Let See...What's happening!

Good Evening All!

The farm is humming tonight with a whirl of activity.  Yep, par for the course, I don't know if I'm actually getting a lot done or just bits and pieces of a lot of things...For one, I'm finishing up a project I did for my niece tonight.  I think it's coming out pretty cool.  I will post it tomorrow, but here's a sneak peek...

 

 

I'm almost packed...well, my tools and supplies are packed for Dina Wakley's classes this weekend at The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie!  Can't wait to use her new inks, stencils and stamps to create cool art journal pages!  Yahooo!  I will Facebook pictures of all the goodness as it happen this weekend.  Classes start at 6 p.m. tomorrow, so kolache fest time at the bakery in West at 2:00!  Always a highlight to traveling up North!

 



OK, let's see, bills need to be paid like pronto...If I can find them...There in a stack somewhere...I saw them the other day...:) I've picked up my studio...Kinda...went by and purchased some shorts I could actually fit into and finally found one pair that the darned top button wont come off...I've about decided that it's not my waist growing larger, it's the quality of the thread they use to attach the button!....RIGHT!!!...Kinda?...Maybe?...Still have kitting to do tonight to finish up for classes I'm teaching at Craft Crossing in Gonzales, Texas next Saturday...It's gonna be fun!  I even bought a huge bag of Peanut M&M's to bring with me! I'm getting ready for a house guest that will be coming next week...so looking forward to that...But you know that means, dusting and digging out the underwear  and socks that so cleverly found their way under the bed!  Blast!  Forgot to go by Linens and Things for some red sheets!  OK, it's on the list...

Loving Graphic 45's new paper releases!  Have you seen them??? Can't wait to get my hands on them and start creating!  Yahooo!

Oh, the UPS man just pulled up with the rest of my parts for kits....Let me go grab the boxes...Be Right Back...

Yep, the last of the goodies have come to finish the kits off, but I also received a very sweet surprise box from my precious MOM!  It's a plaque in honor of my Mamie...Thanks Mom!  It's awesome!

Well...Gotta Run Y'all...If you get a chance, come back tomorrow to get a gander of  my new project...

Thanks Tons!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!!!

 

Have an eggcellent day.  May it be filled with friends, family, good food and wonderful foiled chocolate bunnies!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

The Ups and Downs of it All!

Good Morning!

It's been a few days since I blogged last.  I've been slowly letting go of my precious Basset Hound, Mamie.  She had been diagnosed with cancer that had spread through her body.  The vet let me take her back home so that I could not only love on her and say goodbye, but honestly, so she could tell me when she was ready to go.  This may sound weird to some, but to me, there is a time when they let you know.  That time was Thursday night.  She looked at me in my eyes and her eyes told me immediately she was ready to go.  Mamie left us yesterday morning and my happiest thoughts are that she knew she was loved to the very end.

So, when things like this happen, I start cleaning!  Don't know why it has to be cleaning, but cleaning is obviously my coping mechanism.  The house was cleaned to a shine and then it was out to the yard.  I mowed, weed wacked and even pulled out the chain saw to cut dead branches from trees.  This morning I'm sitting outside...sore as all get out...LOL!... sipping on a gorgeous cup of Sumatra coffee looking out on how nice everything is. The morning sun kisses the blooms on the roses, irises, bluebonnets and reflects the dew on the fresh mown grass.  Everything is in bloom or bud and it's amazing.  New life everywhere you look...Which gives me hope that life is always renewed... Totally pertinent for this Easter Holiday Weekend.

Don't want to do deep thoughts today...  Just want to craft up a new project that keeps going around in my head!...and get ready for upcoming classes with Dina Wakley this upcoming weekend in Waxahachie.  OK.... I just started laughing hysterically...WHY?...

As soon as I wrote Waxahachie, it reminded me of something so funny! Why not share it right?  But, it is one of those things where you should have been there to experience it and will never come off as funny in the re-tale of it all.  But I'll try...

Last weekend, when we were driving back home from the Crafty Scrapper's Make and Take, we stopped at our usual place in West, the Czech Stop...This place has amazing bakery goodness that just by walking in the door you gain 5 pounds!  We got our goodies, Cesar and I switched positions at the wheel and he took over driving.  I pulled out my iPad and began watching YouTube videos on something I always wanted to learn more about...Painting with Encaustics.  I was running the audio through the cars speakers, which on my car has to be turned up to MAX.  I watched one interesting video as I downed a luscious cherry Kolache.  I handed Cesar another kolachie, I grabbed another one for myself and sat back to relax to a new video.  It was from JerrysArtarama...How to Puddle Colors When Painting with Encaustics.  Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWo3u13TmC8
It took forever to load the video, so I looked out across the highway and ooohed and awed over the bakery delight I was consuming....THAT's WHEN THE TRUMPETS CAME IN...

...from the opening music to the video!!!!!LOUD!!!! LIKE LOUD!!! As with YouTube videos, not all the videos are taped at the same audio level.  Totally not expecting this, Cesar literally jumped out of his seat and hit the car ceiling, he scared me so bad I dropped my gorgeous gourmet goodness onto the floor of the car.  I do remember jumping a bit too in Cesar's defense.  We looked at each other like the end of the world was upon us. We began to realize it was the video and I struggled through lemon goo to get to the volume dial, Cesar reclaimed his composure and I picked up the Lemon kolache to see if it could be saved!  LOL!

That's when the giggles, deep belly laughs and tears from laughter began all the way home....

Well, I hope that you all have an amazing Easter weekend.  Remember to take time to see all the new life that is blooming out there and Never listen to YouTube videos in your car while eating lemon kolachies!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

News From The Farm...

Good Day All!

Today's blog is more like a newsletter!  I've got a few tidbits that I wanted to share and each deserves a headline of it's own!  I think....

First off...

Project: I Care...You Sure do!

I know better than to be amazed with this wonderful group of online crafters that I call friends and family...I am never fooled by how much you all give from your heart...However, I'm always so totally blown away just how much you do indeed GIVE and Give and Give!  Thank YOU!

 

I honestly had to pull up to the front of the hospital, go in and grab a cart and load the boxes of cards into the hospital.  Y'all, I was soo incredibly proud to show and tell everyone about my AWESOME friends who made cards for the Seton Breast Care Center.  They literally OOOHED and Awed over the amazing talent, the creativity, the beauty and construction!  EVERYONE WAS WOOOOOOWWWED!  Once again, at risk of sounding like a broken record...Thank you for creating cards for a wonderful cause!  I am totally grateful and honored!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse Winner Picked...June Marie

 

From a random drawing a winner has been chosen.....Congratulations to June-Marie who won a total refund for her purchase!  Thank you June-Marie for adding your comment to my blog!  Thank you  all for taking the time to comment, and thank you all for your purchases and support! 

Make and Take Madness...It was Crazy!

I had such a fantastic time at the Crafty Scrapper this weekend!  Carolyn's Birthday Bash, Make and Take was an awesome non-stop day of Dylusional Madness!   Thank you all for coming by and playing with Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions!  I had so much fun!!

 

Thanks Again Everyone!  Have an Awesome Week!

 

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter



 

 

 

Lynn's Light...By The Sea Lighhouse Tutorial DONE!!!!

Good Evening Everyone!

How the heck are ya?  I've so missed blogging and missed hearing from you!!  Trying to work a full time job, getting kits and samples made for classes and trying to get a grip on my top hat in the paper crafting world has literally taken every minute I have.  If you can burn candles on more than one end, boy I'm doing it!  But I LOVE IT!!!! 

Sometimes I love it so much that things get neglected...SOOO, I took a few hours today and actually cleaned the house.  LIKE CLEANED!  Like cleaned the bathtub, washed the sheets and swept the front porch clean! Tonight, I sit in my ever so  tidy house as I blog (and fold clothes) and I couldn't be happier than a pig in mud!   SO FEELS GOOD!  Clean sheet night tonight is something to look forward to! 

Today...Tonight... actually... I couldn't be any more proud to announce that I finally... finally have the Lynn's Light-By The Sea Lighthouse tutorial done!!  It's been what... 2 years now and it's finally done!  It's a celebration for me really! So much so that we decided to order a pizza and crack open a bottle of Coke on a week night!  BAHAHAHAH!   This project is sooo cool and one of my favorites.    When you see this project done, it's pretty impressive.  Now I'm not saying that to boast...trust me....Not my bag!  It's just that it looks so awesome in a room.  Anytime anyone comes to my house they go directly to it and ask about it!  TRUST!

The tutorial is NOW available in my Etsy shop HERE.  I may be crazy, but I'm selling it three ways:

One, I'm selling the tutorial full of really TONS of  pictures, instructions, the octagon templates... by instant download.  You can get the tutorial HERE.

Two, I'm selling just the laser cut pieces that include the octagons, windows and angle pieces... for those of you who do not want to cut these pieces out.  You can get the laser cut pieces HERE.

Three, I'm selling the COMPLETE KIT!!!  Let me explain the kit...The kit includes the tutorial, (1) pad of Graphic 45's, By The Sea Paper Collection Pad, ALL PIECES pre-cut from heavy weight chipboard, the laser cut chipboard pieces...which include all the octagons, windows and angled roof pieces,  the Hitch Fasteners, Foundation Feet, Paper Accents red cardstock for the mini, the acrylic windows, the frosted film for the windows, the bamboo skewers, (20) structure strips ready to go with Scor-Tape, a small bottle of Glossy Accents and a battery operated tea light. Wheew!  Hope I haven't left anything out!  You Can get the kit HERE.

In celebration of getting this tutorial done, I will refund (1) person the full amount of whatever, tutorial, tutorial and laser cut pieces or complete kit they paid for.  To be eligible for this refund, please leave a comment on my blog by Monday, April 14th stating three of your favorite projects I've done.  I will run a random number drawing and pick the winner Monday night and issue the refund. 

And yes, I will do a stream on how to make Lynn's Light live in he near future....:)

Thank you all so much!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Cards Card Cards! Project: I Care!

Good Evening Everyone!

Tonight, before I call it a day, I wanted to share some of the Project: I Care Cards that have been coming to the farm for me to take to the Seton Breast Care Center.  I had held off opening the cards as I needed to get a tutorial done and as a reward, when I finished, I would open the cards and look at them one by one.  Truly a real treat.  Well, tonight was the night! OH MY GOSH!!! GORGEOUS CARDS! Hundreds of them!

I rarely get weepy...But my friends, I got WEEPY!  Sorry, not embarrassed to say it.  I was sooo totally moved and blown away by the total love that went behind making each and every card, the personal notes that were sent to me, the time it must have taken to make the cards and the time it must have taken to post them.  I'm touched, moved, blessed...There are no words to describe how totally honored I am to have friends such as you.  You have given so freely!  Please know that your gifts of love will bless someone along the way at the Breast Care Center.  From My Heart...Thank you:

Elaine Mc. of New York
Brenda W. of  New Jersey
Teri S. of  Medina, OH
Zandra C. of New Jersey
Marcie L. of Sante Fe, NM
Gwen C. of Westfield, IN
Scrabadabadoo.com of Marysville, WA
Shari VP of Bay City, MI
Kay P. of Burnet, Texas
Barbara A. of Georgetown, Texas
June-Marie B. of Chestermere, AB
Kim S. of Cedar Park, Texas

I know there are many others who have contributed to Project: I Care which were received by Kathryn in VA and I SOO Thank you as well!  I can't wait to see them and share them.

Have an Awesome Tomorrow!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Ustream Class Tonight: The Convertible Writing Desk!

Good Morning Everyone!

It's been a great start to the week...All seems to be calm, tax information gathered, my studio is cleaned up...So, I'm ready to stream from the farm tonight!

Here are the details:

Ustream Class tonight on how I put The Convertible Writing Desk together.  Join me at 7:00 p.m. Central Standard Time U.S. on my Ustream channel here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-gentleman-crafter

If you haven't grabbed your copy of the pattern, you can get one by following the link below,  or if you are coming over to just join in, COME ON starts at 7:00!!!:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/184350033/the-convertible-writing-desk-tutorial?

I will be doing today's desk in Graphic 45's Gorgeous... Botanical Tea Collection.

See you at 7:00!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter