Girlfriends

Cherish the Moments

/ Jodi / 69 Comments

gfc-gs

I am so fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful friends.  Earlier this week, my sweet Bubby, who lives two hours away, asked if I wanted to meet the GFC Gang halfway between our homes for a holiday lunch get-together.

Well – invite me to lunch… or coffee… or dinner… or whatever…. with friends, and I’m pretty much one to drop whatever task at hand is on my holiday staycation schedule and do it.

And so I did.

And before I left, I decided to see if my daughter-in-law and granddaughter wanted to join us.  After all, among the many other things my Bubby and I share, we became first-time grandmas only five days apart several weeks ago when each of our eldest children (sons) blessed us with grandchildren.

My daughter-in-law (much like me), said “what time are you leaving?” and happily joined us.

Well – of course Bubby immediately called her daughter-in-law, and invited her and her grandson too.

gfc-gsj

How sweet to watch these two new moms so lovingly care for our new little loves.  (Though our cute little “C” was not in the mood to pose.  She wanted to sleep.)

gfc-g-1

What a joy it was to share this time together.  The babies were passed around between all the ladies, and we sure enjoyed the snuggles and squiggles.

gfc-gss

Until the phone rang – about halfway through lunch- with the sad, sad news of the passing of my brother, who is just 13 months younger than me.

The blessing in disguise is that I was surrounded with love…
surrounded with support…
allowed to process the shock, the grief, the anger, the sadness, the anxiety…
by being with some of the people
who have grown to become family to me,
who understand the circumstances,
who help make up for the family I’ve lost.

Friendship is truly a gift to cherish.

And I sure do cherish
these sweet special ladies.

I believe life is truly all about relationships.
Please take the time to cherish the ones you love,
the ones you call friends,
the moments you share.

Those moments can be taken away from you
in a blink…
in a moment.

Today is my birthday.
I am cherishing the moments.
I hope you will too.

gfc-g-2

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

25 Things that Make Me Happy

/ Jodi / 7 Comments

never too much happy mojo monday 357

A Short and Random List of Just Some of the Things that make me HAPPY:

  1. Lots of people in my home
  2. The phone ringing at 7:03 am – and my Dad on the other end saying “Good Morning”
  3. Marty’s laugh
  4. Seeing my boys in love
  5. Seven Deadly Zins Red Zinfandel
  6. When my boss sends a reply email to a project I’ve done with a one word reply:  “Perfect”
  7. Mikey’s tail wagging and the greeting I get EVERY time I come home – even if I was only gone 10 minutes
  8. Girlfriends – deep conversations and belly laughs
  9. Sunshine and blue skies
  10. Bombay & Tonic with lime and lots of ice on a hot evening
  11. Sending a card to a friend “just because”
  12. My first cup of coffee in the morning with sweet Italian cream
  13. Text messages from Rob and Ella
  14. Brady Bunch songs
  15. The beach
  16. Tight hugs
  17. Smiles from strangers
  18. Christmas music
  19. The smell of Apricot Nut Bread – Grandma’s recipe
  20. Baking cookies for friends and family
  21. Thursday date night to John’s Bar
  22. Finding and giving just the perfect gift
  23. Allowing myself to get lost in a good book
  24. Marty snoring – because that means he is there beside me
  25. People saying “Love ya”

You can NEVER have too much happy – right?!

never too much happy mojo monday 357 flat

So I had fun making this card for Mojo Monday Challenge #357 and using this Stampinup Yippee-Skippee Stamp sentiment:  “You Can Never have Too Much Happy,” which I heat embossed with white on Blackberry Bliss cardstock.

This is the sketch we were to follow:

mojo357

I used some Park Lane DSP, some more of the new In Colors: Hello Honey and Tangelo Twist with some classic Old Olive, and stamped and cut out the flower and leaf from SU Flower Patch.  I embellished with a few of my homemade faux enamel dots, and the finishing touch was a spritz of Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (which I picked up on our brief shopping trip to Hobby Lobby this weekend).  Fun!

never too much happy mojo monday close up shimmer mistI love how the light catches the Shimmer mist, but it was hard to capture in a photograph.  I can’t wait to share this with someone and hopefully make them happy.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Girlfriend Camp 2014 #GFC2014

/ Jodi / 9 Comments

Oh what a glorious TWENTY FIVE hours I got to spend from 11 am Saturday to 12pm Sunday with some of the best of besties at our Annual Girlfriend Camp 2014!

What started like this…

Morning Toast GFC2014

Toasting the beginning of Camp with Prosecco, Limoncello and Fresh Raspberry Cocktails

GFC2014 police

What happens @ #GFC2014 stays at #GFC2014

…ended like this…

but I skipped a few things in between….

So first – Meet the campers:  Camp Host – Yours truly… “Tipsy”

GFC2014 Jodi Tipsy

Our Amazing Activities Director “Chitfaced”

GFC2014 Pam Chitfaced

the Baby – or should I say “Babe” of the group – “Bombed”

GFC2014 Renee Bombed

Social Media Director “Buzzed”

GFC2014 Jill Buzzed

The tart “Pickled”

GFC2014 Joan Pickled

The Lovely “Loaded”

GFC2014 Aline Loaded

And the Terrific “Toasted”

GFC2014 Janet toasted

Every camp has to have craft time – right?

GFC2014 Painting

GFC2014 Aline Painting

GFC2014 Janet painting

GFC2014 Pam Painting

GFC2014 Jill painting

GFC2014 Joan Painting

And goody bags and gifts from friends….

GFC2014 wine glasses

Silly glasses and blowing bubbles…

GFC2014 bubbles

 

And Camp Activities…

GFC2014 Minute to Win It

Minute to Win It Buzzed Whippin’ it good

GFC2014 Minute to Win It 2

Minute to Win it Top Technique!

GFC2014 Minute to Win It 3

Minute to Win It Loaded with …. errr…. Vaseline on her nose

GFC2014 MInute to Win It 4

Minute it to Win It Cotton Ball Challenge

GFC2014 Minute to Win It 5a

Minute to Win It TEAMS!

And #Selfies…

GFC2014 Aline and Renee Selfie

And Smart A$$es…

FU GFC2014

And “Take our Picture!” s…

GFC2014 glasses

to refreshments….

GFC2014 Wine Tasting

and group photos….

GFC2014 group glasses

GFC2014 group

and when in Mars, PA – you must visit the infamous spaceship in town square ….. go there in camp jammies….. in the rain….. and find random (somewhat sober) people to take your picture…

GFC2014 Spaceship

GFC2014 spaceship 2

And the best Chef Merv made us an amazing Morning After Breakfast – and this is the only photo we will share of the morning after…

GFC2014 morning after

Because some things that happen at Girlfriend Camp, need to just stay at Girlfriend Camp!

Thanks for a great time “girls!” Love ya!!! Couldn’t have had more fun – Until GFC2015….

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Hello Friday!

/ Jodi / 2 Comments

Blended Bloom Hi There in Yello and Denim

HELLLLOOOO Friday! Always happy to see you!  And especially this Friday, because tomorrow is Girlfriend Camp (GFC) with a few of my favorite “girls” coming to the house.  I guess thinking of GFC got me in a crafty mood (though I probably should have been cleaning or cooking for the girls this week!)  I thought a sunny hello with a yellow and orange SU Blended Blossom and a denim bow was fun, and liked how this card turned out.

Since I was feeling “crafty” – I have a “Three-fer” this week on my usual Friday card posting.

hello

This card was a fun new technique to try for my stamping and crafting friends.  I first sponged some pink and blue and brown on whisper white card stock.  Then I chose a fun chevron embossing folder, which I spritzed with water (on the side that does not have the print of the name on it), pressed my sponged paper in – ink against water – briefly – then dried to give this fun effect.  I then layered it on with complimentary colored card stock, added my favorite “Hello” stamp from my StampinUp “Hi There” set by inking with Versamark and then embossing in gold.  Finished it off with a bow of soft twine and a couple sparkly sequins.

Whats Your Type and Just Sayin

This third one was totally just winged out of trying some new stamps.  I got the Stampinup What’s Your Line and Just Sayin sets, so just started goofing around here.  I stamped some of the random shapes in Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizazz and Crumb Cake inks (are you hungry now?) on SU Watercolor paper (I have to say – I was trying to just use some cheaper stuff I had and can’t believe the difference in quality!).  I then spritzed it all with water and put some coarse sea salt on top while it dried.  I then embossed the Hey There in Gold on translucent parchment and again embellished with some soft twine – the thinner this time and gold sequins with a dab of crystal effects.  Layered it up and even put a strip of the water color paper on the inside.  I kind like it.  It is a softer style.

Just for fun – which one do you like best?  No right answer – just curious…

And just havin’ fun….

at Life in Between.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi