Just saying hello...

Hi there!

I'm back after a week off from blogging to share a card I made awhile back with this adorable Mimi Penny Black stamp set.  (I'm sorry, I wasn't able to find it on the Penny Black website so I'm unsure of the name.)  After coloring her with Copics and cutting out the image, I added her to the front of my card on a hand cut 'road.'  Some felt clouds and a sentiment finished my CAS card!

Can you see the glossy accents I added to Mimi's car wheels, headlights, and windshield?  So cute in person!

Have a wonderful rest of your day!  

Thanks for checking in with me today -

Jessica

Wish Big

Hi there!

This morning I'm joining the 7Kids College Fund design team in this week's challenge.  The theme this time is "Red, White, and Blue" - just in time for the 4th of July holiday that we celebrated over the weekend.  I took a bit of liberty with the challenge and added a bit of yellow Y000 (shaded with a bit of red R01) for the chicks and added a few touches of green for the grass, but otherwise stuck to the color challenge pretty well.

Card Details
Stamps: Garden Friends; Critter Party; Micey Day
Ink: Memento; Versafine
Cardstock: Copic Xpress it blending
Other: Spellbinder standard oval & Labels 9 dies; copic markers; dauber; ribbon; MFT First Place Award die; Quikutz dots embossing folder; Red twine from The Twinery; EK Success circle punch

I used the adorable Garden Friends stamp set from Penny Black for the chick image - aren't they cute all stacked up together?  The sentiments are from Critter Party and Micey Day.  I stamped the images on Copic Xpress it card stock and after die cutting & embossing the image, I shaded around the die a bit for the 'sky' and to highlight the chicks a bit.

On a sad note, this is my last post as a design team member for 7Kids College Fund.  I'm stepping down since I'll be heading back to teaching this fall and have been paring back on my design team commitments in preparation for this big career shift.  It's been a pleasure working with the entire 7Kids team!  All the girls are SO talented and the 7Kids' online store is one of the best online stores out there for customer service and products.  Thank you SO much for these past 6 months of working together!!

To check out the rest of the designers' samples for this week's challenge, please visit the 7Kids College Fund challenge blog.  I KNOW you'll be inspired!

Have a wonderful day!
Jessica

Celebrate!

Hi!

My card today is a bright cheerful one that I created with Penny Black's To You stamp set and several colors of Sakura Glaze pens.  I stamped the images on white card stock in Versafine ink and clear embossed them.  I did that so that when I used the glaze pens (which have a tendency to spread out quite a bit) that the ink would stay in the lines and I wouldn't lose any of the details of the images.  Then, I set them aside to dry for a bit.

The card front itself is embossed with a large petite oval die and then layered onto yellow card stocks.  I don't use yellow enough for my cards - I love how bright and sunny this turned out, especially with that fun polka dot bow!

After the glaze had dried, I carefully cut around the entire image and mounted it on the card front as shown.  The sentiment is also stamped in Versafine ink and clear embossed.

I hope you have a bright and cheerful day today!
Jessica


Card Details
Stamps: To You (Penny Blakc)
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: GinaK white; SU yellow
Other: Spellbinder petite oval die; Grand Calibur die cutting machine; detail clear embossing powder; SU ribbon; Sakura glaze pens

I appreciate you!

Hi there!

My card today uses Penny Black's beautiful new To You stamp set.  I've been saving this image to use on a card since CHA in January.  I was lucky enough to get a coloring session along with some other friends from Kathy Racoosin - she is amazing!  Check out her blog for TONS of inspiration. 

Card Details
Stamps: To You (Penny Black); PTI Inside and Out Thanks
Ink: Memento black; SU olive
Card stock: Copic Xpress it; MME Stella Rose
Other: Sewing machine; seam binding ribbon; Copics; glassy glaze; white gel pen; buttons; Spellbinder circle dies; Candy cane cuttlebug embossing folder; corner rounder; MFT border die

and the inside view -

Thanks for checking in on me today!
Jessica

Penny Black Guest Designer!

 

I'm so honored to be Penny Black blog's guest designer today!  If you have followed my blog at all, you know how much I adore their entire line of stamps, so when I was invited to be a guest designer, I was so excited to jump on that opportunity.  7Kids College Fund has a great selection of Penny Black stamp sets for purchase -  check this link to see Tab's selection!

I created several cards and a Christmas coaster banner to share today.  All my projects (except the first one) are showcased on the Penny Black blog today, but Jenyfur gave me the okay to share all of them on my blog here as well - so get ready for a blog post with lots of photos! 

Here are the stamp sets I used to create all my cards - I haven't been able to find a couple of the sets available for purchase online yet.  I'll come back and link them once I find them.

• Card 2: Birthday Wish 3669F & Sweet Thing 4084H  (wood block stamps)
• Card 1 & 3: To You 
• Christmas Coaster Banner: Mimi's Christmas
• Card 4: Mimi's Christmas

Card Details
Stamps: For You (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Other: Copics; glossy accents; Spellbinder dies; detail clear embossing powder; sewing machine

Card Details
Stamps: Sweet Thing and Birthday Wish (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Other: Detail clear embossing powder; copics; SU ribbon & papers; crystal lacquer; rhinestones

Card Details

Stamps: For you (Penny Black)

Ink: Versafine black

Other: detail clear embossing powder; copics; glossy accents (for flowers); sakura glaze pens (for butterfly); Spellbinder dies; MFT border die

I made this banner using medium weight 4" chipboard squares using wide grosgrain ribbon and scor-tape to assemble it all together.  Each image was stamped and colored with Copics and then cut out and layered on the circle Spellbinder die cuts.  Then, using white Liquid pearls for snow. 

Project Details
Stamps: Mimi's Christmas (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Other: 4" coasters; detail clear embossing powder; Copics; liquid pearls; SU ribbon & retired papers

Here's a photo of each coaster for a more detailed look...

Finally, my last card - a quick and simple one using these penguins that I just adore:

Card Details
Stamps: Mimi's Christmas (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Other: Snowflake cuttlebug embossing folder; SU ribbon; MFT heart die; fun foam; copics; stickles

Thank you again, Penny Black for the opportunity to play with some of your stamp sets!  I have several other projects that I've made to share and will be doing that over the next few weeks!

Have a great rest of your day!
Jessica

You are in my Heart

Hi There!

This morning I have a bright and cheerful card to share with you using an image from Penny Black's Purrrfect Day  and a sentiment from Penny Black's Hugs clear stamp set.

Card Details (size:3.5 x 6.5)
Stamps: Hugs and Purrrfect Day (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: DCWV patterned; SU note card; PTI white
Other: Sewing machine; Colored pencils; OMS; blending stumps; stickles; EK Success oval punch; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; corner rounder; doily; SU ribbon

Here's the inside view...

Have a wonderful day!
Jessica

Follow your Heart...

Hi there!

I had the chance to make this fun card today using another adorable Penny Black image.  This one is called Easy Rider - isn't Mimi adorable on her little lime green bike?  I used this week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger photo for my inspiration for the colors on my card.  Looking at the cupcake liners, I noticed the pleating and thought the bicycle wheel spokes bore a little resemblance to them... a stretch maybe, but it did help me choose the image to use for my card!  *wink!*

This week's SCS Friday Free for All Challenge was also an inspiration for my card, as we were asked to create a project Inspired by the Sun.  My husband is an avid bicyclist and as soon as it's above 40 degrees, he's out riding his bike.  I'm not quite the fan of those bike seats, or I would join him... lol!

Card Details
Stamps: Easy Rider (Penny Black); Whimsical Words (SU)
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: GinaK white; Copic Xpress it white; SU patterned and colored
Other: Sewing machine; Wild Orchid flowers; Punch Bunch leaf punches; SU ribbons; Copic markers; Crystal lacquer; Marvy Scallop circle punch; Spellbinder lacy circles die; detail clear embossing powder; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; rhinestones

and the inside view...

For some reason, my camera really did a number on the colors of the inside of this card, but I promise you - they DO match in real life... yikes!

Thanks for checking in on me today!
Jessica

Birthday Mimi

 

I'm sharing a card tonight that I made using SCS's color challenge that was shared on Tuesday of this week.  I made it on Tuesday and am just now getting a chance to photograph and edit it... it's been a busy week!  Be sure to check out the SCS Discussion HERE for lots more samples and inspiration!

Check out this week's Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger photo - check out those yummy cupcake liners...  Love the polka dots and the colors!

Here's a close up view of this adorable Penny Black image called Sweet Thing and is one of their adorable Mimi images.  I stamped her in black Versafine ink on Copic's Xpress It card stock, clear embossed it, and colored with Copics.  Then, I added some colored stickles to some of the elements of the image for added sparkle.

Card Details

Stamps: Penny Black; PaperTrey sentiment

Ink: Versafine Black

Card stock: GinaK Designs white; Copic Xpress it white; SU pear tart, so saffron, and regal rose

Other: Sewing machine; Cuttlebug embossing folders - seeing spots, candy cane stripes; My Favorite Things simply scallops border die; WeR Memory Keepers corner rounder; buttons; paper flowers; Sateen green flowers; copic markers; stickles; detail clear embossing powder; saffron ribbon

I forgot to take a photo of the inside - if I get the chance, I'll do that later and add it to this post.  It's nothing fancy, but I know many of you guys enjoy seeing ideas for the insides of your cards.

Have a great weekend!  My daughter has some friends over for a sleep over tonight - so it's girl's night here at the Fick household!
Jessica

In my thoughts ...

Good morning!

This week over at the Outlawz challenge site, we have a new Thursday challenge for you!  This week, we're asking you to create a card with any coloring medium except Copic markers along with Crystal lacquer.  For my card sample, I used a couple of cute Penny Black stamp sets - Every Which Way and Hugs along with a ton of different dies for some fun embellishments.

I stamped the image and sentiment on PTI's white card stock in Memento ink and colored the image with a few colored pencils blending the colors with blending stumps and odorless mineral spirits.  To add some shine, I added a layer of crystal lacquer (or Glossy Accents) over the entire image - it's a bit hard to see in the photo though...

Card Details
Stamps: Every Which Way and Hugs (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: DCWV citrus patterned papers; SU; PTI white
Other: SU note card; MFT flower, heart, button, leaves &butterfly dies; Nestability heart and circle dies; SU border punch; Oval SU punch; Crystal lacquer; Colored pencils & OMS & Blending stumps; PTI rick rack die; rhinestones

and the inside view...

Be sure to check out the Outlawz discussion for the other designer's samples as well as to see all the information on how to enter your card into this week's challenge!

Have a great day!
Jessica

A Piece of my heart

Good morning!

My card today was so fun to make.  I used Penny Black's Piece of my Heart clear stamp set - it's so adorable!  I stamped these little cuties in Versafine black ink on Copic's Xpress it card stock, embossed it in detail clear embossing powder before coloring the images with a few Copic markers.  The hearts and puzzle pieces have a layer of Glossy Accents over them for a bit of shine.

Card Details
Stamps: Piece of my Heart (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: Copic Xpress it; SU patterned
Other: Copics; detail clear embossing powder; EK Success border punch; glossy accents; buttons

and the inside view...

Have a great day - thanks for checking in on me today!
Jessica

Happy Birthday, Tab!

Good morning!

Today a few of the 7Kids College Fund designers are joining together to wish a very special lady a very Happy Birthday!  It's the owner of 7Kids' online store, Tabitha Dromiack's birthday today - don't you love Friday birthdays!?  You can celebrate all weekend with your friends and family, right?  Happy birthday, Tab - I hope you are spoiled rotten today and that it's the best year for you and your loved ones yet!!

Now, onto my card... I used the adorable Penny Black Hugs stamp set and pulled out my colored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, and blending stumps on this image - in fact, it's one of the images I colored ahead of time as I mentioned in yesterday's post.  I really like having images all done ahead of time for those quick cards that you need to make for any occasion.

Here's a closer look at the focal image - I'm not sure if you can tell, but there is a layer of crystal lacquer on the flower pots, ladybugs, and flowers....

Card Details (card size - 4 x 4)
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiment; Penny Black Hugs
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: PTI white; DCWV citrus
Other: MFT doily die; Colored pencils, Odorless mineral spirits; blending stumps; crystal lacquer; Labels 4 nestability die; corner rounder; rhinestones; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; SU ribbon

and the inside view...

To see all the other designer's birthday cards for Tab, please check out the 7Kids Challenge Fund blog post HERE.

Have a great Friday!
Jessica

I appreciate you!

Good evening!

I meant to post this card earlier today, but the day got away from me.  This week on the Outlawz Prisma colored pencils & other coloring mediums challenge, we were asked to design a card using die cuts and/or punches.  The fun thing about our Thursday challenges are that you can use any type of coloring technique or even basic stamping in colored ink to play along with us!  Just no Copics - that's the only 'rule.'

I pulled out one of my favorite Penny Black stamp set called Purrfect Day and stamped this fat cat as well the other images from the stamp set on PaperTrey's white cardstock in black Versafine ink and set it aside to dry completely.  I suppose you could heat set it too, but I was working ahead and stamped out a bunch of images that I was going to color at a later date, so it worked for me to let it air dry.

Then, I colored all the images with my colored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, and blending stumps and then trimmed around all them all.  I like to do this sometimes - color a bunch of images ahead of time to help save time later when I'm working on 'assignments' or card projects.  Sometimes I'm in the mood to color and sometimes I want to design cards and scrap books, so it's a system that works for me often.

Card Details
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiments; Penny Black Purrfect Day
Ink: versafine black
Cardstock: DCWV Citrus; PTI white
Other: MFT lace, label (for inside) and border dies; Colored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, blending stumps; rhinestones; corner punch; crystal lacquer

and the inside view...

We hope you get a chance to play along with us this week at the Outlawz challenge!  Click HERE for all the details on how to enter your card into the challenge for a chance to win a great prize!

Have a wonderful day - and I echo the inside sentiment to YOU: "Thank you YOU are the best!"
Jessica

Sending Sunshine

Good morning!

Today, I'm sharing a card I designed for this week's Outlawz Coloring Mediums challenge: Anything Goes!  We were given free reign to create a card for this week using whatever theme or supplies we would like to with the exception of Copic markers.  So, I pulled out my colored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, and blending stumps and colored these adorable kitty images from Penny Black's Purrfect Day stamp set - they crack me up!  I put the grouchy cat on the card front and the happy cat on the inside...

Card Details
Stamps: Hero Arts sentiment; Penny Black -
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: DCWV patterned; PTI white
Other: Martha Stewart border punch; MFT die; colored pencils, oms, blending stumps; SU ribbon; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; rhinestones

and the inside view with the cuddly little kitty -

For all the other designer's samples as well as the details on how to enter our weekly challenges, please visit the Outlawz discussion HERE.

Thanks for checking in on me today!  Have a great day -
Jessica

Design DIVA's blog hop!

Good morning!

Today, I'm thrilled to join several designer friends on a special "Oldies but Goodies" blog hop event.  If you have arrived in the hop from my good friend Deb Felt's blog that's perfect!  If not, you may want to check in on my friend Brenda Turner's blog to get started at the beginning of the hop!  I'd hate for you to miss anyone's fabulous projects they've prepared for us today!

For the hop, we were asked to create a project with stamps and/or supplies that we've had in our stash for several months that needed a bit of love.  So, I pulled out several older craft items to create this card for the hop.

I used 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" note card from Stampin Up; a SU arrow 'my way' paper punch; the DCWV Citrus mat stack; my Colored pencils, OMS, and blending stumps to color these Penny Black images from the Perfect Day and Hugs stamp sets,  The sentiment on the arrow punch out is from Hero Arts.  I have also had the Martha Stewart butterfly punch and PaperTrey's Rick Rack die for a while and haven't played with either of them much yet - but that may change since I loved using them on this card!

Card Details
Stamps: Hugs and Perfect Day (Penny Black); Hero arts sentiment
Ink: Versafine black
Card stock: SU; DCWV Citrus patterned; PTI white
Other: SU notecard; Colored Pencils; odorless mineral spirits, blending stumps; crystal lacquer; PTI rick rack die; SU satin ribbon & my way paper punch; Martha Stewart butterfly punch; rhinestones; (additional inside materials - MFT flower & button dies; Labels 8 nestability dies)

I stamped the images on PTI's white card stock in Versafine black ink and set it aside to dry.  When using colored pencils, OMS, and blending stumps I prefer to use a card stock with a bit of 'tooth' like PTI or Neenah so that pencils have something to 'grab' onto.  I also prefer the deep 'blackness' of Versafine ink - it helps the images really pop.  It may be hard to see, but there is a layer of Crystal Lacquer over the balloon and the arrow punch out.

Here's the inside view of this card - pretty simple with some adorable MFT flower and button die cuts ...

Next up on the hop is my super talented friend Sharri Seffens!  I can't wait to see what she's prepared for us today!

Have a great day and I hope you've been inspired to pull out some of your neglected supplies and show them a bit of love!
Jessica

Valentine Note card

Good morning!

I meant to pop in and post this little 3x3 love note card yesterday but the day got away from me.  I hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day!  It was a nice day for us - I found some items for everyone and came home to a gorgeous bouquet of flowers and an adorable Precious Moments figurine from my sweetheart who also did the dishes for me yesterday, so I would say I was pretty spoiled myself too!

Here's a photo of my gorgeous flowers - I loved the bright pinks and oranges together!

I have always love brightly colored flowers and during these long winter months I find that I'm drawn to them even more!  Aren't they lovely!?

Here's a closer view of the adorable Penny Black image from the Hugs stamp set...

Card Details
Stamps: Hugs (Penny Black) sentiment - Pieces of My Heart (Penny Black)
Ink: Versafine Black
Card stock: SU; PTI white; DCWV citrus mat stack
Other: PTI rick rack die; colored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, blending stumps; Nestability circle dies; rhinestones, crystal lacquer; EK Success postage stamp punch; SU tafetta ribbon; corner rounder; (additional inside material - MFT button die)

and the inside view...

Have a great rest of your day !

Thanks for checking in on me today!
Jessica