Sketch play...

Hello friends!  I am back tonight with a Christmas card I created with the sketch over on the talented Deconstructed Sketch site.  I used Sketch 28.  Jen does such a fantastic job with these sketches!  So, wanna see what I came up with??

 I just love this stocking ribbon.  I found this in a little craft store last year...lucky me! I cut a few strips of paper and then punched the edge with the doily lace punch by Martha Stewart. added some silver ribbon and a flower by Prima.

I was so lucky to find a scrap of this sweet reindeer paper!  I am not exactly sure but I think it is by MME.  A bit of red behind that embossed with the argyle embossing folder by cuttlebug.

A little sparkle vellum cut with the Labels Two nestabilities die and stamped with a sweet sentiment. I inked the edges just a bit.  

Love getting back to the crafting...and I even got a short run in today too.  YAY!!  Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Happy Craftin'!

10 of my favorite projects using chipboard

Hello again friends!  So I just came across a fun design team that I would LOVE to be a part of.  It is called Imaginarium designs and they have some of the best chipboard elements around and tons of talent already on the team that I would be so honored to learn from.  So how do you even begin to be considered for the team?  Well, by showing your top 10 projects using chipboard......so here it goes.  My top 10 projects using chipboard (in no particular order).

1. A chipboard album of one of my favorite subjects!......My BOYS!

 2. My December Daily from 2010 (Sharing just a few pages)...........

3. Creating little pages within pages...with chipboard shapes!

4.  Love me some chipboard accents!

5. And chipboard letters......of course!

6. Oh and the chipboard flourish.........SWOON!

7.  This wall hanging was fun to create, and it all started with a chipboard album...

8. This baby album came out just perfect for a special friends new arrival.

9. I just love this Journal created with a piece of chipboard covered in patterned paper.

10. And the final project that I used chipboard........A super fun scrapbook page; complete with chipboard snowflake and Sentiment.  

Thanks so much for stopping by today and taking a peek at my top 10 uses for chipboard...so far.  

Happy Craftin'!

Mojo Monday on Friday!

How about this!  2 Posts in a week!!  WOWZERS!  I just couldn't help playing along this week over on Mojo Monday!  I always seem to find loads of inspiration over there and this time was no exception!  The sketch this week is lots of fun; I can see a lot of potential from it.

I decided that now that the Turkey is eaten I can now officially begin my Winter and Christmas cards.

I used some My Minds Eye paper and a few snowflake stamps from a Basic Grey stamp set.  The sentiment is from Whimsy stamps.  I added some Stickles (star dust) to my snowflakes and a red pearl YUMMY!

Love the ticket ...I used a Ticket die from Whimsy stamps to create this one. So fun!

One card down; how many to go?  LOADS!  Be prepared!  All these days off and I may just wow you with another creation yet. 

Happy Craftin'!

Happy Harvest

Hello all, I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving day filled with lot's of good food and company.  I am happy to report that the turkey was not dry and the pie was sweet; so I am calling this Thanksgiving dinner a success.

I FINALLY got my craft on and created a wee card!  YAY!  I used up some Basic Grey scraps to create my lovely card.  Ya gotta love when you can do that.

A little close up of the yummy Prima flowers I inked up with distress ink (old paper). The leaves I cut out using an old school Sizzix die (leaf stem).  A paper pieced a bit of color on them for added interest.

Here is the full card.  I am lovin' the rich fall colors of this card.  I am back to it, crafting that is.  So be on the lookout for much, much more!!  

News of  my other hobby.......running; I signed up for another marathon event.  This time it will be a half marathon in Dallas.  It is coming up in March.  I just know it will be here before I know it!  I am kick starting my training again.  I am one happy gal!  Between my running, crafting and my little family; I really couldn't ask for more!  So THANKFUL!

Jenn K

Clean up is Complete!!

Hello friends!  I have seriously been missing my crafty fun.  Lately between working a full-time job, running and my kidos I have accumulated a HUGE mess in my crafty space!  So I had not been creating anything...BOOO!   Today I decided to put an end to all that craziness and clean up  my crafty space!  OH, the horror!  But it had to be done...several hours later and I now have a fresh clean crafty space once again.  when I was all finished I went for a run and now I am ready to get my craft on!

I also noticed that it is time for Imaginisce is having a DT call right now that ends on Friday.  OOOOOO how exciting!  Wish I could get on with that fun group, hmmmm maybe I can whip up some things to show them how crafty I am.  Wanna check it out for yourself??  Take a PEEK.

Well this post is gonna be short and sweet so I can get to crafting.  I will have something to show soon.

Till then, Happy Craftin'!

JENN

Marathon training

I have been seriously slacking on my blog.  I feel like I should let all my blog friends know where I have been and what I have been up to.  

So lately I have been training for my first marathon.  The half marathon (13.1 miles)  was on my things to accomplish list for this year.  On the morning of my first 10K I was chatting with a friend about how to prepare for a marathon, and expressing how totally lost I was.  She told me that she completed her first marathon with Team in Training.  What is Team in Training (TNT)??  She told me a little bit about it and how the program works, I thought about this at different times throughout that 10K....and when I got home decided to look further into it.  After speaking with someone in the TNT office I was determined.  I decided right there that I wanted...NO needed to do this!!  

For everyone who is scratching their heads right now wondering what TNT is and why I was so moved to join them on  my marathon journey let me give you a little info.  TNT is a group of athletes who set out to raise money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma society.  The participants of TNT participate in endurance events.  such as Marathons, Half-marathons, Triathlons, Century rides, and Hiking.   All this to try and squash cancer!    The really cool thing is that even thought the society is looking to treat and hopefully cure blood cancers, the research is being used to help treat and in some cases even cure some types of cancer!  The Leukemia/Lymphoma Society also helps the patients and their family to cope with the blow of a cancer diagnosis, whether monetary or in emotional support.  

TNT Fall Team

So maybe now YOU can see why I HAD to do this!  Look I was gonna be running at marathon event this year anyway.  This way it is SO MUCH MORE than just running an endurance event!  I am making a difference in the lives of others.  Gotta LOVE that!

Alright now onto the running.  Things had been going pretty great!  I was running each week my required miles, meeting tons of great people and raising lots of money. I even got so confident in my abilities I decided..."Hey, why do a half marathon (13.1 miles) when I could do the FULL (26.2 miles)??"   I got up to a 12 mile run and then it happened!!  The dreaded injury!  OH NO!  NOT GOOD!  I was 30 days into the injury when I finally felt like I was getting somewhere. On that 30th day I had my first physical therapy appointment.  Having an injury and not being able to run my usual miles was tough!  Even if I wasn't training for such a feat as the marathon.....running has become part of who I am.  I really can say, even when I hate it I still LOVE it!  Funny I know....why?  Running is for ME.  It is the only time in my life I can say that my brain can take a breath.  I can be going along and before I know it a mile passes by and I have only been in that moment.  Not thinking about  the future the past...nada, just being  in the minute by minute present.  I gotta tell ya it is a WONDERFUL place to be!  

Now I have been progressing through my injury and am able to increase my miles again.  Mostly for me, just being able to run again without excruciating pain is AWESOME and an achievement in itself.  I ran over 10 miles recently and was pleased.  I am looking to get in at least one 20 mile run before the marathon.  This weekend I am looking to be able to say I went at least 13 miles...maybe even 15 if I feel well enough.

Marathon training is very time consuming.  You would have to LOVE running or walking to even do it.  Because 26.2 miles is grueling, but so exciting! Unfortunately there are only so many minutes in the day and between working full-time, mommy full-time and training, it has left my crafty stuff to wait for my return.  I hope to be back in the swing of things after the marathon.  Oh did I mention....the marathon is Oct. 16th!  I am traveling to San Francisco to run in the Nike Women's Marathon!  So, SO Exciting and really...a dream come true for me.  

I know I could not even dream of doing this marathon without the support of my family.  A big THANKS to them for being patient with me....whether I am talking endlessly about running or need to lay down in a bed of ice for a few hours.  My boys have been there for me!  Thank you to my friends for inspiring me to keep going and for donating to help a great cause and getting me one step closer to  my goal.  I am still raising money to reach my goal.  I have about $800 to go!  I need to be there by Sept. 30th!  YIKES!  Please consider donating on my page http://pages.teamintraining.org/ks/nikesf11/jkoss6

Thanks for stopping by, 

Jenn