Drive to Jarbidge, NV

On Thanksgiving, Jeff and I drove down to Jarbidge, NV and enjoyed seeing the scenery again.  We haven't been there for quite awhile, and I was amazed at how the "little" town had grown.  Probably 7-10 new cabin/trailers have moved in, they've built a park, and there was a "new" old garage turned into a bed and breakfast.  It was a pretty rough ride...what with my broken ribs though.  I lived on pain pills for the day.
I came home and made pumpkin pie and apple pie though, just so it seemed a little like Thanksgiving.  We did have turkey sandwiches for lunch...a picnic in the mountains.

Pink...pink...pink...everywhere pink.

Remember how I told you I take my scraps and make card fronts...so I'm ready to put something on it immediately.  This is how I try to keep my scraps down a little tiny bit.  Well, this stack is all "pinks".  I can't believe how much pink I use.  Of course, with all these granddaughters what do I expect?

Men's cards group 3-

Last of the men's cards I made a few weeks ago, and they're almost all gone already.  I'm going to have to make more. 
Today I started to paint some of the blocks I'm making Ellie and Kylee for Christmas, and Danelle called...wanted to know what I was doing.  Chelsey and Mikayla were going to come down and help me put up my Christmas decorations...and they were bringing Ellie with them.  What a wonderful day. I spent alot of the time making cookies with Ellie and the girls pretty much did all my work for me.
Ellie was helping me with the cookies, and was sitting on the counter top.  I had laid a couple of eggs there, and I told her not to play with them, but...the next thing I know there's one laying on the floor...broken.  She looks at me with big eyes and says:  "It just went off all by itself...I didn't do anything".  I had to start laughing, which actually hurt my ribs.  I love that girl.
Anyway, it was a great day, and Danelle came over when she got off work and fixed supper for us.  She made stew with cheese biscuits and it was awesome.  She also made a raspberry/blackberry cobbler for dessert, which was wonderful!  What an awesome girl.  Love that family.

Men's cards- group 2

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Our's was pretty quiet.  We did take our drive to Jarbidge.  I was surprised at how the town has grown.  There were alot of new homes there...maybe I should say cabins...and businesses.  I think more and more people are trying to get away from the highly populated areas.  It would be fun for awhile, but I'm not sure I could live somewhere like that year around.
Today I think I'll visit with my sis from Soda and then try to attend the Caring & Sharing to see how our trees turned out.  Then Tori is coming out for a visit this afternoon.

Men's cards group 1

As you all know, I go through a ton of men's cards for work and family.  So, when I find something that makes sense...like animals...I usually make 3-4 of the same type of design.  I use different backgrounds, but I don't have to reinvent the wheel...if you know what I mean.
Over the next few days, I share the cards I made with the SU "Yukon" set of stamps.  I've had them for quite awhile, but always love using them.  Especially in the fall.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving today.  I'm looking forward to a few days off.

Ornaments for the Ahern's Sharing & Caring tree

Melanie wanted to make the theme : I'll be home for Christmas
So I embroidered this and tea stained it, and then put it in a frame to put under the tree.  I don't know if she ended up using it or not.  I haven't seen the finished tree.

Mel wanted the tree to be mainly cream/white/gold, so I made paper cones and flowers from old sheet music I had.  C.J. brought it home from high school when he was in the band because the teacher was getting rid of it.  I threw a bunch away, and kept a small stack...but I almost wish I had kept it all, because I've used it a ton for things like this.
I made the flowers and cones, and then spritzed everything with a gold spray.  I thought they turned out cute.  I wanted to fill the cones with baby's breath, but Jan came & picked everything up on Saturday and said she couldn't find any, so they put holly berries in them.

In keeping with the cream color scheme, I made lace sachets and some out of muslin that I embroidered on and tea stained...I really like everything.  I hope it's what Melanie was looking for.

Yesterday, the girls and I made our annual shopping trip to Boise.  Had a great time.  They really looked out for me too.  I don't think I carried much of anything all day.  Tori told me once though, that I had to quit buying...she was running out of arms to carry everything.  It was about 11:30 when we got home, but what a fun day.  Love spending time with my kids.

Halloween night

You can see how I put the cookie monster together with a bag of cookies and a bag of fruit snacks to give out.  I put my clear block with the lights inside out on the front step along with five pumpkins that Larry, Kim & the kids brought over for me.  I got out my "star book" of Halloween photos.  It's several years old, but I like looking at it every year.  I also hung my banner that says "wicked" across the hallway.  I thought we looked pretty festive....and then we waited, and waited, and waited.  I was beginning to think we weren't going to have any trick or treaters...when finally Jason & his family came out.  Then we started getting a few.  Merlynn & her girls, Jeff & his family, Larry & his family.  There sure weren't many this year.  I guess they held a trunk or treat at the church, so no one felt the need to come by.  Hate it!

Christmas Sharing & Caring- wooden spoon Santa's

I bought the flannel for the hats at the Gathering Place in Rupert, and I just love their flannel.  It certainly isn't cheap, but that's probably why I like it.  Beautiful colors, nice thick fabric, and is so nice when used.  The beards were a challenge.  I had a piece of "ribbon" like yarn.  It's the top Santa.  But, of course, there wasn't enough of it.  I couldn't find anything like that anymore, so I ended up buying some white yarn and sewing it into a strip.  It turned out OK, but I liked the first one better. 
We went out to Johnson's home last night to decorate the tree, and it was coming together very nicely.  The Stapelman's made candy canes wrapped in gingham that were really cute, and Tonya made red & green bells tied together.  Ahern's made burlap covered ornaments, and Ashley had purchased some dark green and red stars that went in nicely.  We didn't stay too long because my ribs were hurting, but it was looking pretty cute.  I know she has things to put under the tree also...hot chocolate, books, etc.  I'll try to get a photo of the completed tree sometime.

Corrugated Santa's for Christmas Caring & Sharing Tree

These didn't look that complicated, but they did take quite a bit of time.  Mainly trying to find corrugated cardboard.  I finally went to work, cut some boxes up and had to peel one side off.  That is way harder than you think.  My fingers were even sore from trying to get all the pieces off.  They use pretty sticky adhesive...let me tell you.  It would just tear off in little pieces and then you had to work to get another edge loose.
Then, I wore a blister on my finger from trying to cut the dang things out.  Corrugated cardboard isn't the easiest thing for scrapbooking scissors.  But, I finally got all that done.  Then you had to paint each piece.  Then stick them together.  I made the mouths out of black wire.  The holly leaves are from silk leaves that I cut out and then painted the darker shade of green. 
Then...you were supposed to splatter them with white paint, using an old toothbrush.  I've tried that before...and I am not good at it.  I thinned some white paint, used the toothbrush and had everything in my craft room covered in paint...including myself.
But...they did turn out cute.  I used some wire I got at the army surplus store in Idaho Falls to hang them with.

November exchange card #4-2012

This is the last of my November exchange cards.  I was really pretty happy with all of them.  The inside verse was better in the ones I'm exchanging...this one looks a little blurry...sorry.
Anyway, now it's on to the ornaments that I've been making for the trees for Christmas and Sharing.  Come back tomorrow....

November exchange card #3- 2012

I have to say again...loved this chipboard kit.  I really liked the brown paper behind the trees also.  I only had one sheet, and I think I've hoarded it for quite awhile...finally decided it was time to use it.  I tend to do that.  When I find something that I really like, I purchase it, and then hate to use it...just because I like looking at it.  I'm trying to be better about that.  After all...if I don't use stuff up...how can I justify buying more "stuff"?
I fell Wednesday morning, and broke a rib.  So, I've been home...just sitting around for a couple of days.  I'm going to try going to work this morning though.  Under normal conditions, I would give anything to be able to stay home for a couple of days.  But...all I did was sit around, wander around ,because I couldn't lay down, have a hard time breathing, and it hurts to move much.  Hopefully, it heals quickly.  I don't have time to just sit around at this time of year.

November exchange card #2- 2012

Again...used the chipboard kit that Tami gave Doris, and Doris was willing to share.  I wrapped the single candies in plastic wrap to make them look like candies.  I loved how it turned out.