Reunions

A wonderful family reunion filled our hours today.  It's always so good to see my brothers again - wishing all of them could have been there.  Cousins I had not spoken to in years ... the miles separate us and each with our lives filled with "busy".  Catching up with dear sweet Aunts that I have such beautiful memories of.  What a blessing to just sit and relax.  I didn't once think about all the things on my "to do" list.  No worries about "got to get groceries" or "there's a pile of laundry at home" or "I need to work on that presentation due Monday".  No ... not today.  Today was spent listening when my Aunt talked about her grown children fondly remembering them at ages 6 and 8.  Today was spent listening to my cousin tell me about fishing and swimming with my brothers years before I was born.  Today was spent hearing about my Dad and being reminded how wonderful he was.  Today was spent counting my blessings.

I have a sweet ballerina card to share with you ... custom made for a dear friend.  I just love this crocheted heart pattern.  It's the perfect size.  A cute crocheted flower with button helps to break up to amount of pink.  One of my paper flowers (this one with a pearl center) works well with velvet leaves and dyed seam binding.  Two stamped and fussy cut frames are part of my shabby layers.  The smaller frame is from Forever Young and the larger frame beneath it all is from Papaya Collage.  I also used the polka dot stamp from Four Frames ... love it!  And super easy to cut with the Decorative Label Punch.

It's been a good day and I hope you enjoyed yours.  Thank you for stopping by and spending some time with me!

Wishing you treasured memories

Hello friends.  A quick post to share with you this evening, my son is patiently waiting for me to join him.  A baseball game is on, cookies are in the oven, he has his summer reading book in hand (we're on Chapter 22) ... and I have a doily half done.  The simple joys of life are those to be treasured most.

Today's card began with Crumb Cake card stock layered in prints of red and black.  Polka dots and herringbone - pure shabbiness.  A glassine envelope with vintage sheet music tucked inside ... as if it holds a precious carol.  A vintage St. Nick ... something I just "had to have" - it was love at first sight.  Can you blame me?

Layers of embellishments create a charming tag ... more polka dots from Four Frames stamped in the perfect Christmas shade of Riding Hood Red (so easy to create with the Decorative Label Punch), a scrap of natural burlap and two bright red buttons on top ... tied on with white string.  The bow is dyed seam binding, wrinkled to a shabby texture, and the bell is from my "where do I store this?" jar.  (You know the jar ... we all have one.)  Some more vintage goodness is added with Twine and a decorative star pin.

I have another project waiting to be shown .. but for now, I'll finish my doily while I listen to a story ... read by my favorite boy.  Wishing you treasured memories ...