Sunset Celebrations in the Woods

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Pumpkin Hazelnut coffee

Hello! the weekend is almost upon us.  can you feel it in the air?  :)

In honor of our beautiful fall weather here, I am sharing a card that I created to recognize our son both moving across several states and becoming engaged. he and his fiancee became engaged at dusk in the woods, which is the scene I tried to replicate. their new home in Missouri is also surrounded by many trees, so the card serves a double purpose. I do apologize for the poor lighting. I was trying to get the photo taken before my husband left the next morning before daybreak to go help them with their move. because of the many layers, it took me several days to make the card, especially since I move so slow these days.

The adorable images are all by Stacey Yacula from Purple Onion Designs.  aren't they just the sweetest? my son and his fiancee have both a dog and a cat, so the little cuties on the lower level are perfect to symbolize the two of them. :)  the images are inked to look just like their fur babies.

the card has 3 levels to the accordion fold. the Tim Holtz Treeline border die was used to add extra dimension to several of the levels. ideally I should have taken side view photos for you, but I was in such a hurry and wasn't feeling to spiffy.

the sunset was created with distress inks. the designer paper is from the Prima Farmhouse collection. no other embellishments were added, which is unusual for me. I thought the card sufficient without them.

thank you for stopping by! have a most amazing day!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafting By Designs - anything goes
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Ellibelle's Corner - stamp it
TTCRD - anything goes
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes w/a critter
Animal Friends - at least 1 cat
Love to Craft - anything goes
Crafty Cardmakers - add a critter
Dare 2B Artzy  - cute animals
Corrosive Ch - anything goes
Sweet Stampin' - animals
SSS WCMD
Catch the Bug - anything goes

Strength Anchor Alcohol Ink Resist

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Rum

Happy Monday as we begin a new week! I hope you all had a most wonderful weekend and are ready for the adventure ahead as a new week sits before us. :)

I was able to do a bit of crafting, thankfully. bad healthwise, but still grateful for the time in my craft room.

At the beginning of the month, Jennifer McGuire shared on her blog several stores that were doing promotions to raise funds for the Bahamas in the aftermath of the hurricane. I was able to do my share and purchase several items. The stamp today was one such benefit product. here is her post if you would like to see some of the promotions and the companies that participated. a few are still active.

The stamp set is called 'Anchors the Soul' is in available from Honey Bee Stamps. I see now that there is also a coordinating die set for it. adding it to my wish list for Santa. ;) proceeds from the die set will also go to the relief efforts.

it's such a beautiful stamp set with such meaning. a friend of ours is going through some difficult times right now, so I wanted to create a card for her. we go to church together, and she also works with Dave out at Camp. both she and her husband and struggling with their health. I know how much those cards can mean when your health is weak. the knowledge that there is someone out there who is thinking about you can be so encouraging on a rough day.

I created a shadow effect with both embossing and craft ink in white on photo paper. the background is created with an assortment of alcohol inks. the teals, purples, and aqua shads don't show in the photograph for whatever reason, so I do apologize for that. it is a much more cohesive card irl.

the image was then cut with a Tim Holtz stitched rectangle die. I wanted to try the off the edge look for something different after seeing this done in several samples. it's matted on white cs and a white cs base as well. the pale blue layer is stamped with a Prima script mini bg stamp and the little greenery flourish. The word 'strength' from the sentiment is stamped along the side, and the full sentiment is stamped inside.

a tiny twine bow in red and rose from Wild Orchid Crafts help accent the anchor. sequins in red and iridescent white add a bit of sparkle while a distressed ticket adds another pop of color and interest.

Thank you so much for stopping by and your lovely words of encouragement as I post here again in the midst of my illness. y'all are the best! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Dare 2B Artzy - favorite color (blue is so soothing and comforting!)
Addicted to Stamps - for a lady/girl
Creative Fingers - anything goes
QKR - anything goes
Aud Sentiments - anything goes w/a sentiment
Creative Knockouts - anything goes
Southern Girls - tic, tac, toe: die cut, stamp, blue
Crafty Creations - anything goes

Epic Hipster Chimp Birthday Card

Coffee/Tea of the Day - White Chocolate Cinnamon Hazelnut coffee

Hooray, it's the weekend! I hope you have something absolutely fabulous planned, whether it's just relaxing with your favorite beverage and sweetie or chock full of activities with family and friends. Enjoy!

(vintage monkey birthday card)

Today is our son, Ryan's, birthday, so I am sharing the card that I sent to him. It's no secret in our family that monkeys of all kinds terrify me, so of course it's fitting that at least one person marks them as their favorite animal. sigh....I try to be kind and create a project or two for Ryan using primate images, no matter how challenging it is for me to do so. they flat out give me the heebie jeebies! ack!!! so anytime you ever see a monkey card from me, you know it is indeed a labor of love. ;)

I confess that all of the animals in the Tim Holtz Hipster stamp set make me smile! their expressions are a hoot! I purchased the matching die for the chimp, and will try to collect the others as I am able. it really does add so much to have the die for these.

according to Tim Holtz's video, stamp each image 3 times in order to have enough for die cutting all of the pieces. I actually stamped out 5 to add a few extra layers. all layers are separated by foam tape. Crystal effects were added inside the glasses for some fun and texture. his eye color doesn't show as vividly, but I really love the extra 'zing' the crystal effects adds.

The way cool background is created with a selection of distress oxide sprays sponged with distress ink. you can really see the distress ink in the way it wicked through the texture paste that was applied to the Stitching stencil. the Typo stencil peeks subtly through the back. such a great masculine look!

you know me - I have to re-purpose whenever possible! :) our monkey fella is matted by a piece of a Starbucks coffee cozy. edges were inked to distress. the piece of wood came from some work my hubby was doing in our house this past week. he had to do some drilling for plumbing, and this was one of several pieces I grabbed for craft projects. isn't it so neat?! it's tied with a piece of baker's twine that was also distressed. vintage buttons from the stash are added to word banners and a fun sentiment by Heidi Swapp.

Thank you for stopping by! have a great weekend! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Creative Craft Cottage - for the men in your life
Brown Sugar - anything goes
CRAFT - animals
Papercraft Ch - no designer paper
TTCRD - anything goes
Use Your Stuff - upcycle/recycle
Get Creative - anything goes
Allsorts - from boys to men
Crafty Calendar - lots of layers (5 layers in the chimp alone)
Let's Craft and Create - add extra layers (5 layers just in the chimp image)
Sognado Scrap - anything goes

Nautical Birthday Card

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pecan Pumpkin Spice coffee

Hello to everyone! Yes, I have been away for quite a while. sorry to have been missing with no word. my health has not been the best, and unfortunately the beastie is back, so dealing with that. not going the chemo and radiation route this time. but this is going to be a post about happier things, so on to the crafty goodness! :) thank you to all who sent cards and emails to check in on me though. I really appreciate your kindness!!!

I haven't been able to craft for every holiday in my family, but have been trying to do what I can of late. I am sharing a card that I made for Tyler's birthday earlier this month. he loves all things nautical, so these images and stamps were the perfect fit.

I am having a grand time playing with the distress oxide sprays and crayons by Tim Holtz. you will see some upcoming projects featuring them, too. the bg was created with a mix of several distress crayons, sprayed with pearl glimmer mist to give a beautiful glow while also helping mix the colors. the paper was then embossed with the cool Seaside embossing folder by SU! I love those waves!

Nautical stamps are from a Tim Holtz mini blueprint set. a silver metallic gel pen was used to accent the images. other pieces are from the Sea Life, Let's Get Nautical, and She Sells Sea Shells sheets by Gecko Galz. (p.s. if you go to their blog, they frequently give away images! sign up for their newsletter and you receive a free sheet every month) little seaweed pieces are actually a Martha Stewart fern punch. each one was inked in several shades to replicate the grasses. various ribbons and twines are added for texure, and vintage buttons from my stash complete the card.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Check back soon for more projects. I hope to have some blog candy next month to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness month.  much love to all of you! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafting By Design - anything goes
Creative Moments - anything goes w/opt. masculine twist
House That Stamps Built - anything stamped goes
The Male Room - masculine w/embellishments
SSS Wed. - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes
Retro Rubber Stamp - anything goes with a stamp older than one year (upon researching, I think the set was released in about 2013. I haven't had mine that long, but it looks as if these were released then. thanks!)
Corrosive Ch - anything goes
2 Sisters - something with the letter 's' (ship)
Country View - Under the Sea

Mother's Day Wandering Kitty Cat

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Coconut Coffee

Hello after so long! :)

I know many of you have sent messages asking after me, and I appreciate each and every one. thank you! my health has been quite a mess, so I've been spending my time in bed, basically just reading lots and lots of books. getting on the computer is difficult for me, so I limit my time to about once a week to only take care of the very minimum tasks. I owe many of you messages and will try to send them as I am able.

I did manage to get a card made for my MIL for Mother's Day. hubby said that she has been carrying this card around the Senior Center facility where she lives showing it to everyone. it makes me happy that she enjoys it so much!

the precious stamps are from Purple Onion Designs. they were stamped onto watercolor paper and colored with pencils. Smokey the cat and the little toadstool cluster were stamped several times then popped up on foam dimensional tape. I used the stamping off technique with the foliage stamp to create a fun wilderness scene for our little kitty cat. a leaf embossing folder on the kraft card base adds to the over outdoor feel of the card.

little sweetheart blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts, vintage buttons, distressed seam binding, ticket, and grosgrain ribbon snippet complete the card.

my MIL has been missing having a cat ever since she moved into the Senior facility. for Mother's Day, my hubby and I thought it would be fun for her to have a stuffed animal of a cat to remind her of the ones she used to have in her home, but rather than find one in a store, we sent her a gift card to Build a Bear so she could go with her great-grandchildren to make her own. :) that way she not only will have a furry pet to keep in her room, but she will have a fun day out with her family. Build a Bear has several cute cats to choose from, so she can tailor it to look however she likes. thus, the kitty cat card for the holiday. :D

Thanks so much for stopping by! love to all of you!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Ike's World - embossing
SUYP - anything goes w/a cat
TTCRD - anything goes
Crafty Animals - anything w/an animal goes

Blog Candy Winners! :)

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Hazelnut coffee

Happy Monday! I am here to announce the winners of the Valentine/Spring blog candy giveaway. if you didn't win, please know that I frequently have giveaways, so be sure to check back again soon. thank you for your kindness and support! I appreciate each and every one of you so very much! :) I am sorry that I can not offer a prize to everyone. maybe one day! ;)

the winner of the physical candy prize is:

Edwina Brown

winners of digital stamp gift certificates are:

Lisa - A Mermaid's Crafts

KT Fit Kitty

Valerija

Fikreta

Ellyscard Creatief

Glennis

all prizes claimed and sent! thank you and enjoy! :)

Thank you again to all of you! Your encouragement as I deal with these seizures and other illnesses means so very much to me. :)

have a great week!
Jennifer

Blog Candy Reminder

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Butter Rum coffee

Just a reminder that my Valentine/Spring Blog Candy giveaway ends tomorrow, Sunday, January 27! be sure to sign up in the comments section on this post or here. :) you DO need to be a follower of my blog for this candy since it's a way for me to say thank you. (most of my candy giveaways are open to everyone.)

best of luck to you! :) and have a wonderful weekend! we are getting lots and lots of snow. I love it!

Missing You - Honoring the Hundreds of Native American Women who go Missing Every Year & Blog Candy

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Salted Caramel

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the Women's March. I was privileged to join with over a million of my sisters and brothers in solidarity for so very many important causes in Washington DC at that first march two years ago. I would love to be able to march again this year, but my health prevents me. as of a few days ago, I really wanted to, but it's hard enough for me to get up and down my stairs right now, much less walk a few miles.

Yesterday was the very first march of Indigenous People in DC. oh, how I wanted to be there for that, too. so many things trouble our native people right now - their sacred lands are being destroyed by oil & gas pipelines, their beautiful women disappear at alarming rates, basic health care and housing is lacking, and yet they are some of the most peaceful, kind, loving people I have ever had the honor to meet. I have learned so much from the time I have spent in their presence. to say my life has changed would be an understatement.

so when I attended the very first Women's March, I carried a sign on behalf of our Native People. (I actually have the water vessel from that poster tattooed on my arm now!)  I planned to do the same today. But since I couldn't attend the march, I thought to make a card honoring the women who disappear each year.  it's a very serious problem here in the US and in Canada. a new bill has been put through Congress called "Savanna's Act," which honors a young woman brutally murdered about a year and a half ago. David and I met her family at the Standing Rock healing ceremony just after she was murdered.

I embossed a panel of watercolor paper with the bg stamp from the Dare 2B Artzy set "Feathers." using WOW Perissa powder. the same bg stamp was stamped directly onto the card base and embossed with WOW Primary Goose powder. the feathers were stamped onto both watercolor paper and recycled cs and embossed using the WOW Perissa powder. feathers were then fussy cut and watercolored with various shades of SU! ink. I wanted to give everything the look of ombre, but also feminine and a sunrise over the prairie.

flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts, pretty little crystals are by Prima, ribbons & trims are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and ticket & vintage button are from my stash. "Miss You" sentiment was stamped with an alphabet set. tag was cut from the same recycled cs as the feather. a real feather was added to the bundle. (it's a found treasure! no birds were harmed in collecting it!)

I now have the blog candy ready for all of you who follow my little blog. :)

the candy will run through Sunday, January 27. I will announce the winner here on Monday, January 28. this will allow enough time to mail the candy to the winner before Valentine's Day.

*please leave a comment asking to be entered. . this is open to followers from all around the world! :)

some of the items included in the prize:

• House Mouse 'Shower of Love' stamp
• Unity Itty Bitty 'You Melt My Heart' stamp
• Treasured Times 'Baby Doll in the Garden' stamp
• SSS 'Hot Mama' dye ink
• assortment of Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbons
• flower shaped eyelets
• My Mind's Eye chipboard tags
• Crate Paper hearts & lips puff stickers
• Doodlebug Designs tiny hearts stickers
• adhesive mini pearls
• Valentine themed sequin mix
• more little goodies, some not pictured here :)

the blog candy is for anyone who is a follower or would like to follow my blog. if you follow by email or some other method, please be sure to let me know in the comments. I am offering this as a way to say thank you for those of you who offered your kindness while I was not around due to my illness. it really does mean a lot! :)

even though I only have one physical prize to give away, those of you who have been involved in my blog candy giveaways in the past know that I often will surprise a few of those entered with gift certificates to digital stamp companies. so be sure and get your name in the drawing! :)

Thank you for reading about a cause and people that are so very dear to my heart! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! :)

Challenges:
Crafting With Friends - anything goes
Simply Create Too - anything goes
Crafting With an Attitude - anything goes
Just Add Ink - something new (Prima crystal dots)
Crafty Creations - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes

Catching Up and a Sympathy Card

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Maple Walnut coffee

Surprise! I am back! :)

I know that I have been away for a VERY long time, but so much has been going on over here. for those of you who have stuck around, I am very thankful. sending you big hugs and much love! :)

I am still dealing with seizures. yeah, yuck, I know. have several a day still. am trying something different that SEEMS to be working, but they haven't gone away yet. crossing fingers, toes, eyes, ears, and everything else I can think of in hopes that it helps. those things wear me OUT! ;)

had another health scare that we are trying to figure out on top of that. yeah, when it rains and all of that fun. but hey, still blessed! :D Palmer & Moon Pie keep me smiling every day, as do the lovely birds I watch at the feeder and the squirrels & chippies that scamper along below it. gotta keep smiling!

I am also working behind the scenes on Ryan & Elizabeth's wedding as well as getting things ready to hopefully open my Etsy store in February. exciting stuff!

Dave's dad passed away on Christmas Day. just going to say that it's been very difficult for everyone for many reasons.

a dear friend's son passed away suddenly, leaving behind a wife and children. it has devastated them, needless to say. a card seems so inadequate, but it is something that I can do, in addition to prayer. so I went into my craft room and made this....

used the "Waterfront" stamp set by SU! and sentiment is from the Reverse Confetti set, "Tall Blooms."  it was inspired by a card I saw on Pinterest using the Waterfront set. the gingham plaid paper is my favorite from Authentique. card base is stamped with the "Burlap" bg stamp, also by SU!

vintage buttons & ticket are from my stash, little flowers & leaves are by Petaloo, linen thread is from SU!, washer is a found item (much to hubby's embarrassment when I picked it up off of the ground! grins!), and tab punch is by EK Success. celery green ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

I will have blog candy to post, hopefully over the weekend, to say thank you to those of you who have so kindly stayed as followers of my blog. you will need to be a follower to be eligible, which I don't normally do. this is just my way to show my appreciation for those of you who have hung around! :)

much love to you and have an absolutely fantastic day! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crop Stop - anything goes w/a vendor carried in the Crop Stop store (Authentique, EK Success, Scotch foam mounting tape - for main image)
Get Creative - anything goes
Make My Monday - use words or a sentiment
Fashionable Stamping - anything goes w/rubber stamping
Corrosive - anything goes
Inkspirational - use kraft (card base and one of the ink colors)
Artistic Stamper - anything goes w/rubber stamping
Happy Craft - anything goes
Southern Girls - anything goes
Dream Valley - anything goes

Thanksgiving Wishes!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Cinnamon Chestnut Coffee

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends who live here in the States! :)

May you enjoy peace and happiness with those you hold most dear! May you find yourselves surrounded by joy all throughout the day. I pass these thoughts along to everyone, no matter where in this beautiful world you happen to reside! :)

please forgive me for being away for so long. my seizures have been so very bad of late. it's difficult to be on the computer, much less attempt any crafting. I think I have made one card in the past month. will try to get it uploaded to the blog at some point soon. I do still have Christmas blog candy, but many of us make holiday cards all year long, so that will still be timely even if I don't get it posted soon.

have a fabulous day! I hold you all in my thoughts! :)
Jennifer

Thank You for Your Kindness and Blog Candy Winners

Creations in Pink Top 3 Pick
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Apple coffee

Happy Wednesday to everyone! isn't it such a glorious day?! :) the birds are eating so much from the feeder I am filling it up twice a day right now. so many beautiful varieties stop by to say hello and grace me with their lovely songs. the little chippies and squirrels come along to offer 'clean up' service, which keeps our cat, Moon Pie, entertained as he watches from the window. he sits mesmerized just watching and watching. the natural world never fails to bring me smiles each and every day! :)

for those of you who had asked, Palmer has recovered perfectly from his accident. thank you for your kindness! he has never before ventured into the road. the only thing we can think is that our son, Mick, had just picked up his dog, Brutus the day before. the dog across the street somewhat resembles Brutus from a distance and we think that Palmer was trying to go see him. our street is a major road and very busy. David and Palmer had just returned from a trip out to Camp, and David was bringing Palmer into the house.  in fact, we were supposed to be going to our friend's funeral....  we think that Palmer saw the other dog and wanted to go see him. regardless, the saddest part, besides Palmer being hit by the car, is that the driver didn't stop to see how he was. they just kept going. :( but thankfully he is doing just fine now. again, thank you to everyone who asked after our fun pup! y'all are so sweet!

now on to the blog candy winners!

the winner of the Pink/Thinking of You/Breast Cancer Awareness blog candy is:

5. Chris B.

the winner of the Halloween/Fall blog candy is:

2. Rhonda Miller

please send me an email at: jenscull at yahoo dot com by Sunay, Oct. 14 so that I can get your prizes to you. if I haven't heard from you by then, I will choose another winner and announce on Monday.

Thank you to everyone who participated! I will have another blog candy drawing the first of next month with a Christmas theme. :)

now for my latest card...

since I still had the Simon Says Stamp "Mandy's Flowers" set on my craft desk, for World Card Making Day I decided to keep playing with it. I used the SSS "Modern Rose Blooms" bg stamp on the kraft card base, which was also part of the kit that I had won. papers are from the Bo Bunny Early Bird collection. I think I am going to need to order a pad of this paper, because it really is lovely. a few of the papers even have coffee cups, so you know I will definitely be using those on upcoming projects! :) the flower center has been dotted with distress stickles.

the pretty floral border die is from Sizzix and was sprayed with pearl Tattered Angels glimmer mist for a wonderful shine. ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbons and properly distressed for a shabby feel. flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts. it was originally white, but I painted it with ink refills to match the flowers from the main image. doily, ticket, and vintage buttons are from my stash.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you have a most amazing day! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
SSS WCMD
Shopping Our Stash - giving thanks
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore - anything goes
Creations in Pink - anything goes in pink
Creative Craft Cottage - Halloween or pretty pinks
Pause Dream Enjoy - anything goes
Dream Valley - flowers
My Time to Craft - use kraft cs (card base)

From My Heart To Yours for WCMD plus Blog Candy

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Victorian Earl Grey tea (Earl Grey with lavender and roses, one of my very favorites!)

Happy World Card Making Day! I hope you are able to get crafty today, and if not, then perhaps sometime this weekend. :)

Some of you might know that October is the month that is recognized for Breast Cancer Awareness. I have been in remission from Triple Negative breast cancer for 6 years now. to say that I am blessed would be an understatement. I am thankful every single day. flat out. I do ask that you use wisdom in the ribbon causes that you support. just do a bit of research. I remember the kindness that so many people shared with me when I was going through my diagnosis and treatments, so kept that in mind when making my card for today's post.

I am afraid that my one day in the craft room this week was a bit much for my poor head and sent me into a tailspin, but I sure did enjoy getting inky again! I was super blessed earlier to have won a kit from Simon Says Stamp, so put some of the elements to use on my project that I am sharing. the sentiments in the "Mandy's Flowers" stamp  set were perfect for the thinking of you card I wanted to make. flower center is dotted with distress stickles. I sure love that stuff!

the kit also included an assortment of papers from the Bo Bunny Early Bird collection. I don't often use Bo Bunny papers, so this was a treat. very pretty and nice quality. I have several of their digital collections, and will definitely add some paper pads to my stash when I come across them.

ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, with the seam binding distressed as I love to do. :) pink crochet trim is some that I won a while back, so I apologize that I don't have the store to reference. vintage buttons are from my stash. isn't that floral button gorgeous?!  little flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts. so happy to see that the new owner has opened the store. hooray!

now I know that most of you are here for the blog candy! I have 2 that I am offering - one that is pink/thinking of you/breast cancer awareness themed and another that is Halloween/fall themed. I will have these open for only a few days so that they can be mailed out by the end of next week and the winners can get busy playing with their goodies! candy is open to everyone!!!! no need to post on your blog or become a follower unless you just want to. everyone is welcome to come to the table and share a cup of coffee or tea with me. :)

Pink/Thinking of You/Breast Cancer Awareness Blog Candy:

• Breast Cancer Ribbons
• House Mouse cling stamp
• Pink Washi Tape duo
• Heidi Swapp Journal Embellishments
• Prima cling stamp
• Pink polka dot plastic bags
• Pink Buttons with adhesive
• Pink mulberry flowers
• All items shown in photo
• Assorted other buttons, ribbons, and flowers not shown

*Inlinkz tool removed per new privacy laws since all prizes have been claimed. thank you for your understanding. :)

Halloween/Fall Blog Candy:

• Simon Says Stamp ink pads
• Simon Says Stamp cling stamp set
• 3 Treasured Times cling stamps
• SRM Stickers
• Fall Leaves Washi Tape
• Jack O'Lantern Painting kit
• WOW embossing powder
• All items shown in photo
• Assorted other buttons, ribbons, and flowers not shown

*Inlinkz tool removed per new privacy laws since all prizes have been claimed. thank you for your understanding. :)

I do try to add a few extra items to each blog candy package other than just the items shown. I want each winner to be happy with the goodies that they receive. :)

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 10. Please be sure that you have entered the appropriate blog candy by way of the little blog froggy link. if you are unable to do so, please let me know in the comments section. otherwise I will not know that you are interested in the blog candy.

*for those of you who are having difficulty adding links, I am very sorry. I have tested it myself and not had a problem adding a specific blog link. you might want to try that or come back again and try again later. I will add your names to each of the blog candy prize drawings. thank you for letting me know about the problem. if you don't mind, I can try adding your entries myself to see if that works also.

Thank you so much for being friends of my blog and stopping by with your kind comments! Have a most amazing day!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Colour Crazy - #40 anything hand colored goes
Creative Fingers - anything goes
Cardz 4 Galz - What's New? (new stamps, papers, and aqua ribbon)
Crafting with an Attitude - anything goes
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Paper Minutes - watercolors
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - for a cause (pink for breast cancer awareness)
A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes
Creations in Pink - anything goes in pink (LOVE this challenge theme!!!)
Digi Doodle - pink for breast cancer or Halloween
Crafty Cardmakers - lace or ribbon (both here)

Rehearsal Dinner Invitation

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Bossa Nova tea (a vanilla and hazelnut blend - perfect for fall)

Hello! so happy to see all of you today! :)

I am actually feeling pretty good, the sun is shining, a new Doctor arrives on Sunday (for all of you Whovians out there!!!), and I am heading right to my craft room just as soon as I finish typing up this post. yep, life is good indeed. :)

I wanted to share with everyone the invitation I made for Tyler and Danielle's rehearsal dinner. we had such a wonderful time! our brother-in-law, Wilson, cooked the meats on the grill for us while the rehearsal was going on. Ryan's fiancee, Elizabeth, and I were busy in the kitchen getting everything ready as the key players took part in the rehearsal. goodness gracious, I could NOT have gotten everything done without that young lady's help. she was such a saving grace to me that weekend!!!! we are blessed to have her joining our family, without a doubt!!!!

since I had been out of commission for so long with my seizures, I was trying to make things as easy as possible before hand, so did order a few items from local vendors. we have a fabulous apple orchard nearby that makes the most wonderful pies. I ordered a variety from them for dessert and then made some chocolate chip cookies to go along with them. a dear friend of ours has a homemade ice cream business, so they provided an assortment of flavors to go with our desserts. Tyler and I picked up about 6 varieties of breads from Great Harvest Bread Company earlier in the day. oh yum, is about all that needs to be said to that! :) Smoked Chipotle Baked Beans, a French Style Potato Salad, Marinated Fresh Tomato and Mushroom Salad, and Kettle chips finished out the meal. simple, but so very tasty and filling for an evening surrounded by the people who love you!

my invitation was made with papers from the Carta Bella Flora no. 2 collection. pretty ribbons are tied for accent, but kept simple to ease mailing. plenty of distressing to add that shabby touch I love so much. they were a large 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" size.

all of the tables were decorated in navy gingham. paper products were the same. David made these amazing wooden tool box type centerpieces that we filled with mason jars. they held cutlery and napkins. even the dogs were wearing navy gingham bandannas! they looked so cute! :) Tyler bought a navy gingham shirt to wear that night, too, to keep in the spirit!

thanks for stopping by! I'll be back on Saturday for World Card Making Day with a project, hopefully!, and my blog candy! see you then. :)
Jennifer

Cup of Columbine Birthday Greetings

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Tea Thyme (I see that it is currently out of stock. hopefully it will soon be back and ready for purchase. I am almost out myself!)

wow, I know that I have been gone for a very long time. so sorry about that. have lost a handfull of followers, and to those of you who have stayed the path, I am so very grateful and say thank you!!! :)

not only did we have the beautiful wedding, but a few days after that, a dear friend of ours passed away. she had only recently been diagnosed with ALS, so we are all still reeling that she is gone. the day of her funeral, our precious dog, Palmer, was hit by a car. thankfully he is doing okay now, but it's been a bit stressful needless to say.

as I am trying to sort through the supplies from one wedding, we are in the midst of preparing for the next one. :) and all the while the seizures still rage on. sigh.... was ever so thankful that they went on a temporary hiatus for the wedding so that I was able to attend and get what needed to be done, done.

but you are here for craftyness. so here you go! finally! I am hoping to get more done in the days and weeks to come. not sure if anyone ever took photos of the things I made for the wedding, but I do have a picture of the dinner invitation I can share later....

the card was made for my SIL's birthday. the beautiful cup of columbine flower digital image is by Power Poppy, digital papers are from several Prima collections, and sentiment is by SU!  butterfly die is from Cheery Lynn and main die is by Spellbinders. (I can no longer add either digital papers or Cheery Lynn to my post labels for some strange reason per Google. they are flagged and cause my pages to be blocked.)

seam binding is distressed with ink and is from Zipper Stop, twine is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and flowers are from the former Wild Orchid Crafts. not sure if and when the new owners are going to open the store, as the site has been saying it will be opening soon for quite a while now....

vintage lace & buttons as well as doily are from my stash. frantage powders have been added to the  main image and around edges. wink of stella glitter pen was added to the center of the butterfly die.

again, thank you to those of you who are still here! :) I will do my best to be back and share with you soon. have a most amazing day!
Jennifer

p.s. I will have more blog candy coming VERY soon!!!!

Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner - 3+ layers
Everybody Art - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - add some texture
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes
Crop Stop - anything goes w/doily option (Prima & Spellbinders sold in store)
Dream Valley - girlie
Whoopsi Daisy - anything goes in shades of purple
Always Happy Birthday - anything birthday themed goes
Daisy Chain - birthday

Long Time, No See....

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Peach Melba tea

Hello! Sorry that I have been away for so long. I had a very nasty flu bug that kept me in bed for over 3 weeks. just started feeling better this past weekend. it was a really horrible bug. still have the icky cough, but it is finally getting manageable.  the seizures are starting to get a bit better, and I will be going to a seizure specialist after the wedding.

speaking of the wedding, the big day is this weekend!!!! we are in the throes of final preparations now. yep, chaos around here!!!! family starts arriving tomorrow, in addition to Dave and I celebrating our 32nd anniversary on Thursday. lots going on!!! :) but it's all for a very fun reason. :)

needless to say, I haven't done any extra crafting to speak of. lots of stuff for the wedding, obviously, but not much to share here yet.  more than anything I am just thankful that I am beginning to feel a bit better. taking it as easy as I can so that I can be there for the wedding day. every cabin at Camp is full with the exception of just one or two, so it's going to be wonderful to have so many people around to celebrate so much love!

I'll be back in a week or two to post photos. we are pet sitting for Mick and Lauren next week as they take a vacation, so our house will be full of lots of four legged mischief! :D

So Proud of You Steampunk Chemistry Card

Top Pick at Pile it On
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Tea Thyme (currant, citrus, and thyme - without a doubt one of my very favorite teas!)

Hello, everyone! Before I forget, the place in Ann Arbor, Michigan where I order all of my delicious teas is having a sale on some of their classic Japanese green tea. they only charge a very minimal shipping fee, so check out the store if you think you might be interested.  the sale is for a limited time only, so hurry over! my hubby only likes green tea, so we have tried several of these. we also enjoy many of their herbal blends. I like all kinds of tea, and have yet to find any of theirs that I don't enjoy. they are great both hot and cold. :)

The card I am sharing today is made for our oldest son. You might remember that he moved to Delaware this spring to start a new job. We just learned that not only has he done well in his job, but he has received a promotion! :) Tyler works in a laboratory and now oversees the entire operation as the Supervisor. They are training him to be the Department Manager! I am so very proud of him! :)

so of course I had to make a card for him. that is what all crafty moms do, right?!

the images come from The Graphics Fairy and Create with TLC. papers are from my beloved Basic Grey stash, this time from the Origins collection.  I used the mini gears stencil from The Crafters Workshop over the base sheet of designer paper, which was then edged in Sensational Sage embossing powder by WOW!.

main image die is by Spellbinders, banner die is by SU!, and wheel cog dies are by Tim Holtz. tag is stamped with Prima stamps and tied with seam binding  from Zipper Stop which has been distressed with several shades of ink. burlap flower is from Petaloo. vintage buttons and metal cogs are from my stash.

for those of you who have asked and left such kind comments, I am still dealing with my seizures on a daily basis. sometimes they are really bad and it's hard to get out of bed. other days I am able to get to my craft room for a few hours. at this point we are just hoping I am able to go to Tyler and Danielle's wedding next month. most of the time just trying to get Palmer outside to go to the bathroom causes me to go into seizures, so getting to a wedding is a big prayer. I can't ride in a car without them taking place either. but we have lots of hope and faith. :) and in the scheme of things, I have so very much to be thankful for. these are more annoying than anything.

Thanks so much for stopping by! love to all of you!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Shopping Our Stash - get krafty (card base, matting piece, cog die cuts)
TTCRD - anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes
Card Mania - anything goes
Creative Crafters - anything goes
Use Your Stuff - anything goes (with a title or sentiment)
Pile it On - vintage/retro
A Vintage Journey - get sentimental
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wed - anything goes
WAW - anything encouraging goes

Sunflower Garden Birthday Greetings

Winner at County View Challenges
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pineapple Lemon tea

The weekend is here! Hooray! :) I hope you have something absolutely wonderful planned. share with me what you are up to.

I am finally sharing the card I made for my MIL's birthday. she recently moved into an assisted living down in San Antonio and really loves it. when I got in touch with her on her birthday, she was on her way to a water aerobics class. she has always been one to stay busy, but it's so nice to see that she is continuing that still. She is flying up for Tyler and Danielle's wedding, and it will be wonderful to see her again. :)

The sunflower garden image is from Make it Crafty. I added touches of distress stickles to the flower centers as well as the edges of the main piece. I sure hated that they discontinued the distress stickles, but I tried to stockpile as much of it as I could find. :)

These are about the last of my pieces of the Authentique Meadow papers. I might have a tiny scrap or two left, but that would be about it until I can find more online somewhere.... time to put on my Sherlock digs and go searching! ha!

main die and matting are by Spellbinders and the banner one is by SU!  pretty little sunflower is from Wild Orchid Crafts. I look forward to seeing the store once the new owner has taken over.

vintage buttons, burlap doily, and ticket are from my stash while all ribbons & ric rack are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. birthday stamp is by SU! 

thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your weekend! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Allsorts - flowers all over (also tiny flowers on lower paper)
Colour Crazy wk 29 - anything hand colored goes
Creative Fingers - anything goes
Country View - in the summer garden
Southern Girls - tic tac toe: yellow, stamp, bling (distress stickles) or white, blue, yellow
Craftaholics R Us - anything goes
That's Crafty - close to nature
Sheepski - for someone special (my MIL)
Crafty Sentiments - add a sentiment
Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - C is for Coloring

Just Chillin' Little Fairy

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Orange Ginger tea

We are slowly getting closer to the weekend... do you have any fun plans?

one of our favorite groups is out at Camp right now, so Dave is working the long week. It's a group called Camp Sue Osborn and it's for anyone with special needs. Last week was for the Alumni - those who have graduated from the program. this week if for anyone up to 18 years old, I believe.  they stay through Saturday rather than leaving on Friday when most of the camps usually depart. head over to the website to not only see photos of Camp, but have your heart brightened. :) these are some amazing people, flat out. the campers are amazing, but the staff are some of my favorite people in the whole wide world. :) I love those folks with everything I have. it tears me up that I can't be out there right now. yucky seizures. blech blech blech. but really. go to the website.

now on to my project for the day...

I know I promised to share the card I made for my MIL, but I am sneaking this one in instead. I think I am sending it to Danielle, Tyler's fiancee. the wedding is coming up very soon, and I think she needs a reminder to just chill a bit. :) pre-wedding jitters can be a bit un-nerving, can't they?

the adorable fairy image and sentiment are from LOTV, green digital paper is from the Prima Strawberry Kisses collection, and chevron stripe digital paper is from the American Freedom free collection by Raspberry Road Designs.  main die is by Spellbinders, banner die is by SU!, and floral die in the upper corner is by Sizzix.

lace, washi tape, vintage buttons, and ticket are all from my stash. purple twine and green satin ribbon are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. the UK store is closed right now, but you can buy their products from RRR and other retailers. I added a faux stitching border with a white gel pen and also some splatters with white Mr. Huey's spray.

sparkles & shine were added to the fairy's wings with a wink of stella glitter pen and to her bobbers with a pink spica glitter pen.

btw, spending time with everyone at Camp Sue is what inspired our son, Ryan, to work with children on the autism spectrum at Hope Bridge. he loves it there. :)
and almost all of the Camp Sue staff will be attending Tyler and Danielle's wedding, so it will be great to see them then!

I hope you have a most wonderful day! thanks for stopping by! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Digistamps 4 Joy - anything goes summer or winter
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Scrappy Land - anything goes w/die carried in their store (Sizziz and Spellbinders)
Simon Says Stamp Wed - use a die or punch (dies by Sizzix, SU!, and Spellbinders)
Crafty Sentiments - add a sentiment
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - stitching, real or faux
Unicorn Ch - stitching, real or faux
Crafteezee - summer
Cutie Pie - bingo: buttons, ribbon, die cut, but also added bow, glitter, and flowers :)
Incy Wincy - tic tac toe: stripes/checks (subtle chevron stripes on the banner paper, but it's a bit hard to see. feel free to enlarge the piccy), splatter, stitching
Coloring in Scrapland - fairies
Scribbles Designs - fun in the sun
Fabrika Fantasy - summer
Daisy Chain - summer
Dragonfly Journeys - summer lovin'
Make My Monday - fantasy
Sparkles - fairies

Happy Birthday Fly Guy

Featured at Little Red Wagon
Top 3 Pick at Sweet Stampin'
Top 3 Pick at Colour Crazy Craft Challenge
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Tea Thyme

Today we celebrate our son, Mick's birthday. We were blessed this past weekend to be able to get together for a quick lunch with Mick and his girlfriend, Lauren, as well as Tyler and his fiancee, Danielle. Mick and Lauren came to Ohio for a tattoo convention and concert while Tyler and Danielle came into town to get their marriage license.  We were only able to spend a few hours together, but it was wonderful to see everyone. unfortunately, I ended it all by having a really bad seizure episode, but that is the way it goes these days. :( can't seem to kick these things.

this is the card that I made for Mick. I used the "Fly Guy" image from Power Poppy on the outside and the "Leaping Trout" image on the inside. I didn't get a photo of the inside of the card. sorry.

all dies are by Spellbinders, with distress stickles being added to the cat tails. vintage buttons are from my stash and wide grosgrain ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. Happy Birthday stamp, linen thread, and little banner punch are by SU!  papers are from the Authentiqe Meadow collection. I am just about out of it and down to a few little scraps... will need to buy more of this wonderful paper! I obviously love it very much! :) little dots were added to the matting die cut with a white gel pen.

I will be back in another day or so to share my MIL's birthday card. her birthday was yesterday.

thank you so much for stopping by!
Jennifer

Challenges:
a2z Scrapbooking - birthday bash
Always Happy Birthday - anything Happy Birthday goes w/cake option
Crafter's Cafe - lots of layers
Dies R Us - birthdays (Spellbinders)
Crop Stop - anything goes w/products they carry (Authentique, distress stickles, Spellbinders)
Use Your Stuff - birthday
Dare 2B Artzy - birthdays
Inkspirational - birthday
Sweet Stampin' - occupations or hobbies
Brown Sugar - use 2 patterned papers
Moving Along with the Times - masculine
Little Red Wagon - lights, camera, action movie inspiration (A River Runs Through It)
The Male Room - fish/fishing
Colour Crazy week 28 - anything hand colored goes

Magical Coffee Unicorn Cup

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Butter Rum coffee

Today's card showcases lots of new things for me. isn't it fun to try out new techniques and products on your projects from time to time? :)

over at the Coffee Loving Cardmaker's blog, there is a neat mini challenge going on to use products from any of the Super Sponsors. I was blessed to receive a great kit from WOW embossing powders, so I knew that I wanted to use some of the things included. But during the last blog hop, I also picked up this great 'Unicorn Coffee Cup image' from Crafting Desert Divas. so this seemed like the perfect time to put all of these fun items together onto a card!

I created the background paper by taking several shades of distress oxide inks and sponging them onto white cardstock. The distress oxide ink pads can be found at Super Sponsor Ellen Hutson. I then spritzed with water.

I took the Prima Crackle stencil, added WOW clear embossing ink and the WOW bonding powder, heat set, and then the gold foil that is also available from WOW.  there is a bit of a learning curve with the bonding powder and the foil, as the foil needs to be applied while the melted powder is still warm. I sure do love the way this looks, especially with that stencil. it creates a gorgeous veining similar to what you would find  in rock formations. so cool!!! EH also carries the WOW products in the USA.

I used the distress oxide inks to color most of the cutey unicorn cup. not so sure I will use them for watercoloring again.  I think they are better suited for regular stamping due to the nature of the ink. but for my first time using these inks, it was fun to experiment.  I added touches of a wink of stella glitter pen to the horn and little pearls to the flower centers.

ribbon & gold cord are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. flowers are from Petaloo and Wild Orchid Crafts.

Thanks so much for stopping by! :)

Challenges:
Coffee Loving Cardmakers Super Sponsors Challenge - Crafting Desert Divas, WOW embossing powders, Ellen Hutson
Cute Card Thursday - ribbons & bows
Crafting With an Attitude - anything goes
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
The Crafty Addicts - anything goes w/optional pets theme (why yes, I would love to have a pet unicorn!)
Tuesday Throwdown - color challenge
Always Fun - anything goes
613 Avenue Create - create your own bg paper
Crafty Friends - fairy or fantasy
Di's Digi - try something new (distress oxide inks, foils)
Simply Create Too - no pattern paper

Strawberries and Cream Fairy and new Birthday Blog Candy Winner

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Salted Caramel coffee

Hello and Happy Monday once again! :)

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! We had a surprise visit from Ryan and his fiancee, Elizabeth, who arrived here Thursday evening. They came to rescue a beautiful Australian Cattle dog puppy that they have named Lady Sybil after the character on Downton Abbey. she is such a treasure! They are calling her Sibby for short. of course she and Palmer became fast friends and played together all weekend. :) it was sad for the two of them when everyone had to leave, but Lady Sybil has a glorious new life ahead of her!!!

so of course you can understand why I have not been on the computer for a few days. ;) Moon Pie came out of hiding a few times to say hello to Sibby, but would quickly retreat to  his library nook (a hidey hole he has created in my book cabinet).

Today's crafty share is a card I made to say thank you to our lovely neighbors who gifted me some fresh picked strawberries from a local farm. wasn't that so nice of them?! :) The boys and I used to go pick strawberries from the very same farm that our neighbor and her daughters went to, so it was a bit nostalgic to be on the receiving end. and oh my goodness, did they ever taste wonderful in salads that week!

digital paper is from the Prima Straberry Kisses collection, adorable fairy image and sentiment are from LOTV, and small strawberry image in corner is from Power Poppy. the cream portion was covered in liquid applique that went a bit haywire when heated!

matting die is by Spellbinders and is edged in acrylic paint to distress. ivy flourish die is by Cheery Lynn. little red and white flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts and the main flower is from Really Really Reasonable Ribbon, as are the ribbons. vintage buttons are from my stash.

I also have a new birthday blog candy winner to announce. I didn't hear back from one of the prize winners, so the 2nd place prize will go to:

12. Alicia O'Bryant

Everyone have a great week!

Challenges:
Dragonfly Dreams - summer (strawberry picking is a summer tradition around here)
Corrosive - anything goes
Crafty Calendar - totally girly
2 Sisters on the Blog - fruit
Colour Crazy - anything hand colored goes
Crafty Catz - anything goes w/summer fun option (strawberry picking is a summer tradition around here)
Creative Fingers - anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - anything goes
Creative Moments - anything goes