Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been quite a while since I have been on here.  I sure miss all of my blogging buddies.  

My time has been crazy!  I had an auction and estate sale and got rid of SO MUCH stuff.  Then the house sold SUPER quick!  It was put on the market on a Friday evening and was sold the next by 1 pm, full asking price in cash.  I was so happy!  All of my belongings are in storage waiting to be shipped up to Oregon.  But there has been a big delay on the finish date of my house. . .

The manufacturer is WAY behind.  It was supposed to be finished by the end of November, now we are looking at MID JANUARY!!  I am so disappointed as I really wanted to spend Christmas in my new home.

So, now I am getting an apartment up near my daughter in OR for a couple months to wait till the house is done.  She would love to have me stay with her, but she has 5 cats and I don't think my Zazu would get along with them very well, LOL!

I send big hugs to all of you and wish you many blessings this Thanksgiving.

Joanne

Good News!

Just a quick note to tell you my good news.

My house went on the market Friday the 23rd of October at 7 pm, and was sold for the full asking price the next day by 1 in the afternoon!  I was stunned and amazed!!!  Escrow will close on 11/20 and then the race is on!

I hope to be up and card making sometime in the beginning of 2016 - WOW, that sounds SO far away!  I sure miss my crafting!

Sure do miss all of you and visiting your blogs.  I send lots of hugs to all of you!

So Sad. . .

Well, its official - ALL my craft supplies are packed.  I don't have a lot of spare time right now, but when I do I sure miss my card making!  I figure I won't be back to it until after the beginning of next year, HEAVY SIGH!  In the meantime I have started doing some cross stitching.  The supplies are very small as I have several projects that were kits.  I have to have something crafty to keep my hands busy lol!

What a mess I have been working in - just one small corner.  Can't wait to have a REAL craft room in my new house!

Making progress!

Take care my friends!

Chocolate, Coffee & Card Challenges #100 ~ CELEBRATE

Hello friends.  I can hardly believe that CC&CC is on

CHALLENGE #100!

I was a DT member for the very first challenge at CC&CC, and at challenge #34 I became the owner and coordinator for the blog.  It has been a FAB experience!  I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful gals from all over the world who served as DT members and helped to make CC&CC the fun place it is today to come and create.
I thank them all!

Our sponsor for this challenge is The Paper Shelter.  I chose a special image to showcase our 100th.  It is called "Seeking Inspiration".  I loved that I could put my sentiment on her canvas.

I am also celebrating the news that my new home will be completed around the end of November, YIPEEE!  Then it is the big move to Oregon!  Because I am really starting to pack things up, and my house here is on the market, this will be my last card until. . .  I don't know when, lol!  Probably the 1st of next year.  I will be so busy getting settled in, I just won't have the time to create.  I am REALLY going to miss it.  But I just keep dreaming of finally having a CRAFT ROOM!  That is a real first for me, and I can't wait!  In the meantime, I will still be running things at CC&CC for our challenges.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all of YOU for your support of my blog and your kind comments about my creations.  I have made so many friends and am thankful for each and everyone of you!  Hopefully I will be able to visit you from time to time.  Just know that you are in my thoughts and I can't wait to return here full time.  God Bless, much love, BIG hugs and
HAPPY CRAFTING!

Joanne

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #99 ~ Feminine & Fancy

Hello blog friends, good to have you stop by!

I haven't had much time for card making lately, and I had to quit as DT  member at Creative Knockouts.  I'm so busy with getting the house on the market and building the new one that my spare time is very limited.  I will be going back up to OR next week to meet with the contractors at my lot for the final details.  Should be interesting!  Also will be having to pack up my crafting supplies soon, boo hoo!  I sure will miss it!  No hand made cards for friends and loved ones this Halloween or Thanksgiving.  I might get a few done for Christmas if I get settled into my new house in time, but I don't count on it!

ANYHOW, on to my card for CC&CC!  Feminine & Fancy, love that theme!  We have the perfect sponsor for this challenge, A Day For Daisies.  They have the most beautiful images!  I used "Powder Room" for my card and did it in a monochromatic style.  I love the image, she looks very "Art Deco" era to me.

I colored her with my Copics and did several layers of papers, die cuts and then added some bling, pearls and roses.

I apologize for not getting around to visit all my blog buddies.  Hopefully I will be able to get some visiting time in soon.  I haven't forgotten any of you!  Hugs!

CC&CC #98 ~ Use A Sentiment and Other Musings

Hello blog friends!  Well, at last I am back and doing fine.  The concussion was a real experience.  Let's just say, if you hit your head and have some type of reaction, go see the doctor!  I tripped over a speed bump in a parking lot and fell on my right side.  When I did, my head jerked left then whip lashed to the right slamming onto the pavement.  WOW, I saw stars!  Thought all was ok, but the next day I had dizzy spells, headache, and almost fainted a couple times.  Off to the Dr. right away!

And I am just BURSTING with news about my new home journey!  I found my lot and it is bought and paid for!  It's almost a half acre and at the end of a very quiet road.  You enter the lot through a drive way that is like a tree tunnel, then opens up to what I named 

"Pine Meadow"!

I just finalized all the plans for the house and construction is due to begin VERY soon.  God willing, it will be done by about the 2nd week of November.  CANT WAIT!  I keep thinking how wonderful it will be to spend Christmas in my new home, sitting in front of my fireplace with a warm cup of cocoa and watching it snow, AWESOME!

OK, now for my card LOL!  Our theme is "Use A Sentiment".  Inky Impressions gave us 3  images to choose from.  I used "Kimmy's Letter".

We would love to have you join us!  Take a look at the lovely cards the DT have done to inspire your mojo!  AND, you may win some free digis.

Take care my friends, I hope to be visiting you all again soon!

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #97 ~ Frame It!

Time for another CC&CC challenge.  This will be short because I have a concussion (will explain later) and the Dr. said no on the computer, texting, writing, video games, watching TV; you get the picture.  SO here is my card and I will be back on line soon!

Sponsor:  BUGABOO

Image:  Scene It Cow Trio

Creative Knockouts Challenge #101 ~ Friendship

Welcome friends.  It is with sadness that I have to announce that this is my last post with Creative Knockouts.  My lot has been purchased (YAY!) and I have so many details to take care of with the building of my new house.  I just don't have the time to do my own blog (Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges) and Creative Knockouts too.  It has been GREAT creating with them, and hopefully I will be able to return with them sometime in the future.

Here is my card using the image "Baby On Board" by A Random Fan.

I used a die cut for the background frame and also for the sentiment.  The image was colored with Copic's, and then I added the flowers.  Simple but I like it.  Take a look over at CK and check out all the great cards by the FAB DT!  They are a super group of creative ladies!

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges #96 ~ A Flower In Your Image

It's Friday and time for another challenge at CC&CC.  This time we are asking you to use A Flower In Your Image.  Our Sponsor, Deedee's Digis, let each of our DT choose an image for our card.  My choice is "My Life Is Blessed".  I used their color image, sentiment and printed paper.  I added a die cut frame for the image and the sentiment, then added some pearls.  I really like the vibrant colors.

Please stop by CC&CC and have a look at all the great cards the gals have done.  They are really lovely!  And be sure to join in our challenge.

Creative Knockouts Challenge #99 ~ Paper Piecing

My First Explosion Box

Welcome blogging buddies.  Thanx so much for stopping by.

This project is something that I have wanted to try for quite some time.  I have put it off as I have felt a bit intimidated by it.  Well, I gathered up my courage and gave it a go!

The theme at Creative Knockouts this challenge is "Paper Piecing".  So I thought it would be the perfect time to have at it with the box, lol!  I got the pattern from online and it was very easy to follow.  Some of the boxes have several layers, but I decided to keep it simple with one layer for my first try.  I found it's like making a bunch of cards and putting them all together with a theme.  Mine is flowers.  I used LOTS of die punches and cuts using my Silhouette.  It was great fun, but I worked on it for several days.  Think. . . work. . . think ~  you get the idea!  Here is the result.

Around the outside of the box in blue letters it says, "Thinking of You, Believe, Hope, Dream.

When you open the box and it falls open it reveals all the goodies inside.  I really like the tall flowers on wires ~ they wiggle when it's opened!

Here are pictures of the individual panels:

This is one of those projects that I would call a "labor of love".  Now that I have done one box, I know I will do more and try using more layers ~ if I can think up ideas to fill all the panels!

We hope you stop by Creative Knockouts and see all the great projects the DT have done, and join in our challenge.
Again, thanx for your visit.

CIAO!

Well, my suitcase is all packed and I am ready to return to Oregon again.  This time I will hopefully buy the lot, hire the contractor and have them start building!  But before I leave, I HAD to finish this card for a very special BFF who is going to Italy for her birthday!  We had planed to go together a few years back, but then life got in the way, lol.  She wanted me to go this trip, but of course I can't because of getting my house built.  But I have no doubt that I WILL make it there some day!

The stamp of the little gal is by Little Blue Button Stamps and is called "Miss Lilly Reporter".  I colored her with my Copics.  The background map I found online and printed it.  I love the "old world" look of it.  I also found the banner on line and then added the word "ciao" to it in my paint program.  I cut it out and raised it and my image with pop dots.  I inked the edges of the map and there we have it!

 I hope I have lots of good news to tell you when I return in 10 days.

 Wish me luck!

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #95 ~ 1 Button & 1 Bow

Hello, and welcome to a new challenge at CC&CC!