One Week Later

It's been one week since my Mom's funeral, and I'm still processing through the grief and the joy, the loss and the victory.

It was a beautiful service where my mother gave her last confession of faith to her friends and family. And let me tell you, for being 92 and outliving many friends and family, she had a lot of people who came and shared their stories and memories. It was a testament to her love.

I've received so many beautiful cards and words. Thank you!

My siblings and I are starting the process of cleaning and sorting Mom's things...slowly. It will take time. You touch a thing, and it brings back a memory. Lots of talking. Lots of feelings.

A funny thing has happened this week. I dream of Mom every night. Nothing momentous. No earth-shattering revelations. Just Mom, quietly inserted into my dreams. Drinking coffee. Making tea. Holding a baby. Always there, for all the moments.

And that was my Mom. There for all the moments. 

And that will continue to be my Mom. There, in my heart, for all of my life's moments. 

What a blessing, and what a comfort.

 

Rustic Bouquet-Inspired

 

Concord and 9th had some pretty autumnal stamps and dies this month. Rustic Bouquet is one of them. A watering can with florals and a doily mat. What's not to love?

I decided to re-create the look using items from my stash:

*Watering can die (The Greetery)

*Fall flowers dies (Sunflower Botanicuts from The Greetery)

*Doily mat dies ( My Favorite Things)

I had these stamped backgrounds at my desk (CP stamps, probably made them last fall!) and decided to use them. I made the watering cans look like enamelware with some ink splattering.

I think these look like end-of-summer bouquets, don't you?

Next up: Autumn bouquets!

I changed the color palette and flowers for these.

*Marigold dies (SU)

*Wheat dies (Concord and 9th)

This time, I made the watering cans look like galvanized metal, and added a rusty element with some copper spray.

Four versatile cards to add to my stash. 

New is pretty, and new is fun. But new is not always necessary when you have old treasures waiting to be used and loved.

Aug-tober

 

Have you heard of Aug-tober? It's that feeling that comes when you are done with summer and ready to roll into autumn.

I'm ready for Aug-tober. And I've been seeing signs of Aug-tober everywhere.

I've been organizing my craft room by pulling out the fall-ish stamp sets and paper packs.

New fall releases from Concord and 9th and Catherine Pooler have me reaching for some older products for inspiration. I plan on doing some therapeutic crafting today.

Summer Reading 2026: A Card and a Total

 

Summer Reading 2026 "Unearth an Adventure" officially ends tomorrow, and I am happy to report that I doubled my list of books read this summer. Twenty books from June 8- August 8. That means I earned four badges and four gift cards! woo hoo!

As you may have guessed from my blog posts, it's been a summer of challenges and I will be happy to see autumn's arrival. I can safely predict that this summer will not be remembered as a happy one, but that's just life. I think that is one reason why I read so many books. I needed the escape.

I made a fun card that reflects this.

I paired papers and sentiment from Catherine Pooler Designs, and added a stamped library card (PTI) with diecut images from My Favorite Things.

I'm mailing this one to a friend in my coffee card swap, and I'm including this cute sticker from Chapters Tea.

This is a 5 by 7 card. I've been making some larger cards lately, just because I needed the extra space to create. And if the cost of the stamp is the same to mail a larger card, why not?

I'll come up with aa list of my favorite books soon. Have you read anything good this summer?

The Antidote to Boring Mail

 

Is it just me?

Mail has gotten SOOO boring in recent years. It's hardly worth the walk to the mailbox anymore.

I remember when the mail was filled with magazines and catalogs, hand-written letters and greeting cards. Daily newspapers. Things you could hold in your hand.

With the rising cost of stamps and postage, it seems like we're getting fewer and fewer fun things to look forward to in the mail. Department stores rarely send anything in the mail. Companies expect their customers to look at online websites instead. 

I remember when I was a young stay-at-home Mom. Mail time was something I always looked forward to! My Mom would send us subscriptions to fun publications like Victoria magazine. I would make a cup of tea and devour them cover to cover.

Catalog companies sent so much seasonal inspiration! I remember when Gooseberry Patch sent their sweet, hand illustrated catalogs full of recipes and decor.

Now, it seems like it's nothing but credit card applications, political ads, and the occasional postcard for some home service or local dentist.

I go to the mailbox, take out the mail, and put it right into the recycle bin.

So what can we do to combat boring mail?

Send handmade cards, of course!

I sent a stack today. And I need to send more.

I hope someone gets my card in their stack of boring mail, and I hope it makes them smile.

Butterflies and Sympathy

 

Yesterday was a full day of catching up on all the things I hadn't seen to while life was put on pause to be with my Mom. Laundry, dog brushing, vacuuming, grocery shopping, and card making.

It may seem silly, but I wanted to get this card made so that I can get it in the mail on Monday. 

Catherine Pooler's Mom also passed away last month, and I've been wanting to send her a card. I pulled out CP stamps, inks, dies and sequins for this one.

I did a splotchy background by applying ink to a plastic baggie and smooshing watercolor paper on top. I like the effect. Then, I did some splattering and stamped images on top of that.

I chose colors from the garden...pinks and purples and greens.

My butterfly bush is blooming now, and I'm starting to see some visitors.

Church, library, cups of coffee, books. It will be a quiet day today, and we need that for the week ahead.

Sabbath rest.

My Sweet Mom

 

My sweet Mom went to her heavenly home yesterday. She had been moved to hospice care this past week, and they took wonderful care of her there. 

God allowed me to be there for her last breath, which feels like holy ground. It was peaceful and beautiful, and I am so happy that she is now with Jesus.

She was surrounded by so many loved ones this week. We prayed with her, sang with her, and shared wonderful stories together. I'm so blessed to have my siblings and nieces and nephews in my life. They are such special people. We talk and laugh so much that I'm sure they thought we were having a party in Mom's hospice room. 

The days ahead will have many challenges and blessings. No doubt it will be exhausting. 

Thank you, God, for our sweet Mom, Ruth. She was such a blessing to everyone who knew her, and now she joins her Savior and all the saints in heaven.

For all the saints, who from their labors rest, all who by faith before the world confessed, your name, O Jesus, be forever blest, Alleluia!