~My handmade paper rose~

I love paper roses both vintage and new.. today I made this one.
I used watercolor paints from Isabella & Samuel watercolor kit..(hey it's all I had at the time) LOL.. to paint the petals and the leaves. I'm hoping my next one will be a better!
These paper roses were made with coffee filters. They were shown on Martha Stewart this past week.. I only came in on the end so I'm not sure I did it correctly.... Here is the Gal that makes them Mommy Makes Roses web site. Hers are FABULOUS but check out the prices. I guess mine will just have to do :-} Thanks Carole for emailing me this info!

~Rose paper Art Doll~

I had this idea to make a Rose paper art doll.. So using my computer I designed this pink rose petal by petal and added a sweet face.... I then drew out the pattern, found a few lovely papers and put her together. I named her Josephine, she stands 17" tall..

~Went scraping today~

Left to right

Daughter Michele (not Isabella's Mama), Granddaughter Isabella, Michele's sister-in-law Brenda

Today I went out scraping with my Daughter and her Sister-in-law.

My other Daughter

surprised us and stopped by with Isa & Sam so then Isa stayed too.

I talked a lot, laughed a lot, and learn a lot. What very talented Gals these are. Only thing I did was help Isabella make a pumpkin man..

I can't get over all the stuff out there to make scraping and stamping so easy.. Gee I've been doing things the hard way.. Just found out about glue dots and glaze pens and some thing that adds adhesive to ribbons and trims..

I love it all! I want it all! But can't afford much of it LOL..

Thanks Michele and Brenda you two are the best :-}

~Thanks to Mary from "Across The Pond"~

I'm thrilled to have received this most delightful package today!!

It was from Mary of Across The Pound. I was the lucky winner of her 100th post give a way.. Thanks so much Mary for all the wonderful gifts! Each one was so beautifully wrapped and tied with lovely trims. There were hand made cards, tags and envelope... the above fabric is a piece left over from Marys Mother from England drapes. The fabric is gorgeous! I'm honored to now be its owner.. Their was even a precious gift and note from her Granddaughter Jasmine to my Granddaughter Isabella..Bless you Mary and Jasmine for you kindness!

~Back to school for my sweet Grandkids!~

It's back to school for Sam 2nd grade & Isa 5th grade. Look how they have grown in one year! They're in Catholic school. Isabella's doing much better, her surgery wound is starting to scab over. Their Mama (my Daughter) is not like most of the Mothers out there (or like I was) thrilled to have their children back in school! No Mama is sad.. she loves having these 2 around her. If my girls were as GOOD as these two sweeties are, just maybe I would have wanted them at home with me too LOL.. but I was divorced raising 3 girls (one very ill with special needs) on my own with no help from their father (my x).. So the time to myself alone was wonderful!
To all your HAPPY Mothers of children who are back in school..
Yahoo!! Yeah!! Yippee!! Enjoy your day :-}

****The winner of my 100th post banner**** and ~~~Happy Birthday Pat~~~

The winner of my 100th post banner is

Stephanie of Angelic Accents

Thanks to all you great Gals for leaving me such lovely comments!

Today is Pat from The Urban Chic birthday please stop by her blog and wish her a very wonderful day!

~Happy Birthday Pat~

~Last day for banner give-a-way!~

~Don't forget~

This is the last day to leave a comment

for my 100th post banner give-a-way.

Page down to see logos & leave your comment..Thanks!

I made this paper doll.

I used parchment paper watercolors colored pencils and glitter.

~My playing card Art Doll~

Here's my first try at making a paper Art Doll. It stands 17" tall.. Made from 3 kinds of vintage playing cards, one was round..30s sheet music, vintage ric rac trim and parchment paper. It was fun!

~Wonderful gifts from my Daughter!~

Yesterday I asked my oldest daughter Michele if she would please pick me up some brads.. she was going out scrapping with her sister in law. Well look what ALL she came back with for me! WOW! She said it was my belated birthday gift. She made me all the fun tags too.. and the books are just FABULOUS! Great glitter from Martha Stewart, chip board glitter letters, pearls, rhinestones, 5 bottles of glitter, glue, Martha Stewart rub on letters, fancy pins, alphabet stamps, and the thing you put them on, labels, a Martha Stewart Halloween banner..GORGEOUS papers, card stock, and a pink plastic box too.. oh and my copper brads. Thanks so very much Michele! I LOVE YOU!! You spent way to much on your Mama... but I'm so thrilled with it all!

Look what I won from~Mary~Yeah!

Oh my gosh.. I can't believe it I won! I won! Yeah! Yippee! Yahoo! Look at the above goodies from Mary of Across The Pond.. Thank you Mary so much for picking my name for your 100th post give-a-way. I am soooooo thrilled!
Also don't forget too leave a comment at my 100th post FREE give-a-way for one of my banner/logos..

~My New/Old cupboard~

I was so thrilled to find this wonderful vintage cupboard on eBay for only $25.00! I was very lucky :-}
I won it from a very kind seller named Maegan who just happens to live in my town..She has great Primitive things stop by her auctions and check them out.. I gave the cupboard a bit of a makeover. Painted it white added a lovely rose basket applique, that I bought from Amy and a sweet vintage glass knob. Now it holds some of my fabrics..

~Isabella update~

Thanks for all your emails concerning Isabella. How kind you all have been. Here's an update.. It's now been a week since her surgery. She's doing so so. The wound is healing. It is open and looks ugly! It should take about another week before a thin layer of skin forms over the wound. She's had 3 doctor appointments since Tues. The surgeon says the wound is healing to keep a loose bandage on it. The infectious disease doctor says to keep in completely covered nothing exposed. (I agree) the rheumatologist added another medication and says she is having a flair up. Yep she is. Since she is still without 2 of her main arthritis medications she has joint pain and swelling. She's having problems using her hands and feet. She can not button & unbutton her shorts. Her little hands do not work very well right now. She seems a bit depressed to me. Hopefully that will go away. Both her and Samuel start back to Catholic school Aug 22. Isabella will be in the 5th grade and Samuel in the 2nd. So until next time..Take care~Mary~:-}

~Happy Birthday Shelley!~

Stop by Shelley's blog and wish her a Happy Birthday!

~100 post FREE banner/logo give a way!~

*** FREE logo/banner "Give-a-Way" ***
I will be a giving away a banner/logo designed by me.

It's in honor of my 100 post that I missed a few posts ago..
Anyone who leaves a comment between now Aug 15 and Aug 22
will be entered in my "Give-A-Way".
I will draw the winning name on Aug 23 Thursday morning EST.
Your logo/banner will be sent to you in an email.
Above are just a few of the logos/banners I've designed.
I will work with you to see what you would like...
It will be a one of a kind made just for the winner!
You need to know how to add your logo/banner
to your blog or auction site.. Please.
Good luck! ~Mary~ :-}

~Amy THANK YOU so much!~

Amy .......Thank you so very much for your act of kindness yesterday!! I'm so very blessed to have you as my friend. With you feeling so awful yesterday you still stopped and took the time out of your day to do something very special for me.. It amazes me how you are always thinking about others when you should be thinking about yourself. I'm so sorry you had such a very bad day yesterday. What you did for me put a big smile on my face and Sam's too. God bless you! Hugs & Love~Mary~ :-}

~Isabella's resting at home :-}~

Isabella's now resting at home trying to heal after surgery and her 5 day stay in the hospital.
What she has is MRSA or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a type of Staphylococcus bacterium that is resistant to penicillin and some other antibiotics. The bacteria invade the body via cuts in the skin, causing infection that can be debilitating if not treated early and with the appropriate antibiotics. In rare instances MRSA can be lethal. We think Isa may have gotten this from her brother Sam. He attended football camp and received a "turf burn" on his leg, it became badly infected he was put on antibiotics and did just fine.. but since Isa is immune suppressed because the medications Methotrexate and Enbrel she takes for her Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis she had problems. She has an open wound that will take at least 9 days to grow a covering of skin. Until then she must rest and take it easy. Since her Methotrexate and Enbrel had to be discontinued (because of the infection) she is having a flair up with her Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.. she's having problems using her hands. Thursday Isa has 3 doctor appointments one with the surgeon, one with the infectious disease doctor, one with her rheumatologist. We will know more then.. Thanks again & again for all your thoughts and prayers for Isabella. God bless you!! ~Mary~

~Isabella's home from the hospital YIPPEE!~

It's 5:05pm EST................
Isabella just got home from the hospital YIPPEE!!
I'm running out the door to work.. more info later :-}

~Isabella's sweet smile is gone today :-( ~

"Oh my what happened to that sweet smile Isabella?" I'm sorry to say this happy face you see here has turned into sadness and tears. She REALLY wants to go home from the hospital.. Not just yet says "the team" of Doctors caring for Isabella. She no longer has the IV fluids in but still has the heparin lock for the IV antibiotics meds. They will take out the packing from her leg today. They say the packing was about 4 foot long, but very thin. I guess they should not have told this sweetie that she would only be in the hospital maybe a day or two. Oh poor Mama.. yet another nights sleep over. I tried my best to talk Mama into letting this Grammy spend the night but no way will she leave her little girl.. Brother Samuel is on this way to be with Isabella, maybe that will make her smile again. The meds are doing their job but they still have a way to go. Maybe she will get to come home tomorrow? I sure hope so. She will have many restrictions when she does get home..
Thanks again and again for all your thoughts, prayers, and emails. I'm so truly blessed to have such wonderful friends! Enjoy your Sunday ~Mary~ :-}

~Isabellas doing much better~

What a difference a day makes! Isabella is doing so much better. Not sure when she will be coming home from Childrens hospital. She still needs the IV antibiotics and they have not yet taken the packing out of her leg. Thanks again & again for all your thoughts and prayers. God bless you!!! What would I do with out you wonderful Gals! I just know your prayers are what helped Isabella get better.. Mama washed Isabella's hair and gave her a new hair do :-} Poor Mama Janene she's just exhausted! She's been at Isabella's side almost the entire time..

Isabella's all smiles over the Harry Potter poster book I got her..

Isabella shows off her art work..

~Events leading to Isa's surgery~

Fri. Aug. 3 Isabella skinned her knee. I cleaned the knee put on a band aid.
Tues. Aug. 7 the knee is red and a bit swollen.
Wed. Aug. 8 Isa's leg gets worse it's infected, she has a fever (normal for a child with JRA to run low grade fevers). Mama takes Isa to a Stat Care they cultured the infection and give her an antibiotics.
Thurs. Aug. 9 Isa's leg is worse Mama takes her to local hospital ER they cultured the leg say she needs to be admitted to Children's hospital (35 min. away) because of her special needs do to her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Mamas very upset and rushes Isa to Children's hospital during an awful storm with tornado warnings. Here a tornado touches down only blocks away from where they are. The hospital went into code gray during the storm.
At children's hospital they cultured the infection, take blood, urine, and x rays.. a surgical team comes in says Isa needs surgery asap that the x rays look like the infection is in the bone.
Fri. Aug. 10 she has surgery in the morning. Surgeon removed and clean out the infection and pack it. The infection had gone to the bone but not in the bone. Isa's on IVs, one an antibiotic. Now we wait and pray that the antibiotics work.

~Update on Isabella~

Isabella had surgery this morning on her leg. The surgeon said the infection was to the bone not in the bone. Thank God! They packed the site..They do not know what this infection is. They have taken 3 cultures in the last 3 days. Isabella is on IV antibiotic medications.
I am praying that these medications work!
Thank you ALL so very much for your thoughts and prayers!!!
****God bless you!****
We will know more tomorrow.. right now I'm off to my evening job :-}

~ISABELLA TO HAVE SURGERY FRIDAY~

My 10 year old Granddaughter Isabella has a bad infection in her leg. It came on very suddenly! One of her medications methotrexate (for her Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) causes a reduced white blood cell count, which makes Isabella much more susceptible to infection. Most children would be able to fight this infection off, but not Isabella. They are fearful that the infection may have already gone into the bone.
Friday morning she will have emergency surgery..
I ask that you PLEASE say a pray for Isabella!
God I ask you please watch over Isabella tomorrow..

~PLEASE pray for Isabella~

My precious Granddaughter Isabella was admitted
to Childrens Hospital today..
Will you PLEASE pray for her! Thanks.

~Soldered glass charms~

I'm crazy about these soldered glass charms! I had no clue how to make them but thought I'd give it a try. A while back I bought a stained glass instruction book and supplies. I then sat down and gave it a try. The soldering was tricky for me and I still can not get them smooth..Top photo is a necklace I wear everyday. It has a photo of my grandchildren & an oval of my daughter Nikki with tiny lock of her hair on the back. These were the first two I made. On the bracelet I have a vintage glass button, a graphic from my child prayer book and porcelain heart. It was a bit tricky cutting/snipping the china heart.... I love Raggedy Ann's so I used a stamp for that one. The black and white photos are of my brother & sister. I've made a few for my daughters and friends. So Gals if I can make them you can too. Just give it a try. They make such lovely gifts!