DJ's Sundries

Good Morning.  Now I know that Christmas is just barely over and the New Year is nearly upon us.  Where has the time flown?  You may remember that I have enjoyed participating in swaps at Art and Sassy.  I have been invited to be one of the hosts on the sight.  This is a fun place to swap projects and ideas and I feel quite privileged to be able to participate.  So despite the fact that my Christmas tree is still up, I wanted to post this Valentine's project now to introduce you to a swap in January that I am hosting.  If you would like to participate in the swap, click here and request to be added to the site. This swap is all about stickpins and a place to hold them.  I used the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and the Cricut craft room to create this first stick pin holder.  The beads were a combination of Cousins and Blue Moon Beads brands as well as some from my stash.  The ribbon is the red ribbon candy from 3 Girl JAM. ...

Merry Christmas!  I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas celebrating our Savior's birth.  I also trust that you know Jesus personally.  If not, wouldn't the day we celebrate His birthday be the perfect day to accept his gift of eternal life?  My Uncle Mike celebrated his best Christmas ever today.  He unexpectedly got to spend it with Jesus when he suddenly went home to Him this morning.  It is a huge joy to know that I will see him again someday because he had accepted Jesus' gift of salvation.  I pray that you have as well. I gave several packages of homemade candy out this year to neighbors.  However, I have a couple of neighbors who are elderly and I didn't think they would enjoy the candy.  They also both have beautiful homes and probably don't need or want knick knacks and other such items.  I decided to get little scented candles and decorate them with ribbon.  I think it adds a little homemade touch, is inexpensive, ...

 Last year, the Cricut Craft Room opened up a few free images from Teresa Collins.  I missed out because they were gone before I could cut any out.  Guess what?  They're back along with a few others.  If you haven't signed up for the Cricut Craft Room, you really should.  It's easy to use and the freebies are great! I had a great picture in my head that I had a difficult time bringing to paper.  I originally planned to use printed cardstock, but struggled to make that work. I made a few, but the solids were my favorites. I used Ink-a-dink-a do's "Ornate Christmas" and on the inside, I used CTMH's Everlasting Holidays. The printed papers used were all scraps from my stash.  I used the Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge for the framed backgrounds. CTMH Ponderosa Pine, Tim Holtz Festive Berries, and Memento Tuxedo Black inks were used for the stamping. Kraft cardstock (possibly PaperTrey ink), and red and green c...

I thought I would post the remainder of the tags for this years 12 Days of Christmas.  I will also show a picture of the "4 Messages" for day 4.  More details are in the videos. Products for Day 4: 12 Days of Christmas from Graphic 45, Snowflake brads from Hobby Lobby, 6x9 envelope, red and green cardstock (Recollections?), 3 Girl JAM Mistletoe and Goblin Green ribbons Other supplies: Burlap ribbon from 3 Girl JAM, white embossing powder, Recollections green and red embossing powders, Cricut Craft Room Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Welcome to the 2013 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas Tags.  Because I like to give the final gift and tag on Christmas Eve, the first gift should have been given on the 13th.  This tradition of secret gift giving to a neighbor has been part of our Christmas for quite a while now.  The video explains how it got started and how it works.  I was not able to finish these in time to have an extra set to give away.  I hope that it will be better next year. Interested in this tradition for your family, but think its too late to join in?  Not crafty, but want to join in?  No problem.  Simply double up on a couple of days.  You can find the original tags by clicking here .  You don't even need to be crafty because the tags come ready to print if you prefer.  If you are interested, you can also go under the "Videos A-G" tab at the top of the page to see ones I have made in past years. To start today, I am using the Graphic 45 "1...

Mini notebooks are quick to alter and are so much fun to make.  They make perfect little stocking stuffers or quick gifts for co-workers.  I made a bunch last Christmas for the women in the ER.  You can make them super simple like the one seen here , or you can add a few extra steps and make it like today's post.  The simple ones take a matter of minutes and I find that they are great to have on hand for that forgotten gift. Here's what you need: 3 Girl JAM - Mistletoe crinkle ribbon 3 1/4" X 4 1/2" Mini notebook Holiday Inspirations tissue paper Americana "Napa Red" acrylic paint Tim Holtz - Christmas Adornments Mod Podge and Scor-Tape Stamps - Recollections (no name); Close to My Heart - Very Merry Christmas and Everlasting Love Holidays Studio 18 bling- Holiday Home Distress Ink - Gathered Twigs, Pine Needles, Festive Berries 2" circle punch Christmas paper - scrap from my stash I hope you enjoy this short video that will also show...

As mentioned in the previous post, I actually use a Christmas Journal.  It assists with plans, memories and so much more.  In today's video, I show you my journal, the additional tabs that I use, and how I set it up.  If you would like a more in depth video on how I made this, please see the video at the bottom of the post.  Thanks. Supplies: 3 Girl JAM Winter Bundle Pinque Peacock stick pins (Other items detailed in the older video) Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Welcome to the 3 Girl JAM Holiday Blog Hop! If you came from Jovan's blog, you are in the right place.  If you just happened to visit today and haven't started the hop from the beginning, click here to start at 3 Girl JAM.  We have some fabulous projects lined up today and some special Guest Designers too.  We have all used some of the new Holiday Products (including: The Ribbon Candy Crinkle Ribbon Bundle , Christmas Flair , or the new Jute Ribbon and String Bundle ).  I liked these new products so well that I found a way to use something from each bundle.  Don't they coordinate well? To start with I created this large flower with the Red Ribbon Candy and the new flair.  To view a tutorial on how to make this, click here . I then turned a composition book into a Christmas Journal for my nephew and his wife.  It includes sections for recipes, traditions, gift giving, photos, and recipes with a few already included.  I made quite...

Good morning. I really hope you are all staying warm and cozy.  Today I have an altered jar to share with you and I hope you see how easy it can be to make a quick gift container.  If you look closely, you can see a little tiny bit of the brand new Red Ribbon Candy ribbon.  It is absolutely beautiful!  Even the pictures can't prepare you for the stunning beauty of this bundle. Supplies: Jar Red Ribbon Candy crinkle ribbon My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing" enamel dots Studio G flowers Folk Art pink chiffon pearl paint Gesso Lace - Really Reasonable Ribbon Victorian Velvet Distress Ink Hot Glue Muslin Pink tulle (Inside the lid) I started by finding a tiny jar at my craft store.  I then searched my Pinterest boards to find those posts that I saw last spring and summer on coloring jars.  I settled on the one found here and cut the recipe in half since I was using such a tiny jar.  Once the clear jar was turned to pink, I was ready to ...

Good morning everyone.  I trust you are having a great day.  If you live in the west or mid-west, please stay safe and warm with all the snow you are getting.  I trust everyone had a great time of celebrating thankfulness with your family.  I know that I did, but boy were we busy.  I had actually taken vacation time and ended up super busy the whole time.  God is so good to us. Catching Up   Back in October, I posted about upcoming posting plans as well as a giveaway that I was tying to my thankfulness posts.  Unfortunately, I have been too busy to keep up with all of those posts and projects.  Also, there were not comments made on the thankful posts telling me what others were thankful for.  I am going to put off the giveaway that was mentioned until I can see if it is even feasible to have the 12 tags completed.  I will update you as I am able. While considering the design for this year's 12 Days of Christmas Tags, ...

Life has been busy and everything that I have planned has not happened.  At times that is frustrating, but I am thankful for so much.  I will spare you the details of the craziness that is my life (I need to learn to say no), but I wanted to share a little thing that happened yesterday. Last week I was asked to speak to a group of domestic violence advocates about what to expect when they are called to the ER to assist sexual assault victims.  I attempted to coordinate a different time, but the only time that would work with our schedules was yesterday morning.  I went ahead and made the appointment early enough in the morning that I could make it to the city to wrap up my Thanksgiving shopping.  This year's shopping included searching for a new refrigerator as mine is simply not big enough for 24 at Thanksgiving or for the 14 year old rugby player that I feed on a regular basis.  I found the perfect "new to me" refrigerator on my 3rd stop, but had to dri...

Today I am thankful for thoughtful neighbors.  We have been blessed with some great neighbors through the years.  God is so good to allow us to live near these great people. What are you thankful for today?  Take some time to enjoy the little things.

Good morning everyone.  Fall crafting is winding down, but I still have some things to post.  Today I have a tag that I made to go with a swap I am doing.  I really hope my swap partner likes it as much as I do.  3 Girl JAM has perfect ribbon for the fall crafts we love to do.  I used Halloween Harvest and Sunflower for this pretty little tag. I also used the following items: DCWV - Autumn Melody and Pumpkin Patch matstack Recollections flowers and leaves Prima "Say it with Crystals" bling Vintage Photo Distress Ink Lace (from my stash) K. Andrew Designs "Fall-o-ween" stamp set We R Memory Keepers Crop-o-dile and eyelet Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Today I am thankful for music.  As I was on my way to prayer meeting tonight, I had my son turn on one of my favorite CDs.  It was was such a blessing to hear music that glorifies God.  There are times when it's easy to get discouraged, but the Lord so often has the perfect song come to mind to uplift the spirit and focus me back on Him.  This is where I need to be. When I was a child, my grandfather would ask me if I had a song in my heart.  As I got a little older, he had a favorite song that he always wanted to hear me sing.  He passed this to my mother.  She sings when she's cleaning, cooking, and more.  She has taught so many little lessons through songs and it continues to the next generation as she sings to her grandchildren. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Psalm 98:4 (NKJV) What are you thankful for today?

I haven't spent much time on the blog the last few days, but I am still thankful.  Tonight, I am thankful for completed projects.  I have a big project for work that I am ready to submit tomorrow.  God is so good to allow me the opportunity to complete this and to provide me with the mental capacity to do so.  What are you thankful for today?

Even though we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet, I need to be working on Christmas cards.  I generally send or hand deliver more than 100, so I need to get a head start.  I decided to make some today and will post more in the future. I have really enjoyed seeing the night sky backgrounds this year on YouTube.  While thinking of those coupled with a snow scene card I saw on YouTube (maybe on the Simon Says Stamp channel, but not sure), I developed this pretty card in my head .  Unfortunately, I didn't have the colors of distress ink that seem to be popular for the night sky scenes, so I pulled the colors I did have and played with them until I achieved a combination that worked for me.  I really liked the way these turned out and may make more later in the Christmas season. I used the following products: Paper Trey Inc - white cardstock Georgia Pacific - white cardstock (to line the card) Recollections - teal cardstock from the "Cool Water" pack Tim...

Today I am thankful that I am feeling well.  The last few days have been busy and I ended up being sick yesterday.  Today I felt better and was able to accomplish a few things.  God is so good and I am thankful for his blessing of food health.

Good morning everyone.  Today is the first day of a brand new challenge over on the 3 Girl JAM challenge blog.  It's all about Thanksgiving and thankfulness so I hope you join along.  You can link your project below the post.  Be sure to hop over to the challenge blog and see the other projects my design team sisters have for you. I decided to alter a charger to showcase the 3 Girl JAM ribbon.  I will zoom in a bit to show the detail, but I wanted you to see the overall effect.  I used both the Harvest Orange and Sunflower ribbon from the Harvest Bundle which you can find here .  I purchased the chargers and Recollections bling from Michaels. The base of the charger was filled in by adhering layers of a napkin with Mod Podge.  It was also sealed with Mod Podge.  Before the sealant layer dried, I sprinkled a small amount of fine glitter from EK Success.  The napkin actually had a passage from the Bible printed directly on it. ...

Today I am thankful for my siblings.  There are 11 of us and that makes for a lot of people when you start adding in-laws and nieces and nephews.  They are each special to me and I'm so thankful for them.

Today I am thankful that I have a few days off starting tomorrow.  What are you thankful for today? Remember to take some times to enjoy the little things.

Today I am thankful for my parents.  They have raised 11 of us.  The sacrifices they made are more than you can even imagine.  They taught us about the Lord and made sure that we were in church.  They loved us and still do. What are you thankful for today?

Life in the last several days has been busy and exhausting.  I have had little time in the craft room, but plan on posting later in the week.  See you soon.

Today I am thankful for the men and women who have served and are currently serving to keep our country safe.  We live in the greatest country in the world and that is partly due to these brave men and women. What are you thankful for today? Take some time to enjoy the little things today.

Tonight I am thankful to be home and in my soft bed.  I'm thankful for rest at the end of a long work day. What are you thankful for today?

Today I am thankful to have a job that I love.  It's hard and it's not perfect, but I work in a great place and have great co-workers.  God has blessed me in placing me on the ER team. What are you thankful for today?

Today I am thankful that I was able to get a lot accomplished on a couple of projects.  It may be baby steps, but good none-the-less.  Thankful for the little things!

It was an incredibly busy work day.  I am barely going to get this posted in time to call it "Day 7".  Today I am thankful for so much.  I am thankful for time spent with good friends at the end of a very long work  day.  As mentioned for on Day 1, I am so thankful for hope.  I was reminded once again today how many people have no hope, but in Christ alone, I am not without hope.  What are you thankful for today? Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things today.

Good morning everyone.  I don't know about you but I have to say that fall is greeting me with its nippy mornings.  I miss the summer, but I do love the beauty of the fall and the warmth I feel snuggled into my craft room. My 14 year old son is a newspaper carrier.  Last year I made little thank you cards for everyone on his route and he signed them and included them in one of the newspapers in November.  I decided that he should carry out this tradition this year for each of the 60 or so people on his route.  These cute little cards fit the bill perfectly.  I used some Halloween Harvest , Merlot , and Sunflower 3 Girl JAM ribbon to add a special touch to these little beauties. I also used: Close To My Heart Artiste Cricut cartridge - "Card" feature cut at 5.542" wide X 2.514" high Core'dinations Safari 12X12 paper Paper Trey Ink - Vintage Cream card stock DCWV - Autumn Melody Matstack (2 1/4" X 2 1/8") ATG I am linking...

Today I am thankful for unexpected blessings.  It never ceases to amaze me how God always has something better and is ready to show it to us when we least expect it.  Why am I surprised when God sends an unexpected blessing?  He is so good - ALL the time. What are you thankful for today? Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things today.

Today I am thankful for my fun son Heath.  He has been such a blessing to our family.  He makes us smile and keeps us entertained. What are you thankful for today? Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things today.

Today I am thankful for my daughter and that I have a little more time with her at home.  She loves the Lord.  She even is learning to like her little brother.  I treasure the time we are able to spend together. What are you thankful for today?

Can you ever have too many organizers?  Probably, but I don't think I have gone that far yet.  When I was thinking about the things that I needed to do for Thanksgiving, I was debating on the best way to start my lists.  I thought about using my Filofax or Day Planner but then I decided that I want to keep track of our Thanksgiving celebrations for years to come.  This way I will be able to keep all my Thanksgiving recipes in one place.  I can also see the place cards that I make so that I don't risk repeating them.  Since I'm getting old and forgetful, I can also keep special memories listed in there.  There's no way that I'm buying a new Filofax for this so it was time to pull out a trusty ole' composition book. I used the following products: Zig Pure Brown, Pure Orange,  and Wheat pens HOTP Fall paper and other Fall paper from my stash Paper Trey ink - Vintage cream cardstock Tim Holtz Holiday Paper Stash, Gathered Twigs and Ripe Persi...

Today I am thankful to live in a country where I can openly worship God without fear of imprisonment or reprisal.  It was a blessing to be with my church family this morning and to listen to my husband share from God's Word. What are you thankful for today?  Post your thankful post in the comments below.  Don't forget that we have a giveaway going on right now.  For more information click here . Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

"My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2: 16a (NKJV) Today I am thankful for my Daniel.  We have been married for nearly 23 years and he is my best friend.  He is a wonderful husband and dad.  He works hard despite living in constant pain.  He is my hero. What are you thankful for today? Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

I have a mini notebook to share with you today that is cute and can slip into your purse for those quick notes we all need to make. I used the following items: 3 Girl JAM Cherry Lipstick crinkle ribbon Paper from WeR Memory Keepers, Paper Trey Ink - Vintage Cream, and Core'dinations Foundations - Sassy Stamps - Paper Trey Ink - Latte Love; TPC Studios - Coffee Cake; K. Andrew Designs Coffee and Tea for You and Me, K. Andrew Designs Coffee and Tea for You and Me image set, K. Andrew Designs Coffee and Tea for You and Me Tag-a-long Memento Tuxedo ink, Archival Coffee ink, CTMH - Ruby, Denim; Distress ink - Victorian Velvet and Antique Linen Scor-Tape Gelly Roll Stardust - Clear glittery Distress marker - Peeled Paint Zig 2-way marker - Pure Pink Bling (from my stash) Please enjoy the video. Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things. I am linking this to the Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes challenge found here ...

"In Christ alone, my hope is sure." Today I am thankful for hope.  You don't have to look far to view a sea of hopelessness.  I was recently asked, "What's the point?  We are all going to die anyway." Friend, there is so much hope.  Jesus wants you to turn to him with open arms reaching for the hope that only He can provide.  He doesn't offer a "maybe" kind of hope.  He offers a hope that is solid and sure.  He offers it freely to those who trust in Him as their Savior.  King David put it this way: "Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Morever my flesh also will rest in hope, for You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.  You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence." Acts 2:26-28 (NKJV) What are you thankful for today?

Good morning friends.  I will admit that today is a post heavy kind of day.  My busiest crafting season is upon on us and I'm afraid that I have more to do than I have time to get it all done.  There are lots of posts coming that I hope you will find fun.  Here's a sneak peak of what's to come: Days of Thanks (Giveaway Alert) Each November, I try to post something that I am thankful for everyday.  It's so easy to stay busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas that we forget to take time to be truly thankful for all of God's blessings.  I hope that many of you will comment with what you are thankful for each day.  On December 1st, I will use Random.org to choose one comment from the month to receive a set of the "12 Days of Christmas Tags" (more on that in a bit).  This is something that anyone can use.  They will be completely finished and will not require "craftiness" on your part.  Ready to join me? Thanksgiving ...

Good morning everyone.  My favorite type of challenge is an "Anything Goes" challenge because it lets me pair a current project with a challenge.  That is exactly what I did when I made this fun project.  I had signed up for a swap and it fit perfectly with today's 3 Girl JAM "Anything Goes with Ribbon" challenge. My swap partner likes red, bling, diva, and steampunk.  Finding a way to meld these things together was a challenge all by itself.  I hope I was able to pull it off. I started with a large black letter from Hobby Lobby (13" or so) and adhered lace from my stash with Mod-podge.  Despite the fact that the letter looks upside down, it is the correct direction based on the pre-cut hole on the back of the letter. Other supplies: 3 Girl JAM ribbon - Tuxedo Black, Sterling , Dress White Scor-Tape and cardstock scraps for the base of the flowers Hot glue 3 different types of black trim from Walmart and Joann's Recollections and Cr...

Good Morning!  I am excited to be guest designing on the KraftieKre8ations blog today.  KraftieKre8ations has so many fun swaps and challenges and I love to play along with them.  You can check out this fun blog by clicking here .  The tag that I am sharing with you is one that I designed to go to one of my swap partners.  I hope she loves it. I used the following items: Shipping tag 3 Girl JAM - Tuxedo Black and Red crinkle ribbon Distress Inks - Barn Door and Black Soot Tim Holtz Ideology - Mini Gears K. Andrew Designs - "Crafty Friends" stamp set Recollections Bling "Made with Love" charm from my stash Homemade red glitter mist I hope you enjoy the video. I am linking this to the following challenge: Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes Thanks for stopping by today and remember to take some time to enjoy the little things.

Good morning 3 Girl JAMmers.  I have mentioned that I love Fall.  I also love ATC's.  Sounds like a perfect combination to me.  Don't you agree?  I thought so. 3 Girl JAM has bundles of ribbon that are perfect for Fall crafting.  The Harvest Bundle , Spooky Bundle , and Seasons Bundle all have those special colors you just might be looking for.  Click on the name of each bundle to find out how you can get some for yourself. I also used the following products: DCWV "Autumn Melody" and "MatchMakers2 Neutral" matstacks K& Company Tim Coffey Autumn die cuts K. Andrew Designs - "Falloween" stamp set Memento Tuxedo Black ink Please enjoy the video. I am linking this to the following challenge: Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Thanks for stopping by today.  Remember to take some time to enjoy the little things today.