Love Blooms In Me

A VERY HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR

Please take a minute to note the widget that I've added to my blog. I'm sure you know that Barry has been touched by Bladder Cancer this year as well as my BIL and I thought we should try and do something to help "stamp" this out! Bladder Cancer doesn't get alot of research money, but it does seem to run in family's and Barry's is one of those. He's had cousins and Uncles and well as his Dad who have been touched by Bladder Cancer and we'd like to help. So please help us out with a small donation! It will all go to Cancer Research in February! Thanks in advance.

I'm going to leave this note at the top of my blog for the next month, so please just take a moment to read it and then you can jump right down to something new pictures that I'll be adding!

I wanted to wish you all a very happy new year. I hope this year brings us all peace and good health. It's been such a long and crazy year for the Bloom's that I'm hoping we have a very quite new year and we all stay employed and healthy! That's the only wishes I have this year.

Barry and I went to an SU Open House this morning and I picked up the new Spring catalog. It's nice, but it still seems to be a work-in-process. I guess SU is still getting the hang of this 2 a year catalog. Oh well, I always find lots of goodies I need.

I know this card isn't new but it's still one of my favorites that I still make. It reminds me of where I'd rather be this year or any year for that matter. It's made from a retired SU set, but one I'm holding on to. It's a nice card for guys and you know how hard they are to make cards for!

Well, dear friends, I wish you a good night and a happy new year and many, many, many blessings for this coming year!

The Sun Is Shinning!

I know it seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, but we've had so many cloudy days lately that I'm all excited to see the Sun! No matter it's a bit cold, but still if you just think "sun" it's good!

Is there something that says people can be rude when they leave comments on blogs that I missed?!~! Yes I know that it really bugs some people with my title that I have spelled Bloom's this way instead of Blooms---but the point to a blog is that it's yours and yours alone! I spelled it like that for a reason and the reason is mine along, so don't read my blog if it bothers you and if you have a problem, please just email me, and oh yes, BTW, you can't eat off my floors either!!! I feel better already!

Please take a minute to note the widget that I've added to my blog. I'm sure you know that Barry has been touched by Bladder Cancer this year as well as my BIL and I thought we should try and do something to help "stamp" this out! Bladder Cancer doesn't get alot of research money, but it does seem to run in family's and Barry's is one of those. He's had cousins and Uncles and well as his Dad who have been touched by Bladder Cancer and we'd like to help. So please help us out with a small donation! It will all go to Cancer Research in February! Thanks in advance.

I'd like to tell you about a new scrapbook store we've found in the North Texas area. So if you're around or travel this way, be sure to check out this new store. It's called Scrappin Bunnies. The store is new and owned by a wonderful crafter named Emily Bond. She's only been in business at this site for a short time, but her store is filled with a variety of new and wonderful things. She is so nice and even remembers your name! Check out her store and say hi and that I sent you.

If you've followed my work, you'll know this is a "so me" type of card! I love bright colors and bold shapes. Lots of layers is always my goal. Sometimes Barry says it's too heavy, but I can't help myself. It's so easy to get carried away. I hope the people that send my cards don't have to pay too much extra for all the weight! These cute animals are from SU Wild About You set. Perfect for layering!

I can't wait until Monday. I'm going to finally get the Spring SU catalog. My friend Denise is having an Open House in the morning and I'll be there bright and early to get mine! I've joined a swap with the DDG over at SCS. I signed up to work with Spring Fling paper and whatever stamp set I want from the new catalog. Can't wait!!

So what are you up to this weekend? We don't have any plans until Monday. We babysat with Madelyn last night. She's cute a cutie. On New Year's Eve we are going to Larry's house for dinner. He got a smoker for Christmas and is making a Brisket. I'll be Beans and something else. It's always nice to be with family to bring in the new year.

Well, I'm off to do a little work before noon. The basketball game is on TV then and I'm hoping my Mavericks are up for playing today!

Have a great weekend and I hope your family and friends are blessed with all the riches this world holds!

Hurry, Hurry

Over to Kitchen Sink Stamps for the big after Christmas Sale today!! An extra 15% off. Just remember to use the code BOWS!

I hope everyone got all the things they wished for and so much more this year for Christmas. We spent the day just laying around watching what ever we could find on TV and then had dinner at Friday's with Evan last night. Boy were they packed! I guess a lot of folks didn't want anymore leftovers!

I've been busy this week making a few cards and thought I'd share with you. You don't have to look, but I hope you do!!

Wishing You and Yours

A Very happy holiday! Tomorrow is the big day for those who celebrate Christmas and for those of us who don't it's a big day too. We have to find a place that's OPEN for business to eat dinner! I know that doesn't sound very "homey" to some, but for Jews around the world it's a holiday tradition---Chinese or Denny's! Hey, we want to celebrate the day too! Larry and his family will be spending their day with Tina's family and we usually see Evan for dinner. The Bloom Family tradition!

Today we are babysitting Madelyn while her parents get their last minute shopping done or see a movie, which ever comes first! Tina baked cookies last night so they could have some time together today. We are taking GD to McDonald's. She loves to eat their and play in the play area. As easy treat to grant!

Merry Christmas to All and to all a Goodnight! May the Lord bless us all!

More Good Wishes

This wish for the new year was sent to me by friend from Stamp Club, Kimberly. It's a wish to pass on to all my friends, old and new, as well!

After serious & cautious consideration.....your contract of friendship has
been renewed for the New Year 2008!

It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!


My Wish for You in 2008


May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of  $100 bills. May love stick
to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your
clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you
across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had
forget your home address! In simple words ............

May 2008 be the best year of your life!!!

Thank you Kim and the best of all wishes to you and your family!

Give Thanks

During this time of the year I guess it's easy to feel sorry for ourselves for the "things" we don't have, but I'd like to take a moment to say how blessed I am this year. Sometimes I feel so down and out myself, but then I have to stop and remember that I have my husband well this holiday season and all my chickens are good and near me. For that I truly give thanks and say how blessed I am. In addition, we still have Barry's parents with us this year and because they are older, it's always a blessing to see them once again. No, they aren't still in my Craft room, but living in warm sunny Florida right now. When I think of all the friends I know so who are going through tuft times right now with ill loved ones, I know the Lord has blessed me with wonderful gifts of untold fortune. It's the gift of LOVE. Please share a little of that with your loved ones this year. It's certainly more important then that "perfect" Christmas card we feel we have to make!

I'm busy working on an order of cards for a woman I met at a Stamp Club meeting. I guess she was making up for her own club night. She read about the hard times we've been having at our house this year and thought she might help. That's the sweetest thing anyone could have done for me. I've been staying away from making cards for about a week because I thought my creative juices needed a rest. I guess they just needed a boast! I don't have any pictures of cards today that I'm making, but I can share another one I made. Hope you enjoy!

I made this card this summer for a friend of 40 years who needed some greeting cards. They cruise alot and this was just one of about 20!

Have a blessed day and pass on those blessing to someone else!

ONE MORE WEEK TO GO

Can you believe it's only one more week until Christmas? Not that I celebrate Christmas, being Jewish and all, but I do love to see the lights and sing the songs, and how can anybody not love all those Hallmark Movies! I'm still waiting for our Christmas Miracle to come. Barry is still without work and it's really getting me down right now. I know we've been through this before and I should know how it works, but when the bills get behind and I have to dip into the savings once again to make just the barest of payments, it is a downer! I had a bunch of cards on ebay to sell this weekend and nothing was sold. I know that's not a mark on my cards, just the time of the year. I mean, who wants a really cute birthday card in December!! Oh well, as my Mom used to say, that too will pass and they'll come running back to you.

Isn't this the prettiest Valentine card?!~ The heart is part of the newest Flourishes set called Lace Heart. If you love Valentine Cards like I do, run, don't walk to their site and get this set! I stamped the heart in Purely Pomegranate and added a small amount of Stickles to make it pop! The backround was stamped in SU Basic Grey. I really love using that color instead of black. It's so much softer. I didn't want to add too much of anything else to the card, but the black bow was a "must" for my card and the silver brads as well.

Well, I'm off to whatever adventure takes me today. Have a wonderful day and come back soon. Blog candy coming soon!

Blessings to you all this holiday season!

HAPPY SATURDAY!

Where did the week go???? I can't believe it's Saturday already and Christmas is a few short days away! All my Christmas cards are made, now I just have to address them and get them in the mail before the New Year! See that's my trouble. I get very lazy after making so many Christmas cards and I don't even want to see them to address them! Dream on!

Yesterday it was so fun to get my mail. I got a big beautiful present from the wonderful women at Flourishes. If ever I needed a lift in life, these are the women to do it! I got a wonderful box filled with 3 new stamp sets, a beautiful shell to remind me of the beach I love and box of chocolates to fill my sweet needs! Next I got a package from my sister in Florida. She sent me the cutest Mickey Mouse shoes! Slip on's with the Mick in GOLD!! Can't wait until it stops raining to get to wear them! And then a set of stamps came from My Favorite Things. I told you it was a good day and NO bills came either---so a perfect day!

Check out this card I made this morning using a new Cupcake set from Kitchen Sink Stamps. Paper piecing is one of my favorite ways to work and this cupcake card is the result! I used a pad of Cosmo Cricket paper that I've had in my stash for several months and thought it would look more "guyish" for a card. The candle was just a scrap of paper that I cut and added the "flame" from the set. It's nice and glittery in fact.

Well, I'm off to enjoy a few hours of time to myself. Barry is busy with the Lion's this morning and I've got lots of idea's running around in my head for all the new stamps I got in the mail yesterday so I wish you and family a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and dry and a blessing to each and everyone!

A Free Night

Yea, Barry is out tonight for a meeting and I have it all to myself. So what am I doing besides playing on the computer, well....wash for one thing and I'm not cooking dinner. We had a big lunch, but that doesn't stop Barry from wanting dinner, but since he's out tonight, I don't have to make any! I do have some cards to share that I made this morning when he was working on the computer.

This first card is made using a retired stamp set from SU, but I still love my chickens! The verse is Hero Arts. I don't use my Cuttlebug enough and so I've been trying to add a piece every so often. My gems are from a collection of Prima flowers. There is flowers, buttons, brads, ribbons and a bunch of other fun things in the tin. I've had it for ages, so I thought since I'm trying not to spend much these days, I'd use some of what I have! The paper is from Daisy D.

Have you ever put together a card and then noticed it wasn't straight? That's what happened with this pretty heart card. I noticed the center panel of polka dots is a bit off. Oh well, I wasn't taking it apart when all the glue was already dry. This is some of the newer Valentine paper from Daisy D. I've got a "thing" for their paper! The hearts are another retired set from SU. The bird and word are from Bonjour, a current set of SU stamps.

Well, I guess that's about for tonight. I hope everyone is getting ready for the holidays. I can't believe it's almost the New Year. Hopefully Barry will be working by the big day. I usually say blessings to you all, but tonight I think my family can use a bit of that too, so blessings to each and everyone one of us!

Paula

Few New Cards

I don't seem to be getting much done lately. Could be cause Barry is home and I just don't seem to be able to work with him around. He's sleeping right now, I hope, and I worked on a few things this morning. The first is a card done using Kitchen Sink's Stamps. I'm working on Valentine cards right now. No more holiday! The paper is from Cosmo Cricket. I love using this alphabet set. It's so perfect for anything. I did "age" the letters a little with beige pad.

 

Second card I made today is using some scraps I found in my stash and last years latte set from SU. I keep a file of favorites from other places I've found and this general layout was among them. It's always good when the mind is blank. Please feel free to use my own idea's if your own have flown away. Sometimes casein or lifting an idea will get me going. I know we all have "blocks" at times...so happy stamping to you all!

Blessings on you and the family!