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

Merry Christmas To All

Good Morning Bloggers, have you seen the new Tim Holtz tag for Dec 2013.  It's a beauty, I think.  I am in love with the way that poinsettia turned out.  My red and green colors are not quite as dark as his as I had to use a different kind of ink.  I used Close to my Heart ink, which is the only permanent ink I had in those colors.  But the tag turned out just as good, I thought.  I had purchased some of the frosted film quite a while back and had a play with it once but did not get the result I was looking for at that particular time so I stashed it and had not worked with it again.  I also had gotten some Cleary For Art sheets but had not played with them yet.  Guess I was waiting for the perfect moment, lol.  It's pretty cool stuff how it rolls and curls all by itself when heated.  Then you can manipulate it yourself for a short time before it cools.  Way Cool!!

The only other thing I had to improvise on was the Harlequin stencil.  I haven't had a chance to purchase any stencils yet so I made my own.  I die cut the Harlequin decorative strip and cut it in half and glued it top to bottom lining up the outline as best I could.  It was more square that way and easier to manipulate where I wanted my markings to be.  It worked beautifully.  I liked how it turned out so much, that I, too, made another one. 

This time I used some blue ink.  I stopped at Micheal's to see what they had in archival ink for blue.  Got a Colorbox brand that I had never tried before.  My Micheal's only carries a very limited supply of Tim Holtz/Ranger products.  They had some Ranger Archival inks but only in the huge pads, which I didn't want so my only other choice was this Colorbox brand.  It worked good though.  I went with a blue/silver/white theme and I do like the results.  See what you think.

I started with blue cardstock.  Marbled some white picket fence on the tag first.  Then I embossed the sentiment with silver.  I ran some white ink around the outside as well as the stencil part and then sprayed it with Perfect Pearl.  I used some brushed pewter distress stain on the leaves and around the outside of the petals.  I went a little lighter with the white splatter this time as I thought I may have gotten too much on the first one.   However, you can't hardly see it in this picture.  May need to do that again.  I just love how that Clearly For Art film just curls and shapes itself.  Soooo Pretty!

Well, it's shower time for me.  Hope you have a great day!
Hugs,
~Jody

Post Thanksgiving

Hey there bloggers, just wanted to drop in and say I hope ya'll had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you got your family/friend meters filled up.  I sure did!  I was able to spend the day with my daughter, Miranda.  She only lives an hour away but we seldom see each other.  We had the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.  Her and her friend even brought three pies, lol, for three people?  Well, I guess that's a pie a piece, lol.  My favorite was the cherry pie.  It was store bought but unbaked so we popped it in the oven right before we sat down to eat.  It was still warm when the urge to devour it appeared.  A dollop of whip cream on top and oh man, was that ever great.  Talk about the perfect ending, the only thing left to do was nap, and that we did.  After it got dark, we stoked up a little fire in the fire pit outside.  It's rare that you can share a fire in Florida, it's normally just to dang warm here, but Thanksgiving night it was only going to be about 50º so it was perfect for a fire. 

Here's a little tag I made to give to all the tea ladies at the November Tea Party.  It was very nice to see everyone once again and we were even visited by Carrie.  She had moved to Chicago last May and no one had heard much from her, including myself.  Then there she was at the tea party.  Was nice to see her.  The tea party was great with lots of good food and lots of good friends. 

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!
Hugs,
~Jody

Be Thankful

Good Morning Bloggers, have a little 'seasonal' card here to share with you.  I was inspired by a card that was previewed on the Ranger Blog yesterday.  The colors just spoke to me, I guess you could say.  The card was designed by Michelle McCosh.  I loved the greenish turquoise background.  She used liquid pearls for her leaves but I didn't have any of those so I just used some distress inks and sprayed them with some Perfect Pearls spray.  I didn't have the stamp set she used either so I improvised.  I die cut Tim's Tattered Leaves after I colored my paper with Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade, Crushed Olive and Ripe Persimmon.  Inked the edges with Vintage Photo a bit and then ran a thin bead of gold around the outside.  Just love the fall colors and this is as close as I will get to them this year.

Hope you like it too.  I'm off to take some things to a friend up in Maitland today and will stay for drinks/dinner and then head back tomorrow in time for football, of course.

Just wanted to give a shout out to my little daughter this morning.  Her little Toki cat passed away yesterday and she is so very sad.  I love you honey and I'm so sorry for the lose of your little Toki cat.  I know he meant the world to you.  I believe this is his way of telling you that he will fine where he is and it is ok for you to move on. Hugs baby girl, I Love You so much!!

Ser Toki