On this 249th day of 2014, I am thinking about gratitude. Last year, 2013, was full of seasons--good and bad. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for my life and feel blessed. But just like all of us, I had challenges in 2013. But this year is good!
Here is what is happening right now in my life--
Our second granddaughter is here--our Little Miss 2! Little Miss 1 is the best! She loves her little sister and has adjusted to being a big sister well, so far. I have decided to give them nicknames even though Little Miss 1 is not too sure about it. LM1 is Chickadee because she is a like a little bird with a big song. Little Miss 2 is Cricket because she is like a little bug with a big chirp. (I know that some experts say that only male crickets chirp, but others say that strong females do too!) Life with these two beauties is joy filled! We grandparents know that Grands are like our own heart walking around. Feeling Gratitude!
Coach and Our It Girl are building a new house. we are hoping they will be in it by Christmas. Here is the progress as of a week ago. Of course, Dirtman has been “supervising” the progress. He dug the basement, built the workshop pad, dug trenches for the electricity and water lines, moved dirt for the septic system, and ensured that the “yard” is looking its best. Their home is located on 3 or so acres with a farmed field behind it, a “ creek” to the west, and a cow-filled pasture across the road. They do have a neighbor to the east, but not close. This home will be a perfect place for them to raise their family. Feeling Gratitude!
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| New House Front |
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| New House Back |
Dirtman and I are enjoying semi-retirement. Of course, Dirtman is bulldozing these days and we are waiting to see if he returns to his “real job” for special projects. I am still doing my own thing and could not be more grateful! Working in my studio and helping C get ready for a big party. One of her twin daughters, A, works for a local Chamber of Commerce and it is time for Ladies Night. The theme is Boots and Bling! Here is a sneak peek of one cute accoutrement!
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| Bling for Boots |
For the first layer I am using book pages from a book I bought at a resale shop in Kenai, Alaska. The book is titled And the Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer. It is a fictional novel and a good summer read. I started tearing the pages from this in-perfect-condition-hardcover-with-dust-cover book to use in this album. Then one day I was watching Jeopardy and this book was an answer to one of the clues. That sparked my interest and I wanted to know more about it. Now I am kinda sad that I ripped pages from this book. I bought it to use in my paper crafting because it has 1,184 pages, the first page of each chapter is decorated, the color and weight of the pages are perfect for paper crafting, and it has mention of holidays and festivities that I love to celebrate-not to mention that some of the names of characters and towns are familiar too. Even though these pages make the perfect first layer, I might not have used them if I had known the history before the first rip. I used 6x6 paper from Maggie Holmes collections for the next layer and many of the embellishments are from her collections too.
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| Possible Pages Collection |
If you are a paper crafter and have not found Wilna on the “inter web” as she calls it--here is the link. Check out her site. She leads the best online workshops! I love her style, hope you will too.
Good Friends are such a blessing in my life. A few of these GFs I have known since junior high school. I moved the summer before my eighth grade year. It seemed like the end of my life at that time, but it turned out to be the beginning of one of the best things in my life! We are a group of five women who still share our lives. When we are together it feels like we are teenagers again. Three of us, P and B who are mentioned in my It’s a Girl Thing--A Girlfriend Thing! post and me, are planning a girlfriend-get-together-road-trip next week. Can’t wait! Feeling Gratitude!
Not all I feel gratitude for, but a good start!
Things I like--the beginning of Autumn, Bosc Wine, Keurig coffee pots, and my freezer filling up with bounty from our garden just to name a few.
May all the seasons be sweet to you,
Mary
