Crop Night Review…

We had a small group last night but we were productive!

Tiffani was able to drive in from out of town to join us and she was working on getting her hand made crafts ready for a booth in Canton.  She was making the most adorable holiday wreaths and decorations you have ever seen.  

If you have a chance to go to Canton, Texas during First Monday Trade days weekend look for a Tiffani In Pieces booth.   

Amy was very productive:  She ordered Avonlea Card Making Kit last month and was able to do the entire kit from start to finish during crop. She completed 15 cards and learned a couple of new techniques while working last night. 

Now she has a complete set of handmade cards ready to go when needed.

I worked on my Christmas Cards that I am sending out this year.  I am using the Pear and Partridge Card making Kit.

I ordered 2 kits and I was able to make 30 cards.  I was able to get all but 5 cards done last month and this month.  But my scrappers pinky was acting up and I stopped working about 11:00 and just enjoyed the conversation from there.  It is not even November yet am I almost have my handmade Christmas cards done! YEA ME!

I have enough supplies left over that I am going to see how many cards I can get from scraps.  You know I love my scraps! 

I think I finally went to bed about 3:30 am – I love my time that I spend with my crop ladies!  See you next month!

Having So Much Fun

I love these photos!

I was not on this trip because it was the grandkids time with the Grandparents but I can see the fun they had.

My oh so graceful father in law!

This is just one of the reasons I fit in so well with this family.  I have the rest of the “falling” pictures in a half sheet of 6 to show the progression of the fall.

I want to go tubing after seeing these photos!  The Great – Grandparents Perry had fun watching the kids and having a cold one. 

What a beautiful setting for a cool tube down the river on a summer day.

Lazy Day

I am sure that at the end of a very busy day this was just how everyone wanted to wind down and relax. 

SLIDE!!

Well I am on my way to posting every layout that I have completed this week.  While I have not been as fast as I wanted – I am happy with what I have been able to complete.  (so far)

Reaching Way Back in Time

The goal of taking vacation time from work this week was to rest before the madness of the holiday season starts and to just take time for me and work on getting some scrapbooking done.

Well – so much for working on albums – CARDS are on the brain!

I have about 1/3 of the Olivia paper pack left and needed to make a handful of “fall cards” so I grabbed the workshop guide that goes with this paper and just from the scraps of paper and cardstock from my scrap bin made this set of 6 cards.

I forgot how much I love this paper until I was using it again. 

BTW – I still have about 1/3 of the paper left! 

Words of Comfort Stamp Set

I am in love with the Words of Comfort Stamp set (C1524) I have been looking for a Sympathy Stamp Set for years and this one fits the bill for me.  While it is an occasion that we all wish we did not have to make cards for it does happen.

This card comes right out the of Fall / Winter Catalog 2012 on page 107. 

The original card has burlap on it and I found my burlap ribbon after I finished the card.

Some scrap papers, stamps, a button and a couple of sparkles and you are good to go. 

Now that I am looking at this card it could also be for someone that needs a bump of encouragement also. 

Flirty Card From Scraps

Disclaimer:  The following card was originally created by: Gloria Shirr

Gloria – Thank you so much for the inspiration! 

I was surfing Pinterest a couple of days ago and noticed a bright and fun card that seemed so easy to make.  It is made with the Flirty paper pack and while I have played with this pack for scrapbooking I have not made a card with this set yet and this just caught my eye. 

Gloria made this card as a sympathy card but I have made so many sympathy cards lately that I needed something more cheerful.

I love that it is quick, cheerful and so easy!  But best of all it was made from scraps! 

Stay tuned for more cards made from scraps….

My Go To stamp this week

I have been talking about  the Words of Comfort stamps set so much this week I thought that I would show you the images.

Words Of Comfort

Set of 11
Recommended My Acrylix® Blocks:
1" × 1" (Y1000), 1" × 3½" (Y1002), 2" × 2" (Y1003)

$13.95 C1524

Grandpa Time

Still working on the 8th grade album and since I do not have very many “school” photos I decided to put the cruise / summer pictures from her trip before 8th grade in this album too. 

The hardest thing about scrapping these photos – I was not there!  I can not do any journaling and when I ask Kaela about it she says she does not remember.   So I am leaving space, just in case she gets her memory back one day. 

These are the Grandpa Bob birthday photos from the side trip to Georgia during the same summer cruise / road trip.

I could not get a good photo without flash in each picture.  These are the best shots I could get. Sorry. 

The pattern I used is out of the (retired) CTMH Imagine How To Book page 25.  I wanted to use the pattern from the new CTMH Make It From Your Heart How to Book page  13 but I had too many photos that I wanted to use and they could not be trimmed down to 3x3 blocks. 

I am really happy with the final layout. 

Ink It Up

I am so excited about these new inks! 

Peace Found

My mother in law, Barbara just called to let us know that Grandma Barnes has moved to heaven.  She took a turn Thursday night and we had a sad yet amazing day Friday.

Grandma would be talking to us at one moment then have an episode where she would for lack of the better phrase “go away”  she would not breathe for up to five minutes and the only hint that she was still alive was one vein pulsing in her neck.  She would then take a deep breath and start describing heaven or talking about seeing members of the family that have passed before her.  We were all on the edge of our seats wanting to hear more. 

After sitting with her most of the day Friday – if I did not already believe with all of my heart – you would be hard pressed to tell me that heaven does not exists!  

I had a beautiful night with her during my time to sit and visit last Thursday and I will always treasure those memories.  

Thank you for so many memories!

Finally…

I have a layout that has been half finished on my desk for 2 weeks and I was able to finish it today.

The top image has “true colors” showing but for some reason the bottom image just did not want to take right so I had to lighten it with software. 

These are pages that will go into Kaela’s 8th grade album so with these pages finally finished I can say that I am making progress

I have a few hours before the family gets home so I am going to keep playing.

Have a wonderful day!

United Methodist Women Fall Bazaar

This was my best year yet! 

The set up was super easy, we were in a great location, the first spot just as you walk into the gym and I made a profit this year! 

Ok well I spent the profit at the booth next to me but I had a profit for like 5 whole minutes!   

This is the table for the “stamping station” giving away old catalogs that are good for ideas and selling a little retired product.   I know that I am using the old double scrubber but it is the one that lives in my “show tote” and is easy to find on the table when needed.   I use this station to introduce our stamps to people that have never seen clear stamps.

The seasoned scrappers loved the retired items that were for sale for $5.  The cardstock was make into bundles with the cardstock, ink pad, re-inker, dauber and matching DMC thread if I had any.  They loved them.  The stamps sets were retired and $5 each.  I have no old catalogs left and only had 4 cardstock kits left so I am thinking that was a win / win.  I sold about 4 stamp sets so I am happy about that too.

Hand Made cards for sale

Ok next year I am making more of these!  I tired it last year and only sold a couple but this year I sold most of the rack.  I only had one design that people were not crazy about and I am ok with that!  Most of the designs that I have made lately were found on Pinterest or from the CTMH card workshops so I was able to show them finished product right from the catalog or ideas found on the web. 

The front table

I like to keep this table clean and uncluttered.  I have the catties to give away, the “demo album” that is always one of Kaela’s school albums, a sign up sheet, and our new How to Book.   I take my catalog for quick look ups.

We have lived in Allen for 16 years so the kids love to come up and find themselves in my albums.  Kaela’s Elementary school Principal also has a booth and one year she found herself in my albums too!

Why do I do the craft fair?

Well for one it benefits the host church.  It is local so I am able to get my name out in my town.  But the main reason is that for a low “space rental fee”  I am able to pass out tons of catalogs for free and not have to pay postage or worry about them getting lost in the mail.

My family loves them for the Christmas shopping that always gets done!  Mike and Kaela go crazy at these things! 

I can not wait for next year.

New Workshops on the Go® Cardmaking Kits

Craft Show Madness and Crop Nights

It is down to the wire with only a couple of hours to go before I have to pack up and head down the road for the annual First United Methodist Church of Allen    “United Methodist Women Fall Bazaar” . 

601 South Greenville Avenue  Allen, TX 75002

The show run from 9 am to 4 pm today

This is my 3rd year at this show and I love every minute I spend there! 

I will be setting up in my favorite location (the gym) so come on out and get all of your Christmas Shopping done!

I will have my cell on me if you need help finding the location 214-334-4657.

 

Also….

Here is the information you have been waiting for all month….

2013 Crop Nights!

January 26, 2013
February 23, 2013
March 23, 2013
April 27, 2013
May 25, 2013
No Crop (CTMH Convention)
July 27, 2013
August 24, 2013
September 22, 2013
October 26, 2013
November 16, 2013

Mark your calendars so we can PLAY!

Time For Prayers

Have you ever thought of how long you have been married?

How about how you really feel about your spouses family? 

Mike and I joke that we have been together since we were babies and in some ways it is true since we started dating when I was a freshman in high school.  Our first date was January 16, 1987 and we have been going strong for 25 years – but you do not just choose your spouse you also choose their family and I hit the jackpot!  I love my “in-laws” and we have been together so long that they are no longer “in-laws” but just family. 

So when I was on the phone with Sari (Mikes sister) Sunday a week ago and she was telling me that our 90 year old Grandma just had a heart attack I just moved!  Yelled down the hall for them to get their butts going we had to get to Denton to the hospital.  Sari has never hung up on me in 25 years and when she said that and hung up it was time to get going. 

Grandma was in the ICU for a couple of days and is now in a step down unit (one step lower than ICU) and still recovering but we did not expect her to live much less be asking for COFFEE! 

We are taking turns sitting at the hospital with her while still keeping up with jobs and laundry (why is there always so much laundry) so if it feels like I am not here very much please understand that I am with family and will be back as soon as I can.