SOMETIMES I'M JUST IN THE MOOD TO CREATE "SWEET AND PRETTY"

Hi, you sweet girls!
When my middle child, Blake, who is 21 now, was 5 years old, he wanted a kitty for his birthday present.
I took him to the local humane society and followed that darling child around the cat and kitten pens two times while he studiously made his decision.
When he had finally decided which kitty he wanted, I asked him what he wanted to name her.
After several moments of quiet contemplation he said in his soft little voice, "I think Sweet and Pretty Kitty".

You know, sometimes you look at something and you can't help but think "sweet and pretty".
That's what I thought when I looked at these cards I finished this evening.
Fabulous papers, beautiful tags, precious girls, rub-on swirls, ribbon, lace and flowers, rick-rack and tiny seed beads {on the card below}.
I wish you could see the detail in the cards better, but, you know what?
I don't have the time nor do I have the inclination to take more photos and all that entails to show you the detail.....just look closer at the pictures. LOL

That's my hint that I'm exhausted and am going to bed.

I am reading a fabulous book *Tiger's Child by Torey Hayden* and my Mary mag is waiting for me to devour it!

So, goodnight, my sweet friends.

Thank you for reading my blog post!

And, if you're a regular reader, thank you for your support.

Nightie-night!

XOXO,

Jan

Pumpkins, Turkeys, Santas .....and the MAYO CLINIC

Hi, girls!
It's funny, I just posted a few days ago but had gone so long before that post that I now feel like I need to play catch up so here I am posting again - though for good reasons!

***I just posted this thing and was reading it and decided it was like a novel - it was entirely too long so I'm cuttin' the heck out of it! I don't want to lose you on the first paragraph! ***

First, I wanted to show you just a couple of the cards and tags I've designed for the holiday season. I know, I know, you live to see my work! LOL. But, really, these are just so cute that I just have to share them with y'all!

And, I just had a thought. I should list my favorite online stores - we all should - on the right side of my blog so that others can enjoy some of these shops I've found. I shouldn't be the only one paying their light bills. LOL. {I'll try to remember to do that before I hang up.}

This first card is just a cute "happy fall" card - something a little different for those that don't celebrate Halloween. It has the orange and black colors but I think that the precious pumpkin stamp along with the vintage Bingo card "tag", millinery flowers, hat pin, glitter and pom-poms make it simply precious!
This Thanksgiving tag made out of a vintage postcard is not only perfect for sending to someone you want to thank for being so special to you, but it's also fabulous set on top of the dinner plates at the Thanksgiving meal with a short note written on the back telling your family and dinner guests how much you appreciate them. What a wonderful keepsake!
This line of Christmas cards has different girls on each card but the rest, from the rick-rack to the Santa hat {and red pom-pom), are all the same. They're so stinkin' cute - I just love them!
I suppose I'm showing you this card just to show you that, yes, I do custom orders.
This card was ordered by a good customer for her daughter so, of course, the colors and other bits all have special meaning - and that tag? It comes out of the pocket! The background paper is vintage flocked wallpaper that I bought from Under The Red Roof, an Etsy store. The girl on the far left is from Shabby Cottage Studio and, one more thing, the little girl on the tag is from Paper Whimsy.

That's it for show and tell! Did y'all totally love that? Though most aren't yet listed in my Etsy store, if you would like to order any of the above, just email me at thomranch@hctc.net and I'll take care of you!

Please remember, and respect,
that the art you see on this blog are the property of Jan Thomason -
Please don't copy.

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MAYO CLINIC

If you know anything about the Mayo Clinic (Phoenix) that you can share with me, please email me at thomranch@hctc.net.

Or, if you know about any other clinic, especially ones dealing with auto-immune diseases {and more}, please email me. And, please send a link to this post if you have a friend or family member that has information.

I really appreciate your help in my research. I have been gifted some money that would hopefully cover my expenses assuming my insurance would apply {haven't checked yet}, some free frequent flyer miles, and a house to live in (in Phoenix where there is a Mayo Clinic) so am now starting my research and continuing my prayers that I am able to get the kind of health care a place like the Mayo can offer.

Thanks, y'all!

Have a fabulous day and don't forget to leave a comment - I've been feelin' a bit lonely as about 95% of you are lurking and not commenting! LOL "Lurking" - isn't that the greatest? Makes me laugh out loud.

XOXO,

I MAY HAVE TURNED 55, BUT FRANK THE TANK PLANTED A GARDEN

You know I turned 55 this week. But, that doesn't compare to Frank the Tank's gardening attempts. You may wonder how the two are even related. Well, let me tell you, girlfriends, they're related because my birthday doesn't begin to compare to the Tank's gardening adventure and since I really didn't want to focus on my birthday, I kept remembering our, excuse me, Frank's, gardening exploits. I thought y'all would enjoy the best story.....so, in honor of my 55th and in honor of the most precious and wonderful husband on God's green earth, I give you, "Squash is Not Just a Vegetable Anymore"

I actually tried to forget my birthday this year even though I was way past grateful for being here to even have a birthday - but God knew all of that and I had a lot of work to do to get orders filled, make new art, TRY to catch up on some blog reading (that still hasn't happened), attempt to find some balance in my life, and I just didn't want to make a big deal out of my birthday.
"Hi, my name is Jan and I have guilt issues, you know, non-deserving issues, when people show me that they love me." The day didn't go quite as I had wanted - I got cards, gifts, way too many phone calls (those of you that know me, know that talking on the phone is not one of my favorite things, like ice cream), dinner made for me, a birthday cake and help in my studio by my best friend who totally doesn't get what I do. It was a nice day, a day full of tears (lots of sobbing - I am a big baby, I know that), but when I thought about my "big" day and how to blog about it, what I really wanted to talk about was Frank the Tank and his garden.
Frank, my husband for the uninformed, planted his first garden this year. Hard to believe, I know, seeing how we're ranchers.....maybe that's because planting the garden is woman's work? Forget it.
He took over the exercise yard next to the chicken house (we have no chickens a the moment - now THAT'S a funny story) Anyway, he tilled *with a shovel*, he got rid of the weeds, pulled up all of the old marijuana plants (just checkin'), did all the stuff you do when you plant a garden, and gently, ever so lovingly (I'm guessing) planted his wee baby plants. Then he started his daily ritual of watering and weeding and fertilizing (do you fertilize?).
Fast forward to crops producing................................. I'm in the master and he walks in with something behind his back, pulls it out like it's tickets to Ireland and shows me his first squash.
The man is puh-roud, let me tell ya.
Well, this goes on for days; seems like there's a new squash ready for pickin' every morning and well, he's so proud, that he must show it to me.........every morning of every day for weeks. Now, this is great. He's proud, I'm proud of him, but hey, he planted more than squash and all I'm seein' is squash.............and I can only come up with so many different and enthusiastic responses to his morning kill.......... "oh, honey, I think that's the best one yet".............."oh, Frank, beautiful!"............."wow."........

Then comes the day that makes it all worthwhile. The day that makes it okay that we've been eating squash every day, all summer, every day................. he comes in with a handful of (if you guess correctly here, I will send you 5# of squash and pay the postage)........... squash and says to me, holding it out in front of him like it's the Holy Grail and just as serious as can be, this big ol' rancher asks (kind of condensendingly) (that a word?)...............

"Did you know that squash is a fruit?"

(oh, please) "Re-e-e-ah-lly?"

"Yes. It is."

***that question from Frank the Tank............ you've got to know that he is a rancher. He's not a dietician nor has he ever shown a leaning towards knowing the gene make-up of food*** oh, and he's got a laptop now - for about six months. hasn't learned how to empty his deleted folder in email but has recently discovered...........GOOGLE.....

"Hmmm. Tell me, Frankie............how did you know that??? I always thought squash was a vegetable."

***here comes his response...........and when you say the second word in his response, use your Texas accent but put your lips together (as you say the second word) like you are whistling and give that word a little bit of a German accent - this will all make sense in a minute. Oh, and say it outloud (you can practice until you get it right)***

Frank's response:

"I Googled it."

"You Googled it?", I ask mimicking him.

"Yes, I Googled it. Google has a lot of information about squash."

Oh...........My.............Gosh!!!............. ROTF!!! I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD I COULDN'T BREATHE. But, it's okay because he started laughing, too, and we were both laid out! ................."I Googled it."

Oh, my gosh. "I Googled it."...................

The End and I love you all *especially if you tried to say, "I Googled it.".................outloud.

XOXO,

Jan