Starting my day with a Cause

As most of you know, I am a patriotic sap. I have always cried when I heard or sang "God Bless America" or "This is My Country" or "The Star Spangled Banner", even as a little child. I cry at most patriotic songs (not "This Land is my Land" don't get me started on that communistic song!) or stories. I took our kids to the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Tulsa almost every year. I stand proud when our flag goes by..all 200 or so in the parade. If I wore a hat, I removed it out of respect.

The Tulsa World Newspaper, everyday gives a blurb about our soldiers who have been killed overseas. I read it everyday (till this move to Chicago) and said a prayer for each mother, father, wife, or child who lost their loved one. They died for me.

THEN, my daughter joined the U.S. Navy. It was even worse. I got to feel those uncertainties other moms were feeling. She was always as "safe" as an American soldier can be in these times. But she was in the Indian Ocean on a little island during the tsunami, being belittled by men who didn't know her inner strength, had 2 birthdays pass without us seeing her, and, dang-it, she just wasn't at home. She married a Navy man who just completed 1 year in B'Harain, as shore patrol. (That's an island off Saudi Arabia, a potentially dangerous area)

So, my patriotism grew. And still grows.

At my local scrapbook store, we have a monthly card swap. One of our members has a nephew in Iraq. He works at a prison there and says it is 300 miles to the nearest place to buy cards for him to send home..to his loved ones. So we are joining together to send cards of all kinds to our women & men overseas.

Please, won't you join us? We need thank yous to the soldiers, birthday (adult & children), anniversary, thinking of you, missing you, Halloween, Christmas, Hannakah, all occaisons. With envelopes so they can mail them to the states. You can start one at your local level or send them to my LSS, to be delivered with ours.

But you have to act quickly....holidays are coming up quickly. And things have to mailed well in advance to get them to those that can use them. If everyone can make 10 cards (face it, you have that many extra in your swap stash, don't you?) and box them up to Annette by the next 2 weeks (I think she wants to send them by the 15th) we could have a great package to help show them how we much we care. If you don't make cards, go buy several .99 ones to mail.

Just because our military isn't in the news as much anymore (what a shame...), they are still all over the world. Fighting, guarding, patroling to keep us safe. There were local guard members that just got back from over there on the news last night. To see them hugging their loved ones for the first time in 6 months. One man got to meet and hold his 7 week old baby for the first time yesterday. And then there was the one who will never get to hold his again....

You guessed it...I cried. Physically and spiritually.

Take time to support our military. They are supporting us with their lives.

Please mail cards to : Scrapbook Junction

524 W. Mondamin

Minooka, IL 60447

Or your local chapter of Blue Star Mothers

Keep The Dream Alive

Getting back into a groove

Ok, I have been so out of it lately. I was exhausted by the rush of family & friends. Then I was sad...I don't like not seeing my grandsons & friends. But THEN I discovered a secret. Ok not a secret. It was something that was there for everyone, including me, to see. I don't know why I didn't see it before. It wasn't hidden at all.
Oh, sorry. Want to know what "it" is? We have been here almost 6 months! Only 2 1/2 years to go! So, with that realization, I got busy cropping. Cause I'll be so busy with grands when I move home, that there won't be time to catch up!

So, I did a layout at crop Friday night for Slick's 1st birthday. I know she is 25! But it's never too late to start. And now that I'm confessing, I have to confess that I'm afraid of the big circles so many people are using. I never feel I "do them" correctly. But I stepped out of the zone and did it anyway. I like it.

I used part of a kit that I got from Memory Works. It is from a company called Collage Press. (Sweet Shoppe Collection) It had enough papers, embellishments and stickers to make 4 layouts...and I only paid $19.99! (Shameless plug, but check out my Memory Works site,[click here] they are clearancing everything to get ready for new catalogue...great bargains) It will have a journal block, but I try not to put my journaling out on the web. The pink is not really that vivid, in real life. Almost a little salmon colored.

The chipboard "1st" was from a Basic Grey numbers kit. I covered it in a scrap leftover from another layout. The circle was a punchout from the kit, as was the circle in lower right. I inked the edges of both to make them not wash out into the background paper.

Never quite satisfied, I dug through my bling and added pale pink & white bling to the dots on the circle. Really girly!

The second page was fun to play with. I covered the Grungeboard alphabets with paper from the kit. They were a bit small for that and it was a challenge not to rip them. Regular chipboard would have ripped, but the Grungeboard is very sturdy. Thanks Tim Holtz!
I cut the cupcake circles out of one of the paper and mounted them on a double mat of brown & then pink, as are the photos.

Then I added paper to the chipboard "cupcake" and glued to layout. The frosting was in the same brown as the mats and I popped it up with dots. I plan to put some bugle beads on it, to make it look like candy confetti. But I have to buy some first!

THEN, as if this wasn't all enough...I flocked my cherry and stem! I wish you could feel it! I used Crushed Velvet Flock by doodlebug designs. (Also purchased from Memory Works). They make a "Stick With It" adhesive, but it says on the back you can use your favorite glue pen or double sided tape. I used ZipDry that I rubbed around with my finger to cover it entirely. I've learnd you have to press the flock firmly to get a good bond. I think it turned out great. Can't wait to use the flock on Christmas cards.I know this was long. I don't write often enough, but when I do, I just get carried away! Hope to be seeing some of your work in the Dream Talkin' Forum. And until then...

Keep Dreamin'