Hello shaker card

I love shaker cards and have

never been good at making them.  

But there's a new tool...yes, Karen,

I got it finally! called a fuse tool and

it fuses the plastic together around

whatever you are using inside your

shaker.  I'm still not good at it, but

it's a learning curve.  The plastic isn't

super flat, but this is the first one

I made.

Maybe eventually I'll get better.  It's

OK for now, I guess.  That tool is fun

but you have to be careful not to let it 

sit for long.  Just steady speed.  Also,

you don't want to cut too close to the

fused area or everything falls out

all over the floor and you have to

go into the closet and get the broom

and dustpan and pick up all the

sequins that are all over the floor.

Not that I would know about that,

of course.  Just a scenario.  And it

stinks, too!

 

We had a little thunderstorm earlier

this morning and it's been raining since.

I was supposed to go to lunch this 

afternoon, but she has been sick so 

we're going to an early dinner before

deaf chat tomorrow night.  I

think I'm going to trot off to Fort 

Wayne and get my ears pierced again.

That is, if they don't do it at the

Claire's here in Fremont.  It's such

a small store I don't know if they

do that or just sell things.

 

Happy Thursday!

 

Blue vellum and flowers

I'm still playing with vellum.  A long

time ago John ordered a pack of

vellum pieces in multi colours

because it's hard to find anything 

but clear around here.  I've looked

everywhere.  After all these

years I've still got a great deal

of it left, especially red which I

don't use a lot of.  I need to figure 

out a card with some red in it.

 

I'm not overly thrilled with this card

and in the picture you can't read the

sentiment.  It's from 

Deuteronomy 6:5

"Love the Lord your God with all your

heart and with all your soul and with

all your strength."

 

It's a little more visible on the card 

but not as much as I would have

liked.  I guess I should  have matted

it first, but I didn't think that far ahead.

Naturally.

 

It looks like fall this morning with

frost all over the ground.  But it's not

too cold out so I'm happy about that.

 

Our dinner was nice last night.  We

had a good time hanging out and

visiting.  I'm very blessed to have

three daughters in law that I love

very  much and one ex daughter in

law that I also love.   I didn't get

my girl, so they are the  next best thing!

And I didn't have to change diapers 

with them!

 

Happy Wednesday!

Another year

Three years ago today my husband,

John, went Home to be with his

Savior.  I miss him so much, but

I'm so grateful to know I'll see

him again someday.  Cody, Pam and

I are going to go to the Great Wall

Buffet which was one of his 

favourite restaurants and celebrate

his life.  He was a good man and

we are fortunate to have had

him in our lives.  💖

Aha!  I just figured out you can

use emoticons in this program!  

Look for more!  😉

This is also a larger card.  I took a picture

of the flap opened, but the card itself also

opens where the plain paper and script meet.

So, half way.  I cut two inches off the

front of the card.  The flap tucks under

 the nested shapes medallion.  Carefully.

It's popped up on foam tape which isn't

very secure.  I glued it to the foam tape

but I have doubts on how well that will

hold and the rest isn't glued.  I had to

use two pieces of foam tape to get it

up high enough.    So it's one of those

cards you open CAREFULLY!!  But I 

absolutely love it!

It's so nice and warm this morning.

I have an appointment at 1030

(which I should be getting ready for)

and then lunch with my friend, Dianne.

I am really  looking forward to that

as I haven't seen her in two weeks

due to illness and other scheduling

problems.  I miss her!  😄

Happy Tuesday!

Seeing angels

I wish I could see an angel. As a 

little girl I knew someone who said

she had served lunch to someone

who later she realized was an angel.

Mainly because one minute he was

there and when she looked again

he was completely gone.  Just that

 fast.  The story always fascinated

me.  She was a devout believer

in Christ and I have no reason to

doubt her story.  I would  like to

see one one day.  On this side of

Heaven, I mean.

I absolutely love how this card turned

out.  I used a larger card so I could 

get on it what I wanted.  I was shocked

to find out I had exactly 8 brads of

the same colour.  That doesn't happen

very often!  I don't use brads much 

but when I do I never have the right

amount.  Sometimes I use embossing

powder on them so I can have the

colour I want, but these were the

right colour and I didn't want to use 

something else.   I was going to try to use

microbeads on the diamond folds but

it turned out to be too much work

so I just made another one and lined

the edges with gold.  I love how it

turned out.  I think it looks elegant.

 

I'm off to have an oil change and the

weather is very nice. Well, except for 

the rain!  I should stop and 

get the car washed and vacuum it

out, too, but I probably won't!

 

Happy Monday!

 

gemstone flourish

While I was at Hobby Lobby the other 

day they had tons of things

on sale and the gemstone flourishes

were one of them.  These are beautiful 

to use on journals, but I found some

that were small enough to look very nice 

on a card.  And on pinterest I found

a really neat embossing technique

where you emboss a card, then

turn it over, stagger it a little  and

re-emboss it.  It does flatten the

first image somewhat, but it

gives you a really cool embossed/

debossed image.  Put the two together

and voila!  Here's the card.

Isn't that cool?  I'll have to play around

with a couple other folders and see if

they look good.  I saw one card with 

embossed pine trees, then she debossed

it and it looked really nice.  I don't happen

to have that one, but I have others that

might work.

It is supposed to be only 59 today.  

Yesterday it was in the high 60's and

warm in the morning.  It's all rainy

and chilly today.  With a cold

breeze to move the cold along.

Welcome to Spring, I guess. 

Happy Sunday!

Good times great

I was trolling on pinterest this

morning like I always do and

I saw a scored card that was so

cool.  I'm pretty sure they did

it with an embossing folder, but

I got out my trusty scoreboard and

played around until I came up with

something I liked.

I thought about putting pearls at the

intersections like the card on pinterest

but that seemed like it would be too

much for this card.

I also found something at hobby lobby

yesterday (hey I had an appointment

next door! ) that was half off.  I have 

always wanted to make rosettes but

I never seemed to have the knack.

Enter a punch that does pretty much

everything for you.

The rosettes wouldn't work very well for a

card unless you were hand delivering

it, I suppose.  They would make cute

gift bag embellishments.   This is just

the first one so there's nothing spectacular

about it.  Then again, my next and next

and next won't be spectacular either.

The punch cuts and scores, but you still

have to have the talent to make something

with it when you're finished.

Happy Saturday!

Black and white with script

I haven't used this embossing 

folder in a long time.  I get hung 

up on one and don't use any

others and I don't really use

embossing folders that much

anyway.  This one just kind

of lends itself to black and white

because it reminds me of 

old-timey things.  

I love black and white together anyway.

 

I had an appointment with the

dentist for Monday and they called

me last night: can you come in tomorrow?

Yes!  That works much better for

me.  The dentist's nephew died and

they are having the funeral Monday.

I don't know  how old he is, but I 

am guessing that his nephew was a 

young man.  Very sad.  It's not

supposed to be the nature of

things for young people and children

to die before they've had a chance

to really live.  I guess we just have

to trust God on that one because we

will never understand it.

 

It's supposed to be almost 70 degrees

today!!!!!  I am starting to believe it

might actually get warm again.  

Last night we had an awesome 

thunderstorm.  I kept thinking I 

was hearing thunder but we  have

a few yahoos  around here who 

have loud cars so sometimes it's hard

to tell.  Then it got louder!  I was very

excited.  I ran B'Elanna out quickly

and then just enjoyed the storm.  I

guess the next two days we have

an 80% chance of rain.  So they

say now.  Someday I want to

meet "they".

 

Happy Friday!

 

So glad

 Sorry about the paperclip.  As

per usual, a multi folded card

doesn't want to stay folded

very well.  But I love how

it turned out and it fits in a

regular sized envelope.

Who to send it to?  So many
people qualify. God has brought
some amazing people into my life.
Some have stayed, some have
gone.  All have shaped who I
am today.  Without their influence 
I wouldn't be the person I am today.
I don't think I'm too bad, LOL.
Improvements could be made,
especially when I have a slow
person in front of me on the road!
I need to develop some patience.
I'm sure there are quite a few 
other character traits that could
be worked on, but I'm relying on
Jesus to get that under control.
Thankfully He's not done with
me yet and never giving up on
me, either!  Even with all the
awesome people in my life
there's only one who will  never
leave me or forsake me and that
is Jesus.  I hold tight to His
hand and let Him lead me.

Happy Thursday!

Butterfly trails

I got this card stock at JoAnn's 

last Sunday because it was a good

deal and I don't really have much pastel

card stock.   Bonus!  I didn't realize

that it was pearlized!  It is so pretty!

I also got the cool vellum that's 

in the circle.  Isn't it pretty?

I also used a new product I got

with the dies which is called wink

of Stella and is a glitter that comes

in a paintbrush type of  applicator.

That way you can put it exactly where 

you want it much more easily.  I

outlined the leaves in it. 

I woke up in a bad mood this morning

which is incredibly rare for me.  I

was thinking of something that

happened Saturday and it just

wouldn't get out of my mind.  I

hate that.  Then I get on the blog

and it has removed my widgets so

I couldn't start a new post.  I looked

for half an hour before I finally figured

out how to change it back.  Technology

is great except when it isn't.

Yesterday my brother in law and

sister in law and I went to Applebees

and had dinner then played cards.  I was

so sad to find out that their dog, Frodo,

died sometime Monday night.  He was

a great dog, but had been failing for

quite a while now.  He was 16 years

old.  He was one of the reasons I

decided I wanted a dog.  I think he

is running the green hills of Heaven

with Neelix, John's dog, and all the

birds.  At least that's how I

like to picture it.

Rest in Peace, Frodo.

Stitched squares

I finally got my news toys from

Stampin' up!  It's stitched

shapes.  There's ovals, circles

and squares.  I chose the squares

 and  circle for this card.  I think they 

look so awesome!  I have a feeling

I'll be playing with these for a while.

I don't think I like the gems.

I thought about using pearls at

first and I think I should have just

gone with that, but it still looks good.

It's been a busy morning, I  had to

pick up my in laws after they dropped

their car off and I'll have to take them

back.  I DID have an appointment at

the dentist but they rescheduled.  I

won't be using Aspen dental again

after this situation.  I love my dentist,

but I thought they could do a 

better job making me a new partial. 

I don't like the service, not crazy about

the dentists, and they are S-L-O-W.

 

Tonight I'm playing cards with the

in laws and I intend to beat Larry.

We are ridiculously competitive!!

 

Happy Tuesday!

 

 

Purple prom dress

I thought this pattern was going

to be a lot prettier  than it

 ended up to be.

I'm just not all that enthralled

with it.

 

I took B'Elanna out just now

and I can smell the bread from

the McDonald's bakery.  It

doesn't get down our way too

often, but when it does, I just

want to inhale over and over!

 

We had an awesome thunderstorm

at 430 this morning!  Lightening,

lots of thunder.  I didn't hear

any rain, but everything is

wet.  I probably drifted back

to sleep before it started.

 

The songs went well yesterday.

I am still shaky on "Worthy, Worthy"

but I kept my promise to God 

about "Revelation Song".  I

just love signing the songs.  It's

such an interactive way to

praise God.  So much more

fulfilling for me than just

the singing alone.  Not that that

isn't wonderful, it is.  But to me

the signing just adds so much

to it.

 

I ordered a hand shape 

dictionary yesterday.  That will

come in handy when I know what

the sign looks like but not the

English word to go along with

it.  Which happens to me a lot,

I might add...!

 

Happy Monday!

 

Remember to smile

I really like this card except that

I messed it up and fixing it

would look even worse.  Hey-

it's handmade, right?  It's

not always perfect.

I slept badly last  night and woke

up late, so I have to leave in a 

couple minutes, but I did have

time to get myself presentable, 

so that's all that matters.  I'm

signing "Revelation song" and

"Worthy, worthy".  That one

I'm a little shaky on, but I can

watch Coleen and again, who will

know I mess up but them and

they don't pay attention to me,

they are signing/singing to God.

He's the only one that matters.

I don't think He notices either.  If

we are to make a "joyful noise" 

unto the Lord, a few stuttering

hand motions qualify, I think, LOL!

Happy Sunday!

Positive and negative

I have to admit I made this card on

the fly this morning because I didn't

have one ready and didn't get home

until 11 PM.  The movie was great, I 

really enjoyed it.  Afterward Pam,

her son, Josh, and I went to Arby's

and had a bite to eat.  By the time

we got done I still had a half hour

drive back home.  She was sad that

the little boy she interprets for

wasn't there.  His family had plans

to come and at the last minute

they had car trouble.  The movies

are closed captioned in case we 

have any deaf people attend.

So here's my quickie card.  I like 

how it turned out for a card put

together in about half an hour.  I

should have put the flourish

to the left a little more  but I

wasn't sure what I was going 

to put in the corner and THAT

is what happens when you make

a card quickly.

 

It's cold and rainy out, but at

least it is above freezing.  I am

looking forward to class this

morning and band practice later.

Pam says I have to sign at least the

last one which is "Revelation song"

because I promised God last summer

that the next time they did 

Revelation song I would sign in

front of the church.  Well, since then

I've signed quite a bit so I don't

know that that would still apply...

But a promise is a promise, I suppose.

It would be nice if I could do

a couple others.  I'm not sure if

I know the other songs or not.  

Guess I'll find out later on. 

 

Happy Saturday!

 

Bonsai!

My free pattern is a bonsai

tree with Happy Birthday at

the top.  You know, this is much

harder than it looks.  All these

little holes and it's hard to tell

which branch which one goes to.

I admit I guessed on a few of them

but who would know??

It's pretty cool, though.

 

Mother Nature apparently has

still not been found.  They need

to find her and shove that medication

down her throat.  We are under a

winter weather advisory for sleet and

freezing rain.  Fortunately only until 

11 AM if you can believe the forecasters

-which I do not.    It's getting really

dark out so we're going to get some

kind of weather.  I don't think

it's warm enough for just rain....

 

 My daughter in law asked me to

make a prayer journal for a friend

of hers.  She is shut in due to a

compromised immune system.

This is the journal I made:

 

I hope she likes it.  I also hope

I can get it mailed before the weather

hits.  I may have to wait until 

tomorrow or Monday.

 

Happy Friday!

 

 

Easter cross

I got a couple more stitching 

patterns.  Actually, only one

but they gave me a freebie for

rating their site.  How cool is that?

I don't usually send Easter cards,

but I've found some really

nice patterns and the stitching

keeps me busy/happy so I went

on the hunt for  more.

The pattern was shown in all

gold thread and at first I thought

I might not like it, but decided to

try it and it looks great.  I'm not

sure now, if it would look good any other

way.  I used the glitter paper for the

mat and pink gems for the corners.

 

Today I have nothing to do! 

Yesterday I ran around practically

all day.  Tomorrow evening I'm

going to church where they are

showing "Zootopia"  It looks really

cute and I'm looking forward to

seeing it.  Not so much that there's

probably going to be a bunch of

kids there.  I don't much like kids.

I like BABIES.  I never understood

that they became bratty little kids.

Missed that memo, I guess.

Maybe they will be well behaved.

Look, everyone.  I made a funny!

 

Happy Thursday!

 

Embedded embossing

I haven't done this for quite 

a while.  I started a card before

this, but....got ink on it and there

was no way I could fix it.  It was

too near the bottom to put on a flower

or anything.  Don't you hate that?  I

had to start over.  I like how 

it turned out. 

The white scribble along the

side was glued on, then the whole

thing run through an embossing

folder.  I've had the die for quite

a while, too, and don't use it very

often.  I think it was perfect for

this project.   I bet it would have

looked ever better if I had embedded

that as well.  I never thought about it!

It is ridiculously cold outside.

I'm grateful I'm not in New England,

especially the parts that got 2 feet

of snow, but still.  Didn't Mother

Nature get the memo that it's

Spring?  She needs to be found

and gotten back on her meds.

Seriously.

Happy Wednesday!