Graduation time

My son's ex wife, Annette,

had a little boy when they

got married, Jake.  I have

always considered him and

her children with her second

husband as my own grandkids.

Jake is Bri's older brother.

He just graduated so of course

I had to make him something.

I saw a cute grad cap box that I

will put a "little something" in

and also made him a card.

 His party is next month.  Bri says

he is planning on moving to Colorado!

He has an aunt and uncle and cousins

there and a job lined up. 

 I hope he will like it there.  I know

his sisters and brothers will 

miss him, though.

This is the box closed and opened.  I

think it turned out so cute.  The school

colours are red and white.

And his card.  I love how this turned

out!!!  The congratulations is embossed

in gold to match the gold accents

of the rest of the card.  I thought about

doing it in black but it just wouldn't have

stood out as well.

 

My grandson, Wyatt, has a birthday

in a few days.  This is Andy's youngest.

I saw this Star Wars card and thought

it was adorable.  It's made from

an owl punch.  It's amazing the things

people come up with.  It is also a

pain in the neck to cut out all those

 pieces (some of the punched pieces

have to be modified) and glue them

all together.  So I don't do it often,

but I couldn't pass up this card.

I have to take B'Elanna to her "beauty

parlour" appointment.  She LOVES 

taking rides in the car and  I love how

soft and fluffy and pretty smelling she

is when I bring her home.  I'm sure

they love my money.  So it's a win 

all the way around!

 

 

Happy Memorial day!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank

my father, my husband John, and

all the men and women who have or

are fighting here in this country or

on foreign lands for their service

and dedication to our freedom!

We take so much for granted and

don't stop to think of the sacrifices

that these people-and their families 

(speaking as an ex Navy wife)

make each and every day.  It's hard

for them to be away from their homes 

and families and hard for the families

to have their service member away

for long periods of time.  We need to

keep them in our prayers!

 

I made two more monochromatic

cards yesterday with the colours

I had gemstones in.  I love how they

turned out.  I think I'm on to something!

It's hard to read the sentiments for

some reason.  I couldn't get a good

photo.  They are clear stickers

so I think they were picking up too

much light.  The  blue one

has the verse Psalm 118:24

"This is the day the Lord has made

We will rejoice and be glad

in it."

For some reason, this has turned 

out to be Dianne's and my verse.

Not sure how it happened, but

we will sometimes text it to the

other in the morning to remind

each other, I guess.  So sometimes

I use that sentiment on a card and

send it to her. Naturally she's getting

that one as in addition to the

verse, blue is her favourite colour!

Sunday is always bird-free day.

(aka mental health day) .  I leave

them in their cages and just have a quiet

day.  I was able to get some

other cards done during the day which

I will share later.  I love my birds,

but I look forward to Sunday and just

a quiet, slow day.  Yesterday just

also happened to be Harry Potter day.

One of the channels was running a weekend

and even though I've seen them over and

over I watch again anyway.  Mainly

the TV is on.  I'm not necessarily watching

it.  I just like the noise, I guess.  But it's

nice to be able to go in the craft room,

make a card and then come back

out and know exactly what is going

on in the movie!

Pretty in pink

Bri and I had a great time Friday/

Saturday.  We went to the deaf

chat and that was fun even though

they still go way too fast for me.

I need more practice but there's

no one to practice with. 

When we came home we watched

Edward Scissorhands which

I had recorded on a freebie

weekend.  I don't generally

watch movies, so I don't

have any of the premium 

channels on.  Why spend that

kind of money when you don't

really use it.  If I want

to watch a movie I have

netflix for that.  Or the

ton of movies that

I have in my collection....

You know, the movies you love

and are some day going to 

watch again.  yes, those movies!

On Saturday we walked to the

ice cream shop, circled around

to the dollar store and then 

stopped to visit Pam for a 

few minutes.  That was so much

fun. We always have fun

together.

I love how this card turned out.  I

did want it to be completely monochromatic

but didn't check ahead of time to see

if I had the correct colours-which I

did not, of course.  I may make another

in green.  I think I have enough

gemstones in that colour.  But I

think the card is still pretty .

It's a little hard to see in the

picture.  In person it looks much

better I think.

 

Sign classes are over for the time

being and I'm going to miss

them, but maybe I should take

the time and clean the house.

Maybe not.  Pam (teacher

Pam as opposed to daughter

in law Pam previously mentioned)

said that she will probably have

a 4 or 5 week class during the summer

of just review, so I will attend that

of course.  I can't believe how

quickly I forget it if I don't study

a little bit every day.  Which I

don't.  I need to buckle down

and discipline myself.  In more

than one area!!

purple roses?

Sorry I'm late posting,  I had

an early morning appointment

with my ortho doctor to have

another cortisone injection.

They aren't lasting as long but

I'm in no mood to consider surgery.

I just don't think it's that bad.  He

said when I've had enough pain I will

know and will tell him.  Mostly it just

hurts at night and is tolerable during

the day. 

I'm pretty sure purple roses

are real, but I'm not one for flowers.

And even so, this rose is not

purple, it is white on a purple

background so the title is deceiving.

I couldn't find any other colour

gem stones to put on it so I

settled because it needed

something!

 

My SIL, Laurel, brought me some

hosta and I got that planted.  Finally

things are looking better.  I got the darned

bushes out and some ground cover

going in and I won't have to mess with 

it once it gets going.  Yay!!  Here

is a picture of her beautiful orchids.

Later my granddaughter Bri is coming

over and we're going to hang out at least

for tonight.  I don't know if she will be

staying the whole weekend or not.  I

hope so!  Tonight we are going to go

to Auburn, IN to the deaf chat.  We will

probably only stay an hour or so, but

I think it will be fun.  She took one

class and is interested, but not enough

to commit to it.  She's 16 and has

lots of fun things to do in her life right now,

including cross country.  At least I

think that's the one she's doing.  I know

it's running anyway....  Something I try

never to do.  I hate to run.  Always have.

Anyway, I might be MIA tomorrow

since we will be having girl time.  :)

Lots (and lots) of roses

There is a Stampin Up!" die called 

rose wonder.  It's really expensive.

Truth told, I think most Stampin Up! stuff

is really expensive, but they have great

things, so once in a while I order.

This I just couldn't order because

it was way out of my budget.  However,

a friend I just met at a wedding

last summer, has the die and she

so graciously cut me some.  Lots of

them!  I will be playing with them for

a while!

Isn't it pretty?  She made me several

different colours as well.  The first

thing I did was emboss one in black.

I started the card, but haven't finished it

yet, so I'll probably post it tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I did want to get a

thank you card sent out in the mail

to her quickly, so I have that to 

show:

I think if I make a card like this again I will

mat the panels. I think it will look better that

way.  Oh, well.  Her cards are so beautiful

that this one kind of pales in comparison.

It's the thought that counts, right?  Apparently

she has everything under the sun in her

craft room so I will have to keep that in

mind in the future before I buy anything

expensive that I can get from her!  ;)

I'm looking forward to my visit with

Pam today.  It is supposed to rain, but

I haven't seen any evidence of that yet.

Not that that will hurt my feelings.

Tomorrow is going to be busy.

I have a doctor's appt. in FW for a 

cortisone shot and that's at 9 am.

Then lunch with Dianne, my Gdaughter,

Bri, is coming over and we are

going to Auburn for a deaf chat.

It's going to be a fun day!  Well, the

shot isn't so much fun, but maybe

I'll be able to get some sleep.  I was

up until 3 am trying to fall asleep.  Night

sucks for pain.

Surprise!

I made a different kind of card

today.  I've made this type of card

once or twice before, but never

quite like this.  Sorry for the paper

clip, but it wouldn't stay closed on

its own.  You will see why on the second

picture, but I don't want to give 

it away....

I love this quote.  I thought at first that

I hadn't stamped the whole thing

properly, but the butterflies are supposed

to be like that. Sometimes with the

large stamps I can't get the ink to come

off all the way.  Maybe I am impatient.

Maybe lazy.  But I digress.  Are

you impatient?  OK, here's the inside:

Isn't that cool?  The butterfly "flies" off

the page on a pop up panel.  I was surprised

at how easy it was and how great it

came out.  On the body of the butterflies

I used some of the enamel accent dots.

Those little things are hard to keep track

of and harder to get them to go where

you want them to go.  I probably should

have used my tweezers but I was too

lazy to look for them.  They're probably

right in front of me.  Actually, my desk is

pretty clean, considering, so it probably

wouldn't have been that hard to find them.

I think I'm going to send this to Robin 

for her pastor/wife.  I'm starting to

get a large collection of cards again,

so time to send them out.

Tomorrow my DIL, Pam, and I are

going to go to Battle Creek and bum around

and have lunch together.  It is her father's 

birthday and she took the day off.  I know

it will be an emotional day for her, so

hopefully this will take her mind off

it for just a little while.  It's the first

one since he died.  I'm honoured

she asked to spend part of the day

with me.   

Yesterday I finally managed to get

the garage cleaned and it looks great.

Want to hear a "God thing"?  I have

had a grill in the garage that had been

used half a dozen times or so before

John died.  I thought about putting an

ad in the paper to sell it, but then I

just felt this prompting to text Mark and

see if he could use it.  God's timing is

so perfect.  He just threw his out this

past weekend because it was getting

old and rusty!  We are going to exchange

it for his helping me put in some tile

in bathrooms/laundry room when he

has the time to do it.  It's a win/win

for both of us!  God does amaze

me on a regular basis.  Even when

I sometimes feel so far away from

Him which has certainly been happening

in the past few months, He reminds

me that He is always there and that

I shouldn't trust my feelings because

feelings aren't always accurate.  There

is an Amy Grant song to that effect 

called  "Faith walking people"  .  Faith

is what tells us God is there even when

feelings tell us otherwise.  I need to

remember that.  Sometimes it's so hard.

Silent dinner

I have to say, I had a lot of

fun last night!  I was a bit nervous

because most of the group has

far more experience than me, but

that doesn't always mean anything.

I was talking to Coleen, who has

5 years experience.  She is telling

me something about Deaf world, but 

is signing "home".  Both signs are 

done at the mouth and ear, but one

is a finger, the other a closed hand.

So I am trying to figure out what 

she is trying to say about "home world".

I mean, is she looking for the mother

ship or what????  She can't figure out

why I don't understand her.  I should,

after all.  So finally I signed it back

to her and that's when she realized

what she was signing.  I realized what

she was TRYING to tell me.  We laughed

and laughed.  The waitress didn't seem

to be too thrilled with the situation even

though we explained at the beginning what

was going to happen.  She seemed annoyed

at the extra work.  But what if a real 

deaf person came in?  We could hea r her

say,"What do you want?"  They would

not be able to hear that.  So it was good

experience for her, too.

This card did not turn out the way I

imagined it would.  I just couldn't get

the leaves around the butterfly the way I

wanted, and finally gave up.  I've been awake

since about 330 this morning, trouble

sleeping again....I got up at 4 am because

I was tired of just laying there.  So things

don't always come out right when I haven't 

had any sleep.  Here is the inside and

also an embossed envelope.

I don't usually do embossed envelopes but

I thought this one would look pretty 

with one.  Usually I just make my own

envelopes and they aren't plain like this one.

I think it's pretty.  :)

Today is garage cleaning day.  I've 

been putting it off long enough.  It needs 

to be swept and organized.  I don't know

how I have stuff lying all over the place 

when I just did it last year.  Where does

all this junk come from???

Trying out stencils

I found some really cool stencils

at the store the other day, 

but I'm not too good at them.

I've used them with sprays

before but I'm not enamoured

of sprays. This one I used with

distress ink and tried to make

it as neutral as possible so that

the other elements would

stand out.  I'm not sure if I 

like it or not.  I don't

hate it.

These are the stencils.

I've been wanting a "splat" stamp for a

while and a friend of mine ordered me

a set but then I saw the stencil and

thought I'd go ahead and get it

too.  I've played with it a little

bit and haven't found anything I'm super 

happy with. I'm afraid I just don't

have the knack.  But I'll play with

it a little longer before I give

up.  I tend to give up quickly

if something I'm doing doesn't

turn out right.

I just got a text from the dentist.

I have an appt. at 10 this morning.  

I totally forgot about it.  I missed a

very important appt. last week and

can't get in again until the end of

July, so I'm hoping they will refill

my scripts even though I missed.  The

last thing I want to do today is go

to the dentist.  I hate to get my teeth 

cleaned.  Actually, this is the second

to last thing I want to do today, and

the other thing I will probably end

up doing tomorrow..  Later today

is the silent dinner and I am looking

forward to that.  A little nervous, of

course, but I'm sure it will be fine.

One thing about deaf people, they

don't mind if you talk with your 

mouth full, LOL!

Signing naturally

I was wrong, (It's been

know to happen!) yesterday was the

last class.  I think she has something

planned for summer for a few weeks.

Usually they don't do anything then.  It

will probably be something small 

like learning songs or something

similar, not a regular class.  I will

miss it, but I need to study when there

isn't classes!!

I enjoy the classes so much!I'm still not 

very good at understanding what someone

is signing to me, but hopefully that

will come along in time.  At least

that's what I've been told!

I just love the bokeh technique so

much.  this envelope would

have to be hand delivered as the 

dots are only glued on.  It's a product

I found called enamel accents. I squeeze

it onto my craft sheet (to which nothing

sticks) and when it's dried it comes right

up and you can glue it to your project.

I imagine you can make pretty much

anything, lines, etc. but I only am

interested in the dots.  At least for now.

Finally, a hinge card.  As you can

see, the top swings over to reveal

the inside, but it doesn't open like

a traditional card.  And more

enamel dots!  Yes, another

favourite apparently!

Off to church today then I plan

to call the parents and see if they

want a visit.  B'Elanna loves to go

for car rides and they love to see

her.  I also need to get the garage

cleaned.  I managed to get vinca planted

in the front.  I still have two more

flower beds but she doesn't have

enough to give me that much, so

I will have to wait until next year, or 

maybe later this summer. She says

it reproduces QUICKLY!!  I

hope so because it looks pretty

bad in the front of the house.

You can't see the side and back from

the street so I don't care so much

about those.  Let me be straight here,

I hate anything to do with the outdoors

and getting dirty.  So this is something

I can do that will eliminate that in 

the future, I hope!  :)

Happy Saturday!

Today is the next to last Saturday

sign class.  Last Monday was the

last class for that day and this Monday

we are meeting at a restaurant

for a "silent dinner".  No talking

period, even when ordering.  This

should be interesting since I doubt

the wait staff will know sign language!

But it should be fun as well.

It looks like it's going to rain which will

interfere with my planting.  I hate

yard work with a passion which is

why I am planting vinca in all the

"flowerbeds" .  There were bushes

all around the entire house and I

hated them so much.  I finally

got them all out and the vinca will

make them look good and work-

free.  And the vinca is free as well

since my SIL, Laurel, wants to get rid

of some of hers.  It is choking out

her flowers since it grows so fast.  

Perfect for me!

I have made a couple cards, none of

which I am happy with, but here they

are:

The fancy mat is a die cut .  I bought

the die last week on sale big time.  I was

happy about that-wouldn't have bought

it otherwise.  The little sprite is a 3-d

image.  You place smaller parts of the

image on top of each other and they

end up standing out.  I don't know 

how to explain it really.  It's called tole.

 

Double pocket cards with bookmarks

in the pockets.  The ferns are also a die

I got on sale.  I've been spending way too

much money on craft stuff lately.  But

this months the electric/gas company

settled up with me as I am on the

budget program.  So this month's

bill was nothing and I have 38. credit

for next month.  Soooo, I went a little

crazy!  Hobby lobby being right here

in town is not good for my checkbook.

 

Rainbow bridge

  Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...

Z fold variation

In true hand made tradition, I 

folded this card backwards.

So not only did I make a lot

of extra work for myself,

but it also looks goofy.

Fortunately I have friends

and family who will overlook

my stupid mistakes and like the

card anyway.  Maybe I'll get

ambitious and make another

the correct way.

It's been a rough weekend.  I think

it's going to be time soon, to let my

dog, Neelix, cross over the rainbow

bridge.  I can't bring myself to say

the words that that really means.  I've

never had to do anything like this before,

and certainly not alone.  He's become

incontinent over the past few months

and I am sure this doesn't make him

any more happy than it does me.  So

I take him to the vet that is here

in town and explain the situation.

They've been seeing my dogs for

years and I have become increasingly

certain that they enjoy spending my 

money more than I do..  So these idiots

want to do expensive blood tests

because he might have kidney

disease or diabetes.  And?  I told

them no.  Well, maybe he's in pain.

I'm sure he is.  He stumbles sometimes

and I think his hips are hurting.  But

that doesn't have anything to do with

incontinence.  So I let them talk

me into pain pills, came home

and called the vet in Ft. Wayne that

cares for my birds.  She has seen

each of the dogs when we first

got them , but

I thought it made more sense

to take them here locally.  I can't

do that with the birds.  They need

an avian vet.  I have known

her for about 17 years, trust her and

 know she's not going to take my money

for something that there's no cure for.

I'll be taking him there on

Monday morning.  She will give

me the guidance I need.

Compassionately.

 

Oh, and to top it off, this vet here

in Angola kindly gave me an

extremely expensive

estimate for a teeth cleaning.

REALLY??

 

Bokeh technique

Bokeh is pronounced bo-kay.

It's actually a film technique

that photographers use to blur the

background and bring out an image

in the front.  So pretty and we've

all seen it.  Some genius figured

out how to make it on a card.

When I saw it I just had to try it.

I think it lends itself to a dream

scene which is why I put the

word "dream" on two of them. 

I think they are so beautiful!

Last night I went to pizza hut with the

sign group and met a deaf couple.

Didn't get to talk to them much
but it was a good experience.

Firekeepers casino

Not such a good time was had by

all...some idiot (who will remain

nameless) left her wallet at home.

She had never, ever done that

before.  Ever.  Moron.  Anyway,

the food was good, Cody loaned

me some money to play with-

I used 3.00 and that was enough.

Went to the craft store to get a couple

things since I had my checkbook.

Naturally.  Wrote the check-no

electronics for this store-gave it to 

him and wouldn't you know, he

wanted my drivers license? How 

inconsiderate.  So that didn't happen.

A few other irritating things happened

during the day, but the topper was 

when I decided to eat some 

strawberries and realized I'd left

them at the store.  It could have

been a better day.  On the up side,

I got a bill from the electric/gas co.

saying i didn't owe anything and that

I had a 38.+change credit for next

month.  I guess they settle up in

May when you are on the budget plan.

So I had a little extra money and 

bought some rubber bands to make

bracelets out of.  It's not like I 

don't have tons of them, I just get bored 

using the same colours.  

Isn't this a gorgeous waterwall?

No, we didn't play craps, but I thought

the sign was cool, so I had Pam take

a picture of the two of us in front of it.

Cody having a good stretch after

lunch.

Cody and I won a little here and there,

but it didn't add up to anything, esp.

since I was playing a penny slot.  I

think I won 65 cents at one point.

Pam, on the other hand, won 23.,

took the money and ran.  They both

had 10. credit because every once

in a while the casino sends them a 

"haven't seen you in a while" letter

and adds a little money to their account.

so she used that up, ended up with

23. and I think that was a pretty

good deal.  She was happy. 
Maybe we'll have a do-over sometime.

Found it!

I thought I accidentally threw away

my new lamppost die.  It

was only 10.00 but I couldn't

remember if I got it at Hobby lobby

or JoAnn's.  Now I don't have

to worry about it!  That's what I

get for keeping my desk a mess!

This card did not turn out right

because There were no instructions,

just pictures.  So I decided to try

it and since I am mathmatically

challenged, I kept making the wrong 

sizes.  Finally I decide I could

live with it.  I mean, it IS

hand made after all, so by

virtue of the word handmade,

it isn't perfect...

I guess it's OK.  I  like the composition

of it, but it isn't how the picture showed.

I don't think I will try it again.

I'm going to clean for a friend today. 

I hate it, but he pays me well.  He and

his brother just got back from Florida

so it won't be too messy, but probably

good and dusty.  And I'll have some

money to spend at the casino tomorrow!

 

Triple flip card

As I've said previously, I don't

usually make square cards simply because

they cost more to mail.  This one I couldn't

resist and I'm thrilled with how it turned

out.  The card is supposed to be 

made with a special die, but so what?

Why spend the money for a die when

you can make your own?  It looks

just as good (if not better) than the

one made with the special die.

Note to self: make sure you have enough

of the same paper when starting a 

project.  So the envelope will match

the tan piece in the third picture.  But 

I'm really, really happy with how

it turned out.

Tonight is the last class for level 3.  I 

definitely want/need to take the class

again. I also need to buckle down

and study more.  I am stunned at

how quickly I am forgetting words

if I don't use them much.  The problem

is that I don't have anyone to practice

with.  I am enjoying the new church

I'm attending and learning quite a

bit from watching Pam.  So I'm glad

I decided to give it a try.

I may not post anything on Wed. ,

I'm not sure.  Cody and Pam are

taking me to the casino in Battle Creek

(did I already say this?  If so, sorry)

so I'm looking forward to that.  It's kind

of a birthday/mother's day present to

me and Cody.  I lived in Las Vegas

and never set foot in a casino!

I was only 20.  I played the slot

machines in the grocery store, laundromat

(no kidding!) and other places, but

not the casino.  And who had the money

anyway?  So this will be exciting.

The Chief of the casino came into the

store where John was working years

ago to buy some furniture and tried

to get John to be the IT guy for the

casino but he said no because he

wanted to retire and not keep driving

back and forth to Battle Creek.  It would

have been pretty cool, though!

Baby cherry trees

My cherry tree is prolific

at reproducing so I decided last

year to plant a baby.  Three of them

were kind of in a clump, so I thought

one might choke out the other 

two.  Not so far.   All 

three are flourishing!  I've wanted 

a tree in that corner for a long

time and John said no.  So.... he 

doesn't get a say.  I'm thrilled with

how they are doing so far.  

Next year I will probably remove

the rocks around it.  I didn't

want them to accidentally get

mowed over last year while my

neighbor was mowing my yard with

the rider.  Aren't they cute?!

Now on to the new card fold

I tried this morning.  This is called 

a corner fold.  It is so cute and

came out really well the very first

time!  I'm going to send it to Robin

for her pastor's little granddaughter.

She is either going to or has had, I 

can't remember, a bone marrow transplant.

I'm glad they were able to find a 

donor so quickly.

I had to put something on the corner

to take the picture because it

doesn't want to stay closed.  It wants

to stand up and be seen!  But she can

put it on  her side stand and it won't fold

up.  I saw a challenge for using 

corrugated cardboard on a card so

I decided to get out my  little tool and

give it a try.  Unfortunately it's not

as tight as it used to be so I had

some trouble get a good piece.  This

was the best and it's not straight 

because I can't draw a straight line

with a ruler!  True story.  All in all

I think it is adorable.  the little

bear is popped off the pink piece 

and inside the butterfly is only

attached by the center so it 

"flies" off the page.  I love doing

butterflies like that.  It makes

them look a little more real.

This last picture is of my SIL's lilac bonsai.

She says it's about 20 now.  I wish I

had gotten a better picture of the 

full pot but the sun was so

bright I couldn't tell that I cut off

the bottom.  Doesn't she have the 

cutest faerie garden??

Well, off to get ready for church.

I am liking the new church so far

and learning a lot watching

Pam (my teacher, not DIL)

signing the sermons.