Happy Birthday America

Happy 4th of July.  We are so blessed to live in this country.  Thanks to all that serve abroad and at home to keep our land safe. 
Don't forget my give a way.

Teddy Bear Thursday and a gift for a friend

Is this not the cutest thing ever.  It is a picture of a birth announcement of one of my "littles'.  I think he was 3 weeks old when this was taken.  Love that face.

This is a mini chipboard album.  The first view is the front and the second the back.  On Better Homes and Gardens craft newletter this week I saw the idea.  Ding, Ding went my brain as I had the car album.  I wanted to make an album for my friend that just returned from a 2 week road trip, but I hadn't thought of using the car.   Mine doesn't look like the one on the website .  I decorated it very simple as the pictures will have to be small to fit in the book.  Lots of ribbon on the chain.  I have some adorable steering wheels that I can't seem to find.  Maybe today  they will  be found and I can add them before I mail it.  I inked all the edges.  The flag was adorable on the front but a little too fragile.

Mary Engelbreit Apron Swap

I am participating in  Cindy's rick-rack and gingham  M.E. apron swap.  My first swap of this type so I have no clue if I did it right.  My apron is the waist type.  I had to have a scottie on it.  In the pocket s a ruler (neat new ribbon), a pencil, and a yoyo paper clip.  I bought these paper clips in Colorado and thought they were the cutest things ever.  I hope to get these mailed today.
It is cool in Ohio today, yippee, a short break from the heat.
Don't forget to enter my give-a-way......make a comment and/or become a follower. 

Have a great day.

My First Give-A-Way

I have enjoyed blogging so much since I started in March.  I have met some beautiful people inside and out through this experience.  I feel like you are all a part of my extended family.  We share our homes, lives, comments.  We don't do this for personal gain but for the love of others.  I get excited every time I see there is a new follower.  I feel that I have a new friend.  I know that I spend way too much time doing this but I gain so much.  I actually think blogging makes me feel better about myself.  I care about all of you, say prayers for you and wish nothing but the best.  Okay,  I need to stop this as I have no idea where I am headed.  I have decided it is time for me to give back to all of you.  So, I am going to give-a-way one of my altered boxes.  Nothing spectacular but something from my heart.  There a little something special inside.  So here is how you can win this.  If you are a follower you are automatically entered.  If you leave a comment and are a follower, I will enter you twice.  If you leave a comment but don't choose to follow (sob) you will also have one chance.    Make sure I have some way of getting in touch with you.  GOOD LUCK and thanks for all the fun I am having.

Sorority Rush

Karen at Some Days are Diamonds started a Blog Sorority. 
For rush we had to do something with the above picture.  I had my husband copy the picture at work and he brought home this huge picture.....just last night.  So quickly I made a scrapbook page.  I used buttons, paint, cute little flowers and Tim Holtz dimensional crown and Glimmer Mist.   We were supposed to take a picture of ourself with the project.....that didn't work out so I added this crazy picture of me taken by 3 year old Elliana, my granddaughter. 

I have only been blogging a few months and love the people that I have met.  Such wonderful caring people.  I think this sorority will be so much fun.  Thanks Karen.

Teddy Bear Thursday and the butterfly story

This teddy bear was a post wedding gift from my daughter.  I recently posted about her butterfly release at her wedding at the top of a mountain.  The butterflies were Monarcks that they released.  They were ordered and delivered a couple of days before the wedding.  We had to lower the air conditioning to keep them cold until the ceremony. 
After the ceremony everyone was given a butterfly.  There wings were closed as they were still cold.  We had to wait for them to warm up to fly off.   That didn't happen for several minutes.  One butterfly choose to land on my daughter's bouquet and stayed there throughout all the photos.  How neat was that.  When we started down the mountain it decided to attach itself to my daughter's neck.  That got a little weird.  He was nudged a little to take off. 
At the reception every once in awhile you'd see a Monarch floating by.
The had a little gift shop at the Dude Ranch were we had the reception and my daughter bought this bear with the Monarch for me.
Funny story about the reception.  When we arrived for the wedding they were serving breakfast. 
About one hour before the wedding they finally finished.  One of the groom's brothers and I got the room ready for the reception in just a matter of minutes.  He took care of the cake table and I did the other tables with flowers, favors and etc.  I also was checking in on my daughter getting ready.  It was crazy but such an easy wedding to put together.  It was a morning wedding with a brunch following.  The grooms family are from the Southhamptons and our family hadn't met them until this occasion.  We had dinner the night before in Boulder, Brunch after the wedding and then that evening another dinner in Boulder.  We had such a good time.  When the groom's brother sat next to me at the last dinner I said, "  Oh, no, I don't think I can laugh anymore, I am exhausted.  It was such a fine blending of families.  The interesting thing is there is at least 20 years difference between my husband and I and the groom's parents.  The groom's sister is our age.  Great family.

Time

Don't strain your eyes please, this is what the sign says......Life is not measured by the breaths you take but the moments that take your breath away.
Isn't this a beautiful saying.  I had been looking for something to go under my big clock.  I saw this at FRENCH BLEU VINTAGE and knew it was what I wanted.
Today is my daughter's anniversary.  They were married atop a mountain in Estes Park overlooking the Continental Divide.  The wedding was in a tiny chapel that only held 30 people.  They did a butterfly release before heading down the mountain to the reception inside a ranch.  This was one of those breath taking moments.  My son's anniversary is this week as well.  They got married at the bride's home......another breath taking moment.  Flowers everywhere and where the guests sat under a beautiful white tent.
My son and his girls and their Mama are headed home today from
New Jersey.  They have been at the beach.  They got to see a whale that was close to shore.  Unbelievable, wouldn't you say?   I am so glad they got to experience that.  My son said people were flocking to the beach to see the whale. 
So on this first day of summer as some of us cherish the
A/C, enjoy those "moments" that take your breath away.
((((HUGS))))