WINNER WINNER

Check out this WINNING LAYOUT from my 'Strip It' challenge for the Hard Core Crop with Coredinations !!!!

Congratulations to LEEANN PEARCE.....I absolutely LOVED her layout and use of core cardstock strips.  The distressing and sanding and sewing and color combo was beautiful and completely caught my eye - way to go Leeann and thanks for playing along !!!!

Check out all the WINNERS HERE.....and of course come on back here for more inspiration this week including a fun new project for Bella Blvd. and more layouts for upcoming Fall workshops for American Crafts too !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

(30) Card Class peeks ....

Sorry it's been a few days since posting.....but I took a 'barn break'.....we've been hanging out with the horses all day everyday...BUT, at night I've been busy cutting LOTS of pretty paper !!

I've spent the last few nights designing a great new card workshop with one of my faves - Pebbles.....

This fun new workshop started out as me needing a couple of 'Thank You' cards and quickly became (30) fun cards that everyone would love to have on hand .....

......You'll cut a TON and make your own embellishments too like this cute pinwheel......

.....and these sweet flags !!

The kits will be packed with product and you will not want to miss out......Still choosing a date but AUGUST 1st you'll be able to register to get in on the fun HERE......

Any questions, or to request a kit to be SHIPPED TO YOU.....send me an email and I'll give you the details !!

Talk soon.

j. xo

My take on a 2nd Challenge

I've been busy taking the kids to the river on these sunshiney days....BUT....I did manage to work on another HARD CORE CROP challenge layout late last night !!

I love them ALL but I loved Lydia's 2nd Challenge....the colors she chose are some of my fave's.

I stamped a crayon image onto the (5) colors of Core'dinations cardstock then precision cut them all out and adhered them staggered to the bottom of my base.

Then I trimmed off the excess and wrapped them in twine and added a few embellishments too !!

REMEMBER: you can still get in  on the fun HERE.....you've got until July 22nd at Midnight to enter to WIN !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

Hard Core Crop Challenge

Today is Day 2 in the first ever online Hard Core Crop !!

This is my take on Lydia's challenge from yesterday....

I cut several shapes from different colors of Core'dinations cardstock and embossed and sanded the top off of them before creating this fun border !!

REMEMBER: You only have until Midnight July 22nd to SUBMIT your entires to the individual blogs for a chance to WIN A CORE PRIZE PACK !!

There are a some fabulous NEW CHALLENGES today so head on over to get your scrap on :))

Talk soon.

j. xo

'Strip it' Challenge - Hard Core Crop

Whoo Hoo !!  It's finally here......the FIRST EVER 
Hard Core Crop !!!

My challenge to you all is to 'STRIP IT' ..... i absolutely LOVE strips of paper, any paper, Core'dinations cardstock is perfect for this .....

I used 'jillian dot spotted' Core for the base and sanded off the top layer to show the lighter color of blue.  I then trimmed a piece of Jenni Bowlin Core Impressions and sanded it as well.  The lighter tan color core was perfect for the beachy theme of this layout....

Then I chose (3) solids (blue, pink and yellow) from a 'Brights' collection and different sized strips from each before running them through my Big Shot using (3) different embossing folders !!

Of course I sanded the top of these to really accentuate the patterns ..... I mixed them with some new American Crafts 'Shoreline' and sanded and folded them all together on top of each other to create this fun mix at the bottom of my layout. 

I love how it all came together and the Core'dinations cardstock works so well on it's own or 

combined with any patterned paper you choose !!!

......AND, I couldn't dhow you just ONE sample so I created TWO !!!

For this 'STRIP IT' layout I used Jenni Bowlin Core Impressions for the base and sanded off the top to show the lighter sand color core....

.....then I cut several strips from both Jenni Bowlin and Fancy Pants Core Impressions cardstock and sanded the top off of them as well to really show the great embossed patterns - LOVE THESE !!!

Mixing strips of Core'dinations cardstock with patterns is so fun and I love the way this family photo of a good friend of mine is still the focus of this layout....just surrounded by fabulous cardsotck, patterned paper and stickers too !!

All you have to do is:

• Create a layout or card using STRIPS of paper
• Submit it to my blog by July 22nd @ midnight
• Use MAJORITY of Core'dinations on your creation

REMEMBER:  You only have until July 22nd at Midnight 

to submit your challenge sample to my blog for a chance to win a fabulous PRIZE pack from Core'dinations - LUCKY YOU !!

Thanks for playing along and I cannot wait to see what you come up with to 'STRIP IT'......

Talk soon.

j. xo

Core Crop ONLINE tomorrow !!!!

EXCITING NEWS - all Core'dinations fans there is still time to join in the fun !!!

Tomorrow, July 17th Core'dinations is hosting their first online Core Crop Challenge......and you will absolutely want to get in on the fun......

You'll head to their BLOG and see the master list of Guest Designers and links to all the challenges.

The basics:

• Head over to each designers blog and take their challenge
• Create your sample
• LINK your photo of your submission TO THE DESIGNERS blog
• Deadline for submissions is midnight July 22nd
• Make sure to link your submission to each designers blog for the chance to WIN

You can check it all out on the Core Blog and their FACEBOOK page.....

All Challenges will be posted online tomorrow am so you have LOTS of time to join in the fun !!

I can't wit to see your submissions on my blog and give-away a great Core'dinations PRIZE pack too....

Talk soon (like tomorrow :))

j. xo

S'mores Anyone ?!

I wanted to make a fun camping gift for some friends so I dug out my favorite camping line from last season and had some fun !!

I thought it'd be fun to make a gift they could really enjoy so I used a few clear product bags and filled them with all the 'ingredients' for s'mores.....graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate kisses too !!

.....of course I had to embellish them completely.....

......and even made a couple of smaller ones to match !!

Then I created this fun card to match....

.....the PERFECT camping gift for anyone that loves the outdoors !!!

Make sure to go HERE and get your favorite summer collections now......

Talk soon.

j. xo

Last Sneak Peek Day before CHA

Today Bella Blvd. is sharing all of the new embellishments of the new CHA summer release and they are fabulous.....of course :))

BUTTONS BUTTONS BUTTONS - LOVE them ALL !!!

......MORE designer tape - seriously MUST HAVE....

.....More Chip Alphas - perfect for ANY project !!

.....and of course more flags....gotta have 'em....

Head over to the Bella Blog for more detailed pics and a chance to WIN WIN WIN !!

Come on back Friday for my fun take on a CAMPING GIFT.....

Talk soon.

j. xo

Day THREE - Bella Birthday Girl

Here it is....Collection THREE for CHA Summer is Bella Blvd. Birthday Girl and it is super sweet.....

Head over to the Bella Blog for full page peeks of each piece in this wonderful collection !!

Tomorrow is embellishments.....and then a fun CAMPING project i created for some camping friends !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

Sneak Peek Day TWO

Here it is....Day TWO and this could be my favorite !!!

Make sure you head over to the Bella Blog for close-ups on all these fabulous pieces.....

....and come on back for more Birthday Girl tomorrow !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

Sneak Peek Day ONE

Things are getting exciting over on the Bella Blvd. blog this week !!!

There is A LOT to show as Stephanie has done it again.....Head on over to the
Bella Blog to check out the full size close up shots of these fab papers........

This FABULOUS new collection is BIRTHDAY BOY.....You are absolutely going to want ALL of this line and in mid-August you can buy it all HERE.....

Don't forget to come on back tomorrow for more !!

Talk soon.

j. xo

Vacation Survival Kit

I created this fun Vacation Survival Kit using a photo storage box and some of my summer stash from last season ...... 

These are so fun to fill with things like sunscreen, sunglasses, gum and candies, a good book and so much more......GREAT GIFT IDEA !!!

I also fancied up a plain old journal for journaling so that I can refer to it when I'm creating my layouts with my photos from this summer later this year !!

 

I did LOTS of layering using die buts, precision cut pieces and stickers too.....

Of course I had to add some chipboard and AC Thickers for my title.....LOVE my Thickers !!

I've got some Bella Blvd. Sneak Peeks starting tomorrow and coming at ya ALL WEEK LONG.....so head on back in the am !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

birthday party pics

Today I wanted to share a few photos with you that I've been meaning to post for a couple of weeks now......

These are just a couple from Alexander's 7th birthday party.....Scooby Doo theme :))

I made these fun cupcake sticks with a printed graphic, punched cardstock and a toothpick......

......I found some great Scooby Doo themed party pieces from Party City including these great masks that went with the goody bags !!

....a matching table cloth and table decor.....

This balloon was my fave I think as it was totally life sized and as big as Alexander !!!

For the cake I made a paw print and added a Scooby Doo candle.....Alex loved it :))

Make sure to check back tomorrow as I've got some really fun summer projects to share with you in the coming days .......

I hope the sun is shining where you are !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo

a wedding card....and happy 4th

We spent this past weekend in northern Montana just outside of Big Fork.  It was the most beautiful place for a wedding.  Scott's youngest brother jeff was getting married to brianne and it was perfect....

......and this was the wedding card I made for them.....

Pretty Basic Grey patterned paper was the base......

.......i cut some paper up, added rosette ribbon, buttons.....

.......twine and stickers too !!

All this product was out of a kit from my fave kit company, The Memory Workshop......

.......and i couldn't forget to wish my friends south of the border a happy 

happy 4th of July.....

Alex was all about the red, white and blue when we were in Montana and had to have this Captain America hat.....so he's wearing it today in honour of you :))

Talk soon.

j. xo

Page Maps Layout

I was thrilled to have been asked to create another fun layout for Becky Fleck and PageMaps this month !!

This was the sketch.....

.....and here is my take on it !!!

I used some of my fave Bella Blvd. products to create it......

........lots of layering with stickers, a crochet flower and flags.....

.....and chipboard pieces too !!

Come on back tomorrow to see the wedding card that I created for the wedding that we were at in Montana this past weekend ......

Talk soon.

j. xo

happy canada day

HAPPY CANADA DAY

If you can believe it I am actually writing this to you from in the USA today ..... We're in the beautiful state of Montana for a family wedding and having a great time ..... BUT...... since Canada Day is a favorite holiday in our family, we are really missing home too !!

I have a fun post to share with you in honour of our great country ..... and you can check it out over on the Bella Blog as well as more patriotic projects all week long ......

I've seen so many fabulous mantle projects over the years but have yet to tackle my own…..until now !!!  There are several pieces to this collection of red & white for Canada Day and it was so fun to put together……I'm excited to have it out for many July 1st celebrations over the coming years !!!

I love the dimension a container of wool balls can add to any décor.  I painted a plain wooden box white and created some white, red and mixed balls.  They needed a little something so I created some cardstock Canada flags from scratch and tucked one into the front.

Using some fun red & white Bella Blvd. papers, I made a few different sized paper flowers and added a maple leaf to the center of each.  I took a favorite phrase from our national anthem and used different Bella alphas to spell it into the frame.

I wanted to add some height to coordinate with the largest frame, so I added twine, designer tape, buttons and custom flags to a couple of red & white candles – love them !!!

This frame was fun as I bordered the mat using designer tape and added a few maple leafs cut from Bella paper.

It was hard for me to pick a favorite piece but this one may be it.  

I am ALWAYS collecting frames (much to my husband's dismay) so I was excited to see that I had the perfect one in my stash for this fun piece.  I printed the outline of a map of Canada onto a piece of Sophisticates and precison cut it out.  I adhered it to a mat and added it to this great red & white striped frame !!!

The last frame took the most time to create but i LOVE how it all came together.  I used several of  the red alphas from different Bella collections mixed with typed computer print matted on cardstock to have our national anthem in full in this frame ......

 this makes me happy :))

From my family to yours ..... where ever you are today ...... we wish you all the best for a wonderful day !!!

Talk soon.

j. xo