Whooo's Special

  Hi Stampers!

Hope you are all doing well today! 

I'm excited that DRS Designs has some new stamps coming out very soon!  This time of year, I get busy making cards for all of the holidays that I often forget about making cards for other occasions, like birthdays etc. One of the best things about this next release is that there is a little bit of everything in it--this release is not just for Autumn and Thanksgiving! For the sneak peek I'm sharing today, the Woodgrain Background (626P) is one of the new stamps soon-to-be released and it was used here to create the tree on this birthday card! 

  

In this little scene, I stamped and colored Oswald Owl (132H) with Copic Markers and cut him out.  I stamped a piece of tan card stock with the woodgrain background and then distressed the edges with brown ink. I used an oval die to cut out the center and adhered natural twine around the opening. I embossed a piece of black card stock with a woodgrain embossing folder to add some dimension to my tree-like card front. Oswald Owl was adhered inside of the oval as if he was sitting in the tree.  Next I created the sentiment tag by stamping the Whooo's Special Greeting (142B) on a piece of yellow card stock and then cut it out with a shaped die. I layered it with an orange fishtail banner and a brown scallop and embellished it with a tan brad on either side as shown. The final step was to adhere the card front on to an A2 brown card stock base.

 

Stay tuned, right here, for more sneak peeks of the upcoming stamp release.  The new stamps will be available for purchase real soon! Yay!

 

Have a great day!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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You've Got Mail

Today on the DRS Designs Blog is a new challenge themed "You've Got Mail." So I'm showing off this Happy Mail (429G) stamp again because I love it's cute design! 

 

I colored this image again with Copic Markers, but this time I also added Stickles to the flower. I wish I would have used Stickles on my previous Happy Mail card, but I guess changing things up a bit is what makes each handmade card unique!

I kept my layout simple and started by stamping the card front with the Interlocking Flower Background (813H). Next, I cut a piece of black card stock to fit the left-hand side of my card. I punched one side of it with a decorative border punch, and then embossed it with a floral embossing folder. I added three thin strips of green card stock from the right-hand side and then added a light blue brad at the opposite end of each one. Finally, I adhered the matted image to the center and my card was complete!

Interested in free stamps from DRS Designs? Play along in this challenge and link your card for a chance to win!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Friendship

I've been enjoying new stamps from DRS Designs. This release is fabulous and today I'm showing off the new Fleur De Lis stamp (421F)!

 

 

I created this Clean and Simple Friendship card by pairing the Fleur De Lis stamp with the Friendship Double Divide Greeting (1065F).  As you can see, a Fleur De Lis image was stamped with yellow ink on either side of a white cardstock panel and the friendship greeting was stamped in black in the middle.  I like how the Fleur De Lis images are "doubled" and "divided" just as friendship is described in the greeting.  I used a border punch to decorate a black cardstock panel and attached it to the bottom of the stamped white cardstock panel.   Then, yellow and white twine was cris-crossed across the black panel and tied in a bow. I adhered this panel onto a yellow cardstock base and then added 3 black rhinestones to the top for a pop of color and a bit of bling. I love the clean and simple design and I hope you do too!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Smiles,

Jennifer



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Thinking Of You!

 A new challenge was posted today on the DRS Designs Blog--Splatter Matters!

  

I created this cute "Thinking of You" card specifically for the challenge. I used the new Happy Mail (429G) by DRS Designs for my focal point. I colored it with Copic Markers and matted it on black card stock. Next I created my own pattern paper by stamping the Splatter Background (855H) in light blue and green inks on white cardstock that was cut on an angle. I then added it to the bottom of a light blue A2 card stock base. I lined the top of it with a small strip of black cardstock and placed my stamped image on top, just off to the left side. 

 

 To embellish this card, I threaded a black button with green and white twine tied in a bow and added it to the lower right corner. On the top, I used a punch to create black and green paper tabs, overlapped them a bit, and added a light blue brad to the center and adhered it in place as shown. 

 

Easy, peasy and fun to make!

Thanks for stopping by! 

 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Sitting Here, Thinking Of You!

We are getting ready to go on our Summer vacation in just a few short weeks, but oh, what I wouldn't give to be sitting in this chair right now! Doesn't this look lovely? I love the way this turned out! I can imagine myself sitting here, thinking of just about anything with an umbrella drink in my hand!

This little scene was created with several stamps from DRS Designs and lots of masking.

  

Adirondack Chair (450C)

Palm Tree (886G)

Sea Grass (128L)

 

The clouds the water in the sun or all done by sponging colored ink. I added a little bit of color to the palm tree and the chair with Copic Markers. The sea grass was stamped at the bottom in green and brown inks. And a white gel pen was used to add some wave accents to the water. I split up the Sitting Thinking Greeting (398F) on either side of the stamped scene to accommodate the layout. I hope you like this as much as I do!  

 Do you have any plans by the beach this Summer?

 

 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Wings Of A Butterfly

Happy Thursday Everyone!
The new challenge this week on the DRS Designs blog is as Easy As 1-2-3!
You are to use one of something, 2 of something else, and 3 of another item. Here's the card I submitted for this challenge.

I used 1 butterfly, 2 rhinestones, and 3 scalloped borders. 

 

 

The Large Single Butterfly (192G) was colored with Copic Markers and then fussy cut out.  I double layered my card front and used a Nestability die to cut out the circle in the top panel.  I embossed the bottom and then adhered the layered scalloped panels in place, and embellished it with silver ribbon. The Butterfly Kisses Greeting (399G) was stamped at the top.  The top layer of the card front was adhered onto pale violet cardstock and then adhered onto a dark purple cardstock base.  The butterfly was adhered in place in the cut-out circle with glue dots so that the wings were extended up from the card front making it 3D. 

Click on this link to find the details for this Easy challenge and link your entry today for a great prize from DRS Designs!

Hope you have a great day!

 

 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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May The Sun Shine Bright

A fun, Summery color challenge was just posted on the DRS Designs Blog today! 
How fun and gorgeous are these colors?!?!?!?

 

 I used them to create this "Thinking of You" card. I like that it could be a graduation card as well! 

 

 
I created the sun by hand by tracing a large, circular object and cutting it out.  Then I used a photo corner punch for all the rays.  I sponged the edges a bit and stamped the Large Stained Glass (1133P) over top to create some dimension.  I used light blue cardstock for my card front, and dressed it up a bit by rounding the corners and distressing the edges.  I adhered the sun in the upper, left corner as shown and added a yellow gem.  Next, I stamped the Sun Shine On You Greeting (417E) at the bottom of the card front and placed a white pearl on either side of the top line.  Then I adhered the card front on to a white cardstock base and viola, this clean and simple card was complete!

Hope you like it and I hope you get a chance to play along with these beautiful colors as well!
 
Have a great day!
Smiles,
Jennifer

 

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Bee Happy!

Ha! There's a Birds and the Bees challenge posted on the DRS Designs Blog this week, and no, you don't have to be afraid to run over and check it out, LOL! I promise it's all G rated! ;-) DRS Designs has some new Spring stamps that fit the bill perfectly for this challenge and I'm showing some of them off today.  

 

 

I know this card doesn't look like much, but I've used quite a few stamps on it:

Leafy Tree Branch (395H)

Bitsy Bumble Bee (1020A)

Beehive (1143L)

Bee Trail (1147B)

Spring Bee Happy Greeting (367E)

I started my card front with light blue cardstock and stamped the Leafy Tree Branch and the Beehive branch so that it was emerging from the left side of the card front.  The bee was first stamped on white cardstock, colored and then adhered in the empty space in the upper right corner with it's flying trail.  After coloring them all with Copic Markers, I hand cut the tree trunk from brown cardstock and then embossed it with the wood grain embossing folder by The Paper Studio.  It was adhered in place and then the sentiment was stamped at the bottom as shown.  Finished card size is A2-4.25" by 5.5."  I hope you like it!

  

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Hey, Cupcake!

Since DRS Designs last release a few weeks ago, I've been working diligently on increasing my stash of sympathy cards.  I've noticed that my birthday card stash has been depleted as well, and now it's time to replenish them. Here's a rather clean and simple one I made using the new Hey Cupcake Greeting (365B) and the Cherry Top Cupcake image (463E). 

 

I colored the cupcake with Copic markers and shaded it with brown ink while it was in a Nestability die. I went for a realistic look by adding Diamond Glaze to the cherry to give it a shiny, wet look. (Sorry that's hard to see in this picture!) I matted it with red card stock, which really helped make the cherry stand out. Next, I worked on the sentiment banner and shaded it the same way as I did for the image and matted it with red card stock as well. I embellished the banner by adding a small paper flower and adhered it to the banner with a petite pink brad. I adhered 2 pink panels in the background and stamped them both with the Splatter Background (855H) and red ink and then assembled the card front as shown.  Three red rhinestones placed in the upper right corner were the final touch. Cute and easy, don't you think? ;-)

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Angel By Your Side

Posted by Jennifer E.



The Mother of one of my good friends recently passed and I sent my last sympathy card to her.  I find it's always best to create sympathy cards when you don't need them, so now I'm in the process of replenishing my stash.  DRS Designs latest release is perfect for this!

I made this card over the weekend using the Winged Angel (389H) and I paired it with the Angel By Your Side Greeting (390F).  The Angel was colored with Copic Markers. I used B000, B02 and B05 for her gown and C1, C3, and C5 for her wings.  E00 and E02 were used to create the "glow" coming from behind her.

I just love this pair of stamps! I think the Angel is such a peaceful image which is perfect for sympathy cards and the font used for the greeting is so elegant.  You can't go wrong using this combo for a sympathy card! Usually I have a difficult time creating these types of cards, but everything about this card just fell into place.  I guess these stamps really motivated my creative thought process and I hope they do the same for you!

Have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer

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Shamrockin

It's so nice to be working on Spring themed cards--I'm officially done creating cards for Winter and all of the cold-weather months...I refuse!!! I'm looking forward to the sun and with that, I am beyond excited to share some St. Patrick's Day and Easter cards I've recently made with DRS Designs new stamps.  Today's Shamrockin' St. Patrick's Day card was made for the color challenge posted on the DRS Designs Blog.

 

This is the inspiration photo and we are to use this display for the colors on our challenge card. Pretty, isn't it?

I used the Irish Inventory (344H) to create the background on my card front and the Shamrockin' Day Greeting (335F) was used as the focal point. While the greeting was in a Nestability die, I sponged yellow ink around the stamped design. I love how the white frame around it really makes the stamped image stand out.  The shamrocks were colored with Copic Markers-- G00, G02, and G05. 

 

The layout I used here wasn't the one I had in mind, but I really like the pop of yellow in the upper left corner. I embossed it and then inked the edges with dark yellow ink. I embellished it with some green rhinestones to make it complete.  I added some sheer green and gold ribbon with a bow to the bottom and adhered the card front to a dark green A2 cardstock base.   

 

I hope you'll get a chance to check out this color challenge.  The possibilities are endless and what a great way to get in a Spring-like mood, plus winning free stamps isn't a bad idea either ;-)

 

Thanks for stoping by today! 

 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Our Daily Thread

This weeks challenge on the DRS Designs blog has me thinking outside the box! The challenge is titled, "Just Half." You are to use only half an image/sentiment etc. on your challenge entry.  I've never done this before, but I think it's a great idea! Here's what this challenge inspired me to do...

I used a portion of the thread spool image from the Daily Thread Greeting (173E) to create the borders on my card front.  All of the spools were colored with Copic Markers.  The banner in the center of the card was cut out using a fish tail die and before removing it from the die, I sponged it with light brown ink to create the white border around it.  Then after matting it I tied a dark purple ribbon on the left side to embellish it. Fairly simple and way cute, don't you think?

Can I interest you in getting some FREE stamps from DRS Designs? Keep in mind that DRS Designs often has different opportunities for you to win store vouchers and earn free stamps just for playing along in several challenges. Every Thursday, a new challenge is posted on the DRS Designs Blog, and this week DRS Designs is the sponsor over at the Just Inspirational Challenges Blog. Their challenge theme is "Wishes."  Think Get Well, birthday, Christmas wishes etc. for this challenge. I hope you get a chance to play along! 

Good Luck and have a great day!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Fall Colors

T'is the season to start playing with the color orange and fallen leaves! There's a new color challenge on the DRS Designs blog this week that is perfect just to do that and I'm lovin' it!

Here is the card I made for my challenge entry, "Happy Fall Y'all!"

I created this as a note card which measures 3.5" x 5".  The card base and card front was made using Ivory card stock. I stamped the Medium Silhouette Fall Leaf (701D), the Fall Leaf and Acorn (471F) and the Open Leaf (584D) randomly with Versamark ink and heat embossed them using clear embossing powder. Then I sponged a combination of yellow, orange and blue ink over top. Boy, did that make the Fall images stand out! Next, the Happy Fall Y'all (635B) sentiment was stamped with brown ink and an orange ribbon was tied in a knot at the bottom. 

Hope you're enjoying the change of seasons as much as I am!

Thanks for droppin' in today!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Happy Thoughts This Christmas

Oh Man, it seems like forever since I've had a chance to stamp, and because of that my blog has been very slow lately.  So sorry about that, but life with 2 little boys under 3 has become hectic! But, just look at them! It's hard to resist these adorable, loving faces when they need me! Anthony is 3 and Alex is a shocking 6 months old in this picture. (He actually just turned 7 months earlier this week.)  We also went on a mini-vacation to visit family up North for a wedding a few weeks ago and I finally unpacked the last bag just the other day.  Things are slowly getting back to normal now and I was able to stamp for this week's DRS Designs Blog challenge!

                                   

The challenge this week features the hot trend using chevrons and arrows.  I used one of DRS Designs newest Christmas stamps, the Christmas Village Post Office (114D) and 3 other stamps from their catalog to create my challenge card: 

Double Chevron Card Edger (904P)

Peace Heart and Home Christmas Greeting (986F)

One Line Happy Thoughts (951D)

I used the Chevron card edger to decorate my red card base before adding any other elements to it.  Then the white layer was stamped with the last 2 lines of the Peace Heart and Home Greeting and then it was embossed with the Swiss Dots folder for some texture.  Next I stamped the Happy Thoughts greeting on beige card stock, trimmed it with blue card stock, and then added red ribbon before adhering it in place.  The final step was to stamp the Post Office image, color it with Copics, and then mat it on a blue oval.  A bit of fine glitter was added to the snowy areas of the roof top and the ground.  That little bit of glimmer really pops on this card! 

Well, that's it for me today.  I hope to be able to stamp and blog more often in the coming days and weeks--and I have every good intention of doing so, but if things are quiet here for a while, you know why.  No worries though, I'll be back soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Not Some Junk!

Hi Everyone! Hope you're doing well and that you're enjoying Summer!!  
This week's challenge on the DRS Designs Blog is "It's New!"  This challenge wants you to use something that is new-to-you on your project.  It can be a new stamp, new ink, new embellishment, new die etc. Enter your challenge card by clicking on the link above and from all of the entries received, one lucky winner will be chosen to receive a $10 store voucher to DRS Designs!

I created this note card using a new-to-me greeting stamp, the Not Some Junk Greeting (937F) and a new button embellishment.  I created the plaid paper you see here, by myself, using the Large Original Plaid stamp (641P).  Of course, if you received a hand-made creation like this, you'd never throw it away, right?

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Sandcastles and Sunshine

  Hi Everyone!  In honor of the first day of Summer today, this Sandcastle and Sunshine card was created for the new color challenge on the DRS Designs blog using sand and sea colors, and the Splitcoast Ways To Use It Challenge, "Sand." It seems like forever since I've created a card for 2 different challenges, but since they both involved using sand, it turned out to be pretty easy!

I'm loving this new Sandcastle image (090G) that DRS Designs just released.  It's perfect for this time of year and paired perfectly with the Sending you Sunshine Greeting (094D). Together they make a cheerful card.  Wouldn't you agree?

 I colored the image with Copic Markers and used a wave border on the background layers.  A salmon pink cardstock panel was embossed with the Tiny Bubbles Embossing Folder and the seam where it was added near the wave border was covered with grosgrain ribbon tied in a knot. I added 2 dark brown brads to the lower left corner, which completed the look. 

I hope your Summer is off to a fabulous start!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Poppin' In

Need a challenge to inspire you this week? Check out DRS Designs newest challenge "On The Border."  The requirement is to make a border on your card by either stamping a word or phrase all around, use a border image, draw a border, use a border die etc. The possibilities are endless!  I created this Thinking of you card and I hand-drew the black-lined border on the card front.

I used one of DRS Designs newest stamps for the focal point of my card.  I colored Leonard Pig Behind The Bubble (081G) with Copic Markers and then added Diamond Glaze to the bubbles for a realistic look.  

The card front started as just a white piece of cardstock that was made into pattern paper by stamping it with the Woven Plaid Background (613P).  Then on the blue panel, I stamped the Just Poppin In Sentiment (156D). I thought this sentiment went well with the bubbles in the image.  They eventually have to pop right? 

Hope you enjoyed seeing today's card.

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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A Little Sunshine!

Today I am sharing a little sunshine with this card!  It shows off 2 new stamps recently released from DRS Designs, the Sandcastle (090G) and the Sending You Sunshine Greeting (094D).  I've also used the Polka Dot Background (688P) to create my own pattern paper on the light blue panel.

This Sandcastle image makes me want to just drop everything and run to the beach! Do you get that feeling?  I colored it with Copic Markers and sponged blue ink for the sky while it was in a Nestie die. This creates a nice, white frame around the image that doesn't necessarily need matting.  The layout used here was from the Splitcoast Sketch challenge, SC487. I love this layout! This is actually the second time I've used it and I'm sure I'll put it to use again in the future as well.  The yellow panel in the back was dry embossed and after adding a strip of blue cardstock to the right side, a brown grosgrain ribbon was added to decorate the bottom. A starfish brad embellished the greeting nicely and all of the panels adhered together were placed on a kraft A2 cardstock base. 

I hope there is warmer weather trending where you live and that you're able to enjoy it! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Un"Frog"ettable Frog

DRS Designs is this week's sponsor of the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge Blog. This photo inspired the card I have to share with you today. 

I used it as a color challenge and created this cute card using pink and green and I picked this Friendly Flower Frog (1115G) image because the flowers he's holding matched the flowers in the inspirational photo.

I used Copic Markers to color the image and then die cut it with circle Nestabilities.  As you can see the pink cardstock was embossed with a flower embossing folder and I created my own pattern paper by stamping the Large Original Plaid (641P) with Versamark ink in 2 different directions.  The seam between the 2 background panels was hidden with a strip of dark green ribbon and a few green and pink rhinestones were added for some bling. Finally, I stamped the Un'Frog"ettable Greeting (266E) on a pink banner die cut and adhered it in place with foam tape.

This card screams "Spring," doesn't it? I hope the Mother Nature starts to cooperate with what the calendar says and that Spring-time temps get here soon!

Have a great day! 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Thinking of You

Hi Friends! Hope you're having a great day! 

Isn't this Sweet Foal (861F) adorable? It's a fairly new release from DRS Designs and I've created a Thinking of You card with it. 

The foal was colored with Copic Markers.  I created the pattern paper in the background myself by stamping one of the flowers from the Four Flower Background (370M) with green ink on green cardstock. Then I distressed the edges of it with the same green ink. The yellow panel in the middle was embossed with Swiss Dots and I used the Vertical Thinking of You (690D) for the sentiment going down the left hand side of my card front.  A dark green grosgrain bow was added just below the image to complete this card nicely.

I've entered this into the Square card challenge over at the Great 

Imprhalelnge Blog. Wish me luck! 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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