While The Kids Were Away ~ ~ ~

OK, OK ~ This isn't what you thought by the title, but I couldn't help it!  It just fit!!!

So, I've shown you "How I Spent My Summer Vacation"  parts 1 & 2, and I had a really great time, most of the time - Didn't really like chasing dogs half asleep (me - not the dogs!)  because that was the best form of exercise, or for a good time first thing in the morning (because it wasn't!)  However, I loved taking care of the wee ones and cooking!

When Mom and Dad got home from their vacation, oh - did I mention they spent one week in Spain and one week in Italy?  Well, they did, and the photos they sent back were spectacular! The countryside in both countries was beautiful, the museums, the Cathedrals!  Magnificent!! Stunning photos, and even a few of them thrown in - and they are a handsome couple!  They were smart and took private tours and said it was worth every penny!  Best way to see a country, or even states, we're not familiar with!

Grandpa, for all his efforts - taking me shopping before I went, helping me pack, taking care of the house and garden in my absence, and missing me a lot (I missed him, too!) received these beautiful Italian Gloves!

And, The Glove Fits!!  Beautiful brown leather gloves, purchased in Italy!!

Sure will keep him warm in the cold weather of winter!

And, very nice for driving, too!

They took private tours of both the Sistine Chapel and saw the works of Michelangelo! Something I can only imagine and take that tour online!  They said it was MAGNIFICENT!!!  And, by taking the private tour, they saw things you wouldn't normally see - so if anyone is planning a trip to Italy, and you want to see it, they highly recommend paying the extra dollars for this tour.

When they spent time in the Vatican, they stopped in the Vatican Gift Shop and purchased my new Rosary and this beautiful box with the carving of the Virgin Mother and Baby Jesus.  I've had many Rosary's - I was given my Baba's 2, one that he prayed daily with, and a very large wooden one given to him by a Priest, and others that belonged to family elders.  But the only one I ever was given to me as mine personally was a plastic one given to me when I made my 1st Holy Communion and this one.  This is absolutely beautiful.  Many don't understand this as a beautiful object, Catholics not only see the beauty of it, but know the significance of it.  The box, when opened plays a tune I am unfamiliar with, I will ask a dear friend what it is.

I will keep these by my bedside always and thank my lovely daughter in law and son.  Thank you both so much, both mean a great deal to me!

That's it for this evening.

Blessings everyone!
Donna

A Journal To Cheer A Friend

I so enjoy crafting and making cards!  One of my DAR Sisters fell and fractured her ankle and was hospitalized a few days, now spending time in a Rehabilitation Facility to help her get back on her feet a bit faster.  I made this pretty little Journal for her.

I thought a journal would be nice for her to be able to write daily notes, keep track of visitors, cards and flowers or gifts!

These flowers are again from Wild Orchards and are two toned with a deep rich burgundy while the rose goes from dark to light pink

Thought it was pretty, but needed a kick of color - when I used the burgundy velvet it was too little, when I used the big pink it looked too plain BUT together Wallah!

Threw in some pearl sprays, a bit of gathered lace along the edge of the journal a row of pearls on top!  So pretty!

Hard to see here, but I also added a nice long piece of ribbon as a book mark or place mark.  I glued it in by bending both front and back covers together poured a bit of glue down the books middle behind the binding.





I wish you all cooler days, breezy nights!


Blessings,
Donna 

Flowers, Roses, Magnolias and more ~~~

3/8" Roses

Not real ones of course, but flowers, roses and magnolias for my cards!  And they are beautiful!!  I love making my own cards and altered art projects, but running down to the craft store and picking up a package of 5 to 7 for $5 or more (yes, we always use the 40% off coupons when we have them) but we're limited to color and style at the store!

Gorgeous Small Gardenas

I've done some online ordering, but this one company looks so good - so I took the plunge!  Oh my gosh ~ these roses and flowers are F A B U L O U S!!!  Wild Orchid Crafts ~ a company out of the United Kingdom.  Now, before that scares you off thinking, "Oh my gosh, shipping will be a fortune!  It's going to take forever to get here!  They must be really expensive!"         

Aster Daisy Flowers

No, no and no.  Shipping is very reasonable, free if you order over a certain amount.  It took less than 6 days to get here from the time I ordered to doorstep delivery - ordered on Wednesday night, shipped Thursday morning and arrived on Tuesday in the mail!  I can't beat the price with a coupon or a stick!  I bought some of these beauties 50 - 1 1/4" roses, for less than $6!  And these are all beauties!  But, you decide for yourself.  I decided for me, and I need to make a bunch of cards so I can place my next order!!  he he he!

So my dilemma was - open roses, rose buds, curly roses, cottage roses, tea roses, wild roses? ? ? 

Light colors?
     1" - bigger?

            Two toned?
                    Maybe a flower
                            and not a rose?

As you can see ~
    Nope, I couldn't decide!

I can't even get them
    All back inside!!





Hope to be showing you all some great cards soon!  I love making them!  I love giving them!  Now I'm off to buy ribbon and twine!

Also, I'm still working on my computer.  Seems Chrome, regular Blogger and the rest of the Computer Genies in the sky, are all working to irritate me - not succeeding - I'm just going with the flow on this.  Everyone is seeing something different and I don't know why.  Just know I'm trying to fix it!!

Blessings to all!!
Donna 

My Secret Dove Arrived All The Way From Vietnam!

I have a made some of the most wonderful friends here in Blogland. I met Love Stitch early on in my blogging and she and I have become such very good friends.  You all may remember, about a year ago, her father had a horrible stroke and the recovery was grim. Both LS and I believe it was all of prayers offered by our friends in Blogland all over the world who prayed for him, for his health and determination to get well, that brought the miraculous healing to her wonderful father.

Many months ago, I sent to her a package of items I felt she might enjoy, bring her a bit of happiness and joy, and kindness from across the Pacific Ocean.  We lovingly call it our "Dove."  She sent it back to me last week or so and when I received the knock at the door from the Post Man this morning, I said, "I hope this is my Dove from Vietnam!!"  He looked and sure enough - there was our Dove!

I felt like a little girl, jumping up and down, ran and got the scissors out and opened it up - I'd love to share these heartfelt and hand made gifts that LS sent to me that she made herself!

I was so excited!  I knew she had made some very special items because she asked me about colors, but I had no idea it would be this much!  LS is self taught in all of the crafts and sewing I will be sharing with you!

This is the very first hand made card she has ever made!  LS, you did such a lovely job on this and I will treasure this forever! The note she wrote is a very special message and is all hand written to me!  And, on the very last page, oh my goodness, look at this beautiful hand crocheted heart with a motif in the center.  This is crafted with a thin cotton thread, like we use to make doilies!

Hand embroidered handkerchief.

She made me this beautiful Cowl (knitted I believe) scarf to wear when the winters get icy cold again - and I just adore the colors, the design, the softness of the yarn!  I wish you could each reach in and touch it ~ it is so soft and so beautiful!

Enclosed was this beautiful ruffled scarf, also made for me - it feels like cotton - so soft and will be perfect for adding to our cool Spring or even Autumn evenings as just a neck wrap.  The detail is gorgeous!

Three cute bookmarks hand made in Vietnam!  They are beautiful!

A total surprise was this cap for my Sweetie!  He was so touched my LS's generosity and love!  It is knitted and is very soft!  And, while it has a design, it is very manly!

Can you believe this small Dove has no bottom!  Gift after precious gift, kept appearing!  This is a set of four absolutely wonderful dish clothes!  And, look closely at the ribbon - it too is hand crocheted!

This scarf is the most special to me!  First, they are my favorite colors!  Pinks and Lavender, Purples, just love, love, love the colors.  This was a very exquisite skein of yarn, very expensive, I know, because I gifted it to her.  LS, living where she does, doesn't have the same opportunities for shopping for the multitudes of yarns and threads we do, so I sent this as a special gift to her.  What a wonderful thing she has done, to turn around and make something just for me and send it back with all of the love it took to make it.  LS~I will treasure this forever and think of you with love every time I wrap it around my neck!

So, all of these gifts flew across the Pacific Ocean from Vietnam to California, United States.  Each item made with love for a friend.  I have already started my Dove going back to Vietnam in a couple of months.

Each one of these crafts she has taught herself - crochet, knitting, embroidery and now paper crafting.  This young woman is so beautiful inside and out.  We have become such wonderful friends.  If you have a moment to visit her, please do ~ compliment a self taught Artisan on the beautiful items she has made.  She goes by Love Stitch - there's love in every stitch, too!

Thank you all for taking a peak at my gifts of love.  And, Love Stitch, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity and love.  You are an amazing woman.  May God continue his blessings upon you, my friend!

Love,

Donna

Introducing A Wonderful Friend ~

Many of you already know June, to some she may be a new friend ~ What I would love to do is introduce or reintroduce her many fabulous blogs!  This woman is so talented, and such a wonderful friend to all!   And there are tons and tons of new things to share with you about what has been happening in her Art World!!

Dezinaworld

Many of the items on this Website are free, some are $1, $2, $3 ... for tons to use as you please, as many times as you please!

So who is she?  June is a wonderful and creative woman who found images old and new of every thing you could ever imagine wanting to use in your creative art collection!  She has taken images, post cards, photographs and the like, cleaned them up and made them new.  Some have color added to them for interest and beauty!  

Now, this is a very simplistic explanation of what she does, because I don't know about you, but I have enough trouble just taking a photograph that is perfect, copying on to my computer and inserting into a work of art, much less taking something maybe 100 years old and making it look both old and new at the same time - hard to explain - so head over to Dezinaworld  Olde Curiosity Shoppe where you will find hundreds and hundreds of images ~ Vintage; Backgrounds and textures: Fashion, Flowers, Plant, Trees; All things French; Steampunk; well ~ starting to get the 'picture' here? June literally has almost everything, and if she doesn't, she will venture to try to obtain it for you!  Oh, did I forget to mention all of these beauties are free?  Yep - June has done a ton of gorgeous work, and it is available for free.  (You can of course make a donation to keep this kind of work available, and new work coming.)

Do you make cards?  Scrap?  Altered art?  Jewelry?   Make collages?   Love to incorporate old with new? Take a look at what some of the other designers have done, along with June's own work and let me know what you think?

As if she's not busy enough, here's another Blog ~ and WOW ~ gorgeous work here!

ARTY RETREAT

June's talent has also been tapped at a new Blog as a member of the Design Team of "The Game"  This one I can hardly wait to see the work done, for most of these ladies on the design team are disabled in one form or another - but they are going  to teach the world what I try to do each day too, is that they are ABLE!!!  I cannot wait to see what they design!!!

So ~ there you have it!  My introduction, or reintroduction, of a wonderful woman, excellent artist, and a something of interest for everyone!  Join me in following all of June's ventures, and learn from someone who loves what she does and shares everything she can with fellow artisans!

Blessings to all, may you all have a wonderful and Happy Mother's Day!

(((HUGS)))

Donna 

Happy Anniversary to Our Good Friends!

I made this special Anniversary Memory Book for very special friends.

This black paper was hand made by a local artisan who no longer does this, but it is beautiful and has silver embossments.  I made the flowers with coffee filters and put red stickles on the edges.  Pearl sprays, white feathers

and tons of fibers and ribbons,
which I love! 

I save or make all kinds of little trinkets all the time, like the hearts - I found an easy pattern using embroidery floss, which I have a ton of from a garage sale, and of course, while I do not embroider, I figured, " might need these for something!"  These are of course crocheted!  I made them about a year ago and they've been waiting for a project!  A pearl in the middle and - pretty darn cute!  Two small, one large!

I made tag pockets throughout the project on each page, photos or journaling can be added! 

I also love recycling toilet paper tubes for pockets in small scrap book albums.  The are easy peasy to make, cover, embellish and the perfect size for a tag!

This page came out adorable!  The little watch is a broken Christmas ornament which I covered with a nice clock face, adhered to a pocket, with tags "forgotten memories" and "key to the past" with another pocket!

Next two pages are a map of the US - right side, both growing up on the East coast, the tags outside the pocket are "family" near Pennsylvania where she was born, and a "Cleveland Indians" logo near where he was born in Ohio.  The Home Sweet Home and a crocheted "Monarch" Butterfly on the left side where they now reside on the West Coast in Pacific Grove - the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

Another toilet paper tube, covered, embellished and used for tags.  Such an easy way to add both decorations and tags. 

My favorite two pages.  I used old dictionary printed paper and all of the words relivent to their lives I highlighted, "memory," "love," "family," ...

 added wild roses and green bead strands, pockets stuffed with tags and a person sentiment from  us.

This couple is very special to us,  and our wish for their anniversary is they live

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER!"

Thanks for taking a peek at my special Anniversary Scrapbook!
Blessings,
Donna