Twisted Sister Challenge TSC1219

It was my turn this week to give the Twisted Sister challenge at Split coast.  The Challenge that I gave was to make a card using plaids or stripes, and this is what I came up with.
Quick card just using my square punches and scrap designer paper, along with a sticker.

Thanks for Visiting my blog today
Blessings,
Jill

May peace be your gift at Christmas
and Blessing all year through!

How we spent part of our Weekend...

For many years we have been visiting Longwood Gardens...

and this year for the third time we were able get there to see their wonderful

Christmas display...

The place never fails to amaze me...

To see more...   http://longwoodgardens.org/

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world,
and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."
~Norman Vincent Peale

Thank you for visiting my blog today,
Blessings,
Jill

Another Christmas card

 I made the above card for this week's Challenge at Split Coast Stampers.

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/  

This week the challenge was to make a card with an Angel on it. 

I have one Angel stamp in my craft room...do you think I could find it?  No, 

and I only spent several days...or I guess I should say MANY days recently in my craft room cleaning and organizing the room....and I STILL can't find anything!

I finally found this Angel image that my hubby had colored for me with copics a long time ago,

The stamp is a borrowed stamp so I don't the name of the image.

I have not managed to finish up my Christmas cards, or get them in the mail yet...but I did get some beautiful cards in my mailbox.  I have a couple of them below.  I received a couple more that I will post later.  I didn't find the time to take a pic of them yet.

I also have NOT put my tree up  yet, or done ANY Christmas shopping yet.  Now doesn't that make YOU feel better?   ( Not me though...smile)

 I received this adorable card with the neat inlay (something I have yet to try) so Darnell you have so inspired me.  Darnell's wonderful, creative blog can be found here...

http://www.djkardkreations.com/

Thank You, Darnell for thinking of me...You are such a Blessing!

 This pretty Christmas card was mailed to me from Leanne...here is her blog address...

http://stampingalittlesunshine.blogspot.com/

Leanne's cards are just stunning...and really do bring "sunshine" And You will really feel blessed
vising her blog, and seeing her outstanding work.
Thank you, Leanne.

The above cute card was sent to me by Sue...Sue doesn't have a blog but she has a gallery at
Split coast stampers...with lots or creative cards...

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=113778

Thank you Sue, for sending this adorable card.

Hope everyone is having a good week, 

I miss visiting blogs, I'm trying to get back into blogging and visiting...eventually I hope to catch up...well, sort of catch up, anyway.  smile.

"May the spirit of Christmas

bring you peace,

the gladness of Christmas

give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas

grant you love."

~Author Unknown 

Thank you for visiting my blog today

Blessings,

Jill

Back to Making Christmas cards

 I first saw this card on Split Coast Stampers here

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2579075

…Then I went to Brenda’ blog to find her directions on how she

Made her cute card…

http://qbeesquest.blogspot.com/2014/11/bigger-is-better-tree-punch-card.html

Thank you Brenda...cute idea

This is the first card that I have made in over two months.

It’s been so long that I almost feel like a “newbie” with both card making

And posting on my blog…

I’ve had several health issues to deal with these last couple of weeks.

I won’t bore you with the particulars,  But all has turned out quite well.

(Better than the doctors expected!) 

I have really found out how wonderful and supportive the blogging

Community is.  Thanks to all of you who had encouraged and supported

Me with the lovely cards and the of sending good thoughts and prayers my way.

The Prayers worked!  Thank you so much…and it is so appreciated!

I was also kept busy these last couple of weeks helping my granddaughter

To plan a “surprise” party for my daughter.  The party did NOT turn out

To be a “surprise” though….I tried to warn my granddaughter that my

Daughter is a difficult one to surprise…smile.   But I think it all went well

Anyway.

 This was one of the gifts I gave to her...
Take my word for it.  the fruit was delicious!  My daughter is allergic to flowers, so I
thought a bouquet would work instead.

We did a "This is your Life!" party, and asked guests to bring some pics of my daughter
to share...

I shared one of my favorite pics.  (Obviously taken a long time ago)

I was happy when my daughter remembered not only where the photo was taken

But the day the photo was taken.  Obviously, it was a happy day for her too.  We

Were standing outside a candy store, me holding my favorite bag of candy which

Was probably chocolate and peanut butter, and my daughter is eating licorice in the photo.

This was taken of her when she was a teenager, and it’s hard for me to believe that

The teenager in this picture now is the mother of teenagers herself.

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Daughter

 

pic from pinterest

Thank you for visiting my blog today,

I know I am way behind in my visiting of blogs and

commenting.  But now that I can "see" better I

hope to do some catching up...

Blessings,

Jill

Wedding card for my Niece

I made a wedding card for my niece using a digi from Digital two for Tuesday. 
The link for the site can be found here
 http://digitaltuesday.blogspot.com/2014/03/bride-and-basket.html



I added lace, paper from DCWV, My die cut lace circle was made using Spellbinders die (Floral Ovals),
added a ribbon, and charm. 

"NO Man is truly married until he understands
every word his wife is NOT saying."
~Unknown

Thank you for visiting my blog today,
Blessings,
Jill

Birthday card for a friend

 Click photo to enlarge

I made this birthday card for a friend,  I used Graphic 45 for my Designer paper, and a Martha Stewardt Punch around the page punch  (Swirling Lace)  added a Martha Stewart lace butterfly, Prima flower, ribbon and  dimensionals to pop up the layers. The sentiment was stamped with a Stampin' Up stamp.

"Don't wait for the perfect moment.
Take the moment and make it perfect."
~Author Unknown

Thank you for visiting my blog today,
Blessings,
Jill

Thank You, Darnell, Leanne, and Sandy...

I haven't had much time for crafting lately...so today's post is to show the "Happy Mail" that I have received lately.

It's always such a joy to go to the mailbox and find something in the mail besides bills and junk mail!
And what a joy to find these goodies in my mailbox from Darnell, Leanne, and Sandy.

Many people who read my blog know Darnell,   Darnell's posts are such a joy to read.  If You need a smile go visit Darnell's blog...

http://www.djkardkreations.com/

Her cards, tags and photography are always a joy to see too.

and here is an example of one of her fabulous one layer cards!  So creative! 

and it really made my day brighter.  Thank you so much, Darnell.

 I also found this wonderful one layer card in my mailbox from Leanne.  Leanne's blog can be found here...

http://stampingalittlesunshine.blogspot.com/

 Leanne's cards are so pretty.  She definitely has a gift for using dies, and she also has some great tutorials on her blog to learn how to make some of the pretty flowers that she makes to use on her cards.  Thank you so much Leanne, for thinking of me, and sending this great card.  You and Darnell, have inspired me to try making some one layer cards.  (I find one layer cards to be the most difficult for me to make!)

I also opened my mailbox to find a package filled with lovely Ephemera from Sandy.  I won some goodies from Sandy, when I posted a comment on her blog.  Sandy's wonderful blog can be found here...

http://quillcottage.blogspot.com/

  Sandy's is a mixed media artist.  Her work has been published in many magazines.  She has a gift for making exquisite journal pages, jewelry, and her photography is wonderful.

Thank you so much Sandy, for making my day with your package of goodies.  I like all the bright cheerful yellow.  I picture your lovely assortment being used to make some tags.  (or some journal pages).

Thank you again, ladies...You are all so gifted and special...

Thank you for visiting my blog today

Blessings,

Jill

Congratulations card for my Granddaughter

Click on card to enlarge

I had a difficult time photographing this card, because it's a Long card...

It's made using a Julie Nutting stamp (Natalie)  If you are familiar with these stamps you know that they are long and narrow stamps.  I like these stamps they remind me of my childhood when I enjoyed playing with paper dolls  (Do children still do that these days?)    Maybe I'm going through my second childhood now?  LOL!

I paper pieced by my image using Graphic 45 paper (French Country)  The image was colored with copics by my hubby.  Added a bow and a stick on congratulations sticker  for my sentiment.

I wanted to make this for my granddaughter because she just completed hairdressing school.  I guess the next step is to take her state boards for her license.   Her Grandfather and I are very proud of what she has achieved...because school never came easy to her.  She managed to finish hairdressing school,..  having a long comute to get to school, and working two part time jobs to help pay for her schooling.

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams."  ~Oprah Winfrey

Thank you for visiting my blog today,

Blessings,

Jill

My Compliments to the chef!

I made this card as a thank you card for the chef at a restaurant that Jim and I like to go to.
We went there for our Wedding anniversary and he helped to make the night extra special for us, so I wanted to be sure to thank him.    The background of my card is a picture of the restaurant.  I paper pieced the chef!
The card has a photo inside that was taken that night.  The chef is in the photo with us.

I made my card using a stamp from Stampin' Up.  This stamp was the very first Stampin' Up stamp that I have purchased. (To my best guess, that would have been about 7 years ago).

 Also at that time...I probably only had about 10 rubber stamps to my name...some of those were from Dots!  (which went out of business a long time ago...so those stamps were a bit old).

Out of curiosity, I had to see how many I have now.
I have about 24 sets of Stampin' Up stamps that I still keep in the clam shells,
and about 9 sets of stamps in the new SU cases,
and a few individual stamps.
(My how time changes things!)..

What I was most curious about, is how many of those SETS were still unused by me ( I did purchase some of those sets already used at a yard sale)

I counted 4 that never had one stamp used in them (by me).  So I guess my Stampin' up stamps, I have done some justice to...I don't think I want to find out with the rest of my stamps how many are unused even with the sets!

"A good chef need no recipe but a glass of good wine."

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Blessings,
Jill

Merry Monday #128

I made this card for this week's challenge at Merry Monday...You can find the challenge here

http://merrymondaychristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2014/09/merry-monday-128-polka-dots-andor.html

This week the challenge is to add stripes and or dots to your card.  (For me, this makes card #41 for this year.  I'm getting there...)

"Christmas is eternal like the love that gave it birth -like the love that touches others and it reaches 'round the earth." 

Thank you for visiting my blog today

Blessings,

Jill

Throwback Thursday Challenge #1

Bibiana is starting a new challenge on her blog called throw back Thursday.  We are to repost one of  our favorite posts that we posted earlier on our blog. 
You can find the link to this Challenge here

The very creative and talented Bibiana always shares so much of her wonderful inspiration with her cards and projects...This is sure to be a very special challenge to see what her many talented friends share too.

 Since I have been blogging for almost five years....It was difficult to decide which project to share.  So I decided to go with one of the posts that was one of my most viewed posts.    This idea for a card was not my original idea but it came from viewing a post on the very talented Valita's blog
You can find my original post here

http://ribbonchallenged.blogspot.com/2012/06/box-card.html

On that post you will find Valitia's instructions on how she made her box card...along with a template that she made for the box.

 This is the box open

I felt so honored when Our Daily Bread Designs Featured this card on their blog.

My Nest image is from a stamp by Our Daily Bread Designs

This is another Box card that I made for my sister Ginny for her birthday.
I used a sticker for the sentiment, embellished with a K & C flower, and then I dry embossed the background.

Thank you, Bibiana for the great challenge...

It really made my day, to find out that my card in my previous post "To Everything There is a Season."  Made the favorites thread at Split Coast Stampers this week.

Thank you for visiting my blog today
Blessings,
Jill

To everything there is a season...

I made this card for this month's Serendipity Challenge.  The link to the Challenge can be found here

http://serendipitystampschallengeblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/sscb35-summers-last-hurrah.html

I'm putting in a very late entry...For one thing I was kind of stumped as to what I could use for this month's theme  "Summer's last Hurrah"  and then it hit me about the Season change, and realized that my Scripture stamp from Serendipity would work...

"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaver." Ecclesiastes 3:1

The scripture above is my very favorite scripture verse.

Besides using the Serendipity stamp, my  card was made using a Martha Stewart Punch around the Page punch.  (Deco fan).  I also used a The Crop-o-dile Corner Chopper to round my corners.   I used my bow easy to make my bow (the ribbon was from Pure Color).  and I added dimensionals.  (and, when and if I find what I did with my sequins...I might add a few of those too...smile)

My card made weekly Favorites
Yesterday was a very special day.  It was one of those perfect Autumn days.  A day that was just a delight to meet up with friends for breakfast.  Hubby and I met with Kathi and Cherie for breakfast to help celebrate Cherie's birthday!

We had hoped to go to a different place for breakfast (so Cherie could get a free breakfast, but we ended up getting a late start. (Breakfast would have been over at that restaurant.  So I suggested maybe we go to A different restaurant.  I couldn't remember the exact name but I thought it was called Squirrel Something.  We had only been there twice before, but I remembered that they had breakfast till maybe 2:00.  Kathi and Cheri had trouble finding the place I mentioned so Kathi called me on the phone and said did you mean Squires?  Until then I didn't realize I had the name wrong!

Okay, now you can laugh!  They sure did.  What is wrong with me?  Who would name their restaurant Squirrel something...   There probably would be people thinking they served squirrel on their menu.   BELIEVE ME, I WILL NOT LIVE THIS ONE DOWN FOR A LONG TIME!  If Ever.!  But we sure had a few good laughs over this one.

 I have a pic of us eating at the restaurant, but I couldn't get a hold of the ladies in the pic to ask permission to post the pic.  (I try not to post anything on my blog unless I have permission)
So you will probably miss the pic and won't see that my shirt almost matches the wallpaper in the background!  Again, what was I thinking?...and maybe you won't get to see the pic even with their permission.  smile.  The food was great and they even had entertainment as the sign below reads.

  This was not a fast food restaurant  (but the service was still good!)

 A another funny post script...Jim and I left their company early.  They still wanted to do some shopping.  I found out that after we left.  Cherie received a call from her daughter, telling her that there was a squirrel in their house.  What should she do? At first Cherie thought this was some kind of Joke that Kathi or I had told her about the "Squirrel" restaurant!  Not!  Of course, her daughter wanted her Mom to come right home...but they were too far away.  So Cherie told her to take the cat crate and put some peanuts in it to see if she can catch the squirrel and take it outside.  It did not work.  Cherie has this potted tree in one of her rooms, and the squirrel climbed up her potted tree and stayed there.  So her daughter ended up taking that the potted plant (with the squirrel still on it...outside.   
It took me a while to stop laughing after this phone call. 

I'm sure it's a birthday we will all remember!  If you have an extra moment please stop by and wish some belated birthday wishes to Cherie...The link to her blog is here

http://paperinspirationsandcreations.blogspot.com/

Also Happy belated birthday wishes to another dear friend, Carol    (Carol, your card will be late...but you know how busy it's been around here lately...so I'm sure you'll understand!

My Autumn card above is my birthday card for Cherie, and you know that I am going to put a picture of a squirrel inside the card.   the Squirrel image above came from

http://digitaltuesday.blogspot.com/search/label/animals

I'm also entering this card in the Twisted Sister challenge 

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/

for this week's theme fall.  and to make a card that makes you think of fall.  The first thing that always comes to mind to me...if the beautiful colors of the changing leaves.  (at the restaurant we did not stay to watch the leaves changing colors...LOL)

Edited to add...I just realized that this card would also fit...this week's Word Art Wednesday.  I like that challenge, but I often forget about adding my cards, because on  many of my cards I don't add a sentiment.  This card would fit the requirements.
The link to the challenge is here

 http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/2014/09/challenge-151-anything-goes.html
Thank you for the great challenge....

Thank you for visiting by blog today,

and I hope you  have a great weekend...

Blessings,

Jill

And PS.  We have some company coming to visit that we have not seen in years...so you know what that means...Lots of cleaning...So when the company leaves I will try and catch up on my commenting.

Dreamweaver Christmas Card

I made this card for this month's Dreamweaver challenge.  The challenge can be found here  
the challenge is called Christmas and Holidays Challenge.

The stencil that I used above (LG708)  was one that I was fortunate to win when I entered a former 
Dreamweaver challenge...This is the first time that I used it so It can be considered a NBUS!  (as in Never before used stuff!)  

I used Dreamweaver Matte Black embossing paste for my stencil.   I colored my stick on dots with a red copic marker.  Added A ribbon.

Just a reminder that the fabulous Darnell's NBUS challenge will close in two days.  If you haven't gone to Darnell's blog before......What are you waiting for?  You don't know what you are missing!  Darnell's blog posts are always so interesting...often quite funny.  (that's when I need kleenex...
she brings tears to my eyes on those!) But I so enjoy the humor...helps to make my day!  
Oh and before I forget.  She makes fabulous cards too!
I forgot to get the link to her blog, but you can find it on my sidebar!

Also, before I forget...I have a new follower that I want to welcome...Maz
Maz's fabulous work can be found here...

http://onlybyhisgracepapercrafting.blogspot.com/

Welcome to my blog, Maz, and thank you for becoming a follower!

Maz's work is Amazing...stop by for a visit to see her lovely work!  Her coloring and design are breathtakingly beautiful.

Thought for today...
"Laughter is a part of the human survival kit."~David Nathan

Thank you for visiting my blog today,
Blessings,
Jill 
Edited to add

Carol, whose wonderful blog can be found here

http://justmeclm.blogspot.com/

reminded me that this week's CASology's theme is "flutter"  and my birdie card would fit the them...thank you Carol for your thoughtfulness!

The CASology challenge can be found here...

http://casology.blogspot.com/2014/09/week-114-flutter.html

AAA Cards Challenge...fussy cutting

I made the above card for the AAA Card Challenge...this week it's fussy cutting.  I really like to do paper cutting.  When I first started making cards it was the technique I used the most.  I still like to make 3d cards...aka decoupage cards.  I don't do as many these days because all the layers need so much more for postage.  My first thought to do this challenge was to make a 3d card....then I realized it would NOT be a CAS card, and my card was also supposed to be CAS.

The AAA card challenge can be found here

My flower image was made using a peel off sticker which I colored with copics (My hubby isn't the only one who uses the copics!  Smile.  He definitely uses them more than I do, and he is also way better at using them them me.  I just fussy cut around the image, and added a die cut to the bottom of the card (unknown)  the die was borrowed from a friend.  My thanks sentiment was made using a Stampin' Up embosslit!  I made this thank you card for one of our neighbor's who gave us this lovely bouquet of flowers!

"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.  
Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.
Thankfulness may consist merely of words.
Gratitude is shown in acts."
~David O.McKay

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Blessings,
Jill

Victoria

I

I made this card using a digi image from Sugar Nellie.  The image was colored with copics by my hubby....

http://irishdreamweaver.blogspot.com/

The image is called Victoria, and it was purchased at Funky Kits.  

Jim used Y000, Y13, YG17, E31, E57, C0, RV63, B14, B0000, E000, E00, Rv000, E31, R02, E33,

Thank you all for visiting my hubby and giving the birthday wishes.  He so appreciated it.  You helped to make his day special.  

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot

See the shadow.

It's What sunflowers do."

~Helen Keller

Thank you for visiting my blog today,

Blessings,

Jill

Happy Birthday to my Husband

Today's is my hubby's birthday...and if you have an extra moment...
Please stop by and wish him Happy Birthday...thanks...

Jim's blog can be found at the Link below...

http://irishdreamweaver.blogspot.com/

And Thank you Darnell for the shout out on your blog...so appreciated!

http://www.djkardkreations.com/

Happy Birthday!!!

Hope it's a really special day...from you Other half...

Jim I hoped to do up a more special post than this...but as you would know....it's been a very busy time...

Thank you for the special brownies you made for me this morning.    (They were chocolate...just delicious!)

"To the World, You may be one person, But to me, you are the world."  Love, from your wife