C is for...

My last swap of the year...

I had signed up for the C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S. Swap a bit ago. The theme was, each pocket decoration had to correspond the letter of Christmas. For example... C for Candy Canes!

You can't see the candy canes here because the tassel was covering it up here. This was my most simple PL, but one of my favorites!

And finally, the PL from my partner arrived today! 

Allison makes her PLs extra special by decorating the back. She makes little doors and sneaks in extra decoration underneath! Many of our pocket decorations were the same too! 

This was such a great way to end the year! An amazing PL to fit in the last spot in my binder! Here's to 2016!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Snowmen!

The end of the year is approaching...

And this morning I only had 2 more PLs to receive before the end of the year. My poor 2 inch binder is nearly splitting at the seams. 

I'd recently ordered a Cricut Cartridge that if wanted. It seems I had it at one point but it vanished. And I needed it for a swap soon. 

The theme? Snowmen! 

All the snowmen were cut on my Cricut. Then hand colored with my Copic markers. I also cut the snowglobe out and trees inside it. I added some beautiful pearl and rhine stone embellishments. 

This was going to someone who had been eager to swap with me. Lucky for us, we were paired this time around!

And today, the one she made me arrived! 

Look at all the unique snowmen! Each had its own flair but they all blended together! And man, talk about sparkle! The photo simply doesn't do it a justice! Notice how hers had a snowglobe too? Haha! Oh and the bracelet...apparently she does those on the side! How spoiled was I?!

We had so much fun with this swap, and I'm sure we will swap again soon! :) 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

More Texas Side Swaps!

Today was a great mail day for me!

First, the mailman brought my new Cricut Cartridge I'd been waiting for, and then I got some Happy Mail from my friend Shaunery! But the icing on the cake was a PL from Sabita!

Recently I had sent her this!

The final product was a bit different. I added her name and added/moved around some embellishments! We opted for no theme, but this sure did turn out fun and funky! 

And here is the stunner Sabita sent me!

Just look at how clean and crisp it all is! I love the doll, and how she chose to do a landscape PL layout. I love the little Texas tags she adds to all of her pages too! 

Sabita really makes some beautiful PLs, and I can't wait to swap with her again soon!

Now, onto creating! Can't wait to share this one soon! 

Shabby Chic!

A week or two ago my friend Kim decided to start a Texans only PL swap group...

Of course, I was in! And almost immediately I got into a swap with another Texan. Mel had been interested in doing a Shabby Chic swap, and I promised to fulfill her desire, as soon as my homework vanished. 

But here's the thing, I had never done a 'Shabby Chic' swap before. So, I had to do some research. No sooner than I had set to work, something gorgeous laid in front of me. 

Let's see, there are... Pearls, wooden accents, brads, buttons, flowers, die cut doilies, sequins, and distress inks too. Sweet baby pinks, and periwinkle blues! I added some lace trim, and a sweet lace bow to one of the pockets. And then, I posted a sneak peak to some of my groups!

I haven't been able to mail mine just yet, but I promised to mail it tomorrow. But Mel's came today, much to my surprise! 

What a stunner! I can't even begin to explain how beautiful this is. There are rhinestones and pearl accents galore. A few vintage sticker decals, and delicate lace too! I think what I loved the most was the pink ruler style Washi that she used to trim the edge with. 

I asked if she'd like to see mine, and she jumped at the chance. Apparently I did pretty darn good for having never made such a style before. 

And evidently it was a hit with the other ladies too. June seemed to especially love it. So I made her a gift that I will send out tomorrow too. 

This is my very own one of a kind 'Pocket Strip'. 1/3 of a normal PL, with no goodies in back because it is double sided. I did my best to replicate the Shabby Chic feel. I hope she is surprised, and that she loves it just as much as she expressed a fondness for the original inspiration.

Well, school is done and it's time for me to finally get some rest, so...

Until next time,

C.Jackson

When Christmas comes early...

Just me again...

I'm sick still, Bronchitis and Pneumonia now, which is what I feared would happen, but my last official day of classes is Thursday, and my projects will all be done by then!

Onto more crafty things...

My PL Pal Kimberly and I had decided to do a Christmas swap, and opted to send each other some sweet presents as an extra treat. I had her PL done and waiting in the wings for a while...

She admired some of the paper and styling a from my Winter Wonderland swap. So I scraped together the leftover paper, colored a snowman, and embellished until I just couldn't fit anything else on! I wrapped up her presents, and in the mail it went!

Funny story...mine was supposed to be here on the 27th, the day after Thanksgiving, BUT it got sent to the wrong town. Go figure. So after a call, her treat to me finally showed up in my mailbox. And man was I in for a treat indeed!

To begin with, the double sided paper she used was gorgeous. But what took me aback were the details. There was a sweet resin snowflake button on the bottom, and the wooden reindeer had rhinestone eyes. But she also 'singed' them with a match to make them look toasty. But my favorite part? The cat...

She has me figured out for sure!

Look at all the treats she sent!

I squealed when each detail unveiled itself, and trust me, that was quite a sound with a flemghy, hushed voice!

Christmas came early indeed, and we can't wait to swap again! We are already plotting more PLs in the future. A challenge she gave me, and a theme, the first letter of our names! 

Oh what fun!

Kim, you're a rockstar!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Adding to Lorrie's Story...

I remember my first swap with Lorrie...it was my first PL swap ever!

8 swaps later, and we finally decided it was time to swap again, this time, just for fun!

Here is what I sent out to Lorrie:

I was inspired by her blog, titled Lorrie's Story. I added hints of gold, and of course when you need an 'S' you can never find one, so a 'Z' happend to work for the moment. I've had fun making the bows to cover my shaker pocket seams, and this was no exception. I loved how I was able to use the red heart strips to make the large card look like it had been 'taped'. 

Finally, my sweet treat from Lorrie arrived today! 

Look at the cute socks and the awesome felt letter! 

Here is the professional photo she usually takes. I'm in love with the vintage theme this Christmas PL has. She even included some of her wonderful buttons that she hand makes. Oh, and we can't forget the jingle bell. Such a sweet touch! And even though we set no theme, the timing is right for Holiday PLs galore.   

I love Lorrie's pocket letters, she has such an elegant style that I admire so... 

Can't wait to swap again soon Lorrie!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

More fun on the side...

Recently I've been exchanging more PLs in side swaps than through events. 

June is a member of our swap group who makes some stunning pieces. I was tickled when she asked if I'd like to swap on the side here and there. I happily agreed, and we set up our 'rules': No themes unless we feel like it and no goodies, unless we just couldn't help ourselves. 

I set to work with some new Project Life cards and whipped out this:

This was a new style for me. 2 pockets have cards in them, 2 other pockets are shakers, 1 pocket had a card ontop, and then a jumbo card sat atop the last four. I fell in love with the colors immediately too. And the black bows just set it off, I love to make them. 

Soon enough, my first one of a kind June Arnold PL arrived!

I got another doll! That alone made me squeal. But just look at how sweet this Christmas themed PL is! I especially love the reindeer on the bottom. The banners are a nice touch too! I love that they are attached to simple paper clips, I must try this soon. The word "Merry" is actually a tag too! It was all so beautifully pieces together! 

Thank you June for asking me if I would like to swap, I can't wait to do more in the future! 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Winter Wonderland!

Life is spiraling into chaos...

School is almost over, which means there are endless amounts of projects to perfect and turn in. I'm stressed. I'm exhausted. I'm about one split hair away from a meltdown at any moment. 

And I believe the reason I haven't imploded just yet is because I've been making Pocket Letters. 

Recently I signed up for a Winter Wonderland themed swap. Here is what I sent out:

Silver and gold ruled this letter. I had some beautiful winter paper I picked up from my LSS, and I decided I needed to add a stamped and colored snowman to give it some personality. I added some acetate ornament decorations and in the mail it went!

My partner got awfully busy with life. I don't blame her at all, my life has been a mess. But when it arrived today, I knew why it took a little longer to arrive...

It was so beautifully wrapped. Every embellishment is perfect for the theme. And there were so many treats and goodies she added in. By the time I had unwrapped it all and emptied the pockets, I began to cry...

I've been so stressed, tired, and cranky and all it took to unravel me was this. Someone who took the time out of her own busy schedule to still think of me.

Thanks Veronica, we will trade again soon!

Until next time,

C.Jackson 

Puurfection.

Side swaps are fun!

It's like having a pen pal, except you aren't confined to lined paper. 

Kim & I have done 3 swaps now. The first one we were paired for a theme swap in our group. The other two have been swaps on the side, just for fun! 

Recently, I sent her this:

I loved the colors! I added little touches all along the way too. Like the brass brads. And the you & me, our never ending story (I hope it never ends)! And the bows were a nice touch too. I'm able to make those fairly easily now. But something just seemed unfinished about it. That was until I looked up and saw my favorite 3D cat stickers. Two little blue cats, one for each of us, really finished this PL off. 

 Well, today I received the one she made me. And man oh man, she nailed my personality spot on. Talk about squealing with joy!

Insert Crazy Cat Lady title! Just look at this! The colors! The little sayings! The cats! It is me! It's puurfect!

Look at the goodies too! All with little nods to my obsession, erm, my favorite pet! 

What a perfect treat to receive on this gloomy and rainy day! 

School is almost over and I'm bogged down with final projects. I can't wait to share more PLs with you inbetween!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

I'm behind!

Very. Very Behind. 

I've created 5 PLs since my last post, but now that I have a few regulars, I can't ruin any surprises! I hope to be updating my blog soon!

Until then,

C.Jackson

Just for Fun!

Lately I've had the pleasure of being assigned swap partners who are in my state...

Kimberly and I traded for the Red, White & Blue Swap and decided we must do it again! So we went for it, no theme, strictly just for fun...

I sent her this. Quite girly, sparkly, and most of all, happy! The sticker set was a Dollar Tree find, and I used a combination of Project Life and other general scrapping goodies. I even put my old and often finicky Cricut to work. I smuggled a couple of Dollar Store sequin finds to her, and in the mail it went!

I must tell you, the anticipation of waiting for a PL just drives me insane. But today it arrived! 

Now, tell me that is not the most bright and happy thing you've ever seen?! Her shaker pockets usually contain other finds like buttons and rhinestones. And this shaker pocket certainly did not disappoint! There were even some beads in it! Oh, and that little bird on the bottom left...its a magnet! I stinkin' love magnets! And it is hand made, what could be better?

I think we are both enjoying some our on the side swap ideas, because we've already arranged for 2 more encounters! 

Until next time,

C.Jackson 

Shaker Pockets

Rain, rain, go away...

But only because you've delayed the arrival of my newest PL! 

A week ago I sent out this beauty:

The theme was 'Shaker Pockets'. And of course, I'm still without the proper things to make a shaker. But I managed to make each pocket have its own unique shaker. 

I was so relieved when my partner told me she liked it! It's not easy to make something when you don't have all the right materials. And of course, I usually don't let them leave my hands until they are perfect and I'm satisfied with the final product. 

Well, because of the excessive rain, my pocket letter from my partner that was supposed to arrive on Saturday didn't arrive until today, Monday. 

But let me tell you, it was so worth the wait! 

Look at this! All the shaker pockets are removable. And the simplicity just was breathtaking! And the goodies, holy cow! I felt so spoiled!

I'm blown away!

This is my second time receiving a partner in my home state, and we have already made plans to swap again soon, just for fun! 

It's been a blast to participate in this, and I'm looking forward to many more swaps.

Until next time,

C.Jackson 

Preview!

School has kept me so incredibly busy lately!

And there is literally only 5 weeks or so left, and not to mention, several more projects and assignments. Probably going to need another long homework session this weekend.

In the meantime, here is what I've been up to!

I signed up for the "Shaker Pocket Letter" themed swap. Seeing as I don't have a Fuse Tool yet, I had to get creative with this one!

I also asked my previous partner Kimberly from the Red, White & Blue swap, if she wanted to swap on the side. Sure enough she was delighted to, so I'll be sending this to her on Friday! No theme, just for fun! 

I expect to have received my PLs from both of them by Wednesday of next well. I can't wait to share!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Red, White & Blue-tiful!

I've grown quite fond of the Postal Service this week!

Yesterday I received my BCA PL and today I got my Red, White & Blue one! 

Here is what I sent to my partner...

Not my usual style, but I do have a thing for embellishments or 'flair' if you will. I made the shaker cards, and stamped out the red striped stars. I added red glitter to the edges of those. And that stubborn scroll border would not stay in place, so I made it stay with some brads, in the colors of the theme. But when it was finished, I loved it so!

And here is what arrived today...

Isn't this so fun?! I'm glad my partner and I shared the same idea of 'stars'! I absolutely adore the glitter tape pieces she added all over. But my favorite part was the shaker card. Because, it was actually removable. So I could take it out and swing it all over to my hearts content! 

Man...I really need to get a Fuse. 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Breast Cancer PL Swap!

Another swap is complete...

A few weeks ago I finished up this very special PL...

Breast Cancer awareness is very near and dear to my heart as some of you may know. It was hard to send this one out. 

But I got one back that was just as special!

I just loved the little touches my partner added! Running Shoe buttons to signify the walk. Bras, because, well...obviously! The little sayings all over were so sweet! But the goodies were just as special! She sent me a planner for next year and left little messages all through it. I was very touched! 

Needless to say, it was another very successful swap! And it was only my 2nd one! 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Red, White, & Blue...

I just finished my 3rd pocket letter...

I think the best part about a pocket letter is that once you're given the general theme, you're free to make it any way you'd like!

For example, this most recent theme was: Red, White & Blue. 

A closeup of some of the minor, but many, details!

I had some partriotic paper, so that's kind of where my mind wandered to. Here is the finished piece:

Although I used the same placements for the shaker cards, this one is very different from my other PLs. I added more 'flair', or embellishments, than I usually do. There are metal pieces here and there, stars galore, and some glitter too! The silly border piece along the edge would not stay glued, even with the strongest stuff I had, so I ended up setting it in place with brads to match the theme. 

I've really enjoyed how this one turned out, and I can't wait for my partner to get it!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Pocket Letters!

It's been a while since I've posted about my cards, but I've also really needed to find my own 'niche'...

Lately I've been showing you a bit about my Pocket Letters. Essentially, they are collectible card pouches that are filled with love and creativity. Instead of holding baseball cards or regular trading cards, they hold one of a kind crafty cards, and behind each card there are extra goodies to be found. 

My good friend Shaunery led me down my recent path to ATCs and finally to the doorstep of a wonderful Pocket Letter swap group! 

My first ever Pocket Letter to create was this one:

Inspired by the theme of 'LOVE', I really impressed myself with it. You'd never be able to tell that this was my first PL, let alone, my first swap! 

And then it happened, I got paired with a partner...and that partner just so happened to be the wonderful woman who created our group. Oh man, talk about PRESSURE! I'd seen her post countless pictures of her creations...how could I ever live up to that?

But I did, I mean, is my Pocket Letter not absolutely fabulous?

Well, the one she sent me finally came in the mail...drumroll please...

Is it not the most amazing thing you've ever laid eyes on? And can you believe it's mine?! This one of a kind piece of art is MINE! And it just took my breath away! 

I so enjoyed pulling out all the little extra goodies she'd put behind each card. I've never felt so special before! 

I hope she likes mine! Granted, I put my extras to her in separate little baggies in the package itself, so I kind of bent the requirements to fit my needs (it felt like some kind of sin to put them behind my cards, and trust me, some of them I had to make sure were perfectly placed). But I really hope she likes hers! Because the pictures don't do it a justice! 

So, without further hesitation, I'd like you to get to know lore about my partner, the amazing: Lorrie Nunemaker!

Her blog will now be included amongst my hot links section (with her permission of course)!

It seems I've really found my niche. But I'll still be up to my regular crafty antics, handmade cards included, because that's where it started after all...

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Still...

Still sick...still chugging along...

I finished my Breast Cancer Awareness Pocket Letter. 

Wanna see?

A few 'ribbons' here and there, but pink can be found everywhere! Inspirational messages like, "Be Brave" and "Beautiful" scattered about. I am so tempted to say that I love this more than my "Love" PL! 

I'll be sending both letters out on Thursday. And I'll be working on this in the mean time...

Red, White, & Blue - PL #3 in the works!

Until next time,

C.Jackson

I get knocked down...

But I get up again, you're never gunna keep me down...

Ok. I'm sick. I'll admit it finally. I've been battling my allergies for the last few weeks and then the drainage made my throat raw. And we all know I'm burning the candle at both ends, at home and at school. 

My step-son's mother came over to chat and wanted to take her youngest's temperature. But of course we had to test mine first so he would be a little calmer. 

100.3

Okay. I'm sick. 

His was 98.6, go figure! 

So as I relax and rest this weekend I took a quick visit to my LSS. While there I picked up some amazing new paper and goodies! 

The top page is from a collection of Webster's Pages. I just love their collections!

And as you can see I've got a theme there, pink. 

Well I needed all of this for my next pocket letter swap. I have been assigned a partner and I have a week or two to mail it out. And the theme is Breast Cancer Awareness! 

After a nap I decided to get up and start on a few.  

Beauty blossoms from inside! Cancer may take a breast, but that doesn't make you any less beautiful! 

I'm excited to finish it and send it off! 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Pocket Swap - Complete!

Sign-ups don't close until October 4th...

And they must be sent by October 25th...

But my pocket of ATCs is COMPLETE! 

(Can you say over achiever?)

The wait is killing me, I'm so excited to send it off and all the bonus goodies I've included...

Perhaps my greatest accomplishment of it all is the 2nd card on the top and bottom rows. These are actually 'shaker' cards. The hearts are sealed in clear plastic (I used one of my laminating sheets) and encased inside is glitter, rhinestones, and little gold hearts! For not having any of the right materials, and it being my first time to make them, I was tickled that they came out so nicely! 

What do you think? Did I nail the "Love" theme?

The next one I've signed up for is Breast Cancer Awareness, that will be an emotional one...

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Pocket Swap!

I've signed up for my first official pocket swap!

This means, that I send 9 hand made artist trading cards, all placed neatly in a collectible card holder page, to a partner who I will be randomly assigned to!

The theme: Love

Partners haven't been assigned yet but I already have gotten started! 

This one was inspired by another one I made previously. So in love with the colors and distressed edges!

No scrap paper this time! Paint and gold embossing to match the gold accents on the other card!

I can't wait to make the rest! 2 down, 7  to go! 

Until next time,

C.Jackson

Happy...

Amidst a day filled with many emotions...

I still did my best to find the happy things.  In between my homework I've decided to entertain my brain with crafts. Most of what I've made have been artist trading cards. And then it donned on me, why not send out some happy mail?

My first happy mail package. My dear friend Korin got her own special trading card along with some of my handmade cards. 

Another friend will be getting this one sometime next week! She was also a customer of mine earlier this year. I made her those awesome Alabama themed Christmas cards!

A mentor of mine will be getting this one at the end of next week. I actually used Copics on the hummingbird. I followed behind with my favorite Kalidescope embossing powder to give it a lifelike shimmer. 

This one will be going to an acquaintance of mine who has helped me with some research. She's pretty incredible. The hearts are actually gold, but it was awfully difficult to photograph! 

You can see it a little better here! 

So there you have it. This is how I found my happy today, even though tears still had their way. 

Until next time,

C.Jackson