A Mermaid Card

Good afternoon!  I'm busy working away in my craft room today.  I can't tell you the last time my craft room has been cleaned top to bottom.  I can't even tell you the last time my craft table top has been spotless.  I've added so many fun craft paper and tools to my stash in the past year, I haven't had a chance to put it all away.  I actually plan on doing a craft room show and tell in the near future here in this blog so look out for that.

Let's get down to business!  I have another birthday card today.  This one is for my dearest friend Stacy.  She turned 35 years old last week and we celebrated over the weekend.  She wanted to be treated to dinner and a movie for her birthday so we ended up seeing Evil Dead.  What did I think of the movie?  I was entertained but it was more gruesome than scary.  That's pretty much how I feel about a lot of horror films of this generation.  I'm glad I saw it and will continue to see today's horror films hoping one of them will terrify me.  I hear they're remaking Poltergeist.  I'm kind of excited about that because the first one scared me.  Then again I was about the same age as Carol Anne when I saw it, had the same console television as her and was convinced I would get sucked into the damn thing.

Here's the fabulous birthday card I made for Miss Stacy!  I'm still learning how to color hair.  Unfortunately, I didn't have all the Copic markers to make the dark blonde that I wanted to.  Michael's had a limited selection and didn't have any in the E50's.  So I will be ordering some online soon along with a the colors for redheads and brunetttes.

The stamp came from Simply Betty Stamps.  It's a digital stamp from their Merkids line and it's on sale right now for $2, along with the rest of the Merkids.  I got the Christmas and Halloween stamps too.  

The sandy colored paper was from Core'dinations.  I couldn't find the actual name of it.  What I can tell you is I bought it from Joann's, it's kind of a sand color and it's glitzy.  

I bought the DCWV Linen Closet matstack cardstock pack that come in size 4.5 x 6.5 inches.  The pack comes with 72 pieces, some matte with texture, some shiny and some glittery.  For this card, I chose a matte blue with texture to place over the top of the sandy cardstock.  Then I chose a lighter blue glittery piece from the same pack and cut it into an oval shape with my Creative Memories oval cutter.   

Next I placed my Copic colored mermaid in the oval.  I adhered her with 3D stamps.  

I made the Happy Birthday tag with all three of the same paper, layered.  I used the boxy crazy scissors for the outside of the tag in hopes it would resemble a sand castle.  Nailed it!  

I found the My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing" enamel dots at Michaels.  I placed them around the mermaid's head to look like bubbles.  

 I used some seashells for the bottom.  You can get these at most craft stores.  I just used regular Scotch glue.  

And to add some elegance, I adhered the Recollections Adhesive Faux pearls.  

Warning: Do not attempt to send this card in the mail! 

The sentiment comes from Fiskars "Make a Wish" quotes.

Stacy, the mermaid come to life!

Thanks for stopping by!  I loved making this card and I love the person I made it for!  

Whozits and whatzits galore, 

Jules

Birthday Cake

Happy Thursday, all!  We're almost there!  I don't know about you but I'm ready for this long, trying week to be over.  Bring on the weekend!  

My next card was one I sent to my friend Judy for her birthday.  

The green "Happy Birthday" paper is from DCWV in "Birthday Green".  It was originally a 12 x 12 in. sheet of paper that I cut down to 5 x 7 in.  And I used scraps for the rest of it.  The cake stamp is Fiskars clear stamps in "Birthday Party".  I used Copics to color however I didn't do much shading.  I did add some Stickles to the frosting on the cake for funsies.  And I used little lavender brads to adhere my "Happy Birthday" stamp which was also from the Fiskars "Birthday Party" set.  

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again

Thanks for stopping by, 

Miss Jules

Someone New In My Craft Room

I had the pleasure of hanging out with my 10 year old nephew, Jackson during my long Thanksgiving weekend.  It was a long time coming.  As these kids get older, they get busy!  Between boys scouts, sports and jobs, it's hard to pin down dates.

I made my nephew watch one of my favorite movies of all time, "Little Shop of Horrors".  I knew he would love it because I made his cousin Blake and his big sister Chandler watch it when they were younger and they both loved it.  I'm the aunt that makes her nephews and nieces watch movies from the 80's, you know, back when movies were good.   :)    

I even took Jackson Black Friday shopping at midnight with my friend Jennifer.  I filled him with powdered doughnuts and Mt Dew (Lisa, don't read this!).  He was really psyched about going...and then 10:30 rolled around and he passed out on my chaise lounge!  Thankfully, I was able to wake him up and we were on our way.

Jennifer and Jackson, waiting outside of Ulta, ready to get their makeup shopping on!  Doesn't Jack look so excited!  

There was quite the crowd at Ulta.  I don't think Jackson was quite ready for the frenzy because one moment he was right beside us and the next moment...gone!  Luckily, we knew something like that might happen so Jennifer told him to look for her since she's tall and wearing a white coat.  I found him wandering in the skin care section a few minutes later.  I asked him where he ended up.  He said he was over on the other side in the drugstore brand.  Oh, Jackson, you'll learn.  Aunt Julie likes the high end section on Black Friday!

Here's my haul!  

Too Faced "The Triple Threat"  $18

• Deluxe Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer 
• Glamour Gloss Volumizing Lip Gloss  
• Deluxe Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer

I've used the bronzer before. It's been in a couple of Too Faced sets I've bought before.  I like it although I have to watch it since I'm so pale.  It smells delicious!  I've never used their face primer before.  I highly recommend this primer.  It's so smooth!  And I've been enjoying the lip gloss.  Not too sticky, smells good, and makes my lips look nice and full.  

tarte "Balanced & Beautiful Amazonian Clay Essentials Kit"  $22

• Full size Amazonian clay 12 hour blush in flush
• Full size Amazonian clay waterproof cream eyeshadow in slate 
• Full size bamboo cream eyeshadow brush

Tarte is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands.  Their blushes are amazing!  I like their natural formulas (it's called high-performance naturals) and that they use recycled and recyclable materials for the packaging.  The blush that came in this set is normally $25 alone.  The cream shadow retails for $19.  The cream shadow will work great alone or as a base.  I've tried it both ways and it's good quality.  The blush is really bright so I try not to be so heavy handed with it.  I'm part albino though.  

Laura Geller  "Baked Eye Dreams Duo with Brushes"  $20

• shadow quad in "Pink Sunset"
• shadow quad in "Sandbar"
• 2 eyeshadow brushes

Laura Geller is new to me.  I've heard some of my favorite gurus rave about it.  This is why I love the holiday sales.  You get the opportunity to try great high end products at an affordable price.  I've only tried this dry but you can apply these baked shadows wet.  I love the nice subtle shimmer Sandbar gives.  Pink Sunset reminds me of Neopolitan ice cream.  It also looked very nice when I applied it.  I'm a fan of baked shadows.  If you get a chance, try out some Laura Geller shadows.  According to the website, these retail at $30 each.  It does look like the packaging is a bit different than what I got but the shadow is the same and the same size.  

Bedhead shampoo and conditioner 

I haven't tried this yet but it was on sale for $6.99 each so I'll givet it a try soon.  These retail for $15.99 each.

The rest of the stuff was not on sale but I did get to use my $3.50 Ulta coupon!  Woo hoo!  

I was so happy with my Tarte purchase, I ended up ordering the Sephora exclusive "Carried Away" set.  I can't wait to try it out.  I should be getting it soon.  I hope to be able to play around with it over the weekend.  Might even blog about it.  

Jackson and I made birthday cards for my step mom, Mary.  

This is his card!  

Jack picked out the polka dot paper himself.  You can't tell from the picture but the polka dots are risen so there's a nice texture.  I showed him how to cut the paper with my Fiskars paper trimmer.  He loved doing that!  

The embossed green dots cardstock is from DCWV and it's called "Nana's Kids Print".  

The hamster "Got Cake?" clear stamp is from Inkadinkado "Humorous Birthday".

The inside birthday cake and "happy birthday" stamp is from Fiskars "Birthday Party".  

I think Jack liked crafting although he did start to get a little crazy with the Stickles.  I think he liked the cutting and the taping part the most.  He lacked focus, just like any other 10 year old boy!  

Here's mine!  

The "Birthday Girl" paper is from Reminisce in the Princess collection.  I cut it to 5x7. 

The purple embellishments is Doodlebug Designs "Paper Frills".  These come 12 inches long so I cut it so I had one 5 inch and one 7 inch.  Perfect!  

The flowers are 3 petals from Recollections Floral Embellishments.  

I found a pretty brad to stick in the middle of the petals.  

The lady on the pony is a clear stamp from Inkadinkado "Humorous Birthday".  Mary likes Maxine and this felt kind of Maxinish.  

Happy Birthday, Mary!  I hope you liked your cards!  

I'm just a mean, green mother from outer space and I'm bad,

Jules