Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” —Groucho Marx

Sunday, September 6, 2009

There's a new game in town!


Ok, it is not new, but defintiely new to me and I have been totally sucked in. It is a time robber and I have corrupted my daughter and one of my grandsons with it! Woe is me! I should have known better when the title was comprised of four letter words! It's called FARM TOWN. I'm sure fond memories of growing up on a farm has nothing to do with this. It's free and it is a sickness...addiction if you will! There are thirty four levels and I am on level 19. My farm is starting to look pretty good although I have to sleep in the hay loft since I can not afford a house yet! The one I want is only $300,000. Yikes! I even dream about this game in my sleep. I think I better never gamble. I'm obviously not cut out for gaming of any kind! LOL!


It has been awhile since I blogged, not for playing Farm Town, mind you...just seemed that all of a sudden I went still. Roscoe passed away, my best buddy at work retired and I'm speechless.

And nothing profound has really occurred to me. Not that I ever blogged anything profound to begin with.


Tomorrow both of my kids and their families, Jim and John, Miff and I are all gathering at mom's to play cards, weed, move furniture, share BLT's and homemade ice cream.....I am sooo looking forward to this! And I am already worn out thinking about it! But what fun!
Even stamping has kind of taken a back seat for awhile. So today's card is Jeanne's retirement card which I failed to get to her the day of her party. It was made and ready to go, but I forgot to take it with me in all the hub-bub. The card was made with a multi colored stamp pad being brayered to the white cardstock. Then after the ink dried, we brushed gesso onto the inked cardstock. The stamped images are from where else? Stampin Up. It's the Asian Artistry stamp set which is a level two hostess set this year. I just love it.
Well enoy your Labor Day weekend to the fullest. I cherish these memories we make when we get together more now than I ever did! God Bless You!


Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Happy Birthday Mama


Today was my mom's 80th birthday. She will no doubt hate this picture being posted, but doesn't she look great for 80? She is the best.
Everyone says that about their mom, but she really is the best. Amanda and I went down after work and bless her heart she had prepared a feast of fried chicken legs (the absolute biggest legs I've ever seen), fresh tomato slices, little ears of sweet corn, sliced green peppers, bread and butter......what a feast. We should have cooked her a birthday feast, but it was all ready for our visit.
And may I add, she is still the best cook I know! I delighted in that fried chicken because it was every bit as good as what she prepared and served so many years ago when it was not only five growing kids and a hungry farmer, but also multiple farm hands who enjoyed her cooking as well!
It's an awesome thing too, because there is a really special relationship between mothers and daughters. Early on a mom is a role model for the daughter and for the most part, we always got along...none of that teenage hate you business went on at our house. Thank heaven for that. I didn't even experience that with my own daughter, thankfully, but we are all three really good friends. Tonight felt like a girl's night out, and we had a great time!
Happy Birthday Mom, I love you and you will always be my favorite! XOXOXOXOXOXO

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Every Noble Life


This is the sympathy card I made for Roscoe's family. I used three Stampin Up sets, Lovely as A Tree, Le Jardin Botanique, and Nature's Silhouettes. I needed something manly, in touch with nature and not too religious and the verse on the inside is borrowed from the Stampin Up set Farm Life. Not religious or sappy, but quite appropriate for our friend Roscoe. The verse reads "Every noble life leaves its fiber interwoven forever in the work of the world."
I never realized how difficult it could be to design a card to meet such specifics. I wanted it to be just right and ended up that the third attempt satisfied myself. Tonight is visitation and I need to shower yet and then hit the road. Guess I am riding down there with Mike and Joyce and the boys? The boys want to go, so I think they are allowing them for the first time. I know they loved Roscoe as much as the rest of us did. And of course Roscoe got a lot of joy from the little kids, regardless of whose they were. That is another good thing about aging Cherie, age softens the heart of the old and makes it kindred to the heart of a child.
Treasue each day friends, for our days are fleeting. God is good!

Friday, July 31, 2009

August Newsletter


Stamp With Heart

August 2009


Greetings Ladies! I am typing this a week before August in an effort to be on top of things and as prepared for next month’s workshop as I felt last time. Woo Hoo! Time will always tell, won’t it?

We enjoyed a successful vendor fair at Alisa’s yesterday. Well, it wasn’t a busy day, but I booked a workshop with Jessica, placed an order for An Angel Company Angel, and have three possible attendees for future monthly workshops, so I am feeling encouraged and like it was a day well spent. These vendors were terrific business ladies and I truly enjoyed meeting them. And then my one recruit showed up and we visited for about an hour or so! That in itself was a great visit as we have been friends for years and so seldom get to visit like old pals!

Anyway, I have one of the cards we will do at the August workshop all packed and loaded, except for some ribbon I have yet to buy. Working on a second design and technique and on challenges to send out to you. It’s going to be a fun workshop so here are the details:

Workshop on Sunday, August 16th from 2-4 PM
Held at , my daughter’s: 2422 SE 19th in Des Moines
RSVP at 515-865-4625
Or email me at miffbeth@q.com

Club members attend for free, all others are charged $5.00 to help cover the cost of supplies. Thank you!

Speaking of August, it is time to celebrate my 4th anniversary with Stampin Up! How awesome is that? One attendee’s name will be drawn for a $25.00 shopping spree through the catalog, so you don’t want to miss this month!!

We need to discuss how we will handle our club meetings for the upcoming year. Be prepared to discuss the possibility of a stampers 10 group, which I know can be burdensome at times, but it is the easiest method for me to meet the quarterly sales requirements and requires only a $15.00 commitment each month from you, if we can get ten people committed to the idea. $150.00 is the minimum sales requirement for a qualifying workshop, so with this mechanism in place, we could rotate the hostess benefits between the ten members. On the eleventh month, we will draw names for the hostess gift and free merchandise amounts. On the month that you are the hostess, you may hold a workshop in your home to increase your sales and free rewards or we can just hold the monthly meeting/workshop. Please seriously think about this option.

Catalogs are still available at $6.00 each or can be purchased through Stampin Up for $9.95. I have three on hand, so first come, first serve. For those of you who enjoy scrap booking, this year’s Stampin Up Designer Paper is absolutely Yummy! There are six new in colors this year: Rich Razzelberry, Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry, Dusty Dorango, Bermuda Bay, and Soft Suede!!! These colors are so awesome and are incorporated into the Designer Papers! You seriously need to check this out! I’m not a strong scrapper, but I love the papers and I love these new colors……available in ink pads, a set of six markers, 8 and a half X 11” and 12X12 cardstock!

Special offer from me for the month of August, buy all six new IN Color stamp pads, regularly priced at $35.70 for only $30.34 which is a savings of 15% for you. This is my special offer and is not available through Stampin up. This is a this coach only offer.

Now for our CHALLENGE cards. I will be sending each of you a separate email with a technique you and you alone will work on to bring to the August meeting. If you are a visitor to our meeting and not a club member and if you want to bring a show and tell card, feel free to bring a handmade card that you made to show. Club members will make their show and tell card from the individual recipes I send via separate email. Now I know that Rachel and Jennie will no doubt share their “recipes” as will Alisa and Jessica, but try not to share with anyone else so we will all be awed and inspired by the show and tell exchange!

Beth Cutwright
Stampin Up Coach
515-865-4625
miffbeth@q.com
http://www.bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampwithheart/
where inky fingers are happy fingers
Sylvester is made from Stampin Up punches. Isn't he the cutest with those BIG muscles of his?

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Some Sad News


Well, I got to work today to find the message light on my phone lit up. The message was from Mom; our dear friend Roscoe had passed away in the night. Gosh I guess I have known him about as long as almost anyone in my life. I was ten or eleven when dad began working in the elavator trade

and he began working with Roscoe. It wasn't long after meeting Roscoe that he and Maxine and my folks became fast friends, spending many evenings playing cards, dining out etc. Roscoe had been a farm boy from southern Iowa and of course, dad's first true love was the farm. Roscoe seemed to spend a lot of time at the farm, helping out when and where he could and there is a mind chuck full of memories of Dad and Roscoe and farm stuff, and then elevator stuff. My favorite memory of Roscoe was going out to fetch the mean angus bull who had escaped. We never had Angus until this big guy came on board and he was mighty big......who would have known he could run so fast, being that big and all. I can remember Roscoe saying he'd bring that bull back and show him who was boss and across the field he strolled with a big tall stick in one hand and determination in his step. I was tending to the horses at the time, but Roscoe had not been gone too awfully long when from the backside of the far hill came two long legs and a raised cane at a far faster pace than he'd set out. Those knees were flying up and down and hot on the good shepherd's heels was that mammoth black angus bull, snorting mad as he pursued!!

It was a sight to behold and thank God, that man could run and jump a fence! It was the funniest sight I ever saw and I suppose I will chuckle often when I think back on it.


Roscoe was a good friend to both my parents. After Dad passed away and after Maxine had passed, Mom and Roscoe became friends and travelled together, kept each other company, took care of each other when it came to doctoring. He was truly good to my mom and I loved him all the more for it. I don't know what we will ever do without him and I know Mom will miss him horribly. As with most cancer, he had to endure alot of pain before he finally crossed over to a new life. And now he shares the secret of what lies beyond with all those who have previously gone before. A secret the rest of us will one day be allowed to partake in as well for death comes to all. And I think, in my mind's eye, Roscoe and Dad are sitting on a bank fishing together and catching up on old times. Someday I will join them there, for a time. For today, I am grateful to have been blessed with both of them in my life. God is good.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

It's Been a Year now.....


Aren't these two a pretty pair? This stamp is from the Rubber Cottage and when I saw a card with these two lovelies, I just had to have it. Doesn't hurt that the horse stickin' her head underneath to catch a peak looks alot like my first pony, Beauty. Gosh I do miss her. The card front is colored with colored pencils; I love to color with my pencils.
Hey guys, I've had my blog for a year now! Is that not awesome? Not that I blog every waking minute, but how time flies!
After our vendor fair I have decided I must get busy! I need to make up sellable items for the fair in September. I think I will make more Artist Trading Card aka business cards, some key chains if I can find the metal parts fairly inexpensively, cd scrapbooks which means I need to capture some pictures of girlfriends for my show and tell Friends scrapbook. Calling all friends! And of course, I think I will try and package some notecards and greeting cards as well. Hopefully these things will muster up some business, don't you think? I have to get my newsletter out this week too. And then it's on to the birthday greetings, the anniversary greetings etc......that should be enough to do to keep me in the house during August and the heat that comes with it. LOL. Can't believe I ever used to ride horses every day of the year. I could handle the heat and the cold and can't do any of that anymore. I'm such a WIMP! If anyone can think of ten good things about getting older, would you please email me and remind me what great things they be?
Til next time my buddies.....keep cool!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Today's the Day!

The Vendor Fair is over and what can I say? We had a beautiful day to be outside. I enjoyed myself tremendously and did not pack up until 2PM. Unfortunately it was a quiet day for attendance, but I did set up a booking with Jessica and placed an order for a new found friend, Marne'.
She sells for the Angel Company but she is a beautiful woman with a golden heart! And I even have three names who are interested in attending the monthly workshops....Woo Hoo! Maybe I will not have to get out of SU afterall......for the present time. I am so wishy washy. One minute I fear my physical being can't deal with it and the next, I really don't want to give up on it. I love the creating, and the fellowship of getting together with my ladies and teaching new techniques. What to do, what to do? On the other hand, being one's own best customer is not a really productive manner in which to conduct business.

And the absolute best part of today, was that my friend Pat, came over and sat with me and visited for an hour or so. We caught up on a lot of news from work and will have breakfast together on the 8th of August at Perkins. Oh it was so nice to see and visit with her again! We've worked together for years but now we are in different buildings and have been for quite some time. She made my heart very happy today!

Well today's card was what we featured at last week's workshop. It's called a Pyramid card and of course I learned the technique from the Technique Junkie newsletter. It's the same design stamped on the same size paper in 5 different colors. The darkest layer becomes your bottom layer, then on each consecutive piece of the pyramid, you cut an equal amount from all four sides of the piece and match the picture to the piece below, in a layered pattern. The cards are so cool in real life. My ladies really enjoyed making the card and it was a great afternoon.

I hear tomorrow will be as nice as today and I hope you all make the most of it! This has been a gorgeous summer in the midwest! That's all for now friends!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Vendor Fair

Well a long week at work has finally drawn to an end! And it just couldn't have come any sooner!
This weekend we are participating in a vendor fair at 1315 Washington from 9Am-3Pm......join us if you can. I am hoping for a lot of leads for workshops or at least orders. I am very close to ending the demo part of Stampin Up, so this vendor fair and the one at the ARL in September will be the decision makers for me. Sales are slow and I certainly can not make up the difference for the minimum sales due on a quarterly basis. And then there are the knee and back issues I am experiencing. That's alot of fun when you are on your feet demonstrating or lugging your creative accessories around......up to a third floor apartment on the hottest day of the year. With my age and great physique, well, you can imagine.....so we are at a crossroads. I don't think I will give up the craft though. Being my own Hallmark store is all I ever really knew I wanted to do. Maybe a little low ambition, but I do enjoy stamping and color and being an "artiste", LOL!

Anyway, the picture of three artist trading cards is for the vendor fair tomorrow. On the back side I have labeled my name phone # and email address, thus a creative larger than life business card! The three above were designed in 2006 and I will work on more tomorrow at the VF. Pray that this is a success and not a waste of time...join us if you can...it should be a lot of fun.
There will be dealers from the Angel Co, Close to my Heart, Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Discover Toys, Party Lite, Avon, Tomboy Tools, Lia Sophia Jewelry, Longaburger, and several others. AND there will be prizes!!! Stop by for a visit! We'll show you a good time on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

It's been a little while....


Oh they should say bad luck follows me everywhere! LOL!
Can I tell you how many different CPU's I have had since April; how many times I have had to kill my system and reload it? Well, not me actually....the Miff Man does this for me....I have no patience! Groan of (frustration). Finally I have my scanner back and finally I can upload scans of my cards! Woo Hoo!

This card was done using Stampin Ups Asian Artistry set (dragonfly), Embrace Life (white flowers on the pink cardstock), and (grass) from the Inspired By Nature stamp set. The focal point of the card is from ISC's Women Around the World II, as is the layout of the card. It's ISC's July challenge and with your entry, you are eligible to win one stamp sheet from ISC if you used an ISC image with other stamps, or two ISC stamp sheets if you use only ISC images. I thought I would try my hand at it....I love their stamps and have an insatiable need for more......ok, I've just proved it, I am not playing with a full deck.....everybody happy now? Confession is good for the soul or so they say.
Anyhow, my next activity will be to upload the card to ISC's challenge. With that task I have not met with success! I call this card Lady of Grace.

Anyway, life goes on and change is inevitable. My best friend from work, Jeanne, will be retiring in August. She was my first real friend I made at the Blues when I first started, (working on 31 years now). She was preggers with her Bether and I was preggers with my Mikey. Oh we had big plans for these babies from the time they arrived. We were just sure they were going to be our connection to being family, but as they grew, they decided to have minds of their own and our plans were not to be. Deep sigh. I just don't know if I can continue to work without my friend there........wish I could also retire....a seed has been planted and I'd sure like to do it. Anyway, I am very excited for her.....can you believe it, she doesn't really care for horses and I just love her like a sister! :)

Just a few thoughts.....

Monday, June 22, 2009

Stars and Stripes forever!


Do you ever have a day where you feel like you were disassembled and put back together incorrectly? That's how I feel today. I am achey and tired and I really have no right to be tired. But I am certainly not thinking straight.
The artist trading cards pictured in this post were my gift to my unit this morning. I think I made 40 of them to honor out nation's birth. Once I distribute to the unit, then I hand out the extras to different ones on the floor. I think we have over 250 Customer service reps, and no way can I make enough for everyone, so I try to catch ones that I haven't given to before as well as my unit. A star spangled boy for a star spangled day! They were a real hit and I'm glad they were received so well. You can't really miss with a great stamp like this little guy. He reminds me of the grandsons and parades.
I'll keep this short today. Thanks go out to all who ever served our country and prayers for a safe return home to all who are in active duty at the present time. You are our country's finest and we owe you a big debt of gratitude. Thank you.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Fathers Day




It is very few Sundays that my husband and I spend apart. Well once a month I leave him for my Stampin With Heart club meeting. But today, he has left me to my own devices and I am going to update my sorely missed blog and play music to my heart's content. He has gone to see Star Trek with our son for Father's day. The kids took us out to eat at Old Country Buffet, My hubbies favorite place to go and eat. Mandi has begged me not to choose there for Mother's Day, Lol! Wow was it ever packed.! So to all the father's out there, I wish you the happiest of Fathers Days! I still believe in fatherhood and the necessity of both parents in raising children, the American Dream and the good old red white and blue.




My own Dad was just about the best dad I could have ever wished for. Of course I know he spoiled me as I was the only girl, but he had a way about him. He was a considerably handsome man, hard working, great sense of humor. although he didn't appreciate my grandmother comparing him to an arangatang one time when we sent a picture post card home from the San Diego Zoo. LOL! But he was well loved by all five of us kids and I think as we grew older we all gained the wisdom that young adults do, he did the best he could to raise us and we turned out fairly well. I really miss him; I used to call and we would depress each other with our talks about the country going to pot. I miss those conversations and miss asking his opinion on so many things. His opinion seemed far more worthy than my own most of the time. And I miss seeing him at the kitchen table with his bedroom "do" first thing in the morning--coffee, paper, and hair standing up sort of like Kramer on Seinfeld wore his hair. With Kramer it was always mussed, but Dad would comb his eventually and look decent for the day. When he passed, there was an emptiness that will only be filled when we cross over from this life to the next. After I meet Jesus and thank him for all he did and all he provided me with, then I will sit down with my dad over a cup of coffee and have a long awaited visit and a hug!




Until then, I am content to watch my son and my son in law raise their sons, doing the best that they can. I'm grateful to my husband who practically raised our children, while I worked several years well over a forty hour week. And I am thankful for the partnership we have had for over thirty years together. Life has not been without it's trials, but whatever doesn't kill you , only makes you stronger. Or so they say.
The two pictures above are my dad holding four of five children , not sure Dennis was born yet, but he, Dad, was out of lap room. The second is a 4 generation shot of Miff with his dad and grandmother on dad's side and Michael. Also pictured is his youngest brother Georgie.
Again Happy Father's Day to all of you dad's, God love you!





Sunday, May 31, 2009

Say good-bye to iris

Springtime and autumn are my two favorite seasons. I love the outside and appreciate the smell of fresh cut grass, lilacs and the smell of upturned earth. Spring rains wash away the remnants of winter. The sun pokes it's head just a little closer and coaxes all the tender flowers to push through the darkness and tranquility of dormancy to bloom and blossom, sharing the beauty of new life! It truly is a time of rebirth. I find myself this spring wanting to do what I've never done, be what I have never been and to start anew. Best to start with my own attitude I guess.

Anyway, Iris are my favorite flower. They come in all sizes and colors and they are gloriously shaped and designed. When we lived in our house on the east side, I planted 26 different varieties of IRIS. That was before my knees and my back gave out on me. I had one iris that was almost black, another that smelled like grapes, verigated iris and a beautiful dark rust color. Some had such huge blooms, the stem could barely stand up, otheres were small and petite.

To honor spring and my love of the IRIS, I have done the card featured here, using my favorite shades of the color purple. I can not remeber what company put out the stamp, sorry, but I am pretty sure, I bought it at Michael's, another favorite!

We are watching the boys today while the adult kids are at Laser Fest. I bet we have more fun than they do! Rigth now they are playing video games, but we'll be stamping before too long!That is a sure bet when they are at Grandma's house. Who knows I may have the next Picasso growing up right before my eyes!

Enjoy this last day of May. I certainly will!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Newsletter June 2009

Greetings everyone! Can you believe the Month of June is just around the corner!
I have been enjoying the sunshine and the fresh air and the excitement of Stampin Up’s transition to a new catalog come July!!!

June 1st, the retired list will be posted on line. Be sure and check out my demonstrator website at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampwithheart/ and see the retired stamp sets. They will only be available through the 30th of June.

Anyone who orders three retired stamp sets will receive a free pack of colored paper from me during the month of June. This is my demonstrator offer to you and is not being offered through Stampin Up. You will need to place you orders directly through me in order to earn this freebie!

Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion
Dates: June 1-30, 2009
Promotion Details:
The Summer Fun Hostess Bonus Promotion has two parts:
Hostesses who hold a $250-$399.99 workshop will receive an additional $20 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
Hostesses who hold a $400 or more workshop will receive an additional $40 in hostess free merchandise dollars.
Things to Remember:
Customer, demonstrator, Online, and workshop order types qualify for this promotion.
Hostesses may use their additional hostess free merchandise on any regular catalog or mini catalog merchandise.
Order deadlines:
Phone: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; 6:50 PM (MT)
OEX or Online Ordering: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; 11:50 PM (MT)

Monthly Meeting: June 28th, Sunday
Amy’s House, 1310 NW Eden, Ankeny
2-4 PM or whenever Amy turns us out
RSVP me at 515-865-4625 or
Email: miffbeth@q.com

We’ll work on a couple of cards, hear about Amy’s trip to convention in Minneapolis and see her most organized craft room that we will envy for the rest of our lives….LOL

Come join the fun with an afternoon at Amy’s!
Admission free to club member’s, $5.00 admission for non member’s to assist in covering expenses.

Ask me about club membership and see if the rewards are for you!

I hope to see as many of you as possible on the 28th…

Only two days left to get in on 12X12 paper, buy three and get one free. Please go to my on line website if you want to get in on the last minutes of this great sale from SU. This includes designer series paper paks and colored paper packs as well.
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampwithheart/

That’s it for now Ladies.

Beth Cutwright
Stampin With Heart
515-865-4625
Email: miffbeth@q.com
Demonstrator website: http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampwithheart/
Blogspot: http://www.bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Memory Lane

Today, I scrapbooked my daylight hours away. Something was kindled Friday night when we had our scrappin night at Alisa's. So I finished my two Sibling pages and my rembrance page of Dennis. I am rather proud of how his page turned out. If I get my camera out so I can take a good picture I will upload it. Naturally Working with his pictures makes me sad. We certainly had our differences, but I loved my baby brother a whole lot and I miss him.

Anyway most of the day has now slipped away and I must get busy with some birthday cards!
April has a lot of birthdays, Erik, Joyce, Sister Butcher and Alisa too and two out of four birthdays I am already late with! Shocking and appalling isn't it? The queen of cards has turned into the plummer whose home pipes are rusty and leak, the mechanic whose own car doesn't run very well, and she has two boxes of cards already made, but can't send a card on time!
I always want to do that one special card, the aha card, the I'll cherish it forever card! Like I'm sure that doesn't happen often. My Mom and DH are the only ones who saves my creations.

Oh well, the joy is in the giving right? I always liked writing letters and loved the stationary at the store. Hallmark was my favorite place to shop as a kid. Pembles Hardware was my second favorite. They sold the Breyer Model Horses which I collected. Anyway, I used to write to one of my best friend's dad and perfumed his cards to the hilt and I corresponded with Uncle Alonzo the same way when I was in college. I had more fun with them! I always thought I would some day have my own stationary store and in a sense I do. I love to craft cards, the problem is, there is always some new stamp or some new technique or some new embellishment and my wish list never decreases! It's downright discouraging at times.

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend as much as I have mine. I accomplished something, I felt the emotions of remembrance both happy and sad, and I had a minute for blogging! Now to accomplish washing some dishes! :)

Saturday, April 18, 2009

April Showers Bring Pretty Flowers


We had showers today and that made me think this was an appropriate card for the today's blog. Isn't the card bright and cheery?
I used Stampin Ups Wagon Full of Love stamp of the potted flower. It was stamped on a background paper of the technique Spectrum Roll from Technique Junkie a few years back and the plaid border is one of the new techniques, Pulled Madras. Potted plant was then colored in with stamp write markers, and buttons added down the madras strip. Tiny little leaf stamp from Lovely as a Tree from Stampin Up was also used. This was a super fun and interesting card to make!
We stamped at Alisa's last night and worked on our scrap books. My daughter's and Alisa's friend, Nissa was also there. We had so much fun laughing and teasing each other and scrappin'. I watched these girls growing up and it was so awesome and now they are young mother's and still good friends. And so very busy with the business of Life! As you know doubt have guessed, I am the oldest in the crowd, just call me Mom. My busiest days are behind me and I just love pretending to be everybody's Grandma. I sure needed a night of relaxing and laughing with the girls though. Work was a bear all week long!
Enjoy your flowers as they peek through the soil and remember to plant seeds of kindness every where you go!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter 2009


How time slips away ! I wish I was a bit more diligent with posting. Mostly I am doing this for myself. And some of the stories are geared for the grandkids. Maybe one day their parents will download my posts and make a grandma's memories book for them? We'll see. The card uses a stamp from Stampin Up's Occasions Mini Brochure; Wagon Full of Fun. I stamped the image with the duck image in black ink, then colored the bill, legs and feet with Apricot Appeal and the bow with Pretty in Pink stampin Write Markers. The duck was mounted on SU's cameo coral and then to a background using the April 2009 Technique Junkie's Chalk Lines technique. Chalk colors were the Cameo Coral chalk and Sage shadow chalk applied to shimmer paper and sprayed with a fixative. That in turn was mounted on a sage shadow card stock and affixed to a 5 1/4 X 5 1/4 card base. I thought it turned out pretty well for not having any embellishments added. It is my pastel color challenge card for my stamping group this month.
We'll be teaching the chalk lines technique at the club meeting on the 28th of this month.
My husband and I spent the morning with our children and grandchildren. We shared an omelet breakfast, with DH doing the cooking. And it was so yummy. Then three of the parents hid easter eggs filled with candy out doors and we all enjoyed watching the boys racing to collect the hidden goodies. They are such a riot! How many times they passed an obvious egg without seeing it.
Ok so now it's time for grandma's memories. When my four brothers and I were young, our dad was outside hiding eggs for us and he returned to the house stomping mad. Apparently a squirrel decided to have some fun with him and clobbered him in the head with a full ear of corn.
I don't think we hid Easter Eggs after that. Of course we all thought it was hysterically funny that something like that would happen, but it wasn't one bit funny to him.
Another Easter memory came from my brother, Jim. When he was little, he paid close attention to dad and his coin collection. Jim really loved the coins and to this day, he also collects coins and saves change. But when some of dad's coins came up missing, Jim admitted to having them in his possession, but he said the Easter Bunny gave him the money. I wonder why dad never quite believed him?
I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter. Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice for us and the hope that one day, we will be with you. God Bless!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

There's a Moush in the Housh


Yes, some could say I have spent more time with Noah than with Storm and Kane. But then considering we keep him during non school hours , is that really any wonder? The title of today's entry is courtesy of Noah, who was relaying the above information to anyone and everyone who would listen when they experienced their first uninvited house guests. My kids grew up in apartments, duplexes, finally a house and although we didn't see any mice while we lived there, we did have them. Our cats Baby, Charlie and Itty Bit liked one room in particular....my craft room and so I knew there had to be something of interest in there. We didn't find his dried up little carcass until we began the move out.


Although my kids did not experience living with a mouse first hand, I had great knowledge of the little critters. In the fifties, farm houses were known to be infested with them. And as luck would have it, I think we rented every old farm house that was ever plagued with the vermin! Seriously, I love animals and even a mouse has it's place, but it is not in my turf. Out in the barn, ok. In the garage, sure thing. In my room, in my bed, NO WAY!


I was probably seven, maybe eight, when I had my first up close and personal encounter with a moush. We lived in a two bedroom country house which sat on the ground, with no real foundation beneath it. There were 7 of us--mom and dad, the four boys and me.

I know we had lived in previous farm houses where mice were prevalent. You could always hear the scratching in the walls as they scurried from here to there and back again. Mom always said if you saw one, there were a hundred more! I know at one farm house they used to run across the bed at night....they knew no shame! And apparently no fear! Anyway, My Grandma was always trying to help my mom with things....lighten her load with the five of us kids and living in the country....not my mom's forte' at all. So that particular wintry day when they were trying to accomplish great amounts of work, they bundled the five of us up and sent us out side to play in the snow. I returned to the house complaining that there was a bug in my clothing and it was scratching me. I was ushered back outside and told to play in the snow. Roll on the ground and if there is a bug, you will smoosh it. Again I returned to the house. There aren't any bugs in the winter, now get outside and stay there. Grandma was very insistent that I not return again, so I tried to handle this wicked grasshopper myself! I flattened myself onto the snow and began the rolling to and fro process. Got to my feet and I could still feel his craggly feet scratching my skin. I finally stormed into the house and told them nothing was working and I needed help. As I was shaken out of my winter clothes, out jumped a dizzy little mouse who had ventured into dangerous territory. Only then was I believed, but I had erred in the credentials of the scratching scathing little varmit. Of course they were all sorry then! Too little too late.


We moved into another farmhouse when I was a Senior in highschool. It was a large stucco farmhouse, four bedrooms, beautiful woodwork and just as mouse filled as the little crowded house. I usually washed my own laundry and one day, I washed a load where a suicidal moush had hidden himself deep into the clothing. I didn't see him when I removed the load of laundry, but there was a peculiar smell when I dried the clothes. And then I saw his pesky little corpse! Do you know how long it takes to wash that smell out of your clothes? I thought we would surely run the well dry before I got rid of that smell!


But the best moush story happened to my mom, who was terrified of the fast moving creatures!

She was changing the bedding in the boys rooms and unknowingly stepped on a deceased rodent lurking under the edge of their bed. He had apparently been dead long enough to bloat, as dead bodies do on occasion. POP! and EEEW!! Oh my did she scream! And oh my how she did a jig!..... Oh my how he stunk to high heaven! It's a miracle she didn't land on him again. And how we all laughed at her dismay!

Love ya mom! You're my favorite!


So tell me, what gives with the attraction to House Mouse stamps? Obviously the designers never had to rewash their luandry, shake them from their clothes or cast them out of their beds at night, or they would be depicted as MONSTER MICE, rather than adorables. The card pictured used House Mouse stamp "Scaredy Cat" and is colored with colored pencils, my favorite medium, ( depends entirely on the day) of course.


May your days always be moush free!

Friday, March 20, 2009

O So Fru Fru Butterfly


I have been ill with yet another cold....this time a deep chest cough that has hurt so bad. Each cold seems to hit harder than the last and I have had enough! I am sick of being sick! And as such I am going to let this beautiful sparkly butterfly just carry me away to a land where healthy and feeling just ever so fine is the rule rather than the exception!


I had ordered fru fru flakes from Pennywise Arts way back when fru fru was a featured technique in the TJNL and I finally got to work with it. I was really afraid to try it and learned alot doing it...what to do and what not to do. Pennywise Arts no longer carrys the fru fru flakes, so will have to find another source when my stash is exhausted. What a glittery, awesome result though! Using permanent markers yields a much darker stained glass effect...the card featured was made with Stampin Ups Wonderful Wings stamps. Image was stamped on acetate with Staz On and on this butterfly I colored with Stampin Write markers. The card is beautiful in real life!


When Noah was two, we were treated to a beautiful large monarch butterfly who was resting. He lit on my hand and we watched as he fluttered his wings, without flying anywhere. Noah was super intrigued, as was his grandma. That was certainly one of those aha moments! I still need to get that roll of film developed!
May the brilliance of peaceful butterflies warm and refresh your soul!


Monday, March 16, 2009

Are your ducks in a row?

Everyone is wondering these days if their ducks are in a row and what their future looks like. Have I saved faithfully, am I prepared for a recession, a depression, aggression, supression, layoffs, no money, no food , retirement, my choice or otherwise, etc, etc. etc. In some respects we have listened to the media way too hard.....just because they print it and spout it, doesn't have to make it so. We fear what we hear and so we tighten our belts and quit spending and the result is the downward spin of the economy. And we're all caught up in it.

It is a self fulfilling prophecy in many ways. So I'm hanging it up. I'm doing my best to keep the economy alive and well. I can't take it with me anyway, right? So I continue to shop at my favorite stamp stores, whether local or internet and I enjoy my art and my love of color and flair.

This card is one I made when Ankeny's Stamp Lover's was my favorite digs. I loved the people that owned it, loved the people who worked there and loved the folks, men and women alike who took classes with me there. I consider that an awesome chapter in my life! Anyway, the stamp is from Northwoods. They have fantastic nature stamps and you should check out their stamp line. Here's their link: http://www.northwoodsrubberstamps.com/default.aspx

We stamped the image on vellum and then colored with colored pencils. The ducks themselves were colored on both sides of the vellum for an extra pop. I bought the stamp thinking of Mother's Day. Mama duck leading her ducklings through the thick fauna of the flower bed!
She's got her ducks in a row!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

As I Recall,




the conversation went a little like this. It is Wednesday, hump day and I only had to work 3 and a half hours. My daughter asked me to be available to pick up her son at school for an early out day. Dismissal time 1:50 PM. The plan, work short hours, take her car and pick Noah up. Pick her up at 5 PM when she gets off work. Plan is simple. Plan should work.




Reality check. Tuesday night Erik, the truck driving husband returns to town, we pick him up after work. He needs car to get back to truck in middle of the night. Simple plan is foiled. Our van is being used on Wednesday for my DH and his medical tests. We were told it will take all day. Not to worry, change of simple plan. I will rise early, shower and run him to medical center, then pick up Noah and take him to school and run his mother to work. Will leave in time to pick him up for early dismissal.




Reality check. My DH calls at 10 am and advises he is on his way, walking, to my building, where I am trying to complete my 3 and a half hour day. He needs the parking card to get out of the ramp.




Yes, he agrees to come back at 12:30 and pick me up so we can pick up grandson together. Meanwhile, daughter, mother of grandson, has also asked for time off this afternoon. Originally she was declined, but for reasons unbeknownst to me, she has been approved to leave at 1:30 PM.......Hmmm, I should stay at work, but I rushed around this morning and didn't shower like I had planned on, so decided to "stick" with the simple but changed plan. Yes, I will tell your father we need to come back at 1:30 and also pick you up.




DH is not happy....why are we zigzagging across town all day? We will go and get grandson out of school an hour early, then pick up daughter. Meanwhile daughter has called school to tell them she will be picking up her son at 1:50, to please let him know. The school advises, well, he just left with his grandfather. And then my cell phone rings. Guess who?




So within mnutes we are all together in the van and since daughter's drivers license has expired, we take her out to the DOT for reinstatement. I had cataract surgery on February 11, maybe I can also have the restriction previously on my license removed at the same time.




Enter the DOT and evaluate long line of customers. :( Being the brilliant person I am, I pull my drivers license out in preparation of providing it to the clerical staff checking us in. She said, "What can we do for you today?" I explain I'd like to have the restriction removed on my license as I've had my cataract removed. She said, " We can do that for you, I'll need to see your license." and then she said, "That's your credit card".




Maybe I should rethink removing the restriction.




So today's card is a hinged card which was featured in the Stampin Success Magazine March 2009. Always looking for that different design, I had to try my hand at it! SU stamps used are from the retired Season's and retired Sugar and Spice sets as well as the currently available Embrace Life Stamp set. I also used a think spring stamp from A Muse Artstamps. It is a colorful, springy card and I had fun making it. I think my gals will enjoy it as well!






Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Lovely As a Tree


Spring is just so darned close! We survived January and February and here it is the third of March. March stole in silently and sweetly, surely that doesn't bode well for the end of the month, but I'll take quiet and sunshine and warmer temperatures in Iowa anytime! Come along spring, you make my heart sing!


It's been a few days since I posted a card and this is my rendition of Lisa Somerville's design using the SU Lovely as a Tree stamp set and Flower Soft. Lisa's card was done in more red and gray tones and I went with a blue and brown color theme. Unfortunately my scan of my card is not the best. Sorry. I just hope you see half the beauty I see in this card.
I love trees and fresh air, thunderstorms in the spring summer and fall, cool breezes, warm breezes and listening to the trees whisper to each other. I like the idea of hugging a tree, climbing a tree, sitting under a shady tree, and saving a tree. Trees are tall and unyielding ever reaching for the sky, housing squirrels and birds, and the tiniest of tree frogs. Their feet are narly looking and tightly grasp the earth and much beneath earth's skin to hang tight against all the elements that fight to weaken it. They are strong and yet they are wise enough to bend when a strong wind blows through. How many children have danced around the broadest of tree trunks, delighting the afternoon breeze with their joyous giggling and singing? How many little boys have shimmied upward after a squirrel or a cat and seen the world from the branches far above the earth? And who hasn't wanted to hide in the branches and the protective leaves of a tree when a bully comes walzing into your yard? Trees, beautiful trees, full of life and aged to perfection. What stories they could share! That is why Lovely as a Tree remains my ultimate favorite Stampin Up set.
I dare say, I doubt it ever leaves the top notch in my list of favorites!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Me and My Big Ideas


This is my kindergarten picture. It was the days of bobbi pins and curls and pretty checkered dresses with white collars and cuffs on the sleeves! Wish I looked that cute these days, some fifty years later.....time does take it's toll....ao does life.
Anyhow, I think I was a disappointment to my mom. She wanted a girly girl, I was a tomboy. She wanted me to have short hair, becuase I was so tender headed and I wanted it long and beautiful like Peggy's hair(blonde and glorious)! She wanted me to love my bride doll she had saved her green stamps for so long to get and I wanted to give her a haircut, so I did. She wanted me to like kittens, but just about fainted when I brought a handful of bare skin baby rats into the kitchen.
My mom, hated the farm, I adored it. Times were hard and she went to work in town when I was eight years old. I think the five of us made her want to run away. Who would have wanted to be around us, always scrappin' and hollerin', somebody cryin' and somebody screamin'. She had very little help from my farmer dad...he escaped on his tractor to the fields.
Sometimes Bill went with him....he learned to drive the tractor when he was about five.
I remember one time she and my Grandma, the one who slid down the ditch with us, wanted the five of us to take naps. The boys could lay in their room and talk til they fell asleep, but I had to have naptime in my own room all alone....no one to talk to, no one to get into trouble with except myself. So this particular day, I tried to talk my brothers into participating in the most brilliant plan ever thought of. I tore bits of magazine paper, wadded it up and stuck it in my eyes. It would be that sleepy matter you sometimes have when you have slept and wake up. My brothers couldn't make it stay in their eyes, so I proceeded downstairs to tell my gullible adult keepers, I had been asleep and successfully completed my nap. I don't know if the giveaway was the magazine bits in the corners of my eyes or the fact we had only been upstairs for about five noisy minutes. This day my brilliant plan met with failure.
My poor Mom....she wanted so much for her daughter.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Happy Sweetheart Day





This is a learning experience, loading pictures in the wrong order, LOL! Happy Valentine's day to all my friends! The colorful Card first imaged is for you! It was a lot of fun to make! The second and third images are of the card made for DH...I love making him cards, although guy cards are the hardest for me to deal with. But he is very supportive and always seems to like what I come up with...that's why he's a keeper!
The cards are made using the triple play technique from the February/March 2009 newsletter. The first colorful card features Vintage Valentine stamp set and background from one of SU's simply scrappin kits, retired, as is the stamp set. The second card for DH uses stamps from Artistic Outpost's You're a Keeper stamp sheet! They are wonderful images for the man/boy who enjoys fishing!
On my only successful fishing outing, one of the kids caught a catfish. We named him Boris, and because we named him, he had to go back into the water....none of us had the heart to do him in.
That is my only tall fish tale.
Hope you enjoy the day with your sweetie!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Happy Trails


This card was so much fun!! I saw this tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers last week and knew I would have to try it. All you do is seal any size envelope, cut one and a quarter inches off of one end...(That will be your closure piece). Stamp the larger piece of envelope however you wish to decorate it, run it through your crimper; that shortens the width to where it fits inside the closure piece. Then you can cut a piece of cardstock to fit into the crimped envelope, decorate it to match and voila, you have a decorated crimped envelope and card. I chose to stipple my envelope and used the Happy Trails set from the Angel Co. I am not adding any embellishments, as it is for my 9 yr old grandson. You never know how long anything stamped will last in their hands, but they do love to help me stamp. I've stamped with their help ever since they were babies. When Storm and Kane are over, they want to stamp. One of my stampin buddies would have heart failure if she were to see how inked up some of my blocks are, but it brings me joy to bring them joy and we have a good time. Some times we are all inked up and usually somebody decorates themselves in tape. And I can assure you, the smaller the hands the faster they are. When I have all three grandsons, it is a race for Grandma's eyes to keep on top of things, but we usually survive. Storm loves animals, so I hope he will like this card made especially for him! Not only will there be a card lurking inside with more stamped horse images, but there will be birthday dollars as well! I smell shopping coming on! Happy Birthday my little cowboy!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Miss Beth and Her Posse'

When my youngest brother passed away a year ago in December, we of course went through all the old pictures and several of the old black and whites, (none quite as cute as this photo), showed me next to the youngest brother and then the rest of the boys. We were a handful to say the least. It is interesting to note that although as oldest and youngest of the brood, we were the two most at odds as teens and adults. Not that he didn't rightly resent me. My mind was always turning and usually the four boys were my followers, and we were always in trouble. One of my efforts was to try and train a sweet little pony how to be ridden......Trust me at 12 or 13 I was no expert with horses. The only example I'd ever known was the man we bought the pony's mama from and he was a rambunctious and mean spirited man. Add his example to my own teen age meanness and determination that the pony was going to do what I wanted her to or else, it was little wonder that she reared in her rebellion, toppled backwards and shoved the saddle horn into my youngest brother's eye. None of my brothers ever forgave me that incident, or for the time we all suffered spankings because none would confess to the offense at hand. Shortly after our whippings, mind you, my guilty conscious got the better of me and I confessed.
Once, I wanted to skip school so bad that I talked my brothers into helping me walk the horses through the field so we could say they had gotten out and we just had to catch them......oh those naughty horses!! Of course none of the kids on the school bus believed us that the horses were free and one of the posse ruined his perfect attendance record (which he always got a school certificate until that year). Oops another black mark against me. So I guess when we get together at Christmas time and tell tales, is it any wonder I am the subject of many of these nasty memories? Did I bring it on myself or what?
Mom went to town to work when I was 8, Dad was always in the field and that left me and the four boys. And I was the boss, (or so I thought I had been appointed/annointed). During those growing up years, I slammed a kitchen door shut while trying to get the boys out to chore. The top of the door had a glass window and when the door stopped, guess whose arm didn't? I thought it was the coolest thing to see the inside of my arm and how the blood pumped through the veins.
And did you know that if you have fat because you are fat, it is snow white inside your body? Yes, I was over weight, but wait, that's another blog! Then there was that pony incident, and the incident where a hammer was dropped on my youngest brother's head.....yes, a miracle that he survived to be an adult. Well, Mom had enough of the phone calls and bad news and when I was thirteen, she hired a babysitter! Who wouldn't want to babysit the five darlings pictured above? We stole my dad's cigarettes so she could teach us how to smoke, the posse tied her to a chair one afternoon while I was out riding and refused to let her loose......and we learned a lot of fun words from her too. She didn't come back the next year. I really liked her.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Same Pallette, Different Day


Yes, I tried another technique from the February TJL; this one called Stringing You Along! It was great fun to do this weekend, in between unloading those pesky boxes. Again to me this technique speaks of a sunburst and the myriad
of colors dancing through the clouds. Again the stamp set is SU's Dreams Du Jour. Cardstock is SU Black, Taken with Teal and Whisper White. Inks used were Tempting Turquoise, Cool Caribbean and the Adirondack Big and Juicy, Happy Birthday ink pad. Image was colored with SU Stamp write Markers. Organza shiny ribbon is from Michael's.
They say the rodent saw his shadow which means six more weeks of winter. If tonight is any indication, we have temps that dropped 20 degrees in 2 hours and a cold brisk wind straight out of the north! I am ready to go snuggle under the flannel blanket my friend Michelle made for me. It's one of those tied together blankets and she found purple polka dots......Purple my favorite color. I don't know who loves it more, me or Max or Lucy, but we do tussle over it!
Some from my childhood probably wonder about my love of purple as when I was 5 my bedroom was purple and I was terrified to be in there. Well, it just wasn't fair I tell you. Mom and Dad shared their room and my four brothers shared a big bedroom and then there was me in this small bedroom on the back corner of the house. From my window there was a forever blinking red light on the tip of a tall tower way off in the distance......just bright enough and visible enough to be quite scary in the middle of the night. Another thing about that room I hated, was there was a back stairway that led down to the kitchen and I was always afraid someone was coming up those stairs.....and of course the room was painted lavender. I'm sure I would love that color today, but back then, it was a fearsome thing to sleep in that room. It took many a year to finally come to grips with that fear and come to love the shades of purple I love today. Maybe that room brought out my wild imagination. Let me tell you, I never lacked for imagination!
Well, until my next post, I hope your todays are as colorful as your tomorrows and equally delightful!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Color My World...


Finally a chance to stamp and to blog! Does it get any better than this? We've been cleaning house; if you can believe it, we still had boxes from our move a year ago and today, we went through them. Some of these boxes were stored from a previous move, say from 13 years ealier. Now we have organized boxes, four of which are for ebay. It all started when I decided to organize the unearthly mess in my craft room. It was such a mess, I could not stamp in the room at all. I could barely get to my supplies. When I stamped I'd carry what I needed to the kitchen or to a wooden tv tray...not much room there. On occasion one of the dogs would shred my tape before I'd notice she had it in those cute little white teeth of hers. Anyway, we made great progress today and so I treated myself to stamping this evening.


The card I am posting reminds me to be thankful for my eyes. I love color. I think that is why I love stamping so much. I am not an artist by any means, I barely passed art in ninth grade. But I do enjoy the world we live in and the majestic beauty of nature. I am in awe of those who have real talent and I love pretending to be artistic with my stamps. That's why I love Technique Junkie Newsletter so much . We got the February edition this week and it was full of inexpensive techniques for backgrounds and other card techniques. This card uses the Brayer Tapping technique and although I didn't doll the card up with any embellishments, (I'm tired), the color is fantastic and it's a really fun and easy technique to do. I used Stampin Ups Dreams Du Jour stamp set and markers to color my image, the rainbow inks used were the Happy Birthday (Big & Juicy) from Adirondack. I might try to add some embellishments tomorrow, so if I do, I will repost the improved version of the card.
I am so excited because on the 11th I will have the cataract I have had on my left eye for about two years removed and hopefully I will have complete 20/20 vision. Oh yeah! I can hardly wait to welcome color and vision back to both eyes! We'll see if this surgery improves my "artistic" abilities! LOL!











Thursday, January 22, 2009

Take Me Home Country Roads


It is supposed to reach 41 degrees today and it is just beautiful outside. There is still snow on the ground, but the sun is warm and the air is clean. Days like today make me remember growing up in the country. I loved the country and being on the farm. We made a lot of memories my four brothers and I. One that I will never forget was bringing the cows in for milking with my Grandmother. She was a tall white haired woman and a very hard worker.

She must have been babysitting for the five of us and when it was time to bring the cows in, the six of us set out across the pasture to bring a herd of holsteins in for milking. Unbeknownst to us, one of the cows had just calved. Now holsteins are generally pretty gentle in my experience, but when they get a mean streak, it's a good one and the cow that had just calved was in no mood to be herded anywhere. Our Iowa pasture was like many others, with wide areas of sprawling grassland and huge cavernous ditches. This cow decided to give chase to Grandma and all five of us kids and we took off for our lives to outrun that angry mama! We made it through the grassy pasture to the edge of the biggest ditch on the property. First to slide down the embankment was Grandma with five of us in hot pursuit! Fortunately for us, the angry cow did not follow down the embankment! We rounded up the rest of the herd and made our way back to the barn in a very long out of the way journey and avoided the ill tempered mama and her beautiful calf. It would have been a sight to behold, the six of us shimmying down that ditch on our butts!! I still smile today just thinking about it.


Anyway, because of my farm background, I had to have Close to My Heart's "My Farm" stamp set. The card I'm posting is to capture the memory of those Holstein cows. I colored with SU markers and stippled the sun, sky and ground. The background piece is Camoflauge Technique from the October/November 2008 Technique Junkie Newsletter! I love Technique Junkie and if you don't subbscribe you should.


Here is the link to Pat's blog where you can find all the details about Technique Junkie. It is an awesome resource for the serious stamper/junkie. http://www.patstamps.blogspot.com/

Happy stamping!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Happy Birthday Cherie


Well aside from the inauguration on the 20th, it was the birthday of my highschool best friend, Cherie. Hopefully she will enjoy the card I am posting to celebrate her birthday! And hopefully she will be patient to receive it as I am late in posting and sending it to her! That's me, always a day late and a dollar short; I am quite sure they will place that on my tombstone. But I hope your day was a tremendous joy and blessing to you Cherie!


The card is made of Stampin Up stamps, Carte Postale and Best Blossoms, both retired stamp sets. Also put into play were the SU Scallop Circle and scallop edge punches. Our February challenge card for my stamping group is to use your punch(es) for the challenge and this was my design. I will show them the picture and honest Cherie, the card will be on it's way to you tomorrow, hopefully with a letter. (Don't hold your breath).


I have so many stamps I need to sort and part with them....what a job that will be! Do I hear a week off from work for this? Nah, didn't think so, but it could occupy several weekends! I do not know how it happens, but it seems like my wish list never shrinks and my stash of stamps and supplies just takes over, first a room and then the whole house. If anyone ever thought a relaxing hobby like stamping would be inexpensive, they are delusional......it's a great hobby for the compulsive however. Trust me, I know!