Challenge Swap

Hello crafting friends!

I have a group of friends that have a facebook group,

all of us are crafters that have mostly met online.

We decided to do a challenge swap and I'm loving it.

Our first theme was cats and/or dogs.

I made this bookmark for my friend Lisa.
I used backgrounds from my stash of handmades 

for the yellow base piece as well as the mat around 

the image of the cat.
The cat was stamped onto white card stock and colored

with colored pencils.

The glass lenses were first covered with 

Wink of Stella and then with 

Glossy Accents

This is the little card I included with the bookmark when
I sent it.

This was stamped with Black Onyx VersaFine ink

and colored with colored pencils and Distress Inks.

Our next challenge theme is "Friendship"

I will post a picture of what I made for that swap,

after the recipient receives it.

Thanks for stopping by and spending time with me today.

I hope you've been inspired in some way.

Have you ever participated in a crafting challenge

and/or swap?

Until next time, challenge yourself in some way.

Sorry I've Been MIA!

Hello blog fans!

I'm sorry I've been

away for a while.

On March 27th I got a call that my sweet Aunt Marilyn

was going to the hospital.

This meant that the next day I needed to drive

to Charlotte, North Carolina.

I live in the Buffalo, NY area so it's about

an 11 hr drive.

She was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia 

and stayed there for 5 days.

Once she was released she went to 

a rehab facility.

To make a long story short,

she will be staying at the facility for 

long term nursing care.

She is doing pretty well physically,

but mentally she has declined.

She has been slowing declining over the

last year or so, but now she is to the point

that it isn't safe for her to be alone.

It's pretty amazing that she is 95 and has lived on her

own in her apartment until now, but it's time

for her to be cared for.

Here is a picture of the 2 of us that I took

a couple days before I came home.

It's been a long, emotional, exhausting 3 weeks.

I cleaned out and packed up her whole apartment

and arranged with our friend there to take care of

finding people to take her furniture etc.

It's difficult being in a different city without your 

usual support systems with you, but 

sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
I'm happy with where she is now, they are wonderful 

and it's a fabulous facility and I have a great deal of

confidence in them.

Hopefully, I'll be back on track with my blog posts soon.

Sorry I haven't been around for y'all.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter,

see you again soon!

Baby Shower Decorations

Hello!

Don't you love baby showers?

My daughter in law was helping give a shower

for her sister, who is having a baby girl.

Here are some of the decorations and favors that

she made.

She used pens that she bought for her Cricut

to make tags for the favors.

First the Cricut wrote out the wording

then cut them out.

Here are the finished tags.

Aren't they cute?!?!

And the favors.  Each tube was filled with

Violet seeds and some paper shread, which can be put 

right in the garden to grow.

The baby's name is Violette Rose,

so this is perfect for the favor and so

sweet.

I think this gift banner is adorable.

Each of the little onsies were embellished with

silver foil around the neck and for snaps. Soooo cute!

And how sweet is this 

Welcome baby Violette banner?

Here is one more banner, in progress.

I don't have a picture of this one finished,

but I'm sure it was adorable from seeing this

laid out like this.

I think she did a fabulous job for the shower.

I'm so glad I could share this with you today.

Have you ever decorated for a shower or party

 using your crafty skills?

Hope to see you again soon,

until then,

Happy Crafting!