JAMSquared

Category Archives: Crafty Goodness

A Texas Tuesday Valentine

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Welcome to Texas Tuesday. Today, I have a valentine to share with you. My inspiration comes from the beautiful weather central Texas recently experienced. My daughter and I went to the neighborhood playgound on Friday to start off the weekend of gorgeous weather (highs in the mid-70s and sunny). As we were leaving, I noticed the delicate blossoms of several rosemary plants. Bees were buzzing about them and the aroma was quite nice. Did you know that scientists report that rosemary can assist with memory and thinking because it has an antioxidant property that protects the brain? Jessica and I went back to the park yesterday and I snapped a few photos of the buzzing bees, planning on sharing one with this post. Alas, my photos weren’t quite in focus, so instead I will point you this gorgeous photo I found googling.

Texas honey bees were my inspiration. Valentines were my goal. I think it was a success. I used the sketch from the current wee Memories Challenge #41. The sentiment was printed using Word. This card meets the requirements of Creative Cowgirls Challenge #6, love is in the air.

Bee Mine Valentine

Stamps: Stampin’ Up Just Buzzin’ By
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, So Saffron, Basic Black
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Pattern Papers So Saffron
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Dell printer
Embellishments: dimensionals
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers; atYou Spica clear marker

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the posse’s creations (links in my sidebar –>). Today is likely Libby’s last Texas Tuesday so make sure and give her some love.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks Snow Much

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After this one, I’m finally finished making thank you cards for our Christmas gifts. I wanted to use a snowy image to meet the requirements of the All That Scraps Weekly Wednesday Challenge #64, but I didn’t have the right one. I was going to wing it with a technically non-snowy image, but when it didn’t work with last week’s Sweet Spot Sketch (a great starting point none the less) I decided to borrow a stamp from my friend Lori that was more wintery. I still feel like we haven’t really had winter yet. I guess I shouldn’t complain, but it would be nice to pull my sweaters out the drawers more than a handful of times. Although the forecast for tomorrow has the high dropping to the mid-40s and Wednesday and Thursday will have highs in the 30s, so maybe I’ll get to pull my sweaters out a bit more. I was also inspired by the Catered Crop Recipe Challenge #4. My recipe is blue polka dots, a bubbly bow (off kilter), and my layout is somewhat similar. This card also meets the requirements for the Stamp Something winter something challenge and Your Next Stamp Challenge #34 to make a winter scene.

Thanks Snow Much Card

Did you see the puffy muff? I also added dimension by using Glossy Accents on the shoes.

I don’t normally decorate the insides of my cards, but I didn’t have a spot for the sentiment on the card front, so I decided to fancy up the inside. I don’t have a stamp with this exact sentiment, so I made my own using Word.

Inside of Card

Stamps: The Greeting Farm Rain Snow Shine
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Baja Breeze; textured navy/blue from scrap bin
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Pattern Papers Baja Breeze
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Dell printer
Embellishments: Liquid Applique, Inkessentials Glossy Accents; navy satin ribbon
Tools: Martha Stewart Snow Flurry border punch; Stampin’ Up scallop oval punch

Thanks for stopping by.

Best Fishes

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I made two of the following card for two of James’ male relatives whose birthdays are today and tomorrow. Of course, they’re probably going to be a day or two late in arriving since I just put them in the mail late yesterday afternoon. It’s the thought that counts, right?

This card was made with two challenges in mind. First up is a color challenge: Sentimental Sundays Challenge #39. The colors were handsome hunter, summer sun, old olive and poppy parade. I don’t have any poppy parade, so I made do with a combination of pumpkin pie, real rust, and tangerine tango. I’m not used to doing color challenges and it was kinda tough. I saw all the samples and thought those colors are awesome, but then I started pulling papers out and I thought “Omg, how am I going to make this work.” I like the final product though.

The second challenge is a sketch for Phindy’s Place Challenge #40. Although, since I went with a rectangular card instead of a square, I ended up removing two elements of the sketch. Does that make it not really count as the sketch? I like that they recently opened up their challenge requirements to allow stamps other than Phindy’s Place. Of course, if you use a Phindy image, you get two chances of winning the draw. I ended up choosing to use this little fisherman from Hambo Stamps since it makes a great guy card. This is the first time I’ve used him. I got him back in November when I found out about an awesome 50% off Hambo Stamps sale for Timbo’s 50th birthday (Libby, you enabler).

Best Fishes Card

Stamps: Hambo Stamps Fisherman and Best Fishes
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Handsome Hunter, Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Frosty Day
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Embellishments: The Twinery Lemondrop
Tools: Nestabilites Classic Circles; Stampin’ Up markers; Prismacolor colored pencils; atYou Spice silver marker

Thanks for stopping by.

In the Army

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Wednesday, I mentioned I was finished with Christmas related posts, but I forgot I haven’t shared some crafty stuff I did for Christmas yet. This layout is one I made and framed for our friends Nick and Stephanie. I had been thinking about doing this for them ever since Kristy and Aric’s Halloween party. The picture I took of them in their costumes turned out so well. I was inspired by the Creative Scrappers Sketch #134. I flipped the sketch for my take on it. I really like how it turned out and think I might do something similar for the picture of the three of us from the same party. What do you think?

Creative Scrappers Sketch #134

In the Army Layout

Stamps: Stampin’ Up All-Year Cheer III (masked Halloween)
Cardstock: textured black, white, orange and greenish-brown
Designer Paper: The Paper Loft Haunted
Ink: Stampin’ Up Craft Whisper White; Stazon Jet Black (distressed edges)
Embellishments: Making Memories Spellbound glitter foam stickers
Tools: Martha Stewart Ghost Edge punch; circle punches; Sixxix Bug in a Rug alphabet die

Thanks for stopping by.

Two Quick Cards

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Yesterday, during Jessica’s nap, I made these two (well really three) quick cards.

The first card came together so easily. The flower image is one I had received almost a year ago in an stamped image swap. I actually colored it and the rest of the ten images shortly after receiving them, but I kept forgetting to use them, so last week I put them on my workspace instead of in the drawer. I saw yesterday’s Get Sketchy Sketch #71 and I immediately thought of this little flower image. The card came together so quickly and it turned out so cute.

Thanks for Making Me Smile Card

Stamps: www.hellokids.com (flower) ; Stampin’ Up Small Sayings (sentiment)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up So Saffron, Elegant Eggplant
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Flock Together
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Stampin’ Up So Saffron (edges of tag)
Tools: colored pencils


This second card was made to meet Sentimental Sundays Challenge #38 to make a winter card. I really wanted to enter this challenge because I would love to win the custom watermark/signature set that is being offered as the prize. My sentiment is actually one of the free ones they offered for you to use. I also used the OWH Stars & Stamps Sketch #52. They’re celebrating a year of sketches. That said, I actually made two of this card, one for me to use and one to send to Operation Write Home for the use of our amazing troops.

Snowmen Card

Stamps: Raindrop Echo Designs Winter Sentiments; Hero Arts ClearDesign December
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Baja Breeze
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Paper Patterns Baja Breeze
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Embellishments: Recollections black rhinestones
Tools: Nestabilites Classic Ovals, Classic Deckled Ovals

Thanks for stopping by.