Just Jingle

Love Cast In Clay Blog Hop with GIVEAWAY and WOYWW!

2012-02-01T00:01:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Love Cast in Clay Blog hop joining the Creative Paperclay® Design Team and the Amazing Mold Putty Design team! I know you have a lot of blogs to visit, so I will keep this one to the point today! Here is the card that I created!

I created the mold using Amazing Mold Putty from a necklace that The Hubbums got me for Christmas!

After allowing the mold to set (it takes around 15 minutes or so) I pressed Delight™ Modelling Medium into the mold. I like the Delight™ for this because it is so light weight and works great on paper craft projects! Then I allowed that to dry for a couple of days and gave the heart a light coat of red spray paint. Nice and easy and a super fun custom embellishment!

So...check out what the other bloggers have created because there is a TON of great ideas out there with these AWESOME products!!! If you comment and follow each blog on the list you will be in the running to win a 16 oz. pack of Creative Paperclay® and a package of Amazing Mold Putty!!! That's kind of AWESOME, just say'n. Have fun!

And...for those of you who came around to check out my WOYWW post, well, things are a little messier than usual at the moment. I believe that may have something to do with the dozen plus cards I created on Sunday. Maybe. Perhaps. Just say'n. ANnnnnyyyyway..... here it is, folks...life and in a photo...wait..that doesn't make sense...well, you get the idea....

It's a fun mess, though, I PROMISE!!! Have a Happy Wednesday, friends!!! Pwaaaa!

For Cath (Sans CHA) With Love Blog Hop AND a Brand New Skipping Stones Sketch!

2012-01-31T07:54:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today I have TWO events to share with you! I am participating in the Blog Hop for Cath,the Trends Editor for Paper Crafts Magazine and writer of the amazing Moxie Fab World Blog! You see, due to an injury, Cath was unable to attend CHA and that is just cruddy, so she needs some cheering up! We are hear to do that! Cath...consider yourself officially CHEERED!!!! YAY! You can find the entire list of participants at Virginia's blog!

AND...because we are also releasing sketch #113 over at Skipping Stones Design this week, I thought I would combine the two and make a cheer up card for Cath using this fabulous sketch!

I used the Grunge set and the Always Here set for my fun card! Pam's sketch ROCKED, so I had a lot of fun with this one!

While Grunge is a great set for masculine cards, it can TOTALLY go girly, too! I love that!

So...check out the sketch challenge and play along for a chance to win some free Skipping Stones stamps!

Cath, I'm SO SO SO sorry you missed out on CHA! I actually had really hoped to go for the first time EVER this year and that didn't pan out, but I'm sure your disappointment is far greater as you know what you are missing AND it happened rather unexpectedly! I hope you are doing something FABULOUS for YOU this week! We love you!!! Get better quick, now, will ya?! :-)

Jingle Out.

I've Gone Rogue!

2012-01-30T07:56:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be Guest Designing for Rogue Redhead Designs for their January release! When Shar asked me to do some design work this month, she seemed to have something up her sleeve... for some reason she thought this fabulous release would suit me.

I have no idea WHY she was under the impression that THIS release of all the fabulous Rogue Redhead releases would be of special interest to me, or really have anything to do with me.... I mean really....

HA!!! For REALS! Not only is that stamp IN this fabulous new plate, BUT, it is actually the NAME of the plate! Just Sayin' is comin' at ya! Hee-hee. That might have had something to do with why she thought it suited me. Just sayin'.

Seriously, though...this set has SO many fun elements! I will be showing it off over the course of the next month or so here and there along with other great designs from Rogue Redhead! Here is the whole plate...

I KNOW! RIGHT?!!! Totally fabulously fun! I used the cat stamp, the flower, and the Just Sayin' sentiment on this particular card. All I had to add was a bit of sparkly fiber from May Arts!

Soo....check out Rogue Redhead Designs if you haven't yet because they really do have some gorgeous stamps! A wonderful variety of styles, too, which is always a lot of fun. Have a happy Monday!

Just sayin'.

Jingle Out.

A Treat To Cheer You - Stampendous! Saturday Challenge - Bling IT!

2012-01-28T08:00:00.001-05:00

Another Saturday means another chance to get your bling on with the fabulous
ladies at Stampendous . That's right, this month we are all
about bringing in the New Year with some BLING! Glitter,
rhinestones, sparkly stickers...you name it. Just make it shiny
and get it on your project!

For today, I created a super fun little Valentine's Day treat bag using the Amore Perfectly Clear Stamps from Stampendous!

To create this topper I simply folded the October Afternoon cardstock and stamped the large frame on cardstock. I cut the frame out and adhere it over the May Arts mesh. I added a bit of tea stained Mica Fragments with a bit of burlap string tied into a pretty bow! YAY for pretty things!

Now...go check out what the other Stampendous! girls have created and don't forget to link up your fabulous Blinged out creation!

Janelle Stollfus

Kristine Reynolds

Cyndi Bundy

Pam Hornschu

Jennifer Ingle

Melinda Gleissner

Suzanne Czosek

Taylor Usry

We want YOU to play along with us! Just add you direct link to your card
(make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool below my
signature (or on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at
11:00 PM EST. You don't have to use Stampendous products to play
along, but we sure love it when you do! And as an extra incentive for
playing, one lucky person (drawn at random from all the entries) will receive
this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp
Set:

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope
you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

Ya Wanna Cookie?

2012-01-27T08:06:00.003-05:00

It's Friday!!!! Wooo-Hoooooo!!!!! Yup. That's an extra long 'hooo' with extra exclamation points. Just say'n.

I have some fun stuff to share with you today! As per usual, I'm playing along with some friends for Friends With Flair Friday and I decided to pull out my Ornate Artisan Stackers set and go to town!

What's that you are saying? Oooohhh....you thought THIS card was going to use that set. WELLLLLLLLL...see, this is how it went. Last night I got home from my hair appointment and had a few minutes to play before The Hubbums returned from ~~suffering through~~ seeing the 8th Grade play at the school where he taught last year and we would run to dinner. So...I DID, indeed, grab my Ornate Artisan Stacker set and went to town. Only...I REALLY liked the concept, so I decided to hold it for submission purposes. LOL! Actually, the stamping isn't lined up quite right, so I have to restamp it, but I REALLY love this one, so it's worth it. SO...that meant I had to make another card to post today. Yup. Totally running out of time at this point. BUT, alas, I grabbed my Samantha Walker Especially For You Itty Bitty and made this fun little card! I colored it in pale purple, light pink, and a darker pink with watercolor crayons. That amazingly gorgeous gingham ribbon is from May Arts! YAY!

AND...in other news.... It will be a mild 50 degrees here in Massachusetts...

Oh.

Wait.

This blog isn't actually for that kind of news is it? Oopsies! So... Have you SEEN the new Scrapbook Circle kit?

Umm...Yup. Amazing Much? TOTALLY!!!! It's called Remember This and you can find it HERE! It is the brand new February kit and it is available NOW NOW NOW!!!! Go...run... get one!

AND...that's not even all, folks! There is an AMAZING mini kit to go along with this one! You can purchase it as an add-on or by itself if you like!

If you are a card maker, this add-on is amazing! The 6x6 pad is fabulous and just look at all the yumminess in that kit! Check it out!

So...I hope you have a super stupendous Friday with lots to laugh about even if it makes your abs hurt when you laugh because your Jillian Micheal's Ripped in 30 Week 2 Workout is so awesome and you are going to look like an all star in like pretty much no time so it's all totally worth it.

Oh...maybe that's just me. But STILL!!!! Happy Friday, folks! See ya tommorrow! Smiles!

Jingle Out.

A Little Fairy in a Jar and a Card that Didn't Make the Cut

2012-01-26T07:56:00.001-05:00

Hello! I'm tired. I would like to take a nap. For like the entire day-ish. Just Say'n. But, alas, this is not in my future, therefore, I shall share with you a little piece I created for Retro Cafe Art, instead. YAY!

This is my little dolly fairy in a jar! The dolly is one of the fabulous Retro Cafe Art collage sheets that you can get in either printed or digital form! I also used the little bird from the same Hello Dollie Valentine sheet. I love it!

The bottom of the jar is just SPARKLING with bright pink Martha Stewart glitter happiness!!!! I love glitter. A lot. Have I mentioned that? Less than a hundred times? Not sure...but...leave it to say...I love glitter. Just say'n.

I also glittered up her wings a bit with some Stickles to give her more sparkle! I just love that little white picket fence wrapped around the jar! You can get that in lengths of 18" so it is great for projects like this or even on scrapbook pages and stuff!

I wrapped the lid with a fabric tape from Love My Tapes and then added a die cut flower cut from my Art Philosophy cartridge (by Sally the Cricut). A bit of May Arts beaded wire is wound as the center of the flower.

...AND....if you look REALLY closely, you can see the pretty little paper flower adorning the fairy's hair! I love it! It's happy making!!!

And...I wanted to show you this fun little card I made! I submitted this one, but it wasn't chosen, so now I get to show it to all of YOU! YAY!!!! It's a shaped card I created with my Hello, Kitty Greetings cartridge and My Mind's Eye papers. It's happy making, too!!!

The sentiment is Lawn Fawn. I particularly like the inked edges on the cloud on this one. For some reason that just made me smile!

So...that's all for today. Basically, just happy stuff. 'Cause happy is a good thing. So is candy, but it appears I'm out of candy, so I'm going to have to rely on happy for today. *sigh* HA! Later, dudes!

Jingle Out.

The Cheshire Cat in all his Shimmering Glory!

2012-01-25T08:03:00.000-05:00

It's Wednesday. I'm ready for it to be Friday, but I guess I will wait a day or two if you are going to make me. Just say'n. Things are a bit crazy around my life right now...I'm not really sure why...maybe I'M just crazy. I don't know, but things feel a bit crazy.

SPEAKING of crazy...have you seen my Cheshire Cat? Oh...yes...I made one. And oh, yes...I love HIM!!!!!

Tee-Hee! He's kind of crazy! I sculpted him from Creative Paperclay® over a foam and foil base that I created. He is painted with Luminarte Twinkly H2O's and a white paint pen. He shimmers!!!!!! That part makes me happy. Just say'n.

His tail is supported by a piece of wire inside the clay. I really love how he turned out!!

AND...he looks so cute sitting with the Mad Hatter I created a long time ago!!!

I suppose I should get on to creating an Alice to go with them...but I think perhaps a certain set of twins may come first. They are SO FUN! I am submitting this Cheshire Cat to the Altered Alice Stripes Challenge! You can see the full tutorial on how I made him over on the Creative Paperclay® blog! Feel free to leave comment there, as well! We love your comments!

And...because it's Wednesday....

Yup. This is the State of My Desk address. LOL! You can see the results of some pretty fun projects that are no longer on said desk. And...if you look closely...you will see a little sneak of the Skipping Stones Design stamps being released in February! It's a fun one! If you would like to see more desks and their current states and such, head on over to Julia's blog! And feel free to join in the WOYWW fun, too!

Have a Happy Wednesday and don't forget to eat some candy today. It's good for you. Just trust me on this one. I'm an expert on the subject. Just say'n.

Jingle Out.

A new sketch from Skipping Stones and some fun with Scrapbook Circle ALL in one LOVEY card!

2012-01-24T07:59:00.002-05:00

It's just too much fun to combine fabulous with more fabulous!!! This week we have a brand new sketch over at Skipping Stones Design for you to play along and possibly win a FREE set of stamps! I rotated the sketch to create a vertical card and had some fun with my Grunge 2 stamp set!

The patterned papers, die cuts, doily, border sticker, and printable tag are ALL from the You + Me kit from Scrapbook Circle. This kit goes SUCH A LONG WAY!!! I so love it!

I stamped directly on the doily to give it a bit of background pattern. I do hope that you will make your way on over to the Skipping Stones Blog to to check out the sketch, see what the design team has created, and jump right in with your own card!!! You don't even have to use SSD stamps to participate, so there is NO excuse! Come play!

As for me...sorry for being so boring today. Just not quite feeling the whole talking thing at the moment. Not sure what that's about, as I pretty much don't experience that. Like ever. Just say'n. Annnnyway....see ya on the 'morrow, folks! Happy Tuesday!

OH!!! I did start week 2 of Jillian's Ripped in 30 this morning and I'm feeling pretty good about that. I am LOVING this workout! Just say'n.

Jingle Out!

I am SO Lucky!

2012-01-23T08:15:00.002-05:00

Why? Well, because I figured out how to make a Valentine's Day card for a man. At least, I think I did. You see, butterflies are bugs and boys like bugs, so I figure it works. Just say'n.

This card was initially inspired by the Cutting & Trimming Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. My Purple Cows trimmer has a guillotine side that I use most often, but it also has a rotary cutter side that I use on occasion. What I often forget, is that it has some pretty fun extra blades for that rotary side and this challenge reminded me to pop one of those suckers in! I LOVE the wavy cut details on this card!

The other cutting tool that got some action for this one is my tried and true trusty pair of Cutterbee scissors! I LOVE those things! I use them to do my detail cutting, like cutting this butterfly from the patterned paper it was stamped on.

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And, of course, my straight cutter did a bit of work for this one, too. It's funny how something so subtle can add SO MUCH to a card! I can't tell you how much I LOVE those wavy cuts! I'll be using that blade more often! Oh...and the patterned paper and stickers are Echo Park (*LOVE!*) and the butterfly is one of my favorites from Skipping Stones Design!

As for today...well, it's Monday. Let's make it a good one! Have a Happy Day and don't forget to smile!

Jingle out!

Stamendous! Saturday - in FRANCE!

2012-01-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Take a look at what these Stampendous team members have created to dazzle you
today:

Stampendous Impressions Blog

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope
you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

Map Your Heart Out in Massachusetts

2012-01-20T08:06:00.000-05:00

Yes. It's true. I can spell Massachusetts without spell check. It's a rather rare skill, I've discovered. Actually, upon moving to Oklahoma for college many moons ago, I discovered that many people actually have no clue where our little state is even located on a map. Granted, when I mention Boston that had some familiarity...you know... because everyone knows our sports teams crush everyone else, but when I dared use the beloved 'New England' I actually had more than one person tell me it was cool that I was from over seas. True story. Sad story. But true story.

All this really brings me to tell you that I kind of love this silly little state. Don't get me wrong, I fall in love with states fairly easily. I mean, Oklahoma will always hold a special place in my heart and Colorado, well, *sigh*, yes...I will always love Colorado...maybe even live there again some day. What I CAN tell you is that once I got to about the Cape (That's Cape Cod for you non-locals) on this card...I was sort of wishing we DID still live in Colorado. You see, it's square. Just say'n.

Squeeee!!!! I know....maybe too excited about a simple card, but I REALLY love this one! It makes my heart happy. I am actually thinking about framing it to hang in our house. It suits us. I stitched the state map outline onto the white cardstock with red floss. The heart is stamped right over our little city of Worcester that we love so much! You see, when I read about the Map You HEART out challenge in the Moxie Fab World, I took that as more than just USING maps...I wanted to make something that really expressed the idea of mapping my HEART out! So that is exactly what I did!

I layered the stitched panel over some map printed map paper and layered that over the bold, simple black cardstock card base.

I clustered a pretty black cabochon rose from Making Memories along with some black rhinestones (also MM), and some gorgeous Webster's pages ribbon with Maya Road trinket pins to add a bit of flare. I created the 'flower around the flower' by adding the black trim in scallops behind the cabochon. I love it!

The sentiment is from the Unity Heartfelt Sentiments set.

And there you have it, a little piece of my heart and one of my favorite cards EVER. I love it. I really, really love it. You see, some times a little challenge REALLY CAN lead to something totally MOXIE FAB!!!

Jingle Out!

Let them eat Cake...and other such whimsies!

2012-01-19T08:30:00.002-05:00

***This is my second post of the day! Please check out my Die Cut Challenge Card, too! There's GLITTER involved! YAY!***

Have you SEEN the new collage sheets over at Retro Cafe Art Gallery? Holy FUN, BATMAN!!! They are designed by Cassandra Vancuren and they are fabulous!!! I got to play with a couple of them and couldn't resist diving into the Marie Antoinette sheet and the ABSOLUTELY adorable borders sheet! I created a little Spoolie!!!

You do know she was a horrible woman, right? That whole 'Let them eat cake' thing was actually attributed to Marie when she was told that the people had no bread. She was actually referring to brioche, an enriched bread, and...for that matter, she probably never even actually uttered those words. They were included in a book written about her, but not likely actually uttered by Marie, herself. She was completely and utterly out of touch with her people and had not understanding whatsoever of how a person could be without bread. Interesting, huh? Anyway...enough history lessons for today...

I wrapped one of the borders from the collage sheet around the spool, added some May Arts burlap string in PINK! YAY! and accented it with glitter glue and pearls!

The little trinket pin is a Tim Holtz gem (which you can find at RCA!)

AND...you can WIN one of the new digital collage sheets! Just hop on over to the blog and comment with your favorite! There are Alice sheets, Marie sheets, pretty sheets, cute sheets, word sheets...I could go on and on! HA! Also, while you are there, check out the awesome Valentine's Day Contest! And...there are more giveaways, so just keep your eyes peeled!

Jingle Out!

Die Cutting in the Moxie Fab World. And Orange Glitter. Because I like Orange Glitter.

2012-01-19T08:10:00.000-05:00

Particularly THIS orange glitter! I mean, REALLY, here folks! This stuff is seriously fabulous! It's Iridescent Sorbet from Martha Stewart and I think I'm in love. Can one fall in love with a glitter color? Well, I did. Anyway.... this card is actually about the die cutting, as I created it to participate in the Die Cutting Challenge in the Moxie Fab World! YAY! Really, Sally the Cricut did all the work for this baby...I just made the choices!

Sally and her Art Philosophy Cartridge went to TOWN for this baby! I began by die cutting the card from super cute patterned paper (Echo Park, Victoria Garden Collection). I used a Tombow glue pen to add the glitter (oh, glorious sorbet glitter) to the scallops. I REALLY love that part!

I cut two small banner pieces and frames for each of those in green and pink. It's actually the same sheet of paper, I just used the two sides for the contrast! *LOVE THAT!*

*TAKES HUGE BREATH* AND THEN.... I cut two different scalloped circles to layer, one in patterned paper and the other in white cardstock...AND THEN...I stamped the sentiment (CTMH) that just so happens to have been made EXACTLY for this Cricut Cartridge (Sally is a big fan of these stamps. Just say'n.)...AND THEN...I added that with foam tape! YAY!!!!! *And the crowd goes wild!*

....(okay...maybe there is no crowd and nobody is going wild. But I do have a banana, so that makes me happy. Just say'n.)

Jingle Out.

Embossed, Debossed, and just plain BOSSY! Oh...wait....

2012-01-18T08:06:00.001-05:00

I'm kind of bossy, actually. At least, I was. I probably still am, but it doesn't really come up as much when your a grown up. HOWEVER...today we are talking about getting EMbossy and DEbossy!

Yup. Made both of those words up and pretty darned happy about it if I do say so myself. Just say'n. I'm playing along with the Moxie Fab World Embossing and Debossing challenge. This was a little tricky for me simply because I don't have one of those fancy little embossing machines like a Cuttlebug or a Spellbinders Grand Calibur (which I think I want, but that' another story...). Nope. I don't own anything of the sort. SO...that being the case, I had to use what I had on hand. I DO have a Martha Stewart Scoring board, so I pulled that out along with a Martha Stewart embossing/debossing punch. Apparently Martha came to the rescue for me on this one. Great. Does that mean I owe her one? That CAN'T be good!!!!

I had a bit of fun with this one and decided to go cutesy! I kind of love it, actually. It's a fun little Hello Kitty Valentine's Day card full of color and happy things! The papers are all Echo Park. The sticker is from the Target dollar bin...thanks to my sister for that little Christmas gift! Love them! And the punch is the Martha Stewart embossing punch of which I spoke earlier. It does the embossing/debossing at the same time as punching! FUN! I used my score board to do the embossed frame and then sanded the punched pieces and the frame to make them pop! The ribbon is just a fun one I found buried in my stash...I thought it went perfectly with this playful card!

I just love how cute it is! Sometimes cute is just plain fun! Just say'n.

And...it is Wednesday and that means it's time to showcase our workspaces with Julia over at WOYWW!

My desk is showing the aftermath of four cards that I created yesterday along with some rubber that I need to get cut and mounted (but I'm out of foam, so mounting may not happen...we shall see...). The Hubbums gave me that little bag yesterday. I love it! I'm going to make it even CUTER!!! So...there you have it! Oh...and yes, my Hello Kitty Be Mine card was, indeed, one of the ones I created in all that fun!

Happy Wednesday!

Jingle Out!

ETA: Check out this fabulous giveaway that Melissa is holding for her birthday!

Skipping Stones Sketch #111 AND a FABULOUS Sale!!!!

2012-01-17T08:55:00.000-05:00

Yup! You heard that right! Skipping Stones Design a brand new sketch from our fabulous Sketch Artist, Pam, today. We have inspiration from our amazing guest artists AND our fabulous design team. AND, that's not all, folks! No, my friends, TODAY we have the one and only PMS Sale!!!! **crowd cheers wildly!**

Let's start with my card for this week's sketch, shall we? It's a wonderful sketch that allows you to go simple or go all out! I, naturally, chose simple.

I chose to use the zig zag from the BRAND NEW Grunge 2 set! The circle comes from the Uplifting set, and the sentiment is from Grunge (the original!). Seriously. How much fun is it to mix up sets and use them in fun new ways? LOTS. That's how much. Just say'n.

AND...not only do we have this great sketch to work with and TONS of inspiration from the Guest Artists and the Design team (all of which you can check out here), but you also have a chance to get a GREAT deal on the Skipping Stones Design stamps you have had your eye on! Here's how the PMS Sale (Purchase More Stamps! :-) Cute, right?) works:

Buy 1 set and save 5% Enter PMS1 at checkout
Buy 2 sets and save 10% Enter PMS2 at checkout
Buy 3 sets and save 15% Enter PMS3 at checkout
Buy 4 sets and save 20% Enter PMS4 at checkout
Buy 5 sets and save 25% Enter PMS5 at checkout
Buy 6 sets OR MORE and SAVE 30% on every set you buy-no limit!!!
Enter PMS6 at checkout
If you have ANY troubles getting the coupon codes to work just email Heather (madebyme33@hotmail.com) your order and she will turn around and send you a paypal invoice that reflects your savings.

AWESOME sale, right?! I KNOW!!! So go pick up those sets you've been DIEING for and get inky with this week's challenge! If you participate in the challenge you could win a FREE stamp set. You don't have to use SSD stamps to participate, but we love when you do! Just please remember to limit the number of challenges you combine to five including the Skipping Stones Challenge. THANKS!!!!

Jingle Out!

Beginnings

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

This weekend I started a new work out. Jillian Micheal's Ripped in 30. It's kind of awesome in that amazingly painful sort of way. I have to wear a bridesmaid's dress this summer. I'm 32 (well...nearly 33) years old. I pretty much have to work out just so I'm not BOTH the OLD bridesmaid AND the chubby one. HA! (ETA: Clarification...No, 33 is not old..but it is a bit old to be a BRIDESMAID! LOL!) At least the dress is pretty and I get to pick out my own shoes! The new year often brings about a lot of new beginnings for people. That may be why when I pulled out this beautiful stamp, that very idea is what came to mind. Beginnings.

The stamp is the gorgeous Oil Lamp (#2347-P) from 100 Proof Press. I love it! We have several oil lamps around our house. They cast the prettiest glow! I drew the rays of light in with a Tombow marker and used a bit of marker to highlight the glass portion of the lamp. The bronze is painted with Twinkly H2O's by Luminarte. I love how it shimmers! You can see the shimmer a bit in the photo below.

The sticker is an older one from EK Success and the burlap string is one of my go-to spools from May Arts.

So...let's go into this week reminded that each week is a new beginning. We can do with what comes next as we choose. "Transformation is not a future event...It is a present activity." (That's from Jillian. Just say'n.)

Jingle Out.

Stampendous! Saturday - January Bling Challenge

2012-01-14T10:09:00.001-05:00

Take a look at what these Stampendous team members have created to dazzle you
today:

Stampendous
Impressions Blog

Melinda
Gleissner

Jennifer
Ingle

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope
you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

Fridays. I will Love them Always. Just say'n.

2012-01-13T07:56:00.003-05:00

It is Friends With Flair FRIDAY! And, while I do love Friends with Flair, I have to tell you that the FRIDAY part of that equation is my favorite right now!!! Is it just me or did it take like two weeks for Friday to get here this week? I mean, REALLY?????!!!!! Craziness, I tell you. Pure Craziness.

But, alas, it is Friday and I'm in a remarkably good mood. I made cake balls for the first time last night and plan to serve them to my coworkers today, so everyone should be pretty hyper in short order. HA!

Love Always. Ummm...I love these colors. I totally do. And these stamps. And these papers. So...yup. I pretty much love this card. The papers and stickers are all from the You + Me kit from Scrapbook Circle. You really NEED to check out this kit. It kinda rocks! Also, check out the Scrapbook Circle blog today because I have two GREAT card ideas up over there!

The stamps (the frame and the sentiment) are from the Ornate Artisan Stackers set! I know I say this every time I use it, but I LOVE this set! That frame is one of my favorite stamps! Just love it!!! The black twill and the burlap string are both May Arts. I just realized the bow is kind of hard to see in the picture, but it is the flat, layered kind done in twill. It looks really pretty in person! I promise!

I hope you have a stupendous day with lots of things that make you laugh. Laughing is good. I believe in it strongly. Just say'n. YAY for laughing!!!!! Have a happy day!

Jingle Out!

Oh...and I am happy to announce that the Valentine's gummy heart candies are now available at CVS for all of your breakfast eating needs. Just say'n.

Oh, How I LOVE a good PUNCH!

2012-01-12T07:02:00.000-05:00

Not in the face, you silly crazy people! A PAPER PUNCH!!! I love them. I have Sally the Cricut, and I love her dearly, but somehow she never has been able to replace punches for me... much to the Hubbums' chagrin! HA! I just love punches! They are super fun and you can do wonderful happy things with them! SO...when Cath issued The Punches Challenge in the Moxie Fab World, I jumped on that like...something one might jump right on! Yup. That's what I did.

I pulled out this beautiful Martha Stewart punch that my Mommy and Daddy gave me for Christmas! I absolutely love it! I wanted to let it sort of star in the show, so I made it a dominant feature on the card.

I created a cluster of embellishments to ground the sentiment using various layers of foam tape. The patterned paper and the die cut are Fancy Pants and the sentiment is from Glitz. ALL of that goodness came from the January Scrapbook Circle Kit, You + Me! This is a seriously fabulous kit! The ribbon is, of course, May Arts!

On another note. It's snowing. Hrmph! That's all I have to say about that. And the funny thing is...The Hubbums had ski club with his students (he is one of the sponsors) YESTERDAY when it was in the mid 40's and there hadn't been a flake of snow to speak of! HA! Ooopsies! Oh, well. At least it was only the first week, so maybe they will get more snow later...although...I have to be honest...I may be praying in a manner that will not be helpful to the ski club. Just say'n. HA!

OH...and in case you missed it, I DID update yesterday's post with my desk shot to PROVE that I had it tidied up! Just say'n.

Jingle Out!

I Have a Sad Story to Tell

2012-01-11T07:53:00.001-05:00

You see, today is Wednesday. And that means that it is What's On Your Workspace Wednesday. As my regular readers know...this is the day when I show you my messy desk. Yes, I say messy because it nearly always is piled high with creative findings and such. Well, the thing is, today...it is NOT messy. It is rather tidy, actually.

But that's not the sad part. The sad part is ... well, *sigh* I forgot to upload my photo, so I can't even show it to you!!!! THAT is sad! It is so pretty and straightened and you can't even see it! *DOUBLE SIGH* Now THAT is a sad story. Just say'n. BUT...I will try REALLY hard to remember to add the photo tonight, K? K. Thanks. The NOT sad thing is that I have artwork to share with you today!

This sparkly little cherub piece is made from some SUPER FABULOUS goodies from Retro Cafe Art Gallery! I began with the Keyhole Hearts and COVERED them with Martha Stewart glitter! I {heart} glitter! Just say'n. Between the two hearts I layered an image from the Shabby Micro Slides Collage Sheet. You don't have to ONLY use these with slides!!!

A bit more glitter (stickles)adds some color and sparkle to the tiny hearts from the Heart mix set. I used a bit of Tim Hotz Tissue Tape to keep the brightness level in check...it was getting a little blinding all up in there! HA! And then simply added some pretty pearls!

To finish the piece I used red wire to attach a tiny Tim Holtz hanger to the top and a Tim Holtz Word Stick, painted with some gold paint and mottled, to the bottom to hang. I kind of like how it all turned out! I haven't had my hands in assemblage and mixed media in awhile and it felt good to do that again! I actually have a couple more projects in the works, so I am looking forward to sharing those with you, too! YAY for fun stuff!!!!

So...while I don't have my desk shot for you YET today...I at least have this fun little goodness! And if you are looking for some GREAT supplies for Valentine's projects you MUST check out Retro Cafe Art! SO MUCH GOODNESS!!!!! OH! And they are having a contest AND a giveaway right now, so don't forget to check out the blog! AWESOMENESS all around, folks. Awesomeness. all. around. Just say'n.

Jingle Out!

ETA: Here you go, folks! And...I believe if you click on the photo you will be taken to my Flickr page where you can see the time stamp! PROOF, BABY, PROOF! LOL!

Skipping Stones January Release Blog Hop - Grunge 2 YAY!!!!! {GIVEAWAY}

2012-01-10T08:09:00.003-05:00

Yup, folks, it's that time again! Skipping Stones Design is releasing a brand new set and it is FABULOUS! It's called Grunge 2 and will be available starting today! Today we have an inspiring blog hop for you to show off this great set! If you are just jumping in, well, you are in good shape because I'm the first on the hop! Don't forget to check out the Skipping Stones Design blog and then you can follow the whole list! Here is my card featuring Grunge 2 and Coffee Vol. 1!

Mmmmm! Mmm! Yummy stamps! Let's break this one down. The zig zag and the background behind the coffee are both from Grunge 2, as is the 'Hey, Handsome' sentiment (how fun is THAT?!). The coffee cup cuteness is from Coffee Vol.1. As for the papers...those are Amy Tangerine goodness from American Crafts! LOVE!!!!

I clustered a corrugated heart with some buttons and added some May Arts burlap twine around the coffee panel for some added detail. LOVE IT!

So...head on over to JoAnn's blog to continue on this fun hop!

OH! And don't forget to leave a comment here and on each stop along the hop for your chance to win a FREE SET OF STAMPS (My choice)! I will be choosing one winner from ALL comments left! So leave your comments! The more blogs you comment on in the hop, the more chances you get!

I Love You. Not Mondays, but you.

2012-01-09T07:51:00.000-05:00

HA! It's Monday. I swear the only thing that keeps me going on Mondays anymore is that fact that it is 10 cent taco night! HA! This one is particularly hitting hard, seeing as the last two have been holidays so I didn't have to work. This week, well, this week we embark on one of those 'five day work week' things of which I've heard tell. We shall see how that goes. Just say'n. BUT...I do have a happy card to begin the week!

With Valentine's Day slowly creeping it's way closer, I think it will be fun to toss in some lovey dovey cards here and there! This one is done with a couple of my favorite 100 Proof Press stamps! I used the large doily stamp (pineapples and picots! YAY!) and the pretty little lace fancy heart stamp that I love so much! The doily images are stamped in buttercup ink and the heart is stamped in Worn Lipstick (Distress) ink.

The beautiful trim is Webster's pages and that gorgeous sentiment is SRM Stickers! I added a few Creative Imaginations pearls to the mix to add a bit of elegance to the design.

OH! And in other news, thank you for all the well wishes. I am feeling much better, not quite 100% yet, but a lot better. My hacking is minimal now. HA! AND...my NEW COAT ARRIVED!!!! I am so excited! I needed a new warm winter coat, so the Hubbums suggested using part of my Christmas bonus to get one so I found one I LOVE and it is rated for 30 degrees below zero, so it is WARM AND TOASTY! The Hubbums actually sent me the link initially letting me know that it was warm, cute, and... "Plus, all the old ladies are wearing them!" HA! That cracked me up, but this style does seem popular amongst the older crowd. I'm cool like them now. And I LOVE IT!!! I got it on sale and added a coupon code I found, so I feel like I got a good price on it, too, so that makes me happy. This will be a many years coat! I got this one! Squeeeee!!!!

I hope you have a super fantastic Monday!!!! Mine just got better sharing with you. That's what I love about blogging. You guys put me in a better mood even before you start commenting! How cool is that?! Anyway....

...Jingle Out!

Stampendous! Saturday - January Challenge - Glitter and Bling!

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

It's the very first Saturday of the month (wait - it's actually the first
Saturday of the year!!), and that means the fabulous ladies
at Stampendous have a brand new challenge to play along with.
This month we are all about bringing in the New Year with some BLING!
Glitter, rhinestones, sparkly stickers...you name it. Just
make it shiny and get it on your project!

Here is the card I created to go along with this challenge:

I used the Music Score Cling Background Stamp for the background and added bits of silver glitter from the Treasures Glitter kit to 'bling it up' a bit! The butterflies are from the Charm Collection Perfectly Clear set. The thank you is an SRM Sticker.

Take a look at what these Stampendous team members have created to dazzle you
today:

Stampendous
Impressions Blog

We want YOU to play along with us! Just add you direct link to your card
(make sure you've loaded it up with tons of BLING) to the linky tool below (or
on the Stampendous blog) no later than February 2, 2012 at 11:00 PM EST.
You don't have to use Stampendous products to play along, but we sure love
it when you do! And as an extra incentive for playing, one lucky person
(drawn at random from all the entries) will receive this gorgeous Cherub Wishes Perfectly Clear Stamp
Set:

Due to shipping restrictions, the winner must have a US address. We hope
you get a chance to play along with us - happy stamping!

You Can Always Lean On Me

2012-01-06T07:56:00.000-05:00

Although, I don't know that I'd be much help at the moment, seeing as I got very little sleep due to coughing, so we might just fall over together. K? K. It'll be good times. HA!

Ohhhhh....that's not the kind of 'leaning' this sentiment is talking about, is it? Ooopsies! In that case, I'm totally here for ya, babe! And let's be honest...If you do need me, I probably have candy and candy always helps!

It's Friends With Flair Friday over at Unity and this is my card for today! I used the Family Dynamix set from Bella Blvd. This set is so stinking adorable! I inked the stamps with Momenta Tuxedo Black and Bamboo Leaves ink. The tree is watercolored using the same Bamboo Leaves ink and a water brush. It's a happy tree. Just say'n.

And the twine...now that was just plain fun! I wanted something simple, but not just twine going across the card...that wasn't enough, so I decided to create a little twine bundle (this is Orange from Whisker Graphics) to finish off my card. I LOVE IT!!!! And that beautiful orange cardstock is from DCWV! It's their creamy cardstock and it is so pretty! I love it!

Well, off to the races! I am SO glad it is Friday, can I just say that? No. For reals. I can't even begin to tell you. So glad. Just say'n. I hope your Friday is super fabulous and if you are at work I hope that part goes by super speedy! Happy Friday, folks!

Jingle Out!

Simple Bird Thank You and ScrapStreet Magazine

2012-01-05T07:50:00.001-05:00

Hello, my friends! I must say that my tea is much welcome today. Do you ever have days like that? When the ordinary becomes a welcome luxury of sorts? That's how my tea feels today. *sigh* Happiness.

I have a couple of fun things to share with you...first off, in case you missed it, I have the tutorial for my Love Who You Are Wall Hanging up over on the May Arts blog! Check it out and don't forget to leave your comments!

AND...I was asked to contribute to the January issue of ScrapStreet Magazine! If you are not familiar with ScrapStreet you are in for a treat! This is an online only magazine that really has some wonderful inspiration! You should totally check it out! Particularly page 11, since that's where my card, featuring Skipping Stones Design and May Arts happens to be. Just say'n.

And here is a fun little Stampendous! card for you, too!

A simple thank you. I love the soft feel of this one! I used the Charm Collection Perfectly Clear stamp set for the little bird and the sentiment (*love*) came from the Friendship Assortment Perfectly Clear stamp set!

The patterned paper is Pink Paislee, the punch is Martha Stewart for EK Success, and the lace is from Maya Road. Just a few little elements all coming together for a simple, and happy thank you card! YAY!

Have a Happy Thursday, folks!

Jingle Out!

Hello Kitty Snuggie Cuteness Come'n at ya Jingle Style!

2012-01-04T07:59:00.001-05:00

Well, someone asked, and this is me, so really just one person asking was enough for me to do it. Just say'n. My friends, yes...the Hello Kitty Snuggie that I posted on Facebook on Christmas day (along with The Hubbums' Batman Snuggie) is real, and yes, my friends, we do genuinely own them. And love them. And have no idea how we lived without them.

SERIOUSLY, you guys! Do you have one? 'Cause if not, you are TOTALLY missing out. I know we all mock them, but these things are GOLD, people! For reals. Just say'n. But...to get to the point...someone asked for a picture of me in it ... SO... well, here you go:

OH! WAIT....that's actually my 100 Proof Press card of cuteness! Yup! I am LOVING that heart stamp! It makes me happy and is PERFECT for Valentine's Day cards! It's called the Fancy Heart and even the NAME makes me happy. Just say'n.

And that fabulous little sentiment is just a tiny tidbit from the amazing You & Me printable from Scrapbook Circle this month! LOVING IT!

Oh...but you wanted to see a picture of me in my Hello Kitty Snuggie, didn't you? K. Here you go.

Oh....waaaait...a minute. THAT isn't me in a HK snuggie! That's my desk!!! You didn't think I was going to miss out on the first WOYWW of 2012, now did you? I mean, REALLY! You should know me better than that at this point. I mean...I really thought we were close. *sniff* *sniff* HA! As you can see, I have had an abundance of projects going...very slowly, due to the cold I have and had at a far worse level over the past weekend, however, I did get some fun stuff done. Actually, there is one more project on it now that I began just after taking that shot last night. The floor, however, I can still report as being wonderfully clean! I like it this way. I hope to maintain it. My next project is these suckers:

See how messy the cubes are? I want to take each one out one at a time and go through it all and organize and purge each one to an acceptable level so it all looks pretty again. Just say'n.

So...that's what I have for you today. Oh...and on the breakfast menu for today was yogurt...and maybe perhaps some Peach Rings. Maybe. Just say'n.

Jingle Out.

WHAT????

Ohhhhhhh....you still wanna see that? Well, alright, FINE, THEN!

*sight* Now I want to be in it right now! HA! Oh...and please ignore the pile of folded laundry behind me. Oh...and yes, I do have a bike hanging on my living room wall. Oh...and that's my tablet. It's awesome. Just say'n. Oh...and keep in mind that I'm sick, so I don't exactly look my best. Just say'n. Again. K. Bye now.

Jingle Out for reallies this time.

Just say'n.

Friends Give Color to Our Lives...and so does Twine. Just say'n.

2012-01-03T07:50:00.001-05:00

WHAT? Can I not be friends with twine? Don't judge. HA! I really can't help loving the stuff, though. I just can't.

Well, folks, it is the first Sketch Tuesday of 2012 over at Skipping Stones Design and we have an incredible line up for you this month! Our sketch artist for the month is Pamela Young, and our guest designers are Emily Leiphart, Julie Day, and Candice Fields! These girls rock!

Here is the card I created with the sketch for today!

Mmmmmm...yummy, yummy twine! HA! I told you we were friends. Just say'n. The sentiment is from the Healing Wings set that I love so very much! The sketch is absolutely fantastic, you guys! You really should check this one out!

Don't forget to play along and link up your card this week for a chance to win FREE Skipping Stones Stamps! You don't have to use SSD stamps to win, but we love it when you do!

I am feeling a bit better today, but only a bit and I'm back at work for the week, so I suspect exhaustion to be the theme of the day, but I can handle that, I guess. I mean, I DID get a Hello Kitty Snuggie for Christmas, so at least I have something to look forward to when I get home! HA! I hope you have a super fantastic Tuesday and...Welcome to 2012!!!!! Happy New Year!

Scrapbook Circle - Lifting You!

2012-01-02T15:35:00.000-05:00

Head on over to the Scrapbook Circle blog today to check out the card that I created by lifting Rebecca's fabulous layout! I loved working with her fabulous quadrant design!

I hope you all had a wonderfully fun and safe New Year celebration! I'm not feeling so hot, so it's a quick one today, but I hope to be back in action by tomorrow! Here's hope'n! Jingle Out!

Our Anniversary, Happy New Year!, and Stampendous! Saturday - It's a busy day!

2011-12-31T09:39:00.001-05:00

Wow! Today is a pretty darned exciting day! Firstly, eleven years ago today, I married the most wonderful, hottest, most fabulous, bestest friend in the wholest widest world! (That would be The Hubbums...just in case you needed clarification. HA!) This is the same photo I shared last year, but it just cracks me up because we look like we are about twelve! HA!

AND...it's also Stampendous! Color Challenge Saturday! Remember, the challenge is to use three of the following colors: Cream, gold, brown, and pink! and link up your card to the linky below (or on any of the Stampendous! Girls blogs - it will show up on all of 'em! YAY!). Here's my card for this week:

(P.S. I totally edited this photo on my tablet using Flickr and I'm kind of excited that it worked! HA! New Christmas toys are fun!)

I used the beautiful medallion from the Cling Jumbo Thinking of You set and accented it with some gorgeous gold glitter from the Treasures kit! I love the sparkle in person!!! The sides are punched with the MS ribbon threader punch and I added a pink/brown ribbon along the edges.

My photos didn't quite capture the glitter as I would have liked, but BOY does it sparkle! I love it!

If you play along you have a chance to win the gorgeous Amore Stamp set, so link up!

And, finally, on this crazy fun day...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
May your 2012 be blessed!

Falling in Love with Bright Colors

2011-12-30T08:04:00.002-05:00

It's Friends With Flair Friday and I am falling in LOVE! With bright colors, that is. Have you ever found yourself suddenly attracted to colors you NEVER used much in the past? I seem to have fallen head over heals in love with yellows, oranges, and I've even pulled out PURPLE! I don't know how that happened, but I'm not complaining, because, quite frankly...I'm kind of loving it. Just say'n.

I pulled out the Unity I Adore You set by Echo Park and instantly felt the urge to ink up that frame in YELLOW! Then, I had stripes on the mind. Why stripes? Well, that probably had something to do with this Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World! Just say'n. Although, while I loved the subtle soft-tone colors in the inspiration photo...I was in a brights mood, so I gave those suckers a bit of a boost!

So....that led to a ribbon background of a wide yellow silk, a narrow blue silk, and a simple white grosgrain placed in pretty, pretty stripes! The embossed woodgrain heart (MS punch) balanced out the bright colors nicely. Then I stamped the sentiment in blue (CTMH Moonstruck) and added just a *bit* of adorable twine (The Twinery) to accent it. YAY for cute bits of happy twine!

And that, my friends, is my card for you today. YAY! Oh...and for those keeping track...my breakfast this morning is quite traditional - bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on an english muffin. YAY for Dunks gift cards! HA! Have a VERY Happy Friday!

Jingle Out!

Many Mustaches and Many Thanks. Really. What more do you need?

2011-12-29T07:37:00.000-05:00

Not much, that's for sure! HA! Well, perhaps Sour Patch Kids. You might need those, too. HOWEVER, "I, Jingle, solemnly swear to eat my yogurt and my banana before I eat Sour Patch Kids." There. Now you know I'm not actually having them for breakfast. This time. Just say'n. BUT...that has nothing to do with mustaches, therefore, I digress.

THIS, however, quite obviously has a LOT to do with mustaches! Or, rather, just a lot of mustaches in general. YAY! Did you know that 100 Proof Press not only has their amazing online store, but they ALSO have a convenient and easy to use 100 Proof Press Etsy shop? Well, as it turns out, they TOTALLY DO! And you can TOTALLY get this TOTALLY adorable mustache stamp from it!!! Ummm...so that pretty much just rocks. Just say'n. I mean, REALLY, people?!!! Awesomeness.

Here's a detail shot just in case you weren't sure of just HOW awesome that stamp is. Awesome. Like, as in, Barney Stinson kind of awesome. Just say'n. As for that fabulous sentiment? That's SRM goodness! I. LOVE. Their. Stickers!!!!

So...now that I have enabled you out the wazoo....I simply must bid you adieu. (And now you can sing that song from the Sound of Music all day. If you'd like, that is. Or if you have to because it's stuck in your head now. Either one works. Just say'n.)

Jingle Out, folks!

What's on Your Workspace FLOOR Wednesday!!!

2011-12-28T08:03:00.003-05:00

It's Wednesday and I am finally just getting back into the swing of things. I tend to want Christmas to last forever, so sometimes it's a bit tricky getting back to the routine, but, alas, here we are...ready for the next adventure!

Okay, so I'm kind of excited about this one...It's WOYWW and I have some GREAT news!

Oh. You were expecting something different? Wellllll.....here's the thing....this is JUST my desk. And it is still a bit messy. HOWEVER....

This is the floor BEHIND my desk! (That's where I stand when I work.)

This is the floor BESIDE my desk - on the adhesives side!

This is the floor BESIDE my desk - on the other side!

And THIS! Well, this is the main portion of the floor between my desk and the small Expedit unit where I keep my Cricut and my Mac. I'm particularly proud of this one.

Now...WHY ON EARTH AM I SHOWING YOU PICTURES OF THE FLOOR???? Well, that's easy! Because it's the first time ANYONE has been able to really see it in months! Yup! I spent HOURS in here cleaning and it feels SO amazing! I was actually quite shocked at how quickly the work went once I got started. And I had only set out to find a home for my ribbon and a stack of books, but it just kept going from there and I couldn't stop! I even have my spot for taking photos of my work back! (This is where you have previously seen stacks and stacks of cards and projects. Just say'n.)

So, my dear friends, it seems I'm back! I'm ready for the new year and I am ready for new adventures! Oh...speaking of new adventures, you should really check out the Amazing Mold Putty blog! I posted a fun tutorial for this little sprinkles key chain. If you haven't tried working with molds and resins yet, you totally should! It's way easier than it looks and super fantasticly fun!!!

Happy Wednesday to all!!!!

Jingle Out!

Sketch Tuesday

2011-12-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

Well, I hope you all had a super fantastic Christmas! Mine was absolutely wonderful and a bit on the overwhelming side, to be honest with you! WOW! I am just so blessed! Today is another Skipping Stones Design Sketch Tuesday and I am not lying when I tell you that I am quite pleased to be moving on from Christmas cards! LOL!

I used the Chic Martini set to create this super fun New Year's card! The chalkboard tag is from Canvas Corp. and the ribbon is May Arts fabulousness! I stamped the silver border in the background using the Frills set! I love these stamps!!!

I used silver and white inks on this one, which can be a mess sometimes, but I was really happy with how nicely they dried and didn't smear! YAY! (My silver ink pad and I don't always get along. Just say'n. HA!)

Now..head on over to Skipping Stones, check out the sketch and the inspiration from the rest of the team along with our amazing guest designers and join in the fun!!! You could win free Skipping Stones Stamps!

Have a happy Tuesday!

Jingle Out!

Happy Christmas Eve and a fun Announcement!!!

2011-12-24T08:00:00.011-05:00

It's HERE!!!! It's Christmas Eve and that makes me SOOO HAPPPY!!!!! Just say'n. I have some super exciting news to share with you today, too! I am joining the Scrapbook Circle Design Team! I KNOW!!! RIGHT??? This is so exciting for me and I have kept it a secret for WAY too long! If you aren't familiar with Scrapbook Circle you simply MUST check them out! They are a scrapbooking kit club and they have AMAZING kits! I am joining the team as the card designer and I can't WAIT to share this cuteness with you guys!!! Here are some sneaks of January's kit!

Okay...go wipe off your keyboard now, 'cause I KNOW you have got to be drooling over this thing! I will be showing some fun cards created with this kit this month and don't forget to keep your eye on the SC blog to see what the amazing scrapbookers come up with! This is gonna be AWESOME. Just say'n.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Jingle On!

It's Christmas Eve Eve!!!!!

2011-12-23T08:04:00.003-05:00

Yup. The day before Christmas Eve is Christmas Eve Eve. Just say'n. I have to work today, which is a bit of a bummer, but, alas, I shall live. HA! I think I will leave early, though. I mean, afterall, it IS Christmas Eve Eve! Squeeeee!!!!! I want to show you the little calenders that I made for my co-workers as Christmas gifts! I got the cases and the print out (I bought the kit, so mine were printed, but I have the PDF file, too) from Little Potato House!

This was a coffee table project - TV made it more fun! YAY! I began with a stack of 12 ink colors, 12 stamp selections, several calender sheets that I had already cut, and a handful of appropriately sized blocks, and then I went to town to create these! Oh...and beer. Definitely beer. Just say'n. HA!

Adorable little business card sized desktop calendars!!! SO CUTE!!! I love them. Just say'n. Each page is stamped in some way to represent the month. I had fun picking out the stamps and colors!

Yup. There is the full year of cuteness! YAY!!!! Okay, so just because I know someone is bound to ask...here's the rundown on stamps and colors used. All ink is CTMH.

Jan: Close To My Heart/Crystal Blue
Feb: 100 Proof Press/Cranberry
March: Skipping Stones Design (sneak peek!)/Clover Meadow
April: Skipping Stones Design/Tulip
May: Skipping Stones Design/Twilight
June: 100 Proof Press/Brown Bag
July: Lawn Fawn/Orange
August: Fiskars/Citrus Leaf & Sunflower
September: My Mind's Eye/Chocolate
October: Skipping Stones Design/Archival Black
November: Close To My Heart/Autumn Terracotta
December: Lawn Fawn/Holiday Red (with stickles! YAY!)

Whew! Not bad for doing that from memory! LOL! And here is how I packaged them up:

Just wrapped 'em up with a bit of twine and they were off!

Well, that's all for today. I do have a post planned for tomorrow, despite the holiday, but just in case you don't get around I want to wish each and everyone of my readers a WONDERFULLY Happy Christmas!!!! Thanks for being awesome and reading my blog and stuff. You are so appreciated!

Jingle Out! (But still Jingling!!!!!)

Three projects for Three more sleeps 'till Christmas!!!

2011-12-22T08:17:00.000-05:00

It's going to be a quick one today. It's crunch time, folks, what can I say? HA! I have three projects to share with you today. Two simple, super easy Christmas cards and a tag that I absolutely LOVE!

This is just a basic little card, but it was kind of super crazy fun to make. I started with the four corners of the 'box' and then just worked my way in with the glitter glue dots. I love glitter!!!!

This one is the result of an impulse purchase that I absolutely DO NOT regret! I don't often buy stamps since I get so many from the DT's I'm on, but I do like to pick them up on occasion. When I saw this one at Micheal's I just knew that I *needed* it! I love it! The greeting is just awesome because you don't see it every day and the image...*Sigh*...perfection! LOVE. IT.

And lastly, there is this! Mmmmmm! Just look at all of that yummy texture! This one is made with lots of fun Stampendous! goodies! I used the thick embossing enamel, Stampendous! stamps, glass glitter, and mica flakes...ALL from Stampendous! LOVE. IT. Just say'n.

And that May Arts silky crush ribbon tops it off perfectly! YAY for pretty things!!!!

So...are you surrounded by pretty things right now? I hope so. Christmas is a time for pretty things! Happy Thursday before CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!

Jingle Out.

P.S. I don't have any candy to eat for breakfast. Should I go to CVS to fix that problem? Hmmm.....

Only Four More Sleeps 'till Christmas!!!!! {WOYWW}

2011-12-21T07:32:00.002-05:00

Well, it's the Wednesday before Christmas and my desk pretty much shows it! There is an over abundance of red and green on that thing at the moment along with the Design Team goodies that have arrived over the last week or so that I need to dive into yet. It's a bit on the crazy side, to be honest with you! Ok. Fine. I admit it. It's just plain nuts! HA!

I also wanted to share a quick card with you. I created this one using the awesome Cling Jumbo Sparkle Joy set from Stampendous! I stamped the sparkle on the background in ocean breeze ink and then stamped Joy in VersaMark and embossed it with the Shabby Blue Embossing Powder. I then sprayed a blue mist over the entire card before adding the rhinestones and the twine.

Oh...so you know how I said I was pretty much done with my shopping? Yeah, well, as it turns out I don't like being done with my shopping. I like having last minute things to buy ...well, at. the. last. minute. Just say'n.

SO.

I've decided that I'm not done. The Hubbums seems to think this is ridiculous. He might not be entirely wrong on that, but at least it's FUN!!!! YAY!!!! Tee-hee.

And...Happy Hanukkah, everyone! The Festival of Lights officially began at sundown yesterday. Oh...and Happy Winter Solstice, too....for me, this means one thing in particular...welcome to the days FINALLY starting to get longer! THAT, my friends, makes me happy. Just say'n.

Oh...and to check out more fabulous workspaces head on over to Julia's blog! It's fun!

Skipping Stones Design Sketch Tuesday - Joy!

2011-12-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hello, there, folks! It's a rather chilly Tuesday here in New England, so I figure we should just warm that up with a bit of Holiday Cheer, what do you think? You agree? Well, then! How delightful! (*Note: If you didn't agree, I ignored you completely. Just say'n.) So. Here we go, then. HA!

It's Sketch Tuesday over at Skipping Stones Design and that means that we have a new sketch for you! It is a pretty great one created by the fabulous Jen del Muro and I'm SO SURE you are going to want to play along! Keep in mind that you can use any supplies you have on hand (you don't have to use SSD stamps), but you WILL have a chance to WIN SSD stamps, so that is pretty great. Just say'n. AND...we are still playing with Canvas Corp. goodies this month and I am LOVING IT!

The papers (love that bold stripe), clothespin, and envelope are all from Canvas Corp. I used the Wisemen stamp set and some yummy twine and a flashcard I had hidden in my stash!

And THAT, my friends, is my card for today! Oh! I am officially done with my Christmas shopping. By that I mean that I have everything that I should buy, but I totally will be picking up a couple little things over the course of this week because I'm just crazy like that. HA! I suppose that is good because I'm pretty much in the 'eternally tired' zone created by the combination of the longest, darkest days of the year and the holiday insanity. Just say'n. Am I alone in this? Anyone? Anyone? K. I didn't think so. That's good to know. Thanks. Luv ya!

Happy DAY!!!!!

Jingle Out!

Joyeux Noel

2011-12-19T08:48:00.000-05:00

WOW! I totally cannot believe that Christmas is this weekend! Like. WHOAH! Just say'n. BUT...that means I still have a week to sneak in some fabulous Christmas cards and stuff for your last minute inspiration! I know you like last minute inspiration. Actually...I still haven't even finished my shopping for The Hubbums' so I'm ALL about the last minute! HA!

Today's card comes to you inspired by the Potpourri Challenge over at Moxie Fab World along with inspiration from an AMAZING stamp from 100 Proof Press! The image is called Santa Holding Tree (#4723-S) and I absolutely LOVE IT!!!!

I particularly love the black in white color scheme, inspired by the challenge photo, along with the amazing detail in that stamped image! It just makes me happy! And I love that SRM Sticker sentiment! It is a perfect fit!

And with that, my dear friends, I wish you a VERY Merry Monday before Christmas!!!! YAY!!!!! Happy day!

Stampendous Saturday! - Color Challenge Week 3!

2011-12-17T08:00:00.022-05:00

It's Stampendous Saturday and you know what that means! We are playing with this months fabulous color challenge! This month we are playing with Pink, brown, cream and gold! Choose any three colors and CREATE!

The Challenge: make a card or project with at least three of these four colors: pink, cream, gold, and/or brown
Challenge runs through: Thursday, January 5 @ 11:59 PM EST
The Prize: Amore Frame Perfectly Clear set

I pulled out the Cling Polar Bear set for today's fun little card! The background paper is from American Crafts. I stamped the image, colored it, and cut it out and I really love how it stands on that background. The sentiment is stamped directly onto the card background.

Here is the list of Stampendous! Chicks participating this week!

Stampendous Impressions

Taylor Usry

Pam Hornschu

Melinda Gleissner

Suzanne Czosek

Kristine Reynolds

Janelle Stollfus

Jennifer Ingle
Wendy Price

Don't forget to link up your take on this months color challenge for a chance to win some great stamps! You can link up on any participants blogs and it will show up on all of them! YAY!

Skipping Stones Design Feature Friday!!!!

2011-12-16T07:59:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's my turn for Feature Friday and I'm featuring the Grunge set! If you came over from the Skipping Stones blog then you saw this little peek:

*sigh* I love playing with texture sometimes! And here is the card in all it's shining glory!

I also pulled out Sentiment Frames for my sentiment on this one. AND...some fabulous paper from Canvas Corp! The ribbon is May Arts and the twine is Stamp'n Up! Honestly, you guys... this was SUCH A fun card to make! I love the different textures in it and it makes me happy! YAY!!!!

You wanna know what else makes me happy? Fridays. Fridays make me REALLY happy. Although, I really wanted a white hot chocolate from Dunks and apparently they replaced that (without my permission, mind you) with the mint one and that's just gross!!!! Grrrrrr!!!! But, alas, 'tis still Friday, so I choose to be happy anyway. My Yogi tea will get me through! HA! Have a happy day!!!!

Oh...and don't forget to check out my other post for today...I made a Kokeshi Christmas card that is just cuteness!!!!

Jingle Out!

Kokeshi Christmas

2011-12-16T07:52:00.001-05:00

Well, it's time for another Friends With Flair Friday, and to be honest, I had planned to skip it this time around because this week was so busy, but last night I got a chance to play and I had an idea for this card so I just couldn't resist creating it!

I used the Kokeshi Cuties set by Samantha Walker for Unity for this card. I first stamped the Kokeshi doll and then masked her to stamp the fan behind her head. I LOVE the way that turned out! So fun!

She is colored with Prisma Color markers blended with OMS. The sentiment sticker is from SRM Press and the ribbon is, of course, May Arts.

And the cuteness...well, that's just from that ADORABLE LITTLE DOLL!!!!! No, really...how can you look at her and not smile? You can't. K. Thanks.

Don't forget to check out the following post for my Skipping Stones Feature Friday!

A Christmas Ornament for you, Deer!

2011-12-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

Ummm....so I TOTALLY have some Retro Cafe Art goodness coming at ya today. Just say'n. And yes, I can spell. I used that particular spelling in the title of this post on purpose. Wanna know WHY?????

...Because I'm just punny like that.

HA!!! Ya see what I did there? Yeah. I totally used 'punny' instead of 'funny' and I made it a double pun because I was talking about using 'deer' instead of 'dear' because there are antlers on the ornament. Yeah. Did ya see that?

HA!!! I totally crack myself up. Just say'n. ANYWAAAAAAAYYYY....

K. So for this one I pulled out some FUN STUFF!!! I started with the inside part of the Fancy ATC Frame Style 3 and covered that with one of the ATC cutouts from the Backgrounds and Words Digital Collage Sheet. This is such a versatile sheet! To the top I strung a Tim Holtz Muse Token and a Coffee Break Designs Window Frame that I painted with Luminarte Radiant Rain Daubers.

I layered three strips of Fancy Scalloped German Dresden in red and then topped that off with those amazing German Dresden antlers! Seriously. Those are just awesome. Just say'n.

So...basically, I created THIS!

And I pretty much love it. I tied it off with some May Arts burlap string. I love that stuff. Just say'n.

Don't forget to check out the post before this one...I posted LOTS of Christmas cards that I created!!! YAY!!!!

Have fun. Be happy. Just be.

Jingle Out!

Christmas Cards!!!!!

2011-12-15T08:03:00.000-05:00

I made some. Just for fun. Well, and to give to people for Christmas, but you know how that goes. But for reals...no challenges, no assignments, none of that...these ones I made just because I wanted to make some pretty Christmas cards! And BOY was it fun!

This first one was SUPER SUPER easy! I love that! The background paper is a BoBunny Glitter paper and I just cut around the frame so it would fit where I wanted it on the card. One rectangular cut of paper and then one fabulous SRM sentiment sticker and a bit of twine and I was done! Gotta love supplies that do all the work for you!

For this one I used the same set of SRM sentiment stickers and the same twine and paper from the same line...I just cut out the frame on this one so I could pop it up with pop dots! YAY!

This one was super fun! I began with the Christmas Tree circle sticker (from SRM) and had the idea to put the red and white twine (The Twinery) around it, but once I had done that all I could see was a snowglobe, so I just kept going! I cut the base from kraft cardstock and added the sticker to that and then used another sticker as the sentiment. It's too fun!

Of course it needed snow, so out came the Stickles for that job! YAY for Stickles!!!

This one uses the Christmas Emporium papers from Graphic45 (the same set I used for the advent wreath I posted yesterday) along with some pretty Maya Road lace, a few vintage buttons and yet another great sentiment sticker from SRM! I love their stickers. Just say'n.

And that's all! Well, that's not ALL of my Christmas cards...you have seen many before and I certainly am not done making them, but you you know what I mean, I'm quite sure. Right? Right. K. Thanks. I will have another fun post for you later today, too, so be sure to check it out! Also....it has been a CRAZY week around here, so check out the list just under the header if you are looking for something in particular. I have a collection of links there to help you out!

Okedy-dokely! Have a happy Thursday!

Jingle Out!

May Arts & Graphic 45 Blog Hop - Christmas Emporium Advent Wreath

2011-12-14T07:55:00.000-05:00

This is my second post of the day! Please check out the Samantha Walker Blog Hop, too! More chances to win!

Hello, folks! Today I have something special for you! May Arts and Graphic 45 have come together this week for a week FULL of great projects, TONS of inspiration, and, of course, LOTS of prizes!!! Be sure to check out both the May Arts and Graphic 45 blogs for your chance to win some great stuff!!!

The blogs participating today are:
Robin Shakoor
Yuka Hino
Gloria Stengel
Jingle (That's me!)
Jennifer Cowels

And here is my project! I have created an Advent Wreath using the Christmas Emporium collection along with some FABULOUS May Arts ribbon and twine!

Supplies:
Wreath
May Arts Burlap String in red and natural.
May Arts Solid Wired Ribbon in Green
May Arts Metallic Gold Ribbon
Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium Papers and Chipboard Die Cuts
Florists Wire
Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge (or other pillow box die)
Number Stickers (Mine are SRM Press and October Afternoon)

Begin by cutting out 24 little pillow boxes with Sally the Cricut. (Well, you can't use Sally, you'll have to use your own Cricut. Just say'n.) I chose four papers and cut six from each sheet with plans to do three of each pattern, as the paper is double sided.

Assemble the boxes. This is a great time to enlist the help of your Hubbums. Just say'n. Also, be sure to use a strong adhesive so they don't pop open.

Embellish the boxes with the burlap string and add number stickers (1-24) to each box. Now is also a good time to add the treats inside (small toys or candy...Squinkies would probably work GREAT!) the pillow boxes.

Using florists wire affix the boxes to the wreath all over the place! I didn't keep mine in order, as part of the fun is finding the number for that day!

Again, using the florists wire, affix the chipboard tags and die cuts as additional decoration on the wreath. Hang your wreath in a place where you can get to it each day to reveal the treats! You could also put slips of paper in each box with the Bible verses to tell the Christmas story along with the goodies!

Thanks for stopping by and Enjoy today's blog hope!

Cute Christmas Pillow Boxes for Giving Teachers the perfect Gift {Samantha Walker Blog Hop!}

2011-12-14T00:01:00.015-05:00

Yes, folks, it's time for the Samantha Walker December blog hop and we have some FABULOUS inspiration to share with you all along the way this time around! Samantha is giving away one of her fabulous digital Scrapbook Kits so be sure to leave comments all along the way for your chance to win that!!! If you came from Samantha's blog you have already started!!! YAY!!! If not, it's only ONE hop back, so fee free to jump on over there to get in on ALL the fun!

For today I decided to give you a little non-Christmassy Christmas inspiration! That's right...it doesn't all have to be trees, reindeer, and Santa Claus! I created a couple of super cute pillow boxes to give gift cards to teachers. As the wife of a teacher and a former teacher myself, there are two perfect gifts to give a teacher - gift cards or classroom supplies! They don't cause clutter and they are always useful!

These are both created with the Samantha Walker A to Z line by Creative Imaginations! I love this line!!! It is so fun and the imagery in it just makes me happy! I used the papers, cut with Sally the Cricut's Art Philosophy Cartridge (that's her favorite one) into the pillow box shape and then I embellished them with the stickers from the line! I LOVE IT! The twine is May Arts.

I'll be honest...I had a hard time cutting those papers on that second one. I just LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Now it's time to head on to Guiseppa's blog to continue on this fabulous hop!!! Happy Wednesday!!!

It's Skipping Stones Design December Blog Hop Day and We are All About Texture!

2011-12-13T08:02:00.000-05:00

***This is my second post of the day! To see a special Birthday hop check out the previous post!***

Welcome to Sketch Challenge #106 and a Blog Hop to feature many of the wonderful Texture Sets from Skipping Stones Designs! If you just came from Tosha's blog, you are in the right place. If you just happened along my blog today, start at the beginning of the hop at Skipping Stones Design. The entire hop order is there and you can hop from blog to blog with ease.

Be sure to hop along and leave comments on all the fabulous designers’ blogs. This month we are welcoming Tosha Leyendekker, Kendra Sand and Windy Robinson to our team as Guest Designers! Jen Del Muro will be providing all the fabulous sketch inspiration this month including the sketch we're using in today's hop!

Head over to Karen's blog for some more Skipping Stones Design inspiration!

We are also lucky enough to be working with the fabulous folks over at Canvas Corp this month! I am LOVING their stuff, you guys! Seriously!!! It's kind of pretty much awesome. Just say'n. So...here's my card for this week!

I used the Timeless Textures set and the Sentiment Frames set for my card along with lots of fabulous papers from Canvas Corp.!

That gorgeous ribbon is May Arts, of course! So...here's the thing...hop along the blog hop to get some SERIOUS inspiration and then head on over to Skipping Stones Design to grab the sketch and play along for your chance to win some FREE STAMPS! You don't have to use SSD stamps to play, so grab what you've got and jump in the fun!

Skipping Stones Designs

Happy Birthday, Laura!

2011-12-13T07:56:00.000-05:00

It's Laura's birthday over at Stampendous and we are CELEBRATING! The Design Team has come together to create Happy Birthday cards JUST for Laura! YAY!

So, I'm keeping it simple here today and just saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Laura!!!! I hope it's pretty much awesome! Go ahead and leave your birthday wishes for Laura in the comments, if you would like!

To create my card I used the Dandelion Wish Perfectly Clear set (which I LOVE!!!) with some Hollyhock ink from CTMH!

Check out the cards everyone else made, too!

Melinda
Janelle
Taylor
Wendy P
Trudee
Jennie
Pam
Lynn
Krissy
Stephanie
Kristine
Wendy J
Jingle
Jennifer Dove
Rachel
Cyndi

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day 2011

2011-12-12T09:00:00.003-05:00

***THIS IS MY SECOND POST FOR TODAY! Please scroll down to check out the first one! :-)***

It is time for the ALWAYS fun Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day! I actually have THREE Prizes that I am giving away today, so check them out and get your entry in!

If you are new to my blog, welcome! It's great to have you here! I do hope you will take a moment to look around and check the place out! If you like what you see, feel free to follow and/or like my Facebook page! Both options are available on the right hand side bar. Thanks for coming!

Prize #1. Love Who You Are Wall Hanging

Prize #2. Braided Fabric Necklace

Prize #3. Fabric Squares from Riley Blake's Samantha Walker Collection

So...here's the deal...to enter to win one of these three prizes, simply leave a comment below telling me which one you like the most! That may or may not have an impact on which one you win if you are chosen, but I'm curious! LOL! Please DO NOT leave 'enter me' or 'pick me' style comments, as those will not be counted. They bug me. Just say'n. K? K. Thanks. You guys rock!

Following my blog or Facebook page are not required, but feel free to do so! 'Cause I kinda love it when I meet new friends! YAY!!!!

This giveaway is open through Friday 16 December 2011 and is open worldwide. A winner (or two or three) will be chosen and I will post the winner here on my blog, as well as attempting to contact via email. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT (jinglesells at gmail dot com) so I can contact you if you win! THANKS! Love you all! Happy Giveaway Day! Buh-bye, now!

Jingle Out!

A REALLY BIG CHRISTMAS TREE from 100 Proof Press

2011-12-12T07:30:00.001-05:00

Hello, Monday. Let's just start by saying that this week is going to be a PAARRRTY around here! I have LOTS going on this week and that means lots of posts and really great stuff, too! It's going to be a great week, so don't forget to stop in each day!

For today's fun and games, I have a REALLY COOL Christmas tree card to share with you. The card itself is not bad, but this
Christmas tree stamp just ROCKS! It's from 100 Proof Press and it is HUGE and I LOVE IT!

I really wish this photo was better because, quite frankly, I kinda love this card and it's not showing it off very well, but some days that happens. I stamped the tree in Ponderosa Pine and then stamped the pot in Autumn TerraCotta. I used some Distress Stickles to add some sparkle to the ornaments on the tree.

The bottom of the card is tied with bunches o' burlap string from May Arts. I love that stuff! The sentiment is SRM Press cuteness!

Have a SUPER Happy Monday and don't forget to check out my GIVEAWAY below (after 9am Eastern)!!!!

It's Stampendous Saturday! Color Challenge Time!

2011-12-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

It's the second Saturday of December, and the Stampendous team is playing along with a color challenge…to use pink, cream, gold, and/or brown in a card or project. The colors can be by way of papers, coloring implements, inks, and/or any of the fabulous Stampendous Essentials. If you've been stuck in a traditional holiday color mode, this is your opportunity to think outside the Christmas crayon box! Please join us in our challenge this month, and link your creation(s) to the InLinkz located on the Stampendous Impressions' blog (or any team member's blog post that has the collection at the bottom). You don't have to use Stampendous images and/or products on your designs…but we sure love it when you do! You have until January 5, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST to enter your creation, for the opportunity to be the one lucky random winner to receive this fabulous Stampendous prize, the Amore Frames Perfectly Clear set.

The Challenge: make a card or project with at least three of these four colors: pink, cream, gold, and/or brown
Date: December 10
Time: 8:00 AM EST
Challenge runs through: Thursday, January 5 @ 11:59 PM EST
The Prize: Amore Frame Perfectly Clear set

I created this super fun and super easy set of tags! I stamped the Christmas Year stamp in part on each one. I added a small icons from Charm set and embossed them with gold enamel. Then, I simply finished them off with some twine from The Twinery!

Check out the other girls' fabulous projects!

Stampendous Impressions -http://stampendousblog.wordpress.com
Taylor Usry - http://taylorusry.blogspot.com/ (blog candy)
Pam Hornschu - http://1pamperedstamper.blogspot.com (blog candy)
WendyJordan - http://www.papertherapy-wendy.blogspot.com
Jenn Dove - http://just4funcrafts.blogspot.com/ (blog candy)
Melinda Gleissner - http://mynoteworthycards.blogspot.com/
Suzanne Czosek - http://www.suzzstampingspot.blogspot.com/ (blog candy)
Lynn Mercurio - http://www.stamperosity.com/ (blog candy)
Cyndi Bundy -- http://www.scrappychickcyndi.blogspot.com/ (blog candy)
Kristine Reynolds -- http://stampingandscrapingincalifornia.blogspot.com/
Janelle Stollfus -- http://rainpuddlesdesign.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Ingle--http://www.justjingle.blogspot.com/

Link up your project here!

Just in case you didn't know.....IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!!!

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, this week I officially began my shopping for The Hubbums, I have been listening to Christmas music when I can, making Christmas cards, and by golly I'm even eating Christmas donuts from Dunks as I type this. One of them is really pretty! It's star shaped and has silver sprinkly things on it and white icing and is filled with bavarian cream. YUMMY!!!! The red one with green sprinkles and tiny Christmas tree sprinkles is long gone. Just say'n.

Anyway...where was I? Oh, yes....IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!! So, that means fun Christmas cards!

And this one is super fun! I started with a gorgeous stamp from Samantha Walker's Encompassed Grace set from Unity. I LOVE this set! I embossed the image with the Shabby White embossing enamel from Stampendous. It is SO pretty! It has gold glitter mixed into it making it TOTALLY sparkle! I added some fun rhinestones and finished it off with a pop of color in the twine from The Twinery!

And now that other donut is gone, too. Just say'n. Good thing I have my tea! HA! And...you know what? Today is TOTALLY FRIDAY!!!! That TOTALLY makes me happy. Like, as in, wicked crazy happy kind of happy. Just say'n. SO...I wish you well and hope you have a SUPER SPECTACULAR weekend!!!! YAY! Make something fabulous!

Jingle out!

Vintage Post Card Images Make Me Happy. Just say'n.

2011-12-08T07:58:00.001-05:00

I don't know what it is about the thing like old stamps, post cards, letters, and the like, but quite frankly...I love 'em.

And that, my friends, is pretty much why I LOVE this Bird Post stamp from Stampendous! It comes in cling or wood mounted, too, which is nice!

To create my pillow box, I first cut the box from the Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge from white cardstock. Keeping it flat, I stamped the image in black directly on the box. Then I stamped the image a second time, this time with red ink, on another piece of white cardstock and I cut out the bird to mount over the one in black.

I inked around the edges with distress ink, leaving the card white. I added a bit of a watercolor touch with my waterpen and a red ink pad and then I added some aged gold embossing enamel to the crown and Fun Flock in Cotton Ball, as well.

I assembled the box ('cause I heard they work better that way) and then tied it up with pretty May Arts twine! And NOW...I just need to go buy something small enough to fit in it to give to someone! HA! Actually, these are great for gift cards! They also look really pretty peaking out of a stocking OR...you can fill them with candy. 'Cause candy makes people happy. At least...it makes me happy and that's all that matters, right? HA! TOTALLY kidding. Well, not about the candy making me happy part. Just say'n.

Jingle Out.

We Travel The World Together (And a stamping contest!)

2011-12-07T07:41:00.000-05:00

Blogging is kind of like that, don't you think? We get to know people and and their homes from all over the world! It's kinda awesome if you ask me. Just say'n. And when I got this fabulous stamp in hand from 100 Proof Press and then saw the Get Inspired By Home Decor Challenge in the Moxie Fab World this idea of travel was STUCK but GOOD in my happy little head! So...out came the map paper for a fun card!

Am I the only one mildly obsessed with map papers? I see them. I buy them. I love them. And, by golly, I even go so far as to USE them! *gasp!* I know, right?! Craziness all up in here! HA!!!! This particular one is from October Afternoon and the paper behind it is Crate Paper. That fabulous ribbon...TOTALLY May Arts. Just say'n. And that stamp! That totally wicked awesome suitcase stamp...well, you can find that in the travel section over at 100 Proof Press! (You might also want to search for 'suitcase' and 'luggage' to see some OTHER awesome ones to go with it. Just say'n.

OH! Speaking of 100 Proof Press...the Press It Out Contest is in full swing! The deadline for this fabulous contest is December 31st. You can submit ANY stamping project you wish and as many times as you would like. You must use primarily 100 Proof Press stamps and the prizes...well, they ROCK!!!! LOTS of gift certificates to 100 Proof Press!!!! So, check it out and submit!!!!!

As for my workspace today...Here you go:

Lots of fun remnants of projects. It was totally clear on Saturday morning when I started working. I know you don't believe me, but it's true! HA! If you would like to see more fun workspaces don't forget to check out Julia's blog!

Skipping Stones December with Canvas Corp.

2011-12-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's a new month and an exciting one at that over at Skipping Stones Design! We have joined together with the fine folks over at Canvas Corp and let me tell you, this is a fabulous combination! YAYA!!!! Seriously...have you ever used their stuff? I'm in LOVE!!!! Let's start with my card for today, K? K. Thanks.

Yup. TOTALLY fun!!! The stamps are from the Christmas Swirls set and they stamped beautifully on the Canvas tag from Canvas Corp! I also used patterned papers from Canvas Corp and I am LOVING the kraft and adorable Christmas patterns!!!

I added the eyelet to the tag and tied it with May Arts silk ribbon. I love that stuff! The tinsel is American Crafts and super fun! It's all so CHRISTMASSY!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a big fan of Christmas. Just say'n.

SO...here's the deal...go check out what our amazing guests, partner, and design team have created! It's PARTY TIME, folks!!!! Then you TOTALLY need to create a card based on the sketch over at the Skipping Stones Blog and link it up for your chance at FREE STAMPS! You don't have to use SSD stamps to participate, so jump in with whatever you've got!

Canvas Corp Blog
Jen Del Muro - December Sketch Artist
Tosha Leyendekker Guest Artist
Windy Robinson Guest Artist
Kendra Sand Guest Artist
Jingle (That's me!)
JoAnn Valderama
Kandi Phillips
Karen Baker
Katie Gehring
Shannon Teubner
Stephanie Mino
Taylor Usry
Wendy Price
Wendy Jordan

Go check 'em out and don't forget to join in with your own card!!!

P.S. Check out this amazing giveaway! This is not related to my post, but it is AWESOME. Just say'n.

Winter Deer Shrine with Retro Cafe Art Gallery

2011-12-05T08:10:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, folks! Is it just me or was that weekend WAY too short! I like the one before it much better, personally. HA! Today I have a Winter Deer Shrine that I created using fabulous goodies from Retro Cafe Art to share with you. I like this because it is not *just* Christmas, but yet, fits in well with a nice rustic Christmas decor.

I began with the basic ATC Shelf shrine as the backdrop for this little piece. I inked it entirely with Distress Ink and then, it is very subtle in the photo, but I sprayed the placed the deer stencil on the background and spritzed it with Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer Mist in chalk. It left a pretty shimmer and a perfect shadow for my deer!

I edged the outline with Distress Stickles and then added some mica flakes at the bottom for snow. I love that part! It makes me happy!

The deer cutouts (from the stencil - you totally get both parts!) are adhered with foam tape to give them a TON of dimension! I added a bit of German Dresden scrap with some stickles for more snow and topped off the male deer antlers with a bit of sparkle, as well. YAY for sparkly snow on antlers!!!!

This piece has a bit of a calm to it that I just love. You can almost here that subtle crunch of deer hooves on the snow as they break the silence of winter. *sigh* So wonderful and so peaceful! Don't forget to capture some of that silence and that peace during the hustle bustle of this busy holiday season. We all need it. Don't forget to breath.

It's Stampous Saturday with a NEW Challenge!

2011-12-03T08:00:00.037-05:00

I am excited to announce that I have been chosen as a Stampendous Blog Star and will, thus, be designing with them for the next four months! I am very excited about this and can't wait to share their fun stamps and crafting supplies with all of you!

It's the first Saturday of the month again, and that means that the Stampendous team is playing along with a NEW monthly challenge again! This month we are playing with a color challenge…to use pink, cream, gold, and/or brown in a card or project. The colors can be by way of papers, coloring implements, inks, and/or any of the fabulous Stampendous Essentials. If you've been stuck in a traditional holiday color mode, this is your opportunity to think outside the Christmas crayon box! Please join us in our challenge this month, and link your creation(s) to the InLinkz located on the Stampendous Impressions' blog (or any team member's blog post that has the collection at the bottom). You don't have to use Stampendous images and/or products on your designs…but we sure love it when you do! You have until January 5, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST to enter your creation, for the opportunity to be the one lucky random winner to receive this fabulous Stampendous prize, the Amore Frames Perfectly Clear set.

Here are the challenge details for you to play along!
The Challenge: make a card or project with at least three of these four colors: pink, cream, gold, and/or brown
Date: December 3
Time: 8:00 AM EST
Challenge runs through: Thursday, January 5 @ 11:59 PM EST
The Prize: Amore Frame Perfectly Clear set (US Only)

And here is my card for the challenge!

I used the butterfly from the Jumbo Hydrangea set.

And just WAIT 'till you see what the Stampendous team has put together to inspire you!

Stampendous Impressions
Taylor Usry
Pam Hornschu
Wendy Jordan
Jenn Dove
Melinda Gleissner
Suzanne Czosek
Krissy Fossmeyer
Lynn Mercurio
Stephanie Lee
Cyndi Bundy
Kristine Reynolds
Janelle Stollfus
Jennie Black

And now it's your turn! Create a card based on the challenge and link it up to the linky below. You can link it up here or on the Stampendous blog and it will show on all of them 'cause we're just fancy like that. Have fun!

I Believe in a bit of CRAZINESS! Just say'n.

2011-12-02T07:40:00.000-05:00

That's sorta what I see in this card. A bit of craziness! LOL! I'm curious to see what you guys think of it, to be honest. HA! I played with a couple of super fun giant border punches, some Echo Park Everybody Loves Christmas papers and Unity stamps and topped it all of with some May Arts ribbon. I love that ribbon! It's SO cute!

I told you. A wee bit of craziness in this one! HA! The clouds are from the Unity/Bella Blvd. Sunny Happy Skies set. I LOVE these clouds! I got a little wild and crazy and went with traditional Christmas colors for this one. I think it's fun!

Just a bit of sparkly snow created with Stickles, too. I like the sparkle!

The reindeer punch is EK Success and the other fabulous border punch is Martha Stewart. I love border punches!!! They make me happy!

So. There you have it! A fun little kinda crazy Christmas card! YAY! Have a happy Friday!

Jingle Out!

Long Time No Chick Chat

2011-12-01T07:40:00.000-05:00

I have a new 100 Proof Press card for you today! It has just a little tiny bit of The Twinery twine on it, too. Just a little. Just say'n.

Why, yes! Yes, it was, indeed, QUITE fun to put all that crazy twine on there! Thanks for asking! YAY! HA! No...seriously. Wicked fun. I love it! I used the Op Art Circle stamp, cut in half, to create the border beneath the twine. The phone is the Dial Desk Phone and one of my faves! I love that stamp! I snuck in an SSD sentiment to finish it off!

A few gem stones from Teresa Collins finish off this fabulous girlfriends card quite nicely! I am also linking this up with the Moxie Fab World Celebrating Relationships Challenge. I think it's a great card for National Girlfriends Day!

As for me...well, I still have spray paint on my hands from last night - yes - I showered. It's still there. I am pretty sure I dreamed about glitter last night...that must be a sign. And...basically, I have LOTS to do over the course of this weekend. It's a little insane, actually, but it should be lots of fun...and glittery. Just say'n.

OH...and if you haven't checked out Lawn Fawn week over on the May Arts blog you TOTALLY should! My tutorial is here, but check out the whole blog because there are some great prizes to be won! These are the tags I created for my tutorial:

And yes...I show you how to make those super cute pom-poms!!! YAY! Okay...that's all! Have a happy Thursday!

Jingle Out!

Get Inspired in the Kitchen Challenge and WOYWW all rolled into one! YAY!

2011-11-30T07:52:00.001-05:00

Yes, my dear friends it is Wednesday! And...I'm not sure how this happened, however, it appears to also be the last day of November! Wha?! For reals! That's just crazy. I have Christmas shopping to do...YIKES! I should probably post a wish list here soon, too, just in case my family decides to poke in for a peek. You know...just in *CASE*. I should, right? What do you think? Hmmmm.....maybe just my crafty wish list (oh...wait...that would pretty much be my ENTIRE wish list! HA!)

WELL....onto the fun for today! I am loving that Moxie Fab World is doing an entire series of challenges based on the recent Get Inspired Card Creations special issue! I have a copy of this issue and it is fantastic and I'm excited to work on these challenges. Here is the first one I have done!

Isn't it fun? I had a lot of fun creating this one. The inspiration photo was great and totally got me thinking! Isn't this cute???!!! It's the Get Inspired by the Kitchen challenge and you should probably play. Just say'n.

I used the Skipping Stones Design Timeless Textures set for the background and added the stones for a second shade of the green and some SHINE! I do so love shiny things. Just say'n. The ribbon is May Arts and that neat label is an older CTMH one that I had in my stash. I love it!

And, since it is What's On Your Workspace Wednesday, I have a fabuloso shot of my desk in the rare condition on....oh, who am I kidding.

There she is in all her glory! HA! Some Stampendous fun that will be arriving at a blog near you come Saturday, my fresh roll of Increditape from Retro Cafe Art, May Arts ribbon from the card above and stacks upon stacks of STUFF. It's fun stuff, though. And it makes me happy. Ever. So. Happy. Just say'n.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to leave a comment because they make me feel loved! YAY!

Jingle Out.

It's Time for Skipping Stone Sketch Tuesday and a Moxie Fab Challenge All Rolled Into ONE! YAY!

2011-11-29T08:01:00.001-05:00

Yes, my friends, it's Tuesday, and that means it is time for a new sketch over at Skipping Stones Design! AND...another chance for you to participate and possible win some Skipping Stones Stamps! YAY! Don't forget that you don't have to use SSD stamps to participate, but if you have them we love to see them! Here is my card for this week's sketch...

YAY! I combined the sketch (see below) with the Championing Award Challenge over at Moxie Fab World! I had these fabulous Pink Paislee Medallions and the wonderful flag cut outs and...well, I ended up not using them in quite the traditional 'award' formation, but I love the end result! So fun! I used two Skipping Stones Design stamp sets for this card, the butterfly from Uplifting and the sentiment from Everyday Blessings.

The ribbon is from our November partner, Creative Impressions! So cute!

So...you TOTALLY need to jump in with this sketch! It's such a fun one and offers a lot of personalization! Go for it and link it up over at Skipping Stones for your chance to win!

Jingle Out!

What I Did on My Thanksgiving Vacation....

2011-11-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

...okay, so maybe that isn't quite as popular as the summer vacation essay, but still! HA! So, here's the deal, I'm going to give you the run down on the last four days in photos with a bit of explanation here and there...sooooo...*deep breath in*.....here goes....

Thursday: Thanksgiving Day: Had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Mom and Dad. It was SOOOO yummy!!!!! Saw the fam and such.

My Adorable Mommy!

Met my cousin's new baby girl, Ava. She's three weeks old and just over seven pounds. Just in case you are confused by that - she is basically TEENSY TINY!!!!!

Grandpa and Ava

Mom and Ava

My sister, Sarah, and Ava. Yes...Ava was a pretty popular little thing.

Hung out with my cousin's son a bit, too. Tyler is pretty much awesome. Just say'n.

The Hubbums and Tyler

Tyler and his Leapster

Nana and Ava (...like I said...popular kid, that one. Just say'n.)

And I took enough pictures to start getting looks before dinner even started. LOVE THAT!

The Hubbums and Sarah. My personal favorite photo of the day. These two crack me up!

We celebrated Tyler's birthday since we were all together. That's my cousin (Ava & Tyler's mom) with him.

Watched this little girl, my cousin, Jade, come alive for the first time ever! She opened up SO much this year and kept us laughing! So cute!

Mom, Dad, and The Hubbums getting things ready.

Desserts in action! THERE WERE SO MANY OF THEM!!!! And they were REALLY good, too!

*ANOTHER DEEP BREATH IN* Annnnnd....we move to Friday. Friday is tree cutting day! We met up with the fam for breakfast at a little local place and then headed to the tree farm to choose a tree for my parents. This is an annual tradition that leads to my sister choosing the largest tree she can possibly find and my Mom talking her down from there. Both examine the trees QUITE thoroughly to check for proper amount and distribution of needles, lack of bare spots, perfect height, straightness of the trunk, etc. to find the PERFECT tree.

Mom and Sarah examining a potential 'perfect tree.'

Sometimes you have to fend off the scary tree monsters....or your Daddy...one or the other....just say'n.

Sometimes I just enjoy the view with my camera! :-)

The Hunt is ON!

Maybe?????

Perhaps? Let's take a full group circle analysis of this tree.

Decisions, Decisions!!!!

Could it be? The perfect tree? Oh, me!

Is it the right size? Let's hug it to find out. K? K. Thanks.

This could be it!

Excuse me while I just enjoy that view once again....

The men have been left to guard the perfect tree while we go search the lot for...the perfect tree....waiiiiit a minute.......

Note the obvious disapproval on the Sister's face. She doesn't like little trees.

And....yet another discussion on potential. They walked away from this one, too.

Sarah's thoughts on little trees. HA!

YAY! We found the perfect tree! Hugs and celebration! HA! My family CRACKS ME UP!!!!

One last scan to see if there are any other more prefect trees. Just in case. You know how it is.

Cutting down the tree.

Bringing in the tree.

Tying the tree to the roof.

Watching them drive down the road with said tree tied to said roof. YAY for the perfect tree!

*DEEP BREATH....k....now onto SATURDAY!*

Get tree from basement. Put together tree. (Yes...we have a fake one. I like it.)

Get Hubbums to do lights and ribbon since it comes out like a five year old did it if I do that part. Just say'n.

Decorate the tree with fabulous Ikea and other ornaments. Lots of them.

Add a few other decorations around the house and voila! It's CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

As for Sunday, well...

There was a lot of this enjoyed by all! Relaxing!!!! Miss Maggie loves the Christmas tree! She always has!

So...that was my Thanksgiving weekend...how was yours? Thanks for stopping by!

Jingle Out!

My Workspace is a crazy mess, but at least I got a cute card made out of the deal. Just say'n.

2011-11-23T08:21:00.000-05:00

So...it's Wednesday and that, as usual, means it's time to share my workspace. It's a mess. I KNOW! You are totally shocked by that! HA! Or not. Whatever. BUT...it's only a mess because of happy things! You see, I got to take a little jaunt to a scrapbook store with a friend on Saturday and that led to new stuff and that, my friends, leads to me wanting to USE said new stuff! Novel concept, I know! HA! So....

Here it is in all it's glory! Ahhhh....! I really do love that silly mess, you know. I know some people like everything nice and neat and can't work in a mess, and I'm all for a nice clean table, but sometimes that mess just makes me smile because it reminds me that I'm truly passionate about what I do. I just love it.

And here is the most recent card to come from that mess. This is the card I made for The Hubbums for his birthday yesterday. He loves maps, so that background paper was perfect! And, afterall, he IS my favorite!!!!

And that's all for today, folks! I may or may not post again this week. We shall see how it goes. I will be creating during the break for SURE, though! I hope all of my American friends have a very very Happy Thanksgiving! I plan on eating more of Mom's mashed potatoes than any person should! YAY! Many Blessings, my friends! Many Blessings!

Jingle Out!

It's Time for Another Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge!

2011-11-22T08:03:00.000-05:00

First of all, I need to send a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUBBUMS to the most wonderful man in the world today! He makes me smile every.single.day and I love him more than anything! I'm so happy that we get to share this life together! YAY!

Yes, folks, we have a brand new sketch challenge for you today at Skipping Stones Design! I have to tell you that I am particularly excited about today's sketch. You see, I'm a very symmetrical kind of girl. I like lines, balance, and general even-ness in my life. Today's sketch is completely NOT. ANY. OF. THAT. SO...it was a challenge for me to say the least! But, alas, I took out my Rustic Tiles set, my Sentiment Frames set, and some fabulous brads from our November partner, Creative Impressions, and went to it!

It makes me happy. I stamped the tile in the red a couple of times and then cut them into quarters so I could mount them individually on the card. I love using non-traditional colors, but I was thrilled with how fabulous the traditional complimentary combination of red and green looked on this card!

The green brads were the perfect finishing touch! Here is the sketch that we are all working with this week.

Be sure to check out the other designer's work this week! They have created some FABULOUS stuff with this sketch and then don't forget to do your HOMEWORK! Create a card based on this sketch and link it up to Skipping Stones Design for your chance to win a set of free stamps! You don't have to use SSD stamps, but if you have them, we love to see them!

JoAnn
Kandi
Karen Baker
Katie
Shannan
Stephanie
Taylor
Wendy Price
Wendy Jordan
And our fabulous guests this month:
Jimmi Mayo
Betsy Veldman
Jessica Griffin
And our Sketch Artist for November:
Chan Vuong

Jingle Out! Happy Tuesday!!!

Happy Monday Before Mom's Mashed Potatoes!!!!

2011-11-21T08:15:00.002-05:00

Yes. That's right folks, this girl is looking forward to Thanksgiving!!! I'm a big fan of Mom's mashed potatoes. Just say'n. However, I also have some fun stuff going on here in the land of Just Jingle in the meantime! Are you a Kewpie doll fan? 'Cause I pretty much totally am and I pretty much think everyone should be. Soooo....the fact that 100 Proof Press happens to carry SEVERAL Kewpie style doll stamps is simply DELIGHTFUL in my humble little opinion! Quite a delight, indeed, actually. K? K. Thanks.

K. So, ummm... seriously...??? How could you POSSIBLY resist that kind of insane cuteness???? You can't. Just say'n. And I totally know these things. For reals. I'm an expert on cuteness. No. Really.

And then I went and set it on a freaking adorable cloud background!!! YAY! So, seriously...you are in love, right? 'Cause I kinda am. I mean just LOOK at the cuteness! YAY!!!!

Supplies: Stamp (100 Proof Press), Patterned Paper (October Afternoon), White bristol (Canson), Pink Cardstock (American Crafts), Ink (Momento), Markers (Tombow), Glitter String (May Arts), Punch (Fiskars), Gem Stones (Imaginesce), Sentiment Stamp (Unity)

Oh...and after noon Eastern time today I will be adding a nifty little happy link to this post. You *might* want to plan to check it out. 'Cause it's a happy. Just say'n. K? K. Thanksbye.

ETA: OMG!!! It's UP!!!! You can see it HERE!!!!!! I'm just a little ridiculously excited!!!!!

Jingle Out.

Inspiring Friends With Flair in the Moxie Fab World of Paying it Forward

2011-11-18T07:53:00.001-05:00

Okay. I'm aware. That title makes no sense whatsoever, but I tried. I mean, SERIOUSLY! Do you realize how much PRESSURE there is in trying to be entertaining every day! HA!!! I kid, I kid. Sorta. Anyway.....*insert huge inhale, exhale here*...it is FRIDAY and that makes me SUPER DUPER happy! As in lots. For reals. Just say'n. And I have a Unity Friends With Flair card to share with you today!

I was inspired by the Moxie Fab World Pay It Forward Challenge that had the option of creating a card for National Day of Encouragement. What is more encouraging than knowing that you inspire someone?! I think that's pretty darned encouraging. Just say'n.

For my card I used the pretty little butterfly from the I Adore You Echo Park set and the sentiment is from Heartfelt Sentiments and it is the bestest font EVER! Clean, simple, and gorgeous. *LOVE!* I stamped the butterfly in distress ink and spritzed it just a bit to let the ink get a wee bit smudgy-like. I dry embossed the outline with my Martha Stewart score board and added the gems because they make me happy. Just say'n.

I am excited for Saturday! I am heading off to a local scrapbook store that isn't really local, since mine closed, with some friends tomorrow to do some fun shopping! I can't wait! I haven't been to a 'real' lss since my favorite one closed over the summer! YAY for fun road trippy supply shopping days!!!

I hope you have a super fantastic weekend! Later!

Jingle Out

My December Not-So-Daily Album

2011-11-17T07:56:00.000-05:00

K. So, here's the thing. I love the idea of a December Daily album as much as anyone. I really do. The thing is...well, to be frank, my life isn't all that hectic around the holidays. I don't actually have something going on every single day in December. And I like it that way! HA! So, to create an entire album to include each and every day, well, that has never seemed like something that would work for me. BUT...and this is a big BUT! (Kinda like another one I know. Just say'n.) BUT....I wanna play, tooooooooo!!!!!!!! So, when Echo Park and May Arts came together for this week full of awesome stuff, I had an idea!

*LIGHTBULB!*
(Said in my best Gru voice, of course!)

Enter my 'Remember This Christmas' album. YAY! You see, I decided to make a small album with cute random (sorta) pages that have no numbers on them! WOW! What a concept! HA! I don't have a ton of pages, just enough to record things here and there throughout the month. I can add receipts, lists, ideas, photos, and other various scrappy paraphernalia! YAY for paraphernalia! (That's kind of a tricky word to spell. Just say'n.)

It is bound with my Bind-It-All and decorated with RIBBON!!!!! Lots and Lots of May Arts goodness, that is!

What's that you say? It appears I didn't use Echo Park's CHRISTMAS lines? Dunn...dun...dunnnn... TRAGEDY!!!!!! HA! I didn't. I used Country Drive. Deal with it. HA! No, seriously, I loved the colors in this collection for Christmas, so I used it! YAY!

The full tutorial for my little album will be up sometime today on the May Arts blog, so you simply MUST check it out! And remember...just because you aren't like everyone else doesn't mean you can't jump on the same train! Tee-hee! And now I'm on the December-Not-So-Daily train! YAY!

So, to make Christmas Ornaments you pretty much just dump everything in glitter, right?

2011-11-16T08:32:00.002-05:00

'Cause that's pretty much the route I took with these fabulous little mini chipboard houses from Retro Cafe Art Gallery. Just say'n. And it was FUN STUFF, people! For reals!

HOLY LOTTA GLITTER, BATMAN!!! The first of the three is this adorable red house. This is, perhaps, the nice middle aged couple down the street. They have the two car garage, the perfectly manicured lawn and the barn star positioned just perfectly. Their holiday decorations go up appropriately just after Thanksgiving. You know them, right? They keep the decor simple, but festive and pretty.

The next one is the younger, professional couple down the way. They go with less traditional colors, perhaps a bit more trendy, but still keep it tasteful and pretty. They might be Jewish, actually, in which case the colors would be more on the traditional side, but you know....

Lovely, isn't it? And then...well, then there is those people down on the corner. You know the ones. They have every blow up decoration ever invented, colored lights all over the place, animated santa and reindeer lifting off the roof, and who KNOWS what else in that yard. You seriously have to wonder what their holiday electric bill looks like. Particularly because they put it all up on Halloween! HA!

Ahhh...yes, that one. But, what it amounts to in the end, is a neighborhood FULL of Christmas cheer, and THAT, my friends, is what makes it all so wonderful! So, to each his own and may we all just be HAPPY! (You can find the supplies to create these wonderful little house ornaments at Retro Cafe Art Gallery. The ribbon/twine on them is all May Arts.)

Speaking of happy!!! Check out my workspace this week! It's filled with Happy!!! Lots of fun things going on and I even took a wide shot so you can see the happiness that is the messy studio I love so much! YAY!

To see more fabulous WOYWW workspaces check out Julia's blog!

Turn Heads this Winter in Old Navy Outerwear!

2011-11-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

I was recently given a GREAT opportunity from Crowdtap to review any outerwear piece from Old Navy that I wanted! I KNOW! Right?! I was so excited! I got one coupon for me and one for a friend. My husband and I headed straight to Old Navy to pick something out. I tried on long coats, short coats, puffy coats, vests, etc.! It was so much fun! Old Navy has a TON of outerwear to choose from!

I finally decided on this fabulous wool-blend black tweed vest. I mean, really. They pretty much had me at TWEED!!!! I love it! First of all, it's wicked crazy cute. Just say'n. Secondly, it is SO WARM! I was seriously very surprised at just how warm and cozy this vest is! It will be a staple for me this winter! Did I mention that it is TWEED?! Awesomeness. Pure and utter awesomeness.

So, the moral of this story is that if you are looking for some great outerwear to turn heads this winter, you should totally check out Old Navy. Not only are they cute and warm, but they are affordable, too! YAY!

*I received a coupon for the free outerwear piece as well as a coupon for a friend in exchange for this review. I was not required to post on my blog, I chose to do so because I love it and felt it was worth sharing with all of you. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Two Giveaway Winners and Some Fun Tags!

2011-11-15T08:12:00.000-05:00

This is my second post of the day! To check out the Skipping Stones Blog Hop and Giveaway Head HERE!

I have two winners to announce! First up, we have the winner of Melissa Ann Goodwin's book...Congratulations to Becky Dunham!!! You have won the book! Please contact me with your name and mailing information so I can pass it on to Melissa! Thank you!

And now for the winner of the Ribbon Box from The Original Scrapbox as well as a chance to win the beautiful worktop....April Taylor! Please contact me with your full name and mailing information so I can pass it on to the sponsor!

Winners - you have 24 hours to contact me. If I do not hear from you, a new winner will be drawn.

Now...onto my fun tags! The challenge over at CASual Fridays this week is to create a clean and simple tag design. Since I was totally in the mood to make tags, anyway, this was a fun one for me to jump in on!

These were so simple, and I LOVE THEM! I used Sally the Cricut to cut the trees in two sizes. Okay...so actually, I told Sally to cut the trees in one size, then I told her to cut some other stuff and Sally sort of decided that she is making her own decisions now and randomly cut some of the previous cuts in new sizes this time, so I just decided to go with it. HA! BUT...anyway, I cut the trees from the Art Philosophy cartridge and then stamped them with the coordinating CTMH stamps. LOVE!!!!

I secured the two pieces with a simple brad and then added a bit of twine from The Twinery to finish them off! Nice and easy and OH. SO. CUTE!!! I kinda love 'em. Just say'n.

So, that's my tags for today. I hope you love them. Have a super duper happy Tuesday! YAY!

Skipping Stones Design Blog Hop with Rustic Tiles!

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Skipping Stones Design Blog Hop! I'm so excited that you are here! If you came from Wendy's blog you have already started the fun! If not, hop on back to Skipping Stones Design's blog so you can check out the entire hop! It's a good one including some FREE STAMPS!!! Yup! That's right, not only can you win the free set of YOUR CHOICE by participating in this week's sketch challenge, but every comment you leave along the hop gives you a chance to win the Sassy Snow set absolutely free from ME!

This week we are featuring Rustic Tiles. This is one of my favorite sets EVER!!! It is so versatile and SO PRETTY!!! I have been using it for all my Skipping Stones posts this month and I have loved every minute of it! We have also been showing off the fabulous embellishments from Creative Impressions. For today's card I've used the photo hanger and some ribbon.

So leave a comment because each one you leave along the way is a chance for you to win the Sassy Snow stamp set and don't forget to hop along! Your next stop is Jessica's adorable blog! Have fun!

Chan Vuong
Wendy Price
Jingle
Jessica Griffin
Katie Gehring
Shannon Teubner
Betsy Veldman
Kandi Phillips
Karen Baker
Jimmi Mayo
Stephanie Mino
Joann Valderama
Wendy Jordan

A bit of Coney Island fun with 100 Proof Press and some simple Button Action

2011-11-14T07:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, folks! It is officially the last week before THANKSGIVING WEEK!!!! YAY!!!! And that also happens to mark the week before The Hubbums' birthday, too, making for LOTS of fun stuff coming up! I have two cards and a special treat to share with you...

Let's start with that treat so it doesn't get lost at the end of this post. You see, I recently got a visit from the Fairy Hobmother! Yup! For reals! She was granting wishes on a few blogs and I commented with my wish and she sent me an Amazon UK gift card to use toward my wish! She has granted some people fun new small appliances like a new toaster or a food processor! Soooo, here's the deal, if you include something along those lines that YOU are wishing for, she might visit you on your blog and grant your wish! I KNOW! And yes, it's for real - I already used my gift certificate and the item has shipped! I'm so excited!!!! So don't forget to leave your wish in your comment for a chance to win a visit from the Fairy Hobmother!

And this is my 100 Proof Press card for today! Isn't that Coney Island stamp just so much fun?! I love it!

I accented it with a bit of twine from The Twinery and a Flair accent from American Crafts.

And I told you I just couldn't stay away from that fabulous Random Fun Challenge over at Moxie Fab! I had to play with buttons for this fun Shine On! card.

So, what do I have to say to all of you, my fine friends, on the is Monday? Shine On! (And don't forget to leave your wish in the comments! Who knows! You might get an early Christmas present! YAY!)

On Mustaches and Random Fun and Stuff in the Moxie Fab World

2011-11-11T08:01:00.001-05:00

So...if you have been around here for any length of time (like 10 minutes or so) you know that I *might* have the tendency to be just a *tad* bit random at times. Just a bit. At times. Just say'n.

SQUIRREL!!!

Oh,yes...moving on. SO...when Cath issued the Random Fun Challenge over on Moxie Fab World, you didn't think I would miss out on that one, now did you? Of course you didn't. Because, we all know that all you think about when you see these things is me, anyway! HA!!! Or not. But, anyway..... Not ONLY is the challenge a random fun challenge, BUT, there is also the mustache component. MUSTACHES ROCK! So...I have a card for you today. A random fun card. A random fun card with a mustache. Just say'n.

This will not, however, be the only card I create for this challenge because, you see, you can incorporate buttons (I {heart} buttons) OR you can do something with an alcoholic beverage!!!!! I totally {heart} alcoholic beverages, I mean, don't we all?! HA!!!! So, I think there will be more random fun to come. Just say'n.

As for today...it's FRIDAY so enjoy it! I plan to! I don't have the holiday off, which is very sad, but The Hubbums does and traffic won't be too bad, so I'll be happy about that! YAY! Anyway, have a great day! Don't forget to enter the giveaway I posted yesterday because it is pretty much awesome. Just say'n.

OH! But that's not all! Because it is Veteran's Day, Operation Write Home is doing a wonderful blog hop! I have my card over on the May Arts Blog! Check out the whole hope!

Giveaway from the Original Scrapbox! CLOSED

2011-11-10T07:52:00.004-05:00

Welcome to The Original Scrapbox Holiday Blog Hop!

The Original Scrapbox company has an incredible line of products for organization, scrapbooking storage, sewing--any kind of craft you can dream up would love a home in one of their phenomenal pieces of furniture. Seriously, you guys...this is the kind of crafting furniture that dreams are made of! I'm quite convinced that if I had ALL Original Scrapbox furniture in my studio, I would actually be organized. Just say'n. Check out The Workbox, that's one of my favorites. And there is Free shipping anywhere in the continental USA!

On November 18, 2011 we'll give away one of these beautiful WorkTops!

The Original Scrapbox.com is giving away one limited edition WorkTop (value $150.00 U.S. Dollars). Isn't it just fabulous?
You can enter to win your very own WorkTop from Thursday November 10^th - Monday Nov 14^th, 2011.

Here’s a blog post about this limited edition item http://scrapboxusa.blogspot.com/2011/06/work-top.html

There will be 10 preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for one WorkTop.

Enter here to win the preliminary giveaway of one Ribbon Box (value $19.95) and One entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for a WorkTop in your choice of color.

If you are selected as a preliminary winner of the Ribbon Box, you will then be entered into the grand prize drawing held on The Original Scrapbox Blog on November 18, 2011. On that date, a random drawing will select a winner from all of the finalists to receive one WorkTop (value $150.00 U.S. Dollars) in their choice of black or white.

*The contest is open to addresses in the contiguous United States only. I do apologize to my international readers, however, this is all the sponsor is able to do.

Giveaway open from Thursday November 10- Monday November 14^th at 11:59pm.

Giveaway Rules:
*You can only enter under one name
* It is possible to win more than one preliminary prize, which means it’s possible to be entered into the grand prize drawing more than once.
*All winner’s addresses must be U.S. (48 contiguous state) addresses
*You must complete the required entry to be eligible to win

Here's how to enter: Complete the form provided being sure to include your email address so you can be contacted if you win. See below for details. Visit all 10 blogs for extra entries into this fabulous giveaway!

*Required entry: You must watch the following 3 videos on YouTube, (they’re short and sweet!) to find and unscramble the secret message. Then come back to my blog, and enter the secret message in the form. *Do NOT leave the secret message in the comments, please!*
Here's the links to the 3 videos, or scroll down to watch them here

The WorkBox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICGpfiFjjhs

The CraftBox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olI5BBJUplk

The EZ View Desk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGvXmJQZ8U8

Extra Entries: (Please leave a separate comment (here on this post) for EACH of these that you have completed. These are entirely optional and simply provide you with extra chances.)

Like the Facebook page for The Original Scrapbox. Leave a comment here letting me know you did.

Follow the ScrapboxUSA blog. Leave a comment here letting me know you did.
Like Just Jingle on Facebook. Leave a comment here letting me know you did.
Spread the word on your Facebook Wall and tag @JustJingle in your post. Leave a comment here.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Hop on over to each of the participating bloggers for your chance to win a fantastic prize and ONE entry into the grand prize giveaway of the WorkTop from The Original Scrapbox:

Crafty Sprouts
Dukes & Duchesses
Two Classy Chics
Just Jingle *You are HERE!*
Craftiness is not Optional
Paper or Fabric
Family Volley
I'm a Yarner
Live. Teach. Create.
RachelleWrites

*Disclosure: I received free product from The Original Scrapbox to host this giveaway. All rules must be followed and correct United States address given for prize to be awarded.

It's Time for the November Samantha Walker Creative Team Blog Hop!

2011-11-09T02:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to the Samantha Walker Creative Team Blog hop! If you came from Cristal's blog you are already on your way! If not, hop on over to Samantha's blog to get started! Don't forget to leave comments all along the way for your chance to win a FREE Samantha Walker Digital scrapbook kit!

And I have a wicked fun project to share with you! Do you love Pinterest? Are you addicted to it yet? 'Cause, folks, let me tell you, I LOVE THAT PLACE!!!! When I stumbled upon a fabulous tutorial for a fabric scrap necklace I knew EXACTLY what fabric I was going to use for it!

I KNOW?! RIGHT?! I love it! YAY! I used Samantha's fabulous Decadence collection for this one. It's REALLY simple! Just pull out three long fabric scraps - I tore mine from larger pieces to give them nicely frayed edges, and braid together. I created two braided ropes for mine. One with deeper tones and a slightly shorter one with light tones.

To finish the ends, I stitched the two ropes together making the secure and then wrapped them in wire and attached them, one to the other, with the wire. There is no clasp, as it is large enough to fit over the head easily. Super simple and so pretty!

I also created a pretty little card to go with it. Seeing as the fabulous Orchard Harvest collection matches this fabric so brilliantly!

I also stamped the sentiment with Samantha's Ornate Artisan Stackers set from Unity! The flowers I had on hand and the twine is from May Arts, of course!

So, that is what I have to share with you today! YAY!!! Hop along to the other designers to check out what they have created! These are some talented chicas, let me tell you!!! Your next stop is Jennifer Beason's fabulous blog! P.S. It just so happens to be Jennifer's birthday, so be sure to tell her HAPPY BIRTHDAY when you get there! See you soon! Happy Wednesday!

This is also my WOYWW post, as these projects are EXACTLY what have been on my workspace!

Peace On Earth in Grey and Red

2011-11-08T07:46:00.001-05:00

It is Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday, folks! YAY!!!! If you happen to be new around here, every Tuesday Skipping Stones Design puts up a new sketch. We, the design team, create inspiration cards based on that sketch using FABULOUS Skipping Stones stamps and then we give YOU homework! Yup. That's right. The good news is...it's wicked fun homework! We want to see YOUR interpretation of the sketch! You don't have to use SSD stamps, but we LOVE to see them if you have them!

Here is my card for today!

*sigh* This card makes me happy! I LOVE these colors!!!! I used the Rustic Tiles stamp set (on sale this month!!!) and Momento London Fog ink. And, as you may already know, Skipping Stones has partnered with Creative Impressions this month and THAT, my dear friends, is where that fabulous red ric rac hails from. I kinda love it. Just say'n.

The sketch was created by the fabulous Chan Vuong. And you totally want to create a card based on it. Just say'n.

See? I totally told you that you'd want to use this sketch. So DO IT!!!! Make a card or a layout or a tag or some other fabulous project based on this sketch. Use any supplies you have on hand. And then get your little backside on over to Skipping Stones Design to link it up! Why? Because you could win FREE STAMPS, that's why!!!!

Now, you will need a bit of inspiration, so first visit these girls to see what they have done with the sketch and then HURRY!!!! I want to see your cards, PEOPLE!!!! Do it for me! *showing best puppy dog eyes* Pretty Please?????? *wink*wink*

Here are the other girls on the Design Team:
JoAnn
Kandi
Karen Baker
Katie
Shannan
Stephanie
Taylor
Wendy Price
Wendy Jordan
And our fabulous guests this month:
Jimmi Mayo
Betsy Veldman
Jessica Griffin
And our Sketch Artist for November:
Chan Vuong

K. Link up. Do it. It's for your own good. K. Bye now. Thanks. And stuff.

Jingle Out.

Red and Orange

2011-11-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

I decided to do a quick Less Is More Challenge card tonight. I loved the Red and Orange color combo and haven't played along in TOO LONG, so I just decided to jump right in! I used the Dandelion Wishes set from Skipping Stones Design.

The sentiment banner is My Mind's Eye paper and the twine is from May Arts. The brads are Creative Impressions.

I chose deep, autumnal red and orange tones and I just love them! So pretty! Anyway...that's all. We went to Jose Murphy's for 10 cent tacos and beer for dinner. Every Monday, baby. It's a good thing. Just say'n. But...it never ceases to make me sleepy! I will be back tomorrow with an all new sketch challenge from Skipping Stones!!!! It's a GOOD ONE, too!!!!!

Jingle Out.

Sending You Some Monday Morning Love - 100 Proof Press Style!

2011-11-07T07:54:00.000-05:00

Yup. It's Monday. And today, we are sending out BUCKETS of Love! YAY for buckets of love! Doesn't that just make you smile? I should. 'Cause buckets of love is totally a good thing. Just say'n.

I created this card using Crate Paper's Portrait Collection. I pulled out the paper, the stickers, and the buttons! I love this collection! The tin pail is officially now one of my favorite stamps from 100 Proof Press! Seriously! I am totally in love with it!!! It's actually called the Shiny Metal Pail and is #1959-Q.

I stamped the pail three times and cut it out and then I filled it to the brim with punched hearts! I used foam dots to raise the hearts at different levels. WAY FUN!!!

So....I'm pretty much just sending out BUCKETS of LOVE!!!! Once again, YAY for buckets of love!!!! Heee-hee!

As for the time change, well, I was taught to save ALL the time, not just when it is convenient, so I think we should have stuck with our 'savings' plan, but hell, what do I know? HA!

I hope you all have a stupendous day! I look forward to your comments and to visiting your blogs today! *Smiles!*

Jingle Out.

If you are a Dr. Who fan, you just might like this one. Just say'n.

2011-11-05T22:15:00.000-04:00

There is some SUPER CRAY WICKED FUN stuff going on over at Retro Cafe Art Gallery right now! First of all, RCA had teamed up with 100 Proof Press to offer one heck of a contest/giveaway! Ummm, why yes, I DO design for both of those companies and I do happen to do that because I LOVE them BOTH!!!! There are awesome prizes up for grabs including gift certificates for BOTH stores!!!! YAY for fabulousness!!!! You SO need to enter. I want to see what you create and, obviously I can't enter so you have to do it!!!!!!

K. Good. Now that we have that settled. Retro Cafe Art has some BRAND new shrines in stock and they are so cool! They have working doors on them! I created two of them and want to share them with you today! Oh, and in the event that you need to create your own, RCA just so happens to be GIVING SOME AWAY!!!!

Okay, let's start with my Dr. Who inspired door shrine. This piece, while not a specific fright from Dr. Who, was inspired by the brilliance behind each and every creature the Dr. and his Companion come across in their travels.

She is comprised of the Traditional Door Shrine Kit (spray painted red), the Steampunk ATC Collage Sheet, Masonite Wings, and several found items from my studio.

She is simply called, "Do Not Be Afraid." (Although, I wouldn't suggest listening to that advice from her. Just say'n.)

My second shrine piece is on the lighter side. I created a toy shop! I used the Baroque Door Shrine Kit for this one (spray painted a cream color).

I backed the inside with a Toys image from the Vintage Grunge ATC Backgrounds Collage Sheet. It was PERFECT! I also used a bit of gold Dresden on the front of the piece. Inside I filled a Tim Holtz Corked Vial with sprinkles to add a huge dose of fun color! The other items, the pig, the car, the bear, were all found items in my studio. Don't ask. HA!

The Charlotte on the front is actually clear, so, obviously, not an authentic one. I actually created her using Amazing Clear Cast after creating a mold using Amazing Mold Putty! AWESOMENESS!

So, leave a comment and let me know what you think! I had a BLAST with these!!!! You totally need to head on over to the Retro Cafe Art Gallery blog and enter the giveaway to win a free shrine AND enter the contest, too!!!!

I hope you had a super fabulous day entirely uninterrupted by creepy Dr. Who character-types. Just say'n.

It's Your Day! So you should probably play with glitter. Just say'n.

2011-11-04T08:02:00.000-04:00

Mostly because I love glitter and it is shiny and it is sparkly and it makes me happy. You should play with it because it will make you happy, too. Oh, and it will probably make your dog happy, too, as if you play with it, she will likely be wearing at least some of the wonderful shimmery stuff. Not that I know this from experience or anything. Purely conjecture, here folks, purely conjecture. Just say'n.

OH! Before I get on to the glitter don't forget to check out the TWO open giveaways listed above! Awesomeness all around! And I have another one coming hopefully this weekend! Yikes! It's a regular party around here!

Now...on to the GLITTER!!!!!!!!!

Hmmmm...glitter makes me happy. Did I say that already? Probably not enough if I did. 'Cause....it REALLY makes me happy. I created this card based on the fabulous Beads and Baubles Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab World. I've had this sucker made for like three days and I have been DYING to show you! I love it! HA! This is the trigger photo:

All I saw was sparkle and fabulousness! I loved the flow of the piece from the top corner the bottom right, as well, so I had to play on that in my design, too! The colors influenced my choice in glitters and I added that simple, final touch of the cabochon flower based on the gorgeous flowers in the inspiration photo.

I used Helmar ZapDots to adhere the glitter in perfect little circles. The glitter is Martha Stewart and Pink Paislee. I pulled out my Samantha Walker for Unity Stamp Sweet Life set for the sentiment! I added just a bit of twine from The Twinery to ground it.

I don't know about you guys, but I had a SPECTACULAR day yesterday! So, today, It's YOUR DAY!!! Make it a spectacular one! A Stupendous one, even! Pretty much just be awesome and stuff. K? K. Good. Glad we got that settled.

Happy Friday, folks! Shine on!

Jingle Out.

The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin - Review and Giveaway!

2011-11-03T08:06:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to share this with you today! As some of you may know, I used to be a teacher. I loved it. Given the opportunity, I would do it again in a heartbeat. The part of teaching I loved the most was watching as students learned how to read. I collect children's literature and find that there is nothing more magical than a wonderful story and a child discovering that story and all it has to offer.

So...when Melissa Ann Goodwin asked me if I would like to review her book and give a copy away on my blog, I JUMPED at the opportunity!

Let me begin with the synopsis provided by Amazon on Melissa's book:

When Jamie Reynolds comes to his grandparents' Vermont home for Christmas, he just wants things to go back to the way they were before his dad disappeared. Time and again he is drawn to Grandma's miniature Christmas Village, where he imagines that life is perfect. Late one night, the village comes to life before Jamie's eyes, and his fantasy of escaping into it becomes very real indeed. He discovers that the village is called Canterbury, where the year is 1932. Jamie becomes fast friends with Kelly and Christopher Pennysworth, and is taken in by Ida, who runs the local boarding house. But he also makes a dangerous enemy of the mysterious and menacing Jim Gordon, whose return to town is nothing but trouble. As Jamie desperately races against time to find his way back home, he is suddenly faced with a terrifying choice: to go ahead with his plan to leave, or to stay and help his friends, at the risk of never going home again. The Christmas Village is an adventure the whole family will love, filled with suspense, secrets and surprises to the very last page.

What an Adventure!!! This book is so very magical and so very fun to read! I was surprised at how much I wanted to just keep reading! Melissa paints an absolutely beautiful picture of the wonderful, 1932 town of Canterbury. It feels so very real and I honestly felt as though I could smell the crisp winter air, feel the crunch of the snow beneath my feet, and even feel that odd sensation when walking past VanderZee's place! The characters are beautifully developed and feel like friends. When you reach that last page it is ever so hard to say goodbye. The wonderful story is centered around Christmas and would be such a wonderful choice for family reading time during the holidays! I honestly think Mom and Dad will love this one as much as the kids! And...if they have any book report assignments for school there could be NO better book for that diorama project! (Do they still do those? I LOVED THOSE Reports!!! LOL!)

You don't want to miss out on this wonderful book! You can find it on Amazon and Smashwords (ebook version). A few small local stores also carry the book. You can find those on Melissa's blog, as well as the Christmas Village Book blog. If you happen to live in Massachusetts, Melissa will be doing a book signing on November 12th at the Andover Book Store in Andover, MA. She has another signing scheduled at the Santa Fe Children's Museum in Santa Fe, NM on December 11th.

Would you like to win a copy of The Christmas Village by Melissa Ann Goodwin? Well, you are in luck! I've got one to give away!

Mandatory Entry:
To enter, please visit Melissa's blog and come back and leave a comment about something you read there that you found interesting!

Optional Additional Entries: *PLEASE leave a separate comment for each one. Thanks!*

* Follow @GoodwinMelissa and @JustJingle on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can cut and paste the tweet below. Come back here and leave a comment with your twitter name to let me know you did! :-)

Check out this review of The Christmas Village and win a copy of your own! @GoodwinMelissa @JustJingle http://tinyurl.com/3jj7nqu Please RT!

* Like Melissa's Facebook Page and Just Jingle on Facebook. Comment on Melissa's wall letter her know @JustJingle sent you! Leave a comment here letting me know you did

This giveaway is open to US and Canada only. This giveaway will end Thursday, November 10th 2011. I was provided a copy of the book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Babies and Sugar Skulls. Not to be confused with Sugar Baby Skulls...'cause that would just be weird. Just say'n.

2011-11-02T08:10:00.000-04:00

DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BLISS HABITS GIVEAWAY! There is $100 in Creative Spending money up for grabs!!!

Well, actually, it wouldn't be ALL that weird, considering the Day of the Dead tradition in Mexico. If you are not familiar with it, the idea is that on November 1st the spirits of children who have died are allowed to come back to visit their families and then on November 2nd the adult loved ones join them. It is a great celebration and all quite fascinating, actually. I found this wonderful website with more information if you are interested. BUT...the reason I am speaking of the Day of the Dead today, this fine November 2nd, is because I created my own version of a sugar skull. I didn't use sugar, of course...that would have been disastrous. Yup. A yummy, yummy, delicious disaster. Just say'n. HA!

I created mine with air dry clay and you can find the complete tutorial over on the Creative Paperclay® blog! Get out the glitter, folks, 'cause this one is gonna be fun!!! I really enjoyed making this piece. I've wanted to do a sugar skull for quite some time and having the blog assignment for this day was the PERFECT excuse! You should probably follow that blog. We have LOTS of fun stuff for you over there. Just say'n.

BUT, alas, that is not all I have to share with you, today. Nope. I've got more! I've got a baby card (hence the title...) to show you! A super wicked crazy cute baby card at THAT!

*sigh* CUTENESS!!!! I used a fabulous Danita stamp from 100 Proof Press, called Danita with Bear. Isn't she just the cutest thing you ever did see? She is. I'm telling you and I'm always right about these things. Just say'n.

I paper pieced the image with Simple Stories papers. They are SO cute!!!! I love the colors! The stickers are from the same collection.

The ribbon is May Arts polka dot grosgrain cuteness and the corrugated heart is from Jillibean Soup. The puppy hair is from either Maggie and/or Thatcher and came free of charge! HA! I added the adorable clothespin and just about fell in love!

And...so that is what has been on my busy workdesk this week. HOWEVER, when one looks at that desk now...well, it looks pretty boring...

...boring, but READY and WAITING for the next project! I may be feeling a creative surge coming on!!! I love those!!!! To see more fabulous workspaces, check out Julia's blog! It's so much fun!!! And join us any Wednesday!!!

DO NOT FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BLISS HABITS GIVEAWAY! There is $100 in Creative Spending money up for grabs!!!

Jingle out, folks! Have a wacky Wednesday!

ONE HUNDRED SKETCHES with Skipping Stones Design!

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you haven't entered the Bliss Habits giveaway yet check it out in the previous post! There is $100 in crafty spending money up for grabs!

Ummm...WOW! This is the 100th Skipping Stones Sketch Tuesday! That's a lot of Tuesdays and a lot of fabulous sketches, folks! And it is also the first sketch of NOVEMBER (I know?! Right?) so we have a fabulous roster of new guests playing along with us this month! The beautiful Chan Vuong is our sketch artist for this month. We have three FABULOUS guest designers as well. This is a really great line up this month! We are welcoming Betsy Veldman, Jimmi Mayo, and Jessica Griffin!!!

And...now that November is upon us, it seemed like a good time to pull out some fall colors and leaves!

I used the absolutely beautiful Everyday Blessings set. I love this leaf stamp! And seeing it stamped in these pretty CTMH ink colors just makes me happy! I added bits of ribbon from Creative Impressions who is AWESOMELY partnering with Skipping Stones Design this month along with one of their brads on the twine.

So...check out the sketch over at Skipping Stones Design and check out what the other girls have created then head on over and link up YOUR OWN card based on the sketch! You don't have to use SSD stamps, although, if you have some we love to see them! And don't forget to check out the Bliss Habits giveaway I posted yesterday! It's pretty amazing and one of the possible prizes is a Gift Certificate to Skipping Stones!

JoAnn
Kandi
Karen Baker
Katie
Shannan
Stephanie
Taylor
Wendy Price
Wendy Jordan

And don't forget to hop up to the top to visit the guests, too! YAY!!!!

Jingle Out.

Bliss Habits and JustJingle are Celebrating CREATIVITY with a fabulous GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-31T08:24:00.008-04:00

*****CLOSED*****

Happy Halloween!!!! Well, it's official. The Halloween festivities in my city have been postponed until Thursday, so we will have our trick or treaters around then, but that isn't going to keep me from having an extra fun day today! Candy corn shall be consumed! Just say'n. And, today I have something EXTRA special to share with you! It's one HECK of an amazing giveaway from my dear friend, Kathy over at Bliss Habits!

Bliss Habits is an AMAZING blog, you guys. No. For reals. If you haven't spent any time over there yet MAN are you in for a treat! It is more than just a blog, it is a community. A place to talk and to share and to experience the thirteen principal Bliss Habits that Kathy celebrates on a rotating basis. At Bliss Habits we celebrate things like Joy, Passion, Order, Moxy, and so VERY much more! This week is all about Creativity...which is where I come in. HA! Yes, I am all about Creativity, folks. I breath it. I dream about it. I wallow in it. It's my favorite. Just say'n.

Kathy will be exploring Creativity all week on Bliss Habits, as well as through her amazing Facebook Page and Twitter feed!

Wait. Take a minute....go like that facebook page and follow that Twitter feed then come back. K. You will be SO GLAD you just did that!!!

Now...what are we giving away????? How about some FREE MONEY to stimulate your CREATIVITY! Yup! That's right! Kathy is offering TWO JustJingle readers a gift certificate to one of the following Etsy shops or independent shops! You can see the full list below. The first, GRAND PRIZE winner will receive a $75 Gift Certificate to one of the shops listed below - YOUR CHOICE!!!! And the Second prize winner will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to one of the shops listed below (also your choice)! Ummmm...WOW!!!!! I told you Kathy was pretty awesome. Just say'n.

Just in case you missed that --- SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS!!!!!! Ummm....WOW!

So...how do you win? Well, that's the fun part! You have several chances to win!

FIRST...you MUST do this one to enter:

Visit Bliss Habits and come back here to leave a comment telling me something you really liked about the site. I want to know what stands out to you!

For Additional Entries (these are optional)

1. Follow @BlissHabits and @JustJingle on Twitter and Tweet the following: "$100 in Gift Certs to Stimulate your Creativity are being given away by @BlissHabits and @JustJingle! #JingleBliss http://tinyurl.com/3toekmf" Come back and leave a comment here letting me know you did along with a link to your tweet.

2. Like Bliss Habits and Just Jingle on Facebook. Leave a comment here letting me know you did! Feel free to leave some love on the Bliss Habits page letting her know I sent you! :-)

3. Follow Bliss Habits Blog and leave a comment here letting me know you did!

Here are the shops the winner will have the chance to choose from. They have no affiliation with the giveaway, but rather were simply chosen by me, since Kathy & I like to support the little guys!

Etsy Sellers:
Design By Diana
Sugar B. Supplies
Delish Bead and Trim
YoYo Cottage
Every Jot and Tittle
NikoArt
Mold Muse
Molly's Scrapbook Supply

Independent Shops
Retro Cafe Art Gallery
100 Proof Press
Skipping Stones Design
The Twinery
Melissa Samuels The Art of Scrapbooking
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Absolutely Everything
Scrapbook Circle

I may or may not make changes to this list. These shops are in no way affiliated with the giveaway, but rather small business that Kathy and I would like to show our support. The prize is provided in total by BlissHabits. The winner will be announced ON the BlissHabits blog on Monday, November 7, 2011. Thanks for entering! Good luck!

Halloween Treat Topper Cuteness

2011-10-30T20:29:00.000-04:00

Well, we got somewhere between 6-8 inches of snow last night. The roads all around the city are littered with large tree branches. The Hubbums doesn't have school tomorrow because the school has no power and the local schools are also cancelled because the buses cannot safely traverse the roads due to the branches, despite the fact that the snow is mostly cleared off of them. Oh...and it's October. Just say'n. This is CRAZY, PEOPLE!!!! BUT, alas, it keeps life interesting, that's for sure! AND the puppies had SO much fun playing out in the snow with us today! (Okay...we might have had lots of fun, too! HA!) I did get a couple of cute treat bags made that I wanted to share with you just in case you need a last minute idea!

I made these for a couple of adorable brothers who live nearby. I absolutely LOVE their names! I wanted to have something extra for them when they come around to trick or treat since we are friends with their parents and such.

I created them using the Matilda line from Cosmo Cricket and some ADORABLE stickers from EAD Designs. The alphabets are My Little Shoebox (orange) and American Crafts (green).

I think they are super fun! I kinda love 'em actually. And I kinda wanna eat all that candy. HA! So...are you ready for Halloween? What are your plans? We may or may not actually have trick or treaters tomorrow. I heard a rumor that the city is trying to get people to wait until Thursday so they can get the streets cleaned up, but we will see. Our neighborhood streets are clear and everyone seems to have power, so we may still have littles arriving at the door armed and ready with their candy buckets! YAY!!!

I will be back tomorrow for one HECK of an awesome giveaway with Just Jingle and Bliss Habits! Folks...this one is gonna be good!!!

Jingle Out!

Would you like a piece of candy???

2011-10-28T08:08:00.000-04:00

'Cause I would! But, then again, I pretty much would ALWAYS like a piece of candy. It's a problem I have. No. For reals. I'm addicted to the stuff. And I don't even eat fancy 'grown up' candy. I eat the gummies and the chewies and the sours. Kids stuff. And I still love fruit roll-ups, too. So there. Now you know! HA!

That being the case, it seemed odd to me that I hadn't created a fun CANDY themed Halloween card. So, I fixed that little problem by creating this fun little card! That Cosmo Cricket Matilda 6x6 paper pack arrived in the mail yesterday from Shelly over at ScrapGirlz and I love it! So cute! So, I combined that with my Samantha Walker for Unity Bones About Halloween stamp set and a bit of ingenuity for this cute little card!

I dyed the ribbon with Maya Road Sunflower Yellow spray ink. I love it! And just CHECK OUT that double bow! That was just a crazy idea I had while I was tying the ribbon so I decided to give it a shot and I love it! Totally going to be doing more of those!

I created the little piece of candy by freehand cutting the base from patterned paper and then adding just a strip down the middle with another color. I wrapped the candy in cello and tied up the ends with twine from The Twinery! YAY! for candy cuteness!!!!

In other news...the fall season decided to last a whopping three weeks this year. This was my front yard last night.

Sad. Day. Just say'n. We got a couple of inches. In October. Hmph! HA!

I guess there is a storm coming in on Saturday that plans to bring more. yay. note my intense enthusiasm for that. Oh, well. At least it is pretty!

Also, just in case I don't get around over the weekend - I have a SUPER FABULOUS AMAZING giveaway coming your way on Monday!!! I've joined up with Kathy over at Bliss Habits and we are going to kick start your holiday shopping. That's all I'm say'n. K? K. Be there. You're worth it. (*Said in my best Gwen Stephani voice.)

Jingle Out.

Amazing Mold Putty, May Arts, and Skipping Stones Design

2011-10-27T08:10:00.001-04:00

WOW! It's a busy day around here! As it turns out, I happen to have a few tutorials floating around today! LOL! So, here's the deal. I'm going to give you a peek at each project and then tell you to get your little blog reading selves on over to the blogs so you can check out the full tutorials!!! YAY for fun stuff and sharing ideas!!!

Okay, so here's the first one. This one is over on the Amazing Mold Putty blog.

I created this spoon pendant by molding a genuine frozen charlotte doll and then making a cast version. I then placed it in the spoon and filled the spoon with clear cast resin. You are totally going to want to see this tutorial! It's so fun! And really easy, too! This project took very little work time!

K....so, the next one is a fun stamping technique that I'm showing off over at Skipping Stones Design.

I created this cute card and I'm showing you how to get that fabulous rolled color look with your stamps! It's an oldie, but a goodie! HA! I totally just said that! What am I 80? LOL! Anyway, you can find that tutorial over on the Skipping Stones Blog where you can also find the Sketch #99 Challenge where you can create a card for a chance to win free stamps! No SSD stamps required! Just follow the sketch and link up!

BUT, WAIT! Yes, folks, there is even more to come! Not ONLY do you get the fabulous spoon pendant tutorial, AND the adorable stamping technique card tutorial, BUT...for no extra money, you get yet ANOTHER paper craft tutorial over on the May Arts Blog!!!! Yes, folks, that's right! You see, May Arts has teamed up with Creative Imaginations and Luminarte for one HECK of a blog week! You can win all kinds of crazy wicked awesome stuff so you simply MUST check it out! And...waaaait for it.....

....*let's out breath that she had been holding since the wait for it gig.....*I sorta made this super cute Tiny Butterfly Topiary and I sorta wrote a tutorial so you can make your very OWN adorableness!!!! You know you want to. So...this one will be going up later today, so be sure not to miss it! ETA: Here is the direct link to the Tiny Topiary Tutorial on the May Arts blog. Have fun!

Whew! K. I'm tired now. That's a lot of tutelage going on up there. Just say'n.

Jingle Out.

WOYWW and On Why I May Have Shown Up To Work Smelling Like Vodka

2011-10-26T08:17:00.002-04:00

No. I am not a lush who takes shots before heading out on my 50 mile commute. Let's just get THAT out of the way! Although, some days...... HA! BUT...I get out of the shower this morning and grabbed a kleenex to wipe something down and notice there is blood on it...that's odd. Then I notice that there is actually quite a bit on my hand. That's even MORE odd. I figure it's a hang nail or something and turn to the sink to wash it off and investigate. Upon getting to the sink and viewing the reflection in the mirror, I find that it is not my hand bleeding, but rather my FACE! There was a tiny dot thing on my face yesterday, you see. It wasn't a zit, or at least, didn't seem like one. It was red and looked like a tiny blood blister or something. I have no idea how one would go about getting one of those on one's face, so I just figured whatever it was, it would work itself out and go away in time. That works for me. HOWEVER...apparently when I dried my face off after getting out of the shower, I must have caused it to start bleeding. Fine. I grab a tissue and dab a bit. It won't stop. Seriously? So...I apply pressure. Pressure stops bleeding, right? Right. Not right. Pressure did precisely nothing. Just say'n. SOooooo....hydrogen peroxide. Got it. Pulled that out from under the sink and applied.

Useless.

Seriously???? Is nothing going to get my face to stop spewing blood? This isn't good. So, I look for alcohol under the sink. Yes, it will likely sting, but it should work, right? No alcohol under the sink. And OF COURSE I completely forgot about the first aid kit that contains alcohol swabs. So..what's a girl to do? Well, there's vodka in the freezer.....hmmmmmmmm......

Yup. I went to the freezer, pulled out a bottle of Absolut Mandarin and attempted to use THAT to stop the bleeding. Yes, it stung a little, but not NEARLY as much as I thought it would. Rather disappointing, actually...very UNlike the movies. Just say'n.

Did it work, you ask? Of course not. That would have been too easy. You know...vodka is ALWAYS the easy way out, right? No? Hmmm....I didn't think so either, but apparently, my morning fun still had no end in site. I was seriously wondering if this was just going to bleed all day long and then began considering how much blood loss that would actually be....HA!

Styptic Stick. Do you own one? If not, go to the pharmacy and buy one! I had forgotten about it until this last desperate moment, but then I finally grabbed it from the medicine cabinet and, after three applications, the bleeding finally stopped. Whew! It was rather insane, I tell you! But, anyway, that's why I may have shown up to work smelling a bit like Absolut Mandarin. Just say'n.

Now...onto my workspace...this is a phone shot, so I had to lighten it up a bit and it is still kinda dark, but it shows my fun desk right now!

You are looking at a stack of some fresh new Skipping Stones Design stamps that I am super excited to play with and there *might* be a set for me to giveaway in that pile, too. Hmmmm.....something to consider. You also see some fun goodies from Creative Impressions that will be in my work soon AND a couple of sketches that I already completed, but may do again this week 'cause I kinda like 'em. Just say'n.

And here is a little card that I wanted to share, as well. I stitched the accent with variegated embroidery floss to get the flow of color and then used two ink colors to get a nice ombre type look on the sentiment.

Just a pretty little Congratulations card. I am linking this up to the My Time To Craft Quite White challenge!

So, that's all for today. Although, I would imagine that vodka, a pink cuteness card, and my crazy workspace is quite enough. HA! Happy Wednesday!

Jingle Out!

99 Sketches of Cards on the Wall....99 Sketches of Cards...You take one down....

2011-10-25T08:13:00.000-04:00

HA! I totally just put THAT song in your head for the rest of the day. Oooopsies! *Insert big toothy grin here.* BUT, we are ACTUALLY at Sketch #99 with Skipping Stones Design and I think that's rather exciting, personally. We have really had a fantastic month of sketches and this last one is no exception!

Being that it is, indeed, October, I HAD to pull out the Cancer Schmancer set for this week's fabulous sketch. As many of you know, my friend, Chris, lost her battle with breast cancer not too long ago. However, Chris was strong and she fought that disease with everything she had! Right now others are fighting. The difference is that many of them...most of them, even, will win! I think it's important to gather the strength from those who fought and carry that forward to continue this fight for those who are still here. We can beat this! Hope Happens!!!

This is such a great stamp set. So encouraging and so uplifting! And the sketch is fantastic, too. Soooo...that means it's homework time! YOU, yes YOU, need to head on over to Skipping Stones, check out the inspiration that the Stamp Tramps and our guest designers have created for you and then link up your own card!!!! You don't even have to use SSD stamps, but you could win some for free! You know you want to play, so just do it! It will make you smile. Just say'n.

Here's the team:
Guests this Month:
Cristina
Tammy
Andrea
Karen

The Stamp Tramps:
Jennifer Ingle (That's me!)
Joann Valderama
Kandi Phillips
Karen Baker
Katie Gehring
Shannon Teubner
Stephanie Mino
Taylor Usry
Wendy Price
Wendy Jordan

Jingle Out!

I'd Rather Be Stamping!

2011-10-24T07:53:00.000-04:00

I had a great weekend! Funny how a great weekend sometimes makes it even harder to head to work on Monday morning. I'd rather be stamping. That, my friends, is for sure!

This woman and I would get along quite well. I mean, really. Aprons are adorable, but much more suited for stamping and crafting than for cooking and cleaning, in my opinion. Am I right? I'm right. Trust me on this one! This fabulous image is from 100 Proof Press. She is called Domestic Dame (#4427-S) and is just too fun! Of course, this card doesn't end here...

Uh-huh! Ain't that the truth! (HA! I just said that!!!! I TOTALLY just said that. Too funny. Okay...moving on....)

So.... Umm...yeah. That's my card for today. I'm trying desperately to think of something to talk about, but quite frankly, it's Monday and I got nothin'! Just say'n. I can tell you that if you have a Trader Joe's in your area you kinda should RUN there right now because they have an AMAZING pumpkin ice cream. No, seriously. It's like pumkin pie in ice cream form - only better. And if you happen to put Smuckers Marshmallow topping on it I won't tell you that it isn't the most delightful thing on the planet. I won't tell you that because it IS the most delightful thing on the planet. For reals. Go. Get some. Try it. You can come back and thank me later. Just say'n.

Jingle Out.

Creative Paperclay® Design Team!

2011-10-23T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hello! I am very excited to share some great news with you! I have joined the Creative Paperclay® Design team! Creative Paperclay® is an air dry modeling material that you actually see me using quite often! I love it! I am excited to be a part of this team. I will be sharing tutorials once a month on the Creative Paperlcay® blog. You can also see the full list of the new team there! I just wanted to show you a few of my favorite projects made with Creative Paperlcay®.

It's Time for a Halloween Hop!

2011-10-22T08:00:00.009-04:00

I am excited to be participating in a fun Halloween blog hop today! You will find LOTS of fabulous Halloween inspiration along the way along with having a chance to win some seriously fabulous prizes! If you came from Suzi's blog you are already in on the fun, if not jump on over to Cyndi's blog if you'd like to start from the beginning! Here is the list of sponsors:

AND we have TONS of fabulous Halloween prizes from our wonderful sponsors!

Stampendous! ( 5 winners... 1 Halloween bg cling stamp each winner..Crowscape, Graveyard, Beware Gate, Castle Gate, Pumpkin Fence) (US Only)

Karber Digital Designs...2 digis to one winner

Skipping Stones Design...Halloweenie set (US only)

Smeared Ink (5 single digis...1 each to 5 winners? or 5 to 1 winner?)

Strange Skin...1 set of choice (except Zombies)

Jens Digi Stamp...(5 images to one winner)

Simply Betty Stamps...($10 Gift Certificate)

La-La Land Crafts ($10 Gift Certificate)

Dreamweavers Stencils: 3 prizes: each is 4 stencils, 2 brushes, with 3 technique sheets each! (US Only)

I made a couple of fun cards for the occasion! The first uses Stampendous stamps with Tombow markers and a super fun punch I found in the dollar bin at AC Moore. I added a bit of twine from The Twinery, as well!

(Is it just me or is that one evil-ass-pumpkin-killing-candy-snatching-cat? It's just me? K. Thanks. Bye.)
And here is the inside of this fun card...

For my second card I pulled out the Halloweenie set from Skipping Stones Design! I love this fabulous Boo! poem! I combined it with Echo park Papers, twine from Whisker Graphics, and I used Tombow markers to color the candy corn. This was a bit out of my cleaner, simpler style, so it was a challenge, but I kinda love how it turned out!

So...don't forget to leave a comment here - every comment you leave along the way is a chance for you to win some fun prizes from the sponsors! Just leave your comments by 8pm Eastern on 10/26. Here is the complete hop list for you!

Jingle You are HERE!