Move Day ~ June 18, 2016

With the house closing still several weeks away, 

and my wonderful family help lined up for the only open Saturday

during the month of June, 

it's time to pack it up and move it out. 

So many things have lined up to make this day a special memory

and a successful start toward my new adventures.

First additional blessing - my BFF, Cindy decides to drive five

hours one way to be with me through this weekend.  

What a blessing her endless help and support has always been.

Next, you know you always worry about the weather when 

you are doing a 'self move'.  With three trucks and trailers and two 

SUV's scheduled, I still was checking the weather and praying for 

no rain that morning.  

However, God had a plan for that need, as a friend of my son's called and offered the use of a moving van for the day!  

"What?", I exclaimed when my son called.  

"Yep, we just have to put the gas back in." 

WOW!

 Kevin and Jason quickly became our Two Men and a Truck!

 With each room packed and ready...

in just under 2 hours the entire house, full attic and the yard furniture was packed up and our

caravan was pulling out, covered in our prayers for safe travels.

And the huge sigh of relief as the truck is opened at the new house 

with everything still in tack~my happy crew still has energy left.

Of course KFC on the way probably did help slightly with getting things unloaded quickly plus the cloud cover and cool breeze of the morning had disappeared by this time.

It didn't take Dad long to find his position of supervision, 

what a well trained duPont retiree he is!

I asked for their TIRED look right after lunch...I think I got more

sleepy looks and Dad's humor shining brightly.  

So within 8 hours of starting, the crew was back on the road 

toward home.... I love you guys!  My life is so blessed by each of you, every day! 

Wish I'd gotten a photo with each one, but did get this shot with 

my son Kevin (i.e. the next Duck Dynasty actor).

And afterwards, Cindy really had to twist my arm to

a small celebration with just the two of us!

What an awesome day!

Thank you for stopping by ~ Pam

Summer Begins

With JUNE 1st rolling in,  my full time online selling came to a close, at least for the summer.  Wow! Almost four years to the date since I began as a new 'destasher'.  First listing on Scrapbook Bargain Basement Resale, eventually listing on several crafting sites, and then creating my on personal site, Not Just Scraps I was so very blessed in moving tons and tons of crafting inventory from my 10 year home based business at some great prices!

Now June is filled with packing MY crafts (and the rest of my house) while preparing to downsize from around 2300 square feet to under 1000 square feet.  Ouch! 

Yes, CRAFTS get packed first as the priority, right?

With my new home being an hour away, I elected to pack in tubs and clear containers that weren't too heavy for me to move myself a car load at a time, put away, and not have the huge mounds of card board boxes to deal with after the 'big move'.

I boxed by room section (desk/bookcase/stamping station etc) 

then got help moving the larger pieces to their new home...

 One surprise I'd forgotten about - when we moved the bookcase....
It was purchased from a outlet store that was going out of business.  I just happen to walk in as they were closing the doors within minutes and this piece was left because of the price.  Made a ridiculous offer of $150 and the rest is history.

More to come....

Thanks for stopping by ~ Pam 

Wedding Wishes for a Special Bride

While traveling last fall, I got a sneak peak of my

friends daughter's wedding gown. While sworn to 

complete secrecy, I knew I wanted to use the 

quickly snapped photo for a special wedding card.

Being new also at using Julie Nutting Paper dolls 

added an additional challenge .... but I was 

determined to merge a photo into the dress on

the paper doll. 

And here is the result - 

The Prima Mixed Media Julie Nutting Doll RITA 

with the actual photo 

of part of the wedding dress,

layered on an 5 x 7 embossed background

with raised black swirls, hearts and the

perfect sentiment for this

special bride...

Be - YOU - tiful.

Best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Byars!

Will You Be ...

My Forever Friend?

Last month I was blessed with a weekend get away 

with Cindy - my girlfriend of FIFTY-FOUR YEARS! 

To be able to reflect ....

on the times that we have had together, 

the ups and downs, 

the tears of joy and sadness,

to know that we are there

to support each other and

can pick up right where we left off 

no matter what day of the

week, month or year it is.... 

is simply AWESOME!

Thank you God for my Forever Friend!

Celebrate today the special girlfriend in your life!

The Bouncing Brayer Challenge

Each month on the Facebook Site

Addicted to Card Making
Jennifer posts a Tech Youtube as a challenge for the group.

For May the Challenge was 

Charmaine Ikach's  Bouncing Brayer Technique:

http://youtu.be/k2Yfk8QgTLg

I viewed it at the end of April and signed up knowing it would be a

a fun card to make and even encouraged others on the site - sign up!  It's a great card!  ... Then weeks later,  while I'm in the process of living between two houses currently with whatever crafting supplies I need, always at the other location...  I realize my tech card partner is in the UK.  Oh my, I must hurry and get my sweet friend Sue's card done and in the mail for it has a long journey!

Did I mention I don't have internet at the new home yet?  Hmm...got to rely on memory of that youtube from weeks ago on top of definitely knowing I don't have a brayer with me. Yikes!

So Sue, as I said in the card - here's the story of your card. ... Determination and limited supplies.  Thankfully I did have the Klidescope ink pads and several stamps.    And since I had just finished putting down shelving paper in the kitchen cabinets... 

Cardboard roller, Painter's Tape and Shelving paper became the

new hottest brayer !

Truly not remembering the pattern .... I BOUNCED away...

And was pleased with the unique backgrounds I achieved.

Added a couple of stamps and finished up the card for mailing.

And a couple of other examples using the backgrounds...

Don't ever limit yourself to a pattern or instructions - use your imagination and create beautiful things!  

Thanking My God today for the talents He has given me!

I Can't Drive 55

Today I wanted to share with you my 

Tech Card Challenge for April on

Addicted to Card Making.

Our challenge was a Hidden Slider Card using my friend

Jen Ever's (Koala T. Crafts) Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6n82YU3wg&feature=youtu.be 

as our guidance. 

This 2005 Club Scrap Stamps set seemed to match up perfectly

with the Red Hot Rod Racing Car and a strip of 

black wavy corrugated card stock.  

The only alteration on the youtube instructions that I'd suggest

is to come up a little higher for your slotted area.  It 

added more stability to the card when I pulled the slider.

So check out Jen's video and send her some love for another 

one of her great card ideas!

How Are Things At Your Pad?

How can anyone resist smiling when you see this 

adorable frog from the 

Stamp Up Frolicking Frogs set?

For the background effects, I used my wooden handmade

distressing blocks to ink SU Not Quite Navy, Pretty in Pink, 

and Wild Wasabi.  The stamped image is colored with 

Copic markers except for the red sparkle gel penned tongue.

I picked this stamp set up from a new Facebook seller that you might like to check out ~ Stampin Up Stamps & Stuff.  Be sure

to tell Gay that I sent you over to see her. 

Word Art Wednesday ~ PANSIES & SYMPATHIES

For today's Word Art Wednesday card, I used my first

Graciellie Design Stamp, triple matted and
done in colored pencils on a black card stock base.

Pansies & Sympathies

{Floral Collage}

 

What a great versatile stamp to have in my collection. 

By simply adding any sentiment, 

I can see the possibilities ahead are endless. 

Thank you for stopping by.

Sweet Sixteen Party Girl

Not only do our kids grow up fast,

but before we turn around good

our grand children are all grown up too.

This weekend my family is celebrating

Destiny's Sweet 16th Birthday!

For her card I selected the Julie Nutting

Party Girl card size stamp

and used lots of her favorite color...orange.

One extra thing that I always enjoy 

is making the envelope to go with my

handmade cards. 

For her, I wanted a gently reminder

how fragile life is a sixteen,

so I added a 

Grow in Grace

book marker to the top of the envelope. 

Happy Birthday Destiny!

Congratulations Baby ~ Shaker Card

Recently, I tried my hand at

a larger shaker card

for a special young lady's baby shower.

While in the end, I was pleased

with the results, I do think I 

will refresh with a youtube video

before trying another one.