Hello Sunshine!

I adore the little MONSTER BRADS with their crazy eyes and fun shapes! Today I paired them with the matching MONSTER WASHI TAPE and a length of Hyacinth Satin Ribbon. I added a little sunshine at the top using a SUN BRAD and then finished with a "Hello Sunshine" saying!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Judy 

Joy in a JAR

Hi (That's All)

You know how it is with mixed media. If you are a perfectionist about how things turn out, it's probably not for you. It's so hit and miss. And you want to control how everything looks, and it just doesn't always work that way.

My sister is visiting me this week, and she really has an eye for it. That, and she just lets "things happen." We made monoprints using our Gelli plates, and I had a rather large stack of "I don't think I like this one." Of course, she took them all and made amazing cards out of them!

One of my dear friends had said to me once, that if you don't like it, make it a different shape, or cut it up into a smaller design. And it worked! I love this fun and crazy card now. So here is my "this was supposed to be feathers" card turned into a cool birthday card!

I used a spray for the background, and then punched balloon shapes out of the monoprint, adding the strings on the card first, and then popping up the balloons with foam tape. My sentiment was then stamped in black in the corner. It still needed some jazzing up, so I added two lines of Clear 4mm Jewel Strips for some fun bling! I love how it turned out!

There are several colors to choose from in the Jewel Strips, so be sure to hop over to the Store and check them out!

Judy

Joy in a JAR

Hello!

My daughter will graduate from the Paul Mitchell School this August, and I made this card in honor of all the cosmetology students and barber students that will graduate too!

I started with the Barber/Beauty Shop Washi Tape and built my colors and card around that. I added two silver Scissor Brads in the top corner and a gold sticker sentiment in the bottom corner.

I added both silver and gold in the middle of the card to balance out the metallics. I love the look of the vintage washi tape!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Judy

Joy in a JAR

Thoughts of You

Stamping is such therapy for all sorts of ills. It doesn't "fix" things, but it certainly allows whatever I am feeling to take its course and allows a calmness to return. Yesterday a dear friend passed away and making this sympathy card for his wife helped me with all the emotions I was feeling. Does creating something do that for you? It's a blessing and a help,
I think!

This was a simple card to make. I used the Reverse Masking Technique by cutting a circle frame and then sponging on the inside with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. I kept the frame intact and stamped my group of flowers from Long Stemmed Silhouettes from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, then removed the frame and stamped the sentiment so it would be part way out of the sponged circle. I added some Pink Pearl Bling and a little Coloring Book Butterfly Brad from Eyelet Outlet for embellishments.

 

I hope that whatever you create today brings you joy -- and peace!

Joy in a JAR

Oh If They Could!

What a joy it is to create with products from two companies that I love! Combining Eyelet Outlet and Rubbernecker Stamps is easy with such cute images and brads!

For this card I used white CAT BRADS at the bottom and outside my Rubbernecker Freehand Square. I added one of the cats and sentiments from the Cats Set on the inside of the frame, and on top of my watercolored background.

Super fun to make -- and VERY true!

Judy

Joy in a JAR

Make A Splash!

Two weeks from today I will be on the beaches of North Carolina with my 8 month old granddaughter. She lives 1327 miles from me, so this is going to be a real treat. When I saw the Crown Flatback Resin in the Eyelet Outlet Store, I knew I wanted to make a card to send her (and her parents). She is definitely my little princess!

I chose the hot pink crown - what fits a little mermaid princess better? I used Pink Checked Washi Tape on the back panel of the card above my ric rac border, along with the Blue Round Sticky Back Jewels from Pink/Blue pack.

I think she turned out pretty cute, all decked out in her crown!

Judy

Joy in a JAR

A Group of Cats

I love this adorable stamp by Rubbernecker Stamps called Group of Cats. They look like they are up to something, don't they? Or listening very carefully. Rubbernecker has some really adorable cat stamps and it was hard to choose. I have a list now!

I watercolored my background and then stamped the cats in Archival Black ink. I added a die cut sentiment and then three cute black cat brads (which also come in white!).

Thanks, Rubbernecker, for sharing your stamps with the Eyelet Outlet Team!

Judy

Joy in a JAR

A Little Baking and A Lotta Love!

I don't do a lot of baking, but I have a friend that loves to bake. She gave me a little gift recently, and as I was musing over her thank you note, I found this cute designer paper in my stash. And I knew exactly what brads I would use for accents!

Take a peek at the Baking Brads and Mixer & Cup Brads in the Eyelet Outlet Store! They are perfect for those in your life that love to bake - or cook! In fact, there is a wonderful section in the Store called Food, Drink, & Cooking Brads and Eyelets that has some really adorable designs!

Here is a close-up of the baking/cooking/muffin pan (you can make it whatever you want!):

And another of the spoon, mixer and measuring cup:

Sweet treats for those that love to make them!

I also wanted to share today how I store my supplies from Eyelet Outlet. I am always looking for others' ideas on the best way to store things so I can find them, but also so it's neat and portable. I found this storage container at my local Hobby Lobby for $5.99. It has individual compartments on the outside for my brads and eyelets, and each one snaps off, and also snaps tightly to prevent mishaps.

The lid comes off and has a large area inside for ribbons, or washi tape, or larger brads, as you can see here:

It works very well for what I am looking for in a storage container -- and at a great price (even better with a 40% off coupon)! What kinds of ways do you use to store your brads and eyelets? And washi tape?

Judy

Joy in a JAR

Wishing You a Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone! For those celebrating today, here is a little Easter greeting for you!

What could be cuter than a basket of bunnies?

I think the little Pastel Rabbit Brads are adorable - not only for Easter, but for cute Spring greetings too! You can find them in the Eyelet Outlet Store here. And of course they are sending Easter greetings using the Easter Bubble Brads (also great for upcoming Spring greetings!).

I also used Checked Washi Tape in Pink to ground the basket. I added it to my card panel before the dry embossing, and it blended in beautifully with the floral background.

 I'm looking forward to Spring!

Judy at Joy in a JAR

Know What I Love? Bling!

Hello friends! {Judy} here for my first post as a member of the Eyelet Outlet Design Team! I am thrilled to be a part of such a fantastic group of designers and a company with such awesome products!

Today I am sharing a "throw-away" watercolor card. This was a little piece of "wash my brush off" paper that I had set aside to use for that same purpose at a later date. But once it dried, I decided it would make a cool background.

So I stamped some flowers (Stampin' Up!) and blended them with my aqua brush to match the background. Then I added some bling to the centers of the purple flowers. I cut the bottom of my card in a wave pattern, and added a section of the Clear 4mm Jewel Strips to follow the pattern of the wave. It was so easy to lay it down and mold it to the shape I needed! 

Elegant but not overstated! The Jewel Strips come in several different colors too -- so there are a lot of options for your bling! Easy to use in a strip, and easy to cut individual rhinestones. 

And now a little about me:
Although we are originally from Arizona, my husband and I currently live in Central Nebraska with our water turtle (we have had him for twenty years!) and our sweet Lab/Jack Russell mix, Fiona. We have two children, who live way too far away from us - one 750 miles west, and the other 1350 miles east. Sad! We are the proud grandparents of a six-month old granddaughter, and are so thankful for Face Time!

I love going on junk jaunts, finding interesting things to photograph, and I love traveling. I also spend quite a bit of time at our Community Theatre, either as an actress or director. I am currently directing To Kill A Mockingbird, which opens in the Spring. I also work part-time as the Theatre Events Coordinator and I do freelance social media and proof reading. My kids, even grown, are my number one priority.

And of course, I love crafting! I am excited to show you more projects using all sorts of fun from Eyelet Outlet in the near future!

 Joy in a JAR