It's A Wild, Wild Life

February 2012??? Already? I had the 6th surgery on my left arm this past Tuesday, and have not been able to do very much since. I had a Left Ulnar Reconstruction with Achilles Tendon Allograft. That is a mouthful. Basically the surgeon had to make a sling with an Achilles tendon from a donor. They had to drill 3 holes in the radius bone, and then tighten the tendons and ligaments that have been stretched and destroyed. It has been a little painful, but it is not as bad as some of the other surgeries. So, I am thankful for that. Next Friday I will have my stitches taken out, and I will be put in a long arm cast for 6 weeks. But, it is over and now I can focus on the recovery! I knew that the first few days after surgery I would not be able to create anything, so I was busy before the surgery! I do have all of my supplies together ready to go, and when I am able to, I will be neck high in pretty paper and glue. I have a couple of things to share today. But, I do not have any cards or layouts. These are another side of me. We have been redecorating the kids rooms, and I love to make things to match. Sometimes I have a specific idea of what I am looking for, and I just can't it. That is when I get crafty. Both of my girls have decided on animal print for their rooms. Shelby wants all zebra print accented with pink. Callie decided on giraffe print accented with red. Her combination frightened me initially because I was not sure that 1) I would like the giraffe print with red, and; 2) that we would be able to find items to match. I was wonderfully surprised! I was able to find plenty of giraffe print fabric, towels, sheets, wall hangings, wall decor, and even a giraffe print candle. Then we decided to do some other items in solid red. I found some red minky dot fabric (love love love the softness), and we are now set to make her curtains, pillows, and even a couple of wall hangings. Not sure about the color and the print? Well, check these out:

The red minky dot has also made its appearance on the seat of our hall tree. I will take pictures and post them later. I still have to find the right fabric for two small pillows to sit on the hall tree. Now for the zebra print. When she said she wanted zebra print and pink I wondered how we could decorate a little girls room without it looking like every other little girls room. So, I decided to make it more girly and dress it up. This lamp shade was purchased at Wal-Mart for $8.00. I bought the all the fabric (giraffe and zebra print, pink and red mink dot) at fabric.com. I made a template with a piece of paper for each section. I cut it out and adhered it with my hot glue gun.

I purchased the silver sequin trim at Hobby Lobby. It has elastic in it, and I usually use it for headbands, but I liked that it was a little chunky. I purchased it when their trim was 50% off, and it ended up being $1.50 a roll. Once the shade was covered I added the sequin trim to separate the sections. After that, I decided that I wanted to add some bling to the zebra sections. I love the way it turned out, and at night there is a slight pink cast over her room from the lamp. You can also see the pink silk carnations in the crystal vase. I purchased these at Hobby Lobby as well. I bought the zebra candle at Kohl's (on sale). Next I will be working on her curtains, and a huge pink minky dot cushion cover for the top of her toy box. As soon as I get these rooms finished, I will post pictures. I hope every one is happy, healthy, and over all....Joyful! I have some other fun things to blog about this week. It feels amazing to be back at scrapping, creating, and crafting. My heart is smiling :)

It Has Only Been A While!

My New Year's Resolution is simple: Create More!

I took a year long break off to spend time with the most important things in my life: My Savior, my husband, and my children. Now, it is time to get back to the things I love to do. Scrapping and creating. So, this is the first of many posts to come. I am beyond excited to pick up where I left off. My love of scrapping never ended, but I wanted to make sure my priorities were in order first. I pray they are :)

Thank you for all who have been patient with me..the messages..the emails. It has made my heart happy.

Here is a quick recap of my last year:

I ended up having another surgery in August on my arm.

We prayed about homeschooling, and felt that now was the right time. So, we pulled our 3 littles out, and have enjoyed every minute.

My baby brother was married in June, and deployed to Iraq in August. But he was home for our blessed Christmas.

My husband continues to work hard for us, and love us unconditionally!

I will have to have another surgery at the end of this month, but God is awesome! It is my left arm, and believe it or not, I can create just fine one handed lol

Although this is a short post, I wanted to share some cards that I have done, but have not shared. One you may recognize from the December issue of Cards Magazine.

I am excited about this new beginning, and I hope that you will join me. You can find me on Facebook as JakeandDanielle Wycough! Much love and many more blessings!

The Birthday Girl

Last weekend, we had Shelby's 8th Birthday party. Eight years old?!?! Time flies by so fast, and if I could ever give a new mother one piece of advice, it would be this. Enjoy it. Savor every little moment. Let the house and laundry go. Rock those babies longer than you have too. Spend hours just marveling at their perfect features. Kiss those toes as often as you can. Even in the middle of the night, mark those times as the best because before you know it those moments will be gone....

Her birthday party was a dress up tea party with lots of little girls in dresses, hats, jewelery, and of course heels! They had so much fun. I made a birthday banner for her that is now hanging in her room. I used The Girls' Paperie Jubilee line. Once again, I am saddened by the doors closing on The Girls' Paperie, but thrilled to see what is next! I have been using some of the same embellishments on these banners, especially Prima Fairytale Roses. They are the perfect size for decorating these banners.








While we have been celebrating her birthday, we are also waiting for test results. She has had some issues with her ankles for quite some time now. She can run or jump for about 5 minutes before they swell to the point where they look broken. I have taken her to the doctor before and they thought they were just both badly sprained with ligament damage. Last week, I took her to an orthopedic to try and figure out what was going on. I was not prepared for what the doctor told us. He was concerned about juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It has been difficult for me to talk about because knowing how it could affect her life is almost too much to bear. Now, we are waiting to hear about the results. But, God is great! We witnessed a true miracle a few weeks ago when our oldest son came off of his horse and we had to care flight him to Children's Hospital in Dallas. They did multiple tests including two CT scans, and all the doctors and surgeons agreed that he had a skull fracture. We were admitted to the hospital with that diagnosis. The next morning, a trauma doctor came in and said that she and her team and reviewed the scans again and they just could not see a fracture. Praise the King!!! So, I know that He can do above and beyond what I even pray for.

....I attempted to blog this earlier in the week, but our internet access was awful. This gave time for one more thing to happen :) My mother and I were on our way back from seeing my orthopedic surgeon, who assured me that my arm is great and NO MORE surgeries, when one of the kids schools called. Ethan was out at recess and ran smack dab into a soccer net. Yes, he is definitely my child and he has inherited my grace. The net wrapped around one of his front teeth and pulled it completely out. Roots and all. So, this week consisted of seeing the dentist and orthodontist, who is making him a "flapper". It is basically a retainer with a fake tooth. Although my nerves are undeniably shot, my son is proud of his injury and concurrent missing tooth!! Ahhhh, the joys of having a large family :)

Baby Shower Banner

I have been busy creating away, and I finally took pictures!!!! YAY!!! I have made a few of these banners for baby showers and birthday parties. In fact, I finished another last night using The Girls' Paperie Kitch line! Can I just say that I was so upset to learn that Ms. Margie decided to end The Girls' Paperie :( BUT I can not wait to see what she is up to. I love everything she does, so I know her new venture will be amazing!!!

This banner was made using Graphic 45 Baby to Bride line. I used lots of little embellishments that I had in my stash. I also used Jenni Bowlin's chipboard banners in between two pieces of pennant shaped kraft cardstock. It makes it more durable so that these banners are strong enough to be hung.













I have a couple of cards, and a birthday banner to share. Maybe I can get those loaded before two months lol

Hope everyone is doing well :)

Well, HELLO!

I feel the need to introduce myself....again :) I have not posted in a really long time. A. Really. Really. Long. Time! Last summer, I decided that I wanted to focus on my relationship with my Savior, my husband, and my children. So, I put papercrafting on the back burner. Well, that is a slight exaggeration. I dropped it completely. It has been a time of renewal, reorganizing, de-cluttering, and prioritizing! But, that paper bug bit me again, and hard. I have been creating, and oh my goodness, does it feel fantastic!! I made the cutest banner for my cousin's baby shower. In fact, not to toot my own horn, but it could quite possibly be one of the best things I have ever made. Yep, I love it. Love it so much that I forgot to take any pictures. She has promised me that when they get it put up over the baby's crib she will send me pictures. As I type this, I have some beautiful paper, lots of adhesive, tons of embellishments..all just pleading to be used. I believe I will attempt to quieten their little voices!!

But, here is a short recap of what I have been up to. This year has been so wonderful for so many different reasons.

1. My baby started Kindergarten this year. That's right. I no longer have any little ones at home with me during the day. It was quite an adjustment, and I cried for about 2 weeks. Now, I have started to enjoy those few hours that they are all in school. Plus, it has been an absolute blessing that when my Prince is home, we are able to spend time together. Just he and I.

2. I was finally released from my ortho for my arm/wrist! I never thought the day would come. I have said this so often, but there are so many people dealing with things much worse than a broken arm, and I feel extremely overwhelmed with joy that my mishap is really just an inconvenience.

3. We were blessed with a new nephew. He is adorable, and absolutely loves his Aunt D :)

4. While walking in Build-A-Bear (yet another reason to avoid this place) in December, I felt something in my arm pop! I really did not worry about it until the first part of February when I noticed that I was not able to lift as much weight with my left arm, and that simple everyday tasks were starting to bother it. I made an appointment with my ortho, which was not what I wanted to do. It turns out that the tendon had come lose from the tendon sheath (it holds it to the bone) and everytime I was rotating my arm, the tendon was popping over the little bone that sticks up on my wrist. My choices: Have surgery #4, or leave it and wait until I was unable to use it. So, I had the surgery. In recovery the surgeon informed us that there was much more damage than he had anticipated and I may have to see an ortho specialist who works with joint replacement. But, it is what it is. Being upset about it or worrying about will not change it nor will it affect the outcome. I am completely confident that The Great Physician already has this worked out, so I am just trusting in Him.

5. Life has been happening :) Football, cheer, tumble classes, fundraisers, track, basketball....

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and say hi. I am hoping to get back into my papercrafting routine soon, and hopefully I will be posting some new creations.

Take care,

A Little Late...

Nothing like being MIA!! I just realized that it has been nearly 2 weeks since I updated my blog. Goodness gracious!!!

I have a couple of new cards to share from the June kit at The Little Shabby Box. This kit is filled with Yumminess!!! Brand new Jenni Bowlin, Elle's Studio, and TONS of gorgeous ribbon and buttons!

I could not resist using the buttons :) This card just makes me happy. I think it is the yellow and blue!



Here is a close up of the tag with ALL the buttons!


I really like the yellow and red on this card. I LOVE the flower embellishment. I layered the butterfly and the Love You button on it.



And...a close up of all the layers :)


Definitely check out the kits from The Little Shabby Box! There is so much in them, and every single item is Gorgeous!

Well, I have a little news that I can tell today....and some other news that I have to wait to tell you! I made the Kaisercraft Design Team!!! I am over the moon excited about it. I use their bling, rub-ons....well a lot of Kaiser's products all the time. I can't wait to start showing y'all the things I get to play with.

I hope everyone is doing well. Is it about time for some blog candy???? I have some other big news to share, and when I do, I think there should be some BIG blog candy :)

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Maybe Baby!!

Today, I am sharing a couple of projects on the Paper Trunk blog!! I made a little paper garland and a card to coordinate with the Maybe Baby line. Love that name :)

Here are some pictures:



Here is a close up of the garland. Can you imagine all the different things you could create these for???? They are so simple to make.


I love how sweet this card turned out. I like things very clean and simple :) I bought a couple of new embossing folders....so I just had to use one of them!


Another close up!


Had to add a little stitching....


My computer charger is dead, so I am borrowing my mother's computer. Hopefully, I will have a new one tomorrow.

I want to tell you about an absolute sweetheart. Renee Dezember! I adore this lady. Not only is she a spectacular designer, but she has such a huge heart. I have been blessed to have met her through scrapbooking, and I consider her one of my friends :) Her dad, Rudy Morris, is currently battling Stage 4 cancer, and it is a rough time for him and Renee's family. Renee is an amazing woman, and she stays strong for her Dad. Anyway, her Dad has always always wanted to go to Pebble Beach, so they put together a golf tournament to raise money to get him there. Here is the flyer:

You can help by donating money even if you can't make it. If you would like to, you can email me for the address, or you can go directly to Renee's blog to find out more.

Also, Thursday at noon is the last day to vote for the second round of Gallery Idol! If you have not voted, please take a few minutes to go do so. All you have to do is register :) I would really appreciate your vote. The Top 10 will be announced on Friday!!! I am really nervous because the competition is fierce.

Thank y'all for being the best!!!! I hope everyone is having an absolute Blessed week :)

Gallery Idol - Round 2

Today the Second Round at Paper Crafts Gallery Idol has begun!!! EEEEKKKK!!!!


The theme for this round was masculine while incorporating items found in the garage :) I thought about this long and hard. I had so many ideas swirling in my head, and many I will probably be doing soon. But, in the end, I decided to create this card.
I actually had fun making this card. I decided to make a card for one of my heroes! My brother! He is currently in the army and has just returned from a 12 month deployment in Iraq. But could easily be made for a husband, dad, son, grandfather, any male hero :) He is my hero for so many reasons. Being gone from us is tough on him (and our whole family). But, he has chosen to serve this country while making so many sacrifices. That makes him My Hero!

I made this card by cutting a strip of patterned paper for the middle. I also cut a small star strip. I punched a coordinating patterned paper for the top and bottom. I tied a piece of jute twine, because this says masculine to me :)I cut the tops of two screw off, and used them at the sides of the sentiment. The supplies I used are Pink Paislee paper, Papertrey Ink Jute, and my new Fiskars Upper Crest punch. I wanted to do a simple masculine card that would be something any man would love to receive.

The cards this round are so gorgeous and creative. I am officially nervous, and if I don't move on, I can honestly say that I will be thrilled for all of my new friends to move on. We have really had a chance to get to know each other (you should see how many emails are being sent lol)

Here is my card:



Here is the direct link to my card.


Make sure to go and vote for your favorite card. I would really appreciate your vote :) This has been so much fun being involved in this competition. Anyone that thinks about it next year....JUST DO IT!!!! It is so wonderful!!

Thank y'all so much for your votes, support, and encouragement during Gallery Idol! You can click here to go to the Gallery Idol link :)

I hope and pray everyone has an extremely Blessed week!

Gallery Idol Top 15!!!!

Good gravy with biscuits!!!!! I made the Top 15 in Gallery Idol! I am shocked, excited, thrilled, nervous, happy...I am thinking I could go on and on :) I was very surprised when I saw my name listed. I know I keep saying that I am honored, but I am! So many of these ladies are my card "idols"!!!

You can go HERE to read about the Top 15, and you even have a chance to win some goodies!

THEN!!! Miss Moxie Fab herself, Cath Edvalson, visited each of our blogs and she chose a project to feature on today's Moxie Fab World's post! Oh! You can win some goodies there also :)

This is the card she chose. I created it for a challenge at For The Luv of Art. I just posted this recently, so I apologize for that.



The next challenge is to create a masculine card incorporating elements from the garage. I am actually excited about this one.

Thank you again to everyone who voted, and a HUGE thank you to the ones who voted for my card.

I pray everyone has a very Blessed weekend :)

Sew Cute

First of all, THANK YOU!!!! The comments y'all have left about my card for Gallery Idol have brought heaps of sunshine my way. I don't know that I could ever verbally express how much it means to me, and a simple thank you doesn't even come close to what I want to say. I am blessed to be a part of this crafting community where the people are SO encouraging and supportive. I consider each of you a friend. Some I have had the privilege of talking by phone, emails, and I have a couple who we text back and forth. Goodness! I wish I could find the words. I am truly, honestly humbled. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have been busy creating for the last two days. I have the paint stains and calluses to prove it :) Paper Crafts has some new publication calls up, and I thought I would try to make some cards for it. I can't show you those though, but I do have a couple of things to share.

This card I made for the latest challenge at For The Luv of Art. I used Cosmo Cricket's Material Girl, October Afternoon Alphas, and the little wooden spools were from different kits.

Isn't it sew cute??? Sorry! I had to do it :)

Next is a tag for the mini workout at ScrapFIT. The challenge is to create a tag. Up for grabs is a Guest Designer spot!!! You have until June 20 to get it done and post a link at the ScrapFIT blog ALSO!!! The Design Team call is still open. You have until June 14. This is a great team to be on, and I have loved it :)


I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. We have had a nice, relaxing time so far. I pray everyone has a Blessed week!

Time To Vote....

Gallery Idol 2010


Let me be honest here for a second.....I am completely nervous about this!!! I am not nervous about my card, but being in the same gallery and competition with these ladies. They are out of this world, over the top, hugely talented ladies. I am so honored to have been chosen as one of the Top 20. If I don't make it into the Top 15, I will be SO excited for whoever does. I am cheering each of them on. I feel so blessed to have been able to get to know them a little. They are the sweetest bunch.

Here is my card. The challenge was to create a card for Paper Crafts Creativity Heals campaign. It could be a miss you, thinking of you, sympathy, encouragement, or a get well card. I chose to do an encouragement card. I know how much it means to me to have someone say "It's going to be ok" or a simple "keep your chin up".

So!!!! Here it is :)


You can click here to go directly to my card


Here is the LINK to see the whole gallery **WARNING** Stunning, beautiful creations ahead :)


You will have to register, and you can only vote one time.

They will announce the Top 15 on Friday. I can't wait to see who it will be :) Congratulations to the Top 20!!!

Sneaks, Peeks, and Winners!

I feel like I am running behind this week. Goodness. School is almost out, which means loads of end of the year activities. Baseball is still going.....and going.....and going! I have been a happy little crafter working on some new projects. Busy but good :)

The new challenge is up at ScrapFIT!! Workout #21 - Exercise Machines
For this challenge you must use a “machine”. What machines you might ask? Punches, Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Slice, Cricut. Any or all will do.

For this challenge I used my Sizzix Big Shot. Here is my take:


Check out the ScrapFIT Blog to see what the rest of the very talented Design Team created. The sponsor is Scrapbook Deals 4 U, and they will be giving the lucky winner a great kit. You have until June 14 to add your link to the ScrapFIT blog. Also, on June 5, there will be a new mini workout. This was a lot of fun to do.
The winner will be the Guest Designer for Workout #23!!!

There are some gorgeous peeks of the June Card Kit at The Little Shabby Box! Do you want to see? There are some items that are not in the picture, but as soon as a new photo is up, I will post it. I can't wait to get it and play with it :)



To see a full list of the products in the kit and to order, head over to the Shop.

So!!! The Paper Trunk Blog Rock was FANTASTIC!!!! The new Rockabilly line is Gorgeous. Here is the whole line together with the new embellishments.






I absolutely adore the New Flair and the Chipboard!!! Today the winners from the Blog Rock will be announced on the Paper Trunk blog!

The winner from my blog is:

Shawnee H said...
Hmmm, 5? LOVE this paper, too!

May 30, 2010 10:28 AM

Congratulations :) Shawnee, send your mailing information to info@papertrunk.com to get your goodies!

I hope and pray everyone is having a great week. I can't believe it is already Thursday. It is supposed to be in the 100's here this weekend! PHEW!!!! Summer is officially here.