Last Day of January.......

Hi there everyone......so yeah, it's the last day of January. Wow time flies, I always say that, don't I? I seem to be your broken record. Repeat, repeat, repeat!!!

I am happy to report that my eyes are looking much better as of today. No, no recent picture....maybe next post, if I think about it. There sure is a big difference and happy to say, I am glad I did this surgery. I was kind of hesitant at first and thought, do I really need this surgery, and almost wanted to cancel. But again, I am glad I did not. Here's hoping this is the last of surgery's for a LONG while for me at least.

So anyways....maybe after I fix my hair and put some make-up on....I will take a picture of the "new me!!"

For my last post of January, I thought posting some cards I made for Hospice would be good. I believe I said I would do this in my last post.

So below are some Valentine cards I made. The "heart" and "Love" are my new dies I bought from "Simon says Stamp." Here is their site, enjoy the journey. Very simple cards, the background is an embossed folder with hearts, then the die and Love are glued on the background and sequins added for a little glitz. A bow on the bottom card. I learned how to make a bow using my two fingers....wish I could show you.

The grey cards are a copy of a card I received last year (top left). The bottom and right are my rendition of that card I received. I just added the bows.

These two cards are a copy of a card I saw on the Internet. I kind of changed it up a bit putting my interpretation into it. Kind of like the way I cook....always changing the recipe before I even cook it. Or when the husband/father starts shaking the salt and pepper on the food without tasting it first.

Here are some St. Patrick Cards....I just used some stuff I had laying around in the St. Patrick box. Stickers, ribbon, the shamrock is actually a heart punch.....3 hearts = a shamrock....pretty neat huh?

Another design using the heart punch and shamrocks and Leprechaun. I did get some new dies from Stampin'up.....dragon flies....looking forward to putting some cards together with those dies. Next post.

So there you have it....the end of January and the beginning of February. What will transpire in February???? One thing I have to get done  this month is our taxes....so, I may not be blogging much in February cause I will be deep in organizing and putting together everything. Hopefully we will get the regular refund back that we usually do....that will help a lot.

We need to get JP some new glasses and pay a few bills.....so what else is new???? Well, you all take care and enjoy the new month. Keep looking up cause better days are here again!!!!
Cheers ~ Louise

Blepharoplasty Surgery Before and After

Hi there everyone.....guess I have been "Missing in Action" again.....BUT I do have an excuse!!! Had surgery on my eyelids to lift them up a bit and get rid of those ugly yellow patches on my lids. The Doctor said they were cholesterol patches. NOOOOO...I did not like them at all. Can't understand why the cholesterol decided to take up residence above my eyes. Look how old and tired my eyes look.....uge! This picture was taken maybe a couple of days before the surgery.

This picture was taken a day or so after the surgery....doesn't look too bad here but the discoloration and black and blue spread down and around my eyes. This picture actually looks good. Doctor put 3 stitches in my eye lids and taped up the rest. The tape falls off after a couple of days. I used a lot of warm water compresses a couple of times a day....that felt so good. Doctor said, "no cold compresses." There was just a bit of pain as the numbness was wearing off, took a Tylenol and that made me sleep most of the afternoon. No pain after that.

So in the picture below....it was taken today. I had an appointment with the Doctor and he took the stitches out. He said most of the discoloration will be gone in a week or so. See my beautiful eyelids??? (That's what he said, my eyes were beautiful) Can you see the difference? One thing I have noticed is that my eyes did not water so much since the surgery. Doctor said that is because the sagging eyelids were not letting enough tears flow which caused eye dryness. I guess that is a miracle.....I would tear constantly, people probably thought I was crying all the time.

I told the Doctor I looked like a Mack Truck hit me.....he laughed and said, "and that Mack Truck's name was Dr. Neilitz!!!" Hahahah...he has quite the humor.

Since my cataract surgery last year, I now have 20-20 vision looking far away.....but up close I have to wear readers for now. Doctor asked me if I want glasses, but I said for now I will wear the readers cause I kinda like not having to wear glasses all the time. We will see....maybe at my next appointment in November I will have changed my tune. Cheaper to buy readers then new glasses.

Been doing a lot of nothing this past week or so. Making cards has just been on my schedule. Tomorrow is our Hospice meeting, so hopefully I can get a few more cards made tonight. Valentine cards are pretty much done, but need to make a few simple St. Patrick cards yet tonight. I will take some pictures and show you what I have been up to.

Well, it is going on 5:00 and it's still pretty light out. So I think Kylie and I will go take a walk.....she will like that. Finally the days are getting longer....Daylight savings begins March 12th. So yay.. we have something to look forward to. Oh and doesn't the Ground Hog come out on Feb. 1st or 2nd.....I don't know, it always seems we still have 6 more weeks of winter whether he sees his shadow or not.....superstition is all.

You all have a great evening and keep looking up BETTER DAYS ARE HERE!!!!!

Cheers ~ Louise

A Card Making Kinda Weekend

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a good and productive weekend. Saturday I went to Betty's for a card making session....the next 4 cards are from Betty's. The last 2 cards are from today's Stampin'up Camp at Kathy's. Lots of great ideas for future use.

As I look at my calendar....I am wondering why I have not posted anything since the 6th....nothing much has been going on....just living life I guess. Keeping house, cooking, making cards, shopping here and there, sleeping.....is this retirement? I have no idea. JP started a new job this past week...same company...different building, instead of 3 buildings, he does one building....hopefully it won't be so much wear and tare on him or our car. We shall see.

Wednesday I have a appointment with the eye doctor. He is going to do a procedure called Blepharoplasty (surgery to lift the eyelids) I have been told it will only take 20 minutes for both eyes and is a very easy surgery. I have confidence in Dr. Neilitz, so I shouldn't worry. He will also be able to remove the yellow patches over my eyes....so maybe I will look like a new spring chicken. NOW if I can just drop some weight in the next few months....I'd be a happy camper.

So following are the cards we made at Betty's. She is going to have knee surgery on the 25th and then the other knee March 8th. So she will be out of commission for a couple of months. I told her I would bake her a pumpkin pie.....can't forget the Kool Whip!!!!

The "Happy Bird-Day" card was fun to make....we colored in the flowers and birdie with copic markers. The birdie is from the Tim Holtz Crazy Bird Set. Betty stamped the bird on cork then it was cut with the Crazy Bird die. I still want to get that die set for this set of birds....otherwise "fussy cutting" will have to do for now.

"Peek-a-boo bear"....he is colored in with copic markers. The background is punched out and run through the cuttlebug. Flowers are placed where flowers are embossed on the card. Wonder if I should have moved the background over a bit more...

This "Heart" card was easy and fun. Betty drew a heart and we stamped around the heart with little stamps, added embellishments of gems and butterflies. I already made one card like it....need to make some more for Hospice.

I like this card very much....the black cat looking out the window at a cardinal. Do you like my pink background??? I brought some material with me so I could take pictures of each card after we made them....Betty has better lighting at her tables, so the pictures turned out better then usual.

These next two cards were made at Kathy's Stampin'Up camp. (I took these pictures at my dinning room table....light was okay, but not as good as at Betty's) So the above card was the Dancing Girl....sure did like this set and was seriously thinking of buying it. The girl is colored in with watercolor pencils. Who knows maybe in a couple of months I buy her.

This was a lovely card, just simple pairings of paper and the dragon flies are a die.....I bought this set...just thought it would make a great card for Hospice. The picture does not do the card justice.

So there you have it.....it's always fun to make cards, very relaxing and good therapy for the soul. Hope you have a great week and watch Trumps Inauguration, it should be exciting to watch. Keep looking up cause better days are coming!!!!

Cheers ~ Louise

Just Busy...Making Cards, Food and Saying Bye-bye 2 Christmas

 Hi there everyone....well, here we go into January and tomorrow is the 7th already. Where did this week go??? They say time flies when we are having a good time......I guess I must be having a good time, for a 70 year old.

Thought I would show you a few more cards I made with this "stained glass" die cut. I sure do like this die. I have actually made a few more cards like this, one in orange and one in grey. Both are pretty nice. They are actually relaxing to make, sort of like adult coloring. I will take pictures of both after I make another grey "Thanks".

Went to the neighbors on Tuesday, to show her how to make some cards and she liked the grey "stained glass" so much, she asked if she could have it. She wants to frame it. So I gave it to her. Along with a few ideas for making her own cards. It was a fun morning.

The cards below were some of my first cards made with the die and new alcohol ink pens.

In this next picture is a meal from Blue Apron. "Steaks and Green Peppercorn Sauce with kale and Roasted Potatoes" This was a yummy meal, very easy and down to earth kinda cooking. The steak was tender and seasoned just right....I used half the peppercorns, so it was not spicy. The potatoes were sliced, oiled, salted and peppered then roasted till browned. Kale was cooked with minced garlic. Yep, very good meal. 5 stars!!! 

I don't know if I told you about these cookies....gosh, were they good, I could not stop eating them. Made with 5 eggs, 2 sticks of soft butter, 1 cup to 1-1/2 cup sugar, mix together. Add 2 cups flour, 1 teasp. almond extract and some crushed almonds. Mix till the consistency of sticky pancake mix or heavy pudding. Pour on cookie sheet (use parchment paper). Bake 350 degrees till the outside of cookie is browned like in the picture. I timed it about 20 minutes. Such a good Cookie.....will make these again, soon. Oh and top the cookie with one raisin before baking. Oh, they are called "Mama's Cookies"

Next picture are the cards I was showing my neighbor how to make. She has to make 30 thank you cards and wanted to use this technique. All it is, is distress inks dabbed on card stock, using any color you desire, then dabbed with water to make the water spots.....I really like this technique....quick and easy.

I found this card on the Internet....thought it would be an easy card to make for Hospice meeting which is coming up in 3 weeks. Need to have lots of Valentine cards made, so I better get cracking. One of the ladies that comes to the meeting had heart surgery in November. She died of complications a week ago. She will be missed.

Well, time to close here....I have been slowly taking down my Christmas things. It is hard to say good-bye. Just have my Village and little Christmas tree up. I usually keep the tree up till after Valentines Day. Changing lights and bulbs from blues to red and putting hearts on the tree. Yeah....it is hard to say bye-bye to my Christmas tree and village. So....maybe one more month of lights.

You all have a great weekend and keep looking up, better days are coming.
Cheers ~ Louise

Happy New Year 2017

Hi there everyone...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! YAY.....another new beginning. Well, so far, things are pretty much the same.....no changes. But anyways, I had a good evening. Spent it with my cards. Ending the year with making cards and beginning the year with making cards.....hope there is a profit this year...that would be nice. I might make this my last year with Etsy....didn't get very many sales in 2016, course I was not promoting it that much. Everything is for a season.....I think I have been on Etsy 9 years....maybe it is time to close down the store....I don't know...just thinking.

Friday night I made this Blue Apron meal.....this was really good!!! "Cod en Papillot with Freekeh and Spinach" "En Papillote" means "In Parchment" So yeah, the fish was baked in parchment paper. I do believe I will do this more often. This is what I like about Blue Apron.....learning something new and using it in my regular cooking.

The freekeh was cooked like rice. The spinach cooked down with garlic and the water drained from it. Parchment is laid out, freekeh laid to the side of the paper, then topped with spinach, then the cod that has been salted and peppered. The paper is folded to close into an envelope. Baked 10-12 minutes or until the packets are lightly browned and puffed up. A herb sauce of cream, parsley and lemon zest and 1/4 of the minced garlic and juice of 2 lemon wedges is poured over the fish, spinach and freekeh. I also made some oven fries which JP loves, served with sour cream and chives. Definitely a 5 star meal.

Following are the cards that I was working on last night. I got this new die cut "Stained Glass" from Spellbinders. I really like this die. The "Thanks" die cut not sure where I got it. But here I used all my purple colors, then ran the die cut through the cuttlebug with purple sparkle paper. And Wa-la, a pretty card. Then I thought....why not carry this through to.....

The red colors on a pink card. Then how about........

Green colors on a white card. I also have a card in blues....maybe the next one will be in oranges and today my thought was greys.....Yep, the ideas are endless!!

Today, New Years Day.....I made another Blue Apron meal....a really good one. "Steaks and Green Peppercorn Sauce with Kale and Roasted Potato" Yep....another 5 star. I will tell you about it in my next post along with a picture. For dessert we had cheese cake with cherries on top.....I am full.

Thought I would start my diet today.....nope, not today. Well, I did lose 5 pounds in December. Hopefully I can lose another 5 pounds this month.

Time to close here.....Packers are playing the Detroit Lions....oh, oh Detroit just scored...it's tied at 7-7 now.

You all have a great night and I wish for you to have a great NEW YEAR with good health and prosperity and only good things happen for you. Keep looking up ~ better days are coming.

Cheers ~ Louise