So I feel I should issue a disclaimer: watercoloring isn't my favorite technique out there. In fact, there are tons of watercoloring techniques I haven't had the guts to attempt. I'm sure there is some kind of psychological connection with OCD and messes...I don't like to have stuff all over my hands. Which makes no sense for a crafty girl who sells Stampin' Up, but whatever. :) 

I always have the best intentions. I go months without a blog post, then post a couple and PROMISE that I'm back to blogging on a fairly consistent basis. And you know what? Life happens. It just does. Not only did I not post anything, but I went months without getting any time to get crafty! Which really bums me out, because getting an opportunity to make a card, scrapbook page, or craft project is what relaxes me and centers me. 

Earlier this year, I decided to make a distinct effort to carve out more "me" time to craft. I had been hosting monthly craft nights in the community center down the street, and suffice it to say, a lot of women in one room meant we hardly ever got anything done except gabbing. The craft nights weren't as successful as I had hoped, and I've chosen to stop them. Lots of gabbing led to lots of gossip, which led to lots of nastiness. I don't have time to craft...I'm definitely not going to take my craft time to be a part of that.

So, I approached my husband and offered up a deal. He likes to play computer games, I like to craft. There has to be some sort of barter here! I get a couple hours a week to craft, and he gets a couple hours a week to game. Win-win! Not ideal, as I'd love to spend hours and hours crafting...but I have two little boys who both really enjoy lots of momma time and attention. So I will take my two hours and ENJOY IT.

So, without further adieu, I crafted!!


This card turned out to me a little more intense and involved than I anticipated. I completed it for two challenges: 

(1) a graduation/celebration themed challenge over at TGIF Challenges,



and (2) a sketch challenge on a Facebook group called Stampin' Gals Gone Wild. 



I decided that I wanted to try a couple techniques I hadn't done in quite awhile. The flower is actually a bunch of scalloped circles punched out. I bent and roughed the paper up quite a bit, then slowly pulled the layers of the cardstock apart. They are held together with an old brad (its good to hoard things!). The stickers are from the Perpetual Birthday Calendar Kit, and were sponged with Coastal Cabana. The designer series paper and buttons were both part of the Sale-A-Bration catalog this year. The "Best Wishes" stamp is actually on the Remember Rotary Stamp (page 191 of the annual catalog). I really had to think outside the box with the graduation challenge, because I didn't have one "congratulations" stamp set!! How crazy is that?? I created the graduation cap by cutting the top part of the cap by hand, and then the bottom is half of a 3/4" circle punch. I added some rhinestones for a teeny bit of sparkle.

I really enjoyed completing this card. I'm loving seeing the other creations submitted to the TGIF Challenges, and they have a great design team. Its a new challenge, this being only week three. I'm excited to see where it goes...and hopefully to win or get an honorable mention in the future. :)

Want to see more? Check out Stampin' Up with Jennifer on Facebook! I post tips, new product, weekly deals, and more!

Card ingredients:
Stamps: Remember Rotary Stamp
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Basic Black
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Best Year Ever DSP (from SAB 2015)
Embellishments: letter stickers from Perpetual Birthday Calendar, Best Year Ever button/ribbon pack (from SAB 2015), white twine, rhinestones

Another CASE. A demo featured a frame she created using Papillon Potpourri and blendabilities. I knew I wanted to recreate this using a card, and love how it turned out! Also another wonderful opportunity to fiddle with the Blendabilities which are sort of addicting...although I finally realized they smell like dirt when the ink is still wet. Just a wonderful tidbit from me to you. :)


I have to admit I don't own the bitty butterfly punch, so I had to cut those out by hand. So this card took a bit longer than it could have. I also used this opportunity to whip out the new Regarding Dahlias set for the greeting and floral image on the inside, as I remember the CEO of Stampin' Up, Shelli Gardner, telling us at Leadership a few years ago that you should NEVER have a bare card on the inside. :)

Ingredients:
Stamps: Papillon Potpourri, Regarding Dahlias
Paper: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana
Ink: Memento Black ink, Coastal Cabana
Blendabilities: Coastal Cabana, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Pearls, Butterfly Punch
 

It's rare for me to say that I've fallen in love with paper...but immediately upon seeing the Moonlight Designer Series Paper Stack, I was there. I am definitely a fan of the geometric craze in life right now: honeycomb, stripes, chevron, polka dots...I'm all over it! I cannot go into a home store without wanting to redecorate everything. I guess I could tell my husband at least these craft supplies are cheaper than the throw rugs, pillows, and curtains I have my eye on. :)

I CASEd this card from another demo, just switching out the greeting and main colors. This was my first time getting to break out the banner framelits and Perfect Pennant stamp set, as well as (eeek!) the magnetic Big Shot plate. Holy awesomeness!! Seriously, I can't believe I waited this long to buy that sucker. It is A-MA-ZING. Totally worth the price.







Ingredients:
Stamps: Perfect Pennants
Paper: Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Moonlight DSP stack
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: Blackberry Bliss ribbon, Apothecary Accents framelits, Banners framelits, Chevron embossing folder, Big Shot

Boy oh boy. 

Life has been interesting these past few months. After being told by every doctor and nurse that I'd "sooo deliver early", I ended up having to be induced at 41 weeks with my second son. After 25 hours of labor that included a foley bulb to bring on dilation and hours upon hours of pitocin (thank the Lord whoever invented the epidural), I pushed twice and my uterus ruptured (I was attempting a VBAC). I had to be rushed into an emergency c-section and both my son and I almost died. Connor was born not breathing, had an intial APGAR score of 1, and had to be transported to the children's hospital for a NICU stay. I spent one night in the ICU then three nights in the regular mother-baby unit at the original hospital I delivered in. They wouldn't transfer me to the hospital my son was at (gotta love Army hospitals and how they need to pinch pennies). So I didn't meet my son until he was four days old, and only saw pictures and Facetime shots until that point. It was a very harrowing time.

Connor was on oxygen for about a month, and has been off it thankfully for two weeks now. Because of the timing of everything I had to cancel my intended trip to the Stampin' Up Convention, which I was so bummed about! Fortunately SU was very understanding and didn't charge me the cancellation fee, and Southwest Airlines just puts the fee into a credit. I figure if I don't use it before next year, I'll repurchase a ticket to NEXT year's convention. :)

In the meantime, I've been busy trying to get acclimated to being the mother of two. Son #2 is a heck of a lot more demanding than son #1 was as an infant, and wants to be held 95% of the time. So crafting is on the backburner unfortunately. But I did manage to sneak in some time to create my first proper card in MONTHS. This was a CASE of a CASE, believe it or not. The original was found on a stampers page called Pootles Papercraft, from England. 






I changed a couple of things, including the colors, number of punched flowers and the small flower punch (from last years retired Itty Bitty Punch Pack...but it is only slightly different from this years version). I also used the new Dotty Angles photopolymer set.  I have used clear sets from other companies before and never had much success with ink showing up.  But SU's photopolymer inks like a dream!! I'm very impressed.

I'm planning a class around the Petite Petals class. So many options with this set!

Ingredients:
Stamps: Petite Petals, Dotty Angles
Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon
Ink: Pool Party, Lost Lagoon
Accessories: Whisper White Baker's Twine, Petite Petals Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack (retired), Stampin' Sponge, Pearls

Purchase these products HERE.