...Goodbye is never easy....

...and even though both of my sons are now adults, I find it especially hard that Brian, (my oldest), is now living all the way across the country in San Diego.  I am thrilled that he has a wonderful and gorgeous wife, Meghan, but it's so hard having them both so far away...!    If you follow me often, you'll know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a Mom and love my boys with all my heart.  Raising them has been the best joy I could ever have and I only wish they were still younger, so I could still be tucking them in their little beds every night and kissing them as the fall asleep.....But --- in life everyone grows up and that's exactly what has happened in our family.  My boys are now 26 and 21 and I'm also thrilled that I have a wonderful new addition, my gorgeous Daughter in Law (Meghan) who married Brian, last September!  The only hard thing is that they relocated to San Diego only a month later and it's been really hard on this Momma having one of her kids all the way across the country!!   I miss them every day and wish so much they lived closer.

   It was so FUN and exciting to have had Brian home the past few days, but just as hard as the first time, to have to kiss him and say Goodbye again yesterday, when he was leaving for his flight!  That will NEVER get easier and I only wish he had been able to be here longer and that Meg could have come too!!   Having them both working for the same Company on top of Meg just starting school again (working on her Master's), it's not likely they there will be many time they BOTH get a chance to come home together and say any length of time.   Thankfully, I can go out and visit them and now want to plan my next trip already!  I loved San Diego and only WISH I could talk my Hubby and Alex into moving there too...then it would be fine and I'll be very happy and excited...not only to be close to Bri and Meg, but to live in such a nice location and one where it's warm all year young...a dream that I want in my future..and the sooner the better!!

   I found myself teary and not feeling well all weekend, and I'm not sure if it's all from a cold that I have, some effects of my Flu Shot from Friday, or just that deep sadness of knowing it'll now months before I see the kids again...its' HARD, very very hard!   More than I ever imagined...so please, if you have younger children...savor EVERY moment with them and grab all the kisses and hugs you can, because before you know it, they are adults and living their own lives...!! And while I'm very happy for them, it still long for the old days....

     Thank goodness for this amazing hobby that I have and how it helps keep me busy and keeps my mind of the sad thoughts or even being sick...other than the joys of being a Mom, to the kids and my wonderful dogs....creating is my next greatest LOVE and is a passion I so enjoy.  I know I'd be lost without it and I'm so thankful to have an amazing craft room and all the goodies I need to literally spend hours and hours making cards....my little touch of Heaven!!
 
   Today, I'm happy to be in my craft room keeping myself busy and trying not to think about Brian being gone again (ya right)..!!  I'm working hard on some new cards to share, all of which were started in a new House Mouse workshop that I took on Saturday.  It's the first time I've worked this much with House Mouse Stamps and I found they are really fun and quite adorable.  I colored mine with my Copics and also added Glitter and lots of Sparkle and shine with some of my favorite new Wink of Stella Pens.   I think the cards came out cute and they are fun and happy cards.

    This first card is one of my favorites and the stamp is called "Reindeer Games" and it's one I did buy to add to my Christmas Collection.  The fun dimensional "snow" was created using a new, (to me) type of Embossing product that is called "Chunky White Embossing Enamel" and its'  and is a product from Stampendous, the same company who now sells the very popular House Mouse line, which you also still buy from House Mouse directly.

  And next is this cute little card with one of the little Mice is hanging onto some Holly, another card I enjoyed coloring!!  This one is called "Chin up" and I also bought this one and will be using it again soon!!

  

   This fun little guy is being submitted to two of my favorite challenges!  The Make It Monday Challenge #164, as well as today's new "Greeting Card" challenge over at The Outlawz!!   I hope you stop by and join the fun at any or ALL these fun places!!

   And that brings up to these two, which are both really cute and were also really fun to create!   I also used my Wink Of Stella Markers on these to add some extra colors and lots of extra sparkle, which doesn't show up all the well in the photos. It's much better in person!!

   As I am posting these, it just dawned on me that we made five cards in class, and I'm now missing one....but after a quick search I found it was packed in with my envelopes!  Yippee!  So, I will finished coloring that one and have it for you in my next post.  The image we used for that called is called "Gifts Galore" and it is another one I now have here in my collection!   I love the little Mouse trying to juggle all the Christmas Presents --- super cute!!  Here is a sample card, much like the sample that we used in class:

Photos Courtesy of Stampendous

      Once I had those done I wanted to use up a few more of the elements left on my desk and decided to use more of my fun little pre-colored images from Lili of the Valley.   For today, I pulled out two different images of Christmas Trees and then cut them to the size I wanted for each card!

   This is my first card, and after sizing my image, I layered it onto some Green Polka Dotted paper that I just bought from Stampin' UP.   I love any paper that has polka dots or stripes and whenever I found them, I buy them.  This is one of their collection and it was even ON SALE...my favorite thing, of course is a sale!! Woohoo!!  Once I had it i on the polka dotted paper I decided to add to onto a Black Hero Arts note card and then cut a strip of Black card stock to go across the bottom, where I will likely add a Sentiment.  However, I was not sure what I wanted, so I'm waiting on that!!

  And my last card today, also features more of the same, including the Art Pad Image from LOTV with more of the green polka dots and even another Hero Notecards...YES, in case you don't already know, Hero Arts has now pretty much become my Favorite product line and I LOVE the notes cards (pre-folded) A2 Size colored cards, which a white interior.  Perfect for all card types and they come in a wonderful array or colors.  You can also create two from each sheet of their matching "Layering Paper", which I also LOVE!!!

   NOTE:  Don't you just LOVE the newest watermark on the card above?  I know I sure do and I want to say THANK YOU to my friend Paula, who I met through Operation Write Home, who was kind enough to create it for me, after I had admired hers on one of her cards.   I also LOVE the Watermarks she made for me with the OWH Logo and use them all the time on my OWH cards!!  I don't own PhotoShop nor do I have ANY clue how to use it, making it impossible for me to create my own custom Watermarks, which I LOVE to use on my cards.   I'm find that it's a challenge to find people who make them or sell them, so when I wrote to Paula to ask where she bought hers, I was thrilled, when she offered to make me mine!   Thank you so much Paula, I really LOVE these and love having a variety for ALL my different cards!!   

   To make this card a little different, I used all white and green and even created a little matching bow to add to the top!   I am also submitting this card to the current challenge over at "Craft-Dee BowZ", and would be thrilled to win one of the amazing bow-makers!!   Challenge Code - CBD06

   The watermark on this card was once I purchased at Pink Gem Designs as us the one on the "Believe in the Magic Christmas" card above, both of which I also rally like.   Almost ALL my others were designed by Wendy of Digital Delights, but sadly, she is no longer creating Custom Blogs or Watermarks, she had also created my Blog Header, which I absolutely LOVE!!   I know she is super busy with her digital images and has a super busy store, but I do hope in time, she may start creating these again, as I really loved her ideas and she created several for me when during the time I was on Design Teams, and those were with done with the artwork from each company, which made them perfect for my DT creations!!   Now I'm looking for a new source where I can go to have more Watermarks designs, as I love having a variety!!   If anyone knows anyone who has a store that creates and/or sells custom Watermarks, please let me know!  Thank YOU!!

   I have a totally free week...imagine that....No Doctors appointments, no Chiro and nothing I have to do...so my goal is to CREATE and I plan to have new cards every day!!   Stay tuned because next week, I'm starting a brand new Silhouette Class with Kerri Bradford, followed by a Holiday Card Workshop at the Online Card Classroom!!   WOOHOO!!  I love love love to create and love classes, equally as much!!