Love You a Latte

It's been quite a while since I've been here. I keep thinking I'll get back into blogging and something happens and I forget. Today, I thought I'd try again and upload a card I made using some fab digital stamps from Verve Stamps. Too cute! Who doesn't love coffee?

I will admit, while I was coloring the cups (with Spectrum Noir Markers), I had to have been thinking about the beach, because before I knew it, I was singing "Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I want to take ya Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go..." And it was all over.

I decided to go tropical. Looked up the lyrics to Kokomo and printed them onto a piece of scrapbook paper for my background. Added a little tropical blue cardstock and cork paper to surround the cups. The trim is from a local drug store/fabric store called "A & E Drug Store." They are marvelous!

Now I'm off to finish work for the day. Hope to be around again real soon!

Hero Arts Web Site and Stuff

First, Hero Arts is revealing their new web site on the 15th. They make beautiful rubber stamps and have fabulous stamping ideas! And they have a a fab blog too!

Chaz and Breezy are out of town at a conference. Actually, they're way outta town! As in outta state and several away. They got to go to a YMCA Christian Values Conference. 5 days in the Blue Ridge Mountains! I'm thinking I wanna go next year!

Summer school will be over Thursday. It's been busier since they have 4 times as many students as they have had in previous years. But I did get a little bit of crafting time. Made some lanyards to sell, a couple necklaces, 130+ tags to write on, and about 20 handmade cards using pictures I took and modified or rubber stamps. They turned out great!

I got to see the last episode of Eli Stone online today. I really enjoyed it. I'm sad that it's over and disappointed that there are no more episodes. Still not sure what to do about my general boycott of ABC.

I'm sitting in my favorite coffee shop reading blogs, facebook, listening to music and thinking I really should eat an earlier dinner tonight.

And today, I'm thankful to God for the summer work and believing He will provide the rest of the summer. I'm grateful the kids got the opportunity to go to this conference (and a friend too).

seminar

I am a demo for Angel Company. I love the stamps. Acrylic mounting vs wood mount is the b*mb-diggity. Currently, I don't sell alot of stamps. I had been waiting until I had somewhere to give a Funshop and now have a big enough home to hold one in.

Their seminar is the end of June in Kansas City Missouri. I'm praying for the finances to attend. The total cost would be around a thousand bucks! Nothing less than a miracle would make that happen.

Can ya say a prayer with me?

stamps?

If you're interested in TAC rubber stamps, drop me a line, I'll be happy to hook ya up! I'm a demonstrator. :)

Squirrels and birds...
This morning when I went out to throw birdseed for the birds, I encountered a little squirrel enjoying the remnants of yesterday's birdie breakfast.

Now I'm trying to decide if I want to feed the little birds and the lil squirrels. I need to look up and find out how to feed the squirrels without them becoming a nuisance. I'm considering buying corn and making a little holder with nails to put the corn cobs on.

As for bellas, I'm still waiting on Flowahbella and SistahoodBellas to arrive. The cards on SCS are just too cute and the thread in the forums about bellas just keeps getting longer and longer. I've been reading it on and off for three days and still haven't gotten to the end of it. What's up with that? LOL

Oh yeah... I totally missed making a post this weekend. My sister and her husband came down on Saturday to visit their son who is stationed at Corry and stayed with the kids and I until Monday evening. This is the first time she's come down for more than an hour visit since 2001. Normally, we meet at my other sister's house in lower Alabama. That sister also came to visit on Sunday and Monday (she went home on Sunday night). We played cards and sat around and talked. I took 2 ½ hours off on Monday, checked the kids out of school early and joined them in their wanderings.

I can't wait for worship this evening. I've been listening to Matt and Gabe from the last Night of Worship. It's good. Very good. Now if only I could figure out why it errors out at the end rather than repeating the entire cd I'll be set!

And do you ever feel like you've frightened someone? I think I freaked out my friend in Jax. I think he thinks I'm rather weird about God. You know, God has changed my life. Totally. My mouth has been cleaned up, my taste in music has changed (I can't believe I listened to some of the music I used to listen to in the 80's!), I'm more encouraging to those around me and a lot less negative, definitely a lot less depressed! (Read H E A L E D!!!)

Anyway... I'm off for now. I'll have to get in this blog soon and add a couple pics from the actually blogger page and add my tags as well. Later.

crafting...

crafting...

This is the easy entry.  I have another post to make that is much deeper and so wanted to do them separately.

 

Last Saturday, a couple friends and I went to Joanns.  I have a gift card that one of them gave me that was burning a hole in my pocket.  I figured paper is sale so I could get some more.  (Like I needed it? Right?)

 

Anyway, while I was there, I was wandering the stamp pad aisle and came upon a salesperson and a lady who was trying to find an "embossing buddy."  The salesperson didn't know what it was but I did.  I explained to them that several companies carried different versions of it and what it was used for.  Also that Hobby Lobby (HL) might carry one.

 

After the salesperson excused herself, I stood and talked with the lady for about 10 minutes or so.  She was also looking for an embossing pad.  I recommended a different type than what she had and told her that she could probably check HL for that one as well.  She asked if I would mind if she called me some time about stamping and maybe we could get together.  I told her yes and gave her my number and she gave me hers.  I also said maybe I'll see you at HL as well because we were headed there next.

 

It was nearly an hour before we got to HL.  I was wandering through the paint section when she came up and asked me if I would help her with the ink.  I pointed out a VersaMark pad which is what I use for embossing and watermark type stamping.  (They were on sale!  Yah!)

 

Anyway, I talked to her for a bit more and said goodbye and finished my shopping. 

 

Note to self:  I managed to make it through 2 craft stores and spent less than 10 bucks.  Now how strange is that but exciting at the same time to exercise that much restraint.  *s*

 

I called my new friend on Tuesday to see how things went with her embossing.  She said she had some trouble.  I told her that maybe we could get together in a couple weeks maybe we could get together.

 

Tuesday, I recieved an invite to a new military web site called TogetherWeServed.  Absolutely the best.  Ever.  In less than 24 hours, I located people who I have wondered about for years.  The members names are sorted alphabetically or you can search just through your rating, by NEC or duty station.  There are forums and messaging available.  The traffic is high it appears because the site is having a bit of difficulty keeping up this morning.  But as soon as I can afford it, I'm sending them a donation.  Best thing I've found for finding people in the military yet.  Yah!

 

 

Surprise Me God #14 & 15

Surprise Me God #14

God is so good. He gave me an opportunity to share the things He is doing in my life and the changes he is making.

We also finished the S.H.A.P.E. small group that I have been part of. It was good. I've been absolutely blessed through this class and the people I have met.

I found out that another lady in the church blogs and we're going to swap blog urls. This will be the first person I've shared my blog with in the church.

Surprise Me God #15

Busy day. My poor nurse was out half the day again. She has an upper respiratory infection.

I managed to do most of my statistics for last month and have only a couple forms left to finish.

Finished the last of my Christmas cards. I made 211 + 32 (my nurse's cards). Now all I have to do is write in them and address them.

I also paid my electric bill. Anyone attempted to do this in Pensacola lately? You know... Bill Matrix? Or better yet... attempted to use the new Gulf Power telephone line? Yeah, you know what I mean.

The following is my email to Gulf Power concerning their new "voice" activated system (submitted through their web page as the phone number I was given was disconnected).

I have used the "new" voice activated telephone number for Pensacola (969-3111).

It is absolutely without a doubt the most non-user friendly telephone service I have ever used.

I would prefer NOT to share any of my information regarding my electric bill in public. Speaking to the phone is ridiculous unless I am speaking to a real person which in the case of your new phone system is next to impossible.

Furthermore, when I requested an address where I could file my complaint, the customer service representative who I finally got on the phone gave me a disconnected phone number!

This is unacceptable. Surely, there must be a better solution for your customer service line.

Note: Glad I checked that before sending. Heh, I'd have posted my name and phone number to the internet! EEK!

My surprise? God lets me work where I do and minister to kids. Also, I'm at a point that if He wants me to stay at the school for another year, I'm ok with that. I did plan on leaving the end of the year.

Oh yeah, I have a beautiful visual for a wall hanging thanks to the people who gave me the gorgeous handmade papers. The wife said "Even the most beautiful flower has to go through some dirt to bloom." She didn't know where the quote came from but God gave me an awesome visual last night. I'm going to try to make it out of paper this week. Like that's any surprise! LOL

Surprise Me God #3

Surprise Me God!

Last night, we went to prayer meeting at church last night. It was amazing. God showed up in an amazing way. At the end of the prayer, we prayed over the kids. WOW!!! God is so good.

My nurse is at school today! Yah!

Our guidance secretary brought in the most beautiful poinsettas for everyone in the office today.

It was a good day all the way around today. I managed to get the largest part of 212 Christmas cards started. That would be the snowmen and the coloring.

This afternoon, I got the word portion stamped. Tomorrow, I'll start assembling them with the patterned papers.

Also, God blessed us again this evening. I've been worried about Christmas gifts for the kids. They were put on the Angel Tree at church today.

God thank you for your goodness.

Surprise Me God! #2

My day yesterday was different. God surprised me in many ways. Not all of them the best but hey, He didn't say my walk with Him would be a picnic.

In fact, He said "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Note: This wasn't the scripture I was looking for but it sure must be the one I needed!

Talia's clarinet needed work so we took it in for repairs. I nearly fell over when they gave me the cost. *thud* Of course, they don't take payments but it was worth asking just in case!

Today, I gave my next door neighbor a ride to the courthouse so the court could take his deposition in the case against my former neighbor who was breaking into my house.

Surprise me God?

First surprise? No nurse again today. She had a meeting all day.

Second surprise? My first customer of the day wasn't even a kid, it was a teacher! He had cut himself shaving and needed help to get it to stop. He said he had had tissue on it for quite a while and it still wouldn't stop bleeding. I offered him a bit of vaseline hoping it would seal it and he asked if I'd put it on for him. I ended up also cutting a full size bandaid down to size to cover it. Made me laugh early!

Third surprise? The clinic wasn't as busy as yesterday. Thank goodness. I think the thing that amazes me the most is the kids who were truly sick were back again today. Kids who were puking yesterday and had fevers were back!! They hadn't had time to get well and were back spreading whatever they had. ewww!

I did manage to get some images stamped so I can color them for my Christmas cards. I had intended to do cards with a Nativity silhoutte but they didn't turn out quite like I wanted. I ended up playing with my nurse's snowman stamps she bought from me and boy are the cards cute! I plan on making at least 150. The first 40 are done. I have the images for 120 more stamped. Just need to color them, cut the layering papers and ribbon, then put them together.

Today, I am grateful for my children, a job, a van to drive, a roof over my head (although I still need another roof), the rain to come (did I say I love the rain?). I am grateful for a wonderful church family who bless me coming and going. And I am so very grateful for a God who loves me even when I'm screwing up and missing the mark.

I just realized today that I posted the "Help Me God" post on my Daddy's birthday. He would have been 67 years old on the 19th. With all the things that was wrong with our relationship, there were still good things I miss. I miss you Daddy.

I pray that my children don't one day have a post like that in reference to their Dad. They have not seen him since July 2001. Skif acts like it doesn't bother him and Talia, well Talia, I find notes here and there saying "I miss you Dad and I hope to see you soon. I love you Dad. You're the best."

Lord, protect their hearts.