It's fall!

 I hope you like the fall blog header!  Someone was getting tired of the other one!

I have been out of town for a week but now we are back at home until Christmas - at least that's the plan!  My sister and I went to Winston Salem a few weeks ago for the NC Demos Quarterly.  It was the best one I have been to!  We did so many wonderful projects and were busy working on them all day.  I participated in the Friday Shoebox and also the Saturday night Shoebox.  Plus, I was in several swaps - Christmas, Sketch, 3D, and Fun Fold so I now have plenty of cards!!  

Last week Sonny and I drove to Pittsburgh Friday and met Ashley on Saturday.  We were going to the Steelers game which was Sunday night.  But at the last minute we got tickets and went to see the hockey team (Penguins) Saturday night.  We had good luck on both games - they won!  Our Steeler tickets were the best!!  We were on the second row from the field and on the 10 yard line.  Unfortunately, all the action was done at the other end of the field but thank goodness for the jumbo-tron!  Monday we drove to Ashley's house and stayed with her until Thursday.  It was a good visit as usual.

A couple of weeks before we went on our trip, my husband was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).   It is a chronic form of leukemia (long term and slowly developing).   Leukemia is a type of cancer of cells in the blood and bone marrow.  People who have it have an increase in the number of immature white blood cells in their blood, bone marrow, and spleen.  He did not have any symptoms when he was diagnosed with CML.  It was discovered when blood tests were done on his recent check ups with his doctor who then referred him to an oncologist.  He is able to control CML with daily medication so he won't be having to go through chemo treatments or radiation.   So far, so good - he is tolerating the meds with no side effects.

Ashley worked at home one of the days that we were there with a little help from her cat!

These were the signs they were giving out - my birthday was 10/22!

We took a boat shuttle across the river to the Steeler stadium.  This was a great picture out of the window of one of the many bridges in Pittsburgh!

More Hope Kit Cards!!

 ALERT!!  The CLEARANCE rack has just added new goodies.  Check it out!!  There are a couple of kits there along with the Memories & More kits.

I have made 19 cards (so far) using bits and pieces from the August Paper Pumpkin.  Stampin' Up hit it out of the park on this kit!!

I made a triangle card.  Take a 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock and score it at 5 1/2" and 4 1/4" first.  Then cut up from one corner to the next.  I had to cut one side first and take it out of the trimmer, turn it around and do the second cut.

This is the card closed.  Again, I used one of the envelopes.

Don't we all need just a little hope in our lives??!!

The die cut that is in the kit looks great on this Blackberry Bliss piece.

Another great use of the Tailored Tags dies!!  The flowers and leaves are from another favorite of mine - Pierced Blooms Dies.

Hope kit

 

Would you believe ----- more cards using the Hope Kit, Paper Pumpkin from August.

The Bermuda Bay tags had writing in another language so I made the little white tags to cover up those words.

I really don't like this one!  I just added some blink, butterflies and a vellum sentiment to the card based that has background stamping already on it.

Another card using the tag from Tailor Made Tags.  I love those dies!!

I cut apart one of the envelopes to made the background piece.  The envelopes are really pretty!

Another easy one.  I cut apart a few of the tags that came in the kit.  Plus I made the tags in the middle using parts of one of the envelope!  I love the birthday sentiment using Biggest Wish.  

Hope Kit - Paper Pumpkin

A couple more of the Hope Kit using August Paper Pumpkin.

Love that die cut - straight from the Hope Box - Paper Pumpkin Kit.

After die cutting the tag, I used a Coastal Cabana marker to go around the edges of the tag.

 

Paper Pumpkin - Love Box

 Enjoy these cards I made using elements of the August Paper Pumpkin Kit.

This is one of my favorites!  Simple embossing with white embossing powder.

This piece has been sitting on my desk for over a month.  Decided to finally make it into a card!

Love the saying!!