Junk Journal July Day 13 - Mirrored

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Lavender Mint tea

Hello and welcome back to another day of Junk Journal July! for more information about the challenge, visit this post.

today's prompt is 'mirrored,' and it really had me stumped. that is until I came across a vintage image of 2 scallop shells mirroring each other. inspiration! :)

so I took this wonderful scallop seashell image from The Graphics Fairy, printed it twice, and had the 2 shells mirror one another. easy peasy! 

the tag is fairly simple - some beautiful paper by Mintay Papers, a bit more of the onion bag netting I have used on a previous project, simple stamping, a vintage button (because of course!), and finished with seam binding. I used the new Tim Holtz Uncharted Mariner distress ink. oh my goodness, that color is FABULOUS! absolutely perfect for any pieces made to add to Tyler and Danielle's nautical journal.

I appreciate you stopping by today! I hope you have a good one. :)

Jennifer

Happy 1st Birthday, Lyra!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Hazelnut Spice coffee

Hello to everyone!  :)

Please forgive my long absence. I have what is now being called 'long covid', having been sick since Christmas. thankfully the vaccinations and booster shots prevented me from being hospitalized or being any worse than it has been, but oh my goodness, I am so ready to be over this. ugh.  

anyhow, on to crafty stuff! :)

our first grand-daughter celebrated her one year birthday last weekend. oh my heart! she is such a delight! because we live so far away, plus with me being sick, we weren't able to go to her celebration, but we did have a fun video chat after her big party. she doesn't just walk, she RUNS everywhere! :D  

because I haven't been feeling well, my inking and coloring skills are at a minimum right now. along to the rescue came Lily of the Valley pre-colored digital images! they are called Simply Prints in the Etsy store. so many adorable designs to choose from. (P.S. they currently have a BIG sale, so now would be an excellent time to add some of these cuties to your stash!)

for this card, I used the Birthday Fairy simply print paired with some of the pretty designer paper from the Backing paper collection.  I also added a pastel pink gingham paper, I think from either Carta Bella or Echo Park. it was a piece in my stash that no longer had the markings.  .A Wink of Stella glitter pen was brushed over the fairy wings, wand, antennae, and package bow. gotta have some sparkle! :) The image was cut with a Spellbinders die, pale pink seam binding and bright pink floral trim are topped with a flower from Wild Orchid Crafts. a small pink ticket butterfly & cupcake ephemera, and vintage buttons complete the card. 

I am trying to finish Easter cards so they can be mailed out tomorrow. I'll be back next week to show you those.

I truly hope all of you are well. I have missed sharing with you on my blog, but really am going to do better posting. I plan to start work on a baby journal for our newest grand-daughter, due the end of August! :)  I'll share the process of creating that, as I take a VERY long time to make a junk journal. 

much love to each of you! 

Jennifer 

A Special Labrador Card for Hubby

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Coconut coffee to be followed by Lavender Mint iced tea later today :)

Hello and welcome to the start of a brand new, marvelous week! :) what wonders to behold!

I am slow getting my projects posted, and I do apologize for that. still not feeling real whippy, so everything is taking even longer to get accomplished these days. one of our lovely DIL's was at camp last week with her youth group. it was a delight to see her and spend an hour or two with her each day! Palmer was able to go out to camp on their last day, and he was over the moon to see Elizabeth again! we are huge pet lovers in our family, and our beloved cats and dogs are treasures. I think I have more photos of the pets than I do my children! ha!

on that note, I want to share a card I made for Dave. our Labradors have held very special places in our hearts. my sons have never known life without at least one in the house. so I knew when it was time to make a card for David, I needed to include one of our precious pups.

I found the vintage image online. sorry, but if I don't write absolutely everything down these days, I forget. I will try to do better. gosh, I can't remember from which Etsy store I found the paper either. I think the tag is from either Shabby Dabby Doo Dah or Artymaze. ugh. this head of mine....

lots of distressing and ink squirty tool. vintage buttons are from my stash, and the seam binding is from Zipper Stop.

I made the wonderful decision this weekend to give away all of my Copic markers to one of my DIL's. I never use them and have over 300. she is an artist, and they will get great use. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. no pressure to try to master Copic shading and blending. wooohooo! as the saying goes, you gotta do you, and Copics are most definitely NOT me! ;)  she is very excited, and I can't wait to see how she uses them.

all of you have a most amazing week! love to each of you! :)

Jennifer

Challenges:

Corrosive Ch - anything goes

Crafter's Castle - anything goes

Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers - D is for dogs

Craft Rocket - for the men/boys

Crafty Creations - anything goes

Classic Design - anything goes

Country View - do what makes you happy ( this card combines LOTS of my happy! my hubby, our dogs, crafting, vintage, vintage buttons!, distressing...)

Crafty Animals - anything goes with an animal

Creative Crafters - anything goes

TTCRD - anything goes

Floral Wedding Card in Greens and Purples

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut Rum

Hello and Happy Friday to you! :)
I am sharing the first of several projects that I have recently created. I will spread out the posts over several days, as I am feeling well enough to get to the computer. btw, thank you for the kind and encouraging comments left on my previous post! :) y'all are amazing!!!

The first card was created for our son's wedding last month. the card is a bit larger than a typical size. sorry, I didn't get it measured.
digital papers and images are from Roxy's Creations. She has some gorgeous paper kits and vintage ephemera pieces in her store. if you sign up for her newsletter, she occasionally sends out freebies. I think the pieces used here are from the green and purple kits. I printed both out at the same time for this and another project I will be sharing shortly.

flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, word die is by Tim Holtz, seam binding is from Zipper Stop, and the vintage buttons, doily, burlap ribbon, & sequins are from my stash. "Love" was embossed with copper ep.

Thank you very much for stopping by! I hope you have a most amazing weekend! :)

Mother's Day Wandering Kitty Cat

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Coconut Coffee

Hello after so long! :)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's a Joy to Celebrate YOU! :)

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Coconut Hazelnut coffee

Today's card is one that is very special to me because of who and what it represents. I don't talk much about my activism here on my blog, but today across the United States there are marches and rallies to stand in support of the families who have been torn apart because of the Immigration ban, ICE, and border patrol. The event is called "Families Belong Together."   #FamiliesBelongTogether

Normally I would be right there marching in support of these families, but my health problems keep me at home. In the past I have marched for DACA, in support of the repeal of the Immigration ban, and anything else that keeps us from being a nation of togetherness and compassion. I am so sad that I can not be in downtown Cleveland today showing my solidarity with my brothers and sisters of all colors and nationalities. We are so much better together! :)

So the best I could do was to make this card to share with everyone. I understand that ICE targets people of ALL colors. sadly, they seem to be going after the Hispanic population more frequently, at least here in this area of Ohio. I hear more and more stories of raids and people being detained. my heart breaks for these poor souls. families are being torn apart. people are dying. that is not who we as a nation are. that is not what God calls us to be. and children are being torn away from their parents. we have friends that disappeared overnight. we can only pray that they are safe. oh my gosh, I am crying as I type this.

but we must have hope. we  must do better.
and so with my poor health I can make a card. it isn't much, but this I can do.

so I used one of the images from my precious friend, Mo Manning, called "Rosa." she is dancing with joy. because no matter what terrible things life may bring our way, we can never let someone else steal our joy. :)

Mo's sister has created some beautiful artwork that for the march. I have been allowed to link to the post on her Instagram account. if you have an account, please stop by and leave her some love. :) it's a powerful poster.

and I paired it with a sentiment from another dear friend, Paulette of Create with TLC. in our darkest moments, we can celebrate the blessings God continues to provide every single day. :) and I choose to celebrate YOU and those beautiful, wonderful, amazing people who might be locked in those dark, terrible interment camps, but we are here praying for them. we are here standing together letting other people know that they are not alone. we are here saying that they are welcome here and we want them here. we are here saying to those beautiful people that they are loved and they matter. because every one of us is precious in the sight of our God. no immigration ban can diminish  a person in His sight.

so now that I have gone on and on, I will leave you.
if you want details about my card, just leave a message in the comments. I'll send you an email. :)

today is the last day of my birthday blog candy, so pop over here to enter. :)

much love to YOU, because YOU matter to me. :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafty Catz - anything goes w/embossing option
Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Path of Positivity - anything goes w/neutrals option
Colour Crazy Craft - anything goes
Catch the Bug - Make it Bright: kraft cs and a pop of bright color
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
House That Stamps Built - anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - anything goes
Retarte - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Dream Valley - all things bright and beautiful

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

Hoppy Father's Day!

Coffee/Tea of the Day - World Market Fireside Rum coffee

Hoppy Father's Day to all of the dads, granddads, uncles, and father figures out there! :)

now I say 'hoppy' because my card today is inspired by all of the fabulous craft beer breweries around our wonderful world! Dave and I enjoy visiting them as we travel the country (or we did travel a bit before my health woes took over).  in the Cleveland area, which is near where we live, there are some amazing breweries, not to mention in the state of Ohio. I was never really a beer drinker, but have enjoyed trying some since some of the stouts have tastes similar to my beloved coffee. did you realize that? servers are always amazed that I am the one drinking the dark beer, while Dave gets the lighter ones. it's funny. :)

Power Poppy has this really fun "Hops and Barley"digital image which includes several neat sentiments that can be used for different occasions. they currently have a sale going on if you use the code COLORINGCHALLENGE.  I believe the sale goes through the end of the month and can be used multiple times. for more information, head to their store or blog.

I added the image twice, flipping one of them, and then inserting the Benjamin Franklin quote inside the space. I then fussy cut around the piece. the papers are from the Authentique Meadow collection. the brown gingham is one of my favorite go to papers right now. it's actually the flip side of their journal cards, but I just love the look, especially for masculine cards. :) I added texture paste over a Carta Bella stencil in the corner.

matting dies are by Spellbinders, seam binding is from Zipper Stop and was distressed with ink, vintage buttons are from my stash, and jute ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

the inside reads, "Hoppy Father's Day," which is one of the newest sentiments that was just added to this set in the past week. I didn't get a photo.

I apologize that my photo is so light. I am having a tough time with photo editing with my head all messed up due to the seizures. my eyes just don't seem to work properly. so very sorry. if you click on the photo, it will take you to a larger window where you can see everything in much better detail, and hopefully that will make it better. I will try to do a nicer job on future projects until I can get over these yucky things.

Have a most lovely day, and thank you for stopping by!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Allsorts - use at least 2 dies (both by Spellbinders)
Craftaholics R Us - kraft (card base and one of the matting pieces)
Digistamps 4 Joy - anything goes w/optional for the men in your life
Crafty Calendar - 3 of something (buttons)
Pile it On - holidays (Father's Day)
Catch the Bug - bingo: ribbon, die/punch, sentiment
Daisy Chain - for the boys/men
Simply Create Too - for a male
Aud Sentiments - anything goes w/a sentiment
Cardz 4 Guyz - Father's Day
Stinkin' Inkers - the guys have it
Try it on Tuesday - for the boys
Unicorn Ch - masculine
Daily Marker 30 coloring challenge - trying the best I can when my seizures allow

Where There is Tea, There is Comfort

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Tea Thyme (this is a weekly drink for me. I love the rich, robust flavor of the thyme with the citrus. so very good!)

Hello and Happy Wednesday! I am trying to get more cards made for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lover's Blog Hop, so I hope you enjoy the projects I am sharing. :)

Today's card uses an image from a dear online friend, Krista Smith of Saturated Canary fame. I know her store is no longer open, but you can find a few of her images at Make it Crafty. PLEASE do not purchase or download any of the images that you find on Pinterest or from the dishonest people who copy her art. there are quite a few out there who have made a livelihood off of copying Krista's lovely style. She is such a genuine, caring soul who reached out to me when I was going through my cancer treatment. I knew her beforehand, but really got to know her personally during that challenging time. So yes, I get a bit bothered each time I see those who are unscrupulous making money off of Krista's ideas and artwork. sadly, it happens to many artists. another friend, Maurie Manning, deals with this on an almost weekly basis as well.

now, on to my card. :)
I have used the wonderful "Happy Tea" image and papers from the Authentique Summertime collection. the sentiment is from Create with TLC. little flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts, vintage buttons & doily are from my stash, die is by Spellbinders, and punches are by EK Success. the tea tag is one that I saved and have repurposed. isn't it fun tied in a little bow? the seam binding snippet works perfectly stapled alongside for some added texture. I keep these on my craft desk because I can't bear to throw these beauties away! grins!

Thank you so much for stopping by and saying hello! I will try to get around repay the kindness. I apologize that I am taking so long. these silly migraines and seizures have knocked me sideways. :/ blech.

Challenges:
Try Stamping on Tuesday - sketch with metallic accent option (staple, if that counts)
Creative Moments - anything goes
Crafty Catz - anything goes w/Christmas option
Crafty Girls Creations - anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes w/patterned paper
Not Just Cards - anything goes
Everybody Art - for friends (sending this to one of my tea loving friends)

Follow Your Dreams... to Delaware! :)

First Place Winner at Rubbernecker
Winner at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge

Coffee of the Day - it's tea! Victorian Earl Grey (Earl Grey with roses, lavender, & rosemary)

More big news here at our home - our oldest has moved to the East Coast and now lives in Delaware! these last few weeks have been a whirlwind with him getting a job (working in a lab there), finding an apartment, and then moving. David went with him to find a place, and then I helped with the actual move last week. whew.... now for the wedding in September and to get Danielle a job and moved in. hard to believe that we won't see him again until just days before the wedding. if I think about it too much I will start crying, but then that's the ol' empty nest for ya. all of our sons are now in other states. hard to wrap my head around. and my heart.

but enough of the sappy sad stuff. you are here for crafty stuff. ;) so I will show you the card I made and tucked into one of his packing boxes. it took him a few days to find it, which added to the adventure!

I used this adorable "Moving Day" image from LOTV and some of my precious Basic Grey South Pacific paper. The sentiment is also LOTV and comes from one of their cute Odd Dog sets. (I had purchased the bundle last month when they had a big sale, so I apologize that I don't have the specific set marked.)

all 3 of the dies are from Spellbinders, little banner punch is from SU!, vintage buttons are from my stash, and cardboard was inked with white craft. ticket is also a stash item, and we can't forget the denim belt loop! :)  distressed seam binding snippet was sitting on my craft desk and actually matches better irl than photo shows. little white gel dots across the top of the card finish everything off in a fun way. :)

now to adjust to that dratted ol' empty nest.... this Momma Bird is having a tough time. sigh......

Challenges:
CRAFT - new (home)
Crafting with an Attitude - anything goes
Creative Knockouts - buttons, buttons
Crafty Gals Corner - buttons
Crafty Addicts - anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - only for boys
Rubbernecker - recycle: cardboard, denim belt loop, vintage buttons, old ticket, seam binding scrap
Dream Valley - at least 2 buttons

Engagement Gift

Coffee of the Day - only drinking green juice right now. out of almond milk, which I need for my coffee. have a cup of Victorian Earl Grey tea brewing, which is a fabulous Earl Grey with lavender, rose hips, and rosemary.

That horrid migraine came back to rear its nasty head, so I've been in bed ever since we came back from Indiana. yuck. :(  But I did want to share with you how I wrapped the engagement gift for Ryan and Elizabeth.

Please excuse any typos.... the headache makes it hard for me to see. having to rely upon my typing skills from way back in the high school days. can't see the monitor very well as it's all a blur.

I had picked up some neat typeprint style wrapping paper at Michael's a while back, thinking it would be great for crafting. since we don't tend to give many wrapped gifts that aren't holiday based, this seemed to work out well for the engagement present.

Elizabeth really enjoys period type television shows such as Downton Abbey and Save the Midwife, so I knew that going with a pretty floral stamp would be perfect. I chose 'Strong and Beautiful' from Unity Stamps to stamp across the paper in various shades of her favorite colors - plum, sage, and lavender.  vintage lace was used for the bow.

I also stamped the flower in plum ink on a tag made from the same cs used in the card for her letter. (see previous post) it was stamped again in sage ink as a shadow effect. a doily portion was adhered in addition to some crochet trim and pretty little Wild Orchid Crafts blossoms & leaf. a cheesecloth bg stamp was used on the tag base and then the SU! ink squirty tool. Zipper Stop seam binding that was distressed was tied at the top and a re-purposed bit of plum twine anchors the tag to the lace bow.

and here is a photo of what was inside. We gave them a Lladro bride and groom figure. Dave and I had one on our wedding cake. I used to collect Lladro pieces. it seemed only fitting to give them one as they begin their happily ever after together. :)

Challenges:
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Creative Moments - anything goes w/optional spring theme
Inspiration Destination - #147 anything goes
Crafting From the Heart - anything goes

Strong, Beautiful, Kind

Coffee of the Day - Bourbon Pecan

Hello everyone!  Sorry I've been away for ever so long! I didn't realize that I haven't posted here on my blog in ages.  I apologize for that. with all 3 of our sons' college graduations, life here was just pretty crazy! :) but all in a VERY  wonderful way!!!

I'll do a post this weekend to share photos with you. I have them on my Facebook page, if you would like to see before then. :) yep, I'm the proud momma bird!

My post for now needs to be fast since we are dog sitting Mick's pup for almost 2 weeks. Brutus and Palmer are begging to head back out to Camp for their daily romp, so I'll come back to add in all of my card details.

I'm scooching in by the skin of my teeth for the Simply Betty monthly progressive challenge.  the theme for this month is to use at least 2 designer papers and add flowers. isn't the image gorgeous?

digital papers are from the Basic Grey Fresh Cut collection, main image & matting die are from Spellbinders, pretty floral dies are by Sizzix, mulberry flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts, and buttons are from my vintage stash.

okie dokie, I am back. the dogs and I  had a grand time playing in the rain out at Camp! we were soaked through to the bone, but had so much fun. :)

the neat little embellishment by the sentiment circle is from Webster's Pages. it has a pretty sparkle irl. I added touches of shimmerz paint to the pearls and buttons on the main image. the seam binding, which I distressed, is from Zipper Stop. crochet trim is from my stash. I think it might have come from Hobby Lobby. it has the prettiest satin finish.

have a most amazing day! love ya!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Double D - flowers galore
Digi Choosday - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes
A Bit More Time to Craft - anything goes
Through the Purple Haze - anything goes

Fun Blog Collaboration with Debra and Celeste! Science Themed Projects

Winner at House Mouse & Friends

Coffee of the Day - Maple Fudge

Today I am part of a fun collaboration with 2 great ladies, Debra and Celeste! and guess, what? they love coffee, too! :)

One of the things these lovely ladies do is show photos off their coffee cups. Well, today's cup is in honor of our son, Ryan. these next 3 weeks are going to be a whirlwind here in our family. all 3 of our sons are graduating from college!!!  in just a few short days, Ryan graduates from Indiana Wesleyan University, so today I am drinking from this great mug he gave me. I usually drink my veggie juice from it because he absolutely hates vegetables. :) it makes me giggle every time to think of him cringing in horror that I would dare drink my kale and cucumber juice out of his IWU mug! yeah, I am sassy that way! but today it is filled to the top with coffee. Moon Pie would normally be in the photo, but he and Palmer are off playing right now. :)

here is last week's photo of him with my normal coffee cup. you can see there is a wee bit of a size difference in the mugs! ha!

Since I am the guestie of the month, I was allowed to choose the theme. With yesterday being Earth Day as well as the March for Science, I decided to use that as our theme. we are going to "Geek it for the World!" truly, science is all around us and impacts absolutely every single part of our lives. I had high hopes of being part of the March for Science, but a nasty case of pneumonia has had me sidelined for more time than I care to count. thankfully I was able to get my card finished in time to post though. again, thank goodness for science, this time medical science and the medications that have kept me from the hospital!!!

for my card, I decided to use my adorable House Mouse stamps and create a card that focuses on sustainable farming. In the past 9 months or so, we have gone from giving up all beef to eating an almost completely plant based diet. we stay away from all palm oil products as well as soy based items whenever possible. our food choices can make such a difference in helping leave less of a carbon foot print.

Papers are from the Basic Grey Hillside collection, bg die is by Tim Holtz, flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and seam binding (which I distressed) is from Zipper Stop.  vintage buttons and ticket are from my craft stash.

if you look closely, the bg paper looks a little like the wind turbines you periodically see. as we drive out to visit Ryan in Indiana, we pass a huge wind farm. we always know that he is about 2 hours away at that point. wouldn't it be wonderful to see more and more wind turbines everywhere?

Netflix has some wonderful documentaries on sustainable farming as well as the impact of animals as a food source and their effect on our planet. I recommend "Sustainable", "Forks over Knives", and National Geographic's "Before the Flood" to start.

Thank you so much to Debra and Celeste for inviting me to be a part of their fun collaboration this month! I had a great time making my card! :) please be sure to stop by their blogs to say hello! :)

Challenges:
House Mouse Lovers - Stop and Smell the Flowers or anything goes

Save the Bees!

Coffee of the Day - Salted Caramel

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm busy crafting this weekend since I'm not yet feeling well enough to get out to any of the rallies and protests going on. it's fun to be covered in ink and glue again, I must admit. :)

Today's card is for the monthly progressive challenge that takes place in the Simply Betty Facebook group. it's always fun to play along in this challenge, and the image is so wonderful every month. This time we were provided with 'Beehive Queen' that you can also find here in the store. We also have a recipe challenge to follow: at least 1 designer paper, at least 1 ribbon, the colors yellow, black, & white, and embossing (either powder or folders).

I have used digital papers from the Basic Grey B Side collection as well as flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. my Zipper Stop seam binding was distressed with several shades of ink. for the embossing, I used 2 different colors of Frantage powders on the main image. I really love this stuff! :) dies are by Spellbinders and buttons are from my vintage stash. all wings were accented with shimmerz paint.

I found the 'Save the Bees' clip art on the internet. some bee species are actually on the verge of becoming extinct. please limit your use of pesticides in your garden and consider planting more bee (and butterfly!) friendly flowers this spring. dandelions are one of their primary food sources, so think twice before eliminating them from your yard. if you do a bit of research, you will discover just how crucial bees are to our entire food chain and ecosystem. :)

so let's do all we can to SAVE THE BEES!!! :)
who says I can't be an activist even if I'm home sick?! tee hee!

Valentine Love with Fab 'n Funky Challenges

Coffee of the Day - Pecan Truffle

Hello to all of you! I hope life has been treating you with all of the love and kindness each of you so deserves! :)

I have been super busy going to several protests and marches here in our lovely state. I've met some of the most fabulous people and had such a great time standing up for both human and animal rights. Several more on the schedule before the month is over.

But the news for today is the new challenge over at Fab 'n Funky! the theme is "Wild About You" and you can use either wild animals or go with a love theme on your projects. Our sponsor is The Paper Shelter who is offering a nice gift certificate to one happy participant!

Rather than use any of the images from the Paper Shelter store, I chose instead to use a few of their digital papers. for the base, I used paper from the "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" set and then added elements I cut from the "Hey Baby" paper.

the tag, gilded rose, red doily, and 'love' letters are all from Michael's. the pretty 'Valentine' sentiment piece that I punched out with a scallop punch is by Create with TLC. buttons and pale pink lace are vintage treasures. both red hearts were punched.  distressed red seam binding is from Zipper Stop.

little Prima flowers were added to paper flowers and then dotted with distress stickles. polka dots were added to the scallop heart with a white gel pen.

I hope to see YOUR entry in the Fab 'n Funky challenge this week! :)

Tugging on Your Heart Strings with a Candy Bar! :)

Coffee of the Day - no idea because I am on a train to Washington DC for the Women's March as this posts !!!! :)

Hello and Happy Friday!  I am crossing my fingers that our friend, Blogger, does right by me and posts this as it is scheduled..... oh please, oh please, oh please! :)

I am headed to the Women's March and am so very excited! will tell all about it when I get back. but until then, I leave you with some fun for The Digi Bells blog hop. if you are hopping along, then you will have arrived here from LINDA's absolutely gorgeous blog. :) if at any point you ever get lost along the hop, just head over to The Digi Bell's blog for the complete list.

The cutey image we are all featuring is called "Heart Strings" and will soon be available in the store. I decided to make a cover for a candy bar and a matching card.

at Christmas the guys all received various Oreo cookie treats. Ryan happened to get this Oreo crunch bar, which was new on the market this year. it was a huge hit. well I received a text a few weeks letting me know that he had searched and searched all over the town where he goes to school looking for them, but couldn't find one anywhere. so I took to the internet in search of.... of course Mom came to the rescue!

I found a few for Ryan and also decided to decorate one for Tyler's fiance for Valentine's Day. she love love loves chocolate!

the red polka dot paper is from Michael's. the other papers are from the Prima Coquette digital collection. some vintage lace and buttons were used in addition to distressed seam binding from Zipper Stop. flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

a heart doily and cute little pearlized bauble add some fun touches.

now off you go to the beautiful blog of KARINA! thanks so much for stopping by! :)

I'll be back on the 25th with my project for Elisabeth Bell's challenge world! another fabulous image of hers will be used, and you know you don't want to miss that. ;)