Hello, my friends! I’m visiting with you today from our beloved home away from home. We packed all the pets in the car and drove out in time to enjoy the pool, a long Labor Day weekend, and the nice dry climate. There is something about desert air that suits me sooooo well! I’m usually …
I spent the last 2 weeks with my niece, Mimi. This is our third year spending her Spring Break together at my house. I’m so thankful that we can offer her a positive experience and that as she enters her teens, visiting us is something she is interested in doing. As is our tradition, there …
Did you catch my August tutorial on the Sizzix Blog? In that post, I mentioned wanting to use the same tools in another crafting session to make some yummy stamps. The floral die in particular stood out as prime candidate for a homemade stamp! Prior to our trip, despite the chaos that always accompanies our … Continue reading
Hello, my friends! Happily, I will share with you that my card stash has run dry! Over the summer, I’ve become friends with a few incredibly kind, thoughtful, giving neighbors, and for this I am so grateful. So, during my last “replenish the stash” crafting session, I reached for some newly acquired, lovely, detailed, happy … Continue reading
Taking a break from grafting citrus outside today to pop in and let you know about my new post on the Sizzix Blog which celebrates nature! This summer, the backyard oasis is really coming alive. There are a ton of insects, mostly good ones, and their presence has brought in birds looking for easy protein-rich … Continue reading
I’ve been sending out handmade cards on the most regular schedule ever, and it feels pretty good. In this digital age of quick tags, handles, emails, and Facebook messages, I feel like the act of sending or receiving a card through snail mail, handmade or not, has taken on a deeper meaning. At least for … Continue reading
I post about my pets quite a bit on my Facebook Page and on Instagram. If you aren’t an animal lover, then what’s wrong with you? Just kidding. But if you aren’t an animal lover, you might get annoyed. Our animals share so much pure joy and love in abundance, I think they are angels … Continue reading
I think each and every one of us has at least one relationship with a family member that is “difficult.” I know that I have my fair share of these, and it can be very frustrating when no matter the effort, it just doesn’t get any better. In fact, sometimes no matter what you do, … Continue reading
Over the past few months, I have fallen really hard… for California native plants. Last year, I planted a few Ceanothus aka California Lilac, a few Mimulus aka Monkeyflower, and some others. After they got settled their first year, they have flowered and grown beautifully in this, their second. But here’s the most amazing … Continue reading
Every spring, I find myself surprised that there is so darn much to do in the home orchard. And yet, every year it’s the same. Well, I guess the tasks change as we improve the landscape bit by bit. But feeling like the work will never end, that feeling is the same. Last year … Continue reading
I spent the last week in Florida with my mother, hoping to keep her spirits up on the 1 year anniversary of my father’s death. We spent a good deal of time reminiscing about him – his unapologetically unique and authentic self, his attributes as well as his faults. She and I cried a little, … Continue reading
Springtime is a very busy time for me. A lot of it is about trying to keep up with the weeds (ack!), allocate affordable/free mulch to cover newly weeded areas, start seeds (very fun!), graft scions of different fruit varieties to my existing fruit trees, plant a few select new bareroot trees. The studio doesn’t … Continue reading
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