A little prayer..........

This is a little prayer or verse I've been using over the last few weeks that has really helped me. You'll probably have to click on it to enlarge it enough to read it. I think it is from St. John the Baptist de la Salle. Maybe someone else out there could use it as well.

I really am still among the living!

I know, I know....more than a week since I posted. But here's a little valentine from me to you. This was cut from a Sizzix Bigz die sold by AC Moore called Scallop Card. It's really big and holds all sorts of possibilities for layers and folds. I did two layers on this one using SU Bella Rose paper which was sponged with Red Riding Hood Red ink on the edges. Then I took a manila tag, covered it with more Bella Rose and some grosgrain ribbon. The letters are Tim Holtz grungeboard and after stamping with RRHR and Certainly Celery I glued them on and topped them off with Tim Holtz Distress Stickles in Peeled Paint and Worn Lipstick. I LOVE these Stickles. They're not as glittery looking when dry but have kind of a dull sparkle. Kewl! My daughter gave me the whole set for my birthday!!! Did everyone get what they wanted from Santa? I got an ATG gun, 3 sets of Nesties, a punch, three sets of stamps (two from Papertrey), as well as other non stamping gifts. Santa was good. For those of you who have been asking, my brother has a collapsed lung and pneumonia. He just can't gain any ground. He's coming up on six weeks in ICU and we're really going nowhere. He's so weak. Thanks for your prayers and kind thoughts.

Let's Move On......

Maybe you are still into Christmas but I am just soooo past this holiday season it isn't funny. With my brother still gravely ill, I could care less. The news on that front is so bad I don't even want to discuss it. So in that spirit, I have done a little Valentine number here. CS is SU Red Riding Hood Red and DP is SU Bella Rose. This combo is such a nice fresh look I think. The punched border is Martha Stewart and the big brad is one of those bridal brads from Michael's I talked about a few posts back. The sentiment stamp is from SU All Holidays and the bunny stamp has no markings on it, so sorry. I used the SU scalloped square punch behind the sentiment and the ribbon is from Elements from JoAnn's I think. I love it because the checks are so tiny. I hope you all have a very blessed and peace-filled Christmas!

Virtual Stamp Club

With the new catalogue issue on January 18 getting closer and closer I was wondering if I could interest any one in joining my virtual stamp club. You will get a free copy of the catalog for joining. All you need to do is spend $25 a month before shipping and handling for six months. You acquire some nice supplies that won't strain your pocketbook and one of those six months you get to be the hostess and win free stamps and products. If you are interested, drop me an email at primitiveseasons@comcast.net for more information. I just need two or three more people to get started. It's a lot of fun and a great way to build your "stash!" Give it a try!

Shaker Gift Box

For those of you who have the SU Sizzix Big Shot, this is just the coolest thing! I found this Sizzix die called Shaker Box at a local craft store. It is one of the Bigz dies meaning that the die is approx 6 x 13". You have to have the special elongated cutting pads to use this on your machine. The box itself is one piece. When you cut it out, the score lines are shown and all you have to do is fold and add some sticky tape to hold it together. If you use a double sided paper like this K&Co. Christmas Cheer, it looks just as nice on the inside as the outside. The only complaint I have, and you can see it on the open box, is that when folded this paper shows the white core a little. A pet peeve of mine! I found that six Hershey nuggets fit nice in the box but you could also use M&M's, kisses, small candies, a piece of jewelry, paper tags, etc. I am sure you can come up with lots of things that would go. The finished size of the box is 3 x 3 x 5/8" deep. You use a 2.5" square of acetate to cover the opening in the lid. Then you can add a stamped sentiment as I did on the inside or outside of the box. I used Punches Three embossed in gold on watercolor paper and cut it out with the scalloped square punch from SU. I then closed the lid and tied with some Michael's glitzy ribbon. Quite a nice presentation for a co-worker, friend, family member, stocking stuffer, etc. And think of all the occasions you could use this box for....Valentine Day, Halloween treats, Christmas, Easter, etc. The die makes the box making so quick and easy!

If you don't have a Big Shot machine, contact me for a special price on one if you order before Christmas. I have to tell you, it will revolutionize your papercrafting. There are just soooo many neat things to do with this machine and so many nifty dies out now. It's a solid machine and will last a looooong time! Enjoy!

Christmas Night in the Swamp

I'm not totally thrilled with this card. It didn't turn out as I expected. The star is too stark. Anyway, I brayered on SU Not Quite Navy, , Brocade Blue and Bordering Blue on Whisper White CS. I used a MS star punch as a mask while I did the brayering. Then I stamped the grasses from SU Inspired by Nature, added some lines with the Versamark pen, added Heat and Stick, heated with the heat gun and then Diamond Dust glitter. Used the small and medium punch with a sentiment in Not Quite Navy from Verve Visual Winter Wonder. Lastly, I added some Crystal Stickles.

My brother had a bad weekend but finally had his feeding tube inserted in the stomach yesterday. He was pretty good today, wanting to go home. Little does he know a rehab facility for acute stroke lies between him and home. He has a long way to go and is so beaten back by everything that has happened. I pray for some forward progress and a merciful solution to all of this mess. Thanks to all for your prayers and encouragement.

Cream/White/Gold Elegance

A quick post and card today then I'm off to the hospital, day 19, and things are not going well. But about the card.....I used both cream and white on this card and the gold. It is SU Very Vanilla background then the DCWV gold metallic embossed with the CB snowflakes folder. I then cut the CB large snowflake out and put in on with a big dimensional and this really cool brad in the center (more about those in a sec). Added a few accents of Gold Stickles on the big snowflake. Then I touched up the gold background with some Liquid Pearl accents and added some Michaels $1 spool ribbon in a creamy white. Also shown here is a picture of the package of 40, YES 40!!! brads I found in the Michael's Bridal dept. You just never know. Only $3.99 and with my coupon even less. Run and get yourself some! Hope everyone has a good day. It's 22 degrees here. Brrrrr!

FINALLY!

My brother had a pretty good day yesterday and I had started dinner in the crockpot before I left in the morning so I had a little time. I am dedicating this card to you, my readers, who have been hanging in there for the last two weeks. I had a terrible time with this card....it was like I was out of practice but I got this set from Our Daily Bread Designs for my birthday and was dying to use it. It's stamped on watercolor paper and I used SU Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, and Bashful Blue as well as a touch of SU designer paper. The border is a MS punch. I also used Perfect Pearls. These colors are very restful and peaceful. I guess that's what I'm craving now. John's speech is getting better but we still have trouble understanding. No progress with the left side at all and they still haven't implanted the feeding tube in the stomach. He's had some belly pain off and on and they are watching that. He's very discouraged, tired of this whole deal, wants to go home. But he will need further therapy at a stroke rehab first, something he hasn't been told yet. Please continue your prayers and kind thoughts. They are such a comfort.

Blogging Award

My wonderful friend Diane at http://www.nelliesnest.blogspot.com/ gave me a Helpful Blogger Award and some very kind words on her blog regarding my family situation. Thanks my friend!

We are getting conflicting reports from the doctors about how much of his abilities my brother will recover. His speech isn't too bad and he's actually quite funny and sweet. Stroke takes away your inhibitions and emotions you never displayed before come out. Physical therapists are working with him and he was moved from the coronary ICU to the regular ICU but like a baby, he still has his days and nights mixed up!

I long to get back to posting something, anything, but just can't find the time or energy. All my toys are sitting idle and I got some new things for my birthday. They will have to wait a little longer and I hope my readers will stick with me a little longer. I appreciate your concern and prayers more than I can say.