Welcome Miss Beulah!!

Miss me? The last two months have been a whirlwind of activity and unexpected happenings in my family! We had to move both daughters on opposite sides of the U.S. over the summer. Our oldest went to be with her fiance in Satatoga Springs, New York in June. Our youngest had just moved to a new townhome right in the heart of the city of Denver...when she decided very suddenly to take on a job challenge in California. The job is not new, but is an 18 month temporary extended training to increase her knowledge of the different aspects of the company she is in. She really loves challenges.
But this Mom had had enough of the "empty nest." Seriously, a long time has gone into bringing this little girl home...and a lot of planning and pursuing. The timing though, I had no control over...and wouldn't you know we picked her up the day after dropping our youngest daughter off at the airport?!
I named her "Beulah," which is a very special place to me where I used to visit my Nana and Papa in the mountains of Colorado. After looking up the name and discovering it's meaning, I thought it quite fitting for her. The word, Beulah, means "Promised Land."

Puppy sleeping

Mommy needs a nap too!!

Thanks so much for welcoming our new little fur ball. She won't stay small for long, so I'm spending all my free time playing, cuddling, and lots and lots of potty breaks. I will share a new picture soon!!

Christmas in July Glittered Snowflakes

Hi...another card for this week's Flourishes challenge going on till tomorrow!! This was a Christmas in July challenge. You know how long I have wanted to do a hanging "ornament" look on a card? Due to the strange angle of my camera and it being night time here, this is not the best photo. I will try to take another one outside tomorrow if the weather permits. I love Flourishes sentiments, and this one is from the "Christmas Postcard" stamp set. I set it off with a strip of rose quartz glitter and edgers die. This was time intensive, but if the glitter stays put, it will make a really pretty surprise in someones mail! Thanks so much for taking a peek!

Black and White-Tres Chic! FLLCBC1

There are quite a few challenges going on the Flourishes Blog this month!! This card's submission is using only black and white as your card design. This unique die is a Flourishes exclusive Key Hole die, combined with a new to me Doily Embossing folder by Sizzix. A few tiny rhinestones and simple black matting and you have a pretty quick card. I kept wanting to add ribbon, but it just did not look right! Now I need to be invited to an elegant affair so I can mail this first class!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and your comments are always looked forward to and make my day!!

Blessings~

Flourishes Birthday Celebration!!

One of my very favorite stamp companies is turning 6 this month...and they added a fun birthday card challenge to their blog this week!! The card was a pretty simple card, to be done in 10 minutes. I had everything picked out in advance...but it took a bit longer for the glue to dry with those beautiful Prima roses! The card went together very quickly, though!! Love these stamps and their design team is amazing

...a big Congrats to Flourishes!!

Just Keep on Pedaling

Hi there, stamping friends! I just wanted to share a card I made over the weekend using the Papertrey Ink stamp set, "Pedal Pusher." Isn't it cute? I love that all the pieces are separate, so you can have any color of bicycle, basket, and wheels...and then add your own basket topper. This was Pinterest inspired, but not a CASE. I tried out my new PTI edgers dies, and decided to use them as a topper as I wasn't sure how else to add it. Nothing like a red polka dot sky, is there? This is for my stamping friend, Charlene, I had the fun of meeting once quite a few years ago who is going through some difficult trials in her life. The beauty of stamping is while you are creating, you can also be saying specific prayers for the recipient you have in mind. Thanks for popping in, and wishing you blessings on your day!

Summer at the Yampa River Botanic Gardens

Just sharing a few photographs I took on our recent weekend at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I had just returned from a 3 day weekend in New York City with both daughters, future Mother-in-law of our daughter, and future sister-in-law for a wedding dress shopping weekend. I was tired.
I will be honest, I am not a big city gal by any stretch...and I had very little sleep. So to turn around and leave again after just unpacking my bags...I needed some peace and quiet and nature to soothe my traveling nerves.

The neat thing about these gardens is the earth is divided into subplots; and a community organization or group of people adopt a plot and plant it and care for it. So there is a lot of variety and I am sure pride in these gardens.

I wish I could remember what these spherical shaped flowers were...they were light and airy and the prettiest color!

Did I mention she found the dress?! It was actually the first dress she tried on...then just to be sure she tried on about 3 more...but went back to the first. I can not show pictures just yet of our dress shopping; as the wedding is still a year away! One thing I learned about New York City...it is missing trees! So I found some as soon as I got home, and almost hugged one. We did see a lot in Central Park...but the city is severely lacking. Why did that not surprise me? 

Thanks so much for your visit...hope you have time to bask in the beauty of nature soon!

Call Me, Don't Mean Maybe!!

Hi there! This is one of the other sets in last month's Flourishes release that I happily won, "Call Me,"...and wanted to use this cute little phone with this week's The Deconstructed Sketch to submit another card for this week's Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #225 to use "Scallops." My circle mat is scalloped, along with the bottom edge of my middle panel, which unfortunately is covered up by part of the center pennant panel. But it is there!

This was a fun little image to color up to suit your tastes. When I was a young , probably 8 or 9, I received the cutest "play phone set" that had an actual ring tone and red light that lit up when someone called from the other line. They were connected with wires and ran on batteries, I imagine...and since I had no sisters to play with, I spent hours playing "secretary" on my play phone. I became pretty proficient at taking messages, but not sure who was on the other end to receive them!

Now that our oldest daughter moved to New York, which I found out using one of those hand phone apps is over 1,500 miles away...I will probably spend a little more time on the phone! This card will go to her. Thanks for stopping by. What's going on with you?

Timeless Tuesday Tea Rose

Hi there, friends! Last month I had the oh so fun privilege of winning the entire Flourishes stamp release!! I rarely win anything, so I was pretty excited; but to win from my favorite stamp company, that was even better!

For this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge 225; I actually water colored my favorite in the set,"Old Tea Rose." The challenge was to use "Scallops" for your card. This type of ribbon treatment works so well when you don't have the room for a bow, but you want to dress up your card with some pretty ribbon! For this card, I stamped with Versamark ink, on watercolor paper, then white embossed, giving me raised lines to keep my inks inside the rose. I used a variety of SU! and TH distressed inks. The ribbon is scalloped across the bottom with a string of pearls, which I felt a befitting finish to such an elegant rose!
This card uses the Color Made Easy card stock in Crocus and Candy Pink packs. The ribbon was also part of the CME selections.
Thanks so much for your visit today!!

CTD246

I decided to try a color challenge new to me: The Color Throw down.
After organizing my SU! inks this weekend; I wanted to find a challenge to try out different color combinations.

I used The Cutting Garden stamp set from PTI  and the colors above in the challenge, except Certain Celery ink substituted for Pear Pizzazz ink. Frosted stickles were added for sparkle. The card was inspired by another one viewed on a sketch challenge.
Thank you for looking!

Flourishes Textures of Nature Challenge FLLCJUNE13

This week summer hit my home state of Colorado with nary a Popsicle in sight...hot and windy with two days of record setting temperatures. Being outdoors right now is not something I want to do until around 9 o'clock in the evenings. Sun and dry temperatures have started another string of wild fires, none of which are near us, thankfully!
So it is good weather to stay indoors and play along with this month's new release Challenge at Flourishes: Textures of Nature.

My card used designer paper for the flowers in the corner and the library card...it is all one piece. The stamp of the little girl watering the flowers was added to the paper.  The sentiment and stamp are Flourishes, the touch of nature is the wood grain designer paper and the wood butterfly which I accented with three tiny rhinestones. The gorgeous ribbon is hand dyed and a gift from my dear friend, Diane Noble.
I have been doing a lot of watering our flowering pots this week...and I have one pot of basil that I hope to see flourish a lot soon!
Speaking of nature,right out the back door of my parent's home in Grand Junction (the western slope of Colorado) is the Colorado National Monument. You can see some of these rock formations as you look from their yard. My girls went hiking there the weekend of my Mom's memorial service at the house.

Sister solidarity!! I love this picture. Our daughter, Caitlyn, on the right...just moved to Saratoga Springs, New York two days ago. I miss her already. Our youngest, Erin and I plan to visit her in two short weeks.
Thanks for popping in...always appreciate hearing from you and what is new in your corner of the world.

Do Not Fear!

I have made a small stamping goal for myself: and that is to break out some sets that have not been used much or at all...I sometimes purchase these in a fit of giddy excitement when I see a new release and all the DT's designs...then by the time they arrive at my door; I've usually moved on to something different and don't remember what I originally saw that had me so excited. Kind of like a little kid at Christmas I guess.
So, I have made it a point this past week to go back and look at some of the original DT's samples, and began with making a similar card and then branching out once I became more familiar with the set. Baby steps for now.
So here is one that was on the PTI board using "Everyday Blessings" and "Life." I am slightly enamored with these floral images and enjoying experimenting still with some different colors. I used the spritzing technique for the floral and stamped on watercolor paper.

The floral were done in regal rose and orange and the stems in mellow moss. Double stamped on to another   green card stock and trimmed with banner edging and overlaid the words as you can see to bring more attention to that phrase.
This verse has really spoken to me, as I was stamping, I also meditated on these words and prayed for those in my life right now that need a big dose of courage and trust in the Lord. I hope this card encourages you.
I read this today and wanted to remember it...as I am still in mourning over my Mom's death. So many times, when someone dies, everyone is afraid to mention their name as they don't want to make you cry or uncomfortable. I have made it a point to remember my Mom out loud in front of family and if I cry, I cry...but each time I do it lessens my grief somewhat and brings honor to her memory.
" The mention of my mother's name may bring tears to my eyes, but it never fails to bring music to my ears. If you are really my friend, please don't keep me from hearing the beautiful music. It soothes my broken and heart and fills my soul with love."

CASEing, Take One and Two!

So what do you do when life has put you on a bit of stamping "hold" and you miss it but have no idea how to get back into it? Like most of you, I head over to my Pinterest stamping boards and find a card that speaks to me and looks somewhat attainable to my skill level and then CASE! I do try to remember to go back on their blog and leave a comment, too!
So this first card is my attempt inspired by one I fell in love with from Silke Ledlow's blog, "My Life." This is another stamp set that hadn't seen much ink yet, Papertrey Ink "Life," and the sentiment is PTI Mega Giga Guidelines.

I always love Silke's use of white space, design, and scored backgrounds. The only change I made to her original card is the addition of the crochet lace and ink colors. Inks used: Poppy Parade, Regal Rose and Pool Party.
So with that card done, I became more adventurous and tried out another combination of inks and changed up the top corner a bit...

Inks used: SU! Cameo Coral, Island Indigo, and Baja Breeze.
And then I wanted to add a faith sentiment  to my card but use the same PTI Life background floral. This card's scripture is from the PTI "Everyday Blessings" set.

The above card was made by using my favorite technique, spritzing an inked stamp and stamping on watercolor paper...the paper has a lot of texture and softens the images. I added a jeweled rhinestone for a little sparkle and interest. Colors: Island Indigo and Sahara Sand, and the sentiment stamped in Memento Cocoa ink.
Before I was done, I had six cards created...all from one design with slight variations. When my husband came up it was a bit past dinner time, the ink pads were all stacked in a colorful array on my desk, and like a little kid, I proudly showed him my "Just Because" cards and said, "I can send this to anybody, just because." To which he replied. "That's good. Now I am going to go heat up some dinner...Just Because...I am hungry." And then we both chuckled...
Guess my experimentation went a little long...but it was refreshing to my spirit to see all the rainbows of colors and inks. Therapeutic and not a time waster at all!
Hope to see you soon...thanks so much for dropping in!

CAS(E) this Sketch!

I have been on a CAS spree this past weekend...making several cards and having fun trying out ink color combinations. I saw this sketch challenge on a friend's blog and decided to try out this sketch to move the process along:

I needed a little boy's birthday card...and realized I have no little kiddo stamps. I guess that is because I don't have any little kiddos in my life...my daughter needs to get married and fix that! :) But anyways, I had ordered this Stylish Sentiments Birthday set from Papertrey Ink and found one of the stamps in the set  works well for a child's card. So thanks to the sketch inspiration and a few banners from the MME Six by Six paper collection, and one single Bobunny brad with a star (thanks to a gift from a friend,) I was able to make this card:

And like the card says, "Yay!" I made a card! Thanks for looking...this is not  my usual style, but I really like the design...the repeated star from the brad and border on the right to carry out the celebratory theme!
And it was pretty easy...the hardest part was picking out the color scheme and papers!

Just a Little Hi!

Hi there stamping friends! I made this card awhile ago...it is an adorable Stampavie image that I had only inked up once before. I combined it with these pretty blue papers and a PTI blooms die for this card creation. I had not used my copics in so long, was a little nervous, but I like the way the little mouse turned out...what do you think? This was meant to go to my Mom; I made it ahead of my visit and planned to put it in the mail as soon as I returned home as she always loved little critter cards and I know this would have given her such a smile in the happy blues and yellows! Now I will probably use it for an encouragement card for someone who just needs a little cheer.

Thanks so much for the sweet comments, encouraging cards and thoughts. And thanks so much for stopping in...hope this little guy brings you a smile!

I'm entering this in the WAW (Word Art Wednesday) Challenge...you may use any "family friendly" card and this fits! The girls there always have beautiful scripture and designs...hopefully I can add a couple of scripture cards soon!

When a loved One Dies

When a loved one dies...I have had quite a few loved members of my family pass on in my lifetime...so the experience of grief is not new.  Yet with each one, depending on the person's role in my life, their age, the expectancy of their death, etc...the way I have experienced loss has been very different.
My Mom, who was and is still very dear to me, went to be with The Lord on April 14. I have so many mixed emotions involving her death. During the past year and a half, it has been beyond difficult, the waiting day to day, the worry from being so far away. I spent a lot of time just pleading with God to give me the "right" time to go and see her. My main concern was that she did not die alone, and that she would know the important role she had in my life. Yet I was afraid to say anything to her that might lead her to feel an obligation to stay...so any words I said had a finality to them and were absent of my impending loss or emptiness. I arrived on Mom's birthday and spent three days just visiting. When she would say that the doctors told her she only had a few days left, my answer was, well, Mom, only The Lord knows how many days you have left. And by the third time she told me this, as she was lying in her bed at night, and I answered the same way, she said in her weak but resolved voice, "That is right. And I may just surprise everyone...I may just continue to live; God may heal me...and then everyone would know the power of The Lord." That's the spirit, Mom...and I hope to always remember her words of faith on her last night on Earth.
Well, The Lord answered all my prayers. I was right by my Mom's bedside the day she died, holding her hand, getting her ice chips, moving her from side to side for her to be comfortable...bringing her coffee in bed as she missed her morning cup that day. Even after we knew she was comatose...I kept holding her hand and whispering words of assurance and scripture when it came to mind, or part of a hymn. It struck me that being with someone when they are dying is a lot like being with someone when they are giving birth...only the rebirth is to a heavenly realm and not an earthly one. There was no special sign when Mom left us, no eyes opening or talk of angels, but I knew they were all around us because of the peace and joy I felt.
 The night before, I had laid in the bed next to her for a little while to just be with her and talk. The hospice nurse had told me the day before that she was glad I was there and urged me to say my "last words." I looked at her and smiled and said, "I already have. I tell her every time I am with her and she knows how much I love her." Yet that last night, we just talked of little things...nothing of huge significance...but at the end of our conversation, I felt compelled to say, "Mom, I am so blessed to have you to talk to my whole life." And she answered that she was so blessed to have me to talk to...and I realize now that is what I will be missing most. Knowing where she is has brought me so much comfort, and knowing how God remembered my prayers and allowed me to be with her spoke to me of His great care and concern.
I have heard people say, life goes on...in response to a loved one dying. I always thought that was an unkind thing to say...for the person that is still here...life does go on, yes. But it is not the same. I wrote a tribute to my Mom that my husband read at her Memorial which we held for a small group of family, friends and hospice workers at their home. I'll be sharing that in my next entry.
Thank you for sharing with me in my joy and my sorrow.

Flourishes FLLCMAR13 Second Entry

Please see my previous blog post for details on this card using two blues and a pop of yellow for Flourishes March Spring release challenge! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Major Meanderings

Life is full of changes...you hear that often, and some days when you are in the midst of  mundane routine, life seems to move slowly, and you inwardly wish for change.  Sometimes change is good; but I find that to be true when it is elective change. Being on the receiving end of others' decisions that not only involve change for them, but my life also affected in a cataclysmic way is not good. At least it doesn't feel that way to me.
In the past month or so life has felt like a slow-moving tailspin. The kind of sensation which I experienced recently, plunked into the passenger seat while my youngest daughter navigated my jeep down an icy road. Down an icy road, ice covering snow, that hydroplaning that happens when the wheels don't quite touch pavement and that little pocket of air is all that exists between your life as you know it or panic. The seconds of holding your breath as the car spins...assessing the situation in a millisecond, calmly telling your daughter what not to do...do not brake...stay calm, stay calm...
Let's see now...in the last few months...my husband quit his job. A big job. He retired for "long enough to rearrange his sock drawer," and then he started on as a President of a start-up tech company. Which everyone knows means nothing. The company could stay, it could go, and it all depends on too many things which I know nothing about. What I do know is that means any plans for a move or long trip are temporarily put on hold. Temporary meaning four years or tomorrow.
My Mom's health is changing. So is my Dad's. I get emergency calls from caregivers, quick trips over mountain passes sometimes covered in snow...decisions made and decisions reversed by others who do not know better. It is frustrating, and at times heartbreaking. But the thing is...you have to be there...so you realign your life and you set your priorities and you stop all that you were doing before, and you sit and wait for you do not know what...the call in the night, the update from the hospice nurse...a text that waits a week to reach you while you hold your breath once more.
Our youngest daughter finds her dream place in the city. She has lived in our town since fifth grade. Do not feel sorry for me...we have been blessed as parents. Yes, my nest has been empty. She elected to live in the dorms, then a condo with her older sister. But graduating college and starting off on her career path, living in the same college town was just not hip anymore. So she packed her belongings and we hauled. And I cleaned. And cleaned. And cleaned the condo that had not been empty for at least six years and had seen many room mates come and go. And as I scrubbed, I was able to let go of some of the sadness that she would not be living close by anymore.
Our oldest daughter announced she was going to move to New York. But that one is still a little ways out on the horizon.
Changes in friendships, group bonds formed over time and given a year or more to develop suddenly stopped because those leading them felt they could no longer. And there was no one to step up and take the place.
Change in church. A pastor let go because of a sin committed that left many of us reeling...the impact of sin leaving it's imprint on everyone and the question of how to move on in forgiveness and grace and yet to continue to trust.
So when life changes seem to be coming hard and fast and there does not feel adequate time to gain traction and equilibrium...what do you do?
For me, I stop. I slow down. I listen to His spirit, guiding me through his word, and to books that seem to be speaking to me and encouraging me. One I am reading and gaining so much insight from is "Dancing with my Father," by Sally Clarkson.
 I give. I give my time away...doing for others because it is always a blessing to help when you know that you are making a tiny difference in a young mother's day by taking her child to the pet store and the car wash and out to eat.
I wait...to hear His voice directing me which way to go. Which also involves prayer and rest.
And I reassess what I am doing. My stamping is again on a leave of absence. I am not on any teams, so have no obligations...for now I will stamp when I need a card or am inspired to try something new.
This blog was initially named "Major Moments," because my life is busy and my interests are varied and I do not want to dedicate my blog solely to one thing.
I am taking a class tomorrow. I am stretching myself to try something new...this time with Annie Sloan's chalk paint. So tomorrow I will be surrounded by pretty colored paints rather than inks and my pallet will be wood rather than paper. I am ready for a change. And in this case, change is good!

Vintage Challenge from Flourishes

I am home again...and I don't even have my bags unpacked. But a little unwinding was in order, so I found one of my favorite stamp challenges by Flourishes, and spent an afternoon fashioning a card. This week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge #205 was to create a vintage card. I have had this set for a long time, and still had not used it. A little intimidated by the coloring, but the copics came out and I am so happy with the way it turned out.

I used some lacy nestabilities, beautifully hand dyed ribbon from my friend, Diane Noble, a prima rose and blush pearls from Kaisercraft. I used quite a few copics for shading and antiqued the paper with some Tim Holtz Ink. The challenge was to create a "Vintage" card, and I think these colors and stamp accomplish that.

Thanks so much for your visit today...blessings on your day!

I Heart Puppies...Valentine's Day!

I'm having so much fun with the adorable images  in the Snow baby Love digital sets from Daydream Designs store. (You can click on the button on the sidebar to take you directly to the store.) This puppy was combined with two papers from the "Love Me True " Digital Paper Pack. A pretty simple layout shows off the red and white color scheme so true to Valentine's Day! This card will go to one of my puppy loving family members, probably our youngest daughter, Erin. She wants a puppy so badly, but she keeps hoping I will get one so that she can just come over and puppy sit, since she works as a full time professional and can't really take the puppy to work. I keep reminding her I already have one (very old and very needy dog,) and one that I take care of a lot...so that makes two. Although getting a puppy has been on my mind a lot lately, too. I know after so many years of dog ownership, what a big responsibility they are and how much time they take especially at the puppy and elder puppy stage!! So will probably wait a bit longer. Sending you puppy love...thanks for stopping in for a visit!

Christmas All Year Long!

For those of us that were feeling a bit behind the Christmas Card production last year...or you are like me and always get in the stamping swing a wee bit too late...there is a monthly Christmas card challenge on the Fan Club Forum at Splitcoast Stampers. This month's challenge is "Wedding~use something old, something new, something borrowed, or something blue."

I used Flourishes stamps for this stocking template card. The ribbon and heart were "borrowed" from another card.
I had a lot of fun making this card using the stocking template!! And if I am able to find this card by next Christmas, I will be ready!!
Thank you for coming by today!

Winter Solitude

We had a freshly fallen snow this morning...putting me in a dreamy mood and not wanting to get out of my pajamas. I am dwelling as long as I can in the solitude, reeling in the urges to move on to the next big holiday or event...just enjoying the moment for today. This set from Papertrey Ink, "In the Meadow" was paired with a rustic woods papers to make what I hope is a suitable birthday card for my Dad.

I think he will enjoy this winter scene and it is the first time I have made the gate fold...opening up into a pretty inside accompanying sentiment. Or should I say "handsome," since this is supposed to be a "guy" card?

My Dad has a birthday the day after mine...which has always made it easy to remember!
I decided, I really like this fold, I enjoy being able to use some of the coordinating paper to add some visual interest to the inside.
Thanks for stopping by...wishing you winter solitude this week.