New Blog!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to finally announce that my new blog has gone live -

jencuthbertson.com

If you followed me here, I'd love it if you followed me over there! All new posts will be over on the new blog starting today.

Many thanks for all of your support!!
Jen

You're Sweet

Back after a long weekend in Las Vegas where I was reunited with 25 of my Chi Omega sorority sisters from USC! What a wonderful trip - lots of hysterical memories, singing, laughter, and the crazy feeling that we somehow very easily picked up where we left off 18 years ago! Crazy!

Prior to leaving on the trip I worked my fingers to the bone making cards for a big card call. Now that submissions have been selected for publication, I have a few I can share. This sweet card was my first foray into lace and I think it turned out pretty cute. I definitely have to work on my technique since I couldn't really get it to lie flat. Never fear, foam squares to the rescue!

Supplies: Cardstock - Riding Hood Red (SU!), DP - Garden Variety Paper Kit (Cosmo Cricket), Stamps - Garden Variety (Cosmo Cricket for Unity), Ink - Riding Hood Red (SU!), Lace - Joann

All My Love is Yours

The theme for this month's waltz is masculine cards and I made this one for my hubby, incorporating this week's sketch into the design. Yes, I know it is pink and red but he will love it! If you've just happened by, head on over to Claire's blog or the 'Mouse house to get started! Even though the Seasons of Love set has been around for a little while, I just got it and haven't had much chance to use it yet. The heart stamp coordinates perfectly with the heart nesties and makes such a beautiful focal image. Of course I couldn't leave it alone so I added some blingy rhinestones to the edges of the scallop and the center of the white heart.

Why a bear you ask? Well, a long time ago my hubby and I started calling each other "bear" (kinda like dear I suppose but much bigger and, um, hairier? lol) Anywho, the nickname stuck and one of our wedding gifts were towels embroidered with Mr. Bear and Mrs. Bear. I've had this bear charm kicking around for a while and thought it would be the perfect touch for the card to "my bear."

Supplies: Seasons of Love (WMS), Riding Hood Red, Blush Blossom, Whisper White cardstock (SU!), Riding Hood Red, Basic Black ink (SU!), DP My Mind's Eye, Rhinestones (Crafta), Twine (PTI), Bear Charm (a great bead store in Phoenix that I will never be able to remember the name of!)

Birthday Wishes

I made this card for the Embellish Magazine Color Challenge and really like the way it turned out! I loved the leather hair clips inspiration photo and mulled quite a few ideas over in my head before settling on this one. I've not used much coral in my crafting before and really like it! I did mute the color of the ribbon a bit with some distressing ink and think it blends in with the card much better. The yellow panel in the center has some flowers stamped directly on to it (I stamped off once before stamping on the panel). I also stamped some flowers in versamark onto the coral cardstock, cut them out, and adhered them using foam.

Supplies: Stamps – Asian Gardens (WMS) DP – Garden Gala (Webster’s Pages) Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Melon Berry, Tea Dye (PTI)Cardtsock – Barely Banana, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Melon Berry (PTI)Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, SpellbindersMisc - rhinestones (Crafta), ribbon (PTI), Corner Chomper (Crop A Dile), Foam Squares (3M)

Celebrate the Day

I made this card for this week's Mojo Monday challenge and really like the way it came out! I just got the Basic Gray Cappella collection so I can start working on our wedding album (yes, 3 1/2 years later...) and thought I'd make a card for my hubby to give to him once I get our album finished.

You can't really see it in the photo but I used some Glimmer Mist and some Stickles on the center of the flower to give it some bling. There are a couple of different layers popped up and the fussy cutting of the leaves give the card a lot of dimension.

Supplies: Stamps - Love's Flower (Verve); DP - Cappella (Basic Gray); Ink - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive (SU!), Tea Dye (PTI); Cardtsock - Blush Blossom (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI); Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders; Misc - rhinestone (K&Co), Stardust Stickles (Ranger), ribbon (Michael's), Scallop Edge Punch (SU!), Corner Chomper (Making Memories), Foam Squares (3M)

Bon Voyage, Connie

I just finished making this card for my friend's mom who is finally retiring after talking about doing it since I used to work with them (almost 5 years ago!) I am so excited that Connie will be able to do more traveling and I'm sure my friend will be happy that she can do more babysitting! ;)

Oh, one more detail - since this is a card for her party that a lot of people will be signing, it is 8.5 x 11! Yes, definitely the largest card I've made, by far but I think it came out great!

Supplies: Stamps - Travel (Cloud 9); Ink - Tea Dye (Distress Ink), Tea Dye (PTI), Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red (SU!); Cardstock - Kraft (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI); DP - Travel Matstack (DCWV); Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Labels 10 (Spellbinders); Misc - Travel Stickers (Jolee's), Twine (SU!)

Just Because

I made this card for the Reader's Choice Color Inspiration Challenge over on Kristina Werner's blog and realized it would also fit the Cinema Saturday challenge to use plaid!

My personal challenge this week was to try and stamp the background rather than relying on designer papers. Don't get me wrong, I love my dp but I also want to incorporate more stamping into my cards. I've had the argyle set for a couple of months now but haven't used it and thought today would be the perfect chance to get it inky! I love how cute the panel turned out!

Supplies: Stamps - A Little Argyle, Beautiful Blooms II, Round and Round (PTI); Cardstock - Chocolate Chip (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI); Ink - Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Old Olive, Certainly Celery (SU!); Misc - Vintage Sparkler (Webster's Pages), Distressed Seam Binding (DebsSimpleTreasures, Etsy)

Welcome Little One

I utterly adore Waltzingmouse Stamps and can't believe I almost missed the very first sketch challenge! This week has been absolute chaos and I didn't think I'd be able to get it done! But, I got home at 7pm and whipped this card out with life or death urgency! Well, maybe not quite that much but pretty close! I think it came out great for a "quick and dirty."

You only have 12 minutes to participate but head on over to the new WMS Sketch Challenge blog and check it out! I think you'll have another chance to participate this Saturday!Supplies: Stamps - Lil' Buddies (WMS); DP - Ducks in a Row (October Afternoon); Cardstock - Blush Blossom (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI); Ink - Basic Black (SU!); Ribbon - Crafta; Button - Favorite Findings; Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Nestabilities; Misc - Puff Ball (Michael's), Copic Markers

You're Invited

This week's challenge over at Cinema Saturday is to make something out of the box inspired by Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland!" While you may look at this and think it looks like a traditional card, it posed a big challenge to me to think outside of the box!

I had a stamp of the White Rabbit that I thought would be just perfect but when I pulled the stamp off of the backing, I saw that his scroll was filled in and would always say "You Are Invited." Outside the box #1 for me was making an invitation I was grumpy about. How can I use just one invitation? :)

The next part of my adventure started when I saw another stamp in the set that I realized I'd much rather use in the Rabbit's scroll. Who wouldn't agree that the "congratulations" message is generally much more useful?

Tada!! You can see my outside the box moment #2 below! I used my craft knife to remove the part of the stamp that had the message permanently attached to the scroll! Clever!!

As stampers, it is rare that we find something that is perfect, as-is, and since we are such a crafty bunch, we can certainly tailor things we buy to suit our needs a bit better. I am thrilled with my new stamp and will get a ton more use out of it this way!

Supplies: Stamps - Card Sentiments (Clear Art); DP - Garden Gals (Webster's Pages); Cardstock - Certainly Celery (SU!); Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Tea Dye Chai (PTI); Misc - Distressed Seam Binding(DebSimpleTreasures (Etsy)), Vintage Sparkler (Webster's Pages)

Die Tulpen

Two posts in one day - I have to settle down! I've never participated in one of Mercy's sketch challenges and, since I had some time this holiday weekend, decided to give it a go! I am seriously loving this cute flower set from Taylored Expressions - it will definitely be out for a while!

Supplies: Stamps - Garden Party Blooms (Taylored Expressions), Polka Dot Basics (Papertrey Ink); Ink - Versamark, Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Perfect in Pink, Gable Green (Stampin' Up!); Cardstock - Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Whisper White (SU!); Ribbon, Lace - Joann; Punch - Fiskars; Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Nestabilities

You Are My All Star

I made this card for the Go To Sketch Challenge #3 over on the Paper Crafts Blog. I just got these great sports sets from Papertrey Ink and hadn't used them yet and thought they'd be perfect. I stamped all of the balls and ran the footballs and basketballs through my Swiss Dots embossing folder for the proper texture, and added red Stickles to the baseballs for the stitching, cut them out and used foam squares to pop them up. I stamped the sentiment on the bottom and thought it needed more so I stamped the sentiment on some navy cardstock and embossed it with white embossing powder. This one is going to my little brother who is a sports fiend - I have no idea how my dad and step-mom keep up with his sports schedule!

Supplies: Stamps - All Star Team, Have a Ball (Papertrey Ink); Cardstock - Stamper's Select White (PTI), orange and navy construction paper (my stash); Ink - Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Brilliant Blue (Stampin' Up!); DP - Get Happy (Cosmo Cricket); Misc - White Embossing Powder (SU!), Red Stickles (Ranger), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Thanks a Bunch

I am totally digging the Reader-Inspired Color Challenges over on Kristina Werner's blog! Wow, we'd been away from them for so long and being back has been a lot of fun!

When I first saw all of these colors together, flowers were the first thing to come to mind and I went straight to a new set from Taylored Expressions that totally deserved to get inky! I finished off the stamped flowers with purple stickles on the tulip and rhinestone centers for the other two. The "thanks a bunch" sentiment was the perfect finishing touch.

Supplies: Stamps - Garden Party Blooms (Taylored Expressions); Cardstock - Brocade Blue, Whisper White (SU!); Ink - Certainly Celery, YoYo Yellow, Brilliant Blue, Perfect Plum, Bashful Blue (SU!); Misc - Purple Stickles, Rhinestones (Michael's)

Mojo Monday 140

This is a card I made for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge. If you haven't tried it out, you should! It is a lot of fun and, as I've mentioned before, really gets me out of my comfort zone. I am so nervous of mixing patterns - love it but terrified I do it poorly - but was determined to give it the old college try and I'm so happy with how this came out! I love the twine with the little "wish" charm at the bottom, too. Cute!

Supplies: Stamps - Big Wish (Verve), Vintage Labels (PTI); Cardstock - Kraft (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI); DP - Joy Ride (Cosmo Cricket); Ink - Basic Black (SU!), Berry Sorbet, Tea Dye (PTI); Twine - PTI; Charm - Frost Creek Charms; Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Spellbinders

Sizzlin' Summer Fun with Verve!

I made this card for the Sizzlin' Summer Fun challenge which is part of the May project parade over on the Verve Stamps blog. I got a couple of Julee's awesome sets during the last release and am having so much fun making summer cards with them!


I've been loving the beachy scenes that others have made with these sets and tried my hand at one of my own for this Father's Day card. I used some Cor'dinations and embossed, tore, and sanded it to make the sand, used some DCWV paper for the summer sky, and stamped the Father's Day greeting on the front. For the inside, I stamped the waves and bubbles on the bottom and cut out the cute sun on top.

Supplies: Stamps - Relax, Happy Days (Verve); Ink - Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange (SU!); Cardstock - Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White (SU!) Chocolate Box (Cor'dinations); DP - Tahiti Stack (DCWV); Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots embossing folder

Hats off to the Grad!

I can't believe my little brother is going to be in high school next year!! And, just in case you were trying to do the math, I was 25 when he was born! :) I just got this great graduation set and had to put it to quick use because he graduates in a week!



Supplies: Stamps - For the Graduate (PTI); Cardstock - Perfect Plum, Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!); Ink - Perfect Plum, Basic Black (SU!); White Embossing Powder - SU!

Happy Anniversary to Me!

This Sunday is the first anniversary of the first sale in my Etsy shop and I'm celebrating with a sale of my own! For every 4 single cards purchased, you will get the 5th free! My shop announcement has all the details!

On to what is really on my mind and what is really important...thank you!!

This has been a whirlwind year and I've been so blessed to find a little online community of peeps just like me! "Meeting" all of you talented crafters via this blog, my shop, challenge sites, and forums in the past year has been so much fun! As big as this world seems sometimes, it is also very small and filled with so many wonderful people.

Crafting has been a wonderful outlet for me. Nothing clears my head after a stressful day at the office like rummaging around for the perfect paper and the perfect stamp that will ultimately make something lovely for someone equally lovely. I love every minute of it (well, unless my crafty mojo has gone missing) and always look forward to my "studio" time. Someday I hope to have a real studio (or at least a room in the house that isn't triple booked!) so I can be even craftier.

Many thanks and much love!!

Thinking About You

I really can't explain how absolutely thrilled I was to see this color challenge on Kristina Werner's blog again!! Color challenges were the first challenges I started to participate in and one of the reasons this blog was started just about a year ago!

Talk about a challenge - this one has 6 colors! I turned straight to this great paper for inspiration - the paper has all of the colors in it except the gray and white so made a tag out of those.

Supplies:
Stamps - Fancy Phrases (Waltzingmouse)
Ink - Soft Sky (SU!)
Cardstock - Basic Gray, Whisper White (SU!)
DP - Honey Pie (Cosmo Cricket)
Ribbon - Soft Sky (SU!)
Pearls - Martha Stewart
Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Nestabilities

May Blog Waltz with Waltzingmouse Stamps!

I am so happy to be able to participate in another blog "waltz" with Waltzingmouse Stamps! If you've just happened by, please head over to Claire's blog or to the 'Mouse House to see all of the amazing creations folks have made with their WMS goodies! I for one am quite anxious to see creations from the new sets!

The volcano made transport difficult from Ireland and I don't have my new stamps yet, so I decided to use an "oldie but a goodie," and one of my favorites - Faux Fun Circles. Making stamp sets so Nestie friendly was a brilliant idea!! I heart my Nesties!

I cut the scalloped circles out of a chocolate card base and a kraft overlay, stamped the interior of the card with my favorite image from the set and then embossed it with white embossing powder. I then stamped the leaf image from the set around the scallop and tied it with a pretty bow. Don't you just love this ribbon? It was clearance priced at Stampin' Up and I think it works perfectly with these colors! Next I stamped the "happy birthday" sentiment from my Lil' Buddies set in red on cream cardstock, distressed the edges, and attached it to the center of the circle with a foam square for some dimension. I really like how it came out - seems a bit Tyrolean, don't you think?


Supplies:
Stamps - Faux Fun Circles, Lil' Buddies (WMS)
Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Kraft (SU!)
Ink - Craft White, Riding Hood Red (SU!), Tea Dye Chai (PTI)
Ribbon - SU!
Embossing Powder - SU!
Die Cuts - Cuttlebug, Scalloped Circles (Spellbinders)

All You Need is Love...

I made this card for this week's Mojo Monday challenge using a few orphaned supplies in my stash. First I found the card base sitting in a pile and decided to use it and thought chocolate brown would be the perfect compliment. I immediately knew I wanted to use Verve's "Love's Flower" set.

Supplies:
Stamps - Love's Flower (Verve)
Ink - Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Cardstock - Whisper White, Regal Rose (SU!)
Punch - Fiskars
Pearls - Hero Arts
Ribbon - Crafta

Time to Celebrate

I made this card for my dear friend Beth. This is a special weekend for her - birthday today and her first Mother's Day on Sunday!

Supplies:
Stamps - Hero Arts
Ink, Punch, Cardstock - SU!
DP - K&Co
Distresser - Making Memories
Ribbon - my stash