Ink N' Scrap Habits

A Thanksgiving As Wonderful As You!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:10:05 PST

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! We had mild temperatures that are supposed to continue the rest of the week. How odd to have 65 degree weather in November!

Well, I spent some quality time in my stamp room this weekend catching up on some odds and ends and one of the projects I completed was this sketch challenge card for the 4Sketches4You Blog. DRS Designs is their sponsor this week and for playing along you could win a $15.00 Gift Certificate to DRS Designs!

Stamps: DRS Designs- G216 Wonderful As You Thanksgiving Greeting
Ink: SU! Close To Cocoa
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company and American Crafts
Accessories: SU! Word Window Punch and Ticket Corner Punch, Square Brads by Joann's Scrap Essentials, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Ribbon by Ribbon Fx
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

Don't forget to check out the new Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday stamps just released by DRS Designs! I'm sure you'll find something you like there!

Hope you have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Get 'Em While Their Hot!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:55:09 PST

DRS Designs has just released a bunch of new stamps that are perfect for the upcoming Holiday season. Be sure to check out all of their new releases & place your order right away! You won't want to miss these Cuties!

The Design Team will be showing them off very soon!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Sports Rock!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:00:04 PST

I'm still trying to get back into my daily routine since my Great-Aunts passing. Thank you all for all of your caring comments and prayers you left me earlier this week. I greatly appreciate all of the support. Today, I'd like to welcome you back to another Sunflowers & Dragonflies Blog Challenge!

This weeks challenge is all about Sports! So, get out those stamps and embellishments that have footballs, baseballs and bats, Hockey pucks and sticks etc. and come play along with us this week.

For my challenge project this week, I used the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Fishing Beaver stamp. I'm featuring the sport of Fishing this week!

Stamps: Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs- Fishing Beaver
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Martha Stewart Pigment Ink
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company, American Crafts, and Bazzill
Accessories: Bic & Copic Markers, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles Embossing Folder, Ribbon by Michael's Dashes, Dots, and Checks, and Ribbon Fx, SU! Photo Corner Punch, Brads by All My Memories, Spiral Clip by The Paper Studio
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

It's been quite awhile since I've played with the Splitcoast weekly sketch challenge. For the sake of ease transitioning into my daily routine I let it work for me this week and was able to create this card rather quickly using SC253 for my layout.

The Fishing Beaver image was colored with Bic & Copic markers. I sponged blue ink around the upper portion of the image for the sky & green ink on the bottom for grass. I used marker to draw in the blades of grass.

To be eligible for this weeks prize drawing, please post a direct link to your challenge project from either your blog or an online gallery to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog, specifically on the Challenge #16 Blog Post, so we can view it. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword S&D16.

This week's prize is a $10 gift certificate to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Store!

Deadline for this challenge is next Friday November 6th.

Good Luck & Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Heavy Heart

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:56:39 PST

It's a sad day for us today. At the age of 93, my Great-Aunt Joann passed away yesterday morning. I am a little teary, but I am more relieved than anything else. I feel as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I'm honestly happy that she's no longer suffering. It really has been a long battle, and her passing is such sweet sorrow. I'm glad she only spent the last month of her life in the nursing home & not a day longer.

Here she is with my sister and I on her birthday this past February. Thanks again to all who sent her cards and helped make that birthday extra special.

Of course under the circumstances, I won't be blogging again until later this week.

Please keep Aunt Joann & my family in your prayers.

Purrfect Halloween!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Happy Halloween!

Stamps: DRS Designs- L076 Halloween Kitty, E064 Purrrfect Halloween, A086 Candy Corn
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company& American Crafts
Accessories: Bic & Copic Markers, Nesties, Ribbon by the Paper Studio & Bobbie M. Designs
Finished Card Size: 5.25" x 5.5"

Smiles,
Jennifer

Purple Flower Power!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:29:36 PDT

Flower Power is the name of this week's Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog Challenge! This is the Sunflowers and Dragonflies 15th Blog Challenge!

For my challenge card I tried to do everything flower!

I added the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Sugar Frosted Pansies Cupcake as my focal image and also stamped the Happy Flower from the Alice in Wonderland series around the cupcake image. You can also see that I used flower designer paper, and added a Prima flower as a finishing touch!

Stamps: Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs- Sugar Frosted Pansie Cupcake, Happy Flower from the Alice in Wonderland Accessory Set
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink in Yellow Ochre,
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by American Crafts, DP from DCVW Glitter Stack
Accessories: Bic Markers, Nesties, Purple Stickles, Ribbon by Offray, Brads by Joann's Scrap Essentials
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

Anyone can play along in the challenge. There are no limits on time or supplies. Of course we’d prefer that you use images by Sunflowers and Dragonflies, but feel free to use other images. However, there is a bonus if you do use a Sunflowers and Dragonflies Image, you'll receive an extra entry in the drawing for the weekly challenge prize!! So, if you have any S&D stamps it would be worth it to use them! Please post a direct link to your challenge project from either your blog or an online gallery to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog, specifically on the Challenge #15 Blog Post, so we can view it. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword S&D15.

This week's prize is 2 large packages of Prima Flowers! Deadline for this challenge is next Friday November 6th.

Smiles,
Jennifer

Fancy Pumpkins & Witches Are Always In!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:00:13 PDT

TGIF and Happy Halloween!

Today is my day to post on the DRS Designs Blog. Here's a tease of the Halloween cards I've posted there today.

Click here to run over & see what this post is all about!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend & a safe & fun Halloween!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Pumpkin Princess!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:01:47 PDT

I know that soon enough on Halloween night we will have lots of ghosts and goblins knocking on our door. What are the chances that we'll see a Pumpkin Princess like this one?

Stamps: Sunflowers & Dragonflies Creative Designs- Pretty Little Pumpkin, DRS Designs-G329 Empty Spider Web, E043 Halloween Arc
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Rubber Stampede Embossing Ink
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by Bazzill & American Crafts
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Nesties, Prima Flowers, Brads by the Paper Studio, Seafoam White Embossing powder by Ranger
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

I made this card a little different than usual. If you look close at the above picture, you can see that the card fold is on the left side of the brown cardstock--not the orange base like you would normally see. This is the first time I've created a card like this & I have to admit, I love the unique look!

This image is from Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs and she is one of 3 Halloween images you can win this week for playing along this week in our Halloween Greeting Blog Challenge. We hope that you'll join us!

Hurry, participation deadline for this challenge is this Friday, October 30th!

Good Luck!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Spook House!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:15:00 PDT

Here's the creepy Silhouette Spook House from DRS Designs. It's one of their new Halloween images that is now available for purchase. You can see all of their new releases here.

Stamps: DRS Designs- P058 Silhouette Haunted House
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink in Charcoal
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company & American Crafts
Accessories: Black Eyelet by Joann's Scrap Essentials, Ribbon by Offray, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Houndstooth Embossing Folder
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

This was a quick & easy CAS card to make. I stamped the image on gray cardstock & inked the edges with dark gray ink. I love the smokey appearance it gives around the image. Then I stamped it again on yellow cardstock & cut out the moon, and adhered it in place on the main image. The yellow panels you see behind the image are embossed with the Cuttlebug Houndstooth Embossing folder, but it is hard to see in this picture. I added a black eyelet on the side & ran yellow satin ribbon through it with a knot.

Isn't the witch silhouette perfect!?!? I love how her nose & chin stick out! LOL!

Well, that's it for today.

Ta Ta for now!

Have a great one!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Candy Apple Sweetness!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:10:31 PDT

Nothing says Fall like all of the apple sweets that come into season during this time of year. I'm thinking apple pies, apple crisp, homemade apple sauce, and even caramel & candied apples too!

Today I'm showing of DRS Designs new Candy Apple image. I suppose you could color it brown too and create a caramel one. I've paired it with the Autumn Greetings sentiment & used the Lots of Lines Background to create by own pattern paper.

Stamps: DRS Designs- K082 Candy Apple, H366 Lots of Lines Background, B422 Small Autumn Greetings
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Real Red, White Versa Color
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company & American Crafts
Accessories: Bic Markers, Nesties, Square Brads by Joann's Scrap Essentials, Black ribbon by Bobbie M. Designs, Spiral Clip by The Paper Studio
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

What's your favorite Fall apple treat?

Smiles,
Jennifer

Halloween Party!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:01 PDT

Here's a couple pics we took at my house before the Halloween party last night.

I'm still so excited I won for best costume! DH was Poncho Villa and I was an Indian--He was telling everyone my Indian name was "Scrap-a-ja-wee-ah!" LOL!

Enjoy!

My sister, the Roaring 20's Flapper, and I

Smiles,
Jennifer

I Only Have Eyes For You!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:31:23 PDT

Happy Sunday! Hope you all are having a great weekend!

We've had a wonderful Fall weekend so far! We spent last night at a Halloween party and oh what fun it was! I won first place for the Best Halloween Costume! I'll be posting our pictures later today for you to see. Today, I'm hoping we can get to the Cider Mill since the sun is out & It looks beautiful out. We've had a lot of rain lately--it's nice to see the sun!

Well, in the spirit of Halloween I have a pumpkin card to share with you today.

The eyes, the candy corn and the sentiment are images from DRS Designs. I couldn't help but make a spooky Jack-O-Lantern from these images!

Stamps: DRS Designs- A086 Candy Corn, C062 Eyeball, D092 Eyes for You Sentiment
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink in Creamy Brown
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company, Bazzill, and American Crafts
Accessories: Bic Markers, Nesties, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Cricut and the Home Accents Cartridge, EK Success Corner Rounder, Ribbon by Joann's Holiday Inspirations
Finished Card Size: 5.75" x 6"

I used my Cricut to cut many of the die cuts on this card-the pumpkin ovals, the leaf, and the background. I hand cut out the stem from some left over brown cardstock that had been embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. I pop dotted the green part of the eye.

OK, that's it for now...I'm going to upload my pics from last nights party.

Have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Bewitched Halloween Greetings!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:00:00 PDT

It's almost Halloween, so it's time for some Halloween Greetings!

This week the Sunflowers & Dragonflies Creative Designs DT wants you to make Halloween cards for this weeks blog challenge!

Anyone can play along in the challenge. There are no limits on time or supplies. Of course we’d prefer that you use images by Sunflowers and Dragonflies, but feel free to use other images. However, there is a bonus if you do use a Sunflowers and Dragonflies Image, you'll receive an extra entry in the drawing for the weekly challenge prize!! So, if you have any S&D stamps it would be worth it to use them! Please post a direct link to your challenge project from either your blog or an online gallery to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog, specifically on the Challenge #14 Blog Post, so we can view it. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword S&D14.

This week's prize is 3 of Sunflowers & Dragonflies New Halloween images- Little Witch, Pretty Little Pumpkin and Scarecrow!
Deadline is next Friday October 30th.

My challenge card uses the Little Witch image.

Stamps: Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs-Little Witch, DRS Designs-Spider Web
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! So Saffron, Apricot Appeal
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Nesties, Black ribbon by Offray, Black eyelets by Joann's Scrap Essentials, Orange ribbon by Joann's Holiday Inspirations, EK Success Corner Rounder, Orange Glitter Glue
Finished Card Size: 4 7/8" x 4 7/8"

I colored this image with Prismacolor Pencils and blended the colors with Gamsol. I created a Post-It Note mask & then sponged yellow & light orange ink around her to make it appear as if she was flying in front of the moon. I put some orange Glitter Glue on the band of her hat for a touch of sparkle.

Well, that's it for today. We are going to a Halloween party today & I need to put the finishing touches on my costume. I hope to upload some pics for you to see sometime tomorrow. It should be a blast, as no one is talking about their costumes. It a big surprise for all!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

A Baby Card for the Creative Card Crew!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:20:00 PDT

Yesterday began the Baby & Children's Card Challenge over at the Creative Card Crew Blog. DRS Designs is sponsoring this challenge--participation may allow you to win a prize from DRS Designs! How about $15.00 off your next order?!?!?!

Stamps: DRS Designs- G341 Brush Baby Buggy, B753Cute as a Button, P631 Open Plaid Background
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Pretty In Pink, Cameo Coral
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by American Crafts
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Nesties, Ribon By Making Memories, DMC White Embroidery Floss, Button By Favorite Findings, SU! Ticket Corner Punch
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

I've noticed that often when I make a baby card, I tend to always put plaid on it. Not quite sure why I think babies & plaid go together, but it works! This card is no different from the other baby cards I've made here and here.

The stroller image, the plaid, and the sentiment are all by DRS Designs. I colored the stroller with pencils and blended the colors with Gamsol. I created the plaid myself using DRS Designs Open Plaid Background stamp and stamped it with pink ink. Since I used the "Cute as a Button" sentiment, you know I just had to add a button embellishment to it as a finishing touch!

Well, stay tuned to see lots of Halloween coming up here on my blog. Things are finally starting to slow down a bit for me this week & I'm heading to my stamping room right now!

Have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Scarecrow Scene!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:49:20 PDT

This week DRS Designs is sponsoring the Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Challenge using Always Artichoke, Really Rust, & Crushed Curry--perfect for a Fall project! Wouldn't you agree?

I combined this color challenge with this weeks Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential Blog challenge to "Create A Scene!"

A Halloween Scarecrow scene, that is!

The scarecrow, the spooky tree, and the Halloween sentiment arc are all brand new by DRS Designs. Click here to see all of their new Halloween/Fall stamps.

Stamps: DRS Designs- L070 Spooky Tree w/Moon, K054 Split Scarecrow, E043Halloween Arc
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink French Blue
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company & Bazzill
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Bic Markers, SU! Horizontal Slot Punch, Ribbon by Joann's Autumn Inspirations
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 6"

Well, it's extremely hectic at my house this week juggling my Great-Aunt in her new Nursing home, getting ready for a Halloween party on Saturday, playing with my new Halloween stamps & just plain old working to bring home the money! Whew! Is it Friday yet?

Hope you have a wonderful Fall day!
Smiles,
Jennifer

Snowman Line Up For Operation Write Home

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:00:01 PDT

For the last 6 weeks DRS Designs has been collecting holiday and winter themed cards for our Operation Write Home Holiday Card Drive (formerly Cards For Heros). You still have time if you'd like to participate! Please be sure to get your card donations to DRS by October 26th so they can be distributed in time for the holiday rush! Don't forget that cards with glitter on them cannot be accepted, and please be sure to include an envelope for each card donated.

You can send your cards to:

DRS Designs

217 Greenwood Avenue

Bethel, CT 06801

Here's one of the cards I donated.

Stamps: DRS Designs-K232 Snowman Line Up, F229 In the Meadow...
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company & American Crafts
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Nesties, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Snow Dots Embossing Folder, EK Success Decorative Corner Punch, Copic C1 Marker
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

The image and sentiment are both by DRS Designs. I chose to use the September Sheetloads sketch for this card. It is such a fun layout & I thought it was perfect to show off this Snowman Line Up image that I colored with pencil. Pretty clean & simple, huh? Without any metal embellishments or ribbon this is probably as CAS as I get! ;-)

Stay tuned for tomorrow as I begin to show off DRS Designs new Halloween images!

Hope you have a wonderful Monday!

Thanks for visiting today!
Smiles,
Jennifer

PS: This week DRS Designs is sponsoring the Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Challenge using Always Artichoke, Really Rust, & Crushed Curry--perfect for a Fall project! Won't you join us?

Have you seen me recently in Just Cards?

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:05:27 PDT

I'm so excited to share with you that I've been published again...Twice actually!

My "Viva Rome" card can be seen on page 45 of the Fall issue of Just cards...

...and my "4th of July Chick" can be seen on page 53 of the Just Holidays Magazine.

Congrats to all of my friends & fellow DT members who were also published in these magazines!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Beautiful Ladies!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:30:00 PDT

It's time for the 13th blog challenge from the Sunflowers & Dragonflies Creative Designs DT!
This week were challenging you to create anything to do with women! Yep, that's right--show off your images of beautiful ladies!

Sunflowers & Dragonflies will be releasing these 2 images from the series "Beautiful Life," this Monday, October 19th. I used them for this week's my beautiful ladies challenge project!

Stamps: Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs- Beautiful Life Series- Amber and Lottie, and Amber Flourish Background Stamp
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Chocolate Chip
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Brown Ribbon by Ribbon Fx, Red Ribbon & gold Spiral Clip by The Paper Studio,
Finished Card Size: 2.5" x 3.5"

I couldn't help but notice the size of these stamps when I first received them. They both measure approximately 1.75" x 2.5." I immediately thought how perfect they'd be on ATC's!

Lottie is in red, and Amber is in blue. Both were colored with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with Gamsol. I stamped the Amber Flourish background stamp with brown ink for the background of my Amber ATC. I love these images! I really enjoyed "making them up too!" It's not often that I get to play make-up artist! LOL!

So, are you up for trying our Beautiful Ladies challenge? Anyone can play along! There are no limits on time or supplies. Of course we’d prefer that you use images by Sunflowers and Dragonflies, but feel free to use other images. However, there is a bonus if you do use a Sunflowers and Dragonflies Image, you'll receive an extra entry in the drawing for the weekly challenge prize!! So, if you have any S&D stamps it would be worth it to use them! Please post a direct link to your challenge project from either your blog or an online gallery to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog, specifically on the Challenge #13 Blog Post, so we can view it. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword S&D13.

This week's prize is Prize this week is Lottie, Lottie Flourish Background, Joy, Joy Flourish Background!
Deadline for this challenge is next Friday October 23rd.

Click on the following links to see what the rest of the DT created for their Beautiful Ladies Project:

Beth N.

Kim H.

Beth

I look forward to seeing your Beautiful Ladies challenge project!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

PS: Sunflowers & Dragonflies Creative Designs is expanding their Design Team. Are you interested in joining us? Click here for all of the info.

Dressing up the Tree!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:00:08 PDT

The theme over at the Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential this week is to dress up a tree! From plain Jane to glamorous is what this theme is all about, so that's what I did!

Stamps: DRS Designs- H010 Simple Decorated Tree, D049 Irish you a Merry Christmas Sentiment
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink French Blue
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by American Crafts
Accessories: Copic & Bic Markers, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Snowflakes Embossing Folder, Sitckles, Ribbon by Fx, EK Success Snowflake Border Punch, EK Success Decorative Corner Punch, Stipple Brush
Finished Card Size: 5 7/8" x 5 5/8"

I used the new Christmas tree image from DRS Designs for my challenge card AND the October sketch from the Sheetloads of Cards Blog. I stamped the tree image 3 times, colored it with marker & dressed it up with snowflakes to complete the winter scene.

Make sure to check out the Hidden Potential Blog & Sheetloads Blog to see how you can win some great prizes from DRS Designs!

On another note...I'm extremely delighted to let you know that DRS Designs has just released a fun bunch of Halloween and Fall images that are now available for purchase!

Some of the new images include a spooky tree, some yummy Halloween treats, a scarecrow, a Halloween cat and even a scary blood shot eye!! Of course there are several sentiments to perfectly match these images as well. The DRS Designs DT will be showing them off very soon.

Click here to see all the new releases!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Time Keeps On Ticking...

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:02:00 PDT

...away from me this week. I can't believe it's Thursday already! Day by Day my To-Do list is getting longer & longer and I'm hardly tending to it enough to cross some things off of it.

Two weeks ago my Great-Aunt went into the hospital with breathing problems. She's the one who turned 93 this past February. (Here's a pic of her when she turned 90!) As it turns out she was in congestive heart failure and she had a lot of fluid in her lungs. After a 10 day hospital stay, she was recently discharged to a nursing home for Rehabilitation. Unfortunately due to her worsening dementia, doctors have deemed her unfit to be left alone and unless we can find good, cheap, 24 hour care, she won't ever be going back to her home again. This transition has been a difficult one for all of us and I haven't had a lot of free time in the last week or so for stamping. I hope to have some time to myself after work this weekend to get back on track.

Please keep my Great-Aunt and family in your prayers.

Thanks so much!

With a hopeful smile,

Jennifer

Sunflowers & Dragonflies Design Team Call

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:36:55 PDT

Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs is expanding their Design Team!

Call is open until November 15th.

Applicants must:
Be interested in S&D products and feel inspired by them
Have an active blog
Be willing to post your projects to our gallery and other forums that you participate in
Be willing to learn how to do mini tutorials to post on your blog
Be willing to send a photo of your project to be featured in our weekly challenge
Have great ideas to share with us!

To Apply:
Please tell us a little about yourself and why you would like to be on our team
Submit 3 cards, layouts or projects that showcase your best work
Include current design team commitments
Include your blog address, e-mail address and phone number
Include any links to your on-line galleries
Send your information to beth@sunflowers-dragonflies.ca

Design Team Compensation
Includes being listed in our Design Team page with a direct link to your blog, as well as a design team button for your blog. Further compensation includes a discount on our products, free shipping that coincides with delivery of your monthly kit that focuses on rubberstamps.

***World-Wide Applicants Welcome***

Good Luck!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Spooky Witch Greetings

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:00:01 PDT

Halloween is not too far away now.

The ghosts, goblins, and witches will be out before we know it!

I used this cute little witch & sentiment from Rubbernecker to make ATC's for a Wacky Witch ATC swap I'm in at the Stamp Shack.

Stamps: Rubbernecker
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Barely Banana
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company
Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Bic Markers, Yellow Stickles
Finished Card Size: 3.5" x 2.5"

This ATC's was mostly colored with Prismacolor Pencils and blended with Gamsol, but I also used a little bit of marker too. I sponged yellow ink around the image to soften the white cardstock up a bit and added yellow Stickles to Jack-O-Lantern's eyes, nose, and mouth.

Isn't she sweet? Practically too sweet to be spooky, huh?

Smiles,
Jennifer

On Thanksgiving Day

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:00:06 PDT

To all of my Canadian Friends today,

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be filled with family, friends, and wonderful food!

In honor of the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday today, I thought I'd share this Thanksgiving card I made recently. The sentiment & the Cornucopia image are by DRS Designs. I love this image and I enjoyed coloring it with marker.

All of the wording you see on this card is one sentiment that I split up. It seems to be my favorite way to decorate my cards lately, and I'm really having fun coming up with layouts that will support my newly separated sentiments. It's like I've ventured into a territory that I've never explored before & it's making all of my sentiment stamps seem "new" again.

Stamps: DRS Designs- G797 Abundance at Thanksgiving Greeting, L566 Cornucopia
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black,
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company, American Crafts
Accessories: Copic & Bic Markers, Nesties, Cuttlebug and Cuttlebug Perfect Paisley Embossing Folder, Ribbon by Ribbon Fx, SU! Word Window, Brads by Joann's Scrap Essentials
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

Well, that's it for today...short & sweet! DH and I just got back into town from spending the weekend in Niagara Falls, Canada celebrating our wedding anniversary. It was beautiful & such a nice weekend away. I need to organize my pictures and I'll post them for you to see soon!

Thanks for taking the time to visit here today. I appreciate it!

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Smiles,
Jennifer

S&D12 ATC Challenge!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:00:02 PDT

This weeks theme for the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog Challenge is an easy one! Just create an Artist Trading Card! I love working on the small 2.5" x 3.5" surface of an ATC--The small scale allows me to work quickly & you really can't do anything too difficult since you are limited by the size. They really are that easy, won't you join us in this challenge?

Please post a direct link to your challenge project from either your blog or an online gallery to the Sunflowers and Dragonflies Blog, specifically on the Challenge #12 Blog Post, so we can view it. If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword S&D12.

This week's prize is the Alice In Wonderland Stamp Set!
Deadline is next Friday October 16th.

I seem to be in the Holiday mood lately on my blog so I thought I'd continue it with this challenge as well. I used the Winter Tree from the Four Seasons Set cut from white cardstock as the focal point of my ATC. I colored it with marker and added Stickles to the "mounds of snow" at the tree base. I computer generated the "Winter Wishes" sentiment and used a snow flake border punch to accent the Winter theme. I added a pop of color by adding a red bow to the tree. This tree is decorated for the holidays!

Stamps: Sunflowers and Dragonflies Creative Designs- Winter Tree from the Four Seasons Set
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company
Accessories: Bic Markers, Silver Ice Stickles, EK Success Snowflake Border Punch, Ribbon unknown, SU! Word Window Punch,
Finished Card Size: 2.5" x 3.5"

I'm look forward to seeing your ATC!

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Smiles,
Jennifer

Recipe For A Merry Christmas!

bommar14@msu.edu (Jennifer E.) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:54 PDT

I know it's been a while since DRS Designs released their new Holiday images for this year & that I've posted using this cute little Gingerbread Man before, but he's definitely one of my favorites!

I've paired him with DRS Designs Christmas Recipe sentiment on this card. I think it's appropriate since recipes, baking, and the holidays all go hand in hand!

I colored the image with Copic & Bic markers and stamped the sentiment with SU! Real Red ink. All of the wording on this card is all one sentiment. I cut my unmounted stamp in two so that I could stamp "Recipe For A Merry Christmas" at the top of my card without worrying about inking up the bottom by accident & ruining my project. If you're a regular follower of my blog, then you've probably noticed that I've been doing this a lot lately. I guarantee it won't be the last either! I've realized that I tend to use my sentiments stamps more often when I split them up like this--they instantly become more versatile!

Here's a close up of the sentiment. Makes for a wonderful holiday card, doesn't it?

Stamps: DRS Designs- E040 Gingerbread Man, H539 Merry Christmas Recipe Greeting
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! Real Red
Paper: Smooth white cardstock by Office Depot, Colored Cardstock by The Paper Company & American Crafts
Accessories: Copic & Bic Markers, Nesties, Martha Stewart Zig Zag Border Punch, Ribbon By Ribbon Fx, SU! Ticket Corner Punch
Finished Card Size: 4.25" x 5.5"

I hope I've inspired you to get the most out of your unmounted sentiments. I'm really enjoying it!

Thanks for stopping here today and for all of your wonderful comments-I love reading them!

Have a great day!

Smiles,
Jennifer