#21: Kleenex Kards

I wish the people who design Kleenex boxes would come out with a line of cardstock!

Here's another card I made using the side of one of their boxes. My uncle passed away a few months ago, and I've tried to send a "Thinking of You" card to my aunt every few weeks, just to stay in touch. I think this floral design, matted on black, is so pretty without being too cheerful, if you know what I mean.

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"Just a note" Stamp from PSX (E-510)

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#20: " The Kitchen Sink" Style Card

Birthday card for a dear co-worker that incorporates a lot of stuff I really liked and wanted to use. Somehow, I pulled it together!

The pretty background "paper" is from the side of a Kleenex tissue box, outlined with a turquoise Glaze pen. Hatpin is from Making Memories scrapbooking supplies. The sentiment ("Eat cake") was stamped with one of those multi-image stamps that looks like a date stamp. This one is from Leisure Arts.

Luckily, I could hand-deliver this one. I can't imagine there's any way I could mail it and have it survive!

#19: The card that wouldn't upload Monday

I have no idea why my photo wouldn't upload on Monday, but will today.

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"Make A Wish" stamp by Gina K. Designs (purchase of the set benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation, too!)
"Princess Chick" by Stampendous
Embossed background done with Cuttlebug's D'Vine Swirls folder
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#18: "Life is what happens while you're making other plans..."

I find that this wonderful quote sums things up very nicely, right now. If there is anyone, at all, still following my blog, all I can say is "Bless your heart!"

At the end of August, I had some knee surgery and despite the time off work, found my days didn't allow much computer time. Now, my family has just been told that my Mom has lung cancer.

Since my blog is more about the creative side of me, rather than a personal dialogue, it's been difficult to balance what to say vs. just not saying anything at all. However, I know an oft-repeated pet peeve of bloggers and blog surfers is how frustrating it is when something just seems to dribble off. I certainly fit that definition!

But, life goes on and I find I have missed my blogging very much. I'll need to get myself re-organized and grab the pleasures in life where I may, even if they're just for me.

Thanks for listening and may each of you enjoy all the little things in life, not the least of which is good health.

PS: I'm trying to upload a recent card, but either the site is grumpy or it's been so long I've forgotten how! I'll try again later.

#17 If you save it long enough.....

Whew. It's been a tough couple of weeks and today I promised myself a little "me" time. Long stories, but the bottom line is that it is very, very difficult to reach the stage of your life where you and your parents reverse roles. We are blessed to still have both of my parents and Mike's Mom, but illness and dementia take their toll on everyone-- those who suffer and those who must watch them suffer.

I need to make about a hundred cards-- I'm way behind: thank you, sympathy, congratulations, birthday, get well.... you name it, I need one or a bunch! So today I'll share one I made a few weeks ago for our nephew's high school graduation. His school colors were tough: blue and orange. (Anyone else thinking 1950's and Howard Johnson's?) Luckily, it was more of a royal blue than turquoise blue.

Now, about 8 years ago, I bought some orange paper-covered wire on sale after Halloween. I've looked at that wire at least once a week for years and have repeated often "What could I have possibly been thinking???" It just goes to prove that if you save anything long enough, inspiration will probably strike!

#16 Flowers

I never quite got on the Prima bandwagon, although I was tempted. However, for many years my Mom created gorgeous silk flower arrangements-- for our home, as gifts, and occasionally "on commission" for someone who admired her talent. When my parents moved from their big home to a much smaller one, I inherited a lot of Mom's craft items, especially huge boxes of silk flowers and and ribbons.

I finally dug through the attic and found some of the flowers I loved and have been using them for my cards. The fluffiness of the silk flowers (as opposed to the flat Primas) makes the cards more difficult to mail, but since I hand-deliver many to co-workers I still can indulge.

This card was inspired by one I had drooled over at the Paper Crafts magazine "Gallery Idol Challenge," created by Daniela D.

http://www.papercraftsmag.com/gallery/details.ihtml?idx=49898

I, too, made my card long and narrow, to fit in a #10 business envelope.... but not just any business envelope! Lucky me-- I found about six boxes of 50 each vellum business envelopes at the Dollar Store a while back. Hand-delivering a silk flower card in a translucent envelope really is eye-catching.

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Happy Birthday Stamp by Co-Motion Rubber Stamps

(long gone and greatly missed)

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#15 Great Gift for a Baby Boomer!

No card today but something I just had to share! I'll be turning 50 this week, and my husband and daughter bought me the most wonderful gift for a baby boomer: a turntable that plugs directly into the USB port of your computer, so you can turn all your vinyl into CDs.

I don't know anyone who has actually given up their albums. Like me, they've been stored someplace simply because it was too heart-wrenching to think of tossing them. We haven't had a turntable in the house for probably 20 years (got too hard to find the needles), but the albums have been lovingly maintained, although I wasn't sure for what.... Now I know!

First albums that got transferred?

• Elton John: Madman Across the Water (approx. 1971)


• Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees (approx. 1975)


• Rupert Holmes: Partners in Crime (about 1980-- remember "Escape/The Piña Colada Song"?)


• Art Garfunkel: Breakaway (his solo album, 1975)


• Four albums down and about 215 to go!

Thank you-thank you-thank you, Mike and Beth for an absolutely wonderful gift! I don't know how you can say I'm hard to buy for...!