Playing with Cricut carts

It's a rainy, dreary day in NJ today - perfect for doing a little laundry and playing with a few Cricut cartridges.  I haven't played with Cindy Loo or Create a Critter too much, so it was time to make a few cuts.

I'm lovin' these carts - they'll be great for more cards for Operation Write Home cards.  They're sent to service men and women over seas to write home to their families and cards of all kinds are needed.  Please check out their site and consider making them some cards.

Remembering 9/11

Like the whole country, today I'm remembering the horrible events that took place on 9/11/01.  It's a day we all remember where we were or what we were doing when we heard what was happening.  I live less than 20 miles from NYC and could see the towers from the bridge down the block from my home.  When the planes hit, I could see the smoke from my living room window - I was terrified.  I happened to be off from work that day, my husband was in upstate NY with his brother, my kids were all in school.  The roads in and out of my town were immediately closed because there is a major gasoline processing plant on the other side of town and it was thought to be a possible target for another plane.  As I watched in disbelief what was happening just a few miles from me, I was working on the phones trying to coordinate a head count of employees we had working in the towers.  I knew I also had family members who worked there - were they alright?  How could this be happening?  My oldest daughter was a first responder and left school to go with the town's rescue squad to help.  The stories she told me of the things she saw there still chill me to the bone.

For many days afterwards, I could see the smoke from my office window and from my home - it was all around me.  The dust settled on my windows and my cars - dust of thousands of souls and large buildings that no one would have ever dreamed could fall.  The train station was filled with the cars of people who would never come home.  American flags flew everywhere and churches were filled with people praying and lighting candles.  When they started to clear the rubble, it was brought to a landfill in NY that I could see from the other side of my town - it was all around me.  I don't think I've ever been so sad and hope I never will again. 

Each of us remember 9/11 in our own way.  Tonight I'll be able to see the memorial lights from my living room window - it's still all around me.  My prayers were answered that day when all my family and friends came home alive.    My prayers continue for those who didn't and for their families.  Fly your flags today and remember them in your prayers.

Beautiful Sundays and hot flashes

Have you ever had a hot flash?  Well there's nothing nice I can say about them....it starts in my chest and just spreads up and down until it seems like all the air is gone and the sweat is just pouring out of me.  They've gotten better then they were, but I still hate 'em.  I'm trying to enjoy the beautiful weather today - there's a gorgeous breeze blowing in the windows and temps are in the low 80s in NJ today which is a pleasant surprise, but a hot flash is what inspired my card today.

I made this quick little card for a friend's birthday this week - she has hot flashes too, and neither of us like them.  I used a digital stamp from Bugaboo Stamps - love them!  A quick color with a few copic markers, some pattern paper from a DCWV mat stack and a little flower cut from Walk in My Garden Cricut cartridge topped with a little green button and it's all set.  All done before another hot flash hit!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Welcome back mojo...

Every day I check out my favorite blogs and see all the great creations these talented ladies are making and tell myself that tomorrow I'll get back into my craft room.  But it always seemed that something else came up: vacation, too hot, appointment, etc.  But the biggest problem of all -  no mojo.  Nope - mine took a 3 week vacation and couldn't find it's way back home to me.  Until yesterday - yeah!  I went to do some laundry and decided it was time to clear off my cluttered craft desk and play with some paper.  I needed to start playing with some ideas for bridal shower invitations for my niece for next spring, and this is what I came up with:

I started with some white cardstock which I ran through the Big Shot with a swiss dot Sizzix folder; used my Cricut Sweethearts cartridge to cut the umbrella at 3"; the Martha Stewart daisy border punch; added some stickles; two Stampin' Up oval punches and a Stampin' Up sentiment.  One down, 49 more to go.

I hope your mojo comes back from vacation safe and sound like mine did.  Enjoy your holiday weekend!