Stellar Stamps

I got him to do it!

Before he left, I begged Matt to take a specific photo if he got the chance. He did and here it is in all it's cliche-ness :) I'm sure it's easily recognizable, LOL!

I can't believe the timing but as I began typing this post, Matt phoned from a little village in the mountains outside Rome to tell us he arrived safely. Village called Pescasseroli in The National Park of Abruzzo. It was a 4 hour train ride late last night to Rome then another train from Rome to the National Park. He said it is breathtaking! They took gear to camp but he said it was freezing so he whipped out his "Let's Go" hostel book and found an awesome little place 1 kilometer from town that could accommodate him and the 3 other students he's traveling with (all girls!). The owner is Geribaldi and he'll be driving them to and from town for free! What a doll! He is just having a blast. That's what a mother wants to hear!

Two cards and a project from last night's workshop

Here's what I demo'd last night:

Card using Baroque Motifs featuring Groovy Guava and Blue Bayou In Colors. Flower was a white Pretties Kit flower dyed in the Blue Bayou ink pad.

This was the first card I made for the workshop a few days before this one - last weekend. I used chipboard, dyed it directly in the pad then Versamarked it then glittered it.

Text & Texture stamp set with Soft Sky, Certainly Celery and some Wild Wasabi.

Hanging Treat Box (to hang on a bottle neck - wine, water, whatever). Inspired from the tutorial found here: Hanging Treat Box Step-by-Step on SCS  

A different view so you can see that you slip treats in it then hang it on the bottle. Chocolate with a bottle of port anyone???

I've included the recipes for each in the Pages section in the right column on my blog.

Wild Rose card from my Saturday workshop

This Wild Rose card was demonstrated at a workshop 2 days ago. List of materials used:

• Wild Rose & Canvas stamp sets
• Stamp-a-ma-jig
• Hodgepodge Hardware - Pewter
• Purely Pomegranate, Confetti White and River Rock cardstock
• Designer Series Paper - Bali Breeze
• Purely Pomegranate Double-Stitched Ribbon
• Rhinestone Brads - Circle Ice
• Stampin' Glitter - Fine Cosmo - Rose Pink
• Crop-A-Dile
• Small Oval Punch
• Large Oval Punch
• Crafter's Tool Kit for the piercing
• SNAIL Adhesive
• Stampin' Dimensionals

My father-in-law is in heaven now

It is with great sadness that I share that my father-in-law, Gordon MacKay, passed away this morning at the young age of 69. He fought a valiant effort against cancer for the past two years but he has now lost that fight. I got the news while one hour away from home early this morning en route (in a carpool with 3 other gals) to the Stampin' Up! Regional Seminar in Oakland. I left at 6:30 AM and he passed soon after 7:00 AM. I was unwittingly trapped away from home and only got home about 7 PM.

I have yet to see my husband as he is still at his folks house. We do know that a memorial service will be held next Friday, February 22.

We are not flower folks.  My mother-in-law will be choosing a focus for donations and that info will forthcoming. Obviously this is directed more at closer friends who might want to do "something". Alternatively, I invite anyone who might want to make a card to send it to my mother-in-law,

Jan MacKay

2486 Longspur Loop

Lincoln, CA 95648-8773

So many customers and downline have been praying for Gordon for over 2 years now. Wow, what a blessing to us both. Thank you for that. I hope he has now put a bug in God's ear in gratitude to you about those prayers. I spent all Saturday with him on Feb. 9 as I "babysat" him while out of town family came to say their farewells and since they were new to our area Doug and his mom and sis took them wine tasting to allow Jan (my MIL) to get out of the house a little. She's been somewhat housebound for months now as his primary caretaker. She is 70 so she's been tired though a tireless nurse to him. They had been married almost 49 years.

Gordon and I were alone for hours last Saturday (what a great blessing it was for me to have that time alone with him!) and in that time he told me two or three times how much strength he got from the communications to him of any sort (card, phone, email, word of mouth) that someone was praying for him. He said it was what kept him going and so your praying for him means the world to me too. Thank you.

This photo of Gordon (Grandpa) was taken with Matt at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire when Matt's high school rugby team won the national championship in May 2006. Gordon had had cancer surgery December 2005 but he traveled from California to New Hampshire in bad weather and while still recuperating because he did not want to miss seeing his grandson become a national champion. What a blessing it was that when Matt's team did win that Grandpa was able to see that. It really meant the world to him as Grandpa was a huge sports fanatic! Sadly, and with Grandma's fervent request to Matt before he left for Italy, Matt will not be coming home for Grandpa's memorial. That will be hard on Matt as he deeply loves his grandparents. I know Grandpa wouldn't have wanted him to come home either. During a very emotional moment with him last Saturday I was able to tell him that Matt told me he had lit a candle in Milan at Il Duomo, the 2nd largest cathedral in the world - eclipsed only by St. Peter's at the Vatican. Gordon wept when he heard that. I am absolutely certain that Gordon is now with God, sitting side by side in matching recliners, watching old football games on TV (I wonder who will get control of the remote!). I also know that God has heard only great things about Gordon from many people and places around the world!

Farewell my sweet, loving, wonderful father-in-law. There is a huge hole in all our hearts today.

I talked to Maria Shriver today!!!

Ok, after having grown up in Hollywood, literally on the street of the main gate to Paramount Studios, I have felt sort of immune to celebrity and have just thought of "stars" as regular folk. I've met gobs of them! However, today I met someone I consider to be our version of a part of the American royal family - Maria Shriver! Kendall's 7th grade class had a field trip to the California Museum which Ms. Shriver had a huge hand in updating when her hubby became governor. I had been there before Schwarzenegger and now after and it is much improved and more interesting. I credit her in that positive change.

Anyway, when she was showing the First Lady of Mexico around, she stopped and Kendall's teacher chatter with her. We'd actually seen her enter the building and I took a bunch of photos then too. But this was later and I love the sincere look of interest on her face when she was listening to  our teacher. Shriver was replying about how she, too, was a Catholic school girl. The lady in the pink scarf to her left is Mexico's first lady. When our teacher was done talking to her, the place was silent and I spoke up, caught her attention and simply said "thank you for endorsing Obama". She laughed and smiled as did several in her entourage. She made a surprise appearance at a rally-type event the weekend before Super Tuesday and she joined Oprah and her cousin Caroline Kennedy in endorsing my favorite guy. I wanted her to know that I really appreciated that. So here's our First Lady.... she's a skinny little thing! And stunning!

Later, she was talking in the museum foyer and she kept looking my way. I hope she didn't think I was stalking her. I have just admired her family all my life and could not take my eyes off of her. The security was crazy plus after I left with my car load we had to leave by passing the front of the Capital and it was cordoned off, crawling with police, demonstrators (against Mexico's policies) and photogs.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's this year's Valentine's Day card to a few friends and family. I know it's not the same but.... here's a cyber card ;-) in lieu of a mailed card to wish you a day full of LOVE!

And don't forget that method that I used on the front where you tape the folded edge down and score about 1/2" to 3/4" away from the fold to make a new fold on the front. I created a place for embellishments (in this case eyelets) and just allows for a different way for the card to be opened. I haven't used it in ages but I think it works for this card.

Tutorial: Making Envelopes out of 12" x 12" Scrapbook Paper

I spent all of Saturday keeping my father-in-law company while out of town family, my hubby, his sister and mom all went wine tasting. When I volunteered to hang out with Dad, I took some stuff to do. With my Carl Cutter on my lap on the sofa, I was able to get a lot of this done. It is a super easy project with fun results.

I created a tutorial of sorts via a Photo Album at the left. As they are listed alphabetically, looking for the one that begins "Making Envelopes...." The photos have captions that show you all the steps.

76 envelopes in a day at a cost of $4.54 total. Can't beat that!

A 3" x 3" Book of our Beloved Family for Matt

With Matt now in Italy, it occurred to me that he didn't take any family photos of us to put in his dorm. So, I took our kids' Christmas photo plus one of Doug and me from the Panama Cruise and created a tiny 3" x 3" book for Matt for Valentine's Day. Kirsten helped with the Italian words (mother, father, me, sister, brother, my beloved family). Stumbled upon a pair of books (one white/one black) in a clearance bin at our local craft store last week. I saw a digital photo of his room in Milan and he has a desk with shelves above it but they're empty. I thought this would make a nice focal point for his bookshelf so he could remember every day how much we love him!

Matt made some feathered friends

Matt made some feathered friends in Milan. I sure hope they didn't leave any "souvenirs" on his black jacket!

My baby is gone.... waaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, he leaves for college, all the way across country every time he comes home for the holidays then I don't see him for months and I do not cry. Today, however, at the San Francisco airport, tears were just streaming as I hugged Matt as he was leaving for his semester in Italy. It's amazing how fast tears can form (I have to look that up in a science book as it's a mystery to me how tears work but I digress...). I am SO incredibly happy for him and so proud of him that he earned this trip through his college scholarship. But, at the end of the day, I'm a mom who has just been separated from her firstborn to a place so far away there is no chance I'll see him before June. And to a place/places where I know the Boogey Man is taking his winter holiday. Whimper, whimper. Not only do kids have to grow up but moms have to graduate to pushing kids out of the nest without incident also! Anyway, here are some photos of our day which may make you think I'm a yo-yo in terms of emotion because after we left Matt at the San Francisco airport, Doug and I killed time in the city waiting to hear he was "wheels up" before we made our 100-mile trek back home. I am actually having fun but that is in no way meant to be interpreted as being happy Matt's gone!

Matt checks in at the American Airlines counter. So high-tech - he had to "swipe" his Passport then show his Italian student visa.

Matt gets into the line to go through security. I've already hugged him and cried and cried and cried....

That's Matt in his dark wool coat in the back after he could put his shoes and coat back on. This is the last glance towards Mom and Dad before he was out of sight. Waaaahhh!!!!!!!!!!

We had to kill time until we were sure Matt had taken off en route to the first stop in snowy Chicago. I never tire of driving through San Francisco, which has got to be one of the most unique and vibrant cities. I love those cable cars!

Wow, the Golden Gate Bridge looked incredible today! San Fran. is notorious for cloudy skies and weird weather but, today, it was spectacular! I love how red the bridge is.

That's it! As of my writing this post, Matt is still en route. We think he's now on the Chicago to London leg. Snow closed 3 runways there today so we hold our breath til we know he's finally in Milan... sometime about the time we wake up Saturday. Arivederci Mateo!