Counting My Many Blessings

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah" Psalms 68:19

Hello Dear Readers,

  I am definitely counting my blessings.  I have not been able to craft for months, and now I am back at it.  I am so blessed to have the use of my hands again after falling after Christmas and breaking both my wrists!  Two surgeries and implants of plates and screws in both wrists later, and lots of physical therapy, I am back!

Today I was inspired by  sketch #414 at Sketches In Thyme.  

I wanted document these little notepads I had made for our church gift  baskets.  I will be doing the photos of the baskets on another layout.  These papers and embellishments are from a me & my Big ideas  bought on clearance years ago!  So when  was looking or papers to go with my photos I came across it. I thought it worked well with the sketch, and I found  the big wooden arrow and the fabric hearts, and a heart that was a pin on the right in my stash.  I really liked this sketch, and decided to add it to the entries.

Be sure and click on the link above and check out the other participants.

I am so glad you stopped by.  

T Stands For Typing Is Difficult!

Ps. 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me."


I am feeling so much better I thought I would post, even though  I still have casts on!  Believe me it is difficult to type! The good thing is I am no longer in pain, unless all this blogging and also pie making bring it on!  Yes, feeling so good,I baked  a pecan pie!

Oh, if you don't know, while visiting our daughter at Christmas  we went walking and I fell and broke both my wrists.  The broken wrists broke my fall and saved my head!  They took me to ER, where they took X-rays and wrapped them, and gave me a prescription for  pain pills.  Coming home on the plane with cast on one side past the elbow, and in a sling, and the other in a cast to the elbow made for an uncomfortable trip.   The day after New Years, I had surgery on both.  They implanted plates and screws in both, and put me in heavy white casts. For about three weeks, I couldn't do anything!   Several weeks later they took thoses off and put me in these black splints that I can take off when bathing, but have to wear all other times. Only in the last day or so have I felt well enough to almost be able to totally dress my self!  My dear hubby has had to do everything!  He made the comment that Winter is usually boring, but he has been too busy to notice this year!  Hopefully, I will start PT next week.  Right now, I can't unscrewn lids, and barely turn doorknobs.

What have I done, since I can't do anything and hubby does it all?  Reading books on my iPad!
I re-read Little Women, and all the Anne of Green Gable books.  I shocked my 16 year old granddaughter when I said  I prefer Anne of Green Gables!  I have watched lots of craft you tubes! The first few weeks, last of Dec. through part of January, when on pain pills I watched a lot of Hallmark movies!  I am now pretty sick of & reading!  I am ready to start crafting! okay, fingers are sore now!  So here is my post.

First pecan pie I have ever made!  I don't know what possessed me to do it today!

Of course, I made a mess!  I have this to look forward to cleaning, with casts on!

These are casts they put on me after surgery.

This is what I looked like after they cut the casts off.

And the casts/splints I have been wearing since.

Friends, several from our church brought in meals and flowers.

I felt loved when Kathy of the Ozarks sent this card.  Thank you!

Jan, Crafty Scoripo sent this lovely card!  Thank you Jan.

These are the first arrivals of a Tea Pot Party for me on Splitcoaststampers.  The theme was places to visit, in honor of my scrap albums of all our trips. One of these came all the way from France!   I love them.  I will show rest next time! 

One friend has been sending me cards with nice newsy letters every week.  So sweet of her!

A lot of other handmade cards my crafty friends have sent me!  Aren't they all beautiful?

I am linking up at Bleubeard's  Elizabeths  for our TStands For Tuesday. The link is on my sidebar.  Come join the party!

Well, my fingers are wore out! I DO WANT TO PRAISE God for my wonderful, loving, caring, patient husband!  I could not have got through this without him! I praise God for all our friends who brought meals, and just did kinf tings for us. I praise God for healing!

Thank you for all the get well wishes you all posted on my last post!  You all cheered me!  Happy T Day!

T Stands For Truly Merry Christmas!

Isa 9:6-7 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called

Wonderful, Counsellor, 

The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace"

Welcome readers to another TSFT.  We are again getting together with each for a sip of our favorite beverage over at Altered Book Lover with Bleubeard & Elizabeth.  As this is a scheduled post, I cannot link here; but you will find the TSFT link on my sidebar.  Feel free to join us anytime. Find out all about it over at our hostess's.

It is all about Christmas and the birth of our Saviour this week.

Here is a photo of my newest manger scene.  It is real sparkly, but the photo isn't good.

I took more photos at my beautician's place again.  She does such a great job of decorating.

 She even decorates towards the ceiling!

She has such a flare for it.  I enjoy seeing here decorations every month.

Below:

I made some last minute Christmas cards last week to send out.  I made several variations of White on White cards.  The base was white,  then I used a Stephanie Barnard Sizzix pierced rectangle  framelit to cut the layering  panel, which had been embossed by SU!'s Softly Falling Embossing folder.  On that I put the Tim Holtz cut deer from Recollections Glimmer paper, and the Noel is also cut from glimmer paper.  The Noel is a framelit from Wonderful Wreat set by SU!  

The last thing I will share today is  the tea that I am siping today.  It says Iced Tea, but I am just drinking it hot. Very good that way.  I have no idea where I got this.  Someone must have given it to me.  And you see it is in a natural unbleached bag.

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I wish you all a Happy T Day, and a Merry Christmas!

T stands for Tea!

Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"


Hello Dear Readers!  A snowy day here!  But we can drink our tea for Tea Day!  And, I promised to show you the photos of our baskets after our Ladies Ministries at our church made them up.  It turned out to be about 20 of us and some husbands, which dished up lunch for us of sandwiches and chips and desserts.  We had assembly lines at about 8 tables of items of baked goods, candy, fruit, nuts, embroidered tea towels, devotional books, calendars, bookmarks, tree ornaments, note pads, greeting cards, stamps, and someone even did return addresses to put in their baskets, so very personalized.  Some, probably the ones in nursing homes, got lap type blankets in their baskets.  We did 65!  We ran out of items on my table before we were done.  So not everyone got everything.  It took us about 2 hours to do it. After getting them filled, then we had assembly lines to wrap and tie and put bows on.  Then we all took some for deliveries. It was very organized as the lady who heads it is very organized with lots of good ideas.  She said she already has good ideas to streamline the process for next year. She also took some to a nursing home where  a couple from our church  resides and had asked who didn't get visitors or gifts and took them baskets.  It just makes you feel good to take part in this ministry.  Even ones who weren't there, donated a lot of items for our baskets.  Everyone's  generosity blew us away!  We have some stuff left for next year!

Craft wise, after making my post it note covers, I have been making Christmas cards and sending.  One of my favorites was this special fold card, Center Step Fold, I believe. It stands up nicely for display.   But it was easy as far as I used printed paper from a pad I got several years ago from Hobby Lobby.  I fussy cut the camel and Bethlehem from the matching paper.  I die cut the Joy to the World from the same paper and also die cut the gold to layer it on. The paper for the base is from the same pad. 

 I have to show you the cards I got from my TSFT friends!  The first one on the left is from our wonderful hostess, Elizabeth. (and Bleubeard)  I just thought she was so clever to make a tree out of Washi tape!  None of my drawer of Washi tape is as pretty as hers.  And right under her card is a fabulous stamp on the outside of the envelope.  And she says she has no stamps, but what she has is sure neat!  Love that vintage Santa.  And next to here is Jan's from Spain.  This is a most adorable card, and no Anne and Teddy, you can't have it.  And below was a surprise card from Eileen, which is also very creative.  Thank you to my dear TSFT friends!  I have a lot of other friends who sent Christmas cards, too, but thought today to feature TSFT friends.  :)

And Here is my Panera cup from this morning, for my beverage related reference to join Elizabeth & Bleubeard over at Altered Book Lover for T Stands for Tuesday.   I refilled it before I left there at 12:30 and have added more hot water and have been nursing it all day.  Earl Grey.  Oh, and I see I didn't get the side that says Panera in the photo!  But aren't there Christmas cup sleeves pretty with the ribbon around the outside.

That is it for today!  Happy T Day!  Enjoy your week.  I don't know if I will get to post next week or not.  So, Merry Christmas!  Thanks for stopping by. 

T Stands for Tuesday Fun

Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"


Hello, dear readers. It is time to have fun again visiting each other for tea or for coffee or what your choice of beverage is.  While we sip our beverages, I will tell you what is going on here.  I have had a busy week of trying to get preparations done for Christmas.  Now, the appointments, get togethers, and other obligations begin.  This will be short as well as scheduled, because my laptop is going to the hospital for a week.  Since I won't have it, there are some of your blogs that won't take my comments from my iPad.  So, I apologize ahead of time.

I gave myself an early Christmas gift this week.  Actually, it is from someone else as I used an Amazon gift card that I had been hoarding since last Christmas or from my birthday, not sure which.
I have been wanting this and when all the black Friday, and cyber sales started, I realized this went down in price, so when I was online doing my shopping, I got myself this Scrap'n Easel.  I can't wait to use it.

It has magnets so you can put the items on the pages to see what it all looks like before you paste it down.  Also , it is suppose to be ergonomic so you don't get as tired bending over to look at it.
It has two positions , one for working, and you turn it around and it is in a position for photographing.

This shows the working position.  Shown are pages I scrapped last month.  Each quilt has a story on the tags under the photos.

And this is the standing position for photographing.  Shown is a Christmas card I made this week.

And a third position is flat.  It came with ten very strong magnets.  See them standing up?  Also see the ruler.  You can move it anywhere you want.  It is magnetic, too.  It folds for easy travel to retreats.
What do you think?  Have I enabled you?

That is my post this week.  Oh, and a  drink reference for our hostess Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday.

Here is a photo from my archives of  a tea card I made several years ago.  Ann, I hope Teddy likes this.
:)
Happy T Day! Thanks for stopping by for a sip of tea or your choice.  I don't know when I will get my laptop back, hopefully by next week.  Oh, and I can't post a link to this week's tea party at Altered Book Lover, since it is early, but just click on it on my sidebar.

T Stands For 44 Post It Note Holders

II Cor 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord."

Hello cyber friends!  Did you cyber  shop today?  I cyber shopped last night. I guess we are headed towards Christmas!   But I wanted to share my Thanksgiving decorations before I took them down and we start Christmas!

In the background you can see I already am displaying our first Christmas cards.  We have already received 4, only one showing.

Now on to Christmas!  I have been making Post it note holders using this tutorial, by Lea Denton.
I made 44 of them with magnetic closures.  Our Ladies' Ministries  will add them to our Christmas baskets for our shut ins.  The baskets will also include, soft socks, hot chocolate mix, teas, puzzle books, fruit and baked goods.  I will try to include a photo of the baskets after we make them up in a couple of weeks.

Here are the Post it Note Holders:

I  learned a few things making them.  It took me to 10 of them, to have the process perfected.  I used lots of paper stash.  The biggest decision was matching printed paper to a solid color paper.
At first I used flowers like in the tutorial for the fronts, but the last half, I used a SU! die, and stamped a sentiment. Then I got the idea to add buttons.  I have a ton of those.  Anyway it was a fun process, and kept me busy for several days.  Oh, and matching up the magnets, was fun. LOL

I am a little late getting this post, as I was at a ladies potluck at our church tonight. In fact I took photos so I would have an entry ticket to our T Party; T Stands For Tuesday over at Bleubeard's & Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover.  We just post a drink related post and link to her post.  A big T party!
You are welcome to join us!

Here are photo of our decorations. I don't have anything to do with the decorations, but one of our ladies does a beautiful job.  And, Elizabeth, this first one is for you!

That is my 3 layer Christmas jello at the main food table.

My Tea at the bottom.

The drink station.

Happy T Day!  Thank you for stopping by.

T Stands For Thanksgiving

Psalm 103
"A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul:
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."

Psalm 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord,
who daily loadeth us with benefits,
even the God of our salvation. Selah"

"Count your blessings, name them one by one. 
 Count your many blessings, see what God hath done"

I love that song, and those verses.  Wonderful to remember for Thanksgiving.  I am late getting started and have a lot to cover today.  I showed you last week, two of my projects for Falliday Fest Challenges at SplitcoastStampers.  Here is the rest of my creations.  Over half of them are Christmas cards, and there is a purse to hold a gift card or tea bag as a gift.  Also, I made an elf gift sack, and Christmas tags.

Because Thanksgiving is so late this year, Christmas shopping is already upon us!  Saturday, I went to a nearby shopping center to walk around their pond, and found already a lot of Christmas shoppers and of course Christmas decorations.  There was even a Christmas elf in Bath & Body works.  And, I did get a little shopping done before my walk.

After shopping, I began my walk, and I saw this sign.  The ducks are on a diet!  Just like the rest of us!

After a nice walk, I took photos of their giant Christmas tree by the fountain and you see, I did have to wear a coat as it was in the 30s, I think.

This morning I went for tea with friends.

No, I did not go to Europe,

Just to Panera.

And of course I forgot to take photos until I was just about to walk out the door.  I refilled my tea as I was leaving.  In fact, I am still nursing my cup of tea as I type this.  And I am lining up for the tea party over at Elizabeth's for TSFT.  If you blog and want to join us, just do a drink related post and link up over there.  We would love to have you.

I thank you for stopping by.  I am so thankful for you dear readers and T gang.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you are celebrating it.  I know some of you are in other countries.  But you can still be thankful without the special day. "Count your blessings, name them one by one."

* ****Elizabeth is having computer problems because of a recent power outage, and asks for your patience. She will be around commenting as soon as her computer is up and running again.********