Thank you cards

Man, it has been such a busy week and I am exhausted!  I really need to hit the hay but thought I would do a quick post.  I made these thank you cards a few weeks ago.  I was telling Diane that I wanted to make some and she offered to let me use her new "thanks" die made by Memory Box, that she picked up at Let's Create in WI Rapids.  I cut the word "thanks" out with the Big Shot then ran it through my sticker maker to get adhesive on the back of it.  Much, much easier than trying to do dots of glue and running the risk of glue oozing out!  This was a fun little project to use some fun pattern paper's and other paper scraps with die's to cut out butterflies, and the birds, and the border strips.  I also used some of my thrift shop lace on some of them, and my "never ending, humongous spool of baker's twine" to wrap around the cards, make a bow and add some texture!!!
I have a fun little story to tell about Mason.  Last night he was sitting on my lap, looking at me with the sweetest little smile on his face.  Then he says Chocolate Affair...we had so much fun!  He sure did enjoy that, and he is loving story hour.  We went again today, and he did really well and made it through the whole session.  Much to his delight, we sang the song "Where is Thumbkin, where is thumb kin, here I am....  They also glued construction paper together to make a paper mouse like the mouse in one of the stories today.  Mason had never used a glue stick before and he thought that was great fun!  I see a scrap booker in the future!  :-D  Oh...and later on back at Jenna's house we were singing "Where is Thumbkin?" and even little Valentina was trying to sing along with us.  It is hard to believe that she is only ten month's old as she does so many toddler type things already.  But as I always say..the second child always learns things faster than the first one as they are always watching the older one.  Have a happy weekend!  Me

Happy Birthday to Me....again! :-D

Today, Carol Camp and I went to the Dells to celebrate my birthday!  We went to Joann's first of all and I got a really cute stack (pad) of boy's patterned paper.  Some of it can be used for girls also but there are really a lot of cute prints in it that I will be able to use for making boy cards, or in the kids project life pages.  There are sheets of paper that are green with ants on them and I have already told Jenna to take a picture of the kids "getting" an ant or a picture of an ant.  Both of the kids are fascinated with ants, even Valentina finds them amazing and crawls after them and as Jenna laughingly says... tortures them!
Carol and I had a fantastic lunch at Cracker Barrel, and we enjoyed looking in the shop a little bit.   They know longer have the BLT salad that I loved, but I found a grilled chicken breast with bacon and colby cheese, etc. on it that both Carol and I ordered and LOVED!!! Before we left I found a new cross necklace and earrings in the clearance section of the store that I LOVE!!  So I am very happy about that!
We saw a movie and then ended the day with ice cream at Culvers.  And it was a very nice birthday treat.  Thank you again Carol!
Back to today's card.  I made 6 of these on Monday night.  The back ground pattern paper is some of the very first pattern paper that I got with my Stampin' UP!  starter kit.  I also had sheets of pink and brown too.  I remember how much I loved that paper.  And knowing the hoarder in me....I probably was saving this for a special project.  If you saw the paper stash I have today...you would know that it is now okay to use it!  ;-)  I have an extensive stash.  But back then I didn't.  I love pattern paper as much as I do fabric.  I love color, and I love patterns.  So today's card is a mixture of old and new.  The happy birthday is from the SU stamp set Perfectly penned, and the flower is called Triple Treat.  It was named that because if you stamp it three times in different colors like I did, you can use three different punches to punch out the images, or you could cut them out by hand too.  It is a simple layout...but it makes a striking card!  Off to la la land for me!  Happy Wednesday!  Love, Elaine

There is nothing better than a true friend....So very true!

Good Evening!  I know...it's about time I posted something.  My life has been like a treadmill, one that you can't seem to hop off of !!!  Hopefully that will change soon.

I have been doing some crafting, some of it went out the door with out photograph's being taken.  I made Antonio's three hats for his birthday in January and a scarf that matches all three of them.  He doesn't always wear a hat, but he ALWAYS has the scarf on so that it good.  I know he likes it!  :-D  I think he just wears the hats while snow blowing or working outside as he doesn't want to mess up his hair.  You know, the chef has to look his best when he is in front of the guests!  I also made a really long lacy type scarf for Sarah as a surprise present to congratulate her on her new job.  And once again, I forgot to shoot a picture of that.  I have been having some trouble with my camera.  The battery isn't staying charged very long.  I am going to do a search on line and see if I can order a new battery, and hopefully that will do the trick.  I like this camera a lot and really don't want to buy a new one.

Today's card was made with a stamp set from Papertrey Ink called In Bloom.  I love this set.  It makes the prettiest cards.  I made four of these tonight, along with six other cards that I will try and do a post about tomorrow.  It is much more productive to mass produce cards and I rarely make one of a card unless I am making it special for someone, or participating in a card challenge.

For my friends that are reading this post....this one is for you.....Nothing is better than a true friend!  May the Lord bless you and keep you, may he shine his face upon you, and give you his peace.  Love, Elaine

Valentina's doll blanket

Good evening-  I hope this finds you safe and well!  I ended up having to go out in the yuck last night and then early again this morning to watch the grand kids.  I LOVE watching it snow....from inside.  Normally I will hibernate in the winter for 4 or 5 days at a time...till I get a little cabin fever....then I will finally go out!  But not so this winter, with having the grand babies here.  It is rare to have a whole day at home.  I am either there or off on some adventure!  I got tuckered out today so I am just waking up from about a three hour nap!  Sure do love my recliner for napping!!! ; - )

Today's showcase is the keepsake doll quilt I made for Valentina's new baby doll.  She received a cabbage patch baby from her Mama and Papa for Christmas and boy does she love it.  She is always kissing the baby on those chubby cheeks, just as we are always kissing hers!

 

The quilt is made up of 52 two inch squares that after sew together are 1 1/2" square.  I have this sitting on the seat of the recliner at Jenna's house so you can see how miniature this quilt is.  After piecing together the quilt.  I traced the animals on the fabric with my light box, after I had sewn the panel on the quilt, then embroidered them through the fabric and flannel lining.  I purchased the embroidery/quilt pattern from Nana's Company.  A little row of lace, edges the top of the quilt and then all off the squares were machine quilted.

All that was left to do was to sew on the binding which is done by machine, and finished by hand.

So Valentina has her very own miniature quilt.  It would also be great for doll and bear collectors as it is a miniature size.  I have in storage an old doll buggy and a old doll crib.  It would look really cool in there with some dolls or bears.  One last picture of the quilt with Valentina's dolly.

 

When Jenna was little, she had a cabbage patch knock off doll.  I couldn't afford $25.00 for a real one and I found a doll that looked very much like them.  She named it Peggy Sue, after Peggy Sue Ramsey, the first real live baby she played with and she loved that doll so much!  Isn't it nice that she wanted her little girl to have one too only Valentina's is smaller.  They now make baby one's.  Her doll doesn't have removable clothes.  It is in a flannel attached sleeper.

Have a wonderful day!  Elaine

PS.  Corinne, you asked if I subscribe to Michelle Wooderson's blog and yes, I do.  Mishy is the one who has given me the inspiration to get going on Project Life books for the grand kids!