That Darn Cat...Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

Good morning everyone! I just couldn't let a good Coffee Lover's Blog Hop pass without entering at least one card, so I'm here today with my first entry.

Now here's the thing; the theme is spring, but right now in the Northeast we just got hammered with yet another snow storm. Yeah, not very spring-like outside...and when it is spring, you get mud. So instead of flowers and butterflies, this one is more reminisce of going stir-crazy waiting for spring to come!

If you've been here before, you've heard I have cats. When Newton's Nook came out with their new Naughty Newton stamp set, one cat in particular came to mind:

I'm shocked he's not sleeping in the clean laundry...

Meet Jasper. Jasper is...well, overall a good cat. Other times, however, Jasper is a bit of a jerk. Anyone who's been to my house learned fast never to leave any beverages unattended when Jasper is around. The little furball has broken two of my coffee mugs over the years and wasted countless amounts of caffeine.

Looks just like him...I clipped out the flower pot Newton there knocked over and replaced it with the coffee mug from the Verve Holiday Treats stamp set that I won during the last hop.

I colored in Jasper with my Spectrum Noir markers, fussy cut him out and added in the coffee cup. I then figured out where I wanted him on the watercolor paper and grabbed my Distress Inks and water brush to paint in that poor, wasted cup of coffee.

While it dried I used the Mama Elephant frames to die cut the deep chocolate (or is that coffee?) brown cardstock and add it to the kraft base card I created. I die cut the watercolor paper to fit on top, then stamped the little sayings in black Versafine ink. The word bubble is a set I won from My Favorite Things and the patterned paper is from My Mind's Eye. I heat embossed the 'bad kitty!' in Ranger super fine black powder and then broke out the foam tape to add it and Jasper to the card. A little Ranger black enamel for his name tag and the front was done!

And for a change, I stamped the inside, too:

I love how it turned out, and may need to frame it as a warning to others...LOL

Also linking up to:
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes
Virginia's View Challenge 13 - Embossing

Thanks for stopping by, and happy crafting!

Arguments and Watercolors

Good morning everyone! I'm blogging about this fun card over at So Suzy Stamps today:

Hop on over to see the full card and how I created it!

The design team is having a friendly competition this month, and you guys benefit from it! Use code Jen10 at checkout to receive 10% off your So Suzy Stamps purchase. Oh, and if you scored the 20% off for life deal, it STACKS. To me, that says time to shop! If you absolutely need that fabulous sentiment (or know someone who does), it's called Argument and can be found here. 

Supplies:

So Suzy Stamps - Argument

Distress Inks in Shaded Lilac and Spun Sugar

VersaMark ink

Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder

Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Duo 1 dies

Kraft cardstock

Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye)

Water

Sheer ribbon

Hole punch

Don't forget that So Suzy Stamps can be found on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Be sure to join us there for sneak peeks, silliness, snarkiness and fun!

Also linking up to:

Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes
Virginia's View Challenge 13 - Embossing

Happy Crafting!

Celebrate Everyday

Good morning everyone! I'm blogging about this CAS card over at a2z Scrapbooking today:

Hop on over to see how I created it and to join in our February embossing challenge!

a2z Scrapbooking has just received the 2015 Hero Arts release so you can get your new “wants” right now at a discount! Use coupon code Jennifer15 for 15% your purchase of $25 or more.

Supplies used:

Hero Arts Celebrate EverydayHero Arts Not PerfectHero Arts Mocha Layering Paper (whoop, it's on sale!)
Ranger Texture PasteHero Arts Soft Green Shadow InkHero Arts Bubble Gum Pink Shadow InkHero Arts Soft Sand Shadow InkHero Arts Arrow Pattern StencilHero Arts Fine White Embossing Powder

Happy Crafting!

Under the Mistletoe

Hi there everyone! Yes, I mentioned a holiday item...no hating! With all of the holiday prep that happens around here, if I don't start on cards (both personal and for sale) NOW I'll never get them done. Seriously. Ask me about the year I sent out Valentine's cards instead...

I've started playing with the new stamp sets I've been ordering for the holidays (shhh, don't tell the hubs) and grabbed the new Hero Arts 'Under the Mistletoe' set last night to play with. 

Ever have one of those cards that goes horribly wrong? This. Was. It. Several pieces of paper and ink stains later, this was the final result:

Under the Mistletoe

It doesn't look like it was a hot mess, does it? LOL It's amazing what some patience, embellishments, swearing, and beer can do...in the end, I stamped the big, beautiful mistletoe with Memento Black ink and colored it in with my Spectrum Noirs. To help hide the mess I made when I tried to add the bow from the set, I then fussy-cut it out and added a REAL red bow to the top and a bunch of pretty pearls for the berries.

I heat embossed the sentiment using the luscious Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder. I am seriously in love with this stuff; the soft, metallic shine it adds is just amazing and not as shiny & bright as a silver.

Some foam adhesive to pop the mistletoe onto the card and some marshmallow sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and my CAS holiday card was finally done.

So, am I alone in my holiday card creation kick or are you playing with new (or old) sets as well?

I am linking up to:

A2Z Scrapbooking Monthly Challenge - Autumn & Christmas

Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #127 - Christmas Bingo (red/ribbon or twine/emboss)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Stamps & Stencils

Happy Crafting!

Bunches of Love Card

Happy Thursday everyone! Almost to the end of the week and Easter goodness. I snuck into the craft room the other day to play with my new Stamp of the Week from Unity and made a 'just because' card for my Gram. She's as addicted to strawberries as I am to coffee, so this really fit!

Bunches of (strawberry) love

I'm hungry just looking at these berries. Seriously. I pulled out a pad of MME 6x6 paper and went to town stamping the berries & stems, then fussy-cutting them out. The patterned gray paper was from MME as well, then backed with a lovely deep red card stock. The sentiment was stamped with the Ranger embossing pad then embossed with the Black Soot distress embossing powder.

I added dimension to the stems with one of my Spectrum Noir pens, then coated the berries with Crystal Lacquer to give them some shine. A few sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and this card was ready to mail!

{linking up to the Unity FWF!}

Thanks for stopping by today, and happy crafting!