I was looking at the calendar today and realized that Mother’s Day is just one month away!!!

I’m a great procrastinator who’s trying very hard to change her ways. With the realization that there are less than 30 days to go, I decided it was time to start making Mom’s Day plans now.

How about you? How do you typically celebrate Mom’s Day?

We quite typically pack up a picnic lunch and head for the coast. The Oregon coast can be quite cold and windy, however; so plans are subject to change. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved looking in the tide pools and identifying who’s living there.

The rocks are slick and, of course, timing is everything. I wouldn’t want to get stuck out there with the tide coming in!

At any rate, I figured I’d start working on some Mother’s Day cards to hopefully inspire you to start making plans also!

Continue reading “Only 1 Month To Go… Are You Making Plans?” →

Hello Friends!

Today’s project was made for a card challenge over at Fusion with the following card sketch.

As implied in the illustration, one can choose to use the sketch, the photo, or both to inspire one’s design.

I chose to stick to the sketch for this card, incorporating elements from Stampin’ Up’s Ornate Garden suite of products.  The daisy image included in the Ornate Style Stamp Set was too wide for my strips, so I chose to use the daisy image from Stampin’ Up’s Daisy Delight stamped in graduating colors to coordinate with the Ornate Garden Designer Series Paper (DSP) in the background.  Given the narrow nature of the vertical strips, my Stamparatus positioner was key in getting everything just right.

Continue reading “Graduating Color – Clean and Simple Design for Fusion Card Challenge” →

Easter Greetings with Fable Friends

 

Hello Friends!

I’m still working at a hectic pace on Easter cards; it’s time to get them in the mail! Today’s card is slightly more labor-intensive but oh-so-cute with the little rabbit image from Stampin’ Up’s Fable Friends. I used the Small Bloom Punch which was available during Sale-A-Bration (which is over now ☹), but rumor has it that the Small Bloom Punch is going to be carried over into the new 20-21 Annual Catalog which will be unveiled in June – we’ll see if the rumor is true!

Springtime never fails to make me want rabbits again (and chickens, and ducks, and a kitten, and more horses…..). I raised rabbits in my youth and my kids raised and showed rabbits in 4H for many years. They’re so, so cute and make all kinds of great fertilizer for the flower beds and garden!

Continue reading “Easter Greetings With Fable Friends” →

Clean and Simple Card Design

Hello Friends!

Can you believe Easter is just right around the corner? It feels like we were just celebrating New Years a couple days ago, and yet, we’re a quarter of the way through the year already. I guess that’s just proof that “time flies when you’re having fun”.

We generally have the whole family come to our place after church on Easter for a big outdoor egg hunt. Our family gave up on a formal Easter dinner several years ago, as our family has gotten so large. Instead, my husband smokes up a batch of chicken (can I say YUM!), we build a fire in our fire pit, pull the chairs around, and have an old-fashioned hotdog roast. Everyone brings a side dish or dessert, and we feast on smoked chicken and hot dogs following the egg hunt, while sitting around the fire. Not traditional I suppose, but it’s become our new family tradition and we all enjoy it very much!

This year’s going to be a little different unfortunately. I guess we’ll be doing Easter service via Facebook Live at home. We’ll surely miss getting together, but in the big picture it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus died on that cross for our salvation and rose again that beautiful third day. Hallelujah! His grave was empty, and nothing can steal the joy and celebration of that!!

Continue reading “Happy Easter With Easter Promise” →

Hello Friends!

Today’s post was inspired by my horse, Ace. As I rounded the corner to our barn on my way for morning chores, he stuck his head over his stall door to say Hello! He’s my goofy, snuggly boy. He lets me bury my face in his neck and breathe in that amazing horse goodness any time I want to. Yes, happiness does have a smell!

I managed to capture a picture of him “smiling” at me this morning… sweet Ace!

With Springtime in the air, it’s time to get my boys out and “Take life by the reins”.

As soon as he gave me his goofy smile this morning, I knew I was going to be reaching for the stamp set “Let It Ride” for today’s project.

Continue reading “Let It Ride – Take Life By The Reins” →

Our grandkids are involved in 4-H and raising market hogs. They brought home their new little pigs a couple weeks ago and so we went to meet them.
We have Amelia, Gwendolyn, and Penelope.  They’re so sweet, and aren’t they just too cute???

For those of you who haven’t spent time with pigs, you’re missing out! My kids raised pigs in 4-H also, and I remember being very surprised the first year we had them at how friendly and sociable they are. Their little grunts and squeals become quite endearing! County Fair time was always bittersweet, having to say goodbye to that year’s project after the livestock auction.  Lots of tears by boys and girls (and moms) alike as we said our goodbyes, but a healthy dose of real-life too.   The kids quickly bounced back and were happy to have a break from the twice daily pen cleaning, feeding, walking and training to get them ready for show-time at the county fair.  It didn’t take long and they were excited and planning for the next year’s project.  I’m so glad to see my grandkids getting the same opportunity; it’s such an incredible lesson in responsibility.  One proud Mom and Grammy here!!!

Continue reading “This Little Piggy – Meet the 3 little pigs!” →

 

Well, did you do it? Did you make a list of people you know who could use a little extra encouragement? Or, maybe just friends you haven’t been in touch with for a while. You know, those that you think about often but just never act on your thoughts of, “We should get together”, or, “I wonder how they’re doing”…

While we’re all cooped up waiting for the Corona virus to exit, (hopefully as fast as it popped up…), while we can’t all get together in person, a note in the mail, or a phone call to just reconnect would be AWESOME!!!

Again, I encourage you…. just do it! Reach out and make a friend’s day.

Continue reading “Ornate Garden – Welcome Spring” →