Friday, May 23, 2014

Finding Balance with Bounty....

Good Morning Everyone!

It's been too long since I blogged last.  Sorry about that.  I'm trying to learn how to have a balanced life.  It's not working, but I'm still trying.  LOL!  Trying to separate out time to just relax, play, garden and take care of me.   It's tough, but I'm going to do it!  One of the many things I love to do is to blog, so now that I have a few days off, it's time to catch up...

Let's see...Did I tell you that the other morning was so delightful and delicious that I decided to drive with my car windows down and AC off?  80's music going, wind blowing through the patches of my graying hair...I was feeling 18 again and loving it.  While doing one of my fancy "air guitar" moves to the musical group Journey, my peripheral vision caught something flapping from the floor board then out through the back window....For the love of Sister Claude Marie Sylvester!!! I still had a roll of paper towels that I had cut in half for a class in the back seat.  Now mind you, this looks exactly like toilet paper when cut in half.  Maybe an inch wider, but the effect is still toilet paper... the end of it had been whipped up by the wind and out the window and continued to unroll until I had about 2 cars lengths of paper toweling flapping out the window like flags announcing the King of Siam was coming through the crowd.   And ya know...there's not much you can do about it either... in traffic...in the middle lane...On a crowded car infested highway where everyone has nothing to do but wait and watch.  Oh well... On the positive side of things...We now know that Bounty is not only absorbent, but is strong enough to handle gale force winds!!!

It honestly seems like weeks since I have actually sat down in the studio to create something.  I've been busy getting things ready for classes and neglected the need to create and renew.  Hopefully this long holiday weekend will open the door to creativity.  I need it!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Falling Photo Box Tutorial Done!

Good Evening Everyone!

What a beautiful day it was in Texas today!  Cool crisp temps and a sunny day after an amazing all-day rain yesterday...AWESOME Day!  It was so awesome that I sat out on the front porch and finished up The Falling Photo Box Tutorial in my rocking chair while sipping French Roast coffee!  Doesn't get any better than that!  The tutorial is now in my Etsy shop.  You can find it HERE.

I love this photo box!!!  In fact, I made it for my mother for Mother's Day!  She loved it, which always makes me happy!  We have and will have some pretty cool events in our family which tons of photos will be taken and this box will be perfect.  The Falling Photo Box would also be an awesome Father's Day gift.

Here are a few pictures of the feminine and masculine versions of the box....

Feminine Version...





 

Masculine Version....









I hope you give it a try!  It's an awesome project to keep all your photos and memories in one place!
 
Have an Amazing Week!
 
Jim
The Gentleman Crafter






Sunday, May 11, 2014

A Mother's Day Gift...

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

We have had an awesome Graduation/Mother's Day celebration this weekend.  Yesterday, we drove up to Brownwood, Texas to celebrate my nephew, Tucker's graduation.  Next, we drove from Brownwood to San Antonio to celebrate my other nephew, Gibson's graduation from UTSA. 

Mom, Cesar and I explored San Antonio last night and had a wonderful wonderful dinner on the Riverwalk.  Of course my phone had died and the charger I brought along to charge it never charged...so no pictures! 

This morning we are having some breakfast and off to explore a bit more before heading to the graduation.

I had a couple of nights to make a little something for Mom before we left.  Still not where it needs to be, but it's made from love right?

 

Mother's Day Photo Box...




















Happy Mother's Day!  Have an AWESOME week!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Got Wings?

Good Evening Everyone!

What is it, Wednesday night?  Gosh, the time flies by doesn't it?  It was just Wednesday like a couple of days ago!! Speaking of time flying, I cannot believe the triplets (my sister's kiddos) will graduating from college this weekend!  But weren't they just crawling around on the floor?  This of course sends Uncle Bubba to the mirror to see if those cracks I feel in my face are indeed cracks!  Yep!  Oh well...I'm soooo trying to accept getting older...Let's not talk about it...I LIKE...NO, I LOVE Denial!

In an effort to embrace denial...Tonight was the night that I allowed myself to just play!!!  I got out a fresh new journal, new ink, new stamps, new pens and inks and just set off for a few hours of "ME" time!  Coffee in hand and crazy thoughts in mind I just sat quietly out on the porch and created...








Well, I've gotta fly...Maybe I can hot glue the hair that was in the sink...back on to my bald patch...patches! LOL!

Have an awesome week!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Friday, May 2, 2014

A Couple of Days with Dy!

Hello All!

Just trying to catch up with my blogging! 

Had a couple of days to play with my gal pal Dyan Reaveley,  Contrary to popular belief, we don't sit around and get creative....We shop and talk and eat sweets!  LOL!  She has the most amazing way to make me want to help her spend her hard earned money!  LOL!  Actually, she's a blast to go shopping with as she sees so many things I would have never even looked at.  Like Boots! LOL!

We dropped her off at her next destination, shopped Big Mouth Scrappers for a second, said goodbye, loaded back in the car and headed for home. Actually just walked in the door 30 minutes ago and headed for bed!.  I'm off tomorrow to teach at Craft Crossing in Gonzales to help celebrate National Scrapbook Day.  It's going to be fun and looking forward to it!

I leave you with some pictures of our days with Dy...Thanks Dyan for a wonderful time!



















Have an awesome day!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter