Good news!

My kidney doctor said because I have

been stable for two years, I don't 

have to see him anymore, just 

follow up with my doctor twice

a year.  Isn't that great?!

I am showing this card only because

Karen already knows she's getting

them.  It's a little confusing and I'm

having to use one card to make the

next, but I think it came out great.  The

blue of the machine itself is a little 

pastel, but looks less washed out on

the actual card.

 

 I got myself a little tree.  It

is 24 inches tall and the base

lights up.  It even came with the

tiny ornaments.  I wasn't ever

going to get a tree again, but my

sister in law said I should, so I happened

upon this in-of all places-dollar

general!  It was only 12.99, so you

can't beat that.  No assembly required

and you can shove it in the closet when the

season is over.  Or keep it up all year and

it doesn't take up any room.

 

Happy Thursday!

 

 

ribbons and bows

I love the design of this card, but

I'm not sure I like the image.  It

was really the only one that would

fit.  Maybe I should have put a 

sentiment in the middle.  I

wish I'd thought of that earlier.

It's going to be a busy day today.

In just a little while I have to go

see my kidney doctor.  I see him once

a year, and I've already seen the

test results.  Everything seems the

same as last year so I don't expect

any changes.  I'm not a doctor, but

it looks the same anyway.  Then I'm

having lunch with Dianne and this

evening I'm going to my in law's and

beat the pants off my brother in

law in cards.  Well, maybe I'll let

him keep his pants on...   when I called

yesterday it turns out that he'd been

in the hospital for most of the week

last week after apparently developing

A-fib.  He's never had any problems 

before and didn't even have any symptoms

except that his BP machine didn't

seem to be working properly.  But it

was and the doctor wanted to call an

ambulance to get him to the hospital-

two blocks away.  They said they'd drive.

He's doing OK now, I guess, but on

a blood thinner that has to be monitored

every other day.  Good thing the hospital

is only 15 min. away.  I wish they'd call 

and tell me this stuff while it is happening. 😠

Happy Wednesday!

Santa kisses

Has anyone seen the new (at least

new to me) Santa kisses?   They are

adorable!  The little flag says

"Ho ho ho".  I found a cute box

to use with them.

She had nice clear instructions and

it came out really nice once I realised

what the difference was between 1 3/8"

and 3/8'...duh.  I decided I didn't like

the staple at the top and just glue-dotting

the sentiment at the top so I made 

this instead :

It has two holes punched on the top

and the sentiment threaded through

before tying.  I'm making these for

the grandkids this year.  So easy 

and quick and cute little Santa hats!

Cody and Pam are coming over today

for a late Thanksgiving dinner.  Is it late,

though?  Or maybe early for next year?

It's always the right day to celebrate 

Thanksgiving even if it's not officially that day. 

Happy Monday!

Christmas shaker card

I couldn't decide what I wanted to

put in the center of this design

so I thought I'd try a shaker card.

I used vellum to make it look a little

more Christmasy.  I don't know

if I achieved that effect or not.

I forgot to post this picture yesterday.

It is of the sunset from Friday night.

 

Isn't that gorgeous?!

 

Cody and Pam are coming over

tomorrow and we are having a Thanksgiving

dinner together.  That will be fun.  I don't

get to spend a lot of time with them and

they live around the corner!!

 

Happy  Sunday!

 

 

 

Crystal crosses

I've been looking at this pattern

for a while now and finally decided

to buy it.  I couldn't decide what 

colour to make it in so I made two

of them.

Aren't they pretty?  I made them on the

shimmer paper which I think makes

it even prettier.

The deaf coffee chat was a huge

success yesterday.  We had, I think,

6 deaf people.  I lost track.  There were

many hearing as well who either knew

sign language or were students.  I kept

mixing up signs.  Aggravating.  Hopefully

only my group noticed...LOL.  I need

to get with it.  I'm doing announcements

tomorrow, so I hope I do better and

hold the signs longer so it doesn't look

like I "can't wait to get the sign off

my hands"  🤣  Practice, practice

PRACTICE!!

I'm going to breakfast with Pam

in a little while and then to church

later to practice songs with Judy.

I was going to rake leaves, something

I never did this year, but it's windy

again.  Windy, rainy or I have something

to do.  I guess they will sit there until

summer when I mow them over.

Happy Saturday!

Falling stars

Did everyone get enough turkey?

I did!  I had a blast with Coleen

and her family and learned a new

card game called "13" which was

really a lot of fun, but also a lot

of cards to hold!  As we were leaving

I got a text from Pam (mine) who

invited me to come to her house 

so after a quick call to my awesome

son about the dog, I went on to Auburn 

and had another dinner, LOL.   That

I wasn't planning on, but it was a

lot of fun and I got to know her

family better.  Tonight is coffee

chat and I'm looking forward to that.

Here is the card:

These were pretty much the colours

the picture showed and I wasn't

sure about going with them even though

the matched the flowers on the lamp, but

when it  was finished it looked

fine.  It also would have looked nice

all in gold.  I might do another like that.  

I think I have like 10 more cards to do.

I send way too many Christmas cards, but

it's because I like making them and I

have something to show on the blog! 

Who went to all the black Friday sales?

Not me.  I did it once and that was

enough to cure me.  A mass of human

vultures.  Scary stuff.

Happy Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone has a wonderful

and relaxing day today.  Don't

eat too much because you can't

relax with an upset stomach!

I am thankful for so much it's

hard to list it all.  Yesterday at

the church service pastor listed 

19 things/people he was thankful

for.  Some were actual people for

one reason or another.  Some were

for things such as faithful members

who made the church run more

smoothly.  I can't really do justice

to how he said it, but it was very 

inspiring.  I need to sit down and

do that, but it doesn't need to 

be on Thanksgiving.  We should

 be thankful every day.  It's

just nice to have a day

specifically dedicated to it.

I really love this card!  The snowflake

snippets are turning out to be a good

investment.  I also made this card

with one.  I'm not as enamoured with it.

What I see in my mind doesn't

always translate to the card.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy

day, making memories to last a lifetime!

Happy Thursday!

 

Rudloph in red

I got this die a couple weeks ago.

I cut out the red reindeer and

there it sat on my desk.  Partly

because I didn't know what

to do with it and partly because 

my desk was such a mess I forgot

it was there. I cleaned my desk yesterday

and decided I'd better make something

from it.  I just love this card.  I used

a bit of "wink of Stella" on the dots

in the embossing folder.  And...yes,

I finally found a snowflake folder.

I also got a snow family folder.

JoAnn's is right next to the place

Dianne and I had lunch.  It would

have been rude not to stop.  

I finished some candles I was working

on as well.  My muse was in FINE form

yesterday and I got a lot done!

I was so sad to hear of David Cassidy's passing.

67 is so young.  That's how old John was when

he died.  I loved the Partridge family.  He was

not my "teen idol" though.  I was in love

with Andy Williams' twin nephews Andy

and David.  

 

Andy is the one on the bottom.

He was "mine".  David was my 

friend Stephanie's.  I was soooo

in love with them!

I am going to church tonight

for a special Thanksgiving service.

It will be a nice evening.

Happy Wednesday!

Birds on a branch

Yes, yes, I got a new die yesterday.

In my defence, I have been looking

at it for weeks and resisting the

temptation.  There's another one

I've got my eye on, too, that I

may get soon.  Hey- I use a 40% off

coupon every time.  That should 

count for something!  This is two 

different versions of the same die.

The sentiment is just laid on

to show how it would look if you

would like one of these, Nancy.

I was pretty pleased with how they

came out, especially the red one.  The

die is one entire piece so to get the

bird and flowers a different colour you

have to cut it out of red and green, then

cut the bird and flowers out of the main

die cut and add them. 

I was invited to have Thanksgiving 

dinner with my friend, Coleen, and her

family.  She said her mom loves

chocolate covered cherries-who doesn't??

So I'm going to see if I can fancy up a

box.  I will probably end up just putting

a pretty ribbon on it, though.  I mean,

what can you really do?  When  my kids

were little and they wanted my chocolate

covered cherries I would tell the kids

they made little kids get worms so I 

wouldn't have to share.  I was such

a mean mom!  🤣

I'm having lunch with Dianne today

and taking some mint chocolate chip

cookies to her.  She loves them.

Happy Tuesday!!

White on white pointsettias

I can't decide if I like this card

or not.  It looked a lot better in

my head.  I think I should have

made the mats smaller.

The "Merry Christmas" is heat embossed

in silver.  I like that part, LOL.

Nancy, if you like this you can have it

for your mom or I can do a different

one that has "Merry Christmas, Mom"

on it.  Let me know.  :)

 

I have two appointments today.  I forgot

that I had a dermatology appointment

this morning (they make these appointments

six months in advance!)  so I made an

appointment in Fort Wayne for Lili.

She's getting pretty sharp.  If she doesn't

want to go in her cage she clamps on

my hand and leans backwards.  With

sharp talons that is quite unpleasant.  No,

it's downright painful, actually. I've been so

busy I've been putting it off.

 

Happy birthday to my dad who is 81

years young today.  I hope I get around

and do things like he does when I

am that age.  

 

Happy Monday!

 

I see Santa and the reindeer!

Santa just flew by the moon.

Seriously.  See for yourself:

I thought I had seen a die cut for this,

but it was a stamp.  Nothing wrong with

that.  I wished it had been a bit bigger 

but it's supposed to be off in the 

distance anyway.

The silent breakfast was fun and every

one got a lot of practice.  One girl spoke-

oops.  Then PAM did!  Double oops!  I

got to speak if someone needed something.

Pam and I went and saw "Wonder" yesterday

afternoon.  I highly recommend it.  My

beautiful, awesome daughter in law-AKA

the other Pam-took B'Elanna out for me

so I could stay in town to practice songs

as well.  although, driving home last

night in the dark and rain I was beginning

to think I should have just gone home

after the movie.  It was pretty freaky.

Soon.  Soon I want to move to Waterloo.

But for now I can't because my parents 

need me closer.  The new car sucks down

gas like I'm manufacturing it in my own

kitchen.  It's got a huge tank and isn't

as efficient as my old car.  Oh well.  It's

a good car (with the exception of eating

my cd which I need to get taken care

of soon) and it gets me from point A

to point B.  But I miss my car!  

Done whining.

Happy Sunday

Thunderstorms in November!!

What a surprise.  last night it started

raining and I thought I was hearing

thunder but it was so faint I just

decided it was wishful thinking.

Then all of a sudden it was really LOUD.

So cool!  A thunderstorm.  In November.

Who would have thought it.

Another card for you, Nancy:

I was really happy with how this came

out.  I remembered that I had a

pointsettia die (I have so many it's

hard to remember them all).  It was

the first time I've used it and I was really

happy with how it turned out!  

Guys like flowers, right?!

My arm is hurting pretty bad after

the shot yesterday.  I didn't sleep 

very well again last night.

Usually it doesn't

bother me much at all.  The first

one was brutal when the anesthetic

wore off, and this one is pretty

close.  But for a couple of months 

of pain relief and sleep I guess

it's worth it.

I suppose I should get ready soon

for the breakfast. 

Happy Saturday!

A snowman and his sign

I love these little snowman images.

Isn't he just the cutest?  I'm glad he

doesn't have a sign that says "let it

snow" though.  I wouldn't think he

was so cute in that case.

I couldn't get the photo without a

little shine, but you can still see

what the image is.  The stitching was

done with the metallic thread.  That

is very hard to work with but

I love how it looks and I thought with

the stars it should be brighter than

regular thread.

Saturday is our "silent breakfast".

Pam referred to it as our "graduation"

from this semester.  She also 

appointed me interpreter....She had

mentioned it but I didn't realize

we had agreed on anything, LOL.

I guess she is the teacher and can

do what she wants.  :)  that's just

for ordering, of course.  I think

it's going to be a very small group

and they will probably just point

on the menu.  Or write something

down.  I look forward to these because

as much as Pam and I agree we will

have a silent meal it never ends up

that way.  The worst part is, when

you decide you are just going to sign

you can't think of anything to say!

But with more people that won't

be a problem.  It never has been anyway.

I'm glad it is finally Friday because I

get my cortisone shot today and

believe me when I say I need it!

I haven't been getting a lot of

sleep the last month.  But I'm

still not in enough pain to tell

him I'm ready for surgery...

Happy Friday!

 

Snowflake snippets

I was waiting for my hair appointment

and looking for a snowflake embossing

folder-which I did not find-and I saw

the snowflake snippets dies again.

I resisted buying them the first

time around, but when I looked at

them this time I saw possibilities.

Besides, I always have a 40% off

coupon!  I bought a  few other things

and they all came up to a dollar less

than the dies would have cost in

the first place!

It's a pain to glue down a tiny piece

like this, but well worth the effort.

I mounted it on some blue foil card

stock-blue for a boy- and here you go,

Nancy, card number two.  Hope you

like it.

I have to go clean for my friend today.

I'm glad it's not pouring down rain

like yesterday.  We never did get a 

thunderstorm, but it sure made for

a soggy day.  I started hearing some

pretty serious wind about 3 am but

it seems to have settled down, at 

least for the time being.

Happy Thursday!

Merry Christmas, friend!

This card has a vellum overlay with the

trees stamped on the inner mat.  I like

how it turned out. on the inside

it says, "wishing you a Merry Christmas 

and Happy New year".  I need to go to hobby

lobby and see if I can find an embossing

folder with snowflakes on it.  I used

to have one, but I gave it away.  Don't

ask me why.  I gave away a lot of

things when John died that I shouldn't

 have.  That's why you don't make major

decisions when someone dies.  That 

wasn't a major decision, but a minor

irritant for sure.  Anyway, this is one

of your cards, Nancy, if you like it.

The group meeting went really well 

yesterday and it was cool to have the

 group  come to my house this time. 

B'Elanna was a little freaked about

going to Aunt Laurel and Uncle Larry's

for the evening.  She didn't want me

to leave even though she knows 

them well.  When I came back to get 

her, she was jumping on me and 

running to the door wanting to leave!

The only time I've ever left her anywhere

is at the groomers and she's used to that.

They said she had a good time and

cuddled with them on the couch.

We might get thunderstorms today!

I'll believe it when I see it.

Happy Wednesday!

Matthew West!

Isn't she a cutie?!


What a concert!  He really puts on

a great show.  And he sang some 

of my favourite songs, one being

"Stronger" .  That got me through 

some rough times.  After class, Pam

and I went to lunch, then did some

shopping.  We each got a coat at

Burlington (not Burlington coat

factory anymore!) and  beautiful

necklaces , a cross with swarovski

crystals- regular $60.00  necklaces

for only $10. !  You can't beat that.

Sunday my friend, Ruth came to

church and I signed 3 songs and also

the announcements.  Pam says I'm

getting much better.  I still need to

work on my expressions.  I'm pretty

transparent when I've made a mistake

and am frustrated with myself.  She said,

"smile like, 'Yep, I meant to do that' "!

Tonight the class I've been attending

led by the pastor (how to lead a small

group) is coming to my house.  I didn't think

anyone would want to since it is half an

hour away, but one of the ladies said, 

"You travel half an hour to get here."

I'm kind of excited about everyone

coming here.  :)

Happy Tuesday!