Valentine Cards

 Here are three different Valentine's that I received from friends.

The first is a darling kitty from my friend, Channie.

I just love the coloring and the added addition of the baker's twine!!

And, Polka Dots!!!!

 This card was sent to me by Sandra.  I am sorry that my camera didn't take a great photo....but it's a cute bird...taking something to the mailbox.  Just too cute!!!

Finally, a special card from a very special person.  Joanne sent this card knowing she was going in for surgery in a couple of days.

What a lady!!!!

Just love all those hearts!!!!

Thanks for stopping by....

Now....go stamp something :-)

Hugs,
Char

Swap

I had a swap on my yahoo group and this is the card that Beverly Ann sent to me.  She was concerned that it wasn't up to my expectations.  HUH????

This is truly a beautiful card....even more so in person!

Love the colors and the butterflies and the huge bow!!

Thanks Beverly Ann!!!!

Hugs,
Char

A beautiful RAK

I have had this card for some time and just hadn't gotten around to sharing it.

My friend, Andrea, from one of my Yahoo lists sent this to me.

You can't really see all the pretty jewels on it or the bow and other elements all that well....blame it on the photographer :-)

But, this card just made my day when it arrived!!!

I have had it up in my stamp room on display ever since.  It's just so bright and cheerful!

Orange is not a color I use all that often and I don't know why.....so might have to get out the stamp pads and papers and give it a go.

Char

Sympathy Cards

These are not the types of cards one likes to have a lot of in their stash but when I was making a sympathy card for some friends that had lost their Dad back in May, I decided to make a bunch of them.

Thankfully, I didn't have to use any till just this past week when three different people lost loved ones.

The cards were basically all the same except for the flowers and possibly the color of the ribbon.

I like to have all kinds of cards made up in advance but I had never thought to do Sympathy cards before.  It just didn't feel right for some reason.   But, in reality, it's really no different than having a stash of birthday, get well, thinking of you or any other type card.

In these three instances, I was so relieved to know I had made up extra cards as we have been remodeling and my stamp room was really a mess.

What about you?  Do you make up cards ahead of time for times like these when you are just too busy to sit down and make up a card?  OR...do you like to do them as the events happen?

Have a great day,

Char

Still working on a few things

My hubby found a few places that needed touching up, so he is currently working on that and then we should be done with the floor except for the final trim and the thresh holds!!!

Here are some photos of the dining room, entry way and living room that are now back to normal?

 Hutch is now back in the corner at a diagonal instead of against the wall.

 Trying to decide what to do with this entryway table and what to put on it and above it.  That is a painting my good friend, JoAnn did as she knows I love Daisies.  It has hung on the wall around the corner from that table but now am thinking it would look nice above the table.

 The view from my dining room to the front door and entryway.  Have to get some sort of throw rug in the entry and possibly a sofa table to go behind the sofa.   Still contemplating that idea.

 Looks so sparse but I am trying to figure out just what I need in that far corner to make it look more 'finished'.

A closer look at the 'corner'.  I have a nice chair that is a rose colored PINK....it was my Mom's and it's from the 80's but, it is so comfortable.  David likes to read there in the early mornings.  It went with everything when the walls were sage green but now, I think it would clash.  Thinking about getting it re-upholstered.

My Secretary sits in a corner again.  I want to refinish it someday.

Well, that's it for our renovations but I have more ideas up my sleeve....so will be adding more as times goes by.

Have a great day!!!

Char

Birthday Card

Here is the birthday card that I made for our Granddaughter's 18th birthday on the 13th.

It is called an Easel Card.  It was fun and easy to do.  I followed the directions from a SU friend's blog, here.

I used designer paper called Baby Steps from Simple-Stories.

The Butterfly cut out was from a stash that I had that someone had given me.  I added some pearls along the two different panels and on the butterfly...from
a-muse.  I also used a clear atyou Spica pen to add a little sparkle to it's wings.

Try it, it is fun and there are so many possibilities....I can't wait to make some more.

Have a great day!!!

Char

And, yet one more remodeling project

Well, as you can see, he had his work cut out for him.

I thought he should take a week break first but he was anxious to get going on the job.

This is the stack of flooring he put down in our living room and hallway.

He has all the carpet tore up and is ready to begin but he will start near the dining room first.


We have all of our furniture from the living room crammed into the dining room so that he can work from the dining room out and then down the hall.

 
Then, he was ready to tackle the living room the next day.


What a job tearing out all that carpet!!  And, we were surprised to find some 'shortcuts' that the builders took in putting the floor down.

It's finished being laid down.  Now to put back all the baseboards and trim it out where it meets the linoleum in the dining room and the entry way.







Annie has to check it out.  It will be a learning curve for her as she gets used to the floors.

Next, is putting felt pads on all the furniture and moving it back into the living room.

I'll post a finished photo of our living room, later.

Oh what a difference these remodeling projects have made.  Our house isn't that old....not even 7 years old but it needed some updating.

See ya tomorrow!!

Another remodeling project

After we painted all of the rooms we had planned on painting, we had a new patio door installed.  My hubby did most of the preliminary work and the installer just had to come install the door and put on the extender kit.  (whatever that is).

This is basically what it looked like before.  It was a sliding glass patio door and we had blinds that you had to lift up every time you let the dog in or out, which was a lot of time during the day.  David ended up stringing that one set of blinds 3 times.

This is what the new patio doors look like.  The door on the left opens in like a regular door....and the one on the right stays stationery but you can make it so that they both open if you want to.

The blinds are between the two panes of glass.  So, no more pulling blinds up and down.  You just have a little slider thing that you move ever so slightly and you can adjust the blinds to how you want them.

My hubby (doing our taxes in the photo) did the trim work around the door after the installer installed the doors and then did the finish work outside around the door. And, he did all the work ahead of time getting the space ready to put the door in.

I LOVE it!!!!

Tomorrow, I'll share what else he did.

Happy Valentine's Day

Since I procrastinated and didn't get any Valentine's Day cards posted, before Valentine's Day, I'll just the ones we did in class last month.

 Quick and simple....I like that.

This was probably one of my favorite although it took some time to add all the elements to the card.

 I thought this looked more like a masculine type card but it can be used for just about anyone.

 I love the glitter paper we used on this card.  And, red and black was a different color combination than I had used for Valentine's Day before.

I liked this technique and it can be used for just about any type of card.
We made four other cards but they weren't Valentine's Day cards so I will share them later!

Enjoy your day!!!

Happy Birthday to my Granddaughter

A tribute to our Granddaughter, Nicole who turns 18 today!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
NICOLE

Look at you....looks like you are already giving orders :-)

2006 when you lived with us on the ranch in Fort Rock

Visiting for a couple of weeks in 2006

Our Vacation toYuma, AZ with you and Zoey

 June 2009

I think this was your favorite part of the trip, getting to ride in a Hummer!!

You came to live with us in March 2010

Your Baptism in September 2010

Always remember that God has a plan for you!!!

Being Silly 

You look like Pippi Longstockings

Our trip to Spokane and River front park June 2010

Making Spider Cookies for our Halloween Party

October 2010

Your 16th Birthday February 2011

Your first job...McDonald's July 2011

Riding the McDonald's float during the Christmas parade

December 2011

Our walk during Heaven Can Wait 

March 2011

Little vacation to Salem and riding the Carousel  

August 2011

Silver Falls near Salem (same trip) August 2011

Bungee Jumping August 2011

Check this one off your bucket list!!

School Pride Week dressed as an old lady

2011

At the pumpkin patch in Central Oregon

October 2011

Always helping out

Putting down gravel Summer 2011

White Water Rafting August 2012

Another check off your bucket list. 

Wake Boarding September 2012

Yet another bucket list item checked off

Pumpkin Slinging October 2012

At the Apple Orchard in Hood River

October 2012

We couldn't add every photo we took the last three years but I hope I picked out the most memorable ones.

Now, there are a couple more major events happening in 2013 and we are looking forward with excitement to be a part of those.

You turned 18 today!!!!

Whoooohoooo!!!!!

Happy 18th Birthday!!!! 

Next, is getting your driver's license  :-)

and then

Graduation!!!!

Then, you will be off to college!!!  We will certainly miss you.

It's been an adventurous 3 years and we are so proud of the person you have become and all the achievements you have made in those 3 years.

Love you tons and tons!!!!

Grandma and Papa

and of course, ANNIE :-)