More cards from the basement...

These were the last two cards that came out of my Sunday afternoon stamping. I love the faux stamp card. It was amazingly easy using my Copic air brush and a couple of stamps.

A Quiet Sunday Afternoon with a Monkey

I spent yesterday quietly stamping in my craft room for a few hours. It felt good to listen to some of my favorite music by Mercy Me and Jars of Clay and just "be". Thanks for all the support and prayers. My MIL is feeling better physically and now working on the business of getting on with life.

Update

My father-in-law quietly passed away Friday, March 20th. Services were held yesterday. We're heading over to see my mother-in-law today. She is not feeling well and sadly, wasn't up to attending the funeral yesterday. She is diabetic and just hasn't felt like eating. With all the stress of the past few weeks I can understand the loss of appetite but not at the cost of her health. My husband and brother-in-law spoke to her at length yesterday about her health and while she agreed to try harder to eat we'll be spending a lot of time with her in the coming weeks and months to make sure she follows through.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!

MIA

I have been missing from action for the past few weeks. My father-in-law, whom I love like my own, is in the final stages of COPD. He developed pneumonia in late February and finally agreed to go to the hospital on March 1st. We brought him home from the hospital today after two weeks not because he is improving but because there is nothing the doctors can do for him in the hospital that we as a family can do at home where he is more comfortable. For those of a mind to, please pray for my FIL (his name is Bob).

With all of the time I have been at the hospital I haven't been able to surf for sometime but thanks to someone in my in-laws neighborhood with a wireless router I have been able to visit some of my favorite blogs on my laptop while Dad has slept. We're working out a schedule for being here so my MIL is alone with Dad as little as possible. She is the sweetest woman. She cleared off a small table in the spare bedroom so I can color and "do my crafty stuff" since I'll be at the house so much.

Wishing you peace!

Lori

TGIF!!

Hi Everyone!
TGIF!! I'm hosting a baby shower tomorrow at my home for about 30 women. It should be a lot of fun. I've been scurrying around getting ready for it this week but did take Wednesday night off to go and play with my friends at Marge's. Here is what Marge had for us to make...I particularly like the card using SU's Bloomin' Beautiful. I don't travel with my Copics so I missed them when I colored these, especially being a CERTIFIED COPIC INSTRUCTOR!! (I so wish you could see the cheesey grin on my face!!) My friend Donna and I made the drive to Long Branch, NJ and participated in the class being offerered by Sally Lynn McDonald. It was awesome! I can't wait for my schedule to open up so I can spend some time in my craft room.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bits and Pieces but not much crafting!

Hello All,

It has been a wild couple of weeks for me with little time for crafting :( One of my best friend's mother had a catastrophic stroke on the last Friday in January. She wasn't expected to live but I can say with a grateful heart that she is alive and very slowly improving--if you are of a heart, please add Marian to your prayer list.

School is starting to get a little manic...the all important testing season is nearly here so I've had extra work above and beyond teaching my classes and working on grades, which are due next Monday.

Toss into the mix a baby shower being held in my home next weekend for a dear friend from church and the regular running around having a seven year old boy brings although I must say Cub Scouts has been particularly active lately. We're heading to Trenton, NJ tonight for a minor league hockey game with his pack. (Hi Lori!! I'll think of you tonight at the game.). My son is really excited because they will let him play broom ball on the ice between periods.

The big crafting news for me is a seat at the COPIC Certification Course tomorrow in Long Branch, New Jersey!! I was a able to swing a seat for myself and my friend Donna. I can hardly wait!!

I hope you have a great weekend!!

How Sweet it Is

These cards were inspired by a wonderful card over on Michelle's blog. I just loved the colors and the use of the heart embossing folder and wanted to put my own spin on their use. The stamp is from My Favorite Things (How Sweet it Is) and the card stock is all DCWV. The background on the large heard card is from SU...it is a discontinued jumbo wheel. I am off to lunch in a quaint little shopping area known as Peddler's Village then my friend and I are hitting the new papercrafting store that opened a few months ago. It is called Creative Inkling. I am just excited to have a brick and mortar store in the area again.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!