Country Christmas Vintage Style

 Hello Crafty Friends,    Today begins a New Challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas Challenge Blog ~ Where I am a new designer!   I am happy to be on Becca's Team.    I hope that you will come over to join in with us today - this challenge goes from November 7th - December 5th.   

I decided to create a card featuring a Country Home Setting, only with a Vintage Style.  I love it!   Here is my card ~ 

The Image is from Stamperia, 12x12 sheet.   Card stock is from my stash and gold trim is Dazzles.   I really like the setting with lots of snow, wooded areas, and florals.  Loving the colors of this image.  I went around the edges with distress oxide in vintage photo. 

Thank you for checking out my card, and we hope to see you at the Challenge!

Have a Crafty Good Holiday Season, and Merry Christmas.

Mary

FA-LA-LA Christmas Kitty

 Hello!   Today starts a Challenge over at Christmas Crafts All Year Round, the theme this month is:  11 Pipers Piping or 11 of something or Holiday Carol

My card has a cute little Kitty sitting in a wicker basket, surrounded by holly berries and musical notes in the background.   By Stamperia.   The Ticket - Simple Stories.  And the background paper - Paper Heart.  The Gold Border Sticker - Dazzles   Ivory Card Stock - craft store.     Thank you for popping by and don't forget to enter your beautiful creation at - Christmas Crafts All Year Round

Happy Crafting and Happy Holidays!   

FA - LA - LA   Mary 

Here is my card:  

It's About Time

 Hello everyone!   It's been so long since I've posted anything.   This blog has been sitting here waiting for me to post something so here goes.... the last part of August we had been busy with physical therapy for my hubby, he was cleared for getting back to work and can walk much faster than I.  So amazing and I am thrilled with the outcome.    

I have been neglectful of not posting any of my makes done for my design team at Christmas Crafts All Year Round.  I'm not sure why that is...only to say its either been laziness on my part or just been working too much, (which I have).     The holidays are almost upon us - which is unbelievable!!  Where has the time gone??   Wasn't it just the summer and now autumn has crept in with frost and freeze warnings.   Brrrr...   well time waits for no one that is for sure... and it can slip away too.   I am just going to say...  Christmas will be here before you know it, and that ever present Black Friday will be coming around the corner and we all know what that means in retail world - Hold On To Your Reindeer ~ you haven't seen nothin' yet!!!   I never was that person that camped out in the parking lot overnight waiting for the doors to scream open just to chase down a bargain or two.  Nope.  But when you work retail just as I do, you must learn to like it or try to look for a hiding place...  no, no,  I must face reality.   Go forth and push my way through the crazy crowds to go to work.     Until that day happens, I will be here to post my creative makes with you.

By the way - I am now apart of the Design Team on Farm Quest Country Christmas Challenge Blog! 

Okay, its very early A.M. here on this side of the world, and for whatever reason I saw the need to rise up before the sun, and the chirping birdies... to write this blog post.   it's about 45 degrees F outside today, won't get much warmer than that I am sure... and its another day off for me.   Thank you Lord!   We all need days off... yay.   

Until next time 'round, have a crafty good day.   Hugs, Mary

It's August ~ Challenge Time!

 Hello!   It's August,  that means Challenge time over at Once Upon A Time!   My Card this month features a Bee,  with the Sentiment "Just Bee You"     

The Bee = Close To My Heart

Sentiments = Stampendous - Honeycomb Wishes

Coloring = Water brush using Distress Crayons and Distress Inks - Tim Holtz

Trim = Fancy Fibers - Stampin Up - found at my local flea market

Corner Punch = Stampin Up - found at my local flea market

Here is my card:   Just Bee You 

Hope to see you at Once Upon A Time!     Hugs, Mary ♥ ♥

Happy Day Flowers

Hello Crafting Buddies,    This evening I felt inspired to listen to some soothing music and to work on a craft, my project is - "Happy Day Flowers"  This is a stamped image from Stampendous, and one I found at a local flea market.   These reminded me of Coneflowers that used to grow in my summer garden.   I wanted to give them a "wash" of color using a water brush and water color pencils and Distress Crayons ~ I think it turned out lovely.   I then used some netting from a vintage wedding dress and tied with a soft green trim, with the words stamped: Happy Day.   The butterfly is made of wood,  this was ordered online.  The green paper background is  from my stash.   While the colors of the petals remind me of Autumn or late Summer, I wanted to give my card the feel of a pretty Summer garden.  The words are stamped, with a light "wash" of color in the background.  

     

Thank you for stopping by ~ please leave a comment, it will inspire me to create more cards.   Hugs, Mary ♥♥

I would like to enter this card into the following Challenges:

We Love Stamping - July Challenge Fabulous Florals & Anything Goes Option ♥ ♥ Challenge closes Aug. 2nd - My entry #107

Stamping Sensations - July Challenge - Theme Summer Flowers ♥ ♥ My entry #92

 

Hospital Visit

Hello!  Just wanted to give another update on how my hubby is doing these days.  He has physical therapy twice a week, until the middle of August.   It's been a little over 3 weeks since his knee replacement, and he has made great strides in his walking abilities without really using his cane.  Well done!   I don't really have to "coach" him to do his regular at home exercises either... he just wants to keep making improvements.  Yay!    This does my heart good.  :)   So, what's up with the hospital visit you ask?  Well, he now has a problem with his eye, with seeing flashes of light just in the corner.   The doctor & his nurse were able to numb the eye to get a peek inside to see what might be happening and they couldn't detect anything really.  We won't have a final diagnosis until he makes yet another appointment with his eye doctor.   Because he is a military veteran we usually go out of town to see all his doctors, but they weren't able to get him in any earlier than November (which is when he see's the eye doc),  that is also why we ended up at the local hospital. Thankfully we weren't there all day waiting to get in which is amazing.  In fact the waiting room was empty.    So if you wish to send up a prayer we would so appreciate it very much.  Thank you, and many hugs, Mary

BTW:  I am now just getting back into making greeting cards again, I feel some normalcy.  So that is another yay! 

And an added note*  My leg muscles are doing a bit better too.   Let's keep making improvements.

I get to work this weekend, so I will be busy.  Hoping your weekend goes very well.   

Jolly Santa

 Its Christmas.... okay, maybe not Christmas yet, but thought I would make a card featuring Jolly Santa.  

♥ ♥ The materials for this card came from a card kit that I found at my local flea market, so it really did not have a brand attached to it.    The gifts are layered or "popped".   Diamond Stickles were added for a glistening effect to the top of his hat, down to the boots and snow.  The background papers are from Paper Adventures.   With an added mint candy sticker.     I really do like how this card came together... thanks for stopping by to visit, and leave a comment too! ♥ ♥

I will be entering Jolly Santa into the following Challenges:

♥ My Time To Craft Christmas - MTTCC # 65 - Theme - Cute Christmas ♥  My Card is Jolly Santa #2

♥ 12 Months Of Christmas Linkup - Challenge #102 - Anything Goes ♥ My Card is Jolly Santa #86

  

Hello!

 It's been a while since my last post.   I have been busy with my hubby and his recovery.   The surgery went very well, they had him to spend the night and the next day he was brought home.   Just after a few hours of rest he was up using his walker and just tooling around the house!    He has had some pain following surgery but that is to be expected but he seems to be doing very well.   He is currently going to physical therapy twice a week.    

We certainly do appreciate the prayers!   

I would like to get back into crafting here soon, as I am growing restless much like my hubby.  LOL  He stays busy throughout the day, which is very good.   And watching tv here and there, I think we are getting weary of watching episodes of the Love Boat.    I may have told you that I had injured my leg about a month ago, well finally I am seeing some improvements in the way its been feeling.   The muscles used to hurt if I sat down at my desk for too long a period.    

Also, not sure if I mentioned to you but we are now a three parakeet household!   We recently adopted Bonnie & Clyde, we decided to keep the names they were given, and now our Abby has friends that she desperately needed.  Hah!     Many years ago we used to have parakeets as we were renters and we couldn't have 4 legged animals in our residence.   We always enjoyed our birds.   And even trained them.     We think Clyde might have been trained to sit on shoulders but we haven't really had them out of the cage.   Anyway they can get very LOUD at times but then that is their nature.    Our dog Bella doesn't seem to mind them a bit.

Supposed to get up to 88 degrees F., today... whoo that is a might warm.

I like to keep my hair trimmed up a bit so I got out the scissors and just worked on it... I don't like to go as short as my mother always urged me to go.   She always said, "Mary your face is round so your hair would look better short".    That was her opinion, and at times, much to my husband's dismay, I would allow her to create a cut that looked good on me.    I would draw the line on getting perms or color added.    The things I remember.   *Rolling my eyes*     I'm not saying all of this to be sarcastic, but in a way just a chuckle.    

Well, I just wanted to "yak" and my thoughts just got in a ramble...  I do miss chatting away on the telephone with mom.    Those were the days.   

Hope you all are fine as frog hair,  and I'll catch ya later,

Mary

Hello, an update...

 Just wanted to give you all an update, I'm not sure if I remember mentioning that my husband will be going in for surgery on his knee this Wednesday morning.   If you see this post please be in prayer for him that all goes well.   Thankfully the ex-rays showed only arthritis on the one knee, but his right knee has a cist that must be removed as well.   So, what we know now is his recovery time will be until later part of August or early part of September.   He is already been approved to be off of work for that time, and I will be his "coach" to make sure he does his exercises and help when its needed.    I will be taking care of necessary things like household duties and yard work.    I have taken one week off, as I cannot afford to be off too long a time.    Our time has been taken up with what do we need to make his rest and recovery more comfortable.   We have installed grab bars at all places that needed it, like bathtub.  Which is a major improvement seeing that the tub can be rather slick depending on the soap used.    Anyway, we have shopped to get needed supplies of food and snacks, so we don't have to be rushed to go out anytime soon, as my main concern will to make sure he doesn't have to be alone too much.    I will be driving him to all his appointments that will be coming up.   We learned through a class (Joint), that some folks don't have anyone to care for them when they get home as they are alone with no family.   I cannot wrap my head around that at all... and some can't afford to be off of work too long and must learn to use that new knee in order to get to work.  Wow.   My heart goes out to those with no family or help of any kind.   Bless your heart for having to go it alone.    When I get updates on how he is doing after surgery I will make another post.     Earlier this evening I was finally able to set down at my craft desk and do a crafting video, its still being uploaded as I type this out.   

Thank you for coming by, and taking the time to read this rather long post.  I hope you all have a blessed day, and one day when the dust settles I will be working on crafts to show.

Hugs, Mary