World Cardmaking Day and Giveaway!

IT'S HERE!!!!!

Hello, World Cardmaking Day...or should I say weekend? Are you having as much fun as I am looking at all the different ideas floating around in blogger land?  I love getting inspired by all you talented cardmakers out there!  How did you join this addictive hobby? I have my lovely grandmother to thank for introducing me to the cardmaking world.  She has been making her own cards for years (and I still have each one, I had to move to a second box for her collection).   
Here are some cards that I have been making recently:

American Crafts: Peachy Keen

Reminisce:

Used scraps - Unknown

Lily Bee

DCWV/Studio G 

To join in the weekend celebration, I have put together this  giveaway to one lucky follower!

*Includes 1 EK Border Punch, 1 package of Recollection Detail Pens and 2 Studio G Stamps.

 All you need to do to enter is to become a follower of this blog and leave a comment stating that you became a follower. The winner will be announced on Monday, October 3rd! 

And don't forget to join the Cardabilities Sketch Challenge Blog!  My term starts in October and they have some amzing sketches to work with!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog!  I hope you are enjoying World Cardmaking Day as much as I am!

Gel-a-tins Sketch Challenge

I recently saw this sketch challenge on Gel-a-tins and figured I'd give it a try.

Here is my take on it, using DCWV The Green Stack paper collection.  The stamps are from Studio G.

Make sure to visit this weekend for the World Cardmaking Day celebration!

Also entered into Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

Happily Lost - Lily Bee

So I have been spending some time crafting layouts.  I am having so much fun with this "new" hobby.  I made this layout over the past weekend.  I used Lily Bee papers and stamps from the Happily Lost collection.

Supplies:

Pattern paper - Lily Bee Design (Happily Lost)

Stamps - Lily Bee Design (Happily Lost)

Alpha stickers - Lily Bee and American Craft Thickers

Maya Road Chipboard - Bird

Fiskars - Border Punch

Beads

Ink

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Are you crafting? I'm hoping too!

A quick post, a few layouts!

Before I call it a night, I figured I would post a couple layouts that I have completed! 

I used a variety of Basic Grey papers for these layouts.  Along with American Crafts Thickers and Lily Bee Alpha stickers.

OK, I'm typing half-asleep...not a good idea!  Good night!

Simple Thanksgiving Card

I have been busy coming up with some SIMPLE Thanksgiving Cards for my husband to send to his clients.  I am amazed how challenging it can be to go back to doing simple cards.  I found myself wanting to add more and more, so I settled for pop-dots to add 3D to the cards.  Here is one that I did using the embossing technique, which is fairly new for me.  I will back next week with a few more cards!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A great annoucement!

I am so pleased to share this wonderful news! I have been lucky enough to be choosen to participate in the Cardabilities design team starting next month!  I am excited to begin crafting for this great sketch challenge blog!  Are you stuck in need some inspiration?  Please join us here at Cardabilities! Please check there for my first reveal on October 15th!

I love me some Echo Park!

I hope everyone had a relaxing Labor Day weekend!  Were you able to get some crafting done?  I actually told myself that I would not craft too much this weekend and spend more time with the family.  However, I did manage to sneak in some time.  I recent got ahold of some Echo Park's Happy Days collection and decided it was time to use it.  The ideas kept flowing, but once I started the ideas kept changing!  Does that happen to you?  I need to figure out a better concept to my planning, because I almost used up the paper without making anything!  But I am extremely happy with the card that I finally created!

Supplies:

Patterned Paper: Echo Park's Happy Days

Cardstock : Recollections

Stickers: Lily Bee Designs

Thread and Glue

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you have a great week and find time to create!

Challenges:

Catch the Bug - Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Cosmo Cricket Sketch

I have a dream (like many others) to have a card published! So when I came across this challenge/sketch at cosmo Cricket, I knew that I had to give it a shot. When it comes to a sketch, do you stick by it or do you use it as inspiration and see where it takes you?  I tend to do the latter! (Although, I sometimes stick with the sketch.)

Here is the sketch from Cosmo Cricket:

I have been trying to think of a card to use one of the cute kids from Odds & Ends collection, but I was looking at other entries, someone beat me to it! So here is the card I came up with (and yes, I did not stick to the sketch, I used it as inspiration):

And I continue to use my latest addiction (pop-dots)!

 Supples : Cosmo Cricket Circa Collection Papers, Tiny Alphas
                 Studio G Letter Stamps
                 Pop Dot

School has begun!

The house was somewhat kind today.  I truly enjoyed the peace, but was excited when my son came home from Kindergarten.  I didn't spend too much time in the craft room but, here is a card I made using this week's sketch from Skipping Stones:

Here is the card I made:

To add a little 3D:

Hope everyone has a great day! I have to cut this one short! (My daughter thinks it is fun to climb up and into the bathroom sink!)

Summer is almost over...yippee!

Been a busy week!  School starts on Monday...is it wrong that I am jumping in my boots with excitement!  The boys have been non-stop fighting ALL summer...I am looking forward to the "quiet" time during the day!  Brayden starts Kndergarten this year, boy is time going fast!

Here are a couple of layouts that I was able to work on recently.  I included my own handwritten journaling and not happy with the outcome.  I think I am done with the handwritten!

AC - Confetti (Paper and embellishment)  and Thickers

AC Hello Sunshine (papers) and Thickers

Our Home

I love doing altered projects!  They mostly consist of unfinished wood projects, however, I am hoping to break into the world of altered albums!  I used all American Crafts papers and embellishments for this project. (Peachy Keen Collection).  The wooden house came from Michael's.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Oh, Happy Day!

What a great day it has been!!! My husband called me this morning to inform me that he was named "Volunteer of the Year" at our local YMCA!  I am so proud of him!!!

Skipping Stones released a new sketch challenge today, so I figured I would take a stab at it!

And here is my take:

Lately, I have been trying to use papers that I have in my stash.  There are too many wonderful papers out there, I need to make some room for them!  As I was going thru my papers, I came across a Cosmo Cricket packet that I have yet to use...until today! All the papers are from the Garden variety collection. The stamp is from Ditto by Studio G.

I have an itch to scrap, so I am hoping to get some time in for that!

Have a great day!
Jessi

Skipping Stones Challenge

So I have have been working on a new business adventure.  All I can say right now, is that I am working on crafting several new cards.  I am enjoying that time I get to create!  Some of the cards are turning out and some just don't turn out the way you envision.  For inspiration, I went to my favorite source...the blog world!  I truly love searching the wide-range of talent out there!  Thanks for inspiring me! 

I love participating in challenges!  They are great when you are in a creative-block!  I used Skipping Stones sketch challenge for this card:

Supplies:

Kraft cardstock - Recollection

Pattern Paper - Adornit

Brads - Recollections

Twine - Misc

Ink - Frosted White by ColorBox

I love this sketch so much, I have a feeling I will be playing around some more this weekend!

Wedding Wednesdays

At the moment, when one of my invitations include a design, it is hand-stamped.  I really enjoy the look of adding the design element to a wedding invitation.  However, one problem it that not all stamps come out the same.  Resulting in several redos. 

So I have decided that it might be useful to try to work with Photoshop/Illustrator to design graphics for the invitations. I will be completing a few lessons over the next few weeks, in hopes of adding digital graphics to my wedding invitations.  Until I figure that out, I will continue to look for more stamp designs to add to the wedding invitaiton collection.  I have several ideas in the works and cannot wait to share!

Have a great Wednesday!

Simple Thanks...

It has been awhile since I made a simple card.  One with the main focus of a simple shape and a simple sentiment.  I went digging through my scraps and came up with this card.

My husband has been watching the kids today, so I can get some crafting time in.  I was about to crank out a few cards.  As I was wrapping up, I realized that I rounded the corners on most of the cards.  I use to not do this (mainly because I didn't have the corner punch), but now I am addicted!  I love the look! 

Supplies:
Bazzill Cardstock (Brown and blue)
Mohawk Cardstock (white)
Ditto Stamp (flower)
Studio G Stamp (Thanks)
Paper Studio Inks

Happy 75th Birthday!

Last week my grandmother turned 75!  I can place all the blame onto her for getting me into the papercrafting world!  She has been making cards for years! (In fact, I have a box..or two... of all the cards she has made for myself and kiddos.)  I used American Crafts papers for the card.

Also, from American Crafts, I used Thickers. The stamp is from Studio G. 

One of the trends that I have been using is fussy-cutting.  Using one of the flowers in the patterned, I fussy-cut the layered flower next to the bracket (Spellbinders die-cut).

Hope you had a great birthday Granny!

Baby you're the one...

So I have been cranking out projects this week!  I need to send a special Thank You to my wonderful husband, for giving the time I was craving locked up in my craft room!
I LOVE Lily Bee Designs!  The vintage feel of the papers, the colors, what more can you ask for?  I created this following layout using "This & That" papers.

All the papers are from Lily Bee.  Along with the red alpha stickers and the stamp.  I also used AC Thickers and Cosmo Cricket small alphas. To add a little 3D to the page, I made the flower at the top of the page using a Fiskar circle punch and Basic Grey button.

I also use decorative scissors to cut the edge of the photo mat. I simply folded the edge over and inked the scallops, so they would stand out more.

Have a great one!

Introducing Wedding Wednesdays!

Since 2008, I have been creating handmade wedding invitations.  I mean truly handmade.  I cut and glue the pieces.  If there is a graphic on the invite, it is hand-stamped by me.  I have been having a blast creating wedding invitations for a number of brides.  My goal is to be able to widen my selection and start to make digital graphic design invitations. Please feel free to visit my etsy shop: Kissin' Krafts .

One of my most popular invitations is the "Michelle".  It is a triple-layered invitation using textured cardstocks. 

Please come back every Wednesday to see more wedding invitations!  I am having a blast working with a variety of brides.  I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for Kissin' Krafts.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great one!