Thursday, December 31, 2015

New 2016 Calendar!!! Yahooo!

Hello Everyone!

I have a few more tweaks on the calendar...But here it is!  So excited to be teaching at these AMAZING STORES for 2016!!!  I hope that you can find one that may be in your area...

January-REST! PLAN! KIT!

January 14-18, 2016: AmericasMart, Atlanta, Georgia

February 5-7, 2016:  Runaway Art and Craft Studio, Salem, Oregon

March 3-6, 2016:  Steampunk Art Event -Withworth Ranch, Scurry, Texas

March 11-13, 2016:  Betty's Creative Studio, Greensboro, North Carolina

April 22-24, 2016:  Scrap Addicts Edmonton, Alberta Canada

May 5-8, 2016:  NSD at Big Mouth Scrappers, Forney, Texas

May 20-21, 2016:  Whimsodoodle, St. Petersburg, Florida

June 11, 2016:  Molly  Hull and Frankie Valencia Wedding

June 2016: TBD...Art From The Heart, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK

July 30-31, 2016:  Scrapbook N'More, New Braunsfels, Texas

August 12-14, 2016:  The Scrapbooking Studio, Moline, Illinois.

September 9-11, 2016: Clipper Street, Langley, BC, Canada

October 1-2, 2016:  Scrapbook N'More, New Braunsfels, Texas

November 4-6, 2016:  The Island Creative Escape, Los Gatos, California

December 2016:  Big Mouth Scrapper, Forney, Texas

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Graphic 45: 2 Days Before Christmas Handmade Holiday Ideas

Good Morning Everyone!

Christmas is almost here!  Can you believe it?  Two days until the big day!  I still have a few bows to put on presents, pick the house up, pack the car and I'm ready to head to my Sister's house in Brownwood, Texas.  Can't wait to be with my family!

If you are looking for some gift inspiration, please join me this morning on Graphic 45's Blog to get a closeup look at some Handmade Holiday Ideas from Donna Espirtu and myself.

I crafted up a couple of small tabletop clocks for gifts that are inspired by those rounded Swedish case clocks.  I did one in Graphic 45's Christmas Carol Paper Collection and one in Graphic 45's Gilded Lily Paper.

Here's a quick picture of the two clocks...


Hope you take a moment to go over to Graphic 45 and check out the projects.

Happy Holidays Y'all!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The Luminary House-Graphic 45

Good Morning Everyone!

Please join me this morning on Graphic 45's Blog as we get a closeup look at some Dreamy Christmas Decor and Gift Ideas from Maggi Harding and myself.

I created a cute little cottage that I call Luminary House.  I covered the house with Graphic 45's Christmas Carol Paper Collection!  Love this collection!  You just add a tea light to the interior and it glows with Christmas Magic!

Here's a quick picture of the Luminary House...


Hope you take a moment to go over to Graphic 45 and check out the projects.

Happy Holidays Y'all!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Thursday, December 10, 2015

New Project: Rico's Time Machine Done!

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to share a new project that I have just completed.  I call it... Rico's Time Machine...

This is a great project for 2016 as you are passing from one year to the next.  Rico's Time Machine can mark the new year for all new and unexplored journeys to come.  A cool Steampunk project as well...

Rico's Time Machine was inspired by the 1960's movie, The Time Machine starring Rod Taylor from the H.G. Wells Novel.  I made this project for an amazing friend's child..the reason... I was always so fascinated with all things that flew in the air and I hoped he would too.  You can choose to adhere the Time Machine to the base or leave it separated for flights through the decades.

There is a separated drawer in the base that can be opened at either side to place memorabilia or possibly two small mini books covering 2015 and 2016.  You decide...

Here's a look at Rico's Time Machine using Graphic 45's Steampunk Debutante Paper Collection....








If you are interested, I've made up a limited quantity of kits that are now available in my shop.  This is a kit only project and the tutorial will not be sold separately.

The Kit Includes:
All chipboard pieces pre-cut and ready to assemble
(4) Idea-ology Knobs
(8) Idea-ology Hitch Fasteners
(1) Bamboo Skewer
(1) Instant Download Tutorial with Tons of pictures to help you along your building journey

Just add your own paper, paint and glue...(Glossy Accents or similar recommended.) to finish this project.

You can click the link below if you would like to give Rico's Time Machine a try.


or by clicking the link below:


Thanks so much everyone!  Have an awesome holiday!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter





Tuesday, December 1, 2015

And The Winner Is....

Happy December 1st Everyone!

Just want to take a moment and thank you all for the Amazing Birthday Wishes I received on Facebook, private messages, phone calls and emails!  I cannot tell you how that made my day!  Thank you... Thank you!

OK, another Thank You Fest...Thank you all for entering in my Birthday Giveaway!  Your suggestions were SOOOO AMMAZZZING!!!  I wish I had a ton of Rotatrim cutters to give away as a special thank you, sadly I don't...I just have one to go to a special winner in celebration of my 50th!

With out further delay...I ran a number generator on the emails received and it landed on 130....SO............This year's Rotatrim goes to....

PAM BILODEAU

Pam, CONGRATULATIONS!!  
If you live domestically, please send me an email where you would like your brand spankin' new Rotatrim sent or if you are international, please send me an email saying that you've seen this post so we can get rolling on the Amazon Gift Card.... 

Again, THANK YOU ALL for playing along!  I so appreciate you helping me make this birthday special!

You Guys Rock!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Friday, November 27, 2015

The Gentleman Crafter's Black Friday Sale!!

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had an Amazing Thanksgiving and is ready to walk off all that fantastic food from yesterday's feast...I know I am!!  Now it's official...It's Black Friday and It's time to shop!

Third Annual Black Friday Sale is Now ON!!!!



Please visit The Gentleman Crafter's shop HERE or my Etsy Shop HERE...

or by clicking the links below-

The Gent's Shop:

Etsy Shop

Please Note:
Almost all items are marked 1/2 Off the regular price!!
The prices you see are the prices you pay.  They have already been marked down to the Black Friday Discounted Price So Shop Away!  

I thank you all for your support and patronage this year!  Have fun!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter










Thursday, November 26, 2015

My Birthday Weekend Give-Away!!

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, my birthday is right around the corner...Like Monday!  Good Grief!  This is going to be a special one as I join the Mid-Century Club this year.  I never ever thought that I would actually be 50!  I thought I would just stop at 49 and that's how it worked...It seemed to me to be so far off, but it's here and I want to celebrate it by giving away something that I love and use all the time...

Here are the details:

Here's what I'm giving away...

My favorite tool to cut paper or chipboard...The Rotatrim 15-inch Cutter.  A $250.00 Value!  It truly cuts Heavy Weight chipboard like Butter!  Love this tool!

Rotatrim RC RCM15 15-Inch Cut Rotatrim Professional-15 Cutter



  • Increased cut capacity, designed for every day continuous use
  • Flexible two-way cut
  • Finest quality Sheffield Steel self-sharpening precision blades
  • Twin chrome steel guide rails completely eliminate head swivel whilst delivering a smooth gliding action
  • Metal end frames and head
  • Chrome Twin Steel Guide Rails - provides smooth operation and heavy duty use.
  • All Metal Cutting Head - provides years of trouble free operation.

Who can enter?

ANYONE! However, due to the weight of this trimmer,  I will only be sending this Domestically, meaning to the United States Only!  If you are an international winner, An Amazon Gift Card will be either sent or emailed to you in the amount of $250.00 American US Dollars.

How to enter?

Send an email to thegentlemancraftercontest@gmail.com and tell me (1) What you would like to see me make for 2016 and (2) If you have made a project that I have designed,  I would love for you to post it to Facebook and tag me Jim R. Hankins...


See, that's simple right...Please note, you must email your idea to the email address... thegentlemancraftercontest@gmail.com.  Please do not leave your suggestions in the comments section below, either of my personal emails or on Facebook as they will not be counted.  The only way this will be accepted is through thegentlemancraftercontest@gmail.com.  The emails will be counted and sent to a random number generator and a winner will be selected.

When can you begin to enter and when will it end?...

It starts NOW and runs through my SPECIAL Birthday November 30, 2015 by 12:00 Midnight Central Standard Time...

When will we announce the winner?....

We will announce the winner on December 1, 2015 via my website and an email will be sent to the winner via the email they left with their cool idea...

Hope you have fun with this...Let The Contest Begin!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

May your day be filled with family, friends and awesome food....Have a safe and happy day!  

Vintage Photos of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...



Images via Daily News & Huff Post

Remember, TOMORROW starts the Black Friday Sale in my shop....Come by and grab some deals!


Have an Awesome Day!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Luminary House Kit- Done!

Hello Everyone!

Hope you are all are doing well and feeling happy!  It's starting to feel cooler and crisp tonight in Central Texas...which I totally love and this weather is perfect for the this post...

Tonight, I'm so excited to share a new kit that I just completed.  A fun and fast project that I call The Luminary House.

The Luminary House Kit comes in either pre-cut 2x heavy black or Kraft chipboard and an instruction sheet on how to build it.  The house can be built in about 15 to 30 minutes depending on your skill level using only some glue...I prefer Glossy Accents as my glue, as I know it works and holds wonderfully...The size is 4-1/2 x 5-inches.

The Luminary House is an awesome addition to your holiday decorations...Once built and decorated, place a tea light under the house and on the little base and DONE!  Would make a great gift too!  Just add your own paper or paint, "snow" and trees if you like...Make it yours and decorate it any way you would like...This is how I did mine using Graphic 45's Christmas Carol Paper Collection:

The Luminary House...



For the first time, I am excited that these kits will not only be available in my shop but the following stores:










Hope you give it a go!  

Thanks so much!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter




Saturday, October 31, 2015

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween...Carve some pumpkins and sample some treats!


Make it awesome!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The World's Fair Ferris Wheel Kits and Tutorials DONE!!

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you all are having a marvelous start to this Halloween weekend.  If it's going to be rainy like it is here in Central Texas, I might have a cure for those rainy day blues....

I'm so excited to announce that I've finally finished The World's Fair Ferris Wheel tutorial!  I totally love this project.  It will always be near and dear to my heart.  I created this over three years ago as one of my pieces for the Graphic 45 Design Team Finals.  I have been asked by many when I would do a tutorial for it.  I always thought it would be one of those projects that I would just make, but I finally did it...I wrote a tutorial.

The tutorial is FULL of countless pictures and includes many templates to help you make this amazing project.  I have also kitted a few World's Fair Kits and cut extra "Ferris Wheels" to hopefully help you create the project.

Here's The World's Fair Ferris Wheel...












If you are interested in making the Ferris Wheel there are several ways to do it....

The Instant Download Tutorial can be purchased HERE:

or

http://thegentlemancrafter.bigcartel.com/product/world-s-fair-ferris-wheel-tutorial


The (2) Wheel Set with Instant Download Tutorial can be purchased HERE:

or

http://thegentlemancrafter.bigcartel.com/product/laser-cut-ferris-wheel-set-of-2-kit

The Complete Kit (I highly recommend) can be purchased HERE:

or

http://thegentlemancrafter.bigcartel.com/product/the-world-s-fair-ferris-wheel-complete-kit

I so appreciate your time in looking at this project.  I hope you give it a try!  It will make an amazing gift for the holiday's or just to place on a table for a conversation piece.

Thanks Tons!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Monday, October 12, 2015

Rare Oddities Lab Tutorial...Done!

Good Afternoon Everyone!
I just got approval from the stores I'm teaching this at to sell the Rare Oddities Tutorial.  If you would like an Instant Download of the Rare Oddities Lab Tutorial Please click here:
I will also be teaching this two more times at Scrapbook N' More in New Braunsfels, Texas on October 25th and again at Bog Mouth Scrapper's in Forney, Texas on November7th.  For those classes you will receive the complete Cut Kits, Supplies and Printed tutorials.  If you haven't signed up now, I believe there are seats left at Scrapbook N' More...Just follow the link below:








Thank You So Much!
Jim

Friday, October 9, 2015

A Great Start to the Day...Walk in the park!

Good Day Everyone!

Those days of being 49 are almost coming to a close.  The big 50 is coming next month...It's like this half century number was something I would never see.  I was always going to be young. Well people...Things have shifted and moved and time keeps moving forward however hard I try to hold it back...

When in Houston's Bush airport on Monday, this certain person, who shall go unnamed...uhhh, Cesar... said we needed to get to gate C45.  We landed in Terminal E and walked for what seemed like miles to the Terminalink Tram thing and then took it to Terminal C.  The plane was already boarding at this very moment so we rushed to get there.  Finally got to the gate to find it was going to Washington- Dulles...I decided to look at the board and it was Gate 43!  Totally at the other end of the hall and around the corner.  We walked so fast and finally made it there as they were calling our group.  When I "landed" in my airplane seat and attached the seat belt I thought to myself...MAN I'M SOOO OUT OF SHAPE!!!  I've got to do something about this!

So here's to a start...This morning I thought I would treat my poor body to a little walk in the park.  It really was so refreshing!  However, my legs and feet are saying,  "What in God's name did you do to us!"...Doesn't matter!  I had my Fitbit on and could finally beat Cesar's amazing step count for the day!  Hahahaha!  Totally worth it!  Somehow he can magically sit at his desk at Dell and come home with a whopping 13,000 steps!  I don't get it.  How many times do I run down the hall to use the men's room each day after 5 cups of coffee! A Zillion!  And I still come up with 6,000 steps!




So glad I got out and moved my body...Here are a few pictures of Berry Springs Park..I love it as it is set in an old Pecan orchard. Or would that be Pecan grove?  LOL  A little history note...Mr. Berry's Great-Grandson was Audie Murphy...  Cool!  Oh, and if you haven't guessed already...Texas state tree is the pecan...In Texas Talk that's...Pah-Cahn not Pea-can...LOL!












Y'all have a great weekend!  Get out and move your tail feathers...You'll feel great!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Thursday, October 8, 2015

Airplane Drama and Kansas Classes!

Good Morning Everyone!

Gosh it's been a long time since I blogged to just blog...This morning I find myself sitting on the side porch with a cup of coffee and Buzzy the cat wrapped around my feet as if to protect me from all the frogs that are around.

It's a nice morning in Central Texas.  A bit warm but totally manageable.  A slight breeze that's starting to smell a bit like Fall.  I don't know how, but there is a certain smell to Fall right?  Weird!  Blooms from the Madevilla vine send a smile to my face and you just want to say...Ahhhhhhhhh and Thank You Mother Nature!  So pleasant right now...and I say right now because an expected 90 degrees for the rest of the week with a high of 95 next Monday!...So much for cooler Fall weather but, I have a great imagination...so dreaming of crisp fall days...



We arrived home from Kansas on Monday.  I've been so proud of myself for flying from place to place this year without ANY airplane medicine...Last year it was all about the Xanax to calm my nerves as we flew through the lofty heights of 30,000 feet.  Lawd help me!  I think it was about the take offs, the landings and the obvious...TURBULENCE!  When it was calm it was cool.  When not, I could literally feel the blood rush to my head and the sensation of immediate heat and sweat would pursue.

Flying now is not such a big deal..The take offs can be exhilarating.  I find myself amazed at the true  POWER of the plane's jets forcing air through them to cause lift from the ground...Now, I'm not saying I'm not praying during this whole event, but it's kinda cool.  I also found out that anytime you see a cloud and you go through it to expect some bumps.  As soon as the cloud clears the wings, all is well again.  If it's rainy on the ground I know that in a few seconds we will be above it all and will have sunny skies.  I just talk myself through it.

So, with flying under my belt, I hopped on a totally small aircraft (three seats across) at the Kansas City International Airport headed for Houston.  I had been told that larger planes were easier on the turbulence, so being on this small aircraft had me a bit jittery.  I had my headphones wrapped around my balding head... journal and pen in hand.  I'm set...Some old Jo Stafford tunes playing in my ears...We are ready for take off...I look over to my left and see the lady in the one seater row with her sweater up and around her mouth.  Weird I think to myself.  I look back to discover she is ON HER PHONE!  This is after they requested or demanded that all Cellular devices be switched to airplane mode!  Now folks, I don't know what happens if anything when a cell phone is on during take off.  But I wasn't going to chance it!  We are on a small plane that could crash at take off due to a person on a cell phone!

Call it hysteria or panic...For the first time in my life I told a total stranger that she needed to HANG UP HER PHONE NOW!!!  This was, in my mind, a life saving strategy!  I had the call button ready to be pushed and I was ready to stop the plane is she should persist... Later, after the airplane was on a smooth ride to Houston, I felt kinda embarrassed.  The panic-manic of flying is still alive and well...Just suppressed...  I would like to talk myself into thinking it was none of my business, but like I said above, I have no idea what speaking on a phone will do to a plane on the run way taking off and that the pilot might need all the signal strength to get us in the air...God Help Us!  LOL!

Whether I was right or wrong, there are rules to flying in a plane.  When they say place your phone in airplane mode...Please put your phone in airplane mode...There are those crazy passengers that have a fear of flying and this makes them calm enough to not have to look for parachutes to escape the plane!

Backing up a bit to the weekend before...Classes at Stamper's Ink. I want to thank the owner of Stamper's Ink, Tanya for having Cesar and I...I had so much fun!  We pulled out the Graphic 45 goodness and built stuff...Here are a few pictures of the classes...












Y'all have a Great and Amazing Day!  Thanks for coming by!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter