Spring has sprung, Fall has fell and Winter will be as cold as..................

well you probably know the ending to that saying...................lol

I have really taken a liking to the fall season since I have moved back to WY from FL.  The cooler temperatures are so awesome.  I am still able to have the windows open a little bit at night, there is a fabulous cool breeze that blows through, I love it!

The leaves have started to fall from the trees and soon the colors will become so vibrant that I will need to make another trek up to the mountains (oh darn!) to see them all.  In the meantime, I have created a little reminder as some home decor.  Somewhere in my travels I ended up with this great frame and when I unpacked here I put it on a hook in my living room, knowing that sooner or later I would find something to put in it.  Well, it hung there long enough without anything in it that a good friend made comment to me, something about an empty picture frame hanging on the wall, lol!

So, I decided to change that.  Here is what I came up with

I started with a plain piece of chipboard from the back of a tablet. Covered it with gesso and then some Distress Stains in autumn colors. Then I added some 'bricks' with some embossing paste and one of the Tim Holtz stencils and inked them up as well. 

I found some little wooden letters in my stash and was quite tickled to find the actual letters I needed (FALL).  I added some Distress Stains to them in Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade and then sprayed them with water to make the colors bleed together.  Then I inked the edges with Vintage Photo.  The 'has' was printed from a label maker and the 'fell' was from one those old Dymo label makers so no stamping here.

The leaves were made from the Tim Holtz Layered Leaf die and embossing folder.  I first smeared out some distress inks on my craft sheet and sprayed it with water and swiped a manila folder through it to get the coloring. Then I cut out the leaves and embossed them and inked them with Walnut stain.

I added a piece of wire mesh under the letters but over the top of the bricks for some dimension and a few embellishments in the top right hand corner.  I also found a metal leaf in my stash and hung it from the mesh.  It just kinda spoke to me when I found it, lol.

I wanted to enter it into the Frilly & Funky Challenge Blog Stamps be gone, hence no stamping here! This will make a great home decor item for years to come!

It's St. Paddy's Day again............

OMG, am I ever glad I wrote down all those user id's and pw before I left FL, lol, I would have never found this blog again.  My memory is getting worse and worse.  As you can see I haven't been able to get back here very often and I don't remember things that are not used on a daily basis, and even that's iffy, lol!

Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.  I have been busy making some tags and now I want to make a banner and a few cards.  I still have about 10 days or so but I better get busy.

Here are the tags that I have been working on.  I just did the usual distress stain swipe on the tags to start with.  I used Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Pine Needles. Then I did the technique that Tim used on his March tag.  I stamped my shamrocks and embossed them with clear embossing powder. I didn't have the stencil he did but I had the eye chart one so I used that.  I covered it in areas with embossing paste and then sprinkled gold embossing powder over it and left it to dry.  (Probably could have gotten a bit more on the one on the right, I think that's the one I did first, can ya tell, lol)  That's a very cool technique.  Didn't realize that you could cover that embossing paste with embossing powder, leave it to dry and then come back to it later and hit it with the heat gun and it would still melt and turn shiny.  What a cool idea, I love it.

I found some 'gold coins' in my stash and I used the little hole maker of his to put holes in each side of the coin and also in the top of the wish bone.  I threaded some jute string thru the holes and tied it in a bow on the other side.  I typed "Happy St. Patrick's Day" on the computer and printed it off on plain white paper and then distressed it with ink and cut it out to fit in the oval charms.  Had some little metal charms in my stash as well but they were silver so I covered them with some gold alcohol ink and wiped off the excess.

Then I just used some cream colored seam binding dipped in the same distress stains in the hole at the top. I attached everything with jump rings to a pin and pinned it to the seam binding.  I glued another tag to the back of each one (cuz they were kinda messy) and added a sentiment there.  And I inked them up well.

Added some little shamrocks and a hat to the back, as well as a little stamp.  See the jute tied in the back, that worked out well, lol.  

Anyway, that is what I have come up with for my St. Patrick's Day tags.  Hopefully I will get some cards done now and a banner.  I'll be sure to share with you, if I do.  Hope you all have a lovely week and may the Luck of the Irish be with you!

Hugs!!

it's starting to look alot like Christmas.............

Good Morning peeps, have finally been able to get some crafting time to myself, YEA!  Really miss it when I can't get my hands inky, lol!

Have been working on my Annual Christmas Tea Party plans and of course the invitation has to come first.  I was wanting to make something that was vintagy looking, kinda lacy too. Wanted them to look old fashioned.  I am going with the blue/cream/white theme this year so created the invitations using the same theme.  Had a piece of old white lace and some light blue tulle (I think that's the name for the netting). Printed the actual words on the computer and printed them out.  Roughed up the edges and inked them with vintage photo ink. Had some light blue cardstock for the base so did the same thing with those.  Layered the lace first, then the tulle and then the invitation.  Used Tim's OTE die 'distressed doily' and made a 'gate' closure for the front.  Inked it up with vintage photo as well.  Attached them to the sides around the back and then used another blue base piece to cover that up.  It also added a bit of sturdiness to the whole thing too.  Tied the gate with a piece of shiny blue ribbon and a little tea pot charm in the middle.

Then I stamped a little cup and some steam to the fronts of the envelope and inked the outside edges of them as well.  Here's a peek at the finished product.  Hope you like it.

Will hopefully get them done this weekend so can get them in the mail soon.  Have Tuesday off as it's Veteran's Day so can maybe get them finished up then, if not this weekend.

The weather here has been fabulous.  This fall has been the most enjoyable one I've had/seen in a long time. I've so missed the changing of the seasons and all mother nature had to offer.  The trees have all lost most of their leaves and winter is about to set in.  The temperatures this weekend are supposed to be in the 50's but come Monday the highs will only be in the 20's and it's supposed to be snowy and windy.  Fall has lasted longer than normal this year, which is good.  It's been getting me used to the cooler weather.  I surely don't miss the heat of FL but am not sure if I'm completely ready for the cold of the WY.  Am excited for the first big snowfall but don't care for the cold wind.  I do enjoy the cool breezes that blow but am probably not ready for the cold wind, lol. It will definitely be cool to see the season changing even more.  I kinda feel like this place has so much more character.  In FL it's hot and green, all the time.  Here, with the changing of the seasons, it seems like when things change, it gives you the anticipation of new things to come.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the weather and the Tea Party plans.  Am hoping to inspire some of my dear friends around here to be a part of my tea group.  There is only one tea house in Cheyenne so we will have to each host a tea party at our homes once a month, so am hoping to collect like 10 others to participate.  It will be fun to see how it all plays out.

Hope you have a terrific weekend,
Hugs,
~Jody

Happy Halloween 2014

Hey There Bloggers,  Just wanted to drop in and say hello and Happy Halloween to all you bloggers out there.  I am finally up and running again in the craft room.  It's been 8 months since I last saw my craft room in working order.  It still needs some pooffing but it is in working order, pretty much, and OH how I have missed it.  It feels so good to be back in the saddle again.  Have made a few more coffins this year. They were nothing fancy but I still love how they turn out.

A couple of them I added black netting to, just experimenting.  I love the results!

Notice the netting on the one on the right, kinda hard to see but it looks so cool in person.  The one on the left I added some orange glitter to her stockings with some glue and a toothpick.

The one on the right here has the netting.  I also added a raven and a black cat that I cut out of some velvet paper.  They added a whole new dimension to the view.

So, ya, there we have it, some cute little coffins to decorate with.  Think I'll run over to the dollar store and see what I can find to fill them with.  Maybe some orange tissue paper and some candies??

Hope ya'll have a fantastic Halloween, crafting and decorating your hearts out!!!

Hugs,

~Jody

 

Busy, busy, busy................

I finally got my hands on some Tim Holtz fabric.  There is a little quilting shop in this town but they didn't carry it, nor did Joann's so I had to go to Ft. Collins, CO (about 45 miles south) to a little place called Loopy Ewe.  It's a bit expensive but I do really like the designs. 

I found a little foot stool at a garage sale a while back and wanted to recover it with the Tim Holtz fabric.  I used some foam that I found stashed in one of my mother's closets.  I found some iron interfacing to stiffen the fabric a little. I removed all the legs and the old fabric and covered it right up.  So cute!

Had a little fabric left so I made a little pillow from the same fabric.  It actually is a pillow cover so I can take it off and wash it.  I made the actual pillow out of muslin and then put the pillow cover on it.  I found some cute trim at Walmart so added that to the sides. 

They both turned out so cute.  They will match my couch and loveseat really well.  I think I might make some curtains out of the same fabric when I get in to my new place.

See what you think!!

So anyway, I look forward to decorating my new living room with these fabrics as soon as I can get moved.  I have a permanent full time job now so it won't be long.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!
Hugs,
~Jody

Home Again, awwwwww

What a great feeling to be back home again.  I have reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones.  I have been working two part-time jobs just to keep me afloat but last Friday, I was offered a full time job with the County, YAHOO! 

All of my things are still in storage but they will be coming out soon now, now that I have a full time job.  I will start looking for a place of my own.  Want to buy but housing here is at a premium so that may have to wait a bit longer.  Can hardly wait to get my papercrafting supplies out and start playing.  I have been staying busy, just in other ways.

I planted a garden for my stepfather since he is unable to do that himself any more.  If nothing else, it gives him some bragging rights.  The garden is growing beautifully.  And I have to laugh because I have never planted a garden in my life, lol.

The beginning-planted everything over Memorial Day weekend

This is what it looks like today 07/27/14

 We planted a large variety, you could say.  My stepfather brought home a bunch of seeds and I planted them.  We planted them indoors first and then transplanted them out back in the garden area.  They have quite a bit of hail here so we put a canopy over it, made of 6 mil plastic and some pvc piping and a couple of 2x4's.  Carpenters we are not but so far is has held.  The wind has ripped it up more than the hail, but will keep repairing it until we can get a harvest, about 30 more days.

We have tomatos, beets, peas and sugar peas, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, sweet pepper, butternut squash, yellow squash, zucchini, onions and potatoes.  Had some radishes too but they have been eaten already..

Basil

Beets

 

Butternut Squash, see the resemblance

Cabbage and carrots

Cucumbers

Tomato

Yellow Squash

And I just realized that I didn't take a picture of the zucchini and it's the biggest plant there is out there, lol!

I also have been building things.  I went to a barn sale with my mother one Saturday a while back and found this great old door with all these little windows in it for half price.  I paid $14 for it, what a steal.  I have been wanting to make a potting bench so I turned the door on it's side and built a potting bench around it.  I used the instructions from a blog I have been following now for a while called Backwood Cottage.I just changed the back of it to incorporate my door and then used some old barn wood I found out along side my parents house across the back. See what ya think!

I also bought some scroll hooks for the shelf that is above the door, which you can hardly see.  Up top, I attached a scroll wall decoration that I had in storage (and could reach) across the back.  Then I painted it all white.  I just love it. Can't wait to have my own place again so I can start decorating.

Sorry it's been so long since I yakked at ya.  Things are starting to fall in to place here now so hopefully I will be able to get back here more often.

Hugs,
~Jody

Safe Arrival

Good Morning Bloggers, just a note to let you all know that I have arrived in my new location safely.  My daughter drove out with me and we had a great time.  It took us about 3 1/2 days (we left Friday afternoon about 4 p.m.) because we got waylayed in Waxahachi, TX (not sure of the spelling there) because of an ice storm.  Waxahachi, TX is south of Ft. Worth about 40 miles or so, I believe.

We had stopped there to get new wipers on the u-haul because the stuff was freezing to the windshield and I couldn't see.  The wipers sucked so I went next door from a gas station to a place called NTB (think that stands for National Tire and Battery) and the man there would not come over to the gas station and measure the wipers.  Probably because he was to large to walk that far, I'm guessing.  There was a little ditch between the two and you had to walk around, out on the road.Anyway, he said there was a Wal-Mart down the road a ways and they would have wipers too.  We did the find the Wal-Mart and some very nice people that helped us there.  The whole problem was that I didn't know what size wipers fit the u-haul.  Now if it were my SUV, I would have know that but since I didn't we had to get someone to come out and measure them.  Which was not a big deal, except it was storming outside and I mean storming.  It was raining down little ice pellets and the ground was freezing right before your eyes.  They even closed the Wal-Mart Garden Center because the floor had gotten so icy.  It was then that I knew that we were not getting out on the highways again that day.  We found a McDonald's that had free wifi service and got on the laptop and found a hotel that was close by.  We did end up getting back on the highway for about a mile but it was at a snail's pace.  There had actually been two accidents just in the time that we went that one mile.  Those Texans are not used to that kind of weather and they really don't know how to drive in it.  We hung out at a Super 8 motel until the next morning, got lots of sleep.  The next day we struck out again. 

It was a good thing we got lots of sleep the night before, because we ended up pulling an all nighter the next night.  We were getting so close to our destination and the roads were clear and dry and we were tired of being in that truck so we just kept going.  I drank some more coffee and had a couple of cat naps at places we stopped to eat at and kept going.  We arrived in Cheyenne about 5:20 a.m. on Tuesday morning.  We were tired but wound up (coffee just does that to me), but safe and alive.  Woohoo, what a ride!

I am earnestly job searching and planting roots here in my home town again.  The weather is cooler here and I like that.  My post menopausal state and that hot FL weather were not getting along well, AT ALL, lol!  I have re-connected with several friends and have also visited the only scrapbook shop in town.  I have inquired about teaching some classes there so I can get to know some creative friends here.  The lady I talked to said they were always looking for new ideas so maybe the owner will call me.  Most everything thing I own, including all my papercrafting supplies, are in storage.  I have been doing alot of knitting with my mother so that has kept me busy and my mind occupied.  I will be excited to get my own place again and spread out my supplies and get to crafting again.  Until then, I hope life is treating you well and it's all you want it to be.

Hugs,
~Jody

 

Valentine's Day 2014

Morning Bloggers, just a quick post to show you the little Valentine's Day cards that I made for our monthly tea party this Feb. 15.  I am in the process of moving so have been absent from the blog for a while and I will be absent again for a while after this post.  When I get all settled again, I will get back in touch with you all.

The cards were made from my stash.  I purchased nothing.  Have vowed to use what I have first because I have SOOO much stuff that has never even been removed from the package, ha!  Can any one relate to that, lol?

Anyway, I used a Martha Stewart punch to punch the border along the bottom of each card.  Then I placed a 1" piece of alternating colored cardstock underneath to pop it up.  Quite by accident, I 'stenciled' on to the inside because I inked before I added the 1" piece.  I liked it so I decided to do that to all of them.  Don't you just love how those little 'accidents' prove to be so perfect.  Another unintended addition is the brown leather looking piece.  I was using some old Christmas wrapping paper to pack dishes with and when I got to the end of one roll, instead of the regular brown tube, there was this piece of heavy brown kraft paper.  It was so cool.  I cut a long piece to fit my cards, soaked it with water and wadded it up into a ball.  Squished and smushed it pretty good, until it had some dominant creases and then I laid it out on my craft table to dry.  When dry, I cut 1" pieces of it and inked them with Walnut Stain distress ink.  They added the perfect touch to my vintage Valentine's Day card, I thought.  See what you think.

Valentine's Day card with matching envelope

Inside sentiment

Back side of envelope with heart stamp from Close To My Heart

Card with felt heart, jute and red netting over leather strip

Inside of card with envelope. Envelope has second generation stamping in Festive Berries Distress Ink and Walnut Stain Distress Ink

Pink/White color combination with cheesecloth and netting on top of leather strip

All the color combinations

I had a blast making these and am pleased with how they turned out.  Hope you like them as well!  Until we meet again, hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day!
Hugs,
~Jody

Merry Christmas To All

Wanted to wish you all a 

Very Merry Christmas

and the

Happiest of New Years

I just love snow at Christmas time and I was missing my folks so I decided to take the plunge and go home for Christmas.  It snowed yesterday morning and was so beautiful to see.  It's been 9 years since I've seen snow at Christmas time. This is a shot out the back door of my mother's house looking towards my step-father's garden.

We also made some divinity.  I haven't had any divinity for 9 years either because you can't make it in Florida and have it turn out correctly.  And man I wanna tell ya, this batch turned out so perfectly, it was still in the mountain that we poored it out in to the pan in.  And tasted magical, just melt in your mouth. Love it!!!!!

So............ya, I just wanted to share what I am doing for my Christmas 2013 and I hope you are getting your family & friends meters full as well!

Hugs,

~Jody

Christmas Tea Party Invitation

Hey there bloggers, wanted to share my Tea Party Invitation now that everybody has received theirs in the mail.  I used the new Tim Holtz Ice Skate die.  I saw on his blog that he made a card with it today and it reminded me that I hadn't posted my card yet, thanks for the reminder Tim, lol!

I used white cardstock to make my skates, actually I made 8 pair, lol.  I found some glitter paper at Michael's for the blades and I used kraftcore black to make the heel of each skate.  I sanded each heel  down a bit and inked them with some vintage photo too.  I laced each one with cream colored embroidery floss that I distressed with vintage photo before lacing.  I used a beading needle to thread through the slits.  The first one I did, I ended up tearing the paper so a little trick I will share with you is, place a spot of glossy accents at the edge of each slit and let it dry over night.  It prevented the thread from tearing through the paper as I laced and you didn't see it after all the laces were over the top either.  That probably wasn't an issue if you used grungepaper like he did.  The lettering was done on the computer both on the outside and the inside.  The snowflakes and  wintery florals at the bottom are from a Close To My Heart stamp called Snow Flurries, D1384.  Not sure if it's still available but I love this stamp set.  I used white embossing powder.  The edges were inked with Chipped Sapphire distress ink.  On the inside I also used the Mover & Shaper Ice Skate to ask for an RSVP.  The blue blob in the middle of the inside is just a piece of torn paper I used to cover up my address, lol.  

 

 The Ice Skate die is so cool.  It just reminds me of the days of old.  I have an old pair that I got at a yard sale that I hang on my door at Christmas time.  I had never adorned them before but since I have now seen what Tim Holtz can do with a pair of old skates you can bet I will be adorning mine this year.  It has become kind of the theme to my Tea Party to this year so it will help if I have them all decorated up on the front door when every one arrives.  It should be a sight to behold.  I'll be sure to take pictures and share with you later.

Well, that's it for me today.  Hope you had a great Friday and an even better weekend.

Hugs,

~Jody