Anything Goes with a Twist

I'm a day late with my blog post, I'm so sorry. I've been trying to kick this whatever bug I've caught and it's not working...(sad face) I'm giving in tomorrow and going to the doctor. My son will also be going with me. I had him at Med Express on Sunday, 5 days of antibiotics and there really hasn't been any improvement. (sigh)
Anyway....if Mother Nature isn't going to show us any signs of spring, the fabulous Design Team at Crafting By Designs will. Julia is our hostess of the challenge this week. Her creations just amaze me. Our Anything Goes Challenge has a twist this week, Vintage Easter or Spring. Ignacio at Nicecrane graciously gifted the design team digi files to use for the Challenge. It was so hard to choose! All of Nicecrane's info, links etc. can be found over at our Challenge, right here. Please stop over and take a peak at the beautiful designs. These ladies amaze and inspire me everyday. I chose the Vintage Easter Bunnies and these 3 beauties are what I came up with:

Card bases are from Recollections. The paper varies from Colorbok, DCWV and whatever else I found in my paper stash.

I hope you all get a chance to play along this week.

Time to get ready for my date with the heating pad (my best friend this week) and an after dinner cocktail of Robitussin.
Wishing you all a very Blessed Easter.
Hugs,
Sharon

I Feel the Love Project - March 2013

YAY! Finally! I've been wanting to create a card for the I Feel the Love Project for the past couple of months. I was determined in January, but life had other plans. My creativity went by the wayside because I was too sad to make anything. I am now getting back into the swing of things.
I've been following Madison for over a year now. I do not remember how I happened upon her blog, but let me tell you, she is one AWESOME teenager. Madison is the founder of the IFTL Project. Every month she blogs about someone who needs a pick me up so to speak. "We" make the cards and send them to her, she in turns sends them to the recipient. This month the cards are going to Claire, a 4 year old little angel who was recently diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. You can read about Claire and Madison right here.
This is the card I made for Claire, I hope she likes it. The inside reads, "With a Hoppy Hello"

And while I was down at my desk, I made a couple of cards for Crafting By Designs. Rene is our hostess this week, an Anything Goes Challenge with a twist, the twist being "Wedding Bells are Ringing." Your creation can be anything wedding related, a card, a thank you, a shower invitation, a favor, an engagement card, even an anniversary card. Stop on over and play along with one of our weekly challenges. Just click right here.

I think the 2nd card would be great for an engagement or a wedding.

As always, thank you for stopping by.

Drop me a line and let me know you were here.

I love reading your comments.

Hugs,

Sharon

Take time to smell the Flowers

Hello ~ Much needed mental therapy tonight. A couple of challenges to work on and my mood was instantly lifted. In the middle of the night, Mother Nature gave us a gift of 6 to 8" of snow. First school was delayed, then an hour later it was canceled. I gave myself a one hour delay for work. That gave my husband some time to shovel a path to my car and give the road crews some time to do their magic. By the time I left for work, around 8:30, the roads were just wet with spots of slushy snow. That was a relief.
However, when I was leaving for work, I noticed the temperature on our freezer was off. I opened it up and the food inside was thawing...We've had this freezer for about a year and half and this is the 3rd time it has broken down. My hubby made the repair call, tomorrow morning between the hours of 9 and 12. We'll see when the repairman arrives. I made the phone call this afternoon to the executive offices of a BIG KNOWN STORE that sounds like EARS. Never again and I mean never will we buy another appliance from them. Anyway.... on to the challenges.
The first challenge is from Cuttin and Stampin. It is the Weekly Challenge #9, use a flower stamp. The most talented Doris from Mom's Been Scrappin is the hostess. Her creations are beautiful. Stop by and say hello.
I created 2 cards for the challenge. I knew which stamps I wanted to use and decided to heat emboss. I haven't used my embossing powder in so long, I missed it. The first card I just used regular markers (I don't own Copics - I know! GASP!!!) and a little bit of chalk. For my second card, I used all chalk. Basic white cards from Michael's, Recollections. Paper, I'm not quite sure. Found in my stash.

Now the second challenge I created for tonight was over at Crafting By Designs. The fabulous Rene is the hostess for Getting Ready for Christmas. Non-traditional colors. I wasn't too sure I liked my card because of the non-traditional color, but after a while, I decided I really do. I like the muted purple and the purple ribbon. The stamp I bought on clearance at Michael's after Christmas and finally was able to use it. And the paper is from Tim Holtz, I bought it last summer and forgot I had. (That was a nice surprise to find!)

I hope you find a little time to visit these fantastic blogs. Show them a little love.

Please let me know you were. Comments are always welcome!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Sharon

Black, Silver & White Challenge

We have a busy, busy weekend, but I was able to get in a little mental therapy tonight. I had so many ideas running through my mind today that I thought I was going to burst.
The fabulous Tammy at Crafting By Designs is hosting the Black, Silver and White Challenge. Hmmmm....I thought, great color combo, so many possibilities. Lately my creative joy has come out in creating invitations and announcements. Hoping someday to turn it into a small side business.
This is what I came up with:

 This would be perfect for so many occasions. A bridal shower, a sweet 16 party, even a girls night out. Here is a look at the inside:

And a little close up:

I was having so much creating this one, I decided to make 2 more in different colors:

 And the three of them together:

Come visit us at Crafting By Designs and play along. We offer a new challenge every Wednesday. Sometimes we even add an extra one in. You can never play with paper too much, right?

I love reading comments, please let me know you were here.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,
Sharon

These are a few of My (Granma's) Favorite Things

A few weeks ago I blogged about my Granpap Seebacher. Well today I am going to blog about my Granma Seebacher. Unfortunately I do not have a lot of memories, she passed away when I was 5. When I was 4, she became bed ridden. In the blog about Granpap, I told of the root cellar and how Granma would take me in there. On the shelves were tins, tins filled with goodies, tins filled with buttons (maybe that is where my button addiction comes from) and of course those jellied candies that were shaped like fruit slices.
Every Sunday was dinner at Granma and Granpap's. Dinner was served at noon. Usually Granma cooked chicken. Understandably so, my Granpap and his brother's had a poultry store on the South Side of Pittsburgh, "Seebacher's Poultry." My Granma would be in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Always in a dress and always with an apron on. I don't think I can ever remember seeing my Granma wearing a pair of pants. She wore dresses, all of the time. From what I can remember she was a fabulous cook and baker. She taught my mom how to bake apple pie. (And just let me tell ya, my mom's apple pie is the best apple pie on earth!) One thing my Granma used to bake was Apple Strudel, it was delicious! If any Seebacher family members are reading this and have the recipe or KNOW a family member that has the recipe, please ask them for it. I'm such a nostalgic person and family traditions are important to me. There are some who will never share a recipe, if they aren't shared, how can they be passed down through the family. Wouldn't it bring joy knowing that your Mom's recipe, that she got from her Mom is being passed down through the generations?

After my Granpap passed away, his children went in to clean out the house. My dad brought these things home. Kitchen items that were my Granma's. My mom gave them to me. Someday when my kitchen is finally remodeled, I will proudly hang them the bulkhead. The colander is probably the biggest colander I have ever seen. When cooking for 10 every day, you really do need big things. I'm not sure exactly what the tools are on the left and right side. I believe the one on the left has something to do with pastry dough and the one on the right - a noodle maker. Of course the 2nd from the left is a knife sharpener, then the hand held beaters. I have a set of the green glasses, but I don't use them. They are on the top shelf in my kitchen cabinet. I don't want to use them because I am afraid of them getting broke.
I remember going to Granma's and on occasion she would take me in the attic. The attic was full of wonder. At one time, it was the bedroom for my dad and his brother's. I can remember different things I would see. An old catcher's mask, a few ball gloves, old bed springs and pictures. (This is coming from a memory of a 3 or 4 year old) My sister and I got to spend the weekend with Granma and Granpap. We slept in the bedroom to the right of the stairs on the 3rd floor. I can remember the big double bed, whiter than white sheets and the pillow cases that were embroidered, (by my Granma.) Granma let us sleep with radio on. I can remember her tucking us in at night and waking us up in the morning. When she became bed ridden, her daughter's and daughter in-laws took turns during the week to help take care of her. Granma's hospital bed was set up in the living room on the 2nd floor. I can remember going in with my mom, sitting on the living room floor watching Captain Pitt on TV. Granma would hint around about how she would like her hair brushed and I would climb onto her bed and brush her hair. After I was done playing beauty shop, we would play Crazy 8's or War. One thing about being born into the Seebacher family, as soon as you could walk and talk, you were old enough to learn how to play cards. I think all of the grandkids knew how to play 31 by the time they were 5. Sometimes my mom would have to go the drug store to pick something up, Granma would give me money for a popsicle and up Good Lane we trekked. I would get to push the Walk button and we would wait. We'd cross in front of St. Theresa's old church, turn left and walk to Lincoln Pharmacy.
I've lost track at how many cousin's I have. I'm sure if I sat down I could write them all down. I know there are at least 24 or 25 Seebacher Grandkids. I've been told all of my life that out of all of the Grandkids, I am the only one the looks like my Granma Seebacher. My personality if like her's too. I've never seen photos of my Granma when she was younger, so for now I'll just take everyone's word. Maybe someday when I'm in my 60's, I'll look into the mirror and see my Granma's eyes looking back at me and I'll just smile.