Well it has been a long time but I have been very busy getting my Christmas cards done.  I sent out over 100 cards this year.  I think I will have to cut back next year or buy some.  Here a couple of samples of the many cards I made

And these my friends are just a small sample.  I do enjoy card making but I have to say I was thankful to be done.  And speaking of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a card that I received from my dear friend Donna Sobraske.  Donna does not regularly make cards so this one is very special.

Thank you Donna for such a beautiful card and I miss you too.  I am now working on something called a Quiet Book for my grandson Cohen.  It involves sewing and glueing and zippers and snaps and a ton of other things.  My only saving grace is that pages (made from muslin) can be added after the initial book is completed.  Cohen is going to Mexico over the holidays with his parents and mom wanted to have something for 10 month old Cohen to play with on the airplane.  Card making might be taking a back seat for a few days.  I want to wish everyone a Merrrrrrry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

I have been working on holiday cards and actually accomplished quite a bit.  After the first 35 I started to make some individual ones that I will give to specific people.  In doing so, I completed to StampTV challenges so I sort or killed to birds with one stone.  I still have 10 or 15 more to make and I want to have them done so I can mail them on the first of December.

 Awwwwww! December 1 is my oldest grandson, Brandon's, 14th birthday. 

Brandon where did all those years go.  Grandpa and Grandma love you and I better get busy on that special birthday card.  Well I guess you all know what I will be doing the rest of the day. 

I have a sore on my stump so I haven't put on my leg today but it is MN club tonight so I better get a move on.  MN club is a social group of Minnesotans and I do enjoy going.  Until tomorrow because I will be stamping mad then.  Love to all.

Pam

Hey everyone, well it has been a busy weekend. Friday Dave and I golfed in the Minnesota Club's annual golf tournament.  Saturday we golfed with our neighbors and on Sunday met up with friends, Ginger and Dwight Gardstrom for lunch and for a model railroad show at Coconut Cove Recreation Center.  I did have some time to work on thank you cards for my 60th birthday party.  They were long over due but turned out nicely.

I also made a card for my wonderful cousin Janet's birthday.  Didn't get a chance to call her today but sent the card out so she knows I was thinking of her.  I liked how it turned out.

I made one card this afternoon for the mother of a StampTV sister who is in the later stages of cancer.  Her favorite color is teal and although the photo doesn't do the colors justice the card turned out fabulously.  I found the ribbon (a gift from another StampTV sister) after I had colors chosen and the paper piecing on the vase completed what a wonderful find.

As for my family, I had a nice chat with my son, Brian the other day.  He is still looking for a job so I will keep my fingers crossed.  Katy and Andy are finishing up the remodeling of their family room.  Cohen is 9 months old and cuter than ever, see what I mean.

It looks like he got caught doing something wrong.  Of course the black and white stripes don't help much.  

I haven't spoken with my two oldest grandsons, but I am sure that Brandon is as excited as can be since his team the Packers kicked the Vikings back to Minnesota tonight.  Blake on the other hand is probably not that happy as his team is the Vikings.  Oh maybe next year Blake.  

Brandon is pretty tired here but he sure loves his cousin and Blake's winning smile is awesome.  I have some very handsome grandson's.  Lucky me.  

MOJO 214

Well I have been busy attending theater, card class and of course golfing.  I have also been doing a lot of socializing.  Went to the Ocala Civic Theater on Sunday and seen Steel Magnolia's.  The cast did a terrific job and of course I cried because one of the characters died.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience with two of my friends, Shirley and Linda.  The three of us have quite a few plays scheduled and I do love to go to the theater.  I returned to Stamping Fools, a card making group in the Villages, and made three lovely cards.  One was mailed immediately for my friend in Minnesota, Juliana.  It was her birthday on November 5th and she drinks tea and that was the theme of this card so it was perfect. 

Today my friend, Shirley and I went to one of the recreation centers, Colony Cottage, to a pine needle basket show.  It is truely amazing what these people have produced with pine needles.  I am looking for additional crafts to delve into.  I loved the beautiful pieces that were displayed and for sale but I don't know if this is the craft for me.  I'll just keep looking.

While I keep looking for some new craft for me to try out, I have decided to get going on some of the card challenges that are out there and my first one is MOJO Monday 214.  I used the sketch to make a holiday card.  Hope you enjoy. 

I embossed the red background with a cuttlebug folder and thought it reminded me of a candy cane. I used Nestibilities to cut the squares and oval.   I purchased premade flowers and ribbon (candy cane looking) at Michaels and I used "Wishing You Joy" stamp set from StampTV's latest kit.

Well here we are at the end of October.  I have been doing everything but card making.  Went to a couple of plays and to Disney to see La Nouba.  I have also been busy playing a lot of golf.  Somedays are good and some days are bad but it does get me outside and moving around.   I am starting to finally get use to my new leg socket.  This is wonderful because I need to move around.  I have been a little down the last week or so.  It is funny but I have been busy busy yet feel so unhappy.  Sure wish I could figure out what is wrong. Ah well life, it is what it is. 

I have a lot of cards to get working on.  I did do some holiday ones for swap and they turned out okay and then I did make some for kids with Spina Bifida and now it is time to me to get going on mine.  I have a lot of birthday thank you's to do and of course there are Christmas cards to do.  I also need to get some birthday cards done so I have a few back up ones.  Sometimes I wonder how I had time to go to work everyday.  Retirement I guess is pretty good. 

Anyway today I completed a card for last Fridays FFAF challenge at StampTV.  Hope you like it.

Also my youngest grandson, Cohen, has become a model.  My friend Juliana sells crafts on Etsy.com (art4ubyme) and used a photo of Cohen wearing a knitted hat she made.  She makes all kinds of stuff so check her stuff out at Etsy.com.  Here is a picture of the hat which I must say is very cute well look at the model.

Two Weeks

Well it has been two weeks and I was busy the entire time.  I had a guest visiting from Germany, Christina Franz.  Chrissie and I cooked, baked and shopped.  Oh we did a lot of shopping.  We took a class at Archiever's in Maple Grove and made 4 Christmas cards.  My youngest daughter, Katy, went with us and the 3 of us had a terrific afternoon. 

Chrissie and Katy and some of Katy's friends went to Oktoberfest in Minneapolis and they tell me it was great.

I really didn't do much card making during the last two weeks.  I did do a lot of shopping for card making supplies.  Wow there are tons of new stuff out there.  I sent Chrissie back to Germany with lots of card making supplies.  We have a new recruit.  I had a great time during her visit although I must say I am tired.  I did more walking in the last two weeks than I have in the last 4 years. 

 Now it is time to get down to business. Have to start working on holiday cards.  I also have a few birthday cards to make so look forward to new cards on the blog this week.  I am also taking a class on using Spellbinders nestibilities so I am hoping that my cards will become more interesting and dimensional. 

Hello Out there,  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  I sure did.  It was my birthday on friday and we had our kids over for dinner and a quiet family celebration.  Then on saturday I went out with my friends for breakfast celebration.  We seen a garage sale on the way so we stopped and then we had breakfast at a small cafe called Henry's which is just down the street from where we live.  They have fabulous french toast.  I invited the girls over to see the beautiful photographs that the kids presented me with on my birthday but when we arrived the garage door opened and a surprise party was going on.  Well I have to say at 60 partying can really wear a person down.  Then on saturday night we watched our 3 grandsons.  Sunday evening we walked across the street for a neighborhood meeting that turned into another party.  I tell you us folks on Lancaster Lane really know how to party.    I realized late last night that I needed to upload my creations for the week.  So I did and here they are.  Hope you like them.

Holiday card with non-traditional colors

Holiday card with 4 colors, 3 embellishments and 2 die cuts

Color block Card

I really like the colors on the color block card.  It always amazes me that I can go into my stash of goodies and find embellishments that add so much to a card.  The ribbon is felt and is something that was from Stampin Up and who knows how long ago.  Stamps on all the cards are from Gina K designs.  I really like the stamps from Gina K designs. 

Today a friend from Germany, Christina Franz, came to visit.  Chrissy was here 15 years ago as an exchange student.   It was a mini exchange program so she only stayed with us for 1 month but we have kept in touch over the years and now we are friends on facebook.  Well my birthday continued because she gave me a beautiful santa claus figure and for those of you that don't know I love santa's. Well I have to say this was one wonderful birthday.  Hooray.

Well who knows what I will create this week but stay tuned because I definitely will be creating something.

Love you Brandon, Blake and Cohen



Happy Belated Birthday

Oh my, here I am making cards and having tons that I have yet to use but not one of them is for a belated birthday.  I totally screwed up and missed my sister-in-law, Donna's, birthday.  Sorry Donna I for some reason thought it was in September.  So Belated Happy Birthday to you.  Some day I will get it right.

Hi Again

It has been a few weeks for me.  Lots of things have been going on in my life so Ihave neglected my blog.  I guess I have just been doing minimal creating.  I am trying to get ready for a visitor from Germany and that will end the use of my craft room for a couple of weeks.  That is okay though I am looking forward to her visit. 

I started a class today at My Creative Classroom,com.  It is a class using Spellbinder Nestibilities.  I have to say I am impressed.  The more I look at the card I made, the more I think it should be framed but then where to hang it.  Will you take a look at this card.  It is 3 dimensional so it wouldn't go in an envelope very well.  It also is not the typical size card I make.  I also am somewhat copying the instructors design, Catherine Scanlon.  Want to give credit where it is due. 

I do like to add bling so there are crystals on the flowers and the tinybufferfly holding the ribbon.  I added pearl accents to the two other butterflies.  The image was a free download from the class that I just printed on cardstock and then colored with Copic Markers.  I used Tim Holz distress ink in Spun Sugar to make my pink paper on the lower portion of the card and around the focal image.  I also used distress ink in Linen to antique the ribbon, butterflies and the pink scalloped paper. It was a lot of fun making this project and learning how to use the Nestibilities better.

My dear Sister, Bev

I have been delaying telling you about my sister.  My oldest sister, Beverly, passed away on July 18, 2011 from a rare cancer called Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.  Bev had been diagnosed many years ago with leukemia but not until recently did they discover it was Waldenstrom's.  She was a strong woman in every sense of the word and I greatly admired her.  Along with her husband of 54 years, Ray, she raised six beautiful children.  Can you imagine, 54 years of marriage.  I am so in awe of that statistic.  For as long as I can remember, Bev and Ray lived up by the Canadian border.  Within the last 6 years they had moved to Thief River Falls, MN to be closer to health care facilities.  Because she lived "up north" I didn't have the opportunity to see her much but we took our mother on a couple of trips that were probably more fun for us than for mom but oh well.  I last seen her on May 28 of this year when Dave and I went "up north" for great neice, Ashley's, graduation.  Bev's entire family was there, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  This testiment of her love for family is her legacy.  I can only hope that my family pays tribute to me as her family has to her.  The times together, though few, I will cherish forever.  I miss her so much and my one regret is that we did not spend more time together.  Goodbye my sweet and loving sister, rest in peace and know that your legace of family will live on forever.  I love you.

Top photo: My sister Beverly and husband, Raymond

Bottom photo: Lori and Randy Masloski with mom and dad

Friday

Well I just don't know where the time goes.  It is already Friday and next week we are on vacation.  It is a time when our family goes to the Wisconsic Dells.  I am excited because all our kids and their kids will be there.  Lots of pix the following week.  It also means no stamping allowed.  I will be deprived for an entire week.  Oh well with that many people around there just wouldn't be time to concentrate anyway.  I had a funeral this week. Our neighbors, Rev Duane Juve.  I made a card for this as well as several birthday cards.  We are celebrating a friends birthday this Sunday he will be 90.  I forgot to snap a pix of the card.  Darn it! I also have a couple of neices that are celebrating birthday's and one card fits in with the MOJO Monday challenge.

MOJO Monday 203

 I am using a previously made card for my grandson's 11th birthday which is coming up on Thursday August 18.  Happy Birthday Blake, I just wish I knew what to get an 11 year old.

A Busy Sunday

Wow it has been a whole week of busy for me.  I took a technique class and we made nine mini cards using a variety of techniques.  The techniques included, quilling, stamping, punching, using copics, and paint to name a few.  Oh what fun.  In addition to that, Gina K Designs had a stamp release party at StampTV.  I can never resist buying something. 

With all that fun stuff going on I created a simple card for the CR84FN35 color challenge using  lavender, grey and green.

I have created a few other cards for StampTV challenges too.  So I will add them to my slideshow for you to view.  

Not to worry, I have been playing too. Playing some golf and hooked up with a friend from high school. Haven't seen her for 40 years and another friend and I spent 3 hours with her talking.

CR84FN34

I have been playing golf all week or at least trying.  It is a lot of fun but the weather and exercise took everything out of me.  No room for creativity until this morning.  The colors in the above graphic are so beautiful that I just couldn't resist.  Here is the card that I made using those colors. 

Well it is time to get going and off to the golf course.  Holy Moly!  I have golfed everyday this week and this year is the first year I really have tried golfing since my accident 4 years ago.  Oh well sometimes it is best to jump in with both feet.  One of my very dear friends, Jeannie, is golfing today which I am very happy about.  I play with her husband and mine during the week so instead of taking a day off I wish she would retire.  Oh well 1 day is better than none.  Hopefully I will be inspired to do more creative things this evening.

Have a good weekend!

STVMONSJD1 monochromatic card

It is mix it up monday over at StampTV and this is the card I came up with for a monochromatic card.  Lots to say

Catching Up

Well I have been on vacation.  I am still on vacation however I am now staying alone.  I had my good friend, Roxanne, down to our place in Florida for a week.  The first few days we just relaxed but after that the time went by so quickly.  Of course a trip to Florida would not be complete without including my other good friend Shirley.  Actually, Shirley cooked dinner for us every night and got the house all ready for us to come down.  She is the best.  We all golfed together with the Minnesota Club and then went out to lunch.  It was so nice seeing some of the folks from MN Club and renewing old friendships and making new ones.  We went to the Show Palace in Hudson. Florida and seen the play, Little Shop of Horrors.  WOW it was really good.  I had never seen it before so was really thrilled to go and Roxanne, who has been to Broadway, liked it too.  Shirley really hit the nail on the head with that one.  On Monday, Roxanne and I went riding around in the golf cart and did a little shopping.  I showed her a little more of the villages without the rain.  Well Roxanne went home on Tuesday so now I am here alone although Shirley is still cooking for me.  Yesterday, Shirley, Dave and I played golf and went out to eat at a place called Sweet Tomato.  It is a buffet with tons of salad stuff, soups, a little pasta, and baked goods.  Interesting but pricey.

I didn't know where to start with cleaning up emails but I knew I wanted to go to StampTV and see what was happening there.  I made a card for last Friday's challenge, a kid's birthday, STVFRIEG1

Since it is summer I thought this cute stamp by Great Impressions would make a cute card for a child.

Happy 4th of July everyone.  I hope everyone is having a great weekend.  I had a busy one.  Saturday I went to a wedding and as I promised here is a picture of the wedding party:

A very nice wedding indeed. 

Today we hosted a breakfast for some of our neighbors.  Which was just so wonderful.  These are 3

couples that are such wonderful friends.  Our grandson, Cohen, came over while his parents went to the Twins baseball game.  They won 7-0.  Yeah.   While Cohen was napping, I decided to check out a challenge and this is what I came up with for the MOJO198 Challenge.  

I found the circle designer paper first and it reminded me of the spokes on a bike.  The card just came to life.  If you are outside riding a bicycle you are bound to run into a few dragonflies.  Hope you like it. 

Gina K design June Release Challenge 1

Well it is a busy Saturday already.  My grandson, Cohen, surprised me with a wake up visit.  Totally funny.   I was sleeping and thought oh Cohen is making noise in my dreams and the next thing I know he is sitting on top of me cooing.  I wasn't dreaming. 

Then my youngest sister, Bobbie and her hubby, Kenny stopped by to pick up some things for a silent auction and sale for a women's shelter.  What a wonderful idea for all my cards that I have made over the last year and not used.  I made four holders that look like magazine holders and placed 10 cards in each.  I also gave her an additional 15 cards plus a ton of scrapbooking things that I have had when I used to sell Creative Memories.  Need to purge a little and this was sure a good way to do that, although I still have plenty.  I even have a plastic shoe box full of cards to use. 

Later today we are off to a wedding.  Our neighbors, Jeannie and Darrell's oldest son Cory is getting married today and what a beautiful day it is for a wedding.  Pictures to follow. 

Well I had a little bit of time and thought I would start filling that second plastic shoe box again.  Gina K designs June stamp release was on Thursday night and with a new release their are always contests and extra challenges.  I just love StampTV, it is the very best. The first challenge was to make 4 tags.  I really had a lot of fun doing the tags.  I wanted to create a set so I used the same stamps using different colors.  I used Gina K design stamp set "Vintage Chic" for the image and Gina K design stamp set "Springtime Silhouettes" for the sentiment. I used Stampin Up inks, Cameo Coral, Lovely Lilac, Pretty in Pink and Summer Sun.  I then decided to sponge a little additional color on with Tim Holtz's sponge applicator.  And last but not least, I added a matching ribbon to each tag. Here is my interpretation for the June Release challenge #1:

I really like the bright and cheery feel of these tags and think they will be a nice addition for that silent auction and sale for the women's shelter.  I might just make another set for get well and thanks to add to these four so that the set has a little more substance.  A note can be written on the back of the tag as I made them quite large.  The size I made these are 2 1/2 inches wide X 5 1/2 inches long.

Wonderful Wednesday

I had a busy Wednesday.  Dropped of my grandsons after breakfast, then stopped and picked up a birthday gift for my son-in-law, a couple of doctor appointments and the hair dresser.  All of this before 4 p.m.  I finally had an opportunity to check out CPS and their challenge for this week.  I liked the sketch challenge this week so here is my interpretation of CPS 224:

The designer paper is Stampin Up and the stamps are Gina K designs "Follow Your Dreams"

Stampin with friends

Last night was so much fun.  Went to a Stampin Up event and made four cards and oh they were oh so cute.  Good friends and fabulous designs (not mine of course)  and oh boy a bunch of new exciting stamps.  I love it.  Here are the cards we made:

Sad Tuesday

Well I really haven't accomplished anything today except to take Brandon and Blake over to their cousin Cohen's to play.  The two older boys just love to hold and care for the baby.  Today his mom decided it was pool time.  We blew up the pool and put water in but little Cohen didn't like it all that much.  After several tries, everyone had had enough.  Besides we had been there for almost 4 hours so we left so Cohen could have a nap which he reluctantly went for as soon as we left. 

I received news last night that my oldest sister, Beverly is back in the hospital.  She has been fighting cancer for a number of years but most recently found out that the cancer had been misdiagnosed.  It seems she has this rare cancer called Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.  It looks like leukemia in the beginning stages but as it progresses the doctor's are able to name it with the appropriate test.  Along with that she is having kidney issues.  It is the kidney's that have landed her in the hospital this time.  It is really all interconnected as the Waldenstrom's deals with the blood too. 

My heart hurts knowing that my sister is struggling with this disease.  She has a wonderful loving husband, 6 children, 17 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren so her family is large and very loving.  Still it is difficult to see the struggle.  I went to visit her a couple of weeks ago and she was so very thin and frail looking.  I am so sad.  But God does not give anything we can't handle so I guess our family will just have to get through this.  My sister is a fighter too.  She will fight this to the bitter end so Waldenstrom's watch out. 

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.  Sometimes a person just needs to let go.  Now I can get my creative juices going because after all I am going to a Stampin Up stamp camp tonight.  These events always make me happy even if I spend too much money.  I don't really plan on spending any money but you never know when I just might need something.  Later tonight folks I will share some of my work.  Until later.

CCMC156

Well here it is still Monday.  Brandon and Blake are in bed and I can have my computer again.  I found another challenge that uses Stampin Up products and that does excite me since I have so many stamp sets.  So here is my interpretation of the color challenge on Create with Connie and Mary. The challenge was to use Tangerine Tango, Tempting Turquoise, and Old Olive.  Here is the beautiful card that I created using the stamp set "Live Like You Mean It"  Boy no truer words were ever written or stamped for that matter.

It's Monday

Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend.  I sure did.  It was a busy one but that tends to keep me out of trouble.  On Saturday, there was a surprise 30th wedding anniversary for our neighbors, Donna and Mark.  They have two sons and they did a good job because Donna and Mark were definitely surprised.  

On Sunday I played golf in the a.m. and then we went to a graduation party for my great neice Molly.  It was good to see everyone and catch up on what is happening in their lives.  Don't see them much so was sure glad I had a chance to see them and congratulate the high school graduate who is heading to Aveda School in the fall for cosmotology as well as massage therapy.  I have found a new best friend.  (LOL) On top of all that my youngest grandson was at the grad party too.  I just love that little guy he sure does make me smile.

Well it is Monday and I have a busy week.  I had a dentist appointment and then went and picked up my other two grandsons for a little visit. They two make me smile but they are older now and I am not allowed to say how cute they are because I embarrass them.

They love video games as all kids there age but they also each have a facebook page so my computer has been very busy today.  While they were busy on the computer I did have the change to create a card for StampTV's Mix it up Monday Challenge.  It was a color challenge using pink, grey and ivory. Those are not challenging for me.  I love the color combo.  I used Gina K's StampTV stamp set called "Vintage Chic" for my sentiment and focal image.  I also used a few nestibilities die cuts and always a little bling.  I do love the bling.  It is funny because when it comes to jewelry I am conservative but my cards wear bling. Anyway here is the card that I created for MIUM June 27, 2011

STVMONTG2

I think it turned out rather nice.  Of course I will be adding more cards as I find more challenges but it will have to wait until tomorrow.