Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Tis the Season..... Orig From 12/2011.. Updated 01/10/2012

And the season is almost Over !!!.. I hate to see it go but  am glad the things can settle down a little... I did a number of projects over the Holiday.. I made a Santa Baby Scrapbook page for  my Boss, and for another coworker I did a  Blue and  Orange Layout with a Phrase in Italian... and I made an ornament for a friend of my mom..  But of course I didn't remember to take pictures LOL.... I am trying to get some sent to me , So I can post a few and  From here on out I will try very hard to remember to take pictures !!.. Bad Crafter LOL... I will have pictures posted for the projects that I could get pictures of  tonight.. I will show the Orange and Blue layout  for sure and the ornament as soon as I get them from my mom..

 On a different note....

 I Just got a number of the Aderondak Alcohal Inks... and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them...  I used them on the Blue and Orange Layout and For the project I am currently working on...  I think it turned out nice...

The Ribbon Reel Challenge Blog

   Well Hello there !... seems like i was just here blogging yesterday !!


This is a card I made for The Ribbon Reel challenge blog... The Challenge called  for Pink and Polka dots with ribbon or twine. So here is what I have come up with.

 


 This is my first attempt at a challenge, I decided to make a card. I think it turned out pretty, I am planning on sending it to a Friend back home in MN. I hope she likes it..

 I have originally intended to put this in TWO challenge blogs..  The one for the Ribbon Reel and  one for The Shabby Tea Rooms Vintage Boudoir Challenge...  But I missed on the color scheme for TSTR ,I have time though, I might still put something together for it...

  I know this looks like the same picture, but it shows off the Glitter paper, that I adore !! The shapes were Die cuts from my Slice machine.. the Vintage Findings card and Remember This if I remember right.. The  Vintage Beauty  is mounted on  a Baroque style shape and that is up on pop dots. Papers were distressed using  the Rubber Stampede dye based ink  pad  using Fuscia and Brown. And for the buttons, I just  snipped off the loop on the back and glued them on.



 This picture was taken with my Iphone.. the phone doesn't have a flash, and it was taken in "natural" light, but it just shows how different the colors look in the different lighting. WOW !


  Here is a close up of the beaded pins I made.. A work in progress for sure. I need to find a way to glue the beads without having glue visible... I made the little bow and used a few inches of a Making Memories  star trim I got at Big lots...



 I used  the Adirondack alcohol ink in cranberry on the Bling Flourish , I think It gives it just a touch more dimension.


 Well ,  I hope you like it.. I hope to improve more and more  with every challenge...

  Bright Blessings !

 Jenna




Saturday, January 7, 2012

"Slice" me a peice of Creative pie...

 Happy NEW YEAR EVERYONE !!.... This has been a very interesting  first week of the year here at Jenna's Gems.. Three things happened to make note of... I caught a cold, which in an of its self isn't a GOOD thing.. however it did get me a much needed afternoon early out of work pass, which gave me time to mostly finish my very FIRST MINI ALBUM EVER !!!! So thats my Number 2.... And I say mostly Finish because I still have to make the majority of the tags, and  do a couple of mats .... and embellish the heck out of it... and  of course put some pictures in it.!..... I am super proud of myself for this mini because, And I will be VERY HONEST... I have a hard time finishing things I start... There, I said it LOL.

(Edit Note : Sorry about the Sideways Photo ... still working out the kinks learning the whole blog thing )

This Mini Has Lots... I repeat lots of space for photos and  Journaling...

17 Per Page Assembly, and I have four of them in the book...  I guess I better start taking pictures LOL.


Rounded out the Corners... and Used a Martha Stewart All around the Page punch ( Loops i think it's called)


 Black and White Recollections Bling from Michaels,  Black pleated trim was from Hobby Lobby ( By the yard) and the Sequin trim was from Hobby Lobby also.. I  attached buttons to the Front cover spine with coordinating floss colors for a little detail





 The Mini was done using the Kathy Orta Style of envelope mini album. I learned a lot from doing it .. I followed her YouTube videos,  they were super easy to do. Its a great Series and I am Planning on doing a paper bag mini album from her also... I used the  Recollections Value Pack Blank card and Envelopes in Black with the  Mango Frost Stack From DCWV ( Die Cuts With a View) as a base.  I bound the album using Gusset Tabs and A Duck Tape Binding.... Which was kinda Cool because I have always had an interest in book binding anyways... So that was pretty neat to do... ( more of a note to self,  Its pretty important to have all your page assemblies lined up Perfectly to each other when attaching your gussets,  A Millimeter may not look like a lot but when you put the Binding together it wont stick flush like its supposed to.)....... So that's almost done.. I will work on it  throughout the week and I am giving myself until this time next week to have it done.. ( see its nice to set goals for oneself)...

Now for number 3... I went to Michael's after work to pick up some more of the card and envelope value packs ( 2 for 5$, I bought 2 more packs in black and a pack of both the ivory and White.. SCORE!!!) and  as I walk in the front doors I see two carts displayed with merchandise.. the Advertised product was the  Slice Cordless design cutter From Making memories... Orig. priced out at 149.99 , marked down to 19.99 (no that's not a typo... 20 Bucks folks... 2.0.$) and  Design Cards for that machine were in the Cart Next to it marked at 4.99 per Card...( Again not a type, 5 Bucks).. I approached this display with interest only to Find that all the actual Slice Machines were gone and all that were left were Design Cards... So I walk away and continue my shopping like one does... browsing through the dollar Bins ( now  Priced at $1.50 I noticed), Going through the  clearance section ( Just to double check there wasn't any thing I needed of course).. Mosey through  the ribbon aisle before finally going to the papercrafts section. I grab my envelopes and head to the Tim Holtz stuff ,barley restraining myself from grabbing another set of alcohol inks ( those things are worse than Pokemon.. You got to have them ALL LOL ). I manage to abstain ( I needed to know which ones I did and didn't have already) .... I decide to treat myself by getting a Martha Stewart Deep edge punch (with a coupon of Course) and head for the Check out... $30.00 later and me and my purchases are on the Way out the Door...

What catches my eye as I am putting my cart Away ??? A single  Slice Machine sitting all by its lonesome in the display cart. that had previously been empty... so I pick it up... At this point I have a very general idea that this is a die cutting machine.... Smaller and more portable than My Cricut expression.. perfect it seems  for Making Die cuts for mini albums... So I decide to buy it  and Four Design Cards... ( Basic Shapes 3, Spook Alley, Remember this and Weddings). All for about 40.00 Bucks... I am elated.. Excited  about a new toy and  a little Freaked out that I just dropped 70.00 Bucks at Michael's and all I NEEDED was the card sets ..

 So I go on to  Hobby Lobby to get my  Glue Glider Refill and  Paper Bags for the Mini I am planning next... I look at the Slice section at HL.. Those Design Cards are going for 49.99  EACH.... Needless to say I didnt get anything Except for the Glass mat adhesive... I leave HL and decide to go to the OTHER  Michaels in  Port Orange ( its newer and most times less picked over).. There i find the Tool kit (10.00) the design Card storage case (4.00), three more Design Cards ( Noel, Vintage Findings and Wedding again, Guess Im going to have to return it) and the Hands free kit ( 12.00)... The last item was marked at 39.99 at HL..... So  Another fifty bucks out the door and Buyers Remorse starts to creep up... this is why all my new toys are sitting on my kitchen counter still sealed in their boxes with receipts handy...  I will more than likely keep everything...  It WAS an absurdly great deal... for less than ONE retail priced Cricut cartridge, I got the machine, seven image cards , tool case with tools, storage case and  hands free kit... But i am going to sleep on it tonight.. and prolly play with everything tomorrow before going into work LOL...

 That's my  weekly update.. I think I am going to try to post a minimum of once a week.. kinda keep anyone who cares to read in the loop as to my Projects and Ideas. In the nearish future I am hoping to post links to Videos on Youtube on here too.. I did a haul video last week but haven't figured out how to upload it to Youtube from my iphone.. I may have to move it my the PC first and Upload from there... we shall see what happens... In the Meantime... Stay Safe and Stay Sane (any way you can!!)

 See you next week.!

Jenna