Serendipity Challenge - Stamped Notepad

Good Morning! I have been a rather quiet blogger lately, but life sure has not been quiet. Days are filled full to the brim for me with puppies, cats, my horse, sewing, stamping, gardening, preparing for next month's cello recital and the normal day to day activities. I LOVE SPRING! Spring brings new life and also brings life to old life! I'm having a blast! Consequently, though, I'm not getting nearly as many of my projects posted. I hope to remedy that situation very soon though so I hope you'll not give up on my blog.

Today I have a challenge project presented to the design team at Serendipity Stamps. The challenge is to create a design for a notepad using Serendipity Stamps. I decided that I would create a small whiteboard for the refrigerator to list errands to run and places to go.


This is my notepad/whiteboard that was very simple to create. If you'd like to do something similiar or perhaps use this as a craft idea for young children to create as gifts or VBS projects, this is how I made it.

I used a piece of heavy glossy cardstock and then computer generated the sentiment at the top but you can easily stamp or even hand write your message if you choose to have one. Next I stamped SERENDIPITY STAMPS Tennis Shoes #221QCL at the bottom and colored them with copic markers. Then all you have to do is run your cardstock through a laminator and VOILA! You have a whiteboard. I've added a water soluable marker to my board so my messages will not be permanent, but rather wipe of with a damp cloth. On the back I placed a magnet strip and here you see my whiteboard clinging to my refrigerator.
It was as simple as that: stamp, color, laminate and attach pen and magnet.

The rest of the Design Team have some fabulous notepad ideas using Serendipity Stamps. Be sure to hop on over to the team's blogs:

Amy Cokley
Anya Schrier
Kathie Bailey
Lynda Benden

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers!

Jennifer

Just because I care

I am in a card swap in which were are instructed to make card fronts only, each one the same, but the sentiment on each front will be for a different occasion. We are also instructed to be sure that there are spring or summer flowers on the front. I love this PSX stamp so much and as I put the card fronts together I decided to make several extra for me to keep for myself.

So this is my card all made up in card form. This tulips in a pail stamp is among one of the first stamps I purchased years and years ago. It is well love, much inked and used often. It takes on a new look each time I ink it up.

Card Recipe:

Stamps: PSX and the sentiment is Stampin' Up!

Paper: All cardstock is Stampin' Up! The velum is called Red Heart Buds by Susan Branch

Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black and Autumn Leaves Brand: Red

Accessories: Copic Markers, Dashes, Dots & Checks ribbon, Stickles, Machine Stitching.

It is a pretty simple card but a very versatile card, I think.

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers!

Jennifer

MAY! And Mother's Day too.

This is just too good not to share with you. I wish I had the same enthusiasm for cleaning. Perhaps I should take this little poem to heart and smile through the spring cleaning.

Just wanted to wish all MOTHERs everywhere a very happy Mother's Day tomorrow. I know Mother's Day is celebrated on different dates in various countries. Here in North America we honor our Mothers tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day and Happy May too.

Masculine card challenge - Serendipity Stamps

Good Morning! Puppy Noah really loves to greet the day as soon as possible with lots of tail wagging and "happy to see you" kisses. Nothing better than being greeted with such happy enthusiasm!

Today's challenge at Serendipity Stamps is to create a Masculine Card. Serendipity Stamps has MANY wonderful stamps that are perfect for cards and projects for the men in your life.

I love this hooty owl stamp and decided that I wanted to highlight him by using the soot stamping technique. Have you tried soot stamping? It is very fast and simple, but not for the faint of heart. I set two sheets of gloosy cardstock on fire while sooting up my image. But not to worry! The house is still standing.

Soot stamping is the process by which you press your stamp (no ink needed) into the a layer of soot that has been left on the glossy cardstock. When you lift your stamp, the stamp picks up the soot and leaves the image. Next you spray with a clear acrylic sealer spray to set the image permanently. See the detail that is left?

Want a brief tutorial on soot stamping? Here you go:

1.) Using a piece of glossy cardstock, turn the cardstock glossy side down and with the flame of a lighted candle, allow the flame to "kiss" the glossy side of the cardstock. Move the candle around quickly in a swirly or circular motion over the glossy side and NEVER let the wick or wax part touch the cardstock...ONLY let the flame kiss the glossy side and you'll quickly see black soot left.

2.) Take your stamp and press it into the soot firmly, being sure your fingers DO NOT touch the soot (it smears very easily).

3.) Lift your stamp carefully and immediately spray the image with a clear sealer.

It is as simple as that! Once the sealer dries you have your image ready to be made into a card.

CARD RECIPE:
Stamps: SERENDIPITY STAMPS "Autumn Owl" # 1182G
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! and Bazzill and no name glossy cardstock
Accessories: Nestibilities Octagonal and scalloped octagonal dies, Cuttlebug Houndstooth embossing folder, Martha Stewart fern leaf punch, Brass Brads, foam tape, candle.

For more Maasculine Cards using Serendipity Stamps, be sure to check out the rest of the Serendipity Design Team members work:

Amy Cokley
Anya Schrier
Kathie Bailey
Lynda Benden

Cheers!

Jennifer

Bathtime for Noah

This may very well be the last time Noah can be bathed in the kitchen sink. Noah had been having a very busy and happy day playing in the dirt with Gabe and Paige. You know what that means? "It's bathtime!"