Sweet Friend/Mother's Day Cards

 Good Morning & Happy Thursday!

I hope your day is off to a great start?!

I am up way to early this morning because I could not sleep. I will most likely lay back down at some point this morning. I got my downstairs all finished yesterday and did a quick trip to the grocery store and a walk with Miss Bailee last evening. Tonight will be a trip to Sam's Club so I hope I can muster up some energy till then!

Today I am sharing a set of cards made with retired Stampin Up products. I pulled out the Awash In Beauty Suite from 2022-2023. I don't have much of the DSP left so trying to use it up...

Card Details:

Stamps: Welcoming Window (sentiment-retired), True Beauty (retired)

Ink: Balmy Blue, Merry Merlot (retired)

Cardstock: Balmy Blue, Basic White, Blushing Bride (retired), Merry Merlot (retired), Awash In Beauty DSP (retired)

Accessories: Oval Layering Framelits (retired), Circle Layering Framelits (retired), Brushed Brass Butterflies, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I was pleased with how these turned out!

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day ahead!

~Wendy

Summertime Cards

 Good Morning & Happy Wednesday!

Today I have 2 cards to share that are the same that I made for Audrey.

She wanted cards for the great granddaughters for summer. She bought them gifts but did not say what and she wanted to give each of the girls a card to go with it.

This is what I made for her...

These cards sent me off on a wild goose chase looking for some summer papers!

I had none so then I moved on to looking thru papers that are non Stampin Up and I found this print. I scratched my head a few times thinking that Audrey isn't gonna care for it but I went for it anyways! LOL Thankfully, she loved them! 

Card Details:

Stamps: none

Ink: none

Cardstock: Pacific Point, Basic White, Daffodil Delight, The Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby), Stampin Up (unknown name)

Accessories: Tailor Made Tags Dies, Mini Alphabet Dies, Pacific Point & Daffodil Delight Enamel Dots (retired), Pacific Point Ribbon (retired), Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Under the beachy looking printed paper is another piece of DSP that is Stampin Up. I have had it for years and just a piece of it was given to me. I have no idea the name of it. I have a feeling my friend Vicki gave it to me when I lived in Joplin.

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
~Wendy

Ben's Wedding Card

 Hello & Happy Tuesday!

Today I have another card to share that was part of Audrey's card order that was delivered to her last week. This one is for her youngest grandson who is getting married in May. If you remember I made the bridal shower card almost like the shower invite. Here is the link if you want to see. Bridal Shower Card 

She sent me the wedding invite and it was the same as the bridal shower so this is the wedding card I made for it...

I used the same stamp sets with a bit of a different layout. I did not take a picture of the wedding invite this time but we laid the wedding card on top of the wedding invite and it all fell together so nicely! Audrey just loved it!

Card Details:

Stamps: Occasional Quotes (retired), Forever Fern (retired), First Frost (retired), Watercolor Garden (retired)

Ink: Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Basic Gray

Cardstock: Basic White, Highland Heather, Silver Foil Paper

Accessories: Frosted Bouquet Framelits, White & Silver Sheer Ribbon, Rhinestones, Glue Dots,  Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

This is her last grandchild to get married but I have made bridal shower & wedding cards for each of her 5 grandchildren in the last 10 years and I feel like I know most of her family anymore. She is so beautifully blessed to have the family dynamics that she has! 

Well, yesterday I managed to get my house cleaned. It took all the umph I could muster up to get it done. Today I said I was going to do the downstairs. Granted, it's not that bad down there since it hardly gets used. This will be on my agenda this afternoon. I have been struggling a little bit with low energy since started the 5mg of Mounjaro. Thankfully that is my only side effect at this time as I know it could be worse. My blood glucose & blood pressure have been really good so the medicine is doing it's job. If you've seen the news (which I do not waste my time on anymore) there is a huge shortage for this injectable medicine. I'm fortunate that my insurance now wants a 90 day supply filled so I am good until the end of June. Hopefully these shortages end by that time!

So, with that said....I am off to get my day started and get the downstairs cleaned! LOL Oh, and Ryan requested Taco Tuesday's for supper! Quick & easy!

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My thoughts today...

Thankfully we don't do Taco Tuesday's every week! LOL

Thanks for stopping by & have a wonderful day!
~Wendy

Best Route Birthday

 Good Morning & Happy Monday!

I hope you enjoyed a nice weekend! It surely was a bit on the chilly side here but that did not stop us from getting out to walk. Even Bailee loved it!

Today it's back to the normal weekly routine....Shawn is off to work and I have to get some cleaning done. So, let's get right to the card today...

This is a card that was requested from Audrey on her last order for a man that was turning 90 soon and loves to ride his bike everyday. I am floored that a man of that age still rides a bike! I pulled out the suite of retired En Route and got to work. The papers on the card were strips that were left over from other projects and I also used the Memories & More Kit from it that I am not sure I ever used before. 

Card Details:

Stamps: none

Ink: none

Cardstock: Blueberry Bushel, Gray Granite, Mango Melody (retired), En Route Memories & More Kit (retired), Best Route DSP (retired)

Accessories: Stylish Shapes Dies, Circle Layering Framelits (retired), Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I have always liked this suite of products for the colors & prints and it makes for some nice masculine cards. Audrey loved it!

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My thoughts today...

Definitely my motto today! 

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
~Wendy

Happy Mother's Day

 Good Morning & Happy Fri-YAY!

Woke up this morning to a bit of a chill but then again I am always kinda cold these days.

I got up early with Shawn this morning to get my laundry started and get the pork & sauerkraut in the crock pot for supper. It's one of my favorite meals but sure makes the house stinky!

Today I have a set of cards to share that I made the other day for on the card rack. I try to work ahead when I have the time and Mother's Day will be here in the blink of an eye. I wanted to use some of the beautiful Perennial Lavender DSP that is in the 2024 Spring Mini Catalog. Such a pretty variety of prints that you cannot go wrong with.

Card Details:

Stamps: Perennial Postage

Ink: Highland Heather

Cardstock: Highland Heather, Basic White, Perennial Lavender DSP

Accessories: Perennial Postage Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Brushed Brass Butterflies, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

This entire suite of products is beautiful and will make lovely cards for almost any occasion.

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a wonderful day!
~Wendy

Happy Retirement

 Hello & Happy Thursday!

Today I have a card to share that was made for Audrey's card order.

This was for a gentlemen that will be retiring soon and she did not request anything in particular for this one so I kept it simple.

Card Details:

Stamps: Inky Antics

Ink: Early Espresso

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, unknown patterned paper

Accessories: Seasonal Layers Thinlits (retired), Stylish Shapes Dies, Square Layering Framelits (retired), Tailor Made Tags Dies, Early Espresso Suede Ribbon, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I got Audrey's card order delivered to her last evening and she was so thrilled with all the cards! Her grandson was there visiting her with the one great granddaughter! Malia will be 1 in July and is just the most pleasant little girl and she had her ears pierced, too! Audrey was so thrilled with their visit so I did not stick around long because I did not want to intrude on her family time. But she just had her hair done and looked amazing!

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a wonderful day!
~Wendy

Filled With Happiness

 Hello & Happy Wednesday!

Hope your all doing well!

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon at my stamp table working on some projects.

I finished up Audrey's card order Monday and will be delivering it to her this evening. 

So I needed to make a few customer thank you cards and I pulled out the Filled With Happiness stamp set. This set is in the 2024 Spring Mini Catalog and will be retiring at the end of this month, unfortunately! I really liked this set and feel like there are so many from that catalog that have not even seen ink yet. If you know me you know I will still use them even if they are retired!

Card Details:

Stamps: Filled With Happiness

Ink: Lost Lagoon

Cardstock: Lost Lagoon, Basic White, Poetic Expressions DSP

Accessories: Distressed Tiles 3D EF, Modern Oval Punch, Lost Lagoon Ribbon, Tinsel Gems 3 Pack, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
~Wendy

Zinnia Thank You Set

 Good Morning & Happy Fri-YAY!

Today I have a set of Thank You cards to share with you that I made for Audrey.

I decided to use the Flowering Zinnia's DSP since it's so bright & colorful and I know Audrey likes this paper! I have her order almost finished. Today I will finish up a few single cards on her order. 

Card Details:

Stamps: Simply Zinnia (Online Exclusives)

Ink: Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Petal Pink, Basic White, Pumpkin Pie, Flowering Zinnia's DSP (Online Exclusives)

Accessories: Countryside Corners Dies, Adhesive Backed Shiny Sequins (Online Exclusives), Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Audrey will love how colorful these are especially on these rainy, dreary days!

Welcome to April!

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & make it a great day ahead!

~Wendy

Thinking of You Set

Hello & Happy Thursday, Everyone!

I took a couple days away from making any cards the last several days as it's been really nice here in PA. I sat outside with Bailee while she roamed the yard. The sunshine felt good! I had a call from Audrey this past week for a few more cards that she added to her list and I thought i'd better soon get started on them. I made a pack of Thinking of You for her and boy, was I ever rusty getting started! 

Last week my preorder arrived which really wasn't much other than the new 2024-2026 In Color stuff. That is one thing I always purchase! The new In Colors are so pretty!

Anyways, I made a pack of cards for Audrey with this new pack of DSP that I grabbed. The paper is called Unbounded Beauty DSP.

Card Details:

Stamps: Garden Meadow (Online Exclusives)

Ink: Petunia Pop (New In Color)

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink (New In Color), Petunia Pop (New In Color), Basic White, Unbounded Beauty DSP 

Accessories: Nested Essentials Dies,  Adhesive Backed Dragonflies & Birds (Online Exclusives), Pretty in Pink Ribbon, Glue Dots, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

One pack down and 2 more to go!

Today it's to be a rainy day so you know where I will be!

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My thoughts today...

Our sump pump has been running none stop since last Thursday!

Yesterday it finally stopped but I wonder for how long with rain today?! 

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!

~Wendy

Quiet Reflection

 Hello & Happy Fri-YAY!

The weekend is here! Do you have any fun plans?

I'm hoping for a sunny weekend to do a good dry out after 4 days of heavy rain. As of this morning my sump pumps are still kicking on & off and that is a sure way to know we got a lot of rain! Today Shawn goes to the dentist to start the process of getting an implant started. He's had this planned and paid for since last August and twice he had to cancel because he was sick. He will be glad to eventually have a tooth in that area of his mouth so he can chew normally.

Today I have a card to share with you using a stamp set from the 2024 Spring Mini Catalog called Quiet Reflection. It's a beautiful set! No dies, just stamps. I pulled out some Early Espresso cardstock, DSP & ink to make a monochromatic card...

Card Details:

Stamps: Quiet Refection

Ink: Early Espresso

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Basic White, Early Espresso DSP

Accessories: Countryside Corners Dies, Stylish Shapes Does, Circle Layering Framelits (retired), Early Espresso Suede Ribbon (retired), Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Some of you know that back in February I started a new medicine for my diabetes. Up until this point I fought hard to keep my numbers in check with watching what I ate and exercise. Then last July Shawn hurt himself and the walks & bike riding stopped. My numbers creped back up. I started a once a week injection called Mounjaro. I started on the lowest or called the starter dose of 2.5 mg. After 8 weeks on this dose my sugar glucose & A1c have dropped within levels. I lost 27 pounds in those 8 weeks. 

On Monday I got a letter in the mail from the insurance company that I needed to have my doctor prescribe a 3 month supply or insurance will stop covering it. I was in touch with my doctor and she asked me several questions about how my side effects were. I have been doing really good with the constipation (haven't needed to use the Miralax) and the nausea is just first thing Saturday mornings and goes away with the help of a Ginger Chew. So she suggested upping my dose to the 5mg because my appetite suppression has been going away and so I agreed. Let me say that every Thursday & Friday I get about half sick to my stomach thinking of the shot that I take every Friday evening. It's just anxiety that I have been going thru ever since I knew I needed to do this shot. Yesterday & today is no different as I work up the nerve to do the injection. It doesn't hurt and I am not bothered by needles but it's the after effects that always worry me. This evening I will start the 5mg. I have tried to prepare myself as best as I can with injection day. I make sure to have alot of protein to help with nausea. I have Ginger Chews in every corner of the house just incase I need them. Also today will make sure to drink lots of water! I'm praying this will all be helpful as I move up in dosage. This medicine has been otherwise wonderful and has worked great on getting my numbers down and taking some weight off. Some people can get very sick and so far I have not had that issue and knock on wood that I don't get that issue titrating up in dose. One thing about this medicine is...I have not had any cravings for any sweets which was always my downfall. I always ate sugar free ice cream....not much of that happening anymore and I really do watch what I eat now because spicy, greasy foods can do a number on ya. Anyways, I just wanted to give you an 8 week update to let you know how I am doing. Fingers crossed it continues!

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day ahead! (I'm hoping for LOTS of sunshine)!!!

~Wendy

Planted Paradise

 Good Morning & Happy Thursday!

Today I have an extra special card to share with you!

This one is a mish mash of products. This card was originally an Easter card that I made years ago. The paper is from 2014 called Watercolor Wonder DSP and it had a stamped tulip image on it. As I was going thru my Easter cards last week I noticed the image was colored with Copics and there was a water spot on it which made the ink bleed. I pulled that tulip image off and instead of throwing the card away I just added something else to the front. That DSP is just so pretty so I did not want to waste it. I pulled out my Planted Paradise set and got to work. Planted Paradise was given to demo's as a free gift last Fall for participating in On Stage. I wasn't quite sure I was going to like it but surely has been quite the surprise!

I apologize ahead of time for the dark pictures. 

We've had many days this week of gloomy weather.

Card Details:

Stamps: Planted Paradise, Translucent Florals (saying)

Ink: Island Indigo (retired), Lucky Limeade (retired)

Cardstock: Island Indigo (retired), Lucky Limeade (retired), Basic White, Watercolor Wonder DSP (retired)

Accessories: Deckled Rectangle Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Layers Floral 3D EF, Island Indigo Enamel Heart (retired), Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I was very surprised that when I pulled out the Island Indigo & Lucky Limeade ink pads that they were both still pretty juicy! And they were the old linen pads, too!

Today my demonstrator preorder is to arrive!

The new catalog starts May 1st and a perk of being a demonstrator is getting to order early. I have so much from the last year that has carried over which makes me happy! I only ordered the new In Color items like ink pads, cardstocks, Stamping Blends & a pack of the In Color DSP. And guess what? If you've been around Stampin Up for many, many years you might remember a color called Pretty in Pink.....well it's coming back as a new in Color for the next 2 years! That just makes me so HAPPY! I still have some leftover pieces of cardstock, DSP and some ribbons in that color! I sorta kinda hoard everything! LOL

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My thoughts today...

Thanks for stopping by & make it a great day!

~Wendy

Excellent Eggs For Easter

 Good Morning from a VERY wet & rainy Pennsylvania!

It's been a few days since I last updated but today I knew I had to get back at it.

Ever since the bridge collapse in Baltimore I found this live video that you can watch 24/7 on the clean up. So needless to say I have been glued to You Tube watching this. Such a somber thing though knowing that there are still people under all the collapsed metal and certainly all this bad weather has been delaying the recovery & clean up.

 

Also my dear sweet friend, Vicki, lost her husband on Saturday. They both were fighting cancer for the last several months. I have not known them all my life but we became very good friends in 2010 when we moved to Joplin, Missouri. Even after our move back to PA we still stayed good friends. They even made the trip to PA one summer for a week vacation and stayed with us. We've made lots of memories with them. Her husband was one in a million and you could always see & feel the love between the two of them. My heart just aches for her and what she is going thru. She is in my thoughts & prayers every single day. 

So, anyways, I wanted to share this set of cards I made last week for Easter. I used the Excellent Eggs bundle which is so stinkin cute. This set was extra to put on my card rack. When I have extra time I sometimes work ahead or make extra. 

The papers are from the Hot Air Balloon Suite called Lighter Than Air DSP. The pastel colors were just so perfect for spring & Easter. And the little bunny comes from the Excellent Eggs Bundle and is so sweet! The perfect addition to my card!

Card Details:

Stamps: Excellent Eggs

Ink: Fresh Freesia

Cardstock: Fresh Freesia, Basic White, Lemon Lolly, Bubble Bath, Pool Party, Lighter Than Air DSP

Accessories: Everyday Details Dies, Excellent Eggs Dies, Bubble Bath Ribbon, Rainbow Adhesive Backed Dots, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue

I think these turned out super adorable!

Well, today since again we are having yet more rain I am going to pull myself out of my Lazy Boy recliner and go do some stamping! It's been a while! LOL Besides Audrey gave me another order that I need to get started on!

What are you doing on these dreary, rainy days??

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My thoughts today...

Sounds like a plan! LOL

Thanks for stopping by & have a great day!
~Wendy