The Advent Season

This is for a Hanna Stamps Challenge, to make card with Hanna dancing. A couple of the more recent releases lend themselves well to Hanna being a dancing lady, so I decided to be different

and use an older set, Rainy Days. I decided Hanna could be dancing in the rain. Can you tell I am tired of cold weather and ready for Spring?

Yesterday we started with a trip to "early church", which means going to the 8:30 AM service. It was a Communion service and the kids were well behaved, which made it wonderful. I felt relaxed and rested and ready for the week. That's a good thing as we rushed home after Sunday School so I could cook lunch for some of my best girlfriends.

I made chicken tettrazini (so very yummy if I do say so myself!) and spinach salad. My friends brought cheesy bread and chocolate cheesecake. We had our Homemade Christmas gift exchange. This is my favorite day of the year! I really look forward to seeing what everyone makes. I'll have to post photos of what I recieved later. Let's just say I was thrilled! We all got lots of good things and I loved every last bit of it. Usually we meet at a restaurant, but we decided to do it at my house this year. It was nice and relaxing and non-rushed.

I ran out the door afterwards to go back to church for the Advent Party. It is a pitch in, so I took more salad and the kids played games, did crafts, saw Mary and Joseph, and sang Christmas Carols. I am in a festive mood, now. Watch out everyone, I may just carry some mistletoe in my pocket and give everyone a big kiss when I greet them. Christmas is coming and I say, Bring It On! I Am Ready!!

Just Another Busy Day

Sorry to go so long between posts, I have just been super busy. It hasn't even been exciting stuff, just the normal routine...after school activities, homework, dog walking, shopping. I did get s couple of hours today to look for clothes and thought I'd do some shopping before spring break. I got some shirts on sale (Go Kohl's!) but what I really need are shorts. No luck there. I did score some goggles on sale for the boys. They both really like to have goggles at the poo. I don't get it. I never had goggles as a kid. Plus, the water sticks to the goggles and you can't see. It makes them happy so I got each kid two pairs. It is easier to get them goggles than to hear their complaints.

Seth is complaining these days about his birthday. He wanted to have a magician come for his party. I called the magician and it turns out he charges $250.00. He said he brings animals and does a one hour show. But still, I am not paying thatmuch for a kids' party. Seth is now sad and sullen and refusing to chose another activity for his party. I think we will have cake, ice cream, and maybe pizza if I still like him by the time his birthday is here next week. The problem is his birthday always run close to Spring Break so we probably won't have a party for him till mid April when we are back and in school again.

The card today is from Hanna Stamps, of course. The dog is from the Large Breed set and the duck is from Rainy Days. The saying says "My Best Friend". I could not get good light today so the card looks a bit dark. Sorry, but that is the way it is. The paper is DCWV and the shine is already added, I did not hand emboss all the bling on the cards myself. Of course, I would if it would enhance your viewing enjoyment.

Rain and Cold

Just about the time we think we might need to look for a new car/van for me, the old one is dying faster than we can manage. We picked out something through Carmax and are awaiting its arrival in town. They say to give them 3 weeks for transport time. I am at day 12 of 21 and I want it NOW!

Scott was driving my van this weekend and was thinking that we might now have power steering pump problems. So, I am supposed to drive very little just in case the van does not make it until we can trade it in. I am staying home and living quietly.

This card is so cute in real life, but it looks crooked now that I posted it. Dagnabit! t really is a nice card. I swear to it! An umbrella may be my new transport if I need to go anywhere. Unfortunately, I don't live near a river. (The paper is from a big paper stack. Who makes those? I don't know, maybe it is DCWV.)

I brought home a couple of extra kids/friends from church on Sunday so they could spend the night and play with my kids. So, I have had kids on my computers for about 30 hours, except for the 6 in which they slept. I have not had access to the computer except sporadic access when the kids moved away from the computers for food and I moved in to check e mail. This also means they were in my craft area, so I could not craft, and could not post pictures anyway. They went home last night abot dinner time and my kids slept well last night.

Life is fairly normal here. I am getting the laundry done and avoiding the freezing cold temperatures by staying inside.

Trim the Tree

These ornaments are a little like soup, theres a whole lot of little bits and pieces of things that make up the whole finished object. I started with diamond shaped paper ornaments. I painted them pink and added Crystal Glitter to make them shine. I colored my Hanna images from the Rainy Days set and punched them out with a circle punch. then I put the scalloped punch behind them. I used flowers from the SU set, Natural Beauty and covered them with Crystal Effects and put brads in the middle of them. I used velvet ribbon on thee dges and siver string for the holder.


There is really only one ornament, it is the front and back views as the two triangles were glued together.


There will be a new Hanna Stamps set available on Friday, called "Gift Giving." It will be a great set for any gift giving occasion. I should have a sneak peek available for posting very soon. (Okay, maybe tomorrow, nt within the hour.)

It was grey and overcast and rainy all day. Driving was like being in a cloud, bad visibility and damp. I just don't understand people who don't use their head lights in poor weather. It may not be completely dark, but the head and tail lights are there so we can see each other. They are included with the purchase of your car and you should use them!