Long Time No Talk

My summer took a quite unexpected turn a few months ago when I got a call from my niece, Trisha, in Utah.  She said that my sister, Rose, had just had a stroke and all she knew right now is that they needed someone to take care of their dog.

A few days later, Alice (my other sister) drove down to pick up the dog so he could stay with her while I got ready for a long term stay at Rose's.

That Sunday, Rose went into a rehab center so I had a few more days to get ready.  The next weekend, Alice and I went down for a visit and then I returned later that week when Rose got out of the center.

I've spent most of the time in Utah with a couple of trips home.  The first one was just a few days but I've been home for almost 2 weeks now.  We're heading back to Utah and it will still be back and forth for a while.  We need to spend time in Utah so that Rose can continue her therapy/rehab and to continue to improve.  I don't know the details about the stroke but it has left her with a "wobbly" feeling.  Other than that, she's doing fine!!!  Thank God!  It could have been so much worse.

Trisha, her daughter, lives in the next town where she works at the University.  Trisha is unable to drive so I've been driving back and forth so that Trisha can spend the weekends with her mom.  We are all hoping that Rose can start driving soon but at this point they haven't even given her permission to live alone.  I think I've driven more in the last 2 months than I have in the last 5 years.  Good thing I like to drive!!!

Okay, that's my summer.  Now, let's talk about my fall.

First of all, I will be moving in with my mother soon.  We figure we can help each other out.  A lot of times, especially when I have a migraine, I really shouldn't be alone.  Sometimes I forget days because I just sleep through them all.  That's not good!  At this point, mom does fine by herself but we realize that within a few years, she will need some help as well.

My brother is a builder and he is doing an addition on to my mom's home to extend the bedrooms and give us each a larger bedroom.  When he is finished, I will be moving.  I'm looking forward to this new chapter.

In October, I have the wonderful opportunity to go back to Brave Girl Camp.  I'm just so excited and it really couldn't come at a better time.  I'm not complaining here but I've lived alone for most of my life and having the responsibility for/with someone else has been hard.  I wouldn't do anything else BUT take care of my sister now; however, it's very stressful for me.  It will be so nice to spend some time with Melody Ross and several other Brave Girls that I have "met" online.  I can't believe how many people will be there that I already converse with online on a regular basis!  I'm so very excited for this.  I just can't wait!!!

I haven't had much time for art or for making cards.  I have been working on a crazy quilt swap that's been fun.  This is the block that I sent in.  I've seen a picture of the progress in round 1 and it's beautiful.  I can't wait to get it home again! I can't find the picture of the block that I did for round 1 but I'll share it when I can.

I used to love to embroider and crazy quilting is just fancy embroidery.  If you remember, I took a class in the winter that got me interested so I joined a Yahoo group for beginners and am now participating in the swap!

Also, I have a new great nephew coming so I'm working on an afghan for him.  I've made an afghan for most of the greats and am working on one for each of my nieces and nephews.  Still working on that one though!  Also, I'm hoping to have a card made for McMahon Five Designs this week or next and I'm participating in a blog hop for one of the challenge blogs I used to design for.  I'm going to leave that as a surprise.

Well, that's all that's going on with me but I think that's plenty, huh?  What's going on with you?  Do tell!!!

Blessings,
Christine

One of these days I'll remember to post my McMahon Five Designs card before I go to bed.  I was going to schedule it last night but something else came to my mind and I totally forgot!!!  I have ADED (Attention Deficit Easily Distracted). ha!  I just made that up!!!  I could be a comedy writer.

Remember that many of our images come in outline png and jpg files as well as colored versions!  For me, most of the fun of making cards is to color them so I chose the outline image.

I fell in love with this little guy (Flag Fella) and new it was the perfect image to use on my bros birthday card since he was born on July 6.  My niece that lives in Texas is coming for a visit around his birthday so we'll be celebrating in person this year.  Since he lives across the state, I don't remember the last time I was with him on his birthday!!!  Probably when he turned 18!  He's catching up with me this year at 56!

Now on to the new releases for this week.

Bee Boy - Color

Bee Boy - Outline

Bee Girl With Sunflower - Color

Bee Girl With Sunflower - Outline

Fishing Bear - Color

Fishing Bear - Outline

Bees n' Sunflowers DP

Camo Chameleon DP

Flag Fella JPG and PNG

Popsicle Patty JPG and PNG




Surfer Dude JPG and PNG

Birds and Bees - Color

Birds and Bees - Outline

Birds and Bees Sentiments

Let's BBQ - Color

Let's BBQ - Outline

Let's BBQ Sentiments

For more projects using the images above, visit the Design Team blogs and please leave them some love!  Kathy, Sue,  Mandy, Sharyn, Tania, Fran, Kristine, Michelle P, Kelly, Michelle A, Debbie, Diane, Helen, Jennipher, Sandie and Danielle.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  I hope you have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Christine

Ladybug Friends

I don't know why I can't remember to post my McMahon Five Designs card before I go to bed on Friday but I never remember until I see Sue's newsletter in my inbox!  Anyway, here's my cute little Ladybug Fairy!!!

Kris has really been making some cute designs, hasn't she.  She creates the Imagine That digi images and the Bella's Beauties digi paper!

I took a mini vacation (with my mom, sises, and niece) Memorial weekend to visit my brother in Eastern Idaho.  We had a great time visiting Mesa Falls--one of my favorite places on earth.  Before we drove up there, we went to a Carousel exhibit at the Museum of Idaho and I dropped my camera and broke it.  We ran to Walmart to get another but I didn't have the correct car charger for it so I had to borrow my mother's camera to take pictures at the falls. I'm going over there tomorrow to help her plant some roses and a Wisteria tree so I'll get the photos then and share them next week.  I think you'll love Mesa Falls as much as I do!!! 

Now, on to the rest of the release.  Be sure to stop by my DT sister's blogs to see examples of their projects!

Party Animals - Color

Card by: Fran

Fran and Kathy made cards with this cute turtle!

Party Animals - Outline

Debbie colored up this image for her card.

Ladybug Friends - Colored 

Kathy and Sue

Ladybug Friends - Outline

Blossoms n' Bugs DP

Kathy and Sue made to cards using the paper.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have some great plans for the weekend!!!

Blessings,

Christine

I'm submitting this card to the Flutterby Wednesday Challenge.

I will be sending this card to Maddy thru the Simon Says blog.

McMahon Five Release

Hi all!  I have some people from my church coming over tomorrow to paint my house so my week has been super busy!  Given that, I didn't get a chance to play along with the McMahon Five Deisgns release this week but I wanted to show you all the lovely new images!!!

Fuschia & Hummingbird - Outline

Fuschia & Hummingbird - Colored

Well Wishes - Outline

Well Wishes - Colored

Butterfly Wishes JPG and PNG

Golfer Guy JPG and PNG

For projects using the above images, visit the Design Team blogs!

Angie, Carolyn, Debbie, Fran, Jeni, Kathy, Kelly, Kristine, Michelle A, Michelle P, 

Sue

I hope you have a great weekend!!!

Blessings,

Christine

Hi all!!!  I've been doing a little more drawing and thought I would share my latest girlie!

I can see problems but I still really like how she turned out.  I'm still not sure how and where to shade but that's why I keep practicing, right?

Thanks for looking!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Red Red Robins...

...just a bop bop bopin' along.

It's another new release today at McMahon Five Designs.  I really am loving the new illustrators that we have now.  I chose to use one of Kris' new images to work with this week.

This new image comes in either a line drawing or precolored so you don't have to color if you don't want to.  But I love coloring so much that I just had to color these beautiful robins.  Plus, if you would rather, this bird is generic enough that you could color them up in any number of bird species, don't you think?

Do you want to see what else is being released this week?  Well, you twisted my arm!  First of all, is the set that I used for my card.  You may notice that I used some of Kris' digital paper for my card too.  In case you didn't realize it, you can just print the paper and use it in your card or project just like any other paper.

Birds in Spring Colored

Spring In Bloom DP

Birds in Spring Outline

Bloomin' Dayz DP

Rose Blessings Colored

Rose Blessings Outline

Fisher Fella

Puddle Jumper

I'm including Sues cute card so you can see the Raindrops digital paper that is free this weekend!

Using Raindrops DP (*FREEBIE - this weekend only!)

For more details on the projects above, visit the Design Team blogs--Debbie, Kathy, Michelle P, and Sue.

Have a wonderful weekend!  It's supposed to be beautiful here!!!

Blessings,

Christine