Happy New Year and Sweet Valentines

Happy New Year to everyone! This year has flown by with many blessings and challenges alike. Change can be difficult, but the reward of change can be gratifying and I am sure there will be many challenges, changes, and blessings in the year to come.

I'm posting my first Valentine today and am working on several others. For you who are waiting for the banner tutorial - it's on it's way - lots of photographs to get through the steps, but I promise soon.I have 2 today and will post 2 more (pink ones for Pink Saturday) on Saturday. I love making these, working with vintage images and seambinding - it truly brings me joy especially the glitter! If anyone is interested these will be in my Etsy shop later today.

 Take care everyone, be safe and have a great New Year's Eve. We're staying at home and having Seafood Pasta - YUM! And hopefully I can stay awake - maybe I should try to get a nap.

Dru

And Another New Year's Card...

My last one. I need to get started on Valentine's Day - NOW!!! However, I'm going to take a few days off to enjoy my family and Christmas.

Have a lovely Christmas and thank you for stopping by.

Dru

Christmas is getting closer...

...and we're suppose to get snow today. The winds came in last night and now it's quiet, so we'll see. The weather has a way of changing quickly up here. The kids will be here Wednesday and hopefully we'll have a "whiter" Christmas than we do right now - they love to play in the snow and run with the dogs.

My post today is another New Year's card again made for Lake Tahoe Holidays. I hope you enjoy it.



Have a wonderful week a Happy Holiday Season, and a Merry Merry Christmas!

Take Care
Dru

Cards for the New Year

Christmas is almost here - are you all keeping your sanity? I hope so - it's so important to live in the present, the now, the moment. This season is so special and passes so quickly. In the blink of an eye, it's over and we're on to something else. I'm decorating my house little by little. John is leaving tomorrow to go get the "Pool Table" - I opted to stay home and get some painting done and some furniture moved back out of the guest room so my daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren have somewhere to sleep.

I'm posting 2 more New Years cards I've done for Lake Tahoe Holidays. I hope you enjoy them.




Take care and Happy Holidays.

Dru

A Gift from My Secret Sister...

and it seems everyone knows who she is now, so a special thank you to you Cindy. I DO love everything. Just look at all the wonderful goodies she sent!!

Isn't this the sweetest card, and I can't wait to put the ornament on our tree


And look at this cute purse and little tags - can't wait to use these!


I'm going to get a LOT of use out of this - I'm constantly making notes and looking for paper...



Love these - perfect for spring cards...


There are some beautiful quotes and sentiments here - looking forward to using these...


and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this - I cannot wait to use it!!


She also sent me candy - but it was gone right away - Love chocolate.

Thank you again Cindy - I am so happy you were my secret sister. Happy Holidays to everyone, and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Pink Saturday....

Once again it's Pink Saturday - Pop on over to Beverly's at How Sweet the Sound and look at all the amazing talent and beauty you'll find there. It is time well spent.



The theme this week is showcasing your favorite Christmas decoration. I have many, however most of them are still packed due to the work we are doing in our long neglected living room. We've lived here a few years, but are just now actually turning our living room into a living room (this is all based around a pool table we have been looking for - long story and not very interesting)and once the baseboard is in and the carpet cleaned - then I will be unpacking more of Christmas. However, these little pink trees are definitely among my favorites and newly acquired - they're not vintage but they sure look like it - and I do love them. They make the perfect setting for a New Year's card made for Lake Tahoe Holidays Gift Shop here in town, and is based on a reproduced vintage image from The Graphics Fairy - isn't she sweet!

Have a wonderful holiday season and a very Merry Christmas to all of you.

Take care,

Snowbirds and Holly...

2 more Christmas cards today. Christmas is coming fast isn't it? There's always so much to do sometimes we overlook the joy in the season. I'm really trying to hold on to that - it's such a wonderful time of the year. I made some gifts yesterday and most of what we have already bought I've wrapped. The baseboard in our living room should be done this weekend (and I hope the windows get trimmed out this weekend too so our kitties can sit in the windows and look out), the carpet cleaners are scheduled for Monday, then the tree comes up and hopefully we'll get all the furniture moved over and the pool table set up in the family room so we can enjoy it with family during the holidays. That's probably really positive thinking. Actually, I'll be happy to just get the carpets cleaned and the tree up before Christmas, and then do all the rest at our leisure. We'll see. My sweet MIL had heart surgery Wednesday (she's doing very well) and we'll be making a quick trip down there to see her probably the weekend before Christmas, take gifts down, and pick up the pool table. Seems like a lot to do yet - and I do not have my Christmas cards ready yet either - oh well, one step at a time and just breathe.....

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

I've always loved that song from the time I was a fairly young child - that, and Courier and Ives for those of you who remember or know what that is. Apparently even as a child I was an old soul - and that's fine with me. I'm so looking forward to having my daughter, son-in-law, and 4 beautiful grandchildren here for Christmas. We have lots of snow on the ground and more expected beginning tomorrow. You can truly understand "Silent Night" when the snow is falling - it is so very quiet and the sparkling beauty in the morning is just breathtaking.

Today I'm posting Christmas cards with a snowy vintage feel




Lots to do - I know everyone is so busy right now. Have a wonderful holiday season, enjoy your family, and try to take a little time out for yourself to just breathe.

Take care,


P.S. For those of you waiting for the banner tutorial. I will begin banners for Valentines Day as soon as possible and that is when I will put the tutorial together. Realistically, I think we're looking at the first week of January.

Warmest Wishes...

The last 2 of my secret sister challenges. Winter Greeting Card again uses the Cuttlebug Flourished Frame I bought at 7 Kids College Fund - the link is in the sidebar.



The challenge for the 2nd one was to use 2 lollipop flowers. Lots of glitter on this one. Papers are from Seneca Pond and the text paper is from The Vintage Workshop, the image is from Crafty Secrets "Birds and Blossoms" Creative Scraps, brads are by K & Co., gem is from Michaels, sentiment is the Winter Song set from S.E.I., ribbon is wired and I believe from Michael's.



Have a great day.

Blog Group Challenge...

This card was actually created for my husband on our anniversary in October, but I did not post it. Works out great for me, because one of our challenges in our Blog Group was to use text on our card. The image is from Digital Palace, the DP is from the "Complete Boy" 12x12 Paper Deck by My MInds Eye from Michael's. I love this paper deck - it is huge and all masculine papers - really one of the best sources I have found! The text is from an old book I found at the thrift store. And so, here it is...



Have a wonderful day everyone!

Secret Sister Challenges

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving - and fun shopping Black Friday. I don't usually shop the day after Thanksgiving, but Michael's was having some really great deals and so down we went (our nearest major shopping is about 40 minutes away) and I added a few more Christmas gifts to my closet! I'm so excited - I'm almost done with Christmas shopping - hopefully we'll have our tree up by next weekend. We've had to do demolition to our long neglected living room, and I WILL be painting it today and tomorrow - then we'll begin moving furniture and all that stuff so we can get Christmas set up - it's been a job - but so worth it! Enough babble.

My post for today is 2 of our Secret Sister Challenges. One - a purse. Purses are not really my thing - but I found a really cute (quick and easy) template with not a lot of fussing, and I actually enjoyed myself.



Two - 2 Tags - both vintage but with different looks.




I hope you like them Secret Sister - I'm waiting for one more item, and I have one more card to make - which I'm working on now - and then my package will be in the mail.

Have a wonderful day!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone...

I'm such a goof, I tried to post this card the other day and wound up posting - but with the photo of a card I had already posted. When I tried to change it - it would not work (the timing of the post - that is). So, I'm going to try this again with the right photo.



I love this Flourish Frame from Provo Craft - I bought it from 7 kids (link is in the sidebar)I've made several designs from it and just never tire of it (is that called a rut???) I don't know, but nevertheless I know this will be something that gets used time and again.

It's so important in these times to really take the time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Sometimes we get so bogged down in responsibilities and the negative things going on around us - it's hard to see all the wonderful things in our life. I'm thankful for a good husband (the first was not so good!), I'm thankful for a wonderful daughter, son-in-law, and 4 beautiful and amazing grandchildren - Love to you all! I'm thankful for all the wonderful friends I have made through blogging, and before I bore you all to death - thank you all so much for your kind and sweet comments and for being who you are. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving - Hugs to you all!

Papertrey Blog Hop

Tonight is the November Papertrey Blog Hop and the challenge was to make quick and easy wrapping and tags for "grab and go" last minute gifts. Handmade soaps make a great gift and I loved useing the packing paper from my Papertrey order for the wrapping, stamped with a combination of stamps from Papertrey's "Text Style", "Signature Christmas", "2009 Holiday Tags", and "Turning a New Leaf", tied with buttontwine also from Papertrey, along with a tiny jingle bell - I think from Michael's



Go HERE to see a lot of great ideas for the holidays.

Take care,
Dru

When I Count My Blessings

Giving Thanks for You...

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just a week away!?! We've been busy with some remodeling, the shop, Keri's shop, and the list goes on, just like everyone else. I made this card mainly because I absolutely love this paper by K & Co. and the co-ordinating gems - but the sentiment I believe is beautiful also. It's from Cornish Heritage Farms and I just love it's simple heart.

I want to say Thank You to all of you who stop by to visit and say hello - your words are always such an inspiration to me. There are so many things to be concerned about in our world, yet it is so important to reflect on the positive - there really are many things I'm sure we can all find to be thankful for. Take a minute to be still and reflect - it's good for the soul.

Take care everyone...

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String....

....those are the words that jumped out at me for the Favorite Things Challenge for Flourishes this month. I've been working a lot with Kraft paper lately because it's just so organic. I've also enjoyed working with recycled grocery bags and that is what I have used on this, along with button twine, gold embossing, etc. The wreat stamp and sentiment are from Flourishes "Christmas Wreath" set and the music background stamp is from their "Christmas Music" set. The wreath is gold embossed and then watercolored - loved working with this image. The set comes with a larger one also - perfect for a card focal point.



Along with that, the Cards blog for Scrapbook Trends Magazine is having a challenge to create Thanksgiving place cards. I love sweet little cards like this - although I'm not sure I'll be making 7 more for our dinner - maybe - I would love to have the time. Anyway, this is what I have created. The 2nd view shows more of the glitter.




I used Kraft paper, Fern Leaf & Chocolate (I think that's the name) vintage buttons, and button twine from Papertrey. The stamped border is a stamp from Crafty Secrets Mini Memories, the name is computer generated with Chopin Script, and the pinked text is from a very old book I found at the thrift store - I love this text and cannot seem to stop using it.

As a side note, I also received some very good news last night. A card I just submitted to "Cards" was picked up for the April 2010 publication. I am honored and humbled at the same time oh yes, and greatly excited!

Take care, have a wonderful day and try to spend at least a little time doing what you love.

Thank You...

... to all of our American Heroes and their families at home and in other countries working and fighting to keep us free and from harm. We cannot thank you enough, but want you to know how much we appreciate you - thank you, thank you, thank you...

I've been asked to do a tutorial on banners, which I am happy to do. This banner style is pretty much my standard and is pretty simple. However, if you have seen other on here that you would like me to do, please leave your suggestions in your comment. It's going to take me a few days to put this together, so bear with me. I haven't forgot - just have a lot going on and it's going to take a bit.

This banner was made for Keri's shop, Lake Tahoe Holidays here in town, and to be honest - I didn't really care for the papers that much and figured I wouldn't use them on a card - but when I finished this - it's one of my absolute favorites - obviously the paper was perfect for THIS type of project, at least for me.











Take care

Secret Sister Challenge

Finally - I've completed the 2nd (I know I'm really behind) secret sister challenge for our blog group on SCS. The challenge was a Christmas Tree gift box/ornament. Mine is only an ornament, because I'm not clever enough to figure out how to make it look o.k. and open too - I know, don't go there. Anyway, you'll see an initial on the front - It is not the initial of my secret sister because of course that's a secret. I will put the correct initial on there before it's mailed out. The DP is from a digital image company called Seneca Pond - Eileen has some great images and background papers, and the best thing is - you never run out of the papers you love!

I'm also posting a banner I made for Keri's shop - Lake Tahoe Holidays - made from the same papers. This is one of my personal favorites - I think it's the colors and those lollipop flowers.







Thank you for stopping by, have a great day! I'm off to Reno to pick up parts for my husband.

Take Care