Bittersweet week - end to Chapter 1

I had tears in my eyes as I dropped off my fifth grader for his end of year field trip. Usually a field trip is a happy occasion for me, but this year it is bittersweet as well as this whole last week in May.

This week instead of being the typical end of year fifth grade week, it will be the last Serene Hills Elementary field trip for me, the last fifth grade graduation and the last week I will be part of the Serene Hills Elementary myself as a parent. My son is in fifth grade. My last baby. My last elementary student forever! I am ready to move on but it also is so hard for me. I will miss elementary and watching my children grown in that chapter of their lives.

I have loved this school since stepping in the doors six years ago. I have met my dearest Lakeway friends there and some of the most awesome teachers ever there. Also, I have been very involved at S.H.E. as home room parent for five out of six years and PTO board member for four years. I started out volunteering in the library my first year and getting to know my way around the school. I would highly recommend doing that to any new parent at a new school.

The whole S.H.E. experience has been wonderful and I am going to miss it, but I am now moving on to the next chapter in my children's lives and my life as we move to middle school. I know these coming years will be just as precious and I will feel the same way once my youngest baby moves on to high school.  I am already on the middle school PTO board but in a different position, trying something new and loving it so far so watch out Hudson Bend Middle School because Jearise is coming to make wonderful memories!

Mr. Denbrock

I think one of my favorite teachers in school one was my band teacher, Mr. Bill Denbrock. I wasn't the best student on playing an instrument or even doing as I was told and I sure wasn't the teacher's pet.

So why did my band director leave such an impression on me, plain and simple - he had passion and expected respect for himself and his art. Most teachers just teach but Mr. Denbrock inspired by his actions and words. He loved music and he loved teaching music and it showed. I remember him standing on the podium directing us with vigor. He would get so upset when we weren't paying attention but you could tell it was because he wanted us to do our best, to be proud of what we were doing, to be proud of being part of the band and representing Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port High School.

He was old school. Respect. Respect. Respect. And I admired that about him. He came from an time when you respected your teachers and didn't talk back. I was an 80's child and part of that generation when that line of respect was starting to be pushed. It makes me sad now to say that and realize that's where we are in our thinking today - that the young deserve more respect than their elders.

Mr. Denbrock retired after many years of teaching and went on to take over as director of a big band now named the Bill Denbrock Big Band. His passion for his art continues to live on and inspire but in a different way. Hats off to you Mr. Denbrock for putting the spark of music in my heart and for living your passion your entire life.

Here is an interview with Mr. Denbrock and his wife from the Huron Daily Tribune date 2016.

 http://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/Bill-and-Nancy-Denbrock-have-a-musical-history-9152420.php

Drug Abuse Chapter 1

I feel along with my crafting, which is therapeutic, I must write once in awhile about my life. Sometime it will be ups and sometimes downs but all in all, it is my life and my life story.

If you are experiencing any of what I am or have experienced, please reach out to me. It's a comforting feeling to know you are not a lone in your life's steps.

I want to talk about my son and his drug addiction. It has been a hard road to travel. We have watched a shy but sweet kid go from a bright future to hardly getting by and even at times living on the street because of his addiction.

Someone posted on Facebook this click article about the obituary of a young man who was addicted to drugs and died way before his time due to them. The family does a beautiful job of speaking out about his addiction but showing their love for him before, during and now at his death.

If you would like to read the obituary, here is the link:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsobserver/obituary.aspx?pid=174897814


This was my  post to this article on Facebook.

Children that become drug users are good at hiding it from those they love until it starts to break down their bodies. Once the family knows, it is almost too late to do anything. It becomes a fight for the addicted child and the family that loves them and as harsh as it sounds, sometimes they win and sometimes they lose. 

We need more drug treatment centers out there. We need to reach out to the homeless because a lot of them are on the street due to drug abuse or mental illness. 

America needs to step up and be responsible for our children. As much as I would like to point an accusing finger, I know that will not help. Drugs have been around for thousands of years in various forms and have destroyed many a people. The only way to begin to the end is to educate, not just our children but our parents and communities and know that addiction knows no boundaries of economics or ethnic background.

Comments are always welcomed.

Thanks for stopping by today ~ Jearise :)

A Year of Card Techniques - Watercolors

Welcome to A Year of Card Techniques Blog Hop where each month we feature a different card technique. We’ve assembled a team of card makers who range from new to advanced, so you’ll see a great variety of cards and ideas.

For May, we are venturing into the world of watercolor. There are so many water coloring techniques available to us today; far too many to list here. But actions speak louder than words; so our team has worked with their favorite mediums to bring you lots of examples and loads of inspiration.

If you would like to check out our past technique hops, you can do that here:

• January-Shaving Cream Marbleizing
• February-So Sketchy
• March-no hop this month
• April-Stamp Set Showdown

We have an amazing sponsor this month, Jodie Park of Close to My Heart:

Please take a moment to check out the great products Close to My Heart has to offer. To visit Jodie on Facebook page, just click here.

And the awesome prize this month is:

We really appreciate feedback, so please leave a comment on each of the blogs in the hop today. One winner will be chosen from all comments on the hop as of May 26, 2017. The winner will be announced in our June hop; so be sure to come back next month.

And speaking of winners, the lucky hopper from last month is Golden Goddess Designs; picked by Random Name Picker. Congratulations! Please get in touch with last month’s sponsor, Wilma Payne at wpayne@email.com, by May 26th to claim your prize.

You should have arrived here from WILMA. If you're visiting here first, you might want to start at the beginning so you don't miss a thing and increase your chances of winning by commenting on each blog.

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Okay, I watched a bunch of videos we were given as inspiration and I tried may of the techniques a few times only to discover I was not meant to water color. I can do a simple wash and even use more than one color but to go beyond that, nope, not going to happen. With that being said, here is what I came up with...

I found these gems of waters colors in the cheap section of Micheal's for $5. They are glitter water colors. Yes, you heard me right - glitter. They turn any plain piece of water color stock into something beautiful. The problem is I can't get a great picture to show you. :(

Here is a plain water colors that I just washed on the card. There are three different colors but they are so subtle that you can't really see them in the picture.

Here is the finished card.

There was a glitch with this picture and that strip going across the picture shouldn't be there. I used a technique where you drop rubbing alcohol on the wet paint. It looked so much more dramatic when I watched the You Tube video.

I haven't made a card with this yet but wanted to show the colors and the rubbing alcohol technique I tried.

Last but not least. I water colored paper and then used my Big Shot to cut out the flower shapes for the flowers on this card. The background was a lot of fun too. I used a paper clip and drew the design on the paper before coloring over it with the water colors. I love the way the pattern shows up in the background.

There you have it, my attempts at this month's challenge. I had fun doing it and it pushed me outside my comfort zone but isn't that half the fun of crafting?

I look forward to see you all next month! Jearise :)

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Now you’re off to visit with AMANDA. Hope you had fun and thanks for stopping by. See you next month with another technique!

Here’s the full line-up in case you get lost:

• Sharon
• Claudia
• Kim
• Wilma
• Jearise
• Amanda
• Card A Day Challenge Team
• Lisa Frederick
• Sandy Bell Hentzel
• Jodie Park
• Candy Spiegel
• Debbie Rumrill Bonczek

April Challenge at Chalk N Stock

I've been busy using chalk in different ways to make the cards below for the May challenge at Chalk N Stock. I am more than happy to describe where and how I used chalk on each of the cards below.

This first card started out with a pre colored digital stamp from Bugaboo stamps. I added chalk to the angel's gown in this digital stamp. I measured the background paper to fit my card and then I cut that apart leaving about an inch and a half gap. I used washi take instead of lace in that area and put it on the printed paper too. You can see the flower design showing through.

Instead of using colored paper for my background, I took white card stock and green chalk to make it. I used cotton swabs to add the green color.

I used alcohol markers to color the flower and then my knife to cut it out.

Finally, I put it all together using pop dots and a glitter pen for accents.

Last but not least...


I used chalk ink to stamp the sentiment and to ink the edges of the digital stamp. I again used chalk to color the gown of the angel. This was also a pre colored digital stamp from Bugaboo stamps.

I bought a bag of adorable wooden buttons and had to add one to this card with a touch of swirled glitter in bright pink.

Thanks for stopping by today and I look forward to seeing your creations at the May Chalk N Stock Challenge!