Expressive Papers

Wordless Wednesday from Sedona . . . . .

2011-09-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

(Click photo to enlarge.)

When SAYING "Thank You" Isn't Enough . . . .

2011-09-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. Sometimes, SAYING "Thank You" isn't enough. I'm sure we've all experienced, at one time or another . . . a particular act of kindness, an exceptionally thoughtful gift, a special favor, an unsolicited show of support, or inspirational words and wisdom offered by a trusted friend or family member, that simply demands more than a verbal "Thank You."

And even with the advent of exquisitely beautiful and creatively designed electronic cards (YES, I use them myself!), and the ease of immediate and real time email communication via the Internet. . . there is nothing like a physical, tangible, hand-held, sent-delivered-and received paper card.

Yes, my friends, what I'm talking about here is an old concept. . . the written Thank You Card. Sending Thank You cards may be bordering on a Lost Art, but I remain a believer. Whether a card is handmade or purchased, I personally believe that there's nothing that conveys "Thank You" in both word and action, quite as strongly as receiving a Thank You card in the mail. I have sooo many reasons for saying this, but I don't want to bore you with them all at this juncture.

Instead, I'd simply like to say that I, myself, have been inspired by some acts of kindness recently that have prompted me to create some new Thank You card designs. And I thought I'd share a couple of them with you here on my Blog. I hope you find these new card designs pleasing, and also that you will be encouraged to continue to keep the practice of sending written Thank You Cards alive and well.

THANK YOU for visiting my Blog. . . . .

Ciao!

A Sublimely Serene Saturday Morning Moment . . . . . . .

2011-08-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

The youngest of our two greyhounds, Beauregard (yes, we actually consulted the baby name books prior to naming Beau, and picked this name because it means "handsome" or "beautiful to regard"), just turned 2 in July. Although we've been greyhound adopters since 1997, we've never had a greyhound this young. And he's been a handful. . . . . I've read that greyhounds mature a bit more slowly than other breeds, and are still considered puppies until the age of 3 years!

And true to puppy form, Beau does EVERYTHING with enthusiasm and vigor. . . . somewhat to the dismay of our eight year-old greyhound, Harley.

But occasionally, I'm able to catch Beau in a moment of repose. And here he is, taking a rest after a hearty run, chew and play session with his (and Harley's) nylabones. . . . . .

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

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Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

It's Father's Day once again, and a time to remember and honor the special fathers in our lives.

Although my husband and I don't have children in the traditional sense of the word, we have always been privileged to have dogs as members of our family. . . .and I guess one could call them our four-legged kids.

Our current dog family members are Harley and and Beau, two beautiful red fawn greyhounds, both "rescues." Harley and Beau (with a little help from good ole "mom") decided to show their two-legged dad their appreciation on Father's Day by giving him a handmade card, specially designed for him.

That's 8-year old Harley's photo on the right of the card and almost-2-year old Beau's photo on the left.

Needless to say, my husband was quite touched by Harley's and Beau's thoughtfulness today.

On that note, I'd like to wish all the special fathers out there, whether they be fathers of the two- or four-legged genre,

a Happy Father's Day!

Wordless Woof Wednesday: The Perfect Model

2011-06-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Evening Reverie

2011-06-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

It seems as though SPRING has been a long time in coming here to Northern Utah. But I think she has appeared at last.

I must admit that, several weeks ago, with the persistent winter chill and day after day of cloudy skies and rain (or worse!), I wasn't totally convinced that Spring would ever show her face. But, thank goodness I was wrong . . . and Spring is finally here.

Thankfully, our backyard vegetation hasn't been fooled by the unseasonably cold weather, and the Spring-flowering plants have continued to pop up through the soil undaunted, guided by their internal rhythms.

The crocuses, daffodils, tulips, and early irises have already bloomed, despite Utah's ongoing chill, snow, and rain. Their blossoms now spent, they have given way and made room for the later Spring blooming plants . . . which have also not disappointed.

As I strolled through our back yard this evening, having just finished mowing our "jungle", while the sun was beginning to lower itself in the sky, I was pleased to find a few obscure, almost hidden Spring treasures. . . .

Happy SPRING, Everyone! (It's about time, wouldn't you say?)

Wordless Woof Wednesday once again . . . .

2011-06-08T10:04:00.000-07:00

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Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2010-08-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

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For the Love of Greyhounds . . . .

2010-07-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Oh my, how the summer is flying by! It seems like only yesterday that I posted my last Wordless Wednesday photo from Lee's and my most recent road trip, and yet it's been nearly a month. Wow.

Between enjoying the company of traveling friends and house guests, planning for upcoming trips, plugging away at some badly neglected yard work, and trying to get caught up on my cardmaking, I've not had (or taken) much time for my Blog these past few weeks. But hopefully, I'll be catching up with that soon!

Today's Blog Post is on a topic near and dear to my heart: Greyhounds.

I imagine that some of you have already heard about the recent discovery and rescue of 28 dogs from a horribly neglectful situation in Ft. Worth, Texas. Here is a news article about the event. At least 17 of these dogs were greyhounds, and others were greyhound and/or sighthound mixes.  I don't know (and probably don't want to know) all the details, but it's my understanding that these dogs were being kept in cages without food and water. Most, if not all, were tick-infested. One of these poor greyhounds has, sadly, already succumbed to his weakened condition.

The rescued greyhounds have been divided between the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT), and Greyhounds Unlimited (GU).   An online benefit auction is currently being held by Carpe Canem to raise desperately needed funds to help in the care and treatment of these greys before they are in good enough shape to be adopted. Many of my greyhound friends over on Facebook, fellow artisans and craftspersons, and the dog and greyhound "community" in general have rallied together in order to donate hundreds of items for this auction. Lee has donated a matted photo from his personal collection of photographic art, and I've donated a number of handmade cards.

The Emergency Carpe Canem Auction for Rescued Texas Greyhounds is about three days into its run and will continue until Wednesday, July 28.   Please, if you have a chance, take a few minutes to visit the auction, and also to share this info with any of your friends that you think might be interested in learning more about and/or helping this cause.

Thank you, once again, for visiting my Blog. And, please feel free to comment and share! I love to read your comments!

Until we meet again. . . . I'd like to share one of my favorite photos of Lee's and my sweet greyhound Harley, along with one of my favorite quotes. . . .

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

~ Anatole France ~

Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2010-06-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

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Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2010-06-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wasatch Wednesday . . . . .

2010-06-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

(Click for a larger view.)

Wordless and Winsome WOOF Wednesday . . . ..

2010-06-09T10:21:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wonders of Spring Wednesday . . . . .

2010-05-26T10:47:00.001-07:00

(You may click on the photo to enlarge.)

I Have Often Walked . . . . .

2010-05-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have often walked . . . . . . . . . down this street before!

Sometimes I think that my husband Lee and I take for granted the wonderful mountain scenery around us. After all, we have lived here in the same house, on the same street, in the same city, in the same state, for over 20 years! So I guess it's easy to understand how we may have become overly accustomed to our surroundings.

But every now and then, I'm struck by how truly lucky we are to live in such a scenic area of the country, and at times like these, I do indeed feel humbled and blessed by the natural beauty around us.

I grew up in the Midwest (Kansas, to be exact), but I've long been drawn to the mountains. My first recollection of seeing mountains was during my family's early road trips to Colorado to visit my aunt who lived in Denver.

Later, I went to live in Denver for a time with that same aunt, while attending college there. I've been "hooked" on the mountains from that point on.

I lived in Denver for five years, then moved farther west into the Rocky Mountain state of Utah, and have been here ever since.

The weather here in Salt Lake City has been somewhat unpredictable this Spring, not an unusual occurrence for this part of the Rocky Mountains. The past week has been rainy and chilly. . . but today was quite beautiful.

We started the day with a clear sky, full sun and temperatures in the high sixties. A few scattered clouds found their way into the sky later in the day, but luckily, the high clouds brought no rain.

By late afternoon, when I decided to take a leisurely one-mile walk around our neighborhood, the temperature was still mild, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the light was perfect for a few hand-held scenic mountain photos. (Luckily, I had the foresight to take my camera along!)

Even after all these years, I am amazed that these kinds of views can be achieved while walking around our own little Salt Lake City neighborhood, within less than a mile of where Lee and I live.

Thank you all, once again, for visiting my Blog!

And until we meet again. . .may you each have the opportunity to enjoy unique and special views of your own. . . from the street where you live!

Ciao!

Wordless Woof Wednesday . . . . .

2010-05-11T21:40:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

The best conversations with mothers always take place in silence,

when only the heart speaks.

~ Carrie Latet ~

Wordless Woof Wednesday Once Again . . . . . .

2010-05-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

So. .. . Who's PERFECT, after all??

2010-05-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

Any of you who have been following my Blog for a while and/or who know me fairly well through my paper-crafting work, have figured out by now that I'm a self-proclaimed "perfectionist."

Given that, I've been a little slow in grasping the concept that part of the beauty and uniqueness of handmade cards is the fact that they are NOT exactly perfect. . . .nor is that the goal!

The more experience I gain with my cardmaking, the more adept I become at "going with the flow" and letting designs evolve. Sometimes that process involves trying out a new technique or a new product. Other times, the process may actually involve changing the original design that I had in my head, to cover up some unintentional "owies"!

So THERE . . .I've confessed! And you know what? I think I feel BETTER!

This cute card, created and sold a while back, was my first serious attempt at stamping and hand-coloring an image and incorporating it into a card design.

I haven't made a card like this one since, but I think I'm just about ready to tackle this technique again.

I have to admit, this sweet little zebra and turtle hand-stamped image still makes me smile whenever I look at it!

Thanks, once again, for visiting my Blog!

And until we meet again. . . Here's wishing you all . . . Freedom from PERFECTION!

SPRINGTIME in the Rockies!

2010-04-30T09:13:00.001-07:00

Harley was raring to go this morning for his first outing, so I didn't make him wait for me to put his coat on. . . after all it's not THAT cold outside today, despite the new fallen snow. And he enjoyed a brief morning sprint outdoors, while I ventured out in my robe and slippers to capture a couple of scenes with my camera.

Even though it's not at all unusual for us to experience wide variations in weather here in northern Utah this time of year, it always seems to take me by surprise. (How quickly we forget!)

And now that the daffodils, crocuses, and grape hyacinths in our yard have been blooming for at least a week and the tulips are beginning to open, it seems even more incongruous that Lee and I would awaken once again to several inches of snow on the ground this morning.

But, I have to reminding myself, this is what SPRINGTIME in the ROCKIES (the Rocky Mountains of Utah) is like. And before we know it, the temperatures will be in the 70s!

Thanks for visiting my little corner of the Blog world, and until we meet again. . . . . .may you all enjoy the pleasures of Spring, wherever you are!

Sunday Morning Reverie . . . . . . .

2010-04-25T10:09:00.001-07:00

(Click on either photo to enlarge.)

Wordless Wistful Woof Wednesday . . . . . .

2010-04-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

(Please click on the photo for an enlarged view.)

There is Nothing Quite Like SPRING!

2010-04-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Some days are busier than others, and today, at least for me, has been one of those BUSY days! It's actually been a "good" kind of busy day, wherein I feel like I got a couple of projects done and some others at least started.

So, a little while ago, I thought I'd reward myself and give myself a break before thinking about the dreaded "C" word. . . . i.e., COOKING. I decided to grab my little camera, and take an early evening stroll around our yard with Harley, our sweet greyhound, to see what new Spring discoveries we might have missed.

Although it's been a bit of a breezy day, the wind has now subsided, making way for a lovely warmish Spring evening. And although I'm no photographer, I was able to take advantage of the early evening calm and some late day shadows to capture a few scenes from our yard.

I do love all the seasons, but truly, there is nothing quite like SPRING, is there?? (Just ask Harley!)

Wordless Wasatch Wednesday . . . . .

2010-04-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

(You may click on photo for an enlarged view.)

Could it really be. . . . SPRING??

2010-04-12T19:31:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe, after the unseasonably chilly weather and all the snow that we've had here along the Wasatch Front Range of the Rockies over the past couple of weeks. . . . . . but I think that SPRING might actually be showing her cheerful face in north central Utah!

This morning, I awakened to a clear blue sky and a relatively warm (60ish) blustery day. . . It didn't take long for the wind to blow in clouds and eventual rain, but before that happened, I managed to snap a few photos of the sprouting (or more aptly termed "blooming") flora in our yard.

Yes, I think it really could be SPRING!

April Showers . . . . . .

2010-04-01T12:33:00.001-07:00

Here we are. . . .April 1, 2010, and SPRING is (or should be) upon us. APRIL FOOL!

These scenes are from our back yard, just minutes ago. . . . . .

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

Somehow I don't think the old adage,

"April Showers Bring May Flowers,"

was referring to THESE kinds of showers. . . . .

But then again, by the weekend, I'm guessing most of this snow will have melted,

and will have made way for our crocuses and early tulips to add a little color to our yard,

and for the Easter Bunny to make his way through the neighborhood.

Such is Springtime in the Rockies!

Until we meet again. . .

Wishing You a Wonderful Spring,

Wherever You Are!

Wordless Wintery Wednesday. . . . .

2010-03-31T08:14:00.001-07:00

Wordless Woof Wednesday . . . . .

2010-03-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Mountain Magic. . . . . .

2010-03-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

In the 40+ years that I've lived in the Rocky Mountain States (first Colorado and now Utah), I have never grown weary of the magnificent mountain views. . . and I'm sure I never will.

(You may click on photo to enlarge.)

Late this afternoon, I just happened to be sitting by the window in Lee's hospital room, watching the clouds come over the south edge of the city as a fast-moving Spring storm passed through.

In the afternoon light and through the mist of the low clouds and scattered snowflakes falling from the sky, the Wasatch Mountains seemed to take on an almost magical appearance . . . . . .

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2010-03-16T22:18:00.001-07:00

Room with a View. . . . .

2010-03-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a lot of my time over the past ten days at the hospital, since my husband Lee recently had surgery. During Lee's hospital stay, we've been lucky in that he's had a nice room location which affords a lovely view of the Wasatch Mountain Range bordering the east side of Salt Lake City.

This past week, I've had plenty of time to watch and appreciate the changing view from the southeast-facing window of Lee's hospital room. And since I hardly ever go anywhere without my camera, I took a few photos that I thought I'd share here on my Blog. . . . .

Let's face it. . . it's not really any fun to be in the hospital (either as a patient or as a visitor), but if you have to be there, it helps at least a little, to have a Room with a View. . . . .

Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2010-03-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wild Flower Wednesday . . . . . . . .

2010-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2010-02-14T15:21:00.001-08:00

I'm already a little late with this blog post, but I don't want to let the day pass completely by, without wishing all my Friends, Fellow Bloggers, and Blog Followers

a VERY HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I hope this day finds each of you surrounded by all that you love.

Whimsy Wednesday: Canine Edition

2010-02-09T23:20:00.000-08:00

Whimsy Wednesday: Feline Edition

2010-02-02T22:52:00.001-08:00

Wordless WOOF Wednesday, January 27, 2010

2010-01-26T22:36:00.001-08:00

Wordless WOOF Wednesday, January 20, 2010

2010-01-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Wordless Winter Wednesday . . . . .

2009-12-30T13:57:00.001-08:00

(You may click this photo to enlarge.)

Wishing You All a Wondrous Day!

2009-12-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

"Never a Christmas morning,
Never the old year ends . . . . .
But someone thinks of someone,
Old days, old times, old friends."

~ Author Unknown ~

My Dear Friends, Blog Followers and Fellow Bloggers,

Whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, nature, friendship, love, or life itself. . .

Here's Wishing You All a Wondrous Day!

Merry Christmas, Deer Friends!

2009-12-24T14:22:00.001-08:00

As many of you probably know about me by now, I have a fondness for whimsy, and that often shows through in my handmade card designs. It seems that every Christmas season, my cardmaking takes a twist into the realm of whimsy. . . . And what speaks whimsy at Christmastime more than REINDEER?

There has always been something "magical" to me about reindeer. The image of Santa Claus flying through the air on Christmas Eve, in a sleigh pulled by eight "tiny reindeer" is indelibly etched in my mind from childhood.

And even after I realized, at a fairly young age, that this vision was probably more fantasy than reality (Yes, there's a part of me that still wants to believe in Santa and his reindeer!), Christmastime still conjures up for me various images of sweet whimsical reindeer. . . . . so my card creations from year to year invariably include a few reindeer designs.

Tomorrow, I have planned a more serious post, but tonight, I'm giving in once again to my penchant for whimsy, and using some of my previous card designs to illustrate this Christmas Eve blog post, which I'm dedicating to all of YOU, my fellow bloggers, blog followers, and friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, DEER FRIENDS!

And this last photo, although not of a handmade card design, is of my very FAVORITE reindeer!

Until we meet again . . . . May You Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder.

Wordless Woof Wednesday . . . . .Holiday Edition

2009-12-22T22:21:00.000-08:00

Winter Solstice 2009

2009-12-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, where has the time gone? Seems like "forever" since I've posted to my Blog. . when in actuality, it's only been a few weeks.

But I'm determined to do better on keeping up with my Blog posting and my favorite Blog reading, at least for the next little while!

And what better day to get back into blogging than the Winter Solstice. In years gone by, this particular day has often skipped my attention, but today when I awoke a bit earlier than usual and looked outside to see a heavy fog and frost in the early morning light, I was inspired to take a few photos.

(You may click on any of the following photos, for a larger view.)

In some way, the rather eerie yet beautiful scenes in our backyard this morning seemed a fitting image of Winter Solstice, the "shortest" day of the year.

I understand that Winter Solstice also officially heralds the onset of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. . . although those of us who live in the Rocky Mountain West would say that winter has been well underway here for several weeks now. We've already had several large snowfalls, although admittedly, nothing like our friends in New England and along the East Cost have most recently experienced.

Here along the Wasatch Front, the snow has nearly melted from our yard, and we're ready for some NEW snow to arrive and provide us with a White Christmas!

But in the meantime, Mother Nature has given us some unique and beautiful hoarfrost (pictured here on one of our Oregon grape bushes), to delight and entertain the would-be nature photographer in us all.

For me personally, the greatest significance to Winter Solstice is that from this point on, the daylight hours are increasing once again!

Thanks for stopping by. . .I always enjoy and appreciate having visitors to my blog!

And until we meet again. . . . may your days be filled with sun.

Wordless Woof Wednesday: Winter 2009 Edition, Volume 1

2009-12-08T21:53:00.001-08:00

Wishful Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-12-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

Wordless Woof Wednesday . . . . .

2009-11-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-31T12:18:00.001-07:00

Here's Wishing You All a Happy, Healthy, and Safe Halloween!

May your day be sprinkled with just the right amount of Magic . . . .

And (borrowing the words of Flavia Weedn)
May you keep in mind that . . . .

Today you can be anything you imagine.

Wordless Wednesday Once Again. . . .

2009-10-28T09:13:00.001-07:00

For the Birds . . . . .

2009-10-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

I wouldn’t call myself an avid birdwatcher, but I do have a strong appreciation of all things nature, and birds are no exception.

Lee and I have a fairly large backyard, with lots of shrubs and trees, and over the years, our yard has been visited by countless birds, and home to many.

Although we don’t have a huge variety of avian wildlife here in our part of the suburbs, we do enjoy the sights and sounds of junkos, blue jays, house finches, quail, hummingbirds, mourning doves, flickers and magpies on a regular basis.

There have been many a morning that I have awakened to the cheerful chirping of robins and the melodic songs of the cute little house finches that frequent our yard. Lee and I love to hang feeders in various locations throughout our back and front yards, where we can watch bird activity year round from our deck and through our dining room and front windows.

In addition to providing real-life diversion and fun photo opportunities, birds also provide me with inspiration for my card creations. Sometimes I’ll be struck by a particular quote or play on words that lends itself well to a handmade card with a bird-related theme or paper piecing. Other times, I’ll discover some colorful and cute patterned paper at the crafts or scrapbook store that includes a bird image or theme, and I’ll be inspired to create a card around that. And yet other times, I may find an especially sweet or whimsical ready-made bird-themed embellishment that just begs to have a handmade card designed around it.

I never quite know when I first start working on a card, how the final design is going to turn out. . . so each new card design is a work in progress, until that final moment when my eye and my heart say to me, “That’s it! It’s done!” And indeed, this is the aspect of card design and cardmaking that I most enjoy. . . .this sort of free-floating aspect that allows one’s creativity to emerge and evolve.

Only recently have I realized just how many cards I’ve actually designed with a bird-related theme, and there have been quite a few! So, I thought it might be fun to share some of my previous and current card designs with you.

May I present to you, my collection of bird-themed handmade card designs, which I’m calling “ For the Birds.” I hope you like them!

Until we meet again. . . may you always keep a song in your heart.

Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-10-14T00:10:00.001-07:00

(Click either photo to enlarge.)

TWENTY FIVE Years. . . . . . .

2009-10-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

It’s not often that I could tell you what I was doing on an exact day twenty five years prior.

But today I can.

I was getting married … to the great love of my life.

Yes, today is Lee’s and my twenty fifth wedding anniversary. A milestone indeed!

We were not youngsters when we took the plunge. We’d both been around the block, so to speak, and had been married once before. Given our previous experiences, we were by no means impulsive in our decision to get married. In fact, we’d been together in a committed relationship for over three years before we finally decided to make the final more “permanent” step. And even then, I think we were both more than a little nervous!

But look how well it all turned out. . .here we are, twenty five years later, as much in love and dare I say, even more committed to each other than we were in those early years of our relationship. I don’t know how many couples can say that, but I’m certainly glad that we are among those who can.

Today, as I recall that day twenty five years ago, there are certain memories that remain fresh in my mind, some poignant and some downright laughable (well, I should say they’re laughable now. . .maybe they weren’t at the time).

And as I take my little mental trip down memory lane today, I thought I’d share just a few of these memorable snippets with you. . . . . . .

Neither Lee nor I were regular churchgoers back then (nor now), so we didn’t have a church of our choice within which to get married. Yet, we didn’t just want a civil service, so his parents asked their pastor if he would perform our marriage ceremony in our back yard.

That summer preceding our October wedding, Lee and I worked long and hard in our back yard, planting a new perimeter garden of multi-colored annuals, weeding and watering it daily, adding new flowers as some of the old ones died out. By the end of the summer our little garden looked quite lovely, if I do say so myself!

But as early October approached here in northern Utah and the chill starting creeping in at night, we began to watch the weather forecast every evening, worried that an early frost would render our flowers withered and wilted before our wedding day. Thankfully, we were spared an early frost that year, and our flower garden backdrop was as colorful and cheerful as we could ever have hoped.

For our wedding music, we invited a friend to play the guitar and sing a couple of songs of our choice. The songs were, Evergreen, and Longer Than. . . . . even now, the lyrics and music of both these songs touch my heart.

Our ceremony included a favorite section from The Prophet by Kahil Gibran.

Love one another but make not a bondage of love;

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone;

Even as the strings of the lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

And stand together yet not too near together

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oat tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow

But let there be spaces in your togetherness

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

And Lee and I participated in the writing of our own simple but special vows:

I promise to love and respect you.

I promise not to take you for granted.

I promise to express my feelings openly, and to encourage you to do the same.

I promise to maintain my sense of humor.

I promise to remain committed to our growing relationship, and to make every effort to work through conflicts as they arise.

Like many couples, we’ve had our ups and downs over the years, but I think I can honestly say, as I re-read these vows that we made to each other twenty five years ago, that we’ve done pretty well at honoring them. And for that, I’m proud of us both.

I’m embarrassed to admit, as I write this blog entry, that I never finished putting our Wedding Album together! I bought a lovely photo/memories album way back then, and although I did put photos in it, I never completed my plans for making it into a memory album. I guess there’s still time!

On this, the twenty fifth year anniversary of Lee’s and my wedding, I do feel motivated once again to complete that album/memory book. And when I do, there are a few more special memories that I intend to include in it, like these:

My one and only sister coming from Kansas to be my Maid of Honor, and Lee’s longest time and best friend coming from California to be Best Man
Lee’s favorite aunt and uncle from New York City flying out to Salt Lake to attend our wedding
My sister noticing the terrible state that my fingernails were in the afternoon just before our wedding, and offering to give me a manicure!(I’ve always been and continue to be to this day, very neglectful of my fingernails)
Our quirky caterer (a moonlighting would-be chef) nipping on scotch the entire time he was preparing our wedding refreshments, and ending up overbaking his “famous” liver pate, rendering it inedible
Our sweet dogs at the time, Lucky and Mutt Mutt, having to experience a kennel for the very first time, during our at-home wedding and subsequent honeymoon
Our vacation-honeymoon in Cannon Beach, Oregon. . . our first visit to the area (We’ve now been back twice again, and it continues to be one of our favorite places to spend time. . .even during chilly October!)

The ensuing twenty five years have been filled with so very many more special moments and memories. We have worked, traveled, enjoyed the company of family and friends, nurtured long lasting friendships and developed new ones, loved (and lost) a number of very special canine companions, laughed, cried, and faced numerous challenges together.

Throughout all of this, I think we have grown and emerged stronger individually and have become even more committed as a couple.

Today, the commemoration of our twenty fifth year of marriage, is indeed a special day to us. Thank you for sharing in it.

Until we meet again. . .. . I (We) wish you love.

Woof Wednesday . . . . . . . .

2009-09-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

I hope that one day . . . .

I can be the person my dog thinks I am.

~ Author Unknown ~

Happy Woof Wednesday, Everyone!

Wordless Woof Wednesday Once Again . . . . .

2009-09-15T21:35:00.001-07:00

The BUTTERFLY counts not months but moments . . . . . .

2009-09-13T21:02:00.000-07:00

and has time enough.

~ Rabindranath Tagore ~

Until we meet again . . . . . . . Wishing You Memorable Moments.

Never Give Away Your Dancing Shoes . . . . . .

2009-09-11T22:35:00.001-07:00

You never know when you might need them.

HOPE is like a bird . . . . . .

2009-09-10T08:34:00.001-07:00

My dear friends and fellow bloggers,

As some of you already know, this past week has been a difficult one for my husband Lee and me, as well as for our sweet greyhound Harley. Lee has been in the hospital for the last nine days, with a complication of an ongoing condition that has been under control for quite some time.

In between long and sometimes stressful stints at the hospital with Lee, I have managed to spend some time quiet time here at home with Harley who, despite being lonely, has been amazingly mellow throughout all of this. But productive, I have NOT been. And there has been very little time for my usual creative pastime (indeed, my "therapy") of cardmaking.

Nevertheless, because my Blog is also a creative outlet for me, as well as a valued connection to the outside world, I've been trying to continue to post a few entries during the past week. Not surprisingly though, I don't have many words right now to go with my blog entries, so I've been relying upon some of my favorite photos and photo memories, as well as some of my previous card creations and favorite quotes to carry the "messages" of my blog posts of late.

Tomorrow, Lee is scheduled to undergo another diagnostic procedure to help the doctors figure out what's causing this current health issue and to help decide where we need to go from here. Lee and I are both relieved that we now have a plan, and we are thankful to have a group of skilled and knowledgeable physicians involved in his care.

So it is with a hopeful and confident attitude that both Lee and I are approaching the next few days. Hence, the theme of my Blog post today is HOPE . . . . .

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Until we meet again. . . . . may all your days be filled with hope.

Wordless Woof Wednesday . . . . .

2009-09-08T22:42:00.001-07:00

Let the light shine. . . . . .

2009-09-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

Where there is light . . .

there is vision,

there is hope,

and there is strength.

Sunday Solitude . . . . .

2009-09-05T22:44:00.001-07:00

(Click to Enlarge Any Individual Photo)

I Come to the Sea to Breathe. . . . . .

2009-09-03T21:40:00.001-07:00

Wordless Webfoot Wednesday . . . . .

2009-09-01T22:02:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2009-08-25T22:33:00.001-07:00

(Click to Enlarge)

Sunday Solitude . . . . . .

2009-08-23T00:56:00.000-07:00

This time last week, my husband Lee and I were vacationing with dear friends and enjoying the lovely weather and scenery near Monterey, California.

One of the days we were there, we drove to the Pebble Beach area and walked alongside the beach while taking in the ocean views and exploring photo opportunities.

A solitary seagull perched atop one of the large rock formations caught my eye, and I decided to snap his photo with the ocean in the background.

(Click photo to enlarge. )

Lee and I don't get to see the ocean very often, but when we do, I'm always struck by its beauty, strength, and majesty.

Later this week, I hope to post a few more photos from our recent trip to this particularly lovely part of the California coastline.

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

A FRIEND is a gift you give yourself . . . . . .

2009-08-20T07:28:00.001-07:00

Good Morning, Everyone! The theme of my blog post today is FRIENDSHIP, and I'm dedicating today's post to all of you, my Friends and Fellow Bloggers.

Having grown up in a small nuclear family and without many relatives nearby, friends have always been very important to me.

That, coupled with the fact that I moved away from my childhood home (read: family support system) at a relatively young age (17), has made me cherish my friends and friendships even more greatly over the years.

I'm a little short of words today myself, so I'm going to let some of my handmade card designs, and the wonderful quotes from persons far wiser than I, carry today's message through my blog post.

Happy Thursday, My Friends!

Until we meet again. . . . I hope you'll each give yourself the gift of a new friend.

Just Another Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-08-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

This Week's Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2009-08-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Wordless Wednesday Once Again . . . . .

2009-07-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

Featured !

2009-07-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve been designing and creating handmade cards for quite some time, but only offering them for sale during the past six years or so.

My first selling venue was eBay. . then I discovered Etsy, and most recently I’ve expanded my sales to Art Fire as well.

Since I first started selling my handmade cards online, I’ve had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with some wonderful people . . . card buyers and cardmakers alike, as well as other artisans, craftspersons, and bloggers.

Over the past few years, I’ve connected with folks whom I never would have met, except for the Internet. And I’ve formed friendships which I’m hopeful will last a lifetime. So, I guess you could say that my passion for cardmaking, combined with the magic of the Internet, has been a life-changing experience for me.

As a card designer and craftsperson, the process of conceptualizing and creating new card designs and paper crafts is a reward in and of itself. But, another of my special joys related to crafting comes simply from knowing that other people derive pleasure from giving or receiving one of my cards or paper creations.

One of my greatest honors is to have a fellow artisan whose talent and creativity I greatly admire, give special recognition to my work. And that is exactly what happened to me recently.

A few weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Sandi, of Sassy Glass Designs. Sandi is a talented lampwork bead and jewelry designer with whom I'd become acquainted through our respective Etsy shops and blogging activities. Her recent e-mail was an inquiry about the possibility of my creating a custom card for her nephew and his finance, who had just become engaged. I’m always excited to try my hand at creating new card designs for special occasions, and indeed, custom card orders have begun to be a large part of my cardmaking projects. So, I jumped at the chance! And I’m glad I did. . . .

Not only did the challenge of this custom project help to kindle some new inspiration for me in my cardmaking, but Sandi was pleased enough with the final card design, that she featured it on her Sassy Glass Designs Blog! Thanks SO much, Sandi, for having the confidence in me that I could create just the right card for this special occasion, AND for honoring my work by featuring it on your own Blog!

I hope you all can take a moment to read Sandi's blog post from yesterday, to see the Congratulations on Your Engagement Card which resulted from this project. Thank you again, Sandi!

And, thank YOU all too, my friends and fellow bloggers, for visiting my blog today.

Until we meet again. . . . . .May your days warmed by friendship, both new and old.

A Touch of Small Town America Charm . . . . . .

2009-07-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

This time last week, Lee and I were still in Kansas, on one of our trips back to my home town of Abilene, to visit family.

Born and raised in Abilene, I spent my first eighteen years there, before I went off to school. And though I’ve now lived in Utah for many more years than I lived in Kansas, images of this small midwestern town are indelibly etched in my mind.

Lee and I have been making the trip from Salt Lake City to Abilene twice a year for over twenty years, and during this time, Abilene really hasn’t changed very much. It’s still a quiet little town with a strong sense of community.

There are summer band concerts in the park, church ice cream socials, sidewalk sales sponsored by the handful of local merchants, home tours and garden walks, and various other community events throughout the year.

All those years ago when I lived in Kansas, growing up in the country a few miles outside of Abilene, I pretty much took my surroundings for granted. But over the past years of Lee’s and my travels back to my home, I think we have both begun to appreciate how truly unique and memorable this little midwestern town is, particularly if one just takes the time to look.

And that’s one of the things that Lee and I did last week. In between visiting with friends and family, and with camera/s in hand, we tried to keep our eyes open for local scenes that typify my little home town of Abilene, Kansas. I’m happy to say that we managed to snap a few photos which I think do just that . . . . . .And I wanted to share some of those with you, my friends and fellow Bloggers.

I hope you enjoy viewing these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. . . . . . .

(And once again, you can click on any of the photos for a full sized image.)

The scene below is of Mud Creek, which runs north and south through town. The little bridge in the distance crosses Third Street, the main east-west street. Most of the time, Mud Creek is completely dry. But this year, even in July, the creek bed was filled with water and the banks were lush and green, as a result of unusually heavy amounts of rain.

In some of our more recent trips back to Abilene, Lee and I have actually seen a Blue Heron perched atop an old log near the lower banks of Mud Creek.

And this is Third Street . . . tree lined with hundred year-old deciduous trees of varying types.

One of my personal favorites about Abilene, is the wide array of wonderfully unique Victorian style homes. . . most are nicely restored. And many are scattered along Third Street.

The sign out in front of this lovely multi-story home is for the local Garden Tour, of which its grounds are part.

And here is another Victorian style home on Third Street that has been converted into a Bed and Breakfast, the Abilene Victorian Inn. Lee and I have never stayed there, but one day we may (IF they have wi-fi!).

I love how these tall Echinacea leaned over the sidewalk. These were planted on the outside of the fence alongside one of the old homes on Third Street.

And this lovely cottage garden was also something we happened upon, just beside the sidewalk leading to the Abilene city park.
Here is the Lebold Mansion, located in West First Street in Abilene, and it has the distinction of being the oldest house in Abilene. The current owners of this restored historic home offer daily guided tours for a nominal fee. Lee and I have been through it twice, and it's well worth the time!

This is another historic building in the older part of town. . .It's up for sale now, but its history includes being a grocery store, and later I think an apartment building.

Thursday evenings in Abilene during the summer are Band Concert nights. And my mother has always loved going to the band concerts. So we took her last Thursday, which happened to be the last band concert of the season.

The concerts are performed by the Abilene Municipal Band, pulling its members from several of the small surrounding towns. And the members can range in age from high school students to retirees!

The band concerts are held in the Abilene city park, and it's quite the community event. Some folks park their cars around the band shell and just roll down their windows to listen to the music, honking their horns at the end of each piece, for applause. Others grab a seat on one of the metal benches in front, for a better view. And yet others (like Lee and me) stroll around the beautiful park gardens and admire the flowers (taking pictures all the way) while we enjoy the music.

Thanks once again for visiting my blog!

And until we meet again . . . . May you always keep your sense of new discovery and wonder.

Wordless Wednesday ( It's Wednesday somewhere!)

2009-07-21T21:10:00.001-07:00

Deep in the Heart of Kansas

2009-07-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the country, and in the middle of Kansas, I’ve always had a deep love of nature and all its faces.

But it wasn’t until I moved away from Kansas, and experienced it from a visitor’s perspective that I began to more fully appreciate the natural beauty of my heartland home.

Lee and I just got back this weekend from one of our twice-a-year trips to visit my family in Kansas. And while we were there, we made it a point to take a drive into the Kansas “outback” searching for interesting landscape photo opportunities. We were not disappointed.

Like other parts of the country, Kansas has had more than its usual rainfall this season, and as a result, much of the natural prairie land, pastures, and countryside were particularly lush and green.

I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of natural landscapes, and the timing of our trip this year worked out well for us to get some nice photos of the Kansas countryside.

So, of course, I wanted to share a few of these images with you . . . . .I hope you enjoy them.

(You can click on any of these images to see them full size.)

I'll be posting more photos from our trip back home to Kansas later this week, so I hope you'll check back.

Thanks once again for visiting my blog.

Until we meet again . . . . . I wish you lush green pastures and peaceful moments.

Wishful Wednesday . . . . .

2009-07-08T09:14:00.001-07:00

I wish I may, I wish I might . . . .

fall asleep to the sound of the ocean tonight.

These are photos of Cannon Beach, Oregon, where Lee and I took our honeymoon over twenty years ago, and have had the pleasure of visiting twice since then.

No, we're not there right now, but I kind of wish we were . . . .There's something so powerful, yet calming about the ocean.

Thanks once again for visiting my blog, and I hope you'll take a minute to share one of your own wishes too, on this Wishful Wednesday!

Happy Fourth of July !

2009-07-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

Here's Wishing All My Fellow Americans a Happy Independence Day!

May you all have an enjoyable and safe holiday weekend.

Let Freedom Ring!

Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2009-06-30T22:05:00.001-07:00

Sharing the Love. . . . . once again!

2009-06-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, My Friends and Fellow Bloggers!

It’s the beginning of a brand new week, and I can’t think of a better time to post another blog entry along the theme of Sharing the Love!

One of my fellow paper crafting friends, Rebecca over at Scrappers Delight, recently surprised me with the Craft Diva Award for style and creativity. Now I have to say, I've never considered myself a diva, but where crafting is concerned, I'm more than happy to have that title bestowed upon me! And I’m honored to have a fellow artisan and craftsperson think highly enough of my various efforts in paper crafts and cardmaking to bestow such a nice award. Thanks so much, Rebecca!

I hope any of you who are reading this post will take a few minutes to check out Rebecca's blog and see what creative and unique designs she herself makes! (And congrats to you as well, Rebecca, for receiving the Craft Diva award!)

As a new recipient of this award, one is asked to pass it along to a few more crafty "divas" (sorry, guys, I guess that leaves you out on this one. . . but I'll make it up to my creative and crafty guy friends another time!) .

So, without further adieu, I’m happy to pass along this Craft Diva Award to the following Blogs/Bloggers, whose talent and creativity have caught my attention, particularly from an artisan/craftsperson perspective. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to visit their blogs and become acquainted with their work. . . .I trust that you won’t be disappointed!

Lisa at La Femmme Papier - You'll see a little art, a little crafting, a little photography, but always something creative and interesting!

EFA Artists Helping Animals Monthly Challenge Blog - More than one crafting diva is represented here, but a visit to this blog is well worth your time! You'll be amazed at the talent and creativity represented here, AND a portion of the sale proceeds from any of the artists' creations are contributed to a variety of animal charities!

Lazy Bone Creations - By her own admission, Lazy Bone "makes cards, drinks coffee, and contemplates life". I discovered Lazy Bone's blog quite some time ago, shortly after I started blogging myself. And from her blog entries, I've watched her cardmaking develop and evolve. I can honestly say that I consider her card designs to be some of the most unique and creative I've seen. Don't miss checking them out yourself!

Pondering and Paper - Also known as NYPaperCrafter on Etsy and Artfire, this talented and crafty diva is another fellow cardmaker. I discovered her blog only a short time ago, but have found it to be an enjoyable place to visit. And I love seeing all her new card designs as she posts them!

I hope you'll take a few minutes to check out the great blogs and enjoy the work of these four special Craft Divas! It's been my pleasure to "share the love" today, by passing along this award to these extremely talented and creative women.

If you like crafting yourself, and might be interested in joining a network of fellow crafters. . . .

Check out Craft Diva @ http://craftdiva.ning.com. This is a free networking site, where you can get to know and share information and ideas with other crafters.

Until we meet again. . . . . May we all continue to discover our creativity within.

Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2009-06-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

A Father's Day Card from Harley . . . .

2009-06-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Our sweet greyhound, Harley, surprised my husband Lee today with a lovely Father's Day card! (Well, if the truth be known . . .Harley did have a LITTLE help from me, good ol' mom. But, shhhhh! Don't tell Lee, 'cause he already thinks that Harley is quite a special, indeed, gifted dog!)

This is the card that Lee found this morning, before I even got up. It had been carefully packaged in an envelope with a pawprint drawn on the outside, and propped against the coffee pot on the counter, where Lee was sure to see it as he started his daily routine of making coffee.

And the inside . . . . . .

Needless to say, Lee was touched, and Harley got some extra hugs (and bacon bits) from him today!

Harley is pretty lucky to have a greyt dad like Lee . . . and he knows it!

I'd like to dedicate today's Blog post to all the other wonderful dads out there . .including those of you who are "dads" to furry family members like Harley.

And I would like to wish you all a

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Wordless Wednesday . . .

2009-06-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

BEAUTY is . . . . .

2009-06-15T17:16:00.001-07:00

Today was the first day in almost two weeks that we haven’t had rain, usually accompanied by thunder and lightning. (Of course, there’s still time…the day isn’t over yet!)

Motivated by the relative warmth and sunshine of the day (along with a pretty strong case of cabin fever), I decided to spend a little time outdoors today exploring our yard from a slightly different perspective than I usually do.

Harley joined me, sometimes walking beside me, sometimes rustling around in the bushes searching for something of interest, and sometimes just lolling in the damp green grass, taking in the sights, smells and sounds of Spring.

It’s amazing what you notice when you’re open to possibilities and take a look at things a little more deeply than you normally do. . . . One thing led to another, I decided to go get my camera, I snapped a few photos, and the idea for today’s blog post (better late than never!) began to rattle around in my head.

Here's what came of it.

Beauty is . . . .

wherever you look for it.

whatever you want it to be.

found not only in the extraordinary, but in the ordinary as well.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

And until we meet again. . . . .may you delight in the beauty around you.

Gold Hydrant Award!

2009-06-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

I can’t quite recall how I first came across the Life with Dogs blog. But I do recall that it caught my attention right away, and I’ve been a fan and regular reader ever since.

Life with Dogs is truly one of the most unique and cleverly written blogs I’ve found in my blog “travels” over the past year. And I think if you’re a dog lover and enjoy a healthy dose of humor as well, you can’t help but be entertained by this fun blog about the "antics" of a greyhound, and two labrador retrievers (a golden and a chocolate) living in Vermont.

The Life with Dogs blog has recently added a new weekly feature . . . something called the “Friday Five”. Each Friday, the writer highlights five other Blogs that have caught his interest, and to which he gives the Life with Dogs “Gold Hydrant Award.”

And guess what! ~ ~ My blog was one of those named among yesterday’s Friday Five! I’m pleased and honored to have my little blog mentioned among these other exceptional and creative blogs.

Thank you, Life with Dogs! I'll be proud to display the Gold Hydrant Award logo here on my Expressive Papers blog.

I hope you can take a few minutes to head on over to the Life with Dogs blog, look around a bit, and also check out the other four blogs receiving this week’s Gold Hydrant Award.

In honor of today’s doggy-themed blog post, I’ve decided to give our sweet greyhound Harley, some air time once again. . . .I’ve been saving a couple of special photos (taken by my husband Lee) for just the right blog posting occasion, and I think today is it!

Thanks, once again, for visiting my Blog. I hope you all have a LOVELY weekend!

Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-06-09T23:27:00.001-07:00

Sunday Shades of Blue . . . . .

2009-06-07T13:03:00.001-07:00

Lee and I awakened this morning to one of those cloudy, rainy Spring days . . . . the kind that is just perfect for staying home and enjoying some activities that you feel almost “guilty” doing on a bright sunny day! Activities like curling up with a good book, spending time catching up on reading your favorite blogs, doing a little crafting. . . .the list goes on and on!

As for me, I hope to spend some time on this quiet rainy Sunday to work on a few new card designs, something which I haven’t had much time to do this past week. Inspired by all the spring flowers in our garden and our neighborhood, I have a few ideas for some new paper pieced flower designs rattling around in my head, and am anxious to bring them from concept to reality.

But before I settle into my cardmaking for the rest of the day, I thought I’d take advantage of a break in the rain and take a little walk around our back yard. There’s something quite special about the way an overcast sky seems to add to the lushness of colors in one’s yard, especially in the Spring when flowers are beginning to bloom.

During my little backyard stroll, what especially caught my eye today was the richness of the lavenders and blues of the various blossoms scattered throughout our perimeter and patio garden areas. And I was, once again, inspired to take a few photos. . . . . I thought I’d share them with you.

My favorite flowers have always been Irises . . .

And this Clematis is a Spring show-stopper this year. . . . .

A purple petunia, awaiting a more "permanent" place in our summer garden . . .

And some sweet little Myrtle blossoms, making the most of the rain . . . .

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

Wordless Wednesday . . . . . .well, sort of!

2009-06-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

Blushing Poppies

2009-05-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

When Lee and I first bought our house 20 years ago, one of our favorite things about it was the secluded back yard, which included a large flower garden with a wide variety of perennials.

I was pretty much a novice gardener back in those days, and at first I didn’t even know what some of the flowers were, so I spent a fair amount of time looking them up in gardening books and magazines.

Since those early years, our perennial garden has evolved and changed. I’ve moved plants around, added new ones, lost others, weeded, added and taken down various borders, weeded, tried to keep the dogs from walking on (or nibbling) the plants, weeded.. . . .and so it goes.

I’m a more seasoned (albeit somewhat less enthusiastic) gardener now, and have accepted the fact that even once you get your garden just the way you like it, it’s not necessarily going to stay that way, even if it’s all perennials!

But over the years, there has been one constant in our perennial garden, and that is the Oriental Poppies. We didn’t plant the first ones; they were here when we bought our house. So, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I saw those fuzzy frilly leaves start popping out of the ground that first Spring we were here. (I wasn’t entirely sure they weren’t some kind of strange weed!)

Indeed, it was quite an experience to see how quickly and how large those distinctive leaves grew, and then to watch the buds evolve as well, and finally to see the huge bright orange-red blossoms open up for the first time.

To my delight, the Oriental Poppies come back every year. I don’t know if they’re all the same plants . . . somehow I doubt it. In fact, every year there seem to be a few more plants scattered throughout the garden. Lee and I have come to expect the annual splash of bright color in our perennial garden, and we’re never disappointed, even after the harshest of winters.

Although the bright orange-red Oriental Poppies were the original ones in our garden, and the most prolific, I have added a couple of other varieties over the years. We now have a few white and some peachy pink colored Oriental Poppies called Maidenblush.

I’m happy to say that it’s the time of year again when are poppies are starting to bloom. And this last week, our very first poppies (the Maidenblush variety) began to open. Since I was lucky enough to be able to get some nice photos of their progression, I thought I’d share a few with you . . . .

Thanks once again for dropping by, and enjoy your Sunday, Everyone!

I hope to see you again next week . . I still have some Blog Awards to catch up on!

Wordless Wednesday . . . .

2009-05-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

In Honor of Memorial Day . . . . .

2009-05-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

The greatest glory of a free-born people is
to transmit that freedom to their children.

~ William Havard ~

After the Rain . . . .

2009-05-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

Sun shines once again . . .

Scents of blossoms fill the air . . . .

Flowers bloom crisp and bright . . .

Hope you're having a beautiful weekend, Everyone!

Wordless Wednesday . . .

2009-05-20T08:51:00.001-07:00

Sharing the Love . . . . .

2009-05-19T14:19:00.000-07:00

Funny, isn’t it, how LIFE sometimes gets in the way of BLOGGING?? I’m afraid that is what’s been happening to me lately!

Ever since Lee and I got back from our Montana trip a month ago, it seems like I’ve been playing catch up, both inside and outside the house. Spring has finally sprung here in Utah, and there’s SO much yard clean up to do. . .not that I’m complaining! Indeed, I’m welcoming Spring with more than my usual enthusiasm this year, after the long cold winter we had.

And, of course, I’ve also been playing catch up on my cardmaking, as I try to get some new inventory into my Etsy and Artfire shops, and complete a few custom card orders.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the time I’d like to keep up with my important blogging activities! But I’m hoping that will change, starting this week. For the next little while at least, I hope to be able to do more regular updates to my Blog, keep more current on reading the blogs on my blog list, and continue to discover and share any new and interesting blogs that I LOVE to read!

And on that note. . . I’ll be focusing several Blog posts this week on the theme of “Sharing the Love . . . .”

Thanks to the kindness of some of my fellow Bloggers, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by over the past few months by three different Blog Awards. And now I’m happy to be able to “share the love” by passing along these awards to other blogs that I consider particularly worthy. I will be posting several blog entries this week along this Sharing the Love theme, each in regard to a different award.

The Blog Award I'd like to pass along today, is the One Lovely Blog Award, which Teddyree of Excerpts from the Edge, was kind enough to bestow on my blog. I’m honored that she considered my blog worthy of such a title! Teddyree, Thank you SO much! (I think YOUR blog is lovely too!)

And, I in turn, would like to pass this award along to the following four blogs . . . . .

Sassy Glass Designs – This great blog never fails to disappoint, with blog giveaways, featured artists, interesting articles and fun photographs. And an added fringe benefit of this blog is being able to see this talented blogger/artisan’s fabulous handmade jewelry!

Original Miniature Art of Melody Lea Lamb – I’m truly in awe of Melody’s artistic talent and her wonderful drawings of various landscape scenes and animals. Melody's deep and enduring love of nature and animals is apparent in her art. She is also a member of Art for Critters, a group of artists who donate a portion of their art sales to animal charities.

City Gal moves to OZ Land - I love visiting Oz Girl’s blog! Not only is she a talented photographer, but her posts are particularly nostalgic for me, as they bring back memories of growing up in Kansas. And sometimes I go visit just to listen to her blog music!

The Photography of Lee Everett Robinson - And last but (certainly) not least, I love my husband Lee’s photography blog! Lee rarely posts narrative, but he does post a new photo almost daily, and I think you’ll agree that his photography is exceptional. (I like his blog music TOO.)

I hope you’ll take a look at these four LOVELY blogs! And I hope that each of these deserving One Lovely Blog Award recipients will take the time to pass it along to a few others of their own choosing!

More blog awards to come later in the week, so I hope you'll check back.

Until we meet again . . . . .may your days be lovely.

Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-05-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

Look What I Got for Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

In all the months (about 9) that I've been blogging, I don't think I've EVER posted two Blog entries in one day. So, this will be a first.

But, I'm just SO thrilled by my surprise Mother's Day present today, that I couldn't help but share it with all of you!

My husband Lee and I don't have children, so I'm not a mother in the biological sense of the word. But, we have had dogs throughout our entire married life, so I suppose our dogs have always been my "surrogate" children. And over the years, it's not been at all unusual for one or more of our dogs to give me a special Mother's Day card (with a little help from Lee, of course!)

As most of you know by now, our current "dog child" is Harley, a beautiful ex-racing fawn colored greyhound. He's not only handsome, but smart and sweet too.

Well, both Lee and Harley outdid themselves this year. This is what they gave me for Mother's Day . . . .

Some of you may recognize the image of Harley, contentedly snuggling into our comforter that had fallen down over the edge of his doggie bed. I happened upon this photo opportunity a few months ago, and used the photo for one of my Wordless Wednesday posts.

Well, unbeknowst to me, Lee decided to have this image enlarged, matted and framed for me as a surprise Mother's Day present!

How greyt is that???

And as if that weren't enough, the present was accompanied by a wonderful handmade card, done by my talented husband (with a little help from Harley, who posed for the picture) . . .

Here's the outside of the card:

And the inside of the card:

Today, I'm feeling like one very lucky dog mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's Mother's Day!

And in honor of this very special day, I'm dedicating today's blog post to all my fellow bloggers, followers and friends who are mothers. . . . .

Some of you may be mothers in the most traditional sense, and will likely be celebrating this special day in the company of your children and/or grandchildren.

And yet others of you may be mothers in a less traditional sense, with beloved pets in the household who look to you as their "mom"!

But whatever your particular maternal role or roles might be . . . .

I'd like to wish you all a Very Happy Mother's Day!

Wordless Wednesday . . . . .

2009-05-05T22:43:00.001-07:00