Basic Gray on the edge. Punched it with my small oval punch and then matted it with Yo Yo yellow and Going Gray, which I cut myself. It used the large oval punch for the Basic Gray layer. 4 yellow brads and a ribbon tag, and it was done!! Thanks for looking and have a great night.

stamps- Daisies by Rubbernecker and Small Script- SU
paper-White from Archievers, watercolor paper, YoYo Yellow, Going Gray and Basic Gray
ink- Basic Gray
tools- Lrg and small oval punches, yellow brads, aquapainter, prismacolor marker, perfect pearls

Rain Drops Keep Falling on My.........


back porch!!! It is raining here, so when I saw today's color challenge over on SCS, I knew what had to be done. I automatically thought of a child in yellow rubber boots, playing in a puddle. Since I don't have any stamps like that, amazingly, I decided to use one of my Hanna Stamps sets that has never seen ink. As you will learn in time, I am easily enabled. This was one of those stamps that I kept seeing and thinking..."I have to have her!!!". Then I got her here, and put her in a box, and there she has stayed since I bought her.

So the stamps I used are obvious, except the sentiment, which is from SU! set Brighter Tomorrow. I stamped it with Black Stazon on watercolor paper and used my markers to color her in. I then went over all of it with my aquapainter. I learned this technique from Julie Buhler's No Copics, No Problem. I then put icicle stickles all over the puddle to make it glisten. I punched the sentiment out with the small tag punch. I then punched one Going Gray and one Yo-Yo Yellow tag, and trimmed the gray one down to make it a mat for the smaller one. I put flower brads in the corner and outlined the whole image with my prismacolor cool grey marker. I love the look that it gives. The image was matted on Going Gray and Yo Yo Yellow. I did the full card in Basic Gray, and did a half panel of the yellow and the going gray. I tied gray taffeta around the seam and then added the yellow grosgrain. I attached the sentiment with floss.
If you can't tell, I am in a huge hurry, so I will be back to edit this hastily put together post. My mom is moving this weekend, and if I don't go help her pack, she is going to kick my butt!! Have a great day, and I look forward to hearing from all of you!!

  • stamps=Hanna Stamps, Brighter Tomorrow-SU
  • paper= Basic Gray, Going Gray, Yo Yo yellow, and Watercolor Paper
  • ink=Stazon Black
  • tools=flower brads, icicle stickles, SU markers, aquapainter, yellow grosgrain, gray taffeta, tag punches, yellow floss, prismacolor marker

Monday, January 28, 2008

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

Happy Monday everyone!!! I am exhausted!! I finally decided to start my own blog, and I stayed up until 4:00am working on it!!! It's times like this I wish that I didn't have an internal alarm clock and that I was more computer savvy!!! Anyone with more computer skills than I would have had it done in no time, but oh well, what can you do???

So, I woke up at my normal time(7:30am) and decided that I had not had enough sleep. I then laid in bed with my dog Sophie until 9:30am trying to go back to sleep, with no luck, so I decided to get up and see what the Technique Lovers Challenge was over on Splitcoast. Today's challenge was to do this super neat fold called a Dahlia fold.























The directions can be found here on how to recreate this beauty. Some warnings before you start this adventure. Cut a small circleout, I started with the largest of the standard small circles (Nestabilities) and I now have a flower that will have to be on a card that is at least 7in wide if not 7.5in.!!LOL!! I then used the third smallest to cut out my circles. Once you get the circles cut it is a breeze. The tutorial is wonderful, complete with pictures. I cut the circles out of a retired SU paper called Recollections, when I found out it was retiring, I bought a ton of it. I then sponged all the edges to give it a softer look. It is matted on Confetti Cream, Mellow Moss and Bravo Burgundy. I used the ticket corner punch on the edges and sponged again. I placed brads from SU Vintage Brads in the corners, I don't know what it is, but every time I see those corners, I just want to stick a brad in them!!! I then put another piece of the Recollections DSP on Bravo Burgundy and used Mellow Moss and the card base. I put a strip of Bravo Burgundy wide ribbon and then a used Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon to make my knot. I love bows, but they don't like my, so a knot it is. I then created a mat for the Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware, and used the Lrg. and Small Oval Punches from SU to do the sentiment. I sponged the edges on this as well to give it some depth. I almost forgot, that yummy brad in the center of the flower is by Creative Imaginations. I got it at Archiver's, and now every time I go back, I pick up more, I think I have 6 packages of them now!!!LOL!!
Well, that is all my ramblings for now, I am sure I will be back later, I try to stamp at least twice a day, but I am thinking that today is a good day for a nap!! Thanks for looking!!! Have a great day!!

stamps used: Small Script SU
paper: Confetti Cream, Bravo Burgundy, Mellow Moss, Recollection DSP
ink: Bravo Burgundy
tools: Cuttlebug, flower brads, vintage brads, Bravo Burgundy wide grosgrain, Mellow Moss taffeta and Small Classic Circle Nestabilities


My First Post!!! WOOHOO!!!

This is my first post on my new blog. I have to admit, I am so nervous. Crazy, right??? I don't like to admit it, but I am not as computer literate as I would like to be. I am afraid that I won't do something right, or say something stupid. My worst fear, is that I will be just as boring on here as I am in real life!!LOL


So, to anyone who might happen to read this, be patient with me, I'm new here!!!


I tried to decide how I would do this. I could go on for days and days about the creations I have made, but there is no point, so instead I will start with the latest of my creations. I am no artist, but I do love what I do, so I am going to share it!!!This is my card for the My Favorite Things sketch challenge over on SCS. It is hosted by Cindy Haffner, and if you're not playing, you should!!!
I used the set, It's a Jungle Out There, by My Favorite Things. I stamped the elephant from that onto my patterned paper by Die Cuts With a View. It is from their Glitter Stack which I bought on my last trip to Archivers. I then cut it out, mono'd it to my Whisper White CS and outlined and shadowed with Prismacolor Cool Grey 20% marker. I used my corner rounder to create the scalloped edge on the Ballet Blue and So Saffron cardstock. The triangle eyelets I used are retired from Stampin' Up!. I then used the large and small star punches from SU to punch out the stars and used pop dots to layer them. I took a Sakura Glitter pen and colored the solid large stars to make them sparkle. The sentiment is made from alphabet brads that I bought at Wal-Mart called Zoophabets. The panel they are on was punched out using the word window punch from SU also.

Well, that is all for my first post!! This is so fun!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!! I think I need to go to sleep now, although I don't know if I will be able to sleep, I am so excited!!!(Lame, I know!!)