JAMSquared

Category Archives: Crafty Goodness

Birthday and Just Because Cards

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Sunday afternoon, I got together with my friends Lori and Evalyn to stamp and gossip and snack. Evalyn really knows how to bring the goodies. I worked on a birthday card for my sister-in-law Julia whose birthday was yesterday. She is a dancer and dance teacher, so I wanted to use this Ballerina Hilda stamp, even though Julia is more of a modern dance kind of girl. I think she liked it and the gift when she opened it Tuesday while Jessica and Aspen played, not really together. I can’t wait until they actually play together. I used the awesome Sweet Stop Sketch #82. They always have such inspiring sketches.

Julia's Birthday Card

Stamps: Motivet Ballerina Hilda; Stampin’ Up stamp set of Lori’s (sentiment)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Paper Prints Certainly Celery
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Embellishments: Stampin’ Up Wild Wasabi 3/8-in. double stitched ribbon; Making Memories glitter chipboard flower; sparkle gem
Tools: Prismacolor colored pencils; Stampin’ Up markers; Spica clear marker (on tutu); paper trimmer tool of Lori’s

This second card started out as a Valentine’s card to send to Operation Write Home. Their Valentine deadline is January 7th. However, I didn’t have a Valentine’s sentiment that fit, so I changed it into a “Just Because” card. OWH always needs that type of card. I used Jen del Muro’s Sketch for You to Try. I especially liked her take using different colored polka dot paper, so I decided to do the same. I used a sweet digi image for the Stamp Something November Digi Day challenge. I like how it turned out, although, I kinda wish I hadn’t used the two small heart brads.

Just Because Card

Stamps: Meljen’s Designs Bunny Love; Stampin’ Up Mini Mates (sentiment)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Loves Me
Ink: Dell printer; Stampin’ Up Rose Red
Embellishments: white heart brads
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers; white gel pen

Thanks for stopping by.

A Favor-full Texas Tuesday

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Welcome to Texas Tuesday, a Texas-themed crafty post on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Today, I’m sharing favor bags I made for my nephew’s Cowboy themed first birthday party. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go since Jessica caught Foot-Hand-Mouth Disease, a contagious virus. Thankfully, my brother and his family were able to take the favor bags up to Keller for the party.

Favor Bags All Lined Up

My sister decided to do a cowboy theme for Trevor’s party since at his school, he had the most adorable picture of him taken on a pony. I offered to help. For the favor bag topper, I used this Rope font and the Texas flag carrying cowboy. I then stamped a boot on the paper lunch bag itself. My sister then stuffed the bag full of goodies and put it in a straw cowboy hat. I think they turned out super cute. Thanks for taking the pictures for me Sarah.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the posse’s creations: Libby, Mark, Betty, Danielle, Tina, Karen, and Geeta.

Single Favor

Stamps: Deadbeat Designs Texas Rider; Texana Designs Boot
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White
Ink: Stampin’ Up Basic Brown
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers

A Few Birthday Cards

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I’m in need of a number of birthday cards, so I’m trying to stay on top of it. Hopefully, I will and people will receive birthday cards before or on their actual birthday. We’ll see, I still need to make two for November birthdays.

The first card was made with two challenges in mind. First up is the Phindy’s Place Challenge #29. It is a 3-2-1 recipe challenge, meaning I have to use 3 of one thing, 2 of another, and 1 of yet another. I used 3 brads, 2 different stickles on the cake, and 1 ribbon. The second challenge was The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #81. I had a hard time deciding on the things for the recipe challenge yet still meet the sketch. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out though. I hope Shanan, my college roommate, and Tami, James’ sister, like it. Yes, I made two. They don’t have to share. 🙂

Let's Celebrate Card

Stamps: Phindy’s Place Celebrate with Cake; Stampin’ Up On Your Birthday (sentiment), Background Basics (swirl on kraft)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Kraft; A Muse Kitchen Purple
Designer Paper: Frosty Day, Summer Picnic
Ink: Dell printer; Stampin’ Up Elegant Eggplant, Creamy Caramel
Embellishments: Stampin’ Up Elegant Eggplant 1/4-in. grosgrain ribbon; Karen Foster plum mini brads; Stickles Xmas red, Frosted Lace
Tools: Prismacolor colored pencils; 1-1/4-in. and 1-3/8-in. circle punches

This second card is for our friend Nick. His birthday was Monday and we’re getting together for dinner tonight. Initially, I had wanted to make a camera related card, but my first idea didn’t pan out. Then I decided to use this cute little balloon carrying party boy, a C.C. Designs stamp, for the All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge #53 to make a birthday card. I then decided to use the Get Sketchy Sketch #63. I think this sketch is perfect for a boy card, since the embellishments are minimal.

Happy Birthday Card

Stamps: C.C. Designs Party; Stampin’ Up On Your Birthday (sentiment)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Basic Black
Designer Paper: Frosty Day, Summer Picnic
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Stampin’ Up Craft Whisper White
Embellishments: Stampin’ Up Basic Black eyelets; Inkessentials Glossy Accents (on balloon); dimensionals
Tools: Prismacolor colored pencils

Thanks for stopping by.

Jessica’s Circus Birthday – Part 3: Favors and Thank Yous

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I decided to do party favors for both the kids and the adults that came to Jessica’s birthday party. And of course, it is bad manners to receive a gift and not send out a thank you.

Kids’ Favors

The kids’ favor bags were easy to put together. I printed their names using a neat circus font I found (searching circus font, sorry I don’t remember exactly what site). Then I stamped an elephant for the girls and a lion for the boys on brown paper lunch sacks, stuck the name tag on the top and called the favor bags done. Inside, I included circus rubber ducks, circus temporary tattoos, circus stickers, sandwich baggies of animal crackers (which were technically Winnie the Pooh animal crackers from Costco), and coloring sheets I printed from this site and another site I can’t remember.

Favor Bags

Favor Bags Close-up

Stamps: Imaginisce Lion and Elephant
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Daffodil Delight
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Dell printer

Adult Favors

You might remember that I mentioned that I did two things last minute the night before the party. This is the second. I had the idea for a while. I actually came across it when searching for invitation wording ideas, although the initial idea was completely computer made with an image of a cannon. I couldn’t make mine completely on the computer. I had to stamp part of it of course. I printed the text on business card blanks, stamped the little popcorn image, colored the image, tore the business cards on the perforations and then stuck them to the popcorn packets. If I had bought the popcorn packets sooner than the day before the party, I would have made sleeves to stick the card to and then slipped the popcorn into the sleeve, but alas I did not.

Popcorn Favors

Stamps: Stampin’ Up Comfort Food
Cardstock: white business card blanks
Ink: Dell printer
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers

Thank You Cards

Jessica is truly a blessed little girl. She received many things to be thankful for. When making the invitations, I decided to step back a little bit from the color scheme of the party. Plus, I decided to use a tiger stamp instead of the elephant, lion or giraffe. They got enough love making all the invitations, cupcake toppers and kid favor bags. I ran the card base through my printer for the Thank You sentiment using the same circus font as the kids’ favor bags. I wrote the thank you notes as if Jessica wrote them. I can’t wait until she wants to make her own thank you cards. We’ll have so fun making them together.

Thank You Card

Stamps: Imaginisce Tiger
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango; white card blanks
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Dell printer
Tools: dimensionals

Previous party posts: Part 1: Decorations and Part 2: The Party. Stay tuned for Part 4: Food.

A 4×4 Texas Tuesday

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Good morning Texans and good morning to those not blessed to be born a Texan. Of course, you could always have one of those bumper stickers that read “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.” I wonder, do other states possess a similar kind of bumper sticker? Anyway, my musings aren’t why you’re here today. You’re here for Texas Tuesday, a wonderful phenomenon that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month, where myself and the rest of the Texas Tuesday posse make Texas themed cards to inspire you.

Today’s Texas Tuesday card is for the Hope You Can Cling To Four by Four Challenge, HYCCT04. This challenge was to use four layers of paper and four different embellishments. My four layers are the white card base, the blue strip, the red square, and then the barbed wire Texas stamped on white. My four different embellishments are ribbon, the star glitter window, the red star brads, and the cowboy boot button. I ended up using two layers of dimensionals on that boot, because of the round button part on the back. Does anyone have any better suggestions for using those kind of buttons? I also used the OWH Stars and Stamps Sketch #41.

Don’t forget to visit the rest of Texas Tuesday posse: Mark, Libby (who is having hand surgery today so go give her some love), Geeta, Betty, Tina, Karen and newest member Danielle.

Texas Thinking of You Card

Stamps: Texana Designs Lone Star State; Stampin’ Up Background Basics (stars on blue strip); Hero Arts Clear Design Playful Animals (sentiment)
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Real Red, Brilliant Blue
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Stampin’ Up Craft Whisper White
Embellishments: Stampin’ Up Real Red 1/2-in striped grosgrain ribbon, white chunky glitter sprinkes; red star brads; boot button
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers

I tried to take a close-up of the glitter window (done on the blue strip), but I’m not sure the close-up does it justice.

Card Close-up

Thanks for stopping by to visit.