Happy Easter! :)

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Amaretto coffee

Good morning and Happy Easter! :) hoping that each of you is having a most amazing weekend so far and enjoying the blessings that surround you!

I have several photos to share with all of you, to hopefully brighten your day with a bit of spring.

To begin, I was recently inspired by a post by Sandy Allnock in which she drew a hopscotch game on the sidewalk in front of her home. I thought that was such a fun idea! We live on one of the main streets in our town, so our sidewalk is always filled with joggers, dog walkers, and people just celebrating being outside. So on one of our sunny days, I did the same thing, although not even close artistically to what she created! The neighbor girls came over several times to play hopscotch, which they had never played before. it was fun for their mom to teach them. :)

On another sunny day this past week, Dave and Palmer were in the front yard and took a photo of the precious spring flowers growing around one of our trees. I so love this one! I keep emphasizing 'sunny' days, because we have also had several days of snow and rain this week, with more on the way.

Lastly, I was able to get some cards made to send out to family, friends, and even our fabulous mail carrier. it took me several days to make them, even though they are simple. but I was so happy to craft! :)

One of the amazing artists that I follow on YouTube is Shawn Petite. both Dave and I love to watch her create. it's not only inspiring, but she has such a gentle way about her. She kindly shared the images from several Easter and Spring cards she recently made. I used those images, adding my own bit of shabbiness to each. The crochet trim is avocado dyed. and yes, I am adding avocado dyeing to my repertoire of  coffee and tea staining! :)

Shawn shares free downloads to those who subscribe to her newsletter. no cost to sign up, but be prepared to be inspired! Check out her store and blog, as well as her YouTube channel.

Thank you for your kind and encouraging comments, as well as stopping by for a cup of coffee!
Have a most beautiful day! remember that you are so deeply loved!
Jennifer

Happy One Year Anniversary!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Gingerbread coffee

Hello! I hope that today finds each of you safe and healthy in this ever changing world. Remember that kindness, as always, matters. :)

One of our sons and his wife celebrated their one year anniversary yesterday. I waited to post to ensure that they had received their card in the mail. Dave is making something ever so spectacular for them in his workshop, also known as the garage!, but we don't have any way to get it to them since both of our states are currently under lock down orders. On a positive note, it gives us something to look forward to! :)

my energy for crafting is at a bare minimum, as it took me a full day to make this card, but oh goodness, did it ever feel good to get crafty!

I can't remember where on the internet that I found this vintage image, but it was just perfect for a one year anniversary card. I used my ink squirty tool in two shades of ink on it. goodness gracious, was that ever hard to do! last time I had cancer, my left arm stopped working. this time it's my right. it took all I had just to do that little bit of inking. sigh....

decorative papers are by Echo Park. I thought they were a bit too stark white, so I coffee dyed them! I love the vintage feel they took on! the little tissue paper border is a snippet from a package I received. yep, I really do re-purpose everything! ha! vintage buttons, ticket, and burlap/lace trim are from my stash. actually, Dave gave me two jars of gorgeous vintage buttons for Valentine's Day, and these are some of them. what a guy! :) gingham ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

I know that our lives are all topsy turvy right now, but there are still so many blessings to count. don't lose sight of the goodness that surrounds you! may you have health and peace in the midst of the turmoil.

with love to all of you,
Jennifer

Challenges:
ArtsyStamper - lots of layers
CreativFusion - love and happiness
Corrosive Ch - anything goes
A Place to Start - unconventional household item (coffee for dyeing and wrapping tissue paper)
2 Sisters on the Blog - dots and/or stripes (both on the two designer papers)
A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes
Crafts Galore Encore - anything goes
Creatalicious - anything goes w/optional layer it up
A Vintage Journey - celebration (celebrating love & marriage, of course!, my precious family, feeling well enough in the midst of my health yuck to craft, and the many blessings in my life!)

Update and trying to get crafty

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut coffee (it's my go to comfort flavor!)

Hello and Happy weekend!
I apologize for my absence. still struggling with health issues, but finding joy in the beauty of each day. :) so many blessings to count!!!

when I feel well enough, I am attempting to put together my first journal. it is great fun! I have been coffee staining almost everything in sight, since I always have an abundance of coffee and grounds in my house! ha! ;)

I am still reading every day. that is an essential for me. also watching lots of movies. thank goodness for Netflix and VuDu! :) of course my favorite thing to watch is the wildlife outside my windows. The birds and other little critters are wonderful and can entertain for me hours....

I want to thank those of you who have left comments or sent emails inquiring about my health. you are so kind! I am not always able to respond, but your messages touch my heart.

My prayers are with everyone around the world as we deal with the coronavirus concerns. may calm minds and healing prevail.

much love to all of you and enjoy your weekend! :)
Jennifer

Wishing You a Happy New Year!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Victorian Earl Grey tea

Sending wishes to each of you for a most Happy and Joyful New Year! :) May it overflow with blessings in abundance!

Thank you to those of you who have left such kind messages of support and comfort. Y'all are the best!
I am currently battling the flu on top of everything else, so I apologize that I haven't made it around to leave holiday greetings. hopefully this will move along in the next week, and I will be able to get a bit of computer time.

Love to everyone!
Jennifer

Merry Christmas to All!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Eggnog coffee

Sending Merry Christmas greetings to all of you around the world! :)

image from 

The Graphics Fairy

I apologize for my absence. my health hasn't been the best. had craft projects planned and partially completed for the holiday, but just didn't get anything finished. struggling, but still trying to count my blessings. :)

may you find yourself surrounded by those you love! do something that makes you feel good about yourself. pass along kindness.

and know that you are truly, deeply loved!
Jennifer

Vintage Happy Thanksgiving Greetings!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Cinnamon Macadamia Nut coffee

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends here in the USA! I hope you are surrounded by family and friends, counting your many blessings. :) I know I am so grateful, every day!

I am sharing the card I made to send to a few very special folks. Our middle son will not be able to be with us this holiday because of living so far away. St. Louis just isn't as close to Ohio as Michigan. ;) Our other sons and their wives will be driving in tomorrow to spend the weekend with us. While we will miss Mick and Lauren, I know it will be a wonderful time with everyone else. I am so excited to see them again!

One of David's sisters and her husband spent a few days with us last week. They live in Texas, so other than weddings, we don't get to see them often. Thankfully there are 2 weddings next year, so we will have several opportunities for visiting and fun times!

so on to my card -
the beautiful vintage images are from The Graphics Fairy. plaid paper is by Bella Blvd., gorgeous brown textured ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. the leaves were die cut from the Tim Holtz Fall Foliage die set, using cardstocks that were sprayed with an assortment of distress oxide sprays. so many lovely colors irl! the little acorn cap I picked up out at Camp. I love using bits of nature on my project, especially in the fall.

Have a most glorious holiday and weekend!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner - anything fall goes
Creative Moments - anything goes
SSS Wed - anything goes
Words 2 Craft By - thankful
CRAFT - inspired by a book (Cranberry Thanksgiving or Berenstain Bears Give Thanks)
Creative Knockouts - winter/holidays (holiday - Thanksgiving)
Southern Girls - anything goes

Christmas Tea Remembrance Cards

Top Pick at Stinkin' Inkers
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Chestnut Praline coffee

Hello and Happy weekend! :)

I wanted to participate in both the Caring Hearts Card Drive and the Fall/Winter Coffee Lover's blog hop. I was so excited when I saw that the Caring Hearts card drive deadline had been extended, so I got busy. understand that it takes me forever and a day to get anything crafty made anymore. oh, the joys of cancer. rolling eyes.....and when I thought about creating cards for people who are in nursing homes, I knew I would be remiss if I didn't make some to send to my MIL, who is also in a nursing home. I thought I would make some little tea cards for her to pass out to her friends. she has always been one of my biggest supporters of my crafting. I think she has truly given away hundreds of my cards as gifts to her friends over the years. :)

So about a week ago I started crafting. yep, it takes me that long! :D I usually have an hour or two each day when I feel well enough to craft. I am so very thankful for that time! although I confess that I spread out on the living room coffee table these days so that I can rest on the couch when I start to feel icky. hubby is so very kind and understanding!

The little packets use digital papers from Gecko Galz, including items from the following collections: Christmas in Nature ATC set, Botanical Christmas, Grandmother's House, Merry & Bright, Christmas Past, and Merry Little Christmas. the tea cups were die cut with dies from Stamp Simply Coffee or Tea set. foliage is from the Tim Holtz mini Holiday Greens die set and cut from cs sprayed with several shades of distress oxide sprays. the poinsettias are from Michael's.

inside the poem is die cut with the Tim Holtz stitched rectangles set, and the scripture is cut with a Spellbinders die set. distressing was done with both inks and a paper distressing tool. beautiful gold organza ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. mini doilies are from my stash. oh yes, I also stamped the right hand side behind the scripture with the music score from the Tim Holtz Mini Holidays 3 stamp set. sheesh, my head these days! oh goodness!

as I was checking the Caring Hearts card drive post to find out about envelopes, I discovered that they are only wanting A2 sized cards. oh well. I guess I will be sending all 24 of these to my MIL instead! but I hope all of you who are reading this can get something made in time to participate in the card drive. it's for such a worthwhile cause. I know there is no way I am going to be able to get anything done in time between the way I am feeling and the amount of time it takes me to create. but I know that my MIL will be happy to have some treats to share with her friends. :)

have a most amazing weekend! love to all of you, my dearest friends!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Ellibelle's Corner - Christmas/holidays
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Ike's World - K is for kindness
Holly and the Ivy - anything Christmas goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Unicorn Ch - Christmas/winter
Dragonfly Dreams - Christmas/winter
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - anything Christmas goes
Merry Little Christmas - anything Christmas goes
Papercraft Business Ch - to give as a gift
Stinkin' Inkers - 'die'lirious and punchy (dies by Tim Holtz, Spellbinders, and Stamp Simply)

Happy Halloween Something Wicked Skull

Coffee/Tea of the Day - White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice coffee

Happy Halloween!
We aren't big celebrators of the day, but as I have mentioned in prior posts, I do try to make cards to send along with candy to our sons and the ladies in their lives. I wanted to make a card for hubby, too. yesterday was a rough one, with me spending most of the day in bed, so I quickly finished this card this morning.

The bg piece is the same as what I created for the cards for the Candy Crow and Skull Couple cards. Distress oxide sprays and distress inks were applied over watercolor paper, then stamped with images from the Tim Holtz Tiny Things 2 and Regions Beyond sets. the TH flame stencil was then used.

for this card, I also used the TH crossbones stencil and grit texture paste. I love how the paste absorbs colors from the bg! the sentiment is from the TH Regions Beyond set and embossed on black cs. the skull image is from the Simon Says Stamp and TH Stamptember 2019 collaboration set.  it reminds me a bit of an alligator, which is fitting since we lived for 10 years in Florida and met up with quite a few of those critters. ;) the skull was loosely watercolored and fussy cut before distressing with ink.

vintage buttons are from my stash, tickets are from a Jellibean ephemera pack, and ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon. the rose is from Wild Orchid Crafts. I added some touches of ink and also used my SU! ink squirty tool to spray some black speckles. did the same on one of the little ephemera tickets.

I was so excited that this sentiment was included in the TH Regions Beyond stamp set. when Dave and I were dating, this was one of the first movies we watched together, and quickly became a favorite. if you haven't seen it or read the book, I highly recommend it! :)

enjoy your day! thanks for stopping by. :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
SSS Wed Ch and SSS Work it Wed. - anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - Halloween colors
Little Red Wagon - scary it
Paper Funday - anything goes w/Halloween twist
A Place to Start - create your own challenge:
1. image, sentiment, solid paper (mat and sentiment pieces as well as card base)
2. embossing, wet or dry (wet)
3. embossing powder
4. buttons, flowers
5. ribbon
Dream Valley - add a sentiment
Pammie's Inky Pinkies - anything goes
Aud Sentiments - anything goes w/sentiment
Krafty Chicks - orange and black

Day of the Dead Skull Couple Halloween Cards

Top 3 Pick at Always Fun Challenges
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Tiramisu coffee

Happy Wednesday to all of you! :)
So I managed to finish the cards for my sons and their significant others and get everything in the mail, hopefully in time. well, I should say that hubby got it in the mail for me. ;) what a guy! I am working on his card today and will try to post it tomorrow if all goes well.

The bg for both of these cards is the same as what I created for the Halloween Candy Crow card I shared a few days ago. I tried to streamline the creative process as much as I could since crafting takes me so very long these days.

for a recap, distress oxide sprays as well as distress oxide inks were applied to watercolor paper. I used the Tim Holtz flame stencil over this, as well as the Prima messy script mini stamp. House stamp (and some of the sentiments) is from the Tim Holtz Regions Beyond set, owl and mushrooms are from the Tim Holtz Tiny Things 2 set, and the wonderful Dia de los Muertos skull couple are from the Tim Holtz Day of the Dead set. the other sentiments are from the Simon Says Stamp and Tim Holtz Stamptember 2019 collaboration set.

The skull couple comes in two sizes in the stamp set. I used the smaller ones and embossed with black ep. I then lightly watercolored the images after fussy cutting. edges were distressed with ink. with a last name like Scull, all of us in the family tend to gravitate toward and collect skull images.

sentiments were embossed with white ep onto black cs. each was then distressed with black ink.

moth images are from The Graphic Fairy. roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts and have had black soot distress stickles added to them. ribbons and trim are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. the mirrored hearts were first colored with a sharpie marker and then lightly sponged with timber brown Stazon ink to tone down the red as well as add some aging. (sorry for the glare in the photos)

this time I remembered my vintage buttons! :)  I also added these cool little seed pod shell fragments that I found out at Camp a week or two ago. they have been messy painted with distress crackle paint, I think in Shabby Shutters. I have had this a while, obviously, since the colors of distress crackle paint have all been discontinued. that was a sad day, as was the day they retired all of the distress stickle line. :( needless to say, I stocked up as much as I could.

Have a most amazing day! thanks for your continued support. :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
TTCRD - anything goes
Always Fun - Halloween
Crafting Happiness - Halloween
Crafty Cardmakers - Halloween
Double Trouble - color (orange, red, purple, brown) and optional twist of something that flies (moths and owl)
Pattie's Creations - autumn or Halloween
Sweet Stampers - autumn or Halloween
Tales From the Craftroom - Halloween
Creative Crafters - anything goes
SSS Wed Ch and SSS Work it Wed - anything goes

'Candy Made Me Do It' Halloween Crow

Top 3 at Sweet Stampin'
Winner at Fabrika Fantasy
Honorable Mention at Lavinia World
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Hazelnut Vanilla coffee

Hello to all of you!
I am sharing a card that I made for one of my son's and his wife for Halloween. we always send them candy for the holiday, even though they are all grown and have moved away. some traditions just last long beyond the nest. ;)

my crafting is extremely slow these days, so it's taking me lots longer to get these made. hopefully I will have the others finished tomorrow so they can get in the mail.

I had a great time creating the bg on this card. it's a combination of numerous distress oxide sprays in addition to regular distress ink. the main images were stamped with Memento ink. in lighter ink that matches the card base I stamped the Prima script stamp I have been using lately. it might not show in the photo, but irl it peeks through ever so slightly, which is exactly what I wanted. :) stamps used are from the Tim Holtz 'Regions Beyond' and 'Tiny Things 2' sets. the Tim Holtz flame stencil was also used before distressing the edges.

The crow was embossed with black ep. both it and the sentiment are from a special collaboration stamp set between Simon Says Stamp and Tim Holtz. I actually bought the set because of these stamps. :) it originally was one stamp, but I cut the sentiments apart from all of the images. that way I can get more use from them and it's easier to stamp one or the other. I lightly watercolored the crow after fussy cutting. it is popped up on a double thickness of foam tape. sentiment is embossed with white ep on black cs.

the candy bingo card is by Jenni Bowlin and is a digital download from Snap Click Supply. if you don't yet, check them out every Wednesday for their dollar specials. it's the best deal around!  they also have some kind of promotion that runs every weekend, ranging from 50% off certain brands to a sale on new products. I am not a rep for them, just a very happy customer! :) the card is edged in black soot distress stickles. they are also added to the flower by the sentiment.

both moth images are from The Graphics Fairy, ribbons and trim are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, flower is by Wild Orchid Crafts, and little candies are from a QuicKutz die. boy howdy, did those little goodies almost do me in! I also added a few twigs for the crow to rest upon. gosh, I just realized that I didn't add any vintage buttons! what is up with that?! :)

I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend! bring on Monday. :)
take care!
Jennifer

Challenges:
SSS Monday Ch - spooky
Dragonfly Dreams - use black
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
Allsorts - make your own bg
Crafty Calendar - Autumn colors/Halloween
Crafty Friends - embossing, wet or dry
Di's Digis - Halloween or Harvest
Sweet Stampin' - Halloween or black and orange
Shopping Our Stash - Halloween
Daring Cardmakers - make it spooky
CRAFT - Halloween/Thanksgiving/Bonfire Night
Lavina World - anything goes using stamping
Fabrika Fantasy - Halloween

Sending Love and Hugs Two Cats Tag Card in Pink

Coffee/Tea of the Day - White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice coffee

Hello and Happy Friday! :)
I am here with an entry in the Cat Lover's Blog Hop. There have been very few moments in my life when I have not had at least one cat in my family. I was a cat lover long before ever having our precious pups in our lives. Our current feline king of castle is Moon Pie. he is a rescue kitty who completely rules the roost! he and Palmer are the bestest buddies. :) in fact, he is sitting on the computer desk beside me   as I am typing.... silly guy! :D

My project uses some of the paper that I made for the breast cancer ribbon awareness cards from this post. rather than use it for the bg, this time I die cut a tag from it. Prima doily and script stamps were used on the tag as well. I die cut another tag from kraft cs and stamped it with one of the sentiments from the retired SU! Ribbon of Courage stamp set. edges on both tags were distressed with ink.

The gorgeous vintage cat clip art is from The Graphics Fairy. they were fussy cut and popped up on foam tape.  flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, vintage buttons, doily, and pink crochet trim are from my stash, and pink ribbon tying together the tags is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. decorative papers, as with the cards from the other day, are by Echo Park and Kaisercraft. oh yes, distress stickles were added in various places for a touch of sparkle and vintage loveliness.

Thank you to everyone who has left such heartfelt, loving comments about my cancer battle. all of you are simply the best!!!!

enjoy your weekend! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
SUYP - Meowleween or furry anything goes (featuring a cat)
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Crafting with an Attitude - anything goes
Krafty Chicks - gift packaging, tags, or anything goes (2 tags on the card)
A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes
Crafty Animals - anything goes w/an animal
Creations in Pink - anything goes in mainly pink
Daisy Chain - pink or Halloween
Papercraft Business Ch - tag, you're it
Creative Crafters - anything goes
Bastel-Traum - favorite animal
TTCRD - anything goes
QKR Stampede - anything goes
Brown Sugar - anything goes
My Time to Craft - Halloween or cats

Floral Pink Ribbon of Courage cards

Top Pick at Path of Positivity
Path of Positivity DT Favorite
Path of Positivity Most Inspiring
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Pumpkin Hazelnut coffee

Happy weekend to everyone! :)

As most of you know, I am currently battling the dreaded 'C' again. yeah, it pretty much stinks, as I feel lousy most of the time. as with any disease, there are good days and the not so good ones. the past few weeks have been rough, but I am really trying to get crafty time to help combat the doldrums that easily come with being sick for so long.

I created 2 cards for Breast Cancer Awareness month. they are almost identical, with only minor variations. imagine my shock as I was creating these to discover that I have NO pink 12x12 cs! none! what is up with that?! as much as I love pink in my crafting, I obviously rarely use it as a card base unless I am making something different than my standard 6x6 card. almost every card I make has a kraft cs base. guess I had better ask Santa for some pinky goodness in my stocking this year. ;)

the bg piece was created with distress inks stamped over distress oxide. I used the gorgeous Tim Holtz Glorious Bouquet as well as several Prima tiny bg stamps - script and doily. 2 shades of crackle paint were added sporadically and then topped with splatters of white Mr. Huey's spray. edges were distressed with ink.

the pretty awareness ribbon is from the SU! Ribbon of Courage stamp set. the sentiment is from the same set. the hearts in the ribbon were colored with SU! markers. I then used an aqua painter to mute the colors. after fussy cutting, I wrinkled the image to add a vintage feel.

beautiful flowers are from Michael's and altered with inks and Frantage embossing powder. bg papers are from the Kaisercraft Magenta and Echo Park Wedding Day collections. pink tags were stamped with a Prima bg script stamp. doily is from my stash and was distressed with ink. vintage buttons, lace, ribbons, and iridescent sequins are also stash items.

I want to add a little message here about the sentiment:
for anyone dealing with a terrible disease, courage is required on a daily basis, sometimes by the hour. but that also goes for the members of their family. there is courage needed to face the diagnosis and what it means for the changes that take place. courage is needed when dealing with medical appointments and procedures. courage is needed the most when trying to wrap your head about what the future means and not giving up hope. sometimes courage is needed when people who mean well say things without thinking of how it comes across. (no, my  multitude of sins did not cause my cancer, but I will smile and say thank you for trying to be encouraging.) courage is needed as the person diagnosed deals with the numerous changes that their body is going through, tasks that can no longer be easily accomplished, and the multitude of emotions that can, at times, be overwhelming. we might be a bit tattered, but we are not broken. and we will fight with all we have because that is what courage means - bravery in the face of adversity.

Thank you so much  for stopping by! I hope you enjoy your weekend! remember that you are truly loved! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
SSS Mon. - All Things Pink
Alphabet Ch - 'O' is for one word sentiment
Creative Fingers - anything goes
Craft Rocket - pink
Southern Girls - anything goes
Unicorn Ch - pretty in pink
Creations in Pink - anything goes in mainly pink
Creative Craft Cottage - make it pink
Digi Doodle Studios - black and/or pink
Path of Positivity - courage

Sunset Celebrations in the Woods

Honorable Mention at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies
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