The Occasions of Flowers

A corsage at the nape separating a shy distance. Closed eyes to remember always the fragrance of a tune. Orange Blossoms in the hand left to dry between pages. Carnations gaily silent near the sweet smell of softness.
Dandelions in paper cups bittersweet with the shortness of time. Chrysanthemums and poinsettias, tablecloths and wine. Visits home with cellophane lasting not long enough.
A lifetime of roses always a surprise. The occasions of flowers my favorite days.

I'm a Downsizer!

My children always tease me that they could never do anything in our basement because I would always say, "No, we are just leaving it empty to be ready to move." My son who now has his own home is often reminded by me to take all of his remaining things from my house to his as soon as possible. He will say, "Are you still getting ready to move, Mom. How many years have you been getting ready, FIFTEEN!"
My expected response is that with three Keeper of Things in this family I have to be a Downsizer to even us out!
I should have known with the purchase of this ridiculously large carousel that I would not be a happy camper until I began the process of downsizing all of my photos into this one place.
"Home Alone" I am surrounded by boxes of my craft photos, pictures of my family, miscellaneous loose pictures, and my ever handy glue stick. I will not be satisfied until I am done downsizing!
My sweet husband who has left me "Home Alone" for the likes of Paris and Berlin called just a short time ago. I told him I need his help to not spend such money constantly downsizing. "There will always be money for you to do your "thing" with the ladies. It means so much to you." I started crying.
Do you know how much my life has changed in this last year because of the supportive responses on my blog? Do you know that yesterday I volunteered to man the Delaware Historical Society booth at our fair by myself and 100,000 passersby? I could not have done that last year.
The one place I seem not be downsizing is my life!
The next time I post I will have completed my downsizing. Hang in there Mrs. Twins, I am hanging in there, too!

Sideways

Parenting children gives us the illusion of being in control of our environment. We have the power to make decisions about another person's life with an expected outcome. Ahh, there is the illusion. We forget that they are children.

A September morning at work, a child-free zone of mothers enjoying their true purpose for earning their dollars. Conversation with other adults. A call from my son's middle school.

"Mrs. Andrus? You need to come and get your son. He's sideways."
"What do you mean he's sideways?"
"Well, his head is turned sideways."
"Well, tell him to turn it straight."
"It won't go straight. We think you need to come and get him."

Conversations all around me, laughter not to be missed.

"Can't you just angle his desk towards the black board? How sideways could he be?"
"Mrs. Andrus, we would have to turn his desk around backwards so he could look over his shoulder!"
"Oh! I'll be right there to get him!"

Minutes away, there he is standing sideways framed by the wooden archways of his school. The principal waves as he two-steps sideways to get into the car. "Hi Mom, I'm sideways." I turn to look at him, but he is already looking at me. He continues looking at me as we drive towards home. I can't help myself from laughing. He really is sideways! A trip to our family doctor is in order.

Glass partition sliding open. "Hello, how may I help you?" I respond, "My son is sideways." Eye brows raised in confusion, I pull my son in front of the window. "OH! Let me get the doctor right away!" We are sent to the emergency room of our town's hospital. Apparently they have dealt with "sideways" kids before. It seems the weight of my son's book bag being carried on just one shoulder caused the muscles on that side to go into spasm. His chin was past his left shoulder! "Doctor, will he ever be straight again?"

For three days my son slept in the recliner of our family room. The recliner turned sideways so that he could look at television over his shoulder. Muscle relaxers easing my son straight again.

Our son called yesterday from an assignment at the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. His father's old Air Force One is on display there. I could hear the love and pride in every word he spoke. I hang up thinking about his upcoming wedding and the illusion of control that we think we have over our children. In the end it always comes down to Love. If you have that, it doesn't matter if you are sideways!

Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood

I am not one to ever read modern day fiction. The heroine of the story always grabs a cup of tomato soup and dry toast when anxiety should chance her way and there is always a cashmere twinset to slip on. Her close circle of friends join her for drinks at a local where the waiters are always handsome. I have lived a life without friends rather than risk the chance of not fitting in.

A gathering of women at a trendy eatery. A final check before my husband, "Do I look modern enough?" Background radio to calm my nerves. Lost in my own city, late. Scan the crowded booths, a friendly smile, a wave. Slip in on the end, introductions all around. The Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood unfold before my eyes.

Three women each so different from the other and yet so perfectly matched. Interruptions mid sentence to give confirming assurances, laughter begun before the end of the telling. A common language shared, the words of friendship. From the distance of another booth would it be thought that I was the heroine of the scene?

Vivian and Brenda and Natalea have given me a gift on this occasion that they have not known I have been waiting for all of my life. Alone with my thoughts at the end of the day, not a thread of anxiety to be found. A gathering of women that included me and the Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood.

My beautiful gifts from Vivian will be admired by all. Her gift of friendship I will keep close to my heart.

N E R V O U S

Quite a milestone for me! This evening I am meeting with Viv on a Whim who has come to Columbus to attend the Country Living Fair!
She is bringing a close group of her friends and is also meeting up with other bloggers in my community. I am bringing her this little snowman bottle. (Rush to Michael's now to get your "heads" before they are all gone. They are in the flower pick section, $1.99)
I am also bringing my contribution to her Halloween pinkeep. I am Viv's partner!
A Heart for Viv for wanting to meet me! For once I am wordless!

"R E S P E C T" or "A Story for William"

NOTE: The names have been changed to protect the innocent! MaryJo of the House With Glass Doorknobs called to tell me of her day. She, like me, is a story teller. Our conversations can be quite long.

MaryJo draws people close to her by the very force of her personality alone. She is the type that can put out one bowl of chips and have 100 people at her door. She is beloved by every person who knows her. She is vivacious, beautiful, and has her father's gene for causing mischief.

MaryJo has the type of hair that needs to be tamed. Her good friend is a hair tamer. Her good friend's husband is a Man of the Law. He is also the personal body guard to The Queen of RESPECT. He has held this job for quite some time now but only after his own father had spent his life in service to the Queen. This past week the father passed away. He was of the Baptist faith of the Free Will. MaryJo is of the Catholic faith.

Parishioners in their Sunday best hats bearing witness to one of their flock returning home. The Spirit calling forth their praise to the Father. "Bless this good man, Dear Lord, he's com'in home!" "Praise be, praise be!" Mourners overtaken by their grief for this Brother were quickly attended to by three Sister nurses. "Don't hold back, let God hear your grief." Hand holding and tissue pressing, the Sister nurses returned to their front pew. The choir begins to sing.

A most rotund man with the smallest of heads begins his praise. The screeching of his pitch sending the hair tamer into a fit of suppressed giggles. Sister nurses quickly by her side as her shoulders heave from holding in her chuckles as the small head reaches a particularly high note. "Let it out, sweet Sister. He's with his maker" Praise be, praise be." Decorum is once again achieved. It is time for The Queen of Respect to pay tribute to her long time employee. Her own father a minister, her singing a true gift from God himself. A voice that can be heard by the angels above also causes her her Asian inspired rice paddy hat to quiver. MaryJo leans forward to whisper in her hair tamer's ear, "That hat is reminding me how hungry I am for Chinese food!" The heaving begins anew and spreads like a contagion to nearby children. The Sister nurses descend as the calliope fills the air with it's carnival tones, The Queen of Respect ignoring all in her spotlight of talent.

A full and rich life lived, a tradition passed to a son, loved ones to pay their R E S P E C T. A memory to cherish for my sister-in-law, and a story to tell! (MoJo, I hope you start chuckling at work, can't wait for all the little details to add in!)

Swap for Paula Clare

Paula Clare asked me to participate in her first swap. At first I said "no" thinking I have just been too busy lately, but then I got to thinking....
I do have that cute Cosmo Cricket Christmas paper I am dying to cut into...
and she is letting me tag along on her Route 66 vacation...
and she did send me the cutest garland for my craftroom...
Really? Could you say "no" to Paula Clare! It was the most fun making these very small cards for her. They are only 2.5 X 3.5 inches! She is quite persuasive!

I have posted these two greeting cards on flickr for your crafting enjoyment!

That Girl

Newly graduated from The Washington School for Secretaries Executive Secretarial program, I joined their temp service because I was soon to be married and move out of state. What better place to practice my skills than in the nation's capitol. I was the last graduating class to learn the art of stenography. Computers would be introduced the very next year. The wheels of progress are slow to turn in DC; so my shorthand skills were still relevant.

I loved everything about shorthand. It truly was like knowing a secret code to a mystery that only you have the skills to reveal. We were required to use real fountain pens, very skritch skratchy. You had to lightly blow on the ink as you filled first one side of the column and then the other so that it would not smear before it was time to turn the page. To graduate from my school, you had to be able to take and transcribe without error at 220wpm.

The teacher of our class would assume the role of the business man. "To Whom It May Concern..." An adrenaline rush would come over me to keep pace. We would transcribe our shorthand on printed letterhead so that we would get the feel for being a real secretary. One single comma error would lead to a big red slash across your letter. All you needed to graduate from this school was three perfectly transcribed letters at 220wpm. The conversations of my day went like this: "I put a comma after the introductory prepositional phrase, but I got a big red slash!" "Don't you remember there has to be five words before you can put a comma. I forgot my semi colon before the independent clause following the introductory prepositional phrase."

I will never forget my first work assignment at a law firm. I was just to be a fill in for the receptionist. My waiting room was quite all day until just before 5pm. Mother and father, son and lawyer were ushered into a conference room. The lawyer came to my desk, "Bring your pad, I need you to take down a deposition." PANIC, PANIC, PANIC! I was not a legal secretary!

Sitting to the side, legs crossed to hold my pad, skritc skratchy pen poised, I was not prepared for more than one person to speak and record their words! My head got closer and closer to my knee as I tried to keep up...."I was just minding my own business walking by that jewelery store..... I......". "Why do they think you are the one who..... minding your own....". Gaps were filling the long columns of my notebook more than shorthand. Page after page my shorthand was growing less and less legible. "There is a witness that will be appearing in court to testify that she saw you..... Mrs. Ruby ..... Keily at .... ton 200...." The left column filled, the right nearly when my eye fell on the name written in longhand as is required. RUBY KEILY! MY MOTHER?????? and still I kept right on scribbling. "Our secretary will transcribe your statement, and we will meet in court tomorrow. Did you get everything Elizabeth?"

I cried all the way home terror gripping the steering wheel. I called my school at the break of dawn still crying, "How could you send me to a law office? I didn't know what to do with so many people talking at one time, and then my mind went blank when I realized that my own mother was a witness to the crime at the mall where she has her art show." God was looking out for me on this day! The law firm was contacted and told that the witness was the secretary's mother. There would be no transcription of my illegible scritch scratching.
I would only get to use my shorthand during this short period in Washington, DC; but I loved every minute of my secret code and have quite a few stories to tell!

"September 13, 2009 Dear Readers, I am so grateful for the friendship I have found here. Thank you for your friendship. (Ooops! See how easily I made mistakes!) Creative Breathing."

Blame it on Paula Clare!

A small package came to me in the mail today. It was a garland from Paula Clare. A very cute garland. Try as I might I couldn't find a single spot to hang my garland.
The only wall long enough for my new garland was in the closet. I couldn't bare to not be able to see it; so.... a little rearranging was in order.
My six by eight foot craft room now has an additional two feet! Paula's garland and my collection of Dutch Sisters birdies are so cute together.
I can finally enjoy Lindsey of Two Crazy Crafter's scrapbook layout. I have filled them with pictures of my granddaughter. Notice Twyla's crocheted cherries on my tag book. So cute!
My space is just not complete without my spider plant. Boy do I have more room on my desk now! I have gotten so much use out of these organizer units from Michael's. I just love their convenience.
I have been asked to show a close up of the child size kitchen cabinet. Rearranging gives me the perfect opportunity. The crocheted pot holders are from Laura of Lallee's Cottage.
Peabody the Bellhop has found the perfect home. Many of my pegdolls and pom poms wear uniforms. Just one glance tells a story! Peabody's story is one of my favorite.
My very favorite planter wears a little crocheted flower from Lallee. The perfect "hair piece." My Jenny B. Scottie Halloween garland looks at home in my window.
Looking at all this red and yellow, my eye was drawn to the bottom shelf of my bookcase. More Lallee creations! I am just crazy about crocheted items!

So the two hours I happily stayed away from my paperwork I blame on Paula Clare and the wonderful garland she sent me! Please be sure to stop by and wish her a blog anniversary hello and check out her Route 66 tour. Kitsch heaven! My craft room more and more calls to mind the wonderful people I have met through this creative community. Thank you one and all!

Super Saturday

What a special day today! A visit with Twirly Swirly Girl reveals the field where she picked my beautiful sunflower bouquet.
I returned her red enamelware stock pot.
A walk through her adorable town.
Lunch at the cutest Chinese restaurant ever. There were only FOUR booths!
As my day came to a close, and I gave a "good-night peek" at my cute craft room, I noticed TWO packages on my craft desk that my husband had squirreled away!
A block from Rebekah of Full of Bliss! This block describes herself but me as well! It is just the cutest block ever!
The second box contained this nursery planter. You know how I love clock faces! An Etsy store was going out of business. Four dollars for this cuteness. My eventual goal is to have several shelves installed in my spare bedroom to display my collection.
I just had to admire my new treasures before finally closing my eyes; so I made a few more Rolodex address cards.
They are so fun and quick to make! The images alone are a source for creative inspiration.

All in all you can see what a Super Saturday this was. My blessings are like the sunflower field. Happiness as far as the eye can see!

Miscellaneous Friday

I adore Fridays with all of my heart. On Fridays I work with my very favorite individual. She fills me with absolute joy. These are some of her expressions that delight me to no end EVERY single Friday.
"Beth!" (She calls me Beth, and I love this. No one else can call me this!)"I got a problem." (This is how she calls me to her.)"First this pig table was over there, now it's over here. I think it gets legs and walks." (We have been monitoring the movement of the pig table for three years now!)
"Lickety split" (Who still says this! Makes me smile every time!}
Addressing any bald man, "You know what? You look like? Daddy Warbucks!"
Addressing any older woman, "You know what? You look like? My grandma!"
Addressing the kitchen staff, "What part of Meeeeexico do you live?"
When she bungles a task, "What's the matter with me Beth? I got butterfingers today."
Every single Friday during her work break we talk about her favorite subject, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Imagine my joy at telling her about the celebration hosted by Two Crazy Crafters. She told me today that she looked at everyone's blog. As our time together ended, she drew me close to her and whispered into my ear, "Beth, you are my very best job coach."
As I begin working on my little Rolodex address file I am overcome with appreciation for the people who have come into my life. My life is very full.

My sister-in-law MaryJo told me that her beloved Jeep will not be getting new tags because it takes too much money to keep it running. She asked her daughter, "Who's the kid who always fixes things for us on this Jeep?" She texted him and asked him would he like the Jeep. His reply, "Is this an internet joke?" He brought the Jeep over just a day ago to show her it's new paint job. He said to her, "I can't believe someone would do this nice thing."
I give a lot of things away for no other reason than joy. It is not an internet ploy to receive anything in return. This beautiful American quilt bundle is on it's way to an extraordinary quilter in a foreign country.

My sweet husband finally parted with his large birdseed container so that I could display my crocheted mushrooms purchased from Twyla of Two Crazy Crafters. They will be added to my Jenny B. tree this year!
You will notice that posts about other people will suddenly disappear. I worry endlessly that readers will think I am boasting that someone has sent me something. I must boast just this once about the cotton crocheted dishcloth Twyla sent to me. Where has it been all of my life? It works like a dream. Rinses clean and doesn't get smelly!

Lastly, on this miscellaneous Friday, an angel on wheels appeared before my house just after dinner. The largest, can't possibly miss it, truck filled with furniture from Lexington, North Carolina, for sale! When I approached the driver, the unmistakable accent of my mother's people and home filled me with tears.

I think that this truck is not miscellaneous at all. I think that this truck was sent my way to let me know that my mother is close by, and I will not be alone at my son's wedding. My mother's birthday is this Sunday!

Happy Images

Paula Clare is delighting me to no end with her posts about her recent travels down Route 66. She loves vintage cowboy images as do I. I hope these images make her happy!
Lallee's Cottage is keen on kittens. I hope this one will find it's way into her holiday crafting!

Candy Pop is koo koo for reindeer lately; so I know she will love this cute one!
And me? Well put a boy and a girl and a bicycle and a dog in the image, and I am one happy crafter!

I hope you will enjoy using these images in your holiday crafting as I know I will!

A Return Tour!

Do you recall my tour of my very favorite home in Delaware earlier this spring? The Lady of the Home graciously allowed me to take photographs to share with my Dear Readers. I have been waiting all summer for her gateway to bloom and a return visit.
On this hot end of summer morning, the porch was cool with deep shade.
There is not a single detail of this house that I do not love. Three windows together, perfectly perfect!
A side trellis to catch passersby and say hello!
A fence that doesn't at all say "keep away".

Vintage narrow sidewalks as cute as can be to slow your pace.
Foliage for every season to welcome you back.
The Lady of the Home and her adorable Scottie, Clancy, were not here for my visit today; so I left my calling card on their front steps.
Even the front steps are cute! I just love this house!

Snowballs

I always craft projects that I want to accomplish for Christmas in MAY. Not a typewriting mistake, MAY.
I don't know why this is other than I want to be sure to be open for inspiration that comes my way just as the leaves begin to turn color.
My last year's paper is all gone...
...but this year's Cosmo Cricket is here! It is the cutest paper ever! My project?
I am going to repurpose this birthday book in to a Christmas memories book. What sold me on this 50 cent thrift store find are the pockets at the back. I will be able to hold my photos there.
An ongoing project that I will be starting this weekend involves YOU and another set of new CC paper. I will be repurposing the little Rolodex cards with information about YOU on the backs! Each of you will have a card for me to recall gifts sent and received, blog names and addresses of dear friends. I can't wait to begin this project. Another 50 cents for a total of $1.00 spent! At least this is what I told my husband, "Hon, I only spent $1.00 at the thrift store and a little bit at the paper store. Tomorrow is payday!"

"Sweet and Sinister"

I have just completed my tags for MaineratHeart06's "Sweet and Sinister" tag swap, my very first. What a lot of work this project was! Cutting between all of the feathers of the beautiful dress was very time consuming! I could only create one tag in an hour!

The "Sinister" side of the card also took time assembling all of the pieces. The background paper is actually a chocolate brown which I think is just beautiful with the black flocked flowers. On the final version, I did not glitter the back side of the rosettes. Thank you "Wednesdays With Mom" for the how-to's!

This truly has been such a wonderful project. I can not wait for 19 tags to come my way!

Here are the images for your personal use.

The Best Thing About Inspiration

Do you remember this birdcage sent to Twyla of Two Crazy Crafters for her birthday? She was so sweet to post a photo of it on her blog. It was just something I thought a Pink Girl just had to have for her sun porch.
My birdcage inspired Mrs Twins to create this stunning piece! Look how the roses pick up the detail of the cage. I think the colors and rose hips give a very modern look to the piece.
Each month I assemble my Mary Englebreit magazines that correspond and look for new inspiration. I have been on the look out for red potholders to frame horizontally as I saw in one of the layouts. I found these two small sized ones today. Happy, happy!
Diane of Saturday Finds always has the best tips for pulling together a few items to display seasonally. I purchased these red cutters from her. She has inspired me to look for cutters for other holidays to display.
I will put these in one of my milk glass bowls that Full of Bliss has inspired me to collect. The little owl will surely inspire a felt ornament down the road!
Lastly, a cookie cutter to inspire me that I HAVE TO FINISH my Sinister and Sweet tags TONIGHT and I HAVE TO BEGIN my son's wedding invitations tomorrow!

The Best Thing About Inspiration is the blissful distraction that allows your mind to wander over the creations that will become.

A Man of Goodness

My husband has the most generous of hearts of any person I have ever had the honor to know. Our income is modest and we live a very simple life, but my husband is a Man of Charity as his father was before him. There are countless charities he supports.

This year the City of Columbus in conjunction with Ohio State University hosted the first annual Pelotonia Race for Cancer Research. Lance Armstrong came to draw attention to the cause.

Ralph's Dad, Vince was one of the riders representing Ohio State. He did the design work for the literature and race logo. There's my husband in his cute red hat!
Here's Ralph's family, Molly, Brynn, Colin, and Avery. Do you think they are Scottish? This is the McGrail Family who supported their Dad this day. In appreciation of my husband and all the kindness he has shown to Ralph's family, this is where they sent my husband yesterday.....
A once in a lifetime opportunity to see an Ohio State University game in person! My husband is; however, NOT A BUCKEYE FAN! He is a MICHIGAN fan! Ralph's family and my husband have quite a rivalry going on. There are lawns to be mowed for the looser, flags to be flown, pranks to be played, children to be coerced. The McGrails chose a most special game for him to attend.
My brother had secretly brought with him (I think this is the reason behind the surprise visit) a tee-shirt purchased at the Naval Academy of which he lives very close. We are very proud that our father is a graduate of the Academy. My husband loved my father as much as we did.
So amongst a sea of red, my husband proudly wore his Navy blue shirt. He said the crowd was so kind to the opposing team because these young men will soon be in service to our country. The atmosphere was very moving.
And where was I? Home making my Sweet and Sinister tags. My husband took our neighbor Cory who we have known since he was five years old. Cory has a cognitive disability. My husband is his buddy. He comes to our house every day to talk about football and see Pat.
A day in the Horseshoe! Crisp blue skies filled with goodwill. The perfect place for a Man of Goodness!

The Sounds of Friday Night

Roadway tar whistling near the ear, car doors closed hurriedly, footsteps with a purpose. Admittance granted with the sound of perforation, echoes of aluminum high above the head. Greetings and rustlings, tin foil and fizz, the first cool wisp of the day felt on the cheek.

Rumbling in the chest spreading anticipation through the crowd, measured beats heard once and never forgotten. The halting unison of youth, a pause to hold the moment, a crescendo of pride to hold the ball in air.

The lingering sounds of Friday night come through my window with the mist of the moonlight. I love September, and I love my hometown.



My husband and I spend each Friday night with other empty nest parents at the High School football game. We always leave before the end. The sounds of Friday night can be heard throughout our town.

Roller Coaster Ride

I finished my little photo storage book! I thought I would share the process of how I put together my Creative Breathing colors.

I like to think of a scrapbook as a roller coaster ride for the eye with twists and turns you know are coming. I begin with white as the predominate color, the calm part of the ride. I chose brown and orange as my hills, the accent colors. It's a smooth ride now, but a hint of the brown in the bluebird's hat and a strip of rust behind the photo let you know what's ahead!
Here white is still dominate, but the colors of the ride can all be seen together. This is the moment when you are looking about at the rest of the amusement park. The trees and the water all look so pretty,
but there is that brown again to not let you forget why you are on this ride in the first place! Notice the little yellow button? You are at the crest of the first hill!
Ahhh! These two pages are the brief moment when you notice how blue the sky is and how sunny the sun is. How cute is this little banner idea learned from Scrap for Joy and Raggedy Sandy who both had them on their Block Party blocks. Cute as can be.
There's that brown again, you know what's coming. A last moment of safety as your eye rests on the little white flower held there by it's brilliant blue center....
Up and down the hills of letters, swirls and bursts of orange at the corners. These two pages make you feel as though the ride will never end!
The last bit of blue on the end flap is where you open your eyes again as the hills become less steep and the track flattens out.
The blue sky can be enjoyed again the gold/yellow border slowing the eye as it follows along to a yellow/white border, the station up ahead.
The last bit of the ride with hands unclenched, your stomach leaving your throat.
The calming blue of the station. The last bit of tracks.
The slow walk past the white of the roller coaster, the next set of passengers seen at the crest of the first hill their arms in the air.
The final page of my scrapbook is like the ride home. All of the memories and colors of the day remembered by the eye. The last little white flower reminding you that you can always ride again!

The wonderful blocks sent to me by Dear Readers have provided such inspiration for trying my own hand at creating a scrapbook. My life has become the best ride ever!

Crafting Note: As I am waiting for Cosmo Cricket's Halloween and Christmas line of paper to become available, I thought I would try a small Thanksgiving themed line I found at Michaels. I loved that this paper came in a tablet with borders at the end. These long envelopes are so very impractical, but I only plan to keep loose pictures in them. There were many more envelopes in the 7 Gypsies scrapbook, but I only used four. (I think it is perfectly perfect that I of all people should be using 7 Gypsies products as I have actually known them!)

Projects for September

Today I gathered together the items I will need for projects that I will be making in September. I found some wonderful vintage childrens' Halloween images that I have posted on flickr that may be useful in your own crafting. I know there are a few of us who loves owls!
I have two swaps that I will be working on. One is for Viv on a Whim that will center around a pincushion. I am adding a few extras that I hope she will like. This will be my felt project for the month.
I have also joined my first tag swap called Sweet and Sinister with Mary Ann of Mainer at Heart06. I believe she still has a few openings! I can already picture my finished tags, the easy part. Now to actually get there, the hard part! This will be the first time I will use a stamp.
Have you seen the amazing journals that Joyce of Scrap for Joy creates? I am so excited to make one for my fall memories. I found this adorable 7 Gypsies booklet at my scrapbook store and discounted papers and trim at Michaels. The letters are brown velvet, I love the color.
Because of my OCD it is important for me to have everything I need to create contained within a small space to help me focus. I have been looking and looking for something to hold my 6" square pieces of paper. This napkin holder works perfectly. I love when my brain works like this.
If you are working on September projects, I hope you will leave me a comment to visit your blog. I absolutely love to see organizational ideas and am always inspired by this creative community! Happy September Crafting!

A Good Thing To Remember

With the anniversary of September 11th soon approaching our country's thoughts and prayers are with the families who lost loved ones and for the men and women who came together to support and serve in anyway they could.

Australian airline Quanta teamed with popular actor John Travolta to create the Spirit of Friendship tour around the world promoting the safety of flying. He volunteered the use of his own personal jet, and agreed to be the Captain of the flights. My husband's and my friend Valarie, having just completed her tour on Air Force One, was chosen as a flight attendant for this year. I love to hear her talk about this incredible experience.

Quanta Airline was chosen for this important task because it has a perfect safety record. People were terrified to fly, business suffered greatly because of this. Passengers boarding this plane had no idea who their pilot was. The usual greeting was not made at the beginning of the flight. It was delayed.... until the middle of the in-flight movie, Grease. A voice would come over the intercom, "This is your Captain welcoming you aboard Quanta and the Spirit of Friendship flight." Valarie said she loved this moment as passengers realized the voice on the movie screen was the same as the Captains. "If you don't like this movie, I have others also starring me." He then would appear in the isle of the plane and take time to greet every passenger. Every passenger would leave with the feeling of goodwill and confidence and spread that feeling to everyone who would hear the retelling of their adventure. This year of service had a tremendous effect on improving public confidence in using air transportation.

Our friend Valarie completed this one-year assignment and came to work with my husband at his present job. I love to hear her talk about this year and how kind and giving of his personal time to her as well as his family. A good thing to remember on such a day. Valarie can be seen in the center of this photograph with her dark hair hidden under her cute uniform hat.