Life is Good Blog Hop!

Welcome to another GinaK blog hop!

Tonight we're showcasing Theresa Momber's Life is Good stamp set on our blogs. I have 2 cards to share all made with the same basic layout, elements and papers as the ones I shared on Monday night for Nina Brackett's blog hop. (To see those projects scroll down one post.)

I absolutely love these trees all stamped in a row in versamark ink and embossed with Cream embossing powder - they are so soft and pretty to me against these Basic Grey Wassail papers.

Here's the inside...

Simple - love the sentiment from Rupa's Warm & Wonderful stamp set paired with these snowflakes and the winter scene.

As I was making this card, I started thinking about my backyard. We have a tree line edging our backyard and frequently have deer in our backyard. Since we have an apple tree, a quiet neighborhood and several trees/bushes it seems to attract them - even though we live in town. We've seen as many as 5 deer at a time and recently this fall have seen a buck 3 or 4 times with a doe.

Here's a photo - sorry it's not the best quality, but you get the idea...


So, that was the inspiration for this card...

In the summer, the tree line is so full and lush it can be hard to see the deer but in the fall when the leaves are gone, they are a bit easier to spot. I stamped the trees in a row again and embossed with cream embossing powder and then stamped the trees again in versamark - to try to create a little more fullness.


and here's the inside...


For even more inspiration tonight with the Life is Good stamp set, check out these links:

Theresa Momber {Illustrator}
Jessica Fick
Nina Brackett
Melanie Muenchinger
Lee Murphy
Erika Martin
Emily Giovanni
Colleen Schaan

Cheri Weston {CSS designer}
Melissa Shultz {CSS designer}
Peggy Wainman {CSS designer}

Geri Utterback {guest designer}
Brenda Turner {guest designer}
Linda Payne {guest designer}

The Life is Good discussion on the StampTV Idea Center is also a valuable resource for tips, samples, and tutorials. Theresa's tip sheet and the Card Kit is available in the discussion as well.

And, finally stop by GinaK's blog today to leave your comment on her blog for your chance to win today's featured stamp set or another stamp set designed by Theresa valued at $23.95 of your choice!

Enjoy all the eye-candy tonight!
Jessica

December Blizzard

Good evening!

I wasn't planning on doing a blog post tonight, but because of our snowstorm last night I ended up having some photos to share with my family and friends and thought you may like to see them too! Madison got clobbered (along with many other cities in the Midwest) with our first winter storm of the winter season. All told, everyone in this area received at least 16+ inches of HEAVY wet snow that made for some beautiful photos, but tons of back breaking work cleaning it up!

My photos are at the end of my post after this card I decided to share that I made with Theresa's Life is Good stamp set. I shared it during the release party and thought it would be perfect to share tonight - you'll see why when you see my first photo.


And, now onto my Snow storm photos - see why I choose the tree image for my card tonight?



The snow was so heavy, tons of it stuck to the houses, trees, bushes, etc. And, it was perfect packing snow for Ashley to try her hand at another snowman....


Brad woke up super early this morning and did the bulk of the shoveling before any of us even woke up. He was out shoveling at 5:00 this morning - can you imagine? Love that guy!

After I made a hearty pancake breakfast for everyone, we all went out to finish off the driveway after the snowplow came through and buried us in. We had also gotten another 3 inches of snow since he had shoveled earlier, so there was plenty for everyone to do.

Ashley lasted about 5 minutes and then she decided it was time to throw some snowballs and work on her snowman while everyone else worked... that's pretty much par for course for this 'baby' in our family! lol!


Isaiah and Brad were troopers because they let her throw snowballs at them until we finished shoveling - and then, it was payback time!





They had a lot of fun playing together - kids LOVE snow, don't they!?




The trees and bushes on the other hand - not so much ... poor tree -

See you tomorrow night for the CSS Recipe blog hop event!
Jessica

Winter Cabin

Happy Friday!

What a fun day this has been - getting lots of orders out to people who eagerly ordered the new stamp sets that were showcased last night at the Release party! It's been a busy day - or should I say a busy WEEK for me and I'm glad the weekend is here! The kids have sleep-overs planned, so it's date night tonight! Yippee - those don't come around often enough!

My card today is one I shared last night during the release party. I used Theresa's gorgeous new Life is Good stamp set and some nestability dies to make this winter cabin - all snowy just in time for Christmas. I used liquid applique with glitter to make the snowy scene...

Card Details
Stamps: Life is Good, Holiday Greetings
Cardstock: GinaK white & chocolate; DCWV dp
Ink: Versafine black ink; Vivid ink
Other: dauber; nestability dies: labels 3 & 7 and circle; pearls; copics, liquid applique; glitter; detail clear embossing powder


and here's the inside - I am in love with this Labels 7 nestability dies!

Have a great weekend!
Jessica

Preview Day 3: Sweetest Memories & Class Card Information

Good evening!

Tonight, we are showcasing Gina's new Free with Three stamp set: Sweetest Memories on our blogs. The sentiments Gina has included in this set are perfect for scrapbook pages, cards, and gifts.

I used the Large Pillow Box that Gina carries to make this gift box. Can you guess what's inside? Surprisingly enough - an adult medium T-shirt! I folded it up to have the pattern hidden and used some sentiments from both Gina's Sweetest Memories and Holiday Greetings stamp sets to decorate the belly band.

Project Details
Stamps: Holiday Greetings; Sweetest Memories
Cardstock: Basic Grey Romani dp & tag
Ink: Black Versafine
Other: Clear embossing powder; Nestability dies: scallop circle large and Labels 7; EK Success circle punches: 1/2" and 1 1/8"; SU ribbon; Bow easy; scor tape; sanding block; button

For my next sample, I was thinking of tea parties with Grandma. I paper pieced the images from Nina's Lovely Shelf stamp set on the new October Afternoon Farm Fresh patterned paper pack (that Gina will be adding to the store tomorrow night!!). I LOVE this paper!


Card Details
Stamps: Lovely Shelf; Sweetest Memories
Cardstock: GinaK chocolate, ivory, sweet corn, rocket red; October Afternoon Farm Fresh
Ink: Black Versafine; Vivid Tuscan Tan
Other: Copics; Petite Oval nestabilities; Scallop Circle & Plain circle nestabilities; pearls; sponge dauber; pearls; EK Success border punch

and the inside - with another sentiment from Gina's Sweetest Memories stamp set:


For even more ways to use this fabulous stamp set, please check tonight's featured Illustrator's blog:

GinaK {Sweetest Memories}

Then, visit our Designer's blogs participating in the previews tonight:

Carolyn,
Cathy,
Emily,
Erika,
Jessica,
Lee,
Lynn,
Melanie,
Nina
Tami,
Theresa

Remember to check in tomorrow night for the big Party over in Gina's Forum on Splitcoast! We'll have tons of chatter, challenges, and contest questions as well a lots more samples from the Designers, Illustrators, and our Center Stage team members!

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I also wanted to talk tonight a bit more about my Class Card Kits that will be available tomorrow night after the Release Party.

* Each of the kits are designed specifically to be a quick and easy way to build your card stash. Each kit has enough supplies to make 4 cards.
* Each card was designed to be minimal in the layers, so that extra postage shouldn't be necessary when mailing them.
* The written step by step instructions are printed out with a photo of the card sample included. I'm keeping mine in a binder - always ready to pull out for inspiration.
* All the consumable materials are included in the kit: cardstock, ribbons, embellishments, etc. The cardstock is cut to the measurements needed, except for the cards that Nestability dies are used in the sample. Then, the instructions will include alternative measurements that can be used if the student doesn't have the dies recommended.
* Class Kit cost is $9.95.


Card Details
Stamps: Lovely Shelf
Cardstock: Creme de Menthe; Black: White
Ink: Memento
Other: Copic Markers (colors will be provided); pearls; Holly Ribbons Cuttlebug folder (or any other folder of your choice)

This card will have 3 other samples using 3 other flower images in Nina's Lovely Shelf stamp set.

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Card Details
Stamps: Tech Talk
Cardstock: Soft Sand, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Chip, Fresh Asparagus, Vanilla
Ink: Memento
Other: Koh-i-noor pencils, OMS, blending stumps, bow easy, Cuttlebug Moroccan screen, Crystal Lacquer; Sweet Corn stripe ribbon

This Tech Talk class card can use any Cuttlebug embossing folder - or even left plain.

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Card Details
Stamps: Warm & Wonderful
Cardstock: Creme de Mente; Ocean Mist; White
Ink: Memento
Other: Classic Ovals: Large scallop and small plain; Glue Pen & Glitter (or stickles); Cuttlebug snowdots embossing folder; mini rhinestones; Marvy snowflake punch (punchouts included in the kit)

Alternative measurements for the Warm and Wonderful focal image will be provided for those who don't have nestability dies.

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Card Details
Stamps: Life is Good
Cardstock: Kraft; Creme de Menthe; Chocolate Chip; White
Ink: Memento
Other: Cuttlebug Herringbone folder; Glue pen & glitter (stickles or flock can be used as well); copper nailheads; Memento markers; Jute ribbon

I used glitter on my sample, but flock or stickles could decorate this Life is Good image.

If you purchase my class kits and have any questions, please feel free to email me personally or through StampTV.

Jessica

Preview Day 2: Warm & Wonderful and Life is Good

Good evening!

It's day 2 of Preview week for GinaK Designs! My first card features Rupa Shevde's Warm & Wonderful stamp set. All the wintery images are so adorable - I know you're going to love them all! I decided to use the sled on my first card and stacked some gifts from Rupa's Winter Friends stamp set.


Card Details Stamps: Warm and Wonderful Ink: Black Versafine; Vivid Tuscan Tan Cardstock: GinaK Green Apple and white; October Afternoon Farm Fresh dp Other: Copics, liquid applique; glitter; sponge daubers; Nestabilities: circles & Labels 3; twine; GinaK stitched ribbon; bow easy; Sakura Glitter pens; pearls


and the inside - just look at the hat & set of mittens! CUTE!!


And, here is the class card that will be available as a kit for the Warm & Wonderful stamp set. I will also provide an alternative sample for those of you who don't own nestability dies. This card features two of our new cardstock colors: Ocean Mist and Creme de Mente.


I'll talk more in length about all the class kits that will be available with the new stamp sets released later this week on my blog.

Next up, let's talk about Theresa Momber's fabulous new Life is Good stamp set - I LOVE the images in this set of hers and can only imagine the amazing scenes she is going to be creating with them!

For my first card, I chose this amazing train image that Theresa drew - think Polar Express or any train collector's dream image!

Isn't this fun? I used the Nestability Labels 7 dies to make the focal images appear as a book...

Card Details
Stamps: Life is Good; Are we There Yet?
Cardstock: GinaK black & white; DCWV dp
Ink: Black Versafine; Vivid Tuscan Tan
Other: detail clear embossing powder, copics, sponge dauber; SU ribbon & clip; GinaK neutral buttons; Nestabilities Labels 7; twine

and the inside - with the sentiments from Rupa's Are We There Yet?


And, here is the class card for the Life is Good stamp set - I love this image and sentiment together...

I purposely kept the colors neutral, so that this card could work for a guy or gal friend. And, as always, the sentiment can be switched out with another one, if desired. And, like my other Class Card kits, all the consumable materials (paper, ribbons, embellishments) are included along with the written instructions to make 4 cards.

For even more ways to use these fabulous stamp sets, please check tonight's featured Illustrator's blog:

Theresa Momber {Life is Good}

Then, visit our Designer's blogs participating in the previews tonight:

GinaK,
Carolyn,
Cathy,
Cindy,
Donna,
Emily,
Erika,
Lee,
Lynn,
Melanie,
Nina

We also have one of our special Center Stage Spotlight Designer joining tonight:

Peggy Wainman