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Monday, January 31, 2011

Monday Happenings - January 31

Happy Happy Monday Bloggers!

It's definitely winter in Texas!  Yesterday and  Saturday, we had temps in the 70's...so nice and beautiful.  Perfect to play outside.  Today it is overcast and 40's.  Tonight we'll be dropping into the 30's with rain, and that will turn into ice and snow tomorrow - temps in the LOW 20's.  They say, if you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes, it'll change.  That is so true here!

Monday also brings a new challenge at Paper Therapy!  This one was definitely a challenge, but I had so much fun!  I definitely embracing my inner vintage girly this week:

This week it is a technique challenge. Use a border punch not as a border but in a new/different way. Here are a few links to give you some ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICcoods5SLE&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOt1Djlr5NE&p=E33E0493DC225422&playnext=1&index=39

Supplies uesd:
Cardstock: Bazzill: Parakeet and French Vanilla
Patterne Paper - Sassafrass Lass
Flowers: Prima and Recollections
Ribbons:  Orange Sheer and Lace from my stash - maker unknown
Stamps: Hero Arts, The Girls Paperie Stamps (Paper Girl)
Ink: Color Box Chestnut Roan
Border Punch - Fiskars - Apron Lace

I can't wait to see what you come up with!  Be sure to post your completed projects by midnight - 2/5/2011.  Winners will be announced next Monday.

Have a great day!
Jessi

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sunday Rants and Raves

Happy Sunday Bloggers!  This weekend has been jsut beautiful!  The weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny, and I've been very productive.  

I've also been dealing in some MJAOR frustrations with Micorsoft's Windows 7 and their "helpful" updates Dave pushed to my laptop last week...so so frustrated.  So Microsoft's latest updates now show all Jpeg files in seperate folders from the pictures so when you think you have duplicate files, you actually don't.  So please remember this and don't delet what you think are duplicates!  Trust me...you'll only end up being frustrated later!  They also did some changes to Windows Movie Maker.  You now have to have a Microsoft Live account inorder to upload directly from Windows Movie Maker.  Now, I know I'm resistant to change, but why the heck should I sign up for a service that I NEVER use just to upload vids to my exsisting You Tube account?  Dave tells me "It's not that big of a deal."  No, it isn't, but it just hacks me off to think that I HAVE to sign up for more crap from MS in order to use a service I used before with their software.  I hate it....and I really want to get a MAC now because of it....I won't because we're saving for the Babrie Dream House right now, but it's just another thing to add to my list of reasons to convert to MAC.

Ok - sorry - I just had to get that off my chest because it was making me so mad...and causing a bit of a fight between Dave and me.  Now on to fun stuff....

I made my first shaped mini album!  Have you ever seen those sweet cut out chipboard albums in the dollar section at Michaels?  Well, this is one, completed!






 Supplies Used:
Die Cut Album - Colorbok
Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants, Making Memories
Cardstock - Bazzill Bling
Tags/ stickers/ Flowers - Making Memories
Chalk Ink - Color Box

I had so much fun making this cute little album.  Hope you enjoy and find a little inspiration!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Made With Heart Bloag Hop Winner!!

Thank you all for coming to play on the Blog Hop this weekend!  I hope you had a great time and were inspired by all of the lovely projects.

The winner of my Blog Candy is Bernie!

Bernie - be looking for my email soon to get your snail mail so I can send you your goodies!


Thanks again to all who played this weekend.  I really loved seeing everyone's thoughtful comments.  Stay tuned - I'll be posting new projects weekly, and you never know when there will be more blog candy to win. :)

Happy Crafting!
Jessi

Monday, January 24, 2011

Monday Happenings and Weekend Re-caps

Happy Monday Bloggers - I've just had the most wonderful weekend!  My husband had to work a few hours this weekend, and, as some of you know, we are a one car family which means I have to take Dave up to work - whish is an hour away.  Well, he decided that wasn't fair after week I had so he booked a suite at Gaylord Texan for the weekend.  It was so lovely, and very romantic.  He really is the best husband ever!

Today starts a new challenge at Paper Therapy.  This week is another color challenge:


This is my take on the challenge:

Supplies:
Green Apple Cardstock - Creative Memories
red/ yellow/ blue patterns - Cheerful Storybox - Creative Memories
Diecut Flower - K&Company
Lime Green and Christmas Red  Stickles - Ranger
Scallop Oval Dies - Nestabilities by Spellbinders

I hope you stop by Paper Therapy and play along - we're a fun bunch.  And don't forget all - I'll be drawing for a winner from this weekend's blog hop after work today - come back to see if you're the lucky winner. :)

Happy Monday!



Friday, January 21, 2011

Made With Heart Blog Hop!


Howdy Bloggers and welcome to the Made with Heart Blog Hop, hosted by Kristin at Lil' Sweet Pea's Place. If you've been following the path, you've no doubt come across some fabulous inspiration along the way, including my predecessor, Liza! If you've not hopped down the path, please feel free to start at Lil' Sweet Pea's Place and follow the path of lovely creations and delicious blog candy!

As you know this Hop is all about handmade, heart felt gifts/ cards/ or scrapbook Layouts and our theme is Valentine's Day. Below is my project:


And here's how I did it:
1.  Pop out the handle and silver handle holders.
2.  Trim down 2 sheets of patterned papers to 6 5/8"x12" and adhere to Bucket. 
3.  Trim out Paper in the handle holes and re-insert Handle pieces.
3.  Cut "Love" on the Cricut using Reminisce Accents Cartridge at 2" and chalk with brown ink.
4.  Adhere "Love" to red paper and trim edges by hand.
5.  Adhere "Love" to can as desired.
6.  Decorate Bucket with Flowers as desired.
7. Tie assorted ribbons to bucket handle as shown.

Supplies:
Large Paint Bucket - Michael's
Pattern Papers - KP Valentine Paper by K&Co
Die Cut Flowers - Lucy's  Linens - Marcella by K&Co
Chalk Ink - Color Box - Chestnut Roan
Ribbons - assorted from Stash
Adhesive - ATG Gun and CM Tape Runner
Cricut Cartridge: Reminisce Accents
And here is some yummy Blog Candy:

12x12 Martha Stewart Valentine's Holiday Paper
Greenhouse Paper Flowers by American Crafts
3 yards of ribbon (ivory lace, dark red velvet, pink floral)
"Jenny" heart Mini Album by Creative Imaginations

Wanna win these delicious goodies?  Here's how:
1.  Follow my blog.
2.  Leave me a comment and include a way for me to reach you.
3.  Have fun!! (I'll assume you are already having a good time because you're here!)

My husband will draw a winner on Monday after work so be sure to check back Tuesday Morning to see who our lucky winner is!

So now that you've stopped in for a visit, it's off to the next fabulous blog: Joey

And don't worry - if you've lost your way, or just want to venture along the list, here's the Happy Path of crafts Made from the Heart.
Nikki: http://nikkistamps.blogspot.com/
Kimberly: http://hellocutiecrafts.blogspot.com/
Janneke: http://myblog-jannekescreations.blogspot.com/
Tabitha: http://zippity-do-dah-tabitha.blogspot.com/
Liza: http://pinkcandystripes.blogspot.com/
Jessi: http://themyersmemories.blogspot.com/
Joey: http://joeysworldofstuff.blogspot.com/
Emily: http://branchoutdesigns.blogspot.com/
Patricia: http://www.thinkingofinking.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Kate: http://ippitysimplicity.blogspot.com/
Dee: http://sprytebyrd.blogspot.com/

Thanks for playing - now make something with heart!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Monday Monday....

Happy MLK Day Bloggers!

While I do enjoy getting the day off, I also am very proud of this holiday because I am proud of how far we've come as a country in terms of civil rights and civil liberties.  We're not 100% finished with what Dr King and so many others started, but we've definitely come a long way.

Monday also brings a new Challenge over at Paper Therapy.
Shape ~ a ~ licious!!
This week the challenge is to make a shape card.
Anything other than rectangle or square.
How you do it is up to you!!

Please have your project posted by
Saturday 1/22.
This one was another tough one for me - I'm so used to doing simple, rectangular cards - easy to send, easy to find envelopes....not so much this week, but I loved it once it was all done!

That brad in the middle of the flower is actually holding the front and back of the card together.  The lucky recipient of this fun and smooshy message will have to swing the heart up to read what's underneath.

The heart and lacy accent is part of the Lacy Label Cricut Solutions Cart.  The note card is actually a die cut from Making Memories "Notheworthy" diecuts and the vintage valentine cut-out is from Daisy D's valentine patterned paper 2008.  The "loving you more each day" sentiment is from a set of Basic Grey Stamps a snagged on Scrappy Steals - love that site so much.  I keep looking a this card, thinking it needs some lace or ribbon or flowers, but every time I tried to add something, it just didn't fit...so I think I'll leave it alone.

Supplies Used:
Bazzill Basics - Chili Cardstock
Daisy D's 8x8 Cardstock Pad - Maybe Baby
Making Memories - Noteworthy Die-Cut
Creative Memories - Brown Chalk Ink - to chalk papers
Cricut - Lacy Labels Solutions Cartridge
Pearlized Brad - source unknown
Stamp - Basic Grey
Colorbox - Dark Brown (to stamp sentiment)

In other exciting Paper Craft news, I am participating in my first ever blog hop next weekend! 

I can't wait for you to join us starting January 21 - 23 for lots of fun, inspiration, and the opportunity to win some yummy blog candy.  Please stay tuned for more details.

I hope you all have wonderful weeks, get inspired and create some beautiful things memories and projects!  Don't forget to check out the other DT's Blogs for their fun challenge cards this week!  Go ahead - leave 'em some love.

Happy Monday!
Jessi

Monday, January 10, 2011

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Happy Monday Bloggers! 

Dallas is in the middle of a terrible freeze, but I am snuggly warm at home with Dave watching the temps drop.  This weekend was crazy - started with relatively normal weather and lots of Scrapping at Memory Lane Inn.  Ended with 5 inches of snow and a tricky ride home.

Now it's time to start a new week, and it's time for another fabulous challenge at Paper Therapy!  This week is a sketch Challenge:
You can use this to make a card, tag, layout, gift package - it just needs to be based on this sketch.  Here is my take on the challenge:



 Supplies Used:
Making Memories Paperie Collections  (Green and Brown)
Silk Flowers - Michaels
Pearl - Recollections
Brown Ribbon - May Arts
Cappucino Brown Cardstock - Paper Source
Cricut Cartridge - Lacy Labels
Brown Chalk Ink - Creative Memories
Expressions of the Heart - Creative Memories

This was a fun challenge for me - I tried to realy stretch myself to create outside of my simple clean lines.  I hope you can stretch yourself too.  Don't forget to post your challenge engries by midnight on Saturday, and be sure to chekc out our other Deisgn Team members - they really blew this challenge out of the park this week!

Have a great week!
Jessi

Monday, January 3, 2011

A New Year, A New Challenge and New Goals

Happy 2011 Bloggers!  I hope you all had wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year celebrations filled with love, family, and great memories!  Our celebration was wonderful.  My little brother is home on leave from the Navy and we've actually gotten to spend a lot of time together.  I love it!  Today we went to Gaylord Texan to see ICE and it was magnificent....come back later this week for pictures.

Today marks the first Paper Therapy Challenge of the New Year.  For those of you who still haven't made it over to Paper Therapy, we're a paper crafting group who love altering items, scrapbooking, and card making.  We do a weekly challenge, swaps, card of the month contests and more so stop by and check us out!  We'll be glad you did!

This week's challenge is to scrap lift your favorite blog creator.  I stalk several blogs, but my favorite lately has been My Chic'n Scratch - Angie Kennedy Juda super creative and talented SU consultant.  I love her video's and tutorials - she's made some super cute and simple gift ideas - and saved my rear a few times when I needed a quick idea for my team. My scrap lifted idea comes from a blog post she did while gearing up for Halloween.
I loved the idea of using the top part of a lunch sack for treats or gift cards.  Here's my simple and clean version:

I've used these sweet little bags for Halloween as well - slightly more simplified but silly me - I didn't get pics before they went out. 

Something else I've decided start doing again is to set craft goals.  We did this at Scrap-Diner, but when Sherine closed up shop I kind of let my scrapping fall by the wayside.  Part of that was the excitement of getting married and adjusting to married life and a new job, but now it's been a year.  Life is a bit more settled down now, and I've gotten back to crafting regularly thanks to Kristin and the gang at Paper Therapy.  So now it's time to get back to setting goals. Here are mine for January:
  • Scrapbook 40 pages - I have a retreat coming up so this should be very obtainable.
  • Create 20 cards for Operation Write Home
  • Update Shop Handmade Store
  • Re-Organize the scrap space.
I hope you join us at Paper Therapy, and I really hope I've inspired to you make some scrappy goals of you own.  I can't wait to see what you come up with. 

Happy New Year!
Jessi