Year: 2015

A Royal Flush

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

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You know you are a  blogger when.………

your family bribes you with permission to use their photos if you will do them a favor.

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Which is what happened a couple of weeks ago.

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“Hey Mom, if we send you pictures and let you post them on your blog, will you paint us a set of Royal Flush t-shirts for Halloween costumes?” asked my youngest son, Nick (the King of Spades above) with his sweet Liz (the Queen) standing nervously beside him.

Trying to wait for at least a few seconds to pass before too eagerly blurting out…

“Sure!”

Under breath – “YIPPEE!  Theme party ideas!  The kids still need me!  They are asking ME to help!  Painting!  Crafting!  Creating!”

Liz smiles sheepishly,  “Are you sure?”

Nick replies, “SEE!  I told you!  She loves this stuff.”

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And the happy King and Queen partied on happily ever after.

And I’m pretty sure by the look on my son’s face in this one that this photo was likely taken well into the party!

I LOVE IT!

And them.

And SSSSHHHHHH!  Don’t tell them….

but I would have done it even without the bribe!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Thanks for letting me do it gang!
What are we doing next year?
Oh – – – I am so too eager….….

Thanks ever so much and a Card Giveaway!

/ Jodi / 73 Comments

PP269 Let us Give Thanks Fall Theme Card

How did it get to be November already?!  (And as hubby reminded me yesterday, only a little over seven weeks until Christmas!)

I do enjoy this time of year with all of the holidays and preparations and family time.

November reminds me to be thankful, and our theme for this week’s Paper Players Challenge seems so fitting:  Let Us Give Thanks – Fall Thank You Cards (PP269).

So on this first day of November, I want to say Thank YOU ever so much my “lifeinbetweener” friends.  I so enjoy sharing this journey with you and appreciate your comments and kind words whether in the form of a like or comment here, on Facebook, Twitter, an email or card, or in person.  Thank you for sharing lifeinbetween.me with your family and friends.  I am always amazed when someones comes up to me and says something like, “My friend told me about your blog, and I read it every day,”  And then I love when they tell me what they like best – whether it’s the recipes or stories or photos or DIY cards or watercolor art or crafts or chuckles with Charlie – all the stuff I love to do “in between.”

I would like to send this card to one of you to use to send to someone you want to thank.  Simply leave a comment –  a simple hello or anything that is on your mind, and I will do a random drawing on Friday to choose someone to send this too.  I may even add another bonus card or two!

PP269 Let us Give Thanks Fall Theme Card flat

For my stamping and papercrafting friends, here is how I made this card:

  • I masked off an oval in the center of a piece of very vanilla card stock and stamped it with the Penny Black Script Letter Background stamp in Memento Black ink.
  • I then randomly stamped on top of the edges with the Inkadinkado Maple Leaf stamp.
  • This was followed by sponging the edges in three layers of color beginning with StampinUp Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, and finally Cajun Craze inks.
  • I cut out two ovals with StampinUp Oval Framelits using #2 and #3 from the smallest – #2 in very vanilla and #3 in black.
  • Same sponging was done on the small oval as the larger piece, and then I stamped the Thanks ever so much Sentiment on using the Paper Smooches Pretty Phrases stamp set.
  • To put it all together, I matted with another piece of black onto a Crushed Curry Base.
  • Embellishments to finish it off included some dark brown candy dots, a bow of linen thread, and a ribbon of burlap.

Be sure to check out the other design inspiration cards by our amazing design team at The Paper Players and play along with us.

Thanks again friends, and be sure to leave a comment for the drawing!  I can’t wait to share this with someone.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Happy Halloween!

/ Jodi / 22 Comments

scarecrow halloween card watercolor doodlewash

Happy Halloween!

I doodlewashed this scarecrow by sketching it first in pencil  on watercolor paper, then dropping in water color paint, and finishing off by outlining with a Black .05 Micron Pen.  (inspired by an adorable design I saw at  Free Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps via a Google Image Search).

l made this little cutie into a card and sent to my sweet bestie, Jill, as a thank you for the adorable Halloween treats she sent from Wicked Good Cupcakes!

Wishing you a few fun tricks
and lots of treats
on this Halloween holiday!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The other side of the fog

/ Jodi / 27 Comments

foggy barbara j conneaut lake black and white monochrome

When life gets foggy,
thick and blurry,
and you can’t see as far ahead as you would like…

When there is no other direction to go
except through it…
do it!

Things are clearer
once you get through it…
on the other side of the fog.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A”pear”antly Pears!

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

pears in watercolor

I am having so much fun loosening up and watercolor painting while learning online with Art Tutor.  What a great way to learn and grow at your own pace with lots of great tutorials!

These pears are a practice in negative painting in watercolor that I did last weekend.

I lightly sketched two pears in pencil, loosely dropped some yellow and red in them, let dry, and then negatively painted in blue and red.

Trying to get my creative groove back – loosening up and having fun!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Cinnamon Chip Brown Sugar Cookies

/ Jodi / 31 Comments

cinnamon chip cookie stack

I’ve been bursting with excitement to share this recipe that is bursting with cinnamon flavor!

cinnamon chip cookies

I daresay this is my absolute FAVORITE new cookie recipe. So cinnamony perfect and delicious for this time of year!

cinnamon chip cookies 2

If you are a fan of cinnamon, this cookie is going to ROCK your WORLD!

I found this recipe on LemonsforLulu’s blog and couldn’t wait to try.

All I can say is – STOP reading right now… preheat your oven…. get out your mixer… “Do Not Pass Go,” “Do Not Collect $200.”

Thank me later…
I’ll be waiting to hear!

Cinnamon Chip Brown Sugar Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:cinnamon chip cookie stack

  • 2 cups butter (at room temperature or you can slightly melt in microwave)
  • 3 cups brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • 4 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
  • 2 10 oz bags Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl of a mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg and mix well. Add baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and combine.   Carefully add flour and combine until soft dough forms.  Stir in cinnamon chips.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake just until edges are set, about 8­-9 minutes. Do not overbake.  Let cookies cool for another minute or two on the stone or baking sheet before removing to cooling rack to cool completely.

These are absolutely the most amazing cinnamony luvin’ from the oven cookies ever!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The Fragility of Life

/ Jodi / 35 Comments

bird silhouette on window

Oh beautiful bird
please be careful.
The reflection you see is deceiving.
The imprint you leave so haunting.

This photo is of a window in our breakfast nook where a bird recently hit, but survived (as far as we know).

I often look at it – –  and see
what looks like
angel wings…
or a spirit…
a symbol of flight…
a symbol of freedom….
a reminder of
the fragility of life.

Hugs,
Jodi

Healthy and Oh So Yummy Italian Spaghetti Squash

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

spaghetti squash 1

I know I often post yummy cookie and dessert recipes (and do I ever have an amazing Cinnamon Chip Brown Sugar Cookie recipe I will be posting later this week that I think has become my ALL TIME FAVORITE cookie ever!  Get READY cinnamon lovers!)…

But I had to share this amazingly delicious, totally healthy, guilt-free recipe for SQUASH (of all things squash!) that has even won over hubby and son despite it’s “healthiness!”  Yahoo!

spaghetti squash 2

It is spaghetti squash – Italian style, and it barely has any calories despite it’s full-flavor and filling-ness.  You can eat oodles of this and not feel a bit guilty!

spaghetti squash

You can serve it as a vegetarian main course or as a side dish with a protein.

We had it as a side with dry-rubbed pork tenderloin on the grill and a fresh salad for Sunday dinner.

Here’s the recipe as I make it.  Hope you will try, and let me know what you think.  I would love to hear how you make it too!

Italian Spaghetti Squash

  • Servings: approximately 6
  • Print

Ingredients:spaghetti squash

  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large can diced tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp dried Italian Seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

  • Pierce whole squash 3-4 times with a fork, and microwave for approximately 12 minutes.
  • Let cool slightly until manageable to work with.
  • Cut squash in half and remove seeds.
  • Scrape squash with fork forming strands of “spaghetti,” and set aside.
  • In a large skillet saute chopped onion in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until “sweated” out – 2-3 minutes.
  • Add minced garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add spaghetti squash and saute all together.
  • Add diced tomatoes and seasonings and saute all together.
  • Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!  It sure is great when you can find a recipe that is healthy, hearty, and full-flavored too!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Sketch Challenge for The Paper Players

/ Jodi / 40 Comments

pp268 sketch challenge bloom with hope and timeless elegance dsp

This week’s challenge at The Paper Players is a sketch challenge, so I created this sympathy card for my design team inspiration card.

A little designer series paper from Stampin’ Up’s Timeless Elegance, a little watercoloring on the stamped flower from SU Bloom with Hope, and a cute little bee cut out of English Garden DSP and bedazzled with some Glossy Accents to make it pop and shine!

pp268 sketch challenge bloom with hope and timeless elegance dsp closeup

On the inside, I stamped off the Bloom with Hope flower stamp a few times before stamping in the card to give it a lighter watermarked look and then added the sentiment on top.

pp268 sketch challenge bloom with hope and timeless elegance dsp inside

Hope my papercrafting friends will join us in The Paper Players sketch challenge  #PP268 this week.  I also have to say the other design team members’ cards are exceptionally amazing this week.  Check out these talented ladies!

Claire Creates Cards
Stampin! with Jaydee
The Crafty Owl
Stamping Up North
Week Inklings
Canopy Crafts
Stamp with Sandy
Stamp with Amy K
My Paper Tales

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Awesomely Autumn

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

Fence and Autumn Tree Watercolor Card

It is awesomely Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and I can’t remember the last time I have enjoyed this season so much!

Is it a more beautiful than ever one this year?  

It seems to be peaking a bit later or lasting a bit longer this year…

The sky seems bluer…

the sun warmer and brighter…

the air fresher…

the colors more vibrant.

Or has it always been like this and I am just learning to appreciate it?

Charlie and I try to talk a walk every day, and there is a beautiful yard we walk by that has this fence that has often attracted me and I have photographed before.  The colors of the trees around it yesterday were so amazing! They inspired me to come back and paint late afternoon.

I have been struggling with my watercolor painting lately… I keep thinking that I should be doing much better at this point, but then I don’t do it as much as I would like.

This little painting just felt good to do.  I was relaxed and just took a half hour to unwind and enjoy.  It is surely not a work of art, but it is a work of heART, and I’m okay with that.

Some wise artist friends have been offering great advice, and I am learning that sometimes trying too hard or not just enjoying what we are doing can stifle our creativity.  I am trying to worry less about what the end result will be and let the art speak for itself, so this is what I ended up with.

My “Mom 2,” Carole, has been an inspiration to me in the journey to learn to love Fall.  She chooses a special tree each day to appreciate, and has influenced me think about it too.

This was my tree yesterday, and I am going to send her this card to let her know how much I appreciate and think of her.

Hope you are having an awesomely amazing Autumn (or Spring for those in the Southern Hemi!).  Happy Weekend!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi