Lovely Sympathy Cards

These are the sympathy cards that friends made and sent to me for my Dad's death. They are in no particular order....all were much appreciated and treasured. Thank you ladies for thinking of me and my family.

Sharing in you Sorrow is from Michelle. I love the softness of the pink and gray together. Michelle has an amazing SCS gallery; her name is momis mama. We have not met each other in person but, have developed a friendship over time.

The 5 petal Dahalia card is from Dina. She is a wonderful friend and is my SU Demo. I really appreciate how dedicated she is to keeping and increasing her business. You can check out her blog http://inkinwithdink.typepad.com/ .

With Caring Thoughts is from Gillian. I have not met Gill, yet, either. She is in the SCS St. Louis Shoebox Stampers. We get together once every month to share, stamp and exchange cards. I love how Gill used all these papers to create such a unique card. You can see her SCS Gallery going to Jill with a G.

The last one is from Dianne or deelite from SCS (she is in the SCS St. Louis Shoebox Swapers too). First I must appologize for the rumpled appearance of her card. The post office delivered it in a plastic bag...yup, got damaged in the process. I tried to clean it up some but, could not get rid of all the stains at the bottom nor the distressed edge. I am still loving this watercoloring of the sailboat.....my Dad was a sailor! We owned boats when I was a child and my Dad taught my brother and I to sail.

Hope you enjoy these cards and will go see their galleries. They are lovely talented ladies!

Hugs to you!!

Cindy

True Blue Friends Forever

Today I have this lovely attempt at something vintage for you. I actually made it last week and posted earlier this week on SCS but have not had the time to post it here. I loved this bird image when I saw it in a little shop in St. Charles, Missouri.....a place that I have wanted to check out for about a year. Finally got up there a couple of weeks ago when my brother from California was in town for my Dad's funeral. My siblings and Mom took a much needed day away from the stress and shopped.

Anyway, I played around with the coloring for quite sometime until I came up with the blues..similar to baby bluebirds. I kept the template for the shaped kraft paper from a project I did last year. Just added the piercing because it looked too plain without something. The crocheted flower is mine and made with DMC floss (I am thinking I might like to make these and sell them, what do you think?).

Well, want to get outside and enjoy this lovely weather....especially while the humidity is low and there is a breeze. Hope your weekend is a pleasant one.

• Stamps - Birds - Inkadinkado, sentiment - Red Lead
• Paper - SU Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy and Kraft CS, SU Bella Bleu DSP
• Ink - Ranger Archival Ink, SU Not Quite Navy
• Accessories - SU Small Oval Punch, Stamp-a-majig, Button, Trim, K&Co Urban Rhapsody Template, Paper Piercer, Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, Crocheted Flower

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

Many, Many Thanks!

Well, I am finally back and feeling like posting again. Though just like everyone else that has lost a parent, or loved one, you have good days and bad....sometimes good minutes and bad ones. I just wanted to say to all of you who extended a thought or prayer my way a couple of weeks back, thank you so very much.

I have posted on my SCS gallery many of the cards that I have been making using the Gamsol techique and Prismacolor Pencils. Though I must confess that I really like using the Baby Oil instead of the OMS. I feel it blends better and has a much nicer fragrance!

Hope you enjoy these for now. Tomorrow when I am not so tired I will post another of my cards and the Condolence cards that were sent to me.

• Stamps - SU Short and Sweet, Inkadinkado
• Ink - Ranger Archival Ink, SU Rose Red
• Paper - (Yellow and Blue ) SU Very Vanilla, So Saffron and Pacific Point CS, SU Jackpot DSP.....( Pink and Green) SU Whisper White, Basic Black and Regal Rose CS, Provocraft CS, SU Textured Whisper White CS, SU Raspberry Tart DSP
• Accessories - Prismacolor Pencils, Baby Oil, SU Small Oval Punch, Fiskars Scallop Scissors, SU Corner Rounder Punch, Grosgrain or Gingham Ribbon, Vintage Button
  

Thanks for looking and Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

A Sad Day

Friends I just want to take a moment to tell you that my Father passed away just after midnight this morning. He is relieved of his burdens here on earth and able to see God and loved ones who have gone before. I will not post until after his funeral on Monday; I will be with my Mother and rest of our family.

It will not be easy seeing Dad in that flag draped casket but, I know he is not there anymore. It is just his ragged old body....and Dad is free now! Hallelujia!!

Cindy

He Will Always Be A Great Man!

Folks this is me and my Dad last year at my 50th Birthday celebration. At this time he had been battling Lung Cancer for 2+ years. This was definately one of his better days. Two days ago we had Hospice started for him. I can't tell you what I am feeling.....angry, sad and feeling powerless to make things be different for Dad. If you have ever gone through this you know exactly what I am talking about.

This is the way I want to remember my Dad not the man I saw today....still able to be at his home. Angry, short-tempered and impatient. While my Dad had all those qualities while I was growing up they are magnified because of his disease and the shutting down of his body. Today was the day the equipment showed up....the hospital bed (probably the one he will die in), a bedside commode, oxygen tank and a wheelchair. Along with a bunch of medications for pain, anxiety and sleep. It was so much to take in, I knew I had to be strong to help Mom.

The Nurse today gave us all the information about which drugs to start having him take, she told us about how bad it will get before he passes....no sugar coating.....I guess that is what we need to hear. She also said based on his statistics, it may not be too long before he passes. I still like to think no matter what anyone says, I think God knows when and how he will go.....my faith tells me to rely on him.

So, I cry in private now....in the shower, in bed before I fall asleep, here at the computer telling you my story.....I can't seem to stop once I get started. This is Dad's choice not to fight the disease anymore. I don't blame him....he's my Dad and I love him. No matter what he did or didn't do, he will always be the greatest man I have ever known.

I love you Daddy...I will miss you but, will never forget you!!

Cindy

Thanks friends for letting me get this out in the open, cry on your shoulder....don't know what the next few weeks or months may be like for posting so I will hopefully post once in awhile to de-stress. I guess it is a good thing that I do not have a job right now, huh?

Time Well Spent Flower Pot Card

Howdy Friends! I took the TLC215 challenge on SCS and made this card for my MIL for Mother's Day. She told us this year to not send her anything, not even flowers. Usually we send a potted planter for her deck or porch, because in the past she has always said she loves it. Well, dog gone it......she's gettin' 'em anyway!! And she's getting bling and pink because she's not into that either. I hope she laughs!!!

There was a lot of cutting and sponging going on yesterday to get this to look better. I even looked at one of my clay flower pots to get ideas on how to make it look more realistic. What do you think?

In my haste to get this in the mail box, I forgot to take a picture of the inside card. You know, if you have made this one there is not much room for more than a for a few words. If you haven't made this one you can find the SCS post here and the directions here. Try the challenge yourself.

• Stamps - SU Time Well Spent, Best Blossoms
• Inks - SU Basic Black, More Mustard, Really Rust, Whisper White, Bravo Burgundy, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke
• Paper - SU Very Vanilla, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, So Saffron and Bazzill Chili Pepper CS
• Accessories - SU Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Doodlebug Rhinestones, Black Stickles, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Sponges, Zig Marker

Thanks in advance for looking at my card! I appreciate you very much for leaving your nice comments too!

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

More Crocheting

Good Morning Friends! Well, again I do not have a card to show you.....this has been a busy week...again! I have not been able to get out into the garden to do very much because of all the rain we have been having. Today and tomorrow promise to be rain free but the gound is so saturated, I can't plant only weed, trim and fertilize.

The first photo are the various flowers made with DMC floss in the Stampin' Up! In Colors. I think they match very well. The largest flower takes nearly 15 minutes to make and the smallest about 5 minutes. I have used one of the flowers on a card, which is posted about 2 weeks ago.

The second photo is the edging I created from various sources...you know a bit here and a bit there. I made it about 8 inches long because I do not know where I want to use it just yet. Though I am thinking it will be on a Mother's Day card....which hopefully I will post today!!!

And the last photo is a String of Flowers. I think they would be good to go around the edge of a circle or oval with sentiment. Or you could run a ribbon through the centers and use as embelishment on a card. Or, as one SCSer pointed out, attached to a headband for a sweet little miss.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my creations. Give me your e-mail address and I can send you the directions to any of these flowers. Some day I will find a way to post them on my blog to make life easy for you...until then...sorry.

Happy Crafting!!

Cindy