I'm Baaack!!

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We're back from our big trip,and we had a blast! We drove twelve hours straight to get to Stillwater, OK, where we had a great afternoon reunion with some of DH's 1960 classmates. We also spent time with his Dad and step-mother, who we had not seen for nearly 10 years. We had dinner at Joseppi's, where I had the best potato soup I have ever tasted! DH also went to a tree-growing seminar at OSU. I made the decision to go shopping while he was gone, but of course he had the car. So I walked to a nearby shopping center that had a Hobby-Lobby in it, then ate at a Mexican restaurant. The walking caused my heel spurs to act up, and I had sore feet the rest of the trip.

We then drove to Fayetteville, AR where we stayed with my sister and her husband. All six of my siblings were there, as were many of my nieces and nephews. We are a rare family in that we always get along--no fights or major disagreements. We also enjoyed visiting with my DDIL and two granddaughters and grandson. We are glad they have gotten to know us better, especially my GS who we had not seen since he was a baby.

We also had a brief afternoon reunion with the few aunts and uncles I have left at a beautiful lodge at Lake Wedington (below.)

We then drove to Tyler , TX and spent the night, then toured the Tyler Rose Garden. It was gorgeous! The roses were in full form, although I think DH enjoyed talking with the gardeners in the Idea Garden more than anything else. That's DH, below.


Then back to Corpus, where my DS and DDIL had been taking care of everything for us. We could not have gone if they had not been here to visit my MIL every day, take care of Copper, and water the plants.

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Back to creating! The PID Swap Yahoo group is doing a swap of ATC's of Sarah, the lovely image shown below. These are my contributions, done on wood blanks, with an old Texas map torn up for backgrounds, rubbed with Tim Holtz Distress Inks to dull them down, then Sarah was applied, then map-based transparencies were laid over all.

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These are the NIA swaps I got back so far (one still to come!) Upper left is by Sarah W. from Australia; upper right is by Elena V. Lower left is from Gabriele H. and lower right by Debbie L.
I think they are all wonderful!

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And now the Halloween ATCs I got back. This one is by Kim S. and uses an encaustic wax coating, very cool!

These two are both by Dianna M. who also hosted this swap.


Lower left is by Lorraine R. and lower right by Elena V.


Lower left by Eileen B., and lower right by Shelly W.


Aren't they all great? Boy, am I in a Halloween mood!

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I finished this pillow, which took longer to gather the materials for than it took to make! It is from a pattern in BH&G Holiday Crafts 2005.

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This birdhouse was made by my Secret Angel to replace the one I never received in the earlier swap. I've shown front and back views here. Thank you so much, Angel!

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I have had a bad cold since our return (actually, it first showed up in Tyler.) I haven't felt much like creating this week. I do have everything I need to make my Christmas cards this year, but it's a little early to start on them. I still have grocery bags to work on, too. And my sister showed us an easy quilt pattern that I'd like to try soon, so stay tuned for more pics, I hope!

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