Ethan's cards are going in the mail today to Canada. He's getting some great cards. I sincerely hope they lift his spirits! That's the intent! If you missed reading about Ethan, you can read about him here. Don't forget about the September RAK that will be hosted by Sue S. She's doing a great job too! Don't get used to her though because I plan to be back for October's RAK! If you have a suggested future RAK recipient, please email me at the email address on the right with the details!

Here's the slide show!


If your one of my friends on facebook, you might have seen this, but if not, I'll share it with you! Paul smoked some brisket and ribs one day last week. We had the ribs at lunch. Of course it takes the brisket longer to cook. He gets the brisket out of the smoker about 2:30 and sets it on the kitchen counter. So about 3:30 pm I'm on the front porch. He comes out and I tell him that he has a telephone call. So he tells me to take the pan he has in his hand and dump it. I can see some foil and juice. So I give him the phone and I take the pan and dump it. I come back with an empty pan. Paul is still on the phone when I return. So about 20 minutes later, he gets off the phone and asks me, "Where is the brisket?" I said, "I guess it's in the house." Paul says, "No you had the brisket." I said, "I haven't seen the brisket." His eyes got big and said, "The brisket was in the foil!" Believe it or not, we were able to salvage it and it was really good!

I'm off for surgery tomorrow, but like Arnold, "I'll be back!"

MAKE it a great day!

My Quote:
We buy things we don't need with money we don't have in order to impress people we don't like. ~Dave Ramsey

Shirley

We still have a few more days to wait for the cards to arrive for the August RAK. Be sure they are postmarked by the 28th, so I can get them in the mail and headed toward Canada. I'm planning to post the slide show on Tuesday the 31st.

Without further adieu, I'd like to introduce you to the September RAK. I don't have a lot of information on Elizabeth, because she the relative of a friend's friend! Thanks Carol! The information is enough to let you know that Elizabeth certainly could use a little cheering up. Elizabeth is a 31 year old mother, wife and an art student at Oklahoma University. Her children are 4 1/2, 2 1/2 and 6 months old. Elizabeth was diagnosed with Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma in July. It started in the roof of her mouth and spread to the nose. She had surgery this month to remove the roof of her mouth and the lower floor of her nose, as well as her septum (which splits the nose and bone). She now has an appliance that fits in the roof of her mouth. It's a little too small, so their looking at getting another larger appliance or possibly doing skin grafts to cover that area. They believe they got all the cancer and further cancer treatment hasn't been determined. She will probably need speech therapy. The last I heard she is on liquids and having trouble swallowing.



Since I'm having surgery, Sue S has agreed to run this month's swap. All cards will be sent to her instead of me this month. Sue will send them on to Elizabeth. You can get Sue's address by emailing barracudasue @ wildblue. net (no spaces please). Please get your cards postmarked by September 25th.

I'm ready for some more RAK suggestions. So send your requests to the email address to the right. I might be slow in responding after 9/1, but I will get the email and respond at some point, so be patient! Some of you have sent me a stash of cards to keep and use each month. I'll pick one and forward it to Sue, so don't worry! I think we've got it all worked out. I don't know if I'll get the sender list updated on my blog, but Sue will update the list on the Paperthreads Forum.

My dental appt in San Angelo was okay. I really don't mind the dentist as long as they get the area numbed real good. I almost went to sleep several times! BUT it was discovered that I have another tooth that needs a root canal. Arrrggghhhh! So next Tuesday, I'll get numbed up again and fork over some cash! I'm not complaining. We live in a great nation where dental care is available. We have so much to be thankful for!

I hope you MAKE it a great day!

My quote:
Generosity is not in giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is in giving me that which you need more than I do.
Kahlil Gibran

Shirley

Lewis, our dog, is finally getting back to normal after being sick for a few weeks. I thought he was beginning his last days. It's great to see him back to being his normal lazy, hungry self! When he doesn't eat, you know he is not doing well at all.

I'm off to see the endodonist today. My endodonist is back from the trip where I sent him to France. At least I think my last dental visit probably paid for his plane ticket! LOL! He'll hopefully finish up my two teeth today. Paul is driving me, so I'll have good company on the trip!

I made two journals over the weekend, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet. I'm debating adding some flowers to them, but I'm not sure. I think it sort of reduces the functionality of the jouranls. It makes me feel like I need to be more careful with them when they have a lot of embellishments and flowers, although it does make them a lot prettier. So I'm just not sure what I'm going to do yet. I'll take pics after I decide!

You still have a few days to get your cards in for Ethan. They need to be postmarked by the 28th!

MAKE it a great day!

My quote:
To know someone here or there with whom you feel there is understanding in spite of distances or thoughts unexpressed- that can make of this earth a garden.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Shirley

I know, I know, I haven't blogged in awhile and I feel guilty! I have several things I'm working on and planned on having a freebie but it's not going to get done for awhile. I have too many things going on and little time to get them done. It hasn't helped that Paul and I were gone all day Tuesday and Wednesday. I don't mean for a few hours, I mean ALL DAY! We were supposed to be gone all day on Thursday as well, but we stayed home. Paul needed to fix a leak on the hot water heater. It's now fixed. We were able to get a few needed projects done and get in a little rest as well. We both needed it! It seems that our retirement hasn't been all leisure. We stay very busy and when we aren't out and about, there's always plenty to do in Clark Park. So if you aren't retired and you're thinking that you'll be able to slow down once you retire, don't believe it. It's a myth! LOL!

I'm going to have a surgical procedure on 9/1 and probably won't be blogging for a few weeks after surgery. I'm not sure yet. We'll see how it goes. Here's an animated video of what they're going to do. Mine will involve 2 discs. I was told I'd be in pain for a few weeks, so I'm not looking forward to that part of it. I'll be posting the September RAK prior to surgery here on my blog and the forum. Sue B is going to take care of the RAK for me. I'll give you more details when I post it in a few days. I'm still working it out in my mind. Remember, these cards don't have to be handmade. A purchased card will work as well!

I'm still playing with scrap paper! I still had some paper left over after doing the cards posted here. So I made even more scrap cards! Here are some pictures!



I made these cards, as well as the cards in the link above out of 4 or 5 pieces of 12 X 12 paper. I also had one 8 X 11 sheet of pink cardstock. I ended up with about 26 cards! Not bad. My cousin is always laughing and saying that she thinks her handmade cards only cost about $50.00 each! Too funny! I love card number 5. I took some scraps and just sewed them together and made a quilt out of scraps! See picture number 6? Those diecuts were given to me as a freebie at CHA. It was great to use them up! Then in picture number 7, I took a four petaled flower, rearranged it a little, used my copic markers, a little brown cardstock and a dew drop and came up with a butterfly! I have a friend who loves butterflies, so I think this will have her name on it!

Here's the card I made for Ethan (August RAK).



I had trouble with this one because I always have trouble making masculine cards. I thought the Serenity Prayer would be perfect for Ethan. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, Courage to change the things that I can and the Wisdom to know the difference."

Papers: Scraps!

Ink: Versamark, Memento Ink (Danube Blue), Glimmer Mist (Denim Blue)

Shape: Nestablities

Stamps: Not sure, I've had them forever!

Embossing Powder: Zing! Clear and Black

I used the following technique for the cross: First I stamped some white cardstock with clear versamark ink, then sprinkled with clear zing embossing powered. After heating to emboss, I used my Cuttlebug/Nestabilities to get the shape. Next I sprayed with the Denim Blue Glimmer Mist (freebie at the Paperthreads Retreat in March 09!). I wiped the mist off the embossed cross. Next I went around the outside edge using Danube Blue Memento Ink. I love the look it gave! You would never guess I used white cardstock!

Hope you MAKE it a beautiful day!

My quote:
We can often do more for other men by correcting our own faults than by trying to correct theirs.
Unknown

Shirley

It was a sick weekend at Clark Park. Paul is on his fourth day of a summer cold/fever. He's feeling better today. Lewis (our dog) hasn't been doing well since he was discharged from the doggie hospital. He seems a little more perky today, so hopefully he'll be back to normal soon. He will have his 12th birthday soon. We're hoping to have him for a few more years.

Back in March, I used a quote by Erin Bridget Doyle on a card and on my blog. In the link, you can see that her quote was used on the first three card pictures. I also typed out her quote underneath the card sketch I posted. To my utter surprise, I heard from her this week. It seems that she did a search for her name on the Internet and found my blog! This is what she said,

"I am not certain how often you check threads on here, but wanted to say that I absolutely love what you did with my "puzzle" quote :-) I always had words to share, but your imagery/design truly perfects it. I wrote the "puzzle of life" quote back when I was in college - it was so indicative of the influences that people had/made on my life. Now it holds true more than ever with a recent injury I faced and all of the amazing people that been a part of my "puzzle of life". I would love to purchase a copy of your design if at all possible. Please drop a line if you have a moment."

It has been nice conversing with her via email.

Remember all the cards I posted a few days ago? You can see them here. I managed to make 10 more cards from the same scraps. I'll take pics and post them in a day or so.

Don't forget to get busy on a card for Ethan. Also remember, that store bought cards are accepted as well. Email me at shirley_clark@paperthreads.com if you need my address.

I must get up and clean house! I think I need to fumigate the house and get rid of all the germs floating around!

MAKE it a wonderful day!

My Quote:
The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you. ~John E. Southard

Shirley