Friday-10:15am

My hours seem to have shifted an hour or two since I was sick, but I'm still on day hours so I am happy.  But I was up earlier on Tuesday because I was so sore from Monday--LOL!  Got a sunrise shot.  :)

Monday night Leah and I went over to Office Max and I had copies made of the Christmas cards and the birthday cards. 

FYI: I just wanted to say that we have had troubles with both Office Max stores up here when it comes to printing anything with red in it.  I had red leaves come out pink at both stores years ago.  Took a whole evening with one employee who knew how to adjust the color via the computer--was a real pain in the butt.  So this time I figured I would just walk away and whatever happened happened, you know?

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And this is what I got.  As you can see from the original on top, the brown-eyed susans ended up very yellow...

...and they lost most of their definition because of losing so much of the orange. 

Okay--original on top, yellow ones from Office Max on bottom right, and a copy from my own printer at home bottom left.    

My copy on my HP printer at home does a way better job than theirs did.  So, if I can ever figure out how to scan (the scanner won't talk to my McLap and I have to wait until Dagan has a lot of time to take a shot at figuring out what Windows program it says I need to have) I will maybe learn how to do them at home from now on.  It can't cost me much more than their 71 cents a sheet--plus paying for them to fit the picture on to the page in the right spot and cutting the sheets in half.  I guess my printer isn't as bad as I thought it was--LOL!  My copy is a lot closer to the original, even if mine has more yellow, too.  ;)

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It has to do with the magenta ink they use, I guess.  At least that is what we've been told.  I suppose we could try an actual printing shop, but that would probably cost me more than making them at home, too.  Might be an option, though, if I can't ever figure out the scanner so that I can get the pictures into my computer in the first place.  Anywho--just thought I'd give fair warning to anyone else thinking about making copies at Office Max.  If they are blue--they will be okay.  The Christmas cards turned out just fine.

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Oh, and I picked up a set of legal pads that looked so happy.  I thought they'd be fun to use for writing letters to strangers for More Love Letters!  :)

After Leah and I had wandered about while the girl was printing up the cards I was pretty sore (lower back), so I stayed in the car (brought a book) while Leah ran into JoAnn's to look for diamond Stickles (the one thing I forgot to look for at Amazon before I made my order this month).  JoAnn's didn't carry Stickles.  Leah needed to run into Target and then we went over to Hobby Lobby but they were already closed.  (Hobby Lobby closes really early and isn't open on Sunday--religious owners.)  So then we drove over to Michael's.  By that time I needed to get out and walk (I also get stiff if I sit in one place too long--geez what a pain I am).  Well, you can probably guess what happened--LOL

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You get Leah and I inside a craft store for the first time in must be a year or so...we went in for the diamond Stickles, right?  No diamond Stickles, but we did find a three pack that at least had something white...

...but then Leah started looking at the stamps for something new for the inside of the Christmas cards.  All the stamps were 40-50% off!  We've used most of the Christmas stamps we already have...well, you know what happened.  ;)  We found sayings and Christmas stamps... 

 ...and found a couple non-Christmas stamps, too, of course.

We both loved the idea of decorating this tree. 

And we couldn't resist this is a pack of inchie holiday stamps--one side... 

...other side... 

...and silver and gold ink pads and glitter tubes on the top. 

Quite a haul! 

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Of course, that fun trip put me out of commission for a couple days, but it was SOOO worth it!!  Leah and I haven't been out and about doing our crafty shopping thing for so very long.  :):)  Was a joy!

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We've had such dark mornings.  But sometimes it has cleared up by the afternoon to blue skies!   

Yesterday my back felt good enough to start on the cards.  I had them drying all over the place. 

Found out quickly that it is easier to do the embellishments first before I fold them--duh! 

Don't want to glaze to drip! 

On the one snowflake I am adding the Stickles. 

On the other snowflake I am adding some clear glaze (Glossy Accents). 

And then when the fronts are all dry I fold them and stamp the insides of the cards with a sentiment and let that dry. 

So that's what I will be doing in batches (while I sing along to Christmas carols, of course) until I am finished with all of them.  I hope before the new week starts so I can begin addressing envelopes and such.  Kind of behind schedule this year.  But if I can have them all in the mail before the middle of the month it will be okay, I think.

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I was so excited about being able to make an Amazon order this month!!  After I made my big postage stamp order I dove into my Amazon wish list with great gusto!  Ordered things I needed (like the pooper scooper--lol!), things I wanted, and even something extra for Karma I hope she likes.  Christmas will be coming early to Fargo!  Packages should start trickling in next week--whoohoo!  :)

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And I was able to order groceries and not owe anything extra!  What a treat!  I was asking the young man who brought the delivery if they needed to take the gift card or how did that work?  (They didn't need it and I even have a little left over for January!)  He told me--"I answered the phone when the lady called back to check to see if you got it."  So, I know it was a woman, but he didn't know her name.  Thank you!!  Whoever you are, sweet lady!!  :)

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It wasn't until the next day that I wondered if whoever did this wonderful thing maybe gave me the groceries so I'd have money to buy Christmas presents!?  And what had I done?  Selfish me?  I bought things for myself and Karma!  I even bought some art supplies I didn't need.  Suppose I had really let this kind, generous lady down?

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I called my BFF, Ruby, yesterday and she roared with laughter.  "You are such a Scandinavian!  Can't even just enjoy a gift without feeling guilty."  And I am making Christmas cards for her (they're all ready for the PO and will be picked up today by D/L) and for Dagan and Leah this year--so they are getting (tiny) presents.  Ruby said she'd be mad at me if I spent the money on her.  She makes me laugh, always has my soul's best interests in mind, and I felt much better after talking it over with her.  But I feel even better now after a full, public confession.

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  Yes, such a Swede.  Have you ever seen the Swedish movie Oxen?  That's my heritage from the old country.  It's in my genes.  You can watch The Ox here for free.  I can totally understand the good and the evil in this movie...the guilt...the judgments...and the forgiveness.  (And I am grateful my life is much brighter and happier!)

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But I hope my childish, selfish joy at the goodies I was able to get this month is not a disappointment to you, my kind and generous Secret Santa.  You will see pictures of what you helped provide me and Miss Karma this holiday season...and I cannot suppress the selfish joy.  Sorry.  Kind of bubbles over, you know?  I even ordered me a couple cans of my special French Vanilla Cafe International Coffee!!  Whoohoo!  I love to sip on that in the evening while watching TV and rubbing Karma's belly--oh the small pleasures in life.  ;)    

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 Speaking of--one day (was too dark to even get a picture without the flash) I caught Karma trying to bend down the tall side of her new cat bed--LOL!    

This couldn't have been that comfortable.  She looks kinda creepy with those glowing flash-eyes. 

Oh, I have also been writing letters every day for the 12 day event for More Love Letters.  Which is good for my soul, too.  ;)  The first one didn't have to be in the mail till Monday so I am ahead of the game and have been keeping up!  Just plain feels good to reach out to somebody who needs a paper hug.  

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Well, I need to get back to my card sessions.  To my delight, I have had some people email me about exchanging cards!!  If you are interested email me at soulcomfort@gmail.com and put "Christmas card list" in the subject and we'll exchange addresses!  I will mail internationally, too.  :)  

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Very, very best to you this season of love and joy!!

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"Life is no brief candle to me.  It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations."

George Bernard Shaw