Paper Expressions

Here We Are~!

Photo was taken in October 2023 by Katie Skillman Photography and I wanted to share what we look like these days in case you see us out and about and want to say hi!  We love chatting!  Kay has been my "supporting demonstrator" for the past 20 years, when we had in person conventions and regionals he made the swap cards , created videos and wore his fancy apron to do swaps!  Altho that isn't happening anymore and its all online (boo)  we are still interested in swaps using current supplies and keeping up with other demonstrators~!  My focus is back to when I began- scrapbooking. This new grandson is so stinkin cute that I need to begin his pages, finish my own kids pages and work on the other 28 grandkids pages too!   I need to live to be as old as Methusela to get this all done not to mention the quilts~!

hugs!

Gwen and Kay

20 years!

Yes you read right, I have been with Stampin Up! for 20 years! 

I know I haven't posted much in the last year, I have be more focused on my sewing and quilting (not to mention a full time job) but I am still selling the products and stashing away for myself for scrapbook pages to come!

And news-  I no longer work at the Bernina store,  I am now a night time Grammy Nanny for this little darling so Mommy can go back to work. He is 7mo old now and has me wrapped around his fingers!

This is a quilt top I just put together this week and I am waiting for the border fabric to arrive to finish it. I have no clue why typepad loaded it sideways- lol sorry!  I love these fabrics, my favorite collections are by Kansas Troubles-

I hope you have a lovely New Year! My focus is UFO's == unfinished projects  or UFP is you prefer!

I would love to hear about your projects!  I post a lot of projects on my Instagram page you can follow there~

Hugs!

Gwen

 

It took 9 years

I am sad to say it took 9 years after the death of my Mom to finally get her ashes laid to rest, but we finally got her laid to rest in the Cochran family plot as she always wanted.

The people in the photo are Kay and I in the center- and my 3 kids, their spouses and their kids.  It was a beautiful day and yes even sad for all of us because we miss her so much. But time with family and even dexter the pup made it a fabulous day!

Life takes a lot of turns, dips and more and sometimes you just have to ride it all out.

This is my oldest and youngest grandkids- grandsons-  one is 16 the other 3 months   the 2 in the middle are 13 and 11

We have several adopted grandkids too-  Kay has the other 25 that give us 29 in total between us.  We rarely get to see the ones on his side of the family. But, we love them!

I am doing a LOT of sewing- hope to remember to post photos here  more than I have been-  Lots of tomatoes in the garden and I just found a cool tomato soup recipe I am going to try and if we love it will freeze dry it for food storage purposes.

How are all of you? What are you working on these days?   I confess that my scrapbooking room is such a mess I can barely get inside the door to reach anything-  downsizing financially was good but otherwise stinks! lol

Happy Labor day everyone   make the most of family time life is going by way to fast these days

hugs

Gwen

What a Year!

How did it get to be June already?  So much has been going on I frankly forgot I have a blog and should be posting.  Sorry!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  the best news!!!

We have a new grandson he is now 3 weeks old-  and of course the love of my life!

I am blessed to live only 30 minutes away and I am able to snuggle him at least weekly due to my work schedule

He will be the FIRST of all the grandkids that I get to be involved in his life from birth to when I pass away. Something I have truly missed with all the others and feel blessed to have this opportunity now!  My Daughter is recovering well- wont go into details but it was rough for her.

Life is wonderful here -  I am not stamping as much but I am sewing more than I have in years and sewing is my first love, then gardening and it is gardening weather for sure

I will get some photos of the yard later today and share later this week.    I will also share some of my sewing project photos.

Time is speeding along and I find as I am getting older that my energy level isn't what it used to be and I just don't like that! When I get home from work it seems that the recliner holds me hostage and I seem to lose interest in "doing"  lololol

anyone else have that problem?

Had a scare a few weeks ago- called the ambulance for Kay   chest pains- tingly fingers- turned pale

fortunately it wasn't a heart attack but they did find and arithmia that causes him to have chest pains-  at least now we know but 2 days in the hospital and an amazing Cardiac Doctor and now we know.  this entire year has just been one thing after another- and before we know it , it will be the holidays again and I am usually ok with that but for some reason this June I am soooo not excited about it.  Fortunately its not at my house this year so I can even skip decorating and for those of you that know me on a personal level you are probably gasping- lol   I am understanding why older people downsize and get rid of stuff-  energy levels are gone to do it all and with working full time   I just dont have the time to putter with it all.

anyhow that is enough rambling for today    

I hope you are all doing well, crafting your beautiful projects of all kinds and having a wonderful almost summer.  It has been HOT here and this weekend cooled down tremendously- I am not a fan of hot August weather in June but I bet the pioneers and earlier years have stories to tell just like ours is now where the weather is concerned.  I do NOT believe in the global warming hoax and am sick of the taxes they are imposing on it using it as their excuse

enough said

hugs to all

 Gwen

 

Lily Update

Hi Friends!

I know many of you followed our granddaughter Lily's Leukemia story starting 7 years ago and I wanted to give you an update

first of all she is cancer free and in remission!  She JUST TURNED 10! wow

She is doing wonderfully!  We are so happy and want to again express our thanks for all your well wishes and prayers on her behalf during her struggle. It worked!  She is one strong little soul~

Here is their Easter photo from today:

They are the bomb and we wish they lived closer although they are only 4 hours away.  I can't wait to actually retire so we can see our grandkids more often!  I hope they aren't all grown before that happens!!!

I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very very happy Easter-  He is Risen and we are blessed beyond measure!

Its also my prayers that all of you are storing up some foods now before the prices get any higher because they will!

Have a wonderful week everyone- would love to hear from you too~!

Gwen

Remembering My Mom Today

At 4am this morning it was the 6th anniversary of my Mom's death.

I have spent a lot of time since waking up thinking about her, remembering how horrible her alzheimers was and how if she had any idea of the things she did she would be mortified-  how much fun we had together and projects- we were always working on something.  She taught me to embroider at age 4.  I am sure now to keep me busy lol. We loved doing crafts together, she helped me with my 2 acre garden, she helped me paint each home when I moved, she supported so many of the things I did.  

My Mom had polio in her left arm at age 20 when my sister was small (1948)  she lost the use of that arm but...  My Mom could do more with a good arm and a bad arm than any other woman I know. So when I think I am having a horrible time I remind myself of her achievements and her strength and I say to myself- suck it up buttercup you hardly have any trials compared to your Mother!  

She is still and will always be my hero and best friend. I am truly blessed now with a daughter that does things with me and I call best friend.   I know she will be waiting on the other side of the veil for me one day along with Dad and it will be a great moment.   

in 1948 My Mom was Rodeo Queen
She also rode with the Palomino Caballeros drill team
She was 18 in this photo

another queen photo

This one is Mom on the left and Gramma on the right-

Nothing was ever as important to her as her kids and grandkids-  both on My sisters side and mine

I get my love for babies from her too-  She always wanted to hold babies no matter who they belonged to-  so do I and so does my daughter.  Mom has left us a wonderful legacy to follow and altho we didnt always see eye to eye (you never corrected her she was always right lol)  I am truly blessed for all the things she sacrificed so I could do or have whatever it was at the time.

I love you Mom and I miss you everyday!

It Happened!

Here is an update-

My knee surgery was May 19th and I have been at home with my leg up.  Today I was able to have the bandages removed (hubby is so awesome) and take a real shower!  We forget how wonderful warm showers are until we are unable to take one for a few days!  It is always amazing to me how much strength a surgery of any kind saps your strength and makes you tired.  So a lot of napping is happening lol-

I will be away from my job for about a month so I plan as I can do it to work on a few projects. I do have one stated it's a book using some of the new catalog papers etc-  when you haven't made one for a while suddenly it seems like it takes forever to finish! lol  But, the fun is in the details and it's the details that make it all worth the work.

I am sorry for the lack of project sharing, seems life is in control of me lately. Like my hubby says- It's not the getting older that stinks its all the side effects~!

This is a table runner I still need to put the border on and then machine quilt and bind- its not as big as it looks lolol

Here are a few photos of card class we have had in the last few months.   As always, I love my Stampin Friends and we have a ton of fun getting together to create!

 

 

Hope you enjoy the card making inspiration!~  I miss you all and your interaction here, at class, craft fairs etc! I can tell you that living back here again is wonderful because nothing is more important than family!

hugs!

Gwen

 

 

Small Business Tips

This would really help out!

Thanks~have a creative weekend!

 

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Celebrating 15 years with Stampin Up!

Doctor News

A very quick update on my health

I finally saw the Dr this morning- everything is good- changed my bp meds so that I am not having the side effects- my bp is back to what it was when I was 20!!! Now to find my energy !!!  I go back in a month

hugs! have a fun creative day!

 

Gwen

Teaching My Daughter To.........

I tried for 26 years to teach her to make sew let alone make quilts- and now the month before her 27th birthday she finally wants to do it!

We had great Mom Daughter time today and fun in the process!  Here are a few photos and that is My Mom's old sewing machine she gave Katie years ago.

I am home now exhausted after 6 straight 8 hour work days. I am working at a box store to add more money to our homebuying pot as well as teaching and selling Stampin Up!

She fell in love with some flannel from the store where I work, and today I taught her to use the rotary cutter, ruler and mat I gave her for Christmas.  She is making a flannel rag quilt. I wanted her to start out with something easy- she is whipping right through it!

 

I am so glad to live within 30 min driving time so we have opportunities to do this!

I hope you are having a creative day also!

hugs

Gwen