Summer Card Swap

A week ago this evening, the Scrapping Buckeye Babes got together at Deb B's house with the cards we made from the new paper packets.

We swapped card kits and made 12 new cards that evening. (A "tucked in" card is missing from the Bella group because I used it for a friend before I got a photo. Oops!)

Many thanks to Deb O (Back Country), Julie S (Animal Cookies), Katie W (Moon Doggie), and Lynda J (Bella). I took the Tinkerin' cards.

We each taught a technique or two--stamp rolling, stamp kissing, heat embossing with inking background, layered stamping, random stamping, and window cutting were some of the activities.

It was a fun evening!

Tinkerin' Paper Sampler

I thought I'd share with my paper crafting friends the Tinkerin' paper sampler that I made for the swap that I attended last Monday evening in Ohio with my super upline Deb Butler and her Scrapping Buckeye Babes unit.

It was my first swap and I loved it! We each made 3 cards to show and provided kits for participants, an altered item to show, and provided the paper samples for each participant.

The robot is on an 8 x 11 paper (he had to be big to use the 2-inch paper squares!).

I felt like I had survived a marathon card making evening after 4 hours, and it was so fun to play with all the new papers and learn a few techniques too.

Today I must write, write, write, as I have a July 6th deadline for a curricular piece, and it's a good thing that I LOVE Mondays! But it's so hard to stay inside on such a gorgeous day...I'm taking the laptop to the deck so I can hear the birds and feel the breeze.

I'll post the swap cards soon--

Anniversary Photo Collage

Before I head to bed for a great night's sleep on our own sleep number mattress (ahh!), I want to share this photo collage that my DH and I created and gave to Dad and Mom for their 63rd wedding anniversary. I took the photos when we visited in April, and though the photo of the gift project doesn't show the rich colors well because of some reflections in the glass, the greens and ivories in the photos look so nice with the wood tone of the collage frames. The photos are 4 x 6's and 5 x 7's.

I just knew that my parents' comments would be, "Oh, we don't want OUR photos on our wall..." and I also knew that I'd have to promise to switch out the photos with those of grandchildren and great-grandchildren during our next visit ... well, maybe I will, maybe I won't ...

Aren't they the cutest couple? Click the image to enlarge and to see their smiles and shining love even better.

God bless you real good, Mom and Dad!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Tracy posts beautiful shadow shots of her own and from other photographers around the world on her blog at HeyHarriet.

Take a look when you can! Then capture your own--looking for shadows opens up a whole new world. Sometimes you capture them when you least expect them!

Here are just a few of mine from this past week when my DH and I visited relatives and friends in Ohio and Michigan...What a blessing it was to be with Dad and Mom and my sister Kathy for Father's Day 2009!

Sunflower plants' shadows in Mom's patio planters

Early morning shadows in Dad & Mom's back yard

A rednecked hummingbird at the feeder

A chipmunk by my sandals

Views of Long Lake & the afternoon shadows there...

Now we're thankful to be back home after about 1,000 miles on the road these past 8 days.

Happy new week!

My Father's Grace

My dad and the unconditional love he showed to me all my life is the focus of an inspirational article that you can read at this site: WomenToWomen:SharingJesus.

From Dad's words and actions, I grew up learning the love, forgiveness, and grace that God our heavenly Father offers to each of us.

Our Creator Father cares for you and me, and He wants us to be in a personal relationship with Him, to come to Him with our joys, sorrows, needs, and wants, to thank and praise Him, and to share His love in Christ Jesus with others.

If you know your heavenly Father and He's part of your daily life, I praise and thank God for that! If you want to know Him and all He has done for you, begin by reading the Psalms and the Book of John. Talk to Him and tell Him in your own words how you feel, what you need, your hurts and your thanksgivings. He hears our prayers and promises to answer us. It's like talking with your best friend!

God bless your relationship with your father and Father as you celebrate this Father's Day on Sunday and every day!

I'm Still Tinkerin'

Two altered acrylic photo frames with wallet size photo mats

A photo frame side view

I altered a CD jewel case for my dad for Father's Day, trying to create a Beetle Bug on the front, with "fun" and smiley face buttons for its wheels...use your imagination, okay?

Inside will be a CD and a playlist of some of his favorite songs.

I have a little more tinkerin' to do yet...

Goodnight!

Trio of Tinkerin' Cards

The first two card designs are from the new Wishes card-making resource book by Jeanette Lynton--if you enjoy making cards, be sure to click here to order yourself a book!

I love the bright colors in the Tinkerin' paper packet!

The third design is my own & the inside sentiment says "get well". I used the Versamark stamping/heat embossing/inking technique on the background.

Have a great new week! Happy paper crafting!

A Two Card Night

Elizabeth, Linda, & Sandy--Sunday scrappin' friends

This afternoon three friends came over to scrapbook and make cards. We enjoyed the leisurely day and our time spent together! Linda and Sandy made cards while Elizabeth worked on scrapbook pages. Here are two cards I made this evening using Unforgettable (happy birthday card) and Sweet Pea (baby card). The bird's body and its wing are stamped, cut, and popped up with foam squares.

I adapted ideas I found in the new Wishes book by Jeanette Lynton. What a fantastic resource!

I'd keep going with the paper, cutter, and glue, but my eyes say "rest!"

I thank the Lord for my dear friends and for the time He gives us to be together doing such a fun hobby, sharing our prayer requests, and uplifting one another!

Happy new week, and God's blessings!

Shadow Shot Sunday

I caught some eyelash shadows on Ella today at her birthday pool party!

Then shadows surprised me right under my nose in my studio today!

We got a sunny day, hallelujah!

Skip over to Tracy's blog to see awesome shadow shots from great photographers around the world! Join in the fun of looking for and shooting shadows when you can!

Please Pray for "Pounder"

If you're visiting my blog and seeing this post, and if you're a Christian who believes in our loving Great Physician Jesus, would you please stop and say a prayer for "Pounder," the one year old grandson of our friends?

Baby Benjamin has been hospitalized since his bone marrow transplant in mid-April, with various complications resulting.

He has such a faithful, loving family and a huge group of prayer warriors all over the world praying for his health, for his medical team, and for his miraculous healing. Thanks for being a part of his praying family & friends group. We pray in the strong name of JESUS, and expect a miracle!

The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. Psalm 147:11

Night & Day Skies

We've had an absolutely CRAZY few months of weather here in the Midwest. Now we seem to be in a monsoon season, with rain every day for what seems to be more than a month now. When the sun comes out, everything steams -- you can almost hear the sizzlin' sounds and we don't have anything on the grill. It's the cold rain hitting the hot roofs--a great science lesson!

Here are shots from our deck:

1. Last evening's thunderclouds in the sky right before the downpour let loose...we got another 2 inches of rain; others got 4-5 inches around us with much flash flooding and uprooting of trees; others got golf ball size hail.

2.Our blue skies are gathering more thunderclouds now, and four more days of this storm system are predicted.

I flit outside when I can between writing to transplant or weed in the gardens, watch the hummingbirds and finches, hear the blue jay squawking (she's aggravated that her nest won't stay together in the big oak tree with all the bad weather), and just to watch the images form in the clouds--a Pooh bear, a ladybug, an alligator, just to name a few today. The birds are singing (can they really take much more rain?) and the butterflies have begun to hatch and flutter around all the roses, coreopsis, and clematis blooms.

I love spring -- it's my favorite time of year. I pray that you are staying safe from the bad weather funnel clouds and hail, and enjoying God's beautiful season where you are!

A Big Project Is Finished!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Here's one of our concrete workers using his long handled trowel tool to signal the concrete truck down the street. It just happened! What a week--rain and more rain and in between we had this huge project...I need a vacation now that it's almost finished.

Skip over to Tracy's blog and see all the very unique Shadow Shots! Mine are boring and blahhhhhh compared to those you'll find in her weekly collages. She does a great job on the meme!

Happy new week, everyone, and thanks for looking!

Good Times Father's Day Card

I threw this card together today, and I think it's going to become a "redo"--right now I'm calling it one of my pathetic attempts! If so, I'll post the before and after! I'll call it a practice card (I need a LOT more practice!) because I messed up on the water color in places, have too many things going on both on the front and the inside, and have to rethink it all after a good night's sleep! The inside is a pull-out meant to have a fishing license attached--something we girls in the family always give to DH for Father's Day.

We're getting some gorgeous weekend weather, so I'm going to lock up the studio and take a breather. Tomorrow we're going to a Strawberry Festival in a quaint French river town nearby, and will be back next week, hopefully with newer and better things to post!

Enjoy your weekend! God bless you REAL good!

Exercising Patience with Concrete Work

Monday was spent watching the workers prepare the new sidewalk area and driveway (it's huge--3 car width). Tuesday brought the concrete trucks and some fast moving concrete workers to get the job done. Our driveway is half-poured and curing nicely.

But God had other plans for the last half! A big thunderstorm came through our area Tuesday afternoon and evening. Thankfully we didn't get the high winds and hail that people north of us got. Huge trees were uprooted, roofs were blown off, and 3,000 homes are still without electricity.

Yesterday our city street crew started painting lines in front of our house and the neighbor's house. When we asked whattsup with that, we found out that they plan to replace a width of the street early next week! So glad we asked!

WHOAAA! Now the driveway project is on hold until the street work is completed. NO WAY are we going to risk having our driveway jackhammer-damaged.

We WILL be patient and trust that the job will get done well in God's time. More photos to come...maybe one showing me with my rollerblades on and taking a whirl.

A blessing from the storm=cooler and pleasant air and almost NO humidity! Thank You, God!

Floral Photo Cards

These are easy peasy cards but oh, so gratifying to make using my botanical photo prints from recent garden shots, scraps of cardstock and ribbons, and stamped sentiments inside for special people--get well, happy birthday, we're praying for you, thinking of you, you're special, and God be with you.

I like to add an appropriate Scripture verse on the left inside too, printed on a clear label with the coordinating ink color. It makes the card personal, along with a short hand-written note.

It's raining today--again! So the new concrete driveway is half finished and now on hold. Patience is a necessary virtue. Can't move mulch. Can't plant flowers. Can't pull weeds. What better kind of day to get pampered with a haircut, manicure, and pedi too? And scrap some more?

God bless YOUR day real good!