Recently there have been some life altering happenings in my family. I haven't been able to sweep and mop my floors and I have only been doing the very basics to get by.
As most of you who read my blog know my mom had a horrible car accident on February 21, 2009. She had to have extensive surgery to repair her severely crushed legs and badly broken clavicle bone. Mom's doctors has had her as a "non-weight bearing" patient because her legs have not healed enough to learn to walk again. However, on April 17, 2009 mom developed a blood clot and had to be hospitalized. Mom has returned to the rehab center but is on complete bed rest. She receives minimal therapy at this point. She goes back to see her orthopedic doctors on May 21, 2009.
Then on the same day (April 17) my dad was getting a routine blood transfusion and had a reaction to the blood products and ended up in the ER. Dad was admitted to the hospital but then transferred the next day to a hospital that was more equipped to serve his cancer needs. Dad was in ICU for several days and now has been moved to the Intermediate Care Wing where he remains. Dad is not doing well and has developed other complications. We are not sure when or even if dad will be able to return home.
Right now I am at a stand still and am running between the Rehab Center and the hospital and still trying to maintain a little normalcy for my family. I am doing my best to keep up with my chores and all the while caring for my parents cat and their home (things like mowing the grass.)
I am hoping to find a little time soon to sit at my scrap table and to up date my blog properly. I apologize for not keeping up with this but I am sure all of you understand.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Giving Encouragement
New dies, new projects, new thoughts...
The new March release dies are wonderful even though I've heard a lot of complaining about them. I think a lot of the negative comments are because people don't look at them with an open mind or that they are so closed minded that only their opinion matter. They try to sway everyone else into thinking that because they don't like them no one should.
I am on the other side of the fence on this one. These dies are different, unique, and full of possibilities. Each time I reach for them I see something else in them which also gives me a new idea for a lay-out, card, gift idea, or home project.
Today I am sharing a card that I used the QKs Rainbow, QK Sunburst, QK Sun, and QK Rainbow Font on (all of those are available at ScrapyLand.com.) On the inside of the card I printed my sentiment using a free downloaded font from DaFont.com called Billo.
Bright colors are there to cheer the recipient.
And on the inside words of encouragement:
Make some one's day and send them a card just to let them know that you are thinking of them or pulling for them. Just a simple hug in the form of a card can make all of the difference in some one's day!
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
The new March release dies are wonderful even though I've heard a lot of complaining about them. I think a lot of the negative comments are because people don't look at them with an open mind or that they are so closed minded that only their opinion matter. They try to sway everyone else into thinking that because they don't like them no one should.
I am on the other side of the fence on this one. These dies are different, unique, and full of possibilities. Each time I reach for them I see something else in them which also gives me a new idea for a lay-out, card, gift idea, or home project.
Today I am sharing a card that I used the QKs Rainbow, QK Sunburst, QK Sun, and QK Rainbow Font on (all of those are available at ScrapyLand.com.) On the inside of the card I printed my sentiment using a free downloaded font from DaFont.com called Billo.
Bright colors are there to cheer the recipient.
And on the inside words of encouragement:
Make some one's day and send them a card just to let them know that you are thinking of them or pulling for them. Just a simple hug in the form of a card can make all of the difference in some one's day!
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Friday, April 10, 2009
For The Easter Table
If you need a few little last minute things to make for your Easter table just to brighten things up, try these!
Have mint/nuts cups and little place setting tags at each place setting. These take minutes to make and really will put a smile on everyone's face.
These take minutes to make and will add a little something special to your table.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Have mint/nuts cups and little place setting tags at each place setting. These take minutes to make and really will put a smile on everyone's face.
These take minutes to make and will add a little something special to your table.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Another Easter Gift Project
Have you ever had something in your scrap supplies call your name? Not just call your name but nag at you. Okay if you answered yes to that you are as crazy as I am! They always say you are crazy if you hear voices and no one is close by.
I had bought this awesome QuicKutz Exclusive Bunny Die from ScrapyLand.com. I could not wait to use it. When the mail arrived the Bunny laid on my scrapping table for close to two weeks and it called to me... but I had no pictures to scrap. So this little guy started screaming so loud that I had to find a project to do, and so I did.
I have 3 little boys that I teach religion to and I think that a special gift is in order for each of them for Easter. All 3 of the boys have learned the prayers and can recite them back to me. Each has completed assignments and if they weren't there for class because of illness or other reasons they made up the work missed. I think that earns them a gift.
Today is our last CCD lesson and my three Kindergarten students graduate. Along with their certificate of completion they will each get this as their gift:
It is a huge Hershey Cookies & Cream Candy Bar with a new cover made for it.
I don't just use my dies for scrapbooking lay-outs... I am always thinking of something to use them for to get more out of my investment. I hope this helps you look at your dies a little differently and think of new ways to use them.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
I had bought this awesome QuicKutz Exclusive Bunny Die from ScrapyLand.com. I could not wait to use it. When the mail arrived the Bunny laid on my scrapping table for close to two weeks and it called to me... but I had no pictures to scrap. So this little guy started screaming so loud that I had to find a project to do, and so I did.
I have 3 little boys that I teach religion to and I think that a special gift is in order for each of them for Easter. All 3 of the boys have learned the prayers and can recite them back to me. Each has completed assignments and if they weren't there for class because of illness or other reasons they made up the work missed. I think that earns them a gift.
Today is our last CCD lesson and my three Kindergarten students graduate. Along with their certificate of completion they will each get this as their gift:
It is a huge Hershey Cookies & Cream Candy Bar with a new cover made for it.
I don't just use my dies for scrapbooking lay-outs... I am always thinking of something to use them for to get more out of my investment. I hope this helps you look at your dies a little differently and think of new ways to use them.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Monday, April 6, 2009
Little Gifts For Easter
Every Easter I make a few little gifts, they aren't big or fancy gifts, they are just something to let others know that I am thinking of them. I give them to the girls at work, girls I scrapbook with, children that I teach at CCD, or I give them to my parents to hand out to special people who take care of them.
This year is no exception and tell me who doesn't love a little gift on their dinner plate, or on their bed pillow, or even just handed to them with an understood little "thank you."
Each person at my dinner table will find an after dinner mint sandwiched between two layers of paper and in the form of an Easter Bunny. (Gotta love the bunny.)
QuicKutz offers so many shapes to make these. I pulled out the nesting flowers and nesting ovals to create these little guys. For his nose I used a valentine envelope die and cut only the heart and for his whiskers I used the new Easter Chick's legs and cut off the feet, and dots for the eyes. For a little flair, ink or chalk the edges and cheeks and add a little sparkle with Stickles, and don't forget to add the white pen dots to make their eyes come alive.
If you don't have those QuicKutz dies then pull out the Spellbinders. They have many similar shapes.
Spend an hour at your scrapbooking table and whip up a few of this furry little friends for special people in your lives. Then take a minute and relax and eat a mint.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
This year is no exception and tell me who doesn't love a little gift on their dinner plate, or on their bed pillow, or even just handed to them with an understood little "thank you."
Each person at my dinner table will find an after dinner mint sandwiched between two layers of paper and in the form of an Easter Bunny. (Gotta love the bunny.)
QuicKutz offers so many shapes to make these. I pulled out the nesting flowers and nesting ovals to create these little guys. For his nose I used a valentine envelope die and cut only the heart and for his whiskers I used the new Easter Chick's legs and cut off the feet, and dots for the eyes. For a little flair, ink or chalk the edges and cheeks and add a little sparkle with Stickles, and don't forget to add the white pen dots to make their eyes come alive.
If you don't have those QuicKutz dies then pull out the Spellbinders. They have many similar shapes.
Spend an hour at your scrapbooking table and whip up a few of this furry little friends for special people in your lives. Then take a minute and relax and eat a mint.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Friday, April 3, 2009
Recipes for Comfort Food
I've always wanted to share some of my recipes but wasn't sure how to do it. So I am starting to take a few pictures of our favorites food as I make them and incorporate them into my family scrapbooks.
I may even try my hand at making a family cookbook to pass down to someone.
In the past I made a Recipe Tin for my son who wanted me to leave him my recipe box when I die. (I know that sounds morbid but I took it as a great compliment.) I could not stand the thought of him not getting it so just to make sure he had the recipes I created that. There are so many of my family's favorite recipes that are not wrote down - they are just in my head. They get so mad at me when I say "season to taste" or "just a pinch of this or some of that." It drives them all crazy!
Here is the start of my recipe Lay-outs.
Next time you make it, take a few pictures and write down that recipe and create a scrapbook lay-out because you never know who in your family might love your cooking and want the recipe. Take time to sign the lay-out someplace as well. (I signed the back of mine.)
This is just one more way of sharing with your family... and what a surprise when then they are looking through your scrapbooks years after you are gone and finding not only a special recipe among the pages, but also your signature.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
I may even try my hand at making a family cookbook to pass down to someone.
In the past I made a Recipe Tin for my son who wanted me to leave him my recipe box when I die. (I know that sounds morbid but I took it as a great compliment.) I could not stand the thought of him not getting it so just to make sure he had the recipes I created that. There are so many of my family's favorite recipes that are not wrote down - they are just in my head. They get so mad at me when I say "season to taste" or "just a pinch of this or some of that." It drives them all crazy!
Here is the start of my recipe Lay-outs.
Next time you make it, take a few pictures and write down that recipe and create a scrapbook lay-out because you never know who in your family might love your cooking and want the recipe. Take time to sign the lay-out someplace as well. (I signed the back of mine.)
This is just one more way of sharing with your family... and what a surprise when then they are looking through your scrapbooks years after you are gone and finding not only a special recipe among the pages, but also your signature.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Monday, March 23, 2009
I Love A Challenge !
And that is what this was. My friend Susan emailed me with a picture of this sheet of paper.
And she challenged me to replicate a few of those birds using dies. She wasn't picky about which dies I was to use. So I pulled out the Spellbinders, QuicKutz, and Boss Kuts and tried to come as close as I could. I was fine until I got to the birds' feet!
No die was going to make his feet unless I pieced them together which would have been okay but I got out my trusty Cricut, George Cartridge, and my Cricut Design Studio to make the feet.
I have to say it was fun to do something out of the norm. Here are my results:
They aren't an exact match for the birds on the paper but they are close enough. I even went to far as to put google eyes on one of them, just for fun.
Be challenged this week - try something new and different. Experiment with different shapes to create something new and unique.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
And she challenged me to replicate a few of those birds using dies. She wasn't picky about which dies I was to use. So I pulled out the Spellbinders, QuicKutz, and Boss Kuts and tried to come as close as I could. I was fine until I got to the birds' feet!
No die was going to make his feet unless I pieced them together which would have been okay but I got out my trusty Cricut, George Cartridge, and my Cricut Design Studio to make the feet.
I have to say it was fun to do something out of the norm. Here are my results:
They aren't an exact match for the birds on the paper but they are close enough. I even went to far as to put google eyes on one of them, just for fun.
Be challenged this week - try something new and different. Experiment with different shapes to create something new and unique.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Friday, March 20, 2009
Not Just For Easter
When I get a new set of dies I try to think outside of the norm. The February die release from QuicKutz was so cute. After I used them for "Spring" and "Easter" I tried to think of something else.
This is what came to mind.
I then thought this would be cute with "Glad to see you are coming out of your shell." on the inside. Or for a teen that was getting ready to be in a play or musical you could "Break An Egg" instead of "Break A Leg."
And did you know that there is a font that matches the new QuicKutz Chick-A-Dee Font? There is and it is a free download called "Heartbreaker."
Happy Scrappin' ! ! !
Brenda
This is what came to mind.
I then thought this would be cute with "Glad to see you are coming out of your shell." on the inside. Or for a teen that was getting ready to be in a play or musical you could "Break An Egg" instead of "Break A Leg."
And did you know that there is a font that matches the new QuicKutz Chick-A-Dee Font? There is and it is a free download called "Heartbreaker."
Happy Scrappin' ! ! !
Brenda
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Coupons, Coupons, Coupons
What do you get the person who has almost anything he wants?
That is my deli ma every time one of my parents or my husband has a birthday (or when a gift giving holiday rolls around.)
So I decided that I would make a coupon book. These little books can be made to fit any occasion or any age.
You can use a wide variety of dies to fit the theme or occasion and the nice thing about this is you can give as many or as few "favors" as you want to. Mine is a little 5 page coupon book but each coupon is good for a number of uses. Not to mention that I had an ulterior motive - when the coupon book is used I want it back so that I can use it on a scrapbook page and list the dates, times, and requested "favors" he made.
This is fun, but giver beware, the recipient will expect you to follow through with the coupons.
These were a lot of fun to make and I used a variety of dies including Go-Kreate, QuicKutz, Boss Kuts, and my Cricut with the Cricut Design Studio. Let's see what you can do with this idea!
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
That is my deli ma every time one of my parents or my husband has a birthday (or when a gift giving holiday rolls around.)
So I decided that I would make a coupon book. These little books can be made to fit any occasion or any age.
You can use a wide variety of dies to fit the theme or occasion and the nice thing about this is you can give as many or as few "favors" as you want to. Mine is a little 5 page coupon book but each coupon is good for a number of uses. Not to mention that I had an ulterior motive - when the coupon book is used I want it back so that I can use it on a scrapbook page and list the dates, times, and requested "favors" he made.
This is fun, but giver beware, the recipient will expect you to follow through with the coupons.
These were a lot of fun to make and I used a variety of dies including Go-Kreate, QuicKutz, Boss Kuts, and my Cricut with the Cricut Design Studio. Let's see what you can do with this idea!
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Monday, March 16, 2009
When Only A "Snarky" Card Will Do
... you have to make it.
Sometimes you want to surprise a friend with a card but you are in a joking mood and sometimes you just want to get a point across. I won't say which this card was intended but I had a ball making it.
I used a Spellbinder Nestabilities Circles and Squares, the new QuicKutz Chick-A-Dee Alphabet, and then for the bomb wick's blast I used the QuicKutz new Rev Chick & Egg. For the inside of the card I used a free download font called "Heartbreakers." (It is a dead ringer for the Chick-A-Dee Font.
In any case when you are feeling a little "snarky" don't settle for a Hallmark Card -make your own and get the point across and scrap away some of those aggressions.
It is just all in a day's scrapping.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
Sometimes you want to surprise a friend with a card but you are in a joking mood and sometimes you just want to get a point across. I won't say which this card was intended but I had a ball making it.
I used a Spellbinder Nestabilities Circles and Squares, the new QuicKutz Chick-A-Dee Alphabet, and then for the bomb wick's blast I used the QuicKutz new Rev Chick & Egg. For the inside of the card I used a free download font called "Heartbreakers." (It is a dead ringer for the Chick-A-Dee Font.
In any case when you are feeling a little "snarky" don't settle for a Hallmark Card -make your own and get the point across and scrap away some of those aggressions.
It is just all in a day's scrapping.
Happy Scrappin' !!!
Brenda
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