News to share....

Well, as you all know, the past several months, my life has been consumed with moving to a different state.  It has been quite the challenge and test of strength not to mention many other things.  I know that I have lost some followers due to my lack of posting, and I completely understand that if there is nothing to see, why stick around?  I do hope to get back to crafting once we are settled in our new home.  Thanks to all of my friends that are sticking with me.  Your friendship means a great deal.
Well, here it is.....our new house.  They finally accepted our offer today, and within about 5 weeks, we should be moving out there.  I don't envy any of you that are going through any kind of move right now. You have my prayers.   It was a long road and pretty much a fight every step of the way.  I am very thankful that this part is over...not that the actual move will be any easier, especially in the middle of the winter, but it'll get done.  I hope not to have to move again for some time though.  
I hope that you are all enjoying this festive season and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  This year sure did fly by.  

Hugs and Blessings to all,

Changes and A Thanksgiving Wish

Life is all about changes.  Sometimes they are good changes and sometimes bad, but either way, change is inevitable.  As you can see from my photos, our house is now finally on the market, and we are searching for a new house in a new city that we will call home.  It is all so bittersweet as so many things in life are.  I am leaving the town that I have called home my whole life.  The house that we are selling is where our last baby was born and the house that we have lived in the longest since we have been married.  Our children for the most part grew up here, and I will miss it very much.  Many memories and milestones were shared in this house.  But as we all know...life must go on.  I hope that our new city and home will be a happy one for all of us.  It will be a very hectic year for holidays this year though.  I love the holidays, so this will be sort of sad for me.  I am going to try to make the best of it though.  I will really miss sharing the holidays with my family when we move.  It is not easy for us to travel with our children for many reasons, so I don't guess we will do it much once we are settled.  Well, I don't want to keep rambling about my reluctance, so I will switch gears here and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  May you all have many blessing to come.  I am very thankful to have you as my friends here on blogger and love hearing from you all.  Enjoy your turkey dinners and all the other wonderful goodies that go with it.

This little guy and a couple of his friends are on our fence post every single day devouring the walnuts from our black walnut tree.  Our cats spend hours just watching every move they make. lol

Christmas Altered Tin

Trying as I might to find something to post for all my blogging friends.  I found this image that required very little coloring which is essential for me right now, so I put together this quick and easy altered tin to fill with some yummy Christmas candies for a little someone special in my life.   I think since this was so easy to do, that I might just do some more of them with a few different images if time  permits.  It is snowing here today, so I guess I am feeling the Christmas spirit a little bit.  My head is spinning so much these days, that it seems normal for me to skip right over Thanksgiving and dive right into Christmas.
Hoping that you can all take time to enjoy every special moment that this season brings.  It seems so much anymore that in the blink of an eye time passes us by.  Can't wait to slow down here and savor the moments once again.
Take care my friends, and have a beautiful weekend.......Happy Veteran's Day to all out there that have fought for peace and freedom in our world!  We appreciate you.

Trying out a few challenges:
Crazy Amigo Challenge
Stampavie
Party Time Tuesday
Sweet Stamps
Tip Top Tuesday
There She Goes
Card Cupid Blog
Dream Valley Challenges
Floweret

A Quick and Easy Bookmark, and a Quick Post...M5D

Hi All,
Well, it is going to be a quickie post today.  I am now officially in panic mode with our move.  They have moved up our report date to November 7th which is a month sooner than we had expected, so our heads are spinning now trying to get all the last minute things done that need done.  I still have to say that we are never going to be ready in time....However, ready or not....
Anyway, in light of that news, I will share with you today my super quick and easy bookmark that I created with one of the new M5D releases.  Wishing I had time to be more creative and detailed, but patience is my goal knowing that I will again have time to craft sometime soon.  As quick as this was to make though...it is a great idea for a quick little insert to perhaps that book that someone on your Christmas list is asking for.  Hope you enjoy, and with any luck at all, I will be more relaxed after the holidays and can start posting some more fun projects instead of all these quickies.

Thanks for dropping in.  I'll be in touch soon.

Hugs,

Pumpkin Kitty Halloween Card

Hi everyone,
I know how long it's been since I've even said "hello".  I am sorry, but I honestly do not know how some of you crafters out there keep up in the midst of a move, but I really did not remember how much work and time was involved in preparing for a big move like this.   I do think about you all and think about crafting alot too.  I put this card together quick for my daughter.  She really loved this stamp set we happened by while out looking for something for her at the craft store.  I broke down and got it and made a card for her.  She is such a cat lover, and this one looks alot like our little Blackie Boo Bear.  I am struggling to find a way to craft a little bit here and there, but time is really working against me.  I know it won't be long, and I will be able to do this alot more, but I am longing for it quite a bit.

I hope you all are doing well, and thanks for popping in for a visit with me.  Take care all until we talk again.

Blessings,

Feels Like Fall...M5D Throwback

Ok, I know that none of you expected to hear from me so soon already.  To be honest, I didn't expect to post so soon either, but Sue had asked us if we were interested in using this image as a throwback, and I really couldn't resist.  I didn't get a chance to use this image last Fall, and what an adorable image to pass up again.  Sometimes in getting so overwhelmed with image releases and commitments, I really miss out on using some awesome images.  This time, I really struggled to make some time to fit this in, and I had almost no supplies on hand.  When I packed, I left a few punches, some scraps of paper and little bits and pieces that didn't fit anywhere else.  I actually swiped the ribbon that I had used to decorate something else with last year.  I wasn't thrilled to not have my copics on hand either, but in the end, I am really glad that I took the time to create this little something.  If you "Fall" for this image like I did, you will find her at Sue's store..McMahon Five Designs.  She offers such a variety of possibilities for creating at this beautiful time of year.

Glad I had a chance to pop in for a little "hello" this week, and I look forward to our next visit together.  Please be patient with me for my next post though.  I'm not sure that I will be able to do another one as quickly as this one.  We are getting closer and closer to our move every day.  So much work left to do, and so little time.

Hugs,

My Christmas in July turned out to be Christmas in September easel card

I was sitting here thinking to myself about how long it's been since I have posted on here.  I have to apologize to you my friends for my absence.  Our move is proving to be quite the job, and much of the work I am doing sort of on my own.  My husband just had cervical spine surgery and is not able to lift or really even move too well yet.  He had some nerve damage, so his entire right arm is very weak and not very useful for even picking up so much as a drink at this point.  He is in a tremendous amount of pain right now, and I guess he will be for awhile, so I am going to have to step it up and try to do as much as I can to get us ready for this move.  Thanks for hanging in there with me and waiting so patiently as I find a way to do a post for you.  I really wanted to do this one card for Christmas in July, but time really got away from me, so I guess I am making it a Christmas in September card.  I hope you like it anyway.  It is just a little closer to Christmas now is all.  I have much of my crafting supplies packed and in storage now, so I have very little if anything left to really create with.  I may find my way to doing something little, but maybe in the meantime until our move is complete, I will try to post some more personal messages and pictures.  Once we get settled in, I hope to be back to posting regularly and have lots to share with you.  I so hope and wish for my own craft room in our new home.  I don't have one now, so that would be sort of a dream come true for me.  Thanks to all of you that offered to share what you know about Indiana.  I am looking forward to this new chapter in our lives and hope for only wonderful things to come our way.  We are all very excited to make a new beginning.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend, and enjoy these last moments of summer.  They will be so greatly missed in a few months.

Linking to: 

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long
Aly's Sunday Challenge
Charisma Cardz
Crafty Catz
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge

Hugs,

Water Nixie Card and some M5D Releases

Hi my dear friends....
We just returned from a very fun and VERY HOT vacation at Busch Gardens and Water World, and it is now time for me to share a card with you.  What better time to share my Water Nixie card than after returning from a Water vacation?  This is one of the new digi releases from the M5D this week.  There are some wonderful ones to choose from.  Pick your favorites and hop on over to the M5D shop and get some for yourself to create with.  I am looking forward to the next few months and hope with our move that I will still be able to find a little bit of time for creating.  I love creating for the upcoming holidays in the next several months, so I don't want to miss out on anything.   In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my card.  I look forward to hearing from you.  It's been quite some time since I have been posting cards.  I wish I could already be settled in our new place with my new craft room and ready to go, but I hope you will stick with me until then.

Annie Oakley - Little Sharpshooter JPG and PNG

Fall Color Collage DP JPG

Cupcake Cuties 2 JPG and PNG

Shipwrecked JPG

Vasser Rhine Windmill JPG 

Water Nixie JPG

For more details on the projects above, visit the Design Team blogs!

Amy

Bonnie

Carolyn

Cassandra

Christine

Fran

Kristine

Maxine

Michelle A

Michelle B

Michelle P

Raven

Shelly

Sue

Have a wonderful and blessed day all.  Take care :)

Challenges linked to:
Sew Many Challenges
Happileigh Scrapping
Craft Your Passion
Papertake Weekly
Come and Get It
Allsorts
Ribbon Carousel
Digi Doodles
Anything Goes
Sparkles Forum
Catch the Bug
Crafting for all Seasons

ATTENTION...All My INDIANA Blogging Friends...

WE'RE MOVING!!

We are so excited to have just found out that we will be moving to Indiana in the next couple of months near the Indianapolis area.  If any of you out there could give some input or info on what it's like, what to expect, what to avoid, what to look for as far as housing, schools, medical, people...etc.  We would like to look for housing in the surrounding Indianapolis area, but not Indianapolis itself.   I am hoping that some of my friends on here might be able to share some of their knowledge with me who either live in that area now or maybe have lived there in the past or know someone else who does.   We could not be more excited about this move.  It is such a blessing and the positive thing that we have been praying for for our family.  Life is truly being good to us right now, and we are very grateful.  Sometimes you have to weather the storm to get the reward of a rainbow.  We thank God for looking out for us and taking care of our family.

Thank you in advance to anyone that can share some advice with us, and even if some of you could share moving tips.  It's been years since we've moved.  I will take advice/tips or anything on moving, buying a new house, acclimating my kids to a new area...anything you want to share.

I will be taking you all with me on this move with my blogging updates, so get ready for the adventure.

Hugs and Blessings to you all,

Happy Birthday To My Baby :)

Seems like only a breath ago that I was waking up at 4 a.m. anxiously and excitedly preparing to go to the hospital to have my labor induced with my last baby.  In reality, that will have been 10 years ago on July 27th.  What a whirlwind those years have been...filled with joy, laughter, much exploration and learning as well as some tears and sad times as we all go through as our children grow.  This little boy has been one of the greatest blessings in my life, and I feel so fortunate to be his Mom.  I look forward to many more fun years with this little boy before he has grown into a young man.  You just never know what is around the next corner with him.  It's always exciting,  and he keeps me young, makes life interesting and teaches me something new pretty much every day.  Little did I know before my kids came along how much they would enrich my life and fulfill it in ways that I could never even imagine.  So looking back at these last 10 years, it makes me take a step back and appreciate life, time and taking advantage of every moment that we are given, because once they are gone, you can't get them back, and if you make the most of them, you will have many wonderful memories to look back on as each of these precious years passes.

So, in the hustle and bustle of our everyday life, I really pondered what kind of card I could make for this sweet boy for his birthday this year.  Then it dawned on me that of all the people that I know that have seen my cards, this child has been my biggest motivator and highest praiser.  He doesn't care what is on it or if it is just so.  He cares that it is made by his Mom for him and with lots of love, and that makes it perfect in his eyes.  So, while I keep wondering if I made this card boyish enough with my constant desire to always add gems and flowers somewhere on my cards or add some sort of frill...and I know I did more than I probably should have on here, I can bet that this concern will never even cross his mind. He will tell me how much he likes the little mice and the frog on the inside, and he won't even notice the things that I am concerned about.  Now, tell me if I am not the luckiest Mom in the world.  He is going to make some lucky lady a wonderful husband one day.

Image is House Mouse and can be found at the McMahon Five Design's Store.  There are just tons of images over there to choose from.  Hop over for a look.  I used some of their wood paper and gem flourishes on here too.

So, is anyone sitting there saying ....  look at that lacy looking border punch she used and those gem flourishes?  lol.... Let's just keep that between us, ok ;)
Thanks for dropping in today and sharing in my boys special birthday card.  Have a wonderful day.

Dream Catcher Mania

Hi Friends, 
First, I want to take a moment to thank those of you that have stuck it out with me as followers.  I realize that I have not been so active lately with my many family commitments right now, so I am very grateful for your support during my downtime.  While I try to catch up on things over the summer, I would like to share with you my daughter's latest obesssion.... Making Dream Catchers.

For the past month, my daughter has created several of these beauties.  She is very meticulous and her own worst critic, so I was only able to capture a picture of one of them for now to share with you.  They are all very beautiful, but my favorite (of course) is the pink one that she made.  It is gorgeous, and if I am ever able to sneak a picture of it, I will be sure to share it with you.   She is always trying new creative things, so I never know what is around the next corner with her imagination.  For now, I will take in the beauty of her latest treasures until the next wave of inspiration envelopes her.   I hope you enjoy some of what she has created as well and maybe try one of these yourself or encourage your kids to.  She seems to really have alot of fun making them. 

Thanks for visiting with me, and I hope you are all having a wonderful and fun summer.  I also want to wish you all a Happy and safe 4th of July. 

Blessings,

Hello again. It's Been Awhile.

Well, things have not slowed down here at all, and I don't guess they will now that summer is here.  I hope you are all enjoying your summer so far.  I have missed you my friends as well as sitting down having a visit with everyone..not to mention hearing from you on my blog too. 
I have a short post to share with you today, because my time is limited for now with family.  I will post much more as summer comes to a close, but will surely pop in with a few posts to to catch up along the way.  Today, I have a card that I made for the Hotspot challenge.  It is a lazer cut challenge, and I have come to find that I am not so good with the cut out images. lol.... I did not realize that I was going to have to construct the hair for this body as well as draw a face on her.  As you can see, this is not a strong suit of mine.  I did give it a shot though, and maybe I will get better at this with some practice.  Have any of you played along with the challenge this month?  It's always fun to see what you are capable of.  If you would like to join along in the fun, pop on over to The Hotspot and enter your project into the challenge.  We would love to see what you come up with.

I thank you very much for visiting with me and taking some time to catch up after my absence.  I hope to be talking and visiting with you all soon.  Take care, stay cool, and have a fun summer :)