Northern lights

This is the Northern Lights technique.

I didn't get the sky dark enough,

though.  But I guess it looks OK.

I did one before this but

I messed up the trees trying

to make a "forest".  It did NOT

look like a forest when I got

done with it.  Maybe I'll play

with it again later.

It's cold and frosty but no more

snow right now, so I'm

trying not to complain.  No, that's

just not true.  I'm complaining.

And I have to get up

and out in that cold in a

 minute to get

a blood test.  I hope they

too busy.  It's

a first come first serve basis.

Mini me's

These are miniature composition books.

They came out so well I think

I might make some more.  Not

a lot of decorating (or embellishing

as it's called) on the third one.  That's

just the paper itself and then

a ribbon around the spine.

But, hey, it took me some

serious shopping at 

hobby lobby to find just the right

paper pack.  Like I needed

more paper!  I could start

a scrapbook store with

all the paper I have and when

I go to do a project I rarely

have what I want.  Sigh.

It's a good thing that John didn't 

know about them building

a hobby lobby in the next town.

I'm sure he's shuddering

right now watching me shop there.

Maybe I should call it

"banking" there.  They

take enough of my money! 

But I really love having it

down the street practically.

It's much handier than having

to go to Fort Wayne.

last birthday card set

 

I just love how these 

cards look with the blended 

colours behind the silhouettes.

I could make them all day!  Lots

of piecing together, 

but I think the result is well 

worth it.

It has been cold and rainy the last few

days, but I know the snow will fly again

soon.  :(   I don't look forward

to it, of course, but it's

a necessary evil for this

part of the country.

So as we get closer to

Christmas, I would like

to give a plug to "Pentatonix" and

their amazing song,
"Mary did you know". 

They are currently on tour

with Kelly Clarkson.  Bear in

mind if you watch this video,

that even though it sounds as

though there is music, there is

NONE.  They are a completely

a capella group.  Their sound

is just amazing.  I could listen

to them all day.  Another of my favorites

is "little drummer boy".  Check

out the video.  You won't be disappointed!

Black Friday

Is anyone crazy enough to participate

in black Friday?  I did one

time a few years back.  It was

madness and I will never do it again.

John and I had to call each

other in the store to find the other

one.  He nearly got trampled

trying to get a GPS when they  opened

the huge shipping box and everyone dove

for them.  And what we went for

was a laptop that unbeknownst to

us went on sale at like midnight.  Thanks

for the heads up.  Never again.

Last night I went to Pam's brother's

house for dinner.  It was pure chaos.

Friends, family, children running

everywhere, lots of noise. 

Normally I am

acutely uncomfortable in

situations such as this. Especially when

I don't know most of the people.

But last night it was OK.   I'm not

sure why, but I was not

uncomfortable at all.  I think everyone

had a wonderful time of fellowship

and good food.

 I absolutely love how this

card turned out.  Again, I forgot to

take a picture of the inside.  So the

sentiment reads: "May your

birthday be filled with many

blessings"  and is stamped

on an oval like the front.  

It turned out really well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

My sister in law's birthday

was a couple days ago, but

I didn't realize it for some reason...

I'm claiming old age as my excuse: aka

"old-timers disease"

So...I had to make her a belated

birthday card.  I didn't take a picture

of the inside, but I like how the outside

turned out. It looks much better in person.

I'm putting some tissue paper

in between the card front and the envelope

in hopes that it won't damage the envelope in 

transit.  The post office is not always

gentle in it's handling of the mail.

Everyone have a wonderful day

and don't eat too much.

Yeah, right!!

Penguin kiss pouches

Aren't these cute?  I've been

making them to go in 

the bag of goodies that everyone

is going to get for Christmas.

I don't have a punch the right

size so I've had to cut

each little circle out by hand!

What a pain!  But it keeps me

busy and I enjoy it.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.

I have so many things to 

be thankful for: Family, friends,

health, a warm home to live

in. If I started to count my

blessings I wouldn't have enough

paper in the house-and believe

me- I've got A LOT of paper!

I don't need paper, though, to

be thankful to the One who made

my life and everything in it possible:

Jesus Christ.  Without Him I wouldn't

be here to enjoy this life.

So as I reflect on my life

to this point, I always remember

that no matter the problems

that life throws at us; no matter

the sadness or trials we have

to endure, we always have One

who is right beside us every step

of the way.  All we need do

is avail ourselves of His mercy

and love.

Birthday cards

These are one of the card sets I'm

making for a friend's birthday.

I love how they turned out,

especially the piano, since

I had trouble with that...

Inside there are quotes from Psalms

that have reference to music.

This is a birthday card for

my grandson, Jake.  Believe

it or not, that is embossed silver 

duct tape!  Or as it is know

now, "duck" tape.  Maybe 

since it's silver and not the fancy

designs they have now, this

one is still "duct" tape.  Anyway,

I saw this on pinterest and just had

to try it.  Not as great as I 

hoped it would be, but the tape

wasn't too much so I am happy

I tried it.  Sometimes

techniques don't turn out the

way I think they should, or the

way the picture shows it.

Sometimes they turn out much

better!  So you just have to

try out the ones you like

and see what happens!

We got about 5" of snow

over the weekend and I am

not a happy camper, but 

what can you do?  B'Elanna

loves playing in the snow and

sometimes I'm worried I will lose

her, lol, since she is white.

Neelix on the other hand, hates

snow and will just stand there

lifting one paw after the other 

and shaking.  I can't convince

him that the faster he does

what he needs to do, the faster

he gets to go back in.