Tea Time

 Every now and then you just need to take some time to slow down. We don't always hear what life is trying to tell us when the outside noise is too loud. If there is one thing I have learned, it is to sit quietly when life seems to be unraveling and just listen. Listen to what your heart and that little inner voice is saying. Things seem to fall into place and we realize that worrying over something we have no controll over is pointless. So make some tea and listen.

Today's card is using the SU set Tea Shoppe. I used Baja Breeze card stock and seam binding and Pear Pizzazz ink. The embossing folder which created the frame is also from SU called Framed Tulips. I did have to cut out the teacup by hand but it wasn't that hard. The designer paper i used is no longer available from SU but I am sure there is something in your stash that would work just as nicely. I added a few rhinestones to the center of the flowers on the cup and a few on the tag. Did you notice how I offset the bows to each side of the card. It balanced the card without taking away from the teacup. You can see a closer image of the teacup below.

Working out in the garden and relaxing in the sun is my agenda for today. I do need to help the DH with the bathroom fan in the spare bedroom which used to be my stamping room. The fan in that bathroom has always been really loud. Since my daughter will be home and staying in that room, I figured it was about time we make some repairs. I know she will be very happy to have this room and her own full bathroom. The guest room had a Jack-n-Jill bathroom that was shared with our youngest son's room. Neatness is not one of his atributes so I was always reminding him that he would be sharing his bathroom and to please pick up. I am looking forward to a quiet weekend and hope the same for you. I see next weekend as the holiday not this one.

~Have fun and enjoy!
 

A beautiful verse

Where is this summer going. I can hardly believe the 4th of July is next week. I am excited however that my daughter is coming home from Raleigh and we are driving over to see the new babies that weekend. I have been busy making tutus for them and I bought some flowers to dress up white and pink headbands. I am planning on doing a photo shoot, hopefully with two sleeping babies. I thought it would look precious with them wearing nothing but the tutus and a headband. We will see how this pans out. Wish me luck.

I had another sympathy card to make for a co-worker whose husband passed away from cancer. This is a new sentiment stamp from American Art Stamp that I purchased at Hobby Lobby and I just love the verse. The designer 6x6 paper is a $1 pack of paper from Michaels. It is in the Shabby Chic line and there are 12 sheets per pack. You can't beat that. The flowers are actually stickers from Martha Stewart as is the fan edge border punch. The sentiment was stamped on a Spellbinders Label Nine and layered on Lovely Lilac card stock from SU. A very quick yet elegant card. I would have loved to put some pearls on the border but it was going in the mail and the pearls I had were not small ones like the flower centers.

Our subdivision had their annual garage sale this past weekend. It was nice to get rid of some large items that were just taking up space in the basement. It was also a good excuse to clean out my closet and get rid of all the clothes that no longer fit me. What didn't sell when right to Goodwill. The garage got a good cleaning and straightening up as well. Since I was in the cleaning mood, the car got a good cleaning inside and out this weekend also. I get such gratification when the house is in order. Maybe because then I don't feel guilty when I play in my studio as long as the house work is done. I can only handle so much clutter.

On another note, my son's chemo did not work as the doctors has hoped. It did slow it down a bit and did keep it from spreading, but it was really hard to hear that kind of news. I reminded him that even though he went through such a horrible journey, in the end it was not a waste. He will now do 6 weeks of radiation 5 days a week and then wait a month before surgery. His 32nd birthday was yesterday and we all agreed next year's will be better.

My life lately has been such a roller coaster of emotions. From the joy of two new nieces to the disappointing news of the chemo. I miss being on an even keel.

~Have fun and enjoy!

Father's Day

I hope the man in your life is having a happy Father's Day. Every celebration holds such a special place in the hearts of my family these days. We have a lot to be thankful for and the special moments bring pure joy. It is so true that when you think of the possibility of having something taken away from you, you start to see life a little differently.

Today's card is using some new products. The stamp is a Crafty Individuals from Magenta called Steampunk Clockworks. It is just perfect for the newest trend- Steampunk. It is a cling with the gray rubber. Out of all the cling stamps, I like the colored rubber ones better than the clear. As much as I try by erasing and lightly sanding, some of my clear stamps still leave a blurred imprint.

I stamped the image on kraft card stock, tore the edges and then rubbed some ink over them. I then layered it on black that was embossed with a gears embossing folder. I think this one was from Darice. The brown gears were cut from a Sizzix die. This was actually a birthday card for my very dear friend's husband Jean Paul. I used the same stamp to make Father's Day cards, but I was in too much of a hurry to get them in the mail that I didn't have time to take any pictures. 

 

Everything is going well here. Getting ready for the neighborhood garage sale next weekend. They are always so much work, but the gratification of getting things cleaned out and the fact that my trash is someone elses treasure makes it all worth it. I hope to put in a stepping stone path from the driveway around to the back patio with the money from the sale. One more project for the summer. I won't hold my breath that the sale will pay for the stones, maybe it will pay for my labor.

~Have fun and enjoy!

Two sweet bundles of pure joy

Anna & Lara

Ok, I couldn't resist sharing these pictures of my new nieces. They are just under 5 lbs. in these pictures and are 4 weeks old. I can't even imagine listening to two screaming babies. My brother said they each have quite a pair of lungs. My dear sister-n-law said she likes to imagine one of them just told a joke in the bottom picture and they are laughing hysterically. What an optimist.

I made a few cards but had to get them out in the mail so quickly, that I forgot to take some pictures to share with you. I promise to have something up by the end of the week.

Looking at these baby pictures and knowing how long their parents waited for them surely puts life into perspective. And to think they were almost  never to be. Had my brother and sister went through with a pending adoption they would never have tried invitro.

~Have fun and enjoy!



A sympathy card

Not the type of card I care to make, only due to the reason for it. One of my employees father passed away and I said I would make the card. It really meant a lot to her, so in the end I was happy to have made it.

The image is a stamp from Inkadinkado and the card measures 5x7.  I sure wish there was a die cut for this stamp instead of having to cut it out by hand. I did a fairly good job at it if I do say so myself. I'm not one for cutting things out by hand, and do so only as a last resort. When I bought this stamp, it never occurred to me that I could use it for sympathy cards, but when I was looking for a stamp for this card it just jumped out at me. The sentiment is from Shapeabilities on a Spellbinders Labels Twenty. I was really impressed with the elegance of this sentiment and the fact that I got it 50% off. The designer paper is from Recollections called Aqua Damask. I added some lace and a few aqua pearl embellishments for a more feminine touch.

Keeping positive thoughts on the home front. My son has his last three days of chemo this week and then the waiting game starts. He will have scans again in a few weeks and based on those he will have either radiation and then surgery or surgery first and then radiation. I am hoping he has the radiation first so they aren't radiating the scar tissue from the surgery, but that is entirely up to what his doctors feel is best. Thank you to all of you who are keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

~Have fun and enjoy!