Happy Easter!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Earl Grey Lavender tea

 Hello and Happy Easter!

 my yard was absolutely FILLED

with lovely lavender crocus :)

well as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men.... obviously I have not been crafting or posting. Unfortunately I have discovered that my blog is blocked by some servers for potential malware and viruses. I have searched and searched, but can find no signs of malicious activity anywhere on the blog. Google has been no help whatsoever, no matter how many times I try to reach their IT department, which is difficult all on its own.  I have no idea how many of you can actually reach or view my blog.

I am investigating other blog formats and servers, so will update when I have started something new. I would really hate to lose this entire blog, but feel that having a site where people can feel secure visiting is more important. 

This weekend we are blessed to have all of our sons and their families as well as David's mom, two sisters, and brother in law visiting. Tyler and Danielle had another little girl the first part of this month, so it's definitely a time to celebrate our blessings and beautiful family!

a card from 2016

David and I, (mostly David), have been doing a complete rehaul on our kitchen. We started in January with the hopes of having it complete for our Easter gathering, but nothing with a century home is ever quick or easy. David has had to demolish all of the walls, the ceiling, and floor. it's basically starting over from scratch. He is doing an amazing job with it all! I'm excited because not only will we have an updated kitchen, but after removing numerous layers of various types of flooring, we will finally be able to use the original floors. Our home was built in 1861. He has taken it all back to the original woodwork. We have come to the decision that this will be the home we retire in - our forever home. so we want to get it in as good of condition as we possibly can while we are able. retirement isn't that far off....

an altered project from 2016

anyhow, I haven't forgotten all of my wonderful friends and followers. just have to get these repairs and some health issues out of the way so I can FINALLY get back to crafting. I miss it so much. I miss all of you so much!

may your Easter overflow with blessings from above! you are truly, truly loved!

Jennifer

Merry Christmas!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pumpkin Spice chai 

It is almost here! Christmas is coming, bringing joy and many blessings for each and every one of us!

I apologize for my long absence. So much has been going on - times to celebrate as well as times to mourn. Our precious dog Brutus was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer in April, and died within 6 weeks. We still feel his loss so deeply. 

But in the midst of the sadness, there have been many moments of happiness. I have been able to visit our grand-daughters several times, David and I have taken a few trips, and we will have our entire family together for Christmas for the first time in several years. They are truly my heart's delight! 

Crafting has taken a back seat with all that has been going on. I've worked more this year than in the past several. that will be tapering off in 2024, so a craft room re-do will hopefully bring with it LOTS more crafting time! I have made several journals and have plans for many more. My children are requesting that I make my more detailed cards, so I will see what I can do on that front as well. I confess that I really do miss the creative time. I not only want to get back to it all, but need to get back to it.

so as I close, know that each of you who still pop by every once in a while are a special part of that creative journey. I so appreciate your enthusiasm, kindness, and support. Thank you!

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! you are loved!

Jennifer

Happy Easter!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Earl Grey with Lavender tea

Happy Easter to all of you! May you be surrounded by those you love and know the blessing of this most beautiful day! He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!

Merry Christmas!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Nutcracker coffee

image from

The Old Design Shop

Merry Christmas to all of you! May your day overflow with love and joy as you celebrate the miracle of Jesus with family and friends!

I apologize for my absence. lots of health stuff going on, with more tests and appointments in the upcoming year. but through it all I remain extremely blessed!

sending love your way!

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 31 - Farewell

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Lemon Lavender Mint tea

It's time for my final project for Junk Journal July.! 

for more information about the challenge, please visit this post. 

back page of signature

Today's prompt is 'farewell'. I thought I would make something using one of my favorite prompts for the month - fold out. I really like adding this element in journals I make. :)

first foldout

The page I am showing is the last one in that particular signature, very appropriate for the farewell prompt. ;) I try to have the first and last page of each signature be actual scrapbook paper or heavy cardstock as opposed to lighter weight paper. using 12x12 paper creates 2 6x12 sheets that are usually perfect for a set of journal pages.  on this particular sheet, I didn't want to cut off a section so that each page fit better in the book, so I folded over the paper to create a flip base.

The multiple flip out element uses a journaling card from the Carta Bella Family Night collection and a mini cd envelope. the card inside the envelope is from Simple Stories Family Fun. I have also added stickers from the Carta Bella collection. ( here is a link to the digital format. )

completely opened

one of the many talented journal artists I follow on YouTube is Carol Laws. she is so inspiring. she says that she always makes sure that the first and last page of a signature have a little extra 'wow' factor. I have tried to follow her example. 

thank you so much for stopping by and visiting my blog this month. I hope you have enjoyed all of the different prompts, and it's inspired you in your crafting. :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 30 - Favorite Quote

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Vanilla Nut coffee

Only two projects left for Junk Journal July! it's been so much fun using the prompts to create things for various journals. I hope you have had fun, too! :)

for more information about the challenge, please visit this post.

Today's prompt is 'Favorite Quote.' while I have several quotes that I really love, none of them seemed to fit any of the journals I am working on. 

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park

you can see that it doesn't really work for a baby journal. tee hee! 

pocket on coffee dyed page

so I went for one of my absolute favorite quotes for babies: "Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move mountains." (this can obviously be changed to 'him') this is for Tyler and Danielle's baby journal. Echo Park has a baby girl collection that uses this saying several times - on journal cards, stickers, etc. perfect!

individual items for pockets

I created a pocket to hold ephemera.  the edges were sewn and dried flower stickers accent. there is a long tag in the back pocket and the front one holds the journal card with the saying as well as an antique postcard. it dates to 1919 and is from Belgium. so cool! the image on the tag is from a digital baby set by Gecko Galz. a ticket serves as the tab, and it's finished with a vintage button. (added after the bottom  photo was taken)

thank you so much for stopping by today! take comfort in knowing that you are deeply loved. :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 29 - Geometric

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Melted Marshmallow coffee

it's time for another day of Junk Journal July, and the prompt is 'Geometric'. for more information about the challenge, see this post.

My project for today is inspired by an amazing crafty creator I follow on YouTube - Margreth from Seven Plaza. it's because of her that I am playing along in the challenge. :) in this video, she made an ephemera wallet. on one page inside was this fun pocket element. I have the Tim Holtz die that cuts something similar, but I can't seem to find it. it's off on vacation with my tiny attacher stapler. ;) ugh. the downside of trying to create while having a craft room in boxes and disarray. someday I will finish organizing it....

anyhow, I used this great geometric paper from the Carta Bella Family Night collection. (here is a link to the digital format. I have used both digital and printed items in the journal for Ryan and Elizabeth.) Margreth's tutorial makes creating one of these pockets super simple. 

the pockets are filled with vintage cigarette and game cards as well as pieces from the Carta Bella collection and Simple Stories Family Fun collection. I know I have said it before, but I really am impressed that these collections work so well together. 

thank you so much for stopping by today! :)

Junk Journal July Day 26 - Memento

 Coffee of the Day - Bourbon Pecan coffee

Only a few days left of Junk Journal July. it's hard to believe that it is almost over. I have had such a good time creating! I hope you have been able to use several of the prompts in your own craft projects. :)

for more information about the challenge, please visit this post.

today's prompt is 'memento'.  I am sharing the cover for Ryan and Elizabeth's Family Fun journal. the finished journal ended up being so big that I had to separate the 5 different signatures and cover them individually. I am waiting on more fabric to arrive. we are also going to build a small open box type cabinet to hold all of the pieces. once it's completed I will share photos.

I used fabrics from Tim Holtz and vintage game cards & pieces. lots of sewing. Ryan's very favorite game is 'Life.' so it seemed appropriate to use a card from an old game. We all enjoy playing Wordle every day, so some Scrabble tiles were a close bit of ephemera. so while not exactly mementos, they are still poignant. the journal does have many old postcards and first day of issue envelopes, as well as movie tickets and comics. none of those projects seemed very exciting to post for this prompt, so I thought I would share the cover instead.

I hope you have a most fabulous day! thank you so much for stopping by! 

Junk Journal July Days 25, 27, and 28

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Lemon Lavender Mint tea

 It's time for another multi day project for Junk Journal July. for more information about the challenge, please see this post.

I am combining prompts from days 25, 27, and 28 - peaceful, stripped back, and stenciling.

I thought it only appropriate to make a project for Christmas in July in addition to the others.

I have started with a junk mail postcard covered in coffee dyed paper as the base. for the 'stripped back' prompt, I used paper tearing, leaving an exposed corner in the upper right hand corner that reveals stenciling. this was done with a Tim Holtz mini stencil. 

the beautiful postcard image is from The Graphics Fairy. when I think of 'peaceful', nature always comes to mind. the snowy portions were covered in stickles. a fabric ruffle, vintage milk cap, ribbon snippets, and vintage buttons were added.

my prayers are with all of you who are experiencing such extreme heat. please stay hydrated and take care. even though our 160 year old house does not have air conditioning, we are blessed that it stays fairly cool, even on the hottest days. 

thank you for stopping by today! have a good one! :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 23 - Maximalism

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Peach Ginger green tea

I have another project for the Junk Journal July challenge. for more information, please see this post.

today's prompt is 'maximalism'. I wasn't sure what to do for this one, but as the layout came together, it seemed perfect. isn't it wonderful when that happens? I think this might be my favorite project for this challenge so far.

you can never go wrong combining anything Tim Holtz with vintage.  I used his fabric to create a ruffle added to the side of the page on the right and the same fabric to tie the two tags in the pockets. the cardstock for the pocket element on the left page is also from Tim Hotz. the pockets are filled with some fun vintage cards and decorated with vintage ephemera. the little pocket flip on the top of the right side is made from a piece of manila paper. I like the different texture this paper adds. 

this layout is in Ryan and Elizabeth's Family Fun journal.  Ryan spent many years playing baseball when he was growing up, so it definitely needed a spot in his journal. :)

thank you so much for visiting my blog today! have a good one!

Jennifer 

Junk Journal July Days 18, 21,22, and 24

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Vanilla Nut coffee

Welcome back for another project created for Junk Journal July!

for more information about the challenge, please visit this post.

The project I made for today is made up of the following prompts: cut out, focus, blended, and paint splatters - days 18, 21, 22, and 24. this is part of the baby journal for Tyler and Danielle.

I took a large kraft envelope, and using a Spellbinders scalloped heart die, cut from what would become the bottom of the flip. the envelope was covered with an assortment of papers, both solid and patterns as well as pieces torn from a doily. transparent packaging lines the die cut portion,

I added flowers and butterflies from The Graphics Fairy and Tim Holtz.  I placed the scalloped heart die back down on the envelope and traced around it with a white chalk marker. this helps draw a bit more attention to the heart cut out. polka dot washi tape was added to the inside of the envelope flip to help strengthen the fold. 

The journal card has a large Graphics 45 card on one side and some pink legal paper with fussy cut embellishments on the other. Tyler has always loved squirrels, so I was tickled pink to see that the Graphics 45 Woodland Friends collection contains lots of them!

it's not easy to see in the photos, but I took my SU! ink squirty tool and sprayed ink on all elements. that covers the 'paint splatters' prompt. the scalloped heart window is 'cut out,' 'focus' is the marker outline as well as the placement of the fussy cut pieces, and 'blended' is the use of doily, decorative papers, and washi tape to help the edges blend.

thank you for stopping by today. it was fun incorporating several prompts into one project. :)

have an amazing day!

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 20 - Black and White

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Pumpkin Hazelnut coffee

It's another project for Junk Journal July, and today's prompt is 'Black and White.' for more information about the challenge, please see this post. 

I decided to use the prompt not as a complete black and white project, but as a feature. a checkerboard background is the perfect setting for a page about go-karting. this is for Ryan and Elizabeth's Family Fun journal.

all of the pieces are from the Simple Stories Family Fun collection. the little card along the lower left side was turned into a fold out element with painter's tape. just something interactive.

I hope to see you back here again tomorrow! thank you for visiting! :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 19 - Tucked Away

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Coconut Hazelnut coffee

Hello and welcome to another day of Junk Journal July! for more information about the challenge, please see this post.

Today's prompt is 'Tucked Away.'  I decided to make a side tuck for Ryan and Elizabeth's Family Fun journal. using Elizabeth's comic super hero, Dr. Strange, for my inspiration, I created a side tuck and tag.

pretty simple for the most part. I found some comics online. (p.s. I also have quite a few in my stash, so I guess that adds to my geek factor. ha!) I sewed around the panel for some extra texture and interest. a fabric ruffle tops the tag. this fabric is the same that I used for the cover. not sure if I will stay with it since this journal is becoming so large that I might need to make a new cover. we will see what happens. 

I added a little flip out piece to the tag. because I didn't want washi tape to cover any part of the comic, I used paper medical tape. this stuff is great! it is somewhat translucent, and super sticky. I always add a bit of glue stick to any tape I am using. it just helps give that extra oomph and adhesion. 

I also tucked an envelope featuring Silver Surfer, one of Ryan's favorite comic super heroes, along with the tag. what serendipity to find that!

thank you so much for visiting my blog today! I hope your day is amazing! :)

Junk Journal July Day 17 - Go To Palette

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - a caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, and coconut blend coffee (a friend of ours so kindly sends me several coffees from a shop near her each year for my birthday. they have so many amazing flavors.)

Welcome back to another project for the Junk Journal July challenge, for more information about the challenge, please visit this post.

today's prompt is 'Go-To Palette'. it is no secret that I love  crafting with all shades of pink, especially the lighter tones. pair it with green, and I am one happy camper! :) so a project made with these colors fit perfectly for Tyler and Danielle's baby journal.  

CD envelope on page

as it would happen, Snap Click Supply had some papers and ephemera from the Carta Bella Flora no. 5 collection as part of their One Buck Wednesday sale. if you aren't familiar with Snap Click Supply, I suggest you check it out if you like digital products. every Wednesday they have several dozen different digital items on sale for $1 each. it's such a great deal! you can find the beloved, but sadly retired Basic Grey, older Prima Marketing, Carta Bella, Echo Park, and more.

 

flipped side of CD envelope

I wanted to also use a coffee dyed CD envelope. I knew the colors would look perfect attached to the coffee dyed pink paper that serves as the page. the envelope was completely sealed after adhering the pieces inside. I usually make a pocket of some sort out of these, but decided to leave it plain. I thought the back of the flip would be a great spot to add a photo. 

full journal spread. it blends so well with the page beside it. :)

the word 'baby' was stamped on one of the banners. a vintage button and some adorable teeny tiny butterfly stickers complete the project. 

thank  you so very much for visiting my blog today! you are so loved and appreciated! :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 16 - One Sided

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Melted Marshmallow coffee

It's another day of Junk Journal July. I hope some of you have been playing along, whether using the prompts for junk journals or other crafting.

for more information about the challenge, please see this post.

The prompt for today is 'One-Sided.' I had no idea what to do for this challenge, so I instead used the word 'side' as my inspiration - the pocket I made is turned on it's side. yep, not a brilliant use of the prompt, but I really couldn't figure out what else to do. ;)

I took a cute bag from my stash and sewed it into a pocket piece. not too much to the project, but it is a nice element to the journal for Ryan and Elizabeth. an old Monopoly game property card is tucked into one of the pockets. I thought it was fun because they live in Indiana. :)  the back pocket, created when the bag was adhered to the page, contains a vintage bridge rule book. other elements are from the Carta Bella Family Night collection (link to the digital version) and Simple Stories Family Fun collection.

Have a wonderful day! thank you so much for stopping by my blog. :)

Jennifer

 

Junk Journal July Day 15 - Texture

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Turmeric citrus green tea

I have another project for Junk Journal July to share with all of you today. for more information about the challenge, please see this post.

Today's prompt is 'texture'. boy howdy, is this ever one of my favorites!  :) so I pretty much went all out for it.

I started with a brown paper bag, cut it to size, and then embossed with a Tim Holtz folder.  I stitched around the edges and at the bottom to seal. to this I added patterned papers and some coffee dyed tissue paper. some little leftover thread snippets were stapled to the corner of the bag. a patent drawing for a bicycle creates the focal point. some of the tissue paper covers the lower corner of the image, which helps it to blend. 

the tag was super fun to make.   I had washed a rug in Ryan and Elizabeth's room the day before. unfortunately it just shed these little pieces of fabric inside both the washer and dryer. not one to let anything go to waste, I sewed them to the top of the tag. isn't it such a cool look? the base paper was crinkled and inked to add more of a textured look. a tricycle image and chunk hemp rope finish the tag.

I hope you are inspired to use some of those fun little bits and bobs you come across on your craft projects. Have an amazing day!!

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 14 - Nature

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut coffee

Welcome back to another installment of Junk Journal July. for more information about the challenge, see this post.

today's prompt is 'nature,' never a difficult project for me to make. ;)

I created a nature themed page for Ryan and Elizabeth's journal. the page next to this one has a heading of 'Parks and Rec'. I have added several pages like this through the journal so that they can make notes, lists, etc. based on the heading. our entire family are nature buffs. we love hiking, camping, visiting parks, kayaking, etc. 

the corner piece comes from a digital label set by Crafty Cat.  I added a pair of mushrooms, (I think these are also from a Crafty Cat digital) to a Prima journal card. tucked into the pocket are 2 vintage postcards from Indiana parks, which is where Ryan and Elizabeth live. I used a sticker from a set I found on Amazon that feature parks from around the USA, as well as a few fantastical ones, like the Endor Forest National Park one on the next page. lots of fun!

thank you for stopping by today. I hope you have been inspired to try some of these prompts in your own crafting. :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 13 - Mirrored

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Lavender Mint tea

Hello and welcome back to another day of Junk Journal July! for more information about the challenge, visit this post.

today's prompt is 'mirrored,' and it really had me stumped. that is until I came across a vintage image of 2 scallop shells mirroring each other. inspiration! :)

so I took this wonderful scallop seashell image from The Graphics Fairy, printed it twice, and had the 2 shells mirror one another. easy peasy! 

the tag is fairly simple - some beautiful paper by Mintay Papers, a bit more of the onion bag netting I have used on a previous project, simple stamping, a vintage button (because of course!), and finished with seam binding. I used the new Tim Holtz Uncharted Mariner distress ink. oh my goodness, that color is FABULOUS! absolutely perfect for any pieces made to add to Tyler and Danielle's nautical journal.

I appreciate you stopping by today! I hope you have a good one. :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 12 - Dyed

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Nut coffee

it's another project for Junk Journal July!

for more information about the challenge, please visit this post.

knowing my love for all things coffee, it was easy to choose a dying method for today's prompt of 'dyed'. 

front of tag

I have re-purposed a cardboard insert that came with some fabric quarters I had purchased. the cardboard was covered with coffee dyed pink copy paper on the front and coffee dyed pink ledger paper on the back. to this I added a floral image from The Graphics Fairy, adorable little coffee dyed fairies from Crafty Cat, coffee dyed tissue paper, and coffee dyed paper towel. whew....that's a lot of coffee dying! I even coffee dyed the fabric for the topper before sewing it into a ruffle.

back of tag

fabric tape, a vintage button, and a dried, pressed flower and leaf were added. using a paint brush, I lightly covered the flower and leaf with Mod Podge to seal. the cut out elements appeared a bit too stark with their white borders, so I took a make-up brush and sponged ink around the edges to soften. I really like how they blend into the papers. 

thank you very much for stopping by today! I hope you have been inspired by this challenge to try some new ideas in your crafting. :)

Jennifer 

Junk Journal July Day 11 - Fussy Cutting

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut coffee 

Welcome back to another project for Junk Journal July. for more information about the challenge, see this post.

front of card

Today's prompt is 'fussy cutting.' oh my gosh, is this ever my nemesis. I love the look of fussy cut ephemera, but good golly is it ever hard for me to do. my tremors make it difficult to hold onto any paper to cut. I also can't do it for very long or else it triggers seizures. that is why if you ever see fussy cutting on something I have made, you know that it is a special project for a special person. ;)

back of card

I created a journaling card to add to Tyler and Danielle's nautical journal.  I have used a junk mail postcard covered in coffee dyed paper. other papers are from Fancy Pants and Mintay Papers. fussy cut pieces are from Ronda Winstead, Mintay Papers, and 49 & Market.

I added some netting from an onion bag as well as a blue ticket. I kept the back a bit more simple to allow room for a photo or writing. some white paint was spattered across the card front. 

thank you for stopping by today!