Surfin' ...

...and I don't mean on the web! This is the real-deal! Anyone who knows me knows that my

most favorite stamping thing after pop-dots are -----do you know? Do you remember?! There are a few clues in this card! I first made this style card for my "nephew" (aka my best friend's son) some years back with a basketball theme. The card shown here I submitted to PaperCrafts Birthday Blowout contest however they didn't pick it (what won was the card I did in 10 minutes or less before I dashed out the door for work-go figure! Anyway, back to the card...

This picture is far from perfect...but I think you will get the idea! The "woody" station wagon and the palm tree are stickers (not sure by who), the sun a stamp by Judith, the plane with the banner is a clip art image from Greetings Workshop cd by Hallmark. The slidemounts on the left...have been covered with dp and then using clear labels I added my "captions": the first one says "surf's up!" and is a picture of James as a baby in a bucket; the second one is "water boy" and he's standing in the ocean; the third one is "official beach bum" and its him as a teenager skim boarding. And yes, that's him now (well, then-) holding his surfboard! I simply printed out the picture and cut him out! FYI, gold and silver microbeads make perfect sand! ; ) I used a TON of pop dots on this card to give it dimension. I like using the slide mounts as mini photo frames and including the childhood pictures with the present. It's almost a mini-photo album in a card! Well, my friends, my "to do" list is ten miles long today-and this week--so you'll see me pulling out some of my older projects most likely and maybe sharing a tip or two. One last note, please keep Julie and her husband, Roger in your prayers. They are going to Duke to schedule a bone marrow transplant for Roger. It's a difficult time for them but we serve and awesome God! Blessings, Sharon

Saturday and summer...

I love summer-love it. The warm, salty air, the sound of the kids laughter drifting over from the beach, hot dogs on the grill, dragonflies and lightening bugs--many week-end evenings we go out in the boat, anchor, swim, eat a picnic supper, read and relax...

But in the morning...once the cats have been fed, I want my cup of coffee and my favorite blogs to look at. And I guess that there are others out there enjoying summer, too, as oftentimes weeks go by before you see a new post. Sigh. Everyone it seems has gone into hiding...perhaps just trying to find a cool space to hang out... I am no exception! I've made it in the craft room to do the things that absolutely HAD to be done-birthday cards for family, a card for an order...but that's it. I dislike the shorter days of fall and winter --the dismal dark setting in so early...but it seems we're a lot more creative then, too!

Can't have it all, I guess. I got some new "toys" in yesterday---somehow I don't quite think this particular item was on my order form...! lol! If there's a box around...Inky will try and fit in it!

Off to the craft room-two birthday cards gotta get done! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Saving my sanity...

...or what little I have left! Lol! Today was spent with a cat undergoing surgery...and no, it wasn't the one that had been so sick! Poppa Cat (PC for short) got his shots-then a mysterious lump formed not close to the injection site but on the same side. We played the wait-and-see game and while it shrunk some, it didn't go down as much as we hoped. While the biopsy said it wasn't cancerous but could be pre-cancerous-we decided to have it removed...and today was the day. So, for the second day in a row, I took the cat to the vet. I left him of course and while waiting on the call from the vet (while my husband was napping on his lunch hour!), I made this water bottle hang tag thingy to get my mind off the other 1,000 things I had going on!
Since I managed to buy the larger rather than regular size water bottles, I had to alter the pattern a little bit-making it a tad longer. I used a new accucut die I got (the pocket) so I wasn't too frustrated with myself! This is a gift for someone going in a bag with some other treats and things. It was a super easy project and they would make great party tags--doesn't have to be a water bottle---a small bottle of wine with a nice chocolate instead of the Crystal Light? Hmmm...might have to try that! ; )

Back to PC---the vet did call---and she was totally amazed-the surgery was not at all what she expected! That scared me when I first heard it but then she told me that while they couldn't even see the margins of the lump on the ultrasound a few weeks back, when she made the incision, the lump was just "floating" in the fatty tissue-completely encapsulated and self-contained and came right out without cutting (sorry if you have weak tummy!) The power of prayer, my friends! PC is home, has made up quite well for missing breakfast and lunch and is relaxing as I type. I don't often "preach" here-but I serve an awesome God! I have been through a lot in my life and have seen God work even through the loss of my first husband to cancer and emphysema, the surfacing of my childhood abuse...the list could go on and on. I've learned, and continue to learn, I CAN trust him, and when I do, its just as this card says...
Take time to give thanks. You can bet I am!
Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping...

Blessings, Sharon

Happy Birthday Dear Hubby...

...and Happy 4th of July to the rest of you! While Southport has all the festivities that NC is noted for, we aren't there (obviously!) so, for us, it's as Garrison Keillor would say, a quiet day in Oak Island, my home town... I saw this card template on Split Coast Stampers and Theresa had made some as well for last years Holly Days craft show. Any time I talk about redecorating anything, my hubby suggests camaflage. I guess having had 4 sons he's well-versed in how well it hides most any stains! So--when I decided to make this card for him, I knew exactly what paper I had to use! I will forewarn you--it's a little "cheeky" and I mean no offense to anyone! It got a smile (and yes, even a blush!) from him---and he immediately began counting the "get out of jail free" tickets! Lol. I told him no copies or duplicates would be accepted!

So-here it is (below post). Whatever you do, have a safe and happy 4th. Don't forget what this day represents and thank someone who served to keep it the land of the free... Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Happy 4th of July eve...~!

Ok-so I am a day early-for a change! Lol! I just finished baking, packaging, pricing and decorating the muffins for the church bake sale as well as the ones that will be my honey's birthday cake (he's not a big sweet-eater (so his are minus the butter, cinnamon and sugar topping in case you noticed the difference!) but nobody can turn down these muffins!) I think they look rather festive and hope that will help boost the sales at church...I used the SU top note die cut as well as an SU stamp set. The flag "pics" and plate(s) I got at our local Party Time store.I couldn't resist putting in a picture of our "Poppa Cat". We are praising God that his biospy came back benign and the swelling of the lump has gone down considerably. If he does need surgery it will be much easier on everyone the smaller it is. I had just brought him home from having his stitches taken out and when I went to check on him I found him on the bed in our back bedroom, head on pillow, looking pitiful (did I mentions he's a male cat---need I say more?! lol!) This passive-looking guy turns into a tiger for the vet and her staff-he broke their blood pressure monitor, got away with the thermometer cover, hid under the bench in the exam room...Thankfully, too, we have not been banned from the practice---yet!

Have a blessed and safe 4th! Tomorrow's post will be hubby's birthday card I'm off to make. Until then, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

I did it "all my-by-self!!!"

Lol--this is what my little brother used to say! And yes, I am bragging today---I revamped my blog "all my byself" instead of having to call on our techy stepsons! "Go me" as Flylady would say! It took a lot longer than I hoped, but I think I like the new beachy look (please leave me a comment and let me know what YOU think!). The photo in the header is of the bow "swag" Theresa helped me make to go on either side of the alter rails for my wedding last year. I can't believe it's been a whole year already (June 21st!--seems like just yesterday! But I digress... The soft colors on this layout just make me want to slooooow down and relax-find some cool water to slip my feet into, some sand to squish between my toes...ahhh. I've got a lot of things to get done today-muffins to bake for our church chicken and bake sale tomorrow (I'll post them later as I have cute 4th of July decorations for them!), a birthday card (that's going to be late but it's hand-made so that should make up for it, right ; ) ), another birthday card for my hubby (he is a true fire-cracker baby-born on the 4th!), and then the never-ending housework. Ugh. My magic wand never seems to work when I need it to!

Whatever you do today-take some time for YOU and have fun. As one of the Christian songs says, you only get one time around...make it count. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon