A Shower of Blessings Card

I was recently invited to the bridal shower for my nephew's fiancee (I couldn't find the little mark that should be added to the e!).  Of course, I had to make a card!  Here's the details:

• The patterned paper came from Hobby Lobby.  The inspiration was that lovely patterned glitter number that is cut as a circle.  Everything else was selected from there including card design.
• The floral and doves, etc. come from a Jolee's set I picked up at the same time.  It has been a very long time since I used one of these on a card, but doesn't it work perfectly?

• I die cut those tiny flowers with my IO Spiral Flowers dies.  Boy howdy- did they work here or what?  There's a combination of colored cardstock and vellum flowers with tiny pearl accents in the centers.
• The sentiment was printed out from the computer and then die cut with my Spellbinders Labels 18 dies.  A coordinating gold cardstock was also used.

What do you think?  This is one of my favorite cards in a while.  One where my vision was ultimately played out the way I saw it in my mind.  That doesn't usually happen folks!  I've plans to make a wedding celebration card as well.  Stay tuned!

Being Knighted and Earning It

Since knew my grandmother and grandfather would have a fair bit of gratitude from our very eventful weekend, I decided to use some of that paper from the stash and make a set of thank you cards.  These are simply made, but that doesn't diminish the feelings from the heart.  Here's the details:

• The sentiment comes from a Close to My Heart stamp set from the stash and is stamped using their Moonstruck ink.

• The frame is cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die. 
• The inside is stamped with a Fiskars stamp set in both the CTMH Moonstruck and Buttercup inks.

How could you not feel an immense gratitude.  I can barely begin to count:

1. Grandparents
2. Family
3. Service
4. Recognition
5. Love

I could go on and on.  There's really no way to take it all in, just live it and give it out. I thought I'd share one last picture.  My grandfather's honor bestowed French "knighthood" on him.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Sir Robert and Lady Burrows:

A 90th Birthday Party

I promised to get this post together and so here I am trying to get it done.  Remember that I told you I had a stack of that plaid patterned paper in the stash.  Here's one way to burn through about ten of them... flags for the table centerpieces.  Here's the details :

• The nine and the zero were once again cut with my Quickutz Sophie dies, this time out of blue cardstock.
• The frames were cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 dies.  There is a solid cardstock on the back of each of these to add stability.
• The sentiment was stamped with Close to My Heart Moonstruck ink.
• The sticks are simply wooden skewers.  I placed a bit of hot glue on the stick and the cardstock and used foam squares to glue the patterned paper on. 

Here's what the table looked like:




I ended up printing photos of my grandpa throughout the years and die cutting them.  I glued them to the blue cardstock side and left the back plain patterned paper.  Three in a mason jar with some cellophane shred made a nice, small centerpiece so partygoers could talk over them. 

We sprinkled some confetti and peppermints around the table for additional effect. 












A few were also placed at the cake table and the buffet.  It was a good time had by all and I must say, simple enough to execute despite working full-time and from a long distance.  I purchased the jars on site the day before and had all the paper products shipped on site.  Easy, peasy.





This is my family that came.  My brother, his wife and two children are missing from this picture as they weren't able to make the trip.  My nephew, Jake, is standing in front of (left to right) my mom Sue, grandma Mabel, grandpa Bob, dad Roger, and sister Angela.  My family is in back with son Timothy, myself, husband Dan and daughter Katie  May God bless us with many more happy years together.

The Best Way to Say Thank You

Krystallos Glass Shard glitter

I have to say that I really like how this card turned out. However, the reason is mostly that fabulous pattered paper and less about how I put the pieces together. Here's the details:

• Patterned paper from MME's The Sweetest Thing Lavender.  
• Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur stamped in charcoal archival ink and die cut.  The flowers are colored with Scattered Straw Distress Ink and the leaves are colored with Peeled Paint Distress ink.  The centers are Berry Nice prills and a little Krystallos Glass Shard glitter around the flowers to add a little bling.  
• The medallion is cut using my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die from yellow cardstock.  
• The sentiment was printed using my computer and die cut using my Labels 18 die. 

Oooh, I can't wait to send this pretty out to someone special.  I hope you are finding ways to make the things that encourage and inspire you.

A Couple of Thank You Cards

Last month when my daughter went on her Girl Scout trip I thought a lovely thank you card was needed to let the two adult leaders know how much we appreciate their willingness to put up with six teenagers for 6 days.  Thus, two of this card were made.  Here's the details:

• The background die cut was made from patterned paper using my Heartfelt Creations Decorative Lace Border die.  I use wax paper between the die and the patterned paper to make this intricate die cut pop right out of the die.  It does create quite the confetti pile, but the result is well worth the effort!
• The flowers are made by stamping with my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms stamps in brown Archival ink and then die cutting using my matching dies.  Clicking the link and then the tab on the Heartfelt Creations page will take you to videos that show you how to do this stamping and cutting technique.
• The flower centers were made using my A Penny Saved prills and I just love how they blend to add to my somewhat monochromatic look on this card.
• The green floral pieces were cut out of cardstock scraps using my Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage die. 
• The sentiment was created using Word and then die cut with my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.  A little Worn Lipstick Distress Ink around the edge ties it into the rest of the pink colors.  A piece of vintage seam binding as a ribbon/bow accent was added to the card.  

I think these ladies felt special and I was really happy with how the card turned out.  I'm going to post this card over at Word Art Wednesday's Challenge # 140: Anything Goes.  Come on over to see the amazing art posted and join in on the fun.

A Heartfelt Get Well

I decided to give my precut flowers from working with Heartfelt Creations a good run of cards.  Here's the first I've made.  This card was a get well card for my sister-in-law.  It went with the set of bicycle note cards I made to cheer her up after surgery.  Here's the details:

• The patterned paper was the inspiration.  The Majestic Blooms flowers were inked with some Ripe Persimmons and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink.  Neither were just the right color, but together I think they hit the right note.
• There is a few die cuts- ODBD Fancy Foliage, a flowery stem I've long since lost the name for and the lace work behind the white frame is from my Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die.  They are all cut out of coordinating solid patterned paper from the collection.
• The frame was cut with my Labels 18 die and then stamped with my Stampin' Up Apothecary Art stamp using Peacock Feathers Distress Ink.  I colored the image with my Ripe Persimmons and Peeled Paint Distress Ink using a water pen.

I didn't purchase the Majestic Blooms stamps and dies, however, like all good tools once I worked with some of these pre-made flowers They have come to grow on me in a significant way.  They look very different depending upon how you shape them.  I like this version a lot.

Best Wishes for the Best of Followers

In the next few months, this blog will realize our fourth anniversary of blogging.  We've not grown a lot of followers, but the followers we do have are loyal and encouraging.  I'd take these few faithful and encouraging women all day long.  One of the most faithful from a very early point is Karon of Karon's Krafty Korner. She reads faithfully, comments faithfully and encourages me from a distance such that I know her as friend even though we could pass on the street without recognizing each other.  This caused me great distress when we recently held a contest for some blog candy and restricted it to mailing within the US.  *Frowny Face*  So, I thought that I might bless her with a unique gift all her own.  At the scrapbook convention at the end of May I picked up the Delicate Asters stamp and die set from Heartfelt Creations.  Karon had her eye on a couple of my cards and indicated she might want them as a Christmas present.  Christmas was just too far away so I made this card to express my fondest wishes and sent a little care package all the way to Canada.  Here's the details:

• The papers are from the MME Forgettable 6 x 6 paper pad edged with Peacock Feathers Distress ink.  
• The flowers are stamped in black Archival ink and die cut using my Heartfelt Creations Sun-kissed Fleur.   I then used copper stamp paint to color the flowers.  The centers are made with some Peacock Feathers Distress Glitter.  
• The flourish is green cardstock cut with my ODBD Fancy Foliage die. 
• The patterned paper was cut using my Labels 18 die and the white cardstock sentiment cut with my Labels 17 die. 

This is truly a very small gift to have made and given to such a loyal follower.  I received a grateful and humble email from Karon this weekend.  While my weekend was full of activities and commitments, I literally bounded around the room waving my hands in the air like a 5 years old chanting She Got It! She Got It! She Got It!  That my friends is what joy looks like. Karon inspires joy like she is a pro.  I'm so grateful for her.  Check her out, she will not disappoint you!

I've entered this card into Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Anything Goes and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #136: Anything Goes. 

A Musical Thank You

Whew, what a week.  I've felt overwhelmed with the end of the school year activities, the beginning of the next band season (that starts in May, y'all) and multiple family commitments that just happen to have coincided with all the other fun.  In the midst of all that activity, I needed a thank you card for two faithful volunteers who dedicated many hours to my daughter's marching band.  I wanted to make something special that would let them know how grateful we were for their contribution.  This lovely is the result.  Here's the details:

• The patterned paper comes from the stash.  So, very old that I created this card back in 2011 with a separate piece of the same paper.  At that time, the source of the paper was indistinguishable because of it's age.  Time flies when you own a Scrapbox.  Should we talk about the patterned paper stash?  ...ummm... nope.
• The floral pieces are a grouping of my Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage and a new Simon Says Stamp Leaf Column die. 
• The flowers are stamped with black Archival Ink and cut with my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret dies. 
• The treble clef and notes were cut from my Cricut Quarter Note cart from black cardstock. 
• I created the sentiment using text boxes in Word and then die cut the printout using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.

My fellow volunteers cannot know how very valuable they have been to the program.  A handmade card travels some of that distance.  Here's hoping the holiday weekend allows me to catch up on my posts!

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!

Happy Birthday Card

Embossing folders.  I've not had a machine where I could effectively use them.  That changed when I purchased my Grand Calibur.  However, this means that I haven't fully incorporated their craftiness into my skill set.  Yet, they are wonderful for texture and interest on a card.  This one today was made using that fabulous paper pad from Prima- Madeline.  Here's the details for this card:

• The sentiment frame was cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die from a piece of script patterned paper. The sentiment was stamped using with brown Archival Ink.  
• The second frame was cut using two different Spellbinders Labels 18 which I taped into place on a piece of patterned paper from the set.
• The flowers were cut from patterned paper using my Posy dies.They were shaped and a pearl accent added to the center.
• Several floral elements were  cut from brown and green cardstock scraps.  I've got pieces from my Spellbinders Floral Flourishes die, Our Daily Bread Designs Fancy Foliage, and some other dies I've long since forgotten where they came from.
• The background is embossed with a folder and Vintage Photo Distress Ink brushed on the raised portion using my Ink Blending Tool.  The background and the card base were also edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.
• A piece of seam binding tied to the frame finishes the design.  

I left the inside blank on this on to be added when the purpose is identified.   We're headed towards 90 degrees today here in Phoenix.  My goodness, but spring has sprung!

ETA:  I've linked this card up over at Scrapbookpal.com.  They have a running challenge each month to use certain suppliers/products and then get featured over at their blog.  Here's my entry for the last part of February.   Click on this link to check out their latest challenge.  Their online store supplies many of my common tools and supplies and some of the lowest prices around.  Check them out.

Thinking of You Cards- Let's make it a set

I so enjoyed making the Happy Birthday and Thank You cards using my Simple Stories Summer Fresh paper pad, I decided to make two "I thought of you today" cards and make it a set.  Here's the exact same details:

• The I Thought of You Today sentiment was stamped using my Faded Jeans Distress Ink onto a piece of the patterned paper and then cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.
• The mat cardstock frames were cut using my Spellbinders Imperial Gold Labels 4 dies. 
• The flowers were cut from patterned paper using my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret dies.  A red pearl is left in the center to create a bling factor.  
• The leaf swirl was cut using my ODBD Fancy Foliage die. 
• I left the inside blank for a handwritten note just like the Happy Birthday and Thank You card.

I think the patterns work really well.  All told, I probably spent two hours making all four cards.  It was a nice set that I will gift to a friend tied with a pretty ribbon.  Sadly (or not depending upon your point of view), the Summer Fresh paper pad still has many other pieces to work with.  I really must remind myself not to buy any more paper til I use up what I have.   Hmmmm, sounds like a New Year's resolution to me.

Here's the whole collection:

Thank You Card

I enjoyed playing around with my Simple Stories that I decided to get down with it once again, just using a slightly different set of patterns.  Here's the exact same details:

• The Thank You sentiment was stamped using my Faded Jeans Distress Ink onto a piece of the patterned paper and then cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.
• The blue and yellow cardstock frames were cut using my Spellbinders Imperial Gold Labels 4 dies. 
• The flowers were cut from patterned paper using my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret dies.  A red pearl is left in the center to create a bling factor.  
• The leaf swirl was cut using my ODBD Fancy Foliage die. 
• I left the inside blank for a handwritten note just like the Happy Birthday card.

I think the patterns work really well and I went a little crazy going away from the solid cardstock colors I'd normally chose.  It still works and makes things different than I'd usually choose so for that reason I'm very happy.

We're hoping that you enjoyed your New Year's celebrations and are recovering/enjoying 2014 in style.

Happy Birthday Card

Playing around with my Simple Stories: Summer Fresh paper pad.  I made up this card.  Here's the details:

• The Happy Birthday sentiment was stamped using my Faded Jeans Distress Ink onto a piece of the patterned paper and then cut using my Spellbinders Labels 18 die.
• The green and blue cardstock frames were cut using my Spellbinders Imperial Gold Labels 4 dies.  New to me and working it on this card!
• The flowers were cut from patterned paper using my Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret dies.  A red pearl is left in the center to create a bling factor.  
• The leaf swirl was cut using my ODBD Fancy Foliage die.  
• Lastly the chevronish piece was cut out of the pattern in the paper and inked (along with the background paper) using my Faded Jeans Distress Ink.

I left the inside blank for a handwritten note or something similar.  This paper pad is just perfect for making cards and the papers are right for layering different patterns.

Here's wishing you a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve celebration.  We've hosted New Year's with my husband Dan's sister since her daughter was born 15 years ago.  I can't get over how much fun it is to look back on a decade or more of memories spent with kids and families getting together.  We usually end at 10 pm when the Eastern time zone celebrates the new year.  Just enough time for them to get home before the drive becomes a little treacherous.

Happy New Year to you and your family.  Make memories of your own.

Holiday Hostess Gift

I made this tag for a hostess gift this holiday season.  It was simple and easy to put together.  Here's the details:

• The tag was cut out using Plantin Schoolbook and my Cricut using kraft paper. 
• I stamped the swirl from my Heartfelt Creations Holly Berry stamp set using brown Archival Ink onto the kraft tag.
• The sentiment is also stamped from my Holly Berry stamp set using brown Archival Ink only this time it was onto some green cardstock from the scrap bin.  A bin that needs to be emptied.  I die cut the sentiment using my Spellbinders Labels 18 dies. 
• The swirl was die cut and embossed using my Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add On dies.  I embellished this little gem with some red gems from the stash. 
• The poinsetta was made using my Layered Poinsettia Shapeabilities.  The center was made using some Good Earth Elements Earth Textures.  I just love that stuff to make something look rustic.  It really works here in person.  Finally, the red cardstock is spritzed with some white acrylic paint using an old toothbrush.  It looks like a light dusting of snow. 

I don't think I'm nearly wise enough to choose a good wine for a gift.  I just don't drink enough of the stuff.  Still, my husband and his entire family find this to be their favorite.  I hope my hostess enjoyed because she really knows how to put on a good party!