Hurricane, End of an Era and Other Stuff

Hello everyone! I'm so grateful to be back online and have electricity! I'm blessed to be able to say that my family is safe and sound and we did not sustain any major damage from Hurricane Irene. I know I have a lot of catching up to do with commenting so please bear with me.

If you've been a loyal follower and reader of my blog then you know that I have been on the Christian Paper Crafts Design Team in one form or another since March 2010. It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing that I have stepped down from this organization. Back in October of 2010 I had to take a leave of absence from Christian Paper Crafts for medical reasons. When I returned in January 2011, although the site was still owned by my dear friend Cindy Coutts she had stepped down as the Servant in Charge and brought in an Executive Administrator to run things. So, this was quite a bit different than what I had originally signed on for. Cindy ran the site with such grace and understanding and she let each DT member carve out their own place at CPC...including giving me my own forum to share my passion for the Cricut. To summarize, in January when I returned full-time I thought I was just coming "home" but, things were really different. I needed to either get with the new program devised by the Executive Admin or I needed to get out. It has taken me 8 months to figure this out. So, I left this weekend. This doesn't mean that I no longer respect CPC and the message they are trying to send or that I'm not grateful to have had the opportunity to design for this organization and the opportunity to meet some wonderful Christian women. It just means that CPC is no longer a good fit for me and I am no longer a good fit for CPC. There are more changes to come at CPC that would be wrong for me to divulge at this time and I honestly don't know if those changes are going to be good or bad for this organization. Is there a gaping hole there because I have removed my "talent"? Absolutely not! And I'm certain that they will replace me with someone more enthusiastic and better suited to the "Spirit of CPC". I wish Cindy and her team the absolute best in their future endeavors.

My next news is that this past Saturday was the end of my Design Team term with the Sweet Stop Sketch Blog. This I will miss! Korin and Monika are the easiest people to design for and I am super grateful to have had the opportunity. I would have liked to continue on but, the term is only 3 months.

What's next for me...I don't know. Maybe nothing. Maybe something. I know this will give me the time and opportunity to just "play" with paper again.

If you've made it through all that...God Bless YOU! I'm going to leave you with my latest card I designed for Classy Cards n Such.

Today's card is all about letting the patterned paper do the work for you. I love to stamp but there are times when I don't feel like coloring in the images or I'd just like to make a card where my sentiment is the focus. With all the gorgeous patterned papers that are out there on the market you don't always need a stamped image to tell your story because the paper does it for you. Those blue pine trees just scream snow! Flip that paper over and you find a wonderful blue snowflake pattern. I punched some snowflakes out using a Martha Stewart Crafts snowflake punch and added some bling to the centers cause snowflakes really do sparkle!

Supplies:
Webster's Pages Waiting for Santa/Sweet Season DSP
Stardream Fuse Vista CS
Reich Shine CS
Spellbinders Labels 18
Holiday Phrases-Verve Stamps
Martha Stewart Crafts snowflake punch
EK Success snowflake border punch

CPC Wonderful Wonders of Cricut Cartridges: Straight from the Nest

Last week at Christian Paper Crafts we began our cartridge exploration of Straight from the Nest. Sami led the line-up by exploring the "Layer/Shadow" feature (hop on over to her blog to have a look see; just click on her name above) and today I am exploring the "Corner" feature.


The "Corner" feature is a lovely collection of decorative corners that you can cut out and use on the corners of your cards, photos, and scrapbook pages. There is a wide variety of designs to choose from on the cartridge. I decided to work with the following cuts: <Branch2> and <Branch2-s>.

Without having any Creative Features selected I cut out <Branch2> in Green Galore. This gave me the branch to which I then added Pixie Pink blossoms that I cut by using <Branch2-s>. For the corner I turned on the "Corner" creative feature and made the same cuts again using Pixie Pink for the blossom outline cut and Green Galore for the base.

I stamped "birthday wishes" using a sentiment from Ippity and inked the edges of my card with "Green Galore" ink. I rounded the top right edge of my card simply by fussy-cutting around the corner once I had it adhered to the card base.


I am entering this card into two challenges this week. The first one is Stampin' Sister's in Christ: create something with a technique or something you have wanted to try but have been afraid to. I have a huge fear of clean and simple cards! Seriously! I want to layer and pile it on or I don't feel like I have done anything. This is a clean and simple card for me! The second challenge is Sentimental Sundays: Birthday-make a birthday card with a sentiment.


Thanks for stopping by today!

Life's a Beach: Charm Feature

Today I am experimenting with the charm feature on the Life's a Beach cartridge for Christian Paper Crafts.
The "charm" is basically a tag with an image in the middle of it.
I knew that I wanted to work with this adorable digi image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps...

I flipped through my handbook until I came across a sandcastle. I thought that would be perfect to go with my digi image above.

Instead of using the "layers" feature to add different colors of cardstock to my sandcastle, I just colored the it with my copics and accented it with stickles.
For my finished project, I decided to make a long card inspired by the challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays...the Long and Short of It.

 If you have this cartridge, why don't you give the charm feature a try?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 114

Hello everyone! It's time for the Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday challenge!
I know, I know, it's Tuesday and I was supposed to have this up yesterday. Well yesterday just wasn't my day. You have ever have those?

Let's take a closer look at the details...

Using my Cricut Expression and Fabulous Finds cartridge I cut out this ribbon slider and insert. I used Groovy Guava cardstock from Stampin' Up! ® for the slider and Very Vanilla cardstock for the insert. I stamped the insert with a sentiment from the Fluttering By stamp set from Verve. I used a gel pen to add little dots around the inside of the frame. The ribbon running through the slider is Groovy Guava{SU}.

Using the butterflies from the Fluttering By stamp set along with Bermuda Bay{SU} and Groovy Guava{SU} inks I stamped the butterflies onto Very Vanilla cardstock and fussy cut them out. I adhered them with 3-D glue dots. 

The patterned paper is from K&Co. Abrianna Collection and is mounted onto a Bermuda Bay{SU} card base.

We would love for you to come play along with us at the Christian Paper Crafts Creative Blog!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 113/Cricut DT Call

Hello blogging Friends & Followers! It's Monday and time for the Color Monday Challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts. [please scroll all the way down to read about the Cricut DT call]

Our Color Story for this week is a Nautical Living Room. I was inspired by the big star on the wall and the shades of blue. 

Drawing inspiration from the photo I was compelled to pull out my never-before used "You Rock" stamp set from Verve. For colors I couldn't help but to pair up one of my older favorite color schemes of Blue Bayou, River Rock, and Soft Sky from Stampin' Up!® The stars were stamped on Soft Sky cardstock with Blue Bayou ink and then fussy-cut and covered with Glossy Accents from Ranger Industries.

Here you can see a close-up of the sentiment that comes with the "You Rock" set from Verve. It was stamped on Soft Sky cardstock that was cut using the Cricut & the Elegant Edges cartridge and then matted on to Blue Bayou cardstock. All the edges were inked to add definition. You should also see that I used my Cuttlebug and Stars embossing folder on the Western Sky Designer Series Paper keeping everything in-line with my "stars" theme. 

We would love to have you play along with the Color Monday Challenge. If you are not a member of Christian Paper Crafts you can play along with the challenge at the Christian Paper Crafts Creative Blog.

Christian Paper Crafts Cricut Design Team Call
As you all know, I host the Color Monday Challenge over at Christian Paper Crafts. I'm also their Cricut Specialist/Cricut Forum Moderator. I am looking for some Cricut Lovers who have a variety of cartridges to either guest design or become a part of my Cricut Specialist Team over at Christian Paper Crafts. Each month we do a cartridge exploration based on an assigned theme. You do not have to be a Christian to be a member of the team or guest design. If this is something that you think you might be interested in please email me at loweryjennipher@gmail.com with Cricut DT Call in the subject line. We are all volunteers over at Christian Paper Crafts so the only compensation would be free membership to the forum because it is a paid subscriber private forum. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a blessed week!

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 112

Hello everyone! It's Monday and time for another color challenge at Christian Paper Crafts!

 I created a clean and simple card using some of my older stash and a sentiment from the Faith set from Our Daily Bread Designs.

If you would like to play along with the challenge and are not a member of Christian Paper Crafts you can play along and link your creations up on the Creative Blog. So come join us!

Thanks for stopping by today...

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 111

Hello everyone! It's Monday and that means it's time for another Color Monday challenge at Christian Paper Crafts!

I am in love with this color story for today's challenge...

I  used Gloria's sketch challenge from last Tuesday as the inspiration for my card design. There are never any deadlines for our challenges at Christian Paper Crafts so you can play along whenever you like!

 

I found this sheet of patterned paper that matched the pillow in the chair almost perfectly and I used that as my starting point for my card.

 

Supplies: 

~Stamps: Sweet n Sassy-Peaceful Swans

~Cardstock: Stampin' Up!®-Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist

~Designer Paper: DCWV-Garden Party

~Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Inks-Peeled Paint, Weathered Wood

~Accessories: Stampin' Up!®-Wild Wasabi stitched grosgrain ribbon; Recollections Boutique Fleur-Flower

~Technique/Tools: Cuttlebug w/Polka Dots embossing folder; Cricut Expression w/Elegant Edges Cartridge

~Size: 6 x 5.5

If you are not a member of Christian Paper Crafts feel free to come play along with the challenge at our Creative Blog! We offer a different challenge every day of the week except for Sundays. 

Thanks for stopping by today...

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 110

Hello Everyone! It's Monday and that means it's time for another Color Monday at Christian Paper Crafts.
Our color story this week is full of drama!

We would love for you to come play along with us. You can create anything you like...card, ATC, scrapbook page, fat book page, altered item, etc. If you are not a member you can play along with the challenge at the CPC Creative Blog. You will find other challenges there as well that you can play along with- one for every day of the week except Sunday. Hope to see you there.

Also, this week at the Sisterhood of Crafters the challenge is to use buttons on your project. I used a button for the center of my flower.

Supplies: 

Stamps: Verve-Dream Big

Cardstock: DCWV

Designer Paper: My Mind's Eye-Home Collection; Me & My Big Ideas-Butterfly Collection

Ink: Stampin' Up!-Melon Mambo, Old Olive

Accessories: Button-Stampin' Up!

Size: 5 1/2 x 6

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 109

It's time for another Color Monday challenge at Christian Paper Crafts.

I was inspired by the pops of raspberry color in the accents in the room. I like how it had a relaxed look to it with the rocking chairs but still was very refined with the brass mirror. So, I tried to carry that theme out in my card.

Supplies:

• Stamps: Verve-Serenity
• Cardstock: Die Cuts With A View
• Designer Paper: Me & My Big Ideas-Posh Collection
• Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink-Dusty Concord
• Accessories: Burgundy organza ribbon-clearbags.com; pre-made chipboard accent-Colorbok; tiny rhinestones-misc.
• Technique/Tools: Cricut Expression and Elegant Edges cartridge
• Size: 4 1/2 x 6

We would love for you to come join us in the Color Monday Challenge at Christian Paper Crafts. If you are not a member you can play along with us on the Creative Blog.

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 108

Hello everyone! It's time for the latest Color Monday Challenge at Christian Paper Crafts.

Here is the color story for this week:

 

The challenge: Using the colors in the color story as your inspiration create a project of your choosing. You may be inspired by only one color, of combination of two or three, or all of them. The choice is yours!

I was inspired by the rose pink in the color story and decided to use that as my inspiration. Browsing through my patterned paper stash I found the perfect paper from the Abriana Collection by K & Co that I felt best represented what looked to me like Regal Rose from Stampin' Up!®. 

I added Rich Razzleberry and Orchid Opulence (retired) cardstock to the Regal Rose I had already chosen and used the cardstock as base layers for my patterned paper. The flower circles were cut out using my Cricut Expression and Elegant Edges cartridge. I do not own a sewing machine so, YES, that is hand-stitching that you see there. I used Bazzill stitching templates with a paper-piercer to make the holes and then stitched with some craft thread from Michael's. The sentiment I used is from a Verve stamp set called "Beautiful You".

This card design was inspired by Verve Diva Maureen's Viva la Verve Sketch:

I had the most fun making this card! First of all, I loved this sketch so, thank you Maureen. Secondly, I've never stretched myself to use three colors and I just love how well everything came together. Thirdly, the hand-stitching made me feel as if I was really putting a lot of love into this card and well, I did!

If you are not a member of Christian Paper Crafts you are still welcome to play along with our challenges by joining us on the Creative Blog. It's also not necessary for you to be a Christian. Come as you are and enjoy the challenges. We have a different one every day of the week, except Sundays.

ODBD Shining Light Challenge: Embedded Embossing

I've never been much for participating in a technique challenge. Usually they require supplies I don't have or just seem to complicated or mind-boggling for me. However, I've realized that sometimes I'm just not comfortable trying new things and I need to learn some new techniques or all my cards will look the same.

With than in mind I decided to participate in Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge this week. It's a technique called Embedded Embossing and you can read all about the challenge and technique here: OBDSLC59

Another thing I don't normally due is combine challenges in one creation as that boggles my mind as well. But, I figured it wouldn't get too crazy if I just combined it with the Sketch Tuesday 108 from Christian Paper Crafts.

Here is what I ended up with using the combination of challenges

 

I'm pretty pleased with how the embedded embossing technique turned out and would like to try it again with a different embossing folder. My card size is 6.5 x 5 so I had to use the only 5x7 embossing folder I own, which is Polka Dots from Cuttlebug. 

Supplies

• ODBD Scripture Collection 2
• Polka Dots 5x7 Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
• Cricut Expressions & Elegant Edges Cartridge
• Close to My Heart metal embellishments
• Stampin' Up! Old Olive CS, Botanical Gazette DSP, Old Olive Classic Ink

Thanks for stopping by today!

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday 107

Hello and happy Monday! I have taken on a new role at Christian Paper Crafts as the Color Monday challenge hostess. So every Monday I will be sharing the inspiration photo and sample with you here on my blog too. If you are inspired by it, feel free to play along and if you are not a member of Christian Paper Crafts you can link up your creations on our Creative Blog.


Here is the inspiration photo:

 

For the challenge you can use all the colors or just one or two. The choice is totally yours. You can create anything you like including cards, ATC's, tags, altered art, scrapbook pages, etc. Just have fun with it, create, and share!

I decided to use more of a clean and simple style for this card. I had to distress and ink the edges, that's a must-do with me! The other thing I was going for was using up some of my stash and minimal stamping. The patterned paper and the 'Notes' sticker is Notations Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up!® The border and leaf die-cut are from K & Co. I used Tempting Turquoise cardstock from SU to create my card base. For inking the edges of the papers and card base I used Broken China Distress Ink by Tim Holtz and Thatched Straw VersaMagic chalk ink. I stamped my sentiment using a Verve "freebie" stamp and Memento black ink.

Thanks for stopping by!

Viva la Verve April #3

Hello followers and friends! First of all I want to thank you all for the wonderful comments on my last card. WOW! I was overwhelmed by your kindness.

Today's card is also inspired by a Viva la Verve Sketch. This sketch was designed by Verve Diva Teresa.

 

I feel that I must warn you and tell you that I have gone in a totally different direction for this card. I got 'grungy'. Lots of distressed edges and direct to paper inked background base.

The inspiration for this idea came from this week's Bible Verse Thursday challenge 104 @ Christian Paper Crafts:Wilderness.

Sometimes our trials in this life make us feel as if we are living in the wilderness. With that thought in mind I created this distressed, roughed-up, grunged card as a symbolism of wilderness and I including a scripture on the front that encourages me when I feel like I am walking in life's wilderness.

I don't know if I like it or if it even works but, I spent my precious time on it so here it is...

All the patterned papers on here are from K & Co. Also from K&Co. is a translucent frame, journaling tag (sentiment is stamped on), sunflower border, and two little daisy accents that are popped up with pop-dots but, it's hard to tell that in the photo. I took a Very Vanilla cardstock base and used a Tim Holtz distress ink in Fired Brick along with the direct-to-paper inking technique to create the base of the card. The scripture stamp is from Sweet n Sassy stamps. It's very different from what I normally do and I think it could be better but, it could take a while to master the grunge style!

Thanks for looking!