Card #1 for 2026

Dear Blog readers, 

Happy New Year!! 

 May God bless 2026 with healing and good heath to each of us. 

 I didn't quite feel well enough to start

making cards so soon, but I needed to make one for my dad.

Bless his lovely heart.   

I will enter this card in the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

The stamp set I used is:

Stampin up:  Blessed Beginnings 

I took a picture of underneath the stamped church

so I would make sure the church fit.  Well it didn't, 

and yet I still decided to work with it.    I had a heck

of a time trying to cut and die cut the tiny pieces today.

However I like that the door and trees have a little texture 

to them.  I added wink of stella to the windows and so 

they sparkle so sweetly.  Like they are glowing. 

I found this lovely sentiment below and thought I'd 

share.  I've been reflecting on growing up since

I've been ill for the past 6 plus months.  I think I've been

humbled by this experience as God is teaching me

about love and forgiveness and letting go of bitterness,

I've come to a place of surrender. it's all I could do and I believe 

that's exactly what He wanted me to learn.  So much more

to learn and I'm thankful for the opportunity to do it.  

Patriot pup is sharing verses on instagram reels.  

I just feel the need to do that more often. More

for myself perhaps than anything.  Keeping my 

eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2)

The verse I chose for this card is:

Hebrews 10:25NKJV

 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, 

but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗PJ

 

Card #108 for 2025

Dear blog readers, it's been quite some time since my last

card and post, and unfortunately it will be longer yet.  I just 

wanted to make a card for my darling daughter.  

I will enter this card in the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

The stamp sets I used are:

Stampin up:

Color me Christmas

Santa's sleigh

Beautiful bouquet 

I added the picture of the card before I changed it up 

a little.  I didn't want to have a little buckaroo on the card for my

daughter so I redid it with color and cut off the antlers and added a bow.

I thinks it's cute for her birthday.  

Below is a picture of Patriot pup.  He's looking forward 

to seeing what Santa brought him for Christmas. 

I could really use some prayers dear blog readers. 

I've had one complication after another, they had to reopen the incision because

of infection and now my kidneys are not doing well at all.  So please please

pray God will have mercy and give me a Christmas miracle.  Thank you. 

The verse I chose for this card is:

Rom 15:13KJV

 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

 that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗PJ

 

Card #107 for 2025

Dear Blog readers, thank you for all the kind messages 

regarding my surgery tomorrow.   I'm very nervous after what happened

in the first one.  But I just keep telling myself to trust GOD.  

SO to keep myself busy I made a couple cards for a few challenges. 

This one I will enter in the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

The stamps I used are:

Stampin Up:

CTMH: Winter wonderland

Stampin UP: Everything festive

Santa's Sleigh

I love all things plaid for Christmas especially.  

But as I mentioned in my earlier post, I would 

love a library wall papered with plaid.  Just something cozy

about that.   

I stamped the images and then die cut them out.  I used the 

snowflake and ribbon as the leaves in the challenge image. 

The Merry Christmas is a piece of washi tape that I hope sticks

to the white paper I put it on.  Sometimes washi tape curls.  I should

have added glue to the back of it.  I love that classic font of  it though. 

The inside is a bit weak in color, but black was too bold so I used a gray. 

Patriot pup was enjoying the snow fall.  I put a video 

of him on my instagram page.  He's a little nut trying to 

catch every falling snowflake.  

The verse I chose for this card has a quick "back" story:

as I was doing my devotions today, I was getting rather sad thinking

we need to be thankful no matter our infirmities, and still be trusting God no 

matter what.  Then I came across Neh. 9:31 and found a message

 I wrote back in2013 when I had my back surgery.. So I added 

tomorrow's date in my newer  Bible for my intestine surgery.. 

It was the hope I needed that GOD willing it will all be hooked up and work as it should. 

Nehemiah 9:31 KJV

Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, 

nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗

UPDATE:

On Nov. 19th, I will be going in for surgery.  I humbly ask that you would 

pray for a safe and successful surgery with no complications or injuries this time

and that when they reconnect my intestines it will all work as it should.  

Thank you kindly.💗  

Here is a link to a few of the other updates along the way.

Here is a link to what happened this summer:  Surgery and Healing it's at the bottom of the post.  I appreciate all the love and prayers.  Thank you kindly 💗

 

Card #106 for 2025

Dear blog readers, I had a hard time making a choice for the challenge at:

The Paper Players

So many things come to mind for favorite Holiday image.

Let me just list a few of my favorites, before I talk about the card.

Holiday images that would be my favorite. 

~Christmas Tree

~Horse drawn Sleighs

~Christmas Bells ( Silver)

~Garland around a Fireplace

~Stockings hung by a fireplace

~Nativity Scene

~Christmas Ginger Bread men & houses

~Jolly ole St. Nick

~ornaments. 

~pretty much any thing nostalgic and lovely

Now for my card I chose snowglobes.   I started collecting

them when I was a child, in fact I still have one of the very first ones.

Sadly though I got rid of some of my collection because I was running out 

of room.  The few I still have are in a curio  cabinet .   SO this is why 

I chose this for my favorite image.  There's just something magical about a 

little world of snow in a glass globe.  Peaceful and dreamy. 

The stamp set I used are:

Stampin Up:  Still Scenes

I had to use a little piece of DSP, because I just needed to include some plaid.

If I could afford it, I'd have a library with plaid wallpaper.  It is so cozy.  

I added a small gold ribbon to the side of the plaid, and dry embossed the 

white card stock with snowflakes, then stamped, colored and die cut the images.

Always my best choices come after I snap the picture and glue things down.

But how fabulous would the plaid have looked under the gold on the globe base?

Ugh!!  well I guess that's for next time.  At least just to see if it will look nice. 

Patriot pup is flopped out on my feet while I make supper.

This way should a morsel fall to the floor he can immediately

retrieve it.  Little food vacuum.

The verse I chose for this card is:

Matt 21:22 KJV

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗

UPDATE:

On Nov. 19th, I will be going in for surgery.  I humbly ask that you would 

pray for a safe and successful surgery with no complications or injuries this time

and that when they reconnect my intestines it will all work as it should.  

Thank you kindly.💗  

Here is a link to a few of the other updates along the way.

Here is a link to what happened this summer:  Surgery and Healing it's at the bottom of the post.  I appreciate all the love and prayers.  Thank you kindly 💗

 

Card #105 for 2025

Dear blog readers.  I will enter this card in the challenge at:

Sunday Stamps

The stamp sets I used are:

Close to my Heart: wonderland

Stampin UP:  Dove of Hope, Good Greetings

I just purchased the CTMH stamp set from an etsy shop. Because 

it had three of my favorite things.  This sleigh, a snowglobe, and a cute

old fashion sled.   I chose the sleigh for this scene, and let the DSP do

most of the work.  I tore up some white paper to give the appearance of snow

drifts for the perfect sleighride weather.

Below is a picture of Patriot Pup with his soulful eyes.  

He's been misbehaving quite often lately.  I think he knows 

I will be going away for a few days. 

The verse I chose for this card is:

Jeremiah 33:6 KJV

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, 

and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗

UPDATE:

On Nov. 19th, I will be going in for surgery.  I humbly ask that you would 

pray for a safe and successful surgery with no complications or injuries this time

and that when they reconnect my intestines it will all work as it should.  

Thank you kindly.💗  

Here is a link to a few of the other updates along the way.

Here is a link to what happened this summer:  Surgery and Healing it's at the bottom of the post.  I appreciate all the love and prayers.  Thank you kindly 💗

 

Card #104 for 2025

Dear blog readers, what a day.  I will tell you a funny story.

So I really wanted to vacuum today.  I'm not moving so great

since the surgery, but I just couldn't take the dog fur, so I got 

out the vacuum and proceeded with caution.  The fun began

when I decided I needed to use the hose and attachments..

and being the handy lady that I am, I had it running and grabbed

the hose which then it grabbed my ileostomy bag, and ladies and gents,

it was a fight for my life, as it was sucking the bag off my body, I never

thought to turn it off, just play tug of war with it and this bag, well I'm 

happy to say I had victory over the vacuum cleaner today.   But I 

am exhausted from trying to vacuum our home.  I can't imagine having 

a larger home  because 945 square feet is plenty big.

I will enter this card in the challenge at:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge

The stamps I used in this card are:

Stampin Up:

Happy Holly-Days

Decorated with Happiness

Christmas Season

A lot of two step stamping on this card, I tried with multiple colors,

but finally found the perfect ones.  My eyes must be tired because everything

seems a bit off centered,  but nevertheless here it is.  

Patriot pup had a little peanutbutter this evening to try and get him to 

play with his toys.  He's still chasing shadows something fierce and not 

just with the sun now, but with lamps in the evening.  

  

The verse I chose for this card is:

Numbers 12:13KJV

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.

📖

 Thank you for stopping by for a visit.

Keep Smiling and Keep Stamping

💗

UPDATE:

On Nov. 19th, I will be going in for surgery.  I humbly ask that you would 

pray for a safe and successful surgery with no complications or injuries this time

and that when they reconnect my intestines it will all work as it should.  

Thank you kindly.💗  

Here is a link to a few of the other updates along the way.

Here is a link to what happened this summer:  Surgery and Healing it's at the bottom of the post.  I appreciate all the love and prayers.  Thank you kindly 💗

 

Card #103 for 2025

Dear blog readers I will enter this card in the challenge at:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown

The stamp set I used is:

Stampin Up:

#elfie

rectangle stitched dies

everyday arches dies

I didn't have any turquoise inks or markers, so I used 

the closest paper I could find to match the color.   I then used

my arch dies to make a snowglobe for little elfie. I stamped him

and colored him then set him on a snow bank, then I used liquid pearls

to accent the drifts and the fur on the trim of elfie's suit. I added a few

scattered snowflakes to give it that real snowglobe vibe.

My little coupon clipping pup loves to snag coupons off the desk.

Sigh❕ He's a little sock and slipper thief too. However he 

flashes those puppy eyes, and that's a free get out of jail pass like

in the game monopoly.  

The verse I chose for this card is:

Pro. 3:5 KJV

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

UPDATE:

The surgeon had a chance to look over my results from the procedure I had done Nov. 7th

at the hospital.  He said that even though there is scattered diverticulum still present he gave

me the green light for surgery.  PRAISE the LORD.  So please please pray for me, the surgeon and surgery team.  On November 19th I go back for the surgery to close my ileostomy and hook my intestines back up.  Please pray no complications or injuries this time in surgery  and that my recovery will be quicker and everything will work properly in the Name of Jesus.  Thank you all.

I had my surgeon appointment Oct 27th, and I went 

with a list of questions and I asked him none.  Because

he wants to get me hooked back up ASAP.  I was so happy and 

yet very scared.  I have to have a colon barium enema x-ray on 

Nov 7th.  I could really use prayer for the procedure as I have to 

be alert for the whole thing, and that the results come back all

good for us to move forward and get this reversed.  If it's all

good the doctor would like to do the surgery in November.  Praise

God for this good news.  I'm praying my test will show all good

things and my body will be ready for surgery with no 

complications or injuries this time.   He's not to concerned

about the damage to my bladder, ureter and kidney because

he's focused on the intestines and closing up the ileostomy and hooking

the plumbing back up together.  I will have more titanium staples in me now,

but God willing they will last and be ok until I'm a 102 years old.  

Thank you for all the prayers and love.  I truly appreciate it.  

Oct 14th 2025~Update: I had my 6 week appointment after having my stents out of the ureter tube
and sadly it's not going well, that ureter tube is not emptying, and the kidney is enlarged and I now have stones again too. Drawing my blood was a disaster and the tears fell like a flood, my body is so broken from all that has happened. It took 2 jabs to the arm, much digging and my hand went numb,
then they had to dig around for a vein in my hand to use finally the the second poke in the hand and searching they were able to prick a vein with the butterfly needle and a small drip. I'm exhausted. Please continue to pray for healing if it's God's will to make me whole again. I'm so heartbroken by this all, it just means the surgery for the ileostomy will now be postponed until we can figure out what to do with my swollen kidney and not working ureter tube, something that is entirely their fault because of the surgery, this shouldn't have been a thing to recovery from, but here we are, and God willing it will be restored by His mighty hand. Because of who He is and what He can do I trust He will bring me safely through. Counting it all Joy knowing I can trust Jesus. ✟

Here is a link to what happened this summer:  Surgery and Healing it's at the bottom of the post.  I appreciate all the love and prayers.  Thank you kindly 💗