Home again and a "love" card

Well, just came home last night after 2 weeks in Arizona. It snowed at home on Friday but the neighbor snowblew the driveway for me - what a sweetie!  I definitely wasn't prepared to return to this much snow!! 

 

Thought I'd share a few photos from my last few days in Arizona.  Speaking of snow, seeing snow in the mountains while you're in the desert is so awesome!  This view was taken just north of Sun City West; I pulled off the road and took it from the car (unknown van got in the frame which was hard to avoid in the traffic). 

 

 

I traveled this road every day for a week while my brother-in-law Dave was in the hospital.  The trip to Mayo Hospital took about 40 minutes one way and there was such beautiful scenery along the way, I wish I had more photos!  I took these in the garden in front of the hospital:

 

 

What a beautiful place and a nice getaway from sitting in the hospital.  Dave expects to go home today but I haven't heard anything yet. 

 

I came home to more happy mail - birthday cards from family and friends, including Sally, who sent this package of goodies.  I'm sure she wondered why she hadn't heard that her package arrived; well, it was in my held mail which was in my mailbox when I arrived home last night. 

 

 

I especially love the crocheted pin (lower left) which perfectly matches the scarf on my winter jacket.  Thanks so much Sally!

While I was in Arizona, I ordered a bunch of new stuff from Hero Arts, including the newest Fancy Dies.  I couldn't wait to get home, fire up my Vagabond and do some die-cutting.  Here's the first card I tackled this morning.  I cut a window in the card base and the patterned piece (paper from Basic Grey's True Love) using the Renaissance Heart DI063 which I already had in my collection.  I layered the patterned piece on the solid red, and hand cut a frame for the window.  Then I die cut two of the new DI081 Love and Heart and layered them, then anchored just a few spots so they float across the heart window.  Then I decided to stamp the I and the U, using Hero Arts' new Large Vintage Alphabet CL689.  The heart gems were a gift from Heather - just love that jumbo one which she worried was too big!  I'm entering this in the February Hero Arts contest, Love and Lace.

It's always good to be back home, even when you enjoyed being away.  Hope you all are having a crafty weekend!  Thanks for stopping!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  Just love this holiday, don't you?  What's not to love - beautiful cards and flowers and yummy chocolates.  Bonus for me - it's my birthday, so have always have had a special day even when there's no boyfriend - LOL.

I'm enjoying a lovely day - can't help it when I'm with family and away from snow!!  Dad made pancakes for breakfast, Mom took us out for lunch at Red Robin (love their burgers), visited my sister Tami and her hubby this afternoon, then we had a heart shaped pizza for dinner.  Here I am with my birthday pizza:

Mom also made smoothies with a bag of frozen fruit pureed with a cup of white wine.  They were a bit thick so we added some 7-Up.  Delish!  Then the neighbor stopped by with some chocolate covered strawberries she made.   Yummy!

 

Now for a card - I didn't bring any Valentine stamping supplies with me but found some Hero Arts clear sets which fit the bill.  CL351 Friends has a little heart flower and I cut the love out of a Christmas sentiment from CL543 Very Merry Christmas!  Voila!  Dad hates to buy the store cards (too expensive) so this is the card he gave my mom.  Inside it says "You Mean the World to Me".  Guess that was enough since all he did was sign it - men!

Mom decided she wasn't giving Valentine cards this year but I did get a lovely birthday card.  Also received a fabulous package from my friend Heather Maria - just have to share this:

I was so excited to get one of Heather's Hero Hostess Blog Hop cards - so gorgeous in real life, you have no idea - all that stitching, amazing!!  Lots of fun gems, ribbon and stamped images, including some hearts and musical notes.  Love the stamps and embossing folder too - I already stamped out and colored one of the village scenes.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look as great as the label in the photo above - oh well...  I used watercolor pencils and I have a limited number here.  Maybe with Copics at home I'll get a better result and share it sometime.  Thanks again for making my day, Heather!

Sister Kari made me a pretty white and silver bracelet; she and Tami must've had a jewelry making day when she was here in January.  Thanks Kari!  I wore it to the neighborhood dinner the other night:

They had a Valentine theme, including a Barbershop Quartet "Time Was", to sing for us.  Appropriate for me, eh?  Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  Thanks for stopping!!