Vintage Mixed Bunch

Wow!  It's been too, too long since I've posted an actual project.  Here's what I sat down and created over the weekend.  Boy, am I really rusty!!!  Please take it easy on me.

Originally, when I perused the Stampin' Up! Mini catalog, I told myself that I was not going to purchase the Mixed Bunch stamp set or the Blossom Punch.  No, I didn't need either of them!!!  Then I went to the Stampin' Up! Regional in Columbus, Ohio this past winter.  Well, so much for that thought. 

I'm not usually one who creates using pastel color palettes, but you can't grow unless you push yourself, right?  And, staying true to my "embellishment overload" habits, I just kept adding and adding to my card.  In my defense, I super adore the Pearl Basic Jewels.  They call to me when I'm creating.  (I think they say, "Pick me.  Oh, pick me."  They just add a little something, something to any project.  I'd hate to see them retire when Stampin' Up! reveals the retired list in a few days.

Thanks for peeking in on me and hanging in there with me during my blog absence.  I'm never sure how much to blog about my personal life.  I'm afraid it will turn some of you away.  For those wondering about my father's health, I have an update at the bottom of this post.  I'll try to keep it brief.

Update on Dad:  Where do I even begin???  My father finished chemo and radiation treatments for esophageal cancer in mid-October.  The treatments were very harsh and my dad was in and out of the hospital over the fall and winter months.  In January, he had surgery to remove his esophagus and have part of his stomach stretched and reattached into the neck region to create a make-shift esophagus.  Surgery went well, but my father's desire to live is not so strong.  It's been and continues to be an emotional roller coaster ride for us all.  In March, my older brother, who's 46, underwent triple bypass surgery.  He has always been in good health, but after some questionable symptoms and a heart catherization it was revealed that he had a condition called the widow maker.  He was very blessed that it was detected early and his recovery process is moving nicely.  Thank you for all the prayers and kind thoughts over the last several months.  They have meant so much.

2012 Occasions Mini Catalog Is Here

The all new 2012 Occasions Mini is here!  If you haven't had a chance to check out all the goodness inside this little catalog, come check it out here:

Occasions Mini PDF

**On a side note, my father is still battling esophageal cancer and has been in a rehabilitation center for two months.  His chemo and radiation treatments were very grueling and has really taken a toll on his physical and mental health.  He is just now strong enough to have the surgery needed to rid his body of this aggressive tumor.  Surgery is scheduled for next week.  Please, please keep him in your prayers!  I've been trying to slowly get back to creating, but I must admit that I'm a little rusty.  I hope to have a new stamping post for you soon.  Thanks for being patient with me!

FLAMINGO LOVE FOR THE PAPER PLAYERS

I know I said I'd post cards from my last card class and I will.  The pictures have been uploaded to my computer and need some editing.  In the meantime, I thought I would show you a Valentine card I created this evening.  (Yes, I know - I'm NOT watching the Super Bowl. Gasp!)  The images are from the Stampin' Up! Occasions Mini set called Valentine Defined.  I've laid out my Valentine stamps on my craft space and have vowed not to use any other sets until I've used all my Valentine sets.  I'm so bad about impulsively buying holiday themed sets and (sigh) not using them.  Ugh!  Do any of you ever do that or am I the only one?  This card was created for the Paper Players Challenge this week.  The theme for this week is "Love is in the Air".  Would you like to play along?  You have until Friday, February 11th at 12:00 Midnight to play.  Check out the Paper Players challenges here.

Okay, so on to the card. 

I have to admit that just adhering my images to a "naked" piece of card stock scares me a bit at the moment.  I've been on a kick of embossing every card base I create lately.  So to calm my "embossing folder" withdrawal, I stamped the Bashful Blue card base with the heart flower do-hickeys (the long stems with the heart images at the tops) and then sponged around the edges.  (Sorry it looks gray instead of blue.  Night time photography during the winter is not such a good thing.)  I still think it's missing something though.

That's it for me this evening.  Thanks for peeking in on me.  Sorry for the long period of no posts.  I've got more posts ready to go.  So, please bare with me.....I'm baaaaaaaaaack!