Huge Prima Blog Candy

Prima blog is going to reveal something really big. So in honor of that event, they are giving away candy. Look at this....worth about $100!! Go to their blog found here http://prima.typepad.com/ You have until tonight to enter.......hurry friends!!!

Valentine's Day at the Zoo and Hope Cards

Good Morning Friends! Yes, it has been a week since I last chatted with you. I have been busy, of course, working on my studies (first exam tomorrow), working on taxes, taking care of Clark's issues, always (big care plan meeting on Friday) and working on cleaning up my desk. Which means the parts and pieces of stamped cards that I never finished.

Oh, you know you borrowed a set and stamped off a bunch of images but, just ran out of time or lost interest in that project. Well, that is me (raising my hand) on both accounts. I have so many projects that I want to do or have in the works that I forget that I have other responsibilities that have greater priority.

Like on Valentine's Day, Wayne and I really had nothing planned except to spend the day with each other. Well, then you really can't spend time working on your crafts can you. It was a fun day spent a good portion in the frosty cold watching some of the penguins get to waddle out of their cages for a bit. This was the first time we had seen this. So, it was fun! The rest of the zoo animals were pretty much non-existent except for the ones in the heated houses. We are zoo members and love going and walking around one of the last free zoos in the country.

Then we went to Whole Foods for some dinner fixins. Made a couple of nice grilled steaks with baked potatoes, huge tossed salad and ice cream for dessert. We were stuffed....kind of looked like those penguins! LOL! I was such a pleasant day to just relax and not think about the other things in our lives for just a bit.

Wayne and I have been very fortunate that we have not had anyone in our family or known any friends that have had breast cancer. Known folks, including Dad, with other cancers. But, which ever form it is a terrible disease to have to suffer under. My thought is that you have to give up your will to God but, still fight the disease. I had Ovarian Cancer so long ago I can't even tell you how I felt at the time.

I was just 18 when I found out. I was stunned and really did not know what it all meant at the time. That was in 1976. And at that time the treatments were okay but, not like today. So, I agreed to have a total hysterectomy to save my life. It was tough for quite a few years dealing with that removal.....the loss of hormones and the never being able to have children. I think it weighed heavy on Dad for a long time (he told me this later).

Today, I am healthy and have an adopted son. I am grateful for each and everyday I wake in the morning and put my two feet on the ground. I know that there is hope of a brighter tomorrow for all of us......whether we face that disease or another one.

Thanks for looking at my cards (these will go into my stash and some will get donated) and listening to my story. I appreciate your loyality to my blog even with my absences. I hope you have a great day!
Cindy

• Stamps - SU Hope Is
• Paper - SU Whisper White, Pretty in Pink CS, Basic Grey DP and SU DSP (retired), Creative Cafe Notecards
• Ink - SU Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink
• Accessories - SU Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, MS Lacy Scallop Punch, Buttons

Anniversary Blog Candy Giveaway

Update.........And the winner is:

Larisa

Congratulations!! Please e-mail me at cvansluys@charter.net with your address so I can get these goodies out to you this week!

Thanks everyone who played! I enjoyed looking at your galleries and blogs too!

Cindy


This will stay at the top of the page until February 15. Scroll down for newer posts.

Good Afternoon Friends! Well, I told you I would give away some candy and here it is. I am celebrating my 1 year Anniversary in Blogland (which was at the end of January).

I am giving away all this to one lucky Follower. Here is what you need to do to win..
1-Put my candy on your blog with a link back here.
2-Become a follower if your not already.
3- And leave a comment here letting me know you have done so. If you do that you will have 2 chances to win, if you do not have a blog you still have a chance to win...blog or not!! You have until February 15th to enter!

This is what you will win:
K & Co Greenhouse DP pack
K & Co Greenhouse Phrases & Icons Chipboard
K & C0 Greenhouse Embossed Stickers
Clear Scraps Friendship Stamps
Making Memories Gem Pin Findings
Making Memories Flower Pin Findings
3-Studio 18 Rhinestone Packs
9 ft. roll Ribbon
Spare Parts Alpha Buttons
Daisy D's Green Metal Photo Corners
Teresa Collins Journaling Spotz
Handcrocheted Flowers and Trims to Match

Good Luck!
Cindy

Check out all the other blog candy on my sidebar!!!!

House Mouse Valentine for Wayne

Happy Valentine's Day Friends! Here at last is the card I made for my husband, Wayne. I am really trying not to buy any more stamp sets for awhile as we are nearly debt free.....and that excites us!! I love this stamp for Anniversaries and Love cards! In fact, if I am going to used a stamp that is whimsical, this is the type I will use.

Wayne loved it, in fact, he chuckled when he saw the inside. I screwed up, I had a stamp that said 'to my' and did not use it. So, I scratched out 'a' and wrote 'my'. Oh well, he knows me and it's okay!

The coloring was with inkpads and blender pen. The brads were just plain metal and needed jazzing up....so what if it's for a guy, a little bling never hurt anyone! Poured Crystal Effects over the top and dumped the glitter on. The result was just enough sparkle.

Thanks for taking a look at my card today. Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

• Stamps - House Mouse, SU So Many Sayings, various sets for the inside sentiments
• Ink - Ranger Archival Black, SU Creamy Caramel, Blush Blossom, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue Inks

Paper - SU Whisper White, Rose Red and Soft Suede CS, SU Throughly Modern DSP

Accessories - Stamp-a-majig, Unknown Brads, SU Crystal Effects, Pink Paislee Pixie Stix Glitter, Paper Piercer, SU Corner Rounder Punch, SU Soft Suede Grosgrain Ribbon, Glue Dots

Sorry for the screwy post.....just could not get it fixed to look nicer!!

Simple Chipboard Valentine

Okay....I have done my last chipboard heart card for awhile! This one was the last and I was loosing my mojo when I did it. I used a piece of crocheted trim I made a while back when I need something to do in front of the TV. Everything else is pretty straightforward except I used some Tsukineko Brilliance around the edges of the hearts for some shimmer.

Today is a lazy day....well sort of. I have to clean up my crafting area a bit but, to me that is not really working. Then I want to get a Hawaiian shirt cut out for Wayne for his birthday next month. It will still be a bit cold for him to wear it for a few more months but, knowing him he might try to wear something underneath it!

Tomorrow I will post the card I made for Wayne.....no chipboard hearts! We are going to the Zoo to watch the Penguins waddle on the sidewalk near their exhibit. Then come home and make some French Onion Soup and Steak Dinner. I just might make that cheesecake I have been promising him for awhile now to top off our Valentine dinner.

Whatever you do today or tomorrow I hope it involves loving someone close to you! Happy Crafting!!

Cindy

• Stamps - My Sentiments Exactly!


• Paper - SU Very Vanilla and Riding Hood Red CS, SU Candy Lane DSP
  
• Ink - Tsukineko Brilliance Pearlescent Biege, SU Riding Hood Red


• Accessories - Rusty Pickle Chipboard, SU Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Crocheted Scalloped Trim, SU Scallop Border Punch, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Sanding Tools, Sponges

With All My Love & Lincoln's Birthday

Good Morning Friends!! Okay here is another chipboard heart. Pretty simple and easy to mail. The green circle is tinsel glitter from MS...funny how this came to be on my card. Bought some new glitter with my Michael's coupon to match the SU Bermuda Bay color. Opened the top and this was the inside liner to the bottle. So, I trimmed it down and used it. So you could say I recycled today!!

Not too much going on here expecting another snow storm this weekend. Though only about 2-4" which if we compare to New England's latest amounts, it's a dusting! St. Louis folks get all panicky....rushing out to the stores to milk, eggs and bread. I call them the French Toast people......Ha!

Last weekend I think you remember that Wayne and I were going to take a couple of days away and head to Springfield, Illinois? We wanted to go see the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (which I highly recommend) and his home. After the tour of his home we walked around the area and struck up a conversation with a National Park Service (they are in charge of the home and few blocks surrounding it) ranger. He was off duty but, answered our questions about the homes in this area and whether there was any record of the Lincoln's having interactions with the neighbors. He did not know.

Then we asked him about the color of the house. It turns out for the longest time it was painted white with green shutters. Then in the 80's preservationists started reading newspaper accounts from Lincoln's time period and found there were mentions of a sandy brown house with green shutters. They were also able, when they were doing restorations to the attic (during the Lincoln's time in the house lighting struck the house and they had a fire) the roof had to be raised a bit to do repairs to the roof. That's when they found a brick with the original paint still on it, not seen or touched by the elements for over 130 years. Interesting, huh? I love history!!


Hope you have a great day and good start to the weekend! Happy Crafting too!
Cindy

• Stamps - SU So Many Sayings
• Paper - SU Very Vanilla CS, K & Co Lovely and SU Welcome Friends DPs, Creative Cafe' Notecards
• Ink - Ranger's Archival Black
• Accessories - MS Tinsel Glitter, Dimensionals, SU Word Window Punch, SU Melon Mambo Grosgrain Ribbon, Hand crocheted Trim, SU and Rusty Pickle Chipboard, 2-Way Glue, Sanding Tools

Wild Raspberry Love Card

Good Morning Friends! I am still working with the chipboard hearts this week. Actually, I made these all in one day I am just now posting them in hopes of attracting more attention to my blog. I guess unless you are a demo for CTMH or SU or a designer for some company you are destined not to get many folks looking. It's a bit dissapointing but, that will not get me down in the dumps, I will just keep going.

I love this combination of colors together and the vintage feel. Whomever from these paper companies that design all these wonderful papers are truly brillant! I think that is something we cardmakers and scrapbookers take for granted.

I put this card on one of my Grandmother's quilts she made. My Grandmother, Mom's Mom, was not a quilter all her life, she learned late in life. In fact, she learned out of spite you could say. She was wanting a quilt to be made for my Mom and Dad when they got married nearly 54 years ago.

So, she went to the church in her area of Illinois that was doing that on a regular basis and was told that it was over a year wait. Grandma got mad and said she would just teach herself. Most folks at during that time knew how to sew already, it was the quilting that was different. This quilt is called Snowball because when you open it up, the white sections look like snowballs.

Thanks for looking and hope you have a very happy crafting day!!
Cindy

• Stamps - SU Baroque Motifs, Stampabilities Sentiment
• Paper - SU Very Vanilla, K & Co Wild Raspberry DP
• Ink - Ranger Archival Black Ink, Tsukineko Brillance Pearlescent Biege
• Accessories - SU Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, SU Gold Cord, Unknown Rhinestone, Rusty Pickle Chipboard Hearts, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Sanding Tools, Sponges