Birthday Card with Beautiful Flowers

This is a photo of a birthday card that I made for my former boss.  I wish the photo did this card justice - it's really pretty and the flowers are gorgeous.  I love all the bling sprinkled all over them.  I used Spellbinders Nestabilities to make the front of the card.  The base of the card is black cardstock; the patterned paper is from Daisy D's and the pink cardstock is from Bazzill.  I used miscellaneous lace at the bottom of the card and attached the flowers with glossy accents.  The "just because" sentiment is from The Angel Company and I believe the flowers are from Prima.  I've been saving the flowers for a very special reason and Diane's birthday was the perfect reason to finally use the flowers.  The most important part is that Diane loved it and it made her smile.  I also decorated the inside of the card but forgot to take a photo of it (big bummer).  Thanks for looking and I will be posting again soon.

I'm Jumping for Joy

It's always exciting to receive The Angel Company newletter each month - especially when I'm chomping at the bit hoping I was one of the contest winners. And today I found out I was - WooHoo!!!! It was really hard to let this project go but it's like the Lotto - you can't win if you don't play. I don't gamble but I do love to enter the contests - it helps me stretch my creative muscle and actually get something created. I've included the link to all the Contest Winners for this month so you can check out all the other winning entries by other creative and talented angels. If you click on each photo you will be able to see all the winners projects.

http://www.theangelcompany.net/contestwinners.html

Thanks for looking and for sharing in my joy.

Memories and Mom

I have this childhood memory of mom coming to my school and my classmates telling me how pretty she was. I was so happy. Forty six years later I still remember that moment as if it had happened yesterday. Memories - to me that's what life is all about. I created scrapbook albums for my loved ones before it was popular. I think part of why this is so important to me is that I don't remember a lot of details from my childhood and didn't want that to happen any more. And so began my love affair with journaling and creating albums - anything to help me remember the moments in time that were making up the story of my life and as one of a kind gifts for my loved ones. Memories of the times spent with my daughters, my grandsons, friends, family, the jobs I've had and don't have any more, my accomplishments and yes, even the times of challenges, struggles and heartache. Every memory from my life has helped shaped who I am and are a part of me and each of those memories are precious to me.

It was a little over a year ago that mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and I have watched this disease rob mom of her memories and it's heartbreaking. Once a week I wash and style her hair. She is a woman that has always taken great pride in her appearance. She never walked out of the house without her makeup on or a single hair out of place. She has deep blue eyes, a smile that lights up the room, an infectious laugh and the most beautiful shade of gray hair I have even seen. I always ask her if she thinks I will be lucky enough to have the same shade of gray hair one day and she just smiles at me. In third grade I thought mom was pretty but today I see just how stunning she is.

This past Sunday I was talking with mom while she was eating her breakfast. I told her that I had brought her some cinnamon coffee cake from Starbucks (it's her favorite) and how it was full of cinnamon. She looked at me with puzzled and perplexed eyes and asked - "Do I like cinnamon". "Yes" I said and she asked "how come I don't remember that". And it was at that moment that I felt like someone had just kicked me in the gut wearing combat boots. It broke my heart!!!

Preserving memories has taken on a whole new meaning for me now. I still want to create a life full of memories not only for me but for everyone that I love and cherish but I also want to leave a legacy of memories of times spent with everyone that I love so that they have lives full of good memories too.

Times passes so quickly

It's amazing to me that almost three months have passed since I wrote on my blog. That is going to change. The last several months have been full of surprises, challenges and miracles. I have made a promise to myself that I will be giving more focus to this blog because it is important to me.

I have started writing in my journal again and I am carrying my camera with me (no matter where I go) and I feel like I have found a piece of my heart again. It's a part of me that I do not want to lose again.

I have finally taken my daughters advice and changed the photograph on my blog. One of the things I love about my tiny place in this big world is my view of Lake Washington. I loved the photograph of the snow but it's summer now and full of new possibilities and dreams. I also decided to take things one step further and changed the look of my blog. This is still a work in progress but it's also time to find my new wings and discover where they are going to take me.

And one day I may even be writing updates on my blog from Paris. Now that is an exciting thought!!

I will be posting cards and other projects I have made using rubberstamps from The Angel Company.

This blog is still under construction so please stop by often.

Tribute to my best friend Bob

Yesterday was Bob's birthday!! I decided since I can't celebrate his birthday with him I thought I would write a tribute to him. He was an amazing man and I miss him terribly!!

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My Dearest Bob

I miss you!! I think of you everyday. I can't watch Prince of Tides without remembering how that was "our" first movie and how you made me promise that I would never watch that movie with anyone but you. That movie opened up a lot of painful memories for me but from that first moment that you held me close while I cried - I knew you were my safe place.

It was because of your unconditional love for me that I learned to love and trust again. Words can never express how much I appreciated you ALWAYS being there for me. I have a heart full of priceless and precious memories because of you. Memories that always put a smile on my face and a song in my heart. You were such a wonderful, compassionate and loving man.

I remember how we danced that one New Year's Eve and you held up my dress because it kept slipping off my shoulders and all without missing a beat as you twirled me around the dance floor. I remember thinking how beautifully you could dance. And just before I left you gave me a single rose and said - "Happy New Year Sweetness". Oh, how I loved that nickname and I will never forget the last time we talked and you said - "I will always love you Sweetness".

You were my protector. You were always there to celebrate the highs and lows of life with me. You are my hero. You were my safe place. You were my biggest fan. I was so blessed that you a part of my life.

I will love you forever and always. I miss you so much!!!

Thank you for touching my life and my heart in such a special and lasting way. I know you are still watching over me and one day I will get to see you again.

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I was so lucky to have met Bob so many years ago. Thankfully he was part of God's plan for my life. He was an amazing man and it's sad that he had to die at such a young age.

I remember talking to him one night when he called to talk about his upcoming heart surgery that following morning. He told me he was afraid that he wouldn't survive. I didn't give much thought to that comment because it's normal for anyone going through surgery to have concerns or fears about not surviving. I did what I could to reassure him but I don't know how successful I was. Little did I realize that the next day I would get a phone call telling me that he was in a coma. There had been complications from his surgery. I couldn't believe it and I was a 1,000 miles away. I called every day to check on him and was told he wasn't getting any better - the doctor said his prognosis wasn't good. I finally asked the nurse if she would put the phone up to his ear so I could talk with him. I wasn't expecting him to answer me but I knew he would hear me and I had some things I wanted to tell him. As I talked with him I had to choke back the tears and to the surprise of the doctors and nurses he woke from his coma when he heard my voice. And all he said was - "I love you sweetness - forever and always" and I told him I felt the same and he was gone. His death was so painful for me - to be honest at times it still is. He truly was a good man and I am so blessed that I was a part of his life.