For Cath (sans CHA) with Love Blog Hop

Just a super quick post tonight to send get well wishes to Cath (yes, that Cath of Moxie Fab and PaperCrafts)!  She's been nursing a broken wing (rotator cuff) and had to miss out on winter CHA which is in full swing as we speak (read more about it here).  So tonight I'm joining in with other Moxie Fab fans to wish Cath a speedy recovery!  

I can't say that I know Cath personally (far from it), but she recently helped me track down a missing prize package.  She could not have been more helpful or gracious and that means a lot these days:)

Feel better soon Cath!

{aloha, jj}

P.S. If you want to link up to the blog hop, visit Virginia's blog here.  :)jj

PTI January Blog Hop

A fresh batch of PTI stamps and inks arrived just in time so that I could participate in the Papertrey Ink January blog hop.  This month instead of the usual photo inspiration, the challenge was to pick a favorite project from 2011.  I don't have a ton of cards to choose from last year, but looking back at past projects, there was a definite theme running through 2011.  For me, 2011 was year of the rosette (see this card and this card and this card, no need to continue;).  Something about that shape really appeals to me and they hold a special place in my papercrafting heart.      

I started off by making the rosette from a stamped strip of flowers from the new Mat Stack 5 set.  I decided to fussy cut around the flowers so that the finished rosette would have petals.  Tip: stamp one more flower than the number of petals you want.  This will give you enough to overlap your seam.  

The background "frame" is stamped using more stamps from Mat Stack 5 and Giga Guide Lines.  The Mega Mat Stack 5 die was used to create the inside of the frame.  This is my first mega die, and I can see it being used all kinds of ways!

I finished off with a sentiment embossed in white and the rosette popped up inside the frame.  I used my new Berry Sorbet and Hawaiian Shores ink and it's so nice to get a good color match to my cardstock.  

That's it for me today!  I can't wait to see what everyone else is posting for the the blog hop.  Thanks so much for visiting!

{aloha, jj} 

Stamps: Mat Stack 5, Giga Guide Lines
Ink: Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet
Paper: White, Berry Sorbet

Tools: Scoreboard, Mega Mat Stack 5 Die

Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps January Blog Hop

Everybody feeling 2012 now?  I think this weekend finally got me into 2012:)  I was able to get some rest and catch up on some things around the house that have been terribly neglected;)  Even got some time to work on a couple of cards.   

This year the Waltzingmouse Makes Blog is starting fresh with a new format for their monthly blog hop.  What was once a waltz is now a hop:)  The theme for January's Friends of Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Hop is "Sweet Things"! Here's what I came up with...

I've been super into CAS cards lately, and this card continues with the trend.  This is my CAS version of "eat, drink, & be merry"!  I love that this card could be used for all kinds of different occasions. 

The frosting and the champagne are paper pieced just for a little bit of fun.  

I used score tape and some glitter to gussie up the edges.  I wish I could get a better picture of the glittery frame (glitter is not my friend, but I do love it).  BTW, those little black specks are actually commas!  I probably should have left them off, but I didn't have it in me to start over:)  

And just when you thought Christmas was over, I have a holiday card to share for the 

2012 Waltzingmouse Stamps Monthly Christmas Challenge!  The challenge this month is to use a night/day sky in your design.  Here's my Christmas card for the month...   

Not your typical holiday card and still pretty CAS, but fun all the same.  I paper pieced some of the elements, but this could easily be converted into a one layer card for mailing.  

The snowy background is a combination of gems, stamping with glitter, and stamping with Versafine. 

And with that, I'm officially done with the long weekend.  Thanks for stopping by!  Can't wait to see all the SWEET Blog Hop posts!

{aloha, jj} 

Be Merry Card

Stamps: Frame It, Join Us, Festive Foliage (Waltzingmouse)
Ink: Memento, Versafine
Paper: Papertrey Ink, Mark's Finest Papers
Embellishments: Martha Stewart Glitter

Tools: Scor-tape

Let It Snow Card

Stamps: Half Pint Heroes, Christmas Cottage (Waltzingmouse), Tree (PTI)
Ink: Memento
Paper: Papertrey Ink, Mark's Finest Papers
Embellishments: Martha Stewart Glitter, Gems

Modern Landscape Love

Today I wanted to share a card with you that I made for a Papercrafts call that didn't make the cut. I have to say that I'm a bit relieved this one got to stay home with mama!  The colors, the charming house and trees, and that font (that font!), all make me really, really happy and it would've been hard to let this one go.    

Since I got this die, I can't stop using it.  It's called "Modern Landscape" and it's from Memory Box.  I also have the sister version "Country Landscape" that has more houses and pine trees instead of these mod ones.  Both of the dies are THE BOMB. 

The font is something I downloaded (for free!) from dafont.com.  I'm picky about fonts and can never seem to find what I want in a premade stamp.  Dafont.com and myfonts.com are great sources for new and fun fonts (just a warning though, myfonts is a pay-per-font site).  

Since I saved the mask I used for the sunrays, I'm going make a few more of these cards.  Next time, I'll leave off the foam tape so I can send them safely in the mail.   But for now, I'm happy to get to keep this card all to myself:)  Hope everyone has a great weekend and thanks for visiting!

{aloha, jj} 

Ink: American Crafts Pigment
Paper: PTI, Mark's Finest Papers

Tools: Memory Box