Blueberry Blossom time at Penny Black

Do you suppose there are flowers like this anywhere in the world? ...  I hope so : )

Please join me at the Penny Black Simplicity blog to see my whole card : )

Tell me... if you had to choose between tacos the rest of you life, or being skinny which would you choose?? ....Softshell or hardshell??

BIG (((HUGS)))

That's not funny! and some Blog Candy!!

Why did the strawberry cross the road?.....  

Because it’s Mom was in a jam

Hello friends this post is embarrassing to write!  Almost as soon as I posted that we had found THE perfect home in New Mexico we learned the owners were returning from overseas and would not be renting the home after all.

I had just finished packing up my entire crafty space too!!

I need some smiles friends can you help? 

I went searching on my computer for the picture of this funny card I created about 10 years ago.  My picture taking "studio" has improved with time so this picture is funky but I doctored up the lighting in Photoshop and it looks ok I guess. It makes me laugh and that is what I need most right now : )

I am extending an invitation to all my bloggy friends to join my pity party my Linky party!! Please post your fun and funny cards to make me laugh. Each entry comes with the chance to win my blog candy!! : )

The party will continue through August 6th.  I suspect I will need that many laughs once I resume my search for the "real" perfect home!! : ) I know God has a treasure in His pocket for us so, while we are disappointed, we acknowledge Him and know if that had actually been THE perfect home for us we'd be moving in to it : )

About the prize... : ) can you trust me? it'll be nice!! I have not decided if I will give away some of my treasured NBUS or if I will give away a gift certificate.  If the winner is out of the US then I am fairly certain it will be a gift certificate - simply for the ease in shipping.  Either way if you GOTTA know! I will come back and post a picture otherwise be excited and show me your funniest cards!

There is no limit to how many times you can enter.  The Linky will close at midnight MST on August 6th.

Thank you friends and thank you in advance for all the giggles!!

BIG (((HUGS)))

An InLinkz Link-up

Have a Great Day Sisters!

Hello friends I hope you are having a great day! As a Penny Black "Simplicity Sister" I am honored to share a card today using products exclusively from Penny Black.

Last month I received a beautiful birthday card in my mailbox from a sweet friend, Birgit, of Crafting While I Wait blog.  I love it and decided to CASE it  : ) Here is Birgit's card:

Here is my take on her beautiful card:

I drew inspiration from the blue sky day outside the window on Birgit's card.  It was easy peasy with Penny Black's new Window die.  Thank you so much Birgit for the inspiration!

Supplies by Penny Black:
51-443 Art Deco Window
51-428 Floral Arrangement
30-283 Snippets

Ok, Vikki..... So why don’t they play poker in the jungle?.........  Too many cheetahs! giggles

I am excited to share that we have found a home in New Mexico! : ) All my careful planning is paying off as we approach our moving day.  We are seriously torn between wanting to be settled in our new home and not wanting to leave our Mexican friends who have become family! but there is no turning back now : )

Before I go I wanted to FINALLY share pictures of my picture taking set up that blogland's friend Jeanne of Creative Bliss asked me about way back in April. As you can see it is nothing fancy at all! but the success I have with my images has a lot to do with the lights we use.  I tried to get a good shot of the company name in case anyone wants to look into getting something like this.

I punched the holes in this shade myself because without them we were afraid the lights would get too hot and shorten the life of the bulbs.  It worked great!

I hope these images help you in some way.  Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

I still have lots to do to get ready but I want to say - thank you for visiting me : ) I have been blessed by so many people who have kept in touch with me even though I have been gone from blogland so much!! A couple more months and I will be settled in my new crafty space!! I can hardly wait!  Don't give up on me I'll be back!

Last but certainly NOT least please please please consider a visit to Penny Black's Simplicity Blog for oodles of CAS inspiration!

BIG (((HUGS)))

Remember me?

Hello friends : )  I hope you haven't forgotten me - I have been so busy and distracted that my blog and blog visiting are seriously lacking!! Thank you for stopping by today and just to reward you for hanging in there wish me here is a little joke to brighten your day.... I hope:

I was asked if I wanted to be an Organ Donor.  I told them if you can get it out of my basement it’s yours!!

And that goes for just about anything in my house right now! if you wanna come get it - it's yours! LOL  My "donation and garage sale piles" are towering but neither one have yet to overtake my "this is going to New Mexico pile".  It's coming along : )

Don't feel too bad for me though I am having a blast and I am getting plenty of time away from packing!! This is a photo heavy post so if it is cards you are looking for skip all the family stuff and scroll down to the bottom to see a couple quick and easy Graduation cards : ) 

Our daughter and SIL lost their home to a fire in early May : ( it was devastating but not as devastating as it could have been.  My SIL and one grandson were home sleeping and had to escape from a second story window.  The house and contents were 100% lost. : ( but we praise God that those were only "things".

I have been working on this queen size quilt for (I'm ashamed to say) MANY years!! I pulled it out and finished it to send to our daughter this week. I wish I would have ironed it before taking this picture - but you get the idea.  I photographed the quilt on a king sized so that pattern shows up better : ) 

Our "student", Nayeli celebrated a birthday last week.  She invited us to her dormitory where the whole group cooked for us.  It was a blast.  This picture only shows a fraction of the group.  My husband, Bob and I were really feeling our age by the end of the night because there was LOUD music and dancing and much!! hilarity!! mostly in Spanish mind you LOL 

Bob and I have gotten in lots and lots of bike rides. It is a fantastic stress reliever!

We continue to enjoy the tremendous food our adopted kids cook for us at the Mexican restaurant! 

And I have actually created a few cards here and there! heeheehee

I made these cards early last month for a couple of graduations in the family. : ) They were fun and really super easy.

Thank you for hanging in there with me : ) One more joke to reward you for your tenacity! : ) 

As the herd of cows were traveling, one of them was falling behind.  She shouted out to the others that she could not run any faster..... "slow down, my calves are killing me!" 

Ok, sorry that was a mean trick making you wait for that! LOL 

BIG (((HUGS)))

Celebrate Penny Black CAS

It is my turn to share with you on the Penny Black Simplicity Blog. Here is just a little peek at my card : )

I'm especially excited to direct you to the Simplicity blog today because we are welcoming a bran new Sister to the team!! I'm busting with excitement because it is one of the sweetest gals in Blogland!! Loll Thompson : )  I know you'll join me in welcoming her!

BIG (((HUGS)))

Happy Father's Day

Hello friends : ) I have missed you.  It has been a while since I posted.  My life seems to be all about sorting and packing and eating Mexican food!! LOL but more about that later in this post.

My card today is to celebrate my Dad as well as celebrate a clean ans simple way to use some terrific products from Penny Black!!

I wanted to join the Simon Says "Frame It" challenge so I cut a frame on the front of my card which reveals just the face of my cute poppa bear.  Inside you get to see this golf pro in all his adorableness! : )

There are some new faces on the Design Team at the Simplicity blog for Penny Black.  I hope you will visit often for CAS inspiration.

Here is a little update from my neck of the woods..... I am making good progress with my pre-moving tasks and preparing for a HUGE garage sale!! : )

Since the tourist season got underway on Memorial Day and the Mexican restaurant opened we have not been able to have many English /card making classes.  All of our friends are super busy!! but we continue to see them frequently and enjoy the delicious food they create.

I had a birthday since my last post.

 Here is a picture of the head chef, Angel, his wife, Berenice and Angel's sous-chef, Gerry taken at the restaurant with my hubby and I.

We were so blessed as Angel and his team prepared a 5 course 5 star meal for my birthday including this incredible Shrimp Soup - which is probably the best food I have ever tasted!!:

That is about it for me today.  I could show you my piles of boxes but I think that might be an overshare! LOL suffice to say it is not a pretty sight around here!....sigh

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you are enjoying a beautiful summer so far and that you are enjoying the things that make you the happiest!!

Oh my goodness I almost forgot my joke! LOL Well here goes I hope it was worth the wait heeheehee.
After the sheepdog gets all the sheep in the pen, he reports back to the farmer: all 40 accounted for”  The I only have 36 sheep” says the farmer.. I know says the sheepdog but I rounded them up!”


BIG (((HUGS)))

Supplies:
A bear of all trades #30-108 by Penny Black
Frames #51-410 by Penny Black

Graduation Announcement Card

Happy Memorial Day friends : ) Are you having a picnic today? Going to a graduation party?? Firing up the grill? Whatever you are doing I hope you are having fun doing it!!

I wanted to make a quickie post today to share a card I made for my great niece who is Graduating this month.  She sent her formal graduation announcement and I altered it a bit : )

I used a cream card stock as my base.  I cut off the strip of Gold and school name and attached it to the top panel of the card. Then I cut the numbers from the emblem on the announcement being careful to get a slice of the school name and their mascot.  I have never done a personalized graduation card quite like this before and I like how it turned out. : )

Why did the girl wear glasses in math class?......  It improves di-vision!

BIG (((HUGS)))