Stampin! with Jaydee

Make a Monster for Enchanted Makoevers

Hi Everyone.  Happy Sunday.

Before I show you my card for tonight, and give you an update on the Enchanted Makeover card drive, I'd like to commemorate Veteran's Day.

To all those who have served their country and especially to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we give our utmost thanks to you all for the freedom that we have.  God Bless you all.

I thought it was a good time to remind everyone that, with the card drive that we have just completed for Operation Write Home,  almost 5000 cards have been posted to our troops to send home to their families.  Thank you all for helping our serving men and women.

Enchanted Makeover Update

As many of you will remember, after the close of the last OWH card drive, I started a card drive for women and children in shelters.  Hand crafted cards made by me, or donated by YOU, will be posted off to EM for distribution.  My goal is to reach 1000 by 11/23.

Here's a card I made using Make a Monster.  I just love this set!  I also love that this card drive has encouraged me to use colors of card stock that normally sit unloved in my paper drawer.  Tangerine Tango is one of those colors.  However, it was perfect for this particular card.  You can tell that I had LOTS of fun with this card!

Isn't that cute?  Well.... I think it is :-) These silly monsters make me smile.

Now... I have to send out a BIG THANK YOU to those of you that have already sent me cards as part of the card drive.  I don't stand a chance reaching the 1000 total without your support! 

Doris asked whether I will be featuring showcases for those of you who submit cards.  The answer is a resounding YES.

Why do I do that?  Why take photos of all the cards, import them into my photo software, save them all, add them to an external site and then write a blog post?  Here's why:

• It's a way to say thank you pubicly to those who support the card drives
• The cards may provide some inspiration to other blog readers
• Many of the women who send me cards do not have blogs of their own and it gives them a little time in the spotlight and allows them to share the photos of their fabulous creations with their own friends and family
• Lastly, so many of the cards are just so darn fabulous that they deserve some time in the sun!

For those of you who would still like to contribute cards... you have until 11/23 to send me cards.  If you are planning to support the drive, please could  you leave me a message at the end of this post - or send me an email.  I'd really appreciate it.  You can find all the deets on the card drive, including a list of possible card themes on this blog post.  Don't forget.... if you are planning to contribute, there is a chance of SU blog candy, or a place on an online card class offered by the fabulous Jennifer McGuire on onlinecardclasses.com.  I just finished the Holiday Card Workshop and it was fabulous!

As always, thank you for visiting my little part of the stamping blogosphere.  Warm hugs and prayers for those that need a little lift tonight.

Hugs

Jaydee

 

Paper Players 97 - LeAnne's Sketch Challenge

Hi Everyone.  Happy Sunday.

I'm late with my challenge card this week.  We were rushing around yesterday and I finally had the chance to make my challenge card about 45 minutes before I had to go get ready for dinner in St Paul with Lou.   Mmmmm.... I made the card.  I hated it.  I photographed the card.  I hated it even more.  It's not often that I make a card that I absolutely despise.  There are some that I shake my head at and think... what were you thinking?  But this one.... was dreadful.  It sounded great in my head... but was washed out and pale and just well.... lifeless!

So, it was back to the drawing board - I mean crafting table - today.   I can't honestly say that I am in love with this card either.  I don't often make children's cards and decided it was a good time to challenge myself.  I do love this monster set.  It's really absolutely adorable.  I did have fun coloring the images and then adding Cyrstal Effects to them.

Here's LeAnne's sketch - it's a great sketch btw!

And here's my take on it:

I decided to cut the pieces behind the focal image off center - as I thought they added to the chaotic, atomic DSP :-)

I'm not sure that you can really see that I put Crystal Effects on both of their bodies, but they are shiny IRL.

Here's what I used to make the card - all supplies SU unless otherwise noted:

• Card stock:  Pacific Point.  Whisper White
• DSP: Celebrations
• Inks: Pacific Point.  Crumb Cake.  Monster's colored with Copics
• Stamps:  Make a Monster, So Happy for You, Wonderfully Worn (for the muddy background - after all, I just didn't feel that aliens would do anything other than kick up a whole lot of dirt and mud when they landed :-)...)
• Accessories:  Old Olive Button.  Silver thread.

Looking at it now, I realize it is a happy card and hopefully some young boy will appreciate it1

Don't forget to pop along to the Paper Players and play along with us this week.  We'd really love to see what you can do with his fabulous sketch.

You can also check out the great design team cards on their blogs:

Ann

Anne Marie

LeAnne

Nance - the birthday girl!

Jenn

Heidi

Narelle

On a personal note:

8 boxes unpacked today!  Massive storms coming overhead right now.  Winds up to 65 mph and heavy rain is forcast for this evening.  As if we hadn't had enough rain! We just noticed that a tree on our neighbor's property has been blown down with the wind.

We hope our little robins are OK.  We noticed today that they  have flown the coop.  I am so sorry to see them go.  Sadly, we didn't get to see the babies before they left the nest, as they must have done that whilst we had so much rain over the last couple of days.  However, I am so pleased that we were able to house the nest our first two weeks in our new home.   We removed the nest today, so that we can finally stain the deck.  Hopefully, once the deck is stained, the Robins will choose the same location for their next nesting round.

As always, thank you so much for visiting my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  Warm hugs and prayers for those who need a little lift tonight. 

Hugs

Jaydee

Monsters in Love - and Meet Martha

Hi Everyone.  Happy Thursday night.

Tonight's card is a quick and easy card I made for Lou.  It features the Make a Monster set.  Now, I know you may have seen my monster mash card from a couple of posts ago - here - but I wanted to show you that it could actually be a little more versatile than for just cards for children.

Then, I have a little treat for you.  Some shots of our garden - and our regular visitor - Martha.

So, here's my little monster card!

The sentiment was typed up and printed on my local printer - and yes... "it" didn't print it straight... How on earth did that happen... are you kidding me!  So, doesn't it look as though the many eyed monster on the left is horrified by the two happy little love-monsters?  I had such fun creating this card and had to share!

The furniture has arrived... oh yeah... it arrived... BUT.... it rained all day and it's due to rain again tonight and, as the protective covers are on backorder from Restoration Hardware, we didn't want to put them out tonight - especially as we can't sit on them!  Grrr... we did try them out in the garage though, and are happy little campers! :-)  We'll be much happier when we get them outside on the deck - hopefully tomorrow.

Our deck is taking shape and, because we no longer have any form of railing around the deck, we are getting more visitors than usual.  Here are muddy little footprints that we found on our deck a couple of days ago...

(we love our new decking, by the way.  environmentally friendly, doesn't need to be treated and should last 20 years.... gotta love that!  it's also a gorgeous color, although it's tough to see it in this pic - it's called rosewood)... so, take a look at the little muddy pawprints .... now - lets take a look at the back of the garden from my favorite perch on the deck

The back of the garden had no plants at all when we moved into the house.  Lou and a dear friend of ours who was visiting from India, dug up the whole back part of the yard (in front of the trees) one very hot weekend.  We have worked to plant a bird and butterfly garden and you can see the butterfly bushes that have grown back with such vigor this year that we think they are on steroids.  On the right hand side of the pic you can see the little pink flowers of the milkweed.  We are very proud of our butterfly and bird garden!

So.... here's the pic

Not the best pic... but it was taken after sunset... now.... look veeeeeeery closely at the back of the garden.... you will see something grey - between the bird feeder and the bird house - up against the trees... can you see it...

look a little closer.... yes... it is the owner of the muddy paw prints!    Ladies, here's MARTHA

Isn't she gorgeous?  I was so pleased to be able to get this shot, considering the light wasn't that great!  I bet you are wondering why we called her Martha?  Well, it's because she is very fussy about her food, likes only the finest ingredients and also likes to re-decorate our garden (moves bird feeders around, steals little jars, etc.) So, we decided that she was the Martha Stewart of the raccoon world!  As you can see, she is a mommy.  We haven't seen the little ones yet, but are sure we will soon!

I hope you enjoyed the little trip into our back yard.  We really do love it - and all the creatures that visit with us.  Our garden is strictly a no chemical zone and consequently, we manage to attract a fair number of birds, bugs and other creatures.   I've never lived anywhere that I can get so close to nature.  Literally whilst enjoying a glass of wine on the deck.

Brenda... I did want to let you know that Lou has taken baby out once in the last two weeks.  I did try to convince him to take her out tonight, but he was worried that there might still be rain on the road.... He laughed when he saw your comment.  How wonderful that even Bethany is now wondering when Baby will get a day out :-)

Germaine, I didn't get your email, so I am sorry if you are waiting for a reply.  I don't know what happens sometimes.... Lou tried to respond to Brenda's comment last night and got a message saying that I wasn't allowing comments on my blog... I know that Trish has had that problem, too.  So... sometimes, technology doesn't quite work the way we expect.

Robin, it was wonderful to hear from you.... I hope you are doing OK, my friend!

Prayers for Trish, for T and Pri.  For Arthur and his upcoming procedure.  And to all of you who don't ask - but could do with a little help :-)

As always, thank you for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  I hope you all have a fabulous Friday - filled with love, laughter and cooler weather!!!

Hugs

Jaydee

It's a Monster Mash

Hi Everyone.  Happy Wednesday night.  Hope you all had a fabulous day.

Today's card is inspired by two great challenges.  The sketch for the talented team at Waltzingmouse and the mid-week throwdown from OWH to create a card that service man/woman could send home to their child.  Well, I couldn't resit that challenge, now could I?  I loved the sketch at waltzingmouse and kept pretty true to the sketch.  I made only two small changes - I ran my card on the vertical instead of horizontal, put the central panel at an angle and I put the circular treatment on the side of the focal panel.

I had so much fun creating this card.  One of my purchases from the new IB&C was the Make a Monster set.  In fact, I bought this set especially to make cards for OWH.  So, it was a pleasure to take it out and use it.  Why was I inspired to use it.... well... take a look at the sketch ... the button seemed to me like a single eye and the single eye got me thinking about the Monster set...and then I was off!

It was also a great excuse to bring out some of my new DSP.  This particular piece of DSP really looked as though it needed the Bot or Monster stamp sets!   I also loved the three stripes at the bottom of the sketch.  It really seemed to fit with the stripes and dots of the background DSP.

Of course, the paper then led me to my color scheme.  Pacific Point, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue and Baja Breeze.

Creating the monsters was the most fun I've had in a long time.  All the piece parts are interchangeable.  The only thing that remains static is the body outline.  I really think its such a fun set.

So, here's what I did with the sketch and the theme.

  

You can see that my Signo white pen got a work out, too.  I mean, I just had to give them white teeth and white eyes!

Card Recipe:

• Card stock:  Pacific Point, Real Red, Old Olive
• Stamps:  Make a Monster (118742W, 120606C), Sentiment:  Lots of Bots (114293W, 120009C)
• Accessories:  Brights Buttons (119747), Celebrations DSP (117164)
• Tools:  Word Window Punch, glue dots

Card Instructions:

• Card base is A2 - vertical.
• DSP is cut to 5 1/4 x 4"
• Pacific Point layer is cut to 3 1/4 x 3 1/2
• Real Red layer is 3 5/16 x 3 1/4
• Whisper White layer is 2 7/8 x 3 1/8
• Lay out the two body shapes on a single clear block and stamp using StazOn.  Stamp onto Whisper White layer.  Color with your favorite mediums.
• Adhere all layers using snail.
• Cut strips of Pacific Point, Ral Red and Old Olive and arrange along the bottom of the card layering and alternating layers - in no particular sequence and adhere to DSP
• Ink "Happy Birthday, Human" sentiment from the Bots set using markers.  In this case I carried the theme through and used Old Olive, Pacific Point and Real Red.  Punch out with word window punch
• Adhere sentiment over the strips using dimensionals.  Add a matching button to either end of the sentiment.
• Choose three matching buttons and place in the top left hand corner.  For me - they resembled a strange sort of space ship and satellite mini ships!

Tips:

• When creating a card like this, try not to be too particular about the layers being straight and even - it creates a more informal feel ... this is particularly hard for me, because I spend ages agonizing over something when it is slightly off.... I had to put that behind me for this card :-)
• The repetition of the bright circles on the paper is echoed by the bright buttons and even the monsters themselves - creating a sense of continuity.
• Color the bodies to make them feel reptilian - anything other than human :-)

On a personal note:  Oh boy.... it was hot and really, really humid today.  The temps were in the 90s and the air was the heaviest it has been all year.  I went outside to bring in the garbage cans and was enveloped by a stifling layer of hot, wet, air.  We have been under a heat advisory and tornado watch all day.  The heat index pushed us up to nearly 110 this afternoon.  WAAAAAAAY too hot for me.  I stayed in the cool of the house all day, except when I had to meet the landscape gardener.  So far, no severe weather in our town and it looks as though we should be good through the night.  Hopefully, we are due for a cool down soon.

I'm hoping to get a little time in my stamping studio tonight.  I haven't crafted since Sunday and am really itching to do something.  There are lots of goodies in my cupboard just waiting for me to take them out and ink them up!

I did see a couple of projects I wanted to share with you...... its a journey that will take you around the world - literally and you don't need a passport, to stand in line, or have your baggage thrown around even when it has "handle with care" stickers on it!

a wonderful baby sensory book.

Talking about chocolate oatmeal

A jar of flowers

Get well wishes

Hello, Baby

A parliament of owls

Continued prayers for Trish, Jim/Lynn - Lynn, hope everything went OK at the ticker tocker today, Pri, T. Rach I'll be really thinking about you these next few days.  Germaine, so glad to hear that you are feeling so much better!

As always, thank you so much for spending a little time in my area of the stamping blogosphere.  Your visits, your support and your comments are much appreciated.  Have a fabulous Thursday.

Hugs - and remember, smile at a stranger, it may change their life.

Jaydee