Happy 60th Birthday!

Sadly, and it's not just me,

but all of my schoolmates from back in the day

are turning, or have turned 60 this year!

(I know, doesn't seem possible that this hot grandma is going to be 60, huh?)

 

I used yet another adorable image from Paper Smooches

to capture the way we're all feeling...

OLD!

 

 

"Spiffy Scooters"

 

I paper pieced it and added silver Stickles for the chrome and hubcaps.

The cool retro paper is Echo Park, Graceful.

Oh, and the tires are actually black buttons.  Couldn't resist a more dimensional look!

Popped up the whole scooter.

 

It is my dream to someday have a Vespa (aka any scooter brand)

and live in a community where I can shop and go pretty much everywhere

on my "ride"!  LOL!

So this stamp set definitely won me over!

 

Check out the challenge at Paper Smooches Sparks Blog and enter your own creation!

We can all use some more Smooches!

 

Take care out there!

~Jan~



Maculine Boy's Birthday card !

Paper Smooches

comes to the rescue!

 

This grandma was at a complete loss as to what type of birthday card to make for my 10 year old grandson!  

Then I recalled he and I had just recently watched one of our favorite movies for yet another time!  LOL!

 

In "The Princess Bride", one of the main characters has a

heavy lisp and repeatedly says, "That's inconceivable"!

My grandson thinks it's hilarious and repeats it for several days after watching the film...again.  Kids!

 

So, after going through my Paper Smooches images, I

 recalled Kim having one of a knight! 

Perfect!

 

 

"Royal Cuteness" stamp

The photo isn't the best. I only remembered getting a picture taken by my daughter

with her cell phone after he opened it at his party.

I'm surprised it survived a direct hit from his little 15 month old sister!

It's an easel card, and he'd never gotten one from me before.

He thought it was petty special.

 

 

The heavy metal buckle served well as a "shield" .

However, it's a good thing I didn't have to mail it!

 

Kids are so much fun when they get to an age where they

can get that type of humor in a card!

 

 

This card, along with another I made for a friend's birthday,

are being entered in the challenge at Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Blog this month!

Also, there's a BLOG HOP going on over there!

On my way!

 

Have a great weekend!

~Jan~

House Mouse welcomes Spring!

The House Mouse challenge this month is:

 

APRIL SHOWERS!

 

Check it out over at their challenge blog at

House-Mouse and Friends

 

Always a great time and some wonderful designs to look at by both the design team and others who have joined in the party!  And, of course, some great prizes to win!

 

Here's my tribute to "April Showers" although I would be remiss to mention that here in Arizona, we have yet to see any of this strange phenomenon you call rain!

Come on, Arizona and California, we NEED rain!!!!

 

 

Even my desert friends can appreciate the sentiment behind this card.

 

Now, keep your fingers crossed that this dry spell will be over soon!

My day would be brightened simply by winning some terrific House Mouse product!

 

Image:  Happy Hopper, "Puddle Fun"

Papers: Bazzill

Embellies:  Bazzill

Markers:  Copics

 

~Jan~



Back in the game!

I am so proud to announce that I got the best news ever when

 I returned from my Florida vacation!

I've often said that the moment you step away and stop thinking about things,

that's when great surprises happen!

 

I have been asked by my good friend from my past DCWV days, Britt Bass, to be on the

ROYAL CASTLE SHOPPE

Design Team!

I will begin in April with my first submission
(exact date not known quite yet)

but if you're not familiar with this company,

you definitely need to check them out!

 

 

Click on the highlighted name above to see all the terrific products they carry!

Dozens of brands we all love and at great prices!

 

I can't wait to get going and to know my fellow design team members!

I will showcase each as she posts her own first creations!

 

Always good to know you're still in the "circle"!

Yippee!

 

~Jan~



House Mouse Valentine's Wreath

Valentine's Day is just around the corner,

so out came the House Mouse wreath again!

I get more compliments on my front door when I put this up!

I love these little guys!

 

 

 

Happy Upcoming February to everyone!

Never too early to start spreading the love!

~Jan~

 



House-Mouse Christmas Greeting!

 'Tis the season and the Mice are back!   I love working with these little darlings. They have so much personality and are always up to something!

 

This time it's adorning the holiday tree!

*****************************

House-Mouse Stamp:
 "Deck the Halls"

One thing to keep in mind when making any card is to

remember to add the tiny details!

 ********************************************************************************

This card is my second entry in the December Monday Challenge at

House-Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge

and to, again, let the gals know how much

I'd love to be a part of their DT!

 

Go to their blog and check out all the adorable critters in the store!

Mice aren't the only creatures stirring this Christmas!

 

Happy Holidays!

Jan

 

(Also entered in the December challenge at

Stampendous!)

 



It's been a long, long time...

I know I've not posted anything crafty for quite some time, and I plan to get started again very soon.  But for now, here are some terrific new pictures of the grandkids!  With the summer's so very hot here, and my just starting to feel back to "normal" healthwise, I want to jump into scrapping and card making again while there's not much else to do outdoors.

 Harper, 9 months

 

Hayden, 9 years old already! 

 

Hayden starts this school year in the Gifted Program. We are so very proud of him.

He and I are reading some of the same books so that we can talk about them later!

I would never have discovered the "City of Ember" series, had he not introduced me to them!

 

Hopefully, my next post will be of a crafty nature!

Baby steps...

 

Hello Friend!

For this card, I chose one of my favorite images from

Saturated Canary

along with the adorable papers from

DCWV!

("Sunday Afternoon" Stack)

 

 

Stampin' for the Weekend

has a challenge going on as of February 28th and

we want you to join in!

You could win some prizes, too!

Just include some

"BLING"

on your project!

 

 

She even has glitter on her pom-pom socks!

And if you're looking for a great card template and

another chance to win,

go to DCWV Diary and

enter that card sketch challenge!  They also have a terrific layout sketch if you're more inclined to make a page!

 

So, here are two great ways to win some goodies!

Thanks for looking at my project today, and please, leave a comment so I know you were here!

~Jan~



Paper Piecing for SFTW!

When I stamp, I often forget that paper piecing can really add so much texture and color to your image. And, I'm not always in the mood to color that day!

 

 

For the challenge this week at

Stampin' for the Weekend,

we are highlighting "FLOWERS!"

 

I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of flowers and Valentine's on the girls' projects,

so I  limited the stamped and paper flowers and went with a flower garden theme.

 

 

The image is one from "Sparkle Creations" that I've had for quite some time.

Even though Sparkle, the owner, has closed shop for now, due to have a baby sometime this summer,

I wanted to create a card showcasing the way pattern paper piecing can add so much

to a simple image.

Also, the twine and tiny rhinestone earring make her so adorable!

So, don't forget to get out those tiny scissors and create!

 

Enter your own project at

"Stampin' for the Weekend"

and win a great prize (sponsor is a surprise!)

 

I would love to know you were here, so please leave a comment!

We get so many wonderful entries, but I'd like to know who's out there reading this!

 

Have a great Valentine's weekend!

~Jan~

 

 



DCWV February Card Challenge

Wow, It's February already and almost Valentine's Day!

The holidays went by so quickly and now we're on the uphill swing towards Spring!

 

And, as always, I love to play along with Die Cuts With A View's

Monthly Layout/Card Challenge!

 

February's Card Sketch

 

Here's my take:

 

 

 Without the use of any stamps or coloring,

I made this card using only DCWV papers and part of a simple little

rhinestone headband I found at my Dollar Store!

 

I LOVE the look of the paper from all of these stacks:

Immortal Love

Midnight Spell

and

Foiled Cardstock!

 

The rhinestones really sparkle and add to the glamour of the card!

I never stop in my local Dollar Store without checking out ALL the possibilities!

 

Hope you enjoyed seeing how simple a card can be, especially with the

right sketch to get you started!

 

And, because this is a very special time of the year, this will be entered in the challenges at:

Crafty Catz (Love is in the air...)

Squirrel and the Fox (Love)

Sunshine Mail (Anything with a heart)

Southern Girls (Bling)

Totally Gorguss (Sentiment as main focus)



Happy Valentine's Day...

from the little mice's, meeses, mice...whatever...

at the Garber household!

 

 

At Christmas time, one of these little guys was caught in a jar!

 

 

But since then, they have been running amuck in my house!

Stampendous' House Mouse's and Happy Hoppers are everywhere!

 

Now they have taken over my front entrance on my Valentine wreath!

 

Greeting all who come to my door with a friendly

"Happy Valentine's Day!"

 



 

Peeking out from behind roses and the bow,

and making sure everything is arranged just so!

 

 

My UPS delivery guy was chuckling when I opened the door!

He commented how much his young daughter would enjoy these sneaky little fellas!

I can't wait for my own grandson to see it!

 

I am entering these seven little cuties in the challenge at the

House Mouse Design's Challenge,

"Show some Love",

Stampendous' Impressions,

"Love Letters",

Gruffies and Guests,

"Love is in the Air"

and

Sunshine Mail

"Anything with a heart"

challenges.

 

As a design team member, I will also be posting this on the blog for

"Stampin' for the Weekend" as it incorporates the

"Flowers"

theme for the week of the 14th!

They are also having a great prize challenge!

Who doesn't want more flowers this holiday? 

 

(I used a clearanced $1.20 green pine wreath from Christmas, shaped it into a heart, and spray painted it white.

The rest was easy with  my Copics and some very

patient fussy-cutting!)

 

Give a BIG hug to someone you love!

~Jan~



Anything but a card!

Stampin' for the Weekend

has chosen

ANYTHING BUT A CARD

for this upcoming challenge!

 

Mine happens to include a small, tiny card to accompany it, but the box was a quick answer to a gift-giving problem.  Easy to pack and mail, too!

 

 

Supplies used:

Purchased ready-made box

Felt swirls and flowers (Close to my Heart)

Spellbinders (Labels Eighteen)

Stamped and embossed border (Waltzing Mouse)

Sentiment (Unknown)

 

Doesn't get easier or faster than this!

 

 



Happy "Birth" day!

The current challenge over at

"Stampin' for the Weekend's" blog

is to make a birthday project!

We all have friends or relatives with upcoming

New Year birthdays sometime in the next few months,

so get out your stamps, markers, pencils,

medium of choice, etc. and make a

BIRTHDAY PROJECT!

 

This can be a simple card, or something a bit more decorative like I did!

 

 

I used one of my all-time favorite sponsors (Saturated Canary)

and

made this very cute frame to celebrate my new granddaughter's actual BIRTH!

I can replace the photo regularly as she grows older.

 

(just a note:  the photo and mat ARE level, but the wicker frame was so "off", that it was impossible to make it all look straight.  Still a heck of a find for 75cents at Goodwill!))

 

 

I love the adorable images at Saturated Canary!

So fun to color! 

I even "scuffed' her shoes a bit!

 

 

So head over to "Stampin' for the Weekend" and get in on the fun!

There are always great prizes there!

This challenge is sponsored by "LIVE AND LOVE CRAFTS"!

 

Have a great week!

~Jan~

 



So, "What DOES the Fox Say?"

In this case, it's Happy Birthday!

 

 

Using DCWV,

"Green Stack"

I took the song title and made it into a silly birthday card!

 

 

The card sketch challenge this month is:

which I promptly flipped on its' side so that the trees could be cut from a banner die and stand upright!

 

I love this little song and sometimes go around humming it at the house! 

 

Visit DCWV Diary and enter your own card or layout

following the sketches!

They always have some fantastic stacks to win! And who doesn't want more DCWV paper?

I know I do!

 

While you're there, check out the CHA photos!  Look closely and you'll see my "Welcome Home" canvas displayed! 

 

Have a great weekend!

~Jan~

 

 



Latest Funny Photo!

This one was too precious NOT to share!

 

 

Bet I made you giggle!

 

10 weeks old and already posing for the camera!

She's definitely related to Hayden!

 

~Jan~

 

 



Baby Update!

The holidays were so super-special because this last year we welcomed our second grandchild into the world! 

For those of you who did not see my previous post

from October,

I have a granddaughter now and she is a cutie!

 

Christmas is always more fun when you have the little ones,

and it's been just my one grandson for a very long 8 years now!

 

We had family over for Christmas Day and no one could get enough of little Harper!

She's smiling and cooing now, and makes the cutest little expressions.

Hayden, although a bit jealous at times, loves her dearly and keeps expecting her to be able to be more of a playmate very soon!

 

 

Perhaps by summer, Hayden!

 

 

So, now that the tree is down, and the Christmas lights are off the house,

normal life can resume.

I am still unpacking boxes from our move, which was just a week following Thanksgiving so it's been a hectic two months for sure!

 

I am looking forward to a much improved 2014!

I'm taking it one day at a time and trying not to let stress affect my life any more!

 

We are having beautiful weather here, which is more than I can say for the rest of the country.

We are seriously fortunate to be living in Phoenix during the winter months. Now, ask me how I feel about Arizona come July/August and I'll feel quite differently, I'm sure!

 

Happy New Year to everyone!

Hugs and best wishes to you and your families!

 

~Jan~

 

 



Let the Christmas Holiday begin!

Over at "Stampin' for the Weekend",

our current challenge is
GET FESTIVE!

I chose to use one of my favorite Stampendous images.

He was originally released for Halloween, but serves nicely as a Christmas owl

when you add snow and a touch of holiday red! 

 

 

I was away from my computer when I colored this image, so I wasn't as secure about the

colors as I would have been had I Googled owls.

 

 

Colored with Copics, I love the pop of red on his belted top hat and bowtie!

 

 

The snow on the branches is a bit difficult to see in the photo,

but gives texture and dimension on the card IRL!  :)

 

 

This is how the easel card will appear in the 6 x 6 envelope when I mail it out.

Papers used were DCWV, several of their 6 x 6 stacks of glitters and foils!

 

Please check out the new challenge at Stampin' for the Weekend!

And please leave a comment so I know you stopped by!

I love the company!

~Jan~