A Hidden Message

Just a quick post, because I'm really tired tonight. This card had a hidden message for the person who received it.  The flowers are a tag that pull out of the pot and you can write or stamp a message on it.

Here's a closer view of the flowers and pot.

Blessings

• Our friend, Lloyd, is able to drive now with only a few restrictions.  Some of you will remember that he had a serious accident last year.  God has brought him so far!
• Everything is so green and beautiful when I look out my windows and the flowers are all in bloom.  It's gorgeous!!!  I never tire of looking at it.

Have a fabulous day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

Back at Last!

Wow! I sure was gone for a long time.  I won't bore you with the details of why I was away so long.  But one super thing did happen during that time.  My mom spent the winter with us!!!  That was so special, because I only get to see her every few years.

Lately I've made a couple altered pop top cans to hold birthday gifts or money.  I've kept them on the simple side, because they were both for young guys.  Plus my hubby and I both thought it was more fun to keep them looking like a can.  If I ever do one for a girl though, I know I'll have to get the embellishments and glitter out. :)

Click here for the instructions to make these fun cans.  It takes you to SplitCoastStampers. I think these would be such a fun surprise to receive in the mail and be able to pop the top off and find a gift or money inside.

One of the cans is a gift from my husband and his students to someone.  My husband had each student write a note to the person and then he shrank the notes on the copier.  The notes are in the can in a tiny envelope.  We added a small magnifying glass for reading the notes. :)  Plus a gift card and some candy, of course.

I loved my One Touch can opener even before I found out that I could use it to make these gift cans.  But being able to use it to make these gift cans is such an added bonus. :)

Blessings

• My husband's back injury has improved enough for him to drive short distances around town now.
• Friends who mowed, trimmed and cleaned up the back yard for us without being asked, because Mark can't do that right now.
• A terrific phone visit with my mom.  I sure do miss having her here.

Have a fabulous day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

Pretty in Pink

Here's another card made with some of the beautiful, new stamps from My Paper Moon.  You can see them here.  Use coupon code val20 at the checkout to receive 20% off your order.  (U.S. orders only.)

This close up shot shows the images better.  The different textures and types of surfaces on this card made it hard to photograph.

Blessings

• My husband is starting to feel much better.
• A nice phone visit with a friend.
• My daughter is getting to spend some special time with my mom while she's here with us.

 Please pray for Holley.  She has the first of two brain surgeries tomorrow morning (Feb. 4th) and the second one on February 11th.  Some of you probably know her from her blog, Holley's Blog.

Have a terrific day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

A Fairy Nice Birthday Card

Hi friends.  Today's card is for the Flutterby Wednesday Challenge.  A big thank you to my friend, Jennifer, for this darling fairy image that I used on the card.  She was so much fun to color.

I added Stickles to the heart on the cupcake and the fairy's hat.  I painted the fairy's wings with Shimmerz.  of course, the cupcakes had to be chocolate. :)

We've been having another visitor, besides my mom, and this one isn't nearly as welcome, although he sure is cute.  A raccoon has been coming up on our back porch every night and eating out of our squirrel-proof bird feeder.  Obviously the feeder isn't raccoon-proof. :) Our little dog chased the coon up a tree several times when we didn't know the coon was out in the yard.  Now she thinks she a big, ol' tough, coon dog and drives me crazy wanting out every evening to get at that coon. :)  This photo was taken at night, through the window, but you can still see the little rascal quite well.

Blessings

• My visit with a new Dr. went very well.
• Living in a place where I can enjoy nature.
• We received some big, juicy apples - yum!

Have an awesome day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

Sunnin'

Hello everyone.  Wow! So much time has passed since I last posted.  I've been battling Trigeminal Neuralgia for weeks now and that has really set me back.  The really wonderful thing that is going on is that my mom is here for a 2 1/2 month visit!!!  I'm soaking up every minute with her that I can, because I only get to see her every couple of years. There's no one that can take the place of your mom.

Today's card is another one of my Florida/beach cards that I love to make.  We have tons of these little lizards around and once in awhile "in" our home, so this stamp seemed like it was made just for me.

In this close up view you can see that I used real sand on the card and Crystal Lacquer on the lizard's sunglass lenses.

Today's card is for a 13 year old girl named Amber.  Amber is seriously ill and loves to receive mail.  Please pray for Amber and her family and send a card if you can.

Amber Dougherty
c/o Tony and April Sharer
2766 Bald Eagle Pike
Tyrone, PA 16686

Here's a a bit more about Amber from her facebook group:

Amber Dougherty is a 13 year old from Tyrone, PA and is suffering from Severe Intractable Epilepsy, with a sadly grim prognosis. According to an email sent by a family member, the doctors don't expect for her to be with us next Christmas. Since Amber likes to receive mail, her family is organizing a card drive so that Amber can get mail from all over. She also has a more informative webpage at http://prayernet.geisinger.org Her case is labeled damo56. 

Photo is from Jan 21

Join their Facebook Group if you'd like more info on Amber's progress, or would like to donate to help the family financially.
Blessings

• Time with my mom.
• Happy mail.
• My family has been terrific about helping while I've been in such pain.
• My daughter's friend had a safe trip here today.

Have a fabulous day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly

Bronson and Beaker

I got sidetracked and didn't finish showing all of my Christmas cards before the new year, so I still have a few more to show.   This card is made with an adorable digital image from Pollycraft called "Bronson and Beaker Star".  Be sure and visit the Tales from Pollycraft blog too.  There are great challenges and free digital images there.  My photos were taken at night so they aren't the best, but they're all I have.

I forgot to tell you that we got up too early for the dogs on Christmas. :)  They weren't even interested in their gifts, because they were too tired.  Later, after a long nap, they both were like different dogs and were all excited about their new toys and treats. Here's my sleepy grand dog before his nap.

 Blessings

• Loving family and friends.
• Lydia has been making supper lately.
• The most special husband there is.

Wherever you are located, I pray that you are keeping warm enough.  It seems it's very cold everywhere right now.

Inky hugs!
Shelly

It's Red Friday!

Happy New Year!!!  I wish you all many blessing in the coming year.

Today is Red Friday, which I set aside here on my blog to remind us all to remember our troops.  One of the things that I like to do for our deployed troops is to make cards to send to them.  I send my cards through Operation Write Home.  I send cards to the troops themselves and also cards for them to send home to their families and friends.  They can't exactly run down to their local Hallmark to buy a card, you know. :)  We'd love to have you join us in sending handmade cards to the troops through Operation Write Home.  Check out their site here for more info.

Today's card is a Valentine for the troops to send home.  I made my card with the adorable "Fancy Surprise" image from Paper Cupcakes.  This is an image that Nina gave away free during her recent blog hop.  This card is for the Something Sparkling Challenge on Nina's blog, There's Magic in the Air with Paper Cupcakes.  For the challenge we needed to use a Paper Cupcake image and have sparkling stuff on our cards in honor of the new year. I used a sparkly Micca card, glittery dp, lots of rhinestones, and Shimmerz Blingz for my cupcake frosting.

Here's a close up of the sweet image. :)

I was so thrilled to be one of the prize winners from the recent recipe blog hop that There's Magic in the Air had for the grand opening of Paper Cupcakes.  I won the darling "Owls on Candy Cane" digital image.  You can see it here.  Thanks so very much, Nina.

Blessings

• A super, nice visit from my dad and stepmom.
• Wonderful fellowship with our church family last night.
• Lots of happy mail.

Have a terrific day!!!

Inky hugs!
Shelly