So much happening in my little world

Getting our passports ready for our big trip to Ireland in September... can't wait. Making all the plans is so fun. Dreaming of our visits with Mark and Evette, David and May Marshall, Heidi Yoder, and Stephanie. Can't wait to see them! I am concerned about Eric and his health.. the long plane trip, staying in bed and breakfasts, new food, new germs.. oh well. We will take one day at a time.

Knitting is my obsession right now. I haven't scrapbooked in 3 months - I haven't even looked at it. I am so enjoying wool and yarn and knitting patterns - I only want to knit, knit, knit! I finished a cardigan about 3 months ago and it inspired me to knit ALL the time. Also, my knitting projects are portable - I can take them wherever I go - ONE bag with all the yarn and needles. Unlike scrapbooking - I have to pack the kitchen sink.

We finally had some family pictures taken - real photographer (aka not ME) and a beautiful location. We went to Oakwood Park, downtown, in October, and the leaves hadn't even changed yet. This was one of the silly pictures. I am in love with every picture our photographer took. She really captured the essence of our family, our personalities, and our silliness. If only you could see what was happening in between the pictures - that would tell a whole different story. I had to yell at Christian - he would not stop being extremely silly. These will be the only pictures we have of our family done by a professional photographer for - like - the rest of our lives! I did not want the kids ruining it - grrrr. All the whining beforehand, the "why do we have to do this?", the "I don't want to go", the "I don't have anything to wear", AND "I don't want to wear that". EVEN with all that, I am SO glad Eric and I pushed through and we got these forever photos. One of our best photos; yeah, it was SOOOO worth it!

I've been working at Tri Properties for over 2 years now. Wow, where does the time go?  Christian (our oldest) moves out THIS Sunday into an apartment. Do you know how long I've been praying for him to fly out of the nest and be his own man? Noelle, now 23 years old, started her new job yesterday; got her first car and car payment; and is sublimely happy to be working. Cade graduates from High School this May and plans on joining the army. Lots happening - all good. All very good.

On my heart today

On my heart today are so many people, thoughts and dreams...

I think my kids take up most of my thoughts... along with my husband. Thankful that his health is so much better. Three years since his heart transplant... what a journey we have been on. And three kids at home. My biggest joy and my biggest frustration. How can both emotions be there at the same time and the same intensity? But it's the truth.

My artistic side is constantly changing. I love that and I encourage change. I don't want to be stagnant in any area of my life or personality. Spending lots of time looking at embroidery stitches. I have always loved stitching - it is so calming for me. I saw the small embroidery hoop necklaces - can you say ADORABLE! I am practicing stitches in the evening. I had no idea how hard it is to get even stitches and make the stitches pretty and consistent. I am hoping to make Margaret (my bff) a "M" embroidered necklace. Working on it! I found the cutest mini embroidery hoops on Etsy.com. I contacted Wendy Gratz, site owner of www.shinyhappyworld.com. She emailed me after I signed up for her blog feed - she asked me if I had any questions and if she could help me in any way! What? Hello? I have NEVER had anyone do that before! I am impressed. I asked her if she knew where to find the mini embroidery hoops for necklaces. She emailed me right after with a source on Etsy. How cool is she? Yep. Way cooooool.

 

Aren't these embroidered flowers in frames gorgeous? I am in serious "like" of these. The picture was posted on Pinterest... I can't find the link now...

Make it a great Thursday!
Heather xo

More Pocket Letters - my new addiction

I am going scrapbooking this weekend! I can't wait. It will be a very small group of women - about 5 of us. And there's a scrapbook store about a mile down the road. YAY!

I am still involved in many pocket letter swaps on www.pocketletterpals.com. It's been a lot of fun. I am going to finish the remaining swaps and take a break though. I spend at least 2 hours on each PL. That's just too much time for me right now. I need to be journaling on my layouts that I've done. And I have about 50 layouts needing journaling. So, I have to make priorities!

Teal Pocket Letter:

 Tropical Paradise PL:

 

Random PL to a lady in Sweden:

 

 





The photos do not do the PL's justice. I believe they look better in person. I hope my swap partners like them.

I went to the beach a couple of weeks ago - before all the shark attacks! I only stood about ankle deep in the ocean water. I went with 3 girlfriends and we had a BLAST! We ate seafood, drank wine (it's for therapy only- hee, hee), talked, sat by the ocean and laid out by the pool. I like the pool better... no sharks with sharp teeth looking for a juicy thigh.

My toes are on the bottom right. Yes, we all have cute toes that match our swim suits. We're good like that. Next to my foot to the left is Sue (or Cricket), then Renee, and Michelle (at the 12 o'clock position). I love these ladies!

 

Until next time!

Heather xxoox

 



Recent Pocket Letters

Haven't had time to post in awhile. Two weeks ago I went to Scrapbook Creations and cropped for 3 full days. FUNNNNN!!!!

This weekend I am headed to the beach. I haven't been down to the ocean in several years. And how I've missed the salt air, sand and ocean. So I won't be posting until I get back.

Anyhoo, I have been busy crafting Pocket Letters.

Here are some recent ones:
Owl Pocket Letter: I spent hours on this one. I watercolored behind all the mason jars, then watercolored in the mason jars. I stitched the bow. Then used watercolors. I colored in the digistamps with Spectrum Noir markers. This Pocket Letter was sent to Sweden.

Here are a few more PL's that I sent out today:

My new Addiction: Pocket Letters

I have been learning to color with alcohol markers which blend beautifully. I tried to attach a picture but it turned out huge when I inserted in this blog. Sorry about that! But I have been having a blast coloring all kinds digi stamp images. I especially enjoy Tiddly Inks images - the cutest little girls you've ever seen. I am crazy for cute, whimsical images and just can't help myself!

Below is a picture of my new obsession! POCKET LETTERS. Using a a 9 pocket baseball card sheet, fill each pocket with your paper, embellishments, ANYTHING and fold it into thirds and MAIL it to your "pal" in a #10 envelope. If you are interested in finding out about pocket letters (PL), visit www.pocketletterpals.com or click here. Janette Lane, the creator of Pocket Letters, has revived pen pals and snailmail and raised it to an art form! I have joined many swaps on this swap. The PL below was sent to my swap partner and the theme was Spring. I received a PL back from my swap partner and it was precious. She lives in California so her pictures and embellishments reflected spring time in her region. I now LOVE to go to the mailbox. I never know when I will get a PL from one of my swap partners.

In the top left pocket: I die cut a bow out of felt. Top middle: I die cut a butterfly out of paper. Top right: I made flowers to crepe paper on toothpicks. Middle left pocket: behind the paper I put washi tape samples; Middle Pocket: Picture I printed of our state's flower. Middle right: behind the paper was green and yellow buttons held in by green washi tape. Bottom left was white, translucent confetti held in by green washi tape at top. Bottom middle, I stitched a heart. And bottom right holds a felt chicken I received as a gift. 

Lots of stuff going on personally. Cade's 11th grade year is winding down. He has two more weeks before summer. Hopefully he will get a little job this summer. He is going to apply at several places. His soccer team's schedule is also winding down. His team qualified for the state cup because of their wins during the season. Last week, Cade had the winning goal at the last minute of the game to advance to the quarter-finals of the state tournament. Tomorrow night they play a Charlotte team. IF his team wins, they will go to the semi's and then the finals this weekend. How exciting that they've made it this far!

There's our boy! I wouldn't mess with him on the soccer field either - 6 ft. 1 in., 190 pounds, large leg muscles, and size 14 soccer shoes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Spring!

I wanted to wish you HAPPY Spring! What a gorgeous day it is here. I met my husband and daughter at an east Indian restaurant. The food was great. I order Chicken Tikka Masala - the "mildest" dish on the menu. :) Well, it was hot to me, anyway. But, oh so good. Noelle can't get it HOT enough. She order the hottest chicken dish (can't remember the name) and then went to the sauce bar and added MORE hot sauce. I can't image being able to eat food that is so hot. But she does it all the time.

I finished up my recipe cards for the recipe swap last week. At the scrapbook crop on Saturday, we all swapped our recipe cards.

I shared my Swedish Apple Pie recipe. If you like Apple Cobbler - then this is the recipe for you. Using my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, I colored my digital stamp called Woodland Background from Prairie Fairy Designs and mounted it on kraft colored card stock. It took me quite a few hours to color the image 16 times but I was pleased with how it turned out.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful day with me! Here's to wishing you sunshine and rainbows!

Heather xo

Thoughts on Cade's 17th Birthday

Where did the time go? I sound like an old woman. Well, I'm feeling more and more like an old woman. My youngest turns 17 - yes, SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD.

He was the cutest little guy evah. I ain't lying. Our whole family was so in love with him. And sweet. Really sweet. Tenderhearted, energetic, compliant, deep thinker, loving, big heart, sensitive, and our son. I remember tucking his angel wings under him when he was a baby.

Now he's a 6 foot tall man - with hairy legs and face - who never wants to shave. He knows he can't have facial hair at school in the 11th grade. In the 12th grade, he can. He'll earn that privilege next year.

But he still has the same big heart and loving attitude. Most of the time. The other "times" I blame on hormones. He still has such a soft heart. But he is so tough. He is a really thick, muscular dude.

And we love him. I'm so glad the Lord gave him to us. Our family just wasn't complete until Cade became a part of it.

Heather, aka mama xoxoxxo