Sassy Cheryl's #185 School Days

BACK PACK MADDIE

ACK!  I'm late-just by a few hours, but I HATE to be late!  This week's challenge at Sassy Cheryl's is School Days.  Check out the new school days images at Sassy Cheryl's.  And, of  course, there are the tried and trued school days images, too!  Just use a Sassy Cheryl's image and let your creativity have a field day!

LATE...

Soon after my kids and I moved to the Eastern Shore, oh, so many years ago, the alarm did NOT go off.  5 kids to get up and dressed and out and deposited at three different schools!  We scrambled around, packed in the car, and headed to the middle school first.  Filled with shame and not wanting my kids to suffer consequences for something that was out of their control, I trudged into the office, 5 kids in tow to explain that the power had gone out in the night, our alarms didn't go off, and we all over slept.  The secretary looked at my quizzically...

"You're early, not late.  We had a fog delay."

"A what?  There is no fog."

"Well, there was early this morning.  We have a two hour delay."

Who ever heard of a fog delay?! Well, it seems before the children and I moved here, there had been a bus accident-one the shore will never forget.  The school bus was traveling across the highway when they were struck by a tractor trailer who hadn't seen the bus due to the dense fog...a terrible tragedy.

Most days, I don't set the alarm.  I no longer have to listen to the radio/tv to check for fog delays or snow delays.  No more lessons to plan, papers to grade, kids to wake up, little ones to dress, busses to catch...those were hectic years for sure and Lord, how I miss them!  

If you or yours mark this time of year with new beginnings, I hope you're off to a great start!  Celebrate the start of a new school year by giving or sending your special someone a card---this one goes to my great niece---a new second grader, along with an altered composition book!

Other challenges I plan to enter:

Created With Love Challenges - W, 3E - Fall Colors

Digi Makeover Challenge - W, SIO, must use digi - Anything Goes

House of Gilli - M, SIO - (deadline Oct 15?) Anything Goes/Fall

Make it Monday - W - always Anything Goes

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge: #184 Spots and Dots!

ALL EARS-NOAH

This week's challenge at Sassy Cheryl's is "Spots and Dots".  When I saw this challenge, I knew just what DP I wanted to use-this birthday paper.  My great nephew is turning two---honestly, he was JUST born---so, I wanted to make him a card.  I love this cutie patootie Noah all decked out for Disney.

Remember to use a Sassy Cheryl's image and join us this week.  The winner of the challenge gets TWO Sassy images-how great is that?!  

Check out the store.  Sassy Cheryl has been making some changes in response to customer suggestions.  You'll find lots of terrific images, some new, some older favorites!  

Other challenges I plan to enter:
A Little Bit Crafty - M, P1, E3 - Clean & Simple
Challenges 4 Everybody - 2W, 3E - (1st week) Challenge #28: Anything Goes

Sassy Cheryl's #183 Lavender & Violet

BEAUTY IN THE MAKING

When I saw this challenge at Sassy Cheryl's, I thought, now I'll finally use some of my violet Copics.  I can't explain it, I just seldom go there.  I love this little gal and haven't used her for a while-thought she'd love to wear Violets!  I had a few flowers-I think my BFF gave them to me because I wouldn't have thrown them in my cart...but then the real problem, DP!!  Now, this is when hoard...er keeping stuff "fa-evah" pays of. Seriously, this paper is purple though it looks kind of muddy in the photo.  It was a cheap pad I bought early in my scrapbooking days---go figure.  I decided to add a few pearls.

This cutie even comes with the sentiment plus a few other little extras making it a super image to buy, don't you think?!

Some other challenges I plan to enter:
Challenges 4 Everybody - 2W, 3E - (2nd week) Challenge #28: Always Anything Goes
Sister Act Card Challenge - W, Cards. - No. 23 - Anything Goes

Remember the Moments...

It happens once a year, the anniversary of my eldest child's death.  Eight years ago, our family was gathered around this precious boy's bed for the last time-it wasn't the first time to be sure, and it wasn't unexpected, but it was devastating none the less.

Death stood by during Erik's last six years.  He tried on a number of occasions to take Erik home, but Love (there is NO other explanation of how he survived those years) knew we weren't ready to let him go.  However, Time, Death's plodding brother, is patient, and ultimately Death and Time always have their way.

Being a woman of a certain age, I am all to familiar with Death.  He's claimed my grandparents, my parents, and some dear friends.  Sometimes, he seems to come out of nowhere.  But other times, he works more slowly and noticeably.  We expect Death to come to the elderly.  I've learned that it doesn't make it easier for those of us left in the wake.  However, when Death takes a child or a young person either suddenly or over time, as was the case for Erik, he leaves behind broken hearts that sometimes never heal.

My heart has healed albeit there are fractures and a few very large holes.   Intellectually, I knew even then, that the quality of his life was so diminished and that he suffered, though never complained.  He is, I believe, in Heaven, that he is at peace and free of the earthly body that failed him, but friends, even knowing this, you never "get over it."  You learn to live with it-I guess you sort of get used to it.  Healing takes time, patience, love, and understanding.  I, too, am heavily dependent on my faith to see me through.

Now, I have tender days, days when I miss Erik so I can hardly breathe, but as time goes on, those days are less frequent.  As this date approaches each year, I am at my most tender.  My emotions get the best of me, and I frequently blink away tears.  I think, I should have mastered this by now, but I haven't.  Perhaps I never will.

Today, I am tender, but I am also so very grateful for the time I had with this child, the time we all had with this child.  The pain of loss, is at times unbearable-ah, but his living years...for those years I am grateful.

Mo's Digital Pencil--Anything Goes

A FRIEND IS...

HI THERE

It's Anything Goes at Mo's Digital Pencil, and I just finished two cards using her dear images.  The top one is good for an encouragement card, the bottom for anything at all-she's just cute!  I used a sentiment on the inside-"You make me smile all over my face!" 

Both images are colored with Copics.  The DP for the top card is by Crate Paper and is called DIY Shop.  The DP for the bottom image is MME, The Sweetest Thing-Blue Bell.  I used a Memory Box die on the second card.

Other challenges I plan to enter:

Brown Sugar – W, E2 - No. 58 - Animals

Digitally Sweet - W, Digital images/projects - (Does not have to be 100% digital.) - No. 52 - Anything Goes

Jellypark Challenges - 2W, 2E, SIO – Week 1 - All About Kids

My little grand baby saying, "Hi"... one of her few words to date!  She loves to climb up on this chair and look out the window!

Sassy Cheryl's Challenge: #182 Off the Page

A WAGON GOOD TIME

This week's challenge at Sassy Cheryl's---Off the Page!  I was in a time crunch so went with clean and simple and mostly image!  Now, here's the thing, for some reason I decided to try a different color combo for "skin".  I was quite pleased with Maddie's face-Max, not so much, and then I decided to try a different technique for the sky...um, NO!  Oh, well...  My "Off the Page" elements-Max's hat brim, the sentiment, and the paper clip w/ribbon (a Michael's find).

Do check out the other cards by the DT-incredible!  And, do join us this week!  You could win TWO Sassy Cheryl's images!  Remember to use a Sassy Cheryl's image.

Other challenges I plan to enter:

A Little Bit Crafty - M, P1, E3 - Clean & Simple

Digi Galore - 2W, P1/15, 3E, C10, use digi - Anything Goes

Challenges 4 Everybody - 2W, 3E - (1st week) Challenge #28: Always Anything Goes