My New Vagabond

Have you ever seen one of these?  Well I hadn't until just last week thanks to  Karen over at The Sweetest Thing blog.  She and others were doing a blog challenge sharing their craft space. When I looked and saw this.  I saw it in her post as well as a few others and wondered what the heck?  What is it you ask...a Vagabond.  Yep..that is what it is.  I never heard of it but when I searched it and saw it was an electric/power die cut machine I got so excited. 

If you have read any of my previous posts you know I have arm and back issues.  I have had them checked over the years and am all good.  My arm pain is basically a culmination of a few things.  My cancer in 1990, then I fell and broke the same arm and had to have a metal rod and screws permanently put in my arm to hold it together.  With those things I have no cushion between my arm and shoulder.  I also have Osteoperosis and arthritis in my shoulder.  My most recent x-ray say that I have Severe Osteoperosis and arthritis.  I also have no real muscle function either.  Sadly I am right handed and all this is in my right arm.  So when I use it, it doesn't take long to start hurting.  

Anyway...while crafting I was finding that when I was using my manual die cutting machine (I have a cuttlebug) I was finding that after a card or two my arm was really starting to hurt.  It starts to hurt even with just the pressure from stamping.  So image my delight when I saw this vagabond and that it is electric and all you have to do is push a button.  

Now I never would have spend the money on it myself.  But I did figure it might make a nice Christmas present so I sent the link to my hubby.    Yesterday was his birthday, and he came home for lunch...and what did he do?  Told me he found it for a cheaper price than I did and said that since it is something that will help alleviate some of the pain in my arm and maybe allow me to craft a bit more...he bought if for me.  YEAH!  I am so excited.  It is suppose to be delivered on Tuesday!  I am so hoping I like it and am really hoping it serves it's purpose so that I can craft a bit more! 

I really do have an awesome husband and am so thankful he is so supportive of my hobby.  Thanks Honey!  I love You! 

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

Just a quick post to wish my wonderful hubby a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".  I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for being an amazing husband.  I hope you have a great birthday!  I love you!

Happy Birthday

Hi. Hope you are all having a great week. All is well here.   Sat down and did some scrapping.  Got my smaller sewing machine working and have been playing with that.  It is still definitely a learning process.  I broke my big sewing machine in this process.  Yep...sure did!  So before I go out and spend money on another I really just need to perfect actually being able to use one.  With that being said I will stick with my smaller one until I get the hang of it.  Will I get the hang of it?  That is the million dollar question. Just when I think I have it down...something bad happens.  I either jam the machine, or go all crooked with my "straight" lines...so I end up not having straight lines.  But all I can say is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  Oh, and FYI, I don't sew on anything else.  I don't sew clothes, or make other projects.  I just don't know how.  Guess I should have paid better attention in Highschool Home Ec class. 

Now on to my card.  I made this card base on this weeks sketch from Karen over at The Sweetest Thing.  I love her sketches and am always inspired by all the great examples from the design team.   If you haven't checked out her sketches you really should.  I think she posts a new one every 2 weeks on Sunday.  She is super duper talented and I get a lot of inspiration from her.  Anyway...if you want to play along with this sketch head over to her blog and play along.  

 My card base is Crumb Cake cardstock.  Yes...this is my go too color.  I love Crumb Cake.  I buy this A LOT! All the pattern paper is from Twitterpated DSP.  LOVE...LOVE...LOVE this paper pack as well.  So fun.  As you can see I did stitching around the edge.  YES, I started out trying to make it straight then after about 2 seconds realized it was not going to be.  Oh, well.  Like I said still working with it and playing and trying to perfect my machine stitching.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Christmas Card

Happy Friday.  I love Friday's.  Why?  Because I know it means the next two days I can sleep in.  YAY!   I am so NOT a morning person.  I am not one of those people that want to be up when the sun comes up.  The last thing I want to have to do is get up when it is still dark...and that time of year is right around the corner.  YUCK!  Of course I am thankful I get to be home with my kids and that I don't have to work outside the home right now.  But...I will still say it...I don't like the mornings.  Oh, well...such is life.  I do however like my evenings.  That is when I do most of my crafting. 

I got some crafting done tonight before my arm started to bother me.  Not a sharp pain or anything...but after using it and having to use pressure with it to stamp...it is a little achy.  But it is totally worth it because I made my first easel card.  Yeah me! 

I made my first easel card using Label Collection Framelits and Ornament Framelits Dies.   I also used the matching Festive Paper-Piercing Pack.  The ornaments were cut from the Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper Stack.

Yes...I have been in the mood lately to made Christmas cards.  I love Christmas time.   Not only Christmas, but it is my birthday too.  I figure since my birthday is on Christmas I can start looking forward to long before Christmas.  I love that time of year and like starting my cards early!

Thanks for stopping by

Playing With Color~Friend

Sat down at my craft table this week.  Practicing coloring with copics, scrapbooking and card making.  So it is fun.  Last night I was crafting and watching the Voice and X-factor.  I had never really watched either of these shows.  But now...in one night...I am addicted.  So at least I know I will have something to watch and listen to while I am crafting.

Okay, now on to my card.  This card so for the Playing with color challenge I do with my Upline Chat.  The colors this week were Cajun Craze, Olive, Kraft and a neutral.  

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to have more to share with you the end of the week.  Right now I not in a lot of pain.  My back isn't hurting too bad and my arm is feeling better.  So when I feel good like this I try to craft as much as possible. 

Have a good one!

New adventure

Hello!  Hope you are all doing well.  My arm has felt better the last couple of days so I have been working on some cards and another adventure...coloring with copics.  Yep...I said it.  I have had a limited number of copics for a while and I haven't really done anything with them.  So tonight I decided to get them out and see what happens.

My First image colored with copics.  I know I need a LOT of practice but I had fun my first time.  I love this little image from Lalaland.  I bought the digital image because this image has a lot of face and hair so it is perfect for practicing with copic.  I have been watching a lot of videos on YouTube on how to color with copics so decided I better start practicing. I guess practice makes perfect.  I see Lots more practice in my future but I did have a lot of fun.  I have limited copics but as I get better I guess maybe I will buy more. 

I will have a card to share tomorrow for the Playing with Color Challenge I do with my upline Chat, so I hope you will stop by tomorrow. 

Have a great night~! 

Lack of Posts

Hi all!  Hope everyone is doing well.  I just wanted to post so you know I am still here.  Sorry it has been a while since I have last posted.  Unfortunately I go in spurts.  Not because I don't want to craft or post.

I had cancer in my right arm in 1990, then fell and broke my arm in 1999.  I had to have a metal rod and screws permanently place in my arm.  Needless for the last 14 years I have struggled with the use of my arm...and I am right handed.  With the lack of muscle mass in my arm, the osteoporosis and arthritis I have in my shoulder sometimes it hurts and is difficult to use.  Like right now it is hurting enough that I don't move it much.  I can type for a while, but then the pain starts radiating down to my hand.  This is something I have dealt with for years so I am use to it.  But sometimes it is frustrating when I want to stamp or scrapbook.  See when my arm is hurting if feels like I am holding a 100 weight in my hand.  That is the only way I can explain it.  It feel "heavy".  I have difficulty moving it and it aches and hurts from the shoulder down to my elbow and like I said sometimes down through my hand.

Anyway...I just wanted you to know why there are times that there are long spans between postings.  Like tonight I got a card done.  But now my arm is hurting enough that I have decided to stop at one.  I will post the card at the end of the week.  So...I hope that explains my lack of posts when there are days or even a week in between posts and hope that you will still stop by and check out my cards and layouts when I do post.

Have a great night!

Sharing In Your Sorrow

My heart is breaking today for my dear friend Samantha, her sister, her dad and all their family.  Today her mom lost her battle with Alzheimer's.  She was definitely far too young.  I know she was about my Mom's age who is 64.  But she was diagnosed quite a few years ago in her 50's.  At the time she was in a nursing home and the Alzheimer's had progressed rapidly.   I pray she is at peace now and no longer suffering.  I am praying for my friends Samantha and her family to have the strength to get through this difficult time.  

I made this card from my friend Samantha.  I don't normally make cards or even keep them on hand. They are just something that I don't like to make unless I have to.  

Carli's 14th Birthday Celebration

Tonight we did a little birthday Celebration.  Our sweet daughter turns 14 next Wednesday,  September 12.  However as her dad and I were sitting at the table finishing our dinner he asked if I wanted to let her open her gifts.  So I ran down got her cake...came back and...called her out of her room.  

Me and Carli.  

 Carli...sick and tired of her Mama taking pictures.  I am sure she is thinking something much worse but I won't type what she is probably thinking. 

And here she is....with her favorite present and her cake.  Her dad and I hadn't gotten her a phone yet.  She really had no need.  Plus he and I never thought that there was a reason to have one sooner.  So...for her birthday this year she got her phone.  She really is pretty excited.  She played with it most of the night tonight and I am sure she will even more tomorrow.

I still can't believe my baby girl is going to be 14 next week.  I am so thankful she blessed my life she almost 14  years ago and everyday since then.

Consider It Cased 118

Saturdays are a Consider It Cased challenge that my SU demonstrator upline does on her blog.  Every Saturday she creates a card that she cased from somewhere in blog land.  So today or tonight I should say I decided to play along.  I am a huge fan of Amber Hight.  I absolutely love her blog.  So I decided to case her card which you can find HERE.   I used my new Stampin Up DPS for this card.  Just love the flowers.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to head over to Chat and Jean's blogs to see their cased cards.

Recipe:  Will follow shortly