Swapping, Swapping, Swapping...

Having signed up for some swaps among Stampin' Up! demonstrators, June was the time to hit the ground running with my creations.   Before I share them with you, let me share some other spur-of-the-moment cards I made for various loved ones.

Above is a second Mother's Day card for my mom.  You see...I got to feeling guilty b/c the card I gave her for Mother's Day this year was one I'd gotten in a swap.   There was nothing wrong with it per se, but I couldn't get past the fact that I hadn't made the card myself.   I'm not sure you can see it, but there is sponging of ink on the lighter card stock.   One unique thing about this card is that no one (even me) could discern that the main layer is not purple.   Rather, it is brown!   Is that crazy?   Of course, I knew the difference, having made the card.   Well, this card got me started on a bunch of cards made with my beloved Big Shot machine and my Manhattan Flower embossing folder.   See below for more examples.

Ok.  I must admit that when I first finished this card, I disliked it quite a bit.  I thought "Who in the world am I going to send this card to?"  I know my mom and dad will savor any card I send.   So, they received this card last week.   Check out its inside view.   My latest thing is to stamp up the inside of my cards, too.

The irony in all of this is that after initially disliking my sponging work on the card's front, I later decided that I LOVED the card!!   I had some difficulty parting with it, but after all, the intent of my card-making is to be a blessing to others (not to hoard). 

It is with some hesitation that I share this next one b/c the special occasion is just around the corner.   I'm saying some prayers that the recipients won't have a chance to check out this site until after their special day.  This is an anniversary card (also made with my beloved Manhattan Flower embossing folder).  Love it!!  (I'm sure you hadn't figured that out!)

Keeping on the subject of special occasions, I want to share the card I made for my dad this year.  This stamp set had sat on my shelves for the past year, begging me to pull it out.    So, this is what I came up with.  I need to give credit to fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators Mary Fish and Becky Kittaka, whose cards were my inspiration.

As you may know, I can be quite critical of myself.   So, here goes.  I am less-than-thrilled with my use of the markers to color the individual ties; it would have turned out better if I had colored in the direction of the stamp's grooves.   Regardless, my dad loved the card, and I love the color combination!   While I'd intended to make a banner on both ends of the sentiment, I got it wrong enough times that I had to cut it off square.   My dad loved it just the way it was (without the banner ends)!    Oh, I must point out one thing I really like about this card.  I like how the polka dots embossing on the light blue layer compliments the polka dots in the one tie on the white card stock!

Finally, let's get to my Christmas card swaps.

This card was made from leftover scraps from my experimentation for the actual swaps I mailed.  The patterned paper I used is at least three to four years "old," and I reaallly wanted to use it up.  

 This is the actual swap I mailed to the hostess.   I am disappointed that I didn't think to add the brown ribbon border before I had all the swaps intended for mailing completed.  :(    It would have added soooo much to this card.

 Here is another card I made using scraps.  I've put this one away in my stash for use later this year.

 This was the card I made for my second slot in the same swapping group.   I can't believe I actually ended up using FIVE different shades of blue on the card front's snowflakes!   The beauty of this swap participation is that it required use of retired stamp sets!  I enjoyed pulling out sets I hadn't used for a while.   In case you can't see, there are rhinestones placed in the centers of some snowflakes.

Again, I stamped up the inside of the card, too!   I like this new practice of mine so much that I think it will become standard for me. 

So, these are all of the cards I made last month.  Speaking of which, I cannot believe that we are already halfway through 2012!   Is that unreal or what?!   More cards to come later this month!

Back to Swapping

After having a less than optimal swapping experience in November 2011, I've returned to        swapping this month of May. The first swap I joined was for kids' birthday cards, which it seems I never have enough of. So, I found myself wondering what in the world I would start with, when two things came to mind: a fellow stamper's blog with a series using Stampin' Up!'s Sweet Shop specialty designer series paper and the fact that I'd just ordered plenty of products from that product suite. So, I decided to combine the two. I began by taking a second and third (and so on ) look at Catherine Pooler's blog site (www.catherinepooler.com). I decided (as usual) that I wanted to borrow some of the techniques she used in making my cards for swapping. In addition to Catherine's enthusiasm and passion for card-making, I love her simple yet "wow" style.   So, I will show you below the cards I made using a combination of Catherine's ideas and my own.  I apologize the cards are not properly rotated.   I have been putting off this post for 2-3 weeks now, simply b/c I didn't know how to rotate the pictures.  I finally decided I would post them as they are. 

Initially, I liked the card above better than the one below.   So, I made several of the above card to swap.

After I'd completed the cards, I then decided that the bottom card (with the coral strip along the right side) was so much better!   Too bad I'd already made several of the top one to swap!  And thank goodness I have plenty of product left with which to make as many of the bottom card as my heart desires! 

So, I borrowed from Catherine Pooler her use of the houndstooth embossing folder, the scalloped edge border, and the banner containing the sentiment.  Thank you so kindly, Catherine! 

Then, I was faced with another challenge.  As usual for me when placing an order for stamping products, I forgot to order a necessity:  the coordinating markers to go with the designer series paper.   Of course, I didn't realize this until I sat down with a goal to have the cards made and mailed within 48 hours.   So, what was I going to do to "rescue" my card idea?   I can't believe I'm going to admit this, but I actually substituted other Stampin' Up! colors, and I cannot tell the difference here!   At first, I couldn't tell the difference with the actual cards in front of me, but upon a real close glance, it became more apparent (yet not bothersome) to me.     

In the mean time, I've signed up for other card swaps, among them a black-and-white swap (I asked permission to use vanilla and black), a Christmas in July swap with no red or green allowed in their making, and a favorite retired or retiring stamp set swap.    I suppose I'd better get busy. 

For a future post, I am considering sharing some of my very first ever card designs, which at the time I thought were wonderful.    So wonderful that I kept them stashed away in a bag for "keepers" only.   Imagine my surprise when the other evening I was going through the "keepers" and said to myself "....I actually thought these were great?!"  I couldn't believe my eyes.    Stay tuned for more. 

Highlights of April

Mom and dad's Easter visit was the highlight of April for me.   We opted to postpone our Columbus Zoo trip until their next visit, as the temperatures dropped just in time for our originally planned visit this month.   Let's hope we can enjoy the animals more in warmer weather.   I must admit that I felt slightly disappointed that mom and dad didn't want to eat ham for Easter dinner b/c they ate that with my grandmother and grandfather the week prior.   I can't say I blame them for that...just that I couldn't imagine Easter without ham.   So, I decided on a menu of stuffed pork chops, buttery homemade stuffing, and scalloped potatoes, and it did not disappoint!  

Today I had another opportunity to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House located in Columbus.   We make hand-stamped cards for the residents to give to the staff caring for their children, or as occurred today, we had one mom take a card for another mom who was expecting to go home later on this week.   While we enjoy being able to have the residents sit down with us to create their cards, we understand if they need to get back to the hospital (Nationwide Children's Hospital) to see their babies, and we remind them that we will leave any extra cards at the front desk, should they need more later.   I really enjoyed myself today, as did a five-year-old girl who truly stamped up her card and its envelope for her mother!!   Like I told my fellow volunteers, she is definitely a budding stamper! 

Today was my first real test with a new gift, my GPS navigation device, and it came in handy more than once!   I tell ya that it will be a miracle if I ever manage to travel to and from Ronald McDonald House without making at least one wrong turn!  This time I managed the trip there without a hitch, but I made a wrong turn on the way home.   While I normally would have driven several miles out of my way, I had the privilege of the GPS "recalculating" me to my destination, a local mall.   Whew!  I also traveled some "new" roads for me today.   They were the usual rolling farmland of central Ohio, yet I'd not yet explored them in my twelve years here.
Smokey and Butterscotch are doing well, I suppose.  I just found a very sore-looking area on one of Butter's teeth, which I will have checked out, and they continue to claim virtually everything in "my" apartment.   One of the funniest things this month was to see Smokey spend a lot of time on my dad's lap - so much time that I occasionally had to gently nudge her off dad's lap so he could have a break!   This is the first time that either of my cats has taken to any man's lap!   Maybe they are settling down now that they've turned eleven years of age!

Scrapbooker needs help!

Greetings, all!  Well, I did spend some time last evening on my 2009 mini album.   I did add photos to some months' pages for 2009, but (imagine this) there are some events/months for which I have zero photos!  Now I'm thinking "How am I going to finish the photo-less pages?"   While I love journaling, I do not feel that is an option b/c every month has 3-4 completed journaling tags already.   So, I'm considering the use of some stamps and punched-out embellishments to fill those pages.   Thankfully, I have less than a 6 x 6 inch area to cover!  If you have any ideas, please e-mail me or post them here.  I am eager to finish this project so I can move on to other projects, like Christmas for both 2009 and 2011.

Well, I did it yet again.  I was in the process of carrying my camera upstairs last evening, and the next thing I knew...I was doing yet another photo-shoot of Smokey and Butterscotch!  My goodness!  I just can't get enough pictures of my feline friends!   Much to my surprise, Walgreens has another photo special this week.  So, I shall sign off here and place yet another photo order! 

The Month of March

I look forward to the month of March every year, as it marks multiple special occasions in my life.  In March I celebrate the anniversary of my big move from Pennsylvania to Ohio and the start of what I consider my first real job, my cats' birthday, and my dad's birthday.  I also enjoy the warmer weather and increasing daylight hours we see this time of year.   I must admit that I didn't expect temperatures of 83 degrees this month! 

My move from Pennsylvania to Ohio twelve years ago was a bigger step than I realized at the time.  My naivety truly protected me!  When I think back to my first year here in Chillicothe and some of the things I've done since then, I cringe and thank God for protecting me.   Some of the things I did then I would be afraid to try now.  There is no doubt in my mind that my move to Chillicothe was God's will and handiwork.   At the time, I thought my purpose for moving here was for a job, after all.   By moving here, I've met some dear friends who are like family to me.  To think that I wouldn't know them and how different my life would be if we hadn't met.  I must give God all of the credit for that one b/c I couldn't have orchestrated it no matter how hard I tried!   Oh, let me clarify one thing.  God should always get the credit when He works in my life, but... sometimes I struggle with that.

I cannot believe that my felines have turned eleven years of age!  It seems like just last year I adopted them.  Or, should I say they adopted me!   Even though they are getting older, they still have some "kitten" in them.   When I arrived home from work today, I saw something setting between my closet and bed.  I thought "What is that thing in the middle of the room?"  I stepped closer to realize that one (or both) of my furry friends had somehow managed to remove a container of buttons from a rather deep bag and move it out onto the floor!!  That made me wonder if I am doing an adequate job of protecting them from small scrap booking embellishments that were intended not to decorate my bedroom floor but my scrapbook pages and cards!   They never cease to amaze me.

As for their birthday, I overdid it with photos - again.  I told myself "no photo shoot this year, just a few close-ups," but it turned into a photo shoot.  Thank God they are so forgiving!  I actually counted the pictures tonight, and Smokey and Butterscotch endured at least 34 snapshots of the camera (not counting those I deleted).  I was just trying to get perfect close-up shots - to fill the camera frame with their cute faces!   I can't wait to get some nice 8 x 10 inch or 5 x 7 inch pictures of them.   I really wish I'd taken a photo of each cat on each of their eleven birthdays.   What a nice progression of their lives that would have been to savor in a lovely scrap book album for years to come. 

As for my Saturday night scrap booking, I have gotten out of this good habit.  My next project will be a 2009 (yes, you read that right) mini album of the highlights of my life that year.    It's a good thing I did almost all of the journaling in 2009 b/c now I would never recall those fond details!   Not to mention that the numerous photos I've developed over the years might come in handy now! 

As for dad's birthday, I was unfortunate to come down with a longer-than-usual virus the week prior, which prevented me from going home as originally planned to celebrate with him in person.   Lord-willing that we are able to get together over Easter, I've got his cards and gifts all ready to celebrate!!   I'm excited because we intend to celebrate both his birthday and my cats' birthdays when they visit me this next time.   I am particularly eager for their visit because dad said they will take some photos of me with Smokey and Butterscotch.  Because I'm always the one taking photos, I have no photos of me with my beloved felines.  

Well, I must sign off because it is time for one of my favorite TV shows (American Idol). 

A Paper Crafting Mistake Turned Opportunity for Creativity...

Today I found myself a bit frustrated when in an effort to better adhere the inside of a card, I created a rather obvious fold in the journaling square!   Agh!  Such a perfect card for the perfect occasion.  But then I messed it up.   Or, so I thought.  I grabbed my scallop edge punch and some Pumpkin Pie card stock (which happens to be one of my favorite colors of Stampin' Up! products) and went to work.  I made a scallop border on both sides of a thin strip of Pumpkin Pie card stock, placed it over top the misplaced fold I'd created, and (Voila) the result was a nicer interior card than the original!   Hmmm...I might make this another one of my "trade marks" on my cards!  My result wasn't exactly a rickrack look, but I must say it was quite nice!  I'd planned on showing you the end result, but I forgot to snap a picture before I wrote the greeting to the recipient!  Too late...I'll try to remember to take the picture first the next time around! 

A Few of My Favorite Things

Today as I walked the hallways between meetings at work, I thought how cool it would be if I could brainstorm a list of some of my favorite things.   Putting them in any order would require too much thought.   So, here is my list in no particular order.

1.  Smokey and Butterscotch, my beloved feline companions who greet me at the door after work (and not just b/c they want fed either)   Okay, ignore my comment above.  Of course, my feline friends are at the top of my list!  And they know it, too!   Check out their adorable photos at the end of this post.

2.  My Big Shots (One wasn't enough), the lovely die-cutting machines I purchased from Stampin' Up! and for that matter, the embossing folders and dies and everything that goes with them

3.  Journaling, journaling, journaling...I love to write!

4.  The peace and quiet of a summer evening in my neighborhood as I walk from the end of the road back to my apartment as dusk approaches

5.  Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate (My favorite is milk chocolate.)

6.   The luscious buckeye candies my mom made at Christmas...wishing I had some now!

7.  My personal Keurig coffee brewer, the aroma it leaves in my apartment as I brew each cup of coffee/tea, and the fact that I can drink as many different varieties as I desire in a given day in less than two minutes of brewing time per cup  (Did I mention it makes no mess to clean up?)

8.  Lying in bed on a steadily rainy (not thunderstorms) night

9.  The wonderful feeling I get as I drive home from work to my "new" (like going on two years old) apartment in what I refer to as "the country," as my friends chuckle, knowing that I haven't a clue what living in the country really is

10.  Apricot flips, butter cream frosting, Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi 

11.  Red Devil's food anything

12.  A peaceful evening in the Outer Banks without a care in the world (Of course I have cares - just fewer of them during vacation!)

13.  Pictures, pictures, pictures!  Did I mention I particularly enjoy discounts on my pictures?

14.  I told myself I had to stop when I reached a "Baker's dozen," but that just ain't happenin'.   One more thing...flipping through completed photo and scrap book albums and savoring memories.

Do you have any favorite things you'd like to share?  Leave a comment below.  

It just occurred to me that this list would make a great mini-album or theme album!  Like I need more things on my scrap booking "To Do" list!

I've Done It Again...

Before you panic and think the worst, I did not accidentally delete an entire memory card again!  I did attend a regional Stampin' Up! event held in Columbus, Ohio (45-60 mins north of Chillicothe) on Saturday, February 25th!  Highlights for me involved snapping pictures of adorable handmade cards, having the opportunity to see my friends with whom I volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Columbus, and enjoying more moments in the spotlight with Shelli Gardner, the CEO of Stampin' Up!  As if once weren't enough, I had the opportunity to have at least three pictures taken with Shelli and a new friend with whom I attended the regional on Saturday.  Is that exciting or what?!

As you might guess, I didn't waste any time checking out on-line photo specials at my local store.  I got 133 pictures (or maybe it was 136), including several 5 x 7 photos, for $23.36!   I not only am up-to-date on photo development (if only I were 20% that close to being up-to-date with my scrap booking), but also I am assisting some family members who desire updated photo memorabilia of my feline friends.   Yay!  

I still haven't gotten around to making any love-themed scrap book pages or cards.   One of these days...

A Return to Scrapbooking...

In this season that has felt more like spring than winter, I have started a new habit.  A good one for once!  After devoting much time to making cards over the past several months and having a couple of friends ask me if I'd stopped scrap booking, I've finally gotten back in the groove of scrap booking!  For three consecutive Saturday evenings (and into the wee hours of Sunday mornings), I've been scrap booking some projects that are long over due.  Among them is an "ABC's of Scripture" album I originally made in a class with one of the two persons I would credit with teaching me how to scrap book.  So, here she is several states away in North Carolina, and now (like five years later) I've finally placed pictures in the album!  What wonderful memories the project brought not only to me but also to my family, who enjoyed looking at the completed album on my visit home over President's Day weekend.   Speaking of spring versus winter, who ever would have thought I would have managed a trip home to Pennsylvania in February?!   That weekend is often a very rough one, weather-wise.  I remember a "major" winter storm we got here in Chillicothe in perhaps 2003.   What a difference this year has been!   I think this is a first - for me to get home to PA in the month of February.

My second recent project (keeping in the context of catching up on scrap booking) has been to place pictures in a lovely 8 inch by 8 inch album I made with another dear friend just two months ago!   I filled it with pictures from Christmas 2010 (as opposed to 2011) for a couple of reasons.  First, as you may know, I had a deletion accident with my memory card that once held my Christmas 2011 photos, and though I was able to recover some pictures, I lost many more than were recovered.   Also, I saw several more family members (who drove rather long distances) in December 2010 than I saw this past Christmas.   So, it seemed fitting to feature a Christmas past in that album.   My family adored that album as well.   It was a wonderful (rich, if you will) and fulfilling experience to enjoy the memories of our lives this past weekend as we looked through the albums together! 

You'll Never Guess What I Did...

Even though I professed earlier that I would require an expert be at my side to do so, I gave in the other night and developed 153 pictures on-line!  The best part is that I did so without deleting or ruining anything!  I found myself wondering "How did I manage to delete all those pictures that one night?"   I really don't understand (technically-speaking) how it happened b/c I managed to slowly walk my way through the process the other night without any problems.  I realized the other night that the experts to whom I was referring might not be available for quite some time.   So, if I wanted pictures to use to continue my catch-up scrap booking (i.e. I've been working on Christmas layouts for 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2011), I would need to at least give the process a try without the experts.   Can't believe I got it done without any trouble!  Well, I'm gonna grab a snack and then continue scrap booking in some mini-albums and enjoy some tea from my beloved personal brewer.  I hope to have some Valentine and love-themed cards to show you soon.

What I learned from my picture dilemma

Where has time gone?  I cannot believe we have only six days left in January!  As promised, I will share what I learned from my picture dilemma of late.   The underlying problems were my desire to take advantage of a special promotion on pictures in a local store and my pride for which reason I wanted to "do it on my own."   My gut told me I wasn't sure what I was doing, and I should have stopped.   This would have saved me money and  heartache.  Not to mention that I would've had my developed pictures in hand by now and all of my 231 photos would still be 100% intact.  When you consider the monetary cost of the recovery effort ($50), I might as well have ceased efforts at my on-line order that night. So much for saving money!  I need to learn to be patient and wait on those who can help me, even if they aren't available to assist immediately.

Now that we've talked about the root problems, let's get technical.  I thought I had learned as an adult that "There is always a way" to solve a problem.  Too bad that didn't occur to me before I took five pictures using the same memory card I'd just erased!  If I hadn't done so, the recovery effort may have been more successful.   So, my first piece of advice is not to assume (as I mistakenly did) that "It's too late.   There's nothing that can be done now."  Second, do not use the affected medium (i.e. memory card, etc) in any way until you've had an opportunity to seek recovery of your photos.   While these steps seem rather basic, let me say that when one wants to take advantage of a better price than usual and wants to do everything without asking for help, the results can be disastrous!   More to come...

A Scrapper's Tip

Well, last night I made 2 (almost 3) Christmas scrap book pages from our family's holiday in 2010.  Yes, you read that right.  You might say I'm a "little" behind in my scrap booking.   The last few times I've scrap booked or made cards, I've started a new practice at the end of my session.  I look for any 6 inch by 6 inch "scraps" and use them to make lovely 3 inch by 3 inch mini-cards.  Not only is this a great way to use up my "scraps," but also my loved ones can enjoy a cute little card!   An added bonus for my family and friends who enjoy using their remote to change television channels is that the 3 inch by 3 inch cards don't interfere with changing channels!  It's amazing what beautiful creations you can make with "scraps."  Well, I'm gonna go enjoy my fourth cup of coffee from my beloved Keurig brewer!

My Christmas Gift to Myself...

Greetings, all!  Well, winter finally arrived here in Chillicothe, Ohio last Friday, January 13th, and I find myself iced in today under a level 2 weather emergency!  This means time for scrap booking and enjoying coffee from my beloved Christmas gift to myself, a Keurig mini (personal-size) brewer!   When given money for Christmas in the past, I used to save it.   While seeing my mom enjoy her new Keurig brewer while home at Christmas, I found myself thinking "Hmmm.  I think I might want one of these for myself."  So, I used my Christmas money to buy my Keurig coffee brewer, which I've come to call "my little red fire engine."  I have no idea why I chose that nickname, except perhaps it created the excitement for me that a fire engine creates for the kids (both young and old) who receive them!  Or, it could be its cherry red color.   Anyway, what I love about my machine is that I can brew one cup of coffee at a time without the mess of cleaning up coffee grounds and everything else associated with a regular coffee maker.   A bonus is that I get to experience the "coffee house" aroma in my apartment.  I don't know about you, but I absolutely love the aroma of both a Starbucks store and the coffee aisle in the grocery store.  Not to mention that the cherry red color enhances my kitchen.   I would show you a picture of my brewer, but you know what happened with my latest pictures, and I'm not taking any chances with trying to move any more pictures until I have an expert at my side!    Enjoy your day, and stay safe in whatever weather conditions you've been given.

Confession of a "photo-holic"

Well, I learned something about myself today.  I confess that I really do take too many pictures!  Let me put this in perspective for you by sharing that I spent 1/2 hour (yes, thirty minutes) tonight deleting the duplicates (or should I say quadruplicates) of many pictures I felt so sure (at the time) were so necessary.   Don't get me wrong.  Pictures are very important in preserving and recalling memories, but when you have four to six shots of the same basic picture/theme/event...

For the first time ever, I can see why some of those around me have rolled their eyes, made facial expressions, and even verbally commented about the number of pictures I take!  I really need to work on two things:  deciding which pictures tell a story and limiting the number of shots I take. 

As for my deletion dilemma of the other night (1/2/12), I have consulted some computer savvy friends of mine.  So far, I have not been successful at recovering the lost photos.   Tomorrow after work I intend to drop off the affected memory card at a Chillicothe business that has several programs that can be run to help recover such photos.   I plan to share my lessons learned through this experience another time.  As for the picture recovery, I expect to know something later this week.  Last evening, the Lord gave me a sense of peace about the pictures.   I cannot explain that sense of peace nor say that my beloved photos will be recovered.  I can only hope that I will be able to accept the outcome (whether recovered or not).   As I sign off tonight, I ask for forgiveness from all of my family, friends, and felines who have been very patient as I've taken so many pictures.

Tags, Treats, and Trouble...

Some of you know all about the challenges I encountered in a Christmas tag swap in November.   The brief version is that I mailed twenty-two tags (intending to receive twenty different tags in return) to another state, only to receive my own tags back three weeks later due to human error.  In addition to sharing with you how I used my tags, I decided to post them here.  

I found myself thrilled to be "done" holiday shopping in early December, yet I kept browsing for more gifts for my family!  As a result, I needed more tags than I'd expected, and I attached my homemade tags to presents for my family.  I mailed some of my handmade tags  to some paper crafting buddies, and I will probably use one or both tags in my holiday scrap booking.  

As for treats, so much for me continuing to give up chocolate this holiday season.  I made it two days without chocolate and finally decided I could no longer resist those luscious homemade buckeyes, peanut butter bars, chocolate-covered pretzels, etc that stared me in the face each time I passed the dining room table!  No bad headaches so far.   Let's hope it stays that way.

I'd planned on discussing my kitty troubles today when I found myself having photo troubles as well.  After having lived in my current residence for greater than one year with no attempt by either of my cats to enter into the garage, that is exactly where Smokey ran today as I prepared some boxes for the dumpster!   Who ever would have thought after 18 months the cat would venture into the garage, of which I'd thought she was afraid?!  You need to understand something about Smokey in order to see why this concerns me; she is a very playful yet naughty cat who usually turns new tricks into daily games.   In other words, the whole garage thing may become a daily ordeal for Smokey and me! 

As for my photo troubles,  I accidentally deleted our family's Christmas pictures from my memory card tonight.   I am so sad to think that all of our memories of Christmas 2011 may be forever lost - that I may never again experience the joy or laughter I felt as I observed my family's reactions to receiving their goodies (or in some cases, gag gifts).  That is, unless one of my computer-savvy friends can help.   As I sign off tonight, I wish all of you and your loved ones a safe and blessed 2012.