New cards

These are some cards I have recently made.

I am missing some of my card making supplies, so it makes it harder to be creative.  We are flying home for Christmas on Monday, so I plan to ship some of them to Florida.  Also, we have been tearing off wallpaper a redecorating our villa.  Time sure flies in Florida.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a picture of our fully screened Courtyard at night.  Love it!!

New crafting area

We arrived in Florida last Sunday.  Everything  looks so beautiful and it is good to be here for the winter.

We brought our truck and trailer so Jon could bring his motorcycle and I was able to bring lots of crafting supplies.

My thoughts all along have been where am I going to put everything.  Well, I sure have been blessed.  Our new neighbor had a desk and cabinets she didn'the need, so she gave them to me.  Jon removed it from her place and made a great craft area for me, adding shelves above it.
Jon is so good to me and I am so blessed!!

We removed the closet doors and set it in the closet in a bedroom which we have converted into a TV/den room. So I can craft while Jon watches TV/reads.  I still have room for one more cabinet and I will be searching all the many resale shops. (There are over 39 in a five mile span that has wonderful things at unbelievable  prices.

Now......to find time to craft. 

Card Making Weekend

I had a great weekend of card making along with 3 other friends, one from Illinois (Bette Hensen), one from Ohio ( Darlene Pavlick) and another from Michigan City (Judy Studer). We all brought new ideas to share and the weekend was great motivation of inspiration.  Two of our crafting buddies Gretchen Wilson and Diane Hover couldn't make it and we sure missed them.

This was Bette's idea.  She taught us this great Flip Card idea that

can be used as a regular card or as shown below- a Gift Card.

This is can be a gift card holder when opened.  I will stamp the sentiment when I am ready to send it.

This was Darlene's idea.  She taught us to water color the flowers.  Didn't it turn out pretty?

This was Judy's idea.  The card is folded in various folds to make this card.  Judy is top notch at figuring out how to do these unusual folded cards.

                                    This was my idea.  We used a paper napkin, sticky powder and Wow Embossing                                        Glitter.  When I send the card, I will add some embellishments and sentiments.  

Another paper napkin idea.  My idea.

This was my idea.  I used a Anna Griffin die for the bottom frame, Cheery Lynn top frame,

Memory box ornament which I cover with a piece of acetate.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Stuffed Peppers for supper tonight. A family favorite. My Mom found this recipe using corn instead of rice in a 1950's Good Housekeeping magazine. We have made it this way ever since. 

 STUFFED PEPPERS

  1              POUND  HAMBURGER

  1               PINT  FROZEN CORN

 1                    ONION CHOPPED

1              QUART  TOMATOES

                        SALT

                        PEPPER

                        GARLIC

                        BREAD CRUMBS

                        BUTTER

SEASON HAMBURGER WITH SPICES.  THEN FRY HAMBURGER  AND ONIONS TOGETHER.

AFTER IT IS DONE, ADD CORN AND HEAT TOGETHER.  THEN ADD TOMATOES AND SIMMER UNTIL THICK AND MOST OF THE JUICE IS GONE.  DON'T GET TOO DRY.

CUT TOPS OFF 7 NICE SIZE PEPPERS.  FILL THE PEPPERS WITH FRIED MIXTURE.  

THEN I ADD BUTTER TO SAME SKILLET, MELT AND ADD A COUPLE OR MORE CUPS OF BREAD CRUMBS,.  I JUST USE BREAD THAT I HAVE RAN THROUGH FOOD PROCESSOR,.

TOP THE PEPPERS WITH  BUTTERED BREAD CRUMBS AND BAKE FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES UNCOVERED,.  JON DOESN'T LIKE THE PEPPERS SO I DON'T PRECOOK THEM.  IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT THE PEPPERS, I WOULD PUT THEM IN THE MICROWAVE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO PRECOOK SO THEY ARE NICE AND TENDER.

DON'T PUT A LID ON AS THE BREAD CRUMBS WILL GET SOGGY.

I USE CORN THAT I FREEZE AND TOMATOES THAT I CANNED, BUT I AM SURE YOU CAN USE STORE BOUGHT ITEMS.

                             

Congratulations card!

We are so proud of our Granddaughter Natasha Trozzolo who has just graduated as a Dr. of Audiology and has been accepted into the Air Force as a Captain.  Tomorrow her Mother is having a Congratulation and go away party for her, so I made this card for the occasion.  

The flag is a Tim Holtz die.  I cut it 3 times, red, blue and gold and layered the layers.

The stars are also on the die.  I popped the flag and stars up for more interest.  The Congratulations sentiment is from Elizabeth Craft.  I kept the card simple because I think it says it all.....just how proud we are of Natasha!

Birthday cards

I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted or made a card.  But, it has and the reason is I have been sick and down for almost 3 weeks with pneumonia.   I am still not back to 100%, but at least up and dressed.  It has not been a good time, as I have really been sick.  I see the doctor again tomorrow, so hopefully, I will get a good report.  You wouldn't think it would take this long to bounce back, but it sure has.  Jon is coughing, so hopefully he does not get what I had.

We had 2 of our grandchildren with birthdays this week.  I did make a couple of cards, not my usual style, but just thankful to get them made.  They will be late, but I still want them to have them.

I took advantage of some pretty paper for both cards.

This is Sarah's card.  She is taking horse riding lessons, loves Tea Parties and is just

a sweet heart.  So, I added all of these things to this pretty Kaisercraft paper.  I added background strips of paper for dimension. and popped up the different items on the card.

This is Joshua's card.  He will be 3 tomorrow, so I thought all the "guy" things was perfect for his card.

I just added a strip of stripped paper on the side, popped up the sentiment and airplane.

I had the #3 from die cuts by Tim Holtz.  Easy peasy, but he would not know if I spend 15 minutes of 6 hours.  I took advantage of that right now.  Do you every do that?

I hope you all are having a great summer.  It sure is flying by isn't it?

Happy 4th of July to you!!!

                                                                          Our Home

As we celebrate America's freedom, take time to remember those that fought for us.  Below is a message from Frank Graham (Billy's son) today.  He said it so well, that I wanted too share it with you.

"239 years ago today our ‪DeclarationofIndependence‬ was signed by 56 men. Many of them paid dearly for signing this document—they literally put their lives on the line. Some were hunted down by the British and ended up living in the woods, some lost their homes, some were wounded or captured in the war. There is always a price to be paid for freedom. As something I read recently said: “Freedom is never free and patriotism is not a sin!” The freedom our nation has enjoyed came at a cost by these Declaration signers, and at a cost by our first Continental army and every military service member since then. This‪ July4th‬, ‪#‎IndependenceDay‬, Remember to pray for the heroic troops fighting for our liberties and those who have sacrificed so much. America has been greatly blessed by God, and we should thank Him for that today—and every day.

Beautiful flowers

Below are some pictures of my flowers that are now blooming.  We just about have the mulching done, but there is always something to do isn't there.  Doesn't leave me much time for card making right now, but hopefully soon.  I love my flowers thought!!!

 Astilbe

 Astilbe bed

Clematis

 Hydrangea and Lily

Hydrangea

 Lily

 Jon loves mowing and he sure is getting to do a lot of it this year with all this rain.

 Orchid Lily

 Peach Lily

 Yellow and red/rust Lily

Boy's Birthday Cards

We are celebrating Branch's 2nd and Benaiah's 4th birthday today.

This picture is our Granddaughter Kelsey's family at Easter.

Todd is holding Branch and Benaiah is in front of Kelsey.

They are growing up so fast. I will try and get individual pictures today.

Beckon and Bleydn are also in the front row.

They are a beautiful family.

This card is for Benaiah.  I stenciled it using Dream Weaver Stencils, added the eye and a spider.

White and black embossing paste was mixed to get the color of the elephant.  I did not smooth

out the paste to give a rough skin appearance.  I thought the map looked good with it for interest.

I am not sure why the card doesn't look straight, but it is.  Had to be the angle of the way I took the picture.

Using Dream Weaver Stencils and blue embossing paste I created Branches card.  I added some
silver itsy bitsy little silver balls and an eye for interest.

Sadness

When we get up in the morning we never know what the day will bring and Monday brought such sadness for our family. Our Great-nephew Shawn, Cathy and Bradford Willett's son took his life. We are heart broken and words can't even express our sorrow and shock. He was 24 years old with such a good life ahead of him. 
We are praying for comfort for Cathy, Brad and Scott (his twin brother) We would appreciate any prayers that you might lift up for our family.
Thank you.

Some of you have met them as Cathy always came down to my workshops.  They are from Wisconsin.
I am very, very close to them, so this hurts like the dickens.

Birthday Card

Alyssa is one of our adopted granddaughters.  She will be 14 this Sunday.  She has beautiful red hair and gorgeous freckles.  She is going to be a stunning teenager.  She loves pink, so I made the card below for her.

The front of the card.  I found this card stock in Florida that already had the 3 holes cut out and I thought it was perfect for a simple kind of card.  I think Alyssa will love it.

The heart and butterflies are Martha Stewart's punches and the embossed flowers are old Sizzix embossing pad.  

The inside of the card.

It was good to sit down to my craft table again.  I will be getting lots of practice as I have so many birthdays coming up this next month.  My cards will probably a little more simple than what I normally make, just because of the time restraints.  I still don't have my annuals all planted as it has been very cool in Indiana this week. (36 one night).

More Spring Flowers

Lupine is one of my favorite flowers and I am so blessed that they self seed each year giving me many new plants the next spring. I love them too because they bloom so long. Our waterfall is very soothing when we sit out by the pond. I don't have my annuals planted on it yet. The pinks (Dianthus) are such a nice addition to my garden and they smell wonderful.

 Lupine

Dianthus (pinks)

Back home

We are back home in Indiana.  It has been a crazy couple of weeks since arriving, but we are finally getting into the swing of things I think,  I have not had any time to do any crafting, but yesterday I filled in my May, June and July calender and discovered I best get busy making cards,  I think I have 16 birthdays during those 2 months,  So, between flower planting and house keeping, I need to take time for cards.  I have at least 6 kids cards to make, and I find those the hardest,  How about you?

I have been working in my flowers0 to get them in shape.  Last fall, I cleaned and thinned them out, so it has been easier, but my goodness I think the weeds grow right behind me as I hoe.  Below are some of the beauties that are blooming now.

 Jon and Whiskers riding around on my garden chair.  I use it to pull my garden wagon around which is filled with my tools, fertilizer, water buckets and everything I use in the garden.  I will get a picture of it later.

Bulgaria, blooms early and has beautiful foliage.  Not sure that is the correct name.

 My first Lupine opening up this morning,  I have about 30 plus plants that have self-seeded and will be gorgeous next year,  A plant seems to only last about 3 years though.

 Grape Hyacinths.  Very early and makes a gorgeous border. 

 My first Lilac bouquet.  Makes the house smell so wonderful!!!

Primrose that I brought from Mom's garden,  I could never get them to grow while she was alive.  I know she would be super pleased as she loved them and wanted so much for me to be able to grow them.

 Another Primrose from Mom's.

A new tulip for me.

New tulips.  Aren't the beautiful! 

 These new tulips look like small peonies!

 Whiskers waiting patiently  for a ride.

Tree Peony!