Operation Write Home - Week Two

So I've jumped into my new "job" as East Coast Shipper for Operation Write Home which means (1) my cardmaking and crafting time has taken a back seat and (2) I'm enjoying every minute of it! There will be time for cardmaking -- all my contacts will get a new card with each box I send -- but it was time to get "busy" again after two years' retirement. I'm finding out quickly that our relatively small den and oversize downstairs half bath are excellent storage spaces when you stack the boxes carefully (especially on the bathroom shelves! Only thing I really forgot was to warn our letter carrier = lots of walks up the long driveway with packages!

I could not have done this transition one quarter as smoothly without Dixie, the "retiring" shipper, who is a good friend and who has been soooo helpful and patient teaching me the ropes. Now she has time to do some things she's wanted to do and to decorate her house for the holidays without the OWH decor - can't wait to see it.

Almost forgot! Operation Write Home has a card challenge with Archway Cookies for Valentine's Day.. you can get more info about that challenge at http://www.owhhomefrontblog.org/2011/11/archway-owh-special-mission.html

Welcome, New Life: Big Changes... big big....

So today is a big, big day.. it's Veterans Day and a time for all to reflect on and be thankful for the service and sacrifice to our country by so many men and women over the years... Thank you all, and especially to hubby Steve! Today is also a fitting day for Sandy at Operation Write Home (www.owhstarsandstamps.org and operationwritehome.org) to announce that I will be taking over duties as the new East Coast shipper. I've been making cards for OWH since I retired nearly two years ago and just enjoying all my free time..but enough is enough.. This new "full time" retirement job affords me an even greater opportunity to help our service men and women. I'm taking over from my friend Dixie who has been a huge help in the transition and whose friendship I cherish but now it's time for her to "play" for a while! Over the past couple of weeks, OWH has turned our downstairs den into a warehouse but, hey, it has a fridge stocked with drinks, HDTV and the nearby panty... I can just move there!

As an aside another big change in our lives was the loss of our beloved Rio two weeks ago. A true rescue "survivor" dog he was, at age 12, still a fun loving, gentle, sweet dog who is sorely missed by us and everyone in the 'hood but he led what I know was a "complete" dog life and passed without pain. We will never forget but always be thankful he left on his own terms...

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like....

Christmas! Already? I did this adorable Adorn-It tree stand a while back and it's now residing at my friend Peggy's store, Southern Scrapbooks... but soon will come home with me since our Disney trip isn't far off. Since we're going during holiday season, I did this with a Christmas theme but made some of the "ornaments" to use with Disney pics. What fun this would be to do a tree stand for Easter with different Easter eggs or even for a child's room in their favorite "theme" using pictures and momentos.

Deadline for Christmas cards for Operation Write Home has passed... and it's time for Valentine Day cards??!! Sorry, I'm still doing winter theme cards and more card to go directly to the troops overseas... never done Christmas cards in September before and Valentine cards before turkey day is just weird to me... but shipping deadlines prevail, soo.......