THANKS TO ALL MY FRIENDS.....

Thanks so much to everyone who has sent wishes, prayers and cards my way while I am recovering from knee surgery. I am still in some extreme pain and hope to get back to work creating soon. I am sooo antsy and just itching to dive creatively into the fall and winter holidays. But my body's just not ready to cooperate yet. :(
Stay tuned to this blog for a fresh new look, some fun holiday freebies and more. (As soon as the pain stops that is.) Stay safe and warm! Karel

Free Easter Bunny Clipart

Spring hasn't quite made it to my neck of the woods yet! We are in the middle of a temperature freeze and it was still in the 20's for the past few days. But at least the sun is shining and it's not snowing, so I'll be thankful for that.
I've been thinking spring thoughts and creating easter kits for the past week, so I know it will get here eventually!
I have added two more people to my printables team. So welcome to Marilyn G. and Andrea from The Paper Purse. They are doing a fantastic job!!!! If you want to see some awesome printables stop by and check them out.
I also have a new Springtime Table Top Box kit in the store and received this photo of her version of the kit from Sharon Jenkins. She left the grass border off and I actually like the placement of her flowers better than I do my own. Great job Sharon!



Today I have a little commercial use freebie for you. I was messing around with shapes and came up with this little guy. I hope someone can use him.



GET FREEBIE HERE

Penguin Love Freebie

It's been awhile since I've offered a freebie, and I have one for you today but first I'd like to show you some cute little printable kits from my CT member, Marilyn. They are the perfect items to put those treats in to add to your valentine treat baskets and are available in the store now.



I just love the little "smarties bees" and the idea of the tin can bear container and recycling what would normally end up in the garbage.
Check out the rest of Marilyns kits in the store.
I've also added Cheryl Alger to the list of artists whose work I use in creating my kits. Check out the kits below using her art.



Watch for more of Cheryls artwork to show up in my kits.

Now for the freebie you came for!! I made this cute little Penguin Love Mini Page Kit using the artwork from Trina Clark. I hope you enjoy it.



Get it here

New Kits ......New Artist

Well, shes not new to me but she may be to a lot of you. Cheryl Alger has actually been around for several years, especially if you are a crafter or like to sew. Her patterns have appeared for awhile now in magazines like Create and Decorate, one of my favorites. Two of my newest kits are available now using her artwork, and if you love Snowmen than you'll love these. Check them out along with the other new kits just added this week. And don't forget to browse the rest of the store for marked down prices on lots of kits and printables. Stay safe and warm.


Visit my store here:ArtandScraps

Not Christmas as usual!

Well Christmas is right around the corner, and most of you are hopefully at the tail end of your shopping and have your house all decorated. I am doing neither this year!
Nope, no rushing around at the last minute wondering what to buy for Uncle Bill and Aunt Ruby. No trying to get the house all clean and the tree up before Christmas Eve. Not doin' none of it.
It wasn't a decision I made lightly, believe me. My family, which consists of my mother and seven brothers, 3 daughters and (5 grandkids~pretty much mostly grown)have all been hard hit by the economic times here in Michigan. (#1 unemployment capital of the country)Five of my brothers have lost their jobs or been laid off. My son in law has lost his job as a truck driver for a company he's been with for over 15 years. My youngest daughter has recently left the state with her family (last week actually)to look for greener pastures elsewhere, hoping that she and her husband can find employment to raise their two daughters. And my oldest grandchild joined the Army because he couldn't find employment here.
I think this is just the beginning of a long line of things that are going to affect our family and loved ones, since we are falling on hard economic times here in the United States. A lot of you have probably been effected in much the same way.
I don't tell you this because I want sympathy. Quite the contrary actually!!
Our family members have all come together, and supported each other through the trials and hardships of the past few months. We got together one evening, and were sitting around talking about how much emphasis is placed on the gift buying and how commercial the holidays have become. And it started us thinking about how much we missed the Chrismases of yesteryear. We have decided this year to forego all presents, and instead place the emphasis on being together and enjoying the true meaning of Christmas. The more we've talked about it , the more excited we,ve become.
No pressure about gift buying, no fighting the crowded stores, no worrying if the house is clean enough for company.
And instead of worrying about decorating our homes, we've decided to bring Christmas to my mom house. Mom is 84 in June, and has fought cancer (dbl masectomy),heart surgery, kidney failure and is awaiting a cornea transpant this Spring. Us girls are getting together at moms to bake Christmas cookies, the guys are going to decorate her tree, and we are going to spend Christmas Eve together in church. What a wonderful christmas this will be. One that we will sit back and remember with fond memories. And one that I hope will become our new Christmas tradition. Because we all have so much to be thankful for! This christmas take the time to appreciate your family and to remember that this is Christ's birthday. Happy Holidays!

If you have read this far, you deserve a present. Here are two CU gifties for you.
The first is a frosty winter window, with transparent panes so you can decorate behind it. I put some sheer curtains in the window to make it more realisitic. Hope you can find a use for it.



FreebieHere





This next is a cute mouse drawn snowman with his tree. You get the two graphics plus the finished photo. Had a few minutes to play and this was the end result. I think he turned out cute, so I thought you might like it too.


Get the freebie Here

Where have I been? and a Sweet deal

This past month has been a real trial for my family and myself, with health and family issues. So I haven't been on line much and have had no time lately to create freebies for you. Sorry about that but 'Family First'.
My younger brother became ill about a month ago and after going to the emergency room twice, was sent home with what the staff there said were 'flu like' symptoms.
His health got progressively worse, until he was unable to get out of bed and his breathing became labored. He also was running very high temps. For weeks they've had a team of doctors not able to find out what was wrong with him. This has gone on after being in Intensive Care for 18 days on oxygen and all types of testing and blood work, to no avail and with no diagnosis. His liver was shutting down and other vital organs were starting to deteriorate . He lost 65 lbs. in less than a month.We were told that if they didn't find the cause soon, he would be transferred to a hospital in Detroit.
Finally two days ago, after doing a bone marrow tap, they finally have a name for his illness. It is actually a fungus that you get from bird droppings. It attacks the lungs and liver and more. And if gone undiagnosed, is fatal. My mothers house had several places where birds had built nests and my brother scrubbed down the aluminum siding on my mothers house last August. He breathed in the spores and contracted the fungus. Since his immune factor had previously been compromised by medication he is required to take, he was a good candidate for the fungus to spread.
He is now on the road to recovery. It will take a long time to recover but it is expected he will be home just in time for Christmas.
Thank you to those who knew and have sent me letters and prayers. I so appreciate it!

I am running a special bundle deal from now until Sunday Dec 14th on all of my Christmas/Winter kits. A huge savings and a chance to get the kits you want before the holidays. Stock up now and get busy crafting and scrapping.





Visit my store here:

Love Hope and Joy

Thought I'd drop by with another little Christmas freebie for you. This one is actually an art kit, rather than a scrapkit. The pieces are all seperate and can be used in printables, card making and other projects. And of course add them to your own scrap elements to make a traditional scrap page layout.
Also don't forget to stop by my store for some whimsical holiday and winter kits, all priced arounf $2 or less.




Personal Use only and if you share please share my link so others may come here and get it for themselves.
Get the freebie Here

I know I have been a bad blogger lately and I know that one of my NY resolutions will be to try to improve in this area, but there just isn't enough hours in the day! I have a lot of new Christmas kits in the store so stop by and take a look. I also have an adorable new Bracket Album just up featuring the artwork of Nitwits by Mary Fran. ( I have received permission from Mary to use her kits) Look how cute this album is! (click on photo for a closeup view)





Also I do have a little freebie for you. Ginger Snaps is a cute little guy with his cookies and holly wreath just waiting for you to play. You can put him on cards, printables, 3d sheets as well as your scrap layouts.I love seeing what everyone does with my kits so be sure and send me photos.
Get Gingersnap Here


And don't forget to sign up for my updates if you want to keep informed. You'll find the link at the left top column.
Visit my store for quality kits at affordable prices.
(Link to store is also at the top left column)

See you soon!!

Santa and Friends

It's been a busy month for me, but I had a few hours to play, so I came up with this goodie for you. This santa was lurking on my computer, so I'll let him come out and go home with you. I hope you enjoy him.





http://www.4shared.com/file/68218124/25ffa96d/Santa_and_Friends_Freebie.html

Also in the next several weeks I am going to dust off some of my older holiday freebies for those of you that may be newer to my blog. Some you may already have, but health issues are keeping me from spending long periods of time at the computer.
So I probably won't be making too many new ones.
On a good note my grandson is home from Iraq and home for overnight only, so I will be seeing him tonight after 16 months. I can't wait!!!

Here's a few preview of new kits I have in the store. Stop in and check them out. A good deal for $2 bucks.









Visit my store here:www.artandscraps.com

WHAT A DEAL!

What a great deal! All of my new Fall and Halloween kits are on sale now through Sunday for just a $1 each.

These kits are great for scrapping layouts, greeting cards, making bag toppers and candy wrappers for your neighborhood kiddies, and so much more.
These are full size kits 2400 x 2400 pixels, with 300 dpi, large one of a kind elements.
I figured it out that you can get all of them for around $20. How cool is that to have hundreds of items to create and play with for such a low price. So get in the store and grab a cart and get shopping before Sunday. These Fall items will not be offered at this price again this year.




Go here to shop: