Village Friendship

We just couldn't resist this amazing little piece of art work from Lili of the Valley! Anything with two girls at a coffee table or drinking tea always brings us back to the day we met....

Michele and I became fast friends at The Village Coffee shop! She was taking a Sign Language class at the time and I was a friend of her instructor. Their class had decided to meet at the coffee shop that evening instead of the regular class room so that they would have an opportunity to interact with other people who signed and to get a little practice in. We were immediately drawn to one another's quick wit, easy laughter, and love of Signing.  So the story goes... best friends are made over a cup of coffee! ... Just one cup of coffee though... Michele doesn't drink it and never has! Her cup is always filled with crushed ice and a splash of Mt. Dew! :)

~Michele~

Michele colored this Lili of the Valley stamp, "Coffee Break" 

with Copic Markers.

The card will be entered into the following challenges:

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog - Lots of Layers - Challenge #85

Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog - Dies to Die For

The Shabby Tea Room - Week 80 - Vintage White

Di's Digi Design Challenge - First Challenge - Anything Goes

Color Me Creative - "Olde Tyme Photo" 

Something to Cackle About!

Before every corner church in the Bible belt had "Fall Fesivals" or "Trunk or Treat," they had nothing. Before they had nothing they had Halloween parties... complete with haunted houses full of screaming children and make-up covered Sunday School teachers. I am 38 years old now and I remember these Halloween parties. I remember the jar full of olives that were displayed in scary jars and labeled, "witch's eye balls" and for the other jar... we had to be blindfolded to put our hand into so that they could convince us that some concoction they had mixed together were the brains of some monster! The last part of the haunted house was a coffin, and in that coffin lay a vampire, gray green skin, dark receding hair, and fangs that protruded slightly down his bottom lip, even with his mouth closed. He held a full size candy bar held in his hands that were folded across his abdomen, a FULL SIZE candy bar! Our last task to exit the haunted place was to pry the candy bar from the hands of the dead vampire! I was scared to death! But... it was a FULL SIZE candy bar! So I inched up to the coffin with my arm streched out as far as it could possibly reach until I could barely get my finger tips around enough of the top of that candy to grab it and run! That was the plan anyway. I pulled the bar out as quickly as I could but instead of it coming out, as soon as the vampire felt the bar move, he sat upright in the coffin and flung his blood shot eyes open and bared his fangs at me! I stood in place frozen and screaming! It didn't matter that i knew it was my Dad! That was some scary business.

My mom always played the witch in the haunted house! She would practice her cackle for the entire month of October. It would send chills up and down your spine whether she was in costume or not! For years after the church stopped supporting Halloween activities and stopped endorsing our Sunday School teachers and parents scaring the bejesus out of us ... my mom would still cackle at Halloween! When it was just the two of us and no one was around to hear her, I could convince her to cackle loud and proud! Oh but if those church ladies found out! :) I can promise you it would have been Sunday night's sermon at her church!

I would give anything for just one more cackle!

I colored this Mo Manning Digital stamp entitled, "Witch of the West" with Prisma color pencils.

The card will be entered into the following challenges:

Pink Ink Sketch Challenges - Chalenge #6 Kylie's Sketch

Cup Cake Craft Challenge - The Dark Side 

Boo! HeHe

What is better than a hair-raising little creature that makes you giggle? Two of them! (insert laughter here) :)

This card was for nothing other than absolute self indulgent FUN! I saw the challenge over at Copic Creations, "Coloring Fur With a Twist," as well as the Paper Cutz Challenge "Caution - Ghost Crossing" using only the colors black, white, purple, and orange.  It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have an adorable bear that fit was I was looking for so I hopped over to the Stamp Fairy and downloaded a few. I had a blast coloring up these wonderful digi's making them fit into the challenges! If you haven't had the opportunity to join in the fun, please go by and join them! I am sure that you will have as much fun as we are! Oh... and don't forget to go shopping at the Stamp Fairy!

Doctor Hearty!

Ok, so her real name is Doctor Hardy, but wow, does she have heart!

I am an American Sign Language interpreter and I can't tell you how many times I have encountered physicians and medical professionals that ask, "can't they ready lips?" My response is normally very polite and includes and explanation of ASL, Deafness and the statistical success of lipreading. However, inside I am screaming... "Maybe they can read your lips... they means they can understand you a little... BUT can you read their hands?" After all, aren't they the patient? Aren't they here to tell you what ails them so that you can assess the situation and make a recommendation for treatment?

Doctor Hardy is incredible! I don't think it has ever occurred to her to ask such silly questions or to attempt to write back and forth! It seems to me that her thinking process is pretty simple...

I have a Deaf patient...
I don't sign...
They aren't verbal...
I need an interpreter!

Voila!
Brilliant isn't it!

If that were the only thing that made Dr. Hardy stand out, she would be incredible.  BUT, it doesn't stop there! She actually takes the time to explain to the patients in plain and clear terms everything that they need to know! For example, those graphic little models that sit around the exam rooms, the intestines, the brain, the lungs, the spine... she actually uses those! She picks her hands up and tries to describe what things look like! One time she even told me to turn around and started explaining things about the spine, with MY spine, I was signing one handed over my shoulder! She got her point across, and that is all that matters! All that matters to the patients, all that matters to me, and all that matters to her!

So, I am sending smiles to Doctor Hardy because she deserves tons of them!

This stamp is from the Mo Manning collection and is called, "Luv Ya Tomorrow."

This card will be entered into the following challenges...
Lily Pad "Hero Arts Presents" - A Sketch Challenge
Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - "Delightfully Random."

No Wonder She is Cranky!

DISCLAIMER! ... I love my skinny friends and this story is one that we laugh about now and have laughed about many times over the years. It is all in good fun! 

You may not see it but there is a lot going on in this picture! I have an entire story in my head! :)

These two aren't sisters! They look nothing alike, they don't even have one parent in common. They are best friends! It's obvious! Every skinny girl has to have at least one chunky best friend! I know these things, I am the chunky best friend! :) What skinny girl in her right mind would go out on the town with another skinny girl competing with her for the fellas? On nights like that, you invite me (the frumpy friend!) Please don't misunderstand me, us chunky girls completely understand and comply, it's ok! ... But for heaven sake, the friend in this picture has just taken it way too far! having her carry her lollipop AND a frog! WOW! Now that's a new low! We have our limits and that's just way over the line! No wonder she is cranky! 

This is a Mo Manning digital stamp called, "Stepsisters."

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

I heart 2 Stamp - Sketch For You To Try 

Mojo Monday - Sketch #207

Aly's Sunday Challenge - Bow's

Digital Tuesday - Challenge #129 "People Image"

Cheers!

There are those occasions in life that start out devastating and end up worthy of a celebration!

DIVORCE is often one of those occasions!

Finding out about "the other woman"... heartbreaking!

Finding yourself raising your children alone ... scary! 

Finding out about the lies ... humiliating!

Finding out that you are more than enough without him...

Finding yourself rising to the challenge ...

Finding YOURSELF again ...

Priceless! 

Cheers to you Amy!

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Card Positioning Systems - Sketch Challenge 236 Part 1

Just Us Girls #102 - Color Challenge.

Sorry for your Loss

In my experience there aren't many words that can console a person while they are grieving the loss of someone that they love. Yet I still visit, make phone calls and send cards, not because I think that there is any thing that I can say to ease the pain, but I am convinced that "doing" something will let them know that they are being thought of.  Sending thoughts and prayers to the Maki family!

This beautiful lily digital stamp is a Tiffany Doodles called, "Lily Stems - Oval."

This card is being entered into The Paper Players -

 Challenge #64 "Ann's CAS Theme Animals or Plants.

Dear Henry,

You are indeed "da man!" Thank you so much for making time in your busy schedule this time and so many other times to be sure that my niece, Jordan, has a safe vehicle to drive! You and CiCi have always been so wonderful to her and I have never said thank you! I want you to know that, although I have been remiss about saying it, I have a heart felt and deep appreciation for everything the two of you have done for her! She thinks very highly of you both and for good reason! Please accept my apology for not expressing it any sooner but thank you! Thank you! 

Big Hugs & Warm Thoughts,

Josee' 

This is Wee Henry "Hero" digi stamp from Hambo Stamps.

Henry is being entered into the following challenges:

The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge 126 "Sketch with a Spin: Starstruck"

The Color Throwdown Challenge # 159

Go Girl!

Some cards are just for the fun of it! :) The kind you do just to have filed away so that when the perfect occasion pops up, it is ready and right on hand! I saw this stamp over at Mo Manning's Digital Pencil and just couldn't help myself. I had to have it and I had to color it!

My girlfriends amaze me sometimes! The things that they do every day and just consider it everyday "business" should really be applauded and celebrated.

My friend that wakes up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for her two year old, gets him cleaned up and dressed, and heads out the door to grandma's house while making sure her own clothes aren't on inside out and that her hair and make-up is in place amazes me! Working a full eight hour day and then heading to night school for 5 hours each weeknight amazes me! For my single friends, who have picked up the pace and made a better life for themselves in spite of their circumstances! ... Go Girl!

My friend that knew at a young age what she wanted to do, pursued it, and remained dedicated for 31 years amazes me! Here is to 31 years of state service and the beginning of another post retirement career that awaits her! ... Go Girl! 

For my friend that carries a gun on her hip and wears high heeled shoes while visiting her clients, domestic violence probationers, you amaze me! You make it seem "easy" to work a full-time job, play on a semi-professional women's football team, and raise a five year old daughter! ... alone! ... Go Girl!

For the friends that mow lawns, fix plumbing issues, attend PTA meetings, and schedule SKYPE meetings to talk to their heroes stationed in Afghanistan, you amaze me! ... Go Girl!

For my friend who wears a camouflage uniform and dress green and does more before 5am than most of us do in a full day, you amaze! ... Go Girl!

For the Deaf women who are working careers, raising babies, and navigating the world in silence and accomplishing more than most of us would ever attempt, you amaze me! ... Go Girl! 

Every woman has her story.  I enjoy hearing them! 

I am proud to call all of you my friends and I celebrate each of you! 

GO GIRLS!

This is a Mo Manning stamp entitled, "On the Pot."

Mo's Challenges is celebrating 100 challenges!

 Please be sure to stop by their site and celebrate with them! 

We are entering this card in the challenge! 

This is also being entered into the Card Patterns Sketch #133.

Click Clack

I know why witches have brooms! There is no woman on the face of the Earth, nor in the underworld, nor in the atmosphere that is going to take a chance of messing up shoes as cute as these! Not only that, but how would these band of witchy friends ever manage to sneak up and do any dastardly deed incognito with all the click clacking these shoes would create! What about speed? I would imagine that any good witch would need a certain amount of running speed to do wicked tasks. How in the world would you get any speed in these shoes?  SO THERE! THE MYSTERY HAS BEEN SOLVED! Witches fly on brooms because they are women ... who care about their shoes!

This stamp is a Tara Reed Designs stamp called, "Witches Shoes."

This card will be entered into The Moxie Fab World, "Vertical Challenge."

Stop by there and check out their FAB sketches and play along!