blog candy announcements

cool blog candy here at Bev's blog!

more blog candy here at Jodi's blog!

and even MORE here at The Artistic Stamper blog!!!

and I mean LOTS of cool blog candy in each giveaway! race over to each site!!! :)

A Cool Elvis is in da House! ;)

Coffee of the Day - Larry's Beans Mexico Blend

One of my fun online friends is Lori Craig. She has the greatest blog, but is also a way coooooool person! Now, she is an Elvis fan and knows that I am as well. When my fam & I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a week or so ago, I had to tell her about the great display they had of Elvis stuff. I was thinking about her when I saw the costumes, card, jukebox, well, pretty much all the neat stuff that actually belonged to Elvis. I mean folks, he actually touched, wore, sat in, spilled Coca-Cola on ALL this stuff! how cool is that?!?!?! (okay I was the same way about Bob Marley's shirt, but he doesn't have a line of stamps by CHF!! GRINS!)

anyhow, I digress.......... so as Lori and I were emailing back and forth about all this fun stuff, she was asking me about my Elvis stamp collection. Then lo and behold, yesterday I get this package in the mail with 2 Elvis stamps from Cornish Heritage Farms! She sent me these way cool stamps that I didn't have yet! how amazing is that?!?!?!? oh yeah, I was doin' the happy dance and showing my guys, who didn't show anywhere NEAR the enthusiasm these awesome stamps required!!!! shame on those boys!!!!!! okay, so they had spent the entire day backpacking. but this is ELVIS!!!!!!

anyway...... I had to stamp with these babies PRONTO! so here is the first card I made. I embossed the King in black, masked him, and then sprayed the white cs with graphite glimmer mist. The piece was then matted on a distressed piece of black cs. The bg paper is Die Cuts with a View Wedding paper, but I love the paisleys. thought it went well with the feel of this stamp. The flourishes are some felt adhesive from K & Co. Buttons are more of my vintage finds at Etsy.

thank you, thank you, thank you, Lori! I love these stamps! and you have thrilled me with your kindness and generosity! :)

A Cuppa with Gruffie - HM Monday Challenge

Coffee of the Day - Starbucks House Blend

Got a jump start on the House Mouse Monday Challenge by actually playing ON TIME!!! what is up with that?!?! well, Dave and the boys went backpacking in PA for the day yesterday. The guys are on Spring Break this week and Dave took off a few days to spend with the fam. They originally were going to take a 3 day backpacking trip, but the weather at the park they were headed to was going to be rainy and cold the entire time, so they decided to stay home and just do day trips. Works for me, since they brought pizza home with them last night! ;) So I had a chance to do some fun stamping. yeah, I know, like anything ever keeps me from that!!! grins!

I love this Gruffie image - you know me and a coffee or tea pot! I added the little flowers to bring something a little fun to the card. yep, I like to do that a lot, too! Papers are SU! and Basic Grey Urban Prairie. Used my neat Martha Stewart punch for the borders and added this prima twill trim that ended up being a perfect match. Toss on a prima flower and some dew drops, ink the edges in white craft, and ta da - we have a card! the center image is popped up on foam tape to add dimension. All coloring is done with watercolor brushes and SU! inks. Card size is 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square. oh yeah, I almost forgot the most important part - the House Mouse Monday Challenge was to create multiple images - either through stamping several images or by cutting your image into several pieces. you can see what I chose! ;)

have a lovely day!

Jennifer

Digital Stamp Oasis DT Challenge Opening

Digital Stamp Oasis is starting a new Tuesday Challenge blog and looking for several people to form the Design Team. By posting this on my blog, I am expressing my interest in a position. I am new to digi stamping, having only done a few cards so far, but goodness, it is quite addicting! I like being able to size the images based upon whatever project I'm working on at the time.

For more information, see the DSO post here. Happy stamping!

A Coffee Card! :)

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Easter! What a glorious day to recognize the overwhelming love our Saviour has for us! We spent the morning at a phenomenal church service, then came home to relax for the rest of the day. I prepared a simple dinner while David and the boys took the dogs to the park for several hours. I don't know if I have mentioned our amusing pups - Mocha and Latte`. They are labs, about 7 years old (actually Easter is their birthday!). Mocha is a chocolate and Latte`is a yellow. They bring us such joy. Actual sisters, they were a Mother's Day gift after our beloved Riley, a black lab David had for many years, passed away. Anyhow, dogs were worn out, dinner was delicious, David got his golf fix watching the Masters final round, the boys spent the evening playing their PSP's, and I basked in the joy of being greatly blessed with a beautiful family!!

This card uses 2 more of my fun Stamps Happen, Inc. stamps from the Janlynn Corp. You know I had to pick coffee stamps! I pulled out some Basic Grey Archaic paper, which I haven't used in a while and is getting quite, well, archaic!!! I am in desperate need of more masculine cards, as Dave has been pulling all of them from my card basket and using them. (which is really what they are there for, right?) The way cool mesh ribbon is from May Arts that I found over at Stamper's Dream. seemed perfect to add to the 'manly' feel of the card, since the guys forbid me to add 'girlie ribbon' to a guy card! :D Wanted to keep the sentiment generic, so I utilized an old SU! one and stamped it multiple times.

Have a great day!
Jennifer

Happy Easter to you and yours!

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?
and Who told the ocean you can only come this far?
and Who showed the moon where to hide 'til evening?
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

Well I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testifys
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives yeah

The very same God that spins things in orbit
runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands
that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer,

He lives To take away my shame
And He lives forever, I'll proclaim
That the payment for my sin
Was the precious life He gave
But now He's alive and
There's an empty grave

Now I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
Let all creation testify
Let this life within me cry
I know my Redeemer,
I know my Redeemer
I know my Redeemer lives
I know my redeemer lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
I know He lives he lives
yeah I spoke with him this morning
he lives he lives, the tomb is empty,
he lives I gotta tell everybody!

by Nichole Nordeman

House Mouse Challenge Sweetie Strawberries

Coffee of the Day - French Vanilla again! (it's very good!)

Just a quick post as I'm getting sick again (or still, as I'm not doing well since our trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last weekend). Don't you just hate it when you feel icky and a holiday is coming up? anyway, we aren't going to focus on that......

This card is for the weekly House Mouse Monday Challenge. I haven't played in a while for several reasons, but this week's theme is 'Sweet'. So I pulled out my adorable 'Sleeping with Strawberries' mousie and the fun Martha Stewart strawberry fabric stickers. Also used papers from Daisy D's. Colored it all with watercolor brushes again and SU! inks. I so enjoy using those brushes!

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Jennifer

God's Window From Heaven

Coffee of the Day - French Vanilla

Another card using my wonderful stamps by Stamps Happen, Inc. from the Janlynn Corp. This stamp is called 'God's Window' and I knew is was another 'must have' when I saw it on the website. I have a thing about angels with no facial features. not sure why or how to even explain it, but I have quite a few around my house. I collect many of the angels from Willow Tree, so you can see why this stamp appealed to me so much! Plus the sentiment is just so adorable!

I stamped the image on SU! river rock. All coloring is done with just SU! inks and watercolor brushes. Her wings and halo are painted in Butter Cream shimmerz, which shines so beautifully on the river rock. The dsp is also SU!, but I can't recall which one it is. I used a Michael's $1 stamp for the bg and then spritzed the whole card base in pearl glimmer mist to add to the shine. Flowers are prima with dew drops in the centers, button is SU!, vintage seam tape is from Etsy, and the precious little dove is Maya Road that I lightly sponged in soft sky. It seemed the perfect way to finish off the card! The card is a large 5 1/2" x 8 1/2".

Have a beautiful day! Remember that Good Friday is a day filled with such hope and promise for each one of us. God loves YOU with a never-ending love!

Jennifer

Rubbernecker Stamps Winner and Blog Stroll

If you hurry, you can join the blog stroll going on over at Rubbernecker Stamps RIGHT NOW!!! They have just released some phenom new stamp sets and backgrounds that are to die for! But hurry because the giveaways end today at noon EST. Start at the Rubbernecker Stamps blog and then stroll along to the wonderful blogs of the Design Team. I personally love the stroll 'cause then I don't spill my beloved cuppa coffee like I would in a HOP!! :D

I also found out that I am one of the winners in their Wacky Wed. challenge from last week! I am so excited! You can see my entry here.

What are you waiting for? HURRY and then stroll..........

Be Happy Penguin from Stamps Happen, Inc.

Coffee of the Day - Mexico Blend from Larry's Beans

Using one of my fun new stamps by Stamps Happen, Inc. from the Janlynn Corporation. As soon as I saw this little guy I knew I had to have him! I have a thing about penguin stamps! and you know me and polka dots! I used strictly my watercolor brush for all of the coloring here. The main image was cut out free hand to add a little extra whimsy and then matted on some VERY old SU! patterned paper. The cs base is baja breeze, as are the fun buttons. I love this button collection! I tied them up with some baker's twine from Martha Stewart and of course used my ever-handy white craft ink. The main image is also popped up with foam tape. I used the white gel pen to accent the candy cane and snowflake dots and make the white 'pop'.

Almost all of our snow has melted, with temps now in the mid 50's. It is just gorgeous! Hope the sun is shining where you are! If not, then just imagine it is!

Jennifer

MEl Stampz Little Buttercup Bunny

I fell in love with these digi images from Mel Stampz that I first saw over on my bloggin' friend, Sue's, blog. They are the most adorable images, and best of all they are FREE downloads! Isn't that just so sweet of Mel?!?!

I was going to wait and post this tomorrow, but I'm impatient as all get out and am jumpin' the gun here! I love this little girl bunny with her basket of flowers! I paired her with Basic Grey Urban Prarie paper and some neat trim from JoAnn's. The crochet flower actually came from a pair of hair clippies I found in the clearance bin a while back. Pardon my blender pen which barely held on to finish coloring in this image (had to supplement with the watercolor brush) and then it sputtered and coughed and sadly is no more. Better hope I have a spare hiding away in the stamp room someplace or it's gonna be tough goin' with my stampin' mojo for a while!!! I lightly sponged soft sky ink in the bg and had to add some little polka dots to the parachute. You know how I love those polka dots!! oh yes, the card is 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square.

enjoy your afternoon!

Jennifer

p.s. my scanner drives me bonkers!!!! I make sure that everything is all squared up properly and even and edited correctly, and then it just scans the cards however it wants. the thing is that I can't edit it after it scans the items - I have to go back and re-do the entire thing. grrrrrr....... in the scheme of things it isn't worth getting huffy over, which is why I don't bother to go back and straighten things out most times. just thought I'd let you know why sometimes my pix end up catty-wompus. I'm really not that tech-challenged - honest. the gremlins in my scanner just like to mess with me sometimes! ;)

Celebrate Easter with A Hatching Stick Chick!

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Dolce Latte` from Starbucks - yum!

I received my wonderful new stamps from the Janlynn Corporation today! They are so cool and much larger than I was anticipating. Can't wait to start playing with them! The stamps are manufactured under the name 'Stamps Happen' so I'm sure you have seen them in stores everywhere. Be sure to check out the website. Cool stuff to be found for sure! I'll be posting some things from them in the next few days.

I realized that I hadn't shared any Easter cards with you yet - GASP!!! It's horrible, I know! ;) So I pulled out my lovely stick chicks from American Art Stamps and started playing. This card is very simple in style for me, as I'm sure you will notice. Not sure that I care much for it, but hopefully the family I share it with will like it anyhow. The paper is from Doodlebug Designs. Bright colors are just a challenge for me to stamp with. and of course you can imagine how I stuggle with simple!

I hope that all of you are as excited this week as I am! I know that Easter is my all time fave holiday ever! I just love this week!!! now Thursday and Friday tear me to pieces because of the significance of what Jesus did for each and every one of us, and I struggle with the enormity of it all every year (actually every time I stop and think about it, but that is a whole other story if you have several hours!). But gosh, it is also the most beautiful story I could ever think of as well. and so personal to each and every one of us. I hope that you think so, too. My family and I are going to a way cool church this Sunday that has us all excited. The people there are just the most amazing and God-filled you could ever find anywhere. We are so blessed to be able to meet with them and call them friends. So to be able to spend such a phenomenal occassion as Easter with them is just a triple scoop of blessing with a cherry on top!!! :)

Have a great day! May it be all that you hope for!

Jennifer

SCSBG2 Challenge Something Old, Something New Part 2

Just another card using the challenge of supplies both old and new. Same materials as the previous post for the most part, except for the BRAND SPANKIN' NEW Cuttlebee circle cutter that hubby bought me today for Easter!!!!! and it is PINK, PINK, PINK!!!!!! just like the one in the SU! catty, but such a gorgeous PINK!!!!! card also uses the way fun SU! set 'Cheep Talk'.

try pulling out some of your unused supplies and putting them to good use! then post your link here as I would love to see your wonderful creations!!! :)

we've already had several inches of snow fall and it's accumulating and snowing harder as I type. so very pretty!

SCSBG2 Challenge - Something Old, Something New

Coffee of the Day - Spiced Ginger Latte`

I am hostessing the challenge for the SplitCoast Stampers Bloggers Group #2 this go 'round. What fun to come up with an idea for creating! As I was driving around last week, I came up with this idea. Sure hope everyone has fun with it - I know I did!

The challenge this time is to use something old and something new on your creation. you know you have those old beauties hiding in your closet somewhere just begging to be used again, or maybe for the first time ever! I am almost ashamed to say that I actually had to remove the plastic wrap from the ink pad of SU! Cool Carribean that I used on this card. yep, hangin' my head over that one! it is such a gorgeous color, but I had never ONCE opened it! and my poor Night of Navy hasn't been used in over a year on ANYTHING!!! it used to be one of all time fave 'go to' colors! what is up with THAT?!?! My something new is the stamp, Jewel Bird from Inkadinkado, and the papers, Addison line from K & Co. I guess you could say that the old could also be the lace since it is vintage! ;) Anyhow, as I was planning what to do for this challenge, I came to the realization that I have way toooooo many things that I haven't used recently the way that I should. guess that means I have to stamp more!!! :D

We have 6" to 10" of snow forecast in the next 24 hours. Think that will give me plenty of 'stay inside and stamp' time. Good thing I love the snow so much! It is obviously still winter here in NE Ohio!

Had a great time at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday! They don't allow photos of any kind taken inside, so there is only this one from outside the building. It was soooo windy and only in the upper 30's, so it was colllllld. What a thrill to see so many cool pieces of memorabillia! Of course the Elvis stuff just blew me away! that and Bob Marley's shirt. go figure..... I'm a pretty eclectic person!

Have a great day and stay warm!!

Jennifer

FREE stamps from Inka!!!!

Coffee of the Day - Larry's Beans Mexico Blend

RUN, don't walk, to this post on SplitCoast Stampers to read more about how you can receive FREE new release stamps from Inkadinkado!!!! I am a huge fan of their products and just love the way the stamps, well, stamp! the images are fun as well as drop dead gorgeous, and quite hip for the times.

This is one of the cards that I am sending in. (Also sending in the owl card posted here.) I made it some time last Fall, I think, gosh, who knows the way my wonky head works these days, but it was in my card basket whispering, 'send me PLEASE!!'. so of course I said, 'heck, yeah baby 'cause I wants me some FREE rubbah!' Products are Prima (papers, trim, and ribbon), SU!, and dew drops in addition to this lovely Inka stamp 'Nesting'. who wouldn't love a shabby, shabby birdie to call out to them on a spring day?! and I forget to pull out those way cool skeleton leaves that I love so much. thought it worked well with this. oh yeah, card is 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square.

Must dash as we are heading out to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this morning. Big festivities planned all weekend for the Induction ceremonies tonight. I have never been before, even though we've lived in the Cleveland area for almost 12 years now. yep, shame on me!!! neither has Ryan, our youngest. Tyler and Mick have gone through school field trips ( yeah, rough life I know - nothin' like the operas I had to go to as a kid for our school trips - sorry, I love all things cultured deeply, just not opera). So anywhoooooo....... hope to post some pix later this weekend. Supposedly lots of celebs are in town for this - maybe they will discover Tyler & Mick and their rad guitar skills, Ryan and his sweet sounds on the sax, and offer them some big mega music contract. Nope, they wouldn't leave their sweet momma! pah! yeah, like you really believe that one! GRINS and GIGGLES!!!! :D

take care and enjoy your wonderful weekend!

Jennifer

It's a Coolie-O Day!

Just a quickie post ~
I received an email this morning from a company called the Janlynn Corporation. They had seen my blog and want to send me 5 free stamps! I get to play to my heart's content with these neat stamps and then feature the projects on my blog. I am thrilled to bits! and the stamps I chose have already shipped out today!!!! check out the website: www.janlynn.com. You will probably recognize many of the stamps that you see. I know that I already own several myself. I can't wait for my new rubbah to arrive!!!!! gotta love it! and what an honor!

also ~ stopped by JoAnn's today for my weekly visit! ;) Had a chance to visit with the Education Co-ordinator, Rose, and she is awesome! actually everyone at my local store is just da bomb, baby! I love going in there!!!! Anyhoooooo..... I spent a long time chatting with her and going over my PaperCrafts entry. She is going over the top in featuring my card in the store! It is really neat to see someone that excited to feature my work. She is going to create a collage of the page from the magazine and mat it. Then she will display it on several boards in the store. WOW! I am really very underserving of all this. it's just little ol' me......

and all of that brings me to this ~
God is good, every day. Every day, God is good. His blessings are abundant and continuously amaze me. Life is not always easy, but He makes it all worthwhile. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!
Love ya!
Jennifer

April Showers bring, well, APRIL flowers!! ;)

Coffee of the Day - Irish Cream (c'mon, get the accent goin' again!)

Well, lo and behold when I woke up this morning it was pouring, pouring, pouring down rain. But I happen to be one of those odd sorts who just loves rainy days, so YIPPPEEEE!!! Don't you just love the way it makes the earth smell and the colors of nature so much more vibrant?!

So in honor of this glorious day, I'm posting this stick chick creation I made yesterday using one of my fave lines of stamps from American Art Stamps. This stamp is called 'Picking Daisies' and is just so much fun! I decided to pair it with papers from Daisy D's, which sadly is going out of business. I love their products, so this makes me quite sad. Lindsey over at Jacksonbelle Embellishments has found some great deals on several of their remaining products, so head over to her store if you have a chance. I kept this card simple, which was tough for me, but did add the polka dots to her top and a little flower in her hat to spruce up things a bit! ;) Buttons are Etsy vintage and SU!, stitching is free hand faux, a big step for me since I'm so freakin' shaky all the time. Between that and the little hat flower I was quite stressed since my hands just don't co-operate, but I think this turned out fun anyhow!

Have a great day! I challenge you in the next few days of crafting to add a little somethin' somethin' extra (like the polka dots or flower) to your creation. Be bold - you can do it! :)

Jennifer

Que Sera Sera, What will be, will be..... Come on sing it with me!

Coffee of the Day - French Vanilla ( you gotta say it with the accent!!)

oh it is such a beautiful day here! the sun is shining, the birds are a'tweeting, the crocus in my front yard are poppin' up their little purple heads and saying 'hello'! I have opened all the windows and am letting the house breathe again. All this and know that 2 days ago we still had snow on the ground. So you see my excitement? I do love winter and the snow that falls, but spring is such a wonderful time of re-birth, freshness, and things new! (okay, maybe I've had a little TOO much fresh air!! giggles!)

anyhow, I want to share with you this card that I made yesterday. I was in the need of some 'stamp for me' time. Ya know what I mean? the kind of card you can create without any design requirements or challenges to meet - just whatever I want it to be, it will be. So yep, you guessed it, it's shabby.VERY VERY shabby. and I love every stinkin' inch of it. oh you should see the glimmer irl. gorgeous!!!!!

I pulled out my latest go-to fave set Bloomin' Beautiful by Stampin' Up! Paired it with more of the K & Co. paper, Que Sera Sera, and went to town. The base cs is actually kiwi kiss, but it has been sponged with craft white, stamped with the blossom definition stamp from the set in river rock, washed in gold, and then the whole card was sprayed in 2 layers of pearl glimmer mist. I had also sprayed the main flower image in a fine coating of the same glimmer mist, but guess what? glimmer mist is a water based product and all the regular inks started to bleed all over the paper. So that is when I decided I was gonna go for one of my all-time fave techniques again, cracked glass. It really does cover a multitude of sins when it comes to stamping 'whoops' moments! ask me how I know......... anyhow, I also overstamped the entire flower with the Linen bg in river rock. I am amazed at how well that goes with the kiwi. Added some more of my coolie-o JoAnn's trim finds (this time velvet, scrunchy ric rac that is to die for!!!) and a vintage button. So for the most part this is a SU! card. pretty amazing, huh?!

so sing along with me friends, Que sera sera, what will be will be..... The future's not ours to see....... Que sera sera!

Love ya!

Jennifer

New Stamps & New Blog Look!

Coffee of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut

The other day I was at Michael's spending one of those coveted 50% off coupons and I came across some of their new $1 stamps. WOWZA!!!! There are some great ones out this time! So I was good and only bought 2 wooden ones and 1 clear set in addition to the Martha punch I had originally gone after. I came home and couldn't wait to play around with them! Here is the card I created using the 2 wooden stamps.

All cardstock is Stampin' Up!. I also used 2 of their retired bg stamps to help create the lower piece - Linen (stamped in sahara sand) and French Script (stamped in so saffron). The small flower from Bella's Bloom was also stamped in pretty in pink. The whole thing was then sprayed with pearl glimmer mist to soften and give a very pretty shine. I sponged saffron ink under the shades of the chandelier to give the effect of light. The chandelier was embossed and then the cs distressed. The rhinestones were clear ones I colored with a sharpie to turn them black since I didn't have any in the right size. The trim is more of my fantastic JoAnn's find - I soooooo love that stuff!

I am using this for the Rubbernecker stamps Wacky Wednesday blog challenge to create your own background. I don't have any of their stamps yet, so thought I would use what I have, once again!! I sure did have fun making it! I learned about this challenge from Bev over at her blog, Savor the Journey, one of the blogs on my weekly rounds. Will probably end up making another to have around, as I thought it would make a pretty engagement, congrats, or even different kind of graduation card. FYI - if you click on the photo itself, a new, larger window will open and you can see the different bg elements much clearer.

Playing around with the look of my blog since so many of you have inspired me through your gorgeous ones! so it may change each time you come visit until I decide which bg I like best.

have a great day!
Jennifer

SCSBG2 Challenge Joshua 1:9

Coffee of the Day - Starbucks House Blend

I'm finally getting a chance to post my challenge card for this week for the blogging group over at SplitCoast Stampers. The challenge was to use either a verse or quote on your creation. This verse from Joshua 1:9 is the life verse for both my husband, David, and my oldest son, Tyler. It also happens to be the theme verse for Camp Burton this summer. So I thought it would be perfect for a card to send to David to encourage him throughout the summer. The colors turned out a little funky in the scanner, so I do apologize for that.

Deets - everything is from Stampin' Up! with the exception of the bg paper which is Basic Grey, burlap ric rac (another great JoAnn's find!), and brads from Making Memories. I inked the edges of all the cs in vanilla craft ink to help lighten the overall feel of the card. Inks were blended together with a blender pen since I don't have any of the popular Copic markers. I actually have fun using my blender pen, aqua painter, and watercolor brush with the SU! ink pads to achieve different colors. It goes to show what you can do when you just use what you have! :)

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer

Hoot Hoot! Another Retro Owl

Coffee of the Day - Irish Cream

Good morning! Hope that you are waking up to a beautiful day! It's overcast and cool here, but beautiful nonetheless! It's all in the 'tude dude!!! :)

Another one of those lonnnnng cards today - 3 3/4" x 9" to fit in a legal envie. I am using the Inkadinkado owl again as I had mentioned in a previous post, but stamped the little fella in Timber Brown Stazon to get a better image. Papers are Basic Grey and the fun trim is from Webster's Pages. The felt is from Maya Road. Buttons are a combo of vintage and some others I had just hangin' out at the homestead. The stitching is faux 'cause I can't sew worth beans!

One of my dear bloggin' buddies had a post on her blog that brought up a point I wanted to address today. She had applied for a Design Team, but didn't get accepted. She wanted some advice on how to get accepted. Well, since I haven't been on one in several years, I don't think I'm a good one to be offering up any wisdom, but it really did make me think. I have been sending in submissions to magazines in the past few months as well as applying for DT's as you all know, and not getting in positive response either. It can sure be tough on a gal's ego! But God keeps reminding me - why am I stamping? why am I creating? Is it for someone else's pleasure or His? Is it the act of creating or just the recognition I'm after? I mean, gosh, I really do want people to like what I make, I would be lying to myself if I said otherwise. But I got into stamping in the first place because I love to stamp. Now I am all for improving myself and trying to get better at what I do - that is not what I am talking about. But If my blog went away, if the magazines went away, if the Design Teams went away, I would still stamp because it brings me joy. And in a small way I think it brings other people joy when they get one of my cards or creations. and then that is what brings God pleasure.

So if you stamp, keep stamping! If you knit, keep at it! If you wash windows, then do it to your heart's content! (and then come do mine!!)

okay, off the soapbox. have a great day!

Jennifer

It's A Beautiful Day!

no coffee today (woke up too late to start a pot - yep, shocking, I know!)


Hello! Uploading another of my cards that I made over the 'broken compy' hiatus. This one is 9"x3 3/4" and fits perfectly in a legal size envelope. I like making this size every once in a while. The paper is from a gorgeous pack I found at Michael's a few months ago from K & Co. called 'Que Sera Sera'. The stamps are Inkadinkado (sentiment) and Basic Grey Euphoria (medallions). The trim is some I bought at JoAnn's. Have you been over to their trim section? Holy Moley, Batman, I have found some of the most beautiful trims for pretty reasonable (especially with those great 40% off coupons!) over in that section. I hope to show off some in the months to come. Card stocks are from Stampin' Up as always, as are all inks except black. I used the ink squirty tool to spray black over the main card as well as the medallion. What a wonderful tool! So glad I invested in it way back when, as it gets quite a workout! The butterfly punch is Martha Stewart and edged in spica glitter pen. The same glitter pen also outlines many of the bits on the main medallion flower.

Also thought I would update from yesterday's Kool-Aid post. The redness, swelling, itch, etc. is almost all gone. Yipppeeee! I had forgotten to post that I had donated almost all of my hair to Locks for Love several weeks ago. So my hair is now pretty short, but really sassy & fun! I like it a lot! Kind of a pixie cut if you remember those. David was inspired to grow his hair out for Locks for Love, too, but if you know him or look in my profile pic, you may see that it could take him a bit longer to grow his out! :D I think we have decided that he should grow out his beard instead - and then braid it - but then I told him he has to get his ear pierced - and then get a tattoo. Not too sure any of that will really be happening. ;) A bunch of us think it would make a great fundraiser for Camp Burton. who knows..........

Have a great day!

Jennifer

Ask Me How I Know......

Coffee of the Day - Cinnamon Hazelnut

no photos for this post - thank the heavens above! This falls in the 'Ask me how I know the answer to this question' category.

Did you know that a person can be allergic to Kool-Aid powder concentrate?

go ahead.... I know you wanna.... ask me how I know this. go on. you know you are just DYING to find out how I happen to know this personally. well, let me put it this way - I won't be going out in public for several days. nope, not at all. My face is red, splotchy, covered in a rash, itchy, and just plain hysterical to look at. My loving family is doing their best to support me, but they crack up every time they see me. And how did all of this begin, you may be wondering? All because I decided I wanted to be 'hip' and try putting some streaks of color in my hair with kool-aid. I googled, yahoo-ed, and wikipedia-ed. Did my research like a good little mom would do.

Within 2 min. of putting the 'product' on my hair, my eyes were watering as if I'd been cuttin' onions, my skin was itching like crazy, and I felt hotter than a preacher in a, well, let's just not go there! I looked in the mirror and lo and behold, it was not pretty! I was beet red! Even after immediately rinsing it all out, and washing my face repeatedly, my face just wouldn't get back to 'normal'. So I walked downstairs. Bless his heart, Tyler tried so hard to keep a straight face. I told him that he was laughing to cover up the tears inside, but honestly, it really is funny when you think about it. I look so funny. Except that it has set off my seizures again, which were getting bad again this week anyhow. Oh well. I always tell people that God presents some little way of talking to each one of us each day. He sure got our attention yesterday with His sense of humor. I mean, knowing me, are you really all that surprised?! nope, didn't think so! ;)

have a good one!
Jennifer

Always Take A Friend to your latest issue of Paper Crafts Magazine!!!!

Coffee of the Day - Hazelnut

I screamed in JoAnn's yesterday. Okay, maybe it was really more like a yelp. But imagine my exitement, shock, joy, all out thrill when I happened to see the new issue of Paper Crafts magazine on display while I was standing in the loooonnnngggg check out line. I quickly glanced through the pages, and yep, there it is, my card, published for all the world to see. Right there on page 66 for those interested viewers! ;) That is when the famous scream/yelp/sound heard 'round the world took place. So I raced over to the service counter (after calling David and beaming on the phone to him that yes, it actually made it into the magazine after all & he kindly told me to buy a copy!! GRINS!) where several of the employees have been almost as anxious for this issue to arrive as me! I was directed to the Education Supervisor where they are putting my picture up on the bulletin board and want me to come back in next week to chat. How freakin' cool is THAT?!?!?!? I was flyin' on cloud 9 on that one all day long! So of course I had to call a friend and tell her (for almost an hour! tee hee hee!) and then pass it along to several others.

But you know what the best part of it all is? It's that my husband and most of all my 3 teenage sons are just as excited about this as I am. Am I blessed OR WHAT?!?! Isn't that just the coolest?! They were telling their friends about it yesterday, too. Okay, so enough about that. I'm not all that special and I am sure this is a once in a lifetime thing, but that is okay by me. Knowing that my family loves and supports me - now that will carry me along for the rest of my life! :D

Have a great, most awesome weekend! Love to you all!

Jennifer

It's Time to Twist & Shout!

Coffee of the Day - Caramel Twist

Hello! I am finally back! Our main computer still isn't fixed yet (it was a VERY nasty bug that got ahold of it - acutally took out the computer, wireless & printer/scanner in one swoop! blech, blech, blech!!), so hubby gave me an old laptop of his to play upon. and it is not my friend, but don't tell it that or else it will crash and burn on me as well. so shushhhhh...... we are treading very lightly here. David says he has never seen anyone who has as much trouble with a laptop as me, especially for someone who does as well with 'regular' computers as I do. He has forbidden me from ever touching his 'good' laptop again after certain programs have never quite functioned the same since I last borrowed it back in Feb. I tell you, I think I really did get some funky super power from all of those gamma rays! ;) wink, wink! electronics just go all weird when I'm around! still think it might be interesting to converse with a squirrel every once in a while though.... but I digress! :D hee hee hee

you will finally get to see some of the cards I have made over the past month or so. This one was a fun one to put together. The main image is actually a Melissa Frances sticker that I adhered to cs. The papers are Daisy D's. Stitching is so very faux, as I can't sew to save my life. Buttons, except for the flower, are all vintage. I try to leave some of the old thread in them whenever possible to add to the old feel. Ribbon is May Arts, ric rac and trim are from Wright's. Cs base is my old standby Stampin' Up! that I will forever and always use 'cause I love it so! Hope you enjoy this blast from the past! And so wonderful to be back in cyber space again!

Love to you all!

Jennifer