Just Checking In..!

Well, there's nothing really exciting going on 'n da Hood…so this is just a quick check in.
Found some really fun things on sale today…and will be playing today in the Studio in between laundry loads.
Speaking of sales…you should check out the deep, DEEP discounted items on my website

A New Year….and a whole lotta news!

What's new with Close To My Heart?
Thankfully, we are now beginning the transition to 2TWO Idea Books per year.
Personally, I'm excited about this!
Since the new 2011 Idea does not go live until February 1st, we have a "tweener" Idea Book called Inspirations!
With all great inspirations, this one comes with wonderful artwork that will inspire you and a FAB deal worth $$$ towards new products and of course, FREE items as well!
You can view it HERE on my website, and place your order right away!

If you are in the Sacramento area…mark your calendars for my Annual "Gotta Go" stamp sale on January 15th. Join me for light refreshments and the deals of the century on "retired" stamp sets!

The End of 2010

This has been quite the year, and quite frankly, I am done with it.

As of late, I have been a very bad blogger. I admit it. Between living in two households while helping Gramie after her accident, working full-time which includes an hour each commute, and trying to keep my own household up, there wasn't much time for art or even a daily posting.

Recently, I lost a co-worker. He was a very sweet spirited person, loving/doting father/husband  and all around nice guy. He "sang" to our callers. Not "sing" in a musical way. "Sing" as in a soothing, sincere tone. It was incomprehensible that I will never hear that voice again. Ski on Kev.

Since his death, as most people do, I reflect. I don't reflect well. Most people reflect on the good, the positive. I reflect on regret. 

Should I have bought the second pair of TOMS?

(well, sure! a child gets a pair, too!)

Should I have gotten a less expensive new car?

(yea, I could tie all my stuff to the roof of any size car)

Should I have stayed away the first time I left this house 16 yrs ago?

(I don't honestly know where I would be)

Why can some people be negative, grumpy, uncaring and a sour-puss and I enable that?

(cause I have a great studio to hide from it)

See? I don't reflect like most people. 

Anyhoot; I found the perfect way to reflect with words:

For those of you who love a great deal….

Holiday Card Class
$20 Nov.13th
Contact me for more info and to register!

and ….THANKS!!!!

November Blog Hop…Mistletoe!

After some extreme issues with blogspot and posting here it is!
Fabulous artwork and of course, I am so not worthy!!!

If you came here from Erica's blog, you're in the right place (and I better if you sneaked around before I updated, you probably wondered, WTH?!!!)

Since I neglected to actually order the beautiful holiday kit from CTMH called Mistletoe, I used some sample swatches to make the card…I do love the papers!
The verse is actually colored in with our Glitter Rub Ons…am kind of out of practice with them but still really cool and no mess with glitter!

Now hop on over to Betsy's blog for some more fabulous artwork!

The 3 Muskateers…40 years later!

40 years ago:
I was a puny freshman in High School and met up with these 2 others.
As the world around us was changing, we endured many things in those few short years that we were inseparable…wars, presidential failures, women's rights coming to the forefront again…how hormones defined us or ruled us.
There was a lot more hair involved…and a lot less weight for a couple of us.
We were not wild rich kids but lived in a beautiful newly developed area only a few blocks apart.
There were no cell phones, or computers only the iconic telephone that we hung on for hours even after just leaving each at the bus stop.

One Day ago:
We reunited.
The reunion involved tears, laughter, great food and I'm pretty sure, a lot of alcohol.
We found out that other than a few years out of the 40, we were within 30 miles of each other and never knew it.
We shared the loss of loved ones, family dynamics, our careers, and tried to solve many current social issues as well.
We all sound EXACTLY the same as we did 40 years ago but would not have recognized each other walking down the street.
There are now 2 new sets of email addresses, cell phone numbers and home addresses in my phone and I will GPS them a couple times a week to know I haven't lost track of them again.

OOOPS…We did it Again!

More fun at Stampin' Memories…

additional details to come but meanwhile imagine, carmelized bacon, cheesie shredded potatoes, home-made scones and jellies, quiche, ham, turkey sausage, fruits and more!

It's That Time Again…!!

We interrupt this blog, job, and household chores to attend our fall Stampin' Memories Scrapbook Getaway!
Click HERE to see some of the fun you probably have missed by not attending:-)
See ya on the down side next week!

Blog Hop for October! (what? OCTOBER already?)

If you've landed here from Erica's Blog, you're on the right track.

I was invited to participate in a "Blog Hop".
I don't who is going to be sorrier; me or the gals who invited me!
I've been in an artistic slump lately…yup, not a creative bone in my body.
But here goes...
The main focus is the beautiful papers or the colors from the new Olivia papers from Close To My Heart.
Love the papers so much I forgot to order them. But I do have the cardstock colors...

I love the new colors: Pear and Sunset. Who'd a thunk that they would have been paired with Barn Red? And aren't those mini-button-braids just the cutest stankin' thing?!
I cheated and added some B/T from another set as the background. So sue me.
 
Now hop on over to Mary's Blog 






Have a fun time!

Dads Are Heros Without Capes

As I was thinking of how Mom is going to have to adapt to life with (hopefully) a temporary disability, I remembered how I felt when I watched a long-time friend's daughter get walked down the aisle by her father who suffers from MS.

Walking her down the aisle was always Billy's Plan A…right up to the night before the wedding, Plan B was looking better. We all giggled thinking well, the Bride would look oh-so-cute on the back of his scooter. Or hey, even matching scooters! But Billy wasn't even thinking of Plan B. HIS Plan, Plan A was gonna happen.

I had arrived a tad late for my taste, but LUCKILY was put right at the back of the church.
I will never be so glad that I was at the back of the church again!

I saw him "scoot" into the foyer of the church and my heart swelled. No matter how it happened, he was still going to take his daughter down that aisle.
And then he….
he stood up.

Well I choked up right about there. I didn't think this could get any better.
And then….
She walked to him and supported him back to the white linen carpet and said,

"I gotcha Dad"
Well I just bawled right out loud. Along with 450 others. I think if we weren't all wiping our noses, we might have applauded.
And dang if he didn't…

walk her all the way down that aisle!
Now most people wouldn't bother with a rear-end shot like this…but to me it was a monumental shot. Then 50 people pushed me out the way to get the same shot.
It was a mass ceremony. 1.5 hours. I was a wreck.
And then…damn!

if he didn't walk HIS bride back down the aisle.
I'm tellin ya I was toast by the end of this wedding!
Oh but wait…that can't be the end of the story.

You see, when Helen and Billy got married, I was one of their 7 bridesmaids. And when I got married Helen was pregnant with this darling bride and her twin sister and was my Matron of Honor.
The other twin will be married in February.
THIS Father/Daughter dance brought the day to a whole new level of awwwwwwww…..

Billy's Hero Cape flew in the wind of all of our tears that day.