Little Things!

Hello friends!  I'm sitting in my comfy chair sipping Keurig coffee as I write this post!  It is great to be home (if only for a day), especially since I spent yesterday living life on the edge!  ;)  Of course, I'm kidding, but it definitely was a little nerve-wracking...I flew home on stand-by and for a while there I thought my luggage would make it on board without me.  As it turned out, I was the next-to-last person to get a seat...and that seat was a window seat at the very back of the plane with a beautiful view of the jet engine!  I was very glad to have brought a good book to read and a few markers to do a little coloring!

I'm not even unpacking my bags...I will be leaving tomorrow around noon for CHA in Anaheim!  I would normally be SO excited, but this time it is kinda bittersweet.  I have missed my husband and son so much, and I'm wishing that I could have a little more time at home before going again!

I am already really missing my parents, hoping that Mom is faring well and that she won't over-do it now that her help is gone.  This past week was certainly a testimony to the treasure of family and friends...I don't know what our family would have done without the support of our neighbors, friends, and church family.  So many people sent cards, came to visit, brought food, offered to run errands, and sent prayers heavenward...and certainly those prayers were answered.  I can't begin to express how grateful I am!

It's often the little things that make a huge difference!  Those things do not go unnoticed, and when someone takes the time and makes the effort to go the extra mile, it is definitely appreciated! That is what my mom's paper lady does!  Instead of tossing the paper into their yard, she takes the time to walk to their door and hang it on the door knob.  It sounds so small, but it is a huge help to my mom each morning!

On the morning of Mom's surgery, we were up really early getting ready to go to the hospital when the paper lady arrived at 4:45, so we were able to chat with her and tell her thank-you in person, but I wanted to do something more for her, so I made this little door hanger.   I hope it makes her feel special, because she certainly is!

Notes:
The Cat's Pajamas Bearing Flowers
Gina K Pure Luxury card stock
Basic Grey Picadilly designer paper
Spellbinders classic circles, picot-edged circles
Memento ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Copic markers

I Only Have Eye for You!

It has been a busy week without much time to stamp, but I took a time out yesterday to work on some thank you's for the people who've been so sweet to us during this stressful week (I'll share pictures soon), and also to play with some new stamps from Taylored Expressions, the sponsor for this week's CPS sketch.  Love Monsters is such a CUTE set!  The sentiment for this particular image, "I only have eye for you," makes me giggle!

Notes:
Stamp Set: Love Monsters, courtesy of Taylored Expressions
Card stock, Authentique designer paper, ribbon, adhesive foam: Taylored Expressions

Markers: Copic
Dies: Spellbinders
Twine: My Mind's Eye
Miscellaneous: button

Our family was totally elated to get a good report from the doctor's office yesterday morning...the lymph node pathology results were clean and clear!  That was certainly an answer to our prayers!  Now that THAT worrisome burden has been lifted, Mom can get on with the business of healing.  I will be going with her for her one week recheck, and then will probably return to Florida briefly before heading to CHA in California.  I'm really looking forward to seeing my guys, and then my stamping friends!

Whew! What a Day!

It is really amazing what can happen in the course of a little more than 24 hours!  My brothers and I took Mom to the hospital yesterday at 6 a.m. for her surgery.  By noon she was out of recovery and into a day surgery room.  I was expecting her to be groggy and foggy, but she was awake and alert.  In fact, the anesthesia had her kinda wound up, to the point that she talked non-stop most of the afternoon!  ;)

One of my brothers stayed the night at the house with Daddy and I stayed at the hospital with Mom.  We both slept better than expected, and she was up and ready to greet Dr. Cocchiara when he made rounds this morning around 7.  By 8:30 we were on our way home!

She is sitting in her rocker with her arm propped up on a pretty rainbow pillow from Aunt Anna Beth.  All of her siblings have showered her with cards and gifts and prayers...one of my aunts even mentioned how grateful she was for the many prayers from all of my stamping friends, so I wanted to be sure to let you know how much we all appreciate you!  I don't think I've ever been so grateful to have so many wonderful friends!

I'll keep you posted!  Gratefully,

Deb

ihp DT challenge!

It's challenge day for the i {heart} papers design team!  This month our inspiration is from living spaces!  There are so many gorgeous designs to choose from...just look at the beautiful colors, patterns,  and textures in these photos from House Beautiful!

A huge thank you to all of you who are thinking positive thoughts and saying prayers for my mom!  I made it safely to Louisiana, and have been busy helping make preparations for her surgery early Wednesday morning.  Although I brought stamping stuff with me, I haven't had much of a chance to play...I really am hoping that when the surgery is behind us and she is home recovering, I will be able to revisit these pictures and make at least one card!  (I see a pink breast cancer thank you card in my future!)  In the meantime, I'm sure my amazing design team mates will knock your socks off with their projects!

• Carolyn
• Gretchen
• Kate
• Loretta
• Lori
• Lynn
• Tracy

Kiss Tag!

It's Lizzie Anne Designs/Gourmet Rubber Stamps design team challenge day...we're playin' kiss tag!  ;)  Hahaha!  First thought that came to mind when I read that on our dt forum was kiss chase in kindergarten!   Eeek....quick!  Escape!  Boys are yucky!  ;)

I used markers directly to rubber for this elegant sentiment from this month's Diners' Club set, Sealed With a Kiss.  I love this kraft, chocolate and pale pink color combo, made with scraps of MME designer paper and Tim Holtz embellishments.  

Visit the GRS blog and the rest of our design team for more kiss tag ideas, just in time for Valentine's Day!

I made it to Louisiana safe and sound...brought a whole bunch of stampin' stuff to play with should I have an opportunity!  I thought my older brother was gonna come in a day after me, but he surprised me and showed up at the Dallas airport so we could sit together on the flight to Lake Charles.  My other brother (younger of the two but still older than I) picked us up to drive us to Mom and Dad's.  It is the first time in quite a while that we all five have been together.

Thanks for your continued prayers!  xoxoxo

Pretty Pastels

Here's a pastel little lovely featuring Fuchsia Flower Soft.  The image is one of our sepia toppers, softly tinted with Copic markers.  I also used a markers to dye the paper flower to match, adding a few die-cut leaves and a pretty picot-edged bow.

For more ideas for how to use Flower Soft products, visit the Flower Soft blog, and my design team mates!

Notes:
Gina K Pure Luxury card stock
scrap of designer paper
Charlie's Ark Plant Pot Pals sepia topper
Copic markers
Fuchsia Flower Soft
Spellbinders leaves die
paper flower
picot-edged ribbon


Thanks SO MUCH for all of your prayers for my mom!  We spent a tense day waiting for the call regarding her PET scan results, and finally at the end of the day we got great news!  The cancer is confined to her breast only...there are no metastases!  Please continue to pray that her surgery will confirm these results and that everything will go smoothly!

A Midnight Kiss

Hello!  It's been a while!  2012 has had a rough start, and even if I had wanted to stamp, I just didn't have it in me.

A week ago today, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ugh, just hearing that word scares the daylights out of you!  At first, I was just kinda numb, and then I went into research mode, trying to find out enough information and become familiar enough with the terminology that when the doctors begin to discuss her test results, I will not be like a deer in the headlights.  My brothers, parents and I have had quite a few telephone conference calls and Skype sessions to discuss what we know so far, and I think we are reaching a place of calm realization and readiness for action.  Even in the face of this dreaded disease, God IS good and He IS in control. Today we should hear the results of her PET scan and know more about what we are dealing with and what the options are.  Your prayers would be much appreciated!  I'm sure I'll be traveling to Louisiana soon although no specific dates as of yet...all of my design teams have been so wonderfully supportive and understanding during this time, as stamping will likely take the back burner and be a welcome stress relief and not an ongoing commitment for the next little while.  I will continue to post projects as I am able, so I hope you will still visit!

So today, I was overjoyed when I actually woke up in the mood to stamp!  Hallelujah! Taylor's cute Valentines from a few days ago inspired me...I used some cute Lizzie Anne/Gourmet Rubber Stamps images, some scraps from October Afternoon's Christmas Style, and this week's CPS sketch.  For the background, I placed the script stamp upside down on my work surface, inked it with dye ink, then stamped some of the ink off with a scrap of paper. I then placed my card stock on top of the stamp, using uneven pressure with my fingers to produce a faint image. Looks like a time-worn love letter that could have spent years in the attic!

Visit the GRS blog to see my post there and be sure to scroll down to the previous post to see Taylor's card.

Visit the CPS blog for more ideas using CPS Sketch #250!  

Notes:
Lizzie Anne Designs/Gourmet Rubber Stamps Sealed with a Kiss Diners' Club set, Kissed Goodnight single

October Afternoon Christmas Style designer paper

Clearsnap Lipstick Red Chalk Ink, Wicked Black Archival Ink

Spellbinders die

May Arts ribbon

BoBunny bling

paper flower, jute thread

Gina K Designs Inspiration Day 3!

We're showcasing the new StampTV Kit, True Love, today, and it is one of my favorite sets of this release!

I have a thing for typewriters!  It's nostalgic and sentimental. When I was growing up, my dad, a pharmacist, owned a Rexall drug store, and there were several typewriters and cash registers there. I have such fond memories of going to the store after school, hanging out with my dad and Mr. Budge, eating Tom's Peanut Butter Logs and PayDay's, sitting on the floor with my friends reading comic books and looking through all the racks of lipstick and nail polish.  One look at a typewriter and this flood of warm childhood memories comes rushing back!

Naturally, that made this typewriter stamp the first thing I inked up from this kit!  I used a nestabilities label die to cut a shape for the top of the pocket, which holds some littles tab-topped manilla pages...the tabs spell out "I love you" using images from Tami's Calendar Bits and Pieces.  The typewriter was stamped on one of the pages, colored with Copics, then cut out and popped up on dimensionals.  I love the designer paper with all the highlighted words and text-speak...SO cute!  

Notes:

Pure Luxury card stock

True Love StampTV kit
Calendar Bits and Pieces

True Love patterned paper 

Memento ink

Tim Holtz worn lipstick distress ink

Nestabilities Labels 18

Copic markers

flower

recycled ribbon

Here are today's designers:

• Gina K
• Giovana Smith
• Jennie Harper
• Jimmi Mayo
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Suzanne Dean
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Vicki Dutcher
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Deb Felts
• Donna Baker

Gina K Designs Inspiration Day 2!

Welcome to the second of this release's inspirational hops!  Today we are showcasing two new sets, Tami's Special Occasion Tags and You've got Style (One free with 3).

My first card uses this week's CPS sketch to feature Tami's Special Occasion Tags.  I love this color scheme, with that tiny pop of red!

Notes:

Gina K Pure Luxury card stock

Tami's Special-Occasion Tags

Vintage Chic patterned paper

heart-shaped button

twine

The idea for my second card came from this fun fashion sentiment, although I am not sure it comes across IRL as clearly as I saw it in my imagination!  Does this make you think of a lighted runway?

Notes:
Gina K Pure Luxury card stock
You've Got Style! (One Free with 3!)
True Love patterned paper
tulle
satin ribbon
button/thread
pink bling

Here are today's participants:

• Gina K
• Tami Mayberry – Illustrator Special Occasion Tags
• Carolina Buchting
• Cathy Tidwell
• Donna Baker
• Giovana Smith
• Jennie Harper
• Jimmi Mayo
• Lee Murphy
• Melanie Muenchinger
• Michelle Woerner
• Sharon Harnist
• Theresa Momber
• Tina Gilliland
• Vicki Dutcher

Happy New Year!

May 2012 be filled with peace, joy, and love!

Notes:
ink and stamps from The {Stamps} of Life:  list2write, minis4circles, funky4numbers
October Afternoon designer paper