What's keeping me so busy?

You would think that Mother's Day cards would be my next project, but as retail goes, Mother's Day cards are already on my sites and in the stores. I bet you're thinking, a good cup of tea and the couch would be in my sites. But no.

This week was graduation cards and I decided that I would do graduation money cards. I'm trying to do something different. So out came the papers and I sat down in my favorite brain chair, stared out the window. The waterfall and the trickle ponds surely were making beautiful sounds, however with the temperatures still being too cold no window was allowed open. That was not going to stop me. With the sun shining in on me I could not lose.

As usual my mind drove me into many word games. Some long, some short. Finally on paper it was there. The first set and here it is a sneak peak for all of my friends. What do you think, did I make the grade? I know what you're thinking, a girl card what about all those great graduating guys.

Be assured that I have a set being pressed as I type and will also be posted in the near future. Another day behind my drawing board and in front of the talent God gave me. I am truly blessed.

Take A Peep at this...

For those of you who have been following me. I promised I would not talk about those marshmallow wonders covered with sugar till next year. But I just had to show you my new addition to my desk. Yes, you are seeing right....a pen and paper in full color and representing my favorite treat.

Yesterday at a meeting a dear friend handed me this box. Oh, was I taken back. What do you say to someone that gives you your favorite treat and the best part it won't add width to my back side. Still wearing off the purple ones I ate after Easter. But I digress.

I need to search google and as; is there more peep products out there? As I became light headed over the thought of finding more items in the shape of those chick wonders, I knew one thing. Life is good. Thanks Paula for the inspiration to become more worldly.

See ya guys later, off to google.

Frogs in my pond, frogs in my head

I was so inspired the other day hearing my new found residents of our natural pond I rushed right in and created the best frog card I could come up with.

I have used frogs before, mostly for thinking of you cards because they often make me smile and I want to give others that feeling also. But today was a birthday card. I hope it brings smile to your life and reminds you of the little creatures that give us so much.

I figured you would like to see this card up close so I made the pictures a little bigger. Now look what I have to do... write more. Yiks, I am the queen of short posts and would like to keep that position. So don't tell anyone I wrote to fill space. Have a great day and God Bless.

Frogtabulous

Yesterday we noticed a new sound that filled the air and ushers in spring. We had a great evening on the upper deck, savoring a great glass of wine and listening to the birds. But they weren't the only thing making noise and enjoying the warmer weather. The singing came from lots and lots of frogs.

You know those little green things, making tadpoles in our pond. They don't care about us humans they just do their thing every year, making little tadpoles, enjoying the sun and some nights keeping us awake. We often see them floating with legs spread out and most likely sleeping. After a long winters nap they are willing to let the sun warm their backs waiting for the waters to do the same.

We make sure we take the time and listen to their frog symphony. For time is short and singing ends in about two or three weeks. It is important to appreciate God's creations big and small.

A Great Day at My Drawing Board.

This is what it looks like when I have a great day at my drawing board. I know that God gave me the talent, but I must say that I am totally taking credit for the mess.

Lessons from the Back Yard.

Timber, my eleven year old English Setter is always teaching me something. Today it was simple, patients. Her ability to sit and just wait for something to happen is a skill I don't have. She can sit for hours and watch the same plot of ground and then all of a sudden when she feels the timing right...chases a squirrel and usually get it. Not those gentle black or gray squirrels but those red ones that find it fun to harass her.

She has the ability to hold her humans accountable when we just happen out the door at the wrong time. I know what she is thinking, and it's never good. But then she gets back into position and sets a pose.

The other day I was designing up a storm and the pieces of paper glued down with such love were not drying fast enough. I found myself just a little impatient. Funny thing was with my grumbles and grunts, here she was laying in the sun lifting her head with dismay and surely saying, get a grip.

She not only is my pet, my friend, but often an example of how life should be. Taking one step at a time and savoring it.

To Garden Journal or Not...

Early this morning I was thinking about my garden as you can see it looks rather shabby. The snow is gone, and all that is left is a blanket of debris. This debris protects the plants late in the fall before the first snows. However, in the spring it looks, well, rather ugly. That brings me to what made me smile.

The first winter we were in the house, I realized that this garden could be no less than fabulous. Yes, I said fabulous, see my husband is really garden savvy and I am a fast learner. I set out reading everything I could on gardening. My creative juices were used in new and wondrous way. One day I read about a journal for the garden. How sheik, I was going to show the gardening world that I could do this. Like they cared.

As the plants were placed lovingly in the ground. The plots that I named for their locations were complete, I went out with my camera and with thoughts of tracking my plants in the future. I designed a simple layout so that I could update it every year.

The summer came and went and the journal settled into the bookcase waiting for it's time to prove its worth. That day came during the next spring, as John and I sat on the porch looking over our charges, the plants, we forgot what we had planted. I sprung to my feet and ran into the house, up to the bookcase and grabbed the journal. Yes this was when I was going to shine.

Funny thing is that there were plants I didn't know I had. I had no clue where they came from. My heart sunk. After the glass of wine and swallowing my pride I ask the question.... did you bring home any new plants during the summer... John said, I don't know. There it was, my heart sored and life was good again.

The journal was placed back on the bookshelf for safe keeping, no updates, no need. What we did decide on was that as springs come and go, we would always wonder where something came from and wondered who brought them home. Only God knows and he is just happy we have built a place that souls feel rest in.

A Card Game Called Five Hundred

What sort of person puts a game together with such an unexciting name. I always liked the card game named after Hearts, or Cribbage, or maybe Canasta, but not 500. Let me tell you that when all is said and done. I think it has a few too many things to remember.

Last night we went out to some friends and the guys, and a few gals played poker, the leftovers played 500. I came from a card playing family and I never liked playing cards that sounded a little stuffy.

John, you know the guy that has learned to live with me... gave me a few lessons in 500. The one thing that struck me was Jacks being Bauer's. Left, right, what are they thinking. Anyway, I had a little problem remembering that Jack thing and often put my partner in a total respiratory attack. I couldn't believe the look when I played wrong. But to their defense, they had been playing for years and when I came in that was the end of what was expected to happen. The great part was no one got testy.

The moral of this story is that if you play cards badly, play with good people. I wonder if they will ever have the courage to invite me again. But for me there were lots of laughs, maybe because of my playing but for a little while, we just had fun.

Can it be true ?

I think it is....it might just be spring in Minnesota. I know that is going out on a limb here where, this year at least, winter seems to be lasting forever. But, yesterday was a sure sign that Mother nature finally stopped in a bad mood.

Stepping onto my favorite porch, and tucked in the corner was the first sign that spring was arriving. My tulips were peaking out from under the leaves that I so lovingly placed last fall. I am as always worried we will get another cold spell and they might die or get frost bite.

But nature understands it's limitations and even in past years when it has snowed late the tulip survives and makes known that it's time to grow and show it's determination to become alive.

That's just another way of seeing life for me and getting my creative juices running. Today as always I find myself truly amazed at our world and how even when we don't think spring is coming nothing stops the growth and beauty we call spring.

Here a peep, there a peep, a peep no more.

I can hear it already, enough about peeps. I promise this will be the last peeps post until next year. Easter has come and the peeps are gone. One by one they disappeared from site. You know the phrase out of site, out of mind. Yeah well, mine are out of site and now pleasantly sitting on my hips.

Now for you peep protection people, the peeps came to a quick demise. Yes very quick. You know the thought of leaving them till they get hard and chewy. Mine almost made it. I am sure you are wondering if any remain seeing I got four boxes. Nope.

I have to say peeps always taste better when you can't have them. I feel good that I made it though lent. Next year for lent I will give up candy again. It is by far the hardest thing for me to do. But for 2009 I can say.... good that's done and I hope I don't see another peep.

God bless those who follow or just stop by

Happy Easter

I wanted just to say Happy Easter to all my friends in Bloggertown. I stopped at the town limits to see that my little town is growing. This has and is one of the best experiences I have gone through. I fought starting this blog because I'm not a writer or have all the skills to be one. My husband is very good at writing and always says, with a smile, it is a Carolism when I write from my heart.

I wanted to thank all of you and my Link Referral visitors for being so kind and commenting on my posts. I find this process brings my creative juices out in me and my greeting cards are even better and more from my heart than before. For all those I follow, you have given me things to smile about, things to think about, and I am so blessed.

Happy Easter and enjoy the card I am posting. The card is for you.

Who Let the Peeps Out?

Hi everyone, here I am talking about peeps again. If you read my article about lent then this post makes sense. Peeps is only the iceberg of giving up candy. But a fun example. Now for an update. My sister-in-law, bless her heart, gave me four boxes of peeps for my birthday. I don't think I told you but I love hard and rubbery peeps. That takes a while to achieve by unwrapping and letting the air get to them.

Yesterday I opening the box and letting the peeps get the air they needed to achieve pure delight, mine that is. I find that the peeps sitting on my counter have a true temptation that honors the purpose of lent. How you say? Well, in this day of decadence we have the ability to get and have all we want at any time of the day or night. We justify everything we do with ease.

Peeps mean to me, saying no. No to all the temptations in my world, this time of year symbolized in a peep. In hopes to remind myself of what Jesus sacrificed for me. Whether you believe or not in Jesus, you do believe in your loved ones and being a great person. At Easter take the time while hunting for Easter eggs to hug your loved ones and think about being a better soul throughout the next year.

With opening the peeps I am truly on a peep alert. The last few days are really the hardest, mostly because they are open and I am thinking just one. Carol just say no.

God Bless who spend time visiting my site.

When is a Mess Really a Mess?

I am hoping you enjoy this truly wonderful mess. This is one of those times when you close your eyes knowing the ending will be great. Every once and a while we go through this. We are finishing our home one project at a time. And in those simple projects we find ourselves taking small steps. The worst part is the cleaning up. If we were young and could do it in one day the cleaning up would be a one time event. But not us. We are up to three clean ups and counting.

But at the end of the day the mess will be gone, our world will be back in order and we will sit with glass of wine in hand feeling pretty accomplished. So, when is a mess really a mess...when it doesn't accomplish something.

Home again, home again.

This weekend was a blast. Ok, that's just a little too much hype. But I was so blessed to spend time, once again with my brothers and their wives. When you have a family as big as mine the sister-in-laws after time become sisters and if lucky friends.

Now the question is... are they as tired of laughing and talking, or for my brothers listening as I am. Do you find it hard to socialize for two days when you usually don't do that much over a week and certainly not all at once.

My brothers are both of the earth. Their love for the family is strong and enduring. I see so much of my mom in one and my dad in the other. My love for them is something more then words you find in a book it's respect and appreciation.

They will probably never read this post but one thing I know is that it's important to write it and than sometime when I feel alone I can come back and reread it. So for all those sisters, brothers, and friends made from family. Here's to you. I will lift a glass of wine and ponder what was shared. Yes I know this is a summer shot but thought you would like to see how much laughing this family does. It was taken at a family steak fry. Yumm

God Bless all those who come and visit for a while.
Carol

Spring Where Art Thou ?

Yesterday I decided to design a spring birthday card, I have to say it was quite a challenge seeing that outside my window was a snow storm. Yes again, a snow storm. I said Carol you can do it. I put my blinders on, thought of the person I wanted to get this card and that was all I needed. You know what, I got into it and made a really big mess. I had paper cuttings in my hair, stuck to my slippers and found a piece of debris floating in my tea.

What a great day. The fun part was that for a while I felt warmer and my soul sing and I realized how I missed the drawing board and the closeness I feel to God when I am using the talent he gave me. Even though the time went fast, the snow didn't melt and reality settled back in. But for a moment in time I was so very happy. I hope this card brings you a smile and a warm feeling

God Bless those who venture through my door and sit for a while.

Carol