Jenns Journey Thru Insanity

Happy Birthday Grampy

2011-10-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Grampy!! We love you~

#1 and #5 ;)

BLOG CANDY!

2010-06-29T01:03:00.002-04:00

Whoo hoo! I got happy mail today. Last week I won the hanging matilda stamp from Simon Says Stamps. She is SUPER CUTE! Now I need to figure out what to mount it too lol. Pics to come.

Also got 2 new cricut cartridges, Serenade and the Cricut Lite Carasoule Cartridge. I am IN LOVE with the lite. A MUST HAVE. It has a ticket, banner, Circus Train, popcorn, soda cup, candy apple, cotton Candy, Circus Tent, Castle, Clowns, Roller Coasters, bumper cars, Ferris Wheel....OH SO MUCH! I will be playing with this tomorrow :)

I finally found this poem!

2010-06-25T23:46:00.000-04:00

JACKPOT! Many years ago, before Madysen was even born I heard this poem about a little girl starting her first day of school, on the radio while commuting to work in DC. I have been trying to find it since Mady started school. I was SO happy to finally locate it online. I cannot wait to use it on a layout about her very first day of school (yes I realize I am a few years behind, but Ive been saving these pictures in hopes I would find this). I remember sitting in the car in bumper to bumper traffic crying like a baby as I heard it read over the radio. I am sooo glad I did not have it handy to read on the day she started school. I am sure I would have had to be medicated :) Enjoy...

Dear World:

I bequeath to you today one little girl ... in a crispy dress ... with two blue eyes ... and a happy laugh that ripples all day long and a flash of light brown hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you'll treat her well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning ... and skipping off down the street to her first day of school. And never again will she be completely mine. Prim and proud she'll wave her young an independent hand this morning and say "Good Bye"... and walk with little lady steps to the schoolhouse.

Now she'll learn to stand in line ... and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She'll learn to tune her ears to the sounds of school-bells ... and deadlines ... and she'll learn to giggle ... and gossip ... and look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue at her.

And now she'll learn to be jealous. And now she'll learn how it is to feel hurt inside. And now she'll learn how not to cry.

No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in a sidewalk. Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew.
No, now she'll worry about important things.

Like grades ... and which dress to wear ... and who's best friend is whose. And the magic of books and learning will replace the magic of her blocks and dolls.

And now she'll find new heroes.

For five full years now I've been her sage and Santa Claus and pal and playmate and mother and friend. Now she'll learn to share her worship with her teachers ... which is only right. But, no longer will I be the smartest woman in the whole world.

Today when that school bell rings for the first time ... she'll learn what it means to be a member of a group. With all it's privileges. And it's disadvantages too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud. Or kiss dogs. Or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms. Or even watch ants scurry across cracks in the summer sidewalk.

Today she'll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. And I'll stand on the front porch and watch her start out on the long, lonely journey to become a woman.

So, World. I bequeath to you today one little girl ... in a crispy dress ... with two brown eyes and a happy laugh that ripples all day long ... and a flash of light brown hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you'll treat her well.

--- Copyright © 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965, and 1966 Dan Valentine

Scrapbooking and Craft Items for Sale

2010-06-25T17:31:00.002-04:00

I am going thru several boxes of things in my craft area and will be posting pictures as I come across this and that. If something catches your eye send me a message. You can make an offer (consider shipping also I will mail the least expensive way possible. Will also consider a trade for other scrapbooking items or a gift card.

UPDATE! The box of assorted Punches has been taken. My new local scrapbooking friend kindly traded me the punches for a brand new Serenade Cartridge and I love it :) I also got the new Cricut Lite Cartridge, Carosoule and I have to say so far, its my all time favorite Cartridge! WOW!

Here are the couple Items left now and I have SOO much more to post this week :)

3 6x6 paper pads by Arctic Frog. Each pad has 36 sheets, 6 designs with 6 sheets of each design. The second picture shows the papers.

Next is a set of Wooden Rubber Stamps by K&Company. The set is for the Red Hat Club but can be used for other things as well. There are (4) stamps in the set, never opened. They read...#1. Hattitude, #2 Gaudy is Good, #3 Just be yourself without apology and the last is a cute tag stamp that says Play.

Okay, there is sooo much more to come. This is just the beginning :) Let me know if anything is of interest!

I'm a Winner Woo Whoo :)

2010-06-25T16:52:00.000-04:00

Yippie! I won a few fun things this week. Earlier in the week I got a message on Facebook that I had won a free Dominos Pizza from Mix 107.3 radio station...I did not even remember becoming a fan of theirs or entering (it was a random draw) so this was a nice surprise. Mady wants to have a friend over so we will have a free pizza party sleep over soon :) Also, a few days ago I won the cutest little Tilda Stamp from Simon Says Stamps! I cannot wait to get her and play! And as if that wasnt enough for one week I just found out that I also won a $40 gift card to CSN stores. They are an online retailer with a huge variety of items, kind of simular to Overstock.com from what I have seen so far and looks like all of the shipping on the site is free! Fun Stuff :)

Fun Giveaways!

2010-06-25T13:58:00.003-04:00

Just found this fun super cute giveaway from Paper Poppy Kit Company featuring Lily Bee Designs papers. It is such a FUN and Happy kit! Take a peek and leave a comment to be entered to win :)

http://lilybeedesign.blogspot.com/2010/06/paper-poppy-kit-company-win-their-kit.html

Another great giveaway to check out is over at Craft Critique where Jenny Chesnick has given a great detailed review of the Xyron Creatopia. Even better than the review is a GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment and they will randomly select one person to win the Creatopia System! HUGE!!!

http://www.craftcritique.com/2010/06/vendor-spotlight-giveaway-xyron_23.html

Be sure to come back and let me know if any of you are big winners! Good luck :)

Sorry Ive been MIA!

2010-06-21T12:46:00.000-04:00

Where does the time go! The school year ended Thursday and Madysen took off for Aunt Marcies house to get a little more spoiled! I have been doing a little Scrapping but still have a few things Im working on, fingers crossed I will get them done today!

Check out the fun giveaway at
http://www.vintagechiccafe.blogspot.com/
You can do several steps to get mulitple entries. GREAT Prize, your pick of a kit!! Mention my name when you enter please, and I will get another entry. Tell your friends too for more entries for yourself!!

If you are looking for a challenge check out the My Mind's Eye blog, they have a fun Sketch challenge going on this week, due by Thursday night. Again GREAT Prizes.

Okay, thats all I have for now! Will keep you posted as more goodies come along!

Changing Format Tell Me What you Think???

2010-06-04T02:41:00.000-04:00

Okay now that I have gotten my feet wet I think I would like to change the direction of this blog a bit. I am going to gear this blog more toward my scrapbooking obsession. I would like to increase interest in the blog and am going to try to rearrange it to where I can have a running list of Challenges, Give Aways, Contests, Product Reviews ect.. a page of useful tidbits I come across and another page where I will be selling off alot of the items I currently have that I just need to downsize...call it my online yardsale of sorts. This will take me some time to work out the kinks and figure things out but if you have any feedback, ideas ect. I would love to know what you think :)

Fun things to come!

Great place to buy Scrapbook Supplies online

2010-05-12T13:26:00.000-04:00

Hey Scrappy friends. Check out http://scrapbookpal.com/ ! They are a fav. place of mine for buying Cricut Cartridges and tons of other things. They have GREAT FAST Shipping and its FREE with a $25 purchase, UNHEARD OF! Wowzers :) Give them some love!

Fun Giveaway...not just for scrappers~

2010-05-01T00:27:00.000-04:00

Hi gang ! Check out this great giveaway for a $60 gift certificate to CSN Stores. If you dont know what that is its an online store made up of like 200+ websites. All of it is Great stuff for the home & office! I just remodeled my entire house in 45 minutes surfing around lol (in my dreams) The best part, aside from the variety they offer is that the shipping is FREE (even on HUGE pieces of Furniture) WOW COOL!
So check it out and say Hi to Nicole while your there :)
http://madebynicole.blogspot.com/

WOWZAS! Win a Cricut Cake! And tons of Cartridges~

2010-04-30T14:39:00.003-04:00

Good golly miss molly! You have got to run over and take a look at this great blog! They are doing the KING MAC DADDY of all give aways, winner will get a Cricut Cake (cool)! Also runners up will win a variety of Cartridges for your bug :) Let me know if any of you win! I expect a thank you cake, yummy :)

http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-is-red-velvet-and-silver-and-youve.html

Then head over to the Little Yellow Bicycle blog and leave a comment for a chance at winning a great bag full of LYB goodies :)

http://littleyellowbicycle.typepad.com/my-blog/2010/04/national-scrapbook-day-giveaway.html

Anybody Up for a few Scrapbooking Challenges?

2010-04-30T14:09:00.000-04:00

Okay in my journeys around the world wide web I have come across a few challenges so far that I shared in earlier posts. Here are a few more for you to play around with.

Becky over at the lovealicious Page Maps, is celebrating her 4th anniversary! WOWZAS! In honor of this she has some fun challenges, contests and give aways going on. Check them out. There is a GREAT Sketch Challenge that runs thru the month of May as well as an equally lovely Card Challenge. You can pick from a BUNCH of her maps to do this and the prize packages are TOTALLY AWESOME! (flash back 1989, big hair, neon jelly shoes, ughh)... I hope you all will play along with me!

http://www.pagemaps.com/4thanniversary2010.htm

I will add more later :) That should keep you busy for a while I hope!

A few new give aways...we love blog candy :)

2010-04-29T17:59:00.001-04:00

Wow I am having fun getting ready for National Scrapbooking Day! Its more exciting to me than CHRISTMAS! No crowded stores, the weather is nicer AND I dont get paper cuts wrapping gifts :)

Here are a couple new things you may want to check out!

Jo over at http://bootsblogspot.blogspot.com/ is offering up this yummy collection of blog candy...

Her blog is yummy, check it out!

Also! The Bo Bunny Blog has a challenge going. Make a card using Bo Bunny flowers OR Flowers with Bo Bunny product and share on their blog by Sunday May 9th. Prize is the new Flower Child Collection, which if you have not yet seen is OOBER cuteness :)

WoW! You will love this blog and the candy that she is offering is...sinful :)

http://scrappyjandesigns.blogspot.com/

Okay Im sure there will be more to come later but that should get ya started :)

WOW! More great blog candy!

2010-04-28T15:35:00.003-04:00

There are so many fun give aways going on now. Check out this AMAZING blog candy to celebrate the Blog Birthday over at http://jacquesmagnolias.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-blog-birthday-to-me-and-sweet

Look at all that! Its like Christmas for Crafters :)

Here is an amazing prize package being offered by Claire at CraftyC's Crafting Library. She has a great blog with lots of inspiration! Look at these goodies :)

Head over to see Claire at...

http://clairebsd.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-birthday-candy.html

Check out this HAPPY blog candy! How can you not get inspired with all of this color!

This blog belongs to a fellow crafter in another country. I cant read a word on her blog (well very few) but I can tell that we both share an interest in crafting. Take a second to look around she has some beautiful creations on her blog and I was totally inspired!

http://scrap-adventure.blogspot.com/2010/03/colorful-candy.html

Check out this great bundle of love...

http://cardzbyfreckleface.blogspot.com/2010/04/sugar-free-candy.html#comment-form

Good Luck and if you win, remember me :)

Happy Birthday fellow blogger and A chance to win CUTE STUFF!

2010-04-28T15:18:00.001-04:00

Hey fellow crafty friends...if you are surfing around stop by this blog. Its SO cute and she is doing a contest to celebrate her birthday (the big 40!) on May 2nd...spread the word and enter to win on her blog. The prize is a VERY cute unusual stamp set! FUN STUFF!

http://stempelientje.blogspot.com/

Okay I am sure there will be more, but these should keep you busy for a little while :) Dont forget who loves ya babe if you happen to win some of this Scraphappiness! And throw the ole girl a bone for godsakes :)

Until next time :)

Jenn

Momma Birds Scrapbooking Challenge

2010-04-28T12:39:00.000-04:00

Well I guess I know why they call it being a bird brain now...This perty little momma has made a nest in the fake fica tree outside my front door. I have watched her for a few days working on it and today there are 4 pretty little Robins egg blue eggs resting inside. I told Mady I was sure it was an Oriole because that is our Maryland state bird and to me it looks black and orange. After school yesterday Madysen was all to happy to point out that infact this is NOT an Oriole but is an American Robin and she proceeded to pull of photos of the two side by side online to further rub it in. Thats cool! Im all for learning (little snot!)...So this birdie and the beautiful spring weather has inspired this challenge...Look at these pics and then make a Layout or card inspired by them. It can be the colors of the eggs in the nest (Robin Blue with the nest color...kraft....the orangish red and black of the Momma Bird...or a layout or card with birds on it...or even a layout about Momma birds and baby birds....WHATEVER lol....okay thats all she wrote....and now for your viewing pleasure....Miss.Momma Robin...

This is Momma the first day before she laid three of the eggs. Looking a little rough if I do say so myself. I think she is ready for her epidural!

The morning after! Last night she laid three eggs, shes getting her girlish figure back now~Little did we know the little hussy still isnt done, this night she would pop out one more little blue egg!

What a good mother! Gathering stuff to make the nest~

And here she sits...RIGHT outside our door. I have walked out several times forgetting she was their and about laid a few eggs of my own when she came hauling ass outta the fake tree at me.

The quads! I wonder if they will look like smurf's when they hatch. Need to think of the name for my new reality show about Mom and her quads...

Okay girlz, thats all I got! Have fun, hopefully something in all of that will spark a bit of inspiration for you. Cant wait to see.

Charlie Boy!

2010-04-27T17:09:00.000-04:00

I was just editing a few pics and love this one of my lil mess of a dog Charlie. Hes dumber than a box of rocks but full of love.

Special Ks Grey & Yellow Challenge!

2010-04-27T16:49:00.000-04:00

Okay I have been in a bit of a scrapbooking slump lately. I guess its going around. This morning, Kristy came up with a challenge to make anything, card, layout whatever, using Grey & Yellow...UGH....If you know me you know my scrapbooking style is like Crayola on crack and I love lots of bright colors lol. This was a stretch for me. It was a fast put together layout so its pretty basic but heres what I came up with....

This is a pic taken of Madysen last May in Norfolk VA. We went to visit my brother before he deployed on his ship the USS Poncee. She was terrified walking up the gang plank as it was very steep, high and you could see thru the metal to the water below. She cried the entire way up and I snapped this when she made it to the top. Eventually she did chipper up and we had a great time touring his ship. Paper is October Afternoon, Rub On Lily Bee Design

My Nerdy Birdy

2010-04-10T19:45:00.000-04:00

I mentioned a few days ago that Madysen got her first pair of glasses & finally let me cut her hair short again for the warm weather. I think she looks so cute, like my little book worm and she is so pleased. It does my heart well to see that she is self confident and is not letting the bullys at school get to her. Here are a couple pics of her new Extreme Make Over ;)

Before...

After (doing her geek-chic impression)...

I just love this outfit...

Thats All Folks!

Jenn

Its Easter, Im a WINNER & Sunflower Houses

2010-04-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

Whoop, well considering I have ZERO luck whatsoever I was so excited to find out I won a give away from Megan at Frugal Fun & Fortunes. If you havent checked out her blog you really should. She offers SO much great information to help families save BIG BUCKS in Coupons and samples, sales ect. This week she was offering a Spa Give Away Package that promoted the new Yoplait Greek Yogurt, which I happen to love <3 I was so excited when Sarah called me this morning and said I had won! The prize includes a new Robe, Slippers and other Spa goodies and coupons for FREE YOGURT, Whoo hoo!

Kind of a quiet Easter here today. It is beautiful outside. Madysen did not get up until after 9 am. She had fun opening all her new goodies. The ham is baking now. Time to peel a few potatos and get the veggies cooking, then going outside with Mady to do our annual Easter planting of the flower seeds she gets in her basket every year. This year was a big bag of wild flower mix that was in the dollar section at Target. We still need to buy our sunflower seeds. Each year about this time we buy a mix of the giant and other sized Sunflower seeds and dig a square line (about 3 inches wide by 1.5 inch deep) that is appx 5x5 on one side leave about a 2ft. space where no sunflowers are planted. Water well and give a shot of Miracle Grow or other plant food. In about 6 weeks you will have a cute little Sunflower House the kiddos can play in. The Giant Sunflowers lean inward and make the roof of the house and the gap is the door way. Butterflies love the flowers and are all around. Great chance to get some cute Spring/Summer pics! Fun for boys and girls. She has really come to enjoy this little tradition of ours. Last year we did not choose a great spot and the house didnt turn out so well, but we still had lots of perty flowers! They need LOTS of sunshine and watering daily. Off to the kitchen :) Until next time!

Lets see if I can figure out how to add this pic by myself :)

2010-03-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

I have a huge list of cards I need to make so here if my first...its a baby girl card. The back ground is teal, the card ends with the lace sides. Paper is October Afternoon, Stamps are CTMH. I put the lace on the back page of the card rather than the top so when you open the card you still see the lace...I really like this stamp set.