Oldie But Goodie Gus

I love that it's finally that time of the year that I can get out my Bugaboo Stamps Oldie But Goodie Christmas Gus images. 

Today's Oldie But Goodie image is just that - Christmas Gus 'PIMP MY SLED'.  Of course he's fall under the Crotchety Old Fart title, but today he's our Oldie but Goodie. . . . without the Oldie smell......

We were joking with my dad the other day that we're going to 'Pimp' his hospital bed with Christmas lights and flames.

So, needless to say, this card was for dad!

Image - Bugaboo Stamps "Gus Christmas - Pimp My Sled"

Papers - ALL from my stash (been there FOREVER!!)

Coloring - Copics

Punches - EK Success

Extra Stuff - Stickles & Dimensionals

Challenges this Pimpin' Gus has been entered into -
Top Tip Tuesday - Christmas Inspired
There She Goes - Use Your Stash
Karbers Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes Using a digi

So, show us your Oldies and be sure to check back tomorrow at The Bug Blog and see what Newbie Freebie is available tomorrow at The Bugaboo Store.

Don't forget too - you still have time to join us for this week's Winter Wonderland Challenge.

Gettin' Back In The Groove

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  We certainly did.  We took a MUCH deserved trip with my mom and dad in the "Lake House" to Tawas Michigan.  It's been years since we've camped in an RV or 5th wheel trailer.  After dad's diagnosis, we've all been looking forward to this trip (and a trip to Aruba sometime soon).

While I don't have any projects to share with you today, I thought I'd share some photos that we took this weekend.  We took a bunch, but I'll just share a few with you.

These few are when we got to our campsite and were getting things set up. 

 My wonderful hubby, ducking before we put the awning up - yep, we're a bunch of shorties and my hubby is 6'5" or so.

This was the Tawas Point Lighthouse - just up the beach from where we stayed this weekend. Glen and I walked the beach on Friday afternoon once we got to the park and got set up.

A different angle of the light house

We just love the sunset photos we too (I must have snapped 30 photos and they're all just gorgeous).  It's hard to pick our favorite, but I think this one is pretty close to our favorite.  :)  This was one of my favorite from Saturday evening.  That spot on the beach - it's actually the sun reflecting - not a bon fire.  Gorgeous, huh?

We too more photos today, but on mom and dad's camera, so hopefully next weekend I'll have a few of those.  We walked the beach on the opposite side of the point, actually went up to the light house, took some photos and just had a nice morning wrapping up a terrific weekend.

I'll be back a bit later - there's lots of great things going on today that I don't want you to miss.

Happy Hauntin' n' Craftin' Too!

Gone Fishin'

Well, not really, but "Gone Fishin" sounded lots better than "Sitting in a stark white hospital, looking for things to do, pacing the hallways and drinking bad coffee while waiting for the surgeons to come out and tell us everything is A-OKAY with dad".

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

A day in the life.....

It's hard to believe that it's been a month today that my dad has been in the hospital.  We are hoping that the light we're seeing is the one at the end of the tunnel and we can move closer to the surgery dad was 3 days short of having.  I can't imagine there are many more tests my dad can possibly have that he hasn't already had!  Poor guy, but he hasn't complained once (except when the head shrinkers came in and made him think he was crazy. . . . he's not, he's VERY on top of things - even made the shrink THINK today - now, THAT was funny!!)  He's such a strong man - the strongest I've ever met!!

I feel like such a terrible blogger lately.  I miss having the time to see what all you wonderfully crafty folks are doing on your blogs!  The hospital that my dad is at is about an hour and fifteen minutes from where we live, 40 minutes from where I work, so every morning I go into the hospital before work, spend a few hours with my dad, talk with his doctors and find out what's on tap for the day.  Then off to work I go.  I've been working a little later than usual to make up for the hours I'm out (trying to save some vacation time for after his surgery when we all take a well deserved vacation to ARUBA - Dad's FAVORITE place).  Anyway, most nights by the time I get through traffic, when I get home I've been so drained, I can't even DRAG myself to my studio or even to the computer most nights.

From the update we got today, we are hoping everything goes smooth the next few days and that dad continues to recoup and recover.  We're HOPING the esophagectomy happens a week from tomorrow.  Today was the bronchoscopy and the echocardialgram.  Yep, full schedule.

My mom and I have been doing lots of knitting while 'hanging around' the hospital - travels easy and it all fits in a small bag.  Speaking of bags, yep, that's what I've been knitting - these knifty cotton market/beach bags.  The photo isn't the best and don't really do it justice, but you can pack a TON of stuff in these little babies - towels, sun screen & scrappy magazines if you're headed to the beach and lots of yummy summer finds if you're headed to the farmers market!

They are just WONDERFUL - reuseable, washable and SUPER CUTE!!  - if you love them and want one, I've been selling them for $15 and am happy to knit one in the colors you'd like.  Leave me a comment here and we'll get you taken care of.  Gotta have something to keep knitting! 

Glen and I laugh that after this is all said and done, I should have my honorary Medical Degree or at least my RN certification!!  I've learned more about esophaguses, gallbladders, intestinal & bowel systems, hemoglobin & red blood cells, white blood cells, cancer, radiation, chemo, colons, lungs, fluids, fevers, blood pressures, stomachs, scopes, anti-nausea meds, antibiotics, TPN, feeding tubes, gallbladder drainage tubes, dressings (nope, not turkey day dressings either),  oxygen saturation, heart rates and temperatures than I ever expected I'd learn.  I was a BAD Science student growing up (not intrested in science) - but I joked with Glen that I really should listened and learned more in science class growing up.  Guess there's never a time like the present, huh?

I've had the chance here and there to tinker with some digi-images (not much, but a little bit) and I even had some time yesterday after we got back from the hospital to actually create a scrapbook page!  Holy Christmas, it's been like FOREVER since I've done that!!

This is my nephew Colin and his new baby sister, my niece Natalie (this was taken in February - yep, been that long since I've done much in way of layouts!!).  Aren't they just PRECIOUS?!  :) 

"He Adores You"

Papers - Kraft & Coredinations, Patterned Papers - Making Memories (isn't it just too cute??)

Techniques - Doodling, Accordian & Dryer Sheet flowers

Die Cut - Cricut - Storybook & Ashlyn's Alphabet

Extra STUFF - MS Punch (Cheryl did a LO with this punch and it was a MUST ADD to my collection), BLING (from M's), Prima Flower Centers, individual letters for title & date, tulle for flower.

The blue flowers are actually used dryer sheets that have been spritzed with a little tattered angel mist.

I learned how to make those flowers a few months ago based on a tutorial that one of my Scrap-Friendzy design team sista's created. Pretty neat, huh??  You'll likely see this same photo on another layout. Of course now with a niece and nephew - cute sibling photos like this must be in both albums (before they hate having their photos taken together, you know?).

This layout was created while playing along with the Camp-Friendzy Nature challenge.  Yep, got my Nature Badge!  If you haven't joined us over at Camp-Friendzy, please do, even though the contest part of the summer is already off and running, there are more challenges than you can shake a stick at and chances to WIN prizes too!  So, come on over, join us, get inspired, meet some fabulously crafty (and chatty) girlfriendz and enjoy camp! 

Thanks for listening to all the blah blah blah today (yep, long winded lately too) and thank you all too for your thoughts and prayers.  We are truly blessed to have friends and family for support and prayers.  I hope to be able to post a few more things in the next few days (Most the cards I've been making lately have been funny ones for my dad).  :)

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and aren't melting with all this crazy heat & humidity.  WHEW - the walk into work felt like I was moving in slow motion today.  I hope to get to all your blogs very soon - I really do miss seeing what kind of amazing things you're creating!

Hugs!!

Oldie But Goodie at Bugaboo

I've been trying to replenish my card stash lately, but I seem to be usin' them as fast as I'm makin' them lately! 

Today is an Oldie But Goodie day at Bugaboo Stamps.  I've been making some funny cards for my dad and this just so happens to be one of them.  My dad has always been a morning person, my mom, not so much.  I wasn't much of a morning person growning up either - as kids we had horses and in the summer we 'did' horse shows on the weekend.  What does that mean?  It meant we'd have to wash the horse, clean the tack and load the trailer & motorhome the night before, usually keeping us up into the wee hours of the following morning.  After going to bed for what seemed like a milla-second, we'd get up BTBCOD - Better known as "Before the Butt Crack of Dawn" or "OH Dark Thirty" to those of you who might have grown up in military families.  We'd get the horses, load the trailer and be on our merry way well before SANE people even THOUGHT of getting up on a Saturday or Sunday morning. 

Sure wish I would have thought of this Sentiment Jodie at Bugaboo Stamps included with this Morning Margaret stamp!!  And if you love this one - the Morning Margaret Bundle ROCKS!

Of course, with those Sunday morning Summer Memories, my dad will get a grin.

Image - Bugaboo Stamps "Morning Margaret-live in a toaster"

Paper - Miscellaneous from my stash including cardstock, Kraft and Core'dinations stock

Extra STUFF - EK Success border punch, Nesties round embossed circle, Copics, Doodling, Diamond Stickles (Granny's gotta have some blingy glasses) & Flatbacked BB's

Dad's back in the hospital - his surgery has been rescheduled b/c he now has pnemonia, so if you have a second and would be willing to say a little prayer for my dad, we would all be so grateful!

Thanks so much for stopping by today - I'm always so happy to have you join my little corner of paradise even for a quick second!

AMAZING Saturday!

Today was a great part of the weekend.  Glen and I spent the better part of the day and evening at my mom and dad's working on the deck and some lawn mowing.  Glen's mom joined us for the day too she and my mom worked on flower beds and killing LOTS of poison ivy!!  We did some horse shuffling in and out of pastures and even got to enjoy my dad's company for dinner.  While dad hasn't been able to eat anything since January, today was an AMAZING day - mom decided she was going to order pizza so we didn't have to cook tonight and who can go wrong with Jet's Pizza??  She and dad went to pick up the pizza while Glen, Lee and I finished the project we were working on.   Dad said the pizza smelled so good in the car on the way home, he was going to have to give it a try - we thougth he might just chew it a bit to let his taste buds enjoy it and maybe spit it out (I know, probably WAY TOO much info).  However, that was not the case - he ATE it AND - IT WAS A SUCCESS!!  I can't tell you just how much we were all beaming watching my dad enjoy the first food in MONTHS!

Doesn't he look happy with that Jet's Pizza box in his lap?!

Thanks so much for sharin' our excitement.

I'll share a little ditty I put together for my mom in law for her birthday.  We got to celebrate with her today which was nice.  :)

This little ditty is for Shelly's Images TTT Challenge - if you haven't stopped by, swing by and join us for this week's TTT Challenge - Scrappy's challenge this week was ANYTHING GOES!  You have until Wednesday at midnight EST to join us and the prize - free images from Shelly's Images!

Image - Bugaboo Stamps - WO Cupcake Tower

Paper - Yellow, Purple & Black - CS from my stash; Green swirl & Cupcake paper - from Hobby Lobby

Coloring - Prisma Markers & Copics (Still gettin' the hang of it)

Other STUFF - Tulle, Dimensionals, Stickles & Doodling

Thanks so much for stoppin' by today and for all the kind words and comments you all leave!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Happy Craftin'!

Min

Our favorite little Deere!

Deere you may ask, not Dear?  We have a little man in our family, Johnny who has John Deere Green in his blood!  This little birthday boy who is celebrating his birthday tomorrow and will be 3 tomorrow and  LOVES ANYTHING that is John Deere!  And because we didn't get him anything John Deere for his birthday, we had to get that Deere in there some how.  Well, this is what we came up with and to tell you the truth, I LOVE the way this turned out - I'm not a great "BOY" card maker, but this is perfect for him!!

Image - It's a coloring book image off the internet :o)

Paper - Kraft, Green, Yellow & Black from my stash

Technique - Magic Colored Pencil Technique

Cuttlebug - Distressed Stripes

Miscellaneous - Chestnut Roan Ink, Jute & Dimensionals

Computer Generated Sentiment

~ WARNING WARNING - REMOTELY FUNNY FAMILY STORY ~

I have to share too - we went to my mom and dad's to work on the farm today - Glen, Glen's mom and I.  The Grass needed to be mowed, brush needed to be cut, flower beds needed to be cleaned out, pasture fences needed to be fixed after a winter of deer running thru them.  Anyway, around 4 or so, we heard gobbling.  Now, if you don't know the gobbling story, I'll try & keep it short.  A few years ago, my mom INSISTED that she saw TURKEYS in the trees on the front part of their property - there was no alcohol involved in the seeing of the turkeys in the trees (just had to include that disclaimer).  First of all, I didn't think turkeys could fly and honestly, I've never looked into whether or not they can, or weather or not they perch in trees.  My mom didn't have her camera at the time, so presently we've written it off as urban legend that we haven't been able to confirm. 

So today, we were taking a time out.  Mower needed gas, brush cutter needed gas and we all needed a beverage.  So, we hear gobbling and realize that there were turkeys in the back field of the neighbors property.  Luckily, I had my camera and snapped a few photos.  My mom joked that she was so happy I had my camera because my dad never believed her about the turkeys.  Now I believe in the Turkeys, just still unsure about Turkeys in Trees.  We counted 7 of them - 4 male (we thing b/c they were all 'puffed' up) and 3 female.

Yep, WILD TURKEY (no, not the stuff in the bottle, lol), real feather bearing, gobblin' wild turkeys (on the ground, not in the trees).

Happy Weekend - thanks so much for stickin' around for the blah blah blah Wild Turkey story.  lol

Happy Craftin'!  Hopin' to get a little scrapbookin' in tomorrow.  I just got the CUTEST photo of my cousins little girl Alexis in the mail today - Her one year photos I can't wait to scrap!!

Happy Almost Sunday!

Min

WOO HOO!

So today we're doing the happy, celebration dance.  Today at noon is my dad's LAST radiation treatment!!

He has been such a trooper through all of this.  We're still not at the end of everything, he still has a surgery coming up, but we're 1/2 way through all this.  We are SO PROUD of him!

Of course, we have to celebrate and who celebrates better than good 'ole Stella from Bugaboo Stamps.

HA HA!  I love this lady!  She has such a way with words (and facial expressions!!)  I'm sure my dad will get a kick out of her too!!

You can't really tell but the balloon, bow and two party hats are popped up on dimensionals - It looks SUPER cute in person!

Image - Bugaboo Stamps Stella - She really looks like she'd be hollerin' WOO HOO, doesn't she?!  LOL

Paper - PP - Doodlebug prints, Orange, Teal, Black & Green Cardstock from my stash

Technique - Magic Colored Pencil Technique

Miscellaneous - Dimensionals for Hats, Balloons & Bow on package; Stickles, Flat Backed Black Pearls, Doodling and Computer Generated Sentiment.

On the Inside it says:  "I'm the life of the party, even if it lasts til 8 pm!"

Thanks so much for stopping by today and 'celebrating' with us today! 

I hope you have a terrific weekend - we've got a few things to get done around the house this weekend, so we're hoping to make some progress.

Happy Craftin'!

Min

The Ducks are Back!

Sorry I've been absent - This past week has been kind of a blur for our family.  My dad was diagnosed last week with Esophageal Cancer, so we've been playing the waiting game - waiting to hear from the oncologist, waiting for next steps, waiting for next tests and researching until we're all cross-eyed to find out all we can about this disease.  We are optimisitc that they have found it in the early stages and he will make a full recovery.  We are thankful too to be very close to the University of Michigan Hospital and many doctors that are highly touted in this field.

So, I thought I'd make a funny little card to include in his care package, if nothing else at least he'll get a little chuckle, right?

Image - High Hopes Stamped Image (duck)

Papers - Coredinations cardstock & Little Yellow Bicycle (I think)

Technique - Magic Colored Pencil Technique

Sentiment & ? marks - Computer Generated using Snap ITC

Thanks for stopping by today and if you have a chance and wouldn't mind saying a prayer for my dad, it would be much appreciated.

Happy Craftin'!

Min

Some Days......

Wow, can you believe we've made it to Thursday already?!  I'm so looking forward to a long weekend.  Truth be told, ALL of our Christmas decorations are still up - tree, lights, village, wreaths, EVERYTHING.  So, this weekend, since we're supposed to see 40* and a little sunshine, we're going to try and get the outside lights taken down during the day and then move inside and 'De-Christmas' the house (that's a word in the K-ski house).  In the meantime, over the last week or so, we've accumulated about 8" of snow, and when I was going through some shared stamped images, I came across this one - way too funny in my mind and thought I'd whip up a little Hang in There card.

I used a Pagemaps sketch that Cheryl posted as part of  January's Sketch-A-Thon at Scrap-Friendzy.

The sentiment inside reads - "Some Days You Just Can't DUCK Quick Enough!  Hang In There"

Image - Not sure where it originated from, but LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Technique - Magic Colored Pencil Technique

Papers:  Coredinations lime green, white & navy cardstock and printed paper from another old Christmas stack

Miscellaneous - Prima BLING snowballs, sheer ribbon, computer generated sentiment (LD Artsy - picked up from Scrapnfonts)

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a little time here with me today.  This weekend we're switching to Valentines Day projects - I have the honor of helping with a few of Colin's Valentines Days cards this year because he's getting a new baby sister right around Valentines Day.  I'm also working on a 10 Things I Love About You album that I'll be teaching a class for the beginning of Febuary at Live Laugh Love Scrap in Oxford.  I hope to have some photos of that little baby this weekend!

Have a great day - keep warm and Happy Craftin'!

Min