CC designs Christmas

 I managed to make a few cards for Christmas for a few very special people. Some for family and a few special friends who are like family. I haven't decided who all they are yet, but we will see who hits the "nice" list. LOL Just kidding. Don't beat me up, my humor is hanging by a thread;) I got the idea for these cards from Jo From PaperDrama on Youtube.  She makes the cutest cards:) Thanks Jo!
 All of these were stamped on Gina K paper Layer weight 80 lb. With Memento black ink.

The materials vary from card to card. I will try to go in order. They all have the CC Designs Elf Lucy stamp. Each one was copic colored and cut out.
skin-colors all the same for each face-E0000, E000, E00,R20,BV00
Hair-E33,E35,E37
Clothing-R37,R59 C0,C1,C3
The first card- top left was cut out with my Nestabilities by Spellbinders Oval small
Red bazzill card base.
 Papertrey inks White linen Vellum for the back ground. Ran it through the Tim Holtz Snow Flurries embossing folder
Pearls. Michael's colored with a copic
Sentiment from Recollections dollar bin
 Silver "Stickles" was used on the bells
 Glass glitter in super fine clear around the oval
Bethany Lowe tinsel around the outside edge

Card Number 2-  My Favorite.
 Card stock- The paper company- Seaglass Metallic
 PTI White Linen Vellum( used on all) with T.H. Flurries embossing folder
Repeat of Seaglass paper for the MFT Decorative Doily Duo (Diecut)
 SpellBinders- classic circle- small
Stickles-Star Dust
Sentiment-Bo Bunny "Father Christmas Set" Stamped on scraps
Snowflake- pearl button- Michael's crafts
Copic colors
skin-colors all the same for each face-E0000, E000, E00,R20,BV00
Hair -E33,E35,E37
clothing-B0000, B000,B00, B02

 Card Number 3
Full stamping
Card base- The paper Company - Red Cardinal Metallic
 PTI White Linen Vellum( used on all) with T.H. Flurries embossing folder
skin-colors all the same for each face-E0000, E000, E00,R20,BV00
Hair-E33,E35,E37
Clothing-R37,R59 C0,C1,C3
Silver accents- Gel pen - Jelly Roll-Gun metal
Sentiments- red paper border the Red cardinal Metallic
Sentiment stamp from Bo Bunny"Father Christmas Set"
Snowflake buttons- Michaels

Card Number 4 and 5 are the same card and I accidentally loaded it twice:(
-Bazzill -coconut cream Card base
-Recollections-Metallic sapphire blue
 Papertrey inks White linen Vellum for the back ground. Ran it through the Tim Holtz Snow Flurries embossing folder
Spellbinders- circle- small for image circle
MFT Decorative Doily Duo (Diecut)- repeat of Recollections paper
Queen for the day -blue pearls
The paper company-Sentiment from the snowflake collection
MFT border die- icicle border coated in delta white paint
Texture on edge of image- Delta sparkle snowtex
Martha Stewart- snowflake punch- on PTI Vellum Linen white
Recollections- snowflake- bling
Copic colors
skin-colors all the same for each face-E0000, E000, E00,R20,BV00
Hair-E30 E31,E55
Clothing- C0,C1,C3,C4,B93,B95,B97
Ranger distress "Stickles" in Silver on the bells

Card Number 6
The green one for my Dear Katie and James
Card base- Bazzill-palo Verde Metallic
Papertrey inks White linen Vellum for the back ground. Ran it through the Tim Holtz Snow Flurries embossing folder
 Spellbinders Classic Oval large and Scalloped Oval Large
Sentiment- on scraps-The paper company-Sentiment from the snowflake collection

Copic colors
skin-colors all the same for each face-E0000, E000, E00,R20,BV00
hair-E50,E42,E43
Clothing- C0,C1,C3, G20, YG03, YG25 these are the best match but what I had.
Beaded snowflakes- Jolee's Boutique

 So that is my cards. I have a few more done I will have to snap pictures of. I have been going in circles with Mom over the past few weeks. It is hard trying to decide the rest of someone's life. Especially when none of us asked for these circumstances. I just pray i can make good choices for us all. Even though my heart wants different things then my head knows within in reason would not be good for any of us.
 Blessings to you all
Pea

A change in scenery

 Mom has left Harborview hospital and is now in a rehab center. She knows it is a nursing home and thinks I am trying to take her home from her. So not the case but the doctor ordered more care from her but did not need  a ICU unit.
 She is doing well physically. Has more balance, can eat, stand,sit, potty on her own. Her depth perception is off so I don't know if she will be able to drive again. Will have to wait and see. But she didn't have her glasses either so that may help.  Still a little foggy upstairs but she had a stroke a week ago tomorrow so doing really well. Better then most get handed. I will go see her tomorrow and see if she still hates me. Probably but for now she needs to stay there. She may come to my home at some point. It will be a wait and see. God I miss Daddy:(
 Off to do some sitting and relaxing. I so need that.

Pea

A new Revolving door

Just when you think you have a plan, those plans are changed in a blink of a eye.
 My sweet Mom had a stroke. She was found 3 days after the stroke in the floor of her bedroom. Can you say GUILT! OMG yes, I feel so much. I don't talk to mom everyday, I don't see her everyday. She is pretty independent and does mostly for herself.
 So I had all these plans of defunking my home, life, body.... Yea, famous last words as now there is that new revolving door that will have me swinging.
 Mom is such a strong woman. Not only butt kicking wise but also emotionally, willfully so. She has managed to pull out every restraint, IV, cath, Tube, heart monitor, blood pressure, mitts, etc that is known to nurse and aid. Even with a sailors knot. OH for the LOVE OF PETE! She is a freaking Houdini. We are trying to keep her in bed, safe from any more harm. Especially since she is still unstable balance and mind.
 Her body has missed any damage but sadly her mind has not been so lucky. The remarkable thing is she might be better off then first thought. My Mother tied a bow today all on her own without coaching Just 5 days after a stroke. This is huge but still has a very long road ahead of her. As do I, the soul caregiver. Her best advocate for her and her well being. It is something that is very hard for me to do, but I take it on like a good coat. Holding it close to my heart and wearing it with a grin or a frown depending on who or what is in my way. God all help you if you are in my way.
 So I don't know when or where we will be next post but I will try and keep this up to date.
 Call your mom's and check on them:)
Pea

Home Improvement.

 For most people this phrase means to Upgrade or improve on their homes. For me it has a much deeper meaning. Home as in the whole ball of wax=US! House, heart, body, mind and soul.
 It is something that I have been trying to work on for well over a year now. It isn't a task to be taken on by the weary  but that is exactly why I took it on.
  You see I was feeling since my children left home that I lacked purpose. I had been retired and given my golden watch,my thank you for your service you are no longer needed:(
 It was a feeling of emptiness I can not convey into words but the closest word that comes to mind is totally LOST. Like a drive down a country road that hits a detour and you have no idea where you are going? Yea, that feeling. Almost a panic but not quite.
 I don't know if a single other soul on the planet understands what I am trying to say but this is the closest I can come to explaining it for me.

 So the task at hand is to redefine who I am. Besides a Wife to my wonderful, loving husband. Mother to three beautiful, smart, and amazing kids, Grandmother to one little fox. A friend to as many as possible. After all friends enrich our lives and are the extensions of our families.
 Yet the question still remains? WHO am I? Or better yet, who do I want to become? A better me, That is a much easier question to answer but the solutions are so much work, I mean WORK! UGH
 Okay, so we know what we want to do. It is improve. Much like the house you start with the places that need repair most, right?  The foundation.. That for me meant the soul. I have a direction for that. I just need to practice what I sometimes preach to my Children.
That was easy right? ha ha.. It is a constant redefining moment to moment for me.  I hope I never stop discovering this part of my life and my faith.

Second would be House, I was told once if your life is in chaos look around you! Start from the ground up. Well when your life in in chaos your home often reflects that. I am a disorganized pack rat. I am not dirty but the clutter has taken over. I love to collect pretty things and don't have the room for them.  So the purging has begun.
 When I was helping my Mom recover from open heart surgery I was recovering myself from a serious infection that nearly took  my thumb and my life. A triple deadly cocktail of super germs.  The stress was simply too much for me. I shopped and often bought many items including every magazine on the market I swear.

 I am happy to say i have gotten rid of all those magazines except about 75 of my personal collection. I think that is more then enough for me to enjoy. All stacked neatly and tucked away. The pile I gave away was 15 paper grocery sacks full. In one of those months while mom and I were healing, I had purchased 16 magazines:( I did read them all though.

 I have been working on little things here and there to get rid of all the extra stuff we have and have no need or want of. Improving on what we do have by a deep cleaning here or there, maybe a little paint and rearrangement.

An empty back door closet was the first of my projects. I took everything out and started over. It isn't exactly the same way as Hubs has been in there( :{ but it is still in pretty good shape.
 I will have to snap a picture of the completed closet cause it looks like I deleted that set of pics when I cleaned out the pc a few weeks ago. Still have a lot to do but working on it slowly like everything else.
 To be honest I would rather be slow at this process and get it right, then rush through it and get it wrong. The good thing is no one can define the right or wrong in this for me but ME!
have a wonderful weekend