To A Grrreat Friend!

Good Morning Everyone!
Does anyone have a list of sites you go to for your challenges? I think I'd like to try some of them out so if you have a list of favorites, would you mind passing them along?

In the meantime...this card is for our friend, Bill, whose birthday is just 2 days away. He's one of our motorcycle buddies and my hubby and I just love he and his wife. We've been friends for years!

SU's Under the Stars stamp set, along with Basic Gray, Kraft, Old Olive and Whisper White cardstock.

Blessings one and all! It looks like we're getting some sunshine later! Hooray!

Workshop Projects

Here's the workshop projects I did this past Saturday with my group. Being as there were several "newbies" in the group, I kept it simple.

Here: Lovely as a Tree stamp set (heat embossed), with Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie & Whisper White cardstock, Pacific Point ribbon. As some say, "Easy--peasy."







This one: Basic Black cardstock embossed with Cuttlebug's Leafy Branch folder. Botanical Blooms stamp set from SU's Sale-a-Bration catalog. Regal Rose, Rose Red, Green Galore & Whisper White cardstock also used.

Everybody did a great job! And now I need to make some personal cards for family & friends... Ta Ta...

A Few Things I've Done...

Here's a few THANK YOU cards I've done over the past few days.

This first one's for my hairdresser whom I was sending a check to for some products I ordered. Very appropriate, huh? (Love those Bellas!).

This next one I did for my hubby who needed a card to send to a

pastor/friend of his. ("Man cards" continue to be difficult for me!).

And this last one's for some friends whom we've known for the better part of 15 years. So many wonderful things are going on in their lives...and I just wanted to thank them for sharing it all in church on Sunday!

Bless you all! I'm off to do a workshop this afternoon. Thankfully it's too chilly to ride today so I won't be missing the open road!

She's Home! She's Home!

Saturday was a fabulous day! My Baby finally came home. Here she is - isn't she gorgeous??? She's Redhot Sunglo (metalflake red) with tons of chrome! I am blessed beyond measure.

If you look back to my post of March 9th (The Mouse Will Play), at the very bottom I told you that Pearl had left our family, but that "someone else" was joining us! Well, this is what I was talking about!

Eric rode my Dyna Low Rider (Pearl) to the dealership a couple of weeks ago so they could get her ready to be resold. My Baby wasn't ready to come home yet so we had to wait; but each time I passed through the city of the dealership, I'd stop to see her. The dealership employees were very gracious and got her out for me to sit on and drool over each time I stopped. (It's pretty bad when all of the employees at the dealership know you by your first name because you're in there so often. Some even have us on speed dial!).

When Saturday came and the temperature was "reasonable," my wonderful hubby hopped on his bike and rode it to the dealership where he would leave it to have some "muscle work" done to the engine plus a chrome job. He was then able to ride My Baby home to me, though he couldn't resist taking the long way home just to see how she handled! He's impressed!

I about flipped when I heard him first, then saw him pull around the corner! I donned my chaps, jacket, helmet & gloves and took her out for a ride! Ahhh, yes...heaven again. I just love to ride! If you haven't tried it, might I encourage you? There's nothing quite like seeing God's country from the saddle of a bike! The wind in your hair, the open road in front of you, and the bugs in your teeth (from smiling so much!) together are the perfect prescription for a fabulous, no-stress day.

My hubby has a I bumper sticker that reads, "You never see a motorcycle parked at a psychiatrist's office." I have to agree! Riding is good for what ails ya!

Eric and I both have a collection of Harley t-shirts from various dealerships we've visited. (His far outweighs mine by 300% at least!). As expected, he brought me one home from Orlando Harley, one of the largest (if not THE largest) dealerships in America. It says, "Live Free. Ride Hard." And I am!

I'm a pastor's wife and mother of six, and I ride a Harley! Life is indeed good!

A Few More Creations

Here's a few more cards I made while very much awake in the middle of the day!

This first one is for a pastor-friend who was in Florida with my hubby. Yesterday Eric received a box of gourmet coffee in the mail (as the result of a conversation they had during their trip). This is the thank you card I made for him to send. The stamp set is from Papertrey Ink. Cardstock: Kraft, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla. Ink: Blue Bayou, Bordering Blue, Chocolate Chip & Always Artichoke. Ribbon: non-SU (but oh so cute!)

And this one's for a friend at church whose having a birthday March 21st. Yep - I'm ahead of schedule! SU's Window Dressing stamp set. Cardstock & DSP all SU: Blue Bayou, River Rock, Really Rust, Whisper White.

And this last one's for my sister-in-law in California whose also having a birthday March 21st. My hubby will be officiating at her daughter's wedding in July. We're hoping the whole family will be able to go out for it but at this point we're not sure, even though airfare is lower than in years past. Sending one is alot different than sending 6...but we're praying! And if it doesn't work out, okay. We'll be there in heart for sure! SU's Merci stamp set. Cardstock: Bashful Blue & Whisper White. Ink: Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, YoYo Yellow. Ribbon: Another cute, non-SU type! Cuttlebug folder: Spots & Dots.


Have a wonderful day everyone! The sun is shining here already and it's supposed to get up into the mid-to-high 40's...a real heat wave!

What To Do When It's the Middle of the Night & You Can't Sleep!

WHY...STAMP OF COURSE!

I'd been awake since 3am for no apparent reason. True, it had been a rough day but nothing in particular was on my mind. Finally at 4:30am I got out of bed with a huff while spewing unkind words about menopause! If I had to be awake, I may as well be productive in the process. I headed upstairs to my craft room where I worked for over 2 hours before I I heard the pitter-patter of little feet. This of course was my signal that my party-for-one was over.

Here's what I accomplished while everyone else, including the dogs, were making zzz's...

A card for our Assistant Pastor's wife whose birthday is March 18th.

And a card for my mother-in-law who sent me a beautiful hand-embroidered cloth bag just because she loves me. It's one she found on one of her last trips - to the Bahamas I believe!

And a birthday card for my daughter's friend whose having a sleepover birthday party tomorrow night! That's one less kid I'll have at home...

And last but not least, a card for a young pastor in a neighboring town whose been discouraged because of a sickness he's not recovering from fast enough! Just a little encouragement for he and his family.

And that's what you do when counting sheep doesn't work!

No More Boo-Boo's!

A few months back a dear man at church fell at home and broke his hip, the ball joint part. After some time in the hospital and more time at a rehab center, he was recuperating well and just about ready to go back to work when...you guessed it...he fell again! This time he chipped his pelvis, but thankfully he won't need surgery as he did before. Today he was moved from the hospital back to the rehab center where he will again have to go through therapy to get things in good working order. I plan to go visit him tomorrow on my way into the office and take him this card. I know the band-aids are in the wrong place but I think he'll appreicate the well wishes just the same.

The sofa and boy are Magnolia stamps, the lamp is something I got off ebay a long time ago, and the sentiment is from SU's Mini Mates. A few embellies and voila! It's ready to go.

And now I need to go to bed, which is where I should've been at least 2 hours ago!!!

Celebrating My Friend's "Retirement"

My friend is retired, albeit briefly and not by choice. She must look for another job soon but in the meantime I'm celebrating her "new found freedom" of not having to go to work. I put together a little goodie bag for her and made this card to accompany it. I got the sketch from my SBS #25 sister, Anne's, blog.

Someday I'll be retired but in the meantime, I'm singing in the rain! "Hi Ho, Hi Ho...it's off to work I go!" (C'mon sun!)

The Mouse Will Play!

Yep. The cat's away...and I am playing!!! Here's just a few projects I've gotten accomplished during his absence. I do miss him terribly but suffice it to say, I'm making good use of my "me" time!

This first card is a birthday card for an uncle in California. Just some random things I put together. The star punch is an old SU one that I got off ebay many moons ago.

This one's for a friend from church who just landed back in the hospital. Pray for her, won't you? Her name is Peggy. I'm on a Cuttlebug kick and this is one of their new folders that also comes with cutting dies called Everyday Greetings.

And this one's for another uncle in Colorado. Live Like You Mean It stamp set from SU, plus one of Gina K's that has the fishing pole.

This one's for a friend at church whose "bark is really bigger than his bite!" He's a great man of God and guess what? He's having another birthday!!! And I get to remind him!!! (hehehe). SU's Under the Stars used here. You can't see it, but I "lined" the white paper at the top of the card with Tempting Turquoise. My flash must've bleached that part out!

This one's just an encouragement card for a young lady who came to our church for the first time this past weekend. She's friends with one of the ladies in my stamping group. Precious, precious girl. I "connected" with her right away. Here I used the new CB folder Friends Forever. The stamp is one that came in the Round Robin box from SBS #25 !!! Too cute to pass up.

And this one's a Thank You card for my friend who brought the kids and I dinner last night "just because." She knows Eric's out of

town so she just wanted to bless us. Mission accomplished! "Nothing" is what was left by the time all was said and done! The CB folder & die is called With Gratitude.

Time to tend to chores before I head back upstairs! Have a tremendous day everyone! And oh yeah...I have some really exciting news to share later. Do you wonder what it could be? Let's just say "Pearl" is no longer with me, but 'someone else" is, or will be soon once the weather cooperates and gives us an opportunity to get her home! Oh yeah...Oh yeah... And she's RED too - my favorite color!

Same, Only Different

Here are two cards that are essentially the same, only different that I made for my God-given mom's twin sons, in essence, my step-brothers. I've not yet met either one as they live in different states, but I have talked to each on the phone! Their birthdays are coming up so I made these to acknowledge their special days!

I used To the Nines Specialty DSP from SU, which I LOVE, plus Always Artichoke and Sahara Sand cardstock. The stamp set is a familiar favorite, Lovely as a Tree. I also used the Word Window Punch, Round Metal Edge Tags, and Natural Hemp Twine. I paper pierced the entire card and then put Crystal Effects on the word Celebrate! As I've mentioned before, "man cards" are difficult for me and these were no exception.

I know the pictures didn't come out very well, but which do you like better?

One is a Lonely Number...

I wasn't going to stamp tonight but I couldn't help myself. The house was quiet with the kids finally in bed; and with my DH gone to Florida, I had a few minutes to myself with no demands on my time whatsoever. Imagine that! That certainly doesn't happen very often, at least not at my house. Usually there's something to be done! With the dishes done and the dogs walked, I headed upstairs to my craft room.

I can't take complete credit for this card because I got inspiration for it from somewhere else during the course of my day today.

Everything on it is from SU except for the bird which is a Bella, and the rhinestones. Cardstock: So Saffron, Old Olive, Tangerine Tango,, Whisper White. Haiku DSP. Ink: More Mustard. Button: Favorites. Ribbon: Tangerine Tango.

One is indeed a lonely number, but for tonight, that's all she wrote! I'm off to bed!

Sweet dreams everyone!