Big Stuff Coming Up!

Coffee of the Day - Creamy Chestnut

big events coming up in the crafty world - World Card Making Day on October 4 and Hope You Can Cling To for the entire month of October. plenty of opportunities to get inky!!!

 I'm spending the day putting finishing touches on my personal pink blog candy for next month to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. will also do some sorting and arranging in the craft room so I am ready to be a craft warrior!

 don't feel as if everything you make next month has to be pink. there are so many amazing organizations that collect cards for people with debilitating illnesses. check with them for any specific needs or requests they might have before sending them your cards though. one of my faves is the Jellypark Post Pals Club, sending cards to children and teens with terminal illnesses.

the important thing is to pass the gift of kindness along.... have a great weekend!

and this is the latest news - I was just invited to be in a great Coffee Lover's Blog Hop on Monday!

sure hope you will stop by! lots of bloggers and lots of prizes! of course lots of coffee inspiration, too. ;)

Have Hope Mixed Media Owl

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Pecan

Today's Hope You Can Cling to Challenge is 'Mix It Up - Mixed Media.' While I have done this with other projects, I haven't really done it on a card so to speak. I knew I wanted to use this cute little owl from Tracey at The Stamping Boutique, but incorporating a digi on a mixed media card presents its own set of problems, especially when my printer at the time was on the fritz. rollers were messed up and nothing wider than about 5" would go through..... I was having to cut all of my cs before feeding it through.

as I mentioned before, life is pretty interesting at our house on a daily basis. ;)

the card base is sprayed with several shades of blue glimmer mists with The Crafter's Workshop mini fish scale stencil. 'have hope' is from the stamp set of the same name by My Favorite Things. the branches were cut from a Starbucks coffee cozy with a TH die. leaves were cut from Basic Grey Persimmon paper with a TH die. little baby flowers are Prima. I think the button is SU!. paint along the edges is white mixed with a few drops of baked brown sugar re-inker. I didn't have a tan acrylic paint, so I just made my own.

I also want to tell all of you thank you for your support as we have gone through the ups and downs of first thinking I was cancer free and then discovering I might not be. it means a lot to have all of you here with us. thank you!

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Challenges:
Sister Act - anything goes
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Delightful Challenges - winged things
Craft Room - feathered friends
Cheerful Stamp Pad - stencil
Crafty Bloggers - anything goes
Ooh La La - things with wings
Path of Positivity - hope
Allsorts - treemendous

Coffee Together with My Best Friend

Coffee of the Day - Oatmeal Cookie Crumble

well as I am typing this post, I am sipping coffee from my ever faithful french press. thank goodness it always works so long as I can get hot water to it! :)  by 8:30 this morning I had moved all of the branches that had fallen yesterday up to right by the house. not sure if Dave wants to take them out to Camp for bonfires there or what, so left them by the driveway. my pretty pink Camp Burton hoodie is no longer pretty and pink. oh well. it had to happen one day, and better from good ol' dirt than me spilling food all down the front, which I seem to do with every bite I take.

more than anything, I am just so thankful that there wasn't any damage to our house. God kept us safe, once again. His angels ROCK! :)  I can just picture them all over and around the house like a big fierce, glowing bubble. oh yeah!

now on to crafty stuff -
today's Hope You Can Cling To challenge is 'A Listening Ear.' I was so excited to find this adorable image from A Random Fan that just so totally sums up my besties in all the world - my pups! grins! they have so faithfully listened to my cries, screams, yells, songs, whispers, and whatever noise I happen to make at any given moment. they have made this cancer journey so much easier to travel.

papers are Basic Grey Sweet Threads, fabulous flower is Prima, dies for image are MFT Mat Stax, dies for leaves are Spellbinders, 'together' sentiment is from Melody Ross Soul Food. pink shimmerz accents the hearts.

Challenges:
CRAFT - recipe: 1 or more die cut, 2 or more designer papers, 3 or more embellies
Basic Grey - food and drink
Paper Crafting Journey - anything goes
Creative Moments - anything goes
Inkspirational - anything goes
Paper Pretties - eat, drink, and be merry
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Deep Ocean - button it up
Craft Your Passion - pink
613 Avenue Create - create your own: image, sentiment, patterned paper, die cut, stickles, button, flower, ribbon
That Craft Place - think pink
Squirrel and the Fox - pink for breast cancer awareness

Room In Your Heart for the Unimaginable

Coffee of the Day - Chipotle

Today's Hope You Can Cling To challenge at Split Coast Stampers is a really fun one - Impossible Things Happen: a fairy tale theme. everyone loves a fairy tale! what is your favorite? I am a Sleeping Beauty fan from the word go..... I think that is probably my absolute favorite movie in the whole wide world!

I have many images I could have chosen from for this challenge, but the one that spoke loudest to me of hope was 'Dreams Do Come True' by A Day for Daisies. The great sentiment is once again from Ginger's House. paper is She Art by Pink Paislee, stitching is from an Inky Antics stamp set, pink shimmerz was added to both the sentiment tag and Cinderella's shoe, button is vintage as is the sheet music used to cut stars. a pretty flower, a heart doily, pink seam tape, and pink rhinestones complete the card.

Temps are definitely dropping here. it's frosty and rainy. our heater has been out of commission since last week, so we are hoping the part to fix it comes in SOON! it's a bit nippy in the house these days! ;)

don't forget to sign up for the Pinktober blog candy! :)

Challenges:
Creative Craft - anything goes
Ladybug Crafts - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - bingo: die cut, doily, flowers
Perfectly Rustics - patterned paper
Bunny Zoe - ribbon
Craft Your Passion - pink
Crafty Cardmakers - shabby chic
Melonheadz - fairy tale
Paper Playtime - ribbon and buttons
My Craft Spot - color inspiration
Great Impressions - buttons and bows
That Craft Place - pink
Allsorts - ribbons and bows
A Creative Romance - pink
Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon

Salt Air in my Hair

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice (almost out - eek!)

After our busy week with the guys here, I am finally getting back on track with crafting again. not to mention having the cancer burden lifted just flat out feels FANTASTIC!!!!!  I know I  still have a long way to go on the road to healing, but just to know that the cancer is gone makes such a difference. the radiation from Friday is already causing lots of problems, so that is a downer. it's a nasty bugger, that is for sure. did you know there is a limit to how much radiation you are allowed to have your body exposed to over a lifetime? I sure didn't until we started down this road.... I'm pretty close to mine.

on to the fun of crafting though. and this card will most certainly brighten a day! it is full of happy colors! The new Hope You Can Cling To challenge at Split Coast Stampers for today is 'Sending Flowers.' so I piled them on! :) you'll see flowers in my paper, the die, the image, and the gorgeous Prima.

the wonderful image is 'Aloha Blooms' by A Day for Daisies, papers are Basic Grey Lauderdale,  sentiment is from a new freebie site I found called Ginger's House, fabulous floral die is called 'Daisy Doily' by Whimsy, and that stunning flower is a Prima. the flowers in her hair were highlighted with pink stickles. the lace trim is vintage. I painted in the little birds below the sentiment.

don't forget about the Pinktober blog candy! there are going to be a LOT of winners, so be sure to enter! :)

Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Creative Fingers - girls just want to have fun
Jo's Scrap Shack - anything goes
Sister Act - anything goes
Paper Pretties - lots of embellishments
Cards Galore - flowers
Catch the Bug - bingo: black, button, sentiment

HYCCT - Put Your Brave Boots On!

Coffee of the Day - Moon Pie (it's almost gone, boo hoo hoo!)

Happy happy Friday! this post is going to be loaded with LOTS of cards, so I won't go into much detail about products. if you would like more info, please either email me or head over to my gallery at Split Coast Stampers. each card will have a list of items used. :)

We also have a new challenge over at Jellypark today, so please stop by to see what everyone has created. We are celebrating Pinktober and breast cancer awareness, so get your pink on! :)

I am thrilled beyond measure to be today's 'Hope You Can Cling To' hostess at Split Coast Stampers! My challenge theme is one very near and dear to my heart. I am calling it 'Put Your Brave Boots On' after a stamp set made by Unity. the saying in this set has become my mantra during my cancer battle. it seems that every time I have another test, scan, or 'whatever' I have to face, I tell myself to put on my brave boots. in fact, as you are reading this, I am at the hospital going through more of those tests and scans. and oh my goodness, am I ever so weary of this battle sometimes. but I wear these brave boots not just for myself, but also for my husband and sons. I want them to know that we do not EVER give up in this family. things may get tough, but we can still find joy every single day.

So for my challenge I am asking everyone to make a card with images of boots and shoes. you can see some great samples created by other HYCCT hostesses in the gallery by entering 'HYCCT1318' in the search engine at SCS. also use this tag if you yourself create a card and upload it. thank you! :)

here are my projects:

my first card uses a fun image from Jellypark called 'pattern wellies.' I believe it was a freebie at one time or another. papers are Basic Grey True Love; sentiment was typed on computer. dew drops, rhinestone flourish, glimmer mist, and glitter gel pen are just a few of the embellishments used.

this card uses the 'Brave Boots' itty bitty set from Unity and Basic Grey Green at Heart papers. glimmer mist, enamel dots, tulle trim, and some wood veneer help add to the feminine touch. boots were stamped onto patterned paper.

this last card is done with the same Unity Brave Boots, but with a masculine feel. the barbed wire and star charm dies come from MFT, papers are My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose Mabel. lots of shading with inks give a rustic touch. this fabulous sentiment is also Unity. one of my fave sayings of late.

thanks for your patience! have a most wonderful weekend! :)

Peaceful Lake Scene

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Hello! First I want to share some cool news with you. Today in the UK a most amazing magazine goes on sale. Digital Crafting Essentials vol. 1, looks to be a fabulous magazine, packed with images and samples from some of our most fave artists! not only will you see my fellow Jellypark peeps inside, but also Saturated Canary, Heather Ellis (the artist behind Pure Innocence at MFT), Crafters Companion, and many others. I can't even begin to express what an honor it is to be included in this magazine!!! when you buy a copy, you receive 2 DVDs loaded with images. so cool! I'll show you my card in a later post.....

Next up is a card I made for the 'Peace and Quiet' Hope You Can Cling To challenge at SCS. the idea was to create a card using just images, no words or sentiments, to reflect a peaceful scene. I remembered that I had this wonderful image from Phindy's Place, so was glad to use it. papers are Basic Grey Serenade and border die is MFT. burlap ribbon is May Arts and button & seam binding are from my stash. pretty simple, but that is pretty much the idea.

------> TOMORROW is the day I am hostess at Hope You Can Cling To!!!!! I hope you will stop by both here and over at SCS!!!! I would love to have you play along! :)

don't forget the Pinktober blog candy! I hope to get to everyone's blogs and projects this weekend. sorry I haven't made it yet. y'all are fabulous for making projects though. thank you! :)

Challenges:
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Crafting with Dragonflies - nature/trees/leaves
Penny's Paper Crafty - anything goes
Designed to Color - tie it up
4 Krafty Girlz - anything goes
Flourishes - burlap or canvas
Kaboodle Doodles - earth tones/colors
Perfectly Rustics - watercoloring (I color almost all of my images this way)
Inkspirational - anything goes

Ribbon Boy in a Pocket

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Maple Nut

Well I was able to get a bit crafty yesterday, so I do have a card to share with you. don't forget to sign up for  my Pinktober blog candy while you are here. I would hate for you to miss out on some cool goodies! I've also passed 1000 posts this week, so have added another winner to the bunch! :) remember, you do not have to be a follower or post anything on your blog to enter. just promise to make a card to pass along to someone that lets them know you are thinking of them. easy peasy!

The new challenge over at Hope You Can Cling To for today is 'Pocket Full of Hope.' I added a pocket to my card using the Pretty Pocket die from MFT. the cutey image on the tag comes from Whimsy and Stars - 'Ribbon Boy.' I paper pieced the ribbon with Basic Grey Lilykate paper, while the rest of the card was made with Basic Grey Carte Postale papers. faux stitching is done with Inky Antics Sew Many Stitches stamp. card base bg was made with the inside of a padded mailing envelope. buttons, brads, a paper flower, and May Arts ribbons finish the card.

Challenges:
Crafting Cafe - anything goes
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - cut it out
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Crafter's Cafe - cute
Paper Playtime - ribbon and buttons
613 Avenue Create - pile it on
Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes
Quirky Crafts - fave things: Basic Grey, pink, and buttons
Craftitude - anything goes with things that start with 's' (stitching, support ribbon)
4 Krafty Girlz - anything goes
Paper Pretties - embellish

You Will Shine, Fishy!

Coffee of the Day - Bourbon Pecan

Hello to you! I haven't posted quite like I  had planned this month. seems my health has other ideas, so have spent way more time in bed than I would like. at least I am reading some fabulous books while there, so a silver lining does exist, folks! :)

I would like to share a card today that was made with several challenges in mind. You know how committed I have been to the Hope You Can Cling To challenges at SCS. well, several of them fall into the CAS category, which is a real hair puller for me, as you well know..... thankfully Sandy at Scribbles Designs helped me tremendously by having a 'shades of orange' challenge that begins today. I was able to mix Sandy's cutey fish with Lori's CAS - Courage and Strength in orange and red challenge.

I used great papers from the Basic Grey Hipster collection,  Lawn Fawn photo die, Unity stamp for the sentiment, SU! linen thread, button, and cool orange rhinestone flourish to mimic seaweed.  the fish's scales were painted with apricot shimmerz.

I'll try to get a bit more crafting done this week. depends upon how I'm feeling and my Willy Wonka head does.... truly feels as if it's been dancing too much with the Oompa Loompas after all of these lovely pain meds I'm taking. spent yesterday at the dr. and go to the hospital Friday for some tests and scans.

but it IS autumn and the leaves are gorgeous and the weather is nice and cool and my squirrel and bird friends stop by to see me and life is beautiful! :)

Challenges:
Challenges 4 Everybody - anything goes
Glitter 'n Sparkle - add some orange
WAW - anything goes with encouraging senti or verse
Great Impressions - a button and a bow
2 Sisters - anything goes
Brown Sugar - anything goes
Card Crafters Circle - use 3 embellishments
Crafts 4 Eternity  - CAS
Creative Fingers - anything goes with shades of one color
Sister Act - anything goes cards

Hope and Courage Shabby Subway Art

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Happy Friday! boy does it ever feel good to type that....
did any of you watch the tribute episode of Glee last night? it was quite beautiful, but tough to see, I admit. We received sad news yesterday regarding a friend of our's from church and her sister. This lady's sister has the same type of breast cancer that I do and has just been admitted to a hospice facility. she received her diagnosis right before I did. our treatments took a similar path. this news was not only sad for our friend and her sister, but quite the reality check for us. puts so much into perspective.

anyway, on to my card. I tried something a bit different. let me tell you, my crafting sure is a saving grace for me. so I'll keep posting cards as long as I am feeling well enough to make them! :)

Crafty Secrets has such beautiful vintage stamps, and their cancer support images are quite lovely. I used several images from the set, Support the Girls. I hadn't tried a subway art type piece before, so thought I would give it a go, adding my own shabby spin. Both the ribbon and word piece were printed onto pieces of Basic Grey Serendipity paper. I then added some little doodles and coloring to the sentiment/subway piece with my white gel pen, orange glitter pen, and paintbrush. this was matted onto another piece of the BG paper and white dots added with the gel pen. SU! linen thread, buttons, and paper flower finish off the card.

have a great weekend! remember that you are truly, deeply loved! :)

Challenges:
Crafty Secrets - October linky party
LUFP - breast cancer support linky party
DL Art - breast cancer support linky party
WAW - anything goes with encouraging senti
Brown Sugar - anything goes
Digitally Sweet - fave colors (pink with kraft)
Stamping for the Weekend - anything goes
Wags 'n Whiskers - pink/breast cancer awareness
Loves Rubberstamps - polka dots
Tuesday Throwdown - awareness
Love to Create - breast cancer awareness
Kraft Journal - button, bow, or bangle ( buttons & bow with kraft cs)
Dream Valley - buttons
Great Impressions - buttons and bows
Robyn's Fetish - use a digi

Go Confidently Dream Catcher

Coffee of the Day - Red Velvet Cake

Today's new challenge over at Hope You Can Cling To is 'Words to Inspire You.' I knew that I wanted to make a masculine card, so I pulled out this fantastic stamp set from Unity that I bought a few weeks ago. The stamp is called 'Capture Confident Dreams' and is just so very amazing. While you are over at the Unity store, you have just GOT to see the new Fashionistas that Tracey Malnofski has drawn! I want them both!!! and was I ever doing the happy dance when I saw them!!!! rarely do you see cancer support images that actually show REAL looking chemo women. these are fabulous! :)

papers are Basic Grey Persimmon, burlap ribbon is May Arts, main image was fussy cut and then popped up on foam tape. some buttons, feathers, and a pretty paper sunflower were added. I wanted to try to keep a natural feel to the card.

Be sure you have entered the Pinktober blog candy on this post. :)

Challenges:
Delightful Challenges - distressed
Dreamweaver - magical and mystical
Crafter's Cafe - fave craft item (buttons & Basic Grey!)
Divas by Design - 3 or more layers
Rhedd and Rosie - autumn colors
Simon Says Stamp - use a rubber or clear stamp
Sisterhood of Crafters - anything goes
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - cut it out
Just Inspirational - feathers
Papertake Weekly - two by two (2 feathers and 2 navy patterned paper panels)
TTCRD - anything goes
C is for Challenge - boys and men
Eureka - anything goes
Get Inky - fall colors
A Gem of a Challenge - for the boys
Allsorts - autumn colors
Challenges and Candies - colors of autumn
Craftitude - anything goes/ things that start with 's' (sunflower)
QKR Stampede - fall colors

Save the Rack

Coffee of the Day - Eggnog

Today's card is by no means intended to offend anyone. I come from a family of hunters and live with a family of hunters. We all have great respect for animals as well as for women. but at the same time, we have a fun sense of humor. we can't get through life without it, especially when difficult times come along. I hope you can see that when you look at my card. believe you me, if I myself am not offended by this and I'm going through breast cancer, then I think it's probably okay.... ;)

As I was browsing through Etsy last month, I noticed that the latest catch phrase for breast cancer awareness is 'Save the Rack' with deer antlers as the symbol. Unity Stamps recently came out with a new line of hunting stamps. Yesterday LuvLee challenged all of us to use pink camo on her Hope You Can Cling To challenge. so I have taken all of the above and created this card.

I colored the deer stamp with my SU! markers. the deer was then covered in walnut distress stickles. the card base & senti tag were sprayed with 2 shades of pink glimmer mist. The senti tag was made with a combo of the sentiment from the 'Nice Rack' stamp and 'Big or Small' sentiment stamp. The fabulous camo rose trim comes from Shabby Rose Trim over at Etsy. I bought a gorgeous autumn paisley one at the same time that I'm excited to use on a later project. buttons, pink camo ribbon, and SU! linen thread finish the card. oh yes, that cool shield die is from Spellbinders.

Don't forget to enter the Pinktober Blog Candy! :)

Challenges:
Catch the Bug - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Cut it Up - think pink with die cuts
Digi Haven - use 2 colors (pink and brown)
Pattie's Creations - ribbon
Totally PaperCrafts - bring humor
Wags 'n Whiskers - pink/breast cancer awareness
Crafty Ribbons - anything goes with ribbon
LUFP - breast cancer awareness linky party
Cardz TV - breast cancer awareness

Love to Create - candy inspired (tootsie rolls & raisinettes, some of my  most fave candies EVER! also, breast cancer support M & M's)
DL Art - breast cancer awareness linky party
Shopping Our Stash - pink/breast cancer support (stash: buttons, tag punch)

Hope on a Clothesline

This is my 2nd post today and it is for Hope You Can Cling To. the newest challenge is called 'Punch it Out.' we are encouraged to use punches and die cuts on our project. well I picked up this FABULOUS MFT Support Hope die after a wonderful friend gave me a gift certificate. isn't it amazing??!!? I knew this image from A Day for Daisies would be so pretty with it....

papers are Basic Grey Serendipity, other dies are MFT chevron stripes and mini rolled rose as well as Spellbinders, punch is Jenni Bowlin, linen thread is SU!, and Hope senti is from MFT 'Have Hope' stamp set. rock candy distress stickles covers the felt rose and shimmerz paint is on the flowers of the main image as well as both bra bows.

Challenges:
LUFP - breast cancer awareness linky party
DL Art - breast cancer awareness linky party
MAWTT - anything goes
Simon Says - dotty
Crafty Sentiments - fave technique (die cuts, distressing, sponging) or colors (pinks with greens and shabby!)
Inky Chicks - 2 die cuts (I actually have 4)
Shopping Our Stash - pink/cancer awareness (clothespins and buttons are old stash)
Live and Love Crafts - pink
ADFD - flowers
Chocolate, Cards, and Coffee - flowers

Believe Impossible Things

Post #2 today....
I will get the blog candy link going, too, I promise. got tied up with my doctor's appt. yesterday. have to start seeing a new oncologist. our insurance co-pay on specialist visits has gone up to $60 ..... can we all say 'YUCK' together! every dr. I see is a specialist! oy! they don't make it easy to be sick.... think of the fun craft supplies I would MUCH rather spend my money on.... oh well.

on to more pleasant things, like another card for the HYCCT challenges! This is a card I made for Beate's first day challenge of Flat is Fabulous. now all of you know me and a one layer card is so very NOT me! this was quite the challenging card for me to make! but Sandy of Scribbles Designs made it so much easier for me.... I told you yesterday that she has quite a few free images in her store. this wonderful cancer support ribbon is one of them! yep! hurry over to the store so you can grab it! :)

I sprayed my card base with 2 shades of pink glimmer mist (yes, I have several shades of pink glimmer mist. I'd have more if I could afford them.... you know I love both pink AND glimmer mist!!!) as well as calico white Mr. Huey's mist. once it was dry, I added the paper pieced ribbon (Basic Grey Urban Prairie) and a phenom sentiment from the Unity set, ' You Will Shine.' a few little doodles in the corners with a black sharpie and the card was finished. the longest part was waiting on all of the mists to dry. I actually like how it turned out, even if it doesn't have any ribbons, trims, or buttons on it. tee hee!

Take care, see you tomorrow, and know that you are truly loved! :)

Challenges:
WAW - anything goes with encouraging senti
Flourishes - paper piecing
Loves Rubberstamps - anything goes
Shopping Our Stash - pink/cancer awareness/support (dsp is old)
Red Carpet Studio - pretty in pink
LUFP - breast cancer awareness linky party
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes/one layer
Lexi's Creations - pink
Sister Act - anything goes
DL Art - breast cancer awareness linky party
4 Krafty Girlz - anything goes

Watching the Sunset with my Best Friend

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Nut

Today I'll have 2 posts of projects for the Hope You Can Cling To challenges going on over at Split Coast Stampers. I hope you will be able to join along at some point this month. It is not only a great deal of fun, but you get to make cards that support such a phenomenal cause.

The challenge starting today is a Pinterest inspired one. Bridget is our hostess and she has shared several beautiful photos she found on Pinterest. you can take one or a combo of several and use them as inspiration for a card. I was actually surprised by the photo I used. it isn't the one I would have expected. but as soon as I saw this digital image from my friend, Deidre, and her Etsy shop, it was easy to see how the card was going to come together.

papers are from the Basic Grey Soleil collection, gorgeous flower is WOC, and everything else is just stash stuff. the moon is painted with shimmerz, and the sunset is painted over with my frost shimmer spray. I used the inside of a bubble envelope to create the bg on the card base.

All of you know just how much my labber dogs mean to me and what they have done to help ease my cancer journey. this image speaks volumes to that. I wouldn't have made it this far with what sanity I have left if it hadn't been for my dogs. :)

Challenges:
Crafting by Designs - anything goes
Paper Shelter - shabby chic
Creative Craft - anything goes
LUFP - breast cancer awareness linky party
Just Inspirational - bingo: 3 papers (I actually used 4), gems, lace
Oldie but a Goodie - bingo: lace, flowers, glitter (shimmerz paint on moon)
oldies are pretty much everything on here except flower and image.
Just For Fun - buttons and bows
Natalie and Amy - shabby chic
Crafty Cardmakers - cute and furry
Melonheadz - animals
A Gem of a Challenge - add black
Pattie's Creations - animals

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. :)

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