Been busy at the hospital

While my husband continues to wait for a heart transplant in the hospital, I cart all my "stuff" to his hospital room and die-cut to my heart's content. He needs a BIGGER hospital room - I can't seem to have enough room for all my papers, die-cuts, cards, and STUFF! This is Eric's 3rd week on the balloon pump. Please pray for him to get a new heart... and soon!

Anyway, I created a few cards with my new Die-Versions dies. First up is a thank-you card:

I used two Die-Versions dies on this card: from the Whispers collection, I used the Lucky Scallop die (the lacey, scalloped doily above). You can find this die here (scroll down to the bottom of the page on the right side). I also used the die: Compliments - Everyday. I LOVE the Compliments - Everyday die - cuts out these beautiful sentiments like "thank you", "congratulations", "miss you", etc.

That brings me to the next card! I used the Fleur-de-Lis die (find it here) using white cardstock; the sentiment "miss you" came from the same die as the "thank you" in the above card: the Compliments - Everyday die. You can find this die here.

These dies cut out this beautiful detail. I am so impressed with the quality of this dies - yes! they are made in the USA. What could be better than that? And there are so many uses for them. I can't wait to make a few layouts with them in the coming weeks and month.

Thanks for visiting my little blog today! Have a GREAT day!
Heather xo

GREAT news!

I have been chosen as one of the inaugural members of the Die-Versions Design Team! I am beyond excited! I will be creating new layouts, cards, and paper crafts with all kinds of new dies! You can view some of the dies at www.scrapyland.com.  Also you can view some of the brand-new dies that will be available in July 2012 on their Facebook page: Die-Versions. I'm excited just to be a part of such a talented group of women and it's humbling to think that I was even chosen!

Here is some of the layouts and cards I submitted in my application:

Also, I have been published in the April, May, and June 2012 issues of Cricut Magazine. If you haven't had a chance to purchase these magazines, I am attaching one layout that was published.

Thanks for celebrating with me over my new news! Hopefully I will have some new creations to post to this blog very soon.
Heather xxoo

Summer has Started!

I am attending a class at a local college here. All about using Wordpress for your blog and your website. I am going to rock my blog! I truly am. I can't wait to learn more. Then I am going to move all my blogging, etc. to Wordpress. I had NO IDEA how many possibilities there are to make your blog an amazing tool for information, for fun, for networking, for sharing your love of ANYTHING. So, I hope to build my blog into something that people will enjoy visiting over and over again.

The latest June Cricut Magazine published one of my layouts. I haven't submitted anything recently due to my husband's health. He is on the heart transplant list at Duke University, currently awaiting a heart. He's been in heart failure for over a year but he is critical now. He stayed 8 days in the hospital recently to stabilize him. He has a picc line that gives him medicine 24/7. We are very excited to see what the Lord is going to do for him.

An old friend sent him this Tin Man to place on our coffee table. You know, the Tin Man needed a heart. Thus, Eric is the Tin Man... I wonder if that makes me the Scarecrow (who needed a new brain.) hee, hee.

I have been uploading a lot of layouts to A Cherry on Top scrapbooking site. Go here if you'd like to see some of my newest creations. I'm going to be uploading a ton more today if I get time and my hubby is feeling ok.

Have a GREAT day! It's raining here... a girlfriend and I are going out to lunch and to see Prometheus (movie). We LOVE scary movies!! Weeeeeeeee, weeeeeee, weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Great News!

I have neglected this blog due to - well, MY HUSBAND! He is now listed on the heart transplant list in the southeast. His heart has been failing for many years but when his kidneys started shutting down, the doctors knew it was time to put him on the transplant list. He could be waiting anywhere from days, to weeks, to months for the perfect heart that matches him. We are excited for Eric to start feeling better. We are constantly reminded of the verse from Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail; but God is the strength of my life and my portion forever." Eric and I are so thankful that God has the perfect heart for Eric... if God can create the earth with all its majesty and beauty, what can God NOT do? And his love is perfect. So we are resting in all He has planned for us. And we are humbled to think that someone else's loss of a loved one will be one of the greatest blessings to Eric and our whole family ever.

Before Eric had his week stint in the hospital, I submitted about 5 layouts... to scrapbook mags, etc. I haven't heard anything so I assume they aren't going to be published...

Here is what I've been creating lately:

I had a great time creating these. I didn't worry a BIT about what others thought of my layouts. I "played" with the papers, stickers, punches, and chipboard.

Maybe ONE day I will be published. I hope so..........

Scrapbooking ALL Weekend!

I went to visit my sister near Greenville, SC. She suggested that we scrapbook some. And that we did. We really had a good time and spent hours just talking. She is such a sweet sister. I don't deserve such a sweet sister - who truly cares about me and encourages me. She is so spiritually minded and always reminds me to count ALL my blessings - which are so many!

We made a trip to Hobby Lobby but we restrained ourselves and didn't buy a ton there. I purchased a Smash Book with all the "fixings" for my Jennie's daughter, Amy, my niece. She already loves scrapping so I think she'll really enjoy her Smash Book. What a dear, sweet niece she is!

Jennie and I also talked long and hard about the upcoming missions trip that I will be joining her family for - June 21st through July 3rd - at an Indian reservation in Montana. I am SO excited! It is really basic living out there... there is NO Starbucks. I don't know how I'll survive - but maybe I will just learn how really spoiled I am! Really! I am getting more excited and so want my life to be more than JUST about ME!

I will post a few layouts that I've created recently. I've been relaxed and only worried that I like the layouts and that I"m having fun. That's it. How freeing that has been!

Here's a picture of my sweet sister, Jennie!

Layout Dilemma (2 recent Layouts)

I have a dilemma:

 I have submitted layouts month after month to Scrapbook Trends magazine. Here are two layouts I submitted last month for the girlfriends category. I love - I mean LOVE - My Mind's Eye papers, brads, embellishments - EVERYTHING from My Mind's Eye. And their Lost and Found collection is so pretty - especially for girlfriend layouts. So my dilemma: Do I RE-SUBMIT layouts to a magazine if they aren't accepted previously for the publication?

I just can't decide. I guess I would be interested in what the magazine would think if you re-submit. Also, I think Scrapbook Trends looks specifically for layouts from the big name women in scrapbooking... those who have big blogs, lots of advertising, etc. My blog needs work. I admit it. I am learning how to improve it slowly. Especially with all the family problems we have been having.

I also submit to Cricut magazine. I had TWO layouts and ONE framed piece published in the April 2012 issue. That's so exciting! But I would LOVE to be published in other mags.

Any opinions on my dilemma? Do you re-submit the same layouts later IF the layouts weren't chosen?  I'd love to hear from you. Truly!

What a Week I've had!

We have been navigating some really rough waters the past week - i am so glad that it is somewhat behind us! I have never been too exposed to mental health issues - but the past 3 years have been a crash course in Bi-Polar Disorder in one of our family members.

I am so thankful for all our friends, family members, church family, etc. who have been instrumental in supporting us through this roller coaster ride. Whew! Realizing that our kids are not ours... they belong to the Lord. They are His. And He loves them way more than we could ever love them. That has been a huge comfort.

There are a lot of people who don't understand the sickness that can occur in the brain. There is definitely a chemical inbalance in someone's brain that can totally change a person's countenance, behavior, attitudes, and outlook on life. How powerful our brains are! THANK the Lord that there is medication now - and so much help for - people who suffer with a mental illness or disorder. I am learning - so much and so fast.

If you know of any online sources to help with mental disorders - please email me! I would love to hear from you. AND if you have been touched by mental illness, I know what you're going through. I truly do. It's hard. But when your loved one is affected, you love them through all the ups and downs.

Heather
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