Goodbye, Brody

Comments: 70

It was bright and sunny in SE Iowa today, warm as far as February temperatures go. And in the mind of Brody, it was a good morning to say goodbye. Brody crossed The Bridge peacefully, with Kim and I by his side, and with loving and compassionate help from his vet since puppy-hood. There were plenty of tears shed this morning at the vet’s office, by those who loved him as much as we did. But, it was time. After struggling to eat his breakfast, he collapsed, never to get back on his feet. As his head dropped wearily to the floor, he pleaded for us to help him go. That unmistakable look in the eyes…full of love, full of sadness that the journey is ending…but undeniable in its intent. And so, one day before his 11-½th birthday, we honored his request. He was the victim, not of cancer, but a probable stroke.

goddbye Brody

Brody and Muffy shortly after joining our family

goodby Brody

Brody and Muffy in 2021

goodbye Brody

Brody and Muffy on their 11th birthday – August 9, 2021

He was a special boy, who considered himself the most special of all of our kids. He was loving and kind to all, never knowing a stranger. And he absolutely adored puppies. He was the best uncle to Lexi, Jackie, Kia, Kendall, GQ, Sixx and Nueve…and they loved their snuggle and playtime with him.

Goodbye, Brody

Brody with Baby Nueve

Brody with Baby GQ

Goodbye Brody

Brody with Baby Lexi

In his later years, he rarely left my side or Kim’s. And that is how it was this morning. With one of us on either side, we held him as he gently breathed his last. I am sure his littermate, Muffy, was there for him when he passed, asking, “What took you so long, Brody? I’ve been waiting…”

Goodbye Brody

Tonight another food bowl has been retired. Tonight three dogs grieve the passing of the eldest member of the pack.  And tonight my heart is breaking.   One last time, here is his signature from back in the day, when like Nueve, he was my blog helper.  How I will forever treasure those days.   Run free, sweet boy…you will always be in our hearts…

 

Be sure to hug your furbabies.  Until next time…

siggy-1

 

Always in My Heart

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Comments: 21

What sweeter way to let family and friends know how much they mean to you than with a card which tells them, “You are always in my heart”?  It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players!
Always in My Heart

It’s theme week at The Paper Players, and Laurie is our host. She has a timely theme for us, “Love and Friendship”.    My card features pink peonies,  which symbolize the beauty of marriage and also love at first sight.   But for me, the sentiment says it all.  What about you? I can’t wait to see what YOU create!

always in my heart
Colors of the Day

always in my heart

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips

Peonies, punches and dies! Oh, my!  Get ready to give your arm a workout running dies through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss.  The peonies were colored using Blender Pens and Polished Pink and Evening Evergreen inks. Since these colors are intense, be sure to remove a lot of the ink on scrap paper before coloring the actual stamped images.  As for the sentiment, heat embossing makes the white sentiment “pop” right off the Evening Evergreen heart.  A trio of die cut stems adds interest to the background.  Iridescent Rhinestones add sparkle to the center of the larger flower, while a Windowpane ribbon double bow accents the sentiment.

always in my heartTo download the free step-by-step tutorial for today’s  Always in My Heart card, which includes all the paper measurements and all of the current products used, please click on the button below. For every card which has been posted on my blog since 2019, there is a free tutorial.

2022 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2021 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2020 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2019 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of The Paper Players design team:
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Notes from Nueve

Hey, everyone! It’s me! Good Boy Nueve!  Mom wouldn’t let me use the ‘puter earlier this week, ’cause we had a ‘mergency at our house. The vet, Doc Rita, thought Great Uncle Brody ruptured his spring.

Brody being comforted by his pack.

Oh, grrr…here it goes again:

Sixx:  He didn’t rupture his spring, Nueve.  It’s his SPLEEN!
Nueve: Are you sure, Sixx? I’ve never heard of a spleen. But, isn’t it a spring that makes us Boxers jump? Great Uncle Brody wasn’t jumping, so I KNOW his spring was broked. Anyways, he had to go to Doc Rita’s and have special pictures taken that showed his insides. It ended up that his spring wasn’t broken. It was bigger than it was ‘sposed to be.  It made Mom cry a lot. But, I licked her face and made her feel better while she watched the Old Limpicks.
Sixx: Well, I made her feel beautiful, because I fixed her hair during the Olympics!
Nueve: Sixx, Mom said I was her special blog helper, so I need to tell the story! You go do show dog stuff or something.  Anyway, Doc Rita – I like her ’cause she calls me handsome and tells me I’m a Good Boy – had some good news, too.  At Great Uncle Brody’s age, we are just going to watch it.  He doesn’t get sugary. I guess it’s ’cause he is sweet enough.  And if he needs a transfusion, whatever that is, Uncle Jackie is going to do it. He’s a therapy dog, and he goes and visits people in nursing homes and donates blood.
Sixx: Nueve! I have to step in here. You are making it sound like Uncle Jackie gives blood to PEOPLE! He is a canine blood donor. He does NOT give blood to people in nursing homes!
Nueve: He does, too! I have a picture of him donating blood.

Jackie Donating Blood

Jackie donating blood at the American Boxer Club National Show in 2019.

Sixx: Yes…but it was for a canine blood bank!
Nueve: You can get blood at the bank? I go with Dad to the bank, and I get treats! I don’t get blood.
Sixx: What? You get treats? I want to go to the bank!
Nueve and Sixx: Dad! Dad! Can we go to the bank?
Nueve: Time for me to say good-by! I’ll let Mom finish telling about Great Uncle Brody. I have to go be Good Boy Nueve with my Dad! We are going to the bank.  He just doesn’t know it yet!

I hope you have an awesome week, with LOTS of treats. Maybe you can get some at the bank, too. Just tell them Good Boy Nueve sent you!

Always in My Heart

 

MOM Here:  Brody is feeling better.  He had fell hard on the ice and collided with the steps on our back porch. We had taken him into the vet because he was limping and very sore. Because his gums were pale and his abdomen was distended, the vet thought he might have a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding.  Imaging showed an enlarged spleen with abnormal margins, indicative of cancer.  But, thank goodness, there was no bleeding.  The swelling of his legs has gone down, and he is moving much better. In a way, it was a blessing in disguise. At his age and because of his smushed face, surgery (or sugary as Nueve would say) is very risky.  However,  we can now monitor his blood counts and take X-rays periodically to see how quickly, or even if,  his spleen is enlarging. He’s 11-1/2 in 3 days.  Boxer life spans range from 9 – 12 years on average.  He has beat the odds with his bladder cancer.  Every day we have with him is truly a gift.  We are making these final months his best months ever!  And yep, Jackie is a canine blood donor. He gives, so other dogs can live.

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Current Host Code Information

Ready to order supplies to make your own cards? I would love to be your Demonstrator. Click Here to place an order in my online store.

When checking out, if you apply the Host Code to your online orders of at least $50, but under $150, you’ll get a free gift from me. If your order is over $150, please do not apply the host code – you will be receiving your own host rewards, as well as your gift from me. All orders of $50 or more earn points toward my Loyalty Rewards Program.

Current Code: 3V7664M3
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NEED A COPY OF THE CATALOG? If you do not currently have a Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator, please email me at: kimschach@msn.com  and I will drop one in the mail to you free of charge, pronto!

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Looking for an oldie but goodie? Check out my retired stamps which I have for sale.

Retired Sets for Sale
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IF You Have a Big Wish List — Please Read — Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit Special

Do you have a BIG WISH LIST? Consider becoming a Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator. The Starter Kit is a great value! For $99, choose $125 worth of products, and it ships for FREE (an additional 10% savings)!  PLUS, during Sale-A-Bration you will  receive two additional free stamp sets after picking all of the products you want in your Starter Kit. The stamp sets need to be live at the time of picking them, so anything you see in a current catalog or at stampinup.com is eligible. There couldn’t be a better time to join the Stampin’ Up! family.

  • SAVE at least 20% ON EVERYTHING YOU PURCHASE! Once you join, you’ll enjoy a 20 – 25% discount on your favorite Stampin’ Up!® items.
  • NO PRESSURE OR OBLIGATION TO SELL TO OTHERS! There’s never an obligation to host parties, sell products, or purchase anything else after the kit.
  • THERE’S NO RISK! NO PENALTY TO DROP! If you reach $300 in sales by the end of the first full Stampin’ Up!® quarter after you sign-up, you automatically renew your demonstrator discounts and benefits for another quarter. To continue, you will need to reach $300+ in sales (includes personal purchases) to renew from quarter to quarter. If you don’t reach $300 in sales, you can “drop” with no penalty.
  • CONTINUE the BENEFITS and DISCOUNTS! From the time you join through the end of the first full Stampin’ Up!® quarter, you will be able to take advantage of demonstrator discounts and benefits. The Quarters are January – March, April – June, July – September, October – Dec. You will have the balance of the quarter in which you join PLUS the first full quarter to reach your first $300 in sales (includes personal purchases) and renew for another quarter.
  • JOIN TODAY! Purchase the starter kit through me and instantly become a member of the Schach Pack Pals. You’ll have access to private Facebook groups, receive newsletters, and will be able to engage with a community of other stampers.
  • Questions about joining? Email me at ann@thestampinschach.com. If you are ready to join NOW, CLICK HERE!

As always, if you have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

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  • The $99 Starter Kit is the BEST DEAL EVER! Check out the details HERE.
  • Join Paper Pumpkin
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Romantic White and Embossed Valentine

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Comments: 11

It’s that time of year! The time for buying fragrant roses and heart shaped boxes of chocolates … and for sending romantic cards, like today’s romantic white, embossed Valentine.  It’s time to play at Festive Friday – Home of the Inspo List!

romantic embossed Valentine
For this week’s challenge, we are inspired by St. Valentine’s Day. Remember, at Festive Friday you do not need to actually celebrate or make a card for the occasion featured. Your goal is to simply use three or more items from the inspiration list on your project. I used romantic sentiment, ribbon, and hearts to create my card.  There is also a touch of pink, and some faux stitching on the smaller heart and the die cut leaves.  I can’t wait to see what YOU create!

romantic embossed white Valentine

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips

Today’s card is a breeze to make, courtesy of Stampin’ Up!’s Bouquet of Love hybrid embossing folder and the Love & Happiness stamp set.  Switch out the sentiment to create an engagement, a wedding, or an anniversary card.  It doesn’t get any easier!

romantic embossed white Valentine

To download the free step-by-step tutorial for today’s Romantic White and Embossed Valentine, which includes all the paper measurements and all of the current products used, please click on the button below. For every card which has been posted on my blog since 2019, there is a free tutorial.

2022 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2021 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2020 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE
2019 FREE Tutorial PDF Gallery – CLICK HERE

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team:

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Jaydee

Diane Evans

Joanne James

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Current Host Code Information

Ready to order supplies to make your own cards? I would love to be your Demonstrator. Click Here to place an order in my online store.

When checking out, if you apply the Host Code to your online orders of at least $50, but under $150, you’ll get a free gift from me. If your order is over $150, please do not apply the host code – you will be receiving your own host rewards, as well as your gift from me. All orders of $50 or more earn points toward my Loyalty Rewards Program.

Current Code: 3V7664M3
************

NEED A COPY OF THE CATALOG? If you do not currently have a Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator, please email me at: kimschach@msn.com  and I will drop one in the mail to you free of charge, pronto!

************

Looking for an oldie but goodie? Check out my retired stamps which I have for sale.

Retired Sets for Sale
************
IF You Have a Big Wish List — Please Read — Sale-A-Bration Starter Kit Special

Do you have a BIG WISH LIST? Consider becoming a Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator. The Starter Kit is a great value! For $99, choose $125 worth of products, and it ships for FREE (an additional 10% savings)!  PLUS, during Sale-A-Bration you will  receive two additional free stamp sets after picking all of the products you want in your Starter Kit. The stamp sets need to be live at the time of picking them, so anything you see in a current catalog or at stampinup.com is eligible. There couldn’t be a better time to join the Stampin’ Up! family.

  • SAVE at least 20% ON EVERYTHING YOU PURCHASE! Once you join, you’ll enjoy a 20 – 25% discount on your favorite Stampin’ Up!® items.
  • NO PRESSURE OR OBLIGATION TO SELL TO OTHERS! There’s never an obligation to host parties, sell products, or purchase anything else after the kit.
  • THERE’S NO RISK! NO PENALTY TO DROP! If you reach $300 in sales by the end of the first full Stampin’ Up!® quarter after you sign-up, you automatically renew your demonstrator discounts and benefits for another quarter. To continue, you will need to reach $300+ in sales (includes personal purchases) to renew from quarter to quarter. If you don’t reach $300 in sales, you can “drop” with no penalty.
  • CONTINUE the BENEFITS and DISCOUNTS! From the time you join through the end of the first full Stampin’ Up!® quarter, you will be able to take advantage of demonstrator discounts and benefits. The Quarters are January – March, April – June, July – September, October – Dec. You will have the balance of the quarter in which you join PLUS the first full quarter to reach your first $300 in sales (includes personal purchases) and renew for another quarter.
  • JOIN TODAY! Purchase the starter kit through me and instantly become a member of the Schach Pack Pals. You’ll have access to private Facebook groups, receive newsletters, and will be able to engage with a community of other stampers.
  • Questions about joining? Email me at ann@thestampinschach.com. If you are ready to join NOW, CLICK HERE!

As always, if you have any questions about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away! Until next time…

siggy-1

  • The $99 Starter Kit is the BEST DEAL EVER! Check out the details HERE.
  • Join Paper Pumpkin
  • Check out the Clearance Rack and save!
  • See my Retired Sets for Sale.
  • Follow me on Facebook.
  • Follow me on Pinterest.
  • Subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
  • To receive my daily blog updates, subscription links are in the right sidebar.
  • If you are in need of any current catalog, and you do not have a demonstrator, please email me (kimschach@msn.com). I will send you one free of charge!