Bits and Pieces

Just a quick post. We had a wonderful time at a friends house last night. Got to see people that I see once a year sometimes. But the conversation seems to pick right back up where we left it the year before. Sadly, one couple are dealing with major health issues, and were unable to attend. Please remember Mike and Janice in your prayers. Carolyn, fixed a "spread" that covered two big tables, and that did not include the dessert table. Turkey and Ham, potato salad, Scandavian salad, rolls, beans, the list goes on and on. We always look forward to her house at Christmas. It is truly a blessing to us. Her home is so inviting, and "homey". Thanks, Carolyn and C.W. for inviting us to share Christmas with you.

Here is the picture of the "failure" that I took for dessert. The decoration on top was suppose to be a poinsettia, well it did, but then by the time of the party, the peppermint had started to dissolve and kinda just ended up as a "nothing"

Also here is a picture of the paper balloons I made for Natalie Jo's birthday.

Natalie Jo

Today is Natalie Jo's Birthday. She turned 5. Oh the excitement of a 5 year old. Natalie is the youngest of my 3 granddaughters. Time is slipping by so fast. Tomorrow (Friday) we will have cupcakes and cookies at my son's house for Natalie. She had her big party last night. These are the cookies I made for a Winter Birthday. Thanks for dropping by.

Are you ready for the weekend?

Here are 3 things I worked on today. These are for 3 of my sons. I found these frames and replaced the pictures with the monograms. The computer is not being nice tonight, It is giving me problems with putting the pictures in a certain order. the first picture is of the After, The 2nd picture is the before. I used my Cricut to cut the monograms and also the flourish in the middle picture. The flourish was cut using Home Accents, and the monograms using Plantin Schoolbook. Creative Little Daisy is having a linking party, so I am linking this. It is her first "party". Please go visit with her.

Grief

Here is a poem, that I have no ideal where it came from. But I thought I would share it with all of you my cyber friends. It tells what I need. When Pat wrote me last night, she said it best when said she could only help by being there if I needed her. So I will post this poem

Don't tell me that you understand
don't tell me that you know,
Don't tell me that I will survive,
How I will surely grow.

Don't tell me this is just a test,
That I am truly blessed,
That I am chosen for the task,
Apart from all the rest.

Don't come at me with answers
that can only come from me,
don't tell me how my grief will pass,
That I will soon be free.

Don't stand in pious judgment
of the bonds I must untie
Don't tell me how to grieve,
don't tell me when to cry.

My life is filled with selfishness,
My pain is all I see,
But I need you and your love. . .
Unconditionally.

Accept me in my ups and downs,
I need someone to share,
Just hold my hand and let me cry,
and say, "My friend, I care"

Author Unknown

FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON AND MY CHRISTMAS TREE

Just take a look at how big these flakes were. The other picture is what I see when I look out the window in my craft room. The snow was very pretty today.

This is a picture of my Christmas Tree that I finally got put up last night!

*wink* but really that will be the closest thing to a tree in my house this year. It is really a cupcake holder, but I put candles on it instead. Yes I do tie the cushion strings to my chairs, but Miss Flossie, goes behind me and unties them. ;o)

I have been crocheting a lot lately. Everything is christmas presents so I haven't been able to post any of them. then I wrapped them before photographing them. Off to do house cleaning.

Ear Flap Hats

Seems like the big thing this year for winter wear around here in NC is the hats with earflaps. I crochet one for my granddaughter and thought about crocheting my husband Allan one, but really there is no need to.

Saturday and friends

Saturday was a good day. I went to Marilyn's house that lives about an 1 3/4 hours away. I rode with Melonie, a friend of 25 years. She was having a Stampin-Up party, so I attended my first "party" or "class" which ever you would like to call it. Dacia Smith was the demonstrator. We made a Christmas tag and a Christmas card. And Marilyn shared lots of homemade goodies to eat. We had a fabulous time. Melonie and I stayed long after the demonstration was over. We had lots of catching up to do. Pat did you and Donna's ears burn yesterday. We talked about both of you and your talents.

For Valda & Eileen

It was hinted to me this week that I needed to update my blog. So Valda & Eileen here you go. I found this metal mirror thingey at a local small store. It had been 30 dollars, but because the mirror was broken, it was marked down to 5. Of course that ever present, but nearly dim light bulb went on over my head. My son, Darrin has a bedroom that half my house would fit into. The wall behind his bed is "naked". The bed itself is a poster bed. not real big, but still posts at the headboard. I transformed the broken mirror into a place to put his last initial. Using the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge and my Cricut, I cut the letter G out and then layered it on some patterned paper. If it had been for a woman, I would have added more bling, but this is the way Darrin will like it best. 1 Christmas present finished, just about a gazillion to do yet. The last picture is for Eileen. It is another picture of Miss Flossie Mae investigating the new project. She really is a a cutie isn't she?
P.S. Eileen, I have installed new dead bolts on my doors and windows.

HALLOWEENIE

Well Halloween has came and almost gone. Here are a few pics of 2 of my 3 granddaughters.

Heaven

This is what I envision Heaven would bee like today. My Daddy and Scott sitting on the creek bank fishing. 11 years ago today my Daddy died. He greeted Scott with open arms in February, he had his fishing buddy home with him.

Just another Late Friday NIght I mean early Saturday Morning

Hello friends. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful colors of Fall. I just wish it wasn't the prelude to Winter. I dislike Winter. But if you have been following this blog for awhile, you already know that. I don't do winter very well. I cleanned out a hall closet today. which was much way over due. How do people collect so much junk? But today amongst my finds, I came across many many wonderful treasures. God knew I needed to visit with these treasures again. Unfortunately, years ago when we moved into this house, 20+ years ago, I stored some boxes in the basement, with intentions of unpacking them as soon as we got settled in. Like I said unfortunately, we didn't know that the basement would leak. So the treasures I found, got damaged somewhat years ago. Of course I still saved them, after all they were treasures, well at least to me they are treasures. I found Mother's Day Cards made by my 3 beautiful, wonderful sons, when they were just little boys. I cried over each and every one of them, and reminiscenced about when they were little, and life was perfect. But now there is an empty spot in my heart. There was a special message in these for me today. God knew, way back 32 years ago that this day would come, and I would need this special little message from Scott. Till I can get it professionally matted and framed, I put it in one that I found, where else, but in the same hall closet. I will hang it in my craft room, it will be my reminder, of a request a little boy made of his mother so many many years ago. My eyes sting, my heart pounds so hard as I write this blog. But there is a smile underneath. Of course Miss Nosey Pants had to investigate the "new" thing that I was making such a fuss over, she is of course jealous, because I wasn't grooming her. *wink*

Beautiful Fall Day

We learned this week that my baby sister has lymphoma. Please put her on your prayer list. I needed to do something crafty to help me out with my feelings after hearing the news. I made a trip to Staples and found a leather notebook that I liked. I decided that she needed something to help her keep all her apts, doctor's names and numbers and most of all a journal to write about "her journey" . I divided the pages into 3 categories., with page dividers. The journal, the calendar, and addresses. On each journal page I put an inspirational quote. I added a place for her to put her address in case she was to misplace it. The calendar pages have a front and back. The front page, list each day and the back has the whole month at a glance with a picture of a bird. (she loves to feed the birds). I attached some ribbons, to use as book markers. I also included a personal message on one page. Then I found a lined basket to put it in, along with the extra pages. I added some tissue, a tag and made it into a JOY basket. Please keep her in your prayers as she starts this "journey".

HAPPY FALL

HAPPY FALL to all of my friends. It definitely felt like Fall this morning. It was 48 degrees. Honestly, I am not ready for Fall, just because I know Winter follows all too quickly. Picking up on a writing that Donna at Butternut Sage had written, I too am in the Fall/Autumn of my life. So in my own life, Winter will follow in the near future. But Fall is full of beautiful colors, so maybe that will mean, I will see many beautiful things in the Fall of my own life. Let's hope for that. Donna has an easy sketch this week. This will be the first time I have entered one of her sketches. Maybe it is time for me to do new things, so I will start with an "easy" one. I used some scrap Mulberry Paper that I had laying around, ribbon from the top of my desk that had been there a good while and a sentiment stamp from Inkadinkado. Thanks for visiting and please go visit Donna at Butternut Sage, she has such wonderful things to share. I found her because of the most beautiful tied ribbons, that she gave a tutorial on. Tell her that her NC friend told you to visit. Also visit her at http://www.backyarddoor.blogspot.com/

Here is her sketch.

Here is my version.

Through The Fire

Julie Buhler posted this on her blog today. Her husband is very ill right now. She is such a strong person.

Please take a minute and watch this video Through the Fire By The Crabb Family. It brought me comfort today.

Nope, I've Not Been On Vacation

But it has been a little while since I have posted. Thanks Karen for the friendly reminder. I do appreciate all my friends noticing and understanding my "down" times. I'm still adjusting to this new chapter of my life. Now to see what I have done creative. Sorry to say just this one thing this week. A very special friends son is getting married in a couple of weeks. I didn't want a store bought present, so I started digging through my things and found a mat from an old picture. I guess you can call it an altered project. I cut the R using my Cricut, and embossed it using platinum and the under layer I embossed with gold powder. I Rounded the edges and used a piece of DP. Then I added the butterfly because just the R looked too plain, and TA-DA that part was complete. I did layer the different layers with 3 D dots. It doesn't show in the picture but it gave it dimension. I then used their last name and the date in the bottom frame. I did smudge the edges of the paper that the name was on with a ink pad. It too was put down with 3D dots. Then I found a frame and pieced it all back together. Now lets see how many of you gals can see the big mistake I found in this project, after posting it the first time. email me at, scrump1951@hotmail.com and let me see how many of you looked close enough to catch the mistake. You will probably have to enlarge the picture to see the mistake.

"If I Die Young"

Here are some excerpts from the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry.
Who would have ever thought 2 years ago when I started my blog "Searching for A Rainbow" that my Scott is now the rainbow that I would be searching for.

Lord, make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh and
Life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell them for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when your dead how people start listenin'

The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when you're really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life, well
I've had, just enough time

Another week gone by

Seems as if the weeks are rushing by way to fast. I live near a High School and I can hear the band playing at the first football game of the season. They also shoot a cannon every time they score. And if I have counted right it is going to be a fairly high scoring game. It seems so long ago that my boys were playing football. I do miss those days. Scott's death has brought so many memories to mind lately.

This week Pat at Southern Breezes challenged us to do a simple card. No layers, no bling, just stamping.I took the opportunity to make a 8 pc set of 4 x 4 note cards, for a B/D present. It went so fast. The stamps are from Art Declassified
featuring "Cafe Paris". There are two in a set. The stamps were a gift to me from a special stamping friend. I used Adirondack Hand-Made Rainbow "Wildflower" Ink Pad. I stamped each card using a different angle on the stamp pad. They all came out different. You can see in the 2nd picture that I stamped the smaller of the stamp set on the inside of the card. I really like this simply stamped little set of cards. I didn't use a sentiment so that they can use them for anything. Thanks for visiting.

MADDIE

Yesterday was my middle granddaughter's 10th Birthday. She had a party over the weekend, and will be having another one tomorrow. Here are a couple of things I have fixed for it. I know it is 9:30 and I don't have the cupcakes made yet, or the banner completed, or her present wrapped, or the rest of the food finished. But wanted to show you what I did have finished. And yes I do work a full day tomorrow and will come home and finish what I don't complete tonight by 6 PM tomorrow night. Everyone keep their fingers crossed that I do. Below is a couple of pictures of her never ending scrapbook that I am making for her. The front, is done in her two favorite colors purple and green. I took a couple of pictures of some of the pages also. The treat box cake isn't completely finished yet, but I do have candy in the boxes and that is all the kids care about. The other thingeys are candy coated marshmallows with sprinkles. I'll be back tomorrow with more. Oh I forgot to mention, I don't have her card finished either. ;)

It's Hot

Boy it is hot here in NC. But according to the weather report, it has been hot most places this week. The wind is stirring a little now, so I hope a little storm will blown in and cool us down a little bit. It is time to post Pat's Saturday Night Challenge again. She had us do something this week, that I haven't done before. Make sure and go visit her blog to see her card. It is a keeper for sure. The challenge was to make a mini card. Hers was 3.5 x 3.5 so that is what I made mine too. I am going to make and envelope to fit it too, but don't have time right now. As you can tell in the pictures it isn't a folded card. The base is a piece of off white card stock , then a piece of Bo-Bunny Press "Shabby Princess" collection for the next layer. I used my Cricut to cut out a little nestie shape in the same base colored cardstock. I folded it about the fourth of the way down and slipped the top under the bottom of the 2nd layer. I used a marker to faux stitch around the outer edge. The little flower on top was cut out of a coordinating piece of the Bo-Bunny, "Shabby Princess" collection, then pieced on with 3 D dots. When you lift the piece that has the flower on it, up you can see where I stamped a sentiment using a MSE stamp. I used some coordinating ribbon to finish it off. Thanks for visiting.

GUESS WHO CAME TO DINNER

Maybe it was Larry, Curly and Mo. Or was it the Three Musketeers. I found them in my garden. What do you think I should call them? The top one looks like a green Miss Flossie Mae.

Pat is Back

I was so happy to see that Pat was back with her Saturday night challenge for this week. She has beautiful examples to show. We were to use flower soft, glitter, etc to embellish a card. I needed to make a 40th anniversary card for this weekend, so wanted to incorporate the two. Since it is a 40th anniversary I chose Ruby for the main colors. I used a digital image to print out the 3rd layer of the card, with Happy Anniversary as the sentiment. I chose Imaginations, Sonnets in cranberry to use as the 2nd layer and to make the flowers. I added a little thin ribbon just for a little more embellishment. I did take a picture of the center of the flowers to prove that I did use the flower soft. The picture of the card doesn't show it very well Thanks for checking in.

Evidently I am not Good at Reading Directions

I think this will be my 3 contribution to Beverly's Pink Saturdays. Well evidently I missed this part:

Reminder - We have a weekly challenge for you to visit the blog of at least one participant that you have never visited before. Then next Saturday include that blog and a link in your post. Quite a few of you have been done this challenge, and have met some of the great Pink Saturday participants. Thank you for sharing with us.This week I am featuring four blogs of Pink Saturday participants. These Pink Saturday participants have requested to be a featured blog, and there will be up to five featured blogs each Saturday. Please visit, get to know and say hello to these participants. They have each written the following personal greetings to you.

Sorry, I have not been doing that. Somehow I missed that part. So to make up for it, I will link you to Beverly's so you can see what Pink Saturdays is all about.

The other link will be to Debbie at Simply Debbie. I am still not following directions very good. This is not the first time I have visited with Debbie. I met Debbie through Beverly's blog. The first thing I noticed when I visited with Debbie was that she was a member of a society that none of us want a membership in. Her beautiful daughter died in October 09 of cancer. After commenting to her, she returned with an email that have instantly made us friends. She lets me talk about Scott, she lets me share my bad days, my angry days. She understands the different emotions that I am going through. And she reassures me that I am ok, that all of this is normal, that is if you could call what we share normal. Having a child die is not normal. Thank you Beverly for having Pink Saturdays, and introducing me to Debbie. And Debbie, thank you for being here for me at this time in my life when there are no answers.
Now for my Pink contribution.

I have not made anything Pink this week. so I walked around in my yard and snapped a picture of a few of the pink things that I found in my garden this week. Thanks for checking in on me this week.

Pink Breezes

PINK BREEZES. That is what has been going on at my house. Pat at Southern Breezes Challenge this week was to use predominately PINK on a card LO or whatever. Also, Beverly hosts PINK Saturdays. So I guess this will be a "2fer". I am still working on Madison's scrapbook pages for her birthday in August. This was taken when she was just barely 3. The moment I saw this picture when going through some old shots, I knew I could use it for Pat and Beverly's post this week. Thanks for visiting with me today. Oh yes, Pat is having way too much fun this week. She is having Amuse classes with Heather.

Christmas in July

It is hard to think about Christmas when there is 110 heat indexes going on. But then maybe just thinking about it, will trick your mind into thinking cold. This week that is what Pat has going on for the challenge. I am trying to get some scrapbook pages made before Aug. 16 when my granddaughter turns 10. So I used a Christmas picture from 2006 (Yes I am that far behind) to make a Christmas page. I have a stuffed snowman that is pretty big. She was about 5 months old her first Christmas and we sit her down beside it and made pictures. Well it has turned into tradition. she even reminds me of it every Christmas. This page is part digital and part handmade. Thanks Pat for the challenge.