A Kept Life

Friday, January 31, 2014

12 Kits of Occasions - January 2014

I'm so excited to share with you that I've rejoined the 12 Kit of Occasions! This is a group of 12 designers. Every month one of us puts together a kit for the group. On the last day of the month we all share what we made using the same kit. It's lots of fun to see the different ways we used the same items. I had to step back from the group a few months back because of other commitments. My duties have lightened and I'm delighted they were able to let me come back. Amy Kolling is now the lady in the hot seat with lots of commitments and left an opening that I was longing for! There's been a few changes while I was gone including a new web site that you can check out here.

The hostess with the mostest is Sharron from On Papillon Wings blog. She put together a wonderful Valentine's kit full of peach, scarlet, and grey. Lots of cute images from Avery Elle, and Momma Elephant, Wplus9, and Technique Tuesday. I always picture Sharron sitting in her garden enjoying her beautiful lillies and watching the birds (she even snuck a few of those in here for us!)

I made LOTS of cards - warning - lots of photos folks! I tried to keep true to the kit and use ONLY the ingredients supplied without adding too much of my own things so here's me doing CAS - no bows - well just one bitty twine ones (wink!) So without further ado... here's what I made with this wonderful kit this month! Oh yes! You will see some of the items missing from my kit. Stinker Binker the wonder dog felt it necessary to assist with the assembling of these cards - that or she's mad at me for too much crafty time and not enough Binker time.

Want to see what the rest of the ladies made? Just click on their names here to jump to their blog! Oh and we have a guestie this month! Be sure you say Hi to Michelle!

Sharron - On Papillon Wings (Our host this month!)

Renee - It's a Patchwork Life

Marybeth - It's Time For Paper

Joyce - Cards By The Sea

Cathy Weber - Empty Nest Crafter

Christina Maclaren

Kim - Cupcakes Cards & Kim

Kara - K & R Designs

Jessica - The Paper Parade

Tracey McNeely - In My Creative Opinion

Kellly Schirmer - Gingham Girl

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Supplies Used: Finished cards all 4.25 x 5.5" Except Lunch Noe and UrMyHeart - both 3 x 3"
Stamps: Avery Elle Lots of Love Mama Elephant Love From Above, Technique Tuesday Totally My Type, W+9 Love Birds
Card Stock: PTI White, SU! Crisp Cantaloupe, Primrose Petals, Sahara Sand, Bazzil Stonehenge
Pattern Paper: Teresa Collins You are My Happy 6x6"
Dies: Lifestyle Crafts Love Shapes, Lil Inker Floating Heart, Love Tags, Mini Bow, Of the Heart, Memory Box Precious Heart, PTI Block Alphabet, Lunchbox Die, Simon Says Stamp Happy, Small Hello, Large Heart Doily, WPlus9 Folk Art Florals, Heart tackers, Seasonal Sentiments
Embossing Folder Zig Zag Lifestyle Crafts
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Hero Arts Fresh Peach, Pale Tomato, Wet Cement
Buttons: PTI
Ribbon: Michael's
Jute: Primo American Crafts
Twine: Divine Twine
Washi Tape & Sequins Teresa Collins You Are my Happy
I added: Heart Pins Ribbon Reel, Heart Gems Recollections, Die Cuts Spellbinder Fleur De Lis Square, Lil Inker Stitched Photo Frame, Round Pin Dritz, Coarse Glitter Martha Stewart, Copic Markers, Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Silver Glimmer Paper

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Serendipity Stamps New Relase - Ladybug

Thanks for stopping by! It's the last day of the Serendipity Stamps new release previews. If you are hopping along you should have reached me from Anya's blog. If you'd like to start at the beginning and get all the details you can click here to go to Mary's Blog. Today we are showing samples made with the new ladybug die! This one is so cute and packed with lots of great details.

The entire back of the lady bug is covered with an etched intricate swirly design. The head has a nice clean cut line across the "neck" leaving it attached only at the ends so it is easy to switch out for a different color, and the curly antennae are attached to the head so you don't have to worry about them uncurling when you release them from the paper, or when you peel off the wax paper when you remove them. A layer of wax paper between the die and your card stock makes releasing an intricate die Easy Peasy!

I have lots of great memories of sitting in the garden as a child or with my own children finding ladybugs, counting their spots to see if we are lucky, and singing "ladybug, ladybug, fly away home". Those garden memories inspired me to layer my ladybug on a layered, embossed sunflower. The bright yellow and red together jump off the page.

Oh Maybe you noticed I had a little snafu yesterday! I was supposed to show you the bunny die, but wound up posting the ladybug by mistake. Well... so sorry - I still have something new to show you that wasn't on this post yesterday - it's been updated with this project featuring the new Heart Bouquet stamp - I just got it in the mail on Tuesday so this one is really fresh - and just in time for Valentine's Day!! This one was lots of fun to color and is so fun and happy looking!

The next stop on the hop is Jenny Gropp. But before you go - make sure you leave a comment. Each day of the hop one random winner will be selected from the commenters to receive a $10 gift certificate to use at Serendipity Stamps - so you can get whatever you like! You have until February 5 to leave a comment. Winners will be posted on February 7 on Mary's Blog For your convenience a complete list of all the designers on today's hop is here. Just click on their names to jump to their blog.

Jeanne Jachna (That's me!)

Jenny Gropp

Good luck and have a great day!

Supplies Used: Finished Size 4.5 x 6.25"

Stamps: Serendipity Stamps Hello Small

Dies: Serendipity Stamps Ladybug, Little Inker Stitched Banner, Spellbinder Blossom 2, Nested Leaves

Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye Dilly Dally 6x6"

Card Stock: PTI Vintage Cream, Pure Poppy, True Black, Simply Chartreuse, SU! Crushed Curry, Garden Green

Button

Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug Cane Back Chair

Border Punch: Double Embossed Dotted Lace EK Success

Ribbon: 3/4" Canvas Tape Measure, 5/8" Twill Red, Ivory Button Twine

Valentine Bouquet 4.5 x 6.25"
Stamps: Serendipity Heart Bouquet, Hugs & Kisses SM
Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye Lucky In Love
Card Stock: PTI White, Pure Poppy
Glitter Heart Paper Studio
Dies Spellbinder Charmed I'm Sure, Grand Ovals, Grand Decorative Labels
Gems: Recollections
Ribbon: May Arts 1/4" Silver Ric Rac, 5/8" Grosgrain Dots Red / White, Twinery Maraschino

Serendipity Stamps New Release - Bunny

Thanks for stopping by! It's day two day of the Serendipity Stamps new release preview. If you are following along with the blog hop you should have reached me from Anya's blog. If you'd like to start at the beginning and get all the details you can click here to jump to Mary's Blog.

Today we are previewing designs using the new bunny die. This sweet bunny is cut with a fun flower pattern. There is also lots of detailed etching on the body to make the features more prominent. Check out the flowers - they are made with little egg shaped die cuts - and the tail looks like an etched leaf.

Bunnies always make me think of Spring and the garden. I'm always shooing one of them out of my garden in the summer. I'll be honest - most of the time they scare the heck out of me! I will be watering the garden and one will just jump out of no where to flee for safety. The next thing I know binker is in hot pursuit chasing it across the yard! Don't worry - he always makes it in time to slip under the gate to safety!

So when I made my card I knew I wanted to surround him with a background of flowers. To fill the die cut holes I cut him first in light blue, popped out all the die cut holes and then placed tape on the back of the die to fill all the holes. I cut the bunny a second time in yellow, placed the yellow cut over the blue one and then just pushed the cut outs down into the sticky holes.