Memorial Day Salute

                                      Charlie, Tommy, and Marvin Griffin   1946

                                                      Mike Cummings 1986


I watched the flag pass by one day                             
It fluttered in the breeze
A young Infantry Soldier saluted it
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With his hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in a crowd.

How many pilot's plane shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?                     
No FREEDOM is not free.

I heard the sounds of Taps one night
When everything was still
I listened to the buglar play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant Amen
When a flag had covered a coffin
Of a father, brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children
Of the mothers and the wives
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington
No FREEDOM is not free!

Author Unknown

Sassy Kit Sneak Peeks

It's time for the June Sassy Scrapper kit. The kits will be for sale June 5 at Sassy Scrapper. Here are sneak peeks of the four layouts I created.

John Foust

My half-brother, John, passed away this week in Memphis at the age of 82. He was named after our dad, John Alex Foust, and some people called him Jr. He had 2 full siblings, Haskell and Pauline (Polly), and 5 half-siblings, Orvel, Katherine, Edith, David, and me. Only two of us are living now.

John called me three or four times a week just to say hi. Quite often he had a joke or funny story to share. I will miss our talks. R.I. P. Big Brother.
                                                  
                                                 John           Polly         Haskell

My Everyday Life

Those of you who know how I create layouts know I often combine papers from different companies. I find a sheet of paper I really like, then I roam the store looking for a paper to use with it. That is how this layout evolved. I really liked the '10 things I love' pocket embellishment from My Little Yellow Bicycle at Sassy Scrapper. I got one of those then found a sheet of pattern paper from MLYB (Fresh Print Clothesline) to coordinate with the pocket. With those 2 items in hand I walked around Sassy Scrapper looking for another sheet. I found it in My Little Shoebox. Oh my gosh, what cute papers! I chose the cream circular paper with the blue scalloped edge. The four rub ons are from Rhonna Farrer. I am including a photo of the metal container the rub ons came in just in case you have them at home. I used my electronic Dymo label maker to create labels which I adhered to the strips in the envelope. Looking at the layout on screen I'm thinking I might need to add a flower or two on the left lower corner of the envelope. What do you think?

Here are the 10+ things I love about my everyday life:
Being retired with no schedule and sleeping late
Being Mike's wife and having him at home with me
Being Griffin's mom and spending time with him
Enjoying our cats
Surfing the Internet and keeping in touch with others
Reading, Creating, Sewing, Cooking, Napping
Watching television and movies
Taking day trips and going to visit friends/family
Eating out
Having security...spiritually, financially...LIFE IS GOOD! I am blessed and thankful.

Busy, Busy

I've had a couple of busy days. Friday I visited one of my 60 Influential People....Jim, my hairdresser at Tangerine Salon. It was time for a cut and color. I had been worried lately Jim might not be able to make our appointment. He had gone to Scotland to visit his family, and the volcanic ash over Great Britain was messing with the flight schedules. Luckily for me, his other clients, family, and friends Jim was able to get home. I was thinking I might have to apply a little Glimmer Mist to my roots if he didn't.

Before my hair appointment I spent some time at Hylabrook Antiques on Chaffin Place. I have been purchasing old ironstone plates for Linda, another 60 I.P., for her son's wedding. The wedding style is to be 'country chic' with rustic white picket fences, ferns, and blue hydrangeas. The guests will dine from mis-matched ironstone and drink from glass jars. Although I didn't find any plates, I did find a treasure for me!

This white metal carrier held 8 snuff jars. I thought it would be perfect storage for buttons.
I suppose originally the carrier held 8 matching glasses...a proper piece for lemonade on the porch.

After my hair appointment I delivered the wedding glasses (May 14 post) to Mary Dee, another 60 I.P. It was nice to be able to spend some time chatting with her, Beth, and the grandchildren.

Then it was on to Sassy Scrapper for the Customer Appreciation night. Boy, was that exciting! Not only did I get to see many of my Sassy friends, but there was also excitement I had not expected....the type involving policemen, a firetruck, and an ambulance. Mary spared no expense for that entertainment!

I bought several pieces of pattern paper that caught my eye. For this layout I used Jenni Bowlin paper, Bazzill, and chipboard letters I have had for years. I think they were 'Lil Davis'. Check your stash, you probably have some also. If you don't, just leave me a comment, and I'll post how to make your own.

I also made some cards to have on hand. Again I used the techniques I learned from Michelle Wooderson at Mish Mash to create cards assembly style. I used PaperTrey Ink's 'Blossoming Button Bits' stamp set, AmyR's sentiments, Nestabilities, chalk, old pattern paper from my green stash, Dew Drops, and ribbon I dyed to match.

I have more to share tomorrow....all about 'My Ordinary Life'.

Pattern Papers, oh my!

I'm back. I've been in a funk for a few days and just wasn't in the mood to create, but today I decided to make a couple of birthday cards to have on hand. Mish Mash is one of my favorite blogs to read. When Michelle creates a card she usually makes several of them. It makes sense when you have all of the tools, stamps, papers, etc. out to make more than one. So I thought I would give it a try.

I knew I wanted to use Papertrey Ink's 'Blossoming Button Bits' stamp set and Stampin' Up!'s 'kiwi kiss'.
My next step was to find a pattern paper to use with the green ink.

I store my pattern paper in two sections. One section holds newer papers by topic, and the other section holds pattern paper by predominate color. Also in the section with the newer papers are papers that I absolutely love...papers too pretty to cut, papers I have only one of. Those of you who are serious paper addicts know what I am taking about. I knew I could find papers to use in the newer section, but I challenged myself to use older papers.

As I thumbed through the green papers I came across some I consider now to be ugly. What was I thinking when I bought that paper? Did I really like it enough to purchase it? Why haven't I used it? When did it migrate from the newer/loved paper section to the simply green section? I found two coordinating sheets of K&Co. paper I bought in Georgia about 5 years ago I decided to use.

I made my cards using the assembly line method. I stamped 6 images, cut them out, matted them on pink SU paper I had cut with a Nestabilities die, sewed on the buttons, adhered all the papers, tied on the ribbons, and adhered the card front to the actual card. I now have 6 cards ready to add sentiments inside and mail.
I know I will make cards by this method again. Thanks, Michelle, for the inspiration.

Collections and Celebrations

  We have a large primitive stepback cupboard in our eating area which is quite heavy and difficult to move. I knew one of the reasons for its weight was the hardbound decorating and country books stored inside. I had collected these books for 30 years. As I removed them from the cupboard I made a stack to take to the thrift store and several stacks to donate to the library. (Linebaugh has book sales during the year to create revenue, and May 15th is the date of the next sale.) When I delivered the books to the library, the lady on duty was glad to receive them. She stated the supply of decorating books had been depleted during the last sale. Here was another win-win situation brought about by my purging items from our home.
  You never know what you will find when you start cleaning out and purging. Behind a stack of books I found two engraved glasses from a 1994 wedding. Griffin had been a junior groomsman in a friend's (one of my 60 influential people) daughter's wedding, and the glasses had been favors at the wedding. I washed the glasses and called my friend to ask if she would like to have them. She said yes, she and Amy were collecting them just in case one of the five grandchildren wanted to use them in his/her wedding. Another win-win situation.
   The date of the wedding was May 14, 1994, so I want to wish Amy and Chris 'Happy Anniversary'. Amy, it has been a pleasure to watch you grow into a beautiful Christian wife and mother. I wish you and Chris many more years of joy and love.

                                                   

Request for Cards

This sweet lady, Nell Jetton, is the mother of Fran Bland, a friend of mine. Mrs. Jetton will celebrate her 99th birthday on May 28th. Fran would like for her mother to receive 100 birthday cards, so I am posting this request along with the address. I am sure Fran and Mrs. Jetton will appreciate the cards you send. Thanks!

Nell Jetton
205 Haynes Drive
Murfreesboro, TN 37129....


Here's the card I am sending Mrs. Jetton.
 
 
 

 
 
 

Momma and David

Before I was born in 1950 my parents had a son, David. He died in a house fire in 1947 at the age of 3. My mother never spoke of him. I cannot imagine the hurt she endured; I am certain that her heart was broken.

I created this layout based on Palette #5 from The Color Room .

Happy Mother's Day

                                              To Mother
                             .....Four angels glorified the place:
                                      Wan Pain unveiled her awful face;
                                  Joy, soaring, sang; Love, brooding, smiled;
                                       Peace laid upon her breast a child.

                                               Annie R. Stillman("Grace Raymond")

                                                           Linda, 1980                                

I created this layout for Palette #4 on The Color Room .

More Poetry for Mothers

Cradle Song

Sleep, little baby of mine,

Night and the darkness are near,

But Jesus looks down

Through the shadows that frown,

And baby has nothing to fear.

Shut, little sleepy blue eyes;

Dear little head, be at rest:

Jesus, like you,

Was a baby once, too,

And slept on His own mother's breast.

Sleep, little baby of mine,

Soft on your pillow so white;

Jesus is here

To watch over you, dear,

And nothing can harm you tonight.

O, little darling of mine,

What can you know of the bliss,

The comfort I keep,

Awake and asleep,

Because I am certain of this?

Unknown

This photo of Griffin and me was taken a few years ago. The three of us had gone out to eat. This layout* is from the June Sassy Scrapper kit. The kit will be available the first Saturday in June.
* It is a 'scraplift' from a 2007 scrapbooking magazine. I'm not sure who the designer was.

Still Cleaning Out

  Yes, I'm still purging items. Today, it was scrapbook materials that I removed from the house and took to Sassy Scrapper for the yard sale. The yard sale is a great opportunity to sell items you no longer want or use, and it gives others a chance to purchase items at reduced cost. It is a win-win situation for the seller, the shopper, and Sassy Scrapper. When I left the store today there were tables piled high with storage items, stamps, paper, embellishments, tools, etc. The sale starts tomorrow morning and concludes Tuesday when items are marked 50% of tag price. Check here to see photos from tonight's vendor pre-sale.

  Speaking of sales, I learned last night through an email that Clarksville's Memories in Bloom is closing. I am sad because Georgie has an awesome store that carries a wide variety of products, but I understand her desire to spend more time with her family, especially with a baby on the way. The store will be closed Monday (10th) to get ready for the sale.

  I have completed a few more Bildmalarna card fronts. These stamps can be seen and purchased from
StampingScrapping.com . I really like these sweet images, and they are fun to color with markers.

Bildmalarna Stamps

New stamps have been released by Bildmalarna, a Sweden stamp company. These stamps can be seen and purchased from StampingScrapping.com . Here are several of the new images. I colored these images with Copic markers.

Only One

                                                     My Mother, Cordia Griffin Foust

Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky;

              Hundreds of shells on the shore together;

  Hundreds of birds that go singing by;

            Hundreds of bees in the sunny weather.

          Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn;

           Hundreds of lambs in the purple clover;

Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn;

               But only one mother the wide world over.

                            George Cooper

Thankfulness

God gives us friends....and that means much;
   But far about all others,
The greatest of his gifts to earth
   Was when He thought of Mothers.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

As many of you know we have had lots of rain here in Middle TN, and it is still raining as I type. Here is a photo from our front porch.

Here is another Graphic 45 layout from the May Sassy Scrapper kit. This layout features my mother's family; 'Griffin' was my mother's maiden name. I can be seen in three of the four photos, and my mother is in all four of them. These photos are very special to me. I loved my mother's family so much. Many of them are on my list of the 60 Influential People.