Friday, November 30, 2018

Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and Lawn Fawnatics challenge #41!


Hooray! It's time for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

My first card is also crafted for the Lawn Fawnatics challenge to make a shaped card. I had this idea brewing in my head, and was so pleased that it actually turned out as planned.

I wanted to make a snow globe card, minus the snow globe dies. Not a shaker card, because frankly those can really intimidate me. Just something simple, using the circle and square dies I own and incorporating fun images.

Without further ado, here it is!


I bought this snowman set and dies from Lawn Fawn YEARS ago. And honestly, I think this is the first time I've used it. Seriously?! Why did I wait so long?

I used the wood grain papers and rectangle die to create the base. When paired with the snowy backdrop paper (Lawn Fawn) and the glittery snowy hillside, I think it gives a nice snow globe effect.


{Today's Brew: Making Frosty Friends (Lawn Fawn), Love You A Latte (Lawn Fawn), stitched snowflake die, stitched hillside die, stitched circle and rectangle dies, Lawn Fawn papers}


And in case you were wondering, I did create a back for this card, attaching with a small fold and then covering that up with pretty paper.


Thanks for visiting the cafe today!

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Something Old, Something New Outside The Cottage


We changed things up for the outdoor decorations at the cottage this year. Last year, the landscaping was just planted and not filled it yet, so I plopped some deer out front and called it good enough.

Now that the landscaping has filled in, we decided to move the deer to the back side yard, where they are visible from the main street as well as the side street. It looks like the deer are coming out of the woods...just like the real ones!



In the front, I decided to make the front window a feature by adding two battery operated pre-lit swags. I also found battery operated candles for all the windows. The best part is that everything is on a timer!



The swags, however, were decorated with pinecones and berries. And the pre-lit garlands I bought last year were plain. No problem! I went to Joann's and bought some berry/pinecone clusters and added them in!




It's a little more simple and understated this year, which I think fits the looks of the cottage anyway.


The outside is finished, but the inside is still a work in progress. This week, I put away the last of the autumn decor, cleaned and dusted everything, and then started to pull out the greenery. The tree will go up this weekend, and the nativities will come out just in time for Advent.

It's not easy running around the house with a crutch and an injured knee. I'm calling this my Tiny Tim Christmas. ;)

God Bless Us, Everyone!

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

PTI Make It Monday 305: Love of Layers


This week's Make it Monday at Papertrey Ink featured a card from Laurie that I really loved. I decided to use it as my inspiration for this gift tag.


I've been enjoying making tags lately. I would never go to this much trouble and fussy cutting for Christmas cards. But for one tag? Okay. I can manage for just one tag.


For the base, I used PTI Quilted tag, and for the pinking sheared circle, I used a die from Stitched With Love.

{Today's Brew: PTI Christmas Hope stamps and dies, PTI Quilted tag dies, PTI Stitched with Love circle die, PTI inks and card stock, Amuse ribbon and rhinestones, white embossing powder}


The knee is getting better every day (thanks for the kind words of encouragement!). I'm not going to let this little setback keep me down for long. I'm still able to hobble down to the basement to craft...maybe not with full coffee cup in hand, but that's okay. I can caffeinate upstairs. And I shall...very soon!

Blessings, cafe friends!

Sunday, November 25, 2018

PTI November Blog Hop



Hello, cafe friends! It's the 25th of November, and you know what that means? Yes, one month until Christmas! And it's Papertrey Ink blog hop day! The inspiration photo is a reminder of just how far behind I am this holiday.

I made this tag for future gift wrapping...as soon as I get around to buying those gifts!


{Today's Brew: PTI Friendship Jar stamp set and dies, PTI Friendship Jar Holiday stamps, PTI papers and card stock, Amuse ribbon, Memory Box pine needle die, SU dazzling diamonds glitter}


So how was your Thanksgiving? Mine was painful. I tore, or I should say re-injured a torn meniscus in my left knee last weekend. That meant I had to hobble around the kitchen on one leg, while the other one throbbed and swelled. I finally went to the doctor yesterday, and got some crutches and anti-inflammatory meds. Lots of icing and trying hard to stay off my feet with my leg propped whenever possible.

As for the dinner? Meh. I've had better. I will change it up next year. But this year, I am just thankful for the family and the time together.


Did you do any Black Friday shopping? I stayed out of the stores, but I do plan on placing a few orders today and tomorrow.

The holidays are officially here! Blessings, cafe friends!

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

This Is My Father's World


Do you remember your dreams? I do. I have such vivid dreams that I can even remember them in detail upon waking in the morning. 

The other night, I had a bad dream, filled with doom and impending peril from some unknown evil. It was frightening. But when confronted with this evil in my dream, I broke out in a hymn of praise. It was this hymn.


"This Is My Father's World." Was this hymn a part of your church history? This is a hymn from my childhood. I honestly have not heard this hymn in years. Years. And yet this was the song I sang in my dream.


It was this verse:

This is my Father's world,
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong
God is the Ruler yet.

Wow. Such powerful words of comfort and hope!

I have to be honest. I look around at the world most days, where up is now down and black is now white and wrong is now right, and I ask God "God? Can you see what a mess we've made of this world? Can you see the destructive path we have made for our children and for future generations? Everything seems contrary to your Word."

And still, over a century later, a hymn writer reminds me that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.

I am so thankful for hymns.

A few years back, I briefly belonged to a church that decided to let go of hymns and embrace contemporary Christian tunes like the ones found on the radio. It was a big mistake. Hymns have a history. Hymns are rooted in Scripture. Hymns can give you the full Gospel in one tune, with hearts and voices lifted together in praise.

I am also so thankful for Christian parents that faithfully took me to church every week so that these hymns could become such a permanent part of my psyche that I can even recite them in my sleep. What a comfort and joy that is!


Today's card is a card of thanks. I recently ordered a LOT of new stamps and dies from Concord and 9th. I am in love with their designs, the beauty and simplicity. Like this Lace Leaf stamp. Lovely.


{Today's Brew: Lace Leaf stamp set from Concord and 9th, PTI inks and card stock, SU cord ribbon and copper card stock}

Here's an interesting side note. The first seven notes of this hymn? Howard Shore used them when he composed a theme for the Lord of The Rings movies.

"This is my Father's world;
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King, let the heavens ring
God reigns, let the earth be glad!"


Monday, November 19, 2018

Two More Cards With LF On The Mend


Happy Monday, cafe friends!

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving week is here! I've been prepping for the big day. Last week, I bought all of the food. This week, I will tackle some house cleaning before the cooking begins.

We usually have a small group...just our three sons and my mother-in-law. And after the feast, my husband changes clothes and heads off to work for all of the retail madness that is Black Friday.

Today's job: mail out those Thanksgiving cards I'd been meaning to send! Here's what I decided to do. I took a big stack of some generic autumn-themed cards I'd made and added some Thanksgiving sentiments to them. Done! I've been pretty lax with mailing cards again.

Here are two Get Well cards I made using the Lawn Fawn stamp set On The Mend.



This one uses a cloud stencil backdrop from My Favorite Things. I fussy cut the stamped images.


This one is a cheery little grouping of images...a hot bowl of soup, some flowers, and a Kleenex box. I colored images with Prisma markers and fussy cut. Papers are from Lawn Fawn, too.


I'm trying to stay healthy here with VitaFusion gummy vitamins, hand washing, and healthy eating. I've also been upping my outdoor exercise with 2 mile walk/runs. But now I have a sore knee, and I'm trying to baby it while still maintaining the plan. Not easy! Why does it seem that the minute you try to do something good for yourself, there's always a monkey wrench thrown into the plan?!

Think happy, healthy thoughts, my friends!

Thursday, November 15, 2018

A Refuge


I saw the funniest thing last week. This squirrel was feasting on one of the pumpkins left in the garden!


He had made a hole big enough to fit his whole body into for easier access!


I think the deer were helping themselves to the pumpkins, too.

I like to make my yard a refuge for the woodland animals. Sure, the deer and rabbits sometimes eat my plants. But for the most part, we try to live in harmony.

Here's a card that shows where our true refuge can be found.


{Today's Brew: Year of Psalms stamps (PTI), Winter Woods stamps and die (PTI), PTI Mix and Mat Plaid die, Lawn Fawn paper, PTI card stock and inks}


Thanks for visiting the cafe today!

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

A Winter Lawn Fawn card


We had our second snowfall this week. Is it just me, or does winter seem to have arrived early this year? It's not even Thanksgiving!

It is beautiful, though. I laced up my sneakers and went for a winter walk.


I made this card for a Lawn Fawn card swap. Aaack! The pressure! Do I send something with lots of layers and critters? Something colorful? Something interactive? In the end, I decided to go with something Clean and Simple.


I raised the navy snowy panel as well as the white tree line panel, just to give it some dimension.


And I tried to make the inside festive, too!

{Today's Brew: Lawn Fawn dies, amuse twinkle, PTI card stock, Lawn Fawn paper pack sentiment inside}


Blessings on your day, cafe friends!

Friday, November 9, 2018

Autumn Trees, Winter Trees


I looked outside yesterday, and saw a beautiful sight. It was early evening, the sun was beginning its descent, and the red maple in the backyard was glowing.




It was so pretty! I knew I had to grab my camera and take some photos before the leaves had fallen completely.



There was no wind, warm light...the perfect time to take photos of cards outside! So I grabbed a box, propped them up, and took a series of photos to post in the days ahead.

Today's card is so simple. The trees are the star of the show! I've been drawn to simple cards like this one lately.


{Today's Brew: Through the Trees (PTI), PTI card stock and ink, Lawn Fawn woodgrain paper}

This morning, we awoke to a blanket of snow. It is falling now, even as I sip my first coffee. And that beautiful maple? Well, it is quickly losing its leaves. If you listen, you can hear them making a crackling noise as they plummet to the ground below.




There is beauty in every season. I will miss the tunnels of golden and crimson leaves as I drive through the country here in Michigan. But I will also admire the stillness of the winter white landscape. Time to pull out my flannel lined jeans and woolen sweaters and take a walk.

Blessings on your Friday, cafe friends!