Serendipity New Dies / Stamps Bloghop!

I have two blog entries today so if you are looking for my 12 Kits of Christmas post please scroll down.    

Are you ready for this?    Serendipity has just released their very first coordinating  die /  stamp sets.   The Egg Scroll and Heart Scroll are beautifully intricate  thin metal dies.  The solid die can be used to cut a backing for the flourish die or to perfectly die cut the coordinating rubber cling back stamp.  Dies and stamps are all available individually or as a kit.   Today the design team is featuring these two sets to celebrate the release and demonstrate how versatile these sets can be.  Mary, the owner of Serendipity is making this blog party even sweeter by providing a little blog candy!!!   IMPORTANT:  Please follow along on the blog hop and leave comments for each of the designers.   Two lucky winners (randomly chosen from the comments)  will receive either the egg scroll or the flourish scroll set.   So without further delay here are the two sets:

Egg Scroll  Set                                                                          Heart Scroll Set

There are so many possibilities for these sets.   I've made several cards but am only going to show you a few today because I'm so photo heavy on this post.   This is a wedding congratulations card featuring the scroll heart die cut in foil.

I also made a clean and simple Easter Egg Card to show how quick and easy you can make a beautiful Easter card with this stamp.

 Here are some simple to follow directions to cut out your stamped images perfectly centered.

  

1.  Stamp your image.

2:  Cut out solid die to create a template

  

 

 3. Center the template over your stamped image and tape down. 

 

 4.  Insert die in opening - it will not slide around when it is seated completely.  Once positioned tape die down.

5.  Run taped down "sandwich" through your die cutter for a perfectly cut image.

Here's the list of the Serendipity Design Team Members participating in the blog hop today.  Be sure to hop to each blog and leave a little love  for your chance  to win one of these great sets.  You have until  March 2 to leave a comment so get hopping!!! 

Sue Eldred

Miriam Napier

Kathie Bailey

Jenny Gropp

Jeanne Jachna (That's Me!)

Amy Cokley

Thanks for having a look!

Jeanne

Pink Heart Scroll Card:  Finished Size  6x6"

Stamps:  Serendipity Congratulations Script 473D, Dies:  Serendipity Scroll Heart, Spellbinders Labels 15, Fleur De Lis Rectangle, Paper DCWV Luxury Stack, Lace Simplicity Venice, Pink Velvet Ribbon, Flowers Prima Symphony Blend Amoroso Pink, Button PTI, Ink:  Versa Fine Onyx

Clean & Simple Easter Egg Card:  Finished Size 5" x7"

Stamps:  Serendipity Flourish Egg 1254E, Happy Easter Sentiment 325E
Ink:  Momento Angel Pink, New Sprout, Summer Sky, LuLu Lavender, Cantaloupe, VersaFine Onyx Black

12 Kits of Christmas - February - Polar Bear

Are you ready for another installment of The 12 Kits of Christmas???  Just to refresh your memory, this is a group of 12 designers.  Each has been assigned a month to provide the Christmas crafting supplies to the other 11 members.  We all receive the same supplies and post our creations on the last day of every month.  It's interesting to see how we all come up with something different with the same kit of supplies.

This month our gracious hostess is Cathy Weber.  She sent us this fabulous supply of goodies to create with - including die cuts and papers from Memory Box and Your Time Made Easy, buttons from Papertrey, and sentiments from Waltzingmouse, Papertrey and Memory Box.  She even included some "snow", pom poms, gems and pretty red satin ribbon.

I made this snow globe shaker box by cutting 4 sheets of craft foam one at a time with two Spellbinders circles set one inside the other to make a ring.  I glued the 4 rings together - created my "scene" and filled it up with "snow, tiny pearl beads and some iridescent sequins.  I topped it off with a clear piece of plastic cut from a transparency sheet.  I then added a ring of paper to give it a more finished look.  It was easier than it sounds and the results are sweet!   I glittered the "snow drifts" on the bottom that I just rough cut and I added gems to make the dark night sky snowfall sparkly.

 I also made a tag with the goodies from the kit - here's a close up

For this one I cut a large circle and scallop using the Spellbinders Grand dies, topped that off with my polar bear snow scene and put a big fat 3 layer bow on top.  In the center of the bow is a button "sandwich" of a plain button topped with a snowflake button, topped with a red button topped with a gem.  Whew!  That's a lot of buttons huh?  I added a some c-beads on my twine for some added glam.

Why not see what the rest of the team came up with for this months challenge?  Here's a list of the designers with links to their blogs!   

Cathy

Renee

Suzanne

Marybeth

Joyce

Amy

Christina

Kim

Kara

Jessica

Sharron

Thanks for having a look!  Join us next month to see the latest 12 Kits of Christmas!

Jeanne


Supplies Used: 
Finished Card 6x6"                                                                         Tag
Paper:  Memory Box Yuletide Collection                                          Paper:  Memory Box Yuletide Collection
Polar Bear Stamp and Die Cut:  Wesley Bear Memory Box                Polar Bear Stamp and Die Cut:  Wesley Bear Memory Box
Embossing Folder:  TIm Holtz                                                         Seam Binding:  Hug Snug Elegant Peacock Blue
Snow globe diecut from MyTimeMadeEasy.com                                Stamp Sentiment:  In the Meadow Papertrey Ink
Twinery Caribbean Twine                                                                Twinery Caribbean Twine
Buttons:  Papertrey Ink                                                                   Buttons:  Papertrey Ink
Copic Marker Red 27                                                                      Dies:  Spellbinders Grand Circles, Grand Scalloped Circles
Extras:  Synthetic Snowflakes:  Michaels, Pearls,                               Standard Circles, Scalloped Circles
Coarse Glitter Martha Stewart                                                           Coarse Glitter Martha Stewart
Iridescent Sequins, Gems                                                                Beads
Sentiment By:  Lil Inkers

Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger: Home Sweet Home

I'm having a quiet weekend - my favorite kind.  Everyone else is off doing their things and I'm left home to "keep shop" so I thought I'd play along with Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger.  Is this Moxie Fab Trigger Target adorable or what?  I love all the details on this sweet little house with the bird on the roof.  It was easy to find some inspiration here to create a gorgeous one-of-a-kind card.   I was immediately inspired by the polka dots, and the sweet little bird on the roof.  I tried to keep in all the little details I love - the ribbon ruler, the green scallop trim, the button door knob and even the little flower trim.  I embossed the wood grain bottom panel of my card with an embossing folder and then lightly ran a Tim Holtz/Ranger distress inkpad over the impression to make the wood pop.  I originally tried Antique Linen which wasn't quite dark enough, and then settled on Vintage Photo.  I tried to replicated the window with my sentiment - the red frame on the outside with the blue polka dot pattern on the inside.  All the blue polka dots are stamped, and the wing for the bird was cut free hand.

I hope you like it!  Thanks so much for stopping by to have a look.  Enjoy your day!!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6 x 6"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Fancy Phrases, Gingham & Co., Vintage Labels 4

Dies:  Spellbinders Bird Sanctuary, Petite Scalloped Ovals, Petite Ovals, Labels 4

Red Polka Dot Paper Echo Park For the Record Collection Table Cloth

Border Punch:  EK Success Double Embossed Dotted Lace

Embossing Folder Paper Studio Wood Grain

Ribbon Trends Ruler Ribbon

Ink:  Stampin' Up! Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Versa Fine Onyx Black, Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Vintage Photo

Small Ribon Roses Darice

Cupcake Inspirations #148 - Sock Monkey

I wanted to get an extra post in today because I am running out of time on this challenge.   I strongly recommended to a good blog friend that she should do this one but I haven't seen anything from her yet - HINT HINT!  I know that if she did this one that I wouldn't stand a chance so I was going to pass.  By some divine intervention - or my sheer lack of restraint, while I was on my weekly craft store hunt my daughter spotted this paper with sock monkeys and said "aren't you going to do the Cupcake Challenge?".  Needless to say my fate was sealed.

I was immediately inspired by the colors - black and red, patterns - polka dots and stripes, and of course that cute sock monkey.  I made mine into a festive - Go You! card that can be used for just about any cheerful occasion.  For the sock monkey embellishment I fussy cut one of the little guys from the pattern paper and used pop dots to give some dimension.  There lots of bling and shine - the satin ribbon, the gems, and even the buttons almost glow.  I think you can see the influence here.  If you want to play along - you better hurry - you can get all the details here:  http://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com/2012/02/challenge-148.html

Thanks for stopping by for  a look - I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6X6"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Bitty Banners, Vintage Banners

Paper:  Paper Studio Sock Monkey, Black Polka Dots - October Afternoon Thrift Shop

Border Punch:  EK Succcess Double Embossed Dotted Lace

Die Cuts:  Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Doily Hearts, Spellbinders Circles, Nested Pennants

Ink:  TIm Holtz/Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Stampin Up! Real Red, Basic Black

Bling - Recollections (Michaels)

Twinery Twine Maraschino

Buttons:  Papertrey Ink

Tuesday Throwdown #86 - Morning Glories

 Happy Friday!  Today I'm playing along with a new challenge - Tuesday Throwdown.  I was visiting Helen Berry's blog and saw that she is their newest Design Team member so of course I had to check them out.  I'm a big fan of Helen's designs and always love to see what she's working on - so I added this blog challenge to my list of favorites.  This week's challenge is "Winter Blues" - put something blue in your project.    You can get all the details here:  http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.com/2012/02/tuesday-throwdown-86.html

My first thought when I read "winter blues" was snow!  If you live in the Chicago area you know what I'm talking about.  In fact it's snowing right now!!!  Fortunately it's melting as soon as it hits the ground - but it's a sloppy mess!  Lots of foot/paw tracks on the kitchen floor today!!  I thought I'd follow the other DT's examples and turn my blues into happy ones! 

I stamped and colored my morning glories, fussy cut a mask and stamped a background of words in a light blue.  I fussy cut out a second set of flowers to "pop" them over the originals for more dimension.  I double cut the butterfly and added wire antennae and gems.

Thanks for stopping by for a look!  Have a great weekend!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 5" x 7"

Stamp:  Morning Glory Serendipity 339L  Background Butterfly Words 465G

Embossing Plate Sizzix Texturz Diamonds

Dies:  Spellbinders Grand Labels 4, Butterflies 2

Copic B12, 32, 24, G40, 24, W0, Y19

Seam Binding:  Hug Snug Glory Blue

Paper:  Papertrey Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky

Extras:  Button, Craft Thread, Gems, Wire

WMSC#85 - Welcome Sweet Girl!

Hi and Happy Thursday!  Wow this week is just flying by! Today I'm playing along with the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge.   I'm running close too because entries need to be in by Friday!   I made this card for some friends who are expecting their first baby soon.  They had some troubles along the way but they are keeping their eyes on the prize - that beautiful baby girl who is going to make it worth all the effort! 

I stamped the bottom "patterned" paper with the accent stamp from Oval Classic Frames set.  Claire is great for sneaking in lots of little stamps to fill up the package.  And while I love this (we wouldn't have all those great accents) - I am cursed with my inability to focus on where I place the smaller elements I work with.   SIGH... Yes...  I did loose my safety pin stamp - which forced me to clear off my desk, and then empty the garbage can, all in vain, since I found the little bugger right on the clear acrylic stamping block tucked behind the lamp on my desk.  How it got there I will never know.  As my husband  would say - "it is exactly where you left it".  I would argue that there are gremlins or pixies or some other elements at work in my craft space...   but now that it is back safe and sound and put away I can relax.  Oh and hey - did I mention my  desk is clean?

I hope you find some time to play today - if you'd like to play along you can get all the details here:  http://waltzingmousesketchchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/02/challenge-85february-18-2012.html.

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 5" x 7"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Say it Loud, Oval classic Frames, Join Us

Spellbinders Labels 14

Papertrey Paper Classic White, Sweet Blush

Extras:  Twinery Blossom Twine, Versafine Onyx Black Ink, Stampin Up Classic Pretty In Pink, Gems, Satin Ribbon, Velvet Ribbon  Gems

Serendipity Stamps Challenge - February 22, 2012 - Scrapbook Page - Horrible Reminder

Hi and welcome to another Serendipity Stamps challenge!  Today the design team members were to come up with a scrapbook page or photo card using word stamps from the Seasons, Friends, Happy, or Inspiration sets.    The words I selected are Friends, Smile, Happy, and Laugh.

This is the first scrapbook page I've featured on my blog.  I like to scrapbook,  but I was a little concerned about how a page so large (12 x 12") would photograph. With a little help from my daughter  I think I can say mission accomplished!

I put together a scrapbook page of my son and his patrol brothers commemorating their adventures/misadventures in scouting.  When I saw the stamp about being a "horrible reminder" I knew it would be perfect for a layout of Roger.  He is always fearless, pushing the boundaries to see how far he can get.  He is the first one to race you to the top of the hill and stand  nearer to the edge than I'm comfortable with.   The top two of these photo's were taken at Devil's Tower (remember Close Encounters??), and the bottom group photo was taken at Ransburg in Indiana.

Since my family spends so much time with scouting, camping is always a popular theme in my scrapbook pages.  Serendipity offers a large variety of realistic bird and animal images like this beautiful autumn owl.  I like to add natural elements like the twine and the leaves.

The word stamps featured in the blog hop today are also available as stickers - they come in sets of 50 and are on clearance for a $1 a roll.   Here’s the link   http://www.serendipitystamps.com/category/this-and-that.html

I hope you will visit the other Serendipity Stamps design team members listed below to see what they've come up with!  Just click on the ladies names below to jump to their blogs. 

Kathie Bailey

Amy Cokley

Sue Eldred

Jenny Gropp

Miriam Napier

Thanks for stopping by for a peek!

Jeanne

Supplies Used: Finished size 12" x 12"
Stamps:  Serendipity  Acorns 1141F, Autumn Owl 1182G, Good Example 1102E, Smile Happy & Laugh from 278QCL, and Friends from 581QCL

Paper:  Cosmo Cricket Want S'more? Collection Mr. Campy:Nature Walk, Basic Grey Basics Collection Inventory

Dies:  Spellbinders Grand Scalloped Circles, Grand Circles, Standard Circles, Leaf from Orchard Harvest Tags & Accents, Labels 11
Border Punch:  Zig Zag Stitch from EK Success - Tabs are For Sale Sign Punch from EK Success

Markers:  COPIC E00, 000, 09, 23, 25, 27, 29, 87, 13, W1, 03, Y11

Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Black Onyx, Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Shabby Tea Room #102 - High Tea

Today I'm playing along with the Shabby Tea Room High Tea Challenge.  The requirements are that you use the colors in the photo and  a doilie.  When I saw the inspiration photo I was immediately struck by the blue and gold, and of course that pretty pink flower in the center of the tea cup.  Sometimes ideas come like lighting - a quick flash.  This one not so much. I knew I would use the tea cup die - but I won't tell you how many tea cups I cut out in different sizes before I decided on this patterned one.  (peacock blue embossed in gold, cream color stamped with turquoise, etc.)  I think I cut out about 6 different colored doilies and backgrounds too!  But sometimes that's just how it goes!  Why fight it?  

The Shabby Tea Room is also having a call out for DT members - now's a good time to try your hand at some high tea shabby chic!

If the inspiration photo inspires you - please play along....

http://www.theshabbytearoom.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-102-high-tea.html.

I used lots of gold on this one - the doilie, trim, button, matt, and even  the bow.  I made the bottom bow with a shimmery blue organza ribbon, topped it with a gold foil bow, and then added the pretty pink glittery flower.  The gold was hard to photograph because of its shine, so I took a side view photo so you could see it better.  I also added a few gems and some  e-beads on my tie.

Here's the finished card.  Lots of glam and sparkle.  I hope you like it - I think it is certainly high tea worthy!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6" x 6"

Die Cuts Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Frame 6, Spellbinders Nested Tea Cups, Tags Trio, Cheery Lynn French Pastry

Paper:  Anna Griffin

Sentiment Stamp:  Waltzingmouse Cameo to Go
Embossing Folder Cuttlebug Paper Lace 2

Pink Flower - Prima

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

JUGS124 & PPA129 - Birthday Flowers

Well, we're off to the start of a new week!  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  I went to a Eagle Scout Court of Honor, got to visit my mom and dad, and even had a little time to make a card!  My son is off school today to celebrate President's Day.  He stayed overnight at a friends house for an all night video game session so I will be leaving shortly to pick him up. 

Today I'm playing along with Just Us Girls Challenge 124 - this week is a color challenge.  I took the sketch design from  Pals Paper Arts for a starting point.  I turned the design upside down because I thought the flowers hid too much of that pretty scalloped edge.  

You can get the details for both challenges here:

Just Us Girls:  http://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/2012/02/color-with-just-us-girls-124.htmlhtml

Pals Paper Arts  http://www.palspaperarts.com/2012/02/ppa129-sketch-challenge.html

I made the flowers using a Sizzix Bigz die called Spiral/Garland.  It was originally intended as a Christmas decoration die but seeing as all rolled flowers start with this simple spiral design I thought  - why not?  I think this simple spiral resulted in a more casual looking flower which was what I was aiming for.  After I hot glued them down (so they wouldn't keep rolling apart) and  added a little glitter.  I dipped a cotton swab in glue and ran it along the edges of the flowers, and then sprinkled on some Martha Stewart coarse glitter.   I didn't have any blue pearl gems for the flower centers so I took some regular white pearls and colored them with a Copic Marker.

I have to tell you I hated buying that big bottle of glitter around Christmas time - I thought I would never in my lifetime use that much glitter - but it's turning out to be one of the things I keep reaching for.  I can say the same thing for the Twinery Twine Spools - 240 yards???  That's a lot of twine!  Sure it's a great deal - about 6 cents a yard - but really do I need that much???  It's turning out to be another great item to have on hand that always adds a little extra to my cards.

Thank you for stopping by to have a look.  I hope you find some time to create something special today - just to show someone you love how much you care!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6X6"
Paper:  K& Co Cut N'Paste Collection - Green Leaf Paper is from Wild Raspberry Collection
Die Cuts:  Flowers Sizzix Bigz Spiral/Garland, Leaves Spellbinders Foliage, Blue Flowers Spellbinders Rose Creations
Border Punch:  EK Success Double Embossed Dotted Lace
Stamp:  Serendipity Happy Birthday  from Everyday Words Set Large 471QCL
Extras:  Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter, Tim Holtz/Ranger Distress Ink in Mustard Seed, Spun Sugar, Peeled Paint, Tumbled Glass, Sentiment Stamped in Versa Fine Vintage Sepia, Pins, Gems, Copic B16, Twinery Twine Blossom

CASE #78 Happy Anniversary!

I hope everyone is having a great week.  I feel like I'm falling behind lately.  There are so many challenges I want to play!   I'm really loving Case Study this month with Karola Witczak as the guest designer/muse. I did make a card for last week's challenge but by the time I finished and was ready to post the challenge was over!  This week I'm not messing around!!  I got it done and didn't make any excuses.  Are you playing along?  There's only a few days left!!    

When I saw the inspiration photo I fell in love with the flowers and all the layers.  I decided to make mine into a formal anniversary card.  I got the flowers from the wedding department in local craft store.   I thought the strings of pearls, and the soft blue and pink would be in keeping with the wedding / anniversary theme of the card. 

I added lots of leafy foliage and some pearls on the striped banner.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:   Finished Size:  6" x 6"

Patterned Paper K & Co.

Dies:  Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Frame 5, Spellbinders, Grand Scalloped Squares, Grand Squares, Foliage

Cricut Sophie Cartridge Accent 6 Doily 4.75"

Stamp Sentiment:  Serendipity 376D

Twinery Twine Shore

Ink:  Tim Holtz/Distress Tumbled Glass

Card Patterns Sketch 153 - Pink Roses Collage

Hey did you hear the fantastic news?  I'm guest designer this week for the Card Patterns Weekly Sketch Blog.  This week's sketch looks a little complicated at first glance, but once you get started it's a lot of fun.  To keep my squares clean and simple I used two square hole punches.  The top layer is 1" and the bottom layer is 1.25".  You can take this sketch alot of different ways and I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with!  You can get all the details here:  http://cardpatterns.blogspot.com/

I decided to use the grid pattern and make a collage of little Victorian images of cupid, butterflies, flowers and fairies from patterned paper from Pink Paislee.  To keep with this dreamy theme I rolled some roses using the Spellbinders Spiral Blossom One die.  For the large flower I cut the die out three times in cream paper, inked up the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Spun Sugar and rolled , and rolled and rolled.  I started rolling with a quilling tool to keep the center nice and tight.  I hot glued the bottom - last petal  to hold everything in place and sprinkled Martha Stewart coarse glitter down the centers for a little sparkle.  For the smaller rolled rose I used the same die, cut out twice, and distressed in Tattered Rose.  I cut the leaves out of patterned paper and distressed with Vintage Photo.

 I die cut the butterflies using Spellbinders Fanciful Flight and Butterflies Two.  I double cut them and layered them so the wings are open.  I distressed them with Broken China and added some pearls to their centers.  You know I can't pass on the bling! 

This is my finished card - I lot of fun making it and love all the little details,  I might just frame this one in a shadow box for my scrap room!! 

Thanks for having a look!  I appreciate your kindness and encouragement my friends.

Jeanne

Supplies used:  Finished Size 5" x 7"
Patterned Paper:  Pink Paislee Butterfly Collection:  Nature Sanctuary, Dragonflies, Botanical Gardens
Dies:  Spellbinders Spiral Blossom One, Butterflies Foliage, Fanciful Flight
Ink:  Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Broken China, Spun Sugar, Vintage Photo, Tattered Rose, Tea Die
Hug Snug Rose Petal, Baby Pink Seam Binding
Pearl Rhinestone Crown Pick David Tutera
Square Punches EK Success
Button:  Papertrey Ink 
Others:  Ink, Pearls, Pin