Grateful

Yep, I finished up that MME Ooh La La for Her paper pad.  This card was made with all the same elements as the card earlier in the week.  The grateful die cut came in my care package from Loly.  The flowers were cut using my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms dies.  The center is a bit of Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter applied with a little Crystal Accents glue. The pearl accent was a sale purchase from Hobby Lobby.  I've added a few nice cards to the stash.  I should be more thankful and grateful for the graces and gifts given to me by family and friends.  I intend to put these cards to good use!

So Very Thankful

Another card created from the care package sent by Loly.  The thankful die cut was the perfect anchor for this card.  I wanted a strong color mix to highlight that die cut so I used my MME Ooh La La for Her paper pad.  The flowers were cut using my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms dies.  The center is a bit of Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter and plain white glitter from the stash each applied with a little Crystal Accents glue. The white glitter picked up a bit of color from that patterned paper and I really like the finish there.  The pearl accent was a sale purchase from Hobby Lobby.  


A simple card with a nice result.  That paper pad is almost finished.  I'm going to keep it on the craft table to see if I can't finish it out. One less item in the stash!

I'm linking up over at the Inspiration Journal's April Monthly challenge: A Few of My Favorite Things.  I simply adore my Heartfelt Creations flower dies.  Also, I'm linking up over at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #128: Anything Goes.  Come join the fun or just stop by to look at all the amazing talent on display just waiting to inspire and/or encourage you.  

A Sparkling Hello

I had the great fortune to be blessed by one of my blog friends, Loly.  She blogs over at Card Ville.  She emailed me out of the blue one day and asked for my address.  Apparently she had somehow got her hands on duplicate set of Simon Says Stamp's Very Special clear stamps and wanted to share with me.  That is so generous and kind of her!  I promptly sent a thank you note off to her to let her know how touched I was with the gift.  Loly couldn't stop at sending me the stamp set all by itself, but instead included lots of fun goodies along with.  Isn't she grand!?

• The flower was cut from MME's Ooh La La For Her paper pack using my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms dies.  I then shaped the flowers, layering the cuts and creating a glitter center with some Crystal Accents and Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter. 
• The Hello die cut was part of the gift from Loly.  She provided a black, white and the patterned paper cuts.  I thought that the layering really added depth along with the linen background to add texture.  
• The sequins were also a gift from Loly.  She's a peach and so this card basically made itself.  

I continue to be amazed at how kind and generous blog friends are.  I'm an introvert at heart and so I make only a few close friends and stick by them with a fierce loyalty.  I'm not sure when Brandy and I started this blog over 3 1/2 years ago that I thought I would come to know, care for and be cared for by others as a part of the blogging world.  It really does make blogging a special treat and so I thank God today for Loly and her generosity as well as the other blog friends I have made.  Let's keep it going!

I'm going to link this up with Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Journey.  It really has been an amazing journey this past 3 1/2 years.  This card is proof!  I'm also linking up over at the Inspiration Journal's April Monthly challenge: A Few of My Favorite Things.  Besides how much I love the Heartfelt Creations flower dies (one of my most favorite tools), the friends I've made blogging are definitely one of my favorite things!  Finally, I'm linking up over at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #126: Anything Goes.  These opportunities to share my talents add to the feeling of community that blogging brings.  Come join the fun or just stop by to look at all the amazing talent on display just waiting to inspire and/or encourage you. 

An Encouraging Sign

Work has been filled with stress lately- pressure to get things done, pressure because things aren't going right... all kinds of pressure.  I've been doing my best to ward of the inevitable lapse in creativity that often comes with this kind of pressure.  One way was to sit down (after making no time to craft at all this weekend) and make this sign for my desk.  The quote comes from a lecture given in 1976 by Clyde Kilby.  It's like he knew what kind of being I would become and decided to make me a list (I like lists!).  Of course, he didn't know me and wouldn't necessarily know what I'd become- just that we are all so similar.  There's comfort in that too.

The quote was created using Word. I have previously spoken about the process I use to create this kind of word art.  I found a tutorial on the web that explains how to use the text box feature.  I use all these methods for my word art.  Here's an image that shows the text boxes used to create the quote:

I used four different boxes set to "No Fill" and "No Line" so that when they overlap they don't obscure the box next to it.  I simply play around with font type and size until I get a feeling that the quote looks like art.  I'm not super pleased with the "forget" box placement here- a little too high.  However, I didn't notice until I had the project together.  After everything is just right, I print out the quote onto white cardstock to make the frame.  Here's the other details on the project:

• The quote frame was cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die and then some Worn Lipstick Distress Ink was applied using my Ink Blending Tool while the die was still in place around the cut.  
• The flowers were cut out of the MME Ooh La La 6 x 6 paper pad using my Tattered Blossoms dies. I used a combination of pearl accents and flower shaping techniques to shape and 3d those flowers.  
• The light green lattice die cut was made using my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die.  
• The leaves are a combination of Holly Berry stamped and die cut leaves that I distressed with Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo Distress Inks and from my Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage, Spellbinders Foliage and some other dies I've long since forgotten where they came from.
• The background dark green was punched using my Mini-8 Flower punch and edged with a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
• A little pink vintage seem binding bow finishes off the top and a couple of pearl swirl accents add some depth to the project.    

What do you think?  Should I forget about myself and get back to work?  I'm going to take that to heart and try to set aside some crafting time this weekend.  Crafting can be the best kind of work, yes?

I'm linking this project up over at the Shabby Tea Room's Week #212: Pretty in Pink challenge, Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Anything Goes, and the Inspiration Journal's monthly challenge: A Few of My Favorite Things.   These are some of my favorite places to go and see inspiring creations that should light my creative fire.  Come join me!

Just Thinking About You Card

Pinterest has become one of my favorite places to go for inspiration.  Here's another card, inspired (truthfully, scrap-lifted) by a pin.  This one is almost a direct copy, but twisted to match my supplies.  My pattern paper choices were different, I tried to play with a little more pattern.  I also chose to shape my flower in the opposite direction making it more mail friendly.  I think I like the height of the pin, but mine works to me as well.  Here's the details:

• All papers are from MME's Ooh La La For Her collection.  
• I used my Creative Memories *ancient* circle cutter to cut the circle and made the flags with my paper trimmer.
• The flowers were cut from patterned paper using my Vintage Floret dies and shaped adding a pearl accent to the center.
• The sentiment comes from my Heartfelt Expression stamp using Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink.  A few red pearl accents and the card is a close approximation.
• Those dots on the card base aren't  poor photography.  The card came from a blank card set with flecks of muted colors throughout.  Its a good base for the minimalist card.

Welcoming a Wee Little One

This little beauty was inspired by a Pinterest pin.  I think that the card may have been perfected by the patterned paper choice of using my MME Ooh La La 6 x 6 paper pad.  Here's the details:

• Flowers were cut using my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret dies.  I shaped each one and added a pearl accent in the center.  I made many different flowers with different papers, sizes, etc.
• I die cut various scraps of green cardstock.  There are different shades of green, though the photo doesn't do this justice.
• The white cardstock frame was cut using my Cricut cart Fancy Frames (<Frame1>).  I think it was on 4.5 inches. 
• The white card stock card base is actually white.  I played a little with the color settings on the picture to get a little contrast between the frame cut and the card so you can see what is underneath.  In person, the two whites don't "clash" or "offset" quite that much which more closely matches the inspiration.
• I stamped the sentiment in brown Archival Ink using a cling stamp from a Market Street Stamps set.  They've since gone out of business, but these small sentiments come in handy.

On the inside, I printed a Bible verse and a sentiment to send to our friends.  I'm really pleased with how the card turned out.  I hope Dale and Pat are more pleased with their new grandson.

ETA:  I'm linking this up over at the Inspiration Journal's January Challenge: Dieing for 2014.  Hurry, the deadline is February 2, 2014 to join the fun!

Grandma's, Thank You Cards and a Rustic Wreath

I had mentioned at the end of last week that I was planning a trip to visit with my grandma in Colorado.  It's a snowy time of the year for that kind of trip, but she has been ill lately and is facing major surgery.  We didn't get to see enough of each other during her visit in November because she spent the majority of her time here in the hospital.  All that and a $97 plane ticket was sufficient motivation to hop a plane.

Since we knew that she was going to be having surgery, I packed 1/2 a suitcase full of crafting tools and supplies with the intention to make her some Thank You cards.  In the end, these five duplicate design Thank You's were the only one's we made.  Not to be sad or anything, I've a post to put together to show you the crafty goodness that was our
 substitute. 



Here's the details:

• I stamped the wreath with brown Archival Ink onto white cardstock.  I then colored the leaves with my Peeled Paint Distress Marker.  Stamping off the page can be tricky- I had to be careful with firm even pressure all around.

• I then stamped the sentiment using the brown Archival ink as well.  

• I had brought with me a set of bling, so I added a few pieces strategically around the wreath.
• I had cut and shaped the Vintage Floret flowers for another project and brought them with me.  I added a piece of bling to the center and glued it in here. 
• Inside I stamped one of my Hearfelt Expressions sentiments in brown Archival Ink.

My grandma doesn't actively participate in my crafting, but mostly sits beside me and we chat while I work.  The BEST!  I left these five cards with her for use in the coming weeks as others are kind to her. She is a letter writer/sender and so I think will truly send them out.  Yay!  I'll be back later this weekend with a view of what distracted me from my card making.  Good stuff.

Just Saying Thanks

Just playing around with my MME Ooh La La For Her 6 x 6 paper pad.  I don't regularly create cards that open from the bottom like this one, but the design really works.  I recently picked up a Sizzlets die set Decorative Swirls.  The green cardstock swirls were cut from one of the dies in the set.  The flowers were stamp and cut from my Heartfelt Creations Posy stamps and dies set using coordinating paper from the paper pad.












The sentiment was stamped and cut using my Tilted Banners set.  I spritzed some Glimmer Glam over the patterned paper and I think it really ties in the polka dots from the bottom later of paper.  I layered paper from the paper pad on the inside to add a decorative touch.  This was a quick card and it's already been sent off to my grandma.  She's always being thoughtful and I can't ever say thank you enough.  She's of the old school who corresponds regularly with folks through the mail (though the older she gets the fewer folks are around to correspond with).  I know she looks forward to receiving mail so I never miss an opportunity to make sure she's getting some mail.

I'm linking this up over at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #91: Anything Goes and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes.  Come join the fun!

A Little Hi

Just stopping in to say a little "Hi".  I thought I would put one of the paper pads I purchased at the scrapbook convention to good use.  I mean, the convention was back in April which is fully three months or a quarter of a year ago!  It's time to use it, not file it away in the Scrapbox.

The paper pad is MME's Ooh La La For Her.  Such soft lovely colors and tiny, intricate designs.  I once again reached for my Heartfelt Creations Posy stamps and dies and the Spellbinders Floral Flourish.  The larger leaves were cut from  Cricut's Picturesque cartridge [Leaves].  

The patterned grid was cut using Cricut's Craft Room.  I haven't spent a lot of time in this online software.  As such, I've not found it to be particularly intuitive.  However, it works well enough that I can totally make my way around and create simple cuts.  This particular cut is a Teresa Collin's Basic- Imperial.  I went looking and couldn't find this cut on the Cricut.com website.  It might have been an exclusive that is no longer available.  Guess I'm glad I scooped this cut up.

All stamping and edging is done with my trusty Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  A few little pearls in the corner bring your eye to the tiny Hi.  I stamped the sentiment on one of the shapes pulled out of the patterned grid after cutting and adhered it with a teeny, tiny piece of foam tape to create some depth and bring it forward a bit. 

The inside was just too plain so I pulled a trick from my bloggy friend, Karon, and stamped a posy in the corner, layered up on patterned paper.  I added a little glitter glue to the center which just bled the ink... a little messy finish, but I'm going to claim a design to add sparkle to the inside...

This card was sent off to encourage a young lady battling a serious health complication.  I hope it brightened her day!

I've entered this card in Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge: Celebrate! and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #90: Anything Goes!  Come on over and join the fun.