Thursday, May 22, 2025

Seize the Birthday # 306

 

Hello Crafty Friends!  Have you ever made a card that you were really proud of only to discover that you sent it out before taking a photo?  Yeah, me either.  I mean, who would be that careless?  LOL!!! 

I just returned from a week's vacation in South and North Carolina knowing that I was in good shape with my DT gigs only to discover that I gave the card to my mom to send to her BFF.  UGH.  Fortunately I had recorded my supplies in my planner so I could recreate it.  (The day before!)  Unfortuately this one didn't turn out quite as nice.  :-(  

AND...had I looked at my teammies cards ahead of time I would have switched out my colors. Visit our blog and you'll see what I mean. Great minds and all that.

Ok.  I'm done whining.  Here's my (second) card for this fortnight's Seize the Birthday Challenge where Ashwini has chosen the Topping of Add a Frame.


My apologies for the poor lighting in my photo. Time was ticking.




I used two nesting mini slimline dies to create my frame which is stacked four high.  To one of the inner pieces I added some soft background blending as well as a stamped sentiment.  I assembled the flower and bird as per the packaging example and added a few pearls as embellishments.  The final card size is 3"x6".  I should also state that I was inspired by one of Jill Foster's designs for Penny Black.  

If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns 
me a bit  of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA! 


Supplies:

Spellbinders - Sitting Pretty DOM Jan 2024
Spellbinders - ColorWheel Cardstocks  (I used Fern, Bellini, Coral, Celestial and Cosmic Sky)
Spellbinders - Bearly Arts glue (my fav!)

A Jillian Vance Design - Delightful Sentiments (NBUS)
A Jillian Vance Design - Mini Slimline Backdrop die set

Trinity Stamps - Cantaloupe pearls
Studio Katia - Ripe Persimmon pearls
Distress Oxide - Tattered Rose

And because I used products from my NBUS bin I'm also adding this to Darnell's blog.



I invite you to visit our blog for more framed creations by our Design Team as well as our guests, Wanda Cullen and Carol Mayne.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jules



Friday, May 16, 2025

Color Hues #110

 

Karen is our hostess for the lastest round of Color Hues.  She has chosen the pretty combination of Pink and Plum.  Fortunately for me plum is one hue of purple that I don't mind using on my cards.  LOL!!

I decided to give some of my older well used supplies a bit more love.  Besides, Darnell needs a bit of a break.  *wink*



Go Bold or Go Home!



I began with my choice of cardstock, knowing I wanted to create a tone on tone card.  I cut a panel down a bit smaller than A2 size, stamped a brick pattern to it using Versamark ink, and adhered it to the same color cardbase.  I cut an arch from the same cardstock and ran it through with an embossing folder for some texture.  I die cut the mushrooms from plum and pink, arranged and adhered them to the arch, added a heat embossed sentiment and popped then popped up that piece onto the panel with foam tape.  I love mushrooms to eat and to craft so this die/sentiment combination is one I've used several times.

Supplies:
The Greetery - Toadstool Garden
A Jillian Vance Design - Dot Oval Backdrop die set
Simon Says Stamp - Lumen embossing folder
Ellen Hutson - Snailed It stamp set
MFT - Brick 6x6 rubber stamp
Versamark Embossing Ink

I invite you to visit our blog for more colorful inspiration from our Design Team.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Seize the Birthday #305

 
Hello Crafty Friends!  I'm here today with a card I created for the new Seize the Birthday challenge.  Nancy is our hostess and she's chosen Flowers as the optional Topping.  We also have Wanda Cullen joining us as our Surprise Party Guest for the next two months.  We're delighted to have her playing along!

Let's get right to it, shall we?






My card design is fairly simple.  I first die cut the florals.  This set is rather large, covering a full A2 card base when used according to their packaging.  I however opted for a corner design.  The sentiment is a Better Press plate but I used it with my Glimmer Hot Foiling machine using matte gold foil.  (The BP plates work fabulously in the Glimmer system!)  The cream card panel was popped up onto a white card base.  I added some tiny gold dots of metallic cardstock as the only embellishment.


If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns me a bit
 of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA!  Many are on sale at great prices at the time of writing. 


Supplies:
Spellbinders - Fresh Picked Daisies  

I invite you to visit our blog and hope you'll be inspired to play along.  Remember, the Topping is optional however birthday cards are not.  

Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #262

 

Hello my crafty friends!  Another month, another Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge.  Ever want to just be downright rude but stop yourself?  Well this month you can put those feelings down in a greeting card.  :-)

Our prompt this month is RUDE and here's my card.  I took it literally.








My card began with the rooster.  I had no idea what sentiment I was going to use until the card was almost complete but as it turns out, I had the perfect one.

I cut the rooster from a mixture of white (body) and colored cardstocks (tail, feet and crown.)  You can't tell from the photo but the black background is a specialty paper so it has some pretty sheen to it.  I white heat embossed the stamped sentiment and positioned the cock (eh, hem, rooster) onto the center of the black panel that was adorned with a postage edge.  The entire panel was popped up onto a red card base.

Supplies:
Erin Lee Creative - Winter Chicken die set
Unity Stamps - Postage Edge die set
Unity Stamps - Rude that you're Younger than me Stamp (yep, that's what they call it.  LOL!)
Spellbinders - Brushed Black cardstock 

If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns me a bit of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA!

I'm back Darnell!


You have all month to play along and I do hope to see you in our gallery.  Snark is encouraged but not mandatory.  

Thanks for visiting!

Jules

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Color Hues #109

 

Hello Crafty Friends!


I must have a thing for chickens nowadays.  I recently shared hens from Spellbinders (a felt plushie and a card) and in a couple of days there will be a rooster showcased here on my blog.  (I can tell you're on the edge of your seats.  ROFL!) But today I am sharing with you a very nearsighted, bandana wearing Mother Hen all decked out in this week's Color Hues, courtesy of Marcia.  

Why be normal, right?





I fell in love with this Mother Hen last fall when one of my Snarky Sisters sent me the most hilarious birthday card with her on the front.  I HAD to have the set but of course it's been sitting in my NBUS bin for months.  My card is far different from hers because...well, for one thing I needed to make her Blue and Yellow.  And for another thing...this isn't that kind of challenge so I swapped out the sentiment.  *wink*  :-)  She reminds me of a Rosie the Riveter type of Mama Hen.  

I stamped, colored and fussy cut out Mama Hen.  I added polka dots to her bandana and some glossy accents to the inside of her glasses.  I found some barn like yellow designer paper and some chicken coop like blue designer paper and took it from there.  I matted her using my favorite oval die set, heat embossed the sentiment in white onto navy cardstock and added in some loose feathers rather than my traditional gems.  






Supplies:
Crackerbox Stamps - Miss Prissy
Honeybee Stamps - 6x6 paper
Spellbinders - Modern Oval die set

If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns me a bit of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA!


I invite you to visit our blog and play along in the gallery!  

Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules

Friday, April 25, 2025

JUGS #772

 

I recently treated myself to some new cardstocks and have spent the week organizing, swatching and labeling.  I will post my opinions in a future post but I have to say, I am loving them all.

I had a few minutes to spare this afternoon so I wandered over to the Just Us Girls challenge site to check out this week's prompt.  I was honestly flabbergasted to see that my beach card was chosen as last week's Top Pick.  Totally made my day!!  Thanks to everyone there.  

This week is JUGS Stencil Week.  I had one lone NBUS stencil left in the bin so I opted to work with it.  I also have some new cute Easter die sets so I decided to get a head start on next year.  (Truth be told, I really don't make Easter cards but thought this chick would be cute for baby gift tags.)







I began my card by stenciling a trio of pale pastel Distress Oxides onto a panel of smooth white cardstock.  I die cut the cute chick using colored cardstocks (many of them new) and assembled it as per the package instructions.  I used the coordinating stamp set for the greeting and the honeycomb ball instructions.





If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns me a bit of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA!

Supplies:
The Greetery - Hey Honeycomb Chick die set
The Greetery - Hey Honeycomb Spring stamp set
The Greetery - Honeycomb Balls Spring Chick mix
Spellbinders - Layered Geometric Diamond stencil (not available)

Spellbinders ColorWheel Cardstocks 
                   Blush Pink
                      Windy 
                   Saffron
Hero Arts - Canary cardstock

Distress Oxides - Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar, Squeezed Lemonade


Thanks so much for visiting!!!  Your time and comments are always appreciated.

Jules



Thursday, April 24, 2025

Seize the Birthday #304


I don't know about you but I think this month has flown by!  Today's card share is for our newest Seize the Birthday challenge where Shirley is our host.  She has chosen Stenciling as her Topping.



 


The stencil I chose today has been in my NBUS bin for quite some time and there's a reason for that.  It's actually a full 8.5"x11" in size which is quite intimidating.  For that reason today's card is actually an A7 (or 5"x7") so I could utilize as much of the stencil as possible. 

I did my stenciling with dye inks this time around using a selection from Catherine Pooler.  I stenciled the bottom right corner first and then flipped the panel to create the identical image in the top left corner.  I then embossed the panel with a 3D folder.  With this larger card size I needed a big sentiment to span the center. I chose the word Celebrate which I adhered to a double mat and added some gems for additional interest. I popped the panel up with fun foam and adhered it to a white card base.


If you use my Spellbinders Affiliate Links to make any purchase it earns me a bit of crafting cash at no additional expense to you. TIA!

Supplies:
Spellbinders - Hello Blooms stencil set (NBUS)
Spellbinders - Modern Ovals die set
MFT - Celebrate word die
Honeybee Stamps - gems


I'm a permanent fixture in Darnell's gallery now.



I invite you to play along with us in the gallery.  If stenciling isn't your cup of tea then any birthday card qualifies.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules