Blessed in the Midst of Chaos!

Where do I begin? I suppose I should start by saying this past week has been one for the record books! Seldom do I have so many "challenges" in one week!

Friday, October 16, I got a phone call from my older daughter saying her son/my grandson had been seriously injured in a soccer game. I should mention he is a Senior at college three hours away. He was at the Emergency Room with a broken leg! Both bones in his lower left leg had been snapped as he came down from stopping a goal and was kicked at the same time! My Grandma concern went immediately into overdrive! First reaction: My sweet baby was seriously injured! Second reaction: I wasn't there with him and neither was his Mom! Third reaction: What do I do next? Needless to say, I immediately started praying for my grandson and asking for guidance as to what to do next. He told his Mom he was ok and, no, she didn't need to come over. Then we were told he would have to have surgery to repair the break. Overdrive X 2! A steel rod and the hardware to hold it in place was put in his leg. All this time, he was basically alone. We were in phone contact but not there with him. After he came out of recovery, he called his Mom to let her know he was ok. When she asked again if she should come there with him, he quietly answered, "Yes, please...".

As it was the weekend, my daughter took my eleven year old granddaughter along on the trip. At this point, none of us had any idea what the trip would entail and what planning had to be done. The important thing was just to get there! They arrived safely and immediately went to his room in the hospital. My daughter was not prepared to see her son laying there pale, weak, and with bandages, tubes and hanging bags around him. This was his first surgery ever and not a common sight for any of us. The hospital was wonderful to explain the care and prognosis. They even offered sleeping chairs and refreshments so they could all stay in the room together. First plan was that he would be discharged the next day and go back to his college room. However, his pain proved to be more than anticipated and he was kept an extra night. They got him home and as comfortable as possible. Now, it is Sunday and no way to contact college offices to see what would come next. His care and comfort were the main concerns. However, this is college and classes go on no matter what.

Monday arrived and my daughter went into Executive Assistant mode! Prescriptions filled, home equipment arranged, offices contacted, emails sent, phone calls made and planning for a longer stay than expected! Remember, my granddaughter is still there and missing school, too! And, remember I can't drive! So, with the help of a dear friend, we were able to meet halfway and pick up my granddaughter so she didn't miss any more school. Tuesday seemed a little better and my daughter decided she would come home to arrange her own work schedule and try to help from here. Wednesday, my grandson called her to say that all his professors had agreed to let him finish his classes on line! What a blessing! He wouldn't have to worry about maneuvering a wheelchair around campus. When asked if he would like to come here for recovery, this proud and brave young man quietly answered again, "Yes, please". So, it is off for three hour drive there and three hour drive back, getting him settled and comfortable, grabbing a couple hours sleep and getting baby sister to school and then to work for my daughter! So proud of her and her stamina! But, any Mom will tell you it is like "autopilot" when your child is involved, and you do whatever it takes!.

All day Wednesday, I felt like I was getting a bad cold or some sort of allergy attack. I woke up weak, aching and nauseous. Now I am thinking, "this can't happen because too much is going on already.". So, I grabbed my all time "go to" when there is any illness...a cold washcloth! I sipped some ginger tea and tried to eat a cracker or two to settle my stomach. Then I went back to bed and hoped I could "sleep off" this crud. All day I was feeling yucky, but by early evening, I started to improve. After mega doses of herbs and vitamins and lots of sleep, I was doing much better the next morning. In the meantime, my daughter made the trip to the store to get me some ginger ale and I was so grateful for  the support and prayers of family and friends for all the stuff going on!  Then I get the message that my younger daughter (9 hours away) is seriously ill and trying to hang on to finish her work day! No, this can not be! I immediately go into Mom overdrive and bombard her with ideas for medicines and order her to rest!

It is now Thursday of the week and my plan is to spend late afternoon and evening with my wheelchair bound grandson while my daughter goes to work. The morning starts with a phone call from my younger daughter saying she is worse and staying home for the morning. Her plan was to go into work in the afternoon. NOPE! Plan changed when she gets call from her son's/my younger grandson's school saying he is ill and she needs to come get him. They think he needs to be checked for a concussion! My overdrive has once again accelerated, but this time it is in prayer mode! I am in no position to do anything else at this point! This daughter and grandson are finally able to be seen at the clinic and it is confirmed that my grandson DOES have a concussion (from football) and my daughter is to be treated for pneumonia! Now, I am on social media telling Satan to leave us alone. Enough!! I am then amazed and humbled by the outpouring of prayer and support once again!

Friday morning rolls around and no one in my immediate family has had much sleep in the last several days. I have an appointment with my doctor and a ride all arranged. My doctor proceeds to examine me and then tells me I have a fungal infection! WHAT?!?!?!?  I leave there and finish errands for the day.  As I came in with groceries and meds to take for my infection, I saw the message light flashing on my home phone. I set down all the bags, pushed play, and then I heard the voice of my uncle in Oklahoma. I had spoken with him earlier in the week about my aunt who was rapidly declining with Alzheimer's. This aunt is more like a sister as we grew up together. The message was to tell me she had passed away Friday morning. Although we knew it was coming soon, it still hit me right in the gut! So, I did what I always do when completely overwhelmed...I went to my knees! The prayer flowed from within me somewhere and I just let the tears roll. I was already feeling calmer when my big white fluffy dog came up and put her nose on my hand and demanded petting. I thanked God for the gentle "hug" and just sat there in the floor and cried while stroking this precious pup. I decided to go to social media once again and express my love for this very special woman that influenced so much of my life. Once again, family and friends came back with love and prayer support. I was so thankful for the "company" of the wonderful prayer warriors.

Now, this week is ending and I am worn out! But even through the worry, the sadness, and the frustration, I know I am blessed beyond measure! God was with me every moment of every day and made sure I had His love and grace with me. He also made sure love, kindness, prayers and support came exactly when I needed it as He always does! I am so thankful for all the generosity of the people in my life. I am thankful my grandsons and my daughter are covered in God's healing. I am thankful my older daughter had the strength from God to get through the week. And, I am thankful my precious aunt/sister is in God's hands and no longer suffering. I am so blessed!

My prayers now are with gratitude and for all of you to know the awesome power that got me through this week! No matter what comes at us in this life, we are never really alone if we know our Lord and Savior! I thank you for stopping by and joining me as I journal the chaos of this week and put it all in perspective. Please know you are always welcome and encouraged to share your "blessings in the chaos" as they affect you. It would be my honor to pray with you and for you! I wish you all-

Blessings,
Vicki

Happy Fall Y'all!

Greetings, Friends!

We have been blessed this week with gorgeous Fall weather!  Warm, sunny days and calm, cool nights! Leaf color is starting to show up and the Fall festivals are starting up all over the place! There will definitely be a caramel apple or funnel cake in my near future!

I couldn't help but be a little emotional today as I looked around at all God's beauty and contemplated how truly blessed I am to live in these beautiful mountains! We are in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Most years we see a good taste of all four seasons. I grew up mostly in East Tennessee as did three generations before me. I live in a house built well over one hundred years ago and we are overwhelmed sometimes by the fact we have had six generations live in this very house. It amazes me to think of twelve people living in three rooms so many years ago. I truly believe they managed it much better than I ever could living here now. That old saying about "if these walls could talk" bounces off the walls in the original rooms. You can't help but feel the energy and envision the trials and celebrations that filled the house. It makes me chuckle to think of what I was always told is the "New Room"! You were special if you got to sleep in the New Room because it had soft beds and a tile floor! Also, the only bathroom was attached to it! Then I was told it was added on in the early 1930's! What a hoot! The New Room also has its own front door! I learned a few years ago that the house is described as a "saddlebag" house. This is because it was built in two phases, each phase having its own front door, and the areas shared a central fireplace. I guess you could say it was the original duplex!

You may think it is always peaceful and serene here. Not so much! Traffic has increased to a frenzy in recent years. The County just paved over an old wagon road that runs through the property. The house is on one side of the road and the "driveway" parking area is on the other. It worked out well until the GPS became available. My poor dogs just can't seem to grasp why so many cars keep coming through their yard! Many times folks have to wait until they amble out of the way. Thankfully, there have been just a few incidents where the dog was injured. Locals know to watch for them, but the "shortcut" folks aren't always as patient. At least once a day I hear someone honking the horn to move the dogs along.  We have also been listed with the bicycle clubs in the area as "the scenic route". The cyclists have their own tales to share about my dogs I'm sure! HA! Even with the added traffic, we all manage to get along. We are proud to show off nature's bounty to those who aren't as blessed as we are!

I also realize now why children were many and a welcome addition to the family. There is ALWAYS some sort of chore that needs to be done! Trees to cut, grass to mow, fences to mend, creeks to clean out, house repairs and upkeep and on and on. As I am aging, I adjust my priorities accordingly. The gutters can wait as I do not want to fall off the ladder, bushes will get trimmed when my back is having a good day, the house will get power washed when I can hold the spray wand for more than fifteen minutes, and the porch will get painted when...well, we won't worry about the porch at all for now! I've decided the spider webs all around the outside are perfect Halloween decorations! I'll work on getting those swept down after November 1st!

Some of my most treasured moments here are early morning when a symphony of bird songs fill the air and I can smell the honeysuckle vines in bloom, or watch a golden leaf float to the ground as the sun makes it glow. Just watching the dogs and the cat play in the yard is relaxing and entertaining. Then to look out and see the horses grazing with their tails swishing and the occasional whinny or snort echoing adds even more to my overflowing cup of blessings.

I thank you for stopping by and letting me share some of what makes my days so full and my heart so happy. I hope you will visit again and share some of your own moments of happy for you! Until next time, I leave you with ...

Blessings,
Vicki

Here I am!

Hello World!

I am so glad to be here! It has been some time since my last post! Years even!  I started this blog as a means to share craft projects and fellowship with other crafters.  Somewhere along the way life got topsy- turvy and I found myself with a severe case of "burn out".  I have now decided to chalk it up to "growing pains" and get back to my blog. Anyone else ever have growing pains after middle age?!?

Crafting, especially paper crafts, has always been dear to my heart. That being said, I am going to change things up a bit and make this a "journal" blog! Yes, there will still be craft projects posted all along, but I want to try a new adventure. Those who know me well are aware of my philosophy, "The day you stop learning is the day you stop living!". So, I hope you will come along with me on my learning journey! We can share ideas, projects, prayers and whatever else comes to mind (except politics); I don't want any cat fights...lol! Whatcha think?

Feel free to go back through time and check out the archived projects. I always appreciate  comments and "atta girls"!  I am looking forward to getting reacquainted with my former blog buddies and making many new friends along the way! As always, I send you...

Blessings,

Vicki

Design DIVAS July Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop

Hello Friends!

It is time once again for the Design DIVAS Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop! The Design DIVAS are a fantastic group of crafters on Facebook! For the hop, we are challenged to make a project using items in our stash that are at least six months old. I'm sure, like most of you, the real challenge would be to find items that AREN'T six months old...lol! I have the privilege of starting our hop today. Hope you enjoy your journey!

** Long Post Alert**

My project today is a bittersweet one. Due to some life changes and circumstances, I had to reevaluate my pet population. I have three dogs and a cat. The two big "farm dogs" and the cat do their own thing most of the time and require very little effort to love and care for. Then I have "Missy", my little Boston Terrier DIVA! She is precious and a hoot to have around. However, she does not behave very well outside. She likes to "herd" the horses and run the hills like a shepherd. I live in the mountains and coyotes come through on a regular basis. Not good for a little dog to be out at night trying to conquer the hills! She is on a leash most of the time, but escapes from time to time and worries me to no end that she will get hurt or killed. While I am away from home, she is very happy in her crate. The problem now is that I have to be away from home as much as 10 hours a day/night. That is no life for a precious pup. So, I made the decision to find her a new home. The local Humane Society was wonderful to help me find a loving family with two adorable little girls who wanted to love and care for Missy. They have a fenced yard and a stay at home Mom, so, Missy will be in a much better situation. I asked the little girls if they would like a journal or notebook with a list of Missy's "likes" so they could get to know her better. They were thrilled with the idea (as was Mom)! This idea led me to making a journal for the family.

The journal had been buried for ages, but I thought it would do nicely. I had some doggy paper I had purchased quite a while back from Big Lots. I wrote poems about Missy's likes and printed them on cardstock. I cut the poems out with decorative scissors, matted them and adhered them to the pages of the book. The pages came with a beautiful rose image printed on each page, too. I tied a ribbon bookmark to the spine of the journal and added more ribbons on the spirals. I printed a pic of Missy on photo paper and adhered it to the front. The title words are computer generated and sponged with Chestnut Roan chalk ink. One of the poems inside reads:

I like to sleep under the covers
All curled up in a ball
Sleeping next to those I love
Is the greatest sleep of all...


All the poems are written so young ones can hopefully read the book for themselves. It has been a labor of love to make this journal, but I have to admit it took its toll on my emotions. I know I have done the right thing about Missy but I am sure gonna miss the little stink!

If you are still awake, you can hop on over to Mary Witter's blog and find some good things going on! Mary always offers us inspiration!

Thank you for letting me have my therapy session here...lol! I feel much better! I also want to thank you for stopping by and sharing our blog hop! Your attention and comments are always a boost and are welcomed. Aren't crafty ladies just the BEST?!?!?

Hope you are all having a great week and I leave you with exactly what you bring to me...

Blessings,
Vicki

Design DIVAS Oldie But Goodies May Blog Hop

Yep, you guessed it! It's time for the Design DIVAS to share some "stash stuff" with you again!! We are asked to create a project using items in our stash that are at least six months old. (Not a problem for most of us!) It's always a hoot to see what these talented ladies come up with! If you arrived here from Lorie's blog, you are in the right place. If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, you can begin with Maria's blog.

I decided to share a special order card I was asked to make for my daughter's dear friend. This friend is a German Shepherd lover and has two of her own. We wanted to make her a special card when she so graciously helped my daughter with her own dog. In truth, she helped save the dog's life. I found a really good photo on line and used it as the focal point on my card. I printed it twice on glossy photo paper and layered the photos on the base. I had some cute "doggy" paper I had picked up at Tuesday Morning. I used that as my card base. I used a Thank You stamp cut out with a Spellbinders tag die for the greeting. I framed the photo and greeting with trimmed pieces of the cardstock. This was a half fold card and the colors really popped with the glossy photo. I also added a metal "sweet" tag as an accent. I loved this layout and plan to use it for more fur friend pics in the future.



I hope you enjoyed your visit today! Please come back soon! Your next stop on the hop is on Barb's blog. She always has an inspirational goody to share! Have a great week and I leave as always with-

Blessings to you,
Vicki

1. Maria Matter http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/
2. Lorie Souther http://www.thethinkinspot.blogspot.com/
3. Vicki Patranc http://bountifulblessings2u.blogspot.com/
4. Barb Wibel http://madeforkeeps.blogspot.com/
5. Mary Harmon http://sparkly-train.blogspot.com/
6. Gina Lindsay http://ginasmakingsandmusings.blogspot.com/
7. Mary Witter http://www.marywitter.blogspot.com/
8. Cindy Grigiski http://www.stampwithmecindyg.com/

Woo Hoo! It's OBG time!

Hello Friends! Hope your week is going well! It's that wonderful Wednesday for us at Design DIVAS! It's time for our Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop! If this is your first visit to our hop, you should know that the Design DIVAS are a Facebook group of crafters who have come together to share our love of crafting. We also share inspiration, motivation and support with each other. It has been a true blessing to me to be a part of this great group of ladies! The Oldies But Goodies hop challenges us to make a project using items in our stash that are at least six months old. If you are like me, the real challenge is to decide which "oldie" to use first!!

I have the privilege of starting our hop this month! So, grab your coffee or tea and be ready to be inspired! The awesome talent in this group just goes on and on!

Today, I want to share with you a birthday card. My dear friend (and best customer...lol) requested a card for her daughter. I decided to go vintage because that is my favorite and a theme I knew her daughter would enjoy. I started with a card base of stock from a K & Company stack called "Life's Journey". The vintage postal marks and stamps were just what I was looking for. This is a double sided stack so I used the "written" side for the base. The matte layer was cut and edged with a scallop punch. The birthday sentiment is stamped on vellum and embossed. Now, the really fun part! The buttons used are from a collection given to me by the mom who requested the card. I knew her daughter would appreciate this touch of nostalgia. I adhered the buttons with glue dots. So far, every thing used has met the criteria for this challenge. The ribbon trim on the card is a more recent purchase. Lastly, I used Old Olive ink to shadow the edges. I love the antique look of this card!

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here today! Thank you for sharing your time and interest! The next stop on the hop is Cindy Pec's blog. Be ready for a real treat! Mark your calendars so you can join us for our next hop the third Wednesday in May!

Have fun on the hop and leave some love for these wonderful ladies! For now, I leave you with...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

ETA: In case you get stuck along the way, here is the "hop" list:

1. Vicki Patranc - http://bountifulblessings2u.blogspot.com/

2. Cindy Johnsen Pec http://www.cindysantics.blogspot.com/

3. Mary Witter http://www.marywitter.blogspot.com/

4. Cindy Grigiski http://www.stampwithmecindyg.com/

5. Maria Matter http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/

6. Sue Morris http://www.suessentiments.org/

7. Barb Wibel http://madeforkeeps.blogspot.com/

8. Heather Dennis http://joemamainks.blogspot.com/

9. Gina Lindsay http://ginasmakingsandmusings.blogspot.com/

Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop for March

Hello Friends!

Welcome to the March edition of the Design DIVAS Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop! The Design DIVAS is a group of crafters who have gathered together on Facebook. We share our love of crafting as well as inspiration and support for each other.

The theme of our monthly blog hop is Oldies But Goodies. We are asked to use items in our stash that are more than six months old for the project. All of us can meet this criteria, right? I think I have some stuff that would qualify for six years old! Come on, confess...you have some, too! We can all understand the idea of keeping a piece of paper or a ribbon or an embellishment for just the right project can't we? Yep, I knew you would identify...lol!

If you have arrived here from Mary's blog, you are in the right place! Doesn't she have some amazing projects to share?!?! If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, please visit Sue's blog. There is always a choice tidbit to take away from her blog!

For my project this month, I wanted to share a fun and easy version of a tissue box cover. The inspiration for this cover came from this video. I designed my cover for a dear friend who also happens to be my hair stylist. She has been so supportive of my craft work, I wanted to make a little something for her shop.

I started with some DCWV patterned cardstock. I'm sorry, but I have had the stack (or parts of it) for so long, I don't have the cover. I am thinking it is from the Spring stack. The bright butterflies seemed perfect for this busy shop. I also cut panels of white cardstock for the inside walls of the cover. I wanted to strengthen the sides as this was going to be in a heavy use area. I used an empty tissue box inside to support the cover as I punched the corners for the ribbon. I then threaded the ribbon through the holes ending at the top, where I added small bows. I used adhesive rhinestones and butterflies to embellish the sides of the cover. On the top I used decorative brads and more rhinestones. The lid sides are embellished with "glass stickers" of phrases and quotes about children. I added these as my friend and her husband just adopted three small children! My friend really enjoyed the bright colors and whimsical embellishments! She has since asked me to make another cover for her home. I'll share the photos of that one at a later date.

I hope you have enjoyed your stop here! Friends are always welcome to visit! Your next stop on the hop will be Linda's blog. Be sure to check out the wonderful projects there!

Hope everyone has a great start to a Happy Spring!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

ETA: My bad! I'm so sorry! The dimensions and measurements are given on the video link. Also, these covers are designed for Kleenex tissues. If you are using generic brand, be sure to measure the box!

Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop

Hello Friends!

It is time once again to invite you to the Design DIVAS Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Dru Cabral's blog, you are in the right place! If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, please go to Cindy Pec's blog.

I have a project to share with you that was challenging but a hoot to do! This "Barn" was a gift to a very dear friend who pastures some horses at our place. It is an exploding album box! Most of you are probably already aware of this box, but I want to share with all who might like to try it! I apologize for the less than clear pics. I have no clue why these are different from other pics I have taken...lol! My inspiration for the barn came from this video. I started with a 12 x 12 inch sheet of weathered wood cardstock from DCWV's Textures stack. The cardstock is scored at four inches on all sides. I then cut the outside corners away leaving a + sign figure. There are two inner layers cut a quarter of an inch smaller respectively in coordinating patterns and colors. I cut the lid 7 1/8" x 7 1/8" from coordinating cardstock. The lid is scored at 1 1/2 inches on all sides. The corners are cut to make tabs for the box lid. This video will show you how to configure the basic box and lid. Once the base was cut, sponged and assembled, the REAL fun started! My biggest challenge was to make the barn roof and loft. After numerous measures and cuts, I finally came up with a template I liked. I used silver cardstock for the roof. I ran the piece through the crimper to give it more of the look of our barn. I also sponged the paper with some Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap and Orange Marmalade ink to give some places the look of rust. I added a weather vane and the "rivets" for some dimension. I adhered the roof at the sides of the lid leaving extra length that I could score a half inch from the bottom. In the "loft", I added some frayed grass rope (used to hold hay bales), cutout critters and other "lofty" items. The hinges on the lid were cut from the Fabulous Finds Cricut cartridge at 1 inch. I added the mini brads as screws. The cut outs on this project were cut from numerous cartridges. If you are interested, I will try to put a list together for you. On the front of the box, I cut a door frame free hand and added doors that attach underneath the frame. The mini brads are used again for screws and door knobs. The opened doors reveal the birthday sentiment. Other embellishments include a mailbox, bluebird, and flowers that are also tiny brads. The fence is hand cut and adhered over the focal images. The little crochet flowers you see were done by my Mom. (She rocks!) All corners and edges were sponged with Frayed Burlap ink. Inside the box, you see a round gift box in the center. This was a fun foam cut outs container. The gift is inside the box as well as some cut out saddles. More crochet flowers are used to anchor the box a little more and add some interest. I was able to place twenty photos in this album. I added pertinent little decorations to the pics. More photos could have been added with swing tabs and pockets, I'm sure. It took many hours to choose, coordinate, cut, edit, adhere, sponge and embellish this project, but it was worth all the time and effort! This personalized gift was great fun to make and my friend was thrilled!

Be sure to try one of these exploding box albums! The basic box is super simple and you can let your creativity flow with the focal points and embellishments. It would be a super project for a grandparent where the kids choose the photos. The box lid can be completed by adding a pretty bow or flower. So go for it!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Hope you enjoyed your visit and you will come back soon! Visit when you have time to explore the labeled posts. If you find some inspiration, please leave me a comment and a link to your creation!

Your next stop on the hop is Linda Payne's blog. There are always wonders to be seen on her blog!

Be good to yourself; and, as always, I wish you....

Blessings,
Vicki

Design D.I.V.A.S. OBG Blog Hop

Hello and Welcome to this month's Facebook Design D.I.V.A.S Oldies But Goodies Blog Hop!

The Facebook Design DIVAS (Divine, Inspirational, Virtuous , Artistic "Sistahs") is a group of crafters who love to share their inspiration, talent and fellowship! We have our "Oldies But Goodies" Blog Hop the third Wednesday of each month. Our challenge is to use products that
have been neglected or forgotten for at least six months. Be sure to mark your calendars and stop by each month to share in the fun! You are sure to see some amazing projects!

Carolyn Bounds starts our blog hop today! If you have come here from Carolyn's awesome blog, you are in the right place.

I have a fun easel wedding card to share with you today. I enjoy making this style card and the way it it is able to sit up for display. Dawn Griffith has a great video on how to make this card here! I started with a white card base. I then layered black, pink dotted swiss and another layer of white. The bride and groom hearts are also an inspiration from Dawn and her video for these can be found here. The base and white layer are cut with a border punch. The easel "stopper" is the same black, pink and white with the sentiment generated on the computer. The card has some added bling with pearls and clear adhesive hearts. There is a computer generated greeting inside the card. All the elements of this card more than meet the criteria for this hop! It has been an encouraging discovery to pull out the "oldies but goodies" for this challenge! It's still amazing what you can stockpile in a couple of years time! But, that is no surprise to any of you, right?

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here today! It is always a joy to have you stop by! You will want to continue the hop by visiting Maria Matter's blog! Maria always has wonderful projects to share! I am sure you will find inspiration at all your stops on the hop today! Join us again next month and I will continue to send...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

A Butterfly Blessing

Hello Everyone!

I'm here today to share the very sweet blessing sent to me by a dear blogging buddy! It is always a special treat to receive a blog award! Cindy Johnsen Pec has included me in the "Butterfly Blog" award! Thank you, Cindy! Sorry it took me so long to get this posted! Cindy is such a hoot! Her crafting is remarkable, her heart is warm and wide open to her friends and she's a nurse! Be sure to pay her a visit at Cindy's Antics Stamping, Scrapping, Nursing, Family! Oh, and be ready for the strange splashing sound on her blog! When I first heard it, I wasn't sure if I should try to catch something or jump into something!!

As with other blog awards, there are a few guidelines that come with the award. I have been asked to answer some questions.

Q1) Name your favorite color? Green

Q2) Name your favorite song? Victory in Jesus

Q3) Name your favorite dessert? Chocolate Chimichanga

Q4) What whizzes you off at the moment??? Politicians

Q5) Your favorite pet? Oh, can't pick favorite...I love them all

Q6) Black or White? Depends if it is day or night

Q7) Your biggest fear? Falling

Q8) Best Feature? Hope it is my smile

Q9) Everyday attitude? Nothing God and I can't work through...

Q10) What is perfection? An unrealistic perception

Now, I am supposed to send this award on to ten other bloggers. Well, I can't! I can't choose just ten!! So, I am going to share this award with all my blogging buddies and hope they know how important they are to me! I have been so blessed with wonderful crafters who inspire me with their creativity and make my heart sing with their love and kindness!

I am so glad you stopped by today! I hope to have some paper projects posted soon, so, be sure to check in later! Hope you have an amazing week! I will leave you now with...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

No Tragedy Here

Hello Friends!

Quite the weekend for the East Coast, huh? Hope everyone came through with little or no damage or injury!

I want to share a card with you today that was made for my nephew. He is a wonderful guy who I dearly love! He has been in the theater many years wearing many "hats"; actor, writer, singer, dancer, you name it! To hear him talk in his soothing Southern drawl warms any heart! But, to see him on stage and speaking a whole different dialect and expressing a completely different persona just blows me away! For his birthday card, my thoughts immediately went to the theater masks, comedy and tragedy.

I started with a standard size card base in Brilliant Blue. I rounded the corners of the base as well as the gold mat layer. Having no stamps for the masks, I went to the computer and found the clip art. I only used the comedy mask for this card. I printed those images twice, cut them out and layered them on the card with dimensionals. I printed the greeting, also on the computer, using Print Shop. Next, I sponged the edges of the greeting layer with some Brilliant Blue ink. As a final accent, I added some copper colored adhesive pearls. I am happy to say he loved it!

I always seem to enjoy the cards made for family much more, don't you? I love crafting cards, but those going to family and friends just make me enjoy the process in a different way!

I am so glad you stopped by today! Hope you have enjoyed your visit and will come again! Who knows which relative or friend's profession I will zero in on next?!?!?

Have an awesome day and know I am sending...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Design DIVAS Oldies but Goodies Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to the August Design D.I.V.A.S. Oldies but Goodies Blog Hop! Our challenge for this hop is to use items in our project that are at least six months old. I know we all have some of those in our crafting supplies!! If you have arrived here from Dru's blog, you are in the right spot. To start at the beginning of the hop, be sure to go to Heather's blog.

The card I am sharing with you today is made up of all "oldies but goodies". I made this card for a friend's great niece. That fact will be important later!

I started with the dress template I found here. It is precious and reminds me of the dresses my girls wore when they were babies. This is a two part template so the variations for this piece are endless. I started with a white cardstock base and covered it in wallpaper. Tacky glue works really well for adhering the wallpaper to the base. For the front, I also cut a vellum overlay which I then embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. I sponged the dress edges with rose colored chalk ink. The trim around the top is bakery twine in a coordinating color. At the bodice line, I added a strip of pink grosgrain ribbon. The buttons are actually from my friend's collection! I wanted to include a little heritage in the card! I think it is so neat that we could include the great aunt's buttons! The sentiment strip was computer generated and cut with design scissors. I also used the scissors to cut the bottom edge of the dress. As a final touch, I added a tiny satin bow with the tails falling down the front of the dress. The card opens at the bottom; so if your cardstock or paper has a definite pattern, you will need to cut the fold at the shoulder in order to keep pattern going in the right direction. I also had to make the envelope for this card as it did not fit standard sizes. This card is a little time consuming, but definitely worth the effort.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit here. It is such fun "hopping" with these talented ladies! Your next stop is Mary Harmon's blog. I know you will be inspired by what she has to share!

Thanks so much for stopping by! We hope you will join us again for our next hop the third Wednesday in September!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Two from One Design!

Hello Friends!

Today I would like to share a couple of cards made using the same DCWV cardstock design. Once again, I have gone to my favorite Fun in the Sun pack! This has become one of my favorites due to the double sided designs and the touches of glitter on the cardstock.

My maternal grandmother was a tiny lady with a big heart. One of her favorite sayings when we washed the dishes was, "While you have that hot wet rag, how about wiping down this...or that!" She managed to get her entire kitchen cleaned that way!! We use that phrase still today and I was reminded of it when I had this cardstock out. So, while I had this big piece of cardstock out, why not make two cards??

The anniversary card is standard size. I cut the outside edges with Majesty design scissors. The greeting layer is cut with Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangle die and stamped in Really Rust craft ink. The edges are sponged with Ballet Blue ink. I added copper pearls for accent as well as the heart gem brad. I used the SU Bird punch to add some extra interest with the bird and branches. The bird's eye is also a copper pearl. Simple and fun with this card!

The second card was made for my daughter's friend. Military wives are so awesome about encouraging and supporting each other! She needed a card just to say she appreciated her friend's efforts and prayers. Same standard base as before. The greeting is stamped on a strip of GP white cardstock and cut with an MS border punch. The flowers are from a K & Company pack. The centers on the flowers were yellow so I went over them with a copper glimmer gel pen and added the white dots. You are gonna laugh I know, but I thought you would get a kick from the fact that I used the little dot cut outs from the border punch on the flower centers!! How's that for recycling?!?!? The flowers are adhered with dimensionals. I added a rust colored ribbon to soften the card a little and rounded the lower corners. Here again, simple and fun!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend and you have enjoyed your visit here today! Please come back soon! And, remember....put that hot wet rag to good use while you have it!! Hugs and...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop!!

Hello and Welcome to the Facebook Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop! So glad you are here! If you came here from Mary Griffith's blog, then you are in the right place! If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop, head over to Cindy Grigiski 's blog!

The Facebook Design DIVAS (Divine, Inspirational, Virtuous , Artistic "Sistahs") is a group of crafters who love to share their inspiration, talent and fellowship! We have our "Oldies But Goodies" Blog Hop the third Wednesday of each month. Our challenge is to use products that have been neglected or forgotten for at least six months. Be sure to mark your calendars and stop by each month to share in the fun! You are sure to see some amazing projects!

My project to share today is a masculine birthday card. These always seem to be needed and seem the hardest to come up with. This time I needed a card for my son-in-law. I even got excited when I came across a stamp set I had not used in quite some time! I started with a card base from My Mind's Eye. I love the brown and blue together for a masculine card! I found some matching cardstock in my stash and stamped/clear embossed the lighthouse in Night of Navy craft ink! This image is from The Angel Company's "Light the Path" set. I then stamped and embossed the birthday greeting from the Inkadinkado's "Greetings" Collection. I cut the image and greeting down to size with scalloped scissors. Next, I cut the mats and sponged all the edges with the craft ink. I also added the Making Memories "Metal Sayings" sticker for some extra interest. The last detail is some baker's twine in Cappuccino color. Then I adhered the image and greeting to the card with dimensionals. I hope you like the result! I was pleased to see these older products come to life again!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! It is always a treat to have you here! Now, you will want to hop on over toDru Cabral's blog! She always has the neatest things to share!

Hope you enjoy the hop and I leave you with...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Vintage Birthday!

Greetings to all! Ready for the weekend? We were looking forward to some cooler weather but looks like we are going to have the storms to come with it! Crazy Spring here in the mountains!

I have a birthday card to share with you today. This was a true labor of love as I made it for my best friend, Mary! She is such an awesome lady and my "rock" for several years now! I hope all of you have someone in your life that is your "Mary"! It is such a blessing!

Mary likes vintage styles, and her favorite colors are pastels. I tried to incorporate those "likes" in her card. I started with some wonderful double-sided cardstock from DCWV's "Fun In the Sun" collection. I cut the 12 x 12 sheet to 8 1/2 x 11 and made a half fold base. I used the tree branch stamp from the SU "Easter Blessings" set and Color Box Chalk ink in Warm Violet to stamp the background. I then cut the top layer edge with a Martha Stewart border punch. I rounded and distressed all the other edges. The greeting was cut and embossed from the same stock with the Spellbinders "Peony" die and then stamped and clear embossed with the a Stampede "Elegant Birthday" stamp. I outlined the embossing with a pink glitter pen. The ribbon trim is an Offray ruffled white satin. I also used the white ribbon to make the flowers. I embellished the flower centers with petite flower brads. The flowers are very easy to make with the ruffled ribbon. It is just curled in a spiral with glue dots to hold it all along. These are attached with glue dots also. To "bling it up" even more I added a jeweled hat pin and ribbon slide from Making Memories. The heart "Gemstones" are from Paper Studio and the pearls are from K and Company. I found a wonderful poem for the inside of the card and thought you might have a "sister" in your life you would like to share it with.

You may see me use more of the ruffled flowers all along as they are so easy to make and ruffled ribbon comes in so many wonderful colors. I don't know about mailing a card with these flowers. I hand delivered this card, but I know there is extra postage required to mail a half fold card. I was also told that any card that is too thick to go through the machines is charged extra. I just don't think I would risk mailing a card with these flowers and beads on it.

Well, my four legged babies are telling me I have said enough(they want to go out), so I will leave you with a wish for a wonderful weekend and, as always...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Happy Birthday, Mister!

Good Morning Friends!

Yay! The weekend is here! After a terrible weather week here in our area, I am looking forward to some calm Spring weather this weekend! Beautiful today with sunshine and a cool breeze! Even the animals seem calmer and happier!

I had been asked to create some masculine birthday cards. Today I would like to share one of them with you. I tend to keep masculine cards simpler but with an extra touch or two.

This project started with a My Mind's Eye card base. This particular base put me in the mind of a man's vest. Keeping it simple, I rounded the outside corners and sponged the outside edge with Really Rust craft ink. The pocket watch is stamped in the same ink and outlined with gold metallic pen. The "hands" on the watch are tool brads. I used a Hero Arts stamp for the greeting and used the Cuttlebug and Labels Four die to cut it out. I also used the gold pen around this layer. The sentiment inside was computer generated. I thought about adding more embellishments but decided I liked the clean look for an older gentleman's card.

I hope your week has gone well! Are you ready for a new month and Mother's Day? I sure am! April has been hectic to say the least! Spring really came in like a lion for us this year! Now I am ready for some "lamb" days!

Thank you for stopping by today! Your visits always bring a smile and leave me with a happy heart! Please come back again soon!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Blog Blessing from Susan

Hello Friends!

I am feeling pretty spiffy right now! A new friend and now blogging buddy, has blessed me with a blog award! Thank you, Susan! Be sure to check out Susan's blog, Cricut and Grasshopper! She has wonderful cards, layouts, tips and projects on her blog!

There are a few goodies that come along with this award.
The rules for the Stylish Blogger Award are:
1. Thank the person who gave the award, and link back to their blog.
2. Share 8 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award to 8 individuals.
4. Leave a comment so they can pass on the recognition

I have no problem with #1, 3, and 4. It's that #2 that gives me pause. Oh, I can share 8 things; but, I am afraid they aren't anything news worthy...lol! So, in the spirit of the award....

1. I am Southern born and love it! If I can't remember someone's name, it's ok! You are all "Honey" and "Sweetie" to us anyway!
2. When I am not in the craft room, I am in the kitchen. Cooking is my passion!
3. My pet peeve is lack of manners! It takes so little to be respectful and nice to people.
4. I am one of seven generations to live in "the ol' home place". Yep, I live in a house that's over a hundred years old! The windows rattle, the floors all slope (in different directions) and some of the window sills are a foot deep where the windows were cut out of the logs!
5. I have worked in many and varied fields, but my favorite is "professional volunteer"!
6. I would love to own and operate my own tea room!
7. I am a tool junkie!
8. God is most important in my life! Only with His love and grace can I do all other things!

Now, to pass this along to eight other friends! It's hard to narrow down the list. So many of my blogging friends qualify for this award!

1. Mary Griffiths - http://mystampinhide-away.blogspot.com/
2. Peggy Marsh -http://thewiredangel.blogspot.com/
3. Maria Matter-http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/
4. Karen Howe Murray-http://www.papercraftmemories.com/
5. Gina Flowers Lindsay-http://ginasmakingsandmusings.blogspot.com
6. Carrie Clovis Lipovich-http://stampsscrapsandscissors.blogspot.com/
7. Chris Dickinson-http://www.chrissyd723.blogspot.com/
8. Sue Walsh-http://a-consuming-passion.blogspot.com/

These ladies all have awesome blogs and amazing talent! Now, Ladies, don't hate me for sending you this award! You deserve it and I am looking forward to reading about you!! And, yes, I understand payback is the dickens...lol!

I want to thank Susan again for including me in this award! She sure knows how to make a girl feel special!

Thanks to all of you for stopping by! Always a treat to have company! Hope everyone has a great week filled with many blessings!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop

Hello and Welcome to the Facebook Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop!

The DIVAS are an eclectic group of ladies who love to fellowship and craft. We have this blog hop the third Wednesday of each month. We hope you will join us today and come back in the future to share in our fun and inspiration!

The theme for the hop is Oldies but Goodies! Our challenge is to use materials that are at least six months old and, more than likely, sadly neglected over time.

This is your first stop on the hop today and my card meets the criteria for the challenge from start to finish! I know sympathy cards are not ones we like to make necessarily, but they are needed for those we want to share our love and sympathy with.

I started with a white card base and layered patterned paper on the front. This paper has a beautiful floral pattern and I used a gold pen to outline and raise the flowers. I used a scalloped edge punch for the sides and distressed all the edges. The sentiment is stamped on parchment paper and cut with the Spellbinders long rectangle die. I added the birds in flight as an extra touch. This card is a little more subtle than I usually make, but I thought this paper was perfect for a sympathy card.

Your next stop on the hop is Melissa Cash. Please be sure to stop by and leave her some love!

Thanks so much for your visit today and we look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Design DIVAS OBG Blog Hop

Hello Friends!

Welcome to the March Design DIVAS OBG (Oldie But Goodie) Blog Hop! So glad you could join us!

If you came here from Brenda Turner's blog, you are in the right place! If you would like to start from the beginning of the hop, you can start with Melissa Cash's blog!

The idea for our blog hop is to use items in our craft stash that have not been used for at least six months! I think my project today more than meets that criteria!

The birthday card I am sharing today started with a half fold white cardstock base. My next layer on the card is my OBG, wallpaper! I have had this piece in my stash for over a year and was thrilled to see it go to good use! It is a beautiful heavily textured and embossed piece. I can't imagine it on a wall. but I love it for this card! I used a vellum overlay on the card to soften the image. I then stamped the sentiment on the vellum and embossed with white powder. The inside greeting was computer generated! I finished the card with a ruffled pink ribbon. I had quite a bit of difficulty photographing this card due to its size and texture. This is definitely one of those cards that the picture does not do it justice!

I hope you are enjoying your visit here and have found some inspiration along the way! This group of crafters are amazingly talented and such a wonderful group to share ideas with. We are becoming quite close and are enjoying our journey together!

Your next stop on the hop will be Shelly Schmidt! Shelly always has unique projects with a great eye for color and detail! Be sure to join us next month for our OBG Blog Hop! You never know what these ladies may pull out of their stashes to share with you!

Hope you are having a terrific week and I leave you with...

Blessings to you,
Vicki

Heartfelt Thank You

Hello Friends!

I hope you have been having a great weekend! We were blessed with much warmer temperatures and sunny skies! Just beautiful!

I have a very simple card to share with you today. It is part of a set I put together for a friend. I started with a cardstock base made from the K&Company Life's Journey stack. Beautiful design on both sides. I added a piece of ribbon from my bridal floral stash. The sentiment is stamped with Mellow Moss on white cardstock, embossed with clear embossing powder, and cut with Spellbinders Labels Nine die. I like the little heart at the end of the flourish on this stamp. This layer is adhered with dimensionals. I sponged the edges of the sentiment and the card with Mellow Moss. I finished the card with a computer generated greeting inside. I love the elegance this cardstock gives to the card! I must have been born in the wrong generation! I can't seem to get too far away from vintage type cards!

I have a busy week ahead, but hope to get a chance to visit some blogs and leave some love! We may be on longer daylight hours, but the hours still seem too short for me to get everything in a day I would like to! Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today! It feels so good when we can share time together!

Love and blessings to you~
Vicki