Completely out of order, but here is #2

Tonight while waiting for the posting for tag #7, I was playing around with the instructions for #2.  It was a fun tag to make.

Thanks for stopping in to check out my adventure....til tomorrow!
~Jill

It can't be helped!!

Today I am posting Tag #3 & #4, I know 2 normally comes after 1 but I don't have all the Christmas crafty goodies out of the hole but I did find the stuff to do #3 & #4 so, without further ado...

#3

and #4

and a close up of #4,  (I had fun playing with all the different shades and tones of blue)

I have tried to be disciplined with my family budget and only buying what I need, and even tho I need the 12 tags of Christmas with Tim Holtz for my mental health the cost can be expensive.  I would love to purchase every single item featured in the tags I can't... boohoo... okay tantrum over.  One of these days I'm gonna have the products to "walk right thru" the detailed directions.  (Maybe I should go back and do year one & two...)
Thanks for stopping in to check in on my adventure.
~Jill

Tag #1 for 2011

Yes, I am aware that I am approx. 5 days behind.  It just couldn't be helped.  But I am in the thick of it now.  I completed tag #1 this evening while playing with Mario with his BTS tweets and facebook post.  I still don't have all the Christmas crafty goodness out of the hole but I was able to get my hands on enough to get this done.

One of the instructions for making this tag was to slit the top of the embossing folder to accommodate the tag in the proper direction.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was the same folder that I used last year to complete this same technique. (lol) I know it's extremely difficult to read but the glitter phrase says "Peace on Earth".  (I cut it on my cricut, it wasn't what I expected but I continued with it to the completion)

One of the items that was suppose to be on this tag was a paper pinecone, I coped out and stuck a paper flower on it.  I got tired of fighting my hands and spent some energy in making this flower look tattered and dried.  I think T!m's pine cone die would be something for me to consider investing in if I were to make some paper pine cone wreaths or other home decor, maybe next year.

The other thing I did get done today was to "ink" a tea light block that my son Lance made for me while we were in Oklahoma City visiting him and his wife during Thanksgiving.  I had originally thought I would paint it and possibly add some scrapbook paper to it to make it Christmas specific.  (But, if I did that then I would have to pack it up and I already have so many Christmas decorations I fill up 8 huge containers that have to get put up in the attic and its a constant fight with hubby Vince).  So, as you can see, I took the easy way out (much more generic, I can use it year round), I used Brushed Corduroy, Gathered Twigs and Frayed Burlap Distress Ink and a good old fashioned blending tool.  Easy peasy!  Done.

Thank you for stopping in to check on my adventure.
Til tomorrow.
~Jill

We saw Santa!

My hubby and I had a holiday date on Friday, we went to Bass Hall in Ft. Worth, Texas to watch an on stage performance of "White Christmas". 

Bass Hall (Ft. Worth, Texas)

Hubby (Vince) and I

We purchased this pretty ornament as a keepsake.

This tree was gigantic! 

After, we walked around downtown, even got to stop and visit with Santa!  (It's been about 40 years since we've chatted)

We had friends over for dinner last night, church this morning....then, I get to start playing with T!m and the 12 tags of Christmas.  I have been reading the post and following Mario on Twitter so I'm super excited to try some of the wonderful techniques he's been teaching.

Have a wonderfully crafty week, enjoy the remainder of the weekend, and as always, thanks for stopping in to check out my life adventure.

~Jill

#12Tags has begun

Yes, another year of the 12 Tags of Christmas with Tim Holtz.  So excited.
I will be playing along again this year, however, it will be delayed.  Hopefully not to be stretched out past Christmas but wont be happening immediately as it did last year.  I've too much other stuff going on but trust me I WILL be playing along.

thanks for stopping in to check out my life adventure.... I am going to return to being more dedicated to my crafty journey's blog posting.  I sort of got sidetracked and didn't do much, of any, postings, but did a lot of layouts (I sort of think they are boring, so that's why I didn't do much posting).

Happy Crafting.
~Jill

No longer a virgin.

I did it!  Yes, I attended my very first weekend crafty retreat.  I had a wonderful time and met some lovely ladies, which I'm hoping I have many more opportunities to craft with.
I packed way too much stuff, much more thought needs to go into the packing of a retreat.
Spent 3 days watching movies, went for a wonderful walk, ate Chipolte's 2 times (and loved it both times).
All in all, it was a wonderful experience.  One that I can't wait to repeat.

 I was inspired to work on the layouts from my Grandson's 2nd Birthday because we watched Cars 2.

 Crafting in my jammies, comfy and loving it!

Candy at the Redbox picking up 6 more Chick Flicks!!

Hope you have a wonder Thanksgiving, enjoy your friends and family (and take great pictures, they make great layouts)!
~Jill

Here's the Deal...

Okay, here's the deal.  I grew up (during the school year) in Phoenix, my Mom and I moved there in 1970, we didn't have a professional baseball team but that was okay, we had spring training and it was too hot to watch a game in July.  I spent more than my fair share of time paying $1.00 to watch the Cubs, Padres, and Giants play baseball before the rosters were set.    My summers were spent in Missouri with my Dad and his family where I was taught (and learned the lesson well) that if it wasn't done by the Cardinals or the National League it didn't count.  Life was good with what I knew about baseball, it was a sport I never played, but it was still in the core of who I was.
As I got older I discovered boys in baseball pants with their team socks pulled high was about the sexiest a man would ever look, (okay, I was an impressionable youth).  I had many highs and lows watching "my" team through out the course of my years.

The only thing that is constant, is change, or so I've learned.

In 1990 I found myself living in the Dallas, Texas area.  Home of the Dallas Cowboys, oh yeah, they have a baseball team too, but for far too long they were horrible, and on top of that they play in the American League.
With time things got better, they built a new ball park.  The doubleA team for the Rangers play in the town we live in so it was fun to watch the players mature and go up the rungs of the ladder of growth and success, so I found myself paying attention to the Rangers.  It got to be not so painful to be a fan, then, when Nolan Ryan bought the team everything changed... The Rangers got real exciting.

My life was still fairly uncomplicated as far as baseball was concerned, my beloved Cardinals play in the National league and my new team is in the American league...No problem, right?

Stay tuned...it's fixin' to get real complicated.
It is, after all, October.

Thanks for stopping by to check on my adventure.
Have a great week.

~Jill

New layouts... (Echo Park)

These two layouts are from events from June 2011, while I was in Austin seeing a doctor, I was fortunate enough to have some wonderful moments.  One of those events was the day after my Granddaughters 4th birthday (I wasn't there for her actual birthday) I had the opportunity to take her on a shopping date to the mall.  It was just the two of us.  She was really "into" the movie Tangled (the story of Rupunzel), and her birthday party the day before had a Hello Kitty theme, so there was inspiration everywhere. 

Everyone should be blessed with a day as special as this one, plus the cute photos to be able to "relive" the day doing layouts.

While I was in Austin I purchase the Pixar movie "Cars" for my Grandson, he watched it once and was HOOKED!!  It is a cute movie and I even enjoyed it the first 50 times!  One of the "side effects" of JT watching the movie was he learned how to sit down and play with his cars while watching.  He was not only entertained, he was extremely entertaining.

The layouts are done using the Happy Days collection from Echo Park.

Thank you for stopping in, to check on my life adventure.
Hope you have a wonderful week.
~Jill

I surprised myself,

I uploaded my photo card to my computer and was surprised to find this....

Taken Labor Day Weekend @ Lake Fork, Tx.  We went with my Father and his wife and stayed at their lake house.  Saturday we spend junk shopping in Mineola, Tx.
Taken on my "point and shoot" Canon, it's about 5 years old and I love it more today than I did years ago.

Thank you for stopping in to check on my life adventure, hope you are having a wonderful week.

~Jill

Deutschen Pfest, Texas Style!

While I was in Austin with my daughter and her family I was lucky enough to get to attend the Deutschen Pfest in the town where they live.  It was the beginning of the really warm weather and we all enjoyed getting out and about.  Some of their friends with their kiddos met us at the Pfest so it was an exciting day for everyone.
I also believe it was a day of first for the grandkids as well, JT rode a horse, Emma and JT rode carnival rides & a circus train.  For this Mimi & Papa it was a joyful day.

This was JT's first horse ride!  He wasn't too sure it was a good time.
This page was done with a challenge in mind, I had to incorporate 2 different colors of paint and use 2 different stamps.  Something fun & different.

 Emma and her neighbor friend being "big" kids riding by themselves.

 We had an old fashioned "free for all" style lunch, nobody went away hungry.

JT wanted to ride the "Airplanes" but not by himself...Momma to the rescue!

The paper collection was almost all from Sassafras "Bungle Jungle" paper pad.

Thanks for stopping in and checking out my life adventure.

Hope you have a wonderful week.

~Jill

2011 Aqua Palooza

Can you believe it???  Aqua Palooza was July 31, 2011 and I've already completed all 4 layouts to tell the story of our adventure.  Proud of me!  The next chapter to this story is that I have printed approximately 500 photos from this year that I need to put in some sort of order and tell those stories.    So stay tuned... more layouts to come.

Thanks for stopping in to check on Jill's Life Adventure, hope you are experiencing a wonderful week.
Til next time,
~Jill

More Layouts...

These were fun layouts to do from a day trip to the Dallas Zoo taken with Vince (husband) and our 1 year old Granddaughter (at the time, she's now 4).  Okay, I'll admit it I'm seriously behind in my layouts and I have photos EVERYWHERE, but, I'm working on it!

Hope you have a great week, thanks for stopping in to check out Jill's life adventure.

~Jill

I couldn't believe it...

Last week I did the layouts from 2008 when we took Emma to Zilker Park, can you believe that I got the opportunity yesterday to take JT to the same park and ride the same train.  It's gonna be fun doing the layouts for that adventure.  One of these days maybe I will get to go with both of them at the same time!!

I am in Austin with my niece and nephew from Colorado, however we are going back to Dallas late tonight and they are flying home super early in the a.m.

Thank you for stopping by to check out my adventure.
~Jill

My adorable dancer!

 Emma at her dance recital.

 my daughter and granddaughter, aren't they beautiful??

While I'm in the Layout mode not only am I working on older photos to document I am also working on events from this summer.  I was fortunate enough to be in Austin at my daughters house during a time when my Granddaughter had a dance recital (tap & ballet), there is nothing in this world as cute as a 3 year old dance recital. (I may be a little prejudice)... LOL
Our niece and nephew (18 & 19 y/o) are coming for a visit from Denver tomorrow, they will be here for about a week, we are very excited to get to spend some time with them, I am hoping there may be a few photographic moments.
Thanks for stopping in to check on Jill's life adventure.
Hope you have a wonderful day.  Enjoy your weekends.
~Jill

New Layouts from Old photos!!

These photos are from 2008, I know, I'm behind....LOL
I am trying to print photos and make an attempt at getting memories documented.  Having fun doing layouts, using very old papers, specialty embellishments.  Shopping in the loft, using stuff that was purchased years ago makes me feel good!

Thanks for stopping in, to check out my life adventure, have a good week.

~Jill

"HOPE"

During my absence of the previous 5 months one of the true highlight had to be the addition of "Hope" in our home.  While visiting Lance and Holly in OKC, OK I discovered the cutest booth arts/crafts store and in this store I found her.  I immediately fell in love, I contacted hubby to see if it was within the budget to consider such a purchase.  He, of course, couldn't see the urgency in my photo sent via text to share in my excitement.  Since we were leaving the next morning and the store didn't open until noon (Sunday) I delibertly drug my feet throughout the morning.  Even though we had Sara (the dog) with us I managed to convince dear hubby to "run in real quick, just please come take a look".  I was ecstatic when he agreed that it was necessary to take  Hope home with us.  She sits on the bookcase next to the television and I frequently find myself looking at her instead of Diane Sawyer...I'm so glad there is still "hope".
Thank you for stopping in to check out Jill's life adventure, and thank you Kelly Rae Roberts for creating "Hope".
~Jill

Remember Me??

Yes, it's been awhile.
I have been busy living life and neglectful of my memories.

First, my youngest (Lance) was married in March, in Houston, Tx.
Second, I spent 5 weeks in Austin with my daughter and her family while seeing a new doctor.  (which was extremely successful)
Third, I am now seeing a new doctor here back home (continuing care) 3 days a week.

I have been crafty busy doing things like making decorations, invitations, and gift bags for birthday parties.

This is some of what I did for my Granddaughters 4th "Hello Kitty" birthday party.  I am now in the process of working on the same type stuff for my Grandsons 2 "Pixar Cars" birthday party.

In addition to paper crafts I have been "playing" with my inks on wood, and having a blast doing it!  My son is  exploring his own interest in wood working and made this table, for us, with the left over cedar pieces from replacing our fence.

All in all...
Things are good, getting better and I am still here...

Thanks for stopping in to check on my adventure, I promise to "try" not to be such a stranger.
Have a great week.
~Jill

Enjoying myself....

These photos are from a trip my daughter and her family took to Arizona in March of 2008.  My husband and I did not go on this trip so I was hesitant to scrap these memories (since they weren't really my memories).  However, when I got my hands on the Once Upon a Springtime collection from Graphic 45 I had to get them printed!!
The last layout I did was to follow the challenge on The Scrap Beach ning site for "Glue it Down and Use it Up" group for this week.

Thanks for stopping in to see "what's up" with Jill's Life Adventure...
~Jill

I received this Stylish Blogger award from the very talented and sweet Teri, over at http://allthingscreated2.blogspot.com/ Thank you Teri for this award! 



The conditions of this Award are . . .


1. Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award!
2. Share 7 random things about yourself
3. Award 7 recently discovered bloggers with this award
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them they've won the award.

7 random things about me...

I have been married for 28 years and have two wonderful children and 2 beautiful grandchildren.

I am disabled, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1987.  Crafting and telling my story with paper & photos saves my sanity.  (sometimes...lol)

I am extremely OCD with my craft goodies, I get a kick out of playing/organizing my goodies, weird I know!


After 17 years in the same home we "downsized" to a townhouse in a neighboring city, it was the toughest and best thing we have ever done.  I enjoy the benefits everyday!

We have a 16 year old mutt named Sara, she is the sweetest most loyal dog we have ever owned.

I trip over flat surfaces... :)

I love my family, friends and new scrappy friends.

Now onto the passing of the award.


http://www.mousepotatodesigns.com/

http://yorkiemomscrapping.blogspot.com/

http://stampingattiffanys.blogspot.com/

http://thescrapbeach.blogspot.com/

http://afallas72.blogspot.com/

http://craftingontheprairie.blogspot.com/

http://crystalssparkle.blogspot.com/


Thank you again Teri, and thank you for stopping in to check on my life adventure.

~Jill

A new Mini-Album (and UFO update)

This project had been categorized into the UFO (Un-Finished Objects) pile.  It feels wonderful to get it completed, it's going to the post office today!!
Vince (DH) and I, took a road trip in October, during that trip we stopped in Flagstaff to stay with dear friends, we were there for 4 days.  I have wanted/needed to make a mini-album to send to them as a thank you gift for their wonderful hospitality.  I never dreamed it wouldn't get made until February, but here we are!  While working on this mini (waiting for glue to dry, LOL) I was also able to complete 3 layouts that document our trip to Flagstaff for our 12x12 family 2010 album, (another UFO complete!).

This last layout is extremely heavy with photos, I use my "yearly" 12x12 scrapbook album as my personal photo album/journal, in order to facilitate that process sometimes I use photo page protectors, sometimes I use a layout in the manner above.  I have recently discovered Becky Higgins Project Life page/photo protectors, I really like them, however, all of the 3x4 spots are vertical and as you can see I haven't learned to take photos that way!

These "projects" were pushed to the front of the must do first pile by a challenge that is happening on Your Paper Pantry involving K & Co. collections by Tim Coffey, go check it out!  I originally purchased this collection a year ago for an ATC swap on The Scrap Beach I made the ATC's using Tim Holtz birdcage die by Sizzix.  I really love this collection, from the time we were driving home from Arizona I knew that I wanted  to use the Blossomwood  goodies, it is so beautiful and was perfect for these memories and this gift.

Thank you to all who are challenging me to finish those UFO's. (update: the 30+ years photo project is at a really good point, I am able to get my hands on photos, family is able to sit and enjoy the photos as they are now in albums by years.  My digi world of photo organization is also much, much better.)  Although it is nearing the end of February, I feel really good about the progress and the things I have been able to accomplish for my goals for 2011!  Now, to get those grandbabies baby albums done!!

Thank you for stopping in to check on my life adventure, hope you have a healthy, happy, scrappy week!!
~Jill

my Nanny

While working on my family photos, which is a project that is NEVER going to end, I have come across some stories to tell.
I received some additional "photo page protectors" for  my 12 x 12 albums, I am having all sorts of fun using these in my albums - it prevents me from having to complete layouts to get the photos where they will eventually live, and gives them a nice place to display in the interim.  So far, it is working well.
Thank you for stopping in to check on Jill's Life Adventure.
Have a happy, healthy, scrappy week.
~Jill

Memories from 2010

Merry-Go-Round 

 October "Road Trip"

 Santa Fe, New Mexico

During the photo project, in an attempt to save my sanity I have continued to create layouts and get inky.  This is what I created this weekend.

Side note: I thought I was in this century, bad news...DH found bunches more photos!!  Who on earth told him to do that???  I was feeling so good about my progress....
I am out of albums and next payday I will be going to purchase more.  Then back to the previous century... ugh! does it ever end???

Thanks for stopping in to check up on Jill's life adventure.  Have a happy scrappy week.
~Jill