A Few Projects

Hi ALL!  Here are a few of the projects I was working on between wedding and sickness.  Knock on wood I've felt good for about five days now so I'm REALLY hoping I'm DONE!  So here are some of my projects to share...

 

I painted and recovered the seat on this chair

 

Painted the basket for my fabric scraps and then organized the scraps into bundles by color

This is a table runner for my table



Some more views of table runner 

Another runner I made for console table 

 

 

I hope to be making some more projects soon to share.  I hope you all are doing what you enjoy today!  HUGS, Cheryl

I'm Alive...*barely! **warning...lots of photos**

Hi All!  Just wanted to let you all know that my daughter's wedding was the ABSOLUTE PERFECT day! I'll write more later in the week about it and a lot of other stuff that has been happening.   I promptly got sick the week after the wedding and was totally down.  Felt better the following week and did a ton of projects including cleaning out my garage that looked like something from the Hoarders television show (scary). I will take some pictures and put them up later of the projects I did.  Then I promptly got sick again the middle of last week.  I'm feeling like I'll live but still have ZERO energy.  I still don't have the wedding photos, but I thought you might like to see some so here are some the photographer put on Facebook. Do you have a favorite? Hope you are all well!  I've been thinking of you all just couldn't quite get to the blog before now.  HUGS, Cheryl

Now It's The GRANDCHILDREN Who Are Off To School!!

I REALLY...REALLY...REALLY CAN NOT BELIEVE that my oldest grandson is now off to KINDERGARTEN!  Waahh!  I remember when his mother started kindergarten!  YIKES is the time ever just moving along!  This is what he told me about his first day...

We read dinosaur books
We got to play outside
I drank my water and ate my pretzels for my snack, but I did not eat my fruit snacks
I got a COOL new backback 

Sounds like a GREAT day to me!!
Just wanted to share these pics of my sweet KINDERGARTEN boy Tyler with you.  HUGS, Cheryl

Just Want to Say "THANK YOU FOR THE RIDE!"

Hi All!  My latest checklist for the wedding is creating a photo book for my daughter and soon to be son-in-law to use as a sign in book.  As part of this I am using quotes about marriage.  In my hunt for quotes I ran across a quote that really touched my heart.  It is not about marriage, but about life.  As soon as I found it I knew I wanted to share it.  I hope it might touch you all as it did me:

 

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he’s been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey…delays…sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling burst of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

― Gordon B. Hinckley

 

I am definitely saying THANK YOU to the LORD for letting me have the ride!!  Hugs, Cheryl



Something Old...Something New...Something Borrowed...Something Blue

Hi All!  Thought I would just pop in for a second and share a little wedding happenings with you all.
My daughter had her bridal portraits made last weekend and I made the bouquet for her.  I won't be making one for the day of the wedding...it will just be too hectic, but I did want to make the bouquet for her bridal portraits.  This bouquet has quite a bit of sentimental value.  I wrapped the bouquet in burlap and then covered the burlap with a doily that my grandmother had made.  The pins that are in the ribbon were also my grandmothers.  The top pin was a hat pin that she wore to her high school graduation in 1905.  Hope ALL is FANTABULOUSLY well with you all!  Things are moving along nicely here.  HUGS, Cheryl

All Grown Up! More Sighs!

Well, my baby girl had her last first day of school yesterday!  Huge Sigh!  I have a feeling it is going to be an emotional year for me.  My third daughter is getting married, my son has now gone off to college and my baby girl is a senior.  I'm so HAPPY, and PROUD, and EXCITED for ALL of them!!!!  It just leaves me a little breathless.  Time is such a precious thing and I am soooooooo VERY GRATEFUL for EVERY SECOND of EVERY DAY!  I am so blessed to see God's hand in my life EACH and EVERY day and in the lives of my children!  May the Lord bless each of you this day and may you see HIS HAND in your lives!  HUGS, Cheryl

It's A Fabrication and Good-bye CCCB...Sniff!

Hi All!  I come today as hostess this week for City Crafter Challenge Blog with somewhat of a heavy heart.  I'm sad to say that I'm going to have to step down as a member of the CCCB DT for some time to allow myself some more time to work on a few family things.  Sniff!  Sniff!  I can't even begin to say what a WONDERFUL experience it has been to work with Kirsty and Linda and Ros!  THANK YOU ALL!!!  Now for the happier news...this week's challenge...the theme is "It's A Fabrication" and that's no lie.  Your challenge is to use fabric on your project.   I don't know about you, but I get almost giddy when I walk into a fabric store. I just LOVE all the pattern and color and texture. Using fabric on a project can add all those things to it and I'm super excited to see what you all create with it this week.  Now here is ever MORE HAPPY NEWS...CCCB has a new DT member...Charlene Cundy...so please go welcome her aboard!  Check out her work and the FABULOUS work of our Guest Designer,  Catherine and all our DT members!  For my project this week I made an ALL fabric creation.  I am making these little aprons for the servers at my daughter's wedding reception.  I will still be blogging some fun creations so you haven't completely gotten rid of me...just taking a little break from the DT.  Thanks ALL for your AMAZING SUPPORT!  HUGS, Cheryl

Let's Do It Again! *CCCB* I'm Back!

Hi All!!  I haven't fallen off the earth...just was gone to help my dad move and he does not have any internet access.  I'm back and so happy to be sharing with you today a new project for City Crafter Challenge Blog!  Linda is our hostess this week and her challenge is in her own words as follows:
"I don't know if you remember a while back when I had you play with an image from The Graphics Fairy on your project (check it out HERE). Well, I had so much fun with this challenge that I wanted to give it another try....
So this week, you MUST use the Butterfly image from The Graphics Fairy. Can't wait to see what you come up with"

THANK YOU...THANK YOU to the Graphics Fairy for the use to us ALL of this GORGEOUS image!!! 

*NOTE*

For all who play along with our challenge this week, kindly mention and provide a link back to

The Graphics Fairy.



The winner of this weeks challenge will receive a Guest Designer spot at CCCB!  PLEASE go check out the work of this week's AMAZING Guest Desiger, Linda Breedlove, and ALL of the FABULOUS talent from our DT members!  Hugs, Cheryl



Bon Voyage!! *CCCB*

Hi ALL!  I'm back today with a new challenge from City Crafter Challenge Blog!  Yeah!  Ros is our hostess and she has chosen for our theme this week "Bon Voyage".    Your challenge is to simply make a Bon Voyage card or project.  Have you taken a summer vacation?  Wouldn't this be a great project to make a little mini album about it...or do you know someone who is about to leave?...let them know you are wishing them a FAB time and will miss them.  I sure hope you play along!  Come take a peek over at CCCB at the WONDERFUL project designed by our Guest Designer this week, Lauren Bergold and ALL the FANTASTIC projects by the rest of our DT!  Whether you are vacationing or not...I wish you ALL smooth sailing this week!  Hugs, Cheryl

She Said YES!!

Hi ALL!  I promised you a little while ago that I would share some exciting news with you.  Well, it has been kind of CRAZY around here the last couple of weeks.  The reason we went out of town a little unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago was that a wonderful young man wanted to ask my husband's blessing to marry our daughter.  So off we flew to grant this young man's request.  It has been pretty much a whirlwind ever since.  He asked her the to marry him the following week (10 days ago) and they set a date for September 14th.  I don't mean September 14th 2013...I mean September 14th 2012!!  So ALL has been a flutter around my house.  Oh...and in the mean time I tended two of my grandchildren for five days...soooooo.....forgive me if I haven't kept up with my blog the best and forgive me if I do not keep up my blog the best because I'm kind of frantic right now.  WONDERFUL frantic, but nonetheless FRANTIC!  So in the last 10 days...the ring has been bought, the temple where they will be married scheduled, the reception center scheduled, the dress bought, the bridesmaid outfits bought (well for the most part...still working on shoes), the caterers booked and menu set. and the engagement photos taken.  There is still an ENORMOUS amount to do, but I feel like we at least are making progress.  Oh and just to make things a little more interesting my dad (who will be 93 in Oct.) is moving to a new home to live closer to my brothers and I will taking off to California for a week to help him move.  So life is FABULOUS...CRAZY...WONDERFUL...FABULOUS in my neck of the woods and I hope it is in your neck of the woods, too!  HUGS, Cheryl

I've Been Hexed!! **CCCB**

Hello All!!  I have the opportunity to the the hostess this week for City Crafter Challenge Blog and "I"VE BEEN HEXED"! Yes, I've been hexed by all the wonderful HEXAGONS I've seen lately on different crafty projects. I LOOOOOOVE them and want to see LOTS more...sooooooo that is the challenge this week (it will be easy and fun) ....to include HEXAGONS on your project! Come see the over the top FANTABULOUS project by Lauren Bergold, our Guest Designer and all the other AMAZING projects by our Design Team at CCCB.  So I'm putting a HEX on YOU, too! Come join us at CCCB this week!

Get Your Yummy On! **CCCB**

Hi ALL!  You might have noticed that I was MIA yesterday for my normal City Crafter Challenge Blog challenge post on Tuesday.  I had to go out of town at the last minute for some family business and did not have a chance to post.  I will have some exciting news to share shortly about that.  Now...onto our challenge for CCCB!  Linda is our hostess this week and has challenge us to make a recipe card.  Are you in?!  I want to share this yummy recipe that I found on Pinterest.  I changed it up a bit from the one I found there.  It makes a super yummilicious summer treat.  It is for lemon filling.  On this recipe it is shown on angel food cake.  You just split the angel food cake into three pieces...spread the filling between the slices and top with berries.  You can just eat the filling topped with berries or put it on shortcake or white cake or waffles.  Just use your imagination.  Here is the recipe for the filling.  Whip together two jars of lemon curd with one softened 8 oz. block of cream cheese.  Fold in 4 oz. of whipped topping.  That is it!  So easy and super yummy!  It is so perfect for summer!  I hope you all get a chance to play along this week!  I can't wait to see your recipe cards and maybe even some recipes along with them!  YUM!  The winner of this weeks challenge will have the opportunity to be a Guest Designer at CCCB!  You will ABSOLUTELY want to check out the AMAZING creation of this week's Guest Designer, Lauren, along with all the FANTABULOUS creations from our DT!  Hope you are having a YUMILICIOUS week!  Hugs, Cheryl

Hello Doily *CCCB*

Hi ALL!  Thank you ALL so much for the well wishes!  I am feeling better now, but it was a rough week to be sure and now I'm just trying to play catch up!  I'm ALWAYS excited to share a new City Crafter Challenge Blog challenge with you.  This week Kirsty is our hostess and has picked the theme of "Hello Doily".  Here are the rules and they are a little tricky so read carefully.  I messed up on them myself.  More about that in a second...onto the rules:

Hello Doily is the theme but hang on, read our rules for this challenge carefully as it is a little tricky here

NO to the following

- paper doily

- crotchet doily

- die cut doily

What we want to see is

- doily patterned paper
- doily embossing

or

- doily stamps

Do you see where I messed up.  I understood what we were to use...either doily patterned paper (which is what I chose), doily embossing or doily stamps.  I did not understand that we COULD NOT use the paper, crochet, or die cut doily.  So don't make the same mistake I did.  I would be disqualified and we don't want that for you.  Go take a look at our Guest Designer, Sylvia's FABULOUS creation and ALL the AMAZING work from our other DT members over at CCCB.  They KNEW what they were doing!  Up for grabs this week is a chance to be a Guest Designer for CCCB, so I hope you play along.  Now off to see everyone's blogs!  I really missed seeing them last week.  Hope you ALL have a FANTABULOUS day!  Hugs, Cheryl

Make A Gift **CCCB**

Happy Tuesday All!  Always FUn to share a new City Crafter Challenge Blog challenge with you!  Today we have Ros as our hostess and she is challenging us to MAKE A GIFT.  We want to see your handmade gifts this week (no cards please).  I wonder what you will create?  Need some ideas?  Hop on over to CCCB and take a look at the GORGEOUS creations made by our Guest Designer, Sharul and all our DT members.  Up for grabs is a chance to be a Guest Designer, yourself for CCCB!  For this week's challenge I created a "Happy Thoughts" journal for a sweet friend of mine.  She loves the cheery colors of red and yellow and I thought it might be fun for her to be able to jot down all the wonderful things that make her happy in a cheery little notebook.  Hope you are having HAPPY times today!  Hugs, Cheryl
*Sorry, I haven't been by to visit everyone's blogs...I'm down with a nasty case of the flue and am back to bed right now. 

THANK YOU!!

Just wanted to THANK YOU ALL sooooooooo much for the birthday wishes!!  It was just about the most perfect day ever.  It is funny as I think about it...A few years back I entered the Scrapbooker of the Year Contest for Creating Keepsakes Magazine.  As part of the contest you were asked to describe you version of the perfect day and almost to a "T" I described the day I had yesterday...from waking up to snuggle with my hubby, to spending time with my family.  My daughters and I literally shopped 'til we dropped (with a little lunch break in the middle) and my son took me out to dinner.  I had so many birthday well wishes from friends and it was just FABULOUS in every sense of the word.  It would have been COMPLETELY PERFECT if my daughters Angela and Amanda could have been here, too. (next year!)  So THANK YOU SO MUCH for being a part of one of the MOST FABULOUS BIRTHDAYS EVER!  BIG HUGS!

Time After Time **CCCB**

Hello ALL!  Today I am excited to be the hostess of this week's City Crafter Challenge Blog's new challenge.   I hope you have TIME to play along with our challenge this week because our challenge is all about TIME. With a birthday and a 30 year anniversary approaching and children that refuse to stop getting older...I have been thinking a lot about TIME lately. So our theme this week is Time After Time and your challenge is to use a CLOCK somewhere on your project.  For some FABULOUS ideas go check out the work of our Guest Designer, Ira,  (it is so clever) and ALL our DT members over at CCCB!  Speaking of Guest Deigners...YOU can be one, too!  The prize for the winner of the challenge this week is a Guest Designer spot for CCCB!  I hope you have a FUN TIME playing along!  Hugs, Cheryl

Buttons...Buttons...Look Who's One...CCCB

Hello ALL! So happy to back on a Tuesday with a new City Crafter Challenge Blog challenge.   Linda's is our hostess and she has a pretty simple project for you this week.
Buttons. Not just 1 or 2 buttons, she is asking us to use at least 5 buttons on your project.  For my project I used my CUTE AS A BUTTON granddaughter and adorned her cupcake with buttons.    So FUN!!  I LOVE using buttons and I suspect you all do, too...so go get out your button jar and play along with us at CCCB!  If you need a little inspiration take a peek at the FAB creations from out Guest Designer, Michelle, and ALL our DT members.  Your playing for a chance to be a Guest Designer yourself for CCCB!  Can't wait to see your projects!!!  Hope you are having a FABULOUS day!!  HUGS, Cheryl

Here's Our ONE YEAR OLD!!!

It was my sweet little granddaughter Bailey's first birthday yesterday and I just wanted to share some of the photos from her one year old photo shoot.  I know I'm prejudiced, but I think they are soooooooo CUTE!!!!  Thanks so Alyssa Ence (she is my daughter's sister-in-law) for taking these DARLING photos! 

Be Anything *CCCB-Coppelia*

Hi ALL!!  Good Tuesday Morning...and you know what that means...a new City Crafter Challenge Blog challenge.  This week it is Kirsty as our hostess.  When Kirsty lived in Manhattan, her apartment was on West 57th street, it was just a few blocks away from Lincoln Center, where there stood The Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall and The New York City Ballet, and she spent lots of time there. One of her  favorite ballet is Coppélia, the story of Die Puppe (The Doll) and was premiered in May 1870.  So with this in mind...she chose "Coppelia" as our theme and the challenge is to use a ballerina on your project...cause everyone LOVES ballerinas!  I know my little granddaughter LOVES all things to do with dance...so it was a DELIGHT to do a lo of her next to a ballerina representing that she can BE ANYTHING in her life.  What a WONDERFUL thing the future is...so MANY possibilities!  We never know what twist and turn life will take and it makes it quite an ADVENTURE, doesn't it!  I hope part of your plans this week include playing along with our challenge!  YOU always AMAZE me at what you come up with!  Our Guest Designers and DT ALWAYS amaze me as well.  I bet you will be AMAZED to as you check out the work of Tammy our Guest Designer and the rest of our DT!  I REALLY want to THANK our WONDERFUL sponsor of  the last four weeks...Digital Paper Shop!  Janet has generously provided our prizes and the DT with her ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS papers!  Thank you so much!!  Wishing you ALL an AMAZING week!  HUGS, Cheryl

A Simple Joy

Hi ALL!  I just wanted to share a little simple joy of mine with you today.  I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a simple kind of gal and take pleasure in some very ordinary things that I find rather extraordinary myself.  One of the things that can bring a smile to my face instantly is flowers.  I LOVE them!  They just plain make me happy.  Unfortuneately I don't have very much of a green thumb, but I try to bring a little bright spot to my life by at least trying to help things grow.  I take great joy in my little garden.  It doesn't matter to me that it doesn't produce a whole lot.  I just love spending time amongst my vegetables and watching them grow to the best of their ability and I try to help them to the best of mine.  This year before my son came home in March I decided to try my hand at growing some flowers on our front stairs and porch.  I am happy to report that they are still alive!  I've replaced a couple of the flowers with ones that to better in the summer now that the weather is getting warmer.  So I painted these little pots and planted some flowers in them and also some vegetables for the front balcony.  I can not even begin to describe the happiness I receive from these little flowers each day.  Every time I walk up my front stairs I think to myself..."Ohhhhhhh these pretty little flowers make me sooooooo happy!"
And yes you will probably think I'm crazy, but I tell them that.  I don't necessarily think it will make them grow any better (but who knows, maybe it does), but I just can't really help myself.  They always bring a smile to me, so I lean over as I get to my front door and I tell them..."you are all sooooo pretty...you make me so happy...good job girls!" *I do think of flowers as females.  And I'll tell you a little secret...as soon as I tell them...I get even happier inside!  So here are some pictures of my little girls and I hope they brighten your day too!  Do you have a simple joy in your life...that brightens your day?  I would LOVE to hear about it!  Wishing you a day with JOY!  HUGS, Cheryl

Tiered flower pot by front door

Flower pots on stairs

Tomatos and Cucumbers on balcony

Cucumber (I thinks the yellow flowers are so pretty)