Recorded and Noted: You're the Best!

As I've posted before, I enjoy receiving my monthly cardmaking kits from Jillibean Soup's Card Kitchen, though I do enjoy making some changes to the designs to make them more "me".  Look here:

For this card, I added some yellow seam binding ribbon to add a little pop, but otherwise, the card is pretty much as it was designed by the good people at The Card Kitchen.

If your crafting mojo runs hot and cold, I encourage you to subscribe to card kits like The Card Kitchen. Sometimes you'll like to make exactly the card that's shown; other times, spread your creative juices around and change it up -- it's your card, it's up to you!

Speaking of kits, I have a very special one of my own:  My ongoing CardMonkey CardStock Club (CCC) provides 15 sheets of fantastic Close To My Heart paper that cuts like butter in your Cricut or Silhouette.

Each month for just $25 (including shipping!), you'll receive three 12x12" sheets of CTMH's featured B&T Duo papers, along with three 12x12" sheets of each of four complementing colors.  In addition, I'll pick one of those solid colors and send along an Exclusive Ink Pad in that color ($5.25 MSRP itself), and I include the Duos' Workshop On The Go Instruction Sheet.  AND I typically send in a surprise, too -- a stamp set? Sample papers? Bling?  Shhhh...this month, I'm enclosing the "A Touch of Fall" Petite Perks stamp set, for free!

Like surprises along with the best cardstock around??  The CCC is for you!  Featured in October is the beautiful Huntington B&T Duo, shown here. If you're interested in jumping on this bandwagon, leave me a comment on this post, or contact me via cardmonkey@comcast.net.  There are many imitators, but no one else hosts the original and best CardMonkey CardStock Club, an innovative way to build your supply (and mine!) with the best cardstock, now available in more than 40 colors!


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Summertime Fun ... Fun Summertime Memories!

Good morning, CardMonkey fans! 

I know I am not alone when it comes to those who complain about the dangerous sweltering soup we find ourselves in this summer.

Here in the Philadelphia suburbs, we're reaching record temps of nearly 100 degrees this week. Even the in-ground pools are turning into hot tubs so they are not refreshing, for sure. 

The best bet is to stay inside in the central air conditioning and to stay as cool as possible. Drink plenty of water! And stay out of direct sunshine, which for me here in the Jungle -- the second floor loft that gets direct sun from sun up 'til about 2 p.m. -- it means our A/C can barely cool where crafting gets HOT!

The base design of this card is from the July Jillibean Soup's Card Kitchen kit. It didn't call for the ribbon accents , which I just think make this card POP louder than sizzling asphalt poured on a tin roof. 

Do you have memories of hot summers growing up? I remember baking cats' eye glass marbles on our driveway, then picking them up (burning our fingers!) and plunging them into a cup of icy water. Crack! Crack! Crack!  They'd shatter on the inside of the marble, leaving a cool design. Or the pop! pop! pop! of the line of gunpowder caps smashed with our rocks -- you know the kind I mean: the ones bought for Brother's toy gun but that we'd leave rolled up and slam with a rock or pop one by one on the stoop 'til our fingers smelled of gun powder?  

Then there's Mister Softee trucks that melted through our neighborhoods, the tinkling of the ubiquitous melody that sent us like Pavlovian dogs to beg for a buck from Dad for an ice cream cone. I thought they'd long ago gone by the wayside, another victim of the economy and gas prices, but NO!  Just last week, one came through Charlotte's neighborhood and Gii could not resist introducing her to the summer habit. 

We had neighborhood carnivals mostly to benefit Jerry's Kids where there were bean bag tosses, sack races and watermelon eating contests. We dug into blueberry pies with our hands tied behind our backs, staining our cheeks but we really didn't care. Hot dogs charred on the grill, and visits to Linvilla Orchards where we held a family membership in the swimming pool and where there was the highest high dive e-v-e-r.  Slip-and-slides matting our grass, running through the sprinkler, bee stings, the sound of Cicada, pesky mosquitoes and catching fireflies -- that is what summer meant to me as a kid. 

Cheery Friendship Card with Rumple Ribbons

Welcome to another Rumple Ribbon Thursday! 

For this cheery friendship card, I used a splash of vibrant Rosebud Rumple Ribbon from Lovebug Creations for my border to hold the simple butterfly cut and to draw the eye down and into the card.

The base of the card design is from Jillibean Soup's Card Kitchen's March kit. I changed it up slightly by adding the red button and of course, the Rumple Ribbon. 

I think the red highlights really "make" the card. What do you think?

See you again next week with more Rumple Ribbons!   

Cookin' It Up in "The Card Kitchen" for January

...as promised, here are the final four (of eight great cards!) I made using January's card kit from "The Card Kitchen" by Jillibean Soup. 

Have you tried using card kits?  I really enjoy them, for the "jump start" they give to my mojo when it's waning. Every so often, I toy with the notion of making (and selling) my own card kits, perhaps using cuts from the Silhouette as embellishments. Is this something that might interest you?

January "Card Kitchen" Valentine's Cards

Hi Bloggy Friends!

I hope you're having a good Monday.  Here, it's a bit dreary -- but at least there is no snow in the forecast. Have I told you how much I detest winter??

One redeeming feature of winter is Valentine's Day, a time to remember loved ones. Some might refer to it as a "Hallmark Holiday" ... one just designed to sell cards.  For me, it's a time to make 'em and send 'em!  Last week, I showed you one of The Card Kitchen aqua-and-pink Valentine's Day cards I made from the kit.  Today, here are three more (and stop back tomorrow for the final four).

Do you like the color combination, or are you more of a traditionalist?  

One of the things I like about The Card Kitchen kits by Jillibean Soup is that they will incorporate other companies' cardstock and/or embellishments that go with their own -- expanding possibilities and ideas. This month's kit has paper and goodies from Bo Bunny as well as from Jillibean Soup.

Stop back tomorrow to see four more cards made from this kit ... and also, stop back on Saturday when I'll show a Valentine's treat box I made from the scraps from the kit! 

Here's a little sneak peek at the box:

'Til tomorrow .... 

Pink and Aqua in a Valentine's Day Card

I've been neglecting my cardmaking, and my blogging about it, while I've been buried in STUFF in the Paper Jungle.  I'm working on a major renovation / reorganization up here, and it has started with purging the furniture that is in the way.  

A reveal will happen soon enough.

But for now -- and because it was easy to find the components --  I pulled out January's Card Kitchen card kit from Jillibean Soup, and made two of the cards. Here's my take on one ...

I change the kit design just enough to make the card my own.  For example, I added the rosette and the "LOVE" cut-out, and used a different blue paper for the far left pennant.  I also add Glossy Accents to the cuts and hearts, and rushed into this picture so you can see them drip (!!!) here.  Time for a little repair, and back to the clean-up of the Paper Jungle. 

Wish me luck!

 

Cooking up cards from The Card Kitchen, part II

(Continued from yesterday!)


Now, weren't those cards (#1-4) adorable?  I can tell you that I made all 8 of these cards in about two hours.

That's right -- that's about one every 15 minutes. Wouldn't a card kit be perfect to take to a crop?

Here are cards #5-8 that I made using Jillibean Soup's "The Card Kitchen," a cardmaking kit from one of the best scrapbooking companies around:

Made by CardMonkey using "The Card Kitchen" Sept 2012 kit;
I stamped the inside with "You're Unfroggetable!"

Made by CardMonkey using "The Card Kitchen" Sept 2012 kit;
the chalkboard clip I had in the kit was lime green ... it was
easily changed to a complimenting red by "painting" with my
red Copic marker.  Because I wanted it to lay flatter, I removed the clip.

Made by CardMonkey using "The Card Kitchen" Sept 2012 kit;
I felt this looked a bit better on a white card background, so I changed that;
I also added my own button because I like it!

Made by CardMonkey using "The Card Kitchen" Sept 2012 kit;
imagine this vellum envelope (supplied) with a gift card!
the only change I made was that I added blue Candi from my stash,
and I used the "official" Candi mounting squares. I love this embellishment!

Again, these cards were all made with "The Card Kitchen" September 2012, following the recipes provided in very detailed (excellent!) instructions.  I save these instructions month-after-month, to use again as sketch templates for other cards/papers -- yes, they're that good! 

For me, the real advantage to using a kit that provides full sheets of paper for you to cut, along with full sheets of stickers and perhaps stamps to re-use is that you can easily make another 6 to 8 cards from the leftover ingredients. And by subscribing, you can often use some papers and embellishments left over from last month with this month -- they're all coordinated!

Most of the papers included in The Card Kitchen kit are made the Jillibean Soup line, which I have found are vibrant, top quality printing, and with wonderful designs. However, Jill and Kimber don't hesitate to use complementing papers too ... for instance, this month's kit also included paper from Bella Boulevard, another great line of paper.  The embellishments are often Jillibean Soup-branded, but again, can include ribbons, buttons, trim, stickers, etc. that are from other top manufacturers. This gives you a chance to try out these brands to see which you might enjoy. 

The Card Kitchen kits are reliably sent in the first week of each month to their subscribers, after you make payment (via credit card or PayPal) of the monthly invoice -- easy-peasy!  

To subscribe to The Card Kitchen, visit this website for answers to your FAQ's and for more information: http://jillibeansoup.typepad.com/thecardkitchen/

Disclaimer: I purchase my monthly subscription to The Card Kitchen, and have not been compensated in any way to provide this endorsement. My opinions are my own. I made these cards closely following the detailed designs of TCK, and do not represent these designs to be my own.

Later this week, I'll show you another type of card kit -- one by Shanna Vineyard at "Art Made With Heart".  Shanna's monthly kit provides all of the ingredients for 5 cards, pre-cut and ready for your glue!  Stay tuned!


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Using Card Kits to Make Your Cards

Have you ever watched a cooking show on television, where expertly prepared meals are made in the course of a half-hour or hour, and wished that you could do something similar with your cardmaking?  

You know ... take the thinking out of the equation, leave the shopping for ingredients to someone else, and the chopping and dicing would be done for you, and all you had to do was saute, stir, and serve?

The same concept is available, in the form of monthly card kits.  I am a subscriber of two such services. Each is different in the way the ingredients are provided, and both produce nice finished cards.

This week, I'm going to introduce you to the two cardmaking kits I receive monthly, and I will show you the finished cards.  I'll share pros and cons, as well as some research I've done on the other kits that are available. 

Please note: I am not affiliated in any way with either of these card kit companies, and I pay for my subscription. I've received no compensation for these endorsements, and my opinions are only my own. 

First up, let me reveal my favorite card kit company: The Card Kitchen, by Jillibean Soup.  

Here is the promotional picture of what the kit a subscriber received in September:

This is a fantastic assortment of goodies! Just in case you're still curious as to the value, let me show you my view of the Card Kitchen goodies as they arrived:

Packed nicely in a reusable corrugated pizza-sized box, the kit arrives in a branded cello-envelope that includes 8 full sheets of 12x12" paper (That's usually. One month, I received a very nice, full 6x6" paper pack as well as other 12x12" papers to match.) ... along with full sheets of stickers ... a bag of hand-picked ribbons, buttons, Candi, and other embellishments ... and this month, a sheet of clear stamps.  There are full color instructions, with complete instructions on sizes of paper to cut, measurements as to where embellishments are placed, etc.  

Each kit includes 8 pre-made (cut/scored) cards and envelopes in a variety of colors to match the project papers. The paper and embellishments provided will make far more than the minimum 8 cards -- and is thus, quite a good value, at $22.99/month (+ $5.25 shipping) for subscribers.  For subscribers, there is guaranteed availability; a limited number of extra kits are sold ($2.00 surcharge above the kit cost) after the subscribers' orders are filled.  

Let's take a look at HALF of this month's cards that I made using the kit's supplies and instructions. (I'll show the other half tomorrow .. stop back!)  ... Sometimes I change my cards up a little ... it's part of the adventure.  

Made by CardMonkey, as designed by Card Kitchen

Made by CardMonkey, as designed by Card Kitchen;
I added the S-M-I-L-E letters to the pennant, and the twine bow.

Made by CardMonkey, as designed by Card Kitchen;
I extended the green and red pennants a bit.

Made by CardMonkey, as designed by Card Kitchen;
I put Stickles dots at the tip of each pennant, and
changed up the buttons a little with my own supply.

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Look What I Made from Scraps: The Scraps to Treasures Blog Hop, Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 (Team B) of the Scraps To Treasures Blog Hop. 

If you have arrived here from Paula's Precious Pages, you are where you should be. If you found your way here on your own, you may want to start at Lissa Marie's blog today, to make sure you don't miss a thing. Other team members posted yesterday too ... you can start at ROBIN's blog  to see how they handled this month's challenge.

This weekend, the members of the Scraps to Treasures Team will be showing you their interpretation of this sketch (at right):

The rules are that we can use only scraps, keeping the project frugal and fun.

Now on to my project!

If you're a CardMonkey follower, you will have noticed that I am a big fan (and subscriber) of the Jillibean Soup "The Card Kitchen" kits.  This month's kit features Jillibean Soup's great "Game Time" line of papers; using it, I made the 8 cards ... and had plenty of scraps leftover for today's sketch challenge. This is one of the great things I love about The Card Kitchen -- inspiration and leftovers!

I followed the sketch to a "t" to make this 6x6" card. I was a little out of my comfort zone with layering so many images, but I think it turned out pretty well!

(True confession here: I panicked a bit when the Hop featured a sketch challenge, thinking it had to be a layout. I only scrapbook when I have to ... and love making cards!)

All of the papers and embellishments I used here are leftover from The Card Kitchen kit. I lined the inside with complimenting green writing (text weight) paper from my scraps drawer, and trimmed it in twine from my cut-pieces stash.

I'll be sending this card to Olivia, August's featured child on the "I Feel The Love" project, sponsored by Madison Womack. Last year, Olivia lost her Mom to colon cancer, and within weeks of her passing, this strong champion started an organization (KICR - Kids Involved In Cancer Research) to raise funds to help find a cure for colon and lung cancers specifically. 

If you care to help honor Olivia's strength and fortitude, be sure to make/send a card to Olivia, too.  Click on the IFTL link above for more information.

Back to the Hop formalities:

Thank you for hopping along with us. If you're interested in BLOG CANDY, our Hop hostess ROBIN announced it yesterday on her blog called "Scrap and Chat". Click on the name of Robin's Blog (above) to jump over to enter the contest for candy. 

NATURALLY, I have some blog candy of my own -- and in this case, it's a terrific lot of CardMonkey hand-me-downs. (Yes, staying frugal!)  I've been lucky to have won a few bits of blog candy myself recently, and I'm sharing the wealth! GREAT STUFF and I'll have more to add by the time you win it!  

  

To enter, follow my blog, and leave a comment here, which includes the answer to these two questions:

A) What's the smallest bit of scrapbook paper you'll save for use on another project? and,

B) How can I contact you when you win?

OK now, ready? Set?  HOP over to my friend JEARISE in Lorby's World for your next stop. 

Just in case you need it, here is the full line up for Team B's Sunday posts: 

Lissa - So Many Crafts, So little Time.

Paula - Precious pages by Paula

Ellen in CardMonkey's Paper Jungle  (YOU ARE HERE)

Jearise in Lorby's World

Lucy -Love 2 Create it all

Zenita - Scrappin With Z

Liz -Tryin' 2 Craft

Thank you again for visiting ... happy scrappin'!

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,