Just a Few Cards

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. We've been busy just keeping up with life! The weekdays just fly by with work, homework, Bible study, cooking, cleaning, and laundry and then the weekends we spend getting caught up! We did go to the base last night and had dinner and went bowling. They have Cosmic bowling on Saturday nights and we needed some affordable family time so we went over to the base bowling alley and had dinner at their little cafe and then played 3 games. On Saturday nights, it's one price for unlimited bowling and after 3 games our arms were all tuckered out, but we had a great time together.

Here are a few cards I've made recently. Making cards is my new downtime relaxing activity of choice. Not only do I get to be creative, but I get to make cards for people that I love and then send them a little piece of my heart in the mail. Since I have my new little crafting area set up, I find that I wander over much more often to sit and make a quick card.

Here's a card I made for my friend Nancy, who's having a baby

A housewarming card I made for my Mom & D2 - I am still getting used to working with the Prisma colored pencils so I'm not thrilled with it, but what can I say? I'm a work in progress!

A birthday card I made for my sister. When I finished it, it made me think of her, so I knew it was the right card for the right person.

A get well card for my Aunt Kelli who has been through a lot both physically and emotionally. I know a card can't heal all her wounds, but at least whenever she looks at it she will know how much she is loved.

I must have been living under a rock, because I just discovered Tuesday Morning! A friend from Bunco told me about it, because I've been searching for some little ceramic chef's for our French Bistro theme in the kitchen. It's taking forever to decorate because I can't seem to find what I'm looking for and Jennifer suggested I try Tuesday Morning. I went last Sunday and did not find any little chef's, but they have some beautiful and VERY affordable decorations. I will be checking back often! I did find this cute little tin bucket for my crafting area to hold my markers and blender pens for only $5.99. I think I am going to be a regular browser from now on!

Solvang Theaterfest

My friend Debi (she was a Partner at the firm where I work but she retired in May) is on the Board of Directors for the Solvang Theaterfest and she offered free tickets to us for last Friday night. We had never been and I have heard that they put on really good shows there. So, I took Debi up on the offer and Jay and Kendall met me in Solvang after work on Friday and we went to The River Grill for dinner (it's gorgeous, right on the golf course at The Alisal) and then went over to the small, outdoor theater for the production "The Hot Mikado." We weren't allowed to take any pictures so I cannot share, but you can go to http://www.solvangtheaterfest.org/ to find out a little more information about the theater and the production we saw. There were very few props, but it was still a very entertaining show. We were glad we took the advice of others and brought a nice big blanket to bundle up in because it gets chilly there at night! The show was funny and the talent was incredible. I was so appreciative of Debi offering those free tickets to us too, it's so nice to go out and do something as a family that is memorable and free! If you have never been to the Theaterfest, I highly recommend it. They have shows all summer long and the entire community comes out to see the shows. I only wish we had gone sooner.

Here's a thank you card I made for Debi

And a card I made for my friend Pam's birthday. I was intimidated making this card because Pam is my instructor and is soooooooooo talented! But, I wasn't letting that stop me from giving her a gift from the heart.

Buzzzzzz

Here's a thank you card that I made for Leslie, my friend that gave me all the great stamps. This was the first card I made in my new stamping corner. I cannot tell you how convenient it is to just sit down and have everything I need right there! It is the little things in life. I say that often, because it is so true!

Here's a quick note card I made in about 15 minutes

The New Bathroom is Finally Finished!!!!

Construction was completed on Friday, but we had to change the hardware on the cabinets and toilet, hang the towel and toilet paper racks, do another cleaning, move all of the girls' belongings back in, hang the shower curtain, etc.

Here are the photos!

Before

After

My New Craft "Corner"

Since we don't have any extra bedrooms, I am not able to have a craft room. I was getting tired of lugging all of my storage bins to and from the dining room and clearing the dining room table and setting up a stamping/cardmaking area and then having to clear it up and put everything away when I finished making a single card (since I don't have time to make two at a time!) I decided I needed an interim solution so I went to Costco tonight. I LOVE Costco! For $90 I was able to get all the materials I needed to set up my own crafting corner and Jay gave me permission to put it in the living room. The lighting is good and I can pop in a movie or stamp while Jay is watching football. It's going to enable me to have everything readily available and make it much easier to sit down and make a quick card without having to set up and tear down after every endeavor. I am VERY excited! Or, as Chrissi used to say not long ago....I'm so ex-kited!!!!

Christmas in September

On Friday afternoon, Jay and I arrived in the driveway at exactly the same time. That never happens! As he was unloading the truck, he held up a J Crew bag and said that he had a surprise for me. I looked inside the bag and it was filled with all kinds of stamping products! My friend Leslie, who is married to one of the guys in Jay's squadron is not working right now and is therefore cleaning out closets and came across a ton of stamping stuff that she has never used and will never use. She gave me 6 brand-new Stampin' Up stamp sets (and none of them were duplicates of what I already have) and a Stampin Around tool with 3 stamp wheels and 3 cartridges, 3 ink pads and a set of Stampin' Spots, some ribbon and brads and some paper. I was so surprised and so excited! I am going to be making Leslie a very special thank you card :).

Grandma's 97th Birthday

Grandma Willett turned 97 on Thursday. I always knew she was feisty enough to live a very long life, but she still amazes me every day. I cannot count the number of times she was in the hospital terribly ill and we thought she was nearing the end of her life. Every single time, she has made an amazing comeback. She has such strength and courage and is a fighter in the best possible way. She can still laugh, even in the midst of terrible pain and she has such a zest for life that few people who are not living in chronic pain have. She inspires me to be a better person and to look at life through rose-colored glasses. By the way, rose-colored glasses have gotten a bad rap, I think there is something to be said for seeing life positively, for seeing the best in the people that you love, for having hope for tomorrow and appreciating all of the joys in life. My Grandma is one of the most amazing people in the world and I am so grateful for every moment we share together.



Jay had to work today, but Kendall and I drove out to Ventura to meet my Dad and Valerie and we hopped in the car with them and drove out to Uncle Ken & Aunt Xenia's to spend the day with Grandma. We took her to Mimi's Cafe for lunch and then back to the house to open presents and visit. We laughed and hugged and kissed (a lot!) and celebrated her wonderful life.

All of us at Mimi's Cafe

She makes me look like a giant!

The card I made for her

Just in case you're curious (I know I was), here is some information about the year Grandma was born.

President: William H. Taft

Vice President: James S. Sherman

Population: 93,863,000

Federal spending: $0.69 billion

Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.02

The first feature film is released when the two reels of D.W. Griffith's Enoch Arden are screened together.

American geneticist Thomas Morgan shows that inherited factors are represented by genes placed at specific sites along a chromosome.