Friends For Life

We've been friends for over 40 years. We're teenagers again when we all get together.

Intricate Embossing and Friends Reunited!

I dove into Dawn's cling stamp stash and came up with these doilies. I love the detail of these stamps!

These were created by stamping with embossing ink, sprinkling white detail embossing powder over it, and then heat setting it with my embossing tool.

The results were stunning. The contrast between the white and black makes the intricate lines pop.

I also stamped silver on black and white on white. I took some ink to the white on white and really liked how they came out, especially the multi-colored one. I took an ink pad with variegated colors on it and swiped it several times, back and forth, being careful not to mix the colors. After I fussy-cut them I thought they'd make great stickers, and they do!

I did some collaging of post cards, something different to send a couple of crafters I follow on-line. The cowgirl, a Julie Nutting stamp, is for someone who lives in Texas. I liked the feel of it from all the Mod Podge I used, made it feel leather-like.

This one, which is very different than anything I've done (and I'm not sure I like it very much) is for someone who designs clothing, fabric, and everything else under the sun. I'm hoping the sequins stayed put.

On a completely different note, I was so happy to have caught up with my best friend of 49 years while she and her new beau were in Monterey! Our motto is "Through thick and thin..." (Obviously, I'm thick, she's thin!). My daughters and I had a great lunch with Lauri and Kevin at Dominico's on the Wharf in Monterey. Every time I go to Monterey I forget how beautiful it is, this time made even more so by the coming together of lifelong friends.

I love you, Lauri!

Wizard of Oz and Close Friends

Michael's had a great selection of Wizard of Oz stuff, so I scooped up some of it for my card-making and scrapbooking. There was so much I could have brought home with me, but I'm trying to thin the collection because I have nowhere to display it. So I passed it by. *sigh* Anyway, I was proud of myself I was able to put a bunch of stuff back I had initially grabbed.

The two kits to make Dorothy's house and the Emerald City were the most difficult to put back. It would be fun to put those together with the movie playing in the background. But I'm honestly okay with not having them. I have so much Wizard of Oz packed away, what good is it doing me if I can't even see it? Time to do some donating.

On to other things. One of my most precious friends came over and gave me some neat word clear stamps and a button embossing folder, so cool! But the thing I was most excited about was her handmade card. It's rare I receive things other people craft, so this really touched my heart. She did such a great job, I love the flower brads and rhinestones she added. The scalloped pieces she cut from her dies add just the right touch.

And that sticker in the inside? It could not be more perfect at depicting us when we were teens! Of course, the sentiment is the heart of the card. I keep it where I can see it and pick it up and read it over again because it lifts my spirits.

 Thank you, Twila, for being like a sister to me all these 40+ years!

These Hands

My best friend Lauri's father passed away tonight. This was taken earlier today; 61 years together.

Lots Of Crafting Goin' On

I was able to get a lot of crafting in this past month or so, yay! I'm going to pack a lot into this post so you can see what I've been up to. Sit back, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I wanted to send out a few New Year's cards, but searching the crafts stores both on-line and off brought me nothing. Leave it to Dawn to find this adorably perfect stamp! There was a lot of fussy cutting, paper piecing, coloring and Stickles involved, about 3 days' worth of fun. Each one was different because I had specific people in mind. I wanted to get the hair and even the pets just so. I failed miserably at the pets, though, I should have shopped better for those, but maybe I caught the essence anyway.

I stamped the girls using black Staz-On, but upon reflection I wish I had embossed them for a more polished finish. I placed pop dots under the little girls so they stand out from the background and gave each one a tiny companion. The inside sentiment was embossed with detail black embossing powder and also popped up. Each banner is backed with a matching piece of card stock from the front. The stars were cut from sparkly paper using a die with my Vagabond. I inked the edges to give them depth.

My daughters puffed my chest by telling me they were little works of art and I couldn’t give them away, I should frame them, and would I make them a couple to keep. They’re so good for my ego. (More photos and details on my flickr.)

A YEAR'S WORTH OF LOVE IN CARDS!
Since my card-holder was filled to the brim...

 I made myself another one.

I’m normally not one for the frou-frou, but a friend of ours gave me 3, 12”x12” stacks of some pretty gorgeous paper for Christmas and I just had to use some of it. I’ve always liked butterflies, so I chose two pieces that compliment one another. Also, the sparkly ones drew me in.

I embellished the pages with rub-ons, stickers and Washi tape and inked the edges with a subtle blue. I added pockets to the inside adding the word “memories” on one and cutting a square of the same pretty cardstock for the other. My daughters have given me lots of beads lately and they’re perfect for this project. I'm excited because my husband liked it enough to ask me to make one for him! (More photos and details on my flickr.)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MARTHA AND LARRY!

  

I made my sister and her hubby an anniversary card using some adorable prints Dawn gave me. Again, my ninja paper-cutting skills came in handy, especially on the tiny duckling. They loved it

FIRST CROCHET IN LIKE FOREVER
Around Midnight on Christmas Eve I came across this free PDF pattern for a dish cloth and tracked it to a site called Tangled Yarn. I hadn't crocheted in a couple of years, probably, or at least haven't made anything. I thought, I could do that, and so I did. It called for a triple crochet, and because I hadn't done it in such a long time I had to look it up on YouTube. It's a bit wonky, but my sister Martha liked it. As a matter of fact it reminded her she wants to re-learn crocheting this year, so the other day we sat down and I showed her how to make a chain. One step at a time.

THINK PINK!
My sister-in-law is a 4-time cancer survivor. The second type was breast cancer, which resulted in the removal of her left breast. She collects all things pink ribboned and is decorating a small tree with this theme in mind.

We went to Michael’s and she picked out a packet full of lovely breast cancer awareness crafting fodder because she wanted me to make some rosettes for it.

I gave her back the kit when I dropped them off so she could finish them off at the center the way she liked. Besides, that’s the fun part. Here are a few of the photos she texted me. Beautiful!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENI!
I made my hubby a birthday card with a gift/present theme. I cut out his name with a die using my Vagabond. You can't see it in the photo, but I sparkled up the lettering with a glitter-type pen. I cut out some presents, popped them up and added the letters to each one.

I also cut the sentiment from a birthday die and added it to the inside. The little gift in the corner is also popped up with a pop dot.

There were a few other things I made, but I'm making this too long as it is.

I love crafting and have fallen in love with card-making. I hope to hone my skills and pick up some speed. I spend a lot of time on each card, maybe too much. But when I'm making a card I'm thinking of the one who will be receiving it, so I want to make it as perfect as possible. Not because I want accolades; I want the recipient to know they are special and worth the time and extra effort I put into the card they are holding in their hand so they can feel the love that goes along with it.

Note: If you would like to see more photographs and explanations of the crafts I make, please see my flickr.

Tangent Memories

While cleaning out some stuff of my mom’s I saved a few old Christmas cards that were sent to her. I thought it would be neat to cut out just the signatures because many are from people are gone now. I sat down and actually followed through with my idea and put them into my Smash Book.

I like how it turned out and that I didn’t have to hang on to the entire card, just part of it, because that would have taken up lots of storage space I don’t have.

I've Been Crafting

My daughter Dawn likes me to cut stuff with my Vagabond from unusual packaging. The above photo shows a few things I cut from the boxes of some McDonald's Disney glasses she had packed away. The flowers are my favorite. I've also made quite a few rosettes from cereal boxes, Coke can containers and a variety of candy boxes. It's a challenge to see what I can come up with for the centers. I don't know why I didn't take photos and post them here.

My sister Martha and her husband visited today. After we scarfed down the turkey crescent sandwiches, cucumber crack (chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and Feta cheese; I put it on everything!), and watermelon I served up, Larry watched TV in the living room and Martha and I retreated to my room where I guided her while she made a card for one of her closest friends. She doesn't craft much but was determined to do everything herself.

She layered card stock, stamped sentiments on watercolor paper, glued everything down using a tape snail thingie, which she isn't familiar with, a real challenge, but she met it! She also wielded a craft knife so she could slip a piece of pink ribbon through the top of the card, a big deal if you know my sister. She even inked the edges of the purple oval then used the corner chomper to round the edges of another stamped sentiment. It turned out lovely. Her crafty friend will love it, and when she finds out Marty did it herself she'll cherish it that much more.

What a great day with great people.

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

Silly goofers

I love making new friends, but the old ones, well, they bring comfort just being in their presence. We had a gathering of old friends this past weekend and had a blast. We stuffed our faces, talked about old times and caught up on the new things that are happening all around us.

From this picture you wouldn't know that Phyllis (in red) is a 3-time cancer survivor, Debbie (behind her) has undergone major heart surgery, Twila (in purple) is traveling 250 miles each way on a regular basis to tend to her elderly parents' needs, Susan (in brown) is starting over, Martha has had 3 kidney transplants and is gearing up for a fourth, and that I am still struggling with the repercussions of a stranger's suicide by car (mine).

We don't get together as often as we should, and it had been a long while since our last get-together. The hours passed much too quickly, just as the years have, but it was so comfortable, it was like not a minute was lost between us.

We needed this. And we will always need each other.

And That's Why There's A Christmas Day

When I was, oh, about 8 or 9 years old, I started attending church with my new best friend, Lauri. Her mother would haul any or all of us seven kids that wanted to go along with her own four. Well over 40 years later, Lauri is still my bestest friend in the whole-wide world and I love her mom as I loved my own.

I have fond memories about that time in my life, and one of those was a Christmas program I was part of. My Sunday School teacher's name was Edith Darling, and on the printed program we were listed as "Edith and Her Darlings." I have never forgotten the song we performed, even sang it to my girls when they were little.

Each of us was assigned a letter (I was T, Lauri was R) and held it up as we sang our verse:

C is for the Christ Child, born upon this day
H for Herald Angels in the sky
R means Redeemer
I means Israel
S is for the stars that sine so bright
T is for three Wise Men, they who traveled far
M is for the manger where He lay
A's for all He stands for
S means Shepherds came

And that's why there's a Christmas Day

Jim Reeves sings it best.

Gotta get this blogging thing down pat

My daughters keep reminding me that I have a blog, thanks, girls!

I have discovered that blogging is like crafting, you don't know how much goes into it until you try it yourself. I so admire people who update their blogs on a regular basis. Of course, it helps if you have something to say that others will actually find interesting. My life is on the ho-hum side, witnessed by my only two followers here, and they're following just because I'm their mom. Gotta work on getting more of a life, I guess.


Other than working and piddling around the house, there's not much going on. I've done a bit of crafting for an Oz swap on Craftster (the pendant you see if from my last Oz swap, I love it!), but even that has tanked. My swap partner, who lives in Spain, flaked, haven't heard hide nor hair of her since the end of February. I was just about ready to mail the stuff anyway (because I'm like that, yo), when I decided, no, dern-it, I'm not gonna do it. So I posted on Craftster to let everyone know I was flaked on and was just gonna keep the stuff I made. The organizer stepped up and volunteered to do a personal Oz swap with me, so I'm stoked again, yet still a bit cautious about the whole thing. I'll exhale when I receive in about a month.

I had a pretty good week, made better by the fact that I was able to enjoy lunch with my sister Martha (and Dawn, too!). AND I got paid on Thursday, so that's always a day-brightener. Dawn and I attended her church's Easter service last night and I really enjoyed it. I sure miss hearing and singing those good ol' hymns from real hymn books, though. Got to see Martha again along with her hubby, who sang his heart out in the choir.


Oh! And I had a wonderful conversation with my best friend Lauri's mom who lives in Missouri. (Picture is Lauri, her mom and 3 boys.) She's the closest thing to an aunt that we had growing up, more like a second mom now that mine is gone.




Hoo-kay, That's it for now. This Easter bunny has to hop to it and find something to feed the family. I'm sure enjoying the sunshine!