Halloween Knot

I love when challenges force me to do things that I wouldn't normally do, or things that I've forgotten to do. Although, I guess that's what makes a challenge, a challenge!  The latest challenge on the DRS Designs blog challenges you to use knots.  Below is the card I created for this challenge, and it allowed me to look at my embellishments and use a spiral clip to add the knot to my card front.  I haven't use spiral clips in forever! DRS Designs is also the current sponsor over at the Loves To Scrap Challenge Blog. I am entering this card into their "Anything Goes Challenge"[ as well. Interested in playing along in their challenge? You could win a $10 store voucher to get free stamps from DRS Designs online catalog.

I am still playing around with the new Halloween stamps I received from DRS Designs. I used the Silhouette Spooky Village (141H) as my focal image and distressed the edges with black ink to give it a spooky feel.  I used Copic Markers to fill in the windows and color the moon.  The Accent Bats (517A) were stamped to make my own pattern paper on one of the vertical panels, and the Large Original Plaid Maker (P641) was used to create the other one. The Halloween Arc (043E) was stamped so that it curved around the image in the background.  

I hope you'll take this opportunity to check out both of these challenges and enter them if you're able for a chance to win free stamps from DRS Designs! 

Good Luck!

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer 

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Sympathy Pines

Well, we all know that it's better to create sympathy cards ahead of time rather than trying to make one when your heart is heavy. The Sympathy challenge on the DRS Designs Blog this week is the perfect opportunity to work on a few.

I didn't have a lot of time when I sat down to make my challenge card. I knew coloring an image was out of the question and since I haven't played with glossy cardstock in a while, I decided to get it out and do a little heat embossing.

I heat embossed the Silhouette Majestic Pines (757L) with black embossing powder and then sponged it with blue ink for the sky and green ink for the ground. I used a yellow Copic Marker for the moon. The Tiny With Sympathy sentiment (263A) tag was also heat embossed and sponged with ink. I added a dry embossed layer of polka dots to the background and each layer was matted with black.  The light blue cardstock base measures 4.25" x 5.5."

I hope I've inspired you to stamp today! Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Beauty of Autumn

Hi Stampers! 

Today I'd like to share with you another opportunity to win free stamps from DRS Designs! DRS Designs is the sponsor of this week's Play Date Cafe Blog challenge and the inspirational photo goes right along with the DRS Autumn Greetings challenge.  (You could create one card and enter it for both challenges! But, shh, don't tell anyone I told you to do that LOL!)

Inspired by the colors above, I created an Autumn Greeting card which also sneak peeks one of DRS Designs new stamps! (Stay tuned, new stamps will be released this Saturday November 3rd!)  

The soon-to-be-released Open Leaf stamp (584D) works perfectly with the Medium Silhouette Leaf (701D) as a 2 step stamping process.  I started first by stamping the Silhouette Leaf 3 times with an Autumn colored rainbow ink pad. Then, I stamped the Open Leaf on top of them in burgundy ink.  I stamped the Script Font Background (098P) over top with orange chalk ink and then distressed the edges in orange as well.  The card base was made from red cardstock and I stamped the top of it with the One Line Beauty of Autumn (704D).  A beautiful variegated burgundy ribbon was used for the trim.  

Don't forget to check out both challenges for a chance to win!
Thanks for stopping by and please visit again soon! 

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Silhouette Hearts

I seem to be into trying new things lately and for today's card I've made an attempt to create a framed card using acetate/polyester sheets--also known as transparency sheets.  I found this tutorial online for Framed Wall art and decided to try it for my Silhouette Challenge Card for DRS Designs.  

I started by cutting the acetate sheet to about 3.5" x 4.5."  I stamped it with 2 Silhouette Love Hearts (213D) that I overlapped slightly.  Then I split the Engagement Wishes Greeting (069E)  and stamped it above and below the hearts.  The pink frame was created by cutting the center out with a Nestablitity die and I added a white heart brad to each corner.  I adhered the acetate behind the pink frame.  The front of the card base was embossed with a heart embossing folder and I used foam tape to adhere the framed acetate to it.  An elegant white and silver bow finished the card front.

Please check out DRS Designs Silhouette challenge HERE and enter to win 3 stamps of your choice!

If your interested in puchasing acetate sheets or cards you can get them directly from DRS Designs.  

Smiles, 

Jennifer

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Happy Healing-Wheels challenge

There's a new challenge on the DRS Designs Blog this week and the theme is wheels! This Happy Healing card is my challenge entry.

I heat embossed the Silhouette Wheelchair image (745G) on glossy cardstock and then sponged blue ink around it while it was in a Nestie die.  I stamped the Knee Replacement Get Well Greeting (346G) and sponged it the same way.  The background was embossed with the Houndstooth Embossing Folder and since it is a Happy Healing card made with love :-) I thought the heart border would be a nice touch! 

Can the DRS DT challenge you to create with wheels? If so link your card HERE for a chance to win a great prize from DRS Designs! 

Good Luck and Happy Stamping!

Smiles, 

Jennifer

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Happy Halloween!

Have you seen DRS Designs newest Autumn stamps? I've been having a blast with the Halloween ones and making my own backgrounds too! Today I'm sharing a card with you where I've used both.

I used the new Silhouette Cat on Moon (895F) for the focal image. I colored the moon with Copic Markers and then masked it and sponged it with orange ink for the moon's glow. I then distressed the edges with black ink to give it a smoky look. The background was made using the Open Plaid Background (631P). I stamped it in yellow and orange inks to match the colors of the card front. The entire card front was also distressed with black ink. The sentiment I used is the new Tiny Happy Halloween (938A). This stamp is great for small spaces like seen on this card today or for creating small tags for cards or treat bags etc. I added some black brads, fun ribbon, and a decorative border punch to dress up this card.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and see my card today. 

I appreciate your visit.

Smiles,
Jennifer

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First Holy Communion

 Today I have a Communion card I made for my Godson to share with you.   He made his First Holy Communion a couple weeks ago and I was so glad to see that DRS Designs had the perfect stamps so I could make him a card.  I'd much rather make the cards I give away then buy them.  It's a lot more fun that way too!

The first step I did in making this card was heat emboss the Praying Boy Silhouette (899F) with black embossing powder on light blue cardstock.  I matted it with a white cardstock scalloped oval to use as the focal point on my card front.  I stamped the First Holy Communion Greeting (913G) with black ink on white cardstock and inked the edges around it with light blue ink.  I created the card front from black cardstock that I dry embossed to add a little texture to my card.  I assembled the stamped pieces as shown and used the notched corner punch on all 4 corners.  I added a light blue ribbon and 3 light blue brads as embellishments and then threaded metallic silver string through the notched corners. The entire card front was then adhered to an A2 sized light blue cardstock base.  

I decorated the inside similar to the card front.  On white cardstock I used the notched corner punch on all 4 corners, inked the edges with light blue and I also added a strip of light blue ribbon near the bottom.  I stamped the Communion Greeting (401F) for the inside message.  

  

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Merry Christmas!

Well, the big day is finally here!

Merry Christmas to you all! 

Now that I am certain all of my Christmas cards have been sent, and hopefully delivered, I wanted to share the handmade Christmas card I made this year with you. 
The technique I used to make this Winter scene is the same technique I used back in November to make this Autumn card. Some red and silver ink turned this card from Autumn to Christmas very easily!  Here's a picture of 5 of them, but I made a total of 20 for all my stamping friends!

I stamped DRS Designs Single Fall Tree (468F) along the rolling hills in the scene and added silver Stickles to the branches to look like ice and snow.  The sentiment I had specifically made for this card, but the Season's Greetings sentiment on the Line of Winter Trees Image (537K) would be perfect as well.

Since I was mailing so many of these cards, I didn't want them to be heavily embellished.  I think the simple red bow embellished them nicely!  

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I greatly appreciate your visit, especialy since I know my posts have been very scattered lately.  I'm going to take some time away from stamping/crafting to spend time with family over the next week. I plan on coming back right after the New Year with regular stamping and projects to share with you!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Two Loving Hearts

Hubby and I went to a wedding this weekend. I recently went to Hallmark to find a card for the Bride and Groom and quickly decided that was not such a good idea! The cheapest/most decent card I could find was over $5! So, as a means of watching our pennies, I planned ahead and decided to make a card for them. Besides it's what I do on a practically everyday basis anyway, right?  Still not sure what made me go to Hallmark in the first place!

I was a bit unsure as to how this was going to turn out as I don't have very many wedding themed stamps or paper. Since I had the time, I was up for the challenge and I tried really hard to use what I had. It would have defeated the purpose of planning ahead to make one otherwise. I'm glad to report that this was a lot easier than I thought it would be once I actually sat down to do it. I'm really, really happy with how this turned out! There's just something about it's simple elegance that is really pretty to me.

I apologize as this photo doesn't do this card any justice! I used shimmer cardstock and it was hard to photograph and capture something similar to how it looks in real life!  If anyone has some tips and trick to photographing shimmer cardstock, please do share!

Best part about this card is that it was really quick and easy! I created the card front by first, using the EK Success decorative heart border punch on the bottom edge of the shimmer ivory cardstock. Next, I stamped DRS Designs Silhouette Love Heart (213D) twice, side-by-side and slightly over lapping with SU! Rose Red craft ink. I heat set the ink and then embossed the card front with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, leaving about 1 inch from the top edge. Then I added 2 horizontal embossed lines using my Score-Pal. In the space between these 2 lines I adhered beautiful white and silver ribbon with a bow in the center. I adhered the card front on to a Gray shimmer cardstock base.

I even decorated the inside to match!  I stamped off the silhouette heart and added "Congratulations" from SU! I used the heart border punch on a small strip of shimmer gray cardstock, adhered it to the top and my card was complete.

I'm pretty sure they'll like it, don't you?

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Happy Healing!

Today's the BIG day...It's Release Day over at DRS Designs!  You can see all of their new releases HERE.

The Happy Healing sentiment I used on today's card is part of this release.  So many people I know are getting their joints replaced nowadays, that this sentiment will get a lot of use on my end! I bet you could use it too!

I decided to create this card with green monochromatic colors since I have a ton of this cream cardstock that I wanted to use up.  Both the Happy Healing sentiment and the silhouette wheelchair image (G745) were stamped with SU! Certainly Celery. I kept my embellishemnts simple on this card and only used thick olive green grograin ribbon and some rhinestones that I colored with my YG67 Copic Marker to match my project.

Here's a close up of the Happy Healing sentiment so you can see it more clearly.

Hope you enjoy all the new releases!

Have a great weekend!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Time for Cake!

Window cards can be so much fun to make, but it does take a bit of patience to get everything work in and around the window!  I quickly learned that while making this card, as I had to stamp the Silhouette Birthday Cake (H493) from DRS Designs several times to get it to work just right!   Keeping this card in the monochromatic color scheme, the cake was stamped in SU! Rose Red.  The greeting I used on the front of this card is the Birthday Wishes Come True Greeting (E508) .

Here's a shot of the inside of the card.  You can see how precise the window had to be!

I added some matting for a pop of color on the inside and then stamped the Birthday Arc (E211) above the cake.

I really like this card, because it is so different and out of the norm for me.  Fun, huh?

 

*****On a side note, know what today is?  June 30th, yes, but do you know what that means? Today is the last day for a bunch of FREE goodies from DRS Designs.  Here's how you can get them:

• Participate in the Caardvarks Embossing Challenge and be entered to win a set of 15(!) stamps from DRS Designs

• Leave a comment on the DRS Designs Blog to be entered to win a FREE Stamp just for leaving a comment for the Stamp A Day Give Away
• Place any order with DRS Designs before June 30, 2010 and get a free stamp with your order!  (Click HERE to see the stamp.) Also, FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50!
  
  
  
  Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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It's All About You!

DRS Designs is sponsoring this month's Caardvarks Blog challenge.  The challenge is to do dry and/or wet embossing on your project.  We hope that you'll play along and link your card on the Caardvarks Blog.  DRS Designs is giving away 2 prize packages of 15 stamps (!) each.  The stamps in these package are from the DRS Designs Stamp A Day Give Away!

I did both dry and wet embossing on today's card.

Both, the All About You sentiment (H371) and the silhouette balloon (E491) images, are by DRS Designs. 

I embossed the background with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing folder and then heat embossed the balloons.  The balloons were adhered in place with foam tape.  The sentiment is also heat embossed. 

  Good luck playing in the challenge and winning a set of 15 stamps from DRS Designs!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Get Well

Ever create a card that you want to give to yourself?  That's how I feel today.  I created this Get Well card several weeks ago and thought today was a good day to finally get it posted.  Not sure if I caught some cooties or if it's just allergies that are in full force but I've felt icky over the last few days.   

The silhouette wheelchair image and the Get Well sentiment on this card are by DRS Designs. 

Sorry for the quick post today, but I need to go back to bed and rest up for work later today.  Hope to be back tomorrow or Wednesday with another project to share. 
Until then...

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Western Birthday!

You'll need to check out the DRS Designs Blog to see another project I created for this week's Crazy 4 Challenges Blog challenge.

Here's the sneak peek!

DRS Designs is giving away a generous prize, won't you participate in this challenge as well?  Details can be found on my DRS Designs Blog post.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Time For Golf?

Well...as with anything, you just have to take it one day at a time!

Both the image and sentiment are by DRS Designs.  The Silhouette Male Golfer was heat embossed, and the "One Day At A Time" sentiment was stamped with Versafine ink.  Some cardstock punched with my Zig Zag Martha Stewart punch, cute plaid ribbon, and the black cardstock embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder all helped to add detail to this card. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Smiles,

Jennifer

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Merry Christmas From Leonard!

Want a chance to win some goodies from DRS Designs? Run over to the Caardvarks challenge blog to see all of the different card sketches that will enter you to win the Blog Candy up for grabs.

I played along with the sketch challenge using Leonard, oink, oink! He wants to wish you a "Merry Christmas!" Yes, I know it's a tad early for that, but I couldn't help myself!

When I saw this new Santa Hat stamp by DRS Designs, I knew right away that Leonard would look perfect wearing it! He's cute, isn't he?

I created my own pattern paper for this card using another new stamp from DRS Designs, the Silhouette Holly stamp. I cut the berries away from the holly leaves, a bonus for using unmounted stamps, as it easily let me stamp the berries in red and the leaves in green. I randomly stamped the holly berries in a few of the larger white spaces to fill it in a little more completely.


If you look closely at Leonard's Santa Hat, you can see that I added some white Fun Flock to the furry parts. Nothing like giving your card that authentic feel! *grin*!

Have you seen the rest of DRS Designs new Holiday stamps?

Stamps: DRS Designs- Leonard the Billboard (F711), Santa Hat (B022), Silhouette Holly (F002), Small Merry Christmas Sentiment (A121)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Ruby Red, Glorious Green
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by American Crafts
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Bic Markers, Nesties, Holly Corner Punch by The Paper Studio, Ribbon by May Arts, EK Success Decorative Border Punch, White Fun Flock, Gray Copic Marker C1
Finished Card Size: 5 7/8" x 4 5/8"

Well, sorry I can't spend too much time on the computer today. I have a ton of cards due for DRS Designs and I need to get back to work. Stay tuned for tomorrow, as the DRS Designs DT will be showing our first set of cards for the Cards For Heros Holiday Card Drive, and we hope that you'll play along as well.

Hope your all having a wonderful Sunday!

Smiles,
Jennifer

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DRS Designs Faux Stitching Challenge

Happy Monday Everyone! Today begins challenge #26 in the DRS Designs DT challenge series! Today's challenge is faux stitching! Very easy, very cool and adds a perfect finishing touch to most projects. We would love for you to play along with us...post a direct link to your creation in the comment section on the DRS Designs Blog Challenge #26 post. If you upload to a public gallery, please use the keyword DSC26.

For my challenge card I whipped up this quick and easy Get Well/Sympathy card.

I stamped off the new Silhouette Background Trees image twice and paired it with the "You're on My Mind" sentiment. I used the SU! paper piercing template to pierce the cardstock around the edges and then used a black gel pen to connect the dots. I simply embellished the card front with some black grosgrain ribbon and a spiral clip. The criss crosses you see in the upper right corner were faux stitched as well.

Stamps: DRS Designs- Silhouette Background Trees (F1030), "You're on My Mind" sentiment (F676)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company, American Crafts
Accessories: SU! Paper Piercing Template, Making Memories Paper Piercer, Ribbon by Bobbie M. Designs, Spiral Clip by The Paper Studio, Black Gelly Roll Pen
Finished Card Size: 4.75" x 6"

One thing I learned while making this card is that for me, faux stitching is almost just a difficult to do as real stitching. Regardless of which method I use, I have the hardest time trying to keep my lines straight! Next time I use this technique I'm going to start by drawing a line with pencil and a ruler, pierce my cardstock along that drawn line and then connect the lines with a gel pen using a ruler for that as well. So, now looking back, I guess this challenge was really a challenge for me and I've bettered myself since I've learned from it. Crooked lines help give my card some character, right?


Thanks for visiting today!

Smiles,
Jennifer

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Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams

Here's another sneak peek of one of the new stamps DRS Designs will be releasing this Saturday. I got creative with my Alcohol Inks to create a scene for this Silhouette Hiker image.

The sky was created in blues and silver while the ground was done with greens and gold. I used Staz On ink and my Stamp-a-ma-jig to strategically place the Hiker image along the line where the 2 sets of colors met. I wanted it to look like he was over looking a mountain.

I know this sentiment is often used with graduation cards, but I thought it complimented this Hiker image as well. This design could be used for someone who is starting a new job or for when an uplifting card is needed when someone has to make a difficult decision and their about to take a new path in their life.

Stamps: DRS Designs- Silhouette Hiker (G1026), Go Confidently Sentiment (H965)
Ink: Staz On Jet Black
Paper: Glossy White cardstock unknown, Colored Cardstock by American Crafts
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Bic Markers, Nesties, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Brads by Joann's Scrap Essentials, Ribbon By Bobbie M. Designs, Alcohol Inks by Ranger in Bottle, lettuce, Gold, Denim, & Silver
Finished Card Size: 4.75" x 5.75"

Just like all of the other silhouette images DRS Designs has available, I'm sure you'll see some great projects made with this one!

Stay tuned to my blog and the rest of the DRS Designs DT as the sneak peeks will continue tomorrow and through out the week.

Have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer

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