"Happy November Everyone!

 Hello friends, followers, visitors, and viewers.  Welcome to the month of November.  I've waited ten months for this to happen.  Why?  I'm glad you ask.  November is a happy time of the year for me.  We get to have one of the year's significant "eating" holidays, Thanksgiving.  Also, it is "Movember" for the men in our lives. Movember fundraisers are a global community of fired-up Mo Bros and Mo Sisters – aka rock stars making a difference in mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.  I can't continue writing without letting you know that this is the month I get to celebrate another year on the birthday calendar.  I'm looking forward to this one.  The closer I get to the day and if I make it to November 18th, I will tell you why.

As you know, I  continue to craft and share my projects with you.  Here they are for your enjoyment:

We start with my sketch card for Splitcoaststampers for 11/2/2022.  It is SC930 .  

I tried out one of Jennifer McGuire's vellum techniques with this card.  I received some positive feedback from my Instagram followers.  So many liked the outcome.  I hope you do also.

What inspired me to create this card (I had done one in the past using coneflowers), was a request from a lady on Scrapbook.com.  She wanted the name of the dies I had used to create the coneflower card.  Well, with a pleth·o·ra of flora dies, I made this one using a die from  #tatteredlace.

Ephemera, ephemera, ephemera!  Why did I get so interested in buying ephemera packages?  One reason is to reduce buying dies and to have ready-made pictures at my fingertips.  Two, I could easily put two or three pictures from the pack together to make a story for my cardmaking project.  

Using an oldie but goodie.  The sentiment was pulled from Pinterest.

This is today's card using a piece of cardstock from #tatteredlace.  I was gathering my Christmas dies together and noticed that the jingle bells had never been used.  I paired the sentiment with a bike to say this is the way I would be feeling all the way to November 18th.  I'm adding this card to https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com.

I hope something caught your eye or your mojo and you will create a card or two using what I've used.

Until the next time,

Lois

"Are Fathers Better Than Moms?"

 Hello friends, followers, family, and visitors.

I have a very important question for you to think about and answer today..." are fathers better than moms?"  Personally, I can't answer this question due to life experiences.  When I was about five and a half, almost six years old, my father passed away due to what is happening in our world today (gun violence).  He was an innocent bystander.  I grew up not having the hugs or advice from a man.  Yes, my grandfather was around at the time of my father's death but it wasn't long before he transitioned due to old age.  As a matter of fact, my grandfather apparently didn't have time to spend with little girls due to his farming.  The only thing he said or did for me was to teach me about his cotton and peanuts as well as his orchards (peach, plum, apple, grapes, and pear).   Did I write teach...I meant to write he showed me those things and said this is how he made his money to keep him and my grandmother living a "good" life.

I'm married with two grown daughters.  Over the years, I've watched my husband in the role of a father to my girls. When they were very young, he did the fatherly thing to keep them loved, fed, and protected.  When they became school-aged little girls, he backed away as if the situation changed and I was the teacher to everything else they were supposed to learn.  It appeared that I was responsible for their education and life learning skills.  My daughters were taught how to drive not by their father but by taking driver's education in high school.  He did teach the oldest one how to drive a "stick shift Volkswagon beetle" when she came home from college on summer break one year.  Since she was the oldest and went to live on her own, he taught her how to maintain her vehicle. (She still does this today regardless of the boyfriends and ex-husband that she had).  He relishes the title "father/dad" but he stands back and watches their independent growth.  I can't say he is better than me because a day may come when I'm not around and my girls will have to rely on his strength to keep them going.

Here are my shares for this week: 

I finish this one today using Mintay paper and a die for the flamingoes.

This is a card made using the Splitcoaststampers sketch SC910.  Tattered Lace paper was used along with Prima flowers.  

This little beauty was made with Tattered Lace paper, Prima flowers, the "hello" die, and the window die from Aliexpress.  I will submit this one to https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Someone is always having a birthday.  I jazzed up this with some of the lace I don't seem to use that often.  Since this will be going to a young lady, I think she will enjoy its beauty.

I received this die and embossing folder from Tattered Lace.  So many graduations are going on so I made this card for a recipient.

This is another birthday card for another recipient during the month of June.

I hope you've enjoyed this commentary along with my card shares for today.  If you're inspired, use what you can with what you've got.

Sending love,

Lois

"Gnomebody Like You!

 Happy Wednesday everyone!

Four more days before we go to the game or we sit at home or at a friend's house and watch it on a big screen TV.  By now you've chosen who you want to vote for.  I don't know either team but I'm voting for the Bengals.  I love their name at that is about all I can say.  

I'm also a fan of gnomes.  Who doesn't love gnomes?  They are everywhere and have been this way for over a year now.  Why are gnomes so popular right now?  Google says...Gnomes guard homes and protect the people within the home from any misfortune. ... These are not only cute but the gnomes are said to bring good luck and stimulate healthy plant growth, so these are perfect for any gardener!

At first I thought my neighbor was a "little nutty" by placing gnomes all over her yard (not necessary in a garden). But, the more I look out of my widow at them, I do find them rather cute and they do put a smile on my face.  There is a whole lot of difficulty going on in our world right now. Between racial tensions and coronavirus concerns, it’s easy to get down and think that a little bit of happiness isn’t worth the effort. I’m here to tell you it is. Even if it is short-lived, if it just takes the edge off the ugliness all around, it’s worth it.  Find yourself a gnome. It matters.

I made this one for Splitcoaststampers, SC892.  There's Gnomebody Like You!  The background paper is from Tattered Lace.  The gnomes are stamps from our friend across the water. 

I made this one for http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/

We are connected by "LOVE" because WE  ARE  ONE.  I'll use this one for my bible journaling.

Have a good day everyone!

Lois

"Let's Get Ready For The Super Bowl"

 Happy Monday everyone!  

Are you ready for super bowl 2022?  Who's playing?  Rams vs Bengals!  Is one of these your favorite team?  Which one do you think will win?  As a matter of fact, this weekend will be one for a lot of celebrating.  The super bowl parties will be planned on Saturday for Sunday, February 13.  Some people will be flying out to California to see the game in person.  The Los Angeles Rams will become only the second team in NFL history to play the Super Bowl on home turf, following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium on Sunday 13 February.  The Rams are out to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy for only the second time ever, against a Bengals team who have never won the Super Bowl.  For the people watching from home, Saturday will be a day of preparation of various food groups to serve to our guest on Sunday.  While most of the men will be watching the game, the women will be hoping for a Valentine gift to be presented late Sunday or early Monday.  It is one glorious sweetheart weekend to celebrate.  Let's get ready for super bowl Sunday and Valentine's Day on next Monday.

More cards showing "Love" as a sentiment:

Every so often I will use corrugated paper to create a card.  This one used the paper along with a tag die and a heart die.  The black paper peeping through is from Tattered Lace. This card will be added to https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Now, this card has the word "Love" in the sentiment but the card is to be used as a birthday card.  With so much snow, rain and ice that we have had so far, a nice spring card is lovely on the eye.  

I don't know about you but I rarely use my stencils for card making.  I have to do better in this department.  Here, I used a TCW (The Crafters Workshop) stencil with distress oxides inks, a die cut from Tonic Studies and some die-cut flowers from Tattered Lace.

We are in for a blessed and glorious week.  Let's enjoy it!

Thanks,

Lois

"I Can't Believe It's Already February"

 Hello crafty friends, family, followers, and viewers.  Welcome to February.  Yes, some of us have made it through the month of January with resolutions.  Some of us have experienced diet changes, exercise programs, snow, and more pandemic scare.  Now, we wonder what will February give us.  February is a heart health month. Let's get healthy.   It is the month of Black History. I hope the government in your area did not stop the school from teaching and sharing in this history-making process. So many politicians are against CRT (critical race theory being taught or explored.   Today is celebrated by nearly 2 billion people worldwide, the Lunar New Year is rung on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, with festivities that can go on for more than two weeks.  Also known as the Chinese New Year -- and as the Spring Festival in China -- the date marks the end of the Year of the Ox and the start of the Year of the Tiger.  We look forward to the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl during this month.  Everyone's current obsession, Wordle, is heading to the New York Times.  As you check out my blog this month, I'll keep you posted with news and notes.

For project share:

A Dyan Ravely stamp with a Pinterest quote.  

A Tattered Lace die cut with a Pinterest picture.

extras from other projects used to make this card.

Looking through my paper collections, I found a few papers that could still be salvageable to make something out of. This is my latest that will be viewed on https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

Thanks for being with me today.  See you soon!

Lois

Wednesday Sharing

 Hello my crafty friends, family, visitors and viewers.  Happy Wednesday, August 4, 2021.  Schools are opening.  Vacations are over.  Summer has only a month to go.  Masks are still required as well as vaccinations.  Are you overjoyed or sad about any of these things?

I maybe a little sad because as soon as we were preparing to spend time away from home, the Delta variant became rapid and spreading fast.  So, another summer in my neighborhood.  I'd rather be safe than laid up in the hospital or morgue.  I'm satisfied crafting and that makes me happy.

It's Wednesday and I'm sharing projects for your inspiration:

This is my Splitcoaststampers card for sketch SC865.  I own only two stamp sets from StampinUp and I use the "Beautiful You" one to create this card.  I pulled out my watercolor brushes and created the scene to go with the lady.  I've always loved this image and use it most of the time during the summer.

For my August birthday people, I made this card for their celebration.  It has to be for a lady due to the color scheme.  Men are into pink but not as much as the world has focused on this color for little girls and women.

If you don't know by now, there are numerous crafting items at the Dollar Tree Store.  To my astonishment, I wish they were there when I first started crafting.  My checking account would have more money and my crafting space would not look as if I'm a hoarder.   These are stickers from that store used with an embossing folder and metallic markers.  Check this one out at https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

I know many of you have heard of Tattered Lace by now.  If not, I learned about this company by watching CreateandCraft (crafting show on TV).  Here, I've used a die, paper and embossing folder from their magazine to make this fun fold card.

Until the next time, I hope you saw something to inspire your creativity.

Sending love your way,

Lois

"Ten Cards"

 Hello, hello to my lovely people on this 2nd day of June 2021.  What have you all been doing since we last connected?  Life continues as usual for me.  Since my last post, my oldest sister transitioned.  If you know anything about scripture, we are told that we only sojourn here until we are called home..." this is not our home"... there is a place prepared for us in heaven if we are a child of the highest God.  Someone that I know is also going through chemo and battling breast cancer...but God is still good.  With prayers and medical treatment, she will go through the process and come out of this to be a witness for someone else.

With all of that being said/written, I still find some time to craft.  Here are ten cards made from the last time I shared with you:

This card was made for my bible journaling.  Sometimes people request a card like this for themselves.

This is another requested encouragement card for someone.

Getting fancy with the layout.

Friends just want to be friends.  It is so nice that most of the limitations have been lifted so that we can finally get to see one another.

An old die for a new card...paired with lace and flowers.

One day, one day, I will be a mixed media artist.  I love painting, distressing and quirky stuff.

One person called this the "crossover pointy card".  I used her tutorial to make one for myself.  If you are interested here is the site: Crossover Pointy Card – Mixed Up Craft

Inspiration came from #frankgarcia.  I love his techniques and crafting style.  I pulled out the stickles and went happy creating this card.  See this card at https://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.com

If I could afford all of the quirky stuff made by Ranger and Sizzix (Tim Holtz and others) I would constantly use them.  Here is my take on the Wednesday sketch at Splitcoaststampers 6-2-2021 (SC856).  Sunshine and excellent weather put one in the mood to #adventure.

Actually, this is also a sketch from Splitcoaststampers 5-26-2021.  Sketch SC855

I hope you can find some inspiration from any or all of these cards.  I would love to see your take on anyone of these.

Have a lovely day and enjoy it until the next time.

Love,

Lois