Hot Summer Fun Penguin

Coffee of the Day - Texas Turtle (pecan, caramel, & choco)

I have another card for one of the challenges over at The Outlawz to show you. I am also giving this to Mick's girlfriend, Jocelyn. the college she attends has a penguin for a mascot, so this is perfect for a 'summer break' card for her! :)


image is from Digi Darla, senti is Create with TLC, papers are from Basic Grey Plumeria collection, silver/natural twine is Maya Road, roses are Prima, wave die is MFT, floral leaf die is Cheery Lynn. lots of accents with the white gel pen and spica clear gel pen on main image. also dots of stickles and digi shell painted with shimmerz. rock candy distress stickles on edges and wave tops.

See you in the morning!

Challenges:
Catch the Bug - summer or July 4th
Di's Digi Downloads - summertime
Emergency Crafters - summer sun
Raise the Bar - summer
4 Crafty Chicks - school's out
Inky Impressions - beach fun
Deep Ocean - welcome summer
Digital Tuesday - amazing animals
Sassy Cheryl - summer

Dilly Beans - Tag, it's Christmas!

Scared ya there for a second, didn't I?! sorry, but I do make holiday cards year 'round, so it seemed appropriate to create one for the new challenge going on over at Dilly Beans - tags. even though my project isn't an actual tag, it has several ON it....


I used both the candy border and gingerbread house images from Megan to create this card. papers are My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas, washi tapes are My Mind's Eye, poinsettia is Prima, bingo tile is Maya Road. lots of glimmer mist and stickles were used on here as well. fabby tag on the tag comes from Mish's shop on Etsy. may just have to go back and get more of these, 'cause I think it won't take long for me to use up the ones I have. ;) I am really having fun playing around with the washi tape. you will see more on another project coming up this weekend!

Challenges:
365 Cards - sparkle & shine 2 ways (2 types of stickles & glimmer mist)
CCEE - tags or tag on card
Crimbo Crackers - anything goes
Divas by Design - tag, you're it!
Clear it Out - anything goes plus 2 or more ribbons from your stash
Holly Jolly Christmas - bingo: free (tags), red, ribbon

Thank You! :)

Coffee of the Day - White Chocolate Coconut

Happy Friday! Phew.... did you ever think we would make it to the weekend? what a week! Today's card is for all of YOU! not only is it made with an image that is very special to me, but it is made for some of the most wonderful, kind, generous, loving people I have ever had the chance to NOT meet! tee hee! You have let me know, in no uncertain terms, that behind every dark cloud, there is most certainly a beautiful rainbow ready to shine down upon us. You have also reminded me that I can not look at the negative that has been sent my way. I can look at the dirt, or I can see the sunshine. So many have reached out to me in various ways - cards, emails, flowers, some have even sent little treasure gifts that have so touched my heart. but understand this, YOU MATTER TO ME! YOU HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE! and I thank you! :) I dedicate today's post and card to YOU! :)


Jellypark has a new challenge starting today as well as some cute new images being released. Btw - this is the most AWESOME group of ladies I have ever had the chance to be part of a team with, next to my Pile it On teamies. they soooo rock! :) The new challenge at Jellypark is called Waving, in honor of the upcoming USA holiday of July 4th. you can create any kind of a project that shows things that wave: hands, flags, banners, oceans, whatever you can think of!


I chose this very precious fundraiser image Claire has drawn for her Little Havens charity. You can read more about it here on the store site. She has a special line of stamps created just for this wonderful childrens' hospice center. Claire also is a volunteer there and has told me some fantastic stories about her times at this center. Thanks to the kindness of all of you, the goal Claire set at the beginning of the year has already been met! wooooo hoooooo! but I told her that we can't stop and need to keep going! sure, we can reach a million! ;) Each month the winner over at Jellypark Juniors chooses what image they would like Claire to draw. That new image gets added to the fundraiser collection for Little Havens. how cool is that?

As you can tell, I am VERY happy to be back to my usual style of crafting again. boy howdy that CAS stuff is just so not me.... ;) Papers here are Basic Grey PB & J, little trim snippet & rose are Prima, buttons are October Afternoon, ruler sticker is Jenni Bowlin. banner on image was painted with shimmerz while accents were made with my white gel pen. I do think this pennant punch by SU! is one of my very faves.

thank you again for all you do! have a most wonderful weekend! :)

Challenges:
oh my giddy Aunt Franny, I can't believe I am putting on my Brave Boots and entering this card at Moxie Fab in the 'thank you' card challenge...... eeeek!
Stampin Sisters in Christ - flags or banners
Paper Play - flags, pennants, or banners
Bearly Mine - anything goes
Paper Makeup Stamps Digi Makeover - anything goes (waving hi to my old teamies!!!)
Tammy's Scrappin Corner - anything goes
Incy Wincy - anything goes
Chocolate, Coffee, and Cards - anything goes

Texas Sized Birthday

Just put together my first ever card using a pre-colored digi image. almost seems like cheating, but gosh, this one sure is cute! I am trying to catch up on a few more of the challenges over at The Outlawz that I mentioned in my post this morning. This card is for a 'where are you from?' challenge.


The image is currently a freebie from The Doodle Pantry. (hint hint hint....you should go check out all of the cutie ones that are available for free right now. wow!) papers are K & Co. Americana, rustic ribbon is May Arts, linen thread is SU!, and star sticker strip down middle is Jenni Bowlin. buttons are just from my stash jar.

Even though it has been years since this Texas gal has been to her home state, there will always be a part of the Lone Star that resides in my heart no matter where I live. :)

Kaboodle Doodles - colors of your nation's flag
Moving Along with the Times - birthday
Crafts and Me - birthday
Celebrate the Occasion - birthday

My attempt at a CAS card.... please don't laugh! ;)

Coffee of the day - Caramel Pecan

Hello! I would be remiss if I didn't stop and thank every one of you who left the most heart warming, touching comments for me yesterday. Thank you so very much! :) I honestly had no idea that so many of you would take time from your busy days to leave such kind and touching comments for me. I can't tell you how many times I was brought to tears by the things you said. There are by far sooooooooooo many more kind people than the other in our crafty community. and I don't think of those DT people as unkind, just not understanding of how someone on the other end might be feeling....

So on to happier things like cards and crafting! :)


Today brings a new showcase over at Milk Coffee. We are featuring the cute, but shy CoCo. It is quite appropriate that I was given CoCo with her bird to create with. There also happens to be a BUNCH of fun challenges going on over at The Outlawz right now to celebrate the 2000 members. So I put on my brave girl boots (how I love that saying!!!) and tried to make a CAS card..... yep, it's not really a CAS card, but for me, it REALLY is! ;)

Can you believe this card has NO patterned paper on it anywhere? how weird is that for me? the embossing is a pretty SU! folder, twine is from My Mind's Eye, the flowers are real, dried ones that just seemed the perfect way to finish the card.

Again, thank you to all of you for being so good to me! :) back with more tomorrow!
love to you! Jennifer

Challenges:
Fab 'n Funky - cute and girly
Papercraft Star - embossing
365 Cards - mailable (not bulky)
LEJ Designs - summer is here (flowers & birds mean summer to me!)
Cupcake Craft - brds of a feather
Daisy Doodles - anything goes (2nd entry)
Love to Create - anything goes
Whoopsi Daisy - things with wings

Kindness Matters

Coffee of the Day - White Chocolate Coconut

This post has been a long time coming....it's going to be a bit long and nothing crafty about it, so please bear with me. jump right over it if you would like. or just flat out don't read it. won't hurt my feelings any. you do have that right, just as I have the right to type what I choose on my blog. I try to be kind and as positive as I can be during whatever is going on in my life at the time - but let's face it, life is not always easy, kind. or fair. it's our own reaction to it and the choice we make in those responses that makes the differences. Kindness does still matter, folks.

I discovered a few days ago that I have been let go from yet another DT without any notification whatsoever. I get that I am not a constant contributor. you don't have to tell me that. no one knows better than I that I am not the best DT member in town. I have no problem at all with a store or company or challenge blog letting me go, please understand that first and foremost. what I do have a hard time understanding is that this is the 3rd or 4th (I've lost count in the past few months....) DT that has let me go with no communication at all. no emails, no phone calls, no contact. just suddenly I am locked out of a group or removed from the blog site with no advance warning. It seems a bit cold.

In this day and age of instant everything, it only takes 2 or 3 minutes to send an email or text. if that long. I guess I don't understand why everyone thinks that it is acceptable to just ignore the fat bald woman who is sick..... do they think that just because I am dying that my feelings are dead, too?

I am trying the very best I can every day to get through. it is not easy. my family is gone for the summer. I see them for a few short hours on Saturday before they return to Camp. Chemo has made me more sick than you can possibly imagine. We have discovered that there may be permanent damage caused by the chemo treatments, but won't know for certain for several months. I craft when I can because I NEED to. I only wish I could do it more....so I craft as much as I can when I can to try to do my best for the DTs I am still a part of. and because I need to keep my mind as busy as possible to keep from sliding into the black hole of depression. my body feels like crap, but I push myself to stay out of bed as much as possible. yes, I sleep and rest. but if I were to stay in bed as much as I wanted to, I would never get out. and that is mentally not a good place for me to be.....

every time I look in a mirror I am reminded that I am fighting a battle right now. my skin is grey and covered in horrible sores. teeth have fallen out, and the ones I have left are a scary color. obviously I have no hair. I have puffed up life a butterball because of all of the medications given to counteract the reactions to the chemo. my fingernails and toenails are brittle and fall apart. there is nothing feminine about me remaining. I don't recognize this thing in the mirror. cancer truly is a monster and yet people have told me that I am lucky to have it, another that it is a gift from God. no, I don't think it is any of these things.

I MUST look for the blessings every day or this monster will win. I must show my children that there is a reason to smile every day, even if you have to search and search and search to find out what that reason is. so call me silly for finding joy in the birds singing. laugh at me or call me names for enjoying the taste of my coffee.

but understand this, every single person in this world has some kind of mountain they must climb; some kind of battle they must fight, some kind of cross they must carry. and to that person it is a struggle. please understand that even the smallest showing of compassion can lighten the load or give the extra bit of courage to carry on. it takes so little kindness to light the fire of hope. Kindness matters.

We make the Perfect Blend!

Coffee of the Day - Girlfriend Blend (cinnamon, hazelnut, chestnut, & vanilla)

Oh my lawsie, this morning has started off with a bang! my coffee maker is on it's way out .....and you can only imagine the horror that brings to me and my household! yikes! it took over 30 min. for it to brew one pot, so I'm thinking it's time to get the French Press back out. Then the big trash trucks were out doing their thing before 6 a.m., so it was noisy noisy noisy. We have an annual trash collection day here in our little village, and today is the big day. tree lawns overflow with stuff people want to get rid of, so the trash collectors start EARLY to begin the rounds. just when I really needed my coffee! ;)


okay, we are done with that.... on to fun crafty stuff! Several of us who are DT members at Pile it On were asked to do a fun DT swap with Bugaboo today. They are the sponsor for PIO beginning tomorrow. We get to play in their challenge and they get to play in ours - how fun! :) So of course I chose to use this cutey cute cute coffee image and matching senti for my card. The challenge at Bugaboo this week is a recipe one: buttons, twine, and a senti.

Papers are from My Mind's Eye Blink of an Eye collection, little tag is Maya Road, big blue button is SU!, while other buttons are from my vintage stash, twine is K & Co. (LOVE this color combo in the twist!). I used shimmerz paint on the spoon, heart, and the girl coffee cup's cheeks, a clear spica glitter pen to hightlight the steam, and my white gel pen to add some accents to her cup. I then put on my brave boots and grabbed my black sharpie to add some little squiggles to both the man's coffee cup and the card edges.

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

Challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee, & Cards - coffee & cream
Crafty Catz - pastels
Delightful Challenges - anything goes
Paper Play - use a die
Crafts and Me - anything goes
Divas by Design - die cuts
Fab 'n Funky - polka dots
Digital Tuesday - tag it
Paper Take Weekly - bingo (buttons, free space, punches)
Daisy Doodles - anything goes
Corrosive Challenges - feeling punchy (border & tag)
Great Impressions - die cuts or punches

Happy Birthday random Blog Follower Candy Winner....

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice ('cause it's my birthday and it's my fave!)

image courtesy of Vintage Holiday Crafts

Surprise surprise surprise!!! Today is my birthday and I did a random drawing for a few crafty goodies from my followers. nope, you had no idea I was going to do it and the package will (hopefully!) be filled with a few treats to make someone very happy!

All of you who have been so kind and gracious to me while I go through this cancer journey truly touch my heart. I know you originally didn't sign on to hear about chemo yuckies and such, but you have walked this path with me & it means a lot to me. :)

so even if your name wasn't chosen this time, know you touch my heart with your comments, emails, cards, and expressions of friendship!

so without further chatter, the winner of my Birthday blog candy is:

The randomly picked number is: 253
Linda W. of Lindys Maid Wid luv
Please send me an email at jenscull at yahoo dot com with your mailing addy and I'll get your package ready and shipped! :) you will have until Sunday, June 24 to contact me or else I will choose another winner.

(number chosen by Violet Cottage number generator)

most of you know that the majority of my craft supplies come from the most part through challenge wins and blog candy. I have been very blessed and am happy to share what I have with you! I will try to do another one of these fun, random giveaways in the next month or so.

I'll be back later in the week to share updates from chemo today. received another bit of not so happy news, but am pressing on. today is a day for joy, so we are NOT going to focus on any ick...
grab your loved ones and give them big ol' sloppy smoochies as well as big tight bear hugs! sure, they'll look at you funny, but then again, when DON'T they?! tee hee!

Let's Go Fly a Kite with Jellypark Friends

Coffee of the Day - German Chocolate Cake

Well here is the last of the cards I was able to get made while I was feeling good....so happy to be able to share it with all of you!

Real quick before I start in about the post, I want to say a big thank you to those of you who have recently sent me cards to add to the basket at the chemo treatment center. I'll take them along with me when I go for my treatment next week. Everyone is having such fun going through the basket, 'ooooohing' and 'aaaaaahing' over all of the pretties, and then making the tough final choices of which ones they want to take home. They get so excited when I bring in a new batch to refresh the basket, so thank you very much on behalf of everyone there! :)


A new challenge and new release images start today ove at Jellypark Friends Friday Challenges. I am so happy to have been able to play along in the new challenge - 'Let's Go Fly a Kite'. all you have to do is add kite images, die cuts, strings or twine, kite bg papers, or anything kite related to your papercraft project.

I LOVED flying kites when I was a little girl. of course I never had typical 'girl' kites - my fave ones were the eagle and Batman ones I had.... sounds kinda like me, doesn't it?! grins! my boys enjoyed kites as well when they were young. don't see too many people flying them around here these days though. how about you? did you fly kites? have a favorite? gosh, I would spend hours out in the fields....


my card today is going to a very special person. Last weekend I came across a blog post that truly touched my heart. A grand-mother was asking for cards to be sent to her 7 year old grand-son Matthew, who had just been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. He has just started chemo and this poor family is really having a tough time wrapping their minds around all that is going on. oh my goodness, of course I just HAD to make a card for him. not only do I know exactly what he is going through with the cancer & chemo, but I can only imagine the emotional roller coaster that family is on. So I poured as much love and as many prayers as I possibly could into this card for Matthew. I received permission to post a link to their story here for any of you interested.

deets for the card - used a combo of images: cutey new robot with sign and the kite from Let's Fly Away. papers are Basic Grey What's Up collection, senti is Create with TLC, clouds were cut with a die from My Favorite Things, little tab punch is from Jenni Bowlin, and my spica clear gel pen was used all over for accent. the main image bg was spritzed with Mr. Huey white after painting blue to help give the effect of clouds.

Challenges:
Ink it Pink - masculine
Delightful Challenges - for the boys
Do You Stack Up - for men or boys
Little Miss Muffet - loads of layers
Paper Play - for a guy with twine
Cookin' it up with Katie (hi Katie!!! waving!!!) - for a special guy, texture, metal
Crafting for All Seasons - for a man (hope for a boy works, too....)
Divas by Design - summertime
Always Crafting/Creative Mondays - summer
Incy Wincy - more than one digi
Pink Elephant - masculine
There's Magic in the Air (wavin' hi to my former teamies! I miss y'all!!!) - one for the boys
Crafty Pad - let's hear it for the boys
Di's Digi Designs - male inspired
Fussy and Fancy - boy attitude

Happy Flag Day and a Freebie Alert....

Coffee of the Day - Vanilla Nut


for those of you living in the USA, Happy Flag Day! I am so proud of our flag and all that it stands for. I may not always agree with the politics of our country or the people in the government, but good golly, I am proud to be an American! I love what this country was founded upon and the kind, generous spirit you find in so many people here. Don't get me wrong, I have met some amazing people from ALL around the world, and I love them to bits, but I will stand up when the flag passes, proudly sing my National Anthem, and wave my flag with honor every chance I get. :) interesting history about the day posted below, taken from Vintage Holiday Crafts website..... wonderful image also came from there.

Flag Day is the anniversary of the official adoption of the American flag by the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress in 1777. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as the first official National Flag Day in 1916 but it wasn’t until 1949 that an Act of Congress was signed to formally establish the holiday. Interestingly, though, Flag Day isn’t a given; it’s at the president’s discretion to officially proclaim the observance each year. That is unless you live in Pennsylvania, which is the only state that recognizes it as a legal holiday.

so glad I crafted on those 2 days last week. I have been icky sicky ever since then.... sleeping my days away and stuck in bed for the most part. do NOT like chemo, Sam I am....can not keep down green eggs and ham. Happy Birthday to me, I get chemo as a giftie next week. but at least it's closer to being over, so that is a good thing.

I wanted to let you know about a precious freebie from Claire at Jellypark real quick..... she has created this amazing app and to celebrate is offering a free coloring page for a limited time. check it out here. A new challenge and releases debut tomorrow over on the Jellypark blog, so be sure to check it all out with us. yep, I did get a project done for that, so I'm happy to be able to play along again. :)

Mechanical Men....

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Coconut (what is it about summer that just says I must drink coconut coffee? grins!)

As I mentioned the other day, I was able to get a few DT cards made over the weekend. So today I'm playing along with Party Time Tuesdays in the new challenge - All things Mechanical, Father's Day. Sponsors this week are Robin's Nest, The Stamping Boutique, and Robyn's Fetish. I hope you will play along with everyone!


I used papers from Robin's Nest, and image from The Stamping Boutique, and a fun senti from Create with TLC that just seemed to go perfectly with this ice cream truck! :) Hubby let me order a few goodies from My Favorite Things for my birthday, one of which is this coolio chevron border die. isn't it fun? lots of sparkly accents were added with shimmerz paint and my clear spica glitter pen. distress stickles were added over the top of the chocolate ice cream and look almost like sprinkles! a few buttons and some wrinkled seam tape finish off the card. perfect to give to hubby! :)

enjoy your week and see you in a few days! :)

Challenges:
Pink Elephant - masculine
Dream Valley Challenges - for that special guy (hubby!)
One Stitch at a Time - man in your life
Alphabet Challenge - ice cream
Cardmad Fairy - Father's Day/masculine
Crafty Catz - Summer Time
Delicious Doodles - for the fellas

A Fun Color Challenge with Milk Coffee

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Coconut

Hello! I have been feeling a bit better, so have been crafting up a storm. be prepared over the next few days to get hit like a storm with projects! :) it's a good thing, in my mind anyway, as I have missed my time away from the craft table. you can't even imagine just how therapeutic crafting is for me, so to get back to it is fantastic!


Milk Coffee is starting something fun and new today - a monthly color challenge! You will be provided a gorgeous color combo from Design Seeds (you already know how much I love them!!!). just choose a few colors from the palette, pick a Milk Coffee image (a freebie will always be provided for you!), and color it up! you don't even have to make a complete project if you don't have the time. we just want to see how you use the colors provided. Everyone who plays has a chance to win 3 digis from the Milk Coffee Etsy store.


I chose the soft & pretty Celine Praying image for my card. she is highlighted with distress stickles - sorry I can't remember which of the pink ones I used.... papers are Glitz Pretty in Pink, buttons are vintage as is the pretty little pink trim at the bottom of the main image. some cardboard was first inked with vanilla craft and then sprayed with pink cadillac glimmer mist. the senti from TLC was printed onto the dsp and then cut with a Spellbinder die. a pretty pink flower with leaves was added to finish it off. :)
I hope you play along in this fun challenge with us!

Challenges:
Ink it Pink - words as bg
Gingerloft - vintage
Great Impressions - die cuts or punches
Sunday Stamper - pretty in pink
Ribbon Girls - use ribbon or lace
Craft Your Days Away - bingo (buttons, die cuts, ribbon/lace)
Crafty Ann - it's a girl thing
Polka Doodles - lots of flowers (on image, papers, and mulberry flower added)
Paper Craft Journey - hand colored image

Update....

Coffee of the day - Caramel Hazelnut

I have sent this message to my Yahoo DT groups:

thought I would let all of you know -it appears after all of yesterday's tests, scans, mashings, etc. that the cancer beastie has been contained!!!!!! no spreading! whoop whoop whoop! doing the party over here! yes, tequila was consumed last night, but I was good and didn't have....well.....TOO much! grins!
thank you for the prayers and good wishes. your friendship and support has been a crucial factor in all of this, let me tell you! 2 more chemo treatments to go and then my 6 weeks of radiation. we are getting there, ladies! phew!
had to celebrate with my besties! :) love ya!

so many prayers of thanksgiving are being said. so many tears of joy are being cried. and oh my lawsie, the smiles just keep a comin'!!!! the doctors say I won't officially be out of the woods until I hit my 5 year mark, but no matter what happens, God is good. for this moment I don't have to go through any more surgeries, biopsies, etc., and for that I am so very grateful. all of you are absolutely wonderful! no, we aren't done with this journey yet, but the sun is most certainly shining a little bit brighter today.

btw - cancer doctors should check out the medicinal qualities of tequila and coffee.... just sayin'! ;)

Some Great and not so great news....

Coffee of the Day - Pumpkin Spice (because I really needed my fave comfort coffee right now)

oh the days they are full of changes....some so bittersweet, some that just make you sit back and pause. but never for one moment do I feel alone or bitter. for that I am so thankful.


Tonight we go to Ryan's baccalaureate service. He is one of the speakers. Tomorrow is his high school graduation. I couldn't be more proud of my 3 sons. Tyler received his letter in the mail a few days ago announcing that he has once again made the Dean's List. Mick is dating one of the most wonderful young women I have ever had the chance to know who will some day join our family. These children God entrusts to us grow up oh, so quickly. I sit here with tears streaming down my face as I think of the journeys we have been through together, the laughter we have shared. and I have been so blessed to be called their mother. more than I could ever deserve.

and yesterday I had to tell them that I have found another lump....it would seem that the cancer is spreading in the midst of the chemo. I have an appt. with my surgeon on Monday so that all of the chaos can begin once again. Just a few days ago I was thinking that I was getting close to being done with chemo. Had another bad reaction to the treatment while I was there and we were saying it was a good thing I was almost done. Instead my family is numb....we just don't know how to react other than to bind together as God has so often told us to do.

so this mom asks you to pray, not for herself, but for her family. for that is what is most precious in all this world to me. I will be fine, whatever the outcome. of that I am most certain. my hope lies in God and His promises to never leave us or forsake us, even when life seems the most desolate. but oh, how I ache for my husband and children. so if you could please say a prayer for them, I would be so very thankful to you.
Jennifer

My Nurse is one of my Heroes....

Coffee of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut

important message---> if you received an email message from me with the subject 'hi' and the content saying something along the lines of 'check this out' and a link that follows, PLEASE IGNORE IT!!!! my inbox and address box were hit by some kind of spam. I am so sorry and have tried to fix the problem. again, please please do not open the link. just delete the message. thank you.


Don't fall outta your chairs...but I have another card to show you today! yep, 2 this weekend! how exciting is THAT!?!?

I really wanted to make a card for my oncology nurse, especially since I gave the poor thing & everyone in the chemo room such a fright last time when I had the allergic reaction to my chemo meds and sent them all into a big tizzy. So I used this adorable new nurse image from Jellypark and this great senti from Create with TLC (because in my mind she really is a hero!!!) to create a thank you card.
The design of this card is a bit unusual since the new challenge this week at Pile it On is cards with 2 or more folds. The card is a gate fold with a belly band, but when I scored the sides for the folds, I came up a bit short. Rather than have the folds come up short, I scored twice more on each side to create a pleat or 'V' shape. this adds extra thickness. the belly band then needed to be thicker, so it is actually box shaped. My card now has lots & lots of folds! :)

Papers are new Authentique Glory - absolutely wonderful papers!!! I picked up this fun twine on Etsy - rather than white with the navy it is natural with navy. the rose is made from an old zipper and the heart is punched from a coffee cozy & then inked. a baby button was added for a bit of fun! edges of main image were coated with distress stickles. final touches were made with my handy dandy SU! ink squirty tool.

Challenges:
Pile it On - 2 or more folds
Card Makin' Mamas - punches
Creative Card Crew - dimension
Southern Girls - die cuts or punches
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - cute as a button
Totally Gorjuss - something new (papers, digi, & twine)
Bearly Mine - anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. - recipe (2 dsp, tag, glitter-I used distress stickles)
Craft your Days Away - red, white, & blue
Sweet & Sassy - thank you
Art Impressions - anything medical
Digi Doodles Shop's Best - spotty
Little Miss Muffet - anything goes
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - bingo (glitter, punches/die cuts, buttons)
Paper Take Weekly - red, white, & blue

Friends Forever - new Dilly Beans challenge!

Coffee of the Day - Toasted Coconut

Hello! I bet you didn't think I'd be back quite this soon with a project, now did ya?! well, I wasn't quite so sure myself..... tee hee! I have several projects that I have started sitting on my craft desk, but then get to feeling too puny to finish, so I was tickled pink to actually get this one all the way to 'card' stage! ;)


Dilly Beans has a new challenge that started yesterday and the theme is 'friendship'. Nothing in my life has quite shown me what the true meaning of friendship is all about quite like this cancer journey, so I wanted to make a card for my hubby to tell him how much I appreciate him sticking by my side. I have learned in my 25+ years of marriage that the romance may come and go, but it is the friendship we have that gets us through the tough times. That and our faith....

I used several of Megan's cutie little hedgies, adding some eyelashes to the girl and of course a pretty pink Prima! it just seemed appropriate that they were standing on these fun mushrooms doing 'Eskimo kisses'. I used glitter gel pens to highlight the flowers and polka dots. the grass was cut with a MFT die. Papers are Echo Park This & That, the senti tab is a fun one from Jenni Bowlin.

everyone have a most wonderful weekend! know that you are truly loved! :)
Jennifer

Princess Latte

Coffee of the Day - Coconut Macadamia

Hello everyone! I know you must have thought that the big bad wolf had come knocking on my door.... nope. just the big bad chemo has knocked me right into a proper blechy fog that doesn't seem to want to leave. this is not the door on "Let's Make a Deal" I thought that I had chosen..... a big ZONK for sure! grins! and it all starts up again next week.... wooo hooooo! at least we are on the down hill side if the dr. sticks to 6 treatments. I have officially reached the half way point, so that is a VERY good thing.

lots of big stuff happening around here. Ryan graduates from high school next week. of course having chemo a few days before hand is not ideal, but can't miss a treatment, so I am going to press on regardless of what the dr. tells me. will NOT miss my son's graduation! he has also been asked to speak at the baccalaureate service the night before, which is a huge honor. I'm looking forward to attending that as well.

This weekend some friends of ours from several churches are coming over to help put a new roof and floor onto our enclosed porch room. at various times this has been my craft room, but it has leaked so bad that everything inside has been ruined. (several years ago I lost almost all of my craft supplies due to the snow melt). Some VERY generous people have come together to help us fix this room this weekend. I was truly overcome by the kindness of so many to help us in this way. We are going to have a BBQ tomorrow afternoon as a small way to say thank you for all they are doing. Don't know just how much I will be able to participate, but it will be lovely to see some of these amazing people again. :)

I have been trying to do itty bits of crafting here and there. haven't completed any one project yet, but maybe before the weekend is over I will have something to share with all of you.



Before I leave, I thought I would post this photo of Latte, one of our precious pups. As many of you know, we have 2 labrador retrievers sisters. They are 10 years old and such an enormous part of our family. They do sleep in bed every night with Dave & I, and I wouldn't have it any other way. :) Well when I received the cancer diagnosis, we picked up special bandanas for the dogs to wear - Latte got the pink one since she is such a princess. She has treated it like her tiara! She has become even more 'royal' since wearing it, if that is even possible. They both get very upset if their bandanas fall off or must be removed for washing. it is actually quite funny. Mocha is a riot when the camera comes out, so it's hard to get pix of her - she wants to lick the camera lens. but in true Princess fashion, Latte poses properly! so here she is for all of you to see! :)

Feeling Loved

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Pecan

Hello everyone! I know it's been forever since I last posted. I got hit with a nasty fever last week after going to Ryan's Choir Banquet. My oncologist really doesn't want me going out anywhere since I don't have any immunities to speak of, but I do hate missing all of Ryan's senior events at the high school. but they do knock me for a loop when I go.... spent all of the rest of the week in bed battling high fevers and ick. on the good news front, all of my wonderful family is now at home since Mick & Tyler have finished their college semesters. so happy to have them back home again! :)

Had chemo yesterday. Good report from the dr. as to my blood levels, but had a nasty reaction to one of my chemo meds. I sure do keep those poor souls on their toes, as the whole office was in a tizzy for about 10 minutes until things stabilized. I gave the folks sitting next to me a scare, that is for certain! Then all of the meds they gave me to get my system back to normal kept me awake all night. oy! always something to keep life interesting! ;)


anyhow, I do have another card to share with you today. Way back when on those lovely days when I actually felt like crafting, I was able to make this card for Milk Coffee Challenges. The challenge this fortnight is Buttons and Bling. I have to say that the lovely people over at Milk Coffee have been so kind and patient with me. They took me on to their DT knowing about my cancer, allowing me to create & post only when I am able. Thank you for that!

Papers are Echo Park For the Record, gilded rose is Prima, buttons and lace bit are vintage, notebook journal page is Jenni Bowlin, red sparkler is Webster's Pages, rhinestone flourish is ZVA, and senti is Create with TLC. little accents were made on main Milk Coffee image with stikcles and my white gel pen.


before I forget, I want to also share a photo of Ryan & his girlfriend Ashley before prom this past weekend. Chardon HS was given the most amazing prom experience at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. they all had such a wonderful time - most certainly a memory that will be treasured forever! :)

btw - thank you so much to those of you who have sent cards for the cancer chemo patients! my oncology nurse was so touched by your kindness! :) we are making a special box to keep all of them in for everyone at the center so that they are divided by theme and easier for people to go through while they are getting treatments. I have more ready to take when I go again the end of this month. you are so kind to reach out to others! :)

Mother's Day at Pile it On, but alas she gets no flowers.....

Coffee of the Day - Maple Pecan (to celebrate the last day of our annual Maple Festival!)

Yes, you are seeing correctly! I have a card for a DT project! :) oh happy, happy day! Today is a fun challenge over at Pile it On - create a Mother's Day card without using any flowers at all.... sounds much tougher than it actually is, especially for a coffee lover like myself. tee hee! My MIL happens to enjoy coffee almost as much as I, so it was easy to choose an image from our sponsor, Bugaboo, to make this fun card!

Papers are Lily Bee Designs Head Over Heels by, twill ribbon is Prima, buttons are Cosmo Cricket, baker's twine is Martha Stewart, accents of shimmerz paint and my white gel pen were added, and finally the heart was punched from a Starbuck's coffee cozy before spraying with pearl glimmer mist for a touch of shine! the polka dots on the coffee pot were made by tapping the end of my pen into my ink pad, then stamping right onto the cs.


Challenges:
Pile it On - Mother's Day, but no flowers
The Crafter's Cafe - embellies with a twist (Mother's Day)
Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes with kraft
Ribbon Carousel - anything goes with a spooled item
Creative Card Crew - ribbon (hope the twill counts)
Paper Take Weekly - sketch
Bunny Zoe - ribbon or twine
Made Especially for You - recycle (Starbuck's coffee cozy)
Divas by Design - buttons and/or bows
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
Deep Ocean - punches and/or dies
Papercraft Star - polka dots
Aud Sentiments - anything goes
Hiding in my Craftroom - Mother's Day
Fussy & Fancy - punches/dies
Pixie Cottage - Mom or special lady

Uncle Fester is alive and well and living in Ohio.....

Coffee of the Day - Maple Pecan


I bet you didn't know that Uncle Fester from The Adams Family is STILL alive and well..... yep, lives here in a little village in northeast Ohio.... just look at this wonky photo and tell me I don't look just like him! ;) dark shadows under my eyes and all! ha! oh my gosh, it's a good thing I was never a raving beauty, because I would be going through some kind of an identity crisis about now, dear friends. thankfully the sores on my head and body aren't showing in this photo. probably because it's not a fab photo to begin with since I took it with my phone, but I did want to show you what I look like these days.

my goodness, I had no idea just how warm hair actually keeps a head. I find I'm constantly reaching for my winter hats because my head gets sooooooo cold. David thinks I look like Ripley from the Alien movie series. guess I need to start working out with the weights now.... yeah, that made me giggle, too! ;)

now don't fall off of your seats or anything, but I am actually going to have some papercraft projects to show you in a few days! shut the door - I know!!!!! isn't that cool?! I've really truly been up to doing a spot of crafting these past few days. nothing earth shattering, but hey, I'm tickled pea green to just get back to my craft table!

Going to put together a box of cards to take to my next chemo appt. People bring in hats, pillows, blankets, etc. that they have made to share with everyone. There is no charge for any of it - it's all free to anyone going through chemo treatments. My oncology nurse is also a papercrafter, so I asked her if I could bring in some cards to share. There isn't anything like that there. I thought about it after remembering the big promotion SCS does every Oct. for MD Anderson. She was thrilled, since she has been asking to see some of my cards from the first time I started going. I am so happy to be able to share my cards with people who will hopefully enjoy them. I give most of them away anyhow, so this is perfect.

All of you have a most wonderful afternoon and weekend! Remember to watch for that sun and listen for those birds! :)

Thunderstorms & Zombies

Coffee of the Day - Mocha Mint

Oh the twists and turns the roads we walk do take.... thunderstorms are approaching, my dear friends. but you need a rain shower in order to make those beautiful rainbows, don't you? Rainbows are filled with such promise, such beauty, let us never forget for one moment.

My hair is almost completely gone. Not really such a biggie in the long run, but it is sure annoying to have it constantly falling out into my face. I seem to leave piles of it every where I go - worse than the dogs. so glad we cut it down to just an inch or so or else it would be very traumatic to see clumps of it all over the place. We'll be shaving it off today if possible. I have these horrid sores that have cropped up all over my body, but especially on my poor little head. My teeth are turning a strange shade of grey, and oh, how my bones just hurt.



I tried to let Tyler and Mick know over the phone that their Mom is looking much different, but when Mick came home this weekend for a quick trip, the look on his face said it all. poor guy tried to hide it, but I could see the horror in his eyes. How I would love to not ever have my family go through this battle - to be able to protect them the way a Mother should from the trials of life so they don't have to watch...... that is the hardest part of this walk. I don't care what happens to me - better me than anyone else. but oh good golly..... don't make it hard on my guys. that breaks my heart into pieces.

I ask for prayers for them, please. I will be fine, no matter where this road takes me. But my family.... oh my. They didn't sign on for this. and the tears I cry are all for them. I see the look in their eyes and it rips me apart. I would protect them from this if I could. I would keep them from having to see my body fall apart and decay. I truly am turning into a zombie right in front of them. and there is nothing I can do to shelter them from the horror of what I am becoming.

But there is still joy.... I know it deep down inside. I feel it and I can see it. A robin has built her nest right outside our back porch room. I watched her on Saturday bring the pieces to the lilac bush where she has decided her family home should be. On Sunday I saw the most beautiful red fox running along side the road. It's been years since I last saw one in its natural habitat. My cat friend comes by every day to visit with me on the back steps. He will even let me pet him now. So while my body changes there are still precious moments of beauty if we can but stop and find a moment to be still and enjoy them.

Round 2 in the Chemo Octagon....

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

Well another round of chemo has come and gone... and boy are my poor arms so bruised after all of the tests and needle prods this past week to prove it. I look as if I went a few rounds in the Octagon and came out the loser. add to that my hair coming out like a shedding dog and I am one raggedy looking critter, I can tell you that! ;)


Haven't been getting the best of news from the medical end this past week. We are watching closely some 'activity' according to my PET scan in both my liver and bone marrow that are cause for concern. I was given the oh so encouraging quote the other day of 'survival is possible'.... do they not have any clue as to what that sounds like on this side of the desk?! oh well. they haven't met my God, have they? He has a plan and I will keep walking HIS path, not the one set forth by the doctors. for 10 years doctors told me I would never have children. then lo and behold in 3 years I had 3 most glorious boys. every day I thank God for the blessing of them. so I will keep things in perspective - understanding the reality of what is happening in my body, but knowing that my path has already been set before me. it is up to me to choose how I will respond to all of this news.

so I continue to listen to the beautiful birds. my owl friend continues to serenade me every day. I caught a glimpse of him for the first time ever the other night. what a wonder to behold! he flew right by our neighbor's house with those mighty wings outstretched. my family is a constant joy to me. I couldn't possibly ask for anything more in my life. I am filled to overflowing with blessing upon blessing. Life is full and life is complete. :)

Chemo Brain is setting in...

Coffee of the Day - Maple Cream


Well, it's official. Chemo Brain is making it's way into my wonked out head and I'm getting strange looks from my family all the time. oh my, I think it's just gonna get worse as time goes on.... I say things and then have to stop and think about it after I get that 'look' from everyone. I find that my fingers just can NOT seem to type properly on the keyboard anymore. it takes me forever to get one sentence correct. so posts will be short and sweet from now on. y'all are probably all shouting 'hooray' on that one! :)

I was at the hospital today for my PET scan. we've discovered that my type of breast cancer is a bit more rare and agressive than was first thought. it also has a high risk of return and not such great odds when it does. so my dr. has extended my chemo by several more treatments for now. more of my lashes, brows, and hair have fallen out. but I'm trying to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine while I can. have taken up chatting with a stray cat that's been hanging around. he now comes when I call out to him. :) you know what I say - the sun is still shining and those birds are still singing! giggles!

Enjoy your weekend and know you are loved sooooooooooooooooooo much! :)
Jennifer

p.s. I also wanted to add a quick comment here about word verification on blogs - if you have this added to you blog, I'm sorry but I just won't be able to leave comments any longer. it's always been hard for me in the past, but it's gotten just almost impossible for me to try to read those letters now - especially now that the extra words have been added. what many of you don't realize is that for those of us with neurological problems, it is harder than you can possibly imagine to try to figure out those letters with a wonked out brain. I can spend up to 10 min. trying to decipher some of them and then end up with a nasty headache. comment moderation can solve your problems with spammers if that is your concern. but I do apologize - I just can't read those things anymore. please don't take it personally.

A Most Blessed Easter to You

Coffee of the Day - Coconut Almond


I just want to take a quick moment to wish each and every one of you a most blessed Easter! I hope that you are surrounded by family & friends today.

Know that you are loved with an everlasting love.... even when you don't love yourself very much. There is One who loves that most unlovely part of you and smiles when He thinks of you. He gave it all for you and would do it again and again. and I, for one, am so glad that He did! :)

Happy Easter!

A Week since chemo...

Coffee of the Day - Toffee Nut (first Starbucks in For-Ev-Er!!! major yummmmm!)


Thought I would pop in with my 'one week since chemo' post. What a thrill. ;)

Actually, Dave and I spent the day out, popping by to see Tyler for about 15 minutes, dropping by the church to say hello and take them a few little Easter gifts (have you thanked your church secretary lately? I bet you would make her day! We love Patty!). I rested in the car as we drove from place to place, and couldn't really stay anywhere for very long, but gosh it felt good to get out in the fresh air and sunshine.

I had my first Starbuck's in what seems like forever. oh what pure bliss! I can't begin to tell you how much I miss those tasty treats! :) once we made it back home, I slept for several hours. I'm still feeling whooped, but that is okay.

Physically, well, chemo has started taking its toll already. I feel dizzy and queasy most of the time. my body, which shakes with tremors anyhow, really shakes now. I'm always cold. and that is so unusual for me. so I have to stay bundled up in my hoodies and a special shawl that a dear friend made for me. I've started losing my eyelashes. yeah, it's weird. most people have their hair fall out first. for me, my eyelashes are falling out like crazy. they keep getting caught in my eyes and drive me nuts. some of my hair is coming out as well. I lost a tooth the other day. that caught me off guard. just a big gaping hole in the back of my mouth.....no warning whatsoever. just gone. and it's been one week....

I can't start asking what the next week will bring or the one after that or the one after that because I will go absolutely bonkers if I do. I have to just hang on to each moment and savor the beauty each one contains. Because there ARE still wonders to behold. there ARE still joys to experience and I fully intend to grab each one I encounter and wrap them in my heart, holding on for all they are worth. and then I will let the joy and wonder go to float along to the next person on the wings of the birds that sit outside my window. they will ride on the song of the owl that still serenades me every day. and perhaps the joy and wonder will come to you, dear friend! and you will feel the love that has touched my life and hold it in your heart for just a moment and know how blessed we have been. :)