Happy Retirement

A couple of years ago I worked at Joann Fabric and Crafts.  What made this such a good job was the people I worked with/  I still have contact with many of them and consider them to be more friends than co-workers.  I worked in the stock room and Les was the Receiving Manager.  He had already retired from the Post Office, so Joann’s was a second career.  Well, Les finally took the plunge and retired for good.  I was so pleased to get the invite for his “goodbye” party.  We went to Beyond the Border.

Sharon, Paula, Les, Mary Lou, Pauline, Marie and Nyssa

Of course, you need a card for a Retirement, right?

Les is a quilter.  He has used his vacation time to travel to different shows each year.  Now he and his wife are are hitting the road to do that anytime they want!  Happy Retirement and Happy Trails to you!

Birthday Card

Here is Scott’s birthday card. 

I took this idea from Mary Fish, a Stampin’ Up demonstrator.  Her blog is one of my favorites.  Earlier this summer she did an on line card class that I took.  If you go to her blog, on the left hand side, she has several categories you can access with ideas.  Another great resource for the paper crafters out there!

Happy Birthday Scott…when did you say your Birthday was?

August 1 is my brother Scott’s birthday.  He spent that weekend in Wyoming with his son, so we did not hook up with him for his Birthday until the next weekend.  We took him to lunch after church at Red Robin.  My parents and Jo joined us. 

I know Scott and Jo are both saying “cheese” here! Jo is probably saying “cheese-boogey”, translation: cheeseburgers!I

Scott is a real encouragement to me.  Although we grew up in the same Christian home, he did not trust Christ as his Savior until he was married and had a family.  He literally came to the end of himself before he turned to Jesus.  I will never forget the phone conversation we had when he told me he had made that decision.  I remember hanging up and calling my parents right away, hardly able to believe it!  We had prayed for him for a long time!

When Christ changes everything in your life and make all things new, it does not mean that life is without struggles and battles.  But He takes the struggles and battles and turns them into a work for His own glory and our own good!  I would not want to have those struggles and battles and not have Christ to help me.  That is what I love about Scott’s life.  I know he has a lot of struggles, but he is always turning to the Lord to help him.  I think that is what makes him a good encourager.  I learned recently that “to encourage” is to come along side of someone and give them courage to do the hard thing.  That is Scott!  I think he helps others do it because he has had the Lord do it for him so many times! 

I love you Scott and this Birthday Blog is long overdue.  But did I tell you my life has been turned upside down recently?  And even in that, you have encouraged me by being so positive about the move.  I know I know…you really just want in to use the hot tub!  Wink-wink!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
II Corinthians 5:17

Made It Myself Monday

Did you ever ask this little riddle as a kid?  “Pete and Repeat were out in a boat.  Pete fell in, who was left?  REPEAT!”  And then you would repeat the question.  Well, this is my REPEAT of a card I told you about here from Craft Project Central.  I was planning at that time to use the pattern again for an Anniversary card for Wally.  While Jo was visiting I also thought it would be fun for her.  She loves her photos! So we each made a card.

Here is her “sister” easel frame.  She had to do some more punching, but she got it done!  (See here for Jo’s punching expression)

 

And here is my card for Wally…

The border I used for the picture to set in is made with the Creative Memories new Border Punch System. The heart punches are also CM.

I am linking this post up for Made It Myself Mondays at You Had Me At Craft.

Crafting with Jo

Recently my sister JoEllen was home for her summer vacation.  She spent a few days with me and we did some crafts together.  I had been wanting to make an altered clipboard for awhile now.  I thought Andrea and I would do one together on my visit with her in July.  But we never got around to it.  So I thought, this will be fun to do with Jo. 

Here she is slathering the clipboard and paper with Mod Podge.

We added some butterflies that Jo punched out and then mod podged onto the clipboard.

Punching takes a lot out of JoEllen!  She’s punching really hard here!

JoEllen’s clipboard came out really cute.  She decorated the top with felt
3-D butterflies and little stick on gemstones.  Only problem is I never got a picture of the finished clipboard! 

But here is my clipboard.  I really like it.  I’m not too sure though just how functional it will be, but we shall see! 

Big Changes!

Wow!  I have not been able to blog in a bit.  So much has been going on.  And then when I sit down to blog, my little eyes kind of go fuzzy.  So it has taken a back burner for a bit.  Now let me tell you just what is going on with us.  Wally and I are in training to become the on site, live in resident managers for the Polo Club North.  It is a gated community in Denver of about 125 residents.  Wally has the bigger part of training…he will oversee all of the repairs and maintenance on the grounds, clubhouse, and residences.  I will keep the office open.  We will live in an apartment above the office/clubhouse.

There are many changes and adjustments taking place.  Just when I think I am all on board, I have a moment of panic that says, “this is a big mistake!”  That usually happens when I am dead dog tired.  I do believe the Lord has given me peace about our move, though I would never have  chosen this for myself.  It is quite a unique situation.  We intend to keep our house and are looking into renting it out on a short term basis. 

So, that, in a nutshell, is what is happening.  I’ll share more I’m sure as we learn more and get moved in.  Until then, I hope to get a bit more blogging done! 

A Thing of Beauty

Yep, it’s a tomato!  My very first one!

I have always wanted to have a nice batch of tomatoes but somehow, they always come out small, not very many, eaten by the bugs, cracked, or some other such disappointing demise!  I don’t know what I did differently this year…but the plants are very tall, as tall as me…and they seem to have lots of blossoms.  I am so excited!  I planted some grape tomatoes and have picked several handfuls…just right for a salad.  I also planted one roma plant and it looks like it is just starting to ripen! 

I picked this tomato on Monday.  I picked three more this morning…I think we’re grilling burgers tonight and having a nice juicy tomato on top!

Thankful Thursday

Everyday, Monday-Friday, I get an email delivered to me from Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  I listen to her podcasts but she has a devotional called “Seeking Him”  that you can sign up to receive at Revive Our Hearts.  I was getting them for quite awhile when one day I discovered that if you click on the underlined title, it takes you to a page where you can listen to the devotion! 

Today’s email was very encouraging to me.  We have some big changes coming at our house.  Last week, I was relieved to find a decision was made and life was going to go on pretty much as usual.  Then Monday, Wally phoned me and the first words out his mouth were, “Are you sitting down?”   That is how Seeking Him began today…

You really have no idea what’s in store today.

So now the decision was changed.  I was not expecting that, probably not even wanting it.  For my part in this big change, there are just a lot of unknowns.  I wouldn’t say I am fearful, I just keep “wondering!”  So this was very encouraging to me…

 There's one basic issue that will determine how you respond to anything today:What’s your purpose in life? If your goal is to be happy or accepted or loved, then you’ll face a lot of obstacles in meeting it.

But if your purpose is to exist for God’s glory, then you can accept whatever comes as part of His plan and purpose. You’ll embrace the hard things knowing that they were designed by God to make you more like Jesus.

Have you settled that issue? Would you say, “Lord,it’s not about me—it’s about You. All that matters is that You are glorified”?

How thankful I am that the Lord gives just  exactly what I need and often before I actually get around to asking Him for it! 

Craft Project Central

I like to blog around and get ideas for card making.  YouTube is a great spot to go for that, with endless video tutorials.  I noticed that some of the cutest ideas seem to be done by Stampin Up demonstrators.  Last week I saw some cute fabric flowers made into a headband on someone’s blog.  Of course I thought of Elaine and so I followed the link for the directions…which led me to Craft Project Central.  It was was like following the yellow brick road and finding yourself in Oz!

I just bought a subscription for July, only $10.00!!  After your purchase you will be able to access the PDF for each design to download. It is that fast.  No running to the store or waiting on the mail.  If I counted right, I think I have instructions for ten projects.  But many of the individual projects have more than one attached.  For instance, there is an adorable Party Favor project but there were five different favors included.  Well I know a good thing when I see it, so I already purchased a subscription for August!  The first project is posted, a gift holder and box! 

Here is an easel card I made from one of the July projects.  It pops up to hold a photo. Who doesn’t need photo frames?!  I made mine into a baby theme for my friend who just welcomed a new daughter into her family through adoption! 

The photo slides in on top of the scallop trip. It was very easy.  I didn't have all the tools that were used in the directions, so I switched part of the design to work with what I do have.  I am going to make one to hold one of my favorite photos of Elaine and Nolan…just can’t decide which is my favorite!  I’m also going to give one to Wally for our upcoming Anniversary!  (Are you reading this post Wally?  Hope not!)

So what are you waiting for, check out Craft Project Central for yourself!

Garden Goodies

Last week when I returned from Brooklyn, NY I went out to check on my garden.  Laying there, big as life were these squash.

They seem kind of big for slicing up and grilling! 

But I was pleased with my other pickings…

Not bad at all…there was lettuce too.

Strawberries!  I only get about six at a time…but it’s a beginning!

On Wednesday, the day after I returned, Wally and I had breakfast with my folks.  Then I went by their house and checked out the corn.  The past couple of years, Wally and I have been planting the corn there and then Dad does all the weeding, watering and whatever an old Iowa farmer does to grow tall corn.  And it usually is very tall!

A few weeks ago Englewood had a big storm…lots of rain and flooding and wind.  Dad came home and said the corn was laying flat!  He tied it up.  With a little time and some sunshine, it recovered and we are looking at good corn! 

Dad has a small patch of dirt behind the garage that we usually ignore.  But this year Wally and I planted all Dad’s seed he left out in a bag…some of it was dated 2007.  The corn came up but it was pretty sparse and Dad almost let it go.  But he left it and now its not looking so bad either.

Dad and me

Dad and his tractor…he was talking instead of smiling!

Made It Myself Monday

I made this a couple weeks ago but I had to keep it a secret.  It was a gift for Andrea’s “surprise” baby shower.  Well that has now come and gone so I will share this and link up for:

 

The tray is from 7gypsies.  I really like them, they come in a variety of sizes for the openings.  I purchased mine at Archiver’s.  Check out their blog with lots of great ideas for decorating a tray.  I am not a huge embellishment person so I kept this pretty simple.  I used my Cricut and the New Arrival cartridge for the die cuts, except the Baseball bat set.  They are something I have had for years from Creative Memories.  The Paper is also Creative Memories, a discontinued baby boy pack. (I really need to clean out stuff!) The photos, well they are one of a kind!