T Stands for Time for a New Year

 ¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

It is already the 12th of January 2026, and this is my first post of the year!

A belated Happy New Year to all my readers! 

I have been doing more reading since the new year rather than crafting.  I finished three books and am on my 4th.  Just seems like I am in a reading mood! The first book I read was by a friend of mine.  My Story: The Life of Donald Bland, by Donald Bland.  She put it together from his telling her his story.  What makes it so interesting to me is that it takes place in Kansas and relates his story as part of the Orphan Train movement from 1854-1929, part of our history.  I read this in two sittings as I couldn't put it down. The next book I read was Designed with Love (The Hope of Cheyenne #2) by Tracie Peterson.  I am now reading the next book in that series.

But the book I absolutely could not put down was The Lost Carousel of Province, by Juliet Blackwell.  This was about a photographer who travels from California to France to photograph carousels current day but gets caught up in the history and restoring of one. But the funny part is I checked this book out by mistake. (I check books out from the library on my Libby app) I was thinking I was getting a book by another author by the last name, Blackstock.  I am so glad I made the error, because there are several more books all taking place in Paris, apparently, by the sound of the titles.  So, mistakenly, I found a new author!

I will share one card that I did make for our grandson's birthday.  I used an image from Lili of the Valley, a company in the UK.  I have collected a lot of their stamps but forget to use them.  I think they are so cute.

The sentiment stamps are from CC Designs.  I used an older SU! embossing folder, and a My Favorite Things Wonky Rectangle die.  I colored the image with Copics.

And lastly here is my ticket (from the archives) to the TSFT party over at Altered Book Lover, hosted by Bleubeard & Elizabeth.  Elizabeth has been showing her photos of mugs at Spice Merchant.  Here is the one I bought there last year for my self as a Valentine gift.  It is still my favorite.  I might go there again this year and get another pretty one. 

Thank you for stopping by!  Happy T Day to the T Gang.  See you next time.

T Stands for Time for Fall!

 "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you," Philippians 1:3

I can't believe, it is cool today!  Yesterday it was 87!  The sun is peeking out from the clouds, but it is supposed to rain sometime, today.  I should be out walking while I can, instead of doing this post! But too many weeks have already passed since my last post. 

I wonder what you all are doing.  Are you crafting?  Are you outside enjoying your weather?  I have crafted a lot.  I celebrated World Card Making last weekend doing games and challenges on ACOT.  I made 20 cards of which 8 are Christmas.  I made a special 75th birthday card for a friend, and anniversary cards and more birthday cards.  Hopefully that will hold me for a while.  I however am still in need of masculine cards and sympathy cards.  

Right now, I am in the process of making a mini album as a thank you to a lady who hosted a mini retreat a couple of weekends ago.  No photos yet, until I am done.  But here is a photo of the 75th birthday card.

On a base cut from So Saffron cardstock by Stampin' Up, I layered 49 and Market paper and rub ons.  I added a die cut sentiment and shadow from Altenew, and the 3-D bees' stickers from my stash.  Oh, and the numbers are cut from Tim Holtz alpha & number dies.

Here are photos from a walk a couple of weeks ago:  I had a doctor's appointment and decided to walk after around the building.  When I walked around behind, I discovered the 96 bike trail and got on it.  I walked from Webb to Greenwich and back.  I had never walked this trail in this location before.

I had to watch where I walked as there were very big cracks.  I wondered about the bikers on this trail.

I guess I won't sit there and rest.

And, I can't go in here.

But it was a lovely view from the bridge.

And this is where I turned around and went back.  Although it is just a mile between the two signs the trail curved around a lot, so I really think I got more than a two mile walk round trip.

Time to share a drink related item.  We went out to eat hamburgers last week and I just had to take a photo of where we got our drinks!  Thank you very much!

Be sure and stop over at Altered Book Lover to see what all the gang is doing for T Stands for Tuesday.

Happy Fall!  

That's it for this post.  I thank you for stopping by.  See you next time.

T Stands for Quick Post

 

 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Hello readers!  I have been busy over the weekend creating for NSD (National Scrapbook Day May 5th).  I did several layouts plus some cards, all part of the challenges on SplitcoastStampers and A Cherry On Top craft sites.  

I made this card using a technique shared with us on SplitcoastStampers.  It is called Embossing with Watercolor.  

I used oxide inks and put the ink on my glass mat, sprayed with water, then with brush put dabs of it on my watercolor paper.  I let it dry.  Then I sprayed with pearl ex gold.  Let it dry again.  Then inked up my TH Paris embossing folder with London Fog gray ink.  I put my watercolor paper in the embossing folder and ran it through my Big Shot.  Then I cut it down for my card.  I took photos of the process, but can't find them! LOL  I will share them when I find them.

Here is my ticket to Bleubeard & Elizabeths TSFT over at Altered Book Lover.  We went out to eat last week to Longhorns.  We love the luncheon special Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Salad with side.  Hubby got the seafood soup and I got the loaded sweet potato!   Delicious!  I brought home salad; of course I filled up on the bread and butter.  Great bread!

I have been walking early in the morning as it has been in the high 90s the last few days.  So, home by nine!  Still, I don't have enough hours in the day!  Thank you for stopping by.  I love hearing from you.

See you next time.

T Stands for TSFT Again, Already?

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV

 I do not know how Monday afternoon gets here so quickly!  It is time to visit Bleubeard & Elizabeth over at Altered Book Lover for her weekly T party! TSFT  We each do a drink related post and join her, and visit each other!  It is always fun to see what each other are drinking and what we are doing.  

We just got back from going out to eat as I write this.  I remembered to take photos! Shocking, I know!  Elizabeth will enjoy the drinks and the signs, but not the food. But pulled pork is one of our favorite comfort foods.  At this locally owned Hog Wild, we can order a drink, a sandwich & a side for $5.99 each.  So, it is very economical, also.  My husband gets fries with his, and I get the cole slaw with mine.  We then each top our pulled pork sandwich with  cole slaw and it becomes a Carolina Pulled pork.  We share the fries.  When we leave, we refill our drinks to take with us.  Mine was unsweetened iced tea, and his was coke.

And while we were eating, we read the signs along the ceiling.

I can't leave you without posting at least one craft project.  I did several over the weekend, but here is a clean and simple birthday card for today's Clean and Simple Challenge on SplitcoastStampers to have something on your card that leaps.

The stamp is Art Impressions stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento on SU! Whisper White.  I colored it with Copics, and put Spectrim Noir Crystal Clear Sparkle on the baloon and the confetti.  I mounted on SU! Glorious Green then on 110 lb Recollections.  I had die cut the image and green panel with Spellbinders A2 Curved Matting Basics B, a die set I got many, many, many years ago at a stamp show for 1/2 price.  I have gotten so much use out of that one set!

Short and sweet today.  I hope you all are doing great and have a wonderful week!  Thanks for stopping by.  Happy T Day!

T Stands For Thankful For Another Birthday

 ⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

Hello readers!  I am thankful for another birthday, and thankful for all my friends who helped me celebrate it, too.

I thought I would share a photo of my cards I received, most of them handmade:

The wonderful card with the two ladies at the table is from our tea party Jan all the way from Spain. The cards are all so creative.  I am inspired by the store bought turquoise card. 

The turquoise one is from a friend, Jayne, in Australia, (one of my readers) and the Mary Poppins one is from Ireland.  The little blue one with an adorable sheep peeking up is from another of my readers, Linda.  Thank you all for my cards!  I missed getting in two others in the photo.

And this one is one a friend gave me a church since you couldn't really mail it.  She paid someone to make it for me.  This was so nice, and a lot of work!

I am also thankful for my husband!  He took me out to Red Lobster for my birthday!  This is also my ticket for TSFT this week over at Altered Book Lover hosted by our wonderful hostess, Elizabeth and Bleubeard, too. 

And I am thankful for my wonderful sister who sent me flowers!  Aren't they gorgeous!

I am thankful for all my blog readers, too.  I hope this finds you all well today.  Happy T Day to the T Gang. Happy week to you all.

T Stand for Tea!

"Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day." Ps. 71:8

 It is still Tuesday!  I am joining  T Stands For Tuesday over at Bleubeard & Elizabeth's at Altered Book Lover.  Just a quick post to show you all the birthday cards I received for my Birthday last month, most handmade by my crafty friends.  I hope I included them all and didn't leave one somewhere else around the house.  I tried to keep them all together. There were many different  styles ; I am sure I will be CASEing  (Copy and Share Everything) them.  Thank you to all my crafty friends for all these lovely cards, and for the goodies they sent me too.  I treasure them!

I have been busily participating in Falliday Fest on SplitcoastStampers.

Here is one of the projects we did for the Holiday Blitz tutorials part of Falliday Fest.

Lori Craig made a tutorial and included a template for this Gingerbread Garland.  I decided to make it and to hang it on the bulletin board in my craft room.  I will decorate it more towards Christmas.  Our granddaughter will sleep in my craft room at Christmas so I thought I would decorate. Here is a link to Falliday Fest Tutorial #4 where you will find the link for the Gingerbread Garland template.

I printed the houses on Crumb Cake.  Then I cut them out.  I turned them over so the black line didn't show and outlined in white gel pen, until it gave out.  Then I used white acrylic paint, then ended up embossing the gingerbread in craft white ink and white embossing powder.  The gingerbread men were cut with a Stamping Up die from Holiday Collections, something I have had for years!  Didn't use it much but thought it perfect for this garland.  In fact I might add more.  What do you think?  There need to be more gingerbread men, right?

I am still doing more challenges for Falliday Fest.  It last the rest of this week. Why don't you come join us?

That is a wrap!  I hope you notice my tea cup in the first photo.  I am drinking Stash  Breakfast in Paris, a blend of blak teas, lavender, bergamot oil and vanilla extract.  So good!  Bergamot is what makes the Earl Grey so good.  My sister sent me a huge assortment of Stash teas for my birthday!  Even a chocolate decaf tea that is out of this world! LOL

Have a great day everyone, and I thank you so much for stopping by.

T Stands for Tea

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."

Welcome blog readers!  I have been busy celebrating my birthday!  It was actually yesterday, but I have been celebrating all month, and continued today and will  tomorrow too!  What did we do for my birthday?  We went to the eyeglass store and had our glasses adjusted, then went to Red Lobster for lunch, where we haven't been for ages!  Then we brought leftovers home and had Red Lobster supper, too.  I forgot any kind of camera or iPad.  Sorry, and I don't have a phone to take photos with, either.  I had calls from friend, and our kids; in fact I was on the phone a lot yesterday.  The rest of the day I worked on a One Sheet Wonder rom  6x6 designer series paper. I made 6 cards and a folder for the cards.  I had to get it done for this morning, as three of us friends celebrated two of our birthdays, a Panera.

Here is the gift I made.  I just want to say, I remade the one card better after the photo. :)
This is the folder:

The cards were from a pattern from Deb Valder's Blog.  I used SU! Country Lane 12x12 DSP. I cut it into 4 6x6 pieces, but just used one 6x6 piece.  You could get a total of 24 cards from a 12x12.
I used Fresh Fig  and Sage Shadow Cardstock, and 110 lb Recollections for the white base.  The dotted paper is the other side of the harvest paper.  I used assorted sets for the greetings.  I stamped them in Blackberry Bliss, because I didn't have the matching ink for the Fresh Fig cardstock, but I think it matches pretty well.  I used SU! Special Reason Stamp set for the flowers and leaves, and the coordinating dies. I also used dies from that set for the Thinking of you, Hello, and Best Wishes labels.  The Thanks was fussy cut and layered on the oval.  That by the way is the card I tried to redo after the photo, as glitter and I do not get along!  On some cards I added, sequins and sticker dots, don't think they show up though.  I used Lattice embossing folder on some panels and leaves embossing folders on some.

It is still Tuesday here.  So for Elizabeth's TSFT where we all get together to celebrate Tuesdays,  here is my entry:

 My birthday gift from my sister!  Wow, I am in business for a while, as I love tea!

And some cards from my crafty friends! and some not handmade, but just the same, aren't they all wonderful?

The pink one top right is all the way from Dublin!

Here is a close up of one from one of our TSFT gang, Jan.  Can you believe how intricately made that is?  I don't know how she did it!

And a friend at church knew I made cards, so she had a friend make a card for me!  The balloons pop up when you open it. ;) Wasn't that nice of my friend to go to all that trouble?

And this card was colored so beautifully!

The sunflowers came all the way from Australia!!

Aren't these owls adorable!

I have been told other cards are on there way, and also, I have misplaced one, so next week I will show the rest!  I am so thankful for all the wonderful friends, cyber and other, that my Great God has given me!  I praise the Lord for all of them and all of you!

And today, I  received  this gift, and bag, and love the saying on it, so will share it and leave it as my parting shot!  Thank you for stopping by today!

T Stands For Too Old

  Lamentations  3: 22 It is of the Lord 's mercies that we are not consumed, because his  compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

I had a birthday yesterday, and that makes me too old for all this technology!  I just read an older article written several years ago that at that time  Facebook's Zuckerberg was an old man of 28 and that was the average age of his employees.  The average age of Google's workforce was 29.  Sure makes me feel too old for all this technology.  I only bring this up because the last few T Parties, I haven't been able to figure out how to comment on some of the T-Gang's blogs.  I write the comment, and push submit, and the comment goes away, but I can tell it didn't take.  So, I think maybe it is a matter of comment moderation, and I go back later and comment is still not there.  So, I will try this week, again!  Thanks for your patience while I try to figure this out!

Meanwhile, here is a photo of all the wonderful homemade cards and goodies that were sent me for my birthday! 

And a few more of our Maine photos.  Even my kids don't look at all our vacation photos, so this is it;  promise!  We went to the Penobscot Marine Museum, which was very interesting.  So much history that I never knew!  I guess that is why we go to museums to learn more history!  Searsport's early history was very interesting.  It's major industry was shipbuilding and cargo handlings and the town is famous for it's sea captains in the mid 1800s.  It was once home to 10 percent of all American deep water shipmasters.  That is a quote off the website.  We went through a house that a captain had built.  They displayed  photos on the walls,  hundreds of photos of the sea captains from this town. Over 500 ship captains came from Searsport!  They had 11 shipyards and built over 200 ships.    Some families had three to five captains in their families.  The sons, fathers, and grandfathers. Some of the wives even went on their trips with them!  I just found all of this amazing!

This is a big thing in Maine, the Museum in the streets, where you can do a walking tour and see historical homes and sites.  

I had to take this photo because the ship ropes were the railings.  I thought that was pretty cool.

I wanted to sail! 

 And later that day we stopped for lunch at this quaint little place.

Lobster, lobster and more lobster!  Love it, and the lighthouse border, too.

In this photo is a cup and a bottle up in the window.  That is my drink related post! :)  I forgot again to take a photo of our drink or our meal!

Don't you love it?  Lobsters R Us!  This is the back of the cute inside restaurant.  It doesn't look it, but it had a very pricy menu!  We ate salads this time, since we had eaten so much for a week!  This was last local restaurant before coming home.  We stayed the night in Portland and flew home the next morning!  Loved our trip to Maine!

Stop over at Bleubeard (who just had a birthday yesterday, too) & Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover and see some more of the T Gang!  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a great T Day!