Stampin! with Jaydee

Bride and Groom

Hi Everyone.  Happy Thursday night.

A quick post and card for you tonight.  I like being able to use background stamps and make them the focus.  Some of them are so gorgeous that it seems a pity to demote them to... well.. the background!

I've been wanting to use Bella Toile (111598) in the foreground capacity for a while.  When we were on our cruise last year, there was a lampshade over the table at the coffee shop - Cafe al Bacio.  I stared at that lampshade and thought... you know it reminds me of Bella Toile and I think I need to make a card using that.

I haven't tried doing this card with White craft ink on Crumb Cake yet.... but I think I should.  So, here's the inspiration pic

and here's the card I came up with.... not the same colors I know, but I think you can see where I got the inspiration :-)

    

I used Not Quite Navy for the base and Very Vanilla for the toile layer.  It was a really easy card to make.  My tag punch, and the sentiment from Blissful Bride, a piece of ribbon and a few pearls were all it took.  You can make this card in any color scheme and really for any occasion.  I liked it for a wedding card, as it has a level of formality about it.

Tomorrow's night's card is another sneak peak using the Studio Sketches set.

On a personal note.. the deck is finished... but it's still raining.  The nursery came to plant trees today and they ended up doing it in the mud!  Considering they were planting 4 x 8" arborvitae's, and we have a sloped garden, it was a pretty messy process for them.  They did a great job though.  So, the garden is starting to take shape.  We are thrilled that so many of the plants that we have bought over the last couple of years have survived - and thrived.  We even transplanted the plants from around the deck, and even they seem to be doing well.  Now... mmmm... the two baskets at the front door are another story altogether!  Let's not talk about how Cherie saved them on Saturday from their water torture chamber!

Adelle, you have inspired us.....  We have started to attack the garage.  How did your clearing go?  Did it finally stop raining enough for you to get it done?  We were talking about you again this weekend, as we watched the hummer come in to feed.  The cycle of seasons seems to be in full swing when the hummer finally comes back.  We haven't had a single Oriole in the garden yet.  So, a shout out to you, my friend.

Well, I am off to celebrate Cherie's Flag Day today.  As Trish noted, a little early!  So, I get to spend time with my good friends Brenda and Cherie for the third time this week - it has to be a good week.  :-) 

Lynn, thank you for joining the paper players challenge this week - we appreciate your support!

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday - one filled with love, laughter and the things that make you happy.

As always, thank you for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  Where your visits - and your support - are so much appreciated.

Hugs

Jaydee

I know the light didn't catch it, but I actually embossed the whole toile area with Iridescent Ice embossing powder

Eggplant Smooch and Surprise Cupcakes

Hi Everyone.  Happy Wednesday Night.  Or Happy Hump Day!

Four things to share with you tonight.... the winners of the blog candy draw, a card and a link to Kadie's phenomenal project, and my initial take on the new catty.  So, making a visit will be worth your while:-)  tonight's card uses Blissful Bride.  I really love this set.  I was inspired by the sketch across at stamping411 this week.  It's a very versatile sketch so go check it out.

Tonight is my last night before going back to work.  It has been incredible to have some time off and I am very relaxed.  Luckily only two days at work this week!

Let's get to the blog candy draws:  The visitor to my blog during the OWH blog hop was chosen by random.org and the person who won was CUTNPASTE.  Cutnpaste has been informed by email.

Then, I did a draw for 2 of my regular readers.  Well, I didn't Bilbo did.  I wrote the names of all those people who had commented on my blog outside of the OWH post, and put them into a container.  Bilbo drew 2 names.  He did spend a lot of time thinking about his choices and wasn't in the least bit impressed when I took away the little bits of paper instead of allowing him to play with them!

Here are the winners

                DEE

                MARGE   

 Dee and Marge have won a choice of goodies from my stash and I will be sending you both an email to let you know what you can choose from.  So, congratulations to both of you - and thank you Bilbo Baggins!

Before we get to tonight's card.   I really want you to go across to Kadie's blog.  She posted THE most amazing project on her blog.  Well, she has lots of them.... but this one in particular made me squeal with delight.  I really was gobsmacked.  I am not going to tell you anything about it, because I want you to go along and see if for yourself and not spoil it for you.  All I can tell you is that you have a birthday coming up for anyone - you NEED to check this out.  Kadie's project is called Surprise Cupcake.  Here's a little sneak peek

 

I love seeing the projects you all make, you are a bunch of the most amazingly creative people.  So, please do yourself a favor and pop along to Kadie's blog for inspiration.... oh... and don't forget to leave her a little love. 

As I said a little earlier, my card uses the Blissful Bride stamp set, the now retiring Brides DSP, Vanilla Smooch Spritz and the paper piecing technique.  The sketch layout on 411 was very versatile and it was perfect for a clean and simple wedding card.

For this card, I stamped the bride's dress image onto Whisper White card stock and then again on the striped piece of the Brides Specialty DSP.  I then cut around the image and covered the original image with the train and the back of the dress in the striped paper.  I really thought that it gave it dimension and depth.

I also stamped the sentiment on the outside of the card.  I really liked having it on the outside of the card.  The sentiment is stamped in Elegant Eggplant to match the paper.

I cut the Elegant Eggplant paper and put it in my Smooch Catcher.... strange name..... I imagine this little man running around with a net catching kisses... anyway... where was I before my brain went off on a tangent.... oh yes.... Smooch Spritz.... I used the Very Vanilla smooch spritz for this layer.  It stands out really well on the Elegant Eggplant paper and helps to pick up the sheen in the bride's train and in the Satin and Organza ribbon.  I really think this ribbon is perfect for a wedding card. 

Of course, I had to pop the focal image on dimensionals and the wrap the ribbon underneath it.  So, all in all, I was pleased with the card.  I also love the fact that you can create this card to match ANY wedding color scheme.  The Smooch spritz, the satin ribbon and the striped paper, all add a touch of richness to the card. 

So.... my new goodies arrived today - along with the new catty.  I met with Brenda for a quick cup of coffee this afternoon so that she, too, could look through the catty and we could have a discussion about it.  We both agreed that this is a catalog that has something for everyone.  If you like the vintage distressed look - then there's lots for you.  If you like the cleaner more modern looking images, then there's something for you.  I love the fact that they have taken the flowers and done more modern touches to them - like the Awash with Flowers sets, BUT that there are still things for traditional flower stamp lovers, too.

If you are into watercoloring - then you will be very pleased with some of the new sets.  I was thrilled with the one that I got in the pre-order - and with the new ones in the catalog. 

There are also new things for kids and the feeling is that there are some great new masculine type sets, too.

I am LOVING the new colors  Yesterday I finally sorted out my inks, paper, etc. in preparation for the new arrivals.  I have to say, I was not unhappy to say goodbye to some of the colors.  BUT, I was very HAPPY to say hello to some of the new ones.  One thing I am sad about, is saying goodbye to the polka dot ribbon we had for the in colors last year.

If you like DSP... then you are going to LOVE the new designer series papers.  Oh.... I am very definitely in love.

So..... my first impression when I flipped through the catty was surprise that there were so many sets remaining - especially some of the classics.  It was only on my second viewing that I started to look more closely and see all the new stuff.  I have a pretty long list of things that will be ordered on July 1 - and then I made a list of things I want in October for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  So, I should have lots to show you.

NOW... don't forget that we are in the midst of the card drive for Operation Write Home and Hugsandhope.

For every 10 hand made cards you send to me, with envelopes, you will get one ticket into the draw to spend 100 dollars on goodies from the new catalog courtesy of moi.  I don't think you will have any problems finding things to spend the $100 dollars on!   Brenda, Cherie, Bethany and I will then package up all the cards that you send and prep them for the charities.  We collected 800 cards for our last drive.  That's pretty amazing.  Adelle and Brenda really helped beef up those mumbers.  For Cherie, Brenda, Bethany and I, it was such a joy going through all the cards that you made and ooohing and aaahing at how great they were.  However, I think that the recipients of the cards at the end of the chain would have oohed and aahed even more. 

Well, I am off to play with my new goodies... I have a baby card in mind that I can't wait to try.  I also have to finish my card for the Paper Players challenge this weekend... I'll have more details on that tomorrow.

Germaine.... seems like they are getting to the bottom of the cause of the pain, now lets hope that they can do something about it - and please... get better!  It was good to hear from you today.  Even if we are all super jealous of you.... Oh.... I did meet Matt Damon, though.  so, smap on that!  he's an absolute cutie - really a fabulous young man.  I was so surprised by his humility and his overall demeanor.

Trish... you know you continue to be in our prayers, continue to rest my friend.  I hope it's cooler in WI this week.

Ann..... I wanted you to know that I am thinking about you.  Ann retires this week after 34 years of teaching.  It's amazing how many of you are teachers, btw.  So, I know you will all be with Ann in spirit tomorrow as she says her goodbyes and moves onto the next phase of her life.  Ann thank you for your dedication to your profession and taking children and helping to mold them into adults.  That goes to all of you teachers and ex-teachers out there.  It truly is an underpaid profession and one for which I have the most immense respect.  I know you are going to cry, Ann... and I'll be there in spirit with you.

To my darling Lou... thank you for being home this past week and sharing even the most drudgiest (i don't believe that really is a word!!!) tasks at home with me with such good spirits.  I really appreciated it - and loved spending time with you.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone.  As always, thank you so much for spending a little time in my area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits, your support, your comments and your friendship - really are what keep me doing this every day.

Hugs

Jaydee

Navy Bride

Hi Everyone.  Happy Friday night.  Oh yeah... it's Friday!!!  

Tonight's card is yet another square card.  I think I might be getting addicted..... well, it's actually the challenges that make me do it :-)

I found a new challenge site - the sweetstop  - they have challenges every week and this week was a sketch challenge.  I thought it was a great sketch.  I combined it with the splitcoaststampers ways to use it challenge - which was to put elements at an angle.  Something else I don't do very often! I loved the sketch because it allowed me to still keep a clean and simple card, even though it had a number of layers.

This was the sketch that I used to make "the other bridal card".  You may remember the white on white one that I did in this post and I said that I had made a less conventional card.  Here it is.

You can see that I used the same vellum technique that I have used before - the stretching and dry embossing.   I loved the way the sketch allowed me to use some of the divine Bride specialty paper.  I was tempted to use my swirly texturz plate, but decided I didn't want to do that.  I was also tempted to use pale blue on the flowers and ribbon on the dress, too... but decided that the little pop of pink warmed up the card.

You will notice that I angled the sentiment a little, too!  I love the navy and white and it could easily be changed up to suit any color scheme of the bride and groom.  The size can also be adjusted to make it a smaller square card, or back to a normal A2.  Here's the details on the card

Card stock:     

Night of Navy, Whisper White, Vellum, Bride Specialty DSP

Ink:               

Night of Navy for the sentiment, Pretty in Pink marker for the ribbon and flowers.                                  Whisper White Water color crayon for the train of the dress

Stamp Set:     

Blissful Bride  (120036 clear, 118527 wood) from the new Summer Mini Catalog

Ribbon:         

Organza Ribbon (114319) its just fabulous for special cards like this.  You can also dye this                      ribbon with a brayer

Sizes:   

Card base:  5 x 10 to make a 5" x 5" card

 Layer 1 - the Bride DSP 2 1/2" W by 3" H

 Layer 2 - Night of Navy matt 3" x 3"

Layer 3 - the focal layer: 

Whisper White 2 3/4" x 2 3/4".  The image was stamped on a piece of  Vellum and was cut to the same 2 3/4" size after I had worked on it.  This layer was adhered to the Night of Navy matt using snail.  The vellum was adhered with mini glue dots underneath the colored area of the dress so that you wouldn't see it.  I then used Vellum glue dots for the corners.

The navy matt was then adhered to the card base using dimensionals.  I love using dimensionals for this, as opposed to pop up glue dots, because they have just the right amount of height.

I tried to capture a view of the train to show you the organza feel that the dry embossing technique creates, especially when you color it with the whisper white crayon.  It really is pretty in real life.

I was really pleased with the end result.  It's neither masculine nor feminine.  The small round pearls echo the buttons and flowers on the dress, the swirl background paper and the sentiment.

Well, we were up until 1.30 this morning putting together the cupboard and trying to make sense of the new stamping setup.  It's going to take me a little while to get used to the new arrangement and find the right spaces for things.  I got so used to the way it was, that a little rearrangement might be required as I start to use it.  However, I love the new cupboard.  I love having everything away and in it's place.  It looks great.  We are considering frosting the glass on the doors just to make it look even more tidy.  Then a couple of Decor Elements are in order I think.

Once I'm finished and everything is the way it should be, I will take before and after pics for you.

Please keep Trish and Germaine in your prayers.  Also, prayers to Rach as she gets ready to welcome her new baby into this world.  Just a few more days and Rach will be back to changing diapers (nappies for us English-types) and interrupted nights of sleep.  I'm so excited for her and look forward to the next few days when she lets us know that baby has finally decided it's time to make an appearance.

For the rest of you - thank you so much for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  You all know that your visit and your support is so appreciated.

Have a fabulous Saturday, filled with love and laughter.  Remember... send a card to someone, just because you can.

Hugs

Jaydee

Beautiful Bride

Hi Everyone.  Happy Saturday night. 

I got to spend some time outside in the garden soaking up the sun... yes SUN!  and I spent some time in my stamping space.  It has to be a great day :-)

Tonight's card uses a stamp set from the new Summer Mini - Blissful Bride.  It's that time of the year when weddings seem to be a regular occurrence.  Consequently, I made two different cards - one very traditional - all in white and one much less traditional.  Tonight I'm showing you the traditional one.

I used the Vellum and embossing stylus technique.  I stamped the dress and then using my stylus I embossed the train of the dress to make it pop from the paper and also to give it a white organza feel.  I added just a touch of pink on the flowers and the ribbon.

I used the Bride Specialty Paper (115669).  In fact this is the first time I have actually used it for its intended purpose!

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good closeup of the vellum to show you - but let me try

I'm not sure you can see the "puffy" look to the train... I think you have to see it in person.  

I hope you all have a fabulous Sunday and that you get to spend time doing the things you love, with those you love the most.  Enjoy this wonderful spring weather.

Hugs

Jaydee