Family recipe

~ My mom has always made the BEST homemade chicken noodle soup...complete with homemade noodles. I asked her, a while back, to record the recipe for me the next time she made it...and she did!! I have enjoyed having it so much that I decided to put it into a special recipe page. I made extras for my mom and my brothers!! I know that the family recipe will be treasured long after my mom leaves the earth!

It's a good day for soup,
~Jessica in Kansas

I'm back...once again ~

~ After another long hiatus, I am ready to blog again!! My New Year's resolution: better care for myself by finding a wonderful balance between work, play, and relaxation!!! Hopefully, that entails papercrafting and blogging a lot more regularly in 2010!!

That being said, I do have a little blogging to catch up on. Before I start posting my winter projects, I have a few more fall projects to share with you.

First, this fabulous Designer Purse was made using my Klic-N-Kut and an awesome file designed by Shirley Clark of Paperthreads. It can be used to put a small gift or gift card in. I gave one that was filled with candy to a co-worker this fall! I used velcro as the closure, and the handle pivots. The bottom trim that looks like leather is simply kraft colored cardstock which has been crinkled and inked before drawing the stitch lines.


I also spent some time making a few tear bears this fall. They are each holding a sign or something fall-related. I'm finding my tear critters get cuter each time I create them, and I was really pleased with how these came out. There are 8 of them in all!


I know fall is long gone, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to share these projects!! Winter stuff is coming up next!!

Happy 2010!!!
~ Jessica in cold, snowy Kansas

Turkey Day is on Its Way!!!

~ I just LOVE this time of year!! Spending time reminiscing, eating, relaxing, laughing, and playing games with family is something I love more than a lot of things! I'm getting really excited as next Thursday approaches...and then, as we all know, the rest of the year flies by!

In my excitement about the holiday season, I've completed a few festive papercraft projects. They are both from cutting files designed by Shirley Clark. The first is a Turkey Treat Box. How cute is this?? I filled one with Hershey's Nuggets and gave it to the receptionist at work today! She was extremely appreciative!
The second is a turkey holding a sign. I plan to use him on a layout with holiday pictures and hand write our family's last name on the wooden sign!
I hope you've been inspired to be excited about the upcoming holiday!!! Have a super weekend!

Gobble, gobble!
Jessica in Kansas

More tear bears...

~ These fall critters were made back in November for a swap I participated in...and I just realized that I never shared them on my blog. The theme was fall. The jumper dress was cut from a pattern designed by myscrapchick.com. The rake and Indian corn are stickers, and the flowers are primas. I think I'm getting better at creating a personality with the eyes, nose, and mouth.
If you haven't tried tear critters, I encourage you to do so! They're not as hard as you might think...and so much fun to create!!

~ Jessica in Kansas

Fall is in the air...still!

~ I needed a fall card to send a friend, and I ran across a great sketch by 2 Sketches 4 You that I really liked and wanted to use. The Gold Leaf Metallic card back is from my new collection of shimmery pre-cut cardstock by CutCardstock.com, which I am LOVING to use! Aren't the transparent leaves gorgeous?!!

Hope you're enjoying the beauty of fall,

Jessica in Kansas

Thankful ~

~ I'm feeling the holiday spirit!! I designed this layout for a page kit swap. It's quite metallic and shimmery, inspired in part by the "Make it Glitter & Shimmer" Holiday Contest through CutCardstock.com. The shimmery leaves are actually confetti, but I thought they were the perfect accent for the journaling strips and the large leaves, which were cut with my Klic-N-Kut (Maple Leaf & Acorn file, designed by Carrie's Creations). I added some shimmery bronze colored ribbon and used a leaf corner punch (EK Success) on the photo mats. The background cardstock is DCWV, the light and dark orange leafs are cut from Sunburn paper, and the shimmery bronze & tan papers are from CutCardstock.com. The layout design was inspired by Sketches! {by tamara}'s Layout Sketch #69. Thanks for letting me share!!!

With lots for which to be thankful,

Jessica in Kansas

Thanksgiving Tear Bears

~ Below is the end result of my 4th attempt at creating tear bears or tear critters. I enjoy these so much, although they can be quite time consuming to make! One of my yahoo groups (MulberryMoms) is all about using mulberry paper in papercrafting. We had a Thanksgiving tear critter challenge, so I was inspired to create the Indian Princess and Pilgrim Boy below. The credit for the adorable outfits belongs to myscrapchick.com; from the Seasonal Dress-Up Collection. I paper-pieced and embellished the clothing after cutting with my Klic-N-Kut. Are they cute or what??!!!!! I just love the moccasins!!

Thankful for lots,

Jessica in Kansas :-}

A Whiff of Joy...

~ I just love my new Whiff of Joy stamp...isn't this image awesome?!! I love the detail on her jeans and the wispy hair! I used a sketch posted for the card contest on one of my Yahoo groups as inspiration for the layout. The top strip is actually a paint chip, which inspired my color choices. The blue strip was altered with a floral border punch. I used Golden Wheat ink, and the following SU! markers: Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, More Mustard, & Ruby Red. The cardstock is So Saffron, the brown patterned paper is Wild Asparagus, and the blue paper is from ProvoCraft. Prima Obsession flowers , and brads and fiber of unknown sources complete the embellishments. Ovals punched from the paint chip provided a great space to stamp the sentiment.

Enjoy,

Jessica in Kansas

The Colors of Fall

~ I was looking for inspiration for a recipe page layout I needed to complete for a swap, and I found it in "The Colors of Fall" contest being hosted by CutCardStock.com. I just LOVE fall color combinations, and am reminded by the goodness of God during this season, in particular!! How refreshing it is to see the beauty of what surrounds us...especially during such a chaotic time for our nation!

For this recipe page, I used a version of Card Sketch #67 posted by Sketches! {by Tamara} for the layout design. Copper colored Stickles, chipboard buttons by Colorbok, ribbon from Hobby Lobby, border punch by Fiskars, and a swirly background stamp by SU! help complete the design. I love the red patterned paper, designed by Sunburn. The picture just doesn't do the page justice...but do they ever?!

Enjoy,
Jessica in Kansas

Not-so-spooky Halloween recipe page

~ I created this recipe page for a monthly swap that I host. Since it's October, I wanted it to be Halloween themed, but I didn't want to use the traditional holiday colors. So, I mixed orange with a little cranberry, gray, white, and a touch of black. I like the combination!! The web die cut is actually part of a collection of challenge files I received from Chris Durnan of VisualDesignsbyChris. She is another fabulous designer of cutting files that I use with my KNK.

I also used a spider stamp, some two-toned cranberry and orange ribbon, my Stampin' Up! oval punches, and a hand-drawn simple web. The sketch used as inspiration is from Page Plans.

Happy Friday!!

Jessica in Kansas

Fall ATCs

~ I've never really got into the ATC (artist trading card) craze, but I did join an Off the Page Challenge posted in the forum at Paperthreads.com last month, which was hosted by Jan Bryson of Sam & Hailey Designs. She provided us with a variety of cutting files that were ATC size (the finished size of an ATC is supposed to be 2 1/2" X 3 1/2"). We had to use at least one of these files on an ATC. I created a series of fall-themed trading cards. This is what I came up with. The card on the the right has a hinge which holds it closed. The top left one actually unfolds if you unwrap the ribbon from the brad. The one on the bottom is just as it appears.
Besides using cutting files, I put my stamps, ink, punches, and fiber to use. These aren't my favorite projects to complete, but I can't say I won't accept the challenge again!!! I like how they turned out...and they came together quickly!

This month's Off the Page Challenge at Paperthreads is to create an altered journal or address book. You need to have a cutting machine and use the file that is sent to you free of charge when you commit to the swap: Itty Bitty File Tabs by Sam & Hailey Designs (super cute). There are extra (optional) challenges you can accept this month, and prizes are awarded to selected participants. If you like a fun challenge...and you have a cutter of any type, I recommend you check it out!!

Feeling fall,

Jessica in Kansas

Trick or Treat: a layout

~ Wow, I just finished this 2-page layout, and it was the most fun to create!!! I wanted to use some of the best new Halloween cutting files I had seen this fall, so I decided to incorporate them into a 12X12" Halloween layout. I don't have pictures to place on the mats yet, but that will come.Don't you just love the paper piecings on this page?!! The cutting files were created by Carrie Schwartz of Carrie's Creations. Witchy Poo Had A Boo-Boo is my favorite...she didn't see the tree up ahead!! The haunted house is actually meant to be an album cover, but I chose to use it this way!!! That's the beauty of cutting files...I get to use and manipulate them any way I choose!! So much fun...

The strip at the bottom is simply black and yellow cardstock with the patterned ribbon attached. The trick or treat embellishment on the bottom of the 2nd page is a Dress It Up element, and the title at the top is simply created with stickers. Let me know what you think!!

Halloween hugs to you,

Jessica in Kansas

Spooktacular Recipe Pages...and more challenges

~ I've had so much fun this weekend creating three sets of recipe pages for some swaps I signed up for. Each was inspired by a sketch that came across my inbox last week!

The first is for Home-Baked Macaroni & Cheese...an incredibly easy and delicious recipe from Kraft. The layout was inspired by Laura's Sketch 9 on the 2 Sketches 4 You blog.

The second recipe page was for a swap which required me to use a bat, ghost, or witch on the page somewhere...be it stamped, die cut, etc. I also challenged myself to used the Weekend Sketch Challenge #59 from the Fresh & Fun blog. Here is the sketch and how I interpreted it.

Finally, the third recipe page design followed a Sketch #83 from the CardPositioningSystems blog. The recipe is Chili Casserole with Cornbread...mmm...mmm...good!

I've had a fun weekend. Hope you have, too!!! Can you believe that October...and Halloween are just around the corner??!!!!!

Hugs to you,

Jessica in Kansas

Two-Bean Minestrone - a fall slow cooker recipe page

~ Another recipe page completed...and this one is for fall! I love soups...and I love using my slow cooker...so this is a recipe I have used over and over again. Therefore, I decided to make a 6X6 recipe page of it to add to my collection! For this layout, I was inspired by Card Sketch #63 on Sketches! {by tamara}'s blog. I put a bit of a twist on the layout by cutting a silk leaf in half and using it in place of the swirl element. I tried different kinds of leaves, but liked the look of this one the best. The scalloped square was cut with my Klic-n-Kut. Some leaf stamps, inked edges, subtle corner punches, and doodling around the edges completed the simple layout.

Thanks for letting me share,

Jessica in Kansas

Fall is in the air...

~ Check out this super fun acorn card I made last night. The pattern and inspiration came from PaperCrafts Magazine. The original pattern was converted into a cutting file, so I was able to easily create using my Klic-n-Kut. Some patterned paper, inked edges, stamps, punched squares, and fiber completed the card!!

I love it!!!

Jessica in Kansas

Color My World...

~ I participate in a monthly Designer Page Kit swap, and this month, I appropriately chose fall as the theme. I design a 6X6 2-page layout, and send all of the finished pieces packaged together with a picture of my finished layout. The hostess then sorts them out, and I receive 6 different page kits in return each month. It's so much fun!! Here is what I came up with for September (sorry it's crooked...I'm still not good at all of this editing stuff): I was happy with the end product, complete with a title, embellishments, a photo mount, and a space designated for journaling. I used some cutting files for the title and leaves. Jan Bryson of Sam & Hailey Designs created the large leaf (Autumn Leaves file...which you can currenty find for FREE at the Paperthreads online store) and the scalloped photo mat, which was actually intended to be a page in an adorable scalloped mini album (Scalloped Mini Albums file). The title and small leaves were designed by KreationsbyKatie (Color My World file).

The layout was adapted from this week's Layout Sketch #62 on Sketches! {by Tamara}'s blog. The supplies I used were also inspired by Tamara. This week's recipe challenge #15 called for the use of scalloped edges, brads, and a monochromatic color scheme...thus the brown tones! Great inspiration!!! I hope the ladies in my swap appreciate it!

We're having lots of wonderful sunshine today, but it sure felt like fall last weekend!

Hugs to you,

Jessica in Kansas

In the Mood for Fall!

~ In my small Kansas town, we've had a beautiful cool-down for the past week, and it has really put me in the mood for fall! I've enjoyed opening up the windows, digging out the sweatshirts, and thinking about the fun my hubby and I had playing in our leaves last year!! Being the first fall in our new home, we were quite overwhelmed by the quantity of leaves that covered our rather large yard!. We ended up raking, and raking, and jumping in them, and buying a leaf vacuum/mulcher, and still not getting them all picked up before winter set in! Regardless, it was a memory worth capturing! I just put the finishing touches on this layout and thought I'd share!

Jessica in Kansas