In times of Sadness

A Dear Aunt of mine passed away in the last week She has 5 children that live all over the U.S.A. I live far from her home too so I was unable to attend the funeral. I decided to make each of them a card and send a personal note with each one. I chose 3 different designs to stitch and stamp. Making Sympathy cards is not something I want to do all the time , but I hope that the ones I have made will convey the love I have for my Aunt and her family.

This second card had a soft cream base and was a bit difficult to scan because you could not really tell where the card borders were. So I placed another piece of paper behind it.

It is hard to lose one loved one after another as we grow older. I realize that I have become the "older generation". It means that I need to make some changes in my own life and my way of looking at things. I realize that my own time is growing more limited and that I want to live those days touching and blessing others as best as I can. I hope that these cards will do that for my cousins in their time of grieving the loss of their mother.

A Stitch in Time.

Snowy winter days in Michigan has meant that I have been spending a lot of time in my art room or sitting in my favorite chair.

I have been doing a lot of paper embroidery and am not attempting to compliment the work with things like embossing or painted images with paper embroidery as an embellishment.

This pieced began with a embossed border design with an area in the center waiting for a stamped image, a stamped verse and in this case an altered paper embroidery design.

This one had the added feature of bead work.

I think the thing I love about making cards is that there are a million different ways to design and make them. There is no time for boredom because you can only do a few selective things.

The world is truly my oyster when it comes to making cards. This reminds me that spring is just around the corner and the real flowers will soon be in bloom.

winter of 2011

What a snow filled winter it has been for us here in Michigan. If it isn't the winter storm of 2011 that has swathed half the United States, then it is lake effect snow for us living so close to Lake Michigan.

I am quite content, no matter the weather as long as we maintain power so I can stay warm. I am thankful I don't get cabin fever easily.

So with snow in mind, I decided that staying inside and making snowmen was a good pastime.

Making them inside does not involve cold winds down my neck or icy cold fingers inside my mittens. And I can even enjoy hot cocoa and pretzels in between snowmen. These are my latest creations. Aren't they happy fellows? And they won't even melt in the sunshine.

The verse inside these reads: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

When life gives you snow, make snowmen.

Hope all of you are staying warm and cheerful like these snowmen.

S.