Have a Very Merry White Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope all of you have a blessed holiday!

Getting ready...

Yesterday and today have been days of cleaning the art studio and cleaning off the pool table (I've taken over the pool table with my "stuff") and the floor outside my studio...AND the rest of the basement!  I really don't know how this happens.  I hope there is never a show called Papercrafter Hoarder because my family might call in for an intervention! 

After the work is done I have a couple of projects to finish and prepare kits for card class on Wednesday.  I've got to say I'm loving my card classes.  So many nice ladies!  I have been overwhelmed by the positive response to the classes.  Thanks to everybody who is signing up! 

Well back to work before my family holds an intervention!

Remeber to check the Inkspots website for a picture of the Christmas Banner class, Dec.1st at 1:00 and 6:00 pm.

Another Card Class!

I just scheduled another card class.  "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown"
The Peanut Characters are back.  I'm loving these Peanut stamps.  Check out  the Inkspot's website for pictures.

The date is Wedndesday, Nov.10th at 1:00 pm and again at 6:00 pm.

I f you take all of the Christmas cards classes offered at The Inkspot, you'll have all your cards done and mailed out on time!

I finally have the dates of my card classes at The Inkspot in Kirkwood.

Class 1:  Hero Arts All Occasion Cards (You will learn to make your own backgrounds and learn how to use your color pencils effectively.)

1:00 on Monday, October 18th
              and also
6:00 pm on Monday, November 1st

Class 2:  Good Grief, Charlie Brown All Occasion Cards.  ( These cards are stinkin' cute!)

1:00 on Monday, October 25th
              and also
6:00 pm Monday, October 25th

I hope you can come!  There just might be a little surprise waiting for you!

Thank Goodness!

My mojo is back!  I cleaned my studio and then laid out the stamps I needed to use.  I turned the IPod on and played my downloads from Glee, The Eagles, and The Beatles.  The ideas have started flowing again.  Check out The Inkspot of Kirkwood and look for my new class.  They are All Occasion Cards.  They are very versatile.  I am teaching one class on two different days, one at 1:00 pm and one at 6:00 in the evening.  I'll put the dates up later.  Have a great weekend!

Do you Remember?

Do you remember where you were when the towers were attacked? I'll never forget.  I was getting ready for the first day of preschool.  I remember seeing it live on TV and the first thing I did was call my mom and dad.  I then called Mike to inform him.  He works close to the Federal Reserve and the Arch so I wanted to make sure he was being careful.  I remember the faces of the mothers dropping their children off at school worried that their children would be okay and reassuring them that they would be fine.  I remember picking my children up from school and hugging them like there was no tomorrow.  We put our flag out, the one we only put out on holidays.  It has never come back in the house.  I remember going to church with my family.  I cried and prayed.  To this day I can't watch the TV when they show the towers colapsing.  Today I'm remembering and praying for those lives lost, their families, and those  firefighters who worked endlessly.  I am also praying for those in the Armed Forces and their families who have sacrificed so much. 

Just Wondering????

Do any of you just get a creative block?  I'm really struggling to actually make something, anything.  I have the ideas in my head but can't seem to start on them.  Should I just stand in my studio until a start?  I need to get my mojo back!!! Any ideas?  I'm just throwing this out to the vast universe of the internet.

Today is my baby boy's birthday.  He is now 23!  Hard to believe.  Happy Birthday Gregory!  He's such a great person.  We went to dinner to celebrate the big day.

Friday's was my baby girl's birthday!  I can't believe she turned 25!!  She has become a beautiful and sweet woman.  I'm so proud of her.  She is a great teacher and working hard on her Masters degree in Elementary Guidance Counseling. Last night we went to the Cardinal game to celebrate.

Today I'm learning about the Cinch Binder.  I've been watching several You-Tube tutorials and... I think I might have the hang of it now.  I tried using it a couple weeks ago and couldn't figure it out.  Made a mess out of the paper.  The tutorial really helped.  I was missing some key tools on the machine!  I can't wait to try it again on a card book.  I'm binding together all of Greg's graduation cards.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can do it this time!  This week might be a good time to work on projects since it will be too hot to be outside.  I can't believe another hot week.  I love summer but not everyday in the high 90's and humid.  Maybe we could have a couple of weeks in the 80's?

Just a quick note to say I'm still here.  I have finally gotten the basement cleaned just in time for the big July 4th weekend.  I am now preparing for Greg's graduation party.  It has been a busy summer.  I'm looking forward to sharing pics of the July 4th festivities and the grad party. Greg has finally heard from
UM-St. Louis.  He is going to work on a Masters in Accountancy and play baseball.  I'm very happy for him and thrilled that I will be able to go to home games!  It's hard to believe but Steph has her first day with students tomorrow!  Of course she'll get 3 weeks off in late September, early October.

The big news in my house is that I cleaned my art studio!!!!  I can walk into it now and have several open places to work.  What is it about a clean area that helps the creative juices flow?  After this weekend I can start plannig for classes at the Inkspot.

Have an artsy day!

Freedom Isn't Free!

I know we have all heard this saying, but it really hit home to me this year at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.  I thought today would be a good day to post these pictures.

Omaha Beach                                                                                                                                                            Half of the wall that has the names of soldiers whose bodies were never found.

The beach and the English Channel in the background.

Many of the grave sites were unkown soldiers.

Let's keep our service men and women in our thoughts today. 

Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy your families!

It's Official!

It's official!  I'm going to teach classes at The Inkspot in Kirkwood.  I'm very excited.  Julie and I met today to finalize everything.  I will probably start teaching in August or September.  I love stamping so this is a great opportunity to work with all the stamp companies I love. 

Life Has Been Crazy Busy!

School's been out and I'm still trying to catch up on projects at home.  I'm almost done!  I have to finish up the basement by putting away school stuff.  Little by little I've put away stamping and scrapbook supplies and stuff ( I mean treasures) I've bought over the last 4 months.  That's right 4 months!  My goal this summer is to put the "treasures" away and then start making things.  It's about time to get back in the swing of things and move forward creatively.  I've taken a few of Sue and Missy's classes at FKS and that has seemed to get me motivated again!

My baby graduated from college!  Greg graduated Summa Cum Laude with a major in accounting and minor in finance.  He's planning to get a Masters in Accounting but he will be living at home during this time.  It's been really nice for Mike and I to have both adult children living at home for a little while.  We know this time is coming to an end soon, so we're enjoying our time with them.

I'm sorry it has been awhile since I've blogged...    I'll continue my trip to France next time.  I hope you're not tired of looking at the pics!  

Cruising....

One of the many locks we went through on our way to Rouen.

Next.... The American Cemetery in Normandy.

The Louvre continued....            Part of  Napoleon's Coronation and of course Mona Lisa.

It is very  difficult to get a good picture of the Mona Lisa.  She is encased in a climate control wall and behind bullet proof glass.  

John the Baptist by Leonardo Di Vinci.  What is so amazing is that when you visit the St. Louis Art Museum, you see one of this artist and one of another artist.  At the Louvre you saw masterpiece after masterpeice. We were told if you looked at every piece of art at the Louvre 24/7 and spent one minute at each piece, it would take you 29 days!

I think the Louvre is a place I would visit each time I went to Paris. I took more pictures at the Louvre but I don't want to bore you!

Next time cruising down the Seine.

The Louvre:

The Inverted Pyramid.  This leads to a parking garage, an underground shopping mall and some places to dine.

Aphrodite of Melos, known as the Venus De Milo.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace. c. 190 B.C.

This monument commemorated a Rhodian naval victory.  Victory was originally stood on a base in the shape of a ship's prow in a sanctuary at the top of a cliff.

Notice the shape of the wings.  Victory in Greek was Nike.  This statue was the inspiration of Nike's trademark.  Isn't that cool? 

More of the Louvre later. 

I have work to do before the weekend begins.

Have a great weekend and try not to get wet.  This might be a good weekend to work on paper projects!

                                                                     

We spent one night on the boat, in Paris, before cruising down the Seine River.

The view from the deck of the boat.

The Eiffel Tower in front of the boat and the Statue of Liberty behind us.  The Eiffel Tower was lit up and every hour on the hour for 10 minutes there was a light show.  It was awesome!  The Statue of Liberty is very small compared to the one in New York.

Our last day in Paris before we set sail, Suzette and I went shopping at Chanel and made our purchases.  On the same street was the US Embassy, which we were not allowed to photograph.  Also the Presidential Palace where the French President and Family lives.  We could stand right across the street with the journalists and take pictures.

The afternoon was spent touring the Louvre.
Pictures of the masterpieces next time.

More from France...

Did the exciting stuff today like buying a new matress and going to Dierbergs (for those from outside St. Louis, grocery store)!  Came home and worked on stuff for Preschool.  It always feels good to get done what you need to have done!

More pics from my trip:

Waiting for the Metro. 

Musee de Orsay

Napolean's Tomb

Notice the size compared to people in background.



The outside to Napolean's Tomb.

I had a wonderful day taking classes from Wendy Vecchi.  What an amazing talent and a sweetie-pie to boot! 

More pictures from Paris:

This plaque is on too many schools in Paris.  It tells all who pass by that children were taken from this school by the Nazis and taken to "camps".  Chilling.

Les Tuileries: The garden between the Louvre and the Champs Elysees

Boats children sail in the pond.

                                                           Eating lunch in the Garden.

Loved it.  I felt very French!

More in days to come!

Finally...

I have been sick most of the week, so I've taken the time to update my blog and catch up on some stuff at home when I'm awake.

I'll be putting pictures on the blog from different aspects of my trip.  First a little background information. I went to France with my life long friend, Suzette.  We've been friends since we were 3 & 4.  We met at dancing school.  We never went to the same school.  Different elementary, high schools, and colleges.  She had a MBA and I got a Masters in Education.  I had children and she did not.  But we have remained friends throughout our lives.  Here are a few pictures from Paris:

Still can't figure out how to turn the pictures on the blog!

I also have a big announcment that I will be making soon.  I'm very excited about it!

I'm Home!

I got home very late Sunday with all but one missing piece of luggage.  Finally got that Monday night.  Overall the trip was inspiring, beautiful, and emotional.  I saw everything a first timer should see in Paris and the beaches of Normandy were beautiful and peaceful, a far cry from what happened D-Day.  I finally adjusted to our time zone and trying to get caught up on work at home.   I'll be showing pictures from time to time.  Stay tuned....

2 Days and Counting......

"Well my bags are packed and I'm ready to go.... I'm leaving on a jet plane..."  I'm definitely in the excited mode now!  My bags are packed now and I'm finishing up stuff at the house that I want done before I leave.  I have a few errands to run after work tomorrow and then Paris... I'll let ya'll know about the trip when I get home.

7 Days and Counting....

The day has been busy getting ready for my trip to France.  I have most of my dressy clothes packed.  I bought a bunch of the travelers outfit from Chico's.  I had never shopped there before.  They have awesome clothes.  The traveler clothes are dressy but are very light and they don't wrinkle!  How come I didn't know about this?  Went to Target after going to Perserving the Past  class with Sue Kellerman.  Love the class and I adore Sue!  I am sad, however, that she won't be teaching night classes :[  Anyway, went to Target and got the rest of my travel toiletries.  I'll finish packing them tomorrow.  I can't believe that 7 days from now I'll be looking at the night lights of Paris.  I keep pinching myself. 

P.S.  My sister-in-law is home from the hospital and doing amazing.  She feels better now than she did before the surgery.  Tomorrow we should find out the pathology report of the tumors.  Please say a prayer for good news.  The power of prayer is so awesome!

Steph helped me put a new face on my blog.  I hope I can remember how she did it!  Home for the weekend and trying to get organized for my trip to France.  I'm starting to get excited but I'm still not looking forward to the flying part.  I'm okay while I'm in the air.  It's just the take-offs and landings! 

Steph did the Climb for Air at the Metropolitan Square this morning.  She's been training for months.  She did great.  She finished 34th out of 234 in her age bracket.  I can't believe she climbed 42 flights of stairs.  Way to go Steph!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who said a prayer for my sister-in-law.  Angie had surgery this morning and everything went well.  She came through the surgery great and they were able to remove the tumor and drain the cyst on the brain.  The doctor is confident that they were benign, although they will be sent to be tested just to make sure.  While she is in the hospital she will have another MRI to make sure that her spine and behind her eye are tumor free.  This type of tumor also grows in these places.  Please keep her  in you prayers.

It's baseball season in the Dambach home.  I am posting from my hotel room down in Cape Girardeau.  I came down to spend opening weekend with Greg.  I left Mike to hold down the homefront.  I spent the afternoon bundled up in layers of clothes and blankets watching baseball.  Greg and I went to dinner after the the game.  He choose Olive Garden.  Greg went back to his apartment to study and go to bed early.  I went shopping.  I love shopping in Cape!!!  I needed to get some jeans, make-up, etc for my trip to France.  I got everything I needed at Macy's, Christopher Banks, Bath & Body, and Kohl's.  I did it all within an hour!  Everything is so close together you can get alot done in a short period of time.  I think I'm all set for my trip in 19 days!  The rest of the night will be spent in the hotel room, stamping and coloring with my Copic Markers.

Have A Great Weekend!

A Great Weekend!

A great weekend.  Friday night Mike and I went to our church's Sweetheart Banquet.  We had a great time with friends.  Saturday while Mike was at work, I went shopping in Kirkwood with Susan and Suzette.  We ate lunch at Dewey's Pizza and then hit all the hot spots in Kirkwood.  Saturday evening Greg came home with his girlfriend.  It was great to have everyone at the house Sunday, including my nephew who is home on a 2 week leave from GITMO.  Sunday evening Mike and I spent a low key evening together.  Steph went out with her boyfriend, Gus, and we went to dinner at Frailey's.  I know it's not the big romantic evening alot of people have, but it works for us.

Prayers Answered

Thank you to all who said a prayer for my sister-in-law.  We have recieved very encouraging news today!  The tumor that she has can be removed and are rarely malignant. 

I'm loving the snow!!!  It has created an opportunity for me to complete "The Cleaning of the Basement".  The storage rooms have needed to be cleaned out for about 6 months.  I keep putting it off.  I have told myself, no being artsy until the project is done!  Well this weather was just what I needed to get down there and stay down there until I'm done!

We've had some pretty upsetting news in our family.  My sister-in-law (more like a sister) has a brain tumor.  She's been suffering from dizziness and headaches for the past 4 months and was being treated for an inner ear virus.  She had an MRI and it showed the tumor on the back section of her brain.  We don't know anything else at this point.  She sees a doctor at Barnes Thurs.  We are praying for the best case scenerio.  I'm asking everyone I know to say a prayer for Angela.  Thank you.

Tomorrow... an evening in Kirkwood.  I'm going to dinner at Amici's on N. Kirkwood Rd.(aka Lindbergh).  This is one of my favorite Italian places that isn't located on the Hill.  Sandy, Cheryl, and I are going a little early and visiting the Checkered Cottage.  Some stuff I ordered came in.  It's a really cool stamping system. (I'll share more about that later.) I love that place.

Tomorrow I also need to make a Penzsey's run.  For those who have never been, it's a spice shop like nothing you've experienced!  They are located in downtown Maplewood.  They have the best spices to make Chicken Tacos and Chicken Fajitas.  I'm trying to get my menu together for our Super Bowl Party on Sunday!

Have a great day!

A Great Evening With Friends!

Steph (my daughter) and I had a Pamper Chef Party last night. Our neighbor's daughter has started selling it.  It was great to see everybody!  I love how my freinds from different areas of my life can all mesh.  It was also cool to see Steph's friends there, too.  We had a blast!  After gatherings like this, I always say a prayer of thanks.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

Okay, I know I promised Christmas pictures.  I've been using the month of Jan. to get caught up on preschool stuff.  I'm trying to get ahead so I'm not scrambling at the last minute to get projects ready for the class before I leave for France.

The last wreath is a sample of the 12 wreaths that hung from each window.  The reindeer (tree) held Old World Ornaments.  The foyer tree is 1 of 5 trees in our home.  This one is in the foyer.  It is an angel tree.  All of the ornaments are angels.  I did put a scattering of bronze ornaments on it to tie in with the greenery in the diningroom and study.   The bird cage was black and I sprayed it hammered pewter.  I am going to put different seasonal items in it throughout the year.  Also a picture of a portion of our Santa collection on the familyroom mantle.