Christmas cards that I received...part 2

I received this beautiful card from Heidi,  Heidi no longer has a blog...(I so miss Heidi's blog)  She makes the prettiest cards so I truly miss seeing her wonderful creations on her blog.  I first heard about Heidi...when I found Carol's blog...

http://ourlittleinspirations.blogspot.com/

Carol and Heidi started the blog together...but because Heidi had so many other things to keep her busy...(we ALL know what that's all about...) She had to give up blogging...but, obviously she is still creating...I love the calendars that she made for Carol a year or so ago.  Every calendar page was done using a different technique...those calendars should show up on the link below...

http://ourlittleinspirations.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar

Thank you, Heidi, for thinking of me at Christmas.  It meant a lot to me...

 The above card was made by Sylvia from Split Coast stampers.  In real life her beautiful card is so sparkly.  Love all the embossed glitter.   Sylvia does not have a blog...but she has a lovely gallery at Split coast stampers where she is known as Sillyfilly....

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=36184

Thank you, Sylvia.

 The above card was made for me by Stacie my Stampin' Up demo.  Stacie knows how much I like Shaker cards.  I really like this star design.    
Thank you Stacie for sending "happy" mail to my mailbox.

The above card made "FAVORITES" at Split coast this week.  Absolutely made my day!
Thank you...

Well, it's still snowing here...so far, today, not too heavy, but not sure what tomorrow will bring.
They are calling for more snow!!
 
All I know, is that I am very thankful today, that my hubby was not injured.
He may get upset with me for telling you this...(he reads my blog)
but this morning he took one step out our door, hit our first step, and down he went!  slipped on the ice.  He tells me that only his pride was hurt.  Hopefully, no aches and pains
will show up tomorrow.   Many years ago, Jim slipped and broke his ankle in three places and was in a cast for over 10 weeks.  Neither of us will ever forget that time!  Don't want to
see a repeat of that.  Yikes!

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~Anton Chekhov

Thank you for visiting my blog today,
Blessings,
Jill

It's a Month after Christmas...

It's a month after Christmas...

And I'm finally getting around to posting some of the cards that I received...

 Isn't the above card beautiful?  A lot of detailed work went into this card.  The card was made for me by my crafting friend...Cherie....   Cherie's blog can be found here...

http://paperinspirationsandcreations.blogspot.com/

 The  Lovely Snowflake card was done by the talented Marie.   If you look at Marie's blog you will see that Marie's favorite cards to make are Christmas cards, and I was a very fortunate lady to receive one of her cards...Her blog can be found here...

http://anothercardmakingblog.blogspot.com/

I like Marie's blog name

 No!  You are not seeing double!  And I did NOT duplicate a card...the above card was made by my other weekly  (well almost weekly...Weather permitting)  card making friend.  Kathi.  
Kathi and Cherie decided to make the same card this year.  If you look closely at the two cards you will see that they each did their cards slightly different.  Kathi's blog can be found here...

http://katscreativebliss.blogspot.com/

I almost didn't post both cards...but they are both such special friends I could not post just one of their cards.

 

I noticed that it's been a while since Kathi has updated her blog.   Trust me, she has made many beautiful card and crafting projects in the last year.

 When I saw the above card in my mailbox...I was super surprised.  This was made by one of my longtime friends.  She was actually my very first co-worker when we both had our first job as teenagers.  That was a few years ago.   Actually, it was many years ago if I have to be honest.
I have been trying to get my friend Carol to craft with me for many years.   So I was pleasantly pleased to see her first HOME MADE Christmas card in my mail.  She has since agreed to come crafting with me.  But with family commitments and the nasty weather right now, it may have to wait but I know she will keep her promise when she can.  I can't wait...she is such an enjoyable person  that it is sure to be a fun time.
Carol does not have a blog or a computer.  (I sure wish she did...smile)

Because of  the storm that is supposed to be coming our way...

Hubby went to the store today to get some groceries and  fill up the car, etc. To prepare for the snow storm...

this is what he brought back from the store for me.

I confess, I am a Chocoholic!  and he just fueled my addiction...LOL.

and yes, while I am doing this post....I am munching on the candy bar.

(To give me energy to post of course!)

Strength is the capacity to break a Hershey bar

into four pieces with your bare hands--

and then eat just one of the pieces.

~Judith Viorst

I'm not very strong...I had to eat more than one piece!!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

Blessings,

Jill 

I have more beautiful cards that I received to post next time.

It's Snowing...

It's Snowing my way...and it's a good time to just do some card making...
Tomorrow, Along with my hubby...I'll probably be shoveling snow.  Poor Jim, had to do all the snow shoveling by himself last year.  I had Doctor's orders that I wasn't allowed to shovel snow.  Those restrictions have been lifted...(so I have no excuse...LOL!)  

This card was made with a NBUS  die. The  Spellbinder die was the one I purchased when I won a gift certificate in Darnell's first NBUS challenge.  I had also purchased a sizzix die with my winning gift certificate, and that die I have used a lot.  I thought I was way overdue to get it out and use it.  Don't want Darnell to think I didn't appreciate winning her gift certificate.  I also used my corner rounder, and added a ribbon and a bow tied using my bow easy...  ( I still can't tie ribbons...LOL!)

LOVE and kindness are never wasted.
They always make a difference.
They bless the one who receives them
and they bless you, the giver.
~Barbara De Angelis

Thank you for visiting my blog today.
Blessings,
Jill

Another Valentine Card

Another Valentine card.  I think I mentioned in my post before that I gave up trying to get my Christmas cards out...(after all it's a month past Christmas  LOL)  So some of the people I missed sending cards to at Christmas are going to get Valentine cards instead...but at the rate I'm going they may end up with Easter cards instead...smile...

I made this card with Designer paper from Pebbles...and heart die cut from Sweet ' Sassy Stamps!
Just added a bow...

"Do all things with love.."   Og Mandino

Thank you for visiting my blog today
Blessings,
Jill

Valentine's card

Another card for Darnell's challenge..The challenge can be found here

http://www.djkardkreations.com/2015/01/happy-new-year-2015-nbus-challenge-3.html

This is Darnell's 3rd NBUS challenge...With the first challenge I think I only posted two cards

(and I was one of the winners!  Oh Happy Day!)   Last time I only posted one...but since you can post three cards ...and this one fits...I decided to add one more...to make this my third one.

I told Darnell that I would enter if there were no prizes and I meant it.  (But prizes are always nice...smile)  This is so nice and generous for Darnell to do this.  

It also gave me the incentive to honestly break out some things that have NOT been used before...

The border trim was made using a die from Our Daily Bread that My hubby bought me for

Christmas  Beautiful Borders CSBD51....   And my NBUS stamp is from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps...SNS-013-012 Bottom of my heart.

"Love begins in a moment,

grows over time and lasts for eternity."

Thank you for visiting my blog today,

Blessings,

Jill 

Another one for Darnell's NBUS Challenge

First I want to know if anyone can send me this for a present...TIME!!!

Now that I finally feel like making cards again...
I can't seem to find the time to do any crafting. 

My dear crafting friend came over and did some crafting with me, and helped to motivate me again.  She came to my home with lots of toys to share.  The above card which was made with one of her dies that was a NBUS die that she hadn't used, and of course,  it was a NBUS for me...so I used her die.  It's a Sizzix die and makes a very quick card, and I like the fact that I could use up some snippits of Designer paper (from Stampin' UP) to make the card.

Before I forget, I want to welcome two new followers to my blog...
Angie    of   I'd rather be stamping

http://stampingbowd.blogspot.com/

And Lis...of  The paper Maker

http://papercreater.blogspot.com/

The above blogs are a joy to visit....Thank you ladies for following my blog.

I'm entering my card in Darnell's NBUS challenge...which can be found here...

http://www.djkardkreations.com/2015/01/happy-new-year-2015-nbus-challenge-3.html

Count your life by smiles, not tears.
Count your age by friends, not years.

Thank you for visiting my blog today
Blessings,
Jill

Card for Three Challenges

 Tri Shutter Card...

Card Closed

I have to be honest and tell you that I started this card a while ago...but I only just finished it last night.  I'm entering it in three challenges...First the Birthday card challenge at the Dreamweaver Challenge blog.

http://dreamweaverstencils.blogspot.com/2015/01/happy-new-year-happy-birthday-and-happy.html

I know it doesn't look like a birthday card...but it is going to be sent to a very dear long time friend for her birthday.  Since, I didn't manage to get all my Christmas cards sent out...(still trying to work on them) This card will represent her Christmas card, New Year's card, and birthday card all rolled into one.  My Long time special friend recently lost her husband, and being that this was her first Christmas without him, I wanted to make her a more serene Christmas/birthday card.  Inside has a butterfly (which has always  had a special meaning to our friendship).  As long as I can remember, I ALWAYS send a birthday card that has or had a butterfly on her card.  The butterfly was made using  a stencil from Dreamweaver LG620

The second challenge can be found here...

http://serendipitystampschallengeblog.blogspot.com/

The Serendipity Stamp that I used is  679J Christmas Dove...

For the Challenge you were to use a hidden Gem on your card...I used a couple of them...Like the Stencil I mentioned above, and another gem was the side trim on the card...Memory Box Alexa Border die, style 98602

I won that beautiful border stencil as blog candy from the wonderful talented Bibiana and it's the first time I remember using it (hubby has used it) 

http://stampingwithbibiana.blogspot.com/

And My third challenge is the very talented Darnell's challenge.

http://www.djkardkreations.com/

As I stated above my butterfly stencil was NBUS  (Never Used before Stuff)  and my Memory box die...

I forgot to copy the NBUS Logo...for this post...but you can find it on my side bar...

Thank you Darnell, for your generosity, (with your challenges)  and your kindness with your lovely comments.

I so apologize for being absent from my blog for so long.  As some of you know, I was having trouble with seeing, and now that my eye surgeries are over and all went very well.  I think I lost that excuse!  and I also finally got my new glasses on the day of New year's eve.  (readers)

I also don't know what was wrong with me, because for the last couple of weeks....I had absolutely NO DESIRE to craft!!!   Believe me, that's not like me!

Last night my two very special crafty friends came to my home to craft with me.  It had been a long time since we had the opportunity to do so...between the holidays, weather, flue, and other commitments...we just couldn't seem to get together.     

To make a long story short...they were the jump start that I needed.  (their wonderful Christmas gifts helped too.  New craft supplies...)  Thank you, Cherie, and Kathi.

Thank you for visiting my blog today...

Blessings,

Jill

and Remember "Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  Untie the Ribbons."~Ruth Ann Schabacker