With Sadness. . .

My husband and I recently received news that the wife of a good friend, with whom my husband worked for many years before retirement, lost her battle with cancer.  In Mary Ann's memory, I made this card to send to her husband, Gary.

The inside is composed with some lovely words that we recently received on a sympathy card in memory of my husband's mother's death.  I hope Gary finds them equally comforting.

Though sympathy cards are not always easy to make because of their subject matter and their need, I have often found that during the process I am able to thoughtfully think of the person that has left us for a better place.  In some strange way, those memories bring healing and comfort.

A 2012 Valentine for My Daughter!

I made this card at a card class given by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com).  It uses a Mo Manning digital images and Copic markers.  I earmarked this card for my daughter, Jackie.  The little girl is so cute peeking out from behind the Valentine.

Following is my design for the inside of Jackie's card and poem a little poem I composed.  I know Jackie will like her card!

Valentine for Son & Wife

This next card is for my son Mark and his wife, Ginger.  The designer was my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner), but I enlarged the card, by adding one more paper strip and matted it on black and white backgrounds.  The original design remains as the original. . .how can you improve on perfection!  I just loved her idea with the shaker heart filled with silver and red hearts!  I know Mark and Ginger will be thrilled!

Inside decorations and poem for Mark and Ginger's card, which is my design and verse.

Sorrowfully Out of Commission

So far, it looks like I've been out of commission most of the time during the month of January to early February 2013, and I do apologize.  We are all re-cooperating from a sorrowful, yet joyously bittersweet occasion.  My wonderful mother-in-law, Alice, past away on January 30th.  She was 97, going on 98, years old!  Sorrowful, in that we will all miss her dearly, yet joyously bittersweet because we know she has certainly gone to her specially reserved niche in heaven.  Never have I met a woman who gave her life and love to all those around her, family and strangers alike!

Bless you Alice, and my God keep you in his care!

Missing You!

By now most of you know that one of my daughter's, with her husband, has moved to West Virginia where he was transferred due to Coast Guard advancement and job assignment.  We miss them each and every day and are anxious for them to return to Washington after his duty tour, which is about a year and one-half away :-). . .but we shall persevere.  I am hoping to make a trip back to visit maybe in early Fall this year.

The other day I was feeling a bit down thinking about how far away my daughter is, so I decided to make her a little card.  I had snapped a picture of a card while visiting in California at my favorite scrapbooking store in Chico, California ~ Paradise Scrapbook Boutique.  I purchased some of the crocheted flower border while there, thinking I would case this card.  So, I thank PSB for the lovely idea.  My card really is almost identical, except I have added a few more pearls, my flower button is smaller, my tag is longer and I have added an additional green mat layer, which I think brings out the color in the map.  I'm sending it to Michele so she knows we are always thinking about them and miss them a lot.

2012 Christmas Wishes for a Vintage Aunt!

My husband asked me to make a homemade Christmas card for his aunt who is in her 90's, and I thought it was a great idea.  As I get more practiced in cardmaking, I was intending on increase the number of homemade cards that I send.  Where better to start than to add Aunt Joanie to the homemade card list.  My card for her is using a very subtle paper in browns, reds, and whites.  I love the little cardinal birds scattered hee and there about the paper.  I hope Aunt Joanie likes her first homemade Christmas card from us.

2012 Christmas Wishes for a Friend

I wanted to make a Christmas card for one of my friends that I worked with for many years and now try to see as often as time allows from both of our busy schedules.  I think hers is busier than mine, as she still works and I'm retired and just busy visiting and making cards!   I was remembering Carla coming in from recess duty (at an elementary school) and going in to get a cup of hot chocolate or tea to get her hands warmed up so she could type again, so I thought this little stamped image of hot chocolate was just the thing for her card.  I wish her and her family a very merry Christmas and hope it is full of good cheer!

2012 Christmas Card for #4

I chose this little vintage snowman card for my son, Mark and his wife, Ginger.  I started this card also while in California at the Christmas Card Palooza.  Our instruction and original card design was Sara Moreno.  As I began to make this card, I decided it needed a bit more in embellishments and color, so I waited until we cropped at Mom's before finished it.  I decided to add a red mat between the kraft cardbase and the green damask.  I added the little snowman dimensional and gave him a popped snowflake on his hat and pearl buttons, as well as the two tickets. 

2012 Christmas Card for #3

My youngest two children are next on my list.  I chose this little Mr. and Mrs. Gingerbread card for Jackie.  Last year she was busy baking lots of holiday cookies for family and friends, and of course, gingerbreads were part of the mix.  This card design was taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) and I re-created it in a larger and square card.  I also added the little rhinestones in the upper left corner.  You ask, why remake the same card only larger, and that would be because Jackie places the cards she receives in shadow box frames according to the season or holiday time at hand.  Her cards need to be 5-1/4 inch square to fit her frame.  I know she will like Mr. & Mrs. Gingerbread to add to her frames.

2012 Christmas Card for #2

Card number two will be for daughter and her husband, Don and Michele.  They get all the Christmas traditions on their card!  Again, this was another card taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner) at a Stampin' Up party class while I was visiting in California.  It uses the Stampin' Up Scentsational framelits in a peek-a-boo window fashion.  What's really clever is the diagonal ribbons that made up the tree, the candy cane, and the gingerbread man. . .a simple card but very stylish.  I think Don and Michele will like it and feel they have been wished a merry little Christmas.

2012 Christmas Cards for Family #1

A tradition in the family with the kids was to have hot chocolate on Christmas Eve before bed.  As David is the oldest, I decided he should get the honors of a Christmas card depicting this long-standing childhood Christmas tradition.  I made such a card at the Christmas Card Palooza while in California this fall.  The instructor and designer for this card was my sister, Heidi Gonazles (My Lil' Scrap Corner).  It is a clean and simple vintage card if there is such a thing. . .LOL.

2012 Christmas Cards to Make for Moms!

I was fortunate to be able to start my Christmas cards before journeying to California and while in California for my fall trip to visit Mom.  It is so much fun to make these two annual trips because both my mother and my sister live in the same town and they are both cardmakers so we have a delightful time!

I decided to start my Christmas cardmaking with my Mom and my mother-in-law as they both have to be mailed to California.  This card is for my Mom, using Stampin' Up products stamp: Snow Much Fun; Paper: Always Artichoke, Regal Rose, White Vellum; EFolder: Perfect Polka Dots. SU markers used + Dazzling Details.  Card idea from Liz Thayer.  I enlarged my card and added a pink card base.  I changed the sentiment and added a pink mat behind it, and made vellum layer one unfolded piece.  I also elevated the ribbon rather than place it in the middle.  Thanks, Liz. . .I love the embossed dotted vellum.  It's such a nice touch.

Alice's card is one I made at a Christmas Card Palooza while in California.  It is a card taught by my sister, Heidi Gonzales: My Lil' Scrap Corner, and just love it.  It has the vintage flavor that I love, and the felt poinsettia that we made with a dies and Big Shot is absolutely beautiful.  Heidi's card designs are also so creative and a delight to make.

My Fall 2012 Trip to California!

I have been a bit out of commission for posting to my blog, and I do apologize.   Plus, I am extremely behind keeping up with my favorite cardmaking blog friends; therefore, I have not been posting comments either...shame on me!  I think I was just having too much fun!

While away, I attend several cropping events and retreats...oh how enjoyable!  I've already told you about my family crop retreat in mid-October at a small town north of Redding, staying at the rustic Trout House...that was scads of fun...just my Mom, my sister, and me this time!  Regressing: in the first two weeks of my arrival, we went to two one-day crops south of Redding: one was private crop hosted by Teresa Barnett in Red Bluff, and the other was an anniversary crop at the Paradise Scrapbook Boutique in Chico (our favorite vintage-decorated shop).  Of course, we stayed away overnight and shopped before we start home at any quaint little shops we found as well!  In the last part of October and early November, we went to a one-day crop at the "Rock Paper Scissors," a new Redding scrapbook store, and another most-of-the-day event called the Christmas Card Extravaganza.  We made 18 cards by six designers in 7 hours!  Needless to say, I brought a few unfinished ones home to complete.

To finish off my trip, we traveled east to the tiny town of Weaverville to a four-day crop retreat, called Trinity Scrapbooking Retreats.  We had a blast with our papercrafting, but also enjoyed this small town's Halloween evening festivities.  It was such fun to see how a rural town celebrates the holiday with costumes worn by shop owners and restaurant employees and each business giving out treats to passersby.  But while there, I did manage to get a little crafting and cardmaking done too.  Some of the cards are from kits provided by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (www.mylilscrapcorner.blogspot.com), who designs and teaches cardmaking at Redding's "Rock Paper Scissors," plus holds her own events and is a Stampin' Up demonstrator, as well.  Here are my "sister cards" with a few modifications if a whim struck me while making them:

Following are some cards I made from ideas I got online or at various events or stores, as well some of my own designs.  I left off the sentiments on most of them so I could decide later what I wanted to use them for, and here they are:

Now that I am home, I must get started on Christmas...I will be sharing a mini album I started in California and some cards I made as well!  Hope your late September, October, and early November were as enjoyable as mine!

Halloween 2012 Has Arrived!

On my little vacation retreat to the Trout House, I was busy getting family Halloween cards ready to mail.  I just love all the fun papers, stamps, and embellishments available for this holiday.  With no computer access, I had to wait to finish my inside verses after I got home.  Here are a couple of samples of what I was up to:

 Enjoy...Happy Halloween, Jackie!

This ones for Mark & Ginger...

enjoy all the creatures that come visiting with your card!

Fun in 2012 - A Family Scrapping Retreat

We had the very best time!  Ladies in the family took a week-long papercrafting retreat to a wonderful vacation rental in northern California.  The house to aptly named, "Trout House!"  All of the furnishings and decor are a fishing motif, right down to the wicker fishing basket on the back of the toilet with the bear peeking out in the midst of lotions and shampoos!  Here is a look at what is becoming a ladies favorite for a little rest and relaxation while we indulge in our favorite hobby...cardmaking!   Of course, we have to move a bit of furniture to set up our cropping tables, but it doesn't take away from the cute decor, the rushing river sounds below the backyard embankment, the train whistles across the river bed below, the chirping birds, or pitter-patter of squirrels moving about in the trees!