A Thank You Card for a Special Lady

Hello and Happy Monday.  The sun is shining here in beautiful Dixon Illinois, but it is cold and getting colder.  A perfect day to stay inside and play with paper.  I'm entering this card in this week's Pixie's Crafty Workshop 371.  With the exception of the papers I used, everything is a snippet.  And more importantly, everything I've used was gifted to me by all of you!  So again...thank You!

This will be a very short post.  I am hoping to try to figure out the comment problem I am having.  I'm just hoping that when I do I don't screw something else up!  Maybe I should just wait for my daughter to visit.  I will admit it, I am computer challenged and getting more so every day.  Is it age?  I got a shock last week.  My daughter used a Senior Citizen discount....How can that be?  She said the business considered 55 to be the allowable age.  Even so, how can I have children that old?  I think she must be lying about her age!

Well, off I go.  There must be some sort of trouble I can get into today!

Hugs from my world to yours!
Mary Mac AKA:  Glitter Grammy

Thank You, Thank You, THANK YOU!

I am rarely at a loss for words.  This post is the exception.  A few weeks back, I received an email from Di at Pixie’s Crafty Workshop.  She said when she got a Christmas card returned, she decided to do some investigating and found that we had lost our home in the Camp Fire in California on November 8^th of 2018.  She said that explained why she had not gotten a Christmas card in 2018 or 2019.  She and I have been emailing a lot lately, Di asked if there was anything in particular, she could help me find.  I told her one of the items I really missed was a Memory Box die named Piano Border.  I told her it was retired and I had searched and given up on ever finding it.  Well in Di fashion, she went to work and was able to locate the die.  I will let her tell you the story of the search.  But that’s not all.  Di, again in Di fashion, put out the word that a fellow crafter could use help, and that help is coming daily!  One of the gals, Donna W stated in a card what a great idea Di had to have a “craft shower”.  And I have been showered with so many beautiful things.  I am so very blessed.  Thank You!

The photo I attached doesn't tell the story of the beauty within those drawers, that will come hopefully next week.  But for now, I had to purchase two three drawer carts and honestly, I need to purchase another.  Thank You!

Words do not and could never explain how blessed, how loved I am feeling, and how honored I am to have been entrusted with treasures from your craft rooms.  I will tell you I have not colored in two years.  But the rubber stamps have me coloring again, and I am reminded of the peace that comes over me when I put color to stamps.    I will share coloring soon.  I’ve received sets of cards to inspire, but also to give me a start on building my card reserve.  Thank You!

Now on to Di.  For years I hopped in and out of the playground.  Di has a way of letting all of us feel like kids again and a place for us to get into blog trouble, without the police having to be called.  Well, I guess when a few snuck under the gates, maybe the blog police should have been called….anyway, Di has always offered we paper crafters a place to show what we’ve created, to share things in our daily lives, to learn from others and to make new friends that we may never ever physically meet, but friends in every sense of the word.  Di makes the world a smaller, happier place.  A place we can feel safe and part of a community.  The outpouring of love I’ve received directly reflects back to the love we all have for this wonderful woman.  I honestly believe every item that has come my way carries with it the love that crafter has for Di.  Every item is a testament to the love we all have for her.  Di, I am picturing myself standing beside all the playground friends as we raise our glasses to you.  You are an amazing woman and much loved by all of us.  You have given us community and I know we are all thankful.  Di, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.  And to everyone in the playground, I say you have renewed my love of all things paper and have warmed and blessed me with your generosity and caring.    Now…lets run to the swings and play the day away.  Di. Thank You!

I want everyone who shared treasures with me to know that I will be offering items to Cathy, Cat, Virginia, Mary Jane and Rita.  They too lost everything and though some will not return to paper crafting, I want those that will to enjoy some of the items shared.  Thank You!

Before closing, I want to tell you of a mini-album I received from Gail S.  The album is very sweet, the back cover had a quote that I now use whenever I’m feeling the loss of the closeness of friends and neighbors.  The quote says, “Don’t look back.  You aren’t going that way.”    I truly believe I am moving forward.  I’m sure my children will be happy to hear this.  I think they weren't sure this would ever happen!  So thank you all for helping bring me to the here and now!

I need to add one more note:  I'm having a problem posting comments on your blog pages and also on my own.  My daughter will be here in 2 weeks and we will continue working on the problem.  If anyone else has ever had this problem....please share how you fixed it..  I can post a new post on my blog, and there are two blogs I've been able to comment on, but as for every other blog, nothing happens.  Email me please if you think of a fix.  If I can't find one, I may have to start all over again...I hope this doesn't happen!

Again, I thank each and everyone who sent cards, words of encouragement, and treasures. I will be forever thankful.  

I'm hoping to enter this week's challenge at Pixie's Crafty Workshop ...I guess I best get creating!

Hugs and love from Me to You!

Mary Mac AKA:  Glitter Grammy

It's Been Awhile

It's been awhile hasn't it?  I think it's time to start again doing what I loved so very much for so very long. In a minute I'll fill you in on what has given me this jump start, or maybe I should say push.  But let me start with a card I made for my son's Birthday.  I've done some fussy cutting on this card and I must say it was fun.  I used an 8x8 Graphic45 paper pad for all the papers used.  A bit ago I joined the Graphic45 monthly kit group and this Kaleidoscope Collection came from that kit.  In the kit was a stamp pad called Color Box Graphic45 Decades.  I didn't have a paper for the sentiment that was the right color, so I colored it using the stamp pad.  I don't know who made the sentiment, it was one a friend shared.  That's it for the inside.  Now lets see what I did for an outside.

I've always liked this birthday die by PoppyStamps, so it was one of the dies I replaced.  When you start to rebuild your stash, you have to think of dies that can be used in several ways and this one fills the bill.  I've never die cut from paper with writing printed on it, but I think this worked.  You don't really notice that it's there, it looks like part of the pattern.  I must say I like the colors and the gold.  

Ok, so now on to the real reason I'm posting....I've been working on Thank You cards,  I will share why in a few weeks, but for now I'll give you a sneak peek at a few I've finished.  I've come to realize I am a very slow crafter.  I've known that for awhile but this recent effort has proven yet again.  If I were in a race, I'd most definitely be the tortoise.  Here's what I've been working on.  

A friend gave me a 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 paper pad named Blessed by Kaiser Craft.  I thought this would be a great way to use these papers because I am truly blessed.    I'm being pretty vague about the why (many of you will have figured it out) , but I need to give myself time for everything to sink in and to try to figure out how I can explain in words my thankfulness, appreciation, and the love I am feeling. Stay tuned....So I guess I didn't really explain the why.  I guess you will have to stay tuned.

I'm going to enter my son's Birthday card in the Pixies Crafty Workshop.  I can't say the entire card was made from snippets, but a good portion was.  

So that's it from me today.  I best get busy....I know I've said before I hope to post more often, and that is a hope.  So, until next time......Love and hugs from me to you.

Glitter Grammy AKA:  Mary Mac

Hello Again - Notes from after the Camp Fire

Gosh it seems like forever since I last posted and in fact it has been.  On November 8th we lost our home in the Camp Fire in Northern CA.  We have resettled in a small town in North eastern Illinois.  My sister lives here and two of my children are within a little more than an hour away.  My youngest sadly lives much farther from us, but is very good about visiting and staying in touch via FaceTime.  Love the computer for that alone!  Of course my Australian family now can visit the mid-west.

We love our new home and finally have completed all the tasks that were on our to do list...it's now a to done list!  This morning I was reading a post from Ellen Hudson and she talked about customer appreciation day and asked to learn a bit about her customers.  I went there and read many of the comments.  I thought, hey, maybe it's time for me to get active again.  I won't lie, loosing every craft item I've collected and loved was quite a hit to my creative juices.  In the "old world" I touched paper every day.  In my new life I am finding it difficult to begin again.  I've purchased some items, and I've made maybe 4 cards in the past 8 months....I come into my room and I miss my crafting buddies.  Each and every one of them were effected by the awful fire, all but 2 lost their homes.  We, like the embers from the flames were scattered.  Each of us are trying to rebuild and most of them have chosen to give up paper crafting.  I'm ready to say, hey fire, you may have gotten my possessions, but you didn't take my love of paper.  It will be baby steps, and all the dies I used in days gone by are gone, but slowly I am collecting and I promise I'll have a card on line by the end of next week.... now isn't that slow of me.  It won't be fancy, but it will have me touching the craft I love most.

Until next time....Happy Crafting from my world to yours....
Love to all of you....Mary Mac AKA:  Glitter Grammy

Merry Almost Christmas

In October I saw a card on the Graphic45 Blog, showing the winner of the September project of the month.  The winner was Karien van der  Westhuizen.  I love her card and thought I'd give it a try.  Here is the link if you'd like to see Karien's card. - Graphic45 Blog  on to my version of Karien's card.  I used Graphic45 card stock - Winter Wonderland collection.  The dies I uses are from Impression Obsession DIE100-F, and DIE106-S.  I also used Poppystamps dies 1648, 1967, and 1050.  The sentiment is Penny Black 30508.  The base of my card is craft and I used gold mirror card stock for frames and cutting the dies.

Here is the outside of my card:

This card is being shared on the Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  I hope you have a minute or two to check out what the other members of the design team have created.  And I hope you have time to post your lovely creation.  We all enjoy seeing what you've created.  Have a look here.  

Can you believe our next cards will be posted in 2019?  Wow!  Happy Crafting....see you soon.

Hugs from my world to yours.  And if I don't get back before the holidays - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Mary Mac

AKA:  Glitter Grammy

Our Lives Have Changed....But We Move Forward

This will be a very quick post....I just wanted everyone to know we are ok, but as you can see from the photos our home is gone and with it every personal item.  I am most sad my husband’s paintings did not survive.  I am most sad all the trinkets and handmade items from my kids, grandkids and friends are gone.  I am most sad about loosing every craft item that I have collected for the past 20 years.  I am most happy we survived as many did not.  Not one of my craft friends homes were spared, but all were able to live to share their story.  

I will be absent for the next several months as we will be moving from California to Illinois, to be closer to family.  I am sad to leave my friends, but like the embers of the fire floating to locations far and near, they too will be finding new areas of the state and country to live.  No one ever expects to get up in the morning, have coffee and then run for their lives.  One day I may share a blog post about that day, but for now, we are looking forward not backward.  

Thankfully the internet will allow me to stay in your lives through your beautiful creations.  I look forward to the day I can again share with all of you.  

Love to everyone,  

Glitter Grammy

AKA:  Mary Mac

Sparkles Christmas Challenge #94 - Embossing Wet or Dry

The year is really flying by and November seem to have accelerated the speed.  I know, there are 24 hours in every day but boy, the items added to our to do list gets longer and longer as we speed toward Christmas.  I do have one more Christmas card made.  Thanks to Debs and her choice of theme for November - Embossing Wet or Dry.  I'd love to see what you create, so how about it... share your creation with Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  

For my card I dry embossed the background with Stampin Up Softly Falling Embossing Folder.  I then die cut Poppystamps Wooded Glen Landscape #2084 and dry embossed it also.  I used 3-D mounting squares and added it to the base of the card.  My next layer is houses from the Stampin Up Village.  I rubber stamped the "To The World" from the Poppystamps clear stamps #CL467 on the bottom of the Village cut. I used 3-D mounting squares to adhere this layer to the base of the card.  I rubber stamped the word "Joy" using the same clear stamp and die cut it using the Joy die that comes with the stamp set.  An easy card to make and I must say...I like it!  

I kept the inside very plain.  I direct stamped to paper my sentiment.  Nothing fancy, I do think it conveys a joyful message.  The stamps I used are from Stampin Up - Snowflake Sentiments.  

I hope you take a minute to add your card to the Sparkles Christmas Challenge.  It's always fun to share what we do with others and it's especially exciting to see what others are making.  

Until next time....and it will be the last Christmas card of 2018....have a super crafty month.  Take deep breathes and enjoy the cool days, hopefully wet ones for we in the west.  The house is beginning to have the scent of baking for Thanksgiving....I'm so looking forward to the holidays spending time with family and friends.  

Again,  Happy Crafting,

Mary Mac

AKA:  Glitter Grammy