This Weeks Lifts from Cardlifters and Liftateers

I hope you like this weeks lifts. I am not crazy about the black paper for Easter but you know what, all and all it isn't that bad of a LO. Not as bad as I thought it would be. I also am not crazy about the handwriting either but I do not write on many of my pages so it is nice once and a while to have real handwriting just for the future family to see. The page was lifted from Kate#4529 and the purse card was lifted from Kate #1332.

New Page Layout

For my lift in Liftateers I made this page of my son. Ya think I need to catch up a little in my scrapping? Yes that is the correct year...1980. Oh well, better late than never.
This was scanned in 4 pieces (how I wish I had a bigger scanner) and put together. I noticed it was a little off but after about 5 times scanning the same page I figured this was as good as it was going to get for me today. I really need a tip on how to scan all these sections yet move the paper without tilting it. I could have sworn it was exactly the same on the scan bed each time I scanned it but it wasn't.
Another good thing I learned was a better way of scanning so it don't wash all the details out of the project. Well, it still does a little but not like the way the card below was washed out (That bunny is not a flat solid object.)

This page of my son has the pop caps on it and in one is an apple (he loves apples) and the lower one is a green pepper and no it is not because I had nothing else to use but because when he was in his terrible two's I had a veggie garden out back. I grew tomatoes and peppers....some green bell peppers and some hot pepper that were green (can't remember if they stay green or turn red when ripe) and you may already have some thought to what happened and if you think that he took a green pepper and ate it burning his mouth you are wrong.
He picked a pepper.... again....after I told him 100 times not to and stopped him about 200 (remember them terrible 2's) so this time I just about had all I could take and so I let him bite into the hot pepper thinking it would be the last time he even touched the peppers again..... Not the case. He ate that pepper as if he were eating an apple...no face changing, eyes watering, screaming.....nothing. He enjoyed that pepper! I figured I messed up when I planted my peppers and have the hot where the bell are. Before I could stop him he picked another and bit into it so I asked him if it was good and he said yes. I then asked if I can have a bite and he was willing to share. So I bit into that pepper and I saw stars....my eyes watered, I can feel the steam in my throat, it was taking my breath away, and all I could do is spit the rest out and run for the bread. After a 10 min. recovery time I looked at him and told him it was hot. He told me no...good. 

(Inspired by Golden Amy 2996.)

The Correct Lift Made into a Card

Here is the card I made for Card Lifters.(See below post for the mix up.) This is from the same "Lift" as the page below except this time I made it into a card. Hope you like it.

My Mistake Works For Me

Ever notice some people have their comments at the bottom of their posts and some at the top? I can't tell you how many times I had posted on the wrong post because I went to the bottom but should have been going to the top. Forums are like that too....at least for me. I was on the Fiskars Forums and I wanted to join the Liftateers. This way it gives me that added push to get a page done. I got all messed up on which one to as there is a one year and a two year. I went to the one year figuring this is my first year there. I was suppose to be on the two year because they had the group now on year two. I also went back and asked if I could make a card out of the page we were to scraplift as it would make a good card. I was told no but there is a card one I could join but this group only does pages. Can be any size you want but pages. So I made it into a page....only to learn my mistake was compounded by the fact that when I went back to Liftateers year 1 to look at the project, I actually was on Card Lifters year 1 and that is why to me I wanted to make a card.....it was a card.
Well, now that the page can't be entered as Liftateers because it is the wrong page to lift from and it can't be entered into Card Lifters because although it is the correct page to lift from, it isn't a card. I used it for myself and thought this goes excellent in it. What do you all think?

You should know, this is my Mother at about the age of 18. That dress she is wearing is really pink. She loved Butterflies (as I do), don't know if you can see the lacy gloves or not but she loves roses also (she has some on her bouquet and they were also white and pink.)

(Both card and layout were inspired by Fiskateer Patty 2832)

Cards I made

This is my first time using Flower Soft on a card. Of course I have just started making cards. I think it turned out nice although on the scan you can't see this and it might even look like sloppy gluing but not only did I use Flower Soft I also used Fine Crystal so it sparkles and that is what is on the lettering as well as in the Flower Soft. I also used Diamond Glaze on the egg. It looks really nice, like a piece of glass is covering it and so shinny. 

 

This is my first time making a Sympathy Card...(see post below). I wanted this card perfect and I know it isn't as I can't get the stamps all perfect. I'll get one straight and one won't be. Or they are straight and I don't like the way I colored it, or have the shadow wrong, or some other thing. (The shadowing don't make sense to me. I went with the shadowing of the stamp but if you look at the Bible the shadow is to the right, like the light source is at the top of the Bible but now look at the flowers....they have the shadowing at the top like the light is coming from the bottom. It don't make sense to me.) They may be Copic Markers and I have the blender but for larger areas, it doesn't work where you can't tell so in the trash it goes. This is really "draft" number 16....and so I figured I better use this one or spend the rest of the night stamping and throwing it away because it isn't perfect. Then I figured I wasn't perfect as my hands don't always work and sometimes shake so why should the card be? I just wonder if I should be doing cards because of this. Who would want a card that is not perfect? 

I was going to stamp a candle on the inside of it across from the sentiments but I am afraid to because if it comes out slanted or something else goes wrong I will throw the whole card out and start again. By this rate the person will receive the card in about 10 years from now. Do you think it really needs it? Should I send this or should I just go buy one  instead...what do you think?

Update on Shawana

It is with great sadness that I tell you Shawana had passed away Friday night. Her struggle has ended and although that is a blessing I can't help feeling so sad and cry. I know I shouldn't as she has gone on to a far better place, a place with no pain and no illness..... Heaven has gained another Angel.

Calling All Fiskateers

Please check the message board about the United States of Fiskateers. In a quick summery it is happening this fall (date to be announced) and it is a Nation Wide Fiskateer Party. See the Fisk-a-teers Message Board for details and sign ups to be leaders in your state.

Shawana's Struggle - Update

Although I do follow a lot of people I do get to each site eventually and on one site I read a story about a women named Shawana that really pulled on my heart strings. It is on Penny Duncan Creations and I invite you to read it as well, here is part one and part two.
Naturally I just had to do something and in my group someone posted a beautiful book that I just fell in love with. I just had to make one and send it to Shawana. So here is my work in progress of her book. Parts are missing that I will be working on tonight (mainly the mini book that goes inside) but I just wanted to share not only my progress with this book but the story of Shawana and invite you too to please make an extra card and send it to her. The address is posted on Penny's site in part two.
UPDATE: The book is now done. Please scroll down to see the rest of it.
 

Again, I don't have a new camera yet so I appoligise for the fuzzy pictures. 

The 3D embellishment in the upper right corner says, "Inspire."

I didn't realize I never took the book at an angle so you can see that it appears to have pages.

 

I tried to get a better look at the corners, they are done in a crackle paint and match the ribbon.

This is the side the mini book goes in, you are looking at the bottom of the box with the pages.

 The Mini-book

I made my mini book with the seam binding instead of the paper hinges.

Unfortunately these lost the detail when I scanned them, they are really pretty in person. For example the one with the clocks is covered in crackle paint and one of the clocks is actually up off the page a bit...really nice. On the yellowish panel the rose is covered in that liquid glass. It's a bit 3D and so is the butterfly.

Thank You Card

I needed a thank you card for someone and figured it was the perfect time to practice both, card making and coloring with Copics. I have limited colors so it isn't as colorful as I really wanted but it was fun any ways. I also am just so addicted to my Stickels it isn't funny and figured I would give some glitz to it. It don't look that great here however it is really glittery in person. I also need to work on stamping straight but all in all I think it is ok for it being one of my first few attempts in cardmaking. However, I am not done with this. I just need to go to the store to pick up something but I am not sure what. See on the outside see how there is like little holes at the peak of each one of those scalloped curves? To me it is begging to have some sort of fiber swag going up to them. When I go shopping tonight I will have to see what jumps out at me. Any suggestions?
Someone shared this card file a long time ago and I don't remember who it was....thank you whoever you are.

Great News with Some Sad and New SVG

I need to go into a short background for those of you who don't remember or are new.

My son is in the Army stationed at Ft. Polk, LA. I haven't seen him since his last leave in July of last year at which time he came home and got married and had to go back a few days later. (Those are the wedding pictures on my blog). His wife, Christina,  lives here in CT and flew down last week to visit him. She was due back Monday night as she has work in the morning. She never moved down there as he is getting discharged some time in May or June of this year.

I couldn't sleep so I was awake at 4 in the morning (I was so sad and had to do this and will tell you all about it below this happy news) and I hear my door rattle as if someone was coming in. So I run into the living room to see who is walking into my house and it was Christina (who wasn't due back for days) and behind her was my son.

He all this time knew he was getting discharged and never said a word about it to her so he surprised her by having her come all the way down there for a visit so she can drive home with him. Then the two of them never said a word to me (my DH knew when she called him but won't tell me) and here they are. Finally he is home!!! He had so much leave time that he was able to get out early and surprise us. I can't believe it and I got to spend his BD with him (34) so I am made a nice dinner and had a cake for him.

Ok.....This is the sad part.....The reason I was awake at 4 in the morning is because on my groups someone said that they were getting company in awhile because her cousin had 10 days to go until his time was done overseas. He was the lead vehicle and hit one of those mines and was killed. She wanted to know if any one has a field cross as they were making a memorial book for the funeral. I have a field cross on my Jeep and with my work with the veterans and memorials I even made several but I never made one into a SVG so I was up all night making an image of one to be used in the memorial book. A book to given to some other soldier's mother as this is all she will have of her son.....memories.

So here I am making this image all night and feeling so sad that this family is going through this wondering if I too will go through this and here though the door walks my son. I thank God I will never feel the pain this family is feeling (and so many more did before and I bet so many will have to go through) because my son is home safe.

The field cross I made is listed in the SVGs on the left side bar....please, pause and give thought for all the families that did not get the wonderful surprise I got with their loved one coming home. I don't care if you are for the war or against it....(has nothing to do with it)...it is about a family losing a loved one who was out there doing his/her job for the USA.

Thanks

The Humorous Card I Made

Pet Week Continues

Cindy has pet week going on at her blog. Below are the stories of my cats and one of my dogs. Now we it only natural to follow with a bird. So here is the story of Grey Bird...and how a bird almost cost me my marriage.

Grey Bird is an African Grey which can talk...and talk he did. When I met him (he was my ex-husband's bird) he talked a little bit but with me being home and caring for him his vocabulary grew almost daily. Some good....some not so good. You really had to watch what you said around him because he would repeat things that you didn't even realize was said. Then I finally caught on that his cage was in the living room which is where the TV was and he was repeating things that were said on the TV. So it was a challenge with him to say the least.
Besides Grey Bird, I also cared for a crazy squirrel and a blue bird. Yes they were outside but that is because I had to keep shooing them out there. They come every day and the squirrel would jump on the screen as to say here I am and believe me that blue jay wasn't far behind. You had to be quick with the door or they would come in (and did a few times when I was slow). I ended up naming the squirrel Rupard and the blue jay was Mr Blue Jay. Every day I would have to shoo Rupard off the screen because I didn't want him to tear it and then I would go out with the peanuts and of course the two of them competed for every last nut as I played referee. This went on for months and months.
Then one day my (at the time) husband walked in the door after work and Grey Bird didn't say his usual "Hello Dummy" instead he said "Rupard get out of here". My husband said "what?" Grey Bird pipped up "Rupard get down". So my husband looks at me and says "Who the hell is Rupard?" I told him it was the squirrel and needless to say he didn't believe me at first. Thank goodness I already did the pages below as that convinced him Rupard was a squirrel.
(As you may have noted, I said ex-husband but the divorce had nothing to do with the bird.)
I often even to this day think of that crazy Grey Bird and wonder how he is doing. Wonder if they are taking care of him. I am sure Rupard has more screens to jump on. My neighbors were aware of him and his ways so I am sure someone else has given him his nuts. But sometimes when I go out on my porch I can hear the chattering of the squirrels and the call of the blue jays and my thoughts go back to the days of playing referee with my peanuts in hand.