Merry Christmas from Tennessee!!

 Merry "White" Christmas!!

So - we woke to this beautiful site above yesterday!  So wonderful to have a White Christmas with family.  But we also woke to this - 

That is COLD - everyone I talk to here says they have never seen it get this cold before - so I guess it is all our fault - we must have brought it with us :)

We've been here 2 weeks now - and everything feels so strange.  But, I know each day will get more normal - and we can't wait to celebrate with our kids and grandkids this weekend; and again next.  So thankful for this opportunity!  Plans for today are to stay in, stamp and drink hot chocolate :)

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To catch you all up - we left Prescott Dec. 8th with two vehicles and Paul pulling a trailer.  Arrived here at our rental on Dec. 11th - after driving all day through heavy rain on the 10th.  We are out in the sticks, on 84 acres of wooded land - but really pretty.

On the 13th we were able to go to our grandson, Meeko's, kindergarten Christmas program - he was a Lord a Leaping (dressed like a frog with a bow tie - that's him with the curly black hair) - so cute!!

Since then we have spent the time getting organized, seeing Heidi's family and enjoying the beauty and nature around us - here is some of the wildlife from our backyard - 

Cardinal on feeder.

Deer in backyard

More deer in backyard.

Red Fox in backyard.

Also, driving around and checking out the area -

Driving along a country road we live off of.

The sunsets here rival Arizona's!

My Christmas Cactus survived the trip - and even held onto a couple blossoms for us - and Paul put up a few lights so we have the holiday spirit just a bit here.

So - we are thankful to be here and looking forward to new adventures and much family time.  We are also sad to leave behind so many friends - praying we can all keep in touch.  Wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and New Years!  Back soon with some wonderful stamping inspiration.  Always stamping, Maureen

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The reason for the season ~ the reason for everything!!

Isaiah 9:6

Cards Brighten my LIFE!

Hi all - can't believe it's been over a month since I posted.  Just a quick update - Since May I have been in a huge flare-up of my autoimmune disease causing me pain, stiffness and extreme fatigue.  Argh!!! Also in that time - we went to Greece, came  home, moved to a new house, started to get settled, took a 2 week road trip to Wisconsin, and came home - - - and, well, enough said.  Through this all I have struggled just to do the absolute necessities, and many things fell by the wayside, including blogging.  But, I am hoping to do better - my symptoms are better as far as the pain and stiffness - but I have not beat the fatigue yet - so wish me luck.

But during all of that I have received cards - cards to welcome me to my new home, to wish me to get healthy, and cards - well, just because.  And even though I was usually too tired to acknowledge them I want you to know each and every one made me feel loved and gave me hope and brought a smile to my face.  So today - I am sharing that love with all of you -

Housewarming - Melodie S.

Thank you - Lisa L.

Thinking of You - Karen B.

Thinking of you - Lori W.

Thinking of you - Karen B.

Housewarming - Darle M.

Housewarming - Deb M.

Housewarming - Karen B.

Congratulations on earning Maui - Lori W.

Housewarming - Bill & Nancy R.

Housewarming - Lori W.

Thank you /Thinking of you - Lori W.

Housewarming - Flo S.

How cool is that - I hope you also can get some inspiration for your own card making.  If you sent me a card, and I have not featured it - please know it was also so appreciated.  I am sure during the move that some cards are not here.  I will probably come across them (as I never throw them lol) and will post in a future post.  

I know I have mentioned before that I consider card making and sending; as a ministry.  As I make cards - I pray; as I send cards - I pray; and my hope is that the recipients are blessed by them.  These cards just reaffirmed my belief that it is a ministry - as I certainly feel BLESSED!  Thank you all -  back soon with more fun and creativity! ~~Maureen

Personal Post Monday - Hang in there with me!!

Hi all - just a quick post - lots to blog about - but no time to do it.  I'm considering October this year a lost month for blogging.  Between 2 classes, 1 special ladies event, my downline meeting, Cards for a Cause, traveling, some family stuff and that's just to tip of the iceberg.  I probably - realistically won't blog again till the end of the month.  But hang in there with me.  Before you know it I'll be back - with lots to say :)  Ta ta for now - enjoy the great fall weather - and give thanks for all that is wonderful and keeps us so busy :) and I will see you soon! ~Maureen

Personal Post Monday - Retirement Life

So - whoever said retirement life was go to slow done - I am questioning that lately :)  But in a good way.  Between keeping house, unpacking, organizing, starting my Stamping business back up here, supporting my downline in a couple different states, keeping up with my personal card making, working in the garden, canning, pickling, crocheting, cooking, traveling, reading, business networking ......well, you get the picture.  My "to do" list actually seems longer than it ever did before - but now it is mostly fun choices - and that makes all the difference. 

So, it is fall - the weather is cooler, we're starting to pull out plants we no longer want, trimming back some we will keep but have become unruly, and reaping the final harvest from our garden.  Yesterday I decided the lavender I had hung to dry was ready - so we pulled out the bunches and I started stripping the stems. 

It smells so wonderful and from the 6 bunches I dried I got this much.  Next year will dry much more and a little earlier, as I think I got it after it's peak.  But this is all new to me so I am happy with the results.

There is enough here to fill six of these little sachets, and then I'll add a little peppermint and lavender essential oils and place them in our clothes closets and linen closets.  They will absorb moisture in the air, lend a nice fragrance to keep clothes and linens from smelling musty, and the peppermint keeps moths and bugs away.

I've got to say - busy or not - I am enjoying this retirement life!!  Hope you all get to enjoy yours someday too!!  But I'm really learning to live in the minute - none of us our promised tomorrow - so we need to be happy in the here and now.  Here's to a life filled with blessings!  See you soon!  ~Maureen

Personal Post Monday - I've been crocheting :)

I do love lots of different crafts - and even though I'd say stamping is my favorite - in the evenings, while relaxing and watching TV I love to crochet.  I can pretty much do it without looking down much - so I can enjoy TV and accomplish something at the same time.  Today I wanted to share some of the afgans I have made over the last year.  The first I gave to my daughter, Jenee - I picked the colors and she liked it - so it was hers.  But I think if she wants I'll let her pick out colors and make her another more personal for her.

 

So after showing my other daughter, Heidi, what I had made, I asked if she'd like one and she said yes, and she wanted me to pull out some of the colors from her pillows on her couch - so I did - and below is her finished afghan.

So after making hers I had a bunch of yarn left - so I made up this afghan below.

And by then my scrap yarn basket was pretty full - so I decided to make an afghan up just of scraps - and here it is.  I actually really like how it turned out.  No rhyme or reason - just stripes of scraps.  And it is all double crochet - so nice and warm.  I'm sure it will be used in the winter months ahead.

Now I think I'll work on some baby afghan's for gifts next.  Thanks for letting me share another one of my hobbies with you today.   Just one of many things that makes me happy and thankful.  Also wanted to let you know that on Friday, September 25, I'll be participating in the Fall 2015 "Coffee Lovers Bloghop" - so be sure you stop back for that.  You'll be able to hop through hundreds of blogs seeing great card designs - so don't miss it!!  ~Maureen

Personal Post Monday - Again :)

I know I have not posted for an entire week - my computer was down for over 5 days and after getting it fixed I am still catching up - so sorry :(  But last week I promised pictures of the critters we have seen around here so I'm still going to do that, and then I HOPE to get some creative posts up this week!  So first - we have amazing hummingbirds - this feeder is right outside my kitchen window and the activity is non-stop.  We saw as many as nine of them there at one time.

I am just mesmerized by them and amazed at how many different colors and types we have.

This picture really shows off some of the color of two of them as they take flight.

Then last week I saw this beautiful moth on our bug zapper - it is a Big Poplar Sphinx Moth.  It was not zapped or harmed and a short time later just flew away.  But I though it was so pretty.

 Walking down my driveway this brightly colored beetle caught my eye.  It was so gorgeous with it's orangey shell.  But when I looked it up I found out it is a tomato beetle and will eat our tomatoes (guess that's why it's that color) - but yikes.  Sent hubby out to find it, but he could not - just hoping it's not hungry!

 Then there are the butterflies.  On each side of the driveway and in the garden we have butterfly bushes and they attract such beauties - like this monarch that landed and was enjoying the nectar of the bush.

 

Finally wanted to share this picture of a Cicada and the nymph shell it left behind as it emerged (there are many types of Cicada - but this is the type we have here locally).  I did not see this in person - just a picture I found - but they are abundant here in the Prescott area.  In the evening as it cools you can hear them playing their "song" in the trees.  Kind of a humming, buzzing to attract those females in the area :)

So that's it for now - thanks for sticking with me.  Stop back soon!  ~Maureen

Personal Post Monday - Nature in all it's glory!

Yay - it's Monday and I get to do a personal post.  I know some of you come by for the creative ideas - which I love too - but there is so much more to my life, and I'm glad I have this forum to share some of that too.  So for today's post I want to share with you some of the beauty that surrounds my home.  Paul and I took a walk this morning and then took some time to just check out the beautiful plants we have.  This first little flower bed is right outside my kitchen window.  The "angels" sign was a gift years ago from my friend Sharon Miller, and it had to travel with me to Prescott - because I LOVE IT!!

Next is just one of our lavender plants - I think we have about 18 on the property and the bees love them.  They are so pretty speckled throughout the greenery.

This morning I picked a few sprigs and bundled them to dry for sachet's in my linen closets to keep them smelling fresh through the winter months.  Paul made a little drying rack area in his tool shed for me to hang them.

Here's our front planters at the entrance to our front porch.  They are full of Marigolds.  Jenee said she did nothing, the seeds just fall from the plants, and then in spring you pull old the dead plants out which loosens the soil, water and the seeds will take root.  They are so beautiful without really any maintenance.  Plus I love this little area with the bench and "Disneyland" light - as my grandkids call it.

This was my favorite picture from the morning walk.  This is in the fenced in area that serves us both as Victorian flower garden and vegetable garden.  The previous owners left birdhouses and birdfeeders all throughout the property and I just love them.  But this one particularly because of the beautiful morning glory that has wrapped itself around the base - looks like a magazine picture to me.

Here's a bigger overview of the garden.  The sun was shining brightly, and everything just seemed so lovely to me.  There are flowers everywhere plus radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash.  The flag pole in the forefront needs to be taken down and repainted - but I think that will happen next year.  So much other stuff to do this summer and fall.

Another close-up of a morning glory that found its way around our split rail fence.  I absolutely love the vibrant purple.

And finally,a close up of the Trumpet Vine on our arbor.  Last year Paul cut it way back in it's dormant season, and I was not sure it would come back - but I was wrong!  Just look at it!  The blossoms are amazing and the hummingbirds love it.  See the picture a couple above to see how it has grown over the arbor again.  Looks like we'll be cutting it back again this year.

Thanks for bearing with me - I hope you also enjoyed this beauty.  I feel so close to God when I walk out and see all the beauty in nature around me - and just had to share it.   Next Monday I'll show you some of the 'creatures' that we share our land with.  Stop back soon for some more stamping ideas!  ~Maureen