The Library Craft Challenge - Guest Host

Hello Friends.   I am very excited to share that Marina has invited me to be a Visiting Librarian over at The Library Craft Challenge Blog.  You all know how much I love challenges and hers is definitely one of my favorites.  She's designed it for "Crafters Who Love Books" and that most certainly includes me.  (If you're interested in my current reads, stay tuned to the end of this post.)

I have chosen a book by one of my favorite funny authors, Dave Barry.  We are both long time Floridians and his humor with regards to our state is hilarious.  The one I picked for my challenge is geared towards Middle School age kids however I still found it a very enjoyable read.  And more importantly to us today, I thought the cover was super fun and full of inspiration.

Don't you think this illustration is full of crafty choices?  I honestly had a difficult time narrowing down the options but in the end I decided to focus primarily on the large title.  Here is my example....

I must apologize for my choice of products.  I am a firm believer in pulling out from one's stash and apparently I managed to choose quite a few that have been retired however there are many companies that have similar products which can easily be substituted for mine.  Again, I am so, so sorry.

The Seriously stamp is from Concord and 9th.  Retired but still available here.  

The car and balloons are from The Greeting Farm.  I was unable to find them online.

The skyline die is another very old one from Momenta.  I was unable to find it online. 

The clouds were masked from a Lawn Fawn and can still be found here if you're quick.

Please check out Marina's challenge blog and consider playing along with us.  I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

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My current reads are ....

Deck Z by Chris Pauls.  It's a fictionalized tale of zombies aboard the Titanic.  ROFL!  I chose it because it's the current selection over at the Literary Lushes podcast, hosted in part by one of my personal friends (and local book club member) Samantha.  I will be honest.  I love the idea behind this book however the writing is very unpolished so I won't be recommending it.  

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  I'm listening to this one on audio and it is fantastic!  I've never seen the movie (and probably won't...I'm kinda that way with books I love) but I highly recommend the audio version.

If you're a podcast listener please consider tuning into Literary Lushes.  I am going to be a guest on their show in early November to gush over my all time favorite book....Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.  I listened to it on audio over a year ago and plan to re-read it in book form this week.  I couldn't recommend it enough.  (On a scale of 1-5, its a 10.)  

That's it for me this time.  Hope to see you on the crafty side....

Jules

Inspired by Laurel

I'm playing along with Laurel once again over at her Inspired by Challenge blog.  But before I get to this week's inspiration photo I'd like to share this bit of news...

My pumpkin laden truck card was chosen as last week's winning entry!  Thanks Laurel!  It's always so fun to get recognized.  

The current challenge is pumpkins....sans the truck.  *wink*  I just love those festively painted pumpkins!

I still had the Spellbinders die set from my last card out on my desk so I grabbed it once again to create a very, very simple Thank You card with traditional styled pumpkins.  

A closer look at the design.

Doesn't get much simpler than this.  I do hope you'll visit her site and play along.  If not, I hope to see you on the crafty side....

Jules

Seize the Birthday #176

My October is filled with lots of birthdays for family and friends.  In this house we start with my husband and then move to mine the following week.  (For eight days every year he is "officially" ten years my senior.  LOL!)  After that it's my mother-in-law's turn.  She just turned 95 and is still happily living on her own and driving a cute little red Kia.  :-)  On top of that I have a beaucoup number of friends with October birthdays.  I think I have mailed/am mailing out twelve birthday cards this month alone.

All that to say THIS is why I love playing along with the gang at the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.  My birthday stash has taken a huge hit and I need to replenish it.  What better way than to participate in this challenge?

The current theme is For the Kids. 

As you know, I made several boy themed shark cards over the summer so today I decided to do a pretty whale themed card for a little girl.  

I used the Extraordinary narwhal set from Avery Elle which unfortunately appears to be retired.  You can purchase it here if you're interested.  I colored the images with Copics and then added an extraordinary (obnoxious???) amount of Cupcake Rhinestones from HoneyBee Stamps.  (Little girls like LOTS of bling, right?  LOL!)   

So one card down....lots to go. You will probably see me incorporating birthday cards into many of the upcoming challenges.  I appreciate your time and hope to see you on the crafty side. 

Jules

CAS Colour & Sketch #343

Today I'm once again playing along with the gals at the CAS Colour & Sketch challenge blog.  (Notice my new little gadget there on the side. So fun to display.)  The colour scheme this time around is ....

I decided to "embrace the white space" and kept my card super simple today.  I just love these little aliens from Lawn Fawn which I colored with Copic markers.

My photo below better shows the stitched line I added just beneath the aliens to ground them.

It couldn't get any simpler than this and I just love them!  Thanks for taking time out of your day to spend a few minutes with me.  Hope to see you all on the crafty side.....

Jules

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This is the second post for me today.  Scroll down if you missed my latest tag for the Tag You're It Challenge.  

Tag You're It Challenge #98

I'm still wishfully dreaming of fall.  *sigh*  Since it's not in the cards for this Florida gal (again) this year I'm resorting to my annual Faux Fall where I make pretty things in autumnal colors just for fun.  That's where the latest Tag You're It challenge comes in.  Can you guess the theme? 

Yep... Fall Leaves

I pulled out my one and only fall leaf stamp set once again to create my tag.  It's one of the past Simon Says Stamp Stamptember collaboration releases with Neat & Tangled.  I have certainly gotten my money's worth out of this set.  

To create my image I did some masking in order to place my pumpkin behind the stack of leaves.  I heat embossed them (and the sentiment) in rose gold embossing powder, also from Simon.  If you like the sentiment it is still available here on the Avery Elle website.  The tag die is from the Arch set available here from Pink and Main.  To create the shadow tag I traced around the main die and then cut it out with scissors.

Full disclosure....I'm not entirely digging the blue border I created with the Copics but "what is done, is done."  I think these would be great to attach to my mini pumpkin bread loaves that I give away around Thanksgiving.  (Read that as....you might be seeing these again, minus the blue.)

With all of the great inspiration out there I appreciate you taking the time to stop by my little part of the blog-osphere.  Hope to see you on the crafty side.

Jules

Just Us Girls #509

I'm working my way through the challenges.  Today I have a very simple card for the current challenge over at the Just Us Girls Challenge Blog.  The theme is Frame It. 

I happened upon some clearance goodies at Hobby Lobby where I picked up the cute Thank You metal stamp that I used on today's card.  It's actually meant for foiling but I used it in a faux letterpress technique to create my focal image.  

I achieved this look by carefully applying ink to the raised area of the metal shim then running it through my die cutting machine.  Since there aren't any cutting edges the ink is debossed into the card stock.  Here's a closer look....

For my colors I chose ink and card stock from The Stamp Market, this one being Citron.  The border die is from the Scalloped Frames set available only at the Pretty Pink Posh online shop. With such a great focal image there wasn't a need for much more.  I finished it off with some of the citron colored gems from the Unicorn Rhinestone Mix at Honeybee Stamps and called it done.  

I'm pretty happy with how this turned out and may make a complete set in different colors.  I hope you like it as well.  I had a fairly productive crafty day so I hope you'll stop back by this week to see what else I created.  Until then, I'll see you on the crafty side.

Jules

Inspired by Laurel

Today is all about the Inspired by Challenge hosted by Laurel Seabrook.  I absolutely adore her current prompt and photo....

I could have made so many cards from this inspiration piece.  (Maybe I still will!)  With so many options I had a hard time choosing products but in the end, this is what I came up with for my card.

Unfortunately what you can't see in the photo is the barely beige brick background that I stenciled on to the white card stock.  You'll just have to trust me that it's there.  

The products I used are from GinaK (the wreath die), Pink and Main (the gingham paper), Kat Scrappiness (the kraft border die), Taylored Expressions (my fav Simple Strips to the rescue again!) and Nuvo gloss drops.  

Thanks for the inspiration Laurel!  Hope some of you play along.  Until then, I'll see you on the crafty side....

Jules