Winter Bendy Card

For my birthday last October I asked for cash instead of gifts, which I used to purchase an electronic cutting machine.  A Silhouette Portrait to be exact.  I haven't been able to play with it much, but I did use it to make some gift card boxes for Christmas (I'll share those at a later date), and I spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking for tips and links to free cut files.  I have also played with the software and am learning how to use it, although I have a long way to go.

On Wednesday and Thursday evenings I made this Winter Bendy card.  The cut files (the digital files which the computer sends to the machine so it can cut them out) are from Bird's Cards  and you can find the cut file on this page toward the bottom.  Right below the cut file for the Winter Wishes card, you can see a picture of the Christmas Bendy card.  There are also quite a few other ones on the website.

The cardstock I used for this card was rather thin; I think a heavier cardstock would be a better choice in the future.  The cut file had two parts - the card and a separate piece with just the sentiment.  I cut the latter out of a piece of white cardstock, which I then inked with Versamark, and then embossed with a glittery embossing powder.  I carefully put glue on the back and put it over the sentiment on the actual card.

I felt the card needed something more, so I used one of Bird's snowflake files (I can't find them on the site right now, but if I do, I'll edit this post).  I had to make the snowflakes very small - around 3/4" - which made them very difficult to work with, but I did manage to emboss them with another glittery embossing powder.  Attaching them to the card was even more difficult, but hopefully they won't all fall off!

Candice

Way back in August, I made myself a new purse.  (I am supposed to make one for Sarah, too.)  Her name is Candice, and she is a Lazy Girl design. 

While sewing the pockets, you can customize one to fit an e-Reader, iPad, or other tablet.  My pocket holds my Kindle in the pouch I made for it.

You can see there are lots of pockets, something I love about Lazy Girl patterns.

This purse has a zipper at the top, which is why I chose to use it when Phil was in the hospital.  It provided an extra measure of security for when I walked back and forth from the parking garage to the cancer center every day.

Overall, I found the pattern easy to follow.  The only tip I have is to label your pieces as you cut them out; I became confused when it came time to sew and it took me quite a while to figure out which piece was what.

Butterfly Cards

Another card, inspired by a Pinterest pin.  The original is here.

The embossing folder I used is the Cuttlebug folder Textile.  Lace is all from my stash, but probably purchased from Home Sew.  The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch.

I made a bunch of sentiment pieces to put on the bottom, which I pull out and attach when a card is needed.

Cards

Before my husband went into the hospital for his stem cell transplant (he's doing really well, BTW), I made a bunch of cards.  Three different designs, but multiple cards, just in different color combinations.

For the birthday and thank you cards, I began with this design, which I originally found on Pinterest.  It lent itself to scraps, so I began by going through our scrap box, pulling out all the pieces which might work.  I then paired them together.  Here's some of what I came up with.

The top is a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The ribbon is from my stash.  I found the star brads in the cupboard; it's been a long time since I used brads! 

Here are two of the feminine cards.  The heart on top of the ribbon is from the Decorative Photo Corners set by Spellbinders. 

 

 These thank you cards are the same idea.  A Cuttlebug embossing folder for the top, decorative paper on the bottom.  The decorative motif is from Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Accents.

The thank you notes have all been sent - except for one - but I still have plenty of the birthday cards.

Merry Christmas!

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, 

and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, 

and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, 

and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true light, 

which enlightens everyone, 

was coming into the world.
He was in the world, 

and the world was made through him,

 yet the world did not know him.
He came to his own, 

and his own people did not receive him.
But to all who did receive him, 

who believed in his name, 

he gave the right to become children of God,
who were born, 

not of blood 

nor of the will of the flesh 

nor of the will of man, 

but of God.
And the Word became flesh 

and dwelt among us, 

and we have seen his glory, 

glory as of the only Son from the Father, 

full of grace and truth.  

(John 1: 1 - 5, 9 - 14)

For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only Son,

 that whoever believes in him 

should not perish 

but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world

 to condemn the world, 

but in order that the world 

might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, 

but whoever does not believe

 is condemned already, 

because he has not believed 

in the name of the only Son of God. 

(John 3: 15 - 18)

Christmas Ornaments

This is my second attempt at writing this blog post.  I almost had it written when Blogger decided to stop working, and then when I went back to edit it, I had two with the same title and inadvertently deleted both of them!  I started again, but the information I needed was downstairs and I didn't want to make the trip down to retrieve it, especially after I sprained my ankle!  That's my story, and I am sticking to it. 
My husband was released from the hospital on November 23 after a long 18-1/2 day stay.  Recovery from a stem cell transplant is very slow, and although Phil has regained a bit of strength (e.g., going up the stairs is now somewhat easier than the first time he did it after being released), he has a long way to go.  We have to go to the lab for blood tests twice a week, as well as going to see various doctors whenever they say.  We can also be called to the hospital at any time should Phil need fluids or blood products.  This week we have two doctors appointments on top of the visits to the lab, and the possibility of a transfusion of red blood cells is a real possibility.

I haven't had a lot of time, energy, or motivation to do much.  I did manage to stitch and finish the yearly ornaments for my children, as well as finishing a couple of other ornaments I stitched last year.

Grace and Anthony adopted a dog mid-summer, a cute Corgi named Amelie.  Naturally, I had to choose an ornament for them with a dog on it.  I did change the shape a bit as well as the coloring so it would look more like Ami.

A Dog's Christmas is by Elizabeth's Designs and I found it in the Just Cross Stitch 2007 Ornament issue.

In August, our daughter, Sarah, adopted Posie, a wild lively cat during our local Humane Society's free cat adoption event.

(I am sorry the picture is so washed out!)  I don't have the name of the design, but it is by Brittercup Designs, and is from the 2010 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Preview issue (July/August).

I hope to be back soon with even more pictures to share!

Granola Bars

My husband was admitted to the hospital for his stem cell transplant on Monday, November 5.  He had a rocky start, with a medication making him violently ill, and then he had a reaction to one of the anti-nausea medicines.  He was "out of his head" (i.e., confusion, agitation) for about 36 hours.  It was a very, very difficult time for me, trying to keep him from getting up by himself, having him get angry with me for coddling him, and not being able to answer his nonsensical questions.  Since the confusion cleared, he has progressed as expected, with all his blood counts reaching zero yesterday.  He has developed a sore in his mouth today after several days of complaining that his mouth was tender.  Again, not unexpected, but it makes eating even more difficult.  I don't know how much longer he will be in the hospital.  The original estimate was 14 days, and I am hoping he will be home for Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten more than a couple of stitches put into my current project.  I spend a lot of time helping Phil, doing things that help the nurses, who are patiently dedicated to their patients in this unit.  But I did want to say that the granola bars I mentioned in my last post are absolutely delicious!!!  You can find the recipe at Money Saving Mom.  I used the Rice Krispies (generic ones from Aldi), and for my add-ins I used tiny cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, and peanuts.  (I love peanut butter!)  I would like to try making them with flax seed (maybe using half flax seed and half wheat germ), and using other mix-ins such as coconut (another favorite) and sunflower seeds.  I froze my bars after I cut them, and they are still deliciously chewy once they thaw.  I highly recommend this recipe!  If you make it, let me know how you tweaked it to your taste.

I have pictures on my computer to share, so hopefully I can get to those soon.