Big Deal!! I'm a Mom!

I didn't know that being a mom was such a big deal (well, it is an amazing thing to be)... I guess I mean to be a big holiday.  I can't even count on my fingers ... (because it was way over 10) the number of times someone wished me to have a Happy Mother's Day!!

Honestly, I'll admit it's kinda nice to be recognized ... but other than my own Mother.... I guess I didn't wish anyone else a 'happy mother's day'.... is that rude of me???

I do whole heartedly admit that I had a beautiful weekend! 

Our first in a very, very, VERY long time.  I mean we had sunshine and warm temperatures on Saturday (and mostly on Sunday, in between the hail pellets) ... it felt wonderful!!!!

I could be sad that I didn't go visit my mom or mother-in-law, (but just so you know... I did visit both in the past two weeks.... to Wisconsin and Indiana)  and I'm a little sentimental that neither of my children came home to be with me (Iowa and Missouri)... but that's all okay.  I don't need one day to celebrate 'me' or the mom's in my life ... I think it's important to do that any day.... and every day.

How wonderful it was to have a great weekend to do things I love with the man I love! 

And, technology is great.... everyone got a phone call or was 'seen in person' on Skype .... how blessed we all are!

This is what the back of my car looked like on Saturday. 

 

Full of blooming flowers and lush green plants.  It was so nice to finally get my finger nails dirty and add some color to our yard.  I hope that my thumb will turn a bit green.  I'm learning to be a 'gardener'.

 

You might not understand this in your neck of the woods.... but here in the Midwest.... we've had a really long, cold and ugly winter and spring.  It took until May 10th for our yard to be 'happy' to be alive!!!!

My backyard did not look this green a mere two weeks ago.  

 

However, I'm loving ♥ it now!!! 

 

I always love my window to the world (that's what I call my big kitchen windows out to our backyard), but I feel more complete when I can actually be outside in all it's glory!!

 

 

I am enjoying things that bring meaning to my life. 

I'm finding where my strengths are. 

 

I'm taking an online course with Brene Brown and have been practicing and practicing.  I'm trying to live a whole hearted LIFE.  It's not complicated to explain, but it's not the right time to do it here on my blog.  Because I am still a work in progress.

 

I am finding that every day in a way is 'me' day.... sometimes it's a mother's day, or a birth -day, or a Satur - day... and it's most important for 'me' to find...

new ways to .... 

 

Brighten Someone's Day!!!

 

Here's to more days along side of Mother's Day, that SHINE!

Send Mom the Very Best

The mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother's side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent.  ~Erich Fromm

 

I love flowers!

 

Do you? 

 

All kinds of flowers!  Paper flowers, single stemmed flowers, seeds of flowers, potted plants, flowers in the garden, silk flowers, blossoming flowers on the lilac bushes outside my window as I type this!!!!  I am so blessed!!!! Blooms, buds, petals.... love it all....always working on my 'green' thumb!

 

It has been said that the best way to show your mom you love her is by sending her flowers. Mother's Day is the 2nd busiest holiday for florists behind Valentine's Day.

 

Years ago, giving your mother a corsage to wear to church was a simple yet elegant way to show your mom how much you loved her!  But that has become passe`.  Since mother's day occurs in the spring, there are so many different choices of great blooms to get her.

 

A mother laughs our laughs, sheds our tears, returns our love, fears our fears. She lives our joys, cares our cares and all our hopes and dreams she shares.

Week # 19 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - honoring Motherhood

 

How wonderful life is, when you stop and smell the roses!

Brighten Someone's Day.... send them a bouquet!!

(and a creative greeting!!!!)

 

Frame It

 What a beautiful day here in the mid-west to celebrate mothers!  The sun was shinning brightly, the sky was blue and the temperatures were a mild 68. Perfect!

Here is a close up of the corner filled with punched flowers, leaves and some of the filling is even snowflakes (out of green).

 On pinterest someone posted beautiful framed cards from KittieKraft and so I certainly had to give it a try.  There are many great things about trying to do different things, think outside the box.... so they say.  But what is even better is having all the supplies on hand, and recycling things from my stash.  It's amazing what wonderful things can be made from bits and pieces of paper!


Saw a beautiful sight on the way home from the post office today (I was sending out some FuN MaiL). Crossing a very quiet street was a goose family, mom & dad and three fuzzy goslings.They were taking their sweet ole time as they crossed the road.  One little friend had stopped to check out something in the road... as his family continued to cross.  He looked up from where he was and ran waddling as fast as he could to catch up, so as not to be left behind.  It was a very cute sight and it made me smile!

Bloomin Hearts

Ooh, I'm a bit nervous. 

 I went to the garden center earlier this week and bought some colorful annuals and then planted them yesterday.  Is it to early in the season here in the mid-west to get my blooms popping in my secret garden? It's a beautiful sunny day, yet cool... will I have to worry about planting a week or two too early?

Punch out flower hearts wont disappoint me!  Lots of red and pink!!   Hard to see it completely, ( but I guess there is a shadow box die cut in the world out there), I just manufactured my own with some paper piecing and using my scor tool to give my box some dimension.  Stamped green stems and added some red & white bakers twin.  This card could have lots of different sentiments, love, get well, mother's day.

Send some FuN MaiL and Brighten Someone's Day!

If you were wondering what your purpose is: your purpose is to CREATE one~ pinterest

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Not one, but two cards featuring cuteness popping out of a terra cotta pot!!

I have paper scraps bulging out of my craft room.  They must go!  I'm cranking out cards and using up the old paper.... backgrounds and frames, punch art and inside pretties.  You know you like my cards.  Support a small business!  :0)

Both of these cards are doodled, but you've got to realize there is a stamp and an artist somewhere behind it all.  I think the hedge hog above is by Penny Black.

Ok, since I'm making so many cards, you MUST have events coming up, you know of birthdays and anniversaries, special places you can give a 4 pack gift of fun and whimsical cards... place your orders now!!!

If you want... just click on my CARD blogpost (you can always find it in the yellow  creative greetings too! on the left column top) Pick out cards from my latest creative surge, or find a classic card that I have waiting in my stash!

Brighten Someone's Day!!!!

Send FuN Mail... with creative greetings!!!

Stand alone

Every month around this time I send out 4 special creative greetings!! that I have made for those, part of COTM (Card of the Month) club.  Here is May's card.  It could be used as a heartful thanks mother's day card... or a unique thank you to recognize someone who held a special place in your heart.

I always want to make and create something very special for these 4 gals who all received the 'gift' of getting 12+ cards for the entire year.  This card is an easel card, so it props up when set on a table top.  The row of punched art is the tab that holds things in place.  I have made this style of card numerous times before and always follow the great tutorials off of Splitcoaststampers.

A little surprise each month in the envelope have been tags.  I love tags and love trying to create something from the scraps left over from the special card, it is a small challenge I'm willing to take on and I love the results!

Never get tired of doing little things for others.  sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts ~ pinterest

Next Cardmakers Holiday

Well I guess it could be May Day, or Cinco DeMayo.... My pick, Mother's Day. Here's a sweet card with peonies. Actually I used markers to color in the image I drew. This was fun getting the shading on the petals.
Inside: Happy Mother's Day

I got a few bites of my elephant done yesterday. See the post if you are confused. Laundry, yard work, creativity, painting, feels good!

Happy 77th birthday Dad!!!!!

What's a little flower without rain?

I know April showers bring May flowers, but sheeeesh!! It's been raining here 3 days straight. We don't have the rain gauge out yet, afraid it was going to freeze or get buried under snow, but I'm sure we have well over 2 to 3" of rain saturating the ground and making the worms rise up and litter the sidewalks, good appetizer for Cooper, yuk!!

On to much much cuter things!!

This project has been floating around SCS and I had to try it. I'm going to make tons more. A little flower pot pocket holder card with the flowers growing out on top.

If you'd want to know how I made the cute flowers out of a scalloped Nestie, or how to make the groovy leaves from the paper crimper... I'll send individual info out.

Here it is with the insert pulled out. I, myself am still going "too, too cute!!!!" It turned out much smaller than I thought, but yet the right size to fit into a 4-1/2 x 5-1/2 invitation size envelope.

Here are the first three I made. Can you tell which one was the experimental first card? It is one of these three!! Can't wait to make more.... with different flowers!