twice in one day after nothing for many many days - hmmmmm

I saw a card on Kathi's blog over at Kathi's Corner and loved it. Check out her blog for some great artwork and her stories about her grandsons. Not only is she a great artist, she is the best grandma ever.

My Card

I needed a sympathy card. My daughter's boyfriend lost his grandmother this weekend and I wanted to send a card. I love most everything that Kathi makes. She is so creative and her style is one I admire.
I wasn't sure about bling on a sympathy card, but I think it can stand for the many jewels in Judi's crown. She was very sweet to my daughter. Kindness goes a long way with this mama bear.
Thanks for tuning in again.

Wedding gift

The front the of the Memory Keeper
Memory Keeper from the side
Detail from one of the inside pages
Memory keeper with memory showcase inside. (I didn't remove the cover to the adhesive when I unfolded the box in case the couple wants to fold it up again for storage)
Front of the Memory Showcase ( a 9X9 accordion album)
Inside of the accordion album
Two more pages of the album
The back of the album
The inside of the back side of the album

The beautiful blushing bride. I have to say she was extremely brave to plan an outdoor wedding for January and wear a spaghetti strap dress. The weather cooperated by being sunny and warm. Two hours away in Jacksonville, it was gray, wet, dreary and cold. The wedding was held at the boy's father and step-mother's house. They had a huge tent set up for the dinner with the ceremony held outside of the tent with seating around an arch and a patio for dancing. Huge back yard.
The bride, groom and best man (who is also the groom's older brother)
The best man, also one of my gorgeous nephews.
The bride with her mother-in-law. Already the best of friends.
The groom with his mother, also the best of friends.

I finally got my nephew's wedding present completed. Only a week late, but I was in no shape to get it done last week.
The photos I saw of the wedding helped make me feel like I had been there. Beautiful bride and, oh my, the groom is incredibly handsome. He is over 6'5" and towers over his mere 5'2" relatives.
This gift is from Close to my Heart. The box is called the Memory Keeper and the album is called the Memory Showcase. The album fits nicely inside the box as you can see and there is room for other mementos of the day like cards or garter or things like that. The front of the album is the actual wedding invitation. It came as one piece with the side flaps holding the directions and the RSVP card and envelope. I kind of cut it apart to use as part of the gift. The black satin ribbon is from it also.
I got the Martha Stewart heart border punch. Isn't it darling? I was able to sort through the punch detritus and rescue the little hearts to use, cute huh?!?.
I got ideas for the different pages in the album from everywhere and took something from this and a little from that. As you can see the accent color is a soft green. The men all had on green satin vests and the bridesmaids flowers were a pale green.
There are way too many items to name so if you have a burning desire to know what or where I got bits and pieces or what I used leave a comment for me.
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guilty without even knowing it

I have just discovered that I am supposed to feel guilty when I don't post. As I told my friend Kathi over at Kathi's Corner - now I have something else to worry about - NOPE, not happening. Life is too short and too busy to get wrapped up in guilt over my blog. I love all my blogging friends. There are so many days that you all keep me going. You are such a gift to me. Thank you for checking my blog and commenting on my artwork and such that I post.

I will have some beautiful, even if I do say so myself, artwork to show you soon, I hope. I am working on my nephew's wedding present. That happened yesterday, without me, I am sorry to say.
I have been sick for going on 4 weeks now. It started with a cough & runny nose, turned into an upper respiratory infection and is now bronchitis. I really have been trying to take care of myself with Mucinex and Nyquil and nasal irrigation. Apparently, I wasn't doing enough. I haven't had much energy to do anything but go to work, go to work, come home and work some more, watch a little tv and go to bed. No that wasn't a typo, when I leave the school I go to a real estate office a few times a week and do the books there, then when I get home I do the books for other offices. I guess I should say I have a bookkeeping business on the side. The accountant I was working with for a few months, showing him how I do the books, has another real estate company he has recommended me to. (He told me I was the best bookkeeper he'd ever worked with - only after I asked him if he knew of any other bookkeepers that are as anal as I am). It has been about 4 weeks now because I told him I didn't want to go in there hacking and coughing. I didn't think it would make a good impression. My doctor gave me an injection of antibiotics and a prescription that should be taking care of all this. He said I would feel so good by Monday I wouldn't be able to stand myself. WELLLLLL I am still waiting. I went to bed around 3 yesterday and got up for some homemade chicken soup and went back to bed until this morning.
Enough complaining. Did I complain enough about not getting to go to the wedding, hmmmm. I missed getting to see my sisters and brother, my nephews, my nephews' grandparents - people I don't get to see but every 10 years or so, and think the world of. They are in their 80s now and I was really looking forward to seeing them. I do not really have a biologic brother, but my sister's husband has been in the family since I was about 8 or 10 and of all the people I love he is on the top of my list.
Okay, I am done. I am going to get a shower and see if I feel any better. I have to run an errand for my principal. I was supposed to do it Friday after I left school, but came home and laid down instead. I am torn between getting more rest and seeing if moving about will give me more energy. Oh, yeah I told a friend I'd bring her an idea book. She works at Walmart as a licensed optician and I am sure I can think of something I need once I get in there.
Wish me luck with this daggone infection.
Thanks for tuning in and NO I refuse to feel guilty. As several of my sisters say "get over it!"
Luv ya'll

card makers must see

Matt makes a card
If you want a 5 minute laugh, click on this link. It is the funniest thing I have seen in so very long. Judianne Graham found this youtube video and posted it on the artwork bulletin board at ctmh and I have watched it twice and still can't stop laughing. Honestly I don't know how the person behind the camera filmed it with out cracking up.
Thanks for tuning in.

Not much - just a cigar box

I made this last night during commercials. One of the secretaries is heading up the United Way campaign and asked if I could decorate a box for her to put the bids for items donated into. Of course, I didn't have one of those large Kleenex boxes that probably would have been perfect. I had seen a ton of them at Teacher Depot, but NO I was more interested in getting the silver card stock than the Kleenex boxes so I made this. I took it in to her this morning even though I stayed home from work. I am not feeling wonderful and thought a day in bed could only help. She thought it was a donation. I did donate 6 of the little scarves that I crocheted and a little purse with 3x3 cards in it. One of the desktop calendars that I made and a heart shaped basket with a red bow on it. That will be my contribution to United Way this year. I told her if no one bid on the items I wanted them back though. Was that wrong of me?
My Nyquil is kicking in, time to head back to bed.
Thanks for tuning in.
Leslie

Birthday card

This card is for a friend. This is another of my attempts to make a card like I see so many others make. I think the image is precious. His name is Bigsby. He is one of Karen's Doodles. Her artwork is very much the style I like. I had seen someone else use Bigsby in a scallop like this. It is Dawn over at Dawn's Craft Place. Now that I look at hers again I see that she has popped Bigsby and each balloon. She does really quality work. Check out her blog. Be sure to check out Karen's too. She has the best digital images.
Thanks for tuning in.
Leslie

I'm sorry

I didn't do anything wrong - well... today anyway -grins-. This card is for a friend of mine. On December 22nd or 23rd she got home to find her house had been broken into. She had boxes under the tree with wrapped packages in the boxes and other packages that were ripped open some were taken, some were left. These gifts were for her children, grand children and great grandchildren. Can you imagine how horrible she must have felt? The news station interviewed her and it was heart breaking.
I haven't talked to her yet. I will see her on Thursday. I just want her to know how sorry I am that she had to go through that.
Remember that shiny silver card stock that I got from our Teacher Depot? She and I and our other friend meet at the depot, gather as many free goodies that will fit in our 3 canvas bags and then we go out for dinner and girl/work talk. We are bookkeepers in elementary schools. It is so good to have a girl's night out with people who can understand and share our pain as well as share tips and strategies that work for us. This will be the highlight of my week. Dinner is a treat too as I have NEVER liked Mac-N-Cheese until I tried it at this restaurant.
My card is based on a card by Becky Oehlers. Hers is a beautiful red on white. I probably should have stuck more closely to hers. You can't see it very well, but there is a second generation image in the lower left corner. Needless to say, not happy with the card, but why let a little thing like that stop me from sharing it.
It is almost time for my Mark Harmon fix for the week. My DH is so tolerant when it comes to TV men! -grins-
Thanks for tuning in.

Valentines for St.Jude's Children

I was able to get 6 cards made to put in the mail to Winter for her challenge of taking 200 cards to the hospital when she goes past there on her trip. I thought they came out pretty well, for a spur of the moment idea. I got the ideas from the CTMH artwork Bulletin Board from two wonderful ladies - Taya Alexander and Leslie Crosby who were willing to share their ideas with everyone.

I notice that most of these could be used for little boys. That was not my intention. Some of the insides were not photo worthy, others I thought you might like to see. I especially like the "I am geared for you" robot card and the "No Lion, You're the best" cards. I made sure the B&T didn't have any lions on it so I could put one on the inside.

Reminds me of a Christmas card my sister received years and years ago. It had a picture of a camel and an elephant on the front, but the words said ephant and cam and on the inside it said no EL no EL. Cute little play on words there.

My prayer goes out as I mail these cards that the children receiving them will live full, happy and healthy lives. As you can see I didn't put anything in the cards about their healthy or sickness.

I go back to work tomorrow and I have a ton of work to complete here today so...
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Valentine Cards for St. Jude's Children

I found this blog called Winter Wonderland. Winter is asking people to make Valentine cards for the children at St. Jude. She will be going there in February so if we all make cards and send them to her she will deliver them. Check out her blog and see the particulars. She has the clear envelopes so all you need to do is make the card to fit the envie. DO NOT MENTION being sick or getting well. JUST MAKE IT ABOUT THE LOVE OF VALENTINE'S DAY.

I know I have seen some cute sayings but I cannot remember where. I will start searching for cute ideas and then I want to get started.

I hope you will all join me in filling Winter's wishes to deliver 200 cards to St. Jude Children's Hospital. I forgot to mention Winter has some blog candy she will be giving away to some of the card makers.

Thanks for tuning in.

Aaron at Booth #32has great blog candy - 2nd post for me today

Besides being extremely creative she is also very giving. Go check out Aaron's blog candy give away and while you are there check out some of that awesome artwork.

This is my second post today so be sure to check out the calendar I posted earlier.

Thanks for tuning in.

Leslie

2010 desk calendars

Here is a great way to showcase our new papers and have a desktop calendar. Now that I think about it I realized I did not leave any room for my business card. hmmmmm bummer! I made one of these last year for my desk and love it, in fact, I revamped it for this year. I have included it with this post. I made two of the new ones so I can use them as hostess gifts or right-left game gifts or whatever. The calendar is called Moments in Time from last year's January Stamp of the Month set. Great little tool. As you can see I took some extra little steps with this year's calendars. The tree set is called Four Seasons, rightly so, and I used some stickles for the snow, some Flower Soft for the Spring and Fall trees. Someone had suggested to just wipe off the dates that weren't part of the month which I attempted to do, but I don't know what to use. I tried Q-Tips, but that still left a little bit of the ink showing so I just covered the half there-half not there numbers with some sparkly things from Stampendous, maybe called Class-A-Peel, but not certain about that.

The way these calendars work is you use a 6X12 inch piece of cardstock scored at 6 inches. You cut CS - Card Stock 5.5X5.5 and B&T - Background and Texture paper about 5.25X5.25 then make the calendar cs 5.5X1.75 and the background cs 5.5X2 and the tree stamp is about 2.5 square with the mat cut from a nesties die a little smaller than 3 inches square. You put Winter and Spring on one side so all you have to do is turn it around for the next three months, you put Summer and Fall on the other side so you untie the ribbon at the bottom, flip the calendar over and retie the ribbon. That first piece of cs for your base feels quite flimsy until you get all the other cs and b&t on it and then it feels quite substantial. As you can see from the photos below it holds up quite nicely. I realize now that I should have taken a photo of this from the side so you could see what I am talking about. My camera battery is on the charges so I can't do that right now. While I was taking these photos the camera kept shutting off. This is all the photo taking I am going to get done for now. If you would like a side shot leave me a message and I will take one later. Got to get some work done.

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Happy New Year 2010

I want to wish each and every one of you visiting my blog the

VERY BEST of the NEW YEAR!
This is my card to prove it - grins - .

I hope that if you make resolutions that you have all that it takes to keep them. I wish you success. I wish you healthy and happiness. I wish you all your dreams come true!

My resolution is to make the best of 2010

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me kind and loving comments. I hope that you will visit often in the new year. Oh yeah, and continue to leave comments. I am sure you all know how it feels after a long day at work to come in and feel the love and warm fuzzies from blogging friends.

I have high hopes of going to Close to my Heart's convention in Washington DC in July and getting to meet some of you there.

This card actually took me DAYS to make. I would work on it for a while and then put it aside and come back a few days later and work on it some more. I know it looks more like a Christmas card than a New Years card, it started out with Poinsettias in place of the wreaths. Still not happy with the wreaths. Oh well! I finally finished it this morning so I could post it. The gold trim is from two sources. One is Flower Soft and the other is Stampendous Class A Peel that I got at Michael's. Oh yeah, I heard that there are some fantastic specials at Michael's. I hope they are open today.

Thanks for tuning in.