Sunday, December 29, 2013

One More Week of Half Days

Glad my doctor had the forethought to tell me I would be working half days for a month.  It was great to get back and see everyone.  I had so many people stop by and tell me they missed me and are glad I'm back.  I work with great people.  I am working 7 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  The first week I was ready for a nap when I got home.  I am still tired but it is not as bad as it was in the beginning.  So, back to full-time on 1/6/14.  We will see how it goes.  Hopefully I will be able to do some cards now that Christmas is over.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  Happy New Year to all.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

It's Back to Work for Me

I have been released to return to work Monday, 12/9 for half days thru 1/6/14.  I still tire easily so the doctor wants to make sure I don't over do it.  I work 7-11 so I can get home and nap if I need to. 

I am feeling much better and want to get stuff done (why is it we always feel better and want to get things done when it is time to go back to work?)  I am trying to get Christmas cards done.  I ordered the Heartfelt Creations Christmas card kit.  It is awesome.  It gives you card fronts, sayings, etc.  You just add your embellishments.  Love it!

I will post pictures if I ever get them done. 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

5 Weeks Post Surgery

I am finally starting to feel well enough to go out, other than to the doctor.  Last week I met a friend for dinner.  We spent about 2 1/2 hours together, but I have to tell you it wore me out. This week we are getting together for lunch and then going back to her house to work on cards and our coloring.  We are going to try Prisma colored pencils and of course, we will use our Copics.

Then I am going to have lunch with another friend that I have not seen for several weeks.  I am still sleeping a lot (10-12 hours) but I anticipate that will get better each day as well.

Hopefully I will have some cards to add to my blog after my outing. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Things are Progessing Well

I went back to the doctor last week and the retainer which was wired into my mouth was removed.  Yeah!  That felt good.  I now have one that can be taken in and out to brush my teeth better and freshen up.  That feels wonderful.  I cannot, however, leave the retainer out.  I have to put it back in immediately after brushing my teeth because as the tumor site heals it shrinks.  So in about 2 months I will get yet another retainer which will be smaller.  I can then leave it out for awhile if I want.

I also find out next week whether or not I need radiation.  I guess the cancer got into the bone but when the surgeon removed the tumor he actually got all of it so the margins are zero.  There is a tumor board of about 20 doctors that meet and they were split 50/50 on whether I need the radiation so now I have to meet with a doctor next week to see what my options are.

Please send positive thoughts and prayers. 

Thank you, Chris

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Back at Home, but not Back in the Saddle

Part of my surgery went well and some not so well.  After 8 days in the hospital I am home mending.  I had a tumor removed from the roof of my mouth.  Therefore, as you can imagine, it is very hard to eat.  I am basically on a liquid diet.  I have some prosthetic wired into my mouth,  That comes out on 10/14.  Thank goodness.

I cannot use my left arm.  I have to keep it in a splint. I also have a skin graft on my left side that has to heal.  It is pretty slow going.  I'm just taking it a day at a time.  Prayers are always coveted.

Monday, September 30, 2013

Going to be AWOL for Awhile

I am having some surgery done tomorrow so will be out of commission for awhile.  I will be in the hospital for 7-10 days.  Once I get home it will be a long recovery so not sure if I will be able to make cards.  But rest assured, as soon as I can I will be back on here posting.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

I've Been Playing Again

with my washi tape. These cards are perfect when you need something quick.  They are easy to make and look cute.

I have 3 strips of coordinating washi tape and just added punched flowers and leaves and a sentiment.












This is 4 strips of washi and a sentiment.



Saturday, September 21, 2013

Cards from Gina K Monthly Kit

I love the Gina K monthly kits.  What caught my eye with this set was the owl and the pumpkin.  Take a look:

Sunflower from the Gina K kit.


I used a sticker on the inside

The tree and leaves are from the kit.  The owls are stickers.


Monday, September 9, 2013

A New Sherri Baldy Card

I absolutely adore this image.  You've heard of the cat lady - well this would be me - the book lady.


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Scrapbook Page Featuring Sherri Baldy Digi

Love this picture of Kaylee. I think the digi stamp and emblishments all work together.  Nothing over powers the page.


Monday, August 12, 2013

More Cards - but not Washi Tape

Here are two additional cards I made to donate.



My Washi Tape Creations

Can't say it enough - LOVE this stuff.  Finally got pictures taken. I made these cards for a friend who is a Stampin Up Demonstrator and is collecting cards for the Ronald McDonald House.  She sent out requests to other Stampin Up Demonstrators and got a huge response.  She and 2 of her friends took over 500 cards to the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, IL.  Way to go Ann and everyone who helped.











Friday, August 9, 2013

Okay - It's Official - I am Now a Washi Tape Addict

I have never used washi tape until recently.  I got on the band wagon when a friend started sending me cute samples of cards using the tape.  Oh my goodness, it's like I hit the jackpot.  I have been buying, buying, buying.  I have made a couple for donation to the Ronald McDonald House.  Since I am posting this late I will be taking pictures and posting them in the next day or so.

If you have not used the washi tapes, you should try it.  It opens up so many possibilities.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

New Card

This is a birthday card I made.  I belong to a yahoo group called Magnolia-licious.  I am part of a group called the Magnolia Birthday Group.  We send birthday cards to our members.


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Today

Well, today I am taking my organization one step further.  I bought some nice binders from Staples and I am now stamping each and every stamp I own and putting them in a binder so I know what I have.  Earlier I told you that I took all my wooden stamps out of the containers and categorized them.  Now I am categorizing them in my binder.  I can now open the binder and see each and every stamp that I have.  (Pictures below).

I am also thinking of putting a section for my stamp pads, embossing folders and die cuts.  Silly me. I bought a bunch of Memento stamps and Tim Holtz stamps online from Joann's.  I bought several Tim  Holtz that I already had because I wasn't organized.  It would be easy to do the same thing with embossing folders and die cuts.

I still have to decide my clip art for the front.

These are extra wide dividers (so they go past the page protectors)

These are some of my simple salutations in the page protectors.

This is a sample of some of my flowers.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

My Organized Craft Room

Wow, what a difference organization makes.  I love coming into this room now.  Here are after pictures.  I dared not show before pictures - its was a mess!

This is my work table.  The white box on the left holds all my stamp
cleaner, brushes, glitter, and bottles of glue.  The plastic bins hold
embellishments.  Lastly, the wire tray holds my white and vanilla card stock.

This holds all my card stock, 12 x 12 paper, punches in the drawers as well as
embossing powder, brads, eyelets, etc.  I have  my ribbon in jars on top.
I wrap the ribbon around a large craft stick and put a pin in it.

My desk and rocker where I relax and watch tv.

This is my credenza which has two large file drawers on the
bottom for all my files, two drawers on top which hold misc. office
items and then has sliding doors where I keep some books.
On top is a chest with Cricut cartridges, a crock that holds
pens, my Big Shot, a Box that holds all my glass plates, etc. and
finally my Cricut and a plastic bowl to catch scraps.

The white cabinet has a chest on top which holds all my
magnetic binders for my dies.  I also have dies in the drawers
and my embossing folders.  I have 12 x 12 pads of paper
on one of the shelves, templates and card kits in the slots
and in the green container my liquid pearls and Stickles.
And, yes, that is a stereo and albums in the corner.  Love my music.

My big closet that holds more "stuff."

The cabinet in the corner has my Memento and Tim Holtz
ink pads and 6 x 6 pads of paper (in cubes).  The shelves hold
my envelopes and small binders.  The black canvas cubes
hold buttons, extra glue dots, etc.  The leather trunks hold
all my books.  Love my books.  The plastic stackable holds
all my scrap card stock by color.  The last drawer holds scrap
designer paper.

Picture shows the top of my cabinet with ink pads better.

The green hanging container holds my extra tombow tapes,
my splat mats and various bags folded up.  The 31 bag is
my office in a bag which I can take with me.  The pink box is
full of House Mouse stamps.  I then hang bags on the walls
and the bigger bags on the rod in the closet.

Side of my jet max cubes.  I put peg board up to hold embellishments.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

It's Cleaning Time

I am in the midst of a re-org of my craft room. I got inspired when helping my friend Brenda get ready for a garage sale.  She and I went through her whole craft room and sorted through paper, ink pads, stamps, etc. She got rid of quite a bit of stuff.  That is hard, letting go of our stuff, isn't it.  But, I knew it was time.  I have been wanting to reorganize for quite some time so slowly I am getting through it.

I started with just sorting through all my paper and cardstock, sorting and purging.  It felt pretty good.  I then cleaned out the closet of my craft room and made a lot of headway.  The biggest accomplishment was taking all my Stampin Up stamps out of the clam shells and organizing them by category.  I used some containers from Wal-Mart.  I will post a picture later.  Another tip my friend Brenda gave me.  LOVE it! I can now actually find things.  I categorized them:

Girly Stuff
Men Stuff
Flowers
Leaves and Trees
Christmas
Miscellaneous
Simple Salutations
Animals and Insects
People
Religious

I then have a plastic container that is stackable and I put a lot of my salutations in there and labeled them:

Happy Birthday
Thank You and Thinking of You
Get Well and Sympathy
Friend
Miscellaneous

The next step is to stamp the contents of each container on to a white sheet of card stock and index them in a binder.  But first I have to finish the rest of my room.  My table is full of stuff from sorting so of course there is no creations going on there.  I am going to start on sorting and cleaning the table shortly.  I will take pictures and post them when I am done.

If you have purged or done a reorganization of your craft room and have any tips, please share them. Thanks.

Have a great week everyone!

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Hello Everyone - I've Been Absent For Awhile

Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still around; however, have been having some health issues and just have had no energy to do anything but go to work and come home and crash.  I also have been without a camera so unable to take pictures of the last batch of cards I did make.  I will be getting a camera soon.  Hopefully health wise things will improve and I can get back on track.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  I do plan to come back and start posting some cards.  

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Adorable New Magnolia Image

I received this image and all the items I used to make the card in a card kit swap.  I think this image of Tilda is just adorable.


Sunday, March 24, 2013

More Maggies - March Swap Kits

These are cards I made with the kits I got from the March kit swap.  Love these swaps. If you haven't participated you might want to consider it.  The kits are always fun.




Friday, March 22, 2013

New Maggies - March Card Swap Kits


This little cutie came from Linda Wilson. I added a gold doily and some roses from Wild Orchids;  I think she turned out beautifully.



This beauty came from Gail Zimbelman.  I do not have this image - isn't she cute.
I love the embossed pink cardstock and the butterfly border.