Category Archives: Family Stories

#OolaYLChallenge – Family: Focus on Your Relationships

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#OolaYLChallenge 3: Family Today the challenge was to focus on the the third “F” of Oola—Family.  This was an easy challenge for me, because my family is my EVERYTHING!!!! One of the questions in the challenge was, “Have you ever felt like your presence is a present?”   My answer to that is an enthusiastic, “YES!!!!” Often our family will plan time together instead of purchasing presents. Last year as a Mother’s Day gift my sister and I took our parents to the Missouri Botanical Gardens to visit the Butterfly House. Then we took them to ride the St. Louis Carousel Continue Reading →

NEW Digital Designs: Nautical, Graduation & Baby Themes!

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The Grad Life, Graduation, Stampin Up, Digital 137384G

Stampin’ Up! is committed to bringing you fresh, exciting digital content each and every week. Check out the latest downloads below. Click on the download title to see it in the store, or click on the images to get a closer view. You can also click here to view a PDF with additional details about this week’s downloads. The Grad Life Ensemble (item 137384) (NA, EU, SP) High Tide Designer Series Paper (item 137394) (NA, EU, SP) Hello, Sailor Stamp Brush Set (item 137385) (NA, EU, SP) 1-1/4″ Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (item 137451) (NA, EU, SP) Gold & Silver Baker’s Twine (item 137456) (NA, EU, SP) Baby, We’ve Grown Stamp Brush Set Continue Reading →

Silhouette Cameo Project #9 – Carousel Horses & Memories of the Highlands

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Silhouette Project #9, Carousel, Peace Love and Joyce

My sister asked me to come up with a table top decoration for a party she is in charge of at her daughter’s school. Their theme is a turn-of-the-century fair. My first thought was that I wanted to make a carousel. When you went to the county fair as a child, didn’t the carousel seem magical? Even as an adult, I still love carousels! Last year my parents and I met up with my sister to spend the day in St. Louis. We were celebrating Mom’s birthday. We headed to the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House at Faust Park, a truly Continue Reading →

Wishing you a New Year filled with Peace, Love and Joy!

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Happy New Year’s Day! I hope you all had a fabulous New Year’s Eve! (Note: Other than the banner that features the “When the Clock Strikes Twelve” My Digital Studio download, the rest of this post is purely a personal story. If you want to get to know me better, read on. If you’re only interested in learning more about Stampin’ Up! products, come back and visit another day! Be sure to “Like” Peace, Love and Joy on Facebook for more Stampin’ Up! inspiration.) Johnny and I celebrated New Year’s Eve at Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana.  Our daughter, Angie, Continue Reading →

Welcome to the world of Peace, Love and Joyce!

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Welcome to my world!  I’m so glad you are here!  If you were actually stopping by my house to visit I would give you a big hug, because that’s what my family does….we hug….a LOT!!!  You can never have too many hugs!  (I’m from a BIG family, there are seven brothers and sisters, so when we arrive at Granny and Papa Coonie’s house it takes a good half hour to hug everybody!  Ha ha!!!) Front Row: Mom a/k/a Granny a/k/a Louise, Monique, Melba, Barb, Joyce (Me!) and Dad a/k/a Papa Coonie a/k/a Murl  Back Row:  Debbie, Kevin and Ray  (Christmas Continue Reading →

THE DIARIES: A SHORT FILM BY NICK NYLEN

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“The Diaries” is a short film by my favorite Indie-Film Director, Nick Nylen, second-year M.F.A. student and teaching assistant at Southern Illinois University. (SIU-C)  “The Diaries” is Nick’s 5th major production.  One of his previous movies, “Cornfed Tiger”, was an official selection of the Illinois International Film Festival in 2011. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll be watching Nick accept an Oscar!  When that happens, as a proud supporter of his films, I’ll proudly say, “Hey, I helped fund his early movies!” It will be fun to know I played a part in his success!!! In “The Diaries”, I made some of Continue Reading →

Happy 40th Birthday Little Sister!!!

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Today is my little sister Melba’s 40th birthday!!!  (I’m not quite sure how that is possible.  I was almost 14 when she was born and I’m sure that I’m not near old enough for my little sister to be 40 years old!!!) Last night my brother-in-law Jay had a surprise party for Melba.  He asked all of us to wear black, now I don’t think 40 is quite old enough to warrant a black theme, but it was his party, so I went along with the theme when I made Melba’s card. And just like the party, the card is Continue Reading →

THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE Historical Trovillion Home in Herrin

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I was so honored when the Herrin City Library asked if they could use a photo of my watercolor painting of “The Gingerbread House” for their Christmas cards this year.  They are selling the cards as a fundraiser for the library.  You can purchase them at the library or contact them to order cards. HERRIN CITY LIBRARY Address: 120 North 13th Street, Herrin, IL 62948 Phone: (618) 942-6109 herrinhistoryroom at gmail.com Hours of Operation   We were so lucky to get to live in this historical home.  It was a magical place to raise our daughters.  Over the years we hosted many weddings in Continue Reading →

Granny’s got a cute little ass!

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Granny’s got a cute little ass! ass 1 |as|noun ORIGIN: Old English assa, from a Celtic word related to Welshasyn, Breton azen, based on Latin asinus. A hoofed mammal of the horse family with a braying call, typically smaller than a horse and with longer ears.  In general use, a donkey.  [Genus Equus, family Equidae: E. africanus of Africa, which is the ancestor of the domestic ass or donkey, and E. hemionus of Asia.] And here you thought I was being vulgar!  Ha ha! Granny, Papa Coonie, Red & Angie Granny’s reaction when she sees her Christmas present is absolutely ADORABLE!!!! She was so surprised, excited and happy that she said she was going to cry!  If the video doesn’t appear below try Continue Reading →

WORLD CARD MAKING DAY!

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Celebrating  my Mother on World Card Making Day! Learn how I made the fabulous bow on her birthday present  and the Happy Birthday banner on the cake later in this post! I’ll be playing in my stamp room today making pink cards to donate to the Splitcoast Hope You Can Cling To card drive which benefits patients at the MD Anderson Breast Cancer Center.  In 2011, our community of card-makers sent over 3,000 cards to women who are facing one of the greatest challenges in their lives.  You will have a chance to make these cards at my 2nd Annual “I’m Dreaming of a PINK Christmas” Breast Cancer Continue Reading →