A pair of scrappy cards

Sorry about the big gap in posting. I've been busy. In a nutshell? Typing and marketing a cookbook for a school fundraiser, kid's volleyball, kid's basketball, work and life. I'm sure many of you are nodding your heads because you understand. I make it a point to spend the evenings with my hubby and children, not with the computer. ;)

Anyway, found some paper and a package of die-cuts on a clearance rack at Michaels earlier this fall. Put together these bright cards. Even though I didn't create them with any one person in mind, they were sent out in the mail the day or two after I made them as some friends needed a little bit of sunshine. Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Colleen

Happy Halloween!

Hope this finds the sun shining on you...we all need the warmth and radiance today, right?

Halloween at our house is pretty low-key. No scary costumes, bones, skulls, tombstones, etc. Just simple, light-hearted fun. For us it's only the eve of All Saints Day.

Actually we have a niece getting married today. She's invited all the kids (of any age) to come to their wedding dance tonight dressed in costume. Parents can bring their candy to hand out to the kids at the dance. Prizes for costumes, too! Fun! Speaking of fun, here's a few more pieces of "eye candy" for you. Very minimal details follow so email me if you have any questions. It sure would be a treat for me to read your comments (hint, hint ;)
Blessings,

Colleen

Another Pink Cat Studio digi image. Sentiment by Papertrey. Little froggie jumping is cut out and popped up. A very neat effect in real life.

Didn't I tell you I was loving Pink Cat Studio digital stamps? This one I turned into a treat pocket for Halloween. I followed directions for these from Teri, at terisplace, but I can't find the link at the moment...grr. Basically you take a standard card envelope and seal it. Then turn it to trim about an inch or so off of the longer side. This provides the "pocket". Decorate with DP, etc. then cut another piece of DP to fit inside the pocket. A quick and easy treat!

This last card is just dp (designer paper). I trimmed out the 4 fun little figures and popped them up on pop dots. Thanks for reading to the end!

Gettin' digi with it!

I've fallen for digi stamps! More specifically, I've fallen for Pink Cat Studio's Digi Stamps. Melissa (owner) has the BEST tutorial on how to use the digital stamps. I've been leery as I wasn't too sure how difficult it would be. Let me tell you: easy peasy lemon squeezy! Follow her tutorial here. I just use my desktop printer on Wausau 90 lb cardstock. It glides through my printer and I let the ink set an hour or so. Copics work great and even yellow and lighter colors do not bleed. Look for more Pink Cat Studio fun from me in the next day or two.

Details:

Stamps: digi -PCS

Sentiments: Papertrey, misc

Paper: Doodlebug, SU

Tools: Border punch, tag punch

Extras: Grommet, ribbon, buttons (misc), karen foster floss

Blessings,

Colleen

My Mom

My Dear Friends,
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." -Charles Dickens, from the novel A Tale of Two Cities.
My siblings, my Dad, and I were blessed to be around my Mom's bed as she died yesterday,
9-9-09 at 3:00 pm. For almost a week, my brothers & sisters, among grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and numerous friends, waited and prayed for Mom as she walked the final leg of her earthly journey. I can't tell you how many times I laughed and cried in the last few days. There was more than one 3 am memory fest around the coffee pot, and I can't believe how many of my siblings snore! Leave it to my Mom to make sure we had everything we needed spiritually!
She was like that, you know. Anyone could come to her back door and she would welcome them in with a smile. She'd probably try to get you something to eat/drink and offer you a place at her kitchen table.
She had this presence about her that made you feel as if she'd been waiting all day to see you, and when she did, her joy was complete! And when she looked at me, her blue eyes shown with the fact that she thought I was the best kid in the whole world (which I'm not, trust me.)! But in her blue eyes, I was. (My family would each argue that she only looked at them like that :)
Unconditional, pure love. No matter what. Oh, my dear readers, I pray you have someone in your life like that!
So, it is with joy that I will wait to see her again when my time on earth is done (with God's grace and mercy). But if you happen to make it to Heaven before I do, be sure to look her up. You'll know when you find her.
Just look in her eyes!

Blessings,
Colleen

On a very serious note

No art today.
The rest of this post is on a personal note.
It only takes a phone call to put life in perspective.
If you've read my previous posts you know my dear Mom suffers from Alzheimer's. This last month has been especially hard on her.
The phone call came on Thurs evening. My Mom's body has begun to shut down. Not a surprise, as her nutrition intake for the last week has been measured in sips of water and teaspoons of food. She is so weak and frail. All of my family has been called home and we are with her. Morphine has made her comfortable, but her body is working so hard to breathe even in a coma.
So...we wait. We pray. We sleep in 1 or 2 hour increments around my parent's house. Even if it's the hallway. And we try to keep some sort of balance in caring for our own families.
Have you lost you Mom? I'm sorry. Truely, deeply, and sincerely sorry!
If you still have your Mom...Call her. Better yet go see her. Touch her hand. Hug her. Breathe her in. Even if she isn't perfect, she's yours!
For now, my postings are suspended while I'm with my Mom.
Blessings,
Colleen

The Scrapping Cottage Contest

Hey, just found out about a contest at The Scrapping Cottage. To the tune of a $250 shopping spree! Check it out and good luck! PS-- my favorite die the XL tree die
Blessings,
Colleen

WSC95 TRENDY TREES

I had a chance to play with Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge (WSC95) this weekend. I loved this sketch! My niece Jen, (hi Jen!) gave me the color inspiration. She is helping with another niece's marriage in October and her wedding colors are Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, and Not Quite Navy.



It sounded so unusual, but when I pulled my sample cards out and laid the colors together, they were gorgeous!
Thanks to you wonderful girls who leave me such sweet comments!
Blessings,
Colleen

Details:
Stamps: SU Trendy Trees
Paper: SU Old Olive, Chocolate Chip dp, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla
Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Tools: Cuttlebug embossing, nestabilities dies
Other: Ribbon brad, ribbon, twine, paper piercing