Hi friends! It's Tuesday and time for another great challenge at the Jacksonbelle blog! This week's challenge is to create a one layer card. For my card I started with Kraft paper and some Tim Holtz distress embossing power and inks. I used the Spiced Marmalade Distress to ink the Kraft paper and a layer of Frayed Burlap. I used the adorable set found in the JBelle store by Inkadinkado called Gemstone Halloween I also added some fabulous ribbon I got at Michaels and a little bling.


Now we've got a fun contest planned for you at Jacksonbelle. Every Tuesday we'll be posting a new challenge on the Jacksonbelle blog. if you play along you could win a fabulous prize. Here's the deets...

The grand prize winner will receive a $50.00 Gift Certificate to the store! 2nd Place, $30.00 and 3rd place $15.00! There will be a goodie package going out to ALL winners!! If you decide to play each week, you will need to email your card to jacksonbelle.embellishments@gmail.com. Make SURE to link your card here as well. That way we can ALL see the cards and your name will be entered into a random drawing. THAT person will also win a goodie bag!

Here are the rules. You have to use Inkadinkado, Stampavie, Prima or Basic Grey stamps. (Any stamps that can be purchased at the store) as well as use one of our Tuesday challenges that we will post here each Tuesday! You can enter as many times as you’d like! As always, we will post coordinating Keywords for the challenges if you are posting on Splitcoaststampers.com, so we will all be able to see your card(s)!

Following the last Tuesday’s challenge (Sept. 28th), you will have until Thursday, Oct. 1st at midnight (EST) to get your cards to us! After that, the design team and I will need a few days to decide on the winners!! Make sure to check out the design team’s blogs and store blog each week for LOTS of inspiration using the weekly challenges! We hope you will have time to play with us and if you have ANY questions, please feel free to ask!

Now visit our fabulous Rockstar Design Team blogs for some amazing creations!

Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place

Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff

Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee

Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create

Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping

Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White

Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho

Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom

Lynda Benden: Stamp Act

Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa

Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here

Jill Dunn: Ink Genious

AJ Otto: The Willow Garden

Lindsey Botkin: Embellished

Trudee Sauer: Follow Your Bliss

Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

P.S. Lindsey just got new products in the store from Basic Grey, Making Memories, Jenni Bowlin and more! Check out what's new at Jacksonbelle Embellishments today!

I'm OK

I've gotten so many emails and pm's from all my online friends asking if I am OK. I live next to LAX and the fires are about 30 mins North of us. I took this shot while driving home from Hawthorne yesterday. It looks like a giant mushroom cloud.



My son's grandfather was evacuated because the fire had reached the hill behind his house in La Crescenta. He and his girlfriend went to Pasadena to stay with her mother. We are hopeful that the fire will not reach the homes in La Crescenta but many residents in La Canada were evacuated including Dodger Rafeal Furcal and his wife.

This picture was taken later in the evening when we were coming home from the grocery store. It was an amazing sunset due to the fires.


Hopefully they can get a handle on this fire and no more homes will be lost. Thanks so much for thinking of me.
See you tomorrow with a Spooktacular challenge from Jacksonbelle and an announcement!

Get Sketchy Challenge #3!

Hi friends! It's time for another challenge at Get Sketchy! So get out your scrappy stash and get ready to have some fun!
This week our fabulous sponsor is Clip it Up!

Clip It Up is a unique and simple solution for organizing, storing and using all types of scrapbooking products and embellishments. Stickers, ribbons, brads, rub-ons and many other items are right in sight and at your fingertips. Since one Clip It Up can hold hundreds of different items, you can quickly access your collection and make your scrapbooking more efficient, fun and creative.
Here's this week's sketch from our very own Dora!




Here's my take on this fun sketch! I love black and yellow together! It's such a fun combo!


You can play along for a chance at a fabulous prize from our sponsor Clip it Up! This week's bonus challenge is to use ribbon on your card. Link your creations to the Get Sketchy blog post here.
Thanks for stopping by today!

Still a work in progress...

Day 2 of my scrap room unpacking. Oh what a mess...LOL It's beginning to take form tho. The table was a gift from DH when we were dating because I didn't own a table in my studio apartment in Glendale so he stopped by one evening with a big box and suprised me.
It won't be my scrap table but until I get a couple of extra bucks to purchase a good scrap table it will do! I got my Making Memories Embellishment Center mounted on the wall. I love this cabinet and totally worth every penny. Just a tip, you can use the 50 percent off coupons Michaels has occasionally. I did to purchase mine.
I'm taking a break while Lily is napping but when she's up I'll be getting back to it.
Hope you are having a great Thursday!

I've got my work cut out for me...

Hi friends! Thanks to those who've been wishing me well on the move and unpacking. I love reading all your sweet comments so thank you for leaving them!
I finally made it to my daughter's room and my future scrap space tonight. I'm not quite sure how I am going to make this work but I am determined to create my own space in this little closet.
First thing I've done is remove the doors off the closet and we'll see where this goes. I miss creating and I am hoping to get most of the room finished sometime tommorow so I can scrap something! In the mean time here's a before pic

Thanks for stopping by!

Finally done moving!

We're home! Yes it's true, we're finally settled into our new home in El Segundo. Of course we're not unpacked quite yet but I've made great strides today getting the kitchen, dining and living room unpacked. Can I just tell you how excited I am to have wood floors and a back yard!!! Of course thank goodness I recently purchased a Swiffer lol. I'm sure it will be the best 12.00 I've spent in quite sometime. I'll post some pics when we have internet in our home which should be sometime tmr. Now onto today's crafty post

It's Tuesday and time for another fabulous Jacksonbelle challenge! This week's challenge is to create a card from the inspiration "You are my Sunshine" It's the end of summer and school has already started in some towns. Create a card with a summer theme using bugs, sunshine, beach themes ot whatever the phrase inspires you to create! Post a link to your creation at the Jacksonbelle blog or if you post it at SCS or PCP tag it with JBE068. Here's my summer card


I used Basic Grey paper for this card and Shimmerz on the ocean as well as Stickles on the sun. This week's product showcase at Jacksonbelle is Stickles. I love using stickles on projects!
Be sure and stop by the store this week as new items have arrived from CHA!!!! This just in! Jenni Bowlin mini papers! Check them out here
I'm still getting settled in my new home and working off DH's laptop but the internet is supposed to be up tmr in my home. YAY!
Thanks for stopping by!

Day 2 of moving agony

Ohhh moving is the worst! Every muscle in my body aches this morning but it's taking us 2 days to move. I never knew we had SO much stuff. Yesterday was the longest day ever and today I'm sure will be just as long but 80 percent of the work is done. I won't have internet after today until Tuesday so I'll miss blogging but I'll be back.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Get Sketchy challenge winner announced and Sketch #2

Wow! We had over 100 players at the Get Sketchy blog last week and saw some amazing takes on Dora's fab sketch. We've posted the Top 5 cards for last week's challenge so check and see if you made the list here!
We're back for week 2 with a brand new sketch and another fabulous sponsor!
This week's sponsor is The Cutting Cafe !!!

The Cutting Cafe offers affordable Printable Stamps and Cutting Files....
No more waiting on the mailman
and no more trying to organize a section in your scrap area for rubber/clear stamps.

You can play along with this week's sketch for a chance to win 3 digital stamp sets from The Cutting Cafe!!!

Here's the sketch by our own very talented Dora!

Here's my take

I really enjoyed working with the digi images from The Cuttine Cafe and they have some wonderful galleries on the blog to inspire you. Plus with the Cutting Cafe you purchase and create right away! What could be better? Check them out here today!

We'd love to see your take on this week's sketch! Use Mr. Linky to link us to your creations at the Get Sketchy blog. Good Luck!

It's crazy here, wanna visit???

Hi friends! Oh my, moving is such a chore!! We finally found a place to move in El Segundo and everyone gets their own room! On top of being thrilled about theextra space we've gotten my son into a great school so aside from the annoyances of moving there are definitely more positives than negatives.

This week's Hero Arts challenge is to create a card for a friend and mail it! I made this card for my friend Beate. She's a sweetheart and I'm so glad I met her on Cafe Mom. Hope all is well with the potty training my friend!

Now a little sneak peek at some artwork I did with September's Paper Posies kit! You will definitely want to grab this kit for your summer pics!

Well back to packing and out with the old...I am gonna find a way to simplify my life so the new home will have less clutter.
Wish me luck!

Another great sketch challenge from JBelle!

Hello friends! Happy Tuesday to you! I am knee deep in boxes! We're moving this Saturday and I've only got a week to pack! Good thing I am a planner tho, I had this week's sketch challenge done last Thursday! This week's sketch is really fun and I hope you'll play along. Here's the sketch

I decided to flip the sketch this time, why not live on the edge right??? LOL Here's my take I'm also entering at the Stampavie blog's SAV Challenge #10 create a summer card.

Supplies:

Kraft cardstock

K&Co patterned paper

Stampavie Spring is Back Stamp

Doodle bug flower brads

Water color pencils

Sheer Ribbon Fuscia

Sunflower charm

I was really pleased with how this card turned out since I have been working on my water color pencil techniques.

many more adorable Stampavie stamps are available at Jacksonbelle Embellishments. New this week are some adorable images from Gillian F Roberts. I've got to get this little guy! It's called Penguin and tree.

Pre-order yours today at Jacksonbelle Embellishments!!

Make sure and stop by my fellow JBelle Rockstar Design Team members to see what they've created for you with today's sketch! If you do play along upload your cards to SCS and PCP tag them JBE067.

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something
Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place
Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff
Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee
Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create
Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping
Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White
Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho
Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom
Lynda Benden: Stamp Act
Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa
Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here
Jill Dunn: Ink Genious
AJ Otto: The Willow Garden
Lindsey Botkin: Embellished
Trudee Sauer: Follow Your Bliss
Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Best Blog Candy Ever!!!

Celebrating 25,000 blog hits, Steph is saying "Thank You" to everyone that stops by her blog Where'd all my Money Go? {love this title by the way} with some amazing blog candy! You'll want to head over to her blog and sign up! We are moving shortly and I'll be losing my scrapping studio. I plan on converting the closet in my daughter's new bedroom into my space but I'll need a new design table to work on. Wouldn't you know I found this table top at Ikea

Paired with these legs for storage too!! Would be a fantastic way to spend $150.00! Hope I'm the lucky winner! For your chance to win Click Here to enter

Come on! You know you wanna GET SKETCHY!!!

Hey friends! Happy Friday!!!! I'm excited to announce that today is the Get Sketchy Challenge Blog Kickoff!!!! The call went out and 6 talented ladies were picked to join Bree, Dora and Camille!!! You can find the Get Sketchy blog here.

So let's get started! This week we're bringing you a sketch created by our very own Dora!

Our sponsor for this week's challenge is Crop Suey!

Here's my take on this fabulous sketch

Supplies:

K & Co paper

Hero Arts stamped image

Prima Flowers

colored hemp

Hero Arts bling

Tip: I paper pieced the sentiment and added some glossy accents to the birds after coloring them with water color pencils.

Now if you play along there is a prize up for grabs...ugh huh, you heard that right! So run over here and link us up your creation based on this week's sketch!

Some crafty creations and a quest to be crowned Queen

Hello friends! I've been pretty busy participating in the Queen of Paradise challenge at Croppin Paradise. My sweet and talented friend Lisa (you might have seen her layout in the new issue of Scrapbooks Etc) invited me on this lovely cruise that suddenly shipwrecked us all on a beautiful island. Thankfully all our scrappy stuff washed ashore and we've been keeping ourselves quite busy!

We found ourselves quite hungry so our first challenge was to scrap a layout about our favorite place to eat

For this challenge I chose to scrap our favorite Kauai eatery with an amazing view, SCOTTY'S. I chose to do a multi-photo layout to share a few pics from different visits to this delicious restaurant known for it's amazing BBQ ribs. I did not win immunity in this challenge so the next challenge we were given to survive was to create a tag and the polls would be open for friends and family to vote. If you didn't get enough votes sadly you would be voted off the island.

here's my tag I created with Hero Arts stamps

and another shot tied on a gift. A special shout out to all my friends who voted me to the next round!!! I made it!! Thanks!

Challenge 2 was to create a layout using at least 2 colors from a beautiful island picture

Here's my take on the challenge. The voting began and I'm thrilled that I won immunity for this challenge!!!! Now onto challenge 3 to stay in the game....

This is a simple but sweet friendship card I made for a very special friend who is so supportive of my creative journey and makes me feel good about myself and my abilities as an artist. The sentiment couldn't say anything more about the way I feel. Thanks so much friend!!!

And finally, I told you I've been busy! Here's a little something I created for the sketch challenge happening over at the Hero Arts blog this week! I got 5 new sets and the clouds Design block I've been wanting forever thanks to free shipping at Two Peas and a free set from Hero for ordering!!!

Oh and don't forget Get Sketchy kicks off this Friday and they'll be prizes!!! We've got sponsors lining up for our fabulous sketch blog and you won't want to miss the first sketch challenge!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

NO Stamping Allowed!!!!

Yep you read it right! This week's Tuesday challenge at the Jacksonbelle Blog is to create a card without using any stamped images.
Since I'm already in the mood for Halloween, I used the Daisy-D rub-on, Witching Time Quotes for the sentiment on my card. You can still purchase these for only $1 in the store

Patterned paper is Prima Life in Colors. I also used Core'dinations cardstock and the new Martha Stewart's new Graveyards punch I got these cute foam glitter ghosts from Michaels and used bling by Queen and Co. for the eyes and mouth. The trick or treat bag is a Halloween button from Dress It Up!
Make sure you visit our Rockstar Design Team's blogs for more No Stamping inspiration!!

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something
Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place
Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff
Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee
Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create
Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping
Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White
Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho
Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom
Lynda Benden: Stamp Act
Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa
Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here
Jill Dunn: Ink Genious
AJ Otto: The Willow Garden
Lindsey Botkin: Embellished
Trudee Sauer: Follow Your Bliss
Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

I'd also like to remind you that Jacksonbelle Embellishment's Dollar Dayz is still going on until the 14th and there are some amazing deals!! Check the sale out here

New challenge at 2 Sketches and a fun tutorial at Paper Craft Planet

It's Monday and that means a new challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You! Here's this week's sketch by Laura.


For my take I decided to make a pillow box instead of a card this week based on this week's sketch and use the template posted at Paper Craft Planet.



I went for a baby theme because a friend of mine recently had a baby boy and I knew this would be really cute tied to the gift I got for her. I used paper by Kaiser Craft, flowers and a grid stamp from Prima. The sweet baby and star are images from Hero Arts.


Here's a close up of the tag. I also used my new Martha Stewart punch.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Come back tomorrow for Jacksonbelle Embellishments new Tuesday challenge. It's a good one!

Leave it to the Internet...

How did we ever get by without the Internet? It sounds crazy but I'm serious! The things that are available to us thanks to Google are endless...

So I've been trying to be happy with the camera I own because I can't afford to buy the Nikon D60 I desperately want. It's always something when we do have a little extra, my daughter's birthday and then two weeks later my son's and there's my dental bill. Gee I never knew having kids would be so hard on my teeth!

So anyway...I've been researching how to take better pictures and had heard about creating your own light box so I Google just that and found a link to a blog that had a post. It was pretty straight forward and super easy!!

Here is a pic I took of a card without the light box

and here's the same card in the light box with natural light from the left side of the box

and the same card in the light box at night

I think I need to get the soft white light bulbs for the lights cause it looks kinda yellow...

If you'd like to make your own light box check out this blog post here

Thanks for stopping by!

Some exciting news! Hip Hop Hangover a Fab Sale you won't want to miss!!!

I have so much to share today so let me start with the best news first! So you may have heard there's a hip new card challenge blog in town called Get Sketchy!

All my crafty friends know how much I love sketch blogs so when the call went out for designers I answered and.....


they picked me as a designer!!!!! I'm so thrilled and excited to be a part of this awesome Design Team!!! A big cyber hug to Bree, Dora and Camille!!! Congratulations to the other Design Team members. I look forward to getting to know each one of you!

Now run on over to Get Sketchy and grab your blinkie and display it proudly on your blog if you haven't already! And stay tuned! Our first challenge is August 14th! It's going to be so much fun!We've already got a long list of players ready to start "Gettin Sketchy!" See you there!





Now for a little Hip Hop Hangover fun! With CHA ending I bet the DT girls were tired and still recouping but they rocked the Hop with some amazing artwork this week! Jeanne posted this week's challenges and they were lots of fun!

My card for the Outdoors Challenge. We had to create a card with anything you find outside.

I chose butterflies, my favorite. I wanted to use Kraft Paper for this challenge and paired it with patterned paper from K&Co. Stamped images are from the Bevy of Butterflies set from Unity Stamp Co. Here's what Unity has just for you:

TODAY for the last time this Summer
30% off SALE
{not to be combined with any other discount code, please}
COUPON CODE: ENJOY
all capitals, case sensitive
Does not include CURRENT Kit of the Month NEW MEMBERSHIPS.

Next is my take on Jeanne's Break out the Buttons challenge. We had to create a card using at least 3 buttons.

I used this week's sketch from Card Patterns Sketch Blog. It's a great sketch blog and this was an awesome sketch to work with! It was a Kraft day for me so I used more Kraft paper and patterned paper October Afternoon from Jacksonbelle Embellishments. Stamped images are from the Stylin Stars July incentive kit by Unity

And finally....

It's Dollar Dayz at Jacksonbelle Embellishments!!! Lindsey has just drastically reduced a bunch of fabulous things in the store you'll wanna grab fast at the prices!! Stamps for 1.99, Basic Grey brads and buttons for 1.99!!!
Shop the Dollar Dayz Sale here

Thanks so much for your comments and stopping by! Have a scrappy day!!!

More Martha and So You Think You Can Dance deets

Whew we had a blast yesterday at the taping of So You Think You Can Dance! We got down to Hollywood really fast, no traffic if you can believe it! As we were pulling into the parking structure for the Kodak theatre we saw a very long line of people. Heidi jumped right out to get in line while we parked and by the time we made our way to her she was almost to the front. We heard they were only handing out 500 tickets, YIKES! We thought we weren't going to make it but the line kept moving and Ta DA!!!!

It was SO hot in Hollywood and I am so spoiled living on the West side where it's much cooler we decided after we had secured out tickets to have some lunch at CPK. Here's a fun pic of Heidi and I. I love this girl. She makes me laugh so much and has the most upbeat and positive personality of anyone I know. She's not only beautiful on the outside but inside as well. Thanks for your friendship sister!

My glasses kept giving off a glare so I took them off. It's so weird seeing a pic without them I almost feel naked...LOL

We didn't get a ton of pics because followed to rules and went to the car to drop off our cameras and phones before the show...well they didn't check and everyone had phones and cameras. The lady in front of us recorded to entire show on her Blackberry. Oh well...

It was amazing, the dancing was beautiful and the judges were funny. It was such an amazing experience. I hope we can do it again!

Now for something crafty...

I wanted to show a couple cards I made for the Splitcoast challenges this week using some Martha Stewart punches which is this week's feature at Jacksonbelle Embellishments. We have the new Martha Stewart punches in the store! Check them out here

Here's my take on the color challenge, paper is October Afternoon Fruit Stand and stamped images are from Unity Stamp Co.

And my take on the sketch challenge :) Paper is K & Co. with some bling also by K & Co. and Ribbon by Prima. Stamped image is Unity Stamp Co. I also used the Lace Doily border punch by Martha Stewart.

Well that's it for tonight. I'm pretty beat so it's off to sleep for me. See you at the Hip Hop tmr!

Got Martha??

Martha Stewart Punches that is...this week's Tuesday Challenge at the Jacksonbelle Embellishments Blog is to create a card using Martha Stewart punches. We just got a huge shipment in the store here. Have you seen the new releases yet? I am loving the Graveyard punch! I used it to create this card


I also used the Daisy D rub-ons that are only $1 in the store! So cute and super easy to use!!!



Here's another card I made using the Martha Stewart Floral Lace Punch


And one more with Martha Stewart Scalloped Dots punch, my favorite right now.
If you'd like to play along this week be sure and leave us a comment here with a link to your creation and/or use keyword JBE065 when uploading to SCS or PCP.



Check out the other Jacksonbelle Rockstars blogs for more amazing artwork!

Kristine Breach ~ Ink Something
Tobi Crawford ~ Tobi’s Place
Stephanie Hargis ~ Steph’s Stampin’ Stuff
Mitzi Koons ~ Stamps Jubilee
Loretta Lock ~ Love to Create
Jimmi Mayo ~ Stamping & Shopping
Bethany Paull ~ It’s Not All Black & White
Michelle Philippi ~ Inside My Own Private Idaho
Carly Robertson ~ Paper in Bloom
Lynda Benden: Stamp Act
Melissa Bove: Keepsakes By Melissa
Jennifer Buck: The Buck Stamps Here
Jill Dunn: Ink Genious
AJ Otto: The Willow Garden
Lindsey Botkin: Embellished
Trudee Sauer: Follow Your Bliss
Heather Lee-Reppen: The Best in Life

Now for some fun news....Guess where I am going today!!!!

Yep! I got tickets to the Season Finale at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood!!! I am so excited! Heidi and I are leaving at 11:45 to pick up the tickets and the taping starts at 4:30. We'll be having an all day girlfriend {kid free} day!!!!!!!Woot Woot!

I still hardly believe I got them but it's going to be amazing!!!! Who's your pick for the winner? Well I won't be spilling any details until after the show airs of course! I know it's the good girl in me.

Thanks for stopping by and have a scrappy day!