All Decked Out

Now for something completely different!  I know this project is kind of out there, but it was pure fun to do!  I have twin teenage sons, so I seem to need masculine cards quite a bit.  Unfortunately for me, most of the stamps I have are pretty girly;)  To spice it up, I thought I'd make a shaped card!  The idea to make a skateboard card evolved into making a mini skateboard rack (or to be technical, a mini skateboard deck rack).  

The rack is super easy to put together (only 3 pieces) and was cut out with my Silhouette.  I debossed it with my woodgrain IP and brushed it with ink for a little texture.  The skateboards were also cut out with my Silhouette.  These mini boards measure 5-1/2" wide and 1-1/2" high.    
  

Click here for the skateboard pdf template

Click here for the rack pdf template

Click here to download the skateboard Silhouette Studio file

Click here to download the rack Silhouette Studio file

I stamped the decks with various designs and got to use my new yellow and orange Hero Arts neon inks.  I wish I could have gotten the pics to show the real neon!  So much fun to put together!

That's it for me today!  Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of the week!

{Aloha, jj}

Supplies
Paper:  Kraft, Ultra Pure White (Avery Elle)

Ink: Neon Orange, Yellow (Hero Arts), Green, Blue (Distress Ink), Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Stamp: Free Spirit (Waltzingmouse Stamps), So 80's (W9Plus), Typically Teen (The Crafts Meow)

Tools: Silhouette, Woodgrain IP

Avery Elle: Easy Does It

Today is the final day of the Avery Elle Inspiration Week and I'm closing out this week with some quick and easy projects!  It is Friday after all;)  The first 2 cards I want to share were done with the Framed Fonts and Bright Days sets.  If you have 5 minutes, you got 2 cards!  Done and done.

You've already seen the Bright Days set this week, and here's a look at the entire Framed Fonts stamp set!  Don't you love that mixed font look?  

Need another easy project?  Let's go!  This time I used the Blossoms and Blooms stamps to make a set of gift enclosure cards.  I chose the 2 full flower stamps that kind of remind me of medallions.  I love that these stamps are not symmetrical.  Why does it matter?  If you use them to stamp a pattern, the asymmetrical design is very forgiving:)  My only tip is to make sure that the stamp is oriented the same direction when stamping your pattern.  

I also put together a little card holder for this set with a twine and button closure.  I admit the card holder is a bit more involved, but I put together a cutting template and a Silhouette cut file to make it easy for you:)  

Click here for pdf template

Click here for Silhouette Studio file here

{Note: This holder will fit cards  4-1/2" wide and 5" tall or smaller}

And here's the entire Blossoms and Blooms stamp set!  Lots of possibilities with these flowers!

So that's it for me this week!  It's been lots of fun playing with these new stamp sets!  I really hope that you've found something that speaks to you!  As always, if you have any questions about the techniques or products I've used, please don't hesitate to email me!  Be sure to check out the other Avery Elle gals for more fun stuff!  

Jamie Gracz (Avery Elle blog)

Heather Campbell

Kasia Curry

Chunyuan Wu

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

Avery Elle Supplies:

Hello stamps

Bright Days stamps

Framed Fonts stamps
Blossoms and Blooms stamps

Ultra Smooth Pure White card stock
Raspberry heavy card stock
Kraft heavy card stock
Speckled heavy card stock

Avery Elle: Found Mr. Right

Avery Elle Inspiration Week is still going strong!  Today I'm featuring a card I made with the uber-cute "Hello" set.  So much fun!

For today's project, I went straight for the Hello label:)   Hello Mr. Right, lol!  I know this looks complicated, but it's actually really easy to cut by hand.  You know what else I found out while making this card?  The 1/4" setting on a Corner Chomper corner rounder works perfectly with this label!  For the jacket and bow tie, I've put together a cutting template and a Silhouette cutting file for you all to use:)
  

Click here for pdf template
Click here for Silhouette Studio file here
{Note: The card base itself is 4-1/4" wide and 5-1/2" tall}

If you all use the template, I would love to see what you all make!  This was a great project for me to use some of the patterned paper I've been hoarding saving!  Here's a look at the entire "Hello" set! 

Thanks again for stopping by!  Tomorrow I will be sharing the final of projects for Inspiration Week!  I hope that you have found something this week to inspire you!  If you have any questions about the techniques or products I've used, please don't hesitate to email me!

Please go visit the rest of the Avery Elle team for more fantastic projects for Inspiration Week!  {Still time to enter the drawing for the $25 gift certificate too!}

Jamie Gracz (Avery Elle blog)

Heather Campbell

Kasia Curry

Chunyuan Wu

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

Avery Elle Supplies:

Hello stamps

Ultra Smooth Pure White card stock

Avery Elle: Bright Days X 2

I'm back with more projects for Avery Elle Inspiration Week!  Today I'm featuring 2 cards made with the stamps from the sunburst Bright Days set.  Originally, I was only intending to make one card...

This was so easy to make!  No measuring, just a bit of masking with Post-It  notes.  So how did this lead to a second card?  When I'm stamping with a lot of different colors, I like to prime my stamp before I do the "real" stamp.  I load up my stamp with ink, stamp off onto a scrap piece of paper, then load up again and stamp the final image.  You see where I'm going with this right?

Yup, this next card was made from my scrap paper!  I love the way it turned out and the recycler in me is happy to make something pretty from what could have been trash:)    

{Side note: I am loving Avery Elle's Ultra Smooth Pure White card stock!  I usually use a brand from another stamp company, and I was surprised to see how much whiter the AE card stock is!  It also seems to take ink a little better.  You know how I love my card stock, so I just had to mention this:)  

Thanks again for stopping by!  And go check out the other Avery Elle gals for more projects for Inspiration Week!  {Don't forget to comment and like Avery Elle on Facebook for a chance to win a gift certificate!}

Jamie Gracz (Avery Elle blog)

Heather Campbell

Kasia Curry

Chunyuan Wu

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

Avery Elle Supplies:

Bright Days stamps

Ultra Smooth Pure White card stock

Becky Oehlers for GinaK: July Inspiration Blog Hop

You've already heard the news that Becky Oehlers has joined Gina K Designs as a stamp illustrator, now it's time to see the stamps in use!  Technically, the name of Becky's first set is "I Do" but most of the stamps could be used for non-wedding projects.  {Loving that BIG time!}  I really like that the images are modern but still classic.  You'll be happy to know that Gina K is offering this set in rubber *and* clear {Thanks Gina}!    
   

For my first card, I went straight for the hexagon stamps (shocker)!  I love that Becky has included a little stitch detailing in these hexies:)  I had so much fun just free stamping the hexagons in bright colors!  Super easy to make a fun background:) 

   

For my second project, I went a little more girly (but not frou frou girly, lol).  I paired up the "I Do" stamps with another Gina K set, Lacy Borders.  Instead of black  ink, I used a gray to keep the look soft.  The lace is stamped in Versamark and embossed in clear.  Don't the two sets look great together? 

I'm so glad that you stopped by to see my projects today!  It was a lot of fun playing with Becky's designs and I can't wait to see all the fun stuff she's got in store for us!  To see more "I Do" goodies, follow the links to visit Becky, Vera, and Latisha!  

Becky Oehlers

Vera Yates

Latisha Yoast

And don't forget to check out the entire GinaK DT for the July Inspiration Blog Hop!  

Becky Oehlers
Gina K
Theresa Momber: Illustrator of Tropical Nature
AJ Otto
Cathy Tidwell
Deb Felts
Giovanna Smith
Jimmi Mayo
Lee Murphy
Lori McAree
Melanie Muenchinger
Sharon Harnist
Suzanne Dean
Tina Gilliland
Vicki Dutcher

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

Avery Elle July 2012 Inspiration Week

Avery Elle officially opened it's online doors in June, but today starts the first Inspiration Week for the DT!  I will warn you that I have a bunch to share, so keeping checking back throughout the week for more Avery Elle projects:)  Without further ado, let me share my favorite project!

Right now, you're probably thinking to yourself "where'd the fruit stamps come from?"  If you look really closely, you'll see that I used stamps from the "Bright Days" and the "Blossoms & Blooms" sets to create my fruit!  The starburst pattern made the perfect background and the tiny petal stamp was just the right shape and size for seeds!  This set was easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy!  You knew I was going to say that;)  

Once I got started, I just couldn't stop at lemons.  How about a watermelon or orange with little orange blossoms?  I had to stop myself from making more paper fruit for now, but don't think a kiwi and a pink grapefruit aren't coming soon.  Super cute and more importantly, super easy!  {FYI, the sentiments are printed off on the computer using the free Blackjack and Boris Black Boxx fonts.  I used my Silhouette to cut the leaves and flowers, but hand cutting or punches would do the trick as well.}

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out today's projects!  I'll be popping in later this week with a few more Avery Elle projects:)  Please check in at the rest of the DT blogs to see lots more inspiration!  

Jamie Gracz (Avery Elle blog)

Heather Campbell

Kasia Curry

Chunyuan Wu

To celebrate the first Avery Elle Inspiration Week, Jamie is offering the chance to win a $25 store credit!  There are a variety of ways to get your name entered in the drawing for multiple chances to win, so click over to check out the details!  

Hope everyone has a really great week!  Thanks for taking a peek:)

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

Avery Elle Supplies:

Bright Days stamps

Blossoms & Blooms stamps

Ultra Smooth Pure White card stock

Lemon Grass heavy card stock

Lemon Grass grosgrain ribbon

Aloha Friday Winners

So seriously, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all your well wishes and kind words!  This DT thing is a whole new world for me, and I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous.  Nervous, but excited!

Now on to the winners!  Last week, I said that I would be giving away a surprise package to one blog follower.  Over the last week, I've been thinking about how lucky I've been and how this blog has been so much fun, and I changed my mind!  So today, we have an extra winner from the followers:)  The winners are Kelly Griglione and Michelle Lupton!  Much mahalo to these wonderful ladies for following and for leaving such sweet comments! 

Last but not least, the final winner today is June K!  June K is just the nicest person and I was so glad to see her name come up as winner for commenting on my last blog post and the Avery Elle site!  

Winners, please email me with your shipping address so I can get your goodies to you!  I'll try contacting you as well, if I can find you:)  

Thanks to everyone for playing along and I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend:)  It's going to be a scorcher here in Virginia, so I'm breaking out the shave ice machine!

Mahalo and Aloha,

jj

P.S.  In Hawaii, the end of the work week is referred to as Aloha Friday.  On Aloha Friday, local folks do the Hawaiian version of casual Friday and wear their Aloha wear to work.  No aloha wear for me today (no muumuus at the lab), but I do have a flower in my hair:)  Hugs, jj