Jackson's Digital Expressions Blog Hop!

Welcome to the BLOG HOP and Design Challenge for the Jackson's Digital Expressions blog.  If you came here from Chana's blog: CARD-D-OLOGY  then you are headed in the right direction!  If not go to Jacksons Digital Expressions so you can start at the beginning.  There is a letter hidden at each blog so collect the letters that make up the mystery words because you'll want to win some prizes right??  Make sure you leave a comment on every blog because every designer has a digital image for you to win!  When you have all of the letters and know the mystery words then return to the Jacksons Digital Expressions blog and leave a comment with the answer for your chance to win a gift card and digital images!
                    
                 So let's get to it!  My challenge was to create Anything but a card. 

I created a photo album for my husband.  As soon as I saw this digi I fell in love with it and had to use it! The image is called Proud Popa and here is my inspiration photo.  It was meant to be  :)

I used Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol (an odorless mineral spirits) to blend the color.  Members of the DT will be doing tutorials on coloring with various types of media and this technique will be included.  So stay tuned for those!  I used the Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants dies, the mini heart is from a Verve die called I heart U, large heart die is called Jotted Heart (Verve) and the teal die cut is from a My Favorite Things Die-namics/stamp set called Vertical Greetings.  The black paper is basic Grey called oliver greyson/ver-2702.  I used my Bind-It-All which has been sitting on the shelf for too long!

Here are some of the pics from the album:

notebook paper stamp by Verve

                                                          This is the inside back cover.

 So now you need to move along on your adventure  :)   Next up is Berni....

Jackson's Digital Expressions start here!
RJ 
JoAnna
Lawren
FranCine
Joyce
Trish
Chana
Kathi   you are here
Berni   http://berni46.blogspot.com/
Katya
Lesia
DeNetra
Lisa
Chauntelle
Pamela
Kim
Shelia
Princess
Jackson's Digital Expressions end here

I'm so excited!

Hi all!  I'm very excited because I have been asked to join a new design team!  Robert Jackson is a new artist featuring digital stamps.  His work is beautiful!  He focuses mainly on African American individuals and culture HOWEVER, there is something for everyone!  He has a line of women's shoes that are awesome!  And what woman doesn't like shoes??  There are so many cards that can be made with shoe images and a saying like "It's all about the shoes...just ask Cinderella!"  Here's a link to those images.  Then in misc there's a breast cancer ribbon, purse, roses, etc.   We are starting this new adventure the first week of April so watch for the blog hop right here  :)

If you are interested in joining the team here is some information on that:

DESIGN TEAM CALL

We are looking for A Few Good Designers to join our design team!  We are a new blog challenge site that will feature the digital images of Artist Robert Jackson.  We want to add 4-5 designers to our team.    If you are an enthusiastic paper crafter who wants to use your design skills to help shape this challenge so that it is on the top of every designer's list, then we would like to hear from you!  We are looking for designers at all skill levels.  You do not need prior design team experience.

The term is 12 months starting April 1, 2012 and ending March 31, 2013.

Application Deadline is Midnight (EST) March 26,2012. Applicants will be notified via e-mail March 30th.

You can check out Robert's images at http://fineartsbyrobertjackson.com

What will be required of you:
CLICK FOR MORE INFO.... 

Hope you'll join us on the team or for the Blog Hop!  Can't wait!  


Kathi  :)

My Little Artist

My son Niko will be 2  1/2  next month and loves to create already  :)  He just loves watercolors, playdoh and gluing paper, etc.  Well he was a happy boy today, he came to my craft room to spend time with Mommy  :)  He was watching his cartoons on Netflix on my laptop and using the paper punches to create shapes then glue them on paper. 

 He's sitting on my lap and I'm holding the camera over his head.

In this next pic look where his finger is...I didn't notice because I was trying to take the pics...and see that little smile?  He knew he wasn't supposed to be doing that  LOL!  I've seen that look before...little bugger! 

Multi tasking...watching tv and crafting  :)

So that's a little glimpse into my world...thanks for stopping by!

  Kathi

Quick & Easy Birthday Cards & rubber stamp tip

 Hi all!  Here are 3 cards I made for clients and staff at work.  I made 5 of each.  These are the cheap and easy cards I make using the 8 pack of blank cards for the base.  I think I had gotten all 3 packs from Michael's.

The birthday sentiment is a digi stamp from Bird's Cards she has some awesome images/sentiments and they're all free!  It was cut with a 3" punch then matted on the white circle which was cut with a circle Nestabilities then inked the edges with teal ink.

This rubber stamp was one piece but I wanted to stamp the phrase and present separately.  I've done this many times, just take an exacto knife and slice the portion of the stamp you want to remove.  Slowly peel the stamp from the block and place on another wood or acrylic block.  That's it now you have two stamps use together or or or not!

 And the last card is using a presents stamp by DeNami  I believe and I can remember who makes the Happy Bday stamp...and honestly I'm1:00 a.m. and I'm too lazy to go to the basement and look at it!  LOL!  But if you really want to know just email me and I'll let you know!  I went over the design with Crystal Stickles.

 Well thanks for stopping by!
Kathi

Valentine candy package

Surprise!  Two posts in 1 week how unusual for me!  LOL!  Well here's another Valentine but it could be adapted for St. Patty's Day, Easter or Birthday.  It held one of the heart shaped Reese's PB cups.  Can you say YUMMY??   Yeah I snuck a couple...I'll admit it  :)   Hey a woman works up an appetite crafting!  Anyhoo...I used the Grand Nestabilities Labels 11 for the holder, the die that measures 5  3/4" across.  Paper was Coredinations canvas texture in "Merry" color, edges inked with Memento black ink.  2 1/2"  scalloped circle with Crystal Stickles dotted on the scallops, and stamps by Verve.  It was kept closed with a mini clothespin with a heart gem.  The recipients really liked them  :)

Hope you like this and can use the idea.  Would love to see what you can do with it...let me see your twist on the idea!  Thanks for stopping by!  Kathi

Thumb "heart" magnet

I can post some of my Valentine's now because I didn't want the recipients to see their treats!  I would have done it sooner but I forgot!  Nothing unusual in my world!  LOL!  Her is a magnet I made for my wonderful husband's locker at work.  I used Sculptey oven bake clay for the base.  I covered my thumb with ColorBox Chianti red pigment ink then pressed it in the clay twice to make a heart shape then stamped the Verve sentiment with ColorBox black pigment ink.  After I baked it I inked the edges with the black pigment ink...big mistake...I used the heat gun to try to set it but it just wasn't working.  What I should have done is dip the edges in EP then heat set.  That probably would have worked.  I just ended up wiping off the extra ink from the edges and it was ok.  Still has the effect just not as dark as I wanted.  I super glued a round strong magnet to the back with a little message written on the back  :) 

Well that's it for tonight I'll try to get the others posted soon!   Thanks for stopping by!

Kathi

Car key card and my new watermark

I made this cute car key card for my daughter when she got her license.  It's an SVG from My Scrap Chic card shapes vol. 3.  I rubbed the bottom portion of the key with silver pigment ink and embossed with silver EP, the name stamp I had made years ago at a craft fair.  She really loved it  :)  

I just had this watermark made at Doodle Pantry and it only cost me $3.00!!  Laurie, the owner, was absolutely wonderful to work with!  She has great digital stamps, SVG's and freebie's too!  I also downloaded Photoscape which is a free picture editing software and I like it so far.  Well thanks for stopping by!   Kathi  :)

Birthday card challenges!

Hi all!  Today I made a birthday card which I will be entering in two challenges.  First is Crazy 4 Challenges  which is a child's birthday card and then Birthday Sundaes which is anything birthday.

For this I used the Mickey Font cartridge.  I used the ticket feature cut at 2.5" and the Mickey #2 tag cut at 2".  I filled the 2 with Crystal Stickles.  I stamped the background with an old Delafield Stamp Co. star and embossed with sparkle EP.  I and cut the flag banner and stamped + embossed with the sparkle EP.  I don't know who made the HB stamps they are from a mini set.  And to finish it off I inked the edges of the card with black pigment ink.

Thanks for stopping by...again!  I've been busy, making up for lost time I guess  LOL!!

Post it note cover

Today I made a post it note cover for the Meljen's Design challenge #93 color.  You have to use red and/or pink and craft plus one of her digi stamps.  I used craft cardstock cut 3" W x 6.5" L I scored it at 3" then at 3.5".  I ran it through the Cuttlebug with the pin dot folder, had to do half and half because the paper is a little too long.  Then I used the Galaxy marker to trace the inside of one of the Spellbinders Big Scalloped Circles Large set.  I used Crystal Stickles on all of the dots on the outside of the scalloped circle (doesn't show in the pic).  I used the Hope ribbon digi colored with Copic RV63 and gray C5 and Crystal Stickles inside the heart.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathi  :)

My Little Monster scrapbook page

I finally made a scrapbook page for my son...I know he's almost 2 1/2!  I've definitely been slacking in the scrapbooking department.  Not that I don't have 1000's of pictures I could scrap.  What can I say so many ideas so little time!  Long story short this is the look he gave me after he banged a block on a glass coffee table and I told him "No!"  My Little Monster  :)  

 I used a digi stamp from Meljen's Designs.  Colored with chalks and Copic BG93 for the letters and BG72 on the stars.  I stippled Tea Dye Distress Ink over the finished digi and the journaling block.  The lime green border is an SVG set of 4 rosette strips by Birds Cards.  Her site is awesome and she has tons of SVG's and digi stamps and all for free!!  And the paper is from My Mind's Eye "Star Bright". 

Happy Crafting!
Kathi

Blog candy winner!

Congratulations to Linda from Welcome to Scrapbooking and More for winning the blog candy!  I know you had some stiff competition!  LOL!!  Thanks for being such an awesome blog friend  :)

Kathi

Happy Blogaversary to me!

I can't believe it's been 1 year already!  I've done better than I thought I'd be able to considering my crazy life   :).  So in celebration I have some blog candy for you.  Must be a follower...only fair to those who have stuck with me this year.  New followers are welcome too! Please leave me a comment, maybe of your favorite project I've done.   I'll use the random generator to chose a winner.  Here's to hoping 2012 is a creatively productive one! 

Hugs...Kathi

I'm back! Happy New Year!!

Sorry I was MIA for December...it just flew right by!!  As usual I have made things but haven't had time to post them.  Here is a different version of Snowman Soup.  I know I did it last year but these are so much cuter!  I'll be entering it in the challenge (HERE) at Fantabulous Cricut this week's challenge is #92 Warming up with cocoa or to use the color brown.

The mug is an SVG from Whimsie Doodles and the snowman is a digi stamp from Whimsie as well.  Paper for the mug is Basic Grey Figgy Pudding/Glacier.  Image is colored with chalks and copics, I used Stickles on the stripe of snowmans cup and the heat swirls but it doesn't show in the pic.  I used a white galaxy marker by American Crafts for the dots on the scallop circle and I like the way it works so far.  Tan circle is 3", scallop punch 2 1/2" snowman circle is 2".

Here is another version I made and the Snowman Soup Poem is again from Whimsie Doodles digi stamps.

 

 The candies in the bag are the Hershey nuggets wrapped with an Avery label that was stamped with the Pepertrey Ink Holiday Treats set.  I show how to do them HERE
 

.

Well I need to get working on my Valentine's!  That's my favorite holiday to craft for...if there were more time in the fall it might be Christmas but with so many birthday from October - December 23 it just never happens! 

Hugs,
Kathi

Birthday Sundaes correction

Ok so in my crazy world I am a day late and a dollar short as usual!  LOL!!  Last night I whipped up a card for what was last weeks challenge!  Ugh...but luckily the card applies to this weeks challenge  :)  It's just to a Birthday card...ok think I did that.  So here is the info again sorry!  Birthday Sundaes Challenge

So from my ancient stash of paper came the gingham from Scrapbook Wizard paper pack (said 2005 on the front!), purple Bazzil CS, purple brads, DJ Inkers present stamp colored with chalks and Crystal stickles, the Happy Birthday is an unmounted stamp that I've had for about 10 years and never used!  I wish I had written the co. name on it but I didn't, I ran a line of stickles down the left side of the HB, and the heart is a Fiskars punch.  I was trying to show the dimension in the second pic.



Thanks...again  :)    Kathi

Birthday card challenges

Hi all,

Here's a birthday card I've submitted for two challenges.  First is Birthday Sundaes where the challenge is to create a birthday card using you old neglected stash.  No problem...have PLENTY of that!!  LOL!!
And the challenge at Sweet Stampin Challenge is to use your Punches & Dies.

So from my ancient stash of paper came the gingham from Scrapbook Wizard paper pack (said 2005 on the front!), purple Bazzil CS, purple brads, DJ Inkers present stamp colored with chalks and Crystal stickles, the Happy Birthday is an unmounted stamp that I've had for about 10 years and never used!  I wish I had written the co. name on it but I didn't, I ran a line of stickles down the left side of the HB, and the heart is a Fiskars punch.  I was trying to show the dimension in the second pic.


Thanks for stopping by!   Kathi   :)

Star Wars Clone Trooper bday card

Hi all,

I've been busy, made a few things but haven't had time to post them!  I searched everywhere for a Storm Trooper SVG so I could make a card for an obsessed 6 year old and finally stumble upon this awesome card SVG.  Thank you Kristen from Katydid Creativity & Paper Adventures!! You can find the SVG and also a Darth Vader SVG  HERE .   He loved it!

I just love the shaped card!  Saved me a lot of time!!  :)    Happy Friday!!!   Kathi

Update and Thomas the Tank Birthday

**Update to my post Such sad news:  It's been a long month and a half but my daughter seems to be doing well but there are some of the girls who were much closer to them who continue to have a difficult time dealing with the loss.  The team as a whole has been doing well considering, some days better than others.  The team has been so busy with fundraising for the families including a Faculty vs. Girls soccer game.  Boy did those teachers want to win! But they didn't  ;)   Thanks to all who dropped me a line of concern and encouragement...it's very heartwarming and appreciated  :) ***

 
Now...on a much happier note my son Niko turned 2 this week.  He absolutely loves
Thomas the Tank so that was the theme this year.  Here are some of decorations I made.

 The invitation, in hindsight I should have done the lettering in black but that's ok.  Thomas pic

is a JPG I found online.  The blue glitter CS is from Michaels 12x12 sheet.

I used foam rectangles for dimension.  I found the foam at the recycling place I go to.  I cut them in half,

one side had adhesive just peel the paper off.  The other side is smooth so I glued it to the paper.

So this is my Ahh haa moment  :)    1st pic is a cupcake wrapper, I then cut out Thomas and used it as the center of the 2 1/2 " scalloped circle layered on the black 2 3/4" now this circle fits perfectly on top of these plastic containers from Walamart's own brand of baby food.  There is a date stamp on the outside but it wipes off with a Clorox wipe.

 And yes...I did separate the colors of  M+M's!  LOL!! Hey I'm a stickler for details  :)  

So now I have orange, green and brown for Halloween projects!

These are packs of Trident gum, Thomas scrapbook paper, 1" scalloped circle and stamp by Verve.

Party hat is a free SVG from SVGcuts.com.  I used a piece of 12x12 dotted CS and filled the hat on the page (it was a little big for him) , #2 is a "Varsity" font cut with MTC and the Cricut.

Niko ready for cake!!

And lastly, his birthday sign which he loved.  I used the Street Sign cartridge cut at 6" and the 2 cut at 8".  Thomas is a MTC file found in the gallery.  I tweaked it some as it had way too many little pieces so I made them more solid.  Thomas is cut at 12".  And there are two holes punched in the top corners that I had balloons tied to.  So that's it for the Thomas birthday...any questions let me know!  Thanks for stopping by!

Kathi  

Such sad news....

Hi all...just bringing myself to create a post.  On August 31st two of my daughter's friends and soccer teammates were killed in a car accident.  Bella & Elana were only 16 and 17.  They did not have their seat belts on and the other two girls in the car who did have theirs on survived.  There was also another car with 5 other teammates right behind them and saw it all happen.  They tried to help the girls but couldn't.  Bella was starting her Sr. year but instead her funeral was on the first day of school.  It's still so unbelievable.  So I coped one of the best ways I know how...crafting.  I made the 7 girls involved composition book journals.  I know how therapeutic journaling can be and they need every tool they can get to help them through this tragic time in their lives.  The entire team and community have really shown their strength and ability to come together and help each other grieve.  I had just recently bought the My Favorite Things "Love you with all my Heart" stamp set and it was just so fitting for the journals.  My daughter suggested using Bella + Elana's favorite colors...blue and yellow.  The girls really liked them and I hope they help. 

The color doesn't show well but it's a Periwinkle blue and it's very old from Making Memories yellow from Core`dinations.  The side was punched with a MS punch,  I used the Grand Nestabilities Grand Labels Eleven, MFT stamp.  I used chalks to color her in and put a little Jolee's crystal in her barrette.

So if ANYTHING good could possibly come from this tragedy it is that my daughter and I have become even closer.  I think she has helped me through this more than I've helped her.  How did she become so mature and strong?   I can't stop hugging her....  So please hug your children whether they are 3 or 30 and make sure they always wear their seat belts.    Hugs....Kathi