Futtering from the Autumn Tree

Happy Friday all, I don't know about you, but that last look of the night round the challenge blogs, often leaves me burning the midnight oil. This was just the case today with Sharon's ssnotime160, Back to Nature. I am definitely in my element once the calendar hits September. Just as Emily Bronte said, " Every Leaf Speaks Bliss to me fluttering from the Autumn Tree". I love this funky font from Dawn Houser/Inkadinkadoo. Now it has been quite awhile since I've played in Pam's 365 Card challenge, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to create a flip flop card with the video tutorial over in the resource center atSplitcoastStampers.

It was easy to reach for Basic Grey's Indian Summer 6x6 pad. I used the Cuttlebug Leafy Branch to dry emboss the front panel. The bit of chenille trim is wrapped at the top with a vintage lucite/rhinestone button. For the 'swing' sentiment panel I put 7 Gypsies black music paper behind.

For the back, I chose a wonderful rake image from Portifolio, inked with Tim Holtz Frayed Burlap and colored with a silver gel pen and Copics. The small punched leaves are from a HY-Glo 6in1 punch. I used more of the BG Indian Summer.

...and do you do your best creating in the wee hours of the morning or the opposite? Have a wonderful weekend, I hope it is perfect leaf crunching weather!

Soul smiles

I know it's been ages since I posted anything on my blog. Bet you've wondered, a little maybe,

what's up? So I've spent my summer gardening...I suppose I needed more time away from this side of my creativity to contemplate life and losses. Well, I am inking my fingers, one at a time, back into this creative bloggy world.

When I 'happened' on the Moxie Fab Trigger , which was a funky fall scene in the most vibrant colors, yesterday, I could not resist getting a few more digits inky! I was definitely inspired by the colors in the art, the puffy clouds and the curving hills (think smiles)!

My sky needed Basic Grey's cloud paper from the 'Mellow' group. All the leaves in the oranges and pinks were found in the 'Indian Summer' again from Basic Grey. I used the Leafy Branches embossing folder from CuttleBug on this panel. The sentiment panel (Daisy Bucket clear cling) and bottom mat on the main image are from 'Wander'. And about that main image...I so love this Asian beauties' pensive expression. She (Stamp Francisco) was inked with Wild Plum directly onto white cardstock. I used Art Accents Micro Beadz for her hat. I finished my design with a silver butterfly and a snippet of vintage seam binding. The layout was from the Sketch Challenge 301 over at Splitcoaststampers.

Thanks for all your gentle thoughts these past months. I planted my garden with tender loving care over the summer season and it is rewarding me with a glorious array of vibrant blossoms in autumn. And it has shown me that life just as seasons comes and goes and all the best is planted deep within my soul.

where do those YEARS go...

I decided I would be on time this Father's Day with a card to honor my Daddy (no matter how old a Southern gurl gets, she always calls her father...Daddy)! The thoughtful Emerson quote seemed perfect to use, especially since the 'baby' in our family just crossed the mid century mark. We can't believe we could all be that old...sure don't feel so.

The challenge on SplitCoast today was to create a one layer card. I used Memory Box paper, the Wordsworth stamp and dry embossing with the Cuttlebug.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're off to a fabulous start on the week.

Living is Joy Enough

it's not that I haven't been creative while I've been away from my blog...we've recently completed remodeling our home and girl oh, girls...the decisions, colors, choices, compromises I've made! Now for months, my art 'studio' was buried as you might imagine with work taking place in every room, on every surface. I'm slowly getting back in the swing of my creative life. And the Free for All today on SCS and Pam's Peep-A-Boo challenge at 365 Cards were to use the inside of your card as the fancy showy part.
I think Emily Dickinson's (Wordsworth) quote about living was the perfect launch! Thanks so much for stopping by and I'd love to hear about your joy.

life goes on

I am waking up creatively...hold that thought!

saying goodbye

We said farewell to our beloved Jessie last night. She was somewhere around 11, don't know for certain, we rescued her in 2001. Oh, the love and devotion she had given us all these years. So many memories to cherish and recall when the 'missing' kicks in. Already no heavy footfalls behind me in the kitchen meaning: it's morning time for chow. No climbing up in my dear husbands lap while we read the newspaper and have our coffee. No paw reaching up to tap my leg, "hey, pay attention" to me. . Thank you, my sweet big kitty for all the joy you brought us. And Father God, you who created all things, wherever she is, I know it is so much more than here. It's been a season of goodbyes for our family the end of this year. Hope springs eternal, life continues, and forever the best parts remain in our hearts.

Our hope

I write this post being uncertain as to how I will reenter this blogging world. Thanks in advance for hanging with me! Many of you know my beloved Mother in LOVE was called home to heaven in September. On my birthday even. It was a sudden illness and she never regained consciousness. Her medical directive made it clear there would be no heroics. And so when the basics of life, breath and hydration, could no longer be sustained on her own, we prepared our hearts for separation. The elders of her church were called to the CICU along with family and friends. We surrounded her bed, praying, speaking remembrances, reading scriptures, and most of all, singing old hymns. Once the machines were turned off, it was just a matter of minutes that this worn out earthly body could continue to support the breath of life given to her so long ago. I praise our God that HIS plan is perfect and that his angels carried her soul that night. I stoked her beautiful face so soft and radiant, her hair so silvery (wisdom) perfect even with bedhead!and whispered how pretty she was even after all the invasive equipment.

And so with all the details of dismantling (my dear husbands' word) her life, it's taken me this long to feel ready to create again. I was blessed to make a video montage of Bette's life in pictures (when I figure out how to embed a copy, I will post it here). Both my sons were in on the effort, with Andy scanning all my many choices of photographs and Sam selecting the music that would be so important to the theme of her life. I felt happy in going through all the photo albums, shoe boxes, and picture frames to select the images that would tell the story of her life.

When it was presented at the memorial, it brought together a diverse group of people with Bette the center story of every thought.

I share all this and today's Color Challenge on Splitcoast for it is just a few days until we honor the reason for our hope, our gift. May you have the merriest of Christmases this year.