Friend Quote Book

These photos are from a little quote book I made for one of my friends at Christmas. Without telling her whole story, she was going through some trying times....health okay. I felt she needed something to lift her spirits. So, I created this for her.

The 9 quotes are from various internet and quote book sources I have. After formatting and printing, I added backgrounds and used a few embelishments for fun. I used cereal boxes cut them 3 x 6 for the base then used my Xyron to adhere the DP to the cardboard...rounded the corners and sanded for that distressed look. Hope this inspires you to start thinking about Christmas.....it will be here before you know it!!

If you would like me to send you the formatted quotes, just let me know.....I will need your e-mail address so be sure to put that into the note. Stamps - Hero Arts, SU Wild About You, SU Tagger's Dozen, SU Just Love You

• Paper - Basic Gray, SU So Saffron, Cool Carribean, Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White CS
• Ink - SU Cool Carribean, Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink
• Accessories - Binder Ring, Various Ribbon, Chipboard - SU and Maya Road, Asst. Buttons and Brads, SU Dimensionals

Thanks for looking, if you leave a comment just know that I appreciate you very much!

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

A Sunday Hello

I just wanted to tell you that Wayne and I worked in our front yard all day putting in a stone ring around our Ash tree. The grass was encroching on the little mound around the tree and starting to envelope the Ajuga I planted there last year. What a job that was....but, so rewarding to see the finished project. Tomorrow I will plant with red Salvia and white Alyssum.

When we moved into our house over 5 years ago, there was no curb appeal. Slowly we are turning it into something to be really proud of. Last year we had to replace the ugly teal green garage door. It had been bent and finally refused to work anymore. We replace it with a nice Ivory insulated door. Eventually we will replace the siding and match it to the door. Now when we drive down the street and are not struck with that dated color door.

It just amazes me how much work a house takes to keep it well maintained. On top of the mowing and putting in little gardens we have to maintain the back and side gardens too. Now I know why so many folks just keep it simple....not that there is anything wrong with that! Wayne and I just happen to love working in our gardens....in fact it is the one area where we never fight (not that we do much of that even in our house!). It is so nice to have a true partner in life.

Our favorite things about our house....the paver patio under the deck where we sit many nights drinking wine and watching the cars go by; our open floor plan that includes the family room, dining room and kitchen and the fact that no one will ever be able to build behind our lot. Our least favorite things about our house.....the noise level that the street gives off (it's about 100 yards); galley kitchen; unfinished basement and no fireplace.

Well, that was just a little slice of our life...no cards, no photos, no complaints...for today at least. Hope you had a good day today and an even better one tomorrow. If you don't hear from me much, it is because I have to get so much done in our garden on the nice days we have before it turns really hot and muggy! I will try to take photos along the way for you to see.

Happy Spring and Happy Crafting!!
Cindy

Thank You Fairy Much!

Good Morning Friends! Found this lovely stamp at one of my local stamping stores. I know it will come in handy for our nieces as they are totally into Fairies right now! But, this is going to my husband's boss for inviting us to their Greek Easter celebration last weekend. Heading out to run errands...the mall, over to my folks to dig up some plants my Mom no longer wants and dinner at a friends house tonight. Hope you have a great weekend!

• Stamps - Whippersnapper, SU Short and Sweet
• Paper - Colorbok DP, Provocraft CS and SU Very Vanilla and Bashful Blue CS
• Ink - Ranger Archival Ink
• Acessories - Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, Jelly Roll Pen, Dimensionals

Thanks for looking and Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

Happy Sweet Friday

Good Morning Everyone! Here is another attempt at the Gamsol technique I am trying to perfect. This one I used Baby Oil with my Prismacolor Pencils. I think I am getting the knack of it....using a very fine shading of the area I want to color and then a very dark line to shade. The whole process is taking a bit longer than I like for a single card. But, I guess if you are entering challenges or sending one to a special niece, it is worth it.

I am still working on trying to find a better way to take the photos of my cards and edit them. We are having scanning issues....the scanner I was using for such a long time is no longer compatible with my computer. Our other scanner, Wayne's, is foreign to me....he's not so great with knowing how to use it either (not that he can't figue it out....he's a computer genius!!!!). I am just not satisfied with the washed out look of my cards! He promised we would work on it this weekend.

Here are the details:

• Stamps - SU So Very, Magnolia image (don't know name as this was from Linda)
• Paper - SU Whisper White Textured CS, Provo Craft, Creative Imaginations and SU Bella DP
• Ink - SU Chocolate Chip
• Accessories - SU Chocolate Chip Marker, Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, Stumps, Cotton Lace, SU Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Bazzill Brads, Handmade Crocheted Flowers, SU Corner Rounders

Thanks for looking and leaving comments. I appreciate you very much!

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

Nature's Flowers

Howdy Folks! Yep, it's me.....I am finally going to post a card after it seems life forever! Those of you who responded to my state of mind last week; thank you so much. I have been going though so much mentally to figure out my place in our corner of the world. Well I can report that I still have not done so but, I do feel better about the lack of my having a job.

I just keep thinking that I must be meant to do something than just sit at home, craft, garden and manage my son's life. Though friends of mine say that is my purpose, because without me no one else would be doing it. Beth, you could be 100% correct. I will keep praying for guidance to find my purpose.

About the card.....Linda sent me this image. I liked it straight away because of the sunflower and country look. I have been practicing using my Prismacolor Pencils and OMS and Baby Oil. I like them both but, I think I prefer the Baby Oil because of it's pleasant smell. But I think the OMS blends better. And I have been trying different peachy/pink/cream pencils to get the coloring right on the face. What do you think? If you have any tips, please let me know.

• Stamps - Vases in Vogue


• Paper - SU Bashful Blue and Whisper White CS, Colorbok DP, Unknown deep blue CS


• Ink - SU Brillant Blue


• Accessories - Dew Drops, SU Scallop Border Punch, Fiskars Scallop Scissors, Dimensionals, Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, Asst. Stumps, White Gel Pen

Thanks again for looking, I always appreciate you kind and generous comments too!

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

I am still here!

Good Thursday Morning to you! Yes, I am still here....though not working on making cards right now. So, I have nothing to show you. But, I can tell you I have been working on some sewing projects and crocheting more flowers. I hope to show those to you in a couple of days with some watercolor cards.

But, I think I have just been feeling out of sorts these last 2 weeks. So much on my mind and plate that I have hardly had time to sit and create. The job I was excited about was not what I expected. It was about as much fun as watching grass grow! So, I quit it....with an appology to the owner of the agency....the day before I started. I was asked to work 2 weeks until they found someone. I will be out of work again on Saturday at 5pm. It's okay.

This experience has left me feeling like a fish out of water.....I don't know what I want to do when I grow up! Do you ever feel like that? Okay, I have 2 college degrees....don't want to do either of them that I trained for. Part of me knows it's okay and the other part wants to slap my face and say, "snap out of it!" Yes, that sounds like I am being hard on myself and I shouldn't be.
So, I guess I need to keep doing more soul searching, praying for guidance and relax more. Oh...yeah....and eat more chocolate!!

We will talk again soon!

Happy Crafting!!
Cindy

Lookie what I got!!

Look what Linda from Linda's Crafty Creations sent me to play with. I was bemoaning the fact that money was super tight here and that I would love to have some new images to play with, but I did not have the cash to buy any new stamps. This was only part of what she sent me, I just did not have room to take a photo of everything. Thanks sooooo much Linda!!


This is the card she sent me as well. So sweet!! Love those flower brads too! She always does such a nice job coloring her images. Go over and check out her blog sometime!!


I will be gone a few days....heading up to Wisconsin to see hubbies family. New baby in town and, of course, we want to see her. My husband's cousin's first child! We have to pack our winter gear as Wisconsin is much colder than St. Louis this time of year. In fact, anytime we go we always take long pants and sweatshirts or sweaters...even in July!!


Hope you have a great Palm Sunday weekend.

Happy Crafting!!
Cindy