Laugh In The Sunshine

 Just a Note

The following post contains some very personal stuff.  I placed it at the end so that you wouldn't have to read it if you are only here for craftiness:)

Good Morning!  I hope you are having a great start to your weekend.  I know that I have been a bit absent.  I apologize.  I had my first Scentsy party this week and was busy prepping for that.  I started a a template by Adela and haven't quite finished it.  Hopefully by Monday.  The weekends are very precious here.  We spend them with my dear husband.  So, there will be no crafting until the weekend is over.

I did want to share a card I made inspired by my mom.  At my LSS, I saw this stamp set by Inky Antics.  I couldn't resist getting it because the wording encompasses something that my mom loved.  Flowers and Sunshine!

.

Live 

among the flowers

Dance

with the petals

Laugh

in the sunshine

This is a card I made a few weeks ago using the scrap from an Amy Butler 5X7 pad.  I also used a a stamp from Thankful Accents by Verve to adorn the sentiment panel.  Each end is topped with a tiny green rhinestone.  The puffy flowers in each corner were a great find at a dollar store...can you believe it?  I colored them with a paintbrush and distress ink very lightly and topped each center with stickles.  You can click on the photo if you'd like a closer look....don't be too critical though.  Pretty sure the stickles aren't dry in the photo.  I love stickles, but man, they take forever to dry!

I would like to mention that I am getting rid of almost EVERY STAMPIN UP INK PAD.  It will have a reinker that goes with it.  I would love to sell them as a set, but might consider selling them as individuals.  I might even have the paper that goes with the color.  

I am also selling every Stampin Up Marker, except red.  That one is a goner:)  I do have the red journaling  marker to replace it.  I also have included a versamarker and a watercolor brush.

Here is the picture.

Cost is $75 plus the cost of shipping.

You can email me (sidebar) and I will figure out shipping to your area.

I also have all this paper....

It does not include the two smaller pads.  These pictures show the same stack of paper from different angles.  There must be at least 200 sheets.  I think that is a very LOW estimate, but I'm not going to count:)  These are 12x12 of SU colors.  Some of the edges are rippled since they have been sitting in racks.  I would suggest them to a cardmaker if that is an issue for a scrapbooker.

Cost is $25 plus shipping to your area.  

Again the SMALL PADS are NOT included.  My friend took those.

I have lots more stuff, but it's just not ready to put up.

One more thing to share on a personal note.  I debated writing anymore about my grief.  However,the one thing I have realized through blogging and reading people's blogs is that you never know how you may be helping someone else.

Something that you say, or write, may be just the thing that someone else needed to hear.  So I will share and the great thing is YOU have the option to stop reading:)

I have had two really good days.  Days of smiling and even laughing again.  It has been a LONG time.  I had such a great time at the Scentsy party and was able to get 3 more parties scheduled from that.  Out of 6 guests, that's a GREAT thing!  I was so happy!   Until yesterday morning when I realized the person I wanted to share that with was not here.  I asked her if she knew.  Did she know how great that was? Does she know that I'm donating a percentage of my earnings to her fund?  Does she know how we are honoring her by donating coats?  Does she see that my dog is shedding like crazy?

Remember this dog that you hugged and loved and commented on how she didn't really shed.

Do you know that your granddaughter is plucking her own eyebrows now?  Do you see how big she is getting?

Does she know all this stuff that I want to tell her?

All these silly things that I need to share with her.  Things that someone else wouldn't care to hear.  I know she would listen to it all...with so much interest.  I miss her voice and her laughter.

And I CRIED!  

I was putting my suitcases away in room.  I always keep them in her closet now.  I had been in and out of there several times.  I managed to just cry and do the things I needed to do.  I had to go into her room one more time.  I was going to sweep (cause there's a lot of dog hair here) and my dog had left her half eaten chew toy on the floor in my mom's room.  As I bent down to pick it up, there was one of her earrings.  Do you believe in signs?  I do.  That earring was not there.  We have been in and out of her room everyday.  We like to go in there.  That earring was not there.  You could say that it dropped out of the closet, but I don't know how.  There are only a few of her clothes left in there.  I do have her earrings, but they are in my room, in a jewelry box at the other end of the hall.

That was the first of several signs yesterday that she was answering my questions.  She is here.  I got another piece of mail addressed to her yesterday.  Her Rite Aid card was sitting out on my counter.  My mom hasn't lived her in over a year and a half.  Coincidence?  I don't think so.  Last night I got on Facebook and there was a song that I will share.  I had to write a friend back who was checking on me.  Her mom died the same day as mine...eleven years earlier.  If you are on FB you know that your friends pictures will pop up on the right side.  As I was writing my friend back, I looked up and there was my mom's picture and photo album of her and my kids.  I took that as another sign.  Some may say I'm reaching.  That's ok.  Even if I am, it brings me comfort.

I just wanted to share that story because it helps me and it may help someone else. 

Here is the song that I heard yesterday....