Adorable Baby is Born!

The Family. Ashley our daughter, Brian hubby, big brother Tyson and baby Andrew. Tyson was smiling before the picture but it sure doesn't show it.

Andrew Steven the newest addition to our family...4th grandchild, 3rd grandson.
Isn't he precious?!

Stampin' Samples! Occasions Mini Catalog

These are the cards and samples I made for our recent card exchange from the new mini Occasions Catalog. The set I was assigned was Baby Blossoms. There is some really neat new stuff in this mini including fabric. Fun to play with other mediums. Click on the photo if you want a closer larger view. Enjoy!

Baby Blossoms sample 1

Baby Blossoms sample 2

Baby Blossoms sample 3

In the past six months Stampin' Up! has started carrying fat quarter fabric bundles in three coordinating designs. This is the newest group called "Springtime Vintage". I decided to make mini fabric bags for part one my samples in the card exchange.

Doha Days and Gasoline Prices!

News Flash...gasoline or petrol prices are raising by 25%! Shocked..we have enjoyed prices of .80 cents a liter for 3-4 years now ...so to pay $1.04 a liter for Super is a big deal. So today when I filled up my Pajero (SUV) it was 65 QR instead of the usual 54 QR, which translates roughly into $2.75 increase in a fill up! I know all of you at home have NO sympathy for us and basically I don't blame you. Just sharing with you what's going on in The Land of Sand.

The Maldives Part 2

Here is Part 2 of the vacation and more beautiful scenery.

This is a view of the water and sand right outside our villa. Yes, its true the water was that blue and the sand that white.

This is a view walking along the beach to our villa entering in the back way up to our private porch.

Steve relaxing in the hammock

Another gorgeous view of the beach walking back from the massage huts.

Steve Snorkeling. He saw every color of fish you could imagine.


View of leaving the island from speedboat going out to snorkel.


View walking to our villa from shops, restaurant and front desk of hotel. All the paths looked like this with lots of green foliage.

Beautiful sunset.

This is the boat we took to go out on a Dolphin Cruise.

Steve and I on the Dolphin Speedboat Cruise. Excuse the hair this was full speed ahead. I am not sure how the guy who took the picture could still stand.


This is the pool and it was something else!


Another view of the pool. The lounge chairs were actually in the water. It was awesome and relaxing.

Steve reading and relaxing at pool.

Watching the sea planes land and take off.

View on walkway between islands.

Still more to come...one more post..check back later!

Maldives! Trip of a Lifetime. Part 1

This is part 1 of our wonderful vacation to the Maldives! I have too many pictures to put in one blog post. This was our Thanksgiving getaway. Steve's work schedule did not allow us to be gone during Christmas but he had a ton of vacation so we decided to take this trip of a lifetime when we could. Why a trip of a lifetime, because it is so gorgeous but the most expensive trip or thing we have ever done! Worth it....YES!

This is part of the island where there was an underwater restaurant underneath that hut!

It all began after we landed in the Male' Airport. While waiting for our seaplane to take us to our island, we were treated to FREE neck and back massages. As you can see Steve is enjoying his!

This was my favorite part of the seaplane. Look at the pilot he is barefoot! This is just how the whole trip was. You will see later.

This is the seaplane that flew us to our island. It was a 30 miunte ride.

View from the plane.

When we landed this is what we saw. It was like that old TV show "Fantasy Island" where you land out in nowhere, beautiful and they are waiting for you to take you and your luggage to your villa.

View of propeller just as landed.

This is me in front of our villa #116 You can see how humid the air is.

This is our outdoor shower. Yes, it was completely open at the top with walls around it. Great experience hard to get use to, but fun.

Just a few steps from the shower was the outdoor tub. This was so big you could fit 6 people in it. It had a ceiling fan and jets as well.

View of the vanity area looking from the outdoor shower. There was a glass door opening and you can see our bedroom. Look at the green foliage outside the bedroom windows.

This is our bed looking through the glass opening into our bathroom. So yes, if curtains were not closed all could be seen. They had remote control blinds that we did close at night.

View of our room from the bed. Couch, TV and desk.

This is the view from our private patio out to the beach. Yes I said Private Patio! This was so nice to just walk out of your room and right out your own path to the beach. It also made your "glass" room more private. Good thing!

This is from the beach using our path up to our private patio and room.
More posts to come...check back in a few more days.....the scenery will knock your socks off!

Latest Doha Days!

I decided to go to the mall to get some boots. While trying them on I was sitting on a bench by a mirror when a lady in a abaya (full national dress) was trying on coats. She was using the mirror next to me and posing. I smiled. She leaves for a moment and comes back with a black sleevless dress and begins to try it on right in front of me, OVER her abaya. She could not zip it because it was a bit tight with all the clothing. She motioned the sales lady over to pull the fabric tight and zip it. Then she poses more. I am thinking I need to get out of here! Then suddenly she says to me, "you like"? "Does it look good"? I said yes, but in my head I was thinking, how can you tell if it fits you over all those clothes? Why don't you try it on in the dressing room so you can really tell? The black over the black just doesn't do it! Many things just don't make sense to me. I smiled again and then quickly left. Oh well, this is the Land of Sand and nothing ever surprises me anymore!

Hard to say Farewell!

When you live overseas its hard to say farewell, good-bye to those transferring onto new places. Its something that happens on average every 2-4 years ...we of course are the exception going on 6 years! But its like saying good-bye to family since your lives intertwine much more living aboard than at home. We have two families leaving and so there was an open house for them. These are two Qatar books I made for people to sign and send well wishes. The towels at the end of the post are something fun we recently found and of course you can't leave the Middle East without a Camel!

Qatar Flag is maroon and white so I colored chipboard and accented it with tiny Qatar flags and ribbon. The books amazingly were already white so I sprayed them with matte spray to keep protected.
We will miss you two families! Best Wishes for more overseas experiences!

The Sandbox vs Grandkids

So while we are in the giant Sandbox with AC blasting look what the grandkids are doing! Playing in the snow and throwing snowballs. Oh how I love them.

New Stamp Classes I am offering

This is a Christmas Card Class. Make 12 cards with envelopes. 3 each of 4 designs.

This is a Gift Packaging Class I am curently offering. It consists of three projects. A glass jar done with rub ons, Pringles can covered with paper and riboon, and a paper sack decorated.