It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a week since we all got together.  What a wonderful day we had.  It was a smaller than usual group, but that didn’t really matter.  It was a whole lot more relaxed, everyone worked so well together.   We had a lot of laughs and made some new friends on the way.  The projects all turned out so beautiful and everyone was happy.   Everyone also agreed that a smaller group was a lot more fun.  I thank everyone who attended for such a good day!!!  I’m getting ready to do it all again this Saturday in Springfield.  Still plenty of room if you’d like to join us.  I love to see you there. 

     I went out today and picked up the first of my flowers.  My husband would love to think it’s the only trip, but, we both know better.  I like to go several times and get only enough for what I can plant right away.  This Saturday while I’m away, my husband will dutifully plant all that I leave behind.  That’s his gift to me for Mother’s Day.  He does all the weeding and the gets the beds ready to be planted.  Then I lay out the plants and he puts them in and does the mulch.  It works for me. 

     Have a great week!!!

Sue

   For those of you that emailed me because for one reason or another you weren’t able to attend the Washington Workshop.  My dear friends at Prairie Art Stamps in Springfield, IL has convinced me to hold a special Workshop just for them.  It’s slightly different, but still loads of creative goodness and fun.  I will be at Prairie Art Stamps on Saturday, May 8th from 10-3.  Contact the store at 217-679-0148.  Or check out their website www.prairieartstamps.com

     I will also be teaching a Basic Grey Pop-Up class using the “Green at Heart” line from Basic Grey at Scrapadoodle in Peoria, IL.  The class will be Saturday, June 5th, time: TBA.  If you enjoy pop-up cards or want to learn how, then this is the class for you.  Contact Scrapadoodle at 691-5152  or check out their website at www.scrapadoodle.com  The class is so new they may not even have it listed yet, be the first to sign up.

     A lot of new and exciting things are happening in my little part of the world.  Lots of ups and downs and finally Ups!!!  I wish I could tell you what I’m up too, but, I’ll have to tease you for now.  BIG things coming later this summer, stayed tuned.

55 years ago today, this special couple promised to love each other forever and ever, in good times and bad.  They eventually built a little house and raised a family of five kids, four girls and a boy.  The house was small, barely 1000 square feet, it was tight but so were we.  It is a house of tremendous love and faith.  Earlier this week, my sisters and sister in law got together and Spring Cleaned the house for an Anniversary present for them.  What do you get someone who has been married for 55 years?  It was such a special gift for my mom, that she broke down and cried several times.  It was good to spend time with the girls, do something worthwhile and special for people who would and have done anything for their kids.  It’s wonderful to have such great parents.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! Mom and Dad.

I love you,

Sue

We are going to have a new addition to our family.  Before your jaw drops any further, I’m going to be a grandma!  My son Nick and his wife Bonnie are expecting their first child (my first grandchild) in September.  I am so happy for them.  We had hoped at their doctor’s appointment this week that we’d be able to find out if it’s going to be a girl or boy.  Maybe next month.  (I can’t start shopping until we find out)  I am over the top excited for them. 

Congratulations you two!!!

     On Monday, my daughter Stephanie and I went antiquing.  We spent several hours scouring and digging through the Antique Mall.  Here are a few of the fun things we found.  (and bought)  Every since I saw the vintage matchbox holder on Ali Edwards blog I knew I wanted one.  I bought the black one and Stephanie got the red floral one.  She also picked up a cute pink clothesline (not sure what she’ll do with that) and a few pieces from a vintage desk set (the desk calendar and the the ink bottle).  I got the cute little brownie camera.  Another fun part of the day was I was able to teach Stephanie a trick about bargaining that she didn’t know.  The desk items we’re part of a bigger lot with some cool items, but she didn’t want to pay the $28 price tag.  So, I taught her that you can negotiate and offer to pay for only the items you want.  All in all a good day and we got what we wanted. 

     Come back tomorrow and I should have another fun bit of information that I hope to share.

 Till then,  Enjoy this Heatwave!!!

My daughter Stephanie is home this week on Spring Break.  Stephanie found my old high school sweater yesterday, she thinks it’s so cool and vintage.  Does that make me cool and vintage?  (let’s not answer that)  She loves riding bikes, so yesterday she took off with some friends to enjoy the day.  I’m so glad she’s home and this is supposed to be a great weather week.  (I just love Spring.)   I’m looking forward to spending time with her this week.  She wants to do some antiquing, thrifting, shopping and lunching.  Sounds like fun to me.  (she’s definitely my girl) 

     I find myself still playing with paper roses.  This time I made a frame and put in my sweet daughter Stephanie.  The picture is an older one, actually it’s one of her Senior pictures from 4 years ago.  She’ll be graduating from college in less than 2 months.  She is working so hard.   This semester she’s going to school full time, doing an internship at Anthropologie, working at the Gap and a part-time job at the college.  I am so proud of all that she’s accomplishing.  I’m glad that she’s happy and working at full-filling a dream.  Way to go Stephanie!!!

     I learned how to make paper roses last week.  I feel just like Marie Osmond while I’m making them, singing “Paper Roses, imitation…”.  You remember the song?  O.k.  maybe I wasn’t actually singing it, but, the song has been running through my head practically non-stop since I started.  These little things are addicting.  This is what I made this morning when I sat down at my desk to do some actual work.  I started out making bigger roses and then I started going smaller and smaller.  This is probably the smallest my fingers can go.  To give you a size comparison the tag only measures 2 1/4″ x 3 1/4″.  I just love how delicate it looks.  I think I feel a new class coming on.  I’ll keep you posted

     On Friday, I found myself once again in fifth grade.  (not in the usual fifth grade that I visit as a room mom)  This time, I was asked by my nephew Josiah to come to school with him for Special Person’s Day.  Josiah is a very sweet, sensitive, shy, fifth grader with a wonderful smile.  (I just love that smile)  When he was little he would let me give him kisses, stroke his hair, etc.  Not, so long ago, he told me that he doesn’t like it when I do that anymore.  Not completely surprised, (I’ve been around guys before) I promised I wouldn’t.  Sometimes he would taunt me to make sure I wouldn’t, but I’ve been good.  Being good is very hard for me because I’m an ornery person by nature.  Anyway, I was a little surprised when he asked me.  I told my sister, “what, he lost?”  she said, “No, he chose you.”  I promised Josiah, I’d be on my best behavior and I wouldn’t kiss him, stroke his hair or do anything embarrassing.  It was a fun morning of science experiments, origami, stories, performances and chapel.  After chapel, we went out for lunch with his mom and another sister and their Special People.  It was a really special day.

The picture is of Josiah and I back at his house with his dog Chocolate.

     I don’t normally consider myself a lucky person.  Blessed?  Definitely.  But lucky as in winning?  Not normally. 

     Saturday, I had to help out at my son’s school carnival.  My shift helping in the school cafeteria was over at 6:00 p.m.  I had asked my son earlier to buy some raffle tickets for me, but, he didn’t have time.  (he was too busy having fun)  So after I got through with my shift, I sat down and started talking with some friends.  The drawing for all the raffle prizes were to be drawn at 6:30.  I decided at 6:15 that I should go and buy a couple of tickets.  So I went over and bought 6 tickets for $5.00, put my name on them and deposited them in various buckets.  Then I went back to my friends to visit some more.  Would you believe I was the second name called and I won a wonderful prize package called “Pamper Me Mom”.  What a wonderful surprise.  The prize includes a purse, lotions, gift certificates for a massage, tanning package, haircut, manicure, house cleaning, dry cleaning, make over, restaurant gift certificates and probably a few other things I can’t think of.  Wow!  I was on cloud nine.  I’m not sure which one I’ll use first.  What a lucky day!