Back to work today

Today was my first day back to the health care campus where my dad was a resident. Dad passed away May 1st, he was 81 and had Alzheimer's. When I say "back to work", I actually mean back to volunteering. I am currently unemployed (except for selling Stampin' Up!) and looking for work.

I volunteer two days a week at the health care campus and it is a great place. My daughter also works there (she is actually employed there). I enjoy my time there and I get to do various tasks. I have made phone calls to obtain information, visited with the residents doing one on one visits, helped with various activities, helped in the dining room at lunch and even conducted scrap booking activities.

The scrap booking activities started in April for National Craft month. The first time I took in various scrapbooks I had made and some my daughter had made. From there scrapbook sessions were scheduled and we made paper bag scrapbooks and completed a squash book. We had a great time and some residents even put pictures in their scrapbooks.

This week we are going to decorate a paper bag with fabric shapes that can be used as gift bags, hung up for decoration or used to hold special items.

Today when I returned I took the Thank you cards that I made along with donuts to say Thanks to the nurses and aides who lovingly cared for Dad. They took excellent care of him and showed such compassion. They treat all residents with compassion, kindness, love and dignity. I just wanted to give them a small token of our (my 1 sisters and I) appreciation for their care.

The greatest thing for me today was to hear that I was missed, not just the assistance I provide, but me. How great is that! How uplifting.

Please let someone you know how much they mean to you today. You will certainly make their day.

Thank You Card

Today I created Thank You cards for the various expressions of sympathy I received on the passing of my Dad. The card was created using Stampin' Up! paper (Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Apricot Appeal), stamps (Embrace Life and Much Appreciated), Watercolor Pencils and ink, Spellbinders Nesties and organza ribbon from my "stash"

I stamped the flower from Embrace Life using StazOn and colored with the pencils. I stamped the thanks from Much Appreciated and trimmed the ends with decorative scissors.

The scalloped circle was cut from Close to Cocoa on my Big Shot and the flower was cut with a circle die using the Big Shot. Both circles are the Spellbinders Nesties.

I love the Embrace Life stamp set and have used it many times in various projects. It is such a simple yet elegant flower set and works well for thank you cards, birthday cards, maybe even a Mother's day card. It can also be used on scrapbook pages and in journals. I am sure I will pull this set out again in the very near future. I also like to use Versamark ink with this set to create elegant backgrounds which I will most likely use in a workshop later this month when I create a calendar.

I hope you enjoy this card.

I now need to create my Mom's Mother's day card, I already have her gift (Bare Escentuals products which she loves). Sunday my daughter, Mom and sisters will be going to Olive Garden for lunch to celebrate Mother's Day.

My Dad

My posts have been a long time in between. It has been busy here. My Dad was in the final stages of Alzheimers and at age 81, passed away last Friday.

Dad is saved so I know today he is in Heaven and that makes things easier. As we sat with him last week, we were remembering special times and fun things we had done.

Dad was in a great healthcare facility when he passed and for the last 2 years they took excellent care of him. They not only cared for medical needs, but cared about him as a person.

Today I am trying to get things together for the viewing tonight and the funeral tomorrow. My Dad and younger sister had already pre-planned the funeral and Chris confirmed the final arrangements Saturday.

As I get things done, I think of Dad more and more and remember little things that I had not thought of in quite some time.

I am also reminded of the many things I need to do and how I should be more prepared for life events than I am.

Blog Candy Opportunity

WOW! I can't believe it has been so long since I posted to my blog. Where has the time gone? It has really been busy and full of too much to do in too little time. I have been stamping some, but not as much as I want to.

I have been doing a scrapbook activity on Tuesday's at the health campus where I volunteer and it has been fun. We have been creating paper bag books, most of the residents seem to enjoy it. Next I am going to create a squashbook for them and let them decorate it.

Okay, now for the blog candy opportunity. Debbie x is celebrating her 1 year Blogversay. Passion For Crafts is her blog. Follow this link http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/04/blogoversary-candy.html to sign up for the blog candy.

Good luck to all.

Stampin' Up! Promotions

Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted. I have been spending time with my Mom making jewelry and working on our taxes. I hope to finish them up today.

I would like to take a few minutes today to post a couple of specials from Stampin' Up!. The first is a special from the Occasions Mini Catalog that runs from April 1 until APril 30, 2009. As you create your cards, scrapbook pages and other projects from products in this mini, you can also earn free items. For each $40 in products (not including tax and shipping and handling) purchased from the Occasions Mini you can select 1 item free from the "Under $10" page (page 208) in the Spring-Summer 2009 Idea Book and Catalog.

You can also earn 1 free item (from the "Under $10 page (page 208) in the Spring-Sumer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog. if you host a workshop of $150(not including tax and shipping and handling) or more.

This is great and you can not only earn for the first $40 or first $150 in product, but you continue to earn for each $40 and $150 in product. So if you order totals $80-that's 2 free items.

Great Deal!

Also Stampin' Up! the new demonstrator offer to spread your payments over 3 months on your Starter Kit continues through April 30. 2009.

Please see the links on the right to learn more about these exciting offers. I hope you will take advantage of them.

If you don't have a current Stampin' Up! Catalog, not only can you browse it online, but you can also receive a free copy (for a limited time and while supplies last) by ordering online. Please visit the links to the right for more information.

Marco's Paper Has A Blog and Special Offer

Have you heard of Marco's Paper in Centerville, OH? What a great place to shop. They have stamp supplies, inks, paper, Spellbinders, awesome cardstock and speciality papers, just to name a few things. Every time I go to Marco's I have 1 or 2items I need and always leave with so much more. They have great samples, a fantastic staff who are so helpful and kind. You feel like family on your very first visit.

Visit their website at www.marcopaper.com or the blog at http://marcopaper.blogspot.com. Their blog is new but you can subscribe to it. They have posted a tutorial on a card from a Make It Take It from today. They have them every Wednesday and Saturday. Fantastic teachers. Michelle Zindorf also teaches her brayer technique there. Donna Weibel is another teacher with some awesome classes as well as Cheryl Darrow from Ten Seconds Studio.

They have so much more that I haven't listed here, please visit their website to see what they have.

They have a special on preordering the new Spellbinder dies you'll want to read about; a special posted on their new blog which offers free shipping (be sure to read the information on when it applies and how to get it); you can also sign up to be added to their email list and you'll receive notices of specials just for email subscribers.

What are you still here? What are you waiting for? Get on over to www.marcopaper.com and http:marcopaper.blogspot.com.

You can thank me for it later. Enjoy and have a great day.

First Cake Attempt

I ended up not making it to the 2nd class due to my tooth issue. I did make a Tigger cake but just iced it plain. Today I decided to make a round cake and try out the icing technique we were shown. Well, it might take a little practice as the sides of my cake definitely show lines where I iced and did not smooth it out. My icing must have been too soft this time as it didn't set well. Also when I tried to smooth it out using a paper towel, I definitely learned what the teacher was saying about the towels. Mine has an imprint on it and they need to be smooth. The icing did set up okay but I really didn't ice the cake as smooth as I should have.

My icing was too soft so when I attempted to make roses, they were a little wobbly. I also tried to make leaves and they didn't turn out so well. I was pulling the tip away from the cake to form the leaf but it didn't end in a point, so my roses look like they have ferns for leaves.

This Friday will be the second class where we do hands on decorating and I am going early to see what I missed last week.

I will be baking another cake for class and it will be a 9" round cake. I will pay closer attention when I make the icing as well.

One thing I have learned is that the pan grease recipe we were given works great. You make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge till needed. I don't think it goes bad, you probably use it up first. I am sure I have at least 4 more cakes to make for class and maybe more if practice doesn't go well.

Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of my first cake here. Please be kind if you leave comments.