'Tis the Season... CBC79

...to be gifting! Gifts, gifts, gifts...seems like that is all I have been working on lately. I have so many projects going at once too. I am also still working on my cookie sheet advent calendar...which obviously we won't be using this year. =) I just received the stamp set I was waiting for to finish the last 3 coaster sets I need to make. I stamped them tonight, and started coloring, but still have some more to do. I will post them as soon as I get them all colored. I wanted to make something for my niece and nephews this year, so I decided to try some ornaments. Since I haven't' been able to make cards I decided to use this for the Creative Belli Blog challenge this week too. The challenge is to use chipboard. Well...when I first saw this I was soooo excited. I purchased some chipboard from SU over a year ago that I HAD to have, and have never used. I was hoping to use those for this challenge, but due to time, I wasn't able to use them. So here is what I came up with instead.
I purchased some pre-cut wood trees at a LCS. I used mod-podge for apply some PPs to them. I then used chipboard letters for the first letter of each child's name. All but one are Christmas papers from TAC. The other I used some baby boy themed paper, as it is one of my nephew's first Christmas. I hand wrote the rest of the names, and dated the back. You will notice there is no hole or string yet...but putting the hubby to work on that this week. I just really wanted to get them posted though. Here are a couple more shots of these so you can see the back papers on the ornaments are different, and a close-up of the chipboard letters.

My next project to share with you tonight is boxes for gifts for my DD's gymnastic coaches. Being young college age girls, I didn't think they would want coaster sets. I know I wouldn't have wanted that when I was that age. So I decided to make some molded chocolates for them, and put them in a homemade box.

I used the tutorial from Splitcoast for the pizza boxes. HERE. I used PP from SU, and decorated the top with stamps from SU and TAC. The gingerbread man is from SU, and the sentiment from TAC. I added some red stickles dots for sparkle. I will be making some chocolates this week or next to fill them.

Well, I will hopefully be posting again this week, but I do have a crazy weekend to get ready for. This is the weekend of our first slumber party! My MIL was so nice to offer to take my youngest, since she is too young to party with the other girls. I very happily accepted that offer. I hope you all had a great holiday weekend, and didn't go totally broke on Black Friday!

Jessica

More Teacher Gifts

I was able to get 2 more of the coaster sets done today. So that is 3 out of 6 done!!! Now I am just waiting for the stamp set I need to make the other 3. I just ordered the twinkle toes set from TAC, which is a ballerina set. The last 3 sets I need to make are for the dance teachers, so I thought that stamp set would be perfect. Well here are the other two sets for you to see. I took a couple close up shots, but decided not to add them right now.

This set I used various butterfly stamps from a few different sets. The cutsie ones are from a There She Goes stamp set. The other butterflies are from various SU sets.

I used the TAC set snowman nativity to make this set. My oldest daughter's teacher loves snowmen, and so I thought this would be a perfect set to use for her.

Thanks for checking out the coaster sets! Have a great day.

Jessica

Teacher Gifts...and a challenge CD43

Hello all. I have been working on teacher gifts lately. It is a slooooooow process for me...due to crazy busy schedules lately. I have been doing things in parts. Well today I was able to finish the first of the 6 sets that I have to make for gifts. Oh...I am making tile coaster sets by the way. I purchased the tiles at Lowes. Each set of coasters I am making is different too. Today I have the first set to show you, which I also decided to use one of them as part of The Color Dare challenge this week. This weeks colors are Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, & Green Galore.

This is all of the coasters. I used the gerbera daisy stamp from TAC. I stamped the image with staz-on ink onto the tiles. I used my aqua painter, and ink pads to "paint" the color onto the images. I then sprayed them with polyurethane spray. I used some felt padding I also purchased at Lowes on the backs. I found the padding in the "Castor" aisle. Here is the one I used for the Color Dare.

I colored the stem with the green, the center brown (choc. chip), and rose red for the petals.

That is all for today. I am working on the second set. I will post the other sets as I finish them. Thanks for stopping by.

Jessica

Birthday Invites

So I had this complete panic the other night. I realized my DD's b-day party is in 3 weeks, and I had no invitations to send out!!!!! So, I got to work yesterday. I already had the images stamped from a friend's stamp collection. I believe it is a high hopes image. I just thought it was perfect for this party. We started coloring them together. My DD didn't color more then 2 of them though, which there are only 5. So since I knew I would have a little time at my show last night I took them along to finish coloring. Yesterday afternoon, I put the rest of it together, and filled in the info inside last night too. Here is what we ended up with.

I thought this image was just perfect for our first slumber party. Now...lets hope mom makes it through!!!!

Jessica

Santa's Cookies SSS30

Good afternoon all, and happy Wednesday. I had a bit of a shocker while laying in bed last night. I realized that my oldest daughter's slumber party is 3 weeks away!!!! Oh, and guess who still hasn't made the invitations? UGGGGGGG! So after my MOPS meeting today I ran down to the stamp room to being putting them together. I have the cutest stamp image I got from a friend that my daughter insists on coloring herself, so I best put her to work today. I got the rest of the card ready, and just need to fill in the information. While, since I was already down there I decided to play along with the Sweet Stop Sketch this week. It didn't' take me to much time since I had previously colored the image in. Here it is.I recently received some RAK from one of my fellow TAC Angels. This little girl was one of the images she sent me. It is from a set in the new Avenue Magalog called holiday girls. I just thought she was adorable, and haven't been able to purchase the set for myself yet. The rest of the set is also holiday geared, so I figure this little girl is setting cookies out for Santa. I did a little non-traditional in the color choice, but that is okay...haha. I used DC a little whimsy paper from TAC for the backgrounds. The purple ribbon I had in my ribbon drawer, I am pretty sure I saved it from some kind of gift in the past. We should never trash perfectly good stamping ribbon! I thought the enjoy sentiment was cute for this too. It is from the TAC set ordinary greetings. I also added a purple eyelet to the card too.

That is all for now. I am off to my show tonight...I hope to make a few sales, or at least be able to get my name out there!

Jessica

FINALLY!!!! CBC78, CCC65, SASSC40

Finally, I have some cards to post for you! We have been so busy lately, and by the time I get the kids in bed I am exhausted beyond belief. Well today I dragged my tired self down stairs to get some stuff made. I have 4 things to show you today. The first is the card I am using for the make and take I am doing for a show tomorrow. The other 3 are for various challenges. I listed the challenge they are for with the card. Sorry to post so many at once, but I am just thankful to have something to post at all.

Here is the first card. Like I mentioned before I am doing a show with my TAC products tomorrow at a local scrapbook studio. Each vendor was asked to provide some sort of make and take, so here is what I came up with.

I am using the gingerbread house from the TAC set gingerbread fun, and the PP is also from TAC. I pre-cut various different pp pieces for this.

My 2nd card tonight is for the Creative Belli Blog this week. (CBC78) The challenge this week was to create a project using Christmas themed embellishments. Here is what I came up with.

I used a piece of PP from TAC as the background. This stamp I have actually never used. Last year for Christmas my hubby took my 3 little girls to the LSS to get me some stamps. This was one of the stamps they picked out. I added some Christmas tree brads that I have had laying around and some liquid applique. Remember the whole point of the belli blog is to use things we already have in our craft rooms, so I was able to do that with this card A LOT! The base I used is some "love notes" I purchased a couple years back from SU too.

My next card I created for the Cupcake Craft challenge this week. The challenge this week is to use digi stamps. Well I have been playing around with those a little lately, so here is what I came up with.

Isn't this turtle adorable???!!! He is a digi stamp from Sweet 'n Sassy. I colored him in using colored pencils (which has become my new favorite way to color images). I thought since he is so detailed, I would make this a simple card. I used some pp from TAC's surfs up pad. I layered the turtle on with dimensionals. I left some white at the bottom of the card so I could write in a sentiment. I went with "swimming by...", and the inside of the card says "...to say HI!".

Ok...last card...I recently stumbled upon a couple more challenge blogs that I thought looked fun. I decided to play along with The Fresh Batch blog this week. This is a sketch challenge so be sure to go HERE to check out the sketch.

I decided to make a little scene for this one. I used 2 different SU sets to create the scene. The pp is from TAC Tuscany Spice pad. I added some raffia as the "ribbon". I stamped the cabin, and masked it. I then added the various trees, and sponged the background. I thought this would be a nice masculine birthday card, which I will for sure be needing in December. December is a busy b-day month in our family. We have 5 b-days and an anniversary, followed by 4 more in January.

Well thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Jessica

Busy Busy Busy...blog candy alert!

Sorry it has been so long since I posted. I really have been making stuff, but didn't post them. My family recently welcomed a new addition...my new Nephew was born on 11/4/09. He is ADORABLE!!!!!! I made a card for them, but didn't photo and post it. I have also been working like crazy to prepare some make and takes for an event that I will be showing my TAC stuff at on the 18th. A friend of mine owns a scrapbook/crafting studio. It is a great place to go spend a few hours and crop, or stamp without being interrupted. I soooo wish I could go more often, but I usually have so much going on with taking my kids here and there. Anyway...check out the website...HERE. I am very excited about taking part in the shopping night on the 18th. As soon as I get everything cut and ready I will post a photo of the make and take card I will be doing that night. I finally finished my Christmas cards too! So I have accomplished stuff, but didn't post. I hope be able to get back to challenges this week.

I also wanted to share a chance for you to win some blog candy. Patti is celebrating 10,000 blog hits. Stop by and sign up to win some great blog candy HERE.

Well that is it for now...have a great weekend!
Jessica

Cup of Cheer.....MOJO111

Hello again...wow 2 posts in one day! I love having my hubby home from work...ha ha. Although we did go do some running around this afternoon, I did get time to myself to escape to the stamp room again. Here is my card I made.I used the Mojo Monday Sketch for this one. It is a contest week, since it is the first week of the month. Head on over to the Mojo blog if you haven't seen the sketch yet, and the beautiful work the Mojo Makers have created for us. I also did the challenge from my LSS's blog this week. This week it was paper piecing on your card. I used the floral mug hostess stamp from TAC. I stamped it on white CS, then also on some PP from TAC's More Mimi set. Not sure why I felt the need to do the leaves too, so tiny to work with, but the results were pleasing to me. After paper piecing the flowers, leaves, and handle on the mug, I layered it onto some PP from the TAC More Mimi set. I added some pink brads and a pink flower. I felt it needed something in the bottom corner, so I hand wrote the "hello" on a little die cut from the same PP set. I used pink CS as my base. Here is a close up of the paper piecing I did.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great rest of your day.

Jessica

Wild West CCC64

Hi everyone, and Happy Election day. Don't forget to go out and vote today, even though it isn't a presidential year, it is still important to vote in your local elections. My 6 year old requested we wait for her to go to the polls today. She likes to tag along and vote with us. So we are planning on going after we pick up the two older girls from school this afternoon.

Today I have a card I created for the Cupcake Craft Challenge this week. This week's challenge was a sketch challenge...and I do love my sketch challenges! Stop on over to the Cupcake blog and check out the sketch HERE. Here is what I came up with for this sketch.
I just love this little cowboy. He is sooooo cute! He is an Angel Company set called wild west. There is also 3 other sets from TAC that have very similar characters. There is a ballerina, little flower girl, and an ice cream girl. They are just adorable!!!! I stamped the little cowboy and colored him in with markers. I cut him out and layered him with dimensionals onto the background I created using the cactus stamp from the same stamp set and sponging the background.

I wanted it to look like a desert. The sentiment is also from that stamp set. The ribbon I found at a LCS...I had to buy it when I saw it. I thought it would go perfect with this set. I did make the mistake of purchasing the thicker ribbon, so I had to cut it in 1/2 for this card. The little horseshoe I stamped and embossed in silver. I attached it with a silver eyelet.

Well that is all for now. I am in the middle of another card, but haven't had a chance to get down to the stamp room yet today. So hopefully will post it for you either later, or tomorrow AM. Thanks for stopping by!

Jessica

Celebrate CHOCOLATE! CD40, SSS28

Hello, and Happy November! For me, once we get home from trick-or-treating, I feel like the holidays have officially begun. I just love the holiday season, so much fun and excitement. After I had children it became even more special for me. I love seeing the excitement in their little eyes when you walk into a store. I was so excited this year I had the girls write their Santa letters today. Although I am a little worried that they think Santa won the lottery...=) Anyway to start today I wanted to show you my little trick-or-treaters from last night. Here they are...

Now onto the card. I created a card today for two different challenges. I used the sketch from the Sweet Stop Blog, and the color challenge from the Color Dare Blog. The colors were Pumpkin Pie (or Really Rust), Soft Suede, and Almost Amethyst. Here is what I came up with.

I decided to make this as a birthday card for my MIL. Her and I were just discussing the importance of chocolate today, so I decided to use the Sweet 'n Sassy set "Chocoholic" set. I just love this set, but it makes me hungry...ha ha. I used the soft suede as the base. I used some patterned paper from the TAC set gentle beginnings as my almost amethyst. I then took another piece of soft suede and used the little chocolate chip from the same stamp set to create a background paper. I layered a piece of pumpkin pie with the sentiment "Celebrate" stamped on it. I distressed that CS to add some dimension. Last, I stamped the cake on soft suede, and colored the "frosting" with pumpkin pie. I added some liquid applique to the top of the cake, and some white ribbon. Well that is all for now. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all had a fun Halloween!

Jessica