Monday, December 30, 2013

Goals of 2014

I've been trying to decide what all my goals would be for 2014.... and I am still kind of unsure of what they are. I mean, I have some basic ones for now that I wanted to share with you all!

* Document as much of 2014 as possible (especially once I PCS to Germany)
* Take at least one picture every day (to help with the above goal)
* Travel as much as I possibly can
* Participate in as many 30 Days of Lists as possible

* Write to my pen pals as much as possible- don't let letter go unresponded too for too long
* Do what makes me happy
* Keep The Quirky Craftsters business going, even though we'll be on two seperate continents
* Spend more time keeping in touch with my Mom- I don't talk to her nearly as much as she'd like.
* Blog more often.... at least once a week, even if its just planned posts that are set up ahead of time
* Finish my left half sleeve tattoo before I go to Germany
* Create graphics for this blog that I am proud of MYSELF (or at least with minimal help)
* Save money and rebuild my savings ((using this picture I found on Pinterest))


I'm sure there will be more goals as time goes on, and I will share hem as I come up with them... maybe update this page with them (and as I complete the) Now there's an idea. :)

What are your goals for 2014? Short term or long term goals? Please share.... lets talk about goals!


Sunday, December 29, 2013

"I Love" Sundays v.1

 I am starting "I Love" Sundays all over again since this is a new blog. I think I made it to 54 posts on the old blog, but I know that I missed weeks. Hopefully I can make it more often in this blog. Maybe I should start it throughout the whole week leading up to Sunday.... or at least start writing it in my journal each week when something comes to mind. Either way, hopefully my Documenting 2014 will help keep me motivated. (( I need to make a banner for this series!))


Here is what I am loving this week:

~ Spending the week house sitting with my love- it means alone time for us without barracks roommates bugging us
~ Slept in past 0730 twice this week! That is mucho exciting because I am seemingly programmed to wake up by 0730 at the latest thanks to the military.
~ Spent Christmas dinner with my coworker Kelli, her family, my love, and my friend KiloRomeo

~ Speaking of KiloRomeo... she announced she was pregnant on Christmas! That was pretty exciting.... even though she hid it from me when we joked about it on Tuesday. Haha. I can't be mad tho... she had a good reason
~ Planning is going well of my Documenting 2014 scrapbook
~ The presents my love gave me and the ones my Mom sent me!
~ My pen pal starter kit from Patti on Instagram should be here tomorrow!~ ((Follow me @jmccrafts on IG))
~ All the lovely Christmas cards I received this year.

That's it for now, for the 1st post under the "I Love" Sundays tag. I'm sure there is a lot more that I loved this week, but I can't remember on the spot ((hense why I should keep an ongoing list somewhere)).

Hope you all had a good weekend. Only two days left in 2014! Insert excitement here!!!


Saturday, December 28, 2013

Documenting 2014

Hello all!
Happy Saturday!!!
I hope you all have enjoyed the start of the last weekend in 2013.
Can you believe that the year is almost over?
Like 3 days left!!!
HOLY CRAP!!!!!

So I am sitting here trying to decide what my goals for 2014 would be
because I don't do resolutions
although they may be the same thing....
but I call them goals....

I've decided that one of my big things is that I want to journal more and scrapbook. I want to have a better collection of memories from 2014. Looking at pictures is always nice but sometimes I can't remember why I took the picture without a little extra help. My memory is crappy like that after about a week. So I've decided to take as many pictures as I can and take some time to write about some of the pictures I took, if I feel that its important enough to want to remember. I'm PCS'ing to Germany in March, and that shall be a new adventure for me. I also feel that scrapbooking will help me better share things with my family while I'm away. I also want to better remember things down the road, for like if I ever have kids. Germany shall be a fantastic place to try to journal. I know that its not gong to be easy for me, because eI have a hard time sometimes even downloading pictures from my phone for weeks.... but I want to make a better effort to do it.

How am I going to do this? its kind of easy... I hope.
I am taking an 8.5" X 11" sketch book and using it as my base. I chose a sketch boo because I can draw stuff right on the page if I so desire to.
Then I will try to take at least one picture a day.
Either jot notes on a piece of paper or just the voice recorder on my phone to dialog whatever it was about.
Do things like 30 Days of Lists and Doodle a Day


 or other fun challenges like them to help keep me motivated.
I also want to participate in Rukristen's activity of Currently once a week.
Also continue my "I Love" Sundays lists from my other blog
I've decided to use the Project Life cards and SN@P! journaling cards as well to help out.
Although its a 2014 scrapbook, I plan to start it on New years Eve, since we're attening a party at a friends house.
There are some important days in the year that I want to remember, at the very least.


I am most excited for all the new things that are coming up in 2014.

Are you going to document 2014 in any way?
Have any tips or suggestions for me for scrapbooking or memory keeping? I'd love to hear them! Leave me a comment or shoot me an email!!!


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Hello All



Hello and welcome to my little corner of the blogging world.
If you've read my about me page at all,
then you know a little about about me
and know that you've probably seen me before!
I've blogged under Ramblings of a Nutcase, Creatively Crafty Jenn,
and The Quirky Craftsters
I am still trying to find my happy little place
and find a blog that I am happy with.
Hopefully this will be the one.

Yes, I am a Soldier in the United States Army
No, I do not agree with everything that our government is doing
No, I don't really want to go to war....
I've been there and done that.
Yes, we are in a time of war,
the longest one in our nation's history,
but I don't exactly like having to go to another country where there is war and death and all that stuff.

Why join the Army then you ask?
When you know there is war and what not going on,
Not everyone is ready for what they are going to see
I've been "downrange" and saw Afghanistan
I lived there for a year of my life
was attacked with rockets and mortars
and all I do is control aircraft!
My tour was easier then some people's
I never left the FOB except to go on leave
But that doesn't mean my life was a walk in the park.
The military isn't for everyone
and once this six year contract is done, 
I will become a civilian and go about my life doing the other things I've always wanted to do
I didn't join because I wanted to be a hero
because I wanted recognition or special discounts or benefits.
I joined because someone had to
someone had to raise their hands and risk their lives to keep everyone else safe
someone had to take the risk of not coming home
after 11 November 2011
 I did it to follow in my big brother's footsteps
Because it seemed to be the right thing for me to do.

I've met some amazing people since I enlisted three years ago
Some of my best friends from across the country are in the service
People I won't ever forget
I also met my boyfriend while stationed here at Fort Bragg.
Its been almost a year now and we've discussed having a future together.

I am a crafter at heart
I want to be a professional photographer
who owns their own little business of selling random crafts
like hair bows, tutus, and drawings.
 I want to share my imagination and point of view with whomever will listen
I want to share the little things that make me happy with everyone who wants to share with me.

That is who I am.
Who I want to be
Who I will be!