The Memory Keeper

The 12th Annual Fourth of July Open House

2011-07-22T16:12:00.000-04:00

When I originally notified people about the event for this year it was also notated that this would be the last open house for July 4th. Barry had been laid off since April 1st and we figured unless by some miracle we would have to move within 9 months of July 1st (severance carried us to June 30th). But miracles do happen and my only prayer is that this is not a dream and he will not fail. On June 29th he had 3 job offers and excepted one that he felt he most fit with. He would be primarily working from home but traveling to Atlanta a few times to meet with the client and to King of Prussia where the main headquarters of the company is located. And if he wants to go to an office "how far are you from Bridgewater?" What more could you ask for - no pay deduction in salary - no problem. So at least now we get to stay and leave when we want rather than when we have to.

So needless to say it may or may not be the last 4th of July but we all had a great time including the county fireworks.

ETC 2010

2011-02-23T23:06:00.004-05:00

Well, after Barry spent 10 months planning the trip to Thailand we finally began the journey on December 10th, 2010 by flying out of JFK to Cairo, Egypt. The planning began once I had my double knee replacement in January of 2010 but didn't become finalized until a few days before we left. Since we used Frequent Flyer Points for the trip we were able to stay in Egypt for 5 days. Are you getting the idea of what ETC might stand for yet?

So begins our journey and time in Egypt where we would see pyramids, mummies, temples, belly dancers and early Christian churches. So look for the next post about ETC 2010.

The End of Summer and Beginning of the School Year

2010-09-10T21:32:00.002-04:00

Wow! Yes, it has been a while since I last updated but the summer flew by and the school year has started again. I spent most of that time learning a new student database system for the school district, assisted the scheduling of students, and worked on PowerPoint presentations for the principal and my training session with staff. The interesting part of this whole experience was that we really couldn't tell what was going to happen with the database till it went live today.

So today, was the first day of school for the children (6th - 8th grade) and the student system went live. It worked. There were a few problems but nothing I couldn't figure out. The next problem we have at school is copywork for the staff. Since the district laid off the woman who did the copywork for the entire district each school is responsible to do their own. Well, I don't know who has the time to do it because I have stayed late hours just doing what the staff needed for the first day of school. Today, the copier broke down and now I can't do anything. Oh well. Next week should be interesting.

Hopefully this weekend I can do some card making and other paper projects I have been wanting to start. Meanwhile, enjoy September.

The Annual Fourth of July Party

2010-07-05T18:42:00.002-04:00

This year we held our 11th 4th of July Open House Party. It had to be the best conditions weatherwise, a nice crowd of people, and a lot of drinking. This year I was able to walk around and mingle, swim, hang out with friends, and have my esp work for a change. The biggest reason was that I have two new knees.

The food was unbelievable that arrived. Yes, we can still feed an army battalion today and probably the rest of the week. For me this year, I had a great time. Being hostess I can drink and not worry about driving. I started out with "surfer on acid" and then proceeded to skittle shots that Diane brought over ending with Tequila Rose shots/or chugs depending on who I was with at the time. However, I knew before I went to bed at 2am that I would have a hangover because I already had a splitting headache. By 4am I'm taking Tylenol. By 11am I am awake with no headache but can't walk straight so I take more Tylenol and go back to bed till 4:30pm when I can walk straight.

Everyone was saying they were glad I was having such a good time because they were too. My best friends also drank along with me and at one point when Linda and I went down to watch the fireworks, I fell, no I didn't hurt myself, and she fell next tome and we sat there and giggled through the whole show and didn't see a thing.

Debbie and John stayed the latest as we sat and talked on the deck till about 1:30am. She gave me my first foot massage and complained about my soft feet. But overall it was a great day. Sorry if you didn't make it.

Mojo145

2010-07-02T14:30:00.005-04:00

Haven't done much stamping or digital stamping since my Knee Replacements. Decided to do a digital for the Mojo 145. Could use more stamps and papers but I used what I have.

Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July!

Debbie Jacobsen

Changes

2010-06-12T16:24:00.002-04:00

I wonder how many changes we have to deal with in a lifetime. Changes like moving to a different house, changes like people leaving our lives, or changes like being able to walk again.

I personally have gone through a lot of changes in the last 6 months. I had Double Knee Replacement and can walk again and learning to live each day to the fullest. I had a physical therapist that I adored and when I had to leave I was depressed. I had one child who did not want to go back to the university and ended up becoming secluded and out of reach while living in the next room. I had a husband that didn't understand how to handle the change in me after my surgery and still expected me to be able to do the everyday things two weeks later. I had friends leave my life and new friends come into my life. Interests have changed too.

Changes in other parts of my life haven't been as drastic but have been predictable based on the environment. The change of governor of NJ put into office a man who is against public school s and public teachers, especially the NJEA. The community changed and voted down the budget which caused the township committee to slash even more money. Changes will continue to occur in the near future as the school district comes up with $1.5 million in cuts, meaning staff and programs. The current Superintendent is leaving, not that he was that great anyway, but there has been and will be no leadership in the district.

Changes.........I wonder how many I've had just in the last 6 months.

Recovery

2010-03-28T14:44:00.004-04:00

As you can see I haven't been posting anything in quite awhile. In January 2010 I went for a double knee replacement which required a stay at a rehabilitation center and physicaly therapy for another 10 weeks. I am currently in my 10th week from surgery and will begin working part time after Easter break. At the same time I am hoping to be able to sit long enough to do my crafts.

NJEA Convention

2009-11-07T00:14:00.009-05:00

Well, I went to the NJEA Convention for the first time and enjoyed it tremendously. Why more people from my school district don't go is beyond me. My adventure started with staying at a house on LBI that can be rented. The picture doesn't give it justice. It is one beautiful, fully functionable, well equipped house I have ever seen. It even has 63 switches for lights/fans/etc. Yes, I counted them all. The next morning my girlfriend and I drove to Atlantic City to stay at Caesars for one night night. We headed to the convention center, met up with friends from the district, ate lunch, went to seminars, went to the Hospitality event where we ate and drank then went back to the hotel , wow a tv on the bathroom mirror, to change for the President's Dinner where we heard from Gov Jon Corzine, who did not win the re-election, and I ate lobster tail for the first time and liked the taste but not the mushy texture. I thought I was eating slime. After all that, the next day we came home. Exhausted.

Lost and Found

2009-10-21T22:21:00.004-04:00

Well, you may have thought I was lost since I haven't posted anything in over a month but don't worry, I have been found. I just have been very busy at work. I have made some cards lately but hadn't posted so I will be sure to post today.

Mojo 103

2009-09-12T15:26:00.002-04:00

Life has been crazy. With the beginning of the school year this past week, welcoming back all the teachers, aides and students, and trying to support the needs of others while trying to get my work done, I haven't had a moment of peace. So today I decided I needed to get my creative juices going. To start the day I worked on the Mojo Monday #103 Card Sketch.

As you can see, my thoughts were in the sympathy mode. Two people I know that have been very supportive of the school lost their father this week. My heart and sympathy go out to them and I will be using this card to send to one of them. As you can see I did use a stamp from "God's Blessings" from Stampin' Up.

The Change of Seasons

2009-08-29T17:08:00.005-04:00

You know the season is changing by the activities that change during the year. At school we are getting ready for the staff and children to come back. At home, I am watching my son pack up his room to go back to college. The weather changes to cool nights so that the pool water doesn't stay warm to the next day. The mornings are cooler so that some may need a sweater, while I still wear sleeveless tops (all year). I even noticed commercials on TV begin to change with the announcements of new shows for the "FALL" and ads to visit NY or Vermont to see the changing colors. But with all the changes year after year the one thing that has not changed is that Autumn is fine favorite season of the year. The cool weather, the changing colors, the warmth of friendship, the smell of pencils, the smiles of staff and children when they come back to school, are some of my favorite things. Rain drops on roses just doesn't do it for me. But yellow, orange, burgundy, red, brown and green give me warmth and knowledge that I made it here again and hopefully will see it another year.

PPA4 - Anything But a Card

2009-08-20T14:24:00.002-04:00

Here is a cute watering can I did from my chicken scratch notes. This was so cute to make the first time I had to do it again. I wonder......how long does popcorn last?

Mojo 100 Day 3

2009-08-19T21:56:00.012-04:00

It's Mojo 100 Day 3 and it was a long day at work. After finally coming home, making dinner, and cleaning up I got to sit down and work ontoday's challenge. I am realizing that I am a little afraid to try new things. But as I look at everyone's card designs I hope to overcome the fear and really come up with something good. Meanwhile here is my card.

Mojo Monday 100 Day 2

2009-08-18T21:17:00.003-04:00

I just couldn't wait to get home and work on the Day 2 card. I am learning as I do each card on how to put things together to make a decent card. I want to thank Mojo for being there to encourage everyone in creating cards and helping us to expand our minds. So here is my card. The next time I would make the sentiment a darker color to see it better.

MOJO 100 Day 1

2009-08-17T21:14:00.004-04:00

I just love doing the Mojo Monday and now we get to do one each day. Of course it would help if I had a camera to take a picture of the card rather than scanning it so it comes out blurry. But I use what I have. As you will see from my card, I don't have a large scallop circle so I made one as a flower. Oh no! I forgot to attach the butterfly on the bottom. Well, look at this until I can scan another version. Thanks for looking and please give any suggestions for improvement.

I'm Expecting......

2009-08-14T19:36:00.006-04:00

I just got a new stamp set from Stampin' Up called FYI which has a lot of cute sayings. When I was mounting "I'm expecting!" I thought what in the world would I use this for, since I am not a young chicken any more. So when the opportunity came up to use it I couldn't believe it would work.

So here is the card front.....

but inside it says, "you to feel better soon!" See, I can use it as part of a get well message. I did have to include "Gottcha!" as the next line though. I know she will crack up when she reads it. So get well Kim and come back soon.

Well, off to a workshop........

PPA3 The 3 R's

2009-08-13T19:31:00.007-04:00

I have enjoyed the Mojo challenges so much that I started looking around for more. This way I can learn more about designing and maybe get some good cards out of it. So here is "Pals Paper Arts" Inspiration challenge based on elements of this picture.

And here is my card based on school starting up soon, which means the teachers and the students will be back.

I tink I need sum werk on spellin'.

Mojo 99

2009-08-11T07:15:00.003-04:00

Well here is my attempt at Mojo Week 99. I was really enjoying coming up with this until the end. Something is missing, especially for the tab. If anyone has an idea let me know. Meanwhile, I wish everyone a great week.

Well, I ended up adding something but can't scan the card because it won't lie flat. I added two small pearl's to the lighthouse tab. It looks finished now. Sorry you can't see it.. Eventually I will get a camera to take pictures.

The Weekend is Here

2009-08-08T12:39:00.003-04:00

Got to work on another Mojo 98 but this one is for someone going through a hard time and being so brave....I really admire this person. So this is for her.

The Week in Review

2009-08-07T14:07:00.005-04:00

My work week was rather easy since I was at a conference Monday through Wednesday. So my actual time in my workplace was only one day - Thursday. I love having my Friday's off but I wish there was someplace I could go and just relax. I was suppose to meet up with friends for lunch but found out one just got home from the hospital suffering from pneunomia. So if nothing else, I can make her a card to feel better. The next thing on my list of to-do's today is take my son to get some pants for college - you know, the one's without holes.

I would also like to sit outside in the nice weather and read with a drink by my side. Let's see what the weekend brings.

Mojo 98

2009-08-05T22:43:00.003-04:00

I am really enjoying learning more about card sketches and creating color combinations and designs by doing the Mojo Challenge each week. For this weeks challenge I used the Cottage Wall DSP using Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence and Old Olive card stock along with Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Ink. For the stamping I used Stem Silhouettes and Fancy Flexible Phrases (Always) and the White Satin Ribbon. Thanks for looking and let me know what you think. I would love to hear your opinion so I can learn more from you.

Mojo 97

2009-08-02T20:54:00.005-04:00

Well here is the finished card I made for the Mojo 97. Let me know what you think.

The Weekend Happenings

2009-08-01T11:49:00.012-04:00

Stampin' Up Special for August 2009

#1 From August 1–September 30 only, get the exclusive Décor Elements™ Growth Chart — plus, receive a free applicator tool!

#2 From August 1-31, spend $35 on stamp sets* from the Growing Up section of the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog (pages 74-90), and choose a FREE package of Designer buttons—a $7.95 value!
Click the picture to see the flyer

Item # Page Description Retail Value
116313 181 Playground Designer buttons $7.95

116312 181 Sherbet Designer buttons $7.95
114333 181 Button Latte Designer buttons $7.95

MOJO 97

Well, I did have a late start on the Mojo 97 Challange that was posted on Monday, July 27th. Here is the design.

Build a Bear and Stampin' Up

The exclusively designed collection includes stamp sets, Designer Series papers and Sizzix dies providing young and young-at-heart Build-A-Bear Workshop enthusiast endless handcrafted possibilities for scrapbook pages, cards, invitations, home décor and more.

A Working Weekend

2009-07-27T23:44:00.004-04:00

Well, I did make one card this weekend. (MOJO 96). The rest of the time I was doing computer work for my job. We ran into a problem with the student schedules and realized there was only one thing left to do to fix it, so I worked over 12 hours to fix it. Unfortunately, when I ran the process in bombed. Okay, 12 hours down the drain. One solution left, agreed upon, and put into action. Finished it today at work and it ran beautifully. The schedules are good. And my brain is fried.

My First Color Challenge Attempt

2009-07-22T10:55:00.004-04:00

Don't let anyone fool you when they say making a card is easy. Just try a color challenge and you will find out that it can be pretty hard. Of course for my first attempt I should not have tried to do a card based on two challenges. I am too new at this do do that. But here is my CC238 Color Challenge for Note Quite Navy, Really Rust and Pretty in Pink. The layout was based on the Mojo for week 96. I will do a different Mojo later this week after I recouperate from working on this card for several hours. I really had a hard time with the pink but I did like the blue and rust together. I used the SU cardstock and ink and used a Sizzix texture plate (squares) for the blue cardstock. I also used a Souffle pen in pink to outline the flowers since the pretty in pink was so light.

Mojo 95

2009-07-18T18:11:00.008-04:00

Well here is the sketch I worked on this week. I love looking at everyone else's but I have such a hard time figuring out what colors go with what and what I should stamp that I get frustrated.

I didn't get a chance to work on it until the weekend so check it out and let me know what you think. I am absolutely terrible at tying a bow so it is just ribbon going across.

MOJO 94 and Deal of the Week

2009-07-06T19:21:00.008-04:00

Today was my first day back to work at the school after taking last week off for vacation. My vacation consists of staying home, but I got to do a lot of things I wanted to do. It was quiet at work with just my co-worker/friend and assistant principal. But I couldn't wait to get home to check out the MOJO sketch. So here is mine. Hope you like it.

Now I guess I better check out my mail and what's happening with Stampin' Up. Have a great week everyone.

So here is this weeks "Deal" from Stampin' Up.

July 6th - July 13th 9:50am MT
Item # 113474
Description Sizzix Big Shot Doctor's Bag
Special Price $49.95

MOJO 93

2009-07-05T16:59:00.004-04:00

The 4th of July is over and I get to relax today (or recoperate) and spend some time with my papercrafts. So here is my MOJO for week 93.

So as far as the 4th, we had our 10th annual party with friends and family. My best guess is we had about 75 here eating with another 10-15 to watch the fireworks. Luckily we didn't run out of any food with that number of people. But people ate from the minute they walked in the door until they left the house. The county fireworks wer great as usual and my husband's fireworks were great too. He had one towards the end that was breathtaking. And we saw at least four other towns letting off their fireworks display at the same time. I said when we moved here that with the perfect view of the fireworks we would have a party every year as long as I am alive. It is getting harder though as I get older and the aches and pains get worse, but I can't let my friends down for a place to spend an evening.

As for the MOJO I used Provo Craft paper by Karen Le Mieux, Provo Craft Sizzors for the edging and Stampin' Up Oval punches, and Whispers Red Cranberry and Royal Blue Ink.

Stampin" Up's Deal of the Week

2009-07-02T17:40:00.005-04:00

Stampin' Up! is doing something new during the month of July - a "Deal of the Week". Each week, a product will be offered at a discount. There's no minimum order, and no limit on quantities. These items will make great add-ons to your order or workshop!

This week, the Deal of the Week is the Scallop Border Punch (#112091). This is one of my most frequently used punches! It's available for just $10.99 (regularly 15.95!) This Deal is available until Monday morning, July 6, 11:50 AM Eastern Time. The next deal becomes available at noon Eastern Time.

So check out my site every Monday for the new "Deal of the Week."

30th Wedding Anniversary

2009-07-01T11:11:00.003-04:00

5th Row Orchestra seats

My husband surprised me with tickets to see Mamma Mia this past Tuesday. I really had no interest to see it over the years or even see the movie. But if you know me, you'll know that he comes up with some great surprises that turn out better than planned.

I knew going to NYC was going to be rough on me, but I was told not to worry. I should have gone with my instincts - bring my cane and an umbrella. We ended up getting soaked in a torential downpour and ended up walking forever.

Dinner was at a Thai place that was small but the food was great. Service was ok. I had salmon in a sweet and sour sauce with pineapples. Rice ended up costing extra. We then headed to the theater which turned out to be the one I saw "Cats" in - The Winter Garden Theater." It turned out that the original anniversary event is two weeks away, but when he saw the price of the tickets for this show he couldn't pass it up. We were in the orchestra section Row F seat 10 and 12 on the right side. Even though we were on the side we could see everything. Of course we could hear everything too, especially since the big speaker was in front of us. The show was great. I enjoyed it so much that I think I liked it better than my hubby. Unfortunately, I end up liking the music and the characters but the recording on CD is the original cast and to me this cast sounds better than the original.

We finally headed home and arrived at 1:30am. Needless to say, I was glad I am on vacation and hubby went to work late. I was so tired I hardly did anything all day. But what an evening it was. He truly surprises me at times with his choices and ideas.

Mojo Monday 91

2009-06-18T09:05:00.005-04:00

This is my first attempt at doing a challenge in making cards. But since I have such a hard time creating something without anything in my mind, I figured it was worth a try. So here is my idea for Week 91. I have to say I really had fun coming up with something. This will be going to a teacher who helped me out the last two month with the special events we hold here at the middle school.

I used Stampin' Up stamps and ink, a texture plate from Sizzix and a bunch of unknown paper for this project.

Down to the Wire

2009-06-17T19:58:00.004-04:00

Four school days and counting. I have to honestly say that I can't wait for the year to end. This has been the worst year for me. The work load has doubled and I never seem to get out from under it. Another problem is the changing of the guard, the Business Adminstrator, that comes in with their ideas to totally screw us around. At times I wish it was like when I first started at the school. At least there was some stability. Not now, we are on our 6th Business Adminsitrator in 18 months and this latest one is supposedly only here for 6 weeks. Heaven help us.

As ofr life otherwise, my health has turned to crap and causing so many changes in my lifestyle that I wish I really had. I am going on my 5th year of bad knees that won't be fixed for at least a year if that. But enough complaining. I am thankful for my children and my co-workers.

I am finally doing a card tonight. Mojo Monday Week 91. Of course I plan on giving this card away but hope to remember to take a picture of it before I let it go. I had a teacher for the last month helping me out with so much - Awards Breakfast, Awards Evening, Graduation, etc that she deserves a special thank you. So a card and a Sizzix box of Totsie pops without the stick.

So Where in the World Am I?

2009-05-22T20:17:00.002-04:00

My life has been so crazy lately I haven't had time to do much of anything - including cards. I did get hooked on a home design program that takes some of my spare time (and the not really spare time) but I have to break the habit. So this weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, I hope to actually become part of the world again. However, I would like to make some cards or learn some new techniques.

My youngest is home from college for the summer. My oldest is still working his part time job. The husband is still sitting around listening to music and smoking his pipe. But he did get the pool ready for the season and has done so many things in and around the house that my friends want him at their house, but not to live or marry. I can't seem to find anybody who wants him. Guess I'll keep him.

School for the year is coming to a close with the normal too much to do and so little time. I will work my outrageous hours to get it all done and then take some time off. Actually I have 10 vacation days I haven't used that I will end up carrying over, per my principal, to the next year which starts July 1st.

So, as far as Stampin' Up, I am trying to decided what to purchase before the June 1st release of "Last Chance" items with the money I set aside for May and June. Hard decisions. Well I guess I'll have to look through the catalog again and see.

Comings and Goings

2009-03-29T20:57:00.002-04:00

The last day to get free items from the sale-a-bration catalog is March 31st. So be sure to place your order with me before then. April will bring the Occasions Catalog which will run from April 1 to May 28. Check out the sneak peek catalog. After April 1st the full catalog will be online.

Ocassions Sneek Peek

2009-03-07T13:27:00.003-05:00

http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/pg11-13_Occasions_09_US.pdf

Stampin' Up has announced that a few of the items coming out in the Ocassions mini catalog in April will be available now. The items for sale are Easter stamps. So check out the link and see what is available before April 1st release of the mini catalog.

Changes Everywhere

2009-02-24T13:45:00.003-05:00

I heard that a person goes through 1000 changes during their lifetime. I'm not sure what that means but I do know that the comings and giongs of people in our lives is always changing. This week at work we are losing someone that has worked with us since September. Other than the fact that he has this goofy sense of humor, which cracks me up all the time, he has been a real nice guy to work with, especially in relation to sharing, explaining and discussing the latest information from the state. So as we say goodbye to our Interim Business Administrator, John Bolil, the office sent this card to him that I made over the weekend.

SALE-A-BRATION

2009-02-07T13:39:00.001-05:00

The annual Sale-A-Bration vent has begin for Stampin'Up free products. Just purchase $50.00 of product from the Spring Summer 2009 Catalog and you get to pick one of the items shown in the Sale-A-Bration catalog. Check out the regular catalog above and the special sale catalog to the right. Contact me if you're interested in placing an order.

Card Making 101

2009-02-06T23:21:00.005-05:00

Tonight I had a wonderful group of friends that came over to learn about card making and make 3 different cards to take home. What I enjoyed the most was that one of the girls created her own layouts once she saw the ideas. So hopefully she will be able to join the group when we meet again for card making as well as participating with the papercrafts group. Here is a picture from cardsandmore that I used as for the basis of one of the cards we did tonight. Thanks to all that came.

Decor Elements - Designs for Walls and .......

2009-02-03T19:32:00.004-05:00

Get into the latest craze of decorating walls with vinyl designs and words. Where ever you look now there seems to be more product being developed for this handy way of decorating. Well Stampin' Up is also in the mix with their product of vinyl decorations. So check out the catalog by clicking the picture.

Super Bowl Sunday & Stampin' Up

2009-02-01T15:02:00.004-05:00

Well it may be Super Bowl Sunday but it's just another Sunday to me. We will be having some people over later and Lots of food to eat. As for me I hope to do some stamp projects. Meanwhile, since today is February 1st - it is the start of the annual sale-a-bration. Basically, when you purchase $50 worth of supplies from the Spring Summer Catalog you can pick any of the items listed in the sale-a-bration catalog. So take a peak at the catalog shown on the web site. And I hope your team wins.

UPDATE: I actually watched the game and loved it. What an exciting game it was.

Time for Stampin'

2009-01-25T19:15:00.004-05:00

Well the new year is here and the new catalog has arrived. I just can't wait to show you all the new stamps and accessories that are available. For the workshop on February 6th, we will start from the beginning for our new people. You will be able to make 3 cards and a 3-D item of surprise. So come on in and join the fun.

From the End to the Beginning

2008-12-30T15:49:00.007-05:00

Christmas is over and we all survived the day. There was one difference this year though. It didn't feel like Christmas. I was so busy making gifts that I forgot what the holiday was really for. So it is now that I reflect on the "Reason for the Season."

As stated in Rick Warren's book, The Purpose of Christmas, it is a time of celebration: God loves you, God is with you, and God is for you. It is also a time for salvation: Jesus save you from something, Jesus save you for something, and Jesus saves you by something. Lastly, it is a time for reconciliation: peace with God, the peace of God, and peace with others.

I have much to be thankful for this year. My children survived life-threatening emergencies and my husband and I have survived in still having a job to go to every day. I am thankful for being able to visit my college 30 years later and take a trip to Hawaii for 2 weeks. I am thankful for my friends that have remained in contact with me and family who still consider me part of the "family." I am thankful that I can spread some cheer and caring for those in need whether it be through a hand made card or a collection of funds for a meal. But I give all my thanks to Jesus for paving the way to heaven and eternal life and knowing that I will see Mom, Dad and Kevin again.

God Bless you all and may you all have a wonderful New Year.

It's Getting Closer to Christmas

2008-12-18T12:01:00.010-05:00

It is only 5 1/2 days to Christmas Eve and I am no where near ready. The Christmas tree is 3/4's up (we can't find the top part) after struggling for 6 hours (the metal pole bend when the tree fell over) to get this thing to stand (crooked and out of shape). There are no decorations up on the tree or in the house. I have no idea what I am feeding 15 people on Christmas Day. I don't have all the gifts, including the ones I am trying to make, done yet. I still have Christmas cards to finish and mail and can't seem to stay awake long enough at the end of a day to work on them. I have to drive down to pick up my son at college tonight instead of tommorrow since we will probably have a winter storm warning and I still have my computer stuff and clothes in his room which I need to move out.

So here are some cards that I did get done recently. I just can't do one design and end it there. I have to do a lot of different ones.

A Family Member Gone

2008-12-15T18:42:00.008-05:00

I recently found out one of my uncles passed away in 2002. I sit here wondering why I was never told. I have gone through the anger stage with my mother's family and have accepted that he is gone. I called this man, Uncle Buddy, his given name was Edward. Most of my life I was not close to him. I really don't know why, but I do remember as a child, that the size of this man scared the heck out of me. As I got older and became a member of the Eastern Star I saw him more often when he would come to the meetings. When my parents died, I was told he was in a nursing home (The Masonic Masons) and he had developed problems due to diabetes and that he wouldn't see anyone but one of my other uncles', Bruce.
So as a Memory Keeper, I search for death records and came across my Unlce Buddy's. It just reinforced my feelings that once your parents die you have no more relatives. Letters written don't get responded to and death information doesn't get passed around to the left-out family members. I was an only child growing up and I am an only child all grown up with no relatives.

FALL WINTER SAMPLER SPECIAL

2008-12-01T19:58:00.006-05:00

Starting today, you can take advantage of a special promotion from the Fall Winter Sampler Catalog. Spend just $20 and you can get any of the items listed below for 20% off. Check out the catalog by clicking the picture.

Item #	Description	Retail	20% Off
111564	Flight of the Butterfly	$31.95	$25.56
112911	Vuelo de la mariposa (Spanish Flight of the Butterfly)	$31.95	$25.56
111676	Puns from the Past	$27.95	$22.36
111660	Just Jawing	$25.95	$20.76
111624	Dreams du Juor	$18.95	$15.16
111700	Thank You Kindly	$13.95	$11.16
111714	Wow Flowers	$12.95	$10.36
112955	Flores llamativas (Spanish Wow Flowers)	$12.95	$10.36
111600	Bella's Bloom	$12.95	$10.36

The Christmas Card Weekend

2008-11-30T20:01:00.007-05:00

11/30/2008
It's Thanksgiving weekend and instead of shopping like all the crazies out there I stayed in and worked on Christmas cards. As you can see, I did a batch of the ornament design and another batch of the Snow Swirled Tree embossed in white with a lace edging and a little red ribbon. I can never just have one style of cards so watch out for at least three more styles coming up in the next week.

Christmas Cards 2008

2008-11-16T12:00:00.003-05:00

11/16/08
Saturday was a wonderful day. The rain came and went, the sun came and went, and the rain came down in buckets. Yes, I did get soaking wet. After working most of the day on my Christmas cards, I went to the grocery store with the sun shining and walked out getting wet. But all in all, I had a great day. I had purchased the kit that went with the Stamps "You and Your's" and finished the cards for all the family members. Now I can spend time on the special cards I want to make.

Today is my brother-in-laws birthday and my husband's birthday is tomorrow so the families and mother-in-law will gather and go out to dinner to celebrate. Looking forward to the relaxation before a busy week at the school. Report Card time for the kids is always a hectic time. So I hope everyone has a great week.

Special Promotion for Rub-Ons

2008-11-12T17:20:00.008-05:00

11/12/08
Stampin' Up is holding a promotion for getting their great rub-ons for 20% less. Just spend $20 and you can purchase an unlimited amount of rub-ons. These rub-ons are great with similar design stamp sets and designer paper. Check out the flyer on the right. Don't wait to get your rub-ons at the low price of $8.76 (original price $10.95)

Item page Description
111417 178 Word Flurries
111277 178 A Perfect Day
111416 178 Chateau Bella
111414 178 Hidden Garden
110283 179 Take Note
111806 179 Chills & Thrills
111804 179 Chit Chat
111415 179 Greatest Moments
111805 179 School Days
110282 179 Anchored
112844 11* Old Saint Nick
112843 17* Season of Cheer
112735 39** Hidden Garden Blossoms

OFFER ENDS NOVEMBER 30th

A Visit to Rowan

2008-11-02T15:01:00.004-05:00

11/2/08
Well, my weekend started on Friday when I went to a seminar on Managing Multiple Priorities. So what did I learn? Basically, the presenter spoke primarily that you need to improve your self-esteem. So what does that have to do with managing multiple priorities? It is so that you can learn to say "no." If you can't say "no" it's because your self-esteem is not good. So, could you imagine me saying "no" to the principal, superintendent, or the Board of Education? They also talked about how once you have better self-esteem you can ask for more money. They definitely don't know how it works in a school system. Was the seminar worth it? I would have to say "No."

When the seminar was done, I drove one of the ladies to the train station and then headed down to my mother-in-laws, Lurline's, to visit and spend the night. I will have to admit that my mother-in-law makes one heck of a spaghetti dinner. We spent the rest of the night looking at pictures, catching up on family happenings and see her latest addiction, playing the slots on the internet. When we finally went to bed it was around 1am. Boy am I going to have a hard time getting up in the morning.

I finally woke up at 10:44am on Saturday. Darn, we are suppose to leave in 30 minutes to go visit my son, Chris, at Rowan University. So after dressing, eating rye toast, and finding the key to open the car doors, we headed west then south to Glassboro. We arrived at Rowan around 1pm but couldn't go up to see Chris's room yet because his roomate was still in bed. Chris showed us around the library, the dining hall, the bookstore and then we finally went up to his room. Actually he had more space in the room since they moved some items around. Of course, he had to show me his new Guitar......I won't even go there. We spent the rest of our visit going out for linner at Friendly's, then shopping at K-Mart and Acme. We finally got him home (the dorm) at about 6:15, said our goodbyes and headed back to mom's to drop her off before I headed home. No, I didn't cry this time when I left him. I sure do miss him but am happy to see that he is happy.

So my weekend is over as I sit here folding the laundry and thinking about what I am going to make for dinner. At least maybe next week I can spend some time making some cards. Hope everyone else has a great week.

Flower Power

2008-10-21T08:27:00.003-04:00

10/21/08
Well, I finally got my Flower Power Simply Sent Card Elements Kit. So last night I sat and made a few cards. Here is one of them I made. I didn't stamp anything on it yet because I am not sure what occasion I want to use the card for. But as you can see, you can make the cards ahead of time and personalize it when you're ready.

I ordered another kit but that is on backorder. Wait till you see that one! On second thought you may not see that one till Christmas. I'll decide later.

Brighten Someone's Day

2008-10-18T15:26:00.004-04:00

10/18/08
What a lovely day, the sun is shining, the chill is in the air, the leaves are turning colors, and I get to have time making some cards. Here is a card I made for a friend who just had back surgery. She is doing rather well but I want her to know I am thinking of her.

I keep forgetting to take pictures of the cards I make. I took one to work yesterday and had so many teachers ask me to host a workshop at my house and soon that I guess I will do just that. So for those who keep an eye on my blog, I will be holding a beginners workshop on Sunday, November 9th beginning at 1:30pm - 4pm. So while the hubbies are watching football we can be making some cards. Just RSVP to my email and we'll count you in.

DebraJacobsen@Gmail.com

Starter Kit Has Arrived

2008-10-16T20:44:00.002-04:00

10/16/08
I guess I can officially say I am a Stampin' Up demonstrator since I got my starter kit. Actually it came with more things than I expected. Now I just have to find the time to watch the DVD and look over all the paperwork. I did take the magazine to work today to read it at lunch. WOW! I am so excited I don't know what to do first. I think I will start with making some samples for a workshop.

Country Living Magazine Offer

2008-10-14T19:47:00.004-04:00

10/14/08
Subscribe to Country Living for only $12 and get a FREE mini-stamp kit! For just $1 an issue, you'll receive great craft projects, articles on collecting, makeover features, recipes, and entertaining ideas--all delivered to their home each month. PLUS, Country Living will include the exclusive Stampin' Up mini stamp kit. You can use it to design note cards, menus, or anything else that inspires you!

Just contact me if you're interested in the getting the subscription and this beautiful stamp set.

Cards, Cards and More Cards

2008-10-13T17:03:00.007-04:00

10/13/08

I started making cards in September 2006. At that time, I made cards primarily for one person. A wonderful co-worker who was battling breast cancer. I made a card for everyday she came to work. I couldn't trade places with her so I did what was left to do - be there for her when she needed me and give her encouragement every day. I'm not sure how many cards I finally made her, but her desk area was completely covered by Thanksgiving. In a way she was my experiment is learning new techiques and trying new designs, but she always got the best.

She survived the chemo and radiation treatments and I still work with her today. I don't make her a card everyday but I do treat her once in a while to a newly designed card or papercraft gift - in fact she finished eating all the tootsie rolls from the bag gift I gave her. She has become a special person in my life that I would do anything for. I think I'll make her a card tonight. Thank you LD for letting me into your life and you being a part of my life.

Changes in Life

2008-10-12T19:00:00.004-04:00

10/12/08
Well, if you were at my site last week you will notice it has changed. Like so many thing in life, changes are a constant. My attempt to the blog the way I want it to look is probably confusing a lot of people. Oh yeah, I also changed the name. You'll find the site under HarlwynMemories but I renamed the page The Memory Keeper. So please forgive me while I may not be done changing the look or the name.

So where did Harlwyn Memories come from. My parents. My mom's name was Harriet and my father's name was Selwyn. When they were breeding dogs they created the name Harlwyn. Yes, I miss them terribly. But then remembering them reminded me of another memory. That's where the Memory Keeper comes in. I know it was a name of a book and movie but when I look at the things I do in my life, my hobbies, my friendships - they are all memories that I want to keep close to my heart.