Soccer

Here's the layout I created with pics from Julie's alumni soccer game on 8/8/08. I had gotten this paper (orange, grass, and ledger) at the LSS with these pics in mind. Ashland's colors are orange and black. It finally came together Friday night. I inked the edges of the pics with my white craft pad and the other pieces were inked with my charcoal cat eye pad. *click for close-up*

I adhered the fun fringe ribbon using Sticky Strip. I added some Making Memories letter stickers and black brads.

Thanks to mom for sharing her felt Thickers letters. The black letters I had only had one "c" so it worked out with hers. We love to share with each other. Our crop times are priceless!

Come back tomorrow for the July 4th layout I did...thanks for stopping by!

Happy Trails

Kevin and I had a nice birthday dinner at Jake's here in Ashland. That place has the best food in town! Then, we went home to get Pooch and headed to Mohican State Park. We walked on the trail near the Covered Bridge (where we were engaged!). Oh and the night ended with that banana split! LOL

Macy and Daddy

There are markers like this on both sides of certain trees to help keep you on the right path.

Snoopy Sniffer She was hot on the trail of squirrel #85, 691. LOL

Poison Ivy, right? I am no plant expert, but I think that's the enemy!! Lisa tells me this is Poison OAK...see, it's a good thing I don't touch odd woodsy plants. LOL

Unidentified plant with a unique shape. I don't touch anything for fear of welts appearing on my skin. I am so not an outdoorsy gal. LOL Lisa says this is Poplar. Her husband is an agronomist so he knows his plants, trees and weeds well. :)

Resting in the back seat after her exciting outing. She would go from this position to full face out the window sniffing the air and getting cooled off. She's a hoot!

Identify this for the jackpot prize. Ok, no clue, but there were tons of these cobweb-like things in the trees. Any clue? They were just interesting to me. And, Lisa says this is a moth cocoon and they aren't too friendly to the trees.

A picture I took by looking up towards the sky while in the middle of the trail. Some trees are so tall. Love it!

Looking up river from the walkway on the covered bridge.

On the river bank while on the trail. Every now and then we'd hear "blooooop" and see the rings where a fish jumped. It was so peaceful, then we'd hear that goofy sound. Funny fish.

Ladies and gentlemen....it's banana split time. Kevin had already changed into his t-shirt before I got the lid off the banana split. Now he's watching Jurassic Park on tv. He said he had a good day.

Two hilarious things from today: 1) The card to Kevin from my brother said Son-in-Law instead of Brother-in-Law. What was he thinking? LOL 2) As we were driving back, I was looking to the side of the road at the fields, houses, etc. We were coming up to a field of cows and this was the conversation:

N: "oh, hon...look! It's a baby one. It's so cute!!!! *sigh*"

K: "uh, that's a goat."

N: "LOL What? LOL I thought it was a calf! LOL"

K: "Well, it's ears are too big for a calf. I thought I better say something 'cause it's a goat."

N: "Well, I am such a country girl. I know my animals...NOT! LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL"

I am not a plant indentifier nor a farm animal expert obviously. LOL At least I have fun! LOL OH, and yes I know what a goat looks like. It was just that with it's head down in a cow field I thought it was a calf. LOL

Saturday Blessing

Today is Kevin's birthday. He went golfing with his dad earlier this morning and I got to sleep in. Once I got up, he decided to take a nap (yes, we love our bed!). So, I just stayed in my jammies, watched stampin' videos online and played some in my craft area. To my great surprise, the doorbell rang. I was in shock because I was in my jammies, had severe bedhead and knew I had to go to the door (both cars are home, so they knew we were here!). I was pleasantly surprised to see Lisa at the door with a bag full of goodies...just because. I was traumatized that she saw me all ragged and unshowered, but wow what a blessing! She and her family were heading from Ashland to Kidron, then back home to Columbus. They are making stops at the grandparents' houses to celebrate her son's 4th b-day. I wanted to post this before I do finally get a shower and Kevin and I go to dinner for his birthday, etc. Happy Saturday!

The new TAC catalog, lots of stamped images that I can create cards with, chipboard, coasters, shaped white chipboard pieces, snowflakes brads, ribbon, a clear paint can, a beautiful mini journal and a gorgeous hat pin. Wow!

Here's a close up of my two fav items! :) My heart is swelling. I feel so special today...even with my bedhead! LOL Thank you, Lisa! I hope you've recovered from the bedhead exposure! LOL

I have some layouts to share from last night's cropping time with my mom. Check back tomorrow for the first one.

Inked

Here's the last of the three pages I'm entering in the fair. This is my 19-year-old nephew Charles. He's quite mischievous in ways. In fact, I didn't know he had a tattoo until Father's Day this year. It peeked out from under his sleeve and then I got a better look. I asked him when he got it and said it was a couple years old. Doh! Shows you what I know. LOL I remember when he was born. He was so tiny (preemie) and I was scared to hold him. For years, we called him Little Man. He was the cutest little boy ever! He gives great hugs and has such a tender heart. He is a gifted guitar player and has a good sense of humor just like his dad! It's just he and his dad now. He lost his mom a few years ago. I can't imagine being a young man growing up without a mom. Thankfully he has the support of the rest of our family. I'd love to see him thrive in music or art. I just love this "little man". :)

You can click for a closer look, but I've also posted pics of the details below. Just ignore the cutting mat showing around the edges.

The star and the "I" are both chipboard. I covered the star with a piece of crumpled black cardstock. The "I" has patterned paper and inked the edges and surface. I stapled the rest of the letters of the title. Those letters were from a sheet of patterned paper. I cut it up to get the letters I needed. I love this wide twill tape from SU! I frayed the ends for more texture on the page.

I tried to use some more masculine elements on this page. I chose the stars and the screwhead brads. The black cardstock strip is crumpled, too.

I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Simple Alphabet for my journaling. You can also see the staples in the top right corner (maybe if you squint). They kind of blend in on this photo.

Here's the tat....an eyeball with a skullhead moon surrounding it. This pic was printed in wallet size. I'm not a fan of tattoos, but to each his own. I just think it's neat that Charles drew his tattoo design. I'll have to ask him if it has some special meaning or not. He loves rock 'n roll music, so maybe it just goes along with that whole Bad to the Bone theme. LOL He might have a manly tat, but that boyish grin and his tender heart don't fool me. HERE is a tune to go with the manly tattoo. Enjoy and rock on!

I finally told Kevin I was off Thursday and Friday this week. I had intended for a surprise for him, but money is too tight this week to pull it off. I told him I'd do it later when funds allow. I'll just do misc. around the house, organize things and probably pull weeds again outside. Blehkkkkkk! Weeds, weeds...they're gonna kill me! I think they grow taller daily just to spite me. LOL I'm a bit excited that I have off work until Tuesday! Hmm...I smell some crafting time! oh yeah...and cleaning and laundry and organizing and cooking and dishes and...LOL

Instead of his birthday surprise, he'll get the three little things he wants for now....a banana split, a CD and a magazine subscription. Easy for me! I just cracked up at the banana split request. That man loves his treats!

I am taking Wanda to her doctor's appointment today, then she wants to treat me to Pizza Hut buffet. She called me Wednesday night to ask me. Of course, I said YES! I love pizza! Yummo!

Happy Thursday!

Paradise

Julie and Josh took a trip to Cancun this spring with his parents. I got a few prints of their wonderful stay there and made this colorful page. I had bought the background paper with these pictures in mind. When I look at these pictures, it reminds me of how happy Julie is with Josh and the love they have for each other. I pray that they have many happy years together. OH and by the way...Julie is my older niece. She's the one who made me Aunt Nanny in the first place....way back about 23 years ago! :)

Click for a closer look at the word Paradise. I used my Versamarker to color over the word Paradise, then used Iridescent Ice embossing powder to make it glittery like the other glittered accents on the page. I wanted that word to be my title, but needed a way to make it stand out more. I used part of my glitter mat stack under the photo, right under the olive ribbon and as a punch out for the yellow flower and yellow photo corners. The larger brads are the fun sugar-coated (aka glittery) ones to help tie in all the glitz.

When looking through my stash of goodies, I found this piece of white laser cut paper, the clear frames and the tan-colored strip with fun words. To tie in the tan color and add in the "color of sand and a beachy feel", I opted to stitch with linen thread on the clear frames. I was pleased with how it turned out. That idea was definitely Divine Intervention! Adding the clear frame over the main photo made the subjects stand out even more, plus added some dimension. You can also see where I added their names on the bottom of the frame using white rub-ons.

Here's a close-up of the bottom right corner of the page. I had another clear frame that I stitched onto the smaller photo. The image was simply printed in wallet size to get this smaller perspective. I love to print photos in different sizes. The layout yesterday had Brooke in a 5x7 and that had more impact than if I had just done a 4x6. Same idea here, just smaller. I added another rub-on along the photo. The vertical placement mimics the vertical tan word strip by the main photo. I didn't have any felt flowers in yellow so I balanced the use of that color by simply punching out my own flower from the glitter mat stack. If you scroll back up to the main photo showing the whole page, you can see my third use of rub-ons...the date, place details in the top right corner. I wanted to add the date and place without them being totally obvious. So, to balance the white laser cut paper and other white rub-ons, I added the date in white rub-ons also. Whew....that was a long explanation. Does that all make sense? LOL

Ahhhhhhh....isn't that water gorgeous? Now, let's have our own bit of fun. Go get your coconut bras and grass skirts...or your swim trunks and snorkels. Click HERE for a little festive tune.

Happy Wednesday!

Dream Big

When I was planning this page, I got choked up. When I completed this page, my mom and I both got choked up. It is because of one reason....our love for sweet, beautiful Brooke. She is my niece and I am so proud of her. I had taken this picture the day after her 20th birthday when we were all together. I wanted some non-traditional birthday pictures to scrapbook, so I asked her to go outside. The sky was a magical shade of blue that day. I am in awe everytime I look at this picture. It shows what a beautiful young woman she has become. It looks like she is dreaming about her hopeful future, so that's why I titled the page Dream Big. I love you Brooke! You are such a blessing to so many people! Remember to hold fast to your love of Jesus and you'll soar like an eagle with wings.

Here's a close up of the details. I traced the light blue journaling box using another die-cut shape I had on my table. I used Whisper White craft ink to color all the bare chipboard. The clear butterflies were adhered with skinny sticky tape and then I added small bling stones in the centers. I wanted this page to have a very soft feel with her picture as the focal point. This is the first of three scrapbook pages I am entering in the local fair next month. I wonder how I'll do. I've never entered before and decided to try something new.

Tomorrow I'll show the Paradise page I did about Julie and Josh. Thursday I'll show the Inked page I did about my nephew Charles. These two pages are the others I'll be entering in the fair. Julie, Brooke and Charles are the three most special "kids" in my life and always have been. :)

I sat here searching for a song to go with this post. I searched key words on playlist.com and after quite a while and no real luck....I decided to just post this cool techno mix of an old favorite Eurythmics song, Sweet Dreams. Click HERE to listen, then click the little arrow to play the song. Stand up and get your techno groove on! LOL Too funny that I used to go dancing to techno so often in college. Ah, the memories!

Ok, mom...now go listen to THIS one...it's a mix of Depeche Mode and Eurythmics. Neat, huh? Were you bobbin' your head? LOL I bet! LOL

Guilty

I made this page about Macy last week. I was up one night until about 12:30am just creating away! Every now and then I get that burst of creative energy...even on a work night! LOL

You can click the picture to see the details:

• heat embossed title on vellum cardstock, edges ruffled a bit
• "file folder" for journaling box
• notebook edge punch on photo, dog bone clip with ribbon added
• funny dog-related words along left edge of layout
• stamped paws on bottom edge of layout
• dog definition sticker on upper right corner ( love the part about fur with a tongue!)

I had seen an idea somewhere of a layout that depicted a "crime investigation". I thought it might be funny for this picture of Macy. She had ignored this new stuffed toy for a long time, then one day she just bit him and kept tearing at his ears, chest, etc. I have a video of it on my camera and Kevin and I were dying laughing. It was so funny how she would whack her head back and forth with her eyes closed as if she were trying to knock the stuffing out of him. Guess you had to be there...He's still around and she is ignoring him once again. Goofy dog!

Fun At Joan's House

Four of us got together at Joan's house Saturday and cropped 'til we dropped! Here are a few highlights.

Connie was working on an 8x8 album about her friend's adorable Dauschund Roxy. She's going to give it to Robin for a birthday gift. This is a funny layout about how Roxy loves to "dismember" her stuffed toys. (click for a closer look and to read the journaling). I asked Connie if I could post this because it totally cracked me up!

Joan was ecstatic when she discovered something on the Cricut. Once she cut out the brackets from her tan cardstock, she was thrilled to see that the shape left between the brackets could easily be cut out and used for a journaling block on her pages. A bonus if you ask me! I told her it would be neat to add bling, an eyelet or a brad to the top and bottom points of the shape for some fun detailing. Just one more reason to hoard those Cricut cutout scraps! LOL

We strategically arranged (or well, should I say rearranged) her house to fit both big tables in her family room. We sat two to a table and had the Cricut on the other table by the front door. We blocked that door big time! I told them in case of fire at least there is a back door. We had the Olympics on the tv (muted) and jammed to some 80s tunes on the radio. There is never a lack of love, laughs and sincere friendship when Mom, Connie, Joan and I scrap together. I truly consider those times a blessing! It's my turn to hostess next so we'll have to plan a date soon!

Joan really spoiled us yesterday since she was the hostess. She made monkey bread and served it with fresh fruits and juice for breakfast. Then, we enjoyed sloppy joes, relish tray, homemade apple sauce, crackers, pretzels and cheeseball for lunch. She made her homemade lasagna, garlic bread, & cole slaw for supper. Dessert was a Paula Dean yummO!! cookie/pie that resembled a giant peanut butter cookie with a chocolate crust. Connie shared the cheeseball and pie. Joan introduced us to "kentucky candy". Although made in Virginia, these sugar stick candies are what her family buys when visiting Kentucky...thus the nickname. She had cream flavored and an assorted box. A new yum for us to try! Joan also burned off about a zillion calories running upstairs or downstairs to get us much-needed supplies. That's the beauty of visiting each other's homes for these crops. We love to share with each other...and let me tell you, we have a lot of stuff to share! LOL

Mom and I left Joan's house about 2am and I went to bed around 3am. Needless to say, I did not get up for church this morning (bad girl!) and slept well into the afternoon. I'm like a zombie today! I am only working Mon-Wed this week so I hope to have a fun, long weekend. I'll be back later this week with highlights from the layouts I completed. Happy Sunday!

Floating Elephant? LOL

Ok, I almost didn't post this, but oh well. I realize now I forgot a step to this card....give the elephant a "ground" to stand on. LOL I'll go back and stamp one of my A Muse ovals using the masking technique to give him something to stand on before I use it/give it away, etc. If you look at him too long he begins to look like an elephant-shaped blimp! LOL Yes, I can laugh at myself. What a nut!

I grabbed some scraps from my stash and noticed it coordinated with Bordering Blue cardstock....and as they say "the rest is history". I don't know anyone who is having a baby boy, but if anyone does I've already got a card ready. *click pic for a closer look*

Some details:

• patterned paper under clear button/add linen thread
• white Sharpie dots
• corners rounded on card front
• paper piecing on elephant ear

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be busy Friday night packing for the crop at Joan's house. I hope to post something either Saturday or Sunday. Enjoy your weekend!

Cracked Glass Butterfly

I found these goodies at Joann's last Wednesday. I finally made a card with some of it this Wednesday night. It's a line called Cloud 9 by Fiskars. They have coordinating papers, stickers, die-cuts and photo mats. I also found some KI Memories mini rolls of self-adhesive ribbon that matches. :)


I tried to make this card sort of shabby chic by inking the paper edges and surface. The Ruby Red piece was run through my Cuttlebug with my new embossing folder. I also did the Cracked Glass technique on the butterfly. See more on that below...

Here's a close-up. I traced the butterfly shape onto the yellow photo mat, cut it out and colored the center with a marker. I then added three layers of the chunky clear embossing powder over the whole surface of the butterfly. Just ink the paper with Versamark and heat emboss the surface with the chunky clear embossing powder. Let cool a bit, then repeat two more times. The trick for the cracked glass look is to put the piece in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Crack it as soon as you take it out of the freezer for the best look. I then added ink over the surface and rubbed it into the cracks. Make sense? A little somethin' different...

This clear acrylic butterfly shape is what I used as a template. It's actually still got its clear protective sheets on each side, but it was laying on my craft table and struck me as a great thing to trace. I'll use it someday on a scrapbook page.

I had a good Wednesday. I took Wanda to get her new glasses adjusted, got groceries and my hair cut/colored. We had a homemade pizza for supper and I ended up at my craft table while doing laundry. It's now about 12:30am Thursday morning and I need to get to bed! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by...

Sympathy Cards for Work

The medical practice where I work is pretty special. The physicians and staff are such a heartfelt group. One of the neat things they do is send a sympathy card to the family of a patient who passes away. Last year they started making hand-stamped sympathy cards to send instead of the generic boxed kind you get at the drug store. Each person in our office signs the cards, which makes it that much more special. The supply was just depleted and I volunteered to make more cards for the office. I kept them simple and not very dimensional so I could create several easily. I had to scurry to finish these Monday night since unfortunately we lost another patient this weekend. I had started them Friday night when I got together with my mom, but after a stressful week I had no mojo and got very little done. These cards represent a sad occasion, but if the families know with this simple gesture that we truly care...it's well worth it. (All supplies SU!)

I know, I know...this pic is dark. I have "figure out lighting for best pics" on my mental to-do list. Even with my new "runway" lights in the basement, I am still getting dark pics. I'll have to consult my camera manual about settings, I guess. Or, just take all my pics outside on a sunny day. LOL

Thanks for stopping by...I'll be back either tomorrow or Wednesday.

Celebrating Kevin

This is the final card from last weekend. Kinda odd how it all came together, but I remember quite readily. I was listening to a song called Blessed and Broken by Nicole C Mullen on her new CD. The jist of the song relates to the story of the fish and loaves....basically the grace and miracle of how God blesses us, holds us, breaks us and multiplies us....just as Jesus did the fish and loaves. I had just begun thinking of what card I wanted to make next. For some reason, numbers came to mind...that correlates in my mind with the word multiply. I thought of my Cuttlebug embossing folder I got recently that has numbers. Then all the details came together and this card was created. It's for Kevin's upcoming birthday. Yep, you guessed...he'll be 44. My prayer for him this year is that God will bless him, hold him, break him and multiply abundantly. :)

Cardstock: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red Inks: Basic Black, Whisper White Stamp set: All in A Row (retired SU!) Accessories: sponge dauber, white Sharpie, Vinyl Thickers, Making Memories letter stickers, Stampin' Dimensionals, chipboard shapes, Cuttlebug, Basic Black marker

Odd fact: As I began adding the white dots on the black chipboard circle, I tried to keep them spaced evenly. Guess what?....there are 44 dots. A few of them got covered up when I added the white star. No kidding...it was NOT planned and yes, I was counting as I did them (a little OCD, anyone? LOL). Ohhh, I get happy little goose bumps over that one! :) I like to think those kind of goose bumps moments are just one way God shows me He's smiling over me! Those kind are way different than the ones you feel in winter from being cold. They're little God goose bumps.

Here he is...all decked out in his little plaid jacket and bow tie. I think he was about five years old. We have the jacket in our spare room closet. It's so very tiny! I'm so glad his mom found it and let us keep it here. In a few weeks, we'll celebrate his birthday for real and I'll give him his card.

Quick updates:

Wanda--Her bruises have oddly traveled down her face and to her neck. She's still only a bit sore. She said Saturday that she is just thankful to be alive. I agree wholeheartedly. She got new frames for her glasses so she's seeing much better, too. Now she is burdened with the news that her sister-in-law had emergency surgery Friday night and is on a respirator. I know Marge, too, and am praying for her. She's a peach just like Wanda.

Kristie--Her brain surgery went well. She was in intense pain Saturday, but had eaten a bit and was being given pain meds to help her rest. I look forward to the updates to come and to know what the next plan of action is for her doctors.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you each enjoy your Sunday!

Happy 100th Birthday!

A patient of our medical practice turns 100 today! That is amazing! I made this card and everyone in the practice signed it. He should have received it earlier this week. I used an old favorite SU! set called Papa's Pocket. The "Happy 100th" was done using the Papertrey Ink set called Simple Alphabet.

I've noticed lately that my pictures on here just look so dark and blah. I promise...I'll try to figure out how to get it right soon. You can click for a closer look, but I know it's still dark.

Update on Kristie: She had her brain tumor removal surgery on Friday. They were able to successfully remove most of the tumor, except for a part of it around a major artery. They hope the remaining part of the tumor will die off on its own. She will be on high-dose steroids and anti-seizure meds for a while. A follow-up MRI is planned for today or Monday and she may get to come home Tuesday. The family has asked for prayer for quick healing. Her previous radiation treatments may slow the healing process of this surgery. I pray that this surgery has given her a chance at a much longer life. I'll post another update as I hear news. Thanks for all who have been praying for this dear lady.

Update on Wanda: I have checked in with Wanda for the last few days. She actually went to Columbus with her daughter and granddaughter Friday as planned. I am amazed as she looks like she just fought a Mack truck! I am calmer now that a few days have passed. The neighbor behind her came over Thursday with a dozen yellow roses and her little boys drew get well pictures. So cute! It's odd how we both met the new neighbors, but perhaps it's a start of a nice friendship. Cara has already shown so much compassion in this situation and was so understanding and concerned when Wanda fell. I think these new neighbors are a blessing.

On Saturday, I hope to finish some cards I started making Friday night. I also want to get my entries in for the county fair scrapbook page contest. I have never entered the fair, so it seems like something new and fun to try this year. The only glitch....today is the deadline and I have to get things decided. I will use some of my fav pages I've created this year. I can have a total of three pages entered. It's now 12:35am (Saturday morning) so I better get a good night's sleep and get up early to get my day rollin'. Thanks for stopping by...

Sparkly Birthday Wishes

Here's another card I made Sunday. My idea started with the flowery cake stamp and the shimmery double-sided patterned paper. I kept the theme monochromatic, even stamping the images/words with green inks.

I kept the "shimmery, sparkly" theme going, too, by adding some bling in the corners and Stickles on the cake. *click either pic for a closer look*

TGIF! Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be back tomorrow with a special card for a very special birthday. Someone is turning 100! Wow! :)

A Card, A Fall & A Prayer Request

Ah....it's now Thursday night about 10pm. My Wednesday afternoon after work was quite pleasant, but suddenly turned quite stressful by 6:15pm. If you have a weak stomach, don't scroll down past the picture of the card. I have a picture/story posted of my dear neighbor Wanda who fell yesterday. It's not pretty. Bless her heart. First off, here's a card I made on Sunday using Versamark ink and clear embossing powder. All supplies by Stampin' Up! *click pic for a closer look*

Below is a picture of my neighbor who fell on Wednesday night. If you are curious, scroll down. If you are not, stop here. Just want to warn you. Thanks for stopping by...
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Isn't this pitiful? This is what she looked like when I visited her Thursday evening. I asked her if I could take her picture and she was fine with me doing so. I have been quite shaken up since this happened. She is right next door to us and I love doing things for her, visiting with her and sharing yummy foods. This is actually how this all started...with her fresh-baked cookies for the new neighbors who live right behind us. I was sitting outside with Macy and heard Wanda's back door open. It has a little "squeak" so I always know when she's coming out. :) I said hi and noticed she was heading through her yard in her nightgown and robe. I told her I'd go get her plastic container to return to her (she had shared some jello with me). She told me she'd be right back as she was taking cookies to the new neighbors. They had JUST been in their back yard so she knew they were out. She went through her gate and into their yard...saying YOO HOO the whole time and taking delicate little steps to keep her balance. Meanwhile, I thought I'd join her and introduce myself as well. So, I ran in to get my shoes...and her container. I came back out and saw her...

It was like time sort of stopped as I watched her make her way up their deck steps....kinda wobbling as she did so. She kept yelling YOO HOO and noticing that the neighbors had walked to their front yard and couldn't hear her. My first instinct was like that of a mother....say something, just tell her to stop and that you'll help her...but nothing came out of my mouth. I just stood and watched. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I was getting nervous, but nothing was coming out of my mouth. Then, it happened.

She didn't realize their deck had two levels and she literally fell over the step that goes down to the next level. I heard it all and I saw it all....from a distance that didn't allow me to get to her immediately. It was as if someone had hurled two heavy lawn chairs across the deck. It sounded so terrible that it still haunts me! The neighbor yelled "It's not dad, it a WOMAN!" in a voice that let me clearly know that Wanda was a stranger to her. I was in shock at that point and shouted, "It's Wanda. I'll be right there!" I had to run through our breezeway and around the front of the house to get to her gate, then through her yard, up their deck and right to Wanda. She wasn't moving and all I could think was "Dear Lord, not today. Please not today." I thought she was either dead or unconscious. I then discovered she was awake, but couldn't move and didn't want us to call 911. I saw blood by her head and told her she needed medical attention. The neighbor Cara stayed by her. She was in shock, too. Wanda still wasn't moving.

I had to run back to my house to call 911. The new neighbors had no new home phone yet. I was totally out of breath and tried to stay calm as I told the dispatcher the details. I probably sounded like I was having a heart attack myself. By the time I yelled for Kevin to follow me, got my purse and was running back, I heard the sirens. I ran over to Wanda's to lock up, get her medical info and back to the deck. Her cat was so happy to see me and all I could say was "Toby, move. Move, move, move." I remember glancing at the knobs on the stove to ensure she hadn't been cooking. It was all so surreal at that point.

When I got back to Wanda, the neighbor had her sitting up and I saw her face. It was a disaster to say the least. She had a huge bump, a black eye and was bleeding on her nose and from her nose. They had gotten her an ice pack, found her broken glasses and given her a light blanket for her legs. I kept reassuring her that it would be best to go to the hospital. All she would say is "I'm alright."

The EMTs arrived and while they assessed her, I called her daughter in Akron on my cell phone. She was at work, so her husband called her and she called me back. The EMTs wanted to take Wanda, but she was refusing (in a nice way). When her daughter called me, the EMT spoke to her and gave details/got details. I was fishing in Wanda's purse and trying to keep my sanity/breath as I looked for her med list/allergies, etc. They asked her the general alertness questions to assess her neurological state (name, date, place, what happened, etc.). She didn't knock herself out, but was so stunned she couldn't move when she first fell. I gave her my makeup mirror to see for herself how big the goose egg was near her eyebrow. All this time, I was in a blur and just trying to stay calm and persuade her to go with the squad. The EMTs were so nice, professional and calming. The one reassured me that it was most likely just a bad hematoma and that older people swell worse than us younger ones. He really thought after the assessment that she was ok. I asked if she should be x-rayed, get a CT, etc. I just wanted to know that she wasn't bleeding internally, too. I already knew that her daughter would want her to go. She's a nurse so she knows what can happen when an elderly person falls that hard.

You see....I really love this woman. She is not just a neighbor. She is like family to me. I am the one besides her family that knows more about her medical history and I am so glad I was in my back yard at that exact moment. What if I wasn't there and the new neighbors didn't know where she lived? What if I had told her to stop!? What if I wasn't off on Wed afternoons and hadn't been sitting out with Macy?! I have gone over the woulda/coulda/shoulda in my mind so much that it has worn me out. Once the adrenaline finally leveled off today, my body and mind just felt exhausted. I kept recounting over and over in my sleep her steps up the deck and that sound of when she fell. That sound is haunting me still.

Since Wanda was coherent and refused transport, the EMTs carried her back home via this special transport chair. She had to sign a form of refusal and I waited with her until Luanne arrived from Akron at about 10pm. While waiting, I nursed her every need and we talked about this and that. I wanted her to stay awake. I was so afraid that if she fell asleep, she'd die or something. I was just so afraid. At one point, she closed her eyes and rested on the couch. I could tell she was tired and told me she just didn't feel "peppy". All I could hear was the tick of the clock. I kept watching her, making sure she was breathing and looking at that horrid swollen bump and black eye. Every now and then I'd think about how she was laying and it was the same position of someone in a casket. I had to look away so I didn't bawl. All I could think was how fortunate she was to not have broken a hip or that she didn't hit her head hard enough to kill herself. She is 87 years old. She is the cutest little peanut you've ever seen, yet she is so frail in ways. I just love her and hate to think that I almost had to tell her goodbye. She fell so hard that it's a shock she isn't shattered into a million pieces ! I know she'll never read this, but I think she knows how much I love her. I try to show her in many ways. Her daughter even told me last night that I am family to them. I was honored when she said that because I feel the same way about them.

I am still so shaken up today and tear up at the very thought of it all over again. It's been a crazy day. I did my job at work in a blur. Mom and I went to calling hours for my cousin's father-in-law. I am supposed to get packed for my mom and I to scrapbook tomorrow night. I haven't done anything for that. I am just sort of in a fog still. It's hard to explain why this has effected me so much. Perhaps it's just because this week I have been reminded just how precious each life is.

And lastly.....remember I mentioned the lady with cancer who is awaiting brain surgery? She is to have surgery Friday August 15th about 11:30am Eastern time. Please pray for her. This may be her last chance at beating this metastatic breast cancer. Her treatments failed to shrink the tumors. I just pray that God guides the surgeon's hand. I am not ready to say goodbye to her either. No matter what happens, I know one thing. God is good....all the time...and He has a divine plan for us all. Even if it involves goodbye.

Thanks for reading my thoughts and feelings. It's been an emotional week to say the least. I'll try to be a little more "peppy" on the next post. :)

With a Heavy Heart

I am off work this afternoon and have a list of errands to run. I have a really heavy heart right now. My cousin's father-in-law died unexpectedly Monday night. Another lady I know is in the hospital pending brain surgery for tumors that have grown (metastases of breast cancer) and her condition is life-threatening right now. Another friend's mom is battling breast cancer. I just read in the local paper that another one of our patients died from stomach cancer. It just sort of made me stop in my tracks as the tears welled up in my eyes. I am adding this post to today's earlier post for a prayer request. This is just the tip of the iceberg of people I know who are hurting. Please stop and say a prayer for each of these mentioned here. No more details are needed. God knows exactly who they are. Thanks!

Friends Forever

While creating on Sunday night, I decided to sift through my stash and use things I haven't touched in a while. I decided to layer this felt ribbon over some cardstock using Mono Multi glue and white brads. I then created my layered flower piece which was adhered using glue dots. The sentiments are both from retired SU! sets. Three extra details: dots with white Sharpie, paper piercing, Stickles on each white brad *click pic for a close up*

When I look at this card, it reminds me of the blessing of good friends in my life. Some have gone. Some have stayed. But, there's one in particular that never leaves. Click HERE to listen to a good song about my forever friend.

Thanks for stopping by...Happy Hump Day! I have a list all made out of things I have to get done this afternoon. I love having Wednesday afternoons off! :)

Be Bold!

Here's one of my late Sunday night creations. I used the Coluzzle to round the edges of the folded card base and black layer. The striped/dots paper is actually a piece of double-sided paper. I love double-sided paper! I added a sentiment from SU! (retired) and a white chipboard flower. Details I added are the white flower rub-on and the tiny white dots using my trusty Sharpie marker. This card sort of shouts "bold" to me.

Staying up late finally caught up with me. By Monday after work, I was super tired. I managed to eat a little supper, answer e-mails, flip through two magazines and do this post. That's it. Good thing my mojo was in high gear on Sunday and I now have plenty of projects to show this week.

Ooh...and Monday was the first day of the new Stampin' Up! Fall-Winter Catalog. When my comp copy hadn't arrived by Saturday, I called my upline to borrow one. Mine actually came in the mail Monday. LOL I've had one drooling flip through the catty and have to look at it again and make my wish list when I'm a bit more rested.

ha ha A little funny....when I scrolled back up to proof this post, I reread the sentiment. It reminded me of my little gifts I unwrapped today....yummy tropical Starburst candies. Even the little things in life are gifts in my opinion. Ya know?!

Uh, well this post is done. My little Macy dog has both white paws and NAILS on my left arm. I think she needs a potty break. LOL I think she's pretty glad I'm heading to bed early Monday night. She stayed up with me Sunday and was quite a tired pooch come Monday morning.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Tutorial-Rounded Top Card

I was inspired to create a rounded-top card after seeing this photo of one of the display boards from the Stampin' Up! Convention. See the one I mean? All images in that photo are copyright Stampin' Up!. Thanks to a demo named Lynda who posted her many photos from Convention in an online photo album HERE.

I promised....so...here's a step-by-step on how to make a rounded-top card using one half sheet of cardstock for the base. I used the Just 4 You Simply Scrappin' Kit (retired) from Stampin' Up! for this particular card. This style card is really easy and can be changed to look so very different for any occasion. I hope you'll make one! *click any pic for a closer look*

Start with a piece of cardstock 4 1/4" x 11". Draw a pencil line at the half mark, which is 5 1/2". You'll lay the Coluzzle circle template directly over the pencil line, making sure it is even on the cardstock from left to right. This will ensure your half circle is centered for cutting. You will only cut the top half of the circle using the Coluzzle cutting knife. I chose the third groove from the outer edge. (tip: use various colors of Sharpie markers to color code your cutting grooves--makes it so much easier)

This is what you have once you cut your half circle and remove the template. Erase your pencil mark now.
Place the piece of cardstock into your paper cutter (mine is a Fiskars) and run a bone folder in the cutting groove just to the right and left of the half circle that you cut. This will be done on the 5 1/2" half way mark where your pencil mark was. Trust me, it will still fold in half nicely although you are only scoring these tiny parts. On my first card, I scored all across the half circle and it showed! See next photo below for where you score the second time.

Fold your card if half along those small score lines. Place the folded piece into your paper cutter, lining up the rounded edge at 5 1/2". Simply cut off the bottom edge of your card (two layers). You will have to apply more pressure to cut both layers. (This was the part where I simply decided to have those little scraps instead of trying to center my half circle and score lines on an odd piece of paper. It was easier to just cut off the bottom this way so that the card fits in a standard A-2 envelope. I like to improvise sometimes to save my brain from hurting. LOL)

Next you'll cut out two circles with your Coluzzle. I chose the double-sided patterned paper. I then used the blade of my Paper Snips to slightly distress the edges. You could also ink the edges. Lastly, I added a few punches and some of the die-cut stickers from the Simply Scrappin' Kit. It was finished with a touch of white grosgrain ribbon.

Here's my finished card. I added a piece of ribbon around the card front and attached it with Sticky Strip. Then, I made a tiny bow (requires the use of all ten fingers...LOL) and added it over the seam of the ribbon using a mini glue dot. This helped it lay flat along the stickers below it. Here's the detail of the layered focal piece. I used the Scallop Circle Punch (love that thing!) and punched each petal with a 1/16" circle punch. The flowered layer is adhered using Stampin' Dimensionals. To see the first rounded-top card I made, click HERE.

I'd love to read your comments on this tutorial. I check the counter on my blog periodically and am quite shocked at how many hits I get within a few days. You sneaky lil' devils should tell me when you visit. Otherwise, I'll get paranoid that I'm being spied on...LOL!

I have a lot of fun cards to share this week. It is now 1:45am on Monday morning and I have to be at work at 8am! Yes, I am insane. I was downstairs just stampin' away and totally lost all track of time. Man, was that fun! I was also listening to my new Nicole C Mullen CD. Go to her website HERE to listen to a sample of some of the awesome songs on her album. There are a few that just make me hit repeat on the CD player over and over. I'll share more about one song later this week. It'll make you sniffle. :) Ok off to bed now....enjoy your Monday!