Stampin! with Jaydee

Imagine the Possibilities - My heartfelt homage to teachers everywhere

Hi everyone.  Happy Monday night.

Tonight's card features two stamp sets:  Word Play and Apple Blossoms.  The fabulous sketch is from the cleanandsimplestamping fall to layout #103 and the card was created for the wonderful theme across at ourcreativecorner and by the Goddesses at Stampin Royalty.  You really should go visit and take a look at the DT inspiration cards and the submission cards.

Many of my blog readers (at least those who send me emails and comment), are teachers.  Some active, some retired, some taking a break and bringing up children, some married to teachers.  (My dear friend Adelle fits many of these categories!).  So, tonight's card is dedicated to all you amazing people who dedicate time and passion to teaching the next generation.  It's also dedicated to 4 of the most influential teachers that I was privileged to know.  Mrs Tucker.  Mr Clarke.  Miss Bingham and Mr Carter.

My DH asked me why this particular sentiment?  Well, because my parents, and my teachers, made me realize that so many things are possible with an education.  I believe that teachers must begin every year imagining the possibilities within each child and hoping to bring those to fruition.... GO TEACHERS! 

It's astonishing to me how often my teachers will spring to mind - many decades after I left school.  Mrs Tucker was my first form teacher in high school.  She was a stickler for correct posture, behavior and the inappropriate use of the apostrophe and, heaven forbid, split infinitives!  However, she nurtured in me a love of the English language, literature and a fascination with words.  Most students hated her.  I loved her.

My first lesson with Mrs Tucker was at the ripe age of 11.  It was the first day of high school.  My first class in high school.  With my form teacher.  With a whole bunch of kids I didn't know!  HORRORS.  Mrs Tucker began her lesson.  I was caught staring out of the window... well, it was an amazing view!  I heard the rumble of thunder - nope - not from outside the classroom - but from within. Mrs Tucker had what she referred to as a "stage voice" - it carried across a room with immense depth, clarity and decibels!

Here's how the "conversation" went:

Mrs Tucker.  "YOU GIRL!  YOU STARING OUT OF THE WINDOW! YES!  YOU!"

Me: ... "err... Yes, Miss?"  (with a slightly quivering voice.)

Mrs Tucker:  "Seeing as you are so entranced by the view from your window, would you like to enlighten the other students with a description of what you see?"

Me.. thinking... mmmm... guess that wasn't a question that gave me the opportunity to say no?

Me..... "Errr.  Well, Miss.  I see rolling hills."

Mrs Tucker. "ROLLING!  ROLLING! They aren't balls girl, they (with a flourish of her hand) U N D U L A T E!

So... there you are... I don't have ROLLS around my middle - I have undulations! :-)

As you can imagine, I was completely mortified.  However, I did become Mrs Tucker's pet and got to sit on her right hand side for the school photograph that year!

Card recipe:

• Card stock:  Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy, Whisper White
• Stamps:  Apple Blossoms, Word Play
• Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy
• Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler ribbon (from the new mini catalog), Regals buttons, twine
• Tools:  Scoring board, dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig

Card instructions:

• Cut Cherry Cobbler card stock to A2 5 1/2 x 8 1/2.  With the fold at the top at 4 1/4.
• Cut Night of Navy card stock to 4 1/4 x 3 7/8
• Wrap ribbon around the right hand side.  I did a double bow.  Adhere to Night of Navy layer. 
• I threaded twine through a small Night of Navy button and tied it around the knot of the bow and tied a knot on the top of the button.  Tip:  This really helps to keep the button in place.  I then adhered the bow to the card stock with a couple of mini glue dots
• Ink up the sentiment in Night of Navy and stamp
• Ink up the apple image and stamp twice.  Ink up the alphabet stamp and stamp between the two apples.  Tip:  Conditioning your stamps is a necessity before using a stamp with so much surface area. as you can see, I didn't do a good enough job! 
• I then using my scoring board to score two lines 1/4 of an inch apart.  This helps underline the sentiment and provide a visual break between the two elements.
• I adhered the focal point to the Night of Navy layer using dimensionals and then did the same thing with the Night of Navy layer.

Prayers for Trish, Germaine, Arthur (Brenda, I do hope they get Arthur his procedure soon!), T, Pri, John and Sue and Angela.

I hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday - one filled with love, laughter and some time to spend doing the things you love.  For me... my DH is out of town - AGAIN.  So, I get to spend some quiet time in the quiet house.  Before I go though, I wanted to share with you a picture I took of Charlie yesterday.  (Charlie is the kitten that we found abandoned outside of town.)

I managed to snap a picture of him lying on Lou's chair in the garage.  No, I don't make Lou live in the garage... although sometimes.... :-).....  Lou uses this chair when he's cleaning his bicycles!

Ladies and gentlemen...... Here's Charlie!

Isn't he adorable?  He's a chitterer.  He talks to you the whole time but rarely meows.  He just chitters away.  He also stands on his back legs and paws at your legs when he wants to be picked up.  He loves sitting on your shoulder and just hanging out.   Oh yeah... and he's a drooler.  He drools when he's happy!

As always, thank you so much for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits, your support - and your comments are so much appreciated.  I really do read every single one - as do many of you.  So thank you to those of you who do take the time to leave a message.

Hugs

Jaydee

Apple Blossoms - to pop, or not to pop - that is the question!

Hi Everyone.  Happy Saturday night.

I'm so sorry I didn't get to post last night.  This week has been crazy and then yesterday we were hit with yet another round of storms.  In fact two wild storms yesterday.  Tornado touch downs in several areas around us without warning.  That's when you realize that technology can only take you so far.  Even with phenomenal radar coverage, it was the spotters on the ground that saw the tornadoes and sent out the warnings.  So many trees down from the 60-70 mph winds and we had almost 3 inches of rain in an hour yesterday.  It was a wild afternoon and what with work and everything else, I just wasn't able to post last night.

Tonight's card using the level 2 hostess set APPLE BLOSSOMS is for a fabulous new challenge site I found it's called photo-synthesis.  You really should go check it out.  The challenge this week is to create a black and white card with yellow.  Mmmm.... a really interesting color combination and there are several ways you can go with it.  Really strong and graphic (except I didn't have the right stamp to do that!), or a little more muted - or very muted.  I chose the middle route.  It was a great excuse for me to pull out the new Stampin' Up DSP packs.  I love the newly configured papers and the patterns on them.  This one is poetry, so how perfect to fit the title of this post?  (With apologies to Shakespeare!)

I created this card two ways..... and your opinion on which one works would be appreciated.  I started off creating the one without the popped image - and then thought... mmmm..  I think a little depth would help make this look better.  So, here's the popped one

and here's the same card photographed earlier in the day - without the popped images

So, what do you think?   To pop, or not to pop?

Card recipe:  (all materials Stampin' Up! unless noted)

• Card stock:  Basic Black, Whisper White
• Inks:  Daffodil Delight
• Stamps:  Apple Blossoms
• Accessories:  Daffodil Delight Satin Ribbon, half pearls (non-SU)
• DSP:  Neutrals Patterns Designer Series Paper
• Tools:  Paper Snips, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

Card instructions:

• Cut Basic Black card stock to A2 - 4 1/4 x 11 - scored and folded at 5 1/2 with the fold on the top
• Cut DSP to 4 x 5 1/4 and adhere to card base 
• Cut Basic Black layer to 3 1/4 x 3 3/4.  The   Daffodil Delight layer to 3 5/8 x 3 1/8.  Adhere two layers together using snail.
• Ink the image and stamp 3 times using your Stamp-a-ma-jig - starting from the right side, to leave space for the ribbon on the left.
• If you like the popped version - then stamp the image three more times on scrap paper and cut out using your snips. 
• Adhere the Whisper White layer ( cut to 1/8 smaller than the Daffodil Delight/Basic Black layers.  If you are using the popped images - adhere these over the stamped layer using Stampin' Dimensionals. 
• Wrap ribbon around and tie into a knot.
• Adhere the focal image to the base card using dimensionals.
• Adhere pearls to tops of the flowers.

I don't know about you but this reminds me of sweetcorn.  Considering we live in the middle of the corn growing region of the country - I thought it was pretty appropriate :-)

On a personal note:  I did get some time in my stamping space today.  Which is always a great day and I made a couple of cards that I really like!  Which is always a good thing! 

Charlie, our rescue - is still living in the garage and laundry room.  He's finally starting to come out of his shell.  It's taken a week for him to realize that food is going to be delivered regularly, so now the little bugger is getting fussy about his food :-)  He has also, thankfully, started to behave like a kitten and is starting to respond to playtime.  When he first arrived, he really couldn't be coaxed into playing and completely ignored the catnip.  I went into the garage this morning to find him rolling around on the floor licking the catnip bag.  The look he gave me, reminded me of a child who had raided the cookie jar and gotten caught! He really is adorable. 

Some of you have written to me asking why we don't keep Charlie and wondering why we are trying to find a home for him.  Well...... we already have 4 rescues and a couple of cats on top of that.  So, permanently adopting another rescue would be pretty tough.  It's especially tough on my old man.  Who, in human terms, is almost 90.  We've had him for 16 years and a young kitten would be pretty tough on him.  Also... we have a female who is already overpowered by all the males in the house.... so... that's the story of why we aren't intending to keep Charlie.

Don't forget - tomorrow is the Paper Players challenge.  Lesley has a great sketch challenge lined up for you.  I really enjoyed playing around with it.  So, don't forget to check thepaperplayers challenge site tomorrow for details and to see the inspiration cards.  I loved the cards that were submitted for LeAnne's color challenge this week.  If you haven't popped along to see the cards, you really should.  Here's the link paperplayers.

Prayers tonight for Trish, Germaine, Arthur, T, Pri, Angela, Hugo, Sue and John.

Have a fabulous Saturday night everyone.  As always, thank you for stopping by my area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits, your support and your comments are much appreciated.

Hugs

Jaydee

Apple Blossoms for Paper Players Challenge #8

Hi Everyone.  Happy Sunday.  I hope you have all had a fabulous weekend.  Lou and I just got back, but more about that later:-)

Tonight's card is for the Always Playing with Paper Challenge # 8 - an inspiration challenge and the great CAS sketch challenge from cleanandsimple stamping.  I love being able to challenge myself in two ways.

Lesley set us an inspiration challenge this week.  The thing about inspiration - it can take you to so many different areas.  Here's the inspiration pic.  For many people the overall theme would be the blue... but for me, I looked at what stood out - the orangey/pink flowers were the things that really stood out for me - along with the green leaves.

You could also be inspired by the shape - or the yellow, or the flowers - there are so many things to look at and let your imagination take you on a journey.

So, for me - it was the flowers and the green leaves.

Here's the sketch for the fall to layout #99 - it really is a very versatile sketch

Pop along to the design team's sites and have a look at their fabulous creations - there is some cool eye candy for you this week.

Corie's Gorgeous Vintage Wallpaper CAS card

LeAnne's beautiful, bright and cheerful daisy card

Lesley's, fabulous daisy card

Marlene's beautiful Baroque Motifs CAS card (check out the scoring in the background!).  Marlene was our guest designer for July and it was an absolute pleasure to see her creations every week.  Thanks so much for being such a great guest designer, Marlene.

Using my new Apple Blossoms hostess level 2 set, I used the flowers on the top pic as my inspiration to create this card:

So, probably not what you were expecting, I bet.  I bet you were expecting me to do a blue card.  But, I really was struck by the flowers! :-)  Now, it's your turn to join us.  We really do love seeing what you create each week - and it's very difficult for the design team to decide which ones to feature.  You are all a very talented bunch.  If you haven't joined us before, this inspiration challenge is a good place to start!

Card recipe - all materials Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted:

• Card stock:  Poppy Parade (thanks, Rach!), Very Vanill
• Stamps:  Apple Blossoms
• Inks:  Always Artichoke, Poppy Parade
• Accessories:  small half pearl from the Basic Pearls
• Tools:  Corner rounder punch, Window Word Punch, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, dimensionals, paper snips

Card instructions:

• Cut Poppy Parade card stock to 11 x 4 1/4".  Score and fold at 5 1/2 - with the fold on the left
• Cut Very Vanilla card stock to 4 x 3 3/4".  Round the two right hand side corners
• Ink up your stem and leaf stamp with Always Artichoke and stamp onto the Very Vanilla layer.
• Ink up the flower stamp with Popy Parade ink and Stamp onto the Very Vanilla focal point layer using your stamp-a-ma-jig. 
• Ink up and stamp again onto scrap Very Vanilla card stock.  Using your snips, carefully cut around the flower image and back with dimensionals.  Then place over the image stamped onto the Very Vanilla layer.
• Take a small half pearl and place in the middle of the flower
• Mount the Very Vanilla layer onto the card base using dimensionals
• Ink up your sentiment stamp and stamp onto Very Vanilla card stock.  Punch out and place on the focal point layer, overlapping with the card stock. 
• Cut a piece of Poppy Parade paper and punch out.  Glue down the middle of the punched piece carefully, so that you don't get glue oozing out of the punched dots.
• Adhere to the focal point layer - allowing the Very Vanilla to show through on one side
• Using your corner rounder, round the two right hand corners of the card base layer

Tips:

• I know I've told you this before, but don't forget to condition your stamps when they are brand new.  Clean them vigorously with Stampin' Mist on your Stampin' Scrub and wipe clean, or sand very lightly with your sanding block.  Anything that works for you to get the filmy layer off the stamp
• Rounding the corners of your card stock closest to a round image - like the flower, creates a softer outline and fits better with the focal point
• The scalloped punched border echoes the shape of the flowers and the leaves
• The small pearl adds just a touch of elegance, but also helps to tie together the focal image with the scalloped border - as that also has little dots in it
• Stamping and cutting the second flower is a little time consuming, but adds dimension to the card - which is always a great thing with such a clean and simple card

On a personal note:

It has finally stopped raining.  It's still muggy - but my heart goes out to those of you on the east coast who are under yet another heat advisory!  We finally got the new furniture out on the deck and are looking forward to having a glass of wine out on the deck in our new chairs this evening.

We were out of town last night  - up in Minneapolis/St Paul for the finale of the Minnesota Orchestra Summerfest.  We drove up, did a little shopping at the local art store for me and then had lunch, relaxed and then went off to see the "semi-staged" production of Puccini's Tosca.  Now, when they said "semi-staged" they weren't joking.  Two props on the stage and no-one in costume.  It was a little surprising but enjoyable none the less.  The arias from Tosca are some of the most beautiful in opera and it never ceases to move me.  Then it was back to the hotel for a late supper and very late to bed.  A great evening spent with my honey.  A special bonus as we were not supposed to be going, as Lou was supposed to be traveling.

Today, I am hoping to get a little time in my stamping space to make some more cards, then do a little housework - I really need to do housework, but would much rather be stamping.  Anyone else have that problem?  Working full time, just doesn't give me the time to do all the things that I want to do. We really need to win the lottery :-)

Lynn, thank you so much for stamping some images of Fluffles for me.  I really appreciate that.  He really is such a fabulous image!

As always, thank you so much for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits, your support and your comments are greatly appreciated.  Talking about comments, I have no idea what is going on these days, but I know some of you are having trouble putting comments on my blog and I'm having trouble adding comments to blogs that are housed on BLOGSPOT.  It's gotten to the point where I have to try two different browsers and make sure that I copy my comment before I try to post it to make sure it doesn't get lost in the blackhole of the blogosphere!

Prayers as always for Trish, Germaine, T, Pri, Arthur and for those of you who feel you could use a little help.

Have a fabulous Monday - I hope it's a wonderful day for you all

Hugs

Jaydee

Every Moment

Hi Everyone.  Happy Tuesday night.  I hope you all have a fabulous day.

Tonight's card is clean and simple and uses a new color combination, using a color I have never used before - River Rock.  I really wasn't sure what to make of this color before I started to play with it.  Now, I think it might become one of my favorite colors.  It also fits in with the papertake weekly challenge - which is to create a card that features anything you would find in a garden.  A perfect challenge for me!  I really recommend you go check out not only the fabulous design team cards, but also the submissions.  I know you will find something to inspire you.

The stamp set is a new one from the 2010/2011 Idea Book and Catalog.  Every Moment.  I had great fun coloring the image of the bird on the bulrushes, but can't say it's my best coloring job!

We have the Goldfinches in our garden throughout the year and they really do bring me joy.  So, this card is my little homage to my cheerful Goldfinches.

Card recipe:

• Card stock:  River Rock, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla,
• Inks:  Stazon Black, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, Peach Parfait (for the beak and legs), Crumb Cake (for the underside of the tail)
• Stamp sets:  Every Moment,  Apple Blossoms - sentiment
• Tools:  Stampin' Dimensionals

Card Recipe:

• Cut River Rock card stock to A2 - card stand vertically
• Cut Always Artichoke to 3" W x 3 3/4" H
• Cut Very Vanilla to 2 3/4"W x 3 1/2"H
• Ink bird image with StazOn and stamp onto the Very Vanilla layer
• Use your favorite markers to color the images
• Mount the Very Vanilla Layer to the Always Artichoke layer using dimensionals.  Then adhere this layer to the card base using another round of dimensionals
• Ink "just a little note" sentiment in Early Espresso and stamp onto card base

Tips:

• When coloring eyes, leave a little white spot.  (My brother taught me that nearly half a century ago!)  It really does help to add a little life to the eye.
• When coloring feathers, remember they are never straight, so catch the light a little differently.  When I created the white stripes on the wing feathers, I made sure that I left a squiggly shape to make them look more natural
• I tried to create the soft textured look on the bulrushes by using different color browns and left some lighter and darker areas

Very quick and simple, the "hardest" part of making this card was coloring.  For me... coloring really is a form of meditation and I really do enjoy it.

On a personal note:   the house is very quiet as Lou is in Buenos Aires.  Needless to say his journey was not without the usual drama.  He got to Atlanta and half an hour later they closed down the airport.  No planes could leave and none could land.  A major thunderstorm.  That made his departure nearly 2 hours late  and, of course, he arrived late, too!  So it was straight to the hotel for a quick shower before going to the client.  Errrrr...mmmmm... seems the corporate travel agent had given the hotel the incorrect credit card number - oh and the name didn't match either.  So, the hotel canceled his booking.  Oh... and they were fully booked when he arrived.   One day... he might just have a very uneventful trip. :-)

I did promise to share with you the contents of the care box that my customers received..  so, here's a quick peek at their parcel to say thank you for supporting me during the 2009/2010 catalog.  I consider it to be Christmas - Stampin' Up! style - in July!

Inside were a few essentials - newsletter  

 Then of course, you can't have a play kit without examples of the new colors of card stock - and samples of DSP.  A full size sample of each of the new colors and 6x6 samples from the new Greenhouse Gala DSP.  The new thin grosgrain ribbon was the perfect thing to wrap around the card stock.

And, of course, a post-it holder - customized with a cover containing a stamp from the new Friends Never Fade set.   Along with a Stampin' Up pen.  I also made them customized punch templates on a ring binder, accompanied by a punch list.  The laminated punch templates have a number on the back - that corresponds to the number in the catalog - and on the punch list.

I did add some other things - including the ribbon wrapped catalog; a reference sheet for the colors by family, etc.  Everything was shipped in a working project box.   I had great fun putting them together, and from what I hear - they were greatly appreciated.  My customers are great and I really do appreciate them. 

Hopefully, you might have found a couple of ideas for your own space (like the punch template), punch list, etc. 

Well, I am off to make a quick card - well try at least! 

As always, thank you to all of you for your visit, your support and your comments.  As you can see from each other - it's not just me who enjoys your comments.  Germaine, it was great to see you blogging and back to making cards.  I did try to add comments to your blog to say HI and YAY - unfortunately, I couldnt as it kept kicking back my google id and I don't have a blogger id.  So - I'm saying hey and congratulations, here instead!

Trish, good luck tomorrow.  I bought a couple of other things to add to your chemo care pack and will be posting them off to you later this week. 

Prayers for Trish, Germaine, T, Pri, Arthur, Rach, Lynn/Jim, Missy.

Have a fabulous Wednesday everyone. - Enjoy Every Moment :-)

Hugs

Jaydee