Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Farewell 2014

This post is going to be one of those "LIFE" posts, nothing really crafty today.  It's a little tribute and reminder to myself of what 2014 had in store for me and my family, and maybe some hope that 2015 will be full of family, fun and some miracles.

Some years I find that I'm glad to leave the old behind and look forward to the new.....this coming year, I'm a little bit unsure of what it will bring. In some ways, hopefully it will be the best year yet....in other ways, it might be one of my hardest yet.

Some highlights from 2014:

                                   My daughter and step-daughter both graduated high school. Yay!!



Ashlie and her friends graduated from Seminary.
                 
My son graduated from the LVMPD, so proud of him!





We welcomed a grand baby into the family.  My step-daughter and her husband had a little boy who just couldn't wait to get here and was two months premie....he stayed in the NICU for almost two months and is now home and weighing almost 8 lbs.  He's a little fighter and such a wonderful little guy! 
 




The first total family picture we've had taken in years and may be the last one where we have everyone together at the same time.


Thanksgiving 2014.  
One month earlier, we found out that my mom was diagnosed with ALS.  It was a pretty devastating diagnosis.  We had a family friend pass away from this disease about 25 years ago and it terrifies my mom to know that this is her journey right now.  We figure at this time she is at least a year into her symptoms.  We don't know how much time she has, how fast she will progress with this disease or how bad it will get.  As of right now, she is still functioning almost normally.  She does have issues with her speech, it almost sounds like she's had a stroke, and it's hard for her, she sometimes stumbles and slurs her words.  She also has uncontrollable sobbing fits, which frustrates and embarrasses her, she also is feeling weaker and fatigue, sometimes has problems with choking and breathing.  She is 65 years young, and the sweetest person I've had the pleasure of knowing.  I wish this wasn't her path, but am grateful for the time we have.  I think this has really rallied our family together, we've always been pretty close, but this just makes the time we have together a little more precious. 

This is only ONE of the many family pictures we took and the only one I have access too, the others are on my daughters computer and she is in TX right now.....but I think this captures us perfectly!!  
We have a pretty small family, just me and my sister as far as siblings go.  I have my two kids and my sister has her four.  We have a possible new member of the family....my son brought his darling girlfriend ( the cute redhead in the stripped sweater) to meet us for the first time and we all really love her and hope in time she becomes a permanent part of the family. We can all be pretty goofy and not take ourselves too seriously, often times we have laughing fits at ourselves.  We are all dorks and we totally embrace all of our dorkiness! 

Also, another somewhat devastating situation is with my sister.  The cute dark haired one on the left....she has what they thought was colon cancer and had surgery, they found out that it wasn't cancer, but a symptom of her stage 4 endometriosis, and she also has possible kidney cancer.  She still has tests that need done and second opinions. Lots of prayers being said for her and her family.  

Two of the most important women in my life and we are facing some hard battles ahead.  My sister is my rock and my mom is just there for me whenever I need anything.  Now, it's my turn to be there for them, for whatever they need and to be strong for them.  I'm SO grateful for our family, for the amazing parents, sister, brother-in-law, husband, kids, nieces and nephews.  


This is what life is all about.  FAMILY.  And I love mine with all my heart.

So, no matter what 2015 brings, with the help of family, God, our beliefs and each other, we will get through and we will be stronger.  

2015 BRING IT!!





Monday, December 29, 2014

Warm Wishes


I finally got this cute little guy on a card, he's been colored up for a few weeks, and I found a cute sketch over at From the Heart Stamps, I used a new embossing folder from Darice-snowflakes, I lightly ran my ink pad across the top to make  the snowflakes stand out and inked the edges as well.  The black stitched circle is a die from My Favorite Things, the sentiment is from Some Odd Girl, the snowflake die is from Lawn Fawn and the enamel dots are gumdrops from Your Next Stamp. 


Sketch091 Inspiration Board




I would like to enter the following challenges:
+Loves Rubber Stamps-ATG

A Birdbrain Christmas

I've been playing with the challenges over at From the Heart Stamps, they have a stamp of the month freebie that you can get if you continually play along.  I just love this fun image.....I love all the birdbrain images, they are just unique, funky and quirky.  So I finished this one yesterday and is the last Christmasy project I will work on....until next year that is.  

I used copics, spellbinder dies, chevron background stamp on the red paper and some green ribbon.  


I would like to enter the following challenges:

+From the Heart-Sketch: top 3
+From the Heart-Stamp of the Month
+Loves Rubber Stamps-ATG

Friday, December 26, 2014

Thinking of You.....

Happy Day after Christmas!  I hope everyone had a great holiday, mine was fairly quiet, just the husband and myself. My parents are with my sister in Eden Utah and my daughter went to Vegas and then Texas with her dad and his family to see the Grandparents.  

I got up super early this morning....6:30 and went shopping.  I'm not sure what in the heck I was thinking, cuz I hate shopping and crowds, but I've picked up some good deals on gift wrap, containers, etc....and then JCPenny had to be open early with doorbusters...I picked up four shirts and a cardigan.  Happy early Birthday to me!! 

Now I'm having a Lord of the Rings marathon while I'm getting some coloring and card making done....I tell ya, it's the perfect day!!  :D

I created this card using an image from CC Designs, it's a freebie on their FB page with a coloring contest to go along with it.  I colored her up with copics and used some dies from CC Designs (the banner and border) the Hearts are from Lawn Fawn, the sentiment is a rub-on from Pebbles in my Pocket. 


I hope you all have a great day and enjoy the upcoming weekend!!!



I would like to enter the following challenges:

+My Favorite Things-based off sketch #208

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas!!


 I just want to wish my family, in real life friends and all the wonderful friends I have met in blogland a very Merry Christmas season.  May you be happy, healthy and safe.

I'm sharing this absolutely amazing video by The Piano Guys.  I just love them and their music, plus they are local to my town and I went to school with Paul and my good friend's son works with them.  It's magic to watch them and the joy and passion that they have for their music, this video totally gives me chills everytime I watch it!  I hope you enjoy!!

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Merry Christmas Polar Bear style!

....and here is the last card I finished this weekend.  I love it when I have time to color and complete a card all in the same day!

Again, I used this adorable image from Drawn with Character, the Etsy shop can be found HERE.

I colored with copics, the pattern paper is from a 6x6 Christmas pad ( I'll have to check on the company) the snowflake is a die from Lawn Fawn and the banner is part of the Blueprints 13 from My Favorite Things, a little twine and a bling gem to finish it off.  
 

I would like to enter the following challenges:
+My Favorite Things-sketch


My Favorite Things-Color palette
+Simon Says Stamp-Winter Inspiration
+Loves Rubber Stamps-ATG
+{PIN}spirational Challenge-Photo inspiration
Whimsy Inspiration-ATG

Merry Christmas, penguin style

I'm sharing another card that I finished over the weekend and I used this totally adorable penguin from Drawn with Character...you can find the Etsy shop HERE




I would like to enter these challenges:

+My Favorite Things-color palette
+Loves Rubber Stamps-ATG
+Simon Says Stamp-Winter Inspiration
 +Your Next Stamp
YNSSketch-4

Warm & Cozy

Happy Sunday! 

I had some time to color and craft this weekend and got a few cards done, this first one that I'm sharing is using an image from Whimsie Doodle, it's in the freebie section, so if you want to grab it, you can find it HERE!

I used the sketch from Sugar Pea Designs and a tag from my stash that I've had FOREVER! Love using up my supplies!  I added the sentiment , the Merry Christmas is washi tape, added some ribbon, twine, faux stitching and that's about it!  I love the clean and simple sketch and usually tend to keep my cards simple as well.

Hope you like! :)



I would like to enter the following challenges:

+Whimsie Doodle-Celebrate the Holidays -won digi
+Sugar Pea Designs-sketch


+Loves Rubber Stamps-ATG
+Simon Says-winter inspiration
Whimsy Inspiration-ATG

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Hang in There

Hello to everyone in blogland, hope you are having a wonderful mid-week day!  


How are your holiday preparations going? Do you celebrate? Do you bake up a storm?  Shop and be done early, or wait until the last moment?  Me....I kind of do both, I do what I can as early as I can, but still find myself waiting until the last minute to finish things up.....procrastination and I have a complicated relationship  :/

However, one thing that is not complicated is our challenge over at  A RANDOM FAN- it's Anything Goes, see.....super easy.  So make a project and share with us, we'd love to see what you've been working on!

I used this adorable image called Hanging On, colored her with copics, the tree corner is an SVG cut from Miss Kate Cuttables and the butterflies are from a Martha Stewart punch, I also distressed the background for some sky effect.

If you any of you are having a hectic/crazy time, then this card is for you!! :D




I would like to enter the following challenges:

+Loves Rubberstamps:ATG
+Creative Card Crew-ATG
+Simon Says Stamp-ATG
+Treasured Times Rubber stamps-ATG
+Sister Act Card Challenge-ATG
Whimsy Stamps-ATG
+Kraftin Kimmie-ATG
Sugar Pea Designs-ATG
+MarkerPop-ATG



Saturday, December 13, 2014

Playtime Winter Penguin

I used this cutie image from 2 Cute Ink to make this card for the FB challenge, I colored with copics, used paper from the Moments and Memories 6x6 pad from Carta Bella, the snowflakes are from Lawn Fawn, the gumdrops are from Your Next Stamp and the heart is Lawn Fawn, the sentiment is from Some Odd Girl.  You can find this cute image in the 2 Cute Ink shop HERE

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

+Little Red Wagon-Snowflakes
Loves Rubberstamps-Christmas or Winter
+Eureka Stamps-ATG or Snow
+Sugar Pea Designs-Winter Wishes

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Magical Winter Wishes

Hello everyone in blogland, happy Wednesday to ya!!  I hope today finds you all happy and healthy!

I'd like to share a card I made using this fabulous image from Kraftin Kimmie called Pompom Fairy, the winter fairies over at Kraftin Kimmie's are all so fabulous, but this is the one I purchased and just LOVE her.  The set comes with 3 sentiments, I used one of them for this card.

  I used some older pattern papers, some new dies (to me)  from C.C. Designs (icicles) and Lawn Fawn (snowflakes & hearts) and then some spellbinders (frames) I used gumdrops from Your Next Stamp on the centers of the snowflakes, colored with copics, added some distress ink in Antique Linen and some stickles to the icicles and snowflakes.  I added a little bit of lace as well.  


I would like to enter into the following challenges:
+Sugar Pea Designs-Winter Wishes
Open-Minded Crafting Fun-Unusual Christmas (hope this counts)
  + Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Sparkle and bling (glitter on ice, snowflakes and wings)
                                                         +MarkerPop-Winter/Christmas
                                             Just Inspirational Challenge-Things With Wings
                                                   + Loves Rubberstamps-Christmas or Winter
                                              + Delightful Challenge-Twinkle Twinkle (add something sparkly)
                                                   Kraftin Kimmie Stamps-Wednesday challenge ATG

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Hugs

I used this darling image from Little Miss Muffet Stamps called Jr Hatter-Dorothea, I used paper from a new 6x6 pad Carte Bella's Moments and Memories line.  The hearts are dies from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment is from a clear stamp set from Jillibean, Irish Farm House Soup



I used the sketch from +Sweet Sketch Wednesday and would like to enter that challenge as well as the following challenges:


Little Miss Muffets-ATG
Whimsy Stamps Challenge-ATG
+Kraftin Kimmie FB GD contest

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Happy Holidays

I just love this cute image called Mischievous from A RANDOM FAN, our new challenge is Christmas Time, and we hope you head on over and join the fun!

I colored with copics, the sketch is from Sketch Saturday, the snowflakes are from Lawn Fawn, stitched snowflakes, I just got these in the mail and LOVE them!!





I would like to enter the following challenges:
+Sketch Saturday
+Kit N Clowder-Christmas
Sugar Pea Designs- Winter Wishes
+Simon Says Monday Challenge-Holiday Cards
+MarkerPop-Winter/Christmas
+Kraftin' Kimmie-Christmas