MORE Birthdays ......

 Our oldest son is having his 39th Birthday ( for real ! And probably the first of MANY 39's ! LOL ! ) at the end of next week . He is away for his birthday as the company he works for is send him and 3 work buddies to an Edmonton Oilers / Vancouver Canuck's game . They are all pretty excited as the game is in Edmonton and they will get to spend one full day shopping in their favorite store ...... CABELA'S !!!  Nothing sounds more like fun for these guys then watching a hockey game , drinking beer and shopping in their favorite outdoor sports store .... unless it is hunting or fishing that is !!!

 When I saw this image by Magnolia , I knew I had to do SOMEHING with it ! It tickled my funny bone ........

  

I really couldn't decide what to do with the image as I didn't buy the background image so I thought I 

would just keep the card very simple . Edwin is colored with COPIC markers . I never keep track of which colors I use though .

 

 A friend had a birthday this week and I made this card for her though it will be late arriving as I had to mail it . This is the image I received in my MAGNOLIA INK magazine this month and I just HAD to ink it up immediately ! Another image colored with Copic markers and some new My Mind's Eyes paper . A very quick , simple card as well ! I actually used my mini Scor-It board to do the border on the cardstock . 

 The weather here has been flip flop from sun to rain but still not overly warm . At least we aren't get the snowstorms  that other areas are getting ! DH actually mowed the lawn last week and it will need it again this week ! A visit to the campground today showed us we wouldn't be camping for a few weeks though as they still have a good foot of snow covering most of the campground ! They were hoping to open next weekend but haven't even been able to do their Spring clean up ....... 

 Hope everybody has had a great week , had good weather and has had some creating time !

Have a great week everybody !

FINALLY ..... a little creating .........

  Not too long ago my DH retired after being with the same company for a total of 42 years , 26 of them consecutive . Since his retirement , the company he ran has had a bit of a mass exodus from the staff he trained and depended on ........ but that is a whole other story ! LOL ! Anyways , that is a bit of background before I explain this first card .

 This Magnolia image of the Jungle buggy and scene is for a good friend of DH's who is packing his family up , sold their home , quit their jobs and are...with 2 of there kids in tow ..... heading back to their home province after spending 12 years here . They have no jobs to head too and have changed their mind on where they are going to actually live ! Not sure it is something we could ever do without having some plan of attack but we wish them the very best in their journey !

 The images I chose are all Magnolias from a few years back and I actually have used both images a few times . Some of my colors don't show up very well nor does the Stickles on the tops of the mountains ( and yes , I KNOW Alberta doesn't have palm trees ! LOL ! ) nor does the glossy accents on the windows  . I mounted the jungle buggy on foamies so it actually stands up from the image . All images are colored in an array of Copic colors .  I kept the card pretty simple with the sentiment from Verve stamped inside that reads  "As you unpack your things and settle right in , May happiness follow and good times begin "


Card #2 is stamped with a Saturated Canary image ( digi ) and I have to say ..... OMG !!!!!! I am in love as I love these images by this company ! They are just so much fun to color and watch come to life !

This card is for my DIL and not posted on FB as she hasn't got it yet ! LOL ! It was her birthday yesterday and I am not sure when we will actually see her ......... guess they will actually have to come down and get it ! ( actually DH will probably take it there this week as he has to go up for business ! Yes , he is doing some contract work from home for a bit ........ )  . The majority of this card is colored with Copics and little highlights of Gel pen .  I have used all my stash for this card from the cardstock to the ric-rac ! It is amazing when I look through my stuff how much I have and forgot about ! LOL ! Happy Belated birthday Carlene !

Card #3 is an Easter card ( yes I know it has past already ! )

I made this card for my parents and I am surprised they actually got it in time as I was really pushing to get this one done ! Another Magnolia image that I colored with Copics .

Spring has made an appearance here , the robins are trying to clean my yard of all the worms ! The grass is turning green and the trees are getting fuzzy looking so I don't think it will be long before we see leaves ............ We are lucky that our snow has disappeared from the ground ( even though we still are getting the odd snowstorm go through  ) . I am hoping that the winter viruses are behind us and life gets back to normal ( whatever that is ! )

 Have a great week everybody and happy creating !

OUR BOY IS 6 !!

 It is hard to believe that our youngest grandchild is 6 years old on Tuesday ! The year has gone by so quickly but at least with the move we have been able to see him more often and watched the changes that this age brings . He is kindergarten this year so has really developed a personality ...... some habits which are so " boy " ( yes , I did say that ! LOL ! ) .... nice considering he has 2 older sisters ! The kid is a whiz on his IPAD and can figure out most words on his own . No spelling around this kid any more as he knows exactly what you are trying to say !

 I found this image in my box and I am not sure how I got it as it is a Hangler .......... but he is oh so cute and was just calling me to make him up . I used Copic markers to color him and I have to say , this card came together so fast for me from start to finish . I know he will like it ........ and the inside of the card was just a printed sheet of paper and just a couple stickers of dogs that I got given to me from Santa ! Nice to use so stash up !

 I must get busy now as I have a card I have to get off today for my BIL's birthday . Thank heavens I have the image already colored as I feel like I have lost a few days this past week !

 Have a great week everybody and happy creating ....... even if it is just reading a book and creating in your mind ! LOL !

Thinking of you ....

 

  The sun is shining , the snow is melting and the trees actually have a pale green color to them . I am not holding my breath that Spring may be on it's way but I am sure hoping . It has been a LONG winter here ........ more with the move so close to when the snow fell I think ! Anyways , I will be happy to see green grass and be able to sit outside , whether here or whether somewhere camping .

 I finally sat at my desk and put together a card . Nothing fancy but it seemed to take me forever to do . I have just tucked this little swinger in the mail to send to a friend who's birthday is today .... and yes , it will  be belated birthday wishes to her ! I am having trouble actually getting on a regimented schedule since DH is home 24/7 . We have lived on schedules for 40 years but for some reason that isn't happening much lately ! Guess that is what " retirement " is all about though .

 I have had this Magnolia stamp forever and finally inked her up ......... amazing how many stamps I have that have never even seen ink on them !!  I am going to try remedy that in the next little while as I have a few anniversary and birthdays over the next while . My Copics definitely need a workout and I need to do some practicing with them as I am a bit rusty . I actually have an image all colored and ready to put a card together with . Stay tuned as it shouldn't be long before that has to be done !

 Have a great week everybody and happy creating !

It's all in my head ..........

 Sinuses , ears .......... yupe , a full blown infection that is interfering with my crafting ! So not how I had planned on spending January ( where did the month go ! ) or most of February ! I hate not feeling good but this dang infection has knocked the stuffing and energy right out of me ! I did manage to get one card done ........ forgot to take a photo , had the envelope come back because it seems I forgot to put a stamp on it ( I think they fell off actually ! ) and I re-addressed it and still forgot to take a photo !!! That tells you how foggy my brain is !!! Ugggg , hopefully soon I will be back to normal !!!

 We did venture out on Sunday to our little area in Paradise for the annual winter wiener roast at Canyon Creek Campground . Had a great day as the sun shone and it was actually warm . So nice to catch up with our summer camping friends . Had some sad news too as one of the summer friends passed away suddenly just after Christmas ..... so sad !

 Well I hope to be back in the swing of things here soon so keep checking back to see what I have been doing other then reading paperbacks and playing silly games on Face Book !!

Take care and happy creating

First cards of 2013

This card is actually the second card I made this year . I did something a bit different then I normally would . First I stamped the dress onto patterned paper and then highlighted it with my Copics . Didn't know whether it would work or not but I think it turned out alright ! The heart is a metal diecut that I have had in my stash forever . I coated it with Stickles . I actually used a patterned piece of paper for the background and incorporated the pattern into the front of my card for Tilda to stand on . The butterfly is a Magnolia die that I just love ! I cut it out of a metallic paper and the body out of a polka dot paper .... Just a fun card to get things going for the year !

 My first card was just something to get the ink flowing and the brain back to crafting mode . The image is colored with my Copics and really was just a trial run ..... The ladybug is coated in gloss and her spots are actually Glaze Gel pen   . I love to use them when I can . Everything I used on these 2 cards is from my stash as I am trying to use up what I have before I buy any more . I am going to have to cave soon as I am going to need some cardstock soon ....... of those colors I use a lot of but I have enough cardstock to last me 100 years ! LOL ! Who knew that one gravitates towards certain colors !

 So nice to be in my room and doing something . and feeling that sense of accomplishment . I have to say though there are a few things I really need change in my new room .... one being the lighting ! It is awful !!! Right now I have the shade off the single bulb in the ceiling and even that doesn't help much . I do have a long armed desk OTT light but that doesn't seem to helping much ! I think I am going to look at buying a floor OTT lamp and seeing if I can help things in the lighting department .... especially if I want to do any crafting in the evening ! Oh well , all in good time and I am just happy to be crafting again !

 Have a great week everybody and I hope you all find time to craft or at least find time to have some ME time ! January is just that kind of month and a person needs to find their " go to place " .... mine being my crafting , crocheting or a darn good book !

I am BACK !!!!!

 Well it has been a long 6 months and we have had many changes in our lives . The biggest change is we packed up our home and moved further south ...... only 1.5 hours away but still further south ! What that means is we have less snow ( but still snow ) , warmer temperatures ( sometimes only a degree or 2 but still warmer ! ) and we get to spend time with DD and her family ! Something we have not been able to do for a very long time . Our boys have both bought their own homes in the last few months and are learning to live without the Parents being just a few minutes away ...... it is working out well for all of us !

 The second huge change in our lives has been DH has retired from his job . He spent 42 accumulative years with the same company and though the last few months were sheer Hell on him ( due to a lot of crap that was going on inter-company ) he stuck it out until the end of the year . They did throw him a very nice retirement party where we even had friends ( with the company ) attend from as far away as Quebec . All our kids and their spouses attended as well . It was a fun evening and the speeches were great ! DH has no regrets about retiring though ..... but will he stay retired is the million dollar question ! He has a few good working years left he says but it was time to start a new venture ! We will see !

 We have managed to get a few things done here since he retired .... boxes are almost all unpacked and the house is almost totally set up now . We have a few things we will have to do in the yard once the snow leaves ( this is the most snow that the town has seen for years and it is only January ! Just our luck ! )

 Christmas was wonderful this year . The oldest and his family came down on December 23 and spent the night with us . They headed back home to spend Christmas in their new home early on the 24th . Then the youngest arrived with his cocker spaniel . We spent the evening at DD's and had lot of fun with her family . Christmas morning we had our presents here then back over to DD's for a gift exchange with them . Christmas is always fun when there is a 5 year old :-) ....... I did Christmas dinner here and discovered my new kitchen works perfect for the group . the youngest and his dog headed home on the 26th and DH & I settled in to figuring out this " retirement " thing !

 I did no crafting for Christmas this year other then a few cards that I had done at a class I attended in Novemeber . This is the first time in years I didn't do at least a dozen cards to send out ! Oh well !!! I did manage to do a couple birthday cards for the family that celebrated one in December .

This was my granddaughter's card I made . I love this Magnolia's Tilda which I colored in Copic markers and then used lots of Stickles on her dress and the tag . I also airbrushed the paper she is on rather then use a patterned paper .

 I am finding time to get back to my room and doing some creating so stay tuned over the next while to see what I have come up with . Still haven't got my room completely unpacked but it is coming .... I could probably get it all unpacked if my COPICS would quit talking to me every time I walk in there ! LOL ! So nice to be able to sit and create again after the madness of the past 6 months !

 And on that note .... Have a great week and happy creating everybody ! Thanks for coming back to visit !!!


And on a footnote .....

 Amongst all the madness of the past 6 months , I actually managed to lose EVERYTHING off my laptop ( a MACBOOK which it turns out is NOT indestructible ! ) ...... so if I haven't visited your blog or sent you an email please send me a note with the a link or your email address ! ) .... and PLEASE make sure you BACKUP your computer !!! I have lost a LOT of photos , links and contacts because I didn't do it ! Just one more lesson learned .........  2012 is behind us and 2013 is going to be so much better !!!! )

End of the summer .... end of a chapter in our lives .

 Sorry to my followers for not posting more over the summer but life has had a few bumps as of late ! Unfortunately , along with some great camping time , so came some sad news for a few friends . As the seasons change , so do a lot of lives . To D & K , sorry to hear of the passing of your father and FIL . I know K that you will miss him as much as you have missed your Mother since she passed on . At least you know they are together again and watching over you .

 My DH and I also reconnected with a old friend . I actually grew up with the fellow as my neighbor and he was my " protector " as a teenager ... he actually helped me " dump " more then one beau ! ( Nasty of me ! LOL ! ) . Anyways , we lost touch for almost 38 years even though he and his wife live in the same city as we do ( and I grew up with her too ! ) !!! They live on one side and we the other .... and we never connected ! Not long ago , we announced we were selling our house and moving out of town . Old friend then hopped in his truck and came found us camping in our favorite spot ( DH was just recouperating yet again after a 6 week leave of absence from work due to health issues ) . We have a lovely visit until he announced that his wife couldn't make the trek down to see us as she had just had another round of chemo ! I was shocked as I hadn't heard her cancer had returned ( after 30 years of being cancer free ) . He said she was doing better though .............. and then the sad news arrived from his sister not 10 days later that his wife had passed away suddenly ! So sad for them ! Glen , our hearts break for you that you have lost your love after 36 years of marriage .

 We made the decision to sell our home while the market was still " hot " here so have been busy packing .... when we aren't at the campsite ! Our house lasted 14 days on the market and the fellow that wants it takes possession on Saturday . Just a few more boxes and then we will get loaded and stored for 3 weeks as the house we bought an hour and half away isn't ours until after Thanksgiving ! We are going to live in the RV for 3 weeks and DH will commute back and forth to work with the owner of the campground as he also works in our city . I will then live in our new home during the week and DH will come down on the weekend until the end of December when he has decided to retire !!!! Yes , it has been a CRAZY summer ..............

  Hug your kids , hug your partner , hug your pets ........ and enjoy life ! As we have found out , life can take a turn when you least expect it ( so happy to say we had coffee 2 nights ago with a friend that was in an induced comma in July after rolling his truck and suffering massive head injuries ! He is home , walking , talking and alive !!!! A walking miracle ! ) ..............

  And stay tuned because I hope to have my Copics unpacked first thing so I can play once I get my house set up again ( maybe by December ! LOL ! ) ........ the withdrawls have been BRUTAL lately !

 Take care , get creative and enjoy life everybody !!!!

A forgotten card !

 I just downloaded my memory card and discovered I forgot a card I had made a bit ago . It was for DIL's birthday at the beginning of the month ! At least she got it on time .... you just didn't get to see it !

These are 2 colors I seldom use and I am so pleased how the card came out ! Green and plum are NOT my strong suit to use !  Sorry , not sure what Copics I used either !  I know DIL liked her card because it was still sitting on their TV stand and she seldom keeps " clutter " out ! LOL !

 I also have just finished this card for a friend . I received an Easter card from her and a short letter which filled me with sadness and threw me into a bit of a funk ( hence the reason I am having so much trouble getting back into my room and creating a few more cards ! ). A bit of history about my friend , She was actually a young friend of my Mother's whom my sister and I babysat her kids while we were teenagers and then her 2 daughters babysat my kids when we lived in the same town for a few years .... and my kids could have babysat her grandkids if we would have stayed there ! LOL ! I have kept in contact with this lady for over 28 years since we left the Okanagan . it has been wonderful watching her girls' kids grow up in pictures . Anyways before I end up writing a book , this last letter had some very unhappy news in it . My friend's youngest daughter was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer less then a month ago . She turned 45 on April 10th and has had major surgery and now facing 6 months of intense chemo therapy . She has a husband and  2 children ( one being autistic ) . She lives far away from her family and other then close family and friends that live near , I am not sure what her support system is ! I was heartbroken for her parents as it isn't a case of just jumping in the car and driving across town to see their daughter ! I can't imagine the emotions this family is going through . My heart bleeds for them . I decided the one thing I could do is to send my friend a card so she knows my heart , prayers and positive thoughts are with them . This is the card ......

 

I think this Magnolia's Tilda says it all ! I would give my blankie to my friend in a heart beat if I knew it would take the pain away ...................

 PLEASE ..........if you suspect there could be a medical problem in the area where NONE of us like to talk about 

( well in my house it is a HUGE part of our conversation as my husband has Crohn's disease ....... and has had a major portion of his bowel removed and heading for some aggressive treatments soon BUT that is for another day ! )

PLEASE GO TO YOUR DOCTOR AND HAVE EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT ! 

And hug those close to you as often as possible as life changes in a blink of an eye ! 

Take care dear friends ...........

Please bear with me ........

 I haven't forgot about my blog or creating ( as a matter of fact I have a card in the works on my desk right now ! )  but life has taken a few bumps ( more like HUGE potholes in the road ! ) and has delayed some of the creative processes . I WILL post something awesome and sweet over the next while but PLEASE bear with me until this life's glitch can get repaired !