School’s out for summer !!

HI there

Been checking blogs but been lazy about commenting, Sorry.  My plans of having my house ready for summer have fallen to the way side although I did get some of it done. I have been collecting things to keep the kids busy on the hot hot- hot days or when it’s raining cats and dogs. My computer charger is out again the one I had  Jordan gave me and he’d had it years so the actual computer posts may be slim for awhile I will have to use my phone or tablet which I’m still learning both. I somehow deleted all my crafty space photos ugh!!  Been crazy around here as is normal    Will got bit by a squirrel on Friday all the way to the bone on his thumb trying to put a baby bird back into its nest. My girls are doing good and looking forward to the summer of junque journaling. Sierra and Levi want to paint so we have that covered too. Will is another story between boy and man so he gets restless and its hard to find things for him to do. My Dad will need yard help so that should keep them both busy.

For me I’m still wavering between bouts of feeling ok then the next sobbing like a fool in the oddest places I’m sure people look at me and wonder if I’m insane. I mean how upsetting can one grocery isle be !!  The windmill farm just leaves me in a heap and I can see them from my front door so I cant avoid them. any way don’t want to be a downer so I press on and hope that the peace comes sooner than later but will just roll with it as that’s all I can do. I love each of you and have had you in my thoughts and prayers. Wishing you all happy crafting, safe journeys, or whatever you are doing today.

Take care my dear friends and I’ll be in touch soon.

Hugs,Shelly

Crafty space pretty much done and I love it !!

Hello my dear friends.
My area is mostly finished just a few tweaks then I think I will be done. I have taken many photos of the process but need to make myself downsize them and get them posted. In the midst of my hospital stays with my Mom I somehow lost the charging cord for my camera so the second battery is almost dead like the first one Brian found a replacement one on ebay and ordered it for me so the camera will be back in working order soon. I have been using Brian’s camera in the mean time. I have been busy making a inventory sheet as I put things away in the hopes I will make things easier to find and use plus I don’t want to purchase doubles like I did of card stock a few years back lol I know I’m not the only one to do this but how much summer sun cardstock does one woman need??? a lot apparently around here.
We have been getting downpours of rain lately and the temperatures vary from the mid 30′s to the 80′s !!! We are having flash flooding but we are all well here. The kids have about 4 weeks of school til summer vacation so I am getting their craft supplies handy in case we have tons of rain or the crazy heat we had last year.
Heather is doing well with her pregnancy and has been told she will have a boy and he is to be named Zachary Scott. He is due at the end of June.
My Dad had surgery on his right knee last Thursday and opted to not have knee replacement just repair He is doing very well and if all continues to go well (I expect it too )He will have the left knee repaired in about a month.
I still continue to have some hard days but I know that will just take time to adjust to the changes. I have been checking everyone’s blog posts please forgive me for not posting replies I have no excuse just haven’t been on my laptop as much as I was. I am finally getting my turn with the stomach bug these last days ugh good thing it only lasts a few days and the weekend is here, I’m hoping I am the only one who gets it. A few weeks ago both Jasmine and Will had to have teeth extracted Jasmine’s a baby tooth that was being stubborn and giving her adult tooth some problems. Will on the other hand had a small deep filling in September in his back molar and had to have it re-done because it still caused him a lot of pain So after many a few months we opted to have it removed and Wow it was the biggest tooth I’ve ever seen and the dentist said the same thing!! I think all will work out because it is making room for his wisdom tooth which is already breaking through. Brian took a picture of it I will post it when I get the others all ready for my post.
I hope this finds you all well and getting crafty if you can. I want to leave you with a quote I received this morning from a blog I follow called the Generous Wife ( a very good blog filled with a wealth of wisdom even on some touchy subjects ) Kinda been a bit melancholy lately.
Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind. Henri-Frederic Amiel

I truly have a deep love for each of you my wonderful friends which I’ve been blessed with through this amazing world wide web and our love for paper crafting.

Much love and many big warm hugs
Shelly

In the midst of my Craft corner makeover !!

Hello Crafty Friends
Wow this has turned out to be a bit more than I thought it would…… Can you say too much stuff!!!! I still have about 6 boxes to find a place for and am still scratching my head as to how I had everything crammed into it before ?? I am using the same shelves and have more desk room so I need to find some totes to pack some things away till I get it all figured out. The setup is not what I had envisioned but I like it. I was able to hit the craft stores in Champaign and spent some of my gift money on some crafty goodies. I got new some spellbinder sets and some Tim Holtz dies, and my first ever paper stacks by him. I found some awesome clearance deals and used my 40% off coupons along with hitting the sales so I was able to pick up several of the things that had been on my wish list. I can’t wait to get the corner cleaned up so I can start to play. I have taken some photos and still have to edit them and get it, posted hopefully I will get to that this evening that’s the plan anyway. I need to feed my smallish peeps some lunch then run a few errands before the others get home from school. Talk to you soon.

Love and Hugs,
Shelly

Snow , Snow and more Snow

Well it’s spring break and we are having a blizzard !! we are forecasted to get up to 10 inches of snow!! Last year at this time we were having record breaking heat for 8 days in a row. Yikes we are having power interruptions I hope we don’t lose power tonight. the snow is very wet so it’s very heavy meaning downed power lines are possible especially for those of us in a rural type setting. Keeping my fingers crossed
Brian’s step Mom (JUDY) underwent triple bypass surgery on Thursday the 21st and is doing very well and My Dad will have his knee surgery on the 21st of April. He is not having the complete replacement since he says he’s older and if he can get the laprascopic one why go through all the pain and be down when this has helped him before.
Jasmine fell in the bathtub the other night and we thought she broke her arm but thankfully it is only sprained and bruised up pretty bad. It works out good because she is on break and we wont have to keep her out. We got the school grades and Ariel is on the possible failing list but are finally getting some attention from school staff to get her some help in the subjects she struggles with. Will is struggling terribly with his studies too and we had a big meeting with the school to get his I.E.P. modified to better help him. Crazy thing is the way they rate his progress year to year. All this time we have been concerned about his actual grades and they are worried about his independent skills ?? So the meeting has helped.
I have found my desk it is pretty big and I am going to reuse my shelves and little file cabinet. It wont be all matching but I will be happy with it. Now I need to pack stuff up so I can make room to get it. Brian also surprised Melissa and I yesterday with a shopping trip while he watched all the kiddies at the play place at the Mall in Chamapign. we all had lunch together and then we went to Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Target. I was able to have a craft shopping spree and they had some great sales so I got several new spellbinders sets a couple sizzix dies, a couple embossing folders, some washi tape, distress stickles, glimmer spray, a few clear stamp sets, some bakers twine, and my first ever Tim Holtz paper stacks, and a couple edge punches. Can you say Very Happy Camper!! He is so sweet and I went armed with my 40% off coupons and got some great clearance deals. Now I am all set to play but need to pack them up I guess this will spur me on to get my work done.
How are you all doing? Lynn I am sorry I didn’t answer your comment it got lost in my emails. I did see your posts and love your creations!! Any news on the sale of your home? and are you getting warm weather yet? We’ve had some warm days in the 60′s and them bouts of cold guess we will just have to be patient and wait on Spring to get here.
How are you Leslie? Are you all faring well out on the road? getting into anymore of this crazy weather? How is Joe? I have missed your informative posts. Well I had better get my rowdy offspring thinking about going to bed for the night we get the small ones early in the morning so there will be no sleeping in for us. Unless the roads are bad and they close down Melissa’s work.
Sending you much love and warm hugs.
Shelly

Thinking of my craft area Re-do

My sweet parents gave me a generous Valentine’s gift this year and I have committed to using it for a new desk so I will have room to play. My area is small and I want to have a desk with a hutch type area moving up the wall to maximize my storage and space. plus I dream of a mounted light over the area and a spot to mount my camera to make tutorials. Now I am on the hunt for some good ideas to put my plan into action. I have in mind a tall revolving shelves to hold my stampin up stamp sets. I want it to have doors as well as the other hutch area so I can mount my ribbon storage and have some artwork displayed. I also want to have some area to showcase some personal knick-knacks which have sentamental value and to pretty up my area. So my goal is to repurpose some of my shelving units and enlist some help to build the rest. Big task to undertake Brian thinks but I have been watching some youtube videos and scanning splitcoaststampers craftroom posts and there are some really awesome ideas using premade shelving and cube units. I was going to unmount my stamp sets but as Brian pointed out then I would need to invest in cling mount and something to store them all in so I figure the money I save on this I can invest in the desk area. I finished my 12×12 paper storage make from cardboard boxes cut down and modpodged some old wallpaper onto them and they look pretty good if I do say so myself. I was able to collect some vintage mason jars a few months back to hold my button collection and a few other small goodies which will look really pretty on a shelf. I am wondering about keeping my 8 1/2×11 paper in the file cabnet or moving it into the same kind as my 12×12. and then there is the 8×8 and 6×6 I have way too much paper but I love it so Now that I will have some time to carve out to play I am really looking foward to getting to sit down and get creative. My area will be a sweet reminder of my Mom who always loved my handmade cards and I will get to have them back to display in her honor. I miss her terribly and some days are harder than others but I will move foward and cherish the time we were able to have together and know I will see her again someday, This is said with a glad heart. So I will close so I can chase down the wild ones to get some lunch. I hope this finds you all well.

Love and hugs to you from me
Shelly

The fight is over

It is with great sadness that I post today.  I lost my wonderful Momma on Sunday afternoon. It will take some time to adjust since I have been so busy seeing to her care. my days and nights seem just to flow one into another with my hourly alarms silent and no ring of text message alerts with the message of what do I need to take now? or is it time for my meds yet?, are you on your way? How long til you get here? or some just silly banter between the two of us.   I have been surrounded with so many wonderful nurses and people to help through the final few days and for that I will be forever grateful.  I  will be checking on you my internet friends whom I love so dearly and  thanking God that He has brought each of you into my life.  So as I sign off today just know you are in my heart .

Has anyone heard from Leslie I have not been able to contact her and worry whether she and Joe are doing ok. If you have news  from her please let me know she is ok.

Much love and big hugz

Shelly

 

Lots happening in my corner of the world

Hello blogging pals

Wanted to give a quick update since I’ve been missing in action the past few months. Not much crafting going on but I do have ideas running around in my head. I have hopes of touching my stamps, ink and paper for Valentine’s Day but will have to wait and see.  As you know this past few months have been a rather tough time for our family and crafting has been on the back burner due to the many health concerns and deaths that seem to just keep coming. This week we lost Brian’s childhood best friend and my cousin just days apart along with getting my Mom set up in a hospice program which means the Doctors think she has 6 months or less to be with us. So things have been quite overwhelming for me.  I have been following everyone’s blogs as I get email notices and haven’t forgotten you. I’ve taken to lurking on YouTube just to have an outlet that don’t need much focus.  Things with the kids continue to keep me busy and housework is hit and miss but we are all marching forward and trying to enjoy each day as best we can. I just wanted you to know I really appreciate you and have high hopes things will get “normal” again sometime and we can again have our crafty chit-chat from our own little corners of the world-wide web   Well I’m off to bed and some much-needed rest, Hope this finds you all well and getting crafty.

Big hugz and much love,

shelly