More cards for kids and crochet projects

Hello again! I've been busy making more cards to send out to Send A Smile 4 Kids (SAS4Kids) so they can deliver them to kiddos in the hospital. All but two of the 163 cards in this box were Christmas. I had fun coloring many of them and said a little prayer with each stroke of the pencil. It's tough being sick, but for kiddos to be in the hospital at Christmastime has got to be very difficult. It is my prayer that these cards will bring a little smile to each face that sees them. Pictures were removed from the source (Flickr), so I'll have to find a new host for them. A crocheted hooded cowl for a friend undergoing treatment for cancer. The center where she goes in Chicago has a huge aquarium in the lobby where she and her husband had posed as fish on a previous visit. With colder temps coming I thought this would help keep her head warm and made her promise to pose wearing it by the aquarium. Isn't she beautiful! This next project and I had a love-hate relationship and it's left me with mixed feelings because I'm not sure what to do with it. I crocheted a beautiful afghan called "Lover of my Soul" by a wonderful South African woman, Hilda Stein. I purchased it online through Ravelry. Instead of buying the yarn from her I used some of the gazillion skeins of yarn that I've accumulated throughout the years. The love part of it is the colors, pattern, texture and memories the various yarn stir up (some came from my mom). The hate part is due to the fact that I can't use it as a bedspread because afghans and terrier claws are mortal enemies. I might use it under the comforter when it gets colder, but am afraid the weight of it might be rather cumbersome. On the other hand I've heard good things about using weighted blankets as a calming mechanism, so just might give it a try. Oh the conundrums of having to decide!

So what's next you ask? I'm determined to learn how to knit socks! Yes, you heard that right. Oh and it will be done with these microscopically minuscule knitting needles that I don't even know how to hold. I mean the needle I use to weave in ends on my crochet projects is three times thicker than these little babies. They are a size 1 and 2 if that means anything to you. I've heard there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube, so wish me luck! Any suggestions are more than welcome!

What have you all been working on lately?

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Halloween Card for Send a Smile 4 Kids

Long time no see again, huh? I have a card to share today that is being entered in a challenge for Send a Smile 4 Kids. The pumpkins on the background paper are glittery and really pop off the page. I thought the pumpkin stamp would make a child smile and that's what they need while in the hospital. As a side note, I ended up with a few cards that can't be sent to this group because they don't fit the criteria ("trick or treat", "BOO", candy, etc.), so if you know of any groups accepting this type of card please leave me a note in the comments.

AN EXCITING NEW ADVENTURE AHEAD!

Yesterday I turned that magical number that allows me to do something very special on July 15th. Here's a little something I made up to announce what I'll be doing:

Relax so I can
Energize to
Try something new and
Investigate hidden treasures
Reflect upon all I've done
Exercise without worry
Make new plans to
Explore
Nap without guilt and
Team up with Mike for new adventures

As most if you know, this little thing called fibromyalgia sucks every bit of energy out if my body. It has made it difficult, if not impossible, to do anything besides work an 8 hour day. I am sooooo thankful to have a husband like Mike who takes such good care of me, the house and our animals! Now I hope to be able to give back to him and our family at least a small percentage of what they've done for me all these years. Emily was literally without a mother for a few years and as I watch what an awesome mother she has become I praise God for holding her in His arms through those hard times! Thank you to everyone for your love, support and prayers!

Glitter for Sympathy

Tonight as I created a special card for a friend who lost her father yesterday I found a new meaning in glitter. What? You say, does glitter have to do with a sympathy card??? Well, silly, just think about it for a minute. Glitter shines just like the memory of your loved one will shine on you. Glitter scatters everywhere just like the little things you'll find from day to day that remind you of that loved one. Lastly, glitter turns something very plain in to something spectacular just like the love you have and will always have for that loved one! Yes I'll be cleaning up that glitter for days, weeks or even months; but as I do I'll remember my own father, mother and step-father-in-law who are all looking down on me with love from their special place in Heaven.

Happy Easter!

We lost my mother in January 2015. She died peacefully with family surrounding her and her ashes joined those of my father in Wichita, Kansas.

 

 

Soon afterwards we lost my husband's step-father, also of Wichita. It was nice to be able to stay with my mother-in-law during the week of planning my Mom's funeral so I could provide some comfort as her husband got weaker and weaker under the care of Hospice at home.

Life continues to grow for us as we've been graced with two grandsons, one in December 2012 and another in August 2015. They live close and we get to see them often. Here's a few pictures:

 

 

Ollie loves the quilt I made for him.

Still being a bit crafty with the pumpkins for Halloween.

Ollie didn't like Santa.

Wall hanging I made.

Slippers I made out of my step-father-in-law's old sweater.

Leland on the quilt I made for him.

Star Wars was popular this year.

And Ninja Turtles remain popular.

Pictures taken by my daughter, a quite talented photographer.

 

 

 

 

That's all for today folks! I've got tons more pictures, but this post should bring you up to date if you've been wondering what's been going on with my life. Hopefully I'll post more often in the future.

 

Ta ta for now!

Sharon

 

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A little something for myself

I've been trying to use up some of my fabric stash, sort of taking a break from making greeting cards. I've made a few pillows as gifts, a t-shirt quilt from my father's old t-shirts and most recently, a purse.
The pattern is from The Stitching Scientist (ok, so this Blogsy app won't put the link there, but you can find her at http://thestitchingscientist.com/2014/05/oval-messenger-bag-with-free-pattern.html) and was uber easy to follow. The fabric is from the Joel Dewberry Ginseng collection that you can see online at http://www.joeldewberry.com/pages/ginseng-spice. That's all for now. It's Saturday morning and time to head out on a quest to find clearanced flowers and plants looking for a good home! Ta ta for now!

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Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #220

This week's OWH sketch challenge was fun because it didn't require any special measurements, just pretty much eyeballing everything. Today I received a thank you note on an OWH card from a Lieutenant Colonel in Ft Leonardwood, Missouri. It was absolutely the MOST perfect timing because that was my father's first official active duty station in the late 50's where he served as an Army Drill Sergeant. He retired after 21 years and I had the distinct pleasure of serving with him for a couple of those years in Germany. I'll be making a memorial post for him as soon as I'm up to it. He took his last breath on Saturday, April 12th and we're still in the midst of preparing for his memorial service. Making cards has always been very therapeutic for me and certainly helped me get through this day! Please keep my mom in your prayers. They were both living in the same nursing home and she slips in and out of alzheimers, but is aware of his death. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Until I can get myself together enough to do a memorial post, here are a few pictures of my father.

With Mom wearing showing their support for the military troops.

Dad (on left) in Vietnam

Dad in his khakis

Dad at Ft Leonardwood

My Volksmarch hero!

My daughter's hero!

Dad and I

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Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown

A Father's Day card for the Operation Write Home (OWH) Midweek throwdown. I love the texture from the wallpaper sample that is made out of some kind of straw.

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Operation Write Home Cards

I have three cards to share with you today. I just mailed a big box of cards to Operation Write Home and have already gotten started on the next box. Every so often I decide to join a challenge or two and today I did three. The first is from their Midweek Throwdown Challenge which was to use purple and yellow. I love those two colors together, so this was really quite fun. I had saved a piece of purple shimmery paper from a wedding invitation that was just too pretty to throw away. Unfortunately my husband didn't realize I was saving it for a card and used it to write some notes. AAACKKKK!!!! Luckily there was enough clear space around the edges that I could cover his writing with some awesome yellow handmade paper left over from another project. Add a few flowers and hand stamp the word "sister" and Voila! Here ya go:

Next comes a card with a sad note connected to it. I didn't know her, but one of the Operation Write Home fellow cardmakers passed away last week and in her honor they asked us to copy (CASE) one of her designs.

The last one is today's sketch challenge #118.

 

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OWH Sketch Midweek Throwdown

This card is being entered in the Operation Write Home (OWH) midweek throwdown which is asking us to use circles in our design. I've had these stamped and die cut images for a very long time and finally got around to coloring them. I don't know the name of the stamp set because they belong to someone else, but I know they are Stampin Up and probably retired by now.

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Congratulations WSU Shockers for being UNBEATABLE!!!

I don't talk about my younger days much on this blog, but I'm am just overflowing with pride tonight as the Wichita State Shocker basketball team continued their winning streak by beating Drake 83-54. Hmm I just realized the significance of those numbers and without giving it away will just say that they represent birth years. Anyway, just wanted to share this proud moment with anyone who might be reading this blog. Oh, and why am I so proud? Because I graduated from college at WSU a long time ago. GO SHOCKERS!!!

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OWH Sketch Challenge #211

While continuing my own challenge to use up the majority of my excess stash of cardmaking supplies I often come across the opportunity to participate in a challenge. Most of the cards that I make are destined for soldiers serving overseas via the awesome group called Operation Write Home. They issue challenges every week and this Sunday their sketch challenge is to follow the sketch below. You can join the challenge to at their blog.

Here's my card using paper from my stash and a digital sentiment that I created.

OWH Cards for kids

I've been busy filling another large flat rate box with greeting cards for Operation Write Home (OWH). This week's challenge is to make cards for kids. I had a few stamped images (borrowed from a friend ages ago, but thing the little girl is a Penny Black stamp) and some digis that seemed to fit the bill. Here are two of the cards that I made. Oh the paper behind the little girl is printed to look like denim jeans. The sunshine stamp is from Stampin Up!