Follow Your Bliss…

HA!

This week’s JBE challenge was one of my favorites: a sketch!

I really love this paper from Pink Paislee. These 2 patterns are from the Mistletoe & Co collection. Aren’t they fun? I think they are versatile enough to be used for any occasion~not just Christmas!

I’ve always loved the aged and distressed look, so I went with that for this design. After stamping the sentiment on the shimmery ivory cardstock,  I sponged the entire panel with Ranger vintage photo ink. I also sponged the Melissa Frances lace with the same ink. I ran a thin bead of cinnamon Stickles at the seam of both dotted panels, for a little bit of sparkle. I finished off the sketch by layering two buttons and tying them together with some linen thread. A very simple design.

I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for your kind words regarding Wheezer’s passing. It’s so nice to know other people who understand the loss of a loved furry family member. I’m doing better this week.

For more sketchy inspiration be sure to check out the blogs of all of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars:

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Keri Lee Sereika:  Pink Lemonade

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you all have a fabulous day!  Don’t forget about the HUGE Inkadinkado and Martha Stewart sale going on in the Jacksonbelle store.  All Inkadinkado and Martha Stewart products are 40% off!

Well, it wasn’t all that easy for me, though. My creative muse has taken a bit of a blow this week, due to the loss of my 19.5 year old kitty, Wheezer. My sweet little old man had a sudden neurological failure in the wee hours of Saturday morning. He was no longer able to stand up, so it was time for his trip to the Rainbow Bridge. I rescued him when he was a tiny kitten, only 8 weeks old. That little guy shared many ups and downs with me over the past 19+ years. Goodbye, my little Wheezer Geezer. I will miss your crazy “meowling” for a long time…

In addition to my somber mood, the weather today is dark and rainy. I think that influenced the overall design of my card this week.  Our challenge was “1,2,3″, which is 1 stamp, 2 embellishments, and (no more than) 3 layers. Even though it was a bit of a struggle for me, I’m overall pleased with the final result.

This Basic Grey Indian Summer paper is just stunning. The colors are so warm, and rich. I used a stamp from one of my very favorite Inka stamp sets”Flower Sentiments”, which is an excellent complement to this paper pack. Don’t forget that all Inka is 40% off in the store! Stock up while you can! I inked the image with VersaMagic ink in red brick, and then dabbed jumbo java all around the outer edge for a little depth. I sponged all around the edge of the focal panel with Ranger vintage photo ink, and added some cinnamon Stickles for a little bit of sparkle. Some luscious May Arts satin ribbon, and an aged copper Making Memories brad finish off the design.

Lindsey has NEW My Mind’s Eye, and Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps in the store! Browse through all the fun new things HERE!

Thanks for visiting me today!

For more 1-2-3 inspiration be sure to check out the blogs of all of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars:

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Keri Lee Sereika:  Pink Lemonade

Well hello there! I’m back! I was off for two weeks taking a “little” roadtrip. 5200 miles to be exact! haha!! I visited friends in Chicago, Idaho (Lindsey!!! wahoooo!!), Colorado, and Kansas City. Just me, my Lady G, great music, and the road. I’ll make another post about my trip and show y’all some pictures, okay? But for now…ON WITH THE SHOW!

This week, our JBE Challenge was a sketch! Oh, how I love sketches.

I chose to flip the sketch on it’s side for a different look.

While I was at Lindsey’s house, I had a little shopping spree in her store. I just couldn’t resist this Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses paper!! It works so well with the Inka Peppermint Twist stamp set, too! I used VersaMagic ink for the ornament, and the “joy” sentiment, some crystals for a little bling, and some May Arts ribbon.

Lindsey is having a HUGE sale on all Martha and Inkadinkado!! Be sure to check it out, before everything sells out!

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great day. It’s sunny and 70* here in Asheville today. FABULOUS!!

For more sketchy inspiration be sure to check out the blogs of all of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars:

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Keri Lee Sereika:  Pink Lemonade

Hello there!

WOW I have been busy today! I was finally able to make my card for this week’s JBE challenge! This week, is a color challenge using any of the following colors: red, green, black and blue. These colors were taken from the new Pink Paislee line in Lindsey’s store! As it turns out, I found some paper from October Afternoon which had blue and green. So, I added a bit of black for contrast, and wallah! My card was born. HAHA!

The snowflakes and sentiment are from the Inkadinkado clear stamp set called “Peppermint Twist”. It’s a lovely, versatile Holiday set…and it’s ON SALE!! WOO!! I stamped the snowflakes using VersaMagic ink, and stamped the sentiment over them with Ranger Distress ink. I like how you can still sorta see the texture of the snowflakes through the black ink. The brads are Doodlebug “sugar coated”, and there’s extra bling added on some of the dots in the background paper using Stickles. A little May Arts ribbon completes the design!

Lindsey has a HUGE SALE going on in the store! Check it out while there’s still yummy goodies available!

 With World Card Making Day just a few days away, Lindsey is putting everything in the store on sale 25% off.  The promotion code that you need to enter at checkout is FALL (all caps).  This will get you 25% off your order.  With all of the fabulous new Prima, My Minds Eye, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Stampavie and more in stock, now is a great time to stock up and save big bucks!

Also, it’s the last week of THE CONTEST!! For all the details, CLICK HERE!

Check out the wonderful Rockstars’ blogs for this week’s challenge!

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Keri Lee Sereika:  Pink Lemonade

Thanks for visiting!! Have a great week!!

Hey everyone!

It’s time for another JBE Tuesday challenge! Lindsey has a *ton* of new and fabulous things in her store, so our challenge was to use “something new”. WAYYYY easy, right??

Since I just love the new Cosmo Cricket mini decks, it made my paper choice easy. These patterns are from the Early Bird deck, which I think has a bit of old fashioned charm. I paired it with this beautiful Inkadinkado sunflower blossom. The image was stamped 3 times on shimmery cryogen white cardstock, colored with Copic markers, then trimmed. They vary in height, using dimensional foam tape, and are embellished with cinnamon and yellow Stickles.

Thanks for visiting!! Be sure and stop by the other Rockstars’ blogs to see what they have created! We have a new team member that you *might* recognize. Does the name Keri Lee Serieka ring a bell?! WOO HOO!! Welcome, chica!! Also…it’s another chance to enter the CONTEST!! Check out the details HERE.

AJ Otto
Carly Robertson
Heather Lee-Reppen
Jill Dunn
Jimmi Mayo
Keri Lee Sereika
Lindsey Botkin
Lynda Benden
Michelle Philippi
Shemaine Smith
Stephanie Hargis
Tobi Crawford 

Challenge day, and the CONTEST!! Don’t forget the CONTEST!! You could win $50 in free stuff!! Read about it—>HERE.

This week’s challenge was to make a Fall/Halloween card. Well I started out on one road and ended up on another road. HAHA! But I like the end result, so I guess it’s okay.

I used several different patterns from Cosmo Cricket’s Earth Love 6×6 pad. I dragged out this SU! stamp set I’ve had for a couple years…it’s the first time I’ve used it! I love these little pumpkins. Instead of coloring them, I opted to do some paper piecing for a whimsical look. The sky patterned paper was perfect, and for a little sparkle, I added some Stickles on the dandelions floating in the air.

The tassel trim is May Arts. I got it sooooo long ago. I’m not even sure if they make it anymore? I thought it added another fun element to the card. Finally, the sentiment is a Making Memories rub on.

Lindsey has some *amazing* new product in her store. Be sure to hop on over and check it out! Prima, Pink Paislee, Jenni Bowlin, Basic Grey, Inkadinkado, Martha, Making Memories…OH MY!

Check out our other Rockstars for some more Fall and Halloween inspiration! Thanks for stopping by!

AJ Otto
Carly Robertson
Heather Lee-Reppen
Jill Dunn
Jimmi Mayo
Lindsey Botkin
Lynda Benden
Michelle Philippi
Mitzi Koons
Shemaine Smith
Stephanie Hargis
Tobi Crawford 

Happy Tuesday! Happy September 1st!

This week’s challenge really *was* a challenge for me. A one layer card. (the keyword when uploading to SCS is JBE069) Eeek! I really love adding layers to my cards, but this challenge forced me out of my comfort zone. And that is a good thing! It actually sparked an idea for my Christmas cards this year. Sa–weet!

When I saw this Inkadinkado log cabin stamp, I just had to have it! I wanted the card to be simple, and convey that warm, cozy feeling of a log home. What do you think? Did I achieve that result?

The image was stamped on shimmery cryogen white cardstock with Memento rich cocoa ink. I highlighted the tree with Copic YG63 (Pea green), and added some highlights to the snow with B000. I sponged all around the edge with walnut Ranger Distress ink, and covered the tree and snow with stardust Stickles. As a finishing touch, I added some May Arts ribbon, and tied a silver leaf charm (Michael’s) with some silver cord.

Check out the JBE blog HERE for a big announcement about a CONTEST!!

Lindsey also has some new goodies in her store from Making Memories. Oooooh cute stuff

As always, the Rockstars have some fantastic inspiration for you…so check ‘em out!

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee

Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Wishing you all a wonderful week!! Thanks for visiting!

…my only sunshine. You make me happyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy when skies are gray. You’ll never know dearrrrrrrrrrrrr how much I love youuuuuuuuuu. Please don’t take my sunshine awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Are those the right words? HA!! Who cares. Yes, I have been singing that song for a week. HAHA!! Why? Because it’s this week’s Jacksonbelle challenge! As we say goodbye to summer (seriously…where the heck did it go?!) our challenge is to use sunshine as our inspiration. What does it mean to you? Yellow cardstock? A summery stamp set? A little glimmer of sunshine made with Stickles or Shimmerz? The options are endless! We would love for you to play along with us this week.  If you do, please leave a link on the JBE BLOG to your project or use keyword JBE068 when uploading to SCS!

I received a few new goodies from JBE on Monday, and wanted to use ‘em. Cosmo Cricket’s Early Bird paper is super cute, and the yellow dot print was perfect for this challenge! I paired it with Inkadinkado’s new Flower Sentiments set. This set is really gorgeous. If Lindsey has any left, get it if you can! Daisies just scream summer to me.

The cardstock is Prism’s Sunflower medium and dark. More summery goodness, right? And finally, some May Arts yellow dotted ribbon as a finishing touch.

A couple design highlights of note:

• The flower was stamped with white pigment ink on black cardstock, heat embossed with detail white embossing powder, then trimmed.  I stamped it again using black ink on the medium yellow cardstock, trimmed (holy tedious, Batman!), then adhered to the center of the embossed flower.
• The Cosmo Cricket dot paper was embossed with the Cuttlebug Paisley embossing folder, then sanded to reveal the white core and bring out the raised design.

Here’s a closeup shot of the flower:

For more “You Are My Sunshine” inspiration, check out the rest of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars:

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee

Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Lindsey also has some of the new Jenni Bowlin products in stock! *SUPER* cute stuff! Take a peek and check it out HERE!

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope everyone is enjoying the last bit of summer, and getting back to the school year routine if you have children. See you soon! **HUGS**

Howdy-do!

It’s Tuesday, and time for another JBE challenge! This week, it’s my favorite. A sketch!

You can see all the details of the sketch on the JBE Blog HERE.

I am just loving this Basic Grey Lemonade paper! In looking at this week’s sketch, I was pondering what I could use for the three vertical strips. My first thought was ribbon, but as I opened up the pad of patterned papers, I found the sheet that has alternating stripes of the various patterns. *LIGHTBULB* HAHA!! So, I just trimmed out the three I thought would work nicely with the other patterns I had chosen.

The lovebirds (Wordsworth/Rubber Soul) were stamped on a piece of chipboard also from Basic Grey. I believe this was from the Two Scoops line last year? I adhered that to the cardfront, then punched the holes with my Cropodile. Dressed it up with some May Arts ribbon, and added some red Stickles to the heart above their heads. The pink glittered brads at the top of each strip are Doodlebug’s sugar coated brads. I was too lazy to fire up the sewing machine, so I added a few faux stitches to finish off the design.

Stop on by the other Rockstars’ blogs and see what they’ve done with this week’s sketch!

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee

Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Lindsey has received a new shipment of Inkadinkado stamps, and they are fabulous!  Check ‘em out!

Thanks for visiting! Hope you have a lovely week!

Hmmmm I thought I published this post yesterday? Weird…

Hello there!

It’s time for the new JBE challenge! This week, there is NO STAMPING ALLOWED! *gasp* HAHA! Actually, I found this to be very easy to do. I have soooo much STUFF. Patterned paper, chipboard, flowers, hardware, rub-ons…you get the idea.

I really love the way this turned out! It’s such a simple design, but I think the pop of black from the Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie Blackboard really sets it off. What do you think?

Patterned paper and glazed brads are the “Lemonade” collection from Basic Grey, and the “Thanks” rub-on is from Cosmo Cricket’s “So Precious”rub-on set.

After the card was completed, I gave it a couple spritzes of Eucalyptus Shimmerz. Here’s what it looks like straight on. The shimmer is much less visible:

For more inspiration, check out the rest of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars!

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee

Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Shemaine Smith ~ Scraptastic

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

The Dollar Days SALE is still going strong! Annnnnnd she just received the new Provo Craft Cuttlebug embossing folders in stock! Hurry! Hurry! Check it out!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy your day!!