Charlie is smiling most of the time
and his impeccable table manners. Notice how he holds the spoon while eating with his fingers...
and then hates to waste even one morsel!
He loved reading with Papa...
and driving his coupe...
and being patient with Gram (me) when I just wanted lots of kisses...
and every afternoon, after lunch and a walk, this would happen....
Charlie, we miss you already!
We love you Charlie....to the moon and back!
We'll be home before you know it. Have a great rest of the week everyone.
Top O' the Mornin To You 
An altered composition book using vintage Russian playing card images, a diamond patterned Cuttlebug embossed square, some buttons and a monogram.
A garden "spade" decorated with more images (see how I stretched here?)
A jar filled with vintage buttons, decorated with a multi-layered flower cut from a dress pattern with a "diamond" brad in the center. The label is a copy of a vintage apothecary label and you can have this image if you click on my Flickr link and visit my photostream. 
I included one of my little matchbook notepads (which you can see in the group shot) and this Special Dates perpetual calendar.
Isn't the cover paper wild? To round out the package I included a vintage handkerchief with a crocheted edging and the sweets........this was easy! Andrea and I both love dark chocolate and licorice so I sent her some of both. The tags on the wrapped packages (which I forgot to photograph) were "hearts".
My gifts from Andrea included these 4 pot holders knitted using the four suit designs. They are nice and heavy and the opposite side of each pot holder is the reverse color scheme. Very clever and useful.
Isn't this candy dish beautiful? It is the vintage piece and I love the size of it. I know I'll get a lot of use from it.
Sweets? Fours different flavors of licorice. The traditional black and red and then there is green apple and watermelon. The company is in Minnesota so I think Andrea had a direct link. An adventure for my taste buds!
Thank you Andrea! You made this swap fun and I enjoyed being your partner.
Now on to the next swap......I'll have a sneak peek later today. I can't show too much because Kana, my talented and nice partner, checks in on me from time to time.....
I can't wait to try it out.
I love gerbera daisies. This arrangement included 1 dozen pale yellow gerberas bunched and tied with black and white polka dotted ribbon and Dr. Dahar's donation of a Sonicare electronic toothbrush. The box is fabric covered and is the same pale yellow with black swirls.
and a small journal for me.
I have been wanting to use this dressform stamp for some time and I thought it worked well with the paper I chose (old K&CO) to cover the front of the journal. And, of course, always a paper flower. The pages are unlined so I think I will use this book to keep track of my many markers, inks, punches, dies and art pencils I have so I don't buy the same thing twice...not that I ever do that, do you? It is not uncommon for me to be shopping with my friend Mimi, and exclaim over some wonderful thing I see, and she says to me "You have that!" (That's why most of my friends are younger than me, I need all the help I can get!)
Two weeks ago, before the Valentine madness, my work table looked like this..
....but now, you can hardly see the top of it. (No picture supplied!)
I thought you'd like to see a recent picture of our Grandson, Charlie. He is 15 months old now and learning so many new skills. Both we and his parents have web cams so we're able to see him often...on line. It's cool to be able to do this but not the same as "in person" with big hugs, high fives and wet kisses! We hope to go visit him soon!
I'm off to babysit with a 3-month old sweet girl today. Such fun!
Have a fun Friday!
I love Valentine's Day. It ranks right up there with Christmas and Thanksgiving in terms of decorations and food. I love making and sending Valentine cards to family and friends, decorating the house and the table with Valentine reminders and having dinner at home. The tradition in our family, and I'm not sure when this started, is to have "red" food for Valentine's Day. For David and me, this will mean dinner at home tonight, consisting of whole wheat raviolis in a tomato and mushroom sauce, Spring greens salad with dried cranberries and toasted pecans and garlic bread. (It's Ok-we'll both be eating it!) For dessert, chocolate mousse cheesecake.
I have to give some explanation of this card (above) It is for my darling daughter, Michelle, who hates pink. Her favorite color is orange....so an orange Valentine for her! (You Are My Sunshine was her favorite song as a small girl)
This card was for Michelle's BFF, Coutney. The little image is from Lulu at Home on Flickr. Lulu is the dearest person and her Flickr pictures are the best! Go take a look!
Did anyone guess who this was for?
I have always been a card sender, even before I was a card maker. Even now, I make a fair number of cards but I am also a Hallmark Gold Crown member and help to keep them afloat. I have noticed that since I have been making cards, even my husband has been choosing cards for me (from the store) that look handmade. I told him that he's welcome to play with my supplies and create something if he'd like to. 
and sweet......
This sweet card came from this wonderful artist, Sarah Jane, whose Etsy shop can be found here. She sells prints and cards and is very talented and a joy to work with. If my kiddles were still small, I know her artwork would be on their walls.
