How can I say goodbye...

As July comes to an end, I reflect and feel gratitude for a wonderful month spent with our son and his family who came to visit and spend the entire month with us. We only have two more precious days together and then they leave us again.

 Sweet memories fill my heart...

How can I forget...

"Yellow Eggs" in the morning.

How can I forget...

His world of quiet imagination.

How can I forget...

These little hands.

How can I forget...

Ice cream with "Abuelito"

How can I forget...

Stops at Dairy Queen.

How can I forget...

What it is like to be 13.

How can I forget...

What the world looks like through his eyes.

How can I forget...

His curiosity.

And now I must prepare to say goodbye, but I am not yet ready.

Catherine

Frogs and snails and puppy dogs' tails....

I have been playing around with some new actions from Flora bella and thought I would share a couple of my experiments...

My delightful models are two of my grandchildren who are vacationing with us during July.

Photo after action applied

Adorable grandson number five  : )

Same photo without any manipulation.

Grandson number two with action applied

Original photo without any manipulations.

I "heart" Florabella

Catherine

Mama is proud....

Lovely, lovely, simply lovely,

My sweet daughter, SweetPeaInk and I decided that we would also create a Paris Matchbox for each other as part of Heather's delightful swap.

My daughter always laughs when I tell her I think her creations are beautiful. She says, "Mama you always love what I do" and while this may be true : ) I do believe her Paris Match Box is exquisite.

Enjoy the peek, the outside is covered with lovely vintage French fabric, old lace and a sweet sprig of lavendar.

Look at the treasures found inside...

.

A closer look, vintage fabric swatches, old French postcards, a sweet little button card and old lace wrapped around a tag.  Sigh.

Now hold on...look at this amazing vintage button card, isn't it to die for?

Darling daughter did not disappoint, she never does. 

It is such a special treat  to have a talented creative daughter with whom I can share my love of paper and altered art.  Indeed I am fortunate.

XOXO

Catherine

And the winner is....

Thank You, "THE SCRAP REVIEW"

The winner of the Pebbles prize pack goes to...


Catherine said...
"I have been lucky enough to have tried a package of their chipboard elements that came in one of my kits...really like them. Very clever designs and colors.
Would enjoy trying more....lol"
Catherine

Lucky lucky me!  I enjoy reading The Scrap Review from time to time, just to see what's new in scrapbooking.  Recently they reviewed, Pebbles, Tree House Collection  and were also having a give away for leaving a comment.  Long story short I was the lucky winner  : )

When I saw my name as the winner,  I was happy and expected to receive a few samples from the Tree House collection, when to my surprise, a large box arrived in the mail filled with the entire collection. Double sided papers, tags, stickers, embellished chipboard pieces, buttons, brads and more.

(Pause)  Happy Dance

What a delight to receive such a lovely surprise...

And now I believe I shall need to create some wonderful layouts telling my stories of summer.

 

Thank you:  Scrap Review and Pebbles.

 

XOXO

Catherine

Eye candy, for your viewing pleasure...

Thank you Heather for hosting the Petite Paris Match Box Swap

 Linda designed and created this wonderful brocade jewel box for the swap.  She has a delightful ebay shop full of goodies.

A little peek at some of the pretties Linda put inside the box.  Too delightful.

My second swap partner, Alison, created this beauty.

Ooh la la...

And look at the beautiful laces and trims that she stuffed inside the box.

And as if that was not enough she also included these stunning vintage flowers.

Alison has a charming blog as well.

PS

My daughter and I also made an extra box and swapped with each other as well as our assigned two partners.  I shall share photos of that box in my next post...stay tuned.

Catherine

an absence of...

sunshine

n. the light or rays of the sun; warmth; brightness.

Yes, it is July in the Pacific NW

weather:  cloudy 54 degrees

My {View}

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."  ~Erma Bombeck

Papers & button by Shabby P...Celebrate. Words by Graphic Gurl; Americana God Bless

Jessica Sprague is offering a delightful free class, Computer Tricks For Cards and I thought I would share a couple that I made. Thought it would be fun to create cards with a Fourth of July theme.

Crystal Wilkerson designed the template and I used papers from Tangie and Americana Coaster by American Gurls

Perhaps I will share a few more as the class progresses...

Happy July 4th!

...and don't forget to take a moment to remember the brave men and women who are serving our country as we celebrate with our families and friends.

Catherine