ATC's I Made For Debbie For September Swap

Leaves From Other Gardens

Angel In The Leaves

I made two cards for Debbie, even though we are only swapping one.  I feel such a special bond with her because we both have known the pain and the emptiness left by the loss of a child.  

We will learn to manage, to fill our lives with purpose, with joy ...  for they are watching and neither will have it any other way!  

When a leaf falls, swirling to the ground, we hear their soft whisper, see their sweet eyes sparkle in every drop of morning dew, knowing for sure that in our hearts, they live yet!  We only have to close our eyes and they are there.

Be sweet!

September Blissfull ATC Swap, Theme Leaves

This is the beautiful ATC I received from Debbie for the Blissfull ATC Swap for the month of September.  I received it some time ago and have had no way of getting it on my computer to show you guys!   I love this card and it has such special meaning for me.  The heart at the top symbolizes 2 mothers who have each lost a child.  Debbie's sweet daughter has gone to Heaven as my Mitch has, so I know they are playing jokes on each other and  having so fun and would not want their mamas to be sad. 
Deb sent me more than just a card, she sent handmade items she had put her time and her love into.  I can't tell you what that means to me.  She is a special friend to me now, because she is a very, very special person.  She found out my favorite color is purple and made a purple card just for me.  She has the most beautiful blog,  Simply Debbie.  I hope you will stop by and visit and you will be pleased I promise.  You will find yourself going back again and again.
I feel so badly because I haven't mailed Debbie's ATC to her yet.  I will get it mailed tomorrow.  I will put a copy of it here so you can all see the one I sent to her.  I have my fingers crossed that she will like it.  She is such a sweet little thing!!!
Love you all - always be sweet!

Belief And Handmade Gifts



My great grand daughter, Carlee

Little Carlee really does have the sweet face of an angel!  She is so loving and sweet.  I am making personalized collaged trays for all of the greats.  I gave Anna hers already and I was so afraid she wouldn't like it, because she is only 4 and I thought "What 4 year old would even want a tray?".  I had thought she might not care for it now, but when she was 30 or so, it would be a treasure, cherished, for it was a handmade gift, made especially for her by her great grandma when she was little.
Would you believe it, she absolutely loved it!!!  Her eyes grew wide, she kept rubbing the images on the tray (which were pictures of her and words that I had made into a collage), she took it to show her mommy, her Aunt Brooke and anyone else that would look.  I was SO happy for even though I thought she might not like it, I secretly hoped she would and my wildest dreams came true!!!
Anna has her little tray on her bedside table with all her hair bows in it.  Kristi, her mom, says she wants to keep it in her room by her bed. 
Oh, I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me!!! Now I have 2 more started and will not stop until I have them all made and can only hope the others like theirs as well.
If I do not respond to your comments as I should or would like to do, please know that I read them word for word and they mean so much to me to read the sweet things you write.  I don't like to admit it and I seldom do, but I am in pain almost constantly and it is becoming increasingly harder for me to walk.  Sitting at the computer, which I love, makes it even harder because of the pressure on my hip joints.  I plan on bouncing around like a 16 year old by the end of the year or before!!
Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. - Mark 9:23 -

Be sweet, all!!!

You Just Can't Have Too Many Angels!!!

This is a little page I made with old pictures of my mom and dad when they were youngsters.  They didn't even know each other when these 2 pictures were made.  They met when my mom was 18 and Dad was 21.  They are, of course, 2 of the sweetest angels now.  I had to post this picture so everyone could see them, the little smile on my mom's sweet face and how my dad looked sort of pouty because he was having his picture made again.  He was the youngest of 10 and they did take lots of pictures, especially of him, being the baby.  My mom's family was very poor and never had money for a camera or pictures so I am SO grateful to have this one that an aunt gave to me.  Anyway, these two gave me the values and morals I have today.  I had to let you see them, how precious they are.

Well, wouldn't you know, after my purse, all my money and identification was stolen, I was quite upset for a good while, longer than I liked or wanted to be!  However, belief has saved me!  I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I would gather up my scattered marbles, get them back where they belonged and forgive the person who stole everything I had in the world.  I have done so!!!

Once I actually forgave and could feel that wonderful peace that comes with forgiveness, God has sent me yet another angel!!!  I have not yet seen her but I bet she has no wings unless she hides them securely in her clothes so as not to let people know!!!   However she surely is an angel if ever there was one!!  Someday I want to write more about this.  At the moment I am too overwhelmed with gratitude!

Please go look at the wonderful photography of Stephen Baird of Nikon Sniper.  It is absolutely amazing!!  He can capture with that camera things you can only imagine.  I could not believe what I was looking at when I found his blog and began looking at those photographs.  What he does is astounding to me.  He is a great writer as well as photographer and the titles he gives to the pictures are very creative and at times amusing!  this will be a blog you will visit again and again just to see what he has done next!!!

So glad to be back to my old self, aggravating as that may be!!!  I have been thrown for a loop many times, been down, we all have - just don't stay there.  Life is way too short and we don't want to waste any of it dwelling on what might have been.

You know I have to say it, just something in me, can't help myself ... be sweet!!!!

We Take The Bad Along With The Good

I may not post for a little while.  I did not want you all to think I fell off the face of the earth!
I haven't the heart right now as I am so devastated that there are such cruel people in our beautiful world.
My purse was stolen with all the money I have in it!!  I always get money orders to pay my bills and cash for the rest of the month as I am only receiving Social Security since I became disabled.
I will trust in God to take care of me and just put it in His hands.  I have said it is a learning experience, but it will take a while to get my bearings.
In the mean time, be sweet!!!