Update on my Dad

I thought I would give an update on my dad and explain why, again, I haven't been posting.  Dad is going back downhill fast.  They now give him 2 weeks-1 or 2 months at the most to live.  He can't eat or drink, his heart is working now at only 30%.  Add renal failure and copd that is horrible and increasingly worse there is no longer any hope.  He will be moved to hospice to die.  All I can do now is pray for his peace and dignity and for him to be as pain free as possible.  Please pray for him, too.  Love, Elle

Where have I been?

Where have I been?  Well, it is like this.  My dad almost died last week.  Do you believe in miracles?  The priest read him his Last Rites (a Catholic thing) and the doctor's told us to expect the worse.  He wouldn't make it through the night.  He as on life support and I have never ever seen him look so bad.  Grey.  We gathered together as a family to give him our love and support.  He did, indeed, make it throught the night.  And the next night.  And the next.  He was never alone.  With 5 kids we rotated and took turns being at his bedside.  If love could make him live, then he will live to be 100.  He is 82 years old.  I was not ready to say goodbye.  You see, I love my father.  With everything I am.  He is nos out of ICU and I am back home frantically getting ready for Christmas morning.  All of the presents are made and wrapped.  Baking is being done as I type.  Christmas is good this year.  My father is alive!  lOVE, eLLE

What I'm up to

I haven't posted any pictures in a few days because I have been CRAZY busy.  How about you?  Here is a short list of what is happening in my life:
1.  Painting 9 presents
2.  Making 16 ____ (it is a secret!)
3.  Preparing for my Cookie Exchange party.
4.  Decorating cookie boxes for said party
5.  Making gingerbread sugar cookie ornaments as party favors.
6.  Cleaning my house.  (yes, I said cleaning) lol
7.  Planning my annual Christmas breakfast.
8.  Cleaning and decorating my bff's house for the party.
9.  Preparing the craft class we are doing at the party.
10.  Baking and cooking for my house.
11.  Making whoppie pies.
12.  Making 4-6 dozen cookies for the party using a recipe that grandma used every Christmas.
13.  Not sleeping in order to get things done.
14.  Working out at the swimming pool.
15,.  Making 2 scraplings for a swap with Art For The Creative Mind-a wonderful online group.
16.  Getting something made and ready for my blog post tomarrow or the day after.
HELP!  So much to do and so little time!  Love, Elle

Christmas is in the Air!

Every year, even though I put up my Christmas Tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (in the US), the Christmas season doesn't start for me until I have watched "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" on television.  (for the 100th time!).  Gosh, I love that show.  I am busy working on some last minute Christmas cards that I wanted to share with you today.  Of course you already know how much I love the images from Magnolisious!  Today is no exception.  Without further adue let me present Tilda in all her wintry glory!  Love, Elle

I've been practicing my Copic Marker skills!

I found my Camera! Here are some candles I painted

Yippie Skippie!  I found my camera!  Whew......The very first thing I wanted to show you are some candles that I hand painted in a class with Barb Ogden-a great teacher.  I haven't painted since Christmas of 2008 so this was a stretch for me.  My kids love them because they are exploding candles!  Light them and the varnish will cause them ot explode!  lol.  Tell me what you think.  Love, Elle

Here is some closeups.  Aren't these a hoot?

Bad News

I have some bad news.  My camera is missing.  I can't find it nowhere.  I came in here (art studio) to upload my latest pictures and the camera is no where to be found.  I will be posting again as soon as I can.  Miss you all!  Love, Elle  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET JESSICA!

Giving Thanks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF MY AMERICAN FRIENDS!
Giving thanks.  What does that mean to you?  Does it mean you are thankfull for what you do have or are you thankful to what you don't have?  My sister-in-law lost her mother yesterday morning.  "Grandma" has we all called her was an amazing woman.  She surrounded herself with those she loved and placed all of her values on God first then her family second.  Someone who we will all greatly miss.  As Dixie and her family prepare to bury their mom she took a moment to tell me how thankful she was for the life she got to share with her all of these years.
As many of us struggle during these economic times I for one will sit back and not worry about money or things and concentrate on what I do have.  I family that I love and who loves me.  Friends that I value with everything I am but most of all my God for enabling me to have each day to even consider these things.  May your day be blessed with all that is important to you.  Love, Elle

Tilda strikes again!

Tilda strikes again!  This morning I took my Magnolia image that I had colored with copic markers when I was on holiday and made it into a birthday card for an upcoming birthday.  I love how the colors sort of blend together. I used three of my trusy buttons and a pretty ribbon bow for embellishments.  I adore her purse-isn't it so pretty and sparkly?   Enjoy an let me now what you think!  Love, Elle

Vintage Postcard Story

There is a store in Kirkwood, Missouri called the Checkered Cottage.  A quaint little store.  They recently had a Holiday Open House where the windows were decorated with HUGE blowups of these gorgeous vintage postcards that the two owner's (sisters) grandmother had saved throughout the years.  The display with breathtaking to say the least.  They took these postcards and made sheets of them to sell.  Here is my first rendition of one of the postcards.  Love, Elle

I used some of the beautiful trim that I received in a fiber swap with the group Art For The Creative Mind.  I thought that it really set off the vintage feel. 

Here is a closeup of the postcard image:

Visit here for some wonderful blog candy!

I  found some wonderful blog candy on Tracy's site!  Take a look see. I wanted to post a picture but I am having trouble with my blog at the current moment.  Click on the title of this post and it will send you to the blogcandy!



 Love, Elle