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

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Vanilla Nut coffee

Welcome back for another project created for Junk Journal July!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

have an amazing day!

Jennifer

Sending Love Sunflowers

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pumpkin Spice coffee

Good morning and happy weekend! :)

I needed a thinking of you type card to someone who is going through some struggles. that is all of us from time to time, and I know how much it meant to me to receive some encouragement in the mail. 

Recently I purchased the Sunflowers for Ukraine digital image collection from Gecko Galz on Etsy. 100% of the proceeds go to Samaritan's Purse Ukraine relief efforts. I thought the bright happy sunflowers could hopefully bring a smile to the recipient. 

The images were printed onto linen paper for a little bit different look. one of the talented designers at The Graphics Fairy did this in a recent journal, and the look is lovely. a simple card with some distressing and fun little embellishments. the beautiful lace is from SU!

everyone have an amazing weekend! I am still getting the pieces together for the baby journal, all while recovering from the mump! yep. I had them when I was a young girl, but evidently my weakened immune system from long covid has left me susceptible to any and every little germ that passes my way. thank goodness for antibiotics. 

thank you so much for stopping by! enjoy your weekend! :) 

Challenges:

Allsorts - anything goes with scenic option

Creative Fingers - anything goes

Krafty Chicks - all occassions

Crafty Gals Corner - spring/Easter

Creative Knockouts - flower power

Anniversary Bears on a Walk

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Toffee Nut Latte (Starbucks treat from hubby today!)

Hello! I hope all of you are doing well! 

I want to say thank you for the very kind comments and messages regarding my health and DIL. y'all are just the best! :) I have heard that many of you are dealing with health struggles in your families as well. know that I keep you in my prayers.

Today I am sharing an anniversary card I created for Ryan and Elizabeth. I once again used the fun Lily of the Valley simply prints available on Etsy. these cute bears are called Rosy and Cosy.  I cut out the bears twice and added some foam tape for extra dimension. the papers and flowers are from the new Carta Bella Flora collection. sentiment stamp is by SU! luscious purple silk ribbon and vintage buttons complete the card. simple, because I wanted to mail it with first class postage, so taking care to not add too many layers.

I am a huge fan of our postal service here in the States. they work so hard through all types of weather. I never have a problem when stamp prices increase, because these people deserve every penny. but hubby and I were taken aback when we mailed our grand-daughter's birthday card. I typically mail my cards in padded envelopes to give some extra protection to the layers and elements. it cost more than $5 to mail her card, even though it weighed less that 2 ounces. whoa nelly! that is almost double the price I used to pay. so I am trying to be cautious about what I send using the padded envelopes, not so much to avoid the postal service, but trying to be good stewards of our money. so from here on out I will save the fancy cards to go in larger packages that include other fun goodies. :) moms and grandmoms gotta spoil! :D

for the next few weeks, I will be sharing process photos of making the latest baby journal. Danielle has a baby shower at her parents' home several hours away over Mother's Day weekend. I would really like to be able to attend, so am working hard to get the journal finished by then. also hoping I feel well enough to go....

May you have an absolutely joyous weekend surrounded by the people who love you! :)

Jennifer

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

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

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

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

Cup of Columbine Birthday Greetings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Proud of You Steampunk Chemistry Card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunflower Garden Birthday Greetings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just Chillin' Little Fairy

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Orange Ginger tea

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

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

now on to my project for the day...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Birthday Fly Guy

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

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

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

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

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

thank you so much for stopping by!
Jennifer

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

America, Wild & Free

Winner at Eclectic Ellapu
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Cranberry Mango tea

Happy 4th of the July to all of you who live here in the USA! :) to my friends from other parts of the world, hello to you and happy Wednesday! :)

Even though it's just Moon Pie the cat and I here at my house today, spending the day with Netflix and books, I hope that those of you who have the day off are enjoying the holiday and celebrate safely with your loved ones.

I made today's card for all of the staff out at Camp. Dave took it with him as he and Palmer left this morning. this week is Family Camp, with some of those attending having once been staff members themselves and now back married with their children.  some of the family members have been coming to Family Camp for more than 15 years! isn't that so cool?

The flag image is from Paulette at Create with TLC.  you might remember it from the card I made for Memorial Day. I had printed out 2 copies and thought it would be perfect for a card for today, too. our nation's flag never fails to inspire a sense of pride in me, no matter how I feel about things going on around the country. I believe that we CAN come together and be better if we unite in love. :)

The paper and neat added elements are from a free kit I picked up at Raspberry Road Designs. The kit is called "American Freedom." There is currently a store wide sale going on with everything 50% off.  but there are LOTS of free goodies over there to check out, too. this was my first time to print out any of the things I had bought, and they printed quite nicely. that is always a good sign!

behind the flag image is a piece of paper packing that I stamped with a SU! cheesecloth bg stamp then crumpled before adhering. the tag is stamped with a star stamp and then distressed. twine, rick rack, and Zipper Stop seam binding are tied through with an aged Wild Orchid Crafts rose bloom added. vintage buttons, a ticket, and re-purposed denim belt loop give more fun to the card. faux stitching borders finish the card.

Have a fabulous day no matter what you do! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Always Fun - patriotic
Simon Says Stamp Monday - red, white, and/or blue
Crafts Galore Encore - anything goes
DL Art - red, white, and blue
Eclectic Ellapu - red, white, and blue
Crafty Gals Corner - red, white, and blue

You are Somebody!

Coffee of the Day - Pecan Turtle coffee

Happy Friday and welcome to the weekend! Don't forget to enter my Birthday Blog Candy before the end of the month! new additions are being made to all of the prize packages, including the international packages, almost daily. :) you know you want to win. :) right now the odds are pretty good since only a few people are entered. looks like a few of you are going to possibly get LOTS of goodies! grins! you can gain more entries by linking up a birthday themed project. I have heard back from my friend, Mo, of Mo's Digital Pencil, and I'll be buying gift certificates from her store later today. you can't win in you don't enter!

now on to today's project...
I received these beautiful stamps from Reverse Confetti in the mail after having a lovely gift certificate arrive in my mail box from the owner, Jen Del Muro. What an incredibly nice person!!!! I wanted to make something with them right away, but had a few other projects that I had to complete first. But then God put someone on my heart. you know how that goes. and I have learned that when He speaks, I had better listen. He might be quiet, but He is mighty indeed. :)

so I got busy yesterday. I have used the sets "Tall Blooms" and "My Tribe".  Around here, during late summer and early fall, there are some wildflowers that grow along the roadside in the most vibrant purple. they are absolutely gorgeous! they stand out so beautifully from the brown wheatgrasses they grow alongside. I wanted to try to recreate that if I could. it's not easy to see the purples in my photo, but they are there.

(you may click on 

the photo to be taken to

another page to see it larger)

after the Coffee Loving Cardmaker's blog hop, I was so blessed to have won a neat kit from WOW embossing powders, filled with all kinds of goodies. included were the powders that I used on this card: Perissa and Caramel Macchiato on the flowers, and Skinny Chai Latte on the sentiment. The Perissa is probably more suited to scattering like you would do with frantage powders, but I really love the look here on the flowers. it is a gorgeous silver and copper color when melted. the caramel macchiato is a shade of copper.

The sentiment from "My Tribe" was stamped onto vellum with brown ink. it didn't show up so well, so I added the skinny chai latte embossing powder to see if it would help make it pop a bit. once embossed it created a neat marbling effect. this is only a portion of the entire stamp, but the person the card was for needed to know that she is somebody in God's eyes. :)

a few years ago I attended a women's leadership conference. one of the most powerful moments was when we were all told to stand up and repeat over and over again, "I am somebody." for this woman, who had been abused since the time I was a little girl, to say that was difficult because I have never believed it. the young woman receiving this card needed that encouragement yesterday. she immediately sent me a text letting me know how much it meant to her. so to Jen Del Muro, that portion of your stamp is powerful. it's not so much the card, but the message of the stamp you created. thank you. :)

The flowers were stamped onto watercolor paper, embossed, and then painted with SU! inks. after heat setting and painting, I double stamped the other images with ink to make it appear that they were in the bg. I used my SU! ink squirty tool in shades of brown and purple over the top.

beautiful die is by Spellbinders, copper glitter ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and miscellaneous sequins & lace are from my stash. flower is from Michaels, distressed with ink, and then a bit of distress stickles were added. paper is from my beloved Basic Grey, the Vivienne collection...sigh....

thanks for your patience with my long post. :)
have a most fabulous weekend!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash - hello/just because
Crop Stop - anything goes w/a product they carry (Spellbinders, distress stickles)
As You Like It - favorite type of embossing and why: heat because I can use so many neat colors of powder for lots of neat effects. I do enjoy dry embossing, but it doesn't compare to the fun things I can do with embossing powders, such as here.  thanks!)
Aud Sentiments - anything goes w/a sentiment
Moving Along with the Times - June Blooms
Creative Crafters - anything goes
Back to Basics and Beyond - heat embossing
Crafting By Designs - flowers, flowers, flowers
Crafty Addicts - anything goes/w say it with flowers option
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Die Cuttin' Divas - embossing
Tuesday Throwdown - you are on my mind
Crafty Catz - anything goes w/beautiful blooms option

Birthday Cats, Mice, and Old Cheese

Winner at House Mouse and Friends
DT Favorite at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies
Coffee/Tea of the Day - Dunkin' Donuts Vanilla CupCake coffee

So today is my birthday and we are having a party here on my blog! Gourmet cupcakes, ice cream, balloons, music, and lots of dancing! chips and nachos, too! something for everyone!

Don't forget the candy, BLOG CANDY!!!!! Head over to this post and get your name entered for a chance to win some fun prizes! it doesn't matter where in this big, happy world you  live, because everyone has a chance! :) you have until the end of the month to enter. more entries if you link a birthday themed card or project!

so now on to my project....

I pulled out one of my oh, so neglected House Mouse stamps, "Gift for Kitty" and combined it with elements from one of my most favorite ever online stores & blogs, Create with TLC. you have probably seen me use Paulette's sentiments and digital elements if you are a follower or frequent visitor here. she  is a doll. really and truly. she gives away free stuff ALL the time. honest. go check out her blog. now. well, maybe after you finish reading my post. and linking your blog to the candy. then go visit Paulette. tell her hey and ask her what she has against coffee. she will laugh. ;)

speaking of Paulette, she has a few freebies for y'all. talk about party favors! check out the blog candy post for a few more. :) a few of the International participants will win gift certificates to her Etsy store! cool, huh, ?!

(to save these images, click on the photo 

which should take you to another page.

right click and then 'save as' to

the file of your choice

on your computer.

if you have any troubles, 

pop me an email.)

so now we really will get to my card.

card:
cute House Mouse image: check
great Create with TLC elements: check

story: this thing drove me up the freaking wall to get done. I was worried about that cat. it just wasn't right. But here it is finished. Ta da! :)

digital papers are from the Echo Park Celebrate Spring collection, flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, lace trim is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and seam binding is distressed & by Zipper Stop. little ticket and burlap doily are from my stash. no clue whatsoever where the pretty pink sequins came from, but I do like them ever so much. Die is by Spellbinders and punches are from SU! I used a wink of stella glitter pen to go over the jingle bell.

thanks for hanging in there with me. y'all rock the casbah! let's party!
now go get some cake!

Challenges:
House Mouse and Friends - anything goes w/birthday option
Ike's World - anything goes/song inspiration (Happy Birthday, kinda obvious, sorry)
SUYP - furryything goes with cats
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
Cute 'N Crafty - birthday
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Cupcake Inspiration - color challenge: pink, green, yellow
Use Your Stuff - inspired by a song: Happy Birthday, of course ;)
2 Crafty Critter Crazies - anything goes w/a critter
Ching-Chou Kuik - cats or dogs
Crafty Animals - anything goes w/an animal
Dream Factory - Nine Lives

Serene Still Life Spotlight Birthday

Top 3 Pick at Crafting With Dragonflies
Coffee/Tea of the Day - World Market Bourbon Pecan coffee

Hello, everyone! I hope your week has been off to a good start so far.

Please pop back by tomorrow as it's my birthday and we are going to celebrate with some blog candy! hooray! :)

Today's bit of crafty is a card using a technique I haven't done in years! if you haven't tried it before, it's actually quite fun and easy. Spotlighting a portion of your image can be done with either rubber stamps or digital images.

For my project today I am using one of the image from the beautiful "Graceful Still Life" digital set by Power Poppy.  don't forget that they have that great sale going on from now through the end of the month if you use the code COLORINGCHALLENGE at checkout. for more details, be sure to head to either their blog or store. no, I am not on commission, I just happen to think they have gorgeous images. ;) I am trying to improve my painting skills, so these challenge me to try to be better. as with everything in life, we have good days and bad. yesterday was most definitely a bad one. not only did I have horrid migraines and seizures that knocked me for a loop. but whatever I tried to paint ended up in the trash. thank goodness today is a new day with brand new blessings to unfold! :)

anyway, on to my card....

for the spotlight technique, you don't have to, but I did print out my digital image twice. this made it easier for me to line up the image after matting and coloring.

digital papers are from 3 different Prima collections: Almanac, Lucid, and Steel Toe Mary Jane. nothing like being all mixey matchey! :) flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts (just had notice pop in my email about a sale going on here, too! check it out!) and Dimco at Really Reasonable Ribbons. the polka dot ribbon and crochet trim are also from Really Reasonable Ribbons. vintage buttons are from my stash. sari ribbon smidgen is left over from making rehearsal dinner invitations. :) you will see those as the date approaches! :) btw - wedding invites have been mailed and are reaching nearby mailboxes. people are letting us know how excited they are! happy happy!!!!  all of the dies are by Spellbinders and my favorite little punch in the world, the banner punch, is from SU!

you can't tell from the photo, but I did stamp "Happy Birthday" on the inside, because this card is going to Ryan's fiancee. her birthday is next week, although they are currently in New York City with their youth group on a missions trip.

I think that does it for me. I have rambled long enough and y'all have been so very patient. :)

much love to all of you! see you back here tomorrow for birthday fun and a card if my mojo comes back after going on vaca as evident from yesterday. ha!

Challenges:
Power Poppy - round and round (spotlight, buttons, polka dots on ribbon & border paper)
Crafting With Dragonflies - ribbons and lace
TTCRD - anything goes
Hiding in My Craft Room - buttons and bows
Creative Craft Cottage - Eileen's anything goes w/purple option (as a cancer survivor I know how terrible this disease is. my prayers remain with her family & friends. I have added purple to my card in her honor. saw the challenge posted on my friend, Fiki's blog)
CCC Digi - Eileen's anything goes w/purple option (see above)
Morgan's Art World - anything goes
Sparkles - let's be pretty
Retarte - anything goes
Ribbon Girls - anything goes w/ribbon and summer option
30 Day Coloring Challenge - really trying my best to get a little done every day as long as my seizures allow