Need some prayer

My boss, who is more than boss, he's been a big part of my life for 18 years, is terminally ill. Jim only has a short while (Hospice is coming in) before passing from this life to his eternal home with Father. He has made a huge impact in the lives of some many people - mine included.

He has been a friend, a mentor, a confidant, a boss, a brother, a father-figure. My first real glimpse of his generosity was right after I started working with him. My mother was having emergency surgery in Louisiana and I wanted to get there quick but didn't have money on my credit card to buy the airline ticket. Without missing a beat, he passed his credit card over the desk and said not to worry about paying him back. When I could, would be okay.

He's been a mentor to a lot of people - on purpose and sometimes just through association with him. He has been working with The Refuge - an organization that takes broken men and guides them to wholeness. The change in the lives of these men would light Jim on fire - he loved to see them transform into productive, responsible, strong Christian men.

Please pray for relief from the pain he is in and for strength in faith. Pray for his wife Nancy as she has endured so much and will miss him so much. Pray for his daughters and grandchildren. And I ask you pray for me. This has been an emotional journey for me as I take care of running the business and preparing to purchase it.

My heart is heavy tonight. I'm not an emotional person but the knot at the end of the rope is slipping. I know the Lord is with Jim and his family and will give them (and all of us who are affected) comfort and peace because He is Faithful and promised that He would never leave us. I just felt like I needed to ask for prayer (it is hard for me to ask for help).

OWH box ready to go

I wanted to get another box of cards to OperationWriteHome.org; however, I hadn't done any Hero cards lately so that's what I worked on tonight. I think this stamp set from Stampin Up is awesome. I'm not a colorer but I do okay coloring the stamps.


I typed up a short note for the inside and included a couple of pages of Sudoku puzzles.


I'm so proud of the men and women who serve in our military. I'm humbled by their sacrifice and dedication. I recognize the sacrifice of their families and friends. Thank you...words cannot express our gratitude for your service.

This is how my creativity is changing lives...let me know how yours is :)

Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Got some cards done 3-27-11

I was glad to be in my scrap room today. I got got up on some challenges.

This first one is for the TicTacToe challenge at The Paper Variety. I chose the column for Sentiment, Card, Scallops and created this masculine card for OperationWriteHome.org


This next card is for the OWH Stars & Stamps challenge - Sketch 62.


This card is for the challenge at The Play Date Cafe. I cut the card using a lattice pattern on the Cricut.


I wasn't going to do this challenge because I don't normally do square cards - but that was the challenge at CraftyHazelNut's challenge. But since I cut the card wrong for the the lattice and it came out a square, I decided to jump right in.


This card for Jingle Belles challenge was to use holly and ivy. I love this wreath and used the Cricut to cut out the Merry Christmas. The ribbon was a scrap from a friend and I love it. I'll have to keep my eyes open for more of it.


It was a nice day. Keep my boss, Jim, and his wife, Nancy, in your prayers.

Keep your heart open and let your creativity change a life. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Lots of cards

I got lots of cards done over the weekend. I took Thurs, Fri and Mon off - scrappy weekend. And on Saturday I spent the day making cards with some really great women at GC Naz.



I didn't like this paper whole but cut down to card size it looks neat.




This is my favorite of the weekend.


This is for a challenge on OWH - scallops (but I may have missed posting)!














I'll have to find my notes to give credit on the cards I cased. Thanks for stopping by.

Keep your heart open and you may change a life. Susan

Cards 3-15-11

It's Tuesday night and NCIS and NCIS LA are on - we watch them as a family. But tonight they were reruns - what to do?? The guys were watching Blue Jackets hockey so I headed to my scrap room.

I am using up more scraps. These letters were given to me and I decided I was going to use them somehow on cards. Had to play with spelling and making some letters into others but I like they way they came out.




Isn't this mom card pretty?




This heart has glitter on it and I debated using it. I rubbed it on my sleeve to see if the glitter would come off. It didn't but I decided to use Diamond Glaze over it anyway. Better safe than sorry :)


These cards are for a challenge over at OWH Stars & Stripes.


Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Happy Sunday!

It was a happy Sunday today. I went to church this morning and Pastor Dale had an excellent sermon. I came home and spent most of the day in my scrap room. Got lots of work done (as you will see). Thank you Pati for all the yummy supplies you gave me - I used a lot of the scraps to make these cards.

















Kris Allan with OperationWriteHome.org posted this on facebook:

"I've been using the cards you sent us for months to write my family and friends at home. Just this week we got another box from you and I had to write a thank you. It is always nice for people at home to receive a written message - it's much more personal - and fun for us to get any kind of mail. So thank you!! Thank you for supporting us, for the wonderfully made cards that make Hallmark look cheap, and for being a great American. Thanks so much from all of us in Afghanistan." K.L., USAF

This is why I make these cards. Change a life with your creativity. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Christmas, Dots, & Get Well, O My

I had a few challenges to catch up on!

This first one is for Jingle Belles color challenge

The background is a piece of vellum embossed - neat look.

This next card is for the OWH challenge - use polka dots.

I got my inspiration from A Colourful World blog.

And last but certainly not least is my Get Well card for The Paper Variety blog.


My inspiration came from this site. I think my sunburst border needs a little glitz. I think I'll either spritz it with Glimmer Mist or ink it with gold.

Thanks for stopping by. Susan

Another challenge card - 3-9-11

I've decided to try some more challenges - just because they are so much fun and make me think outside the box.

This challenge is the Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World. Isn't this just the sweetest picture!


So all day I've been thinking about this card and it was gorgeous! Then I get home to put it on paper and .... well, not so. I've decided that I'm just not a tear-er. I can never get it to look nice like I've seen on some many other cards.


The the flowers gave me fits - my hands are just too big for such delicate work. I started with beautiful button flowers from Stampin Up but they were too big for the bench. Then I punched them with a Stampin Up mini flower punch - still too big. Then I remembered my flower hole punch - perfect size.

I may retry this card without the tearing - maybe cut a border around the edges with the Cricut.


I got the background stamp out and thought to myself, "self, why did you buy this stamp" but then I see it under the flowers and I really like it. It is stamped on vellum and then attached to the pink cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by. Keep your heart open, you may change a life with your creativity, Susan

Black & White with a splash of color

Entering a challenge at The Play Date Cafe - black and white with a splash of color.


Love this card.

Lots of cards 3-6-11

Hello. I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was restful and I got a lot of cards done. I'm happy to say that I have a box of 131 cards going to OperationWriteHome.org tomorrow.

Here are some cards I did. I copied this from Scrapping The Magic and love this technique to make the petals.

Take 8 circles of doubled sided patterned paper (or glue 2 sheets together like I did on 2 of these); I used a 2" punch. I scored each side with my paper cutter and an embossing tool. I then punched a whole near the end of each one (actually did 4 at a time with my Big Bite). the scalloped circle in the center is 1.75" and I punched a hole in it too - then used the brad to put them all together.



This one I used one-sided paper but inked the blank side.


This card was done for the OWH sketch challenge - you can see the sketch here.


This card is for Hazel's Christmas card challenge. Use an embossing technique.


These next cards were inspired by Paper Therapy Ponderings Blog. I found her and Scrapping the Magic while going thru a couple of blog hops this weekend. Blog hops are a good way to see the work of many different crafters.

The stamp is my from new stash from Stampin Up. Love this little birdie. Was going to put a sentiment on it, but I just couldn't do another step! I made 3 each of the four color combos.


I wish I could stay home and scrap tomorrow but that's not going to happen - work calls.

Keep your heart open and change a life with your creativity. Thanks for stopping by, Susan

Blog Hop fun 3-5-11

If you have some time and want to see some great cards, head over to Stars & Stamps to start the blog hop - there are 133 participants. I was working on my scrap pile making cards while I was hopping - sometimes my computer connection made the download slow. By the way, many of the blogs have candy to give away!

On this card, I had made the lavendar trim for a scrap page and didn't like it so it went to the scrap pile. I decided it was time to use it up. Isn't that yellow trim with the balls cute. I've been waiting to use it on something!


These stamps are from Stampin Up and they are new for me. I just love the cake line-up and birthdays are always days for more than just slivers :)


This card started with the scrap CS on the left and I started added ribbons until the card was filled up.


And here's my craft table. I need work harder on either using up those scraps or sorting them back into their files.


Thanks for stopping by, Susan