Remembering Mother

Saturday Morning, September 14, 2019, God sent His Heavenly Chariot for my Mother and a huge part of my life is no longer with me.

This will be our first Thanksgiving without her.  Normally we would spend the Sunday after Thanksgiving with her because she encouraged each of her children to spend Thanksgiving Day with their spouses and children.

We were looking forward to celebrating her 100th birthday with her in March 2020, but it wasn’t to be... God blessed her with 99 1/2 years and we are so thankful to Him and so blessed for the time he allowed her to spend with us.

These are the personal Thank You cards I made to send to family and friends for their acts of kindness to our family.

 Celebration of Life Program

Sundaly School Teachers

Back to school for the children and a new session of Sunday School at our church.  My husband is currently the Sunday School Director and we're off to a new school year (September 2019).  he purchased book marks as small gifts for each of the teachers and I made cards to go with the bookmarks.

I used larger envelopes to place the cards in because they were too bulky for the regular A2 cards.

Stampin with Alicia has great instructions on her YouTube channel for his card.  I was amazed at how easy it was to create these cards.

Peaceful Place Sympathy Cards

Sympathy cards are one of life’s necessities.  I really should make a bunch and have them ready when the need arises but I prefer making cards of celebration.  This card is for one of the members of our church.  His nephew’s wife passed away suddenly a few days ago and hubby and I are hoping this card will cheer him up by letting him know we are thinking of and praying for him.

This just in ... I’m going to have to make another sympathy card.  The Drummer for the choir that I direct at our local senior center passed away and I need to send our condolences to his family.  When it rains, it pours.

Stamps:  Peaceful Place (Image); Flowing Fountain (Sentiment)
Inks:  Old Olive, Marina Mist, Pool Party, Soft Suede; Crumb Cake
Card Stock:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Marina Mist
Technique:  Sponging
For: Jessie (death of niece); Dave (LWSC Choir Drummer)

Inside sentiment is not from Stampin’ Up!  It’s a sentiment stamp that I purchased from Hobby Lobby years ago and I love the message that it conveys.

I added the bow on the left side because it looked like it needed something else.  I didn’t want to add ribbons, buttons, rhinestones, or gems because I wanted it to have more of a non-gender appearance since this card is for a guy.

Sending Wishes Your Way

My sister has been diagnosed as having Pneumonia.  She is such a kind-hearted and hard-working person and I am really sorry that she is so under-the-weather right now.  I was in the process of making a card for my friend Allene so now I’m making two of the same.  I hope this card will help to cheer both of them up.

Stampin’ Up! Card stock: Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Stampin’ Up! Inks:  Rose Red, VersaMark, Memento Black
Stampin’ Up! Stamps: Butterfly Basics, Dandelion Wishes, Inspired by Nature
Stampabilities Stamp: You’re In My Thoughts
Print works Collection Stamp: Healing Thoughts
Stampin’ Up! Dies: Eastern Medallions; Butterflies Thinlits

Valentine Wishes for My Little Sweeties

I’ve had this stampset, ‘The Nicest Things’ (now retired), for quite a while but never used it until now. I fell in love with it when I first saw it because it reminded me so much of my two daughters when they were little girls.  My little grands remind me so much of my daughters when they were small (almost the exact same age difference between my daughters and my grands). I love watching them play together because they seem to enjoy the same things as my daughters.  Oh the joys of childhood memories.

Thursday is Valentine’s Day and I really wanted to send my little grands, who I affectionately call, “My Little Sweeties” a Valentine card.  I made two because I wanted them to know that I was thinking of them individually as well as together.

Springtime Vintage DSP

Card stock: Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

Stamps:  The Nicest Things, Bloomin’ Love

Inks:  VersaMark, Rose Red, Pear Pizzaz, Crumb Cake

Accented Blooms

Sometime it takes me days to make a card, especially when I am making it for someone special in my life. This is a card I made for my sister, Sarah, using the Accented Blooms stamp set as my main image.  Hope she likes it.

Card Base: 11" x 4 1/4", scored at 5 1/2"
Papers:
Basic Black
Marina Mist
Paisley Petals DSP
Inks:  VersaMark with White Detailed Embossing Powder
Stamp Sets:
Accented Blooms
Butterfly Gala
So Many Shells
Golden Afternoon
Hanging Garden

Get Well, Allene

I made this card for an amazingly and talented lady who attends our church.  She recently fell and broke some bones and is currently in rehab.  Prayers for her speedy recovery.

Birthday Wishes to My Daughter

  

Stampin’ Up! Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Healing Hugs (Images)
Butterfly Basics (Sentiments)
Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Pear Pizzaz
Dies:  Stitched Shapes and Layering Squares
Ribbon:  Cherry Cobbler

My 2018 Christmas Cards

 

Lightly butter two small microwave-safe mugs. 

Whisk together the 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 1 large egg and 1/4 tsp vanilla in a large bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. 

Whisk in 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt until just combined.

Pour 1/2 of batter into each mug. Microwave, one at a time, until puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 2 minutes 50 seconds.

Note:  Continue microwaving in 15-second intervals, if needed. Let cool slightly. Top as desired. 

A Broken Heart

The son of one our dearest friends passed away this past Monday, August 27th.  It's a grief I don't wish upon anyone because hubby and I also suffered the loss of a child 4 years ago, our dear Angela Monique.

Today was the day of the viewing.  They were not there when we arrived so we went by their home to spend some time with them.  I am so glad we did.  

I made a card and coordinated an envelope for them using products purchased from Stampin' Up! The images were on point ... 'Rooted in Nature', because our friends are rooted in God's Word.  How fitting for the occasion.  I used other stamps to convey the message but I felt the images said a lot because they spoke to me.  RIP "J".

AMAZING GRACE

I made this 'Box Card' for my Sister Sarah but I lovingly refer to her as 'Amazing Grace' because she is an amazingly compassionate woman and I love her dearly.

I'm hoping to start a YouTube channel soon with instructions on making this and other cards and projects.  The problem I have with watching some channels is having to listen to so much talking and not enough instructions.  I find myself fast-forwarding through a lot of the talking just to get instructions.  Also, sometimes I feel some of the information is not needed because common sense kicks in.  If a viewer needs clarification on something, it should be addressed in the comment section... at least that's what I plan to do.

Until I am up and running on my YouTube channel, here are basic instructions for this project:

Box Card Base: 8 1/2" x 10"
Score on the 10" side at 2", 3 1/2", 6 1/2" and 8"
Score on the 8 1/2" side at 1 1/2" and 7"
Using your Stampin' Up! diagonal plate, score on the 10" side at 5" down to the first score line on both the front and back.  Reverse and repeat.

Happy 74th Tabitha

I haven't sent my friend a birthday card for the past couple of years and I'm determined to get this card to her this year.  I made a card for her last year and the year before and was not pleased with it.  I do hope I got her age correct.  If I didn't, she may no longer consider me her friend.

Happy Birthday, Tabitha!!!

My 2017 Christmas cards

I’m finally able to update this blog after months of attempts. For some reason, I was able to view my blog, but not edit it.  I've got more  information to share.

Flag Card for Ivan

Card Base:  5 1/2" x 10"
Score at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
3 Flag Bases: 3 15/16" x 1 7/8"

Card Stock:
Dusty Durango (Retired Stampin' Up!), Whisper White, Basic Black

Inks:
So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Dusty Durango (Retired Stampin' Up!), Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Basic Gray

Stamps:
Hardwood, Wetlands, Just Believe, Floral Phrases, Flourishing Phrases, High Tide, Picture Perfect

Thursday's SCS Ways to Use It Challenge - Celebrate Earth Day.  This challenge gave me the opportunity to create a masculine Thank You card for a friend.  Hope he enjoys it.

With Sympathy

 I made this Sympathy card for my sister last night because her best friend passed away yesterday.  I saw a very elegant card demonstrated by Susan Campfield and cased it because it is not only elegant but also quick and easy.  I added an extra layer and some gemstones and, since  I still have SU Blendabilities I used the light, medium, and dark cherry cobbler Blendabilities as my accent color.

Swirling Butterflies

I am finally getting a chance to post a card I made the other day for the SUO154 - Delightful Dies challenge.  

Dies:  Rose Garden Thinlits Die; Florish Thinlits Dies
Punches:  Bitty Butterfly; Elegant Butterfly
Paper:  Very Vanilla; Basic Black; Basic Gray; Flirty Flamingo; Timeless Elegance DSP

My card base is 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored in half at 4 1/4".  I cut 2 1/8" from the right side of the front of the card.  I watched France Martin's YouTube Video for instructions on the Fun Frame that I attached to the half-front (easier to see the half-front panel in the second and third blog photos).

I used the Flirty Flamingo Stampin' Write marker to color the flowers on the Timeless Elegance DSP.

     

New Posts Coming Soon

It's been a while since I last posted on my blog... This has been a very busy summer for me but things are beginning to slow down.  I've made a few cards that I need to upload and will share them with you within the next few days.

Miracles Happen

I started making a card for my young cousin yesterday but was not pleased with it.  When I saw that Today's SCS Ways to Use It Challenge (WT573) is to use a pet, I knew this was the direction in which I would go to make a card for him.  He has an incurable illness and he has been depressed since his last hospitalization... He has been hospitalized so much during his young life.  I wanted to remind him of the importance of today.

I don't have any pets other than the ones in my Craft Room and I've had this particular stamp set for years and, until today, it has never seen ink.  This card is also for the WT565 Lose Weight Feel Great challenge (Retired DSP).  The card sketch is SC582 Sketch Challenge from Splitcoaststampers.

I hope the sentiments that I stamped inside will be an encouragement to him. I wrote a personal message

inside but I covered it with the envelope.  At the end of the message I stamped 'Miracles Happen' from the Bloomin' Marvelous stamp set because I pray that God will bless us with a miraculous cure for Sicle Cell one day.

Card Recipe:  All supplies are from Stampin' Up
Inks:  StazOn Black, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Island Indigo
Papers: Fan Fare DSP; Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, and Island Indigo card stock
Stamps:  Summer Afternoon; Vintage Vogue; Word Play; Bloomin' Marvelous

My SCS Gallery

Thinking of You

I think I might have gotten a little carried away with this one.  I started adding flowers and I couldn't seem to stop myself.  I wanted to make a masculine card for a relative who has an incurable illness so the Kind Koala stamp set seemed to be a good choice because of his young age.  Somewhere along the way the card took on a feminine look.  I'll have to start all over on another card for him.

I used the Just-Add-Ink Sketch Challenge #300 to start my card.  The card stock and inks used were from The Color Tree Challenge #8 ... Watermelon Wonder, Mint Macaron, Whisper White, and Gold.  I used my Gold Wink of Stella brush to color the Koala Bear because it was the only gold I had.  I  also added a touch of gold to the wings of the butterfly from the Papillon Potpourri stamp set. I also added a touch of gold on the letters of 'YOU'.

I stamped the blades of grass from the Inspired by Nature stamp set... I still love this stamp set.

My SCS Gallery

Beautiful Bunch of Flowers

I am really rushing trying to complete the TCTC6 challenge before it closes.  I've been busy this week getting my craft room back in order after receiving paper holders from Stamp-n-Storage. They were a bit expensive but worth it; I am now able to find the card stock I need pretty quickly.

To make this card I used SC578, a sketch challenge  from Splitcoaststampers.  I used Whisper White card stock as my card base with Blackberry Bliss panels.  I stamped the flowers using the Beautiful Bunch stamp set in Perfect Plum and Rich Razzleberry. I stamped the butterfly using Papillon Potpourri stamp set with Perfect Plum.  The centers of the two Rich Razzleberry flowers were stamped with Perfect Plum and cut out and layered on top.  The center of the Perfect Plum flower was stamped with Rich Razzleberry and cut out and layered on top.  I dry embossed each of the Blackberry Bliss panels with Textured Impressions Embossing Folders.

Stamp Sets:  Beautiful Bunch, Papillon Potpourri
Inks:  Blackberry Bliss, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry
Card Stock:  Blackberry Bliss, Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
TIEF: Deorative Dots, Fluttering, Lovely Lacy Fancy Fan (Retired)
Banners Thinlits
Elegant Butterly Punch

My Splitcoaststampers Gallery