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

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

It's an Engagement! :)

Top 3 Pick at Creative Craft Cottage

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

So not only are you getting my first craft project in almost a year, but you are also getting the happy news of another happy engagement in our family! :)

I am so excited to announce that Ryan and Elizabeth are engaged!

This weekend we drove to Indiana for a surprise engagement party that Ryan (our youngest son, for those of you who aren't familiar) and Elizabeth's family planned. Mick (our middle son) and his girlfriend, Lauren were able to join us, too!

Ryan asked David and I to each write Elizabeth a letter. Of course I had to make a very special card to present my letter to her.

The little fairy proposal image is so sweet that I just couldn't resist using it. Papers are from the Prima Indeed digital pack, ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbon, mulberry flowers & leaves are by Wild Orchid Flowers, digital tickets and post cards are from Create With TLC, and little butterfly die is by Cheery Lynn.

vintage buttons, crochet trim, and doily are from my stash. lots of distressing was done with inks and a paper distressing tool. Stampdendous Frantage powders in wine were added to the main image. distress stickles in black soot were added to the butterfly. tiny pearls have been added both inside and out to the corners. the interior vintage button was tied with SU! linen thread.

it's a bit hard to see, but on the inside pocket, I have added a flourish that was die cut from some clear packaging that I re-purposed. the die is by Tim Holtz. it's a subtle, but very pretty element that packs a lot of punch irl.

Thank you for hanging in there and waiting on me to get something made! I hope you think it was worth it. ;)

and congrats to the happy couple!!!!

Challenges:
Southern Girls - die cuts (butterfly & flourish)
Crafty Creations - anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - any project with patterned paper
DL Art - flowers
Inspiration Destination - #146 anything goes w/optional spring/pastel colors
QKR Stampede - anything goes
Mod Squad - ready for spring
Die Cuttin' Divas - flowers
Craft-Dee BowZ - anything goes with a handmade bow
Creative Craft Cottage - make it feminine

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!

Hello! Have a Lovely Day! Coloring Contest Entry

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice (again!)

Since I am still not feeling well enough to go to any of the rallies and protests scheduled this weekend, I hit the craft room yesterday and participated in a coloring contest going on in the La La Land Facebook group. Participants are asked to use this cutey image, 'Lovely Marcie.'  She only has to be colored, but I went ahead and added her to a card. She is available for a discount for the time of the challenge, which is so nice of the owner! :)

papers are from the Basic Grey Typeset collection, flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, buttons & lace trim are vintage, and dies are by Spellbinders. accents on main image were made with a white gel pen and touches of Frantage embossing powder were also added for some fun sparkle. sentiment was included in the digi set by La La Land.

heading back to the craft room in just a bit for more relaxing therapy. ;) hope all of you have a great weekend! ours has lots of snow in the forecast!!! y'all know how I love my snow! :)

hugs to each of you! Jennifer

Holiday Gift Ideas with GIU

Coffee of the Day - Eggnog

Welcome back for my second Growing in Unity (GIU) gal post. How's your holiday shopping going? have you finished? started? ;) my husband used to have a tradition of waiting until Christmas Eve to actually BEGIN his shopping! thankfully after 30 years of marriage, I can happily say that is no longer a tradition of his! grins! he likes to start in October or so like the most of us....

today I want to share with you a few somewhat 'quick' little ideas for gifts using Unity stamps. now bear in mind that quick for me might not be quick for you, I am a VERY slow crafter. I kinda like it that way, as it gives me plenty of time to think about the people I am making things for. once upon a time I could whip up a card in less than 10 minutes, but these days it takes me several hours just to paint my images. but it is sooooooooo relaxing! my cat, Moon Pie loves to come into my craft room with me, so it's really a special time. :)

now on to my gift ideas ~

first up is a tag I made to go on a candle that was sent to my Mother-in-law. if you have a Michael's craft store nearby, these jar candles are fabulous! every once in a while they go on sale 4/$10. otherwise I'll use my 40% off coupons on them. the fragrances are quite nice and even when I burn the candles all day long, they'll still last almost a week.

when my MIL came for a visit this spring, I hooked her on them, too. so I found one in a scent I knew she would like and added it along with some other goodies for her for Christmas.

the tag is made using the pretty "Peace Dove" image, stamped in versamark on one of the freebie tags that came along in the 'thank you' gift Unity sent in my last order. I then embossed it in copper ep, once that dried, I added some frantage powders and spritzes of a few shades of glimmer mist. touches of distressing to the tag's edges, a vintage holly sprig, and pretty ribbons turn this into a fabulous gift!

Next up are some cutey little gift bags that I also found at Michael's. These use a combination of stamp sets that might cause you to scratch your head at first, but they really look great together!

I stamped various snowflakes from the Layers of Life Magical Bliss and Wonder set in Prima chalk inks on the muslin bags as well as the little wooden tags my husband made. I then stamped the snowman from Susan Weckesser's "One of a Kind Winter" set using Staz-on. Tim Holtz distress markers were used to color it in, and the snow drops were made with a Viva Decor pearl pen.

several shades of glimmer mist was sprayed to add a bit of sparkly shine.  poinsettias are from Hobby Lobby. finally, the 'joy' is from a sentiment from the "Joy to Go" set.

Thank you so much for stopping by for a cuppa with me! be sure to leave a comment on any one of my GIU posts this week for a chance to win a Unity grab bag of stamps! :)

Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafty Boots - Winter Wonderland (gift bags)
Love to Scrap - anything goes
Melonheadz - time for Christmas
Marker Pop - winter (gift bags, colored with Tim Holtz distress markers)
Use Your Stuff - Merry Christmas ( buttons, ribbons, twine, and Viva Decor pearl pen are all from my older stash)
Simon Says Stamp Wed Ch - gift it

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

A Wee Irish Recipe and Fun RRR Blog Hop!

Featured Photo at The Outlawz

Coffee of the Day - Irish Creme, of course!

Welcome to my stop on the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! everyone is featuring projects using this month's ribbons from the new monthly club kit. as a lover of all things green, this collection really made my heart go pitter pat! ;)

if you are following along on the hop, you should have come here by way of GINNY's amazing blog. should you ever lose your way, you can always head back over to the RRR blog for the complete list. plus you'll want to stop there at the end to have a chance to win your own ribbon club kit! :)

when the photo of the new ribbons for this month were posted, I made the comment to the rest of the Design Team that the pic made me hungry for the white cheddar and bacon scones that I fix for my family every St. Patrick's Day. the other ladies commented how yummy the scones sounded. I must say that they really are VERY tasty! I promised to share the recipe, so decided it would be fun to create a recipe card as my contribution to the blog hop.

I'm showing both the front of the card and the inside, which is where the recipe is posted. not sure yet just who is going to receive this goody in the mail. maybe YOU?!?! :)

EDIT!!!!
there is a typo in the recipe - in the 2nd paragraph 2nd sentence, it should read that the large rounds should be about 1 inch thick, NOT 2 inches thick. sorry about that.

the adorable little bingo images come from the St. Patrick's Bingo Collage digital file found at Polly's Paper Studio. you might remember that I had made 2 cards with this collection earlier.

papers are from the Authentique Treasure collection, flowers are by Wild Orchid Crafts - chrysanthemums, lilies, and open roses, and a gold spiral stamen. some frantage embossing powder was added to the cards for a bit of shabby fun. vintage buttons, gold doilies, and a retro shamrock applique complete the project.

thanks so much for stopping by! now head over to AMBER's blog for something spectacular to inspire you! :) be sure you leave her a comment and tell her hello!

Challenges:
Outlawz Tues Color - green + 2 others and twist (yellow, brown, and white from photo. twist is flowers from pic)
L'il Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
Scrappy Hands - bingo elements
Ribbon Girls - anything goes card with ribbon
Polkadoodles - Lucky Green
Crafty Girls Creations - anything goes
Southern Girls - anything goes

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! :)