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!!