Junk Journal July Day 15 - Texture

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Turmeric citrus green tea

I have another project for Junk Journal July to share with all of you today. for more information about the challenge, please see this post.

Today's prompt is 'texture'. boy howdy, is this ever one of my favorites!  :) so I pretty much went all out for it.

I started with a brown paper bag, cut it to size, and then embossed with a Tim Holtz folder.  I stitched around the edges and at the bottom to seal. to this I added patterned papers and some coffee dyed tissue paper. some little leftover thread snippets were stapled to the corner of the bag. a patent drawing for a bicycle creates the focal point. some of the tissue paper covers the lower corner of the image, which helps it to blend. 

the tag was super fun to make.   I had washed a rug in Ryan and Elizabeth's room the day before. unfortunately it just shed these little pieces of fabric inside both the washer and dryer. not one to let anything go to waste, I sewed them to the top of the tag. isn't it such a cool look? the base paper was crinkled and inked to add more of a textured look. a tricycle image and chunk hemp rope finish the tag.

I hope you are inspired to use some of those fun little bits and bobs you come across on your craft projects. Have an amazing day!!

Jennifer

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! :)

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

'Candy Made Me Do It' Halloween Crow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strength Anchor Alcohol Ink Resist

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Rum

Happy Monday as we begin a new week! I hope you all had a most wonderful weekend and are ready for the adventure ahead as a new week sits before us. :)

I was able to do a bit of crafting, thankfully. bad healthwise, but still grateful for the time in my craft room.

At the beginning of the month, Jennifer McGuire shared on her blog several stores that were doing promotions to raise funds for the Bahamas in the aftermath of the hurricane. I was able to do my share and purchase several items. The stamp today was one such benefit product. here is her post if you would like to see some of the promotions and the companies that participated. a few are still active.

The stamp set is called 'Anchors the Soul' is in available from Honey Bee Stamps. I see now that there is also a coordinating die set for it. adding it to my wish list for Santa. ;) proceeds from the die set will also go to the relief efforts.

it's such a beautiful stamp set with such meaning. a friend of ours is going through some difficult times right now, so I wanted to create a card for her. we go to church together, and she also works with Dave out at Camp. both she and her husband and struggling with their health. I know how much those cards can mean when your health is weak. the knowledge that there is someone out there who is thinking about you can be so encouraging on a rough day.

I created a shadow effect with both embossing and craft ink in white on photo paper. the background is created with an assortment of alcohol inks. the teals, purples, and aqua shads don't show in the photograph for whatever reason, so I do apologize for that. it is a much more cohesive card irl.

the image was then cut with a Tim Holtz stitched rectangle die. I wanted to try the off the edge look for something different after seeing this done in several samples. it's matted on white cs and a white cs base as well. the pale blue layer is stamped with a Prima script mini bg stamp and the little greenery flourish. The word 'strength' from the sentiment is stamped along the side, and the full sentiment is stamped inside.

a tiny twine bow in red and rose from Wild Orchid Crafts help accent the anchor. sequins in red and iridescent white add a bit of sparkle while a distressed ticket adds another pop of color and interest.

Thank you so much for stopping by and your lovely words of encouragement as I post here again in the midst of my illness. y'all are the best! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Dare 2B Artzy - favorite color (blue is so soothing and comforting!)
Addicted to Stamps - for a lady/girl
Creative Fingers - anything goes
QKR - anything goes
Aud Sentiments - anything goes w/a sentiment
Creative Knockouts - anything goes
Southern Girls - tic, tac, toe: die cut, stamp, blue
Crafty Creations - anything goes

Nautical Birthday Card

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pecan Pumpkin Spice coffee

Hello to everyone! Yes, I have been away for quite a while. sorry to have been missing with no word. my health has not been the best, and unfortunately the beastie is back, so dealing with that. not going the chemo and radiation route this time. but this is going to be a post about happier things, so on to the crafty goodness! :) thank you to all who sent cards and emails to check in on me though. I really appreciate your kindness!!!

I haven't been able to craft for every holiday in my family, but have been trying to do what I can of late. I am sharing a card that I made for Tyler's birthday earlier this month. he loves all things nautical, so these images and stamps were the perfect fit.

I am having a grand time playing with the distress oxide sprays and crayons by Tim Holtz. you will see some upcoming projects featuring them, too. the bg was created with a mix of several distress crayons, sprayed with pearl glimmer mist to give a beautiful glow while also helping mix the colors. the paper was then embossed with the cool Seaside embossing folder by SU! I love those waves!

Nautical stamps are from a Tim Holtz mini blueprint set. a silver metallic gel pen was used to accent the images. other pieces are from the Sea Life, Let's Get Nautical, and She Sells Sea Shells sheets by Gecko Galz. (p.s. if you go to their blog, they frequently give away images! sign up for their newsletter and you receive a free sheet every month) little seaweed pieces are actually a Martha Stewart fern punch. each one was inked in several shades to replicate the grasses. various ribbons and twines are added for texure, and vintage buttons from my stash complete the card.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Check back soon for more projects. I hope to have some blog candy next month to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness month.  much love to all of you! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafting By Design - anything goes
Creative Moments - anything goes w/opt. masculine twist
House That Stamps Built - anything stamped goes
The Male Room - masculine w/embellishments
SSS Wed. - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - anything goes
Retro Rubber Stamp - anything goes with a stamp older than one year (upon researching, I think the set was released in about 2013. I haven't had mine that long, but it looks as if these were released then. thanks!)
Corrosive Ch - anything goes
2 Sisters - something with the letter 's' (ship)
Country View - Under the Sea

Mother's Day Wandering Kitty Cat

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Coconut Coffee

Hello after so long! :)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Missing You - Honoring the Hundreds of Native American Women who go Missing Every Year & Blog Candy

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Salted Caramel

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the Women's March. I was privileged to join with over a million of my sisters and brothers in solidarity for so very many important causes in Washington DC at that first march two years ago. I would love to be able to march again this year, but my health prevents me. as of a few days ago, I really wanted to, but it's hard enough for me to get up and down my stairs right now, much less walk a few miles.

Yesterday was the very first march of Indigenous People in DC. oh, how I wanted to be there for that, too. so many things trouble our native people right now - their sacred lands are being destroyed by oil & gas pipelines, their beautiful women disappear at alarming rates, basic health care and housing is lacking, and yet they are some of the most peaceful, kind, loving people I have ever had the honor to meet. I have learned so much from the time I have spent in their presence. to say my life has changed would be an understatement.

so when I attended the very first Women's March, I carried a sign on behalf of our Native People. (I actually have the water vessel from that poster tattooed on my arm now!)  I planned to do the same today. But since I couldn't attend the march, I thought to make a card honoring the women who disappear each year.  it's a very serious problem here in the US and in Canada. a new bill has been put through Congress called "Savanna's Act," which honors a young woman brutally murdered about a year and a half ago. David and I met her family at the Standing Rock healing ceremony just after she was murdered.

I embossed a panel of watercolor paper with the bg stamp from the Dare 2B Artzy set "Feathers." using WOW Perissa powder. the same bg stamp was stamped directly onto the card base and embossed with WOW Primary Goose powder. the feathers were stamped onto both watercolor paper and recycled cs and embossed using the WOW Perissa powder. feathers were then fussy cut and watercolored with various shades of SU! ink. I wanted to give everything the look of ombre, but also feminine and a sunrise over the prairie.

flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts, pretty little crystals are by Prima, ribbons & trims are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and ticket & vintage button are from my stash. "Miss You" sentiment was stamped with an alphabet set. tag was cut from the same recycled cs as the feather. a real feather was added to the bundle. (it's a found treasure! no birds were harmed in collecting it!)

I now have the blog candy ready for all of you who follow my little blog. :)

the candy will run through Sunday, January 27. I will announce the winner here on Monday, January 28. this will allow enough time to mail the candy to the winner before Valentine's Day.

*please leave a comment asking to be entered. . this is open to followers from all around the world! :)

some of the items included in the prize:

• House Mouse 'Shower of Love' stamp
• Unity Itty Bitty 'You Melt My Heart' stamp
• Treasured Times 'Baby Doll in the Garden' stamp
• SSS 'Hot Mama' dye ink
• assortment of Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbons
• flower shaped eyelets
• My Mind's Eye chipboard tags
• Crate Paper hearts & lips puff stickers
• Doodlebug Designs tiny hearts stickers
• adhesive mini pearls
• Valentine themed sequin mix
• more little goodies, some not pictured here :)

the blog candy is for anyone who is a follower or would like to follow my blog. if you follow by email or some other method, please be sure to let me know in the comments. I am offering this as a way to say thank you for those of you who offered your kindness while I was not around due to my illness. it really does mean a lot! :)

even though I only have one physical prize to give away, those of you who have been involved in my blog candy giveaways in the past know that I often will surprise a few of those entered with gift certificates to digital stamp companies. so be sure and get your name in the drawing! :)

Thank you for reading about a cause and people that are so very dear to my heart! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! :)

Challenges:
Crafting With Friends - anything goes
Simply Create Too - anything goes
Crafting With an Attitude - anything goes
Just Add Ink - something new (Prima crystal dots)
Crafty Creations - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes

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

Tea Time with Typeset

Coffee of the Day - Starbucks Christmas Blend and Eggnog

whew.... the holidays are OVER! are all of you as whooped as I am?! ;) I have been so tired this week, trying to get over the mad rush of the past few weeks.... the good news is that yesterday I was in my craft room for FUNSIES! :) that is always a good thing!!!!

a coffee and tea loving friend of mine was interested in some tea bags that I had sent to another friend. I told her I'd get some in the mail to her, but you know us crafters - we can't just toss something in an envelope! we have to make a fancy shmancy card to go with!!!

so I grabbed some fun stamps sets I had won a little bit ago from Dare 2 B Artzy. I stamped the tea pot and steam from the Tea 4 Two set in Versamark and then embossed with copper ep. the image was then watercolored with SU! inks. the sentiment comes from the Serenity Tea set. there is a matching die set that goes with both of these sets that I hope to pick up eventually. I love when one set of dies works with several stamp sets, don't you?!

papers are from the Basic Grey Typeset collection. the main image die is by Spellbinders and the cool peek-a-boo die for the bg is by Tim Holtz. isn't it fun?! I added a little tea tag to the baker's twine bow. vintage buttons are from my stash and little flower is by Wild Orchid Crafts. a tiny snippet of mini ric rack at the bottom adds a touch of fun and whimsy.

thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a most amazing weekend and enjoy your New Year's Eve celebrations, whether it's a quiet evening at home or a huge blowout with friends!

I also want to thank you for so faithfully stopping by and leaving me such wonderful, inspiring, and encouraging comments throughout the year! you make my heart so full!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Mod Squad - warm and toasty
Paper Girls - anything goes
Robyn's Fetish - anything goes
Creative Knockouts - anything goes

With Deepest Sympathy and GIU Winners

Coffee of the Day - Bourbon Pecan

I hope all of you had a most joyous holiday, whether you were celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah. for a few short hours, all of my sons were home and it was absolute bliss for this mom! :)

but you didn't stop by for that. all each of you wants to know about is who won the Unity Stamps. ;) it's okay. I'm the same way when it comes to free stamps and prizes.

I do want to share a card with all of you very quickly though. in the midst of preparing for the holiday, we had some sad news come our way. David's aunt suddenly passed away last week. he, Tyler, and Ryan made a fast trip to Pittsburgh for the viewing. Dave's sister from San Antonio was able to fly up, too, so they all had a nice visit with Dave's dad and family.

I made a sympathy card using the Unity set, "You are Important."  I thought this flower was just gorgeous and so perfect to convey our feelings. the sentiment stamp is by Memory Box. I don't have any yet from Unity that would go with it.

paper is from the Basic Grey Kioshi collection. shimmer ribbon and pretty purple twine are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and buttons are from my vintage stash.

the flower was stamped onto watercolor paper with Versamark, embossed with white ep, and then watercolored with multiple shades of SU! inks. I love the look this gave. :) edges were distressed and inked. I went back over it all with the SU! ink squirty tool.

and now the winners of the Unity Stamps from my GIU week are:

KENNETH SIMMONS

(just so you know, your various numbers actually came up 3 times!!!

you were really meant to win this prize! grins!)

DEBRA DAVISON

Please send your mailing address to me at jenscull (at) yahoo (dot) com. You have until the end of the week to contact me or you will forfeit your prize.

Thanks to everyone for leaving such kind and thoughtful comments on my GIU week projects! :) and a very special thank you to those of you who were so VERY amazing and left comments on each one of my posts!!! y'all rock! :)
Jennifer

Vintage Rose Girls

This is my second post of the day. please scroll down for my first post with Bugaboo and Coffee Loving Cardmakers.

Today beings a new challenge over on the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog. Our theme is 'Vintage' which you know is right up my alley! I hope you will play along with us. I'd love to see what you make. :)

I started with this precious vintage image of little rose girls from Create with TLC. I added frantage embossing powders to the image for a bit more of a vintage touch. edges were distressed and then inked.

papers are from the Authentique Treasure collection. Rosemary crochet lace trim and fuchsia satin with stitched center ribbon are both tied around the card base.  light pink mini ric rac is tied around the fuchsia bow.  a pale pink English rose and baby pink aster daisies adorn the corner of the vintage image. a sweetheart blossom sits in the opposite corner.

additional vintage items include buttons and appliques.

be sure to stop back in just a bit for one more post today! thanks so much! :)

Challenges:
Outlawz Twisted Thurs - flowers
Craft Rocket - flower power
Crafty Ribbons - ribbon and lace
Chocolate, Coffee, and Cards - just us girls
Simply Papercraft - anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner - May Flowers
In the Pink - Happy Anything
House That Stamps Built - photo inspiration
City Crafter - pretty pink and pastels
Deep Ocean - shabby chic or vintage

It's All About the COFFEE!

Winner at Fresh Brewed Designs

Coffee of the Day - Creme Brulee

This is a double Guestie post, since today I have the honor & privilege of being a Guest Designer over on the Coffee Loving Cardmaker Blog as well as my position through July with Bugaboo.

You could have knocked me over with a feather when Amy asked me if I would be interested in being a guest for her on the CLC blog. I'm a member on their Facebook group and play along in as many of the seasonal hops as I possibly can, but to be a guest designer?! whoa nelly! that is big time!!!

so of course I said YES!, spilled my coffee all over the place, brewed another cup, and then started planning what to make. could I stop with one project? heck no. had to make 2! :) 'cause that's just how I roll....

as soon as I saw the image that was going to be this week's Friday Freebie at Bugaboo, my twisted sister mind went all googly and came up with this sentiment. so I typed it out on my compy and got busy crafting! isn't this "I'm Cute" monster just so much fun?

bg was created by stamping an old coffee bean bg stamp from Rubbernecker Stamps on watercolor paper with versamark. I embossed it with copper ep. then I went to town with my gelatos and watercolors using lots of bright, cheerful colors. spritzed it with an overcoat of glimmer mist. paper is from the Basic Grey Highline collection.

burlap doily is from Hobby Lobby, flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, vivid pink seam binding (distressed with several shades of ink) & pink burlap string are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and wood veneer coffee cup is from Latina Crafter. buttons are from my vintage stash. Starbucks coffee cozy and clothespin were painted with acrylic paint and then sponged with inks.

next card is made using a template from The Cutting Cafe and papers from the Basic Grey Grand Bazaar collection. I simply adore this coffee themed digi set from Bugaboo! made me smile the first time I saw it! meet 'Ruby Tidbits - Coffee.' :) isn't she a hoot? Bugaboo has lots of great coffee images!

bright pink swiss dot grosgrain & plum grosgrain ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbon and floral sequins are from Paper Sweeties. button is vintage and coffee cozy & stirrer are re-purpsed from a Starbucks trip. :)

thank you so much for stopping by! and thank you again to Amy for asking me to be a guest with the Coffee Loving Cardmakers!

I have several posts on my blog today, so grab a cuppa and stay a while if you'd like. :)

Challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - food or drink
Brown Sugar - anything goes
Crafty Catz - anything goes
Cr8tive Hands - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - embossing (top card - embossed bg)
Crafting for all Seasons - add some embossing (top card - embossed bg)
Double Click Skittles - something yummy (for me it is ALWAYS all about the coffee!!!)
Fresh Brewed Designs - coffee (wooooo hoooooo!)

Thinking of You Sympathy Window

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Macadamia


Today begins a new challenge over at Crafts Galore Encore with a fun theme of 'Anything Goes'! We are sponsored by Beccy's Place this month. I hope you will play along with us. it's such an easy theme and gives you lots of options for linking. :)

I have used the pretty 'Spring Window' image on my card, using it for one of the many sympathy cards I need. paper is from the Basic Grey Dear Heart collection, lace & buttons are vintage little pink seam binding snippet in the upper corner is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and flowers aer from Wild Orchid Crafts. leaf flourish die is by Cheery Lynn. card base is embossed with a Tim Holtz embossing folder.

thanks so very much for stopping by today! :)

Challenges:
Classic Design Team Open Ch - anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks - anything goes
Crafty Girls Creations - anything goes
Southern Girls - anything goes
Paradise of Stamps - ribbon or lace
Left of Center - embossing (card base)

Paper Sweeties Guest Designer!

Hello everyone!
I have the honor of being a Guest Designer over on the Paper Sweeties blog this month! what a privilege this is for me, especially if you have ever been to their blog and seen the absolutely GORGEOUS projects their team creates time after time!!!!

The new challenge inspiration photo is this gorgeous one....

isn't it fabulous? so many things to choose from for your project!

you will see the various elements I pulled from the photo in my card. I began with the wonderful Happy Wishes stamp set, embossing it to create the chalkboard effect. turning the image on its side adds a nice twist! a white colored pencil was used to draw in the extra lines and white craft ink for more shading.

paper for the card base is from the Authentique Legacy collection. just LOVE this paper! :) a bit of copper striped vellum tops the banner and is wrapped in lovely Robin Egg baker's twine. do you see the little smidgen of a doily peeking there at the top of the banner? every coffee cup needs a doily! ;)

flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, lovely shabby bark heart (which mimics the wooden frame) comes from Live & Love Crafts, and coffee cup was die cut from aqua felt with a Simon Says Stamp die.

now you have to take a look at those precious little floral sequins. they are absolutely precious irl! these are from the Cupcake collection. it was SO hard to choose just one pack! Paper Sweeties has so many adorable colors of these lovelies! :) you will be seeing these sequins on many upcoming projects!

the highlight of the entire card is that wonderful seam binding though. what makes this ribbon stand out is that Debbie, the owner, lovingly tea stains every batch by hand. I used the Robin Egg and Oatmeal.

Check out the Paper Sweeties Facebook page for more updates and fun.
thanks so much for stopping by today! and thanks again to the lovely folks at Paper Sweeties for having me! :) I hope you are inspired to join the challenge.

Challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wed - anything goes
Artistic Inspirations - anything goes
Stamping Sensations - anything goes with a stamp (Paper Sweeties)
Petal Lu - anything goes
Sisters of Craft - anything goes
Frilly and Funkie - layer it up

A Pirate Parrot's Adventure

Coffee of the Day - Maple Fudge

Happy New Year to all of you!
yes, I just shared a card with you a short time ago and now have another! no, it's not going to be like this all year long in 2016, I promise!  just at the beginning of every month, so I hope you will bear with me. :)

Crafts Galore Encore is sponsored by Fabrika Fantasy Digi Stamps in January, and our theme for the challenge is 'Anything Goes.'

I have used the cutey Pirate Parrot 2 on my card. he just makes me smile and was such a joy to paint! :)  designer papers and anchor sticker are from the Basic Grey Adrift collection, little flower is by Petaloo, and enamel dots are some I made. Black burlap string is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I used my SU! ink squirty tool on the main image. some day I'll figure out the name of that thing! ;) little banner punch is also by SU!  oh yes, I partially embossed the card base with the parquet embossing folder by Crafter's Companion.

Enjoy your day! I look forward to what 2016 has in store for all of us! :)

Challenges:
QKR - Feathers or Fur
Inspiration Destination - anything goes
Paper Shelter - anything goes
Creative Card Crew - anything goes
Allsorts - anything but Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks - anything goes
CRAFT - anything goes

Mmmmmm......Coffee!

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice

Today's card for the Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop has a bit of a funky, retro feel to it.

As some of you who follow my blog might remember, I had been going through a lot of my computer files recently and decided to use some of my long forgotten digi images. I came across this fun coffee drinking cutey by Karber Digital and knew she would be great for the hop.

papers and feather cut-outs are from the Basic Grey Persimmon collection, embossing folder for card base is by Tim Holtz, flower is by Prima, ribbon & little banner punch are SU!, and buttons are vintage. I stamped the 'm' from an All Night Media alphabet set repeatedly, because I know EVERY time I drink coffee, this is exactly what I am thinking! :)

Please be sure to enter you information for my coffee themed blog candy at this post. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! now I am off to make more coffee cards!

Challenges:
Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
Crafty Boots - gold or silver (feather on left is gold foil paper)
Pink and Main - anything goes

Memorial Day Blessings.... His Soul Goes Marching On

Coffee of the Day - Maple Walnut

Happy Memorial Day to all of my friends here in the good ol' US of A! :) and a big howdy do to everyone else who stops by as well! :)

I come from a family filled with soldiers. some of my cousins are still in the military. so today is one of special significance to me. one of my uncles was killed in combat and many friends have fought in our various wars. I always stop to remember those who have given the greatest sacrifice to our country as well as those who serve.

it doesn't matter what anyone's political views are - there are still people all around the world who are serving in the military in some form or fashion, putting their lives on the line, regardless of politics. and they should be thanked & lifted in prayer. just my opinion of course.

for my card today I used a vintage postcard image by Ellen Clapsaddle. I have quite a collection of vintage postcards myself, but rarely put them directly onto cards or projects. I prefer to print out the images if I can find them in the public domain. This particular postcard was posted yesterday over at Little Birdie Blessings. she shared several that were quite lovely and very appropriate for today.

Papers are a combo of Authentique's Glory and Pride collections. ribbons and trims come from a fabulous May Ribbon Club Assortment I was blessed to win from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I dyed the whites the give them a more shabby feel.

the bark stars and flowers are all from Live and Love Crafts. some of the flowers are Wild Orchid Crafts, but I think the poppies are their own private stock. I also hand dyed 2 of them red to match my papers. buttons are all vintage, ticket is from my stash, and postage stamps are some I saved from mail received. they come in so handy on projects like this! the tag was embossed then lightly inked to accent the stars. I think this is one of my favorite embossing folders!

Hope your week is off to a great start! thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:
Really Reasonable Ribbon - red, white, and blue with ribbon
That Craft Place - shabby chic
613 Avenue Create - anything goes or create your own: 1. image, patterned paper 2. die cut (little arrow in upper left corner is a die cut) 3. dry embossing 4. flowers, buttons 5. square card, twine, ribbon
Hiding in My Craft Room - any holiday (Memorial Day)
Creative Corner - anything goes
Robyn's Fetish - anything goes
Penny's Paper Crafty - anything goes
Party Time Tues - anything goes
Incy Wincy - all or nothing (I went for ALL!)
The Crazy Challenge - use ribbon or lace

Blooming Happiness and Happy Mother's Day!

Coffee of the Day - Irish Creme

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms, aunts, grandmas, and greats living here in the States! whew.... that was quite the mouthful, wasn't it?!?!! and if you are one of the above living somewhere else in this big, wide world, well, happy day to you, too! :)

my card today overflows with goodies, so you might want to top off your coffee before you go any further.....

I used the adorable 'Apple Blossom Birds' image by From the Heart stamps. it is the May stamp for the monthly progressive challenge. I actually printed it 3 times so that I could layer the images.

papers are Basic Grey Tea Garden (LOVE this new collection!!!), flowers are Petaloo and Wild Orchid Crafts, dies are Spellbinders (main image with mat) and Tim Holtz (polka dot flourish). crochet trim is Maya Road, I think, buttons are from stash, and flowers on the main image have distress stickles in the centers.

I did a bit of re-purposing here - first using the air mail sticker and then with the card in the lower right hand corner. it is actually packaging from Prima flowers. I distressed it with some sandpaper and then roughed up the edges. this is also a great way to get ink to adhere to slick surfaces while giving a shabby look. (tip!!)

I also played with frantage embossing powder for the first time ever. gosh, is that stuff cool! I know I'll be using it a lot more, especially the little bit of pink I have. tee hee!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope to get to everyone's blogs in the upcoming week. seizures are still going gangbusters, but I am going to come by to say hello if I can. :)

Challenges:
From the Heart - sketch #108 with a twist of lots of layers (actually did both. if you look closely you will see that I followed the sketch)
From the Heart - progressive monthly challenge
Rosey Hearts - things with wings
Dragonfly Dreams - how does your garden grow?
Crafty Calendar - things with wings
Di's Digi Designs - load on the flowers
Just Us Girls - embossing (frantage)
Sweet Stampin' - spring flowers
Brown Sugar - layers (over 10!)
Chocolate, Coffee, & Cards - spring has sprung
Fussy and Fancy - lots of flowers
Quick Quotes - add a flower or butterfly
As You Like It - fave: land or sea? land because I need my trees! I've lived by the ocean and as much as I love the waves (I made it a point to drive by the water every day for the 10 years we lived there), I really really really need my trees. and my little critters. and the beautiful birds......
Little Miss Muffet - many layers (over 10!)
Inky Impressions - embellishments (buttons)
Simon Says Wed Ch - let's get sentimental
Whimsy - color an image
Deep Ocean - flowers
QKR - nature
Top Tip Tues - duo (not only do I have a pair of birds, but birds & branches go together! my tip is above about using sandpaper on slick paper surfaces)
Crafty Boots - things with wings
Mema's - anything goes
Stamp and Create - May flowers
Crafting Musketeers - use a die cut (Spellbinders & Tim Holtz)
Creatalicious - embossing (frantage)
Emerald Faeries - flowers for Mom
Lia Stampz - embossing (frantage)
V's Sweet Ideas - emboss it (frantage)
Pile it On - cute animal
Come and Get It - got flowers
Robyn's Fetish - lots of layers (over 10!)
Sentimental Sundays - Happy Mother's Day or really girly
Sparkle and Sprinkle - anything goes with loose glitter, flocking, or embossing powder (frantage)

whoa nelly - I think that is a record for me! just like the record I broke with the number of layers on this card! :)

Thankful for YOU! :)

Coffee of the Day - Eggnog

Why yes, I am thankful for YOU! grins! y'all put up with my long absences, and I really appreciate you hanging in with me. all of you so rock the casbah! :)

the Simply Betty group over on Facebook has a challenge to use this cute image, add pleats, use autumn colors, and then frame the sentiment that comes with the image. phew..... that is a bunch of stuff to do, especially for someone like me who does not do well with adding those fine details to my watercoloring. but I did try. must say it is not one of my best efforts, but try I did. ;)

the frame for the sentiment comes from Graphics Fairy. isn't it gorgeous? papers are Basic Grey Indian Summer. I am gonna be crying in my coffee when I use the last of this precious collection. it is one of my all time faves. the fabby embossing folder is by Sizzix, and the oval die is Spellbinders. everything else is from my stash.

Hope to be back, if at all possible, with another project before Thanksgiving. y'all take care! much love to ya!

Challenges:
Tuesday Morning Sketches - current sketch
Great Impressions - Thankful Thoughts
OSAAT - Giving Thanks
Robyn's Fetish - use a digi
Sentimental Sundays - Heartfelt Thanks
Catch the Bug - photo inspiration
Jo's Scrap Shack - Happy Thanksgiving
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Preparing for the Holidays/Fall
Open  Minded Crafting - Grateful
Paper Pretties - Be Thankful/Thanksgiving
Simon Says Stamp - Thanks/Thanksgiving
WAW - anything encouraging goes
Clear it Out - anything goes
Cuttin' and Stampin' - Thanksgiving
Die Cuttin' Divas - Happy Thanksgiving
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Give Thanks
Card Mania - use a digi
Craft Your Passion - pumpkins or turkeys
Dream Valley - anything goes
Melondeadz - add a sentiment
Perfectly Rustics - embossing