Every once in a while, I wish I could sew, with a sewing machine.  In seventh grade, I took Home Ec and we learned how to sew. We needed to create a sewing project and I chose a tablecloth and napkins with a Christmas theme.  You’re probably saying, how hard could that be?  Keeping in mind that my physical limitations came much later (23).  I think I was afraid of running over a finger with the needle, I’m not sure what my issue was.  I never finished the tablecloth.  Ok, I didn’t make the napkins either.  I ended up getting an incomplete in Home Ec and even that didn’t bother me.  Years later, my Home Ec teacher came into one of the bank branches I managed and told one of the employees that she was really glad I found something I was good at, because she had real concerns for me in school.  That was a little embarrassing, I have to admit.

We have a double size chaise lounge for outside that I can’t get out of because the cushion is too low to the ground.  I started thinking about making new cushions with thicker foam in them which lead to me wishing I could sew.  Luckily I have my buddy Cora, who sews like a dream.  I asked her if she would make them for me and she readily agreed.   She’s the greatest.  I bought the material and may actually be able to use the chaise once I get thicker foam inside.  I’m crossing my fingers that this will work, either that, or put something under the feet to make it taller.  I’m still contemplating it.

When I was a kid, until I got married, Memorial Day was always a project for my father and me.  We planted flowers at his grandparents’ graves and both of my grandfathers’ graves.  My dad was a guy who never did anything halfway.  We took a gallon of water (because two of the cemeteries didn’t provide water), buckets and clothes to wash the graves, peat moss and potting soil to fertilize the soil, as well as Miracle Gro to help the plants along.  There were three cemeteries and about seventy miles of driving involved.  I loved spending time with my dad and didn’t question why my sister didn’t participate.  I think he knew I would go along with whatever he wanted and I never seemed to have other plans to prohibit me from participating.

I’m sure I would have continued to (as dad called it) “do the graves,” even after I was married, but got diagnosed with arthritis two weeks later.  When my dad died in 1994, Rich and I started “doing the graves” because my mother wasn’t physically up for the challenge, and she’s now gone as well.

So today we’re “doing the graves” and I’m thinking about all of the times I’ve done them with both my father and Rich.  I don’t know about other people, but for me, I “do the graves” to honor not only the memory of my parents and grandparents, but also to make sure the tradition did not die with my father.  For me, “Memorial Day,” is a day I remember my dad and always spending that day with him.

I hope every one that reads this has a great Memorial Day and that your memories of those that have passed are every bit as wonderful as mine.

I started working on my Memorial Day card that’s not really specifically for Memorial Day. It’s the first card I’ve done on video to send overseas to the troops.  I found some great flag napkins at the Dollar Tree (of course!) and decided to start the  card by using Mod Podge on the napkins.  I used Mod Podge in my DIY washi tape video on tissue paper.  It makes it a lot easier to work with and gives it a really interesting texture.  Of course you have to separate the layers so you only use one on the card.  This technique doesn’t work well if you don’t.  Trust me, I’ve made that mistake.  I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing once it dries, but I’m sure an idea will come to me.

I also went to some garage sales today and met a woman who works with people with physical limitations so I gave her the information about my website.  She asked if I would ever consider teaching a class and of course I was thrilled anyone would ask.  I told her to go through my videos and find a project she’d like me to turn into a class, and I’d be happy to do it.  She was so excited and so was I.  It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to doing it.

I bought a set of art supplies from Michaels at Christmas for $20 and although I didn’t really like the pencils inside, I bought it because it would make great pencil storage. I now keep my Prismacolor water color set of 36 pencils (my favorites), as well as my loose Cara n Dache and loose Derwent Inktense.
To swatch all of my markers, alcohol markers, colored pencils and water color pencils, I take a page of white stickers and cut it into strips, then color the strip, cut it off and wrap it around the pencil. For water color pencils, I cut the label into strips and color then wet the strip, wait for it to dry, then cut if off and wrap it around the pencil It makes it so much easier to see the exact color of the product I am using and I really recommend this system as it works so much better for me than swatching it on another piece of paper (that I never look at again.)

We’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave, the temperatures’ rising….. Does anyone remember that song besides me?  It’s too humid to do anything right now, so I’m sitting here typing and contemplating taking a nap.  I’m not a girl who does well in heat.  I literally can steam the car windows from the heat my body generates in humidity.  I’m not sure if it’s an arthritis thing since I’ve never asked anyone else if that happens to them, but I don’t know anyone else that can produce the amount of window steam.

I may do some coloring.  I bought a new set of colored pencils to round out my colored pencil collection and allow me to do my video “Which colored pencils are right for you?”  I’ve had some requests for my thoughts on colored pencils and will be happy to give them.  My sister loves the Koh-I-Noor set of woodless colored pencils so she bought me a set.  I have to say I didn’t love them.  They don’t glide along the surface like waxier pencils do.  After using them for a few minutes, I wondered what pencils my sister normally uses that she liked those so much.

Since it’s so humid, coloring is the only thing I can consider that might not make me sweat.  Then again, I’m typing and sweating so it seems doubtful I’ll be able to avoid it.  We do have air conditioners, but because we have no duct work (radiant heat in the ceiling), we have to install them every year.  Since it snowed two weeks ago, we really didn’t feel the need to put them in.  Now it’s time.

I spent a lot of time working on the Newfoundland dog note card gift.  As usual, I had some ups and downs in the project, (like forgetting to put the ribbon inside the stationary folder until after I’d glued everything down.)  In the end, it worked just fine, but I had a few minutes of panic along the way.

I used pre-made note cards and added a circle stamped with the dog stamp surrounded by a scalloped circle.  I used a stamp that is speckles to stamp around the dog and make the circle more interesting to look at.  All in all, the set looks pretty good and I’m going to work on the stationary next.  I have a bunch of stationary that is light weight and off white in color.  I think it will look nice with the dog image stamped onto it.  After I make the set, I plan on putting it into it’s own stationary holder that’s a 12″ x 12″ piece of cardstock scored and folded (almost like Origami).  It doesn’t require any cutting at all (and that’s right up my alley.)

After I finish the stationary set, I need to give the recipe box another coat of sealer.  I’m not really certain how many coats of sealer the box will require, but I want to be sure it will be protected from whatever food splatters come its way.  The last step to our niece’s bridal shower gift, is to make her card.  I’ve made the bridal dress template, so just need to trace and cut it out of 5 1/2″ square white card base and then layer a couple of fabrics onto the card.  I’m really hoping that the card is memorable (and not in a bad way.)  Time will tell.  She wanted a deluxe Keurig coffee machine and I didn’t want to carry it into the shower, so I already gave it to her.  I also bought her a personalize wooden case that holds two bottles of wine and two wine glasses (that are also personalized.)  She and her soon-to-be husband are wine makers, so I thought this would be a great gift for them.  Rich is taking the photographs at the shower and I’ll be making an album for her with Graphic 45 from Baby to Bride paper.  It should be a great gift, and the best part is that I don’t have to have it done until the wedding.

I’ve been trying to get some projects completed before our niece’s bridal shower.  I have friends that I haven’t seen since they bought their puppy, a black Newfoundland.  As soon as I heard they bought the puppy, I looked online and found a rubber stamp that is a very realistic looking Newfoundland.  If I could find a Golden Retriever that is as realistic as this Newfoundland, I’d buy it in a minute.

I’ve had the stamp since before Christmas and thought I’d make them stationary and note cards using the dog stamp.  Unfortunately, I just have not seen them, so didn’t get motivated to make the set.  That’s all changing when we go to the bridal shower.  Since I’ll be seeing them, I want to create a set for the husband and wife as well as for their daughter.  I’ve found a cute stationary folder idea on YouTube and am also using a GreenSneakers template that I had purchased a while ago but never used that makes a bigger note card holder.  It’s fun to work with and made a nice  holder.  It holds eight cards and envelopes and  I think that’s a good number of cards.  I also added a pocket to the front and made four 3 x 3″ cards that will be stored there.  I tried to fit everything inside, but it was too thick to hold everything.   I also added a ribbon closure to the GreenSneakers template, because without the ribbon, it didn’t want to stay closed.  It’s great that this dog is black, because it matches every color and looks really cute with embossing powder that makes it shiny.

I’m also planning on putting a small envelope of sentiments inside so they can turn the note cards into “thinking of you” or “thank you” cards.  I also like to include an ink pad and the Newfoundland stamp in their present so they can make more note cards or stationary when they run out.  I’m really excited about this gift and know they will be really surprised.

I promised I would water color with my new Stabilo 68 pens and using the orange range of colors in my palette, I stamped an image from Stampendous Build a Bouquet on Canson XL water color paper that I cut (eventually) to fit on my 5 1/2 x 5 1/2″ pre cut white card that came in a set of 50 from Michaels.  I cut a piece of orange card stock to 5 3/8″ x 5 3/8″ and layered onto the white card.  I had a really pretty orange ribbon that I attached to the back of the orange layer (put the orange layer on foam tape) and attached the ribbon to the foam tape.   I stamped with All Night Media speckle stamp and Stampin’ Up Bermuda Bay.
I really like these markers, but found the pinks to be difficult to use when wet.  Otherwise, loved these markers.

I’ve mentioned several times in videos that I have two friends who are really ill.  I’m sad to say that one of them has gotten much worse in a very short amount of time and Hospice is now involved.  I’m sure all of you have lost friends, family and co-workers and it’s never easy.  I’ve known this woman for twenty years and her life has not been particularly easy.  She has just found love in the last few years and got married in September.  We had lunch shortly after and she was so excited to have a Mrs. in front of her name.  She sat there with her cute new wig and giggled about being married.  She was so happy and we were thrilled she’d found the love she’d been looking for.  She has brain cancer and three weeks ago we were getting planning on going out to lunch and I’ve missed the chance to do so.   I just sent her another card last week and will continue to send them until I don’t have a reason to.

We have a nephew that was in the first Gulf War.  I sent him letters and cards at least once a week.  When he came home, he hugged me hard and thanked me for the mail I had sent him.  He was so glad that he had someone who remembered him as often as I had.  I told him how proud we were of him and that I just wanted to make sure that he knew it.

With the advent of the internet and email, the art of sending cards and letters is trickling off and I for one, am not going to let it die out.  Locally, we have a group that send boxes to our service personnel that are on active duty overseas.  I’ve been involved with them for ten years and the work they do is phenomenal.  They like to include cards to our service people.  Both written in and ones that the service people can send home to their friends and family.  I’m asking for your help.  I’d like to start making cards (and I will be doing videos as well) to send to service people.  I think they deserve to know that people back home are thinking about them and hope they are doing well.  They might not be getting any mail from home and this box will really brighten their day.  It’s filled with food and toiletries and candy and cards and letters.  Often they do not have any cards or letters to go inside and send 60-70 boxes a month as well as 700+ at Christmas.  I’m hoping that you will consider helping me with this cause.  Here is where you can send your cards.

Project Support our Troops

c/o Laurie’s Embroidery

283 North Street Plaza

Meadville PA  16335

Please help me to make a difference in the day of some of our men and women that are in the military overseas, I’d really appreciate it.

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I promised I would water color with my new Stabilo 68 pens and using the orange range of colors in my palette, I stamped an image from Stampendous Build a Bouquet on Canson XL water color paper that I cut (eventually) to fit on my 5 1/2 x 5 1/2″ pre cut white card that came in a set of 50 from Michaels.  I cut a piece of orange card stock to 5 3/8″ x 5 3/8″ and layered onto the white card.  I had a really pretty orange ribbon that I attached to the back of the orange layer (put the orange layer on foam tape) and attached the ribbon to the foam tape.   I stamped with All Night Media speckle stamp and Stampin’ Up Bermuda Bay.
I really like these markers, but found the pinks to be difficult to use when wet.