A Few Journal Photos

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Creamy Chestnuts coffee

Hello and happy weekend! 

I apologize that I have taken so long to get a few project photos to you. I haven't been doing very well this past week. Still rough, so will only share a minimal of details on these, coming back to update later. I hope you can understand.

The first is the cover and tassel for an entertainment themed journal I made for Ryan and Elizabeth. it is filled with game, movie, and music pages & ephemera. I believe the paper is from a Carta Bella collection. the fabric is some from Etsy. the game pieces and papers are vintage. the tassel hooks onto the bow at the spine. this was the only photo I took before mailing it to them for Christmas.

The next few pictures are of the handyman themed journal I made David. I took an old Reader's Digest book and altered it. many of the pockets and tuck spots in the journal are made from pages from the actual book. the spine is Tim Holtz fabric. I found the vintage handle and number placket on Etsy. the handle is screwed into the book cover. I was so happy that my Crop-A-Dile actually punched through the cover with ease. 

this is the inside cover. I added the verse that I have on my blog. I thought that was a perfect way to begin. :) this journal is filled with so many vintage items: first day of issue postal envelopes, pages from manuals, sales flyers, postage stamps, receipts, labels, and book pages just to name a few. I love including lots of actual vintage ephemera in these journals. .the papers used in this book are from Michael's and several Authentique collections. I will try to get more photos of this one later. can't even attempt holding a camera right now. ugh.

I believe I had mentioned that I had made a garden themed journal for Mick and one with a nautical theme for Tyler and Danielle. I still had signatures, or sections, left over from each journal because they just became too full of goodness. ;) so Mick has asked for me to make him another garden journal using the remaining pieces. I am also working on a baby journal for he and Lauren. yep, they are expecting a baby girl in April! hooray!!!I knew that I had a few extra months to get that one finished, so didn't push myself with the Christmas deadline like I did on the others. 

I am very much a novice when it comes to making journals, so please be understanding. I am really having fun with them though, and look forward to getting better with each journal I make. :)

all of you take care, stay safe & healthy, and have a great weekend!

Epic Hipster Chimp Birthday Card

Coffee/Tea of the Day - White Chocolate Cinnamon Hazelnut coffee

Hooray, it's the weekend! I hope you have something absolutely fabulous planned, whether it's just relaxing with your favorite beverage and sweetie or chock full of activities with family and friends. Enjoy!

(vintage monkey birthday card)

Today is our son, Ryan's, birthday, so I am sharing the card that I sent to him. It's no secret in our family that monkeys of all kinds terrify me, so of course it's fitting that at least one person marks them as their favorite animal. sigh....I try to be kind and create a project or two for Ryan using primate images, no matter how challenging it is for me to do so. they flat out give me the heebie jeebies! ack!!! so anytime you ever see a monkey card from me, you know it is indeed a labor of love. ;)

I confess that all of the animals in the Tim Holtz Hipster stamp set make me smile! their expressions are a hoot! I purchased the matching die for the chimp, and will try to collect the others as I am able. it really does add so much to have the die for these.

according to Tim Holtz's video, stamp each image 3 times in order to have enough for die cutting all of the pieces. I actually stamped out 5 to add a few extra layers. all layers are separated by foam tape. Crystal effects were added inside the glasses for some fun and texture. his eye color doesn't show as vividly, but I really love the extra 'zing' the crystal effects adds.

The way cool background is created with a selection of distress oxide sprays sponged with distress ink. you can really see the distress ink in the way it wicked through the texture paste that was applied to the Stitching stencil. the Typo stencil peeks subtly through the back. such a great masculine look!

you know me - I have to re-purpose whenever possible! :) our monkey fella is matted by a piece of a Starbucks coffee cozy. edges were inked to distress. the piece of wood came from some work my hubby was doing in our house this past week. he had to do some drilling for plumbing, and this was one of several pieces I grabbed for craft projects. isn't it so neat?! it's tied with a piece of baker's twine that was also distressed. vintage buttons from the stash are added to word banners and a fun sentiment by Heidi Swapp.

Thank you for stopping by! have a great weekend! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
Creative Craft Cottage - for the men in your life
Brown Sugar - anything goes
CRAFT - animals
Papercraft Ch - no designer paper
TTCRD - anything goes
Use Your Stuff - upcycle/recycle
Get Creative - anything goes
Allsorts - from boys to men
Crafty Calendar - lots of layers (5 layers in the chimp alone)
Let's Craft and Create - add extra layers (5 layers just in the chimp image)
Sognado Scrap - 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

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

Happy Birthday Fly Guy

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

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

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

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

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

thank you so much for stopping by!
Jennifer

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

Happy Mother's Day, A bit Unconventional....

Coffee of the Day - Decaf Lobster Butter from Roos Roast in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms and grandmas out there!

I have a special card to share with all of you today, but it's not your traditional Mother's Day card. it's a card I made for me and my sons that celebrates the reason I am so very happy to be a mom - my boys. the bond those 3 guys share (and the very special one that includes my husband, too!) fills me with such great joy. they are so close to each other, not just in age, but in companionship and friendship.

I said in a post a little bit ago that David is the very air I breathe, but oh my goodness, these young men are my heart. :)

from the time I was 16 years old, doctors told me that I would never have children. I knew deep in my heart that if I were to be a mother, it would happen because God knows best. my greatest dream has always been to be a wife and mother. that's it. and He answered my prayer so completely with my precious family. we are blessed. so very, very blessed to have one another. after 10 years of hearing that it would never happen, I had 3 sons in 3 years. so I celebrate being a mother. they are my miracles and I rejoice in them each and every day. as I said, they are my heart.

so my card recognizes the joy that IS being a brother. the images and sentiment are by Vera Lane Designs. papers are from the Authentique Summertime and Meadow collections, vintage buttons and burlap ribbon are stash items, and the cardboard was inked and distressed a bit. the dies are by My Favorite Things.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! :)
Jennifer

Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge - It's a Man's World
Brown Sugar - masculine for Father's Day
Crafting with Friends - anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack - anything goes #233
QKR - anything goes
Tic Tac Toe - bright colors, something digital (images & sentiment), die cut (grass & paper doll)

Hey Sugar!

Coffee of the Day - Salted Caramel

Hello and Happy Friday! :)

I am sharing another one of the cards I've made to send to my son Ryan who works at Hope Bridge, the therapy center for children on the autism spectrum.  I am just slow getting things both made and posted. ;)

This card was made with a special someone in mind. One of the boys there is someone that Ryan knew before he started working there. After graduating from college, Ryan worked at The Salvation Army. This young boy would come into the office to visit his mom, who also worked in the office. When Ryan left later to start working at Hope Bridge, he discovered that his friend attended when Ryan was greeted with a loud, "Hey Sugar!"  for some reason, this boy decided that Ryan's name was Sugar. :) everyone laughed and that has become his new nickname at work. so they call one another Sugar. isn't that so fun?!

The cupcake image and 'You are so sweet' sentiment come from Graciellie Design.  I used the digital images, but you might be familiar with her stamps at Unity.  the 'Hey Sugar' was computer generated.

papers are from the Carta Bella Cartopia collection, enamel dots are some homemade ones, button is from my vintage stash, and twine is from Michael's.  I added a few little Pearl-ex dots in olive green under the 'You are so sweet' sentiment. a wink of stella clear glitter pen accents some of the frosting swirls.

Have a great weekend, and I'll be back tomorrow afternoon for a fun blog hop with Tiddly Inks! :)

Challenges:
QKR - anything goes
Aud Sentiment - masculine plus a sentiment
Creative Moments - anything goes
Crafting From the Heart - anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything goes w/patterned paper
Create and Inspire - anything goes w/ optional stencils or dies (oval die cut)

Beer Barrel Dwarf Publication

No Coffee today... feeling poorly and having juice instead.

I am finally getting a chance to share the card that was recently published in issue #110 of PaperCrafter magazine. I was so excited when they let me know they wanted to use one of mine in their publication!!! I am still waiting on the issue to arrive here in the States so I can add it to my collection. :)

I made this card for Tyler, our oldest son who graduated last month with a degree in bio-technology. He wanted to go into either the craft beer or winery industry, so I thought it would be fun to use this cutey little dwarf by Mo Manning, one of my ab fab fave artists.

papers are from the Basic Grey Boxer collection, flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, ric rack is by Really Reasonable Ribbon, and vintage buttons & twine are from my stash. liquid applique is added to the top of the tankard for beer foam. the beer label is from one of Tyler's favorites to add a bit of a personal touch. ;)

He actually started working for The Winery at Wolf Creek right after graduation and loves it!

Have Faith and Be a Fisher of Men

Winner at Little Miss Muffet

Coffee of the Day - Carrot Cake

Today I have the honor of letting all of you know that I have been invited back to the WordArt Wednesday challenge blog all this month as a guest designer! I was so excited when Karen sent me the email asking if I would like to return. :) of course!  it's always an honor to be asked to be a guest designer with a blog, but especially one that glorifies God in such a beautiful way as these ladies do.

Today's lovely scripture really spoke to me  as a back to school card for our youngest son, Ryan. he is in school in Indiana pursuing a double major in both Youth & Children's Ministries. he has been away all summer in an internship with a huge church there. I know God has Ryan exactly where he needs to be. :) This beautiful scripture today, paired on the inside with Matthew 4:19 "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." go so perfectly with this adorable stamp from Kraftin'Kimmie.

papers are from the Basic Grey Bowties collection,  Kraftin'Kimmie stamp is a retired one called Fishin' Friends, orange seam binding is from Really Reasonable Ribbon, while orange jute string/twine is my fabby Michael's find. buttons are from my vintage stash. die for scripture is by Spellbinders, and little grass snippet die is by My Favorite Things. accent dots were made with a white gel pen and a small piece of a Starbucks coffee cozy was inked to nestle beneath the cut out fisherman with his pup. :)

thank you so much for stopping by today! may your day overflow with joy in all that you do! :) and hello to my most recent followers! I'm so happy to have you here!!!

Challenges:

Kraftin' Kimmie's Wonderful Wed. - anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - tic tac toe: button, patterned paper, ribbon/twine
Craft-Dee-BowZ - anything goes with a handmade bow
Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
Craft Your Passion - anything goes
Dream Valley - buttons & bows
Male Room - Olympics/sports
Scrappy Hands - sports

Final Guest Post at Bugaboo - 2 Hot, BBQ

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

Well today is my last post as a guest designer with Bugaboo. I sure have had a lot of fun! and the team has just been as nice as can be to me. :) thank you to everyone for having me!

I end with a post for the new challenge on the inspiration & challenge blog, 'Recipe: 3 Strips of paper, distressed edges and a tag.'

I've used 'A Kid's View - BBQing' for a card I'm going to give our oldest son. one of the things he has done out at Camp all summer is cook burgers and hot dogs on the grill each week. this image immediately made me think of him when I saw it. :) I thought it would be fun to give him a gift card tucked inside to a restaurant that DOESN'T serve burgers so he and his girlfriend could go out for a fun dinner once Camp season is over. it's also a way to say thanks for all the time he put in behind that huge grill.

papers are from the Photoplay Summer Day Dreams collection, main die is by Spellbinders and bbq grill die is from Memory Box. sentiment is by Create with TLC. dew drops are from Double Click Skittles and orange seam binding is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. orange twine is from my great 30 cent find at Michael's.

hope you have a most amazing weekend! :)

Challenges:
TTCRD - anything goes
Brown Sugar - anything goes
Craft for the Craic - summer breeze (can you smell those burgers cooking as the breeze comes by? yum yum!)
Crafting with Friends - anything goes
Jo's Scrap Shack - anything goes
Craft Your Passion - anything goes
Ooh La La - add some texture

Sailing By, Little Crab

Coffee of the Day - White Chocolate Macadamia

Today's little crab is sailing by to say 'hello' to all of you! :) actually, he'll be sailing into the mailbox of one of our sons soon! I wanted a little something to brighten the day of one of our guys, and this fella seemed the perfect way to do so!

it's also Oldie But Goodie day over on the Bugaboo inspiration and challenge blog, so do pop on over to see what several of the DT members have created to inspire you. the big sale will soon be ending in the Bugaboo store, so be sure to grab those images you have had your eye on! the 50% off sale only lasts until the end of the month.

I have used the cutey 'Crab Boat' image on my card, in addition to papers from the Basic Grey Adrift collection. stitched cloud dies are by La La Land. it's a fairly simple card, but I wanted something easy to put into an envelope. burlap ribbon is from May Arts.

thanks so much for stopping by today! have a good one! :)

Challenges:
Paper Shelter - anything goes
Scrapping 4 Fun - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wed - anything goes
Male Room - red, blue, plus one color other than neutral (several shades of blue, hope that is okay. other color is golden yellow)
4 Crafty Chicks - fave designer/paper/company (Basic Grey is and always will be my ab fab fave EVER paper company!!)
CRAFT - summer
Creative Knockouts - anything goes
A Snowflake's Promise - summer

Cowboy Found a Rope

Top 3 Pick at Crafting When We Can

Coffee of the Day - White Chocolate Macadamia

Happy Wednesday to all of you! thank you to those of you who have so kindly dropped by my little blog to say hello. :) I know the posts are few and far between these days, so your friendly comments make me smile and brighten my day! hopefully it won't be much longer before my health is back to normal and all is right as rain again. :)

I do have a post to share for today's Humor Me Wednesday over on the Bugaboo challenge and inspiration blog. don't forget the big sale going on in the store until the end of the month!

for my card, I've used the cutey 'Wee One Cowboy - Relaxing' and a sentiment I printed on my computer. it just made me giggle! papers are from the digital Carta Bella Giddy Up collection and brown grosgrain ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I added a little handmade lasso with some twine I had, adding a bit of distressing to it since a cowboy's rope is going to be well loved. ;) both main dies are by Spellbinders.

hope your week is going well! Jennifer

Challenges:
TTCRD - anything goes
Cardz 4 Guyz - make us smile
Come and Get It - checks or stripes
Crafting When We Can - based on a movie (City Slickers)
Try it On Tuesday - make us smile

Camping Tag

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Cupcake (thanks, Kirk & Alison!)

It's 'Anything But a Card' Day over on the Bugaboo challenge and inspiration blog. I'm sharing a tag I made to go with my hubby's Father's Day gifts yesterday.

I used the 'AKV Men - Camping' image to create the tag, adding papers from the Kaisercraft Hunt & Gather collection. a few fun trims, some washi tape, and a button are all that are needed to complete the tag.

for those of who who don't know, my hubby is the Director of a camp. so this image and tag were perfect for him! :)

hope your week is absolutely amazing! Jennifer

Challenges:
613 Avenue Create - anything goes with optional twist to create a tag
Come and Get It - Father's Day
Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends - anything goes
Hiding in My Craft Room - masculine
Brown Sugar - Father's Day
Craft for the Craic - masculine
Double Click Skittles - for a man/boy
Digi Choosday - just for men

Teach a Man to Fish...

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Macadamia

Today begins a new challenge over at the Catch the Bug challenge and inspiration blog with a 'Masculine' theme. perfect for those upcoming Father's Day cards or any others you might want to send along to the guys in your life! :)

**the watermark I've been given by Bugaboo is the little lady in the car. 

it is NOT part of the card.**

I am using the hysterical 'Gus Fishing' image on my card today. he just cracks me up!  I'll be sending this card off to our son, Mick, when he returns from his school trip to Canada. he loves to go on fishing trips with his friends, so I know he'll get a kick out of it. :)

papers are from the Kaisercraft Hunt & Gather collection, fish die is a retired one from Whimsy Stamps, little snippets of brown gingham ribbon & natural cotton ribbon are  from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and buttons are from my vintage stash. a piece of torn cardboard was inked and added below punched sentiment. crystal effects was added to his glasses.

thanks so much for stopping by! enjoy your weekend! we are off to a big antiques market at our local county fairgrounds today.

Challenges:
Craft Rocket - for a man/boy
Cute Card Thurs. - a good sport/hobbies
Simon Says Stamp Wed - for a guy/Father's Day
Tues. Throwdown - man's world
Crafty Boots - masculine
Craft for the Craic - masculine
QKR Stampede - one for the guys
Inky Chicks - Father's Day/male card

Let's Hit the Surf!

Coffee of the Day - Caribbean Hazelnut

All of us in the crafty world love free images, and today is Freebie Friday over at Bugaboo! head to the store to check out this fella, Johnny Surf. if he isn't in the store yet, he will be shortly. until then, you can see the entire Johnny collection here. he is quite the busy guy! stop by the challenge and inspiration blog to see all of the fun projects made by the team using the image.

**the watermark I've been given by Bugaboo is the little lady in the car. 

it is NOT part of the card.**

I kept my card on the simple side since I want to mail it off to Ryan while he's away for the summer doing his internship. this way it can fit into an envelope easily, as opposed to the big padded ones I normally use to send my cards.

papers are from the Basic Grey Lauderdale collection, wave die is a retired one from Whimsy Stamps, stitched sun die is by La La Land, and main die is by Spellbinders. yellow diagonal stripe ribbon and natural jute string snippets are from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

Happy Friday! I'll see you tomorrow! :)

Challenges:
Love to Scrap - it's a boy thing
4 Crafty Chicks - vacation
CRAFT - inspired by a movie (Point Break, who can resist Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze on the beach?)
Star Stampz - for/with kids
Inky Impressions - summertime
Sisterhood of Crafters - summertime fun
Cards in Envy - no girls allowed
Craftin' Desert Divas - masculine
Ooh La La - one for the boys
Scrapping 4 Fun - travel/holiday
Melonheadz - masculine
Brown Sugar - photo inspiration
Cut It Up - sun & surf (dies by Spellbinders, La La Land, & Whimsy Stamps)

Thank You Camping Scene

Coffee of the Day - Maple Fudge

Thought today I would share with you a card requested by Ryan before he took off for his summer internship in Indiana. he actually requested 3, so will share them bit by bit when other commitments don't need to be posted. plus, it gives me an excuse to think about him! :) this one is for a friend of his who loves to go camping.

The images are from one of my favorite, although retired, stores - The Doodle Garden by Jenn Nilson. I was honored to be on her Design Team for a while. what a truly lovely person!

papers are from the Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy collection, small flower and leaf are by Petaloo, long leaf if by Prima, sentiment is by Create with TLC, banner die is from SU, and main image die is Spellbinders. some brown twill ribbon wraps around the top of the banner, a bit of inked, torn cardboard placed in the corner, and then faux stitching added for interest. a few buttons from my stash complete the card.

enjoy your day! :)

Challenges:
Allsorts - the great outdoors
A Gem of a Challenge - weather
Crafty Calendar - Father's Day/for a male
Creative Corner - just for men
Dragon's Lair - one for the guys
Kitty Bee - masculine cards/cards for Dad
Polkadoodles - one for the boys
Sasayaki Glitter - for a male

Under the Sea Octopus Card Set

Winner at Crafty Ribbons
Winner at The Male Room

Coffee of the Day - Coconut Macadamia

Today begins a new challenge over at the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog, with a theme of 'Masculine plus ribbon or trim.' the DT has created some gorgeous projects to inspire you, so stop by to see their pretties! :)

since our son, Mick, was heading off to Canada for a work/study program, I wanted to make some cards for him to take along from me - notes of encouragement and filled with love. :)  his course of study is Wildlife Resource Management, so nature themed cards are always a hit with him. for a while, he was fascinated with the octopus, so when I came across these vintage postcard digital downloads in the Cameo Shoppe, I snapped them right up. I paired them with the seashell domino prints from the same store.

I made the paper for each of the cards using gelatos, SU! ink refills, and glimmer mist on watercolor paper.  each card also uses the same 2 1/2" natural cotton ribbon, sometimes cut into smaller strips. this is one of my fave of all the ribbons in the RRR store! :)

a Martha Stewart fern punch works well to mimic coral or seaweed. cardboard that has been torn and inked creates the perfect texture and backdrop to the vintage postcards. miscellaneous octopus embellishments include charms that I distressed with various inks as well as wood veneer from Michael's. one of my big finds while out on an antique adventure with hubby was a jar of seashells. perfect to use on these cards!

other ribbons used include: natural burlap string, brown burlap string, moss mini ric rac, orange plaid ribbon, and brown wrinkled ribbon. this last card shown also has tiny beads and Prima micro beads added to it for even more fun. Tim Holtz clips were added to several of the cards. all of them have vintage buttons.

I hope you have enjoyed the cards I sent along with Mick. I sure will miss that guy, but I also know that he is going to have a once in a lifetime experience! :)

have a most amazing weekend, dearest friends! love ya & thanks so much for stopping by!
Jennifer

Challenges:
Crafts and Me - anything goes with optional shabby chic/vintage theme
Creative Craft Cottage - include an animal
Lunagirl Moonbeams - Fathers/Grandfather/Brothers or for a man (my son)
Our Creative Corner -  A Beautiful Mess (handmade watercolor paper)
Petal Lu - anything goes
Southern Ridge Trading - masculine
4 Crafty Chicks - masculine
Crafty Ribbons - masculine or transport with ribbons
DL Art - boys and/or men
Male Room - critters and/or bugs

Congratulations, Grad!

Coffee of the Day - Sweet Potato

It's time for a new challenge over at Aud Sentiments, and our new theme is everyone's fave - 'Anything Goes + a sentiment'!!! that means that pretty much ANY papercraft project you create is eligible for the prize just so long as you include a sentiment! :)

I've made a graduation gift card holder using the fun AKV Boy Grad image by Bugaboo. today is also Oldie But Goodie day over on the Catch the Bug blog for Bugaboo, so you'll see some of the cute, but older images being showcased.

**the watermark I've been given by Bugaboo is the little lady in the car. 

it is NOT part of the card.** 

I found this card template online, but had to do a bit of tweaking to it once it was printed.I made the tassel from some baker's twine I had in my stash. the big button in the center really is black. it looks a bit off due to the photo. sorry about that.

cute little yellow dew drops are from Double Click Skittles. black houndstooth ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I kept embellishments to a minimum since this is going to a teenage guy. ;)

thank you so much for stopping by! hope you have a most amazing day! :)

Challenges:
Creative Moments - anything goes with optional black/white/one color
4 Crafty Chicks - black and white
Crafty Ribbons - a man's world with ribbons
Cute Card Thurs - more than 1 fold
DRS Designs - it's a guy thing
Moving Along With the Times - man or boy
DL Art - flowers or graduation

Keep it Happy, Little Frog!

Any Stamp Winner at Eureka Stamps
Winner at The Paper Girls

Coffee of the Day - Southern Spiced Pecan

Hello to all of you! hope the sun is shining on you, wherever you are in this great big world! :)

With all that has been going on with my family, I've gotten behind with some of my personal 'fun' crafting. one of those projects was using a Friday Freebie image from Scrapper's Delights called 'Froggy Frog' that was available last month to members of the Facebook group for a limited time. our middle son, Mick, has always had a fondness for frogs, so I knew this would make a fun card to send to him if I ever had a chance to get one made.

I combined the cutey frog with another image from Scrapper's Delights called 'Lily Pad Scene 2.' one of the houses we used to live in had a huge pond behind it and I could always find Mick out back catching toads and frogs. :) I think he'll appreciate this card wishing him good luck on finals! especially since he is studying to be a Wildlife Resources Manager!

I made the card into a gate fold, using papers from the Basic Grey Hillside collection. all dies are from Spellbinders and the sentiment is by Create with TLC. burlap ribbon is by May Arts and natural burlap string that ties the vintage button is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I added a little dragonfly charm to the main image.

have a most amazing day and thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:
The Paper Shelter - for the boys
Scrapper's Delights - anything goes
TTCRD - anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown - monochromatic
Digi Choosday - tic tac toe (charm, animal, sentiment)
Crafty Boots - use a sentiment
Eureka - buttons and bows
The Paper Girls - fancy folds
Crafting With Dragonflies - masculine card
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Ch - anything goes with a make it male twist

Rad in Plaid Hipster Bunny

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Macadamia Nut

It's been quite the emotional week around here, with a very sick dog and a few other things going on. but I did need to get a card made for Mick to go with his Easter present. (I'll share photos of that in a day or so...)

The Outlawz group has a progressive challenge going on right now, and this fun bunny rabbit was given to anyone who wanted to play along. it comes from Gerda Steiner Designs and just made me smile! :)

Mick is quite the hipster, although he would be the first to deny it. that is a sure sign of being a hipster! notice his goatee and long sideburns.... I typed out the sentiment on the computer.

paper is from Authentique, dies are by Spellbinders, buttons are vintage, and ribbons & burlap string are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. a piece of torn corrugated cardboard was inked and added. some faux stitching completes the card.

Thanks for stopping by! have a wonderful weekend! :)

Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge - Easter
Allsorts - Easter
Sweet Stampin' - Easter
Brown Sugar - Spring
Simply Create Too - be funny/make a joke
Creative Moments - Spring has Sprung
Double Click Skittles - bunny, basket, or egg
The Male Room - Easter