My Thoughts for You

I have been so busy with home improvement projects that I have not been able to get any cards made. I even have several stamp sets that I ordered from Waltzing Mouse that I have been dying to get into. They are located in Ireland so I waited anxiously for 5 weeks for them to arrive.

In the meantime I wanted to share with you a few things that I made for my co-worker who is battling liver and pancreatic cancer.

I thought long and hard over this project because I didn't want to pressure Carolynn into feeling like she had to write something to her children, but then I though what mother wouldn't. I made a book for each one of her girls. The one above is for her oldest daughter who is 12. I had just bought this Sizzix die and thought it would be perfect. The books measure just under 9" x 5". I covered thin cardboard with Be Mine designer paper from DCWV and a coordinating pattern on the inside. I added blank pages inside for her to write her thoughts for each child.

The one above is for her middle daughter who is 8.

This book is for the youngest who will be one next month. I chose the paper that had angels on it that looked like a baby. This pack of paper is absolutely beautiful and I love every single pattern. The paper for the angel and the cherubs on the other book are clear embossed with some glitter in it. I didn't do any stamping on the paper. In fact I didn't do any stamping at all on this project. The labels were printed on the computer so it had each child's name and then I cut it out with my Spellbinders.

I have been quite busy with a kitchen cabinet project. I have never liked the color of them from the moment we first looked at the house which was 5 years ago. They are beautiful hardwood cabinets which are rather new but they are maple frost and every time I look at them I see a pink tinge of color. We took apart an "L" shaped counter and turned it into an island and then we put granite on all the counter tops. We then beefed up the island with extra trim and some fancy turnings. There are 37 cabinet doors and 11 drawers and it was going to be a small fortune to replace them so I was hoping the granite would compliment them but take away the hue I didn't like. The granite did make a huge difference as did the new island. It has been a few years now and I am having another decorator's itch- hence a new color of cabinets.

I found a professional painter who is spraying them with an ultra fine sprayer. I wanted a smooth finish without any brush or roller marks. I wanted them to look like I bought them that way. They will be cream and antiqued with a coffee glaze just in the grooves. The island is going to be black. I still have to pick out the tile for the back splash and new paint color for the walls, but I want to see the finished cabinets before I pick out any colors. I will post some before and after pictures when all is said and done.

~Have fun and enjoy!