CASology and Serendipity Stamps

This week at CASology the challenge theme is "Medicine".  I have included the guidelines for the challenge and some exciting news!! Serendipity Stamps is the sponsor of the challenge this week which means there is a  PRIZE!!  Check it out:

1. One main image
2. Lots of open space, uncluttered
3. Limited layers & embellishments
4. Quick & easy to recreate (Note: It may take a while to create a design you like, but once you have that design, making more should be a piece of cake!)

This week's winner will receive a $20 gift certificate to Serendipity Stamps' online store!   Serendipity is offering a flash sale on the Sick Puppy stamp set with 20% off!  through June 4th.  

and now for my card:

Please consider joining the fun at CASology for a chance to win some wonderful product from Serendipity Stamps!!

Have a great day.

Patti

Supplies:

Sick Puppy Stamp set by Serendipity Stamps

"Decorative Tile" embossing folder by Provo Craft

Die-Namics Stitched Snow Drifts

Seize The Birthday Something Sweet

This is my second post for the day.  If you are looking for my Penny Black sneak peek for my Simplicity sister's post please click here : ) 

Hello friends : )   I would like to invite you to join us for another SWEET challenge at Seize The Birthday challenge blog!

Our theme for the next two weeks is: "Something Sweet" But as always with STB challenges "Anything always Goes" as long as it is a Birthday Card! I hope you will enter your birthday theme cards in the gallery we love seeing you there!

I had a wonderful time visiting my family in Florida.  My Dad was unexpectedly scheduled for knee replacement surgery a few days before we arrived so our visit was mostly done at a Rehabilitation Hospital.

My fondest childhood memories included singing around the camp fire!  We couldn't take Dad to a campfire sing-along so we brought the sing-a-long to him : )

Shucks! I can't figure out how to get a clip of my Dad singing to play in this post : (  Perhaps you might like to try this link:  Merry Oldsmobile to hear my dear ol' Dad!  I hope this works.  I can see it on my computer but when I try to look at it on my phone it doesn't work.  Let me know if you can see it : )

Edited to add: NOPE! guess it doesn't work.  I will see if I can get some help and post the link in my next post : ) 

My time in Florida was way too short and with my Dad in the hospital I didn't have the flexibility I had thought I would so it turns out I was not able to meet up with any blogger friends, Nancy and Helen, again this trip : ( That was the only bad part about my trip but we'll try again next time!! Sigh.

Don't forget to hop over to the Seize The Birthday challenge blog and see all the sweetness the talented Design Team has created!

Have a great day.

Patti

Supplies:

Dress Up Dolls Basic by Papertrey Ink
Dress Up Dolls: Let's Bake by Papertrey Ink
What The Doodle: Piece of Cake by Papertrey Ink

Penny Black Stitched Flowers sneak peek!

It's my turn to share on Penny Black's Simplicity at it's best Blog!

Here is a sneak peek! of a pretty new stamp set I just got from Penny Black called "Stitched Flowers" Please follow this link to see my whole card : )  I'd love it if you left a comment too!!

Thanks a bunch!

Patti

Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop!!

Today is our bi-monthly blog hop at Serendipity stamps!!

I created this sweet little card using #1341E "Elaphant" and 1386C "I'd Never Forget You!" stamps.  I also used some fantastic patterned paper from the SS's Yard Sale!  I think she is just about the cutest little elephant in Blogland! : )

As all you seasoned "Hoppers" know! a Blog Hop means EYE CANDY and PRIZES!!  simply by visiting my fellow Design Team members's blogs.  When you do be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win $20.00 gift certificate for the Serendipity Stamp store!

Mary's Blog

Patti Kehl  (that's me)

Carol Mayne

Karen Amidon

Mariam Napier

Julie Warner

Vickie Zimmer

Marybeth Lopez

Thank you for stopping by! This is a scheduled post as I will be sunning myself in the Florida sunshine as this post goes live!!

Thank you for stopping by! and have a wonderful rest of your day.

Patti

Happy Mother's Day friends

I hope this is your best Mother's Day ever!!

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti

Seize the Birthday with Animals or Creatures

Today at Seize the Birthday we are looking for your Birthday themed cards with Animals or Creatures.

This adorable Llama (or Alpaca, I can't figure out which) is helping me wish my BIG sister, Susan a Happy Birthday!!

I created my opening with both a circle and a rectangle die cut to give a kind of "adobe" look : ) I really like how it turned out and plan to double up on my dies like this more in the future : )

Susan is here with me now.  We are having fun talking and laughing, making cards and taking in a few sights.  We are leaving for Florida tomorrow so I will make this short (are you breathing a sigh of relief! LOL) where we will cram MORE! fun into our day than ever before!! INCLUDING! meeting up with some Blogland friends! so stay tuned for pictures.

Have a wonderful day! and thanks a bunch for stopping by!

(((Hugs)))
Patti

Bursting with Birthdays!

Happy birthday to my kid sister, Beverly.  She turns 55 today!

There are some BIG birthdays coming in my family in the next few weeks.  My older sister turns 65 and I reach 60!! All of my siblings live in different states but this year we will get to celebrate our birthdays together as we will all be together in Florida next week.  I am super excited to see my siblings and finally get to visit my Dad and Step Mom!! : )

I love this fun little stamp set from Penny Black.   It sure makes for a sweet, fast and easy birthday card that is personalized : )

Thank you for stopping by today.  Please consider visiting the Penny Black Simplicity blog for some wonderful CAS cards by some incredibly talented ladies!!

Also let me remind you that you still have time to create an "Anything Goes" birthday card for Seize The Birthday challenge blog!!

And finally I would like to enter my card in the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies challenge!! : )

Thank you for stopping by! if you have time perhaps you will wish my little sister a Happy Birthday : )

Beverly and I taken almost two years ago when I saw her last.

All supplies by Penny Black:
Birthday Bears stamp set #30-427
Party Bears Die #51-355

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti

Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop!

Yippee Skippee! It's time for the first May Serendipity Stamps Blog Hop where the Design Team gets to show off more fantastic product from Serendipity Stamps.

After preparing my card base and top panel I cut a circle from scrap paper to use as a mask and placed it over the top panel.  Next I inked up the Flower Pops Background stamp and stamped it over the mask using a bright yellow ink.  I removed the mask and then stamped the Daisy in jet black - leaving it uncolored.  Finally I added the sweet sentiment that comes with the Oops a Daisy set.  I love this stamp set!! : )  A little Baker's Twine and a black rhinestone and my card was complete. : ) I must make a lot of mistakes in my life because I can think of about a hundred uses for these darling images : )


You ready to get hopping? before you head on over to Carol's blog don't forget to leave a comment.  Each comment you leave for a DT member increases your chance of winning a $20.00 Gift Certificate to the Serendipity Stamps store!!

Mary's Blog

Patti Kehl  (that's me)

Carol Mayne

Karen Amidon

Mariam Napier

Julie Warner

Vickie Zimmer

Marybeth Lopez

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Have a great day.
Patti

Supplies:
Flower Pops Background Stamp
Oops a Daisy Stamp set

Seeing White

My husband, Bob, and I spent six weeks in Arizona and New Mexico starting at the end of February.  One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

We left South Dakota to get out of the snow and cold but we didn't stay away long enough because we woke up to a blanket of snow this morning... the THIRD time this has happened since arriving home a few weeks ago! UGH!! Where is spring?!

I created two springy cards using some of my favorite product from Serendipity Stamps.

My designs were inspired from this weeks sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!

I hope you have some spring in your neck of the woods!! We are looking at a full week of some pretty icky weather but I have faith that Spring can't be too far away!

Thank you for stopping by : )

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti


Serendipity Stamp Supplies:
Floral Cuts Background Die
Birthday Die
Daisy Border Die
love you stamp
Happy stamp from Happy Birthday Simple

Hola Nieta : )

translated: Hello Granddaughter

We've sort of been adopted by a family from Cancun and with it comes the remarkable privilege of being called Abuelos! (grandparents) by, Melina, the sweetest little ten year old girl.  She sent us a picture of herself and a letter written in Spanish! Neither my husband or I speak a word of Spanish so... thank You Lord! for "Google Translate" : )

My card for her was inspired by Dawn McVey's challenge for this weeks "Make It Monday" at Papertrey Ink. The challenge: to create a pattern behind a die cut window.

It may be a little early for the children in Custer, South Dakota to head for the beach but at Melina's house it's too hot to stay at home : )

I hope you have fun plans for the day.  I'm off to the movies to see "Gifted"  with my BFF.

Supplies:
Dress Up Dolls: Summer Fun by PTI
Sun & Surf Stencil Collection by PTI
Noted: Scallop A-2 Die collection by PTI

Sending Hugs

Hello friends!! How I have missed you and all your creativity!!  Here is a card I created for all my blogger friends who have kept me in your thoughts and  prayers and brightened my days with Happy Mail!!

I have been both surprised and blessed at the outpouring of love and compassion that I have felt from so many of the people I have known in blogland - women that I thought were "just strangers".  The months I have been gone I have received dozens of cards and e-mails and they didn't stop after the first months either! It is because of this that I have decided to say a little more about what happened to me.  Many people have asked and some have told me they suspected I had a stroke.  Thankfully it was not a stroke.   

I will try to make this short.  On board ship I collapsed and was taken to the clinic where they found I was in "Diabetic Ketoacidosis" I was in critical condition and because of the Lord Jesus who used the amazing and fast acting captain of the cruise and clinic doctor and nurses - who literally never left my side - my life was saved.  I was sent by air ambulance to South Dakota where I have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

Though I know millions of people are insulin dependent living with Diabetes... I never had to try to live with it before.  It was a terrible shock and it has been a difficult road.   To complicate things the ketoacidosis damaged the nerves in both feet and my right hand.  This condition is called Peripheral Neuropathy.  It is pain that acts very strange - coming and going and causing severe burning to my skin.  My feet and right hand are numb making walking (and papercrafting) uncomfortable at best.  I am told by specialists that because the onset of the nerve damage was sudden it may get better in time. The stress to my body from the ketoacidosis wrought havoc on my body.  A couple of the less serious yet terribly difficult side effects of this ordeal has been the loss of most of my hair!  and love this.... weight gain! : ( waaaah! 

But that is all the bad news... the good news is that I have an incredible support team in my life helping me with every challenge I am facing.  And it has taken the entire team to get me back on-line! LOL  but I am here and ready to get back to the hobby and the community I love.  

Thank you so much for your love and support.

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti

Supplies:
Big Hugs die from Papertrey Ink
Forget-Me-Not stamp set from Papertrey Ink

Penny Black - Clean and Simple

Thank you all so much for the kind and thoughtful comments you made on my last post.  I appreciate each and every one of you and all of your prayers!!

I am feeling better every day and hope to get back to card making SOON!

Before vacation I made this CAS card for my turn on  the Penny Black Simplicity blog.

Here is a sneak peek : ) Please follow THIS LINK to see my Clean and Simple card!  Come on!! you KNOW you wanna see more! giggles!!

Thanks a bunch for stopping by : )

Patti

A funny thing happened on the way to Jamaica!

Hello friends,

Have you noticed how life sometimes doesn't go the way we plan?  As it turned out after less than 48 hours on the ship I suffered a severe medical emergency and my hubbers and I ended up in an air ambulance from Jamaica to New Orleans (for customs clearance) and back to South Dakota where I spent my "cruise" in ICU and missed all we had hoped to do afterwards in Florida visiting family and friends from Blogland. : (

I am home now and I'm going to be fine.  I have some recovering to do and, as frustrating as it is, I'm told it will "just take time". pooh!

Blogland is where we go to "get away from it all" and enjoy one another and our hobby so I have decided to keep "over sharing" in check. : )

I did get a couple of pictures as we were in the boarding area and of our room and in a misty rain off the nose of the ship a picture as we left port in Miami.  I also got  a "selfie" in my mirror that my sister, Susan, told me to take. Little did I know this was my last chance to get a picture of my husband and I together - I wish I would have asked him to join me in the mirror : )

Our cabin was sweetly decorated at my husband's request when we got there and as you'll see in the photos he spoiled me with roses and gifts.

Thank you in advance for your kind words of encouragement.  There were many disappointments in this trial but we got to see the hand of God in some amazing ways. He carried us through and carries us still. : )

I will be back to Blogland very soon, until then...

BIG (((Hugs)))
Patti

Penny Black - Fun Friday with Patti Kehl BLOG CANDY Winner!

Hello friends : )

It's really me this time - not a scheduled post : ) I am home and am a little late in announcing the winner of my BLOG CANDY - $25.00 in the Penny Black product of your choice.  I do apologize for being late.

I want to thank each and every one of you for the HUGE blessing you are to me!! I loved reading each comment - thanks to you and all your love my new hat doesn't fit! (big head - get it?) heehee

Without further ahhhh-do!!  The Random Generator selected:

Birgit Norton of "Crafting While I Wait" blog!

Congratulations Birgit, my friend : ) e-mail me so we can work out the details and get you your FREE STUFF!! : )

I've been working on a post to share a little about our adventure on the "high seas" but have decided to wait until tomorrow to post it so as to not take away from my blog candy winner post. : )

We are getting snow right now! welcome winter : )  I hope you are warm and cozy wherever you are!!

Finally a BIG HUGE thanks to Jill Foster and Penny Black who have welcomed me into their "family" and made me feel so loved and appreciated.  I love my feature on "Fun Fridays with Patti Kehl" and I hope you will see me and my favorite PB products here on my blog often!! : )

(((Hugs)))
Patti

Seize The Birthday - Presents!

Who doesn't LOVE presents!?! : ) At Seize The Birthday, for the next two weeks, you get to love presents more than ever before!! : ) because the "Toppings" for our challenge is:

Presents!

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well.....you can just

stick with our usual "Anything Goes"Birthday!

Just remember to keep it a Birthday Theme!

The choice is yours!

I love these products that let us create such sweet cards in such a short time!! : )

As far as I know we are home from our vacation : ) This is still a scheduled post that I've written from home before we left.  It is a weird feeling writing a post that will be scheduled out so far in advance. I think I am kind of "anal" (hate that term) because I worry that  my links wont work or something will be off but it sure is nice to be able to continue to participate in my challenges while I am away from my computer : ). Thanks for bearing with me if I goofed things up heeheehee.

Don't forget to link up with us in the gallery.  We love seeing your work there!

That is it for me today.  I really hope to be back with you IRL very soon! : ) Thank you for visiting.  Have a wonderful day!

Patti

Supplies:

Enclosed: Present die by Papertrey Ink
Balloon Bash stamp set by Papertrey Ink

Welcome! to the Serendipity Blog Hop

... and the theme for this month's Blog Hop is:

 Welcome!!

There are some really fun things happening during our Blog Hop! like a $20.00 Gift Certificate to the Serendipity Stamps Store!!  to one commenter randomly selected from all the blogs. Hoppers can leave comments through 11-20 the winner will be announced on Mary's blog on 11-21.

Also a reminder that the regular challenge for Serendipity that runs for the whole month is going on right now! The theme this month is Texture! : )  Enter your card in the gallery for another chance to win $20.00 : )

Don't forget that Serendipity Stamps brings us an amazing deal! with 50% off the Stamp of The Month!

50% off

I just love this Holly wreath.  I would love to have it hanging on my door.  I colored it using Prismacolor Pencils - shading with Gamsol.  I "wrapped" it with a Copper thread and popped it up before adding it to my card base.

That is it for me today but I wanted to share the best reason to hop with us today - and that is the inspiration you will get by visiting the blogs of our wonderfully talented Design Team!  We love it when you visit. Be sure to comment on each blog to enhance your chances to win!! : )  You should have arrived here from Miriam's blog and your next stop will be Carole

Mary's Blog

Marybeth Lopez

Miriam Napier

Patti Kehl

Carol Mayne

Vickie Zimmer

Jeanne Jachna 

Julie Warner
Karen Amidon

Thank you for hoping by : ) and have a wonderful day!!
Patti

Supplies:
Holly Wreath
$1.00 Paper Mini Mash Up assortment

Seize The Birthday and Seize the Stencils!!

Hello Crafty Friends.

Welcome to another challenge from Seize the Birthday where the toppings this time are "Stencils"

Just remember to keep it a Birthday Theme!

If you're not a toppings kinda person, well.....you can just

stick with our usual "Anything Goes"Birthday!

The choice is yours!

My darling image #40-430 "Va Voom!" is riding on #21-010 Zigs & Zags Stenciling. The sentiment is from  #30-297 Sprinkles and Smiles.  All the products listed are from Penny Black.

I'm hoping that you are having a wonderful time doing what you like best!! I hope I am too : ) this is our sixth day at sea : ) Can't wait to tell you all about our adventure when we return! : )

BIG salty  (((Hugs)))
Patti