Valentine Blog Candy

Coffee of the Day - Chocolate Peppermint

I know it may seem early to be thinking about Valentine's Day, but I want to give plenty of time for this blog candy to run and then get delivered.

You can sign up for this candy by entering your information in the Mr. Blue Froggy Linky thingy below. you do not have to be a follower of my blog or enter this information anywhere else. it's pretty simple really. ;)

This blog candy contains almost a dozen sheets of 12x12 papers from K & Co. and other companies. You can pretty much count on this being a PINK candy, too! grins! you're not surprised, are you?! One lucky winner will receive several Shirley's 2 Girls clear stamps as well as some Snag 'Em stamps. I'll add LOTS of other fun embellies like a roll of washi tape, lace & ribbons, tags, doilies, and other goodies. retail value will be a minimum of $25.

Blog candy contest will be open through Monday, December 31 at midnight EST. have fun and good luck to you!

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

Another Anything Goes at Paper Makeup Stamps

Coffee of the Day - Red Velvet Cake (yep, it's as yummy as it sounds!)

Happy Monday to you! and Happy New Year's Eve as well! it's been so quiet around my house these past few days. Winter Camp has been going on, so all of my family has been out at Camp working and playing in the snow. actually, this is the first year in quite a few that we actually have snow at Winter Camp! grins! and boy, do we have snow! probably a bit more than a foot on the ground. temps in the teens and twenties. I just love it!

so it's been just me and the dogs here at home. I've been spending most of my time trying to keep Mocha out of the brown butter choco chip and bacon cookies. that dog has come up with the most creative ways to snatch the plate of cookies and drag it to the floor. I don't blame her though - ever since we tried the recipe last year, this has quickly become our family fave cookie recipe. I make lots of batches for gifts, too, since everyone who tries them, falls in love with the cookies. Finally gave up and put the last few cookies in a ziploc bag on top of the refrigerator. if she climbs up there and gets into them, she deserves to eat those last few! ;)  I also tried a few of the cookie ball recipes that I found online. good golly, miss molly, they are decadent! gave some of those as gifties as well.

okay, can you tell I've missed being away from my beloved compy?! His name (my compy) is Sheldor the Conqueror in case you ever wonder..... if you watch The Big Bang Theory you will understand why I named him that. ;) yep, Revenge of the Nerds and I'm the Princess! :)

anyhoooooooowwwwww.........
today is another Anything Goes with a digi challenge over at Paper Makeup Stamps. The DT is still on break so we get to show one of our past creations. This is a card I actually made while on the Party Time Tuesday  team for a challenge sponsored by Paper Makeup. I sooooo love the way it turned out. :)

I combined several images from the Faith, Hope, Love set. Coloring was done with distress stains and then sprayed with glimmer mist (I think.... the card was long ago given to someone - def a shimmer spray though). pretty Spellbinders & Tim Holtz dies, vintage buttons, pearls, washi tape, satin ribbon, and a prima flower complete the card. oh yes, paper is from Prima as well.

Be careful if you are going out to celebrate this evening. We tend to spend New Year's Eve watching the various shows on television if we even manage to stay awake that long. must say I'll be glad to say farewell to 2012. I've learned a lot about myself, but sure don't wanna have to do it again! tee hee!

love to all of you! Jennifer

edited to add ------> today is the final day of operation for a very special store, Paper Cupcakes. I was privileged to be a part of Nina's DT, but most especially to get to know this kind and amazing woman. She has such a heart of gold! Stop by and pick up a few of her images if you get a chance. and tell her hello for me!!! :)

Z is for Zoo Animals at ABC Christmas Challenges

I'm kinda a 'midway to the midway' post for my ABC Christmas Challenge card..... y'all are probably tired of holiday cards by now, but this is the first one I've made in several months. it really felt good to craft last week when I was still feeling okay. as always, had to wait on stickles to dry! ;)

anyhow, lots of big news on the ABC challenge blog, so be sure to check it out. we're saying goodbye to some very talented DT members, so please stop by to wish them well. There is also a DT call-out going on, so submit your name if you are interested. it's a very friendly group of people, I can say that with confidence!  they are so patient and understanding of my health situation. so loving and supportive!

anyhow, the challenge for this fortnight is 'Z is for Zoo Animals' and is sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps. I fell head over heels for this cutie Edward the Elephant and his birdie buddy! The senti comes from Flonz Stamps and date stamp is from K & Co. Smash. sticker at the top of the card is one I made from notebook paper. thought it went well with this image.

papers are Basic Grey Nordic Holiday, ornaments are covered in rock candy distress stickles while hat, pom pom, and card edge are covered in regular white sparkly stickles. (sorry, the bottle is in my craft room - I don't have the name in front of me) I lightly covered the Studio Calico wood veneer snowflakes in white craft ink. poinsettia is from Michael's $1 bin. I had high hopes of getting back over there to pick up some more while they hopefully still had these, but never made it. also wanted to get some of their grey Copic markers before the prices increase and I had 50% off coupons, but that didn't happen either. oh well. win some, lose some. no real biggie in the scheme of things though.

buttons are from my stash. I've been sorting ALL of my buttons into Mason jars. yep, just throwing them all in together - willy  nilly. not much is being sorted by mfg. any longer. it just takes up tooooo much space that way. and gosh oh golly, do those buttons look so pretty in the different sizes of jars sitting on the mantle in my craft room! I'm slowly getting it sorted out still, but will certainly get photos taken when it's finished. I must add that my vintage buttons ARE in jars of their own. no way I could mix those with the regular buttons.

okay, my  head is woooooozy and I'm probably starting to communicate with alien species or drabble on and on, so had best go. love to all of you!

Will Be Back Later...

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Coconut

Hello and belated Merry Christmas greetings to all of you!
I have been sick in bed since Christmas day, so haven't been around much at all. wanted to do a quick pop onto my blog to let you know I have a card to post for the ABC Christmas DT, but will have to get to it a bit later. just don't have much energy and seem to sleep most of my days away....
my family is even considering moving my bedroom downstairs since climbing stairs takes me forever now and hurts like the dickens. I'm really becoming THAT sick old lady now..... poo! I told them all that as long as they carry me down on my bed Cleopatra style, I don't care one way or the other. ;)  hey, I have to maintain my princess attitude even if I do feel icky-poo yuck! tee hee!

anyhow, hope to see all of you back here later. I'm off to bed again.... even coffee doesn't taste good these days, so that tells you something right there.....

Anything Goes at Paper Makeup Stamps

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Butter Rum

Today is an easy peasy challenge over at Paper Makeup Stamps - Anything Goes with a digi! The DT is on a bit of a break for these next 2 weeks and were allowed to pick from their favorite projects from the past. Since I am just starting to get back to crafting, I sure appreciated that! Be sure to pop by the challenge blog to see what everyone else on the team has chosen. Some of my team mates have made some new projects, too.

This card of mine featuring Pete Penguin always makes me smile! it isn't very complicated, but it sure is full of Christmas cheer! Some fun paper piecing, big satin ribbon, quirky tag, and yummy soft yarn with a big red button just make it ready to bring a bit of holiday love to someone.......

New Blog Candy Winner Drawn......

Coffee of the Day - Chocolate Peppermint

image from 2 Crazy Crafters

Well I never heard from the winner of the 'Craft Room Clean-out' blog candy, so I chose another winner.

SUZIE McFLOOZY, you will need to send me you address so I can get this package of goodies in the mail to you! :)  congratulations!!!!!
The other packages were mailed out earlier this week. I sure hope everyone enjoys the fun tucked inside!

it is snowing like crazy here, and we are tucked in like snug little bugs. oh I am so loving it! :)  my soul & heart are happy even though my poor body isn't doing so well. but that is okay because I am Blessed with a capital B!!!

love to all of you! Jennifer

Blog Candy Winners!

Coffee of the Day - Texas Turtle (pecan, caramel, and chocolate)

Happy Monday! Mr. Blue Froggy has hop hop hopped along and chosen winners for the 3 blog candies I had going. if you weren't chosen this time, be sure to enter the Valentine candy that is going through the end of this month. who knows, I may still add another one or two before this is all over....... ;)

Winners, please contact me at: jenscull at yahoo dot com just as soon as possible with your mailing information so I can get these out to you. If I haven't heard from you by the end of this week, I will choose another winner. You should have received an email as well from inklinz.

Rosettes Bigz Shot Pro Die - Marji

Christmas Goodies - Victoria

Craft Room Clean Out - Sharon P

Congratulations to each of you! Thank you to everyone who played along! :) I sure wish I could send a  great big package of fun to everyone! maybe if the big lotto win or a Mysterious Benefactor come along that will happen one day! grins! :)

Blog Candy for December!

Coffee of the Day - Chocolate Peppermint

Hello! I am following in the footsteps of my friend, Joan, and doing something nice (well, hopefully you think it's nice!) every day all this month.

To start things off, I am doing several blog candies this month. they will be easy to enter, just add your info to the following Mr. Blue Froggy Linky thingies.... you can enter all of them if you would like. you  do NOT have to be a follower of my blog or post it anywhere to enter.

I also need to add that if you are expecting packages from me, I have finally been feeling well enough to get those together and they will be mailed out on Monday! hooray! I've added a few extras inside to say thank you for being so patient. :)

first blog candy up for grabs is a repeat..... I still have this fabby fun Rosettes Bigz Pro Die

that is available to any one who owns a Sizzix BIGZ PRO machine and lives ONLY in the USA. sorry, but this puppy is big & heavy and is pretty expensive to ship. it has a retail value of $59.99 and is absolutely wonderful looking. a new machine just isn't possible for me this year, no matter how much I love this die. ;) so I would love to pass it along to someone who can use it. the die is a LARGE 12" x 12 3/4". pooey on that online store that didn't label it properly. grins!

Next up is a blog candy that is Christmas themed. This will include a selection of Webster's Pages 12x12 papers from both the Winter Wonderland and Ting-A-Ling collections. both of these collections are now discontinued. I'm adding some vintage trims, tags, doilies, crushed olive Distress Marker, and Shirley's 2 Girls clear stamps. plus you never know what else I will throw in the package! ;)

Lastly will be what I am calling my 'Craft Room Clean Out' blog candy. This is a hodge podge of various 12x12 papers from Prima and other companies. Clear stamps from Shirleys 2 Girls and Basic Grey minis will be included, as will a HUGE assortment of ribbons & other embellies.

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

All blog candies will run through Sunday, Dec. 16 at midnight EST and have a retail value of at least $25. ONLY the Bigz Pro die is limited to a winner from the USA. winners will be announced on my blog within a few days following so that I can hopefully have prizes mailed prior to Christmas. thank you for stopping by and I wish you all the best of luck! :) I'll have a Valentine collection blog candy starting up the middle of the month, so be sure to stop back for that one, too.

hugs to everyone! Jennifer

God is Still Good...

Coffee of the Day - Gingerbread

Before you read any further, remember that God is still and always will be good. He does not change because terrible things happen in this world in which we live. His nature is ALWAYS one of love. He can turn horrible circumstances into those which shine brighter, although in our human-ness we can not possibly comprehend how or why.  People mess up all the time, but He does not.

On Friday my family and I had gone to see one of the first showings of 'The Hobbit.' As we were still in the theatre, but walking toward the exit, Ryan turned on his phone. A text message from his girlfriend appeared telling of the toll of the Connecticut school shootings. We were already aware the shootings had taken place, just none of the details. I stopped before we had even reached the theatre doors and broke down crying. David was telling me to move - that I was blocking people from leaving. I couldn't even move. As word reached back to others, everyone was simply stunned. We gradually made our way out into the lobby and began talking. The boys were calling people to find out details. We knew then and there that we had to pray.  People were calling on God in the lobby.

In my front yard still stands a sign that reads, 'We will never forget.' It hasn't even been a full year since the shootings at our high school here in Chardon. Families here in our small village will be having Christmas without their children for the first time, too. It's hard to describe what it is like to see yet another community hit by a tragedy of this sort. Counselors are already gathering to bring comfort to people here as wounds we thought were healing are torn open once again. Students who just a few months ago were seniors at our high school, (like my son) and now are home from college break are re-living all of the memories again of an armed gunman walking school halls.

But God's arms are big enough to hold the families of precious tender kindergarten souls, the families of a respected Principal, the families of high school students just blooming into adulthood. He can hold onto each one of us as we try to understand the senseless tragedy and know our head's can never wrap around the horror. He is pure love and peace and light in a world that is sometimes dark. Cry if you need to. Scream and rant if you need to. God can take it. But then rest in His arms of love and find His peace. Listen as He tells you to "..........."

You are truly, deeply loved! :)

Blog Candy Reminder

Coffee of the Day - Maple Pecan

Happy 12-12-12 to all of you! :)

Just wanted to remind all of you that the current blog candies close on Sunday. A Valentine themed one will start up on Monday. As for craft supplies, I am still boxing up things to give away as I am able. crossing fingers I will still be able to meet my own goal of being back to crafting at the start of 2013.......

Thank you so much for the kind comments all of you have left for me, as well as the many wonderful, supportive emails. You lift my heart more than you can know! :)

I'm still resting quite a bit and not quite feeling human yet. I swear I'm becoming a zombie, but my family is too kind to tell me. wait a second. I live in a house full of men. too kind? yeah right! they gave me grief last night because I was talking skateboard, and had to text Mick to get him to prove that I knew what I was talking about. turns out they knew all along that I had a clue, but just wanted to mess with me! ;) those rascals! so yep, zombiefied I am!

Dave and I are supposed to attend a Christmas party next week, and I think this is the first year I won't have enough handmade cards to give to everyone. it's pretty traumatic, actually. but I can only do what I can do. and right now just doing for my family is top of my priority list. not sure I'll be feeling up to even attending, much less the worry over what to put on this zombie body. some things just don't seem to really matter that much right now. and then it makes me think why I should stress so much about them in the first place.

anyhow, enjoy this 12th day. it's a special day, but then every day is! :) and so are YOU!

these are pix of us getting our tree last year. thought I would share with all of you. we'll hopefully go this coming weekend to get ours for this year. we have to wait until Mick comes home from school, as it is part of the tradition that EVERYONE picks out the tree before we cut it down. in the top photo, yes that IS a mini snowball coming at me!!!!

oh my guys are all soooooo handsome! :)

In the Blink of an Eye....

Coffee of the Day - Christmas Blend

An entire perspective, an entire life - all of that can change in the blink of an eye. it only takes one brief moment and what seemed solid & under your feet one moment becomes nothing more than thin air & a flimsy rope 5000 feet off the ground.

This has been a week. One of THOSE weeks. I can't begin to put it all into words, and there are things I won't ever share here as they are far too personal to my family at this point in time.

image from The Graphics Fairy

But this I will tell you - God is good. in the worst of circumstances, He is faithful and never leaves our side. When the world is crashing down around you, He is there to spread His wings over each one of us - to love and protect us because we are His. When all seems dark and lost, He is the light to shine as a beacon home.

I have had my priorities set straight once again. Blogging can go away, crafting can go away, oh so many 'things' can go away. what matters most is that I have a precious family that means more to me than any other thing in this world. Friends who support us gather near.

We all need to feel loved. We need to tell the people we love that we love them EVERY DAY! We need to surround ourselves with people who encourage us, who lift us up above the muck and grime of this world. if you have toxic people in your life - walk away from them. you don't need that. if you have toxic situations in your life, do whatever it takes to remove yourself from those circumstances and make things clean & healthy again. YOU matter. you matter to someone. you matter to God whether you know Him or not. He knows you. and He loves you with all that He is.

I don't know how much I'll be blogging through the end of the year. the blog candy contests will still stay open. but right now my focus must be elsewhere.

I pray for each of you the most blessed and beautiful holiday season. YOU are loved, more than you can possibly know. by me! :)
Jennifer

p.s. this week I did drop off 2 big boxes of craft supplies to some friends who will pass along what they don't want to their church and 2 more boxes of cards to the chemo center at my oncologist's office when I went in for my appt. yesterday. The acts of kindness for December continue.....

The Grinch Game!

oh my goodness, THE Grinch, you know the one I mean..... is out there in Whoville ALREADY!!!  he is going to try to put a stop to Christmas, and we have to stop him!

I for one and teaming up with the other folks here to try and capture that Grinch. when I find him I am going to make him a BIG cup of white chocolate mousse coffee or maybe eggnog coffee (I'll decide what seems to suit his mood better), set out a plate of yummy peppermint cookies, and then give his poor little reindeer a rawhide bone - because I must say he seems to look a bit more dog-like to me. ;)  then I'm gonna wrap that Grinchy-poo up in my warmest slippers and blanket to get him all snug-a-bug warm so he will start to feel the love of Christmas envelope him..... finally I'm gonna give him a hugey huge hug and sloppy smoohies just so his heart can grow and grow and grow and GROW!!!!

want to join me in the hunt? click here for the fun! :)

Post your thoughts on seasonal blog candy....

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Happy Sunday! I woke up this morning, came downstairs, looked out  my front window, and there was my little baby squirrel friend sitting on the front porch rafters eating some of the peanuts that we have been setting out for him. gosh, what a most amazing way to begin my day! :) he just makes me smile so big every time I see him out there! yep, it's pretty goofy, but I love it anyway!

when Tyler was home over Thanksgiving, I asked him to run to the store and grab just a little bag of peanuts so I could leave a small treat for our squirrel friend. well Tyler being the guy he is grabbed a big bottle of fancy peanuts and said, "Hey, it's Thanksgiving. he deserves a special treat, too!" So they guys all help me to make sure the rafter stays stocked with peanuts. The birds enjoy them as well. I can't reach up there - it is much too high for me and you certainly don't want me standing on a chair or stool these days. lawsie, I can't even stand on my own 2 feet without tipping over like a cow, much let put me on something a foot or two off the ground. tee hee!

then I was taking the dogs out the back door a bit later this morning and the bushes & little portico that cover our porch were FULL of birds. I felt like a Disney Princess with all of them flying around my head! isn't nature and each precious creation God put there just such a delight? oh how He can speak to me through the sound of a bird's wing or call..... how I can see His love for all of us as I watch how He cares for even a little baby squirrel.....

so anyhow, on to the purpose of my posting today -
I have been going through all of my old crafting supplies these past 2 weeks. will be doing it through the end of the month I would imagine as I start feeling a wee bit better every day and try to prepare to re-enter the crafting world again at the start of the new world. I am finding so many craft supplies that I had  purchased but never used.

here is where I need your thoughts and opinions. I am not much for selling my stuff. I'll probably end up selling a few of my old SU! sets, but otherwise I am more of a 'giving away' or 'passing it forward' kind of person. I've never had a garage sale and probably never will. what I am finding is that I have enough craft supplies to qualify for some seasonal blog candy giveaways if y'all would be interested. almost everything would be brand new, and would be sorted into separate categories like Valentine (like I mentioned in the other post), Fall/Halloween, Summer, and Spring/Easter. they will all contain papers, stamps, and embellies with a value of at least $25.

post what you think in the comments section. I would put these up as soon as the current candies finish and have the new giveaways end this month so everyone could get their stuff soon.

Love to all of you! Jennifer

editing to add - I have a TON of craft supplies that I am donating to my local library as well as to some of the local schools. thanks for the suggestion about the senior center, too. I'll give them a call and see if they would like some of these. :)

It's Snowing! :)

Coffee of the Day - Eggnog

oh glory be, it has been snowing here since yesterday! what delight to see the world in white! :) every time I look out my window, my heart just soars with joy! I so love the snow, but never more than at this time of year. my house is full of people (and pets!!) I love, our tummies are full of the most tasty food, we are warm and snug - oh, how we are blessed! :)

let us never forget the little things in our lives, for they are truly the big things that keep everything else in perspective.

yesterday we had a most amazing visit from David's sister, Susan, from Texas. it did all of us so much good to spend the day with her! she is a bright spot in our lives every time we see her! I slept most of the day, but gosh, how it made me smile to hear her laughter ringing through my home. and it's such an infectious laugh, too! once she started, everyone else joined along. what a most lovely way to drift off to sleep - knowing that my family was happy. what more could I possibly want?!

Hugs and smoochies to all of you! Jennifer

So Thankful!

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice 'cause I love it so and the day just calls for it! :)

vintage postcard from Antique Images

Happy Thanksgiving to every single one of you! it doesn't matter where you live, each day is a reason to be thankful! We are all blessed to overflowing, and I count myself saturated! grins!

Every day I awake to more and more blessings, even in the midst of this journey I currently travel. the sun is shining, dear friends. I went to sleep last night to the joyful sound of all 3 of my sons laughing hysterically all throughout the evening while they played on their game systems. my dogs were cuddled up tight beside me on the bed; my husband was working in the kitchen downstairs on a special brine for our turkey. my life is full and complete. I am happy!  I pray the same for each of you! :)

Seizures & Radiation don't mix

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Nut

I'm taking a week off from radiation because my seizures have come back full throttle. they reared their lovely head the end of last week and haven't let up, I'm sad to say. I made the decision yesterday to take this entire week off from my radiation treatments in hopes of getting the seizures under control. We know that the 2 are related, so hopefully a week of rest will help all around. I have 3rd and 4th degree burns from my treatments, so that is certainly triggering all of the fun goings ons.... It hurts to have clothes touching the areas where I am burned, so I'm wearing tank tops in our 30* temps. whine whine whine whine whine!
there is never a dull moment in our house, that is for certain! ;)

I'm behind on emails and blog comments, I know. I owe so many thank you's I have lost count. I do need to get out blog candy packages, but haven't received any addresses yet, at least that I have tracked down, so please send those when you can if you were a winner.

know that all of you are in my thoughts, even if I don't get in touch.

in honor of 'Grimm'!

on the upside, I'm almost caught up on last season's 'Grimm' and 'Fringe'! wooo hooooo! on to 'Glee' when these are done..... love ya!

Mick goes to vote....

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Happy Sunday and happy November! It is cold and wet here, but my bird and squirrel friends still keep popping by to keep my company. in fact when I was letting the dogs out this morning, the most beautiful cardinals came to sit on the big bushes right beside our back porch steps. It was so neat to see them fly to within just a few feet of me to perch while I was outside. They don't usually come in quite so close.

Our local trick or treating had been moved from Wednesday to last night. David went over to our friend's house and helped with the Hot Dog House. even though it was so cold and rainy, they gave away more hot dogs and hot cocoa than ever before in the more than 10 years we've been doing it! how exciting! I stayed at home bundled up catching up on Season 1 of Grimm, one of our fave new shows on tv. not as much fun, but the dogs and I were quite content! ;)

I want to share this wonderful photo with all of you of our son, Mick. Friday all of us received a text from him saying that he was sitting on a bus with Jack Black who was taking a handfull of students from Kent State to vote early. how freakin' cool is THAT?!?!?! Jack Black brought his band to encourage early voting. it ended up that only about 50 people were allowed on the bus, and Mick was one of the lucky ones to go! Jack and the band played music the entire time to and from the voting station. Mick said he is such a nice guy and really feels strongly about young people having their say in the election. I was thrilled Mick was able to cast his vote, and in such a fun way, too.

Tyler will be driving home on Tuesday after classes so he can take part in the election. This will be Ryan's first time to vote, and you can bet I'll be there no matter how icky I feel. No matter who you vote for, the important thing is to get out there and do it.

although I don't get political on my blog, here are a few of my favorite candidates:

Feel free to write in either of these on your ballot Tuesday! ;)

if only Monty Python wasn't British......

HYCCT Winners

Coffee of the Day - White Chocolate Coconut

So sorry I am late announcing Hope You Can Cling To winners. I was sick in bed all day yesterday and am heading back there just as soon as I type this up....
anyhow, y'all are sooooo tired of hearing about that. ;) I know 'cause I am so tired of writing about it. grins!

since only a handfull of folks linked up cards, everyone who played along is a winner! yeehaw! I willl get together some fun prize packages for each of you, ready and waiting for your mailing addresses. send me an email at: jenscull at yahoo dot com as soon as you can. one person will receive the fun MFT Fix it Fred stamp, but I promise the rest of you will like what you get, too. :)

also, you have until Nov. 7 to upload cards to HYCCT over at Split Coast Stampers. :)

evidently I'm not the only one who doesn't own a Big Shot Pro since no one signed up for that prize. who knows, maybe Santa will sneak one under the Christmas tree. ha! I don't think so. he has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many medical bills in his bag this year.

have a great weekend! love to all of you!
Jennifer

Ghosts and Goblins Don't Scare Me.....

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice, of course! ;)

Happy Halloween to all of you, if you celebrate the holiday that is.... Please read to the bottom of my post for my costume this year. it still gives me the giggles, but then y'all know I'm kinda twisted. ;)

(image from The Graphics Fairy)

Every year for Halloween, we get together with several other families at one of their houses to set up what has grown to be called 'The Hot Dog House'. rather than give out candy, we grill hot dogs, pass out hot cocoa, water, and chips to everyone out trick or treating. it is a HUGE hit in our little town. one year because of illness in the homeowner's family we weren't able to do it. there were so many concerned people the following year who were worried we had stopped. We don't charge a penny for anything we pass out - it's all free. and oh my gosh, is it ever so much fun! Still waiting to find out if we're doing it today or not because of the weather. still raining and oh so, cold, but then again, we've done this in the snow. we DO live in northeast Ohio afterall..... I won't be able to go this year, which makes me sad, but hubby and Ryan are really looking forward to it.

So on to my costume for this year.... I haven't worn a costume in years. really. just not a fan of Halloween and all it's become. but that is a story for another time.
while checking out an online t-shirt store for Walking Dead stuff..... yep, zombie love rules!, I came across this one. cracks me up! (click on photo to see all of the saying....)

I'm working on the 'surviving' part, but boy howdy, ain't this the truth!

have a great day! love to all of you! :)

p.s. today is the last day to enter my Hope You Can Cling To blog candy. thank you to those of you have played along & are sending cards to MD Anderson!

Still Around...

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Coconut Macadamia

I know I havw been missing for a bit, and I do apologize. it's been a rough week or so with my radiation. every day the burns & blisters seem to spread farther across my body & become more painful. as it stands now I have 3 more weeks of treatment. David & I have some very difficult decisions ahead of us, so we are doing a lot of praying. but in the midst of all this I still have so much peace. God is so good! He blesses me abudantly every single day.

We tried to go out for a while yesterday to enjoy the fall day, but had to cut it short when I had a bad episode. It's so hard to watch my family see me when the bad times hit. it tears my heart right open. but before hand we were able to enjoy a special time at a nearby apple orchard & farm as we used to when the boys were younger. They had apple dumplings while I munched on the most yummy maple bacon doughnut. oh gosh, it sure was tasty! :)  Brought home some fresh apple cider and sugarless apple butter.

The most beautiful blue jays have taken over the nest on my front porch. I haven't seen any jays quite this size in quite a long time. I think they are hiding out from the storm that is approaching. Our porch will be the perfect place for them to stay nice and dry. :) My baby squirrel friend is still around gathering  his winter nuts & berries.

All of you in the path of the storm please stay warm & safe. my love to everyone who pops by! :)
Jennifer

Hope You Can Cling To Blog Candy Reminder

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Happy Friday to ya!

 


Just wanted to post a little reminder to all of you about my Hope You Can Cling To blog candy..... you can link a card for ANY of the HYCCT challenges for the entire month. it does not have to be for only mine. right now there aren't any entries at all, so your chances of winning are pretty good. ;)  you have until midnight on Oct. 31 to link a project.

I can only ship the Big Pro die to a winner in the USA.

sorry I haven't been around much. haven't felt well this week. thank goodness every day of treatment means one day closer to being DONE, at least with this portion! ;)

enjoy your weekend!

Hope You Can Cling To - Peaceful Pink...blog candy, too!

Coffee of the Day - Salted Caramel White Mocha

Today is the big day for me - the day I am so very honored to be a Hostess over at Split Coast Stampers for Hope You Can Cling To!!!! I truly hope you will join me and the other hostesses in creating cards to send to breast cancer warriors at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. As I have mentioned before, I have participated in this card drive ever year since it started. To be asked to play along as a Hostess is such a thrill! :)  So many amazing companies and individuals have donated prizes. Please consider making a card or several to send along. if you bear with me, you might even find a bit of blog candy at the end of this post....... ;)

The theme for my challenge is called 'Peaceful Pink'. many of you know that pink is one of my most fave colors, especially in crafting. when I was told that I had breast cancer, one of my first thoughts was, "well at least I got the pink one and not a yucky pea green one!" my oncology nurse just thought that was hysterical! :-D  But really, if you read my blog very often, you know that nature is very important to me, and has been even more so as I have been battling this dreaded disease. The birds singing brings me such comfort when the side effects of treatments get so horrible. I can sit and gaze out my window watching the squirrels and chipmunks play on my front porch for hours and my mind is brought to ease. So when I was asked to be a Hostess, I knew immediately that I wanted a challenge that could help bring a sense of peace to someone else who is fighting cancer. You can find more details about the challenge here in the HYCCT forums.

I chose the image for this card because while going through my own cancer battle, I have found great peace listening to the beautiful birds that sing outside my window. even when the chemo was at it's most horrible, I could listen to those birds, find comfort, and get through the next few minutes.


Image is from A Day for Daisies, papers are K & Co. Flora and Fauna, trim is Prima, buttons are vintage, leaf flourish die is Cheery Lynn. butterflies are covered in spun sugar distress stickles, flowers are accented with pink spica glitter pen, and water is covered in frost shimmer spray.

Even in the midst of winter, these bare trees are full of beauty. They remind me that while my hair is gone and my body is going through so many changes, spring DOES come again.....


the image is from A Day for Daisies, papers are Basic Grey Serendipity, sky was first watercolored and then sponged with SU! inks. snow on fence was painted with shimmer spray, as was the snow line among trees. button & seam tape are both vintage. seam tape was lightly sprayed with tea rose glimmer mist. chevrons accents were cut with a MFT die. rose is a Prima. after scanning this card I went back and added some rock candy distress stickles to the Prima rose for just a hint of sparkle.

Now for the blog candy....
I was a true Goober Queen and accidentally ordered 2 of these fun stamps from MFT - Fix-it Fred. So one of you will be the lucky winner to get not only this stamp, but also a roll of Prima Craftsman washi tape and bottle of Peeled Paint Distress Stain to go with it. I will also add a few other fun little goodies to the package. BUT you need to do a little something in order to qualify - please create a card for Hope You Can Cling To. it does NOT have to be for my challenge, but can be for any of the challenges going on all month. link your card from the SCS gallery or your post in the HYCCT forum so I'll know you have played along.

you do NOT have to be a follower of my blog to enter. but IF I reach 500 followers or more by the end of the month, I will add an ADDITIONAL blog candy for another winner. :)

I am adding another BIG candy for y'all - I bought this gorgeous Rosettes Big Pro die from Sizzix. Sadly the store I bought it from did NOT mention anywhere that it is ONLY for the BIG PRO machine, which I do not have and don't have the almost $400 to buy. IF you have one of these spunky machines and would like to have this beautiful die, please enter your info in the below Mr. blue froggy linky thingy. I would love to pass this cutie along. isn't is wonderful? there are some fab dies for the Big Pro, but I sure can't even imagine having an extra $400 in my lifetime that isn't going toward medical bills that seem to hit our mailbox on a daily basis.... sigh. anyhow, ONE of you can most certainly have this and I would be delighted! it's a value of $59.99!!!!!!
btw - this does need to be for USA residents only. the die is very heavy for shipping. sorry.

Winner(s) will be drawn on Nov. 1 and posted the next day. if you are not a member of SCS, you are more than welcome to send cards to me and I will put them in the card box at my Cancer Centers. just let me know in your post. Thank you so much! Jennifer

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

A Few Cool Things to Check Out...

Please see next post for today's HYCCT card....

I want to share with you a few things I have come across while catching up on my bajillion emails from last week. I'm down to less than 100! woo hoo! hey, it doesn't take much to excite me these days! ;)  I'm happy 'The Walking Dead' started its new season even though I won't be able to watch it until next year when it comes out on DVD! pathetic, aren't I?!

anyhow.....
first up is a HUGE blog candy opportunity over at Bev's blog, Bearly Mine. you should see all of the great things you have a chance to win! wowza!

have you been to Blitsy yet? every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday new items are added to the store for one week only. prices are amazing and the shipping is really fast. be sure to stop by if you get a chance. the latest things added include Tim Holtz distress special edition inks & refills (thank you, Lisa, for introducing these to me!!), Cosmo Cricket, and Spellbinders.

next is a great opportunity to do something REALLY nice for some people who often get overlooked these days - the elderly living in nursing homes. Vera Yates is heading up a holiday card drive now through Nov. 30. Please pop by her blog for more information and consider sending along a card or 2. There are some neat prizes being offered, too.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

Jar of Love

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice (thank you, Gina!!)

this card is made for Theresa's Hope You Can Cling To challenge, 'Read All About It'. I love the added use of text themed items on my cards, so this was a fun challenge to play along with!

The beautiful image comes from A Day for Daisies, pretty vintage ad paper is Melissa Frances, flair button (which also contains text) is Pink Paislee, tickets are Maya Road, buttons are from my vintage stash. crochet trim and floral spray are also from my stash. flowers were sprayed with tea rose glimmer mist. flowers in main image were covered in shimmerz paint.

Tomorrow is my day to serve as Hostess at SCS Hope You Can Cling To. I do hope you will stop by both here and over in the chat forums to join me! :)  There are soooooooooo many prizes up for grabs thanks to the generosity of many wonderful sponsors.

Challenges:
LUFP

Dreams of Hope

Coffee of the Day - Eggnog (yeah, I know it isn't the season yet, but it sounded good!)

I was so excited to create this card for Bridget's 'Hope is the Thing' challenge for Hope You Can Cling To 2012.

the precious image is from A Day for Daisies, papers are My Mind's Eye The Sweetest Thing Lavender, button & lace are vintage, and all inking is watercolor with SU! inks. some washi tape, a pretty pink rose, twigs, and Pink Paislee flair button finish the card. shimmerz paint and glimmer mist add a hint of shine.

I need to give a HUGE shout out to Cindy Coutts who gifted me with the entire set of new SU! in color inks, markers, and papers, which I used on this card. Thank you, Cindy!!! I just love them all! :) I was the recipient of a prize of Cindy's several months ago, and then she surprised me with this lovely package of goodies from SU! What a kind and generous heart!

I also want to thank all of you who have so kindly sent me care packages of socks and slippers! :)  I haven't worn a pair twice yet, and the medical staff comment every day on what I have on my feet! it just cracks me up! tee hee! thanks to all of you my toes stay nice and warm as the temps are in the 30's and 40's, but oh am I stylin'! unfortunately my skin is getting burned from all of the radiation, but then that is to be expected. I seem to sleep ALL the time, but they told me that would be typical as well.

I must say that I am blessed beyond belief.....this callenge at SCS is all about hope and y'all have given it to me in spades. every day I wake up knowing that I am loved. that is nothing to take lightly, and believe me, I don't. I hold onto each of you so tightly in my heart. I might not get a chance to say it to you directly, but know that I think about y'all every single day. thank you. for being there with me each step of this journey - thank you! :)

Challenges:
LUFP
Simon Says Stamp - dies and punches
Papertake Weekly - all creatures great and small

It's World Card Making Day! :)

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Pumpkin Pie

Happy World Card Making Day to all of you! I truly truly love this day! I've been participating since Paper Crafts magazine first started it several years ago, and I most certainly wasn't going to let a thing like cancer keep me from taking part again! you know sassy little me! tee hee!

If you look around bloggyland, you will find some fun challenges, great sales, and some of the most wonderful people you'll ever come across. I hope you get a chance to do so blurfing, but also get a bit crafty.

Please hop over to the Jellypark challenge blog. Claire is offering up the  most adorable free image for everyone and a fun challenge for the weekend. I hope to play along today if I can.

I have made this card for giogio's HYCCT challenge of '3 dies or punches and a sentiment' as well as Party Time Tuesday's color/multi fold challenge.


The beautiful mermaid image comes from Krista at Saturated Canary. the card fold is one I had never tried before, so thank you to Beate for her diamond fold tutorial in the Split Coast Stampers resources area. :) papers are Graphic 45, button is vintage, cheesecloth was dyed with SU! crumb cake ink, shimmerz paint and my spica clear glitter pen added accents to the mermaid.

punches used were from Martha Stewart and SU! I also added a Spellbinders die, but if you count that, I go over for a total of 4. eek! I added little dots of water droplets with my shimmer spray.

Last night we had the most fun Friday evening with all of the guys home, sitting around the television, eating pizza, and watching Season 2 of The Walking Dead. pizza, zombies, and family - what could be better in life?! ;)

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Craft's Meow - WCMD
A Gem of a Challenge - for the girls
Crafty Mess - anything goes
Paper Crafting Journey - mythical creatures

Those Brave Boots...

Coffee of the Day - Coconut White Mocha

I made this card for Kathy's HYCCT challenge of 'Courage'. as I have been going through my own battle with cancer, each time I have to face yet another aspect of treatment that I really don't want to have to go through, I say this to myself..... "gotta put those brave girl boots on!" so of course when I saw Kathy's theme of 'courage', there was no doubt in my mind which stamp set I would pick up to create a card. ;)

stamp set comes from Unity, papers from Basic Grey Soleil, baby tickets from Maya Road, itty bitty flower from Prima, linen thread is SU!, buttons are from my vintage stash, and washi tapes come from Etsy. main tag was tea stained. I took my largest watercolor brush very lightly over the main image of the cowboy boots after all coloring was done to help soften the look.  since I was using all dye inks, this caused them to run ever so slightly, which is just what I wanted. hooray! lastly I used the SU! ink squirty tool over the tag.

I have some big decisions to make over the next few days regarding my cancer journey, so I ask for prayers for my family please. I know where the journey is taking me..... it's my family that matters most to me right now. thank you so much for being with me through all of this. hugs to all of you! :) Jennifer

Challenges:
The Stamping Boutique - pink, pink, pink
LUFP
Art Impressions - pink
Happy Campers CC - pink & brown
Crafts & Me - my sentiments exactly
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - you've been tagged
Paper Shelter - distressing

Strip Please - She Loved Behaving Badly! ;)

Coffee of the Day - Salted Caramel White Mocha

So did my post title catch you off guard? 'Strip Please' is the name of the newest challenge over at Hope You Can Cling To on Split Coast Stampers. the idea is to use strips of paper or cs behind your main image. I went a weeeeeee bit sassy with my interpretation and grabbed this oh, so fun digi from That's Fabulous on Etsy for mine. She has the most outrageous digis that capture vintage and a bit of sass all at the same time. some are flat out beautiful, too.

When Victoria was trying to come up with a challenge theme for HYCCT, I was telling her that I was constantly being told to dis-robe by one doctor, nurse, or medical technician for test after test, exam after exam.  She loved the idea so much she named her challenge after it! :)

papers are Basic Grey Serendipity cut with a MFT chevron die. perfect way to use those thin scraps! pretty flower is also from Etsy. buttons are from my vintage stash. lots and lots of shimmerz paint, stickles, and spica glitter pen accents on here for that glam touch. the ribbon was part of a gift, so I'm sorry I don't have the mfg.

I had some bad news today from my radiation oncologist regarding my cancer. I have a lot of tests and biopsies to go through in upcoming days, so will only be posting short messages with my cards for HYCCT and World Card Making Day. I want to spend as much time with my family as I can. all of the boys will be home this weekend and I need the time with them desperately. I do hope you can understand.

hugs and lots of love to you! :)

5 Words of Hope

Coffee of the Day - Salted Caramel White Mocha

Hello! As we get into October, every few days I will be posting cards I have made for the Split Coast Stampers Hope You Can Cling To challenges. As a hostess, I was able to help some of the other hostesses with their sample cards. I must tell you, these are some of the nicest ladies who have so kindly welcomed me into their midst. I do hope you can stop by to play along in a few challenges and enjoy some fun chats. You won't believe the prizes up for grabs as well.

In addition to HYCCT, Link Up For Pink is going on all month as well. most of my projects will link up there as well. I am a receiving station for cards for LUFP, as I will be taking them to the 2 cancer centers I visit.  I do ask that you make sure you have plenty of postage on anything you mail to me though. I've had quite a few envelopes arrive in the past month owing $3 or $4. I don't mind helping where I can, but it does add up after a while.

anyhow, off to the card.....
I have made this card for Edna's beautiful '5 Words of Hope' challenge for HYCCT. I just loved the idea behind this challenge! :)

the image comes from A Day for Daisies, paper from Basic Grey Soleil collection, words from Melody Ross Soul Food, trim from Pink Paislee, and leaf flourish die from Cheery Lynn. button is vintage and flowers are dried. flowers on main image have been accented with shimmerz paint.

Challenges:
Link Up For Pink
A Day for Daisies - anything goes
Paper Pretties - flowers
Divas by Design - texture
Penny's Paper Crafty - die cuts and punches
Whimsy Inspiration - anything goes

'Hope You Can Cling To' starts today!

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

 

Happy Monday to ya! Today starts the 'Hope You Can Cling To' challenges over at Split Coast Stampers. If you aren't familiar with these, for the entire month of October, a new challenge (or sometimes several!) will be released all based on the theme of breast cancer support and encouragement. Cards are made to send to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. I have played along every year since it started, but obviously this year has an even different meaning to me.

I want to tell all of you that this year not only am I playing along as a participant, but I am honored (and do I ever mean honored!!!) to be a challenge hostess! I am the first hostess to participate who is undergoing breast cancer treatment while during HYCCT. of course I don't even begin to measure up talent-wise with all of the other hostesses. man oh man, that list reads like royalty! ;) I am truly at the bottom of the totem pole, but so thrilled to be a part.

Please stop over when you get a chance, and hopefully play along. Thankfully I was able to get a few cards made before my radiation treatments started. no crafties seem to be going on these days, as I feel pretty pukey and tired most days. oh well. it won't last forever, thank goodness. ;) enjoy your week and listen for the birds' songs! :)