Active? Apparently not

I seem to have forgotten this blog, beyond neglect.
Something must have changed with my Wordpress blog and since I've not been spending much time on the computer I haven't taken time to figure it out.

As a current update to what I am up to, let me just say my crafty life has me making summer dresses for my precious great granddaughter.  The other day on the phone she told me it was about time I sewed her a new summer dress and she wanted one with flowers all over it!  We had quite the hunt

for such florals, seems they are quite in demand now.
It arrived in their mail yesterday and we were blessed with some Facetime with her in it.  Along with some fun shots of Jovy too.

The deadline for sending submissions to Stampington & Company for Take Ten magazine publication approaches and I have 3 cards for the design sketch challenge.  I also have 4 completed for the Different Point of View challenge; would like to make it five before I send them.
May I share my latest excitement with you?  Here is a link to this month's Take Ten in which I have 3 cards published. https://stampington.com/Take-Ten-Summer-2017 
My actual cards do not show, but you can see the cover.  If you don't already have your copy of this amazing magazine, look for it at the newsstand and turn to pages 14, 57, and 81.

Off for now, need to make cards and get some sewing done!  Thanks for stopping by, look forward to hearing from you.  Perhaps if I get responses here I will know you are interested in reading my blog and I will plan on sharing my crafts in more detail.

Love and hugs,
Joyce Ann

New Blog

I am moving all my future postings to a new blog. Come visit me there please.
Kaleidoscope Impressions

Times between brother and sister

While sorting through a box of older photographs this series caught my eye and I pulled them out. Then for the challenge to use at least 3 different patterned papers that all include one common color palette I created this page. My papers (Miss Elizabeth, DCWV, Stampin' Up) have blue as the main color with pops of yellow and a touch of purple.I did a lot of distressing. I even used some watercolor spray from Stampzia but most of it got covered up. "Punch Posies" from a SU stamp set are tucked here and there. Bits of ribbon, 3 flutey rhinestones and a plastic dragonfly are pretty much all the bling I added. In the stamped journaling block I wrote "Peaceful moments between brother & sister are always worth remembering."

The First Day of Summer

Here in my town it has felt like summer for quite a while. I took my camera out with me on errands to capture shots of this first day of summer.  Here is where I'd like to be today - on that bridge headed to the beach. I don't believe you can see that bridge too well in this photo reduced so, but it is there. This is looking at US 1 along the Inter-coastal.

     Still reeling from our exciting time at the StampFest on Saturday I have made my first card with some of our new goodies.  Last night DD and I played with some Smooches dropped in a bowl of water. This is one of the techniques we learned Saturday at the show. It is done with glossy card stock. The tips of the Smooch product is touched to the water and it floats. It can be swirled as desired. I used a new Tim Holtz embossing folder for the brick background with the purely pomegranate card stock. The tiny satin ribbon is probably from Joann's and everything else is from Stampin Up!

Working on cards lately

Seems Christmas is on the mind since the folks over at ScrapAttackScrapbooking.com is encouraging us to make Christmas cards for the troops. We are having a challenge every few days and here are #4 and #5.

Number 4 challenge was to make a snow person or use snow in some way - can you tell my snow person is looking up at the snowy sky? Then #5 was from a sketch given us.  I was looking around for inspiration for the colors to use. I use navy and red a lot and wanted to find something different. I hit on using the green and gold, since I wanted to emboss the flourish on the card anyway. This is my absolute new favorite perfume! I smelled this fragrance in the book but in person and on me IT IS FABULOUS. I love my Avon dear daughter!

Twilight Fever

Are you ready for the next Twilight movie? "Eclipse" is coming to theaters June 30th.
Here are the cards I've just added to my Etsy shop.

And my favorite (since my granddaughter and I are on Jacob's team)

Check out this fabulous cake!
Misty is a wonderful cake designer.
In closing, gotta say I wish this darling young star well, what a future awaits him. Just keep yourself smart with all the craziness around you, Taylor Lautner!

New 'Shoes' on the Ole Girl Make a Difference

Didn't plan on getting new tires today. Was actually going to take a drive up to Jacksonville. We stopped at 7-Eleven for a cup of my favorite coffee and some cash from the ATM. Got a couple of blocks on up the road and remembered we had left the Garmin behind. I turned around. As soon as I pulled out of the driveway I got an indicator light that something was wrong with a tire. On inspection I could see the front passenger tire was low - too low but with enough air to reach BJ's I was sure. I had a screw in that tire. Because the tread was so low it was best to replace rather than patch, besides, all  of the tires were getting pretty sorry in the tread department. So, bring on all four.

Driving down the road with 4 new tires an hour and a half later, plus some necessities too,  I noticed how major smooth the ride felt. DD commented that "new shoes on the old girl made a difference." How true. The were the factory tires from when I bought the car and probably weren't the best anyway.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw - good enough for me! She's looking sharp now. I'm so easily delighted with the simple necessities of life.
Speaking of life, I wondered if this was Divine Intervention. I could have been on I-95 and gotten stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire - or worse. Tomorrow I am driving friends to a stamp party that is 40'ish minutes away and a flat would have not been good then either. Then, in early June we are driving up to Virginia. So, looking ahead, this was a good time to discover a potential problem - much easier to take care of. If anyone would like to share your thoughts on Divine Intervention I would love to read them!