Junk Journal July Day 6 - Symmetry

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Cinnamon French Toast coffee

Thank you for stopping by my blog for another day of Junk Journal July. I hope some of you are participating in the challenge or getting ideas for other craft projects. let me know in the comments. :)

For more information about Junk Journal July, please visit this post.

Today's prompt is 'symmetry.' I confess that this one had me stumped for a bit, so I went online to see examples of symmetry in nature. turns out it is all around us! :)

card front

butterflies, moths, dragonflies, leaves, seashells, and starfish are just a few examples. so I decided to create a journal card for the baby journal I am still working on. yes, still.  Tyler and Danielle are using a woodland animals theme in the nursery, so a nature inspired card will be perfect for the journal.

card back

I have added fussy cut flowers, butterflies, and a dragonfly from several digital artists - Luiise Heinzl, Vectoria Designs, and Shawn Petite (digital papers are by Shawn). I will add links to either their blogs or stores.  the base is a coffee dyed blue index card. the coffee seems to turn anything blue to a greenish shade. pretty!

crochet trim, floral fabric tape, and a vintage button complete the card.

I hope you each have a most amazing day, taking comfort in just how much you are loved. :)

Jennifer

Junk Journal July Day 5 - Fold Out

 Coffee//Tea of the Day - Lemon Lavender Mint tea

It's another fun project share for Junk Journal July!

for more information about Junk Journal July, please visit this post.

for today's prompt of 'fold out', I used an image from the free collage sheet offered by Gecko Galz for newsletter subscribers.  This provides the cover for the fold out journal ephemera, created with a sheet of coffee dyed copy paper. 

Tim Holtz rubber stamps and actual postage stamps decorate the various sections.  it's hard to post the photos of inside the fold out because they are so long. to see the details more clearly, just click on each photo. it will take you to another larger image. you can then navigate back here to the main post.

the last page, actually the back cover, has a little side pocket into which I have inserted a vintage train ticket. seems appropriate for a travel themed journal ephemera piece. Tim Holtz tiny metal clip keeps the piece together. I think it would be fun to jot down places to visit and then later check them off. :)

thank you so much for stopping by!

Jennifer

Challenges:

Gecko Galz - wanderlust

Junk Journal July Day 4 - Transparent

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Melted Marshmallow coffee

Welcome back to another project for Junk Journal July! more information about the challenge can be found at this post. I may start jumping around for the prompts as one inspires me, or doesn't ;)

Superman front of flip

Today's prompt is 'transparent.' I have made two projects recycling junk mail envelopes. (photo heavy post.)

Superman inside of flip

When I make journals, I like to incorporate multiple types of papers, book pages, ledger sheets, doilies, etc. almost all of my recent journals have pages from Little Golden Books. they were a favorite of mine from childhood, and I enjoy using the pages. some of the books I use are old and some brand new. 

Superman back flip

Superman inside of back flip

the theme of the journal for Ryan and Elizabeth is Family Fun. I incorporated activities that they enjoy doing together - cooking, games, movies, books, trips, and so on. Ryan is truly the king of comic book knowledge. I was a big comic fan growing up, so passed that along to the boys. Superman is his absolute favorite character and Elizabeth likes Dr. Strange. so it was an easy choice to add elements from both to the journal.

Dr. Strange front flip

I used blue painter's tape on the Dr. Strange envelope page flip. hubby has the tape in several colors, and he very nicely shares with me for my crafting. :)

Dr. Strange inside of flip

I took junk mail envelopes with windows to create page flips. each envelope hangs over the page. photos show both sides as well as the flips. I usually add tags to the window portions, but this time decided to seal them shut. 

Dr. Strange back flip

once I have completed all of the signatures, I will add a clip of some kind so that the envelopes attach to the pages. for now I have used paper clips, but will add something fancier on my last go through. I tend to add the finishing touches then, such as word art, postage stamps, labels, clips, and fibers. 

Dr. Strange inside of flip

sending out Happy July 4th wishes to all of you in the USA! have a safe and fun time celebrating!

Junk Journal July Day 3 - Layered Tag

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Vanilla coffee

Welcome back to another Junk Journal July post. I hope that some of you are participating or getting new ides for your  journals and other craft projects.

More information about Junk Journal July can be found on this post.

 Today's prompt is 'Layered Tag'. I created a tag for the nautical journal I am updating for Tyler and Danielle. the base is a paint sample card. lots of layers here, even though they are not all apparent at first glance. there are snippets of coffee dyed copy paper, tissue paper, and paper towel layered with some neutral scrapbook papers.  the ship digital is from Gecko Galz and part of their stamp challenge for the month. their challenge is to color the image, but I instead chose to print it directly on this gorgeous paper from Asuka Studios. I tore around the edges to add a bit of grunge and shabbiness. 

some netting from an onion bag was adhered behind the ship and to the tag with staples. vintage buttons and striped ribbon finish the tag. I thought it was neat that one of the paint colors on this card is called Shimmering Sea. :)

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! 

Jennifer 

Challenges:

Gecko Galz - wanderlust

Junk Journal July Day 2 - Reinvent

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Maple Nut coffee

Hello and welcome to day 2 of Junk Journal July! 

You can learn more about Junk Journal July in this post.

Today's prompt is 're-invent'. It took me a bit to come up with a project for this one, but thankfully one of the people I follow on YouTube recently had the perfect solution! Margreth of  SevenPlaza shared a video in which she creates a faux envelope pocket.  I adapted this idea to the family fun journal I am working on for Ryan and Elizabeth. 

I used papers from the Carta Bella Family Night collection as well as paper from the Simple Stories Family Fun collection. I am so impressed with how well these 2 collections blend. an old game marker was added for a touch of whimsy. The 2nd photo shows the back pocket, which I adhered to the journal page. also shown is the journal card I made using a digital of an old map cover as well as a car clip art piece. the other side of the tag is more map paper.

and here is the pocket on the actual journal page. I added a vintage Coca Cola receipt along with the map tag.

I hope some of you have a chance to play along in the challenge, or even adapt it to whatever crafting you are currently doing.

have a great weekend! :)

Junk Journal July Day 1 - Begin

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut coffee

Hello! 

Sorry I have been away for a bit. life got crazy, as happens to all of us from time to time. I have been sick, kids and grandkids have been sick, you know the fun stuff that keeps life interesting. ;)

anyhow, today is the start of Junk Journal July, a challenge event started by Meg's Junk Journals. I am not on most social media, so the link is for her YouTube channel. there you can find more information about her and her other social media links.  Here is the link to subscribe to her newsletter.

Today's prompt is 'begin'. This is perfect since one of the journals I am working on is the Family Fun journal I gave Ryan and Elizabeth for Christmas a few years ago. I am re-doing the journals that I gave to everyone that year. not only was I unable to include all of the signatures, but the spines were too small. it's been bugging me since then, so I asked for the journals back so that I could fix them. I love how crafting, or anything really, is a process in which we learn from our mistakes, understanding that each of us has a beginning. :)

'Begin' to me, in the context of this journal, brought to mind the start of a game - picking your game piece, learning the rules, etc. So I made a tag using the game board image from Carta Bella's Family Night collection. I have this in both the printed and digital forms. the checkerboard paper (digital) is from the same collection, as is the game piece sticker (sticker sheet). I can't remember if the little sentiment piece is from this collection or Simple Stories Family Fun collection, as I am using both. I have all of my cut out pieces in one container, so didn't get them labeled as to which collection each item is from. (I tend to lump like items together so they are easier for me to use. ) the game instructions are vintage ephemera. I like combining the old and the new. :)

I don't know that I will get to upload a project every day of the challenge, but I will do my best. I hope some of you play along! there are some fun prompts that are helping me think outside of my comfort zone.

all of you have a wonderful weekend! :)

Jennifer

Happy Mother's Day!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Lavender Lemon Tea

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers out there! :) I hope you are truly celebrated for the amazing women that you are!

I made cards for my MIL and aunt using some neat digitals from Shawn Petite. these can be found in her member's resource library. it's free to register, and she shares some neat printables, both things that she has created as well as vintage ephemera. she is a very talented artist, and I am always inspired.

I have used her gelli plate image as the base, printing the beautiful vintage floral image directly on top. some matting, lace, tickers, and butterflies to embellish. still trying to keep everything that I mail fairly flat. I don't remember if the butterflies are from Shawn's printable or from another artist, possibly Artymaze, Shabbydabbydoodah, or Mad Paper Crush. I have been cutting out so many pieces for the baby journal that I can't remember exactly who did each one. maybe some day I will be better organized! ;)

each of you have a most amazing day, knowing that you are loved and cherished!

Jennifer

Sending Love Sunflowers

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Pumpkin Spice coffee

Good morning and happy weekend! :)

I needed a thinking of you type card to someone who is going through some struggles. that is all of us from time to time, and I know how much it meant to me to receive some encouragement in the mail. 

Recently I purchased the Sunflowers for Ukraine digital image collection from Gecko Galz on Etsy. 100% of the proceeds go to Samaritan's Purse Ukraine relief efforts. I thought the bright happy sunflowers could hopefully bring a smile to the recipient. 

The images were printed onto linen paper for a little bit different look. one of the talented designers at The Graphics Fairy did this in a recent journal, and the look is lovely. a simple card with some distressing and fun little embellishments. the beautiful lace is from SU!

everyone have an amazing weekend! I am still getting the pieces together for the baby journal, all while recovering from the mump! yep. I had them when I was a young girl, but evidently my weakened immune system from long covid has left me susceptible to any and every little germ that passes my way. thank goodness for antibiotics. 

thank you so much for stopping by! enjoy your weekend! :) 

Challenges:

Allsorts - anything goes with scenic option

Creative Fingers - anything goes

Krafty Chicks - all occassions

Crafty Gals Corner - spring/Easter

Creative Knockouts - flower power

Anniversary Bears on a Walk

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Toffee Nut Latte (Starbucks treat from hubby today!)

Hello! I hope all of you are doing well! 

I want to say thank you for the very kind comments and messages regarding my health and DIL. y'all are just the best! :) I have heard that many of you are dealing with health struggles in your families as well. know that I keep you in my prayers.

Today I am sharing an anniversary card I created for Ryan and Elizabeth. I once again used the fun Lily of the Valley simply prints available on Etsy. these cute bears are called Rosy and Cosy.  I cut out the bears twice and added some foam tape for extra dimension. the papers and flowers are from the new Carta Bella Flora collection. sentiment stamp is by SU! luscious purple silk ribbon and vintage buttons complete the card. simple, because I wanted to mail it with first class postage, so taking care to not add too many layers.

I am a huge fan of our postal service here in the States. they work so hard through all types of weather. I never have a problem when stamp prices increase, because these people deserve every penny. but hubby and I were taken aback when we mailed our grand-daughter's birthday card. I typically mail my cards in padded envelopes to give some extra protection to the layers and elements. it cost more than $5 to mail her card, even though it weighed less that 2 ounces. whoa nelly! that is almost double the price I used to pay. so I am trying to be cautious about what I send using the padded envelopes, not so much to avoid the postal service, but trying to be good stewards of our money. so from here on out I will save the fancy cards to go in larger packages that include other fun goodies. :) moms and grandmoms gotta spoil! :D

for the next few weeks, I will be sharing process photos of making the latest baby journal. Danielle has a baby shower at her parents' home several hours away over Mother's Day weekend. I would really like to be able to attend, so am working hard to get the journal finished by then. also hoping I feel well enough to go....

May you have an absolutely joyous weekend surrounded by the people who love you! :)

Jennifer

Easter Blessings

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Turmeric tea with ginger and orange

Sending Easter blessings to all of you who celebrate the holiday. He has risen! :) oh, what hope lies in those three words! I am often overwhelmed by the depth of God's love and faithfulness. He never once leaves us. what comfort!

I have several cards to share today. I had to keep them fairly simple because I wanted to mail them through regular first class. 

Main images are found for free at Create with TLC. vintage fussy cut images are from The Graphics Fairy. Papers are from 49 & Market and Asuka Studios. 

Simple embellishments. Organza ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and little flowers are by Prima. Stamps are from Tim Holtz. inside of each card is decorated similar to the envelopes. 

 

This last card was made for a very special young lady. our youngest son, Ryan, and his wife, Elizabeth, have become foster parents to a 13 year old girl! she moved in this weekend. she is someone they knew from their church youth group. I wanted to send her a little something to say hello. :)

and lastly I ask for your prayers for our daughter-in-law, Lauren. she had a mini stroke several days ago. she is currently resting at home, with more tests to come in the upcoming week. We are so thankful that God kept her safe in the midst of all that happened. She is currently taking baby aspirin to help thin the blood. Our daughter-in-law, Danielle, who is pregnant, is also taking baby aspirin. She was told that mothers who have had covid, which they both have had, are at a higher risk of stroke. so lots of prayers and trusting in God's healing.

May you know how much you are treasured and loved! Happy Easter!

Jennifer

Happy 1st Birthday, Lyra!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Hazelnut Spice coffee

Hello to everyone!  :)

Please forgive my long absence. I have what is now being called 'long covid', having been sick since Christmas. thankfully the vaccinations and booster shots prevented me from being hospitalized or being any worse than it has been, but oh my goodness, I am so ready to be over this. ugh.  

anyhow, on to crafty stuff! :)

our first grand-daughter celebrated her one year birthday last weekend. oh my heart! she is such a delight! because we live so far away, plus with me being sick, we weren't able to go to her celebration, but we did have a fun video chat after her big party. she doesn't just walk, she RUNS everywhere! :D  

because I haven't been feeling well, my inking and coloring skills are at a minimum right now. along to the rescue came Lily of the Valley pre-colored digital images! they are called Simply Prints in the Etsy store. so many adorable designs to choose from. (P.S. they currently have a BIG sale, so now would be an excellent time to add some of these cuties to your stash!)

for this card, I used the Birthday Fairy simply print paired with some of the pretty designer paper from the Backing paper collection.  I also added a pastel pink gingham paper, I think from either Carta Bella or Echo Park. it was a piece in my stash that no longer had the markings.  .A Wink of Stella glitter pen was brushed over the fairy wings, wand, antennae, and package bow. gotta have some sparkle! :) The image was cut with a Spellbinders die, pale pink seam binding and bright pink floral trim are topped with a flower from Wild Orchid Crafts. a small pink ticket butterfly & cupcake ephemera, and vintage buttons complete the card. 

I am trying to finish Easter cards so they can be mailed out tomorrow. I'll be back next week to show you those.

I truly hope all of you are well. I have missed sharing with you on my blog, but really am going to do better posting. I plan to start work on a baby journal for our newest grand-daughter, due the end of August! :)  I'll share the process of creating that, as I take a VERY long time to make a junk journal. 

much love to each of you! 

Jennifer 

Happy New Year 2022!

 Coffee/Tea of the day - Cinnamon Macadamia nut coffee

Image from 

Old Design Shop

Wishing you and yours a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

More crafts to come in the next few months. Thank you for your support and sticking with me! :)

Ribbon and Fabric Banner for Bedroom

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Caramel Vanilla Hazelnut coffee

Hello and happy Monday to all of you! sorry I didn't get this photo posted when I promised. With out of town guests and then a quick trip to St. Louis to see everyone there, I lost track of time. I do apologize.

This was a fun banner to make! I used ribbons and trims from Really Reasonable Ribbon, fabric strips from an old flannel sheet, and denim from some worn out blue jeans. I really do like to repurpose, can you tell?! ;) some of the ribbons and tulle were from Tyler and Danielle's wedding, so they were perfect to include in the banner for their room. the colors in the room are artichoke green, burgundy, and mustard yellow. 

my husband made the sign using word art from Hobby Lobby and some old fencing boards. he has made several signs like this for all around our house. one of his favorite things to do is take old windows and doors and turn them into neat wall hangings. we also have an old screen door as a trellis on the back of our barn for the passion flower Mick gave me last year. it's fun to take old things we find in antique stores and give them new life. :)

Starting the big craft room clean out this week. I will TRY to not get distracted by all of the wonderful things I uncover! :D 

much love to all of you!

Jennifer

Happy 4th of July and email followers

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Hazelnut coffee

image by

The Graphics Fairy

Happy 4th of July to all of my friends living in the USA! I hope you have a fun as well as safe celebration surrounded by those dear to your heart. :)

I have been informed of a service to follow blogs via email now that feedburner has deactivated this tool. It is called follow,it. I believe that I have imported all of those email addresses who follow my blog this way. Please let me know if you don't receive notices of upcoming posts. 

I haven't been doing much papercrafting recently, but did make a wonderful ribbon and fabric banner to hang in one of our bedrooms. I will share that with you this week. We are slowly trying to redo all of our sons' bedrooms so that they are a bit more updated when they come to visit. So far we have two completed. Eventually we will tackle the entire house. my next big project is to get my craft room cleaned and organized. ugh. that is going to take a VERY long time. :/ 

so thank you to everyone who continues to follow my little blog and post such lovely comments.  :) I appreciate all of you!

much love to everyone and have a most amazing day!

Jennifer

Happy Mother's Day!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Ginger Peach green tea

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms, grandmas, great-grandmas, aunts, and other significant women out there! :) Celebrate you today, and the many ways you bring love and contribute to your families!

I do know that this day is not always an easy one for those who have lost crucial people in their lives. to you, know that I pray you find some measure of comfort in the love of those nearby.

I haven't yet been able to craft the way I used to, but I did manage to make a few cards for my MIL, aunt, and new mom, Lauren. :)

They are all similar in style, with just a few minor differences. The lovely vintage woman image is a freebie on the Gecko Galz blog. The background paper and roses are from a post at the Graphics Fairy about cabbage rose wallpapers. I cut the flowers from one of the wallpaper images. 

I stitched around the main image and background papers after matting. The button and floral stamps are from my vintage stash, and the crochet trim has been avocado dyed.  a paper doily and sequins were added to complete each card.

Thank you so very much to all of you who have left comments or contacted me about our new granddaughter! you are so wonderful! :) her parents are asking that her personal details not be shared online or on social media, so we respect their desire for privacy. but oh my goodness, she is such a sweetie! we had a fabulous time visiting them for a few days. maybe one day we will all live closer to one another again. 

before I forget, those of you who follow my blog via email, I have received notice that this option will no longer be available after July of this year. I am absolutely awful about visiting the blogs that I follow, and I appreciate the convenience that email alerts provide. hopefully something else will come about so that we can continue to get notices in our inbox. 

know that you are all loved!

Jennifer 

Challenges:

Gecko Galz monthly ch - Secret Garden using a product from GG

She's Here! :)

Coffee/Tea of the Day - Spiced Macadamia coffee

image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

 Our precious grand-daughter arrived last weekend, on the Saturday before Easter. :)  She was born via caesarean section. Both mom and baby are doing well at home. Hubby and I planted a flowering dogwood tree in our backyard to honor this special moment. We hope to go visit them this coming weekend. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement as well as your prayers. Y'all are the best! :)

Happy Easter!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Earl Grey Lavender tea

Happy Easter to all of you! I hope you have a most blessed day, surrounded by those you love. :)

I apologize for not being around. My health has really been struggling these past few months, seeming to get worse. :( I spend most of my time either in bed or on the couch. The upside is that I am getting a lot of reading done as well as watching some wonderful programs through various streaming services.  of course nothing quite beats the beautiful bird song I hear each day or cuddles with our cat and dog.  those are the best!

our sweet little grand-daughter is to be born within the next few days. to say we are all excited is quite the understatement! :) I did make her a journal, but finished within an hour of leaving to visit Mick and Lauren in St. Louis for their virtual baby shower. hopefully we will be able to visit the entire family in May, so I will try to remember to take pictures of both the baby journal and Mick's garden journal then.

(both vintage images from The Graphics Fairy)

With so much divisiveness and antagonism in our county, no, in our world, please remember that love is the great unifier. We are told by Jesus to love our neighbors, all of our neighbors. Let compassion and kindness prevail in our lives, always. :) 

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!

Project Photos Coming Soon

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Coconut Caramel Hazelnut coffee

Hello! I hope that everyone is doing well, staying safe and healthy. A new day, a new year, ready for blessings in abundance! New opportunities to spread love and kindness! :)

Thank you to all of you who have so sweetly left comments sent emails or cards. You are much appreciated and loved! :)

I will soon share a few photos of projects I worked on in the past year. yes, I am THAT slow! :D I have started making junk journals and love it! oh my gosh, what took me so long to try one myself? a perfect way to incorporate my shabby/vintage style with re-purposed items and a touch of sass & whimsy. ;) ha!

I made journals for each of our sons and their wives, but didn't get photos of most of them since I was racing to get them in the mail for Christmas. The journal I made for my husband for our anniversary is still a work in progress. he is so understanding! I was able to get his handyman journal finished for a Christmas gift, so at least he has one complete. (I am still adding bits and bobs to it, although I don't think he has noticed yet. grins!)

The biggest shocker to the family is that I am actually sewing in all of these journals! that is the first thing every single one of them noticed. ;)  it is no secret that my old sewing machine and I didn't always see eye to eye, pardon the pun. The repair man even commented that he had never seen a machine that gave someone such difficulties as mine. I was given an older sewing machine from someone who was cleaning house several years ago. Inspired by the many fabulous journal makers on YouTube, I decided it was time to get it out and make a fresh, new start. Lo and behold, I am having so much fun! I go through almost an entire spool of thread with each journal I make. Just goes to show you that we should never stop trying new things or exploring past ones!

My love and prayers to each of you. Stay safe and healthy!

See you soon,

Jennifer

*Update 01/14/21 - I apologise that I have not yet posted photos. I haven't been doing well this past week. Hopefully I can get pictures added over the weekend. Thank you for understanding.

Happy New Year 2021!

 Coffee/Tea of the Day - Highlander Grog coffee

Sending each of you wishes for a healthy, happy New Year! May you be blessed in abundance today and all year through.

with much love,

Jennifer