Seize the Birthday #275

 

It's the first challenge of 2024 for the Seize the Birthday challenge blog.  Cathy is our hostess and she has chosen a fun (and easy) Topping to start out the new year.

We are looking for any sort of embossing.  Being the overachiever that I am, I combined both a dry embossing technique (the background) as well as a heat embossed technique (the sentiment) in the design of my card.

These wonderful book dies are a new item for me and I couldn't wait to put them to use.  I die cut them in white and applied inks to achieve the colors.  I adhered the books to a square of navy cardstock, blended with inks around the edges.  The sentiments were stamped and heat embossed with white powder.  To add interest to my white background panel I used a cover die along with a flexible embossing mat so that it "pierced" the panel without cutting through it.  The final step was to adhere the to a navy card base.

Supplies:

Waffle Flower Crafts - Layered Book die set

MFT - Our Story stamp set

Pigment Craft & Co. - Mosaic Flower cover plate

We have three guest designers this time around.  Loll Thompson continues as our Surprise Party Guest while Marina Richards and Karen Walker join us as winners of the past challenge.  Come check out our gallery and upload your embossed cards for a chance to guest with us in the future.  If you choose not to use our Topping, any birthday card qualifies.  Thanks so much for visiting!

Jules

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #246

 

It's 2024 which means that the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers blog is celebrating it's 10th year of challenges.  I'm a relative newbie (joined in March of 2020) but I'm very proud to be a part of this wonderful tribe.  Here's to longevity!

We are starting out the New Year with a literal "New" challenge.  We would like to see you use a "new to you" product, try a new technique, use a new tool, etc.  For my card today I used a new to me die set as well as some new to me designer paper.

The construction of my card is fairly straight forward, thanks to this wonderful paper pad from Pink and Main.  They've done all of the alcohol inking for you!  I simply die cut the focal image, created some background panel texture using a cover die, stamped the snark and added a few tiny gold stars before affixing it to a heavy weight card base.

Joining us as Reigning Queen is a dear friend of mine, Carol McFarland, the winner of our 2023 Vivid challenge.  I'd love for you to visit our blog and give all of these wonderful women some New Year's love.

Waffle Flower - Paper Bag die

Simon Says Stamp/Picket Fence Studios - Happy Water stamp set

Papertrey Ink - Linen Coverplate die

Pink & Main - Inked Oasis 6x6 paper pad

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy 2024.  It's bound to be another wild ride so we'll just hang on and take 'er as she comes. Thanks so much for visiting my humble abode on the web.

Jules

Color Hues #78

 

Happy 2024 to all of my crafty (and not so crafty) friends!  I hope the holidays treated you all well.  I am composing this ahead of time and if everything worked out according to plan, I am in North Carolina right now enjoying my son and his family's company along with some delicious colder weather.

We are starting off the new year with a very blue color challenge over at the Color Hues challenge blog.  We are looking for hues of Light Blue and Navy.  This color combo is perfect for wintery cards but I went with something a bit more summery.

I began by die cutting an anchor in light blue design paper, stacking it with heavy weight cardstock.  I die cut the net in kraft, using only a corner of it for my design.  The white panel was embossed with a folder.  The sentiment was stamped in navy and twine was used to wrap the anchor.  After assembling the card front onto a navy card base a white gel pen was used to create some faux stitching along with border.  The addition of some clear gems finished it off.

Supplies:

Ellen Hutson - Stay Salty stamp set

Simply Graphic - anchor die

Amy Design - Maritime Fishing Net die

Stampin Up - Painted Texture embossing folder

twine and gems

I invite you all to visit our blog for more inspiration using only Light Blue/Navy/Neutrals.  We hope that you will join in on our challenges for a chance to guest design with us in the future.  Cheers to 2024!

Jules

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers #245

 

Woohoo!  The Snarky Sisterhood is BACK after a brief but much needed break.  

Today's post is in honor of a founding member of the Sisterhood who sadly passed away in 2018.  I did not have the pleasure of knowing her but was able to get a sense of her style and humor on her blog.  Today we celebrate Jessi.  

Not knowing her personally, I opted not to use any snark but instead wanted to acknowledge the loss of her in this world.  

I read on her blog that she crocheted the cutest little yarn frames for cards/scrapbook pages which is what inspired me to use this lacey panel die.  The chair, kitty and sentiment pretty say it all.

Supplies:

Gina Marie - chair die

Gina Marie - Loopy Rectangle die

Waffle Flower - Catitude die set

MFT Stamps - Life's a Beach stamp set

We won't be choosing any Queens this time around but do hope you'll come and play along.   We will be back on Jan. 6th with our regularly scheduled programming.  

I wish everyone the happiest of holidays.  See you in 2024!

Jules

Holiday Elegance

 

This will be our second Christmas without my dad and while it has gotten easier on my heart I still am struggling with holiday traditions, one of those being the creating and mailing of well over one hundred cards.  I'm scaling back to only relatives this year but am going to make it my mission to get back into bulk mailings in 2024.  

I have created a few holiday cards here and there.  Today I'm showcasing two which were inspired by my friend Michele.  I'm sure you'll recognize her style in my two creations.  You'll have to let me know which is your favorite.

Navy Version

White Version

Both designs include a stacked frame with a heat embossed sentiment at it's center.  The background is embossed and a few gems were added as finishing touches.  I really love the tone on tone look and may try this out in other color versions.

Supplies:

Altenew - Enchanted Mirror die set

Altenew - Checkered Squares embossing folder

Simon Says Stamp - Christmas Blessings stamp/die set

Honeybee Stamps - Cool Pearl gem stickers

I hope you all are enjoying a stress free holiday season.  I'll be back soon with more holiday cheer.  Thanks for visiting!!!

Jules

Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - December 2023

 

Happy December crafty friends!!!  Today I'm sharing my card for the Happy Little Stampers monthly Christmas challenge however before we get into my process I have a bit of sad news.  Our fearless leader Kylie has decided to close down all HLS challenges for the immediate future therefore December is the final date for all Happy Little Stampers challenges.  I cannot even begin to fathom how she's managed all of these for so many years.  Thanks for everything you do Kylie!

On to my card.  Our final prompt is Festive Animals which immediately had me searching for my stash of SSS storybook dies.  I love the black and white of pandas so it was an easy decision.

The panda was die cut in white and then blended with inks to achieve the colors.  In retrospect I should have chosen colored cardstocks because you can see how the red ink bled into the white stickles on his hat.  The background was pierced with panel die and adhered to a red card base.  The assembled panda was adhered to the center and set off with a narrow black frame.  White glitter cardstock was used for both the snow at his feet as well as the snowflake.  The sentiment was heat embossed in white onto a strip of green cardstock.

Supplies:

Simon Says Stamp - Storybook Panda die

Taylored Expressions - Christmas greeting stamp 

Simon Says Stamp - Snowflake die

Honeybee - tiny star confetti

MFT - Basic Stitched Lines die

We'll miss you Kylie!  I do think she's been on the hunt for someone to take over the challenges.  Let me know if you're interested.

I invite you to visit our blog for more holiday inspiration.  Prompts are always optional but remember that only holiday cards qualify.  We would love to see your card in our gallery.  

As always, thanks so much for spending a bit of your day with me!

Jules

Color Hues #77

 

Hello my crafty friends!  It's December and officially time for holiday cards.  Our new Color Hues choice of Silver and Pink is another perfect combination for the holidays.  I opted for a deep hue of bubble gum pink along with silver, black and white.  It makes for a very dramatic design.

Go Big or Go Home, right?

The bow was die cut and shaded with a slightly darker ink.  The twigs and berries were die cut from black and silver metallic cardstocks.  The cover panel was die cut in white, adhered over the pink card base and then framed with a very narrow black border.  The bow and sprigs were clustered in the center with the die cut sentiment adhered over top.  

Supplies:

The Greetery - Big Beautiful Bow die set

Reverse Confetti - Drop Cover panel die

Sizzix - Geometric Winter die set

Altenew - Fine Frames die set

Spellbinders - Better Press sentiment set 

I invite you to visit our blog where you'll see so many wonderful Pink and Silver designs.  We are giving you the entire month to play along.  New challenges will commence in January.

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of the blogosphere.  Your time means a lot to me.

Happy Holidays!

Jules