New Release: Rock Lobster Brentwood Owl from JessicaLynnOriginal.com

Hi everyone,

Happy Halloween!  Hope you are having a safe and spooktacular Halloween weekend!  Today I'm joining the JessicaLynnOriginal.com team for the release of the newest Brentwood Owl Stamp: Rock Lobster Brentwood!

I just love lobsters -- and I wish I could head over to Maine for some yummy Lobster Rolls.  So, while thinking about these scrumptious crustaceans and thought it would be funny to show the Brentwood Owl entangled in a little lobster boat mishap.

Materials:

• Rock Lobster Brentwood Stamp
• Card base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Patterned paper for the boarder and boat; shiny textured paper for the sea
• Lawn Fawn Scalloped Rectangle dies
• Alphabet Stickers
• Copic Markers
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Twine for the net (or any kind of "netting" material you have)

Directions:

• Stamp the Brentwood Owl on Copic-friendly paper
• Color with Copic markers and fussy cut it out.
• Cut a sea shape from the blue paper
• Cut a boat out of the wooden paper
• Place the scene together and then run through the die cut machine with the scalloped die
• Cut a larger scalloped rectangle from the patterned paper
• Glue all the layers in place.

Enjoy your LOBSTAH! (yes, I'm from Massachusetts!)

New Product Tuesday: Doodlebug Design Candy Stripes Washi Tape Card

Hello friends,

It has been a while since I've posted a "New Product Tuesday" project, but today's project is super fun I couldn't resist.  As some of you know, I was introduced to the planner craze a little while ago by my friend Irene at Shabby Chic Crafting.  She got me hooked on the Erin Condren Life Planner.  I've also been checking out the Emily Ley Simplified Planner and just yesterday, Sugar Paper LA announced their line of exclusive planners are coming to Target again later this week.  They have a select few planners on their website as well and I just love the patterns and colors.

However, today's post isn't really about planners.  It's about WASHI TAPE which I used in my planners.  I've been a fan of washi tape for a several years but only recently discovered skinny washi tape!  I just love this Doodlebug Design Candy Stripes Washi Tape.  I also love their bright and colorful patterned paper and embellishments.  Do you remember the Father's Day post  featuring the crab on the swing?  Well, the patterned paper I'm using in today's card is from that same "sunkissed" paper collection, but this time I'm adding washi tape and some of Doodlebug's "summer" sprinkles shapes to the mix.  SOOOO fun!

I know, I know, it's getting cold in other parts of the country, but here in Los Angeles we're experiencing 90-degree heat, so it still feels like summer!

Materials:

• Doodlebug Design candy stripes washi tape
• Doodlebug Design sunkissed 6x6 pattered paper and "this and that" sticker sheet
• Doodlebug Design summer sprinkles and shapes
• White card base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangles die
• Lawn Fawn Stacked scalloped rectangle stackables dies
• Sizzix Scalloped Circles dies
• Foam Adhesive
• Adhesive Tape Runner

Directions:

• Apply washi tape in strips across a piece of white card stock

• Using the largest stitched rectangle die, cut out the card insert.  You'll need to run this through your die cutting machine a few times to make sure it cuts through the tape layers.
• Glue a 3.5" square of ice cream/popsicle paper to the top center of the card.   

• Cut a scalloped rectangle and scalloped circle from white card stock.  Cut a yellow scalloped border from two scalloped circle dies to accent the center piece. Adhere these three pieces to the center of the card using foam adhesive.
• Add stickers to the center of the scalloped circle.
• Add the sentiment from the sunkissed collection sticker sheet and adhere it to a piece of pink card stock.  Hand cut a fishtail at the end.
• Add the camera sticker and adhere to the card with foam adhesive.

That's all!  Super fun and crazy cute.  I love these colors!  Happy Fall, all (even if it feels like summer outside)!

Halloween Galore!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post today!  I'm in the process of creating a ton of fun Halloween projects for my day job at MakieLab.  We are hosting a 13 Days of Halloween #MakiesHalloween promotion which means everyday we post something Spooktacular and fun.  Mostly paper crafts because I love crafting so much.

Here's a quick peek of the previous 7 days.  There are still 6 more projects coming your way.  If you want to follow the OfficialMakies account on Instagram or Facebook... you can even enter to win our GIVEAWAY! Otherwise, I'll post another follow-up here with our remaining projects.

Happy Early Halloween!

Day 1: Invitation (Human Sized and Doll Sized)

Day 2: Halloween Banner

Day 3: Wigs

Day 4: Chibitronics Light-up Letters Sign

Day 5: Potions!  Love those Doodlebug sequins!

Day 6: Straw Toppers 

Day 7: Festive Hats!

BLOG HOP: Introducing the "Love You Deer" Stamp Set from JessicaLynnOriginal.com

Hi everyone,

It's time for another Blog Hop with the JessicaLynnOriginal.com design team.  If you came from Jessica's blog, then you're in the right place!

Today we're featuring cards made with the new "Love You Deer" stamp set.  Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly a hunting kind of person.  So, I'm going to celebrate some of the the unique qualities about deer.

10 Interesting Facts about Deer that I betcha you didn't know:

1. There are forty-seven (47) species of deer.
2. The smallest deer weighs only 20lb. and is only 14in. tall in its adult life.  Now, that's TINY!
3. Deer are vegetarian.
4. Only males have antlers, except for Caribou (where both male and female have antlers).
5. Antlers grow during the year and fall off in the winter.  Hey, that's kinda like flowers.
6. White-tailed deer, think Bambi, have great eyesight and hearing.
7. White-tailed deer are super athletic.  They can run up to 30mph, leap as high as 10 feet and jump as far as 30 feet.  Deer Olympics anyone? 
8. Reindeer and Caribou are the same.
9. The Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story was created as part of a marketing campaign for Montgomery Ward department stores in 1939.  All things lead to Marketing!
10. The Rankin/Bass stop-motion version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer didn't air until 1964, a full 25 years after the original story was written.

          Sources: LiveScience, National Geographic, Wikipedia

Okay, now don't you feel more educated about deer?  I was inspired by some of these facts (the highlighted ones) and incorporated them into my cards for today: Mainly the fact that deer are vegetarian and Rudolph originated from a department store marketing gimmick.  I really love that one.  Haha!

Card #1 - Deer in Grassy Meadow

Materials for Card #1:

• Love You Deer Stamps from JessicaLynnOriginal.com
• White Card Base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Card insert: 4.25"W x 11"H
• Spellbinders Oval Floral dies
• Ranger Distress Inks: Peacock Feathers and Broken China
• Lawn Fawn Grassy Border dies
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic Markers
• White Gelly Roll Gel Pen
• Sequins
• Foam Adhesive

Directions for Card #1

• Stamp the deer on white card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Color in with Copic markers and add white gel pen on the spots for accents. Fussy cut the deer using scissors.
• Center the oval die cut on the white card insert and die cut.  Keep both pieces
• Using Distress Ink, gently blend in the sky starting with the lightest color.  Only color in half the oval.
• Die cut the grassy border from two different shades of green card stock.
• Place the deer and the grassy borders on the oval.  Cut out the excess grassy parts to match the oval shape.  Using foam adhesive pop up the grassy border for dimension.
• Adhere the oval to the center of the card base.  Add the outer rectangle to the card for added effect.  
• Add sequins for a finishing touch.

Card #2 - Rudolph outside a Montgomery Ward window display, circa 1939

Materials for Card #2:

• Love You Deer Stamps from JessicaLynnOriginal.com
• White Card Base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Card insert: 4.25"W x 11"H
• Size Window dies
• Card stock: red, two shades of green, gold and patterned striped paper for the awning
• Spellbinder Stylized Trees dies
• Lawn Fawn Cupcake wrapper die
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• Copic Markers
• Glossy Accents
• Foam Adhesive

Directions for Card #2:

• Stamp the deer (Rudolph) using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and color with Copic Marker
• Die cut the window, trees and stars and arrange a "window display"
• Cover the top of the window with the cupcake wrapper and then cut the excess so it forms a rectangular top.
• Cut a small rectangle, ink the edges and write "M. Ward 1939" in pencil.  Adhere to awning with foam adhesive
• Place a red nose on Rudolph by cutting a little circle from red card stock.  Cover in glossy accents to make it shiny and bright.
• Place Rudolph to the side of the store window.

Silly card, but I had fun making it.

Giveaway:

You can make one too!  JessicaLynnOriginal.com is giving away a free stamp set to one lucky winner.  Just comment on the JessicaLynnOriginal blog for your chance to win the free set.

Keep on Hopping.  The lovely Vickie is next with some fun designs. Below is the full hop order in case you lose your way:

• Jessica
• Christina -- you are here!
• Vickie
• Maria L. Russell
• Amanda
• Sharon
• Jennifer
• Jeanette

Now, sing along with me "... then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say... Rudolph with your nose so bright... won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Happy Hopping!

New Release: JessicaLynnOriginal.com Planner Stamps

Hi all,

How many of you are really into day planners?  I'm talking about the Erin Condren Life Planner, Emily Ley Simplied Planner, Whitney English Day Designer, Filofax, etc...?  In today's world, most of our schedules are kept on our phone, in Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, etc... but there's something refreshing about writing stuff down in a traditional planner.  So this is how I've managed to incorporate both into my life.

For my corporate life, everything is stored in one of my devices.  I have so many shared calendars for work, so Google Calendar and my iPhone calendar helps a ton with that.  But when it comes to my blogs and craft projects, I really keep my own schedule.  I have deadlines for various design teams and I have random projects I schedule on my own.  That's where day planners come in handy.  I am currently using the Erin Condren Life Planner.  It's SO CUTE!  Plus, it's a cross between planning and scrapbooking and STICKERS!  Sounds awesome, right?  I am also contemplating a review of the Emily Ley Simplified Planner in 2016... we'll see.

Today I'm featuring some new planner stamps from JessicaLynnOriginal.com.  The set that I was asked to review was actually a baby-themed planner set.  Since I am not expecting a baby any time soon, I just used the stamps that were relevant for everyone.

Below are two snapshots of a recent weekly spread using these planner stamps. Specifically, I used the following stamps:

• Due Date
• Push Pin box
• Water Cups
• Favorite Moments
• Snacks

For the day labels, I print my own headers on a large plain sticker sheet and cut them with a paper trimmer.  I'm in the process of organizing using the Kon Mari method, so one of my buckets is titled "Kon Mari" -- but I am not going through it as fast as I was planning.  Sometimes work gets in the way :-)

I also used the stamp set to create this baby shower card.  I stamped a few of the images in different color inks and die cut an umbrella from the Paper Smooches baby shower die set.

That's all for today.  Happy planning!

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up: New Challenge #10 - Christmas is a Time for Giving

Happy October, everyone!

I'm here with another 12 Months of Christmas Link Up Design Challenge.  This month we're featuring some really fun digi stamps by Imagine That! Digits by Kris.  I especially love their stamps for Copic coloring, especially their Snowman Trio set -- so fun and festive for the holidays!

Here are the challenge details:

• Blog link: The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up 
• Challenge dates: October 1-31, 2015
• Optional theme: "Christmas is a Time for Giving" - if you would like to participate in the optional theme for the month, create a Christmas card that is meant for a child between the ages of 0-12.  Also add "FT" after your name, so we can include it in the prize drawing.  This theme is optional.  You only need to follow the theme if you are interested in the $10 Gift Certificate to the Imagine That! Digis by Kris store.
• As always: All card submissions (with or without optional theme) will be eligible to earn a free paper each month and some extra digital goodies.
• Guest Sponsor: Imagine That! Digis by Kris (see info below).
• Additional Sponsor: Décosse's Dynamite Doodles
• Prize Info: 
• From Imagine That! Digis by Kris: $10 gift certificate to one random winner chose from those who participate in the optional theme.
• From Décosse's Dynamite Doodles: 
• Prize 1: one free digital paper to EVERYONE who links up a minimum of two cards. The theme for these cards is optional
• Prize 2: a mini-set of six digital papers called You'd Better Not Pout to a winner picked at random.

For some inspiration, here is the card I designed and details on how I made the card.

Materials:

• White card stock for card base: 4.25"W x 11"H, scored at 5.5" mark
• Red and black card stock for the frames
• Imagine That! Digis by Kris Snowman Trio digital stamp
• Digital Peppermint Swirl patterned paper from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles
• Avery Elle Finished Frames dies
• Mama Elephant Polaroid Creative Cuts
• White card stock for coloring
• Copic Markers
• Adhesive Tape Runner
• Washi Tape
• White Gelly Roll pen

Directions:

• Print the Snowman Trio digital stamp on some white copic-friendly card stock. Color in with Copic Markers. Hint: when coloring in the snowmen, I used a very light grey for accents: C00 and C1.  This helps the white stand out from the background.
• Die cut the card base using the largest finished frame die.
• Die cut two polaroid frames from red and black card stock
• Assemble the layers of the card according to the picture. 
• Write the word "peace" at the bottom of the frame
• Add some washi tape to the top of the frame for a finishing touch.

SPONSOR INFO:

As I mentioned above, this month's challenge is brought to you by our Guest Sponsor, Imagine That! Digis by Kris™. Here's some info about them:

• Imagine That! Digis by Kris™ is a mother/daughter team bringing you our cutest hand-drawn images that you can flip, re-size, re-color, print and use in your crafting creations!  Almost all our digi sets include both color and outline formats and include sentiments for a great value.  In addition to carrying family-friendly digi stamps, we also offer digital papers and KD-Kits, all available as instant downloads!  You may want to check out our Free blogwear category, as well as find freebies on our Facebook Page and join in our monthly progressive challenge where everyone who plays, Wins!  You can read more about us here on our 'About the Arists' page.

Our additional sponsor is Décosse's Dynamite Doodles.

Now it's your turn!  Create a holiday card and be sure to add it to the 12 Month of Christmas Link Up Challenge blog!  Look forward to seeing your amazing designs!

Fa la la la la - Happy Card Making!