Stylin' Snowfolk

I thought if I stamped this snowman snow woman, it would make it feel like winter.  No such luck although the temperature is a little better this week than it was last week in terms of the humidity.  Sonny still came back this evening from putting the cover on the boat drenched.  You would have thought he'd jumped in the lake!  

So how do you like my snowfolk?  Ain't she stylin?  This is the first card I've made with this new set but I see lots of possibilities!  I also found a video tutorial (but can't remember where it was) of how to make the scalloped rectangle using a border punch.  I made several different sizes while I was making this one - hopefully, I will remember how to do it the next time I want to make one!  (The mind is a terrible thing to lose.)

I was a good girl today and went to the Y.  It was the first time I had been in several weeks although I have gone over to our neighborhood pool and done a few work outs in the pool.

I have been glued to the Olympic coverage day and night!  Tonight I watched the men's gymnastic.  Unfortunately, Team USA didn't fare well but I was pulling for Great Britain.  China was listed as the winner, at first, with Britain second and Ukraine third. But those results did not last. As the crowd — Princes Harry and William included — whooped and hollered because the British team had just won its first men’s team Olympic medal in 100 years, the judges huddled for about 10 minutes to discuss the outcome. In the end, China remained the champion to win its second consecutive Olympic gold medal and continue its domination.  Japan won the silver medal, moving up from fourth after the judges rejiggered the scores.  That knocked Britain to third and Ukraine to fourth, causing boos in the audience.  One thing that did not change was that the United States team — a favorite to win a medal, and maybe even the gold — was leaving empty-handed. It finished fifth.  That was almost as bad as last night's girls's gymnastics.  I felt so sorry for Jordan Wieber (the reigning world champion in the all-around and a favorite to win the Olympic gold medal) when she was eliminated.  Bela Karolyi,  the coach of the last United States team to win an Olympic gold medal, said Wieber was cheated out of a spot in the all-around. 

We're saying a few prayers tonight.  My brother in law is in the hospital in Texas.  Sonny spoke to our nephew earlier and Jack is having trouble with his pacemaker.  The doctors are keeping him overnight to see if they can figure out what is wrong.

From My Heart

Have you ever started out with a good idea only to have it go in the complete opposite direction?  That is the story for this card.

I started out creating a transparency card.  There is a bit of the transparency (acetate sheet) on the card but I ended up cutting most of it off because it just wasn't working for me.  The Espresso cardstock is behind the transparency and the DSP (retired) in on top of the transparency.  Oh well .... I tried to do something a little different.  It is a great man's card - I have trouble with those anyway.  The sentiment is from From My Heart and "enjoying" is embossed with Copper embossing powder and popped up. 

Supplies: 
Paper:  Early Espresso, River Rock, Acetate Sheet, Well Worn DSP
Ink:  Early Espresso, Versamark
Stamp:  From My Heart
Access:  Copper Emb. Powder, non SU Nestability

I think my mom had a great birthday yesterday.  I didn't see her - I had a dentist appointment (ugh) and she wasn't home much anyway.  Angela took her to her swim exercise class in the morning and then to lunch with one of her friends from swim class.  They went to a pizza place downtown that Mom used to go to a lot with her friend, Marie.  Marie died last year and Mom lost her lunch buddy so hasn't been back.  The owner made a big fuss over seeing Mom again and that made her day.  Afterwards, she and Angela went to have a mani-pedi and a massage.  She had about an hour at home before they hit the road again to dinner and a meeting with the Lion's Club.  I haven't talked to her today because I guess she may still be recovering!  I am so glad she is feeling better and is able to do a lot of what she used to do.  She still hurts some and takes the pain meds but not on a regular basis like before.  I really believe the Physical Therapy and getting out of her chair and moving has helped tremendously.

I'm Traveling .... Again!

My postings may be sporadic for the next couple of weeks.  Sonny and I are deploying Friday with the Red Cross to the flooded areas of Florida.  We will fly into Gainesville and I have no idea where we will go from there.  Since this is our first deployment, we really don't know what to expect.  And we don't know if we will be staying in a shelter or in a hotel .... my hope is for the hotel!!  One team from Charlotte left on Thursday and the second team, that Sonny & I are in, will leave on Friday.

Here is a link to our local news about our deployment.

Volunteers for local chapters of the American Red Cross always are needed to respond to natural disasters, near and far.  Residents must be 18 or older to volunteer and are required to complete some training. Volunteers who wish to be deployed also must get experience locally.   Whenever someone is displaced by natural disaster, most often a fire, the volunteers go in and meet with the people and  provide for their immediate relief as far as shelter, clothing and food.   We also try to link them with other community organizations for long-term help.

On another note, I took Mom to see the neurologist today.  He actually gave her a physical exam!  The reason this is so surprising is that the surgeon or the pain mgt. doctor never gave her an exam.  The most they did was feel her ankles and test her strength in the feet and legs.  Not once in all this time did they touch her back area where she was hurting when she was in their office.  I had gathered all her charts from the doctors but did not get the films (MRIs) from the hospital.  Of course, that is the one thing that he wanted!  He does not want to make a diagnosis without looking at the films.  So, Angela is going to get them and take them to him and Mom will return to see him next Thursday. 

Everything Eleanor

Another long day!  I left the house this morning at 9:30 and didn't return home until 6:30!  Luckily, Sonny grilled our dinner outside so I had a couple of glasses of wine and kept him company.  But it is so hot and humid here that it was not fun sitting outside tonight!  I played bridge today and had a pretty boring time.  I got a lot of really awful hands.  It it weren't for the fellowship with friends, I would have really been bummed.  After that, I picked up Mom for another doctor's appointment.  Marianne was working from home today so she met me at the doctor's office.  Mom was in really bad shape today.  She had a bad night and was in really bad pain all day.  When I got to her house, she asked me to get her the strongest pain meds that she had.  She has 3 different levels of hydrocodeine and has been taking the lowest dosage lately.  But today called for the "big dogs."  When I got her in to the doctor's office all she could do was cry.  It is heart breaking.  Dr. Allen is starting to believe that the cause of it all is her sciatica which I have been of the opinion from the start.  I have had debilitating sciatica pain twice and it is not something that I ever want to have again.  But I remember that the most pain I would have was trying to sit down or get up from a sitting position.  (It was hell trying to get on the toilet!) 

The common symptoms of sciatica include:

• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
• Burning or tingling down the leg
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

And these are all things Mom has been complaining about.  Dr. Allen said with the surgeries and the injections she has had, all the "mucking" around in her spine has caused it to be inflamed and if it is sciatica, it can't heal.  There's not a "fix" for it but she needs to get to the point that she can do some stretching exercises.  He gave her a prescription for a drug that is used to treat neuropathy to try and see if it will help.  On Thursday, I am taking her to see a neurologist in Huntersville.  After that, I am electing to find a good chiropractor to treat her.  That is who helped me both times I had my sciatica. 

OK - on to a couple of cards I created this weekend. 

I saw a card similar to this one on Pininterest and decided to CASE it.  I used one of the floral stamps from Everything Eleanor and Primrose Petals ink.  It's hard to tell but the card at the top is stamped with Pretty In Pink with a swirl stamp in the background.  The bottom card uses the swirl or flourish stamp but in Crumb Cake.  The saying on the bottom is from Heartfelt Creations. 

Stamping Queens Sketch + Blog Candy

Two posts today!  The other post I thought was scheduled for yesterday .... guess I picked the wrong date!  Makes sense since yesterday felt like two days to me.  In fact, I was talking to my friend, Margaret, earlier and told her today was Thursday.  She corrected me and told me no, it was Wednesday!

I took Mom to her regular doctor yesterday to see if we could get a grip on what was going on.  I think Mom thought he was going to "fix" her when he actually cannot do that.  He explained to us about what a crap shoot pinpointing the cause of pain on the spine when you have so much going on up and down.  She has arthritis, degenerative discs and stenosis.  When they did the surgery, they hoped they were hitting the source of her pain.  But, guess not all of it.  So, now we need to get the injection to the S-1 vertebrae and hope that helps.  He was going to call the pain mgt. doctor to see if he could fit mom in any earlier than July 16.  So, as usual, I am waiting for doctors to call!!  After the doctor left the room yesterday, Mom fell apart.  She is getting really depressed and giving up hope of ever feeling better.  She called Ashley last night and could barely talk to her, she was crying so hard.  It is really tough to see your mom like this.

I had my card class in the afternoon (I'll be sharing those cards tomorrow).  I did good this time - they finished 4 cards in 2 hours!!  I really tried hard not to let them be too intricate but still look pretty.  After class, Marianne and Judy and I went out to dinner at Pomodoro's in Mooresville.  It was really good and I have my lunch for tomorrow!!

Today is Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge and I did my card on MDS.

Look familiar?  I used the the elements from the digital kit, Sweet Shop - same as I have done on my blog background and banner.  The black frames are from the Candid Frames download.

We’d love to have you join us for the Stamping Queens Challenge this week!  Simply make a card using the basic bones of the sketch above, and then visit the stampin’ queens sketch challenge blog  to add your interpretation.  This week we are giving away BLOG CANDY - a 10-second bow maker.

Simply Sent Birthday Cards

How do you like my new blog header and background paper?  Just screams summer time!!  I made it using My Digital Studio .... so easy!

I am really getting frustrated with doctors!  When we took Mom back for her surgery check up last week, the surgeon did the MRI and said all was well with the incision area but it looked like their was narrowing at the S-1 vertebra area.  So, he recommended we go back to the Pain Mgmt doc for another injection.  We tried to call that doctor on Friday but their office was closed.  Today they called Mom and had her scheduled for JULY 16!!!  Please - another month???  This is unacceptable.  I feel like Mom is their dart board and they are just pitching darts hoping to hit the target eventually.  So, tomorrow I am taking her to her general doctor to see what his recommendations are.  I am getting really fed up with getting the run around.  You would think the surgeon would be trying to do everything he could since he didn't look at her first MRI for a week and then discovered the blood clot.  Sounds like a case for a lawsuit to me.

I have been trying to use up some of my retired items.  I had a Simply Sent card kit that I bought during Saleabration so thought I would dress them up a bit.  Plus, I needed a few birthday cards.  These three all went in the mail this week to friends.

More Fabric Projects

I have been working on getting my projects ready for Stamp Club next week.  Late in the afternoon, Sonny and I went out on the boat and enjoyed a nice dinner at one of the restaurants on the lake.  There are only 3-4 restaurants near us on the lake and it is always hard to find a place to dock the boat.  Each place only has 8-10 boat slips so it's always a guessing game whether we will find a spot or not where we want to eat.  Tonight we ended up with our second choice but it turned out ok.  I had a delicious Shrimp and Grits meal!!  Ashley called us while we were at the restaurant to tell us her latest news.  Not so good news as it turned out.  She broke her big toe doing Yoga Thursday night.  (I knew there was a reason I didn't like to exercise - it's dangerous!)  I thought when you broke your toes, there was nothing you could do except tape them together.  Well, not so with your big toe.  She is in a walking cast for a month!  Luckily, it is a removable cast so she can get in her pool to get relief from the Texas sun.  Poor baby - but I doubt this will slow her down too much.

Here are a few more projects using Stampin' Up's fabric:

Accessories for Memory Keeper


Memory Keeper



• Soft Suede polka dot grosgrain ribbon
• Linen thread
• 5/8" Jumbo brads
• Sizzix Big Shot
• Lattice Bigz die
• Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die
• 18" x 18" artist canvas
• Background fabric (2/3 yard)
• Push pins
• Thumbtacks

•  Instructions
• Adhere background fabric to canvas.
• Die cut lattice shapes from fabric using Big Shot and Lattice Bigz die. Adhere to fabric in rows.
• Adhere Soft Suede polka dot grosgrain ribbon to fabric in crisscross pattern. Attach 5/8" Jumbo brads where ribbon intersects. Adhere Soft Suede polka dot grosgrain ribbon around outside edges of canvas.
• Die cut six large and six small butterflies using Big Shot and Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die. Create double-sided butterflies by adhering butterflies together, resulting in three large and three small double-sided butterflies. Tie linen thread around the middle leaving two long ends for antennae. Attach butterflies to canvas using push pins.

***********************


Quilt Square

 Accessories for Quilt Block

• Sizzix Big Shot
• 5-Point 3D Star Bigz die
• Scallop Circle #2 Bigz die
• Background fabric (two 10" x 10" squares)
• 10" x 10" square 100% cotton batting
• Ric-rac (6")
• Sewing machine and thread

 Instructions

1. Die cut four pieces of fabric using Big Shot and 5-Point 3D Star Bigz die. Round off hard edges.
2. Die cut two large scallop circles using Big Shot and Scallop Circle #2 Bigz die.
3. Die cut one small scallop circle using Big Shot and Scallop Circle #2 Bigz die.
4. Insert cotton batting between two squares of background fabric and sew together using sewing machine and thread.
5. Sew four flower petals (from 5-Point 3D Star Bigz die) to square. Fold large scallop circle in half and adhere to bottom of flower petals.
6. Fold small scallop circle in half, then fold over part way to create one gather. Adhere to bottom of flower using sewing machine and thread.
7. Adhere ric-rac stem to square using sewing machine and thread.
8. Create leaf by cutting large scallop circle in half, then folding inner edge, and sewing each half on square.
9. Wash and dry to give shabby-chic look.

*********************
Here are pictures of a couple of other items made with SU's fabric.  I just don't have the instructions for them!

TABLE RUNNER

REALLY CUTE BAGS / PURSES!

Fathers Day Card

Saturday my nephew, Harrison, graduated from Mooresville High School.  The next day he took his first airplane ride!  The family took a vacation to Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas and who knows from there!  I've been following their progress as they post on Facebook.  Isn't modern technology wonderful?!!  At his graduation party, there was more food than any of us could eat and this beautiful cake.  His friend, Sean's grandmother made the cake with both Sean & Harrison's names on it.  I think this friend is the only one who is allowed to call him Harry!  My mom told him that when he was born, Marianne told her she better not ever call him Harry .... his name was Harrison!  That's all any of us have ever called him so imagine our surprise to see Harry on the cake!  It was a yummy cake - one layer, strawberry and the bottom layer, chocolate.

Marianne and Harrison

I have a guest designer today, my sister Marianne.  She made this Father's Day card and asked me to mail it while she was gone.  Isn't it great?  She used the retired DSP, Mocha Morning and several punches.  She ran it through the Big Shot with the dotted embossing folder before adhering it to the front of the card.

Happy Father's Day

Sammie sure missed me while I was gone and has not let me forget it either!  She has certainly come out of myher shell in the past few months since I've had her.  She doesn't like to see me working without giving her attention and makes sure she lays right on the keyboard or the table where I am working for me to pet her.  Or her favorite thing is to bring me one of her many plastic drinking straws that she has scattered all over the house and play with her.  In the picture below, she is looking down at her straw - who will get it .... her or me?

Hanging out on my desk

Here is another place she likes to hang out!  It's pretty scary to me but doesn't seem to bother her.

hanging out on the bannister

Hanging out on my chair

Telescoping Open Sea

I'm a little late with this card technique.  I think this was a featured technique on Splitcoast Stampers about six months ago.  I never made one of them but decided it was a good technique for this nautical card. It was a lot easier than I thought.   I made this card for my nephew for his birthday .... a little bit late, but hey, better late than never!

The colors I used are Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White along with a retired Nautical DSP.  I'm so glad this stamp set was included in the new SU catalog.  It is so great for male cards.  Here are the directions to make a telescoping card if you are so inclined.

We had a busy weekend.  Friday night we enjoyed dinner at Prickley Pear in Mooresville to celebrate our friend, Bob's birthday.  He and Sharon were visiting Marianne for the weekend for graduation.  Saturday we attended the Mooresville High School graduation ceremonies and watched my nephew, Harrison graduate.  Where have the years gone?  He will be going to Central Piedmont in the fall.  After the ceremony, Marianne had a party for him at mom's club house.  It was fun.  Today, Sonny and I went out on the boat.  It was my first time on the boat all season!

Derek, Harrison, me & Sonny

Another Papaya Collage

Sorry for not posting yesterday - seems as I've picked up a bit of a cold since returning from our trip.  I think I sneezed my head off yesterday while I was going through a box of kleenex blowing my nose.  So, I'm staying close to home today and taking it easy.

I took my mom out to lunch yesterday just to get her up and out of the house.  (I tried to keep my distance so she wouldn't catch my cold but at the time, I thought it was just allergies.)  She did great - using her walker to go to the restaurant.  We just did a short outing - to a deli for lunch and back home.  But last night she called me in tears she was hurting so bad.  This is getting really frustrating.  Today she and Angela are getting their hair cut so we'll see how today goes.  I have a call in to her doctor to discuss the situation.  I hate being at the mercy of these doctors.

I finally picked my 2 free stamp sets (compliments of my SAB sales) Tuesday and put my order in for them.  I ordered Everything Eleanor and From My Heart.  Of course, I have a whole page of other stamps that I want on my Wish List but they will be there for another time.  I also ordered all the in color cardstock, Polka Dot DSP, Dahlia embellishments, Chevron embossing folder, Delicate Designs textured folder, and was able to get a new stamp set that will be offered for $5 in July for every $50 order, Reason to Smile.  Now I just have to be patient and wait for UPS to process my order and bring it to my doorstep.

In the meantime, I have been having fun playing with Papaya Collage, the new stamp set I got in the pre-order as well as the new In Colors.

I know a lot of people are on the fence about the new Summer Starfruit color.  I probably am too.  I love the color that it stamps.  This is the first time I have used it for a card and I love how it coordinates with the other colors.  I stamped the background with Versamark to add a little contrast to the color.  The frame is stamped with Midnight Muse and the leaves are stamped with Gumball Green.  So what do you think?

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all you moms!  Hope you have a restful, peaceful day and are with the ones you love.

What a busy few days this has been!  I would truthfully been happy to just stay in bed and stay home all day today but don't think that will be the plan! 

Friday Sonny & I were in Shelby for an all day CPR/First Aid class.  You have to get certified in CPR every 3 years but I just wish there was a quickie 2-3 hour course to go over the basics!  There probably is but our instructors on Friday were new - we were their first class I think - and they covered every detail.  Oh well, we are done for 3 years anyway. 

My mom had back surgery on Friday (outpatient).  I hated that I was not there but she was in good hands with Marianne and Angela.  Besides, what could I have done except keep them company in the waiting room for several hours?  She came through the surgery fine.  The doctor said she definitely had spinal stenosis and she should have relief after the surgery.  She was in Recovery for a while dealing with the pain but by 3 pm, she was headed back home.  I went over to visit her after my CPR class.  She was sitting up in her chair watching tv.  Her main complaint now is that it hurts when she gets up and down to go to the bathroom.  But any surgery is going to take time to heal and she needs to be patient.  I talked to my sister today and she is not doing so great today.  I think she thought after the surgery, she would be instantly better.  But any time you have surgery, you have got to expect pain for a while.  She just needs to be patient.

Marianne's son, Derek, graduated from UNC-C yesterday.   We didn't attend the graduation - he only got 6 tickets and they went to the grandparents.  But that was ok - sitting through graduations is not the most fun .... especially when your last name starts with "W"!!  But we went to the party afterwards.  Sonny and I went over early to set things up while they were attending graduation.  We had a great time.  It is hard for me to believe that Derek is 22 and a college graduate!  Where does the time go??

I received a beautiful Mothers Day card yesterday from Ashley.  I just might be CASE-ing this card!!

Here are the beautiful flowers Ashley sent to me on Thursday:

Now I'm crossing my fingers hoping for a call today from my son!

I'll be going over to visit Mom and take her her Mother's Day gift and card later today.  Unfortunately, she does not feel up to going out, but that's ok!  As long as she gets better, we will all be happy.

Monday Mailer cards from March

I received some wonderful Monday Mailers last month.  My partner was Pat Wilkerson and she is a great stamper.  She always makes the best cards so I was super glad to be paired with her.  Here are the last two cards she sent me which I will be CASE-ing!

I think this is what is called a Cascading Card.  It is wonderful!  I just have to take it apart and figure it out.  It uses Mixed Bunch from the mini.  I think it looks harder than it really is!

Isn't this a cool one?  Fold the card stock into a bird house and use Language of Friendship for the bird!  I just love it!

Opened bird house

My brother-in-law flew back to Texas today.  I think he had a good trip.  I can't wait to see what their adventure will be next year.  They are talking about looking into a train trip out west.  I suggested they take Route 66 and see where it takes them.  We had a fish fry last night and invited my mom and sister to come help us eat the catfish.  It was fish that they caught last May when Jack was here and I had frozen it.  It's easier for Sonny and I to go out to eat when we want fried fish than to cook it for 2 people.  But I made macaroni salad, brownies, hush puppies and fish.  Sonny cooked the fish and hush puppies outside so I didn't have the smell in the house.  It sure brought back memories.  When we used to go to visit my sister and brother-in-law and my dad and step mother, we would always have a fish fry.  My mother in law made the best macaroni salad and I use her recipe and Debbie (sister) always had sweets - usually a batch of brownies.  One year when we were there, we had a very memorable fish fry and it is always mentioned whenever we get together.  The guys - Sonny, Jack and Papa - had gone fishing all day and had a few lot of beers.  When they returned home, they went out back to get the fire started to cook the fish.  Our kids were pretty small so we went ahead and fed them first with the first batch of fish.  When the adults sat down to eat and we all had put food on our plate, Helen (my step mother) looked at her fish and asked Papa when he started putting pepper on the fish.  Well, about that time, one of us noticed that the pepper was moving.  It was not pepper but it was ants!  The grease they had used had been outside and was full of ants which of course, they hadn't noticed!  Debbie, Helen and I all dumped out our fish out but the guys knew better.  They just kept eating and telling us how great it was and that those ants wouldn't hurt us.  It was several years before our kids found out that we had fed them fish with ants!!  It's a family story now that none of us will forget.

Happy Birthday Sis!

Today was my sister, Marianne's birthday.  I made her this card which I just love!  I'm going to wait until we go to Texas next week  to buy her present.  We are going to the outlet mall in San Marcos where they have a Vera Bradley store.  I'm sure she will find something there she has to have!

 I used the stamp set, Flower Fest which I need to use more.  I just love how this card turned out.  I stamped the flower 4 times on Almost Amethyst cardstock (retired, darn it!) with Versamark Ink and embossed them with white embossing powder.  I used my Aqua Painter to add a darker purple (Vintage Violet - retired) onto the petals.  I stamped the leaves with Versamark onto Certainly Celery.  I cut them all out separately and stacked the flowers on top of each other with dimensionals.  The "happy birthday" is from A Word for You.  (I masked off "with a cherry on top")  I found the ribbon in my jar of ribbon remnants and crinkled it with the heat gun. 

Tonight the family met Marianne and her boys at a Mexican restaurant in Statesville.  Of course, the waiters sang to her and I got this great picture of her!!!

Happy Birthday baby sis!!

Its A Boy!

It's a BOY!  Jack Wayland Frost IV was born at 12:15 AM Friday, Feb. 3.  He weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces - not bad for being 5 1/2 weeks early!  He is my nephew, Jack, and his wife, Katrina's first child.  If you follow my blog, they were the couple who were married in May, 2010 with the carnival themed wedding (pictures  HERE!).  Jack & Kat live in Austin, Texas - about an hour away from my daughter.  Ashley drove up there this afternoon to meet the newest addition to the family and got to hold him.  I'll have to wait until March to see him.  I made a baby book for him a couple of weeks ago and thought I had plenty of time to get it in the mail.  Oops .... didn't know he was going to be so impatient!  Guess I better get it in the mail on Monday.  I made this cute card today to send to them.

 I found this piece of DSP cardstock in my stash and thought it would be great for little Jack's card.  The stamp set is Simply Scallops which is a retired set.  The materials I used for this card are:

non-SU DSP cut 4 1/4" x 11" folded in half

3/4" Circle Punch (for the neck

1 3/8" Circle Punch for legs

Small Oval Punch for bottom snap part

Scallop Punch , 1 1/4" Circle Punch

White Brads

Here is how I made the card: 

• fold the DSP cardstock in half
• Use the punches to punch the legs and neck holes (just half punches)
• For arms - measure 1 1/4" down from top fold and cut in from the sides 1"; cut from the underarm part you just cut to the outer corner of the leg portion.
• For the trim on the legs and neck, use the Circle Punches to punch out half circles.

Our Newest Addition .... Meet Bogart!

We have a new addition to our family! Bogart!! Ashley adopted a 6 month old kitten Wednesday from a local No Kill Shelter.  He is soooo cute!  We got home with him around 5 p.m. and he has been exploring the house ever since - only taking a couple of short cat naps.  We thought a new kitten would be pretty hesitant and we would need to put him in a room alone until he got used to us and the new home.  But, he is not shy at all and very lovable.  Right now, he is curled up right next to Sonny .... who doesn't care for cats!  How is it that cats always know who in the crowd doesn't like them?  Although, we think Sonny protests too much.  Ashley's last cat, Taco, always curled up in Sonny's lap and we caught him petting the cat and talking to him!  

Bogart playing with my shoelace

Isn't he pretty?

A happy girl and her cat!

Sketch Challenge and stuff!

Today is Wednesday .... I think!  So, it is time for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  I took time on Sunday while we were watching football to log onto My Digital Studio and create a card for the sketch.  It's a fun birthday card.  Which reminds me .... my baby brother turns 50 (!!) next week and I need to make a card for him.  Ok - back to the subject .... Stamping Queens Sketch.  Check out the other Queens take on the sketch this week HERE and to see the sketch this week.

Isn't it funny how when you're on vacation, you just lose all track of the days and the time!  Ashley has been working half days this week (she was off last Friday and Monday) and I have been taking her to work so we could have her car.  Yesterday, she told me she would probably work until 1 or 2:00.  When I came back after dropping her off, I got back in bed for about 30 minutes.  Then I got up and ate breakfast and got on the computer - how I can waste time!  When she called me to pick her up, I said "I thought you were working late today" to which she replied, Mom, it's 1:00!  I had not even gotten dressed!!  How time flies when you're doing nothing!!!  When we picked her up, we went inside the hospital to see her office.  Sonny had never even been on the base before and neither of us had been in the hospital.  It is really nice.  A new portion was added on while she was deployed and that is where her office and the pediatric clinic is.  Then we went over to the PX and to a Medical Museum on base. 

I have not made any cards or done any of my calendars while I have been here.  We have been on the go since we got here.  The day after we arrived, our good friends, Don and Sharon, who live in Dallas arrived.  One of Sharon's best friends and a college roommate lost her battle with cancer and they were in town for the funeral.  So, we met them at their hotel and had dinner and drinks.  It was great to see then even under the circumstances. 

I hope your holidays are continuing to be merry and you are getting ready to welcome 2012!!

We had our family Christmas early - last Saturday night at Marianne's home.  As you are reading this, I am in Texas which is why we celebrated early.  These are some of the family pictures that I took.



Mom and Derek, Marianne's oldest son



Harrison - Marianne's youngest son

Jacob and Lexi - my brother, Lee's kids

My brother, Lee and his wife, Dina

Marianne's husband, Greg

My sweetie

Harrison - isn't she /he cute????

The 3 sisters - as seen through the smoke!  We were outside sitting around the fire pit eating smores!!

Wednesday Stamp Queen's Sketch Challenge

Doesn't that little box up in the corner scare you????  11 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!  I'm not ready!!

As usual, I am late in posting this sketch challenge for the Stamping Queens Challenge.  But My Digital Studio rescued me once again!  The sketch this week was fairly simple so I kept the card pretty simple also.

I used elements for several sets for this card.  Sometimes I think simple is best!

Check out the other Queens take on the challenge HERE.  If you get a chance, try out the sketch for yourself!

We are making progress with getting the whole house painted!  Sonny has moved upstairs and has finished painting our bedroom and bathroom (blue).  He still has some trim work to do in the bathroom but will do that after Christmas.  Today he is doing our guest bathroom (Lemongrass - a pale green).  He will finish up in 2012 and paint both our guest bedrooms in pink.  What's so great is he also vacuums the rooms and baseboards when he's finished before putting all the furniture back!!  He's a keeper for sure!

Thanksgiving pictures

Thought I'd share some of the pictures I took last week.  I didn't take as many as I wanted to - seems I kept forgetting to take my camera with me when we went out!!

Taken Thanksgiving Day on my deck of us gals!  Ashley, me, Sharon (Girlfriend), Angela, Marianne and Mom.

My dining room table all set and waiting for the hungry family!

We finished painting the dining room and it looks great!!  This is one side of my family pictures.

This is the other side of the room.  I have old pictures of my family hung on both sides. 

Harrison and Derek - Marianne's boys on Thanksgiving.

Mom and Ashley taken at the Waffle House Tuesday morning before she headed to airport.

Ashley and Angela (who hates having her picture taken!)

Last Saturday night Sonny, Ashley and I took a Haunted tour of downtown Charlotte.  It was great fun!  I had bought the tickets several months ago on Groupon to use when Ashley came to visit.  We learned a lot of history about Charlotte that I didn't know.  Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it was very informative.  So, if you live in this area, I would highly recommend Carolina History and Haunts tours.

On Monday, we drove to Kannapolis to the North Carolina Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Everyone I have mentioned this to has said, I didn't know there was such a place.  I had read about it a couple of years ago in the Charlotte newspaper and kept the clipping for "some day."  It was free which is always a good thing but it is very well done.  I was surprised by the number of artists which have roots in North Carolina.  Museum exhibits include Charlie Daniels, Nina Simone, Chairman of the Board, Clyde McPhatter, Donna Fargo, Thelonius Monk, and Victoria Livengood.  Another good place to visit and take your guests to.