And I'm back again...Christmas in December?

 It is my goal this year to make 5 Christmas cards per month, so that by October I will be able to send out my own handmade Christmas cards. So far, I'm on track.  This idea came to me as I was falling asleep in bed one night.  They came together quickly and is a very clean and simple design(not my forte).  I do love the end result and was able to bust out 9 as it was so very easy. 

A little ink blending with distress oxide, a die cut edge and stamping the sentiment.  Voila. The die is from Paper Rose Studio.  Stamp is from thestampsoflife.com The sentiment comes from a set at Scrapbook.com

Loving my stash

 I have a friend who recently lost her husband. I can't imagine what is like to lose a spouse after 50+ years.   I wanted to create a special card to send her.  I started pulling out small cardstock stacks that I've had for years and remembering how much I love them.  I was able to put together this card with some spellbinders dies (simply layered blooms),  my current favorite pinkfresh studio cutting dies, and embellished with a gems from stash that were recently gifted to me.  I added the sentiment from a hero arts stamp and die combo that I go to again and again.  I used craft foam to give dimension to the sentiment.  I added pops of color in white on the branches (which in hindsight was not the best idea).  I heat embossed the sub sentiment in gold detail powder and painted the bottom of the prayers die with a gold glitter pen. I added a butterfly from my stash and that seemed to finish up the card.

#SUYSJul2023

 I made my version of the show us your sheet load from Call me Crafty Al on youtube.  She puts out a sketch every month for us to use as inspiration.  I used the shee tload this month to make these note cards.  I used a paper pad from hobby lobby and various items in my stash to complete the focal points.  I used Cricut design space to cut the large bees. This sheet load gives you 12 cards if you're looking to build your stash.  Go check her out.  

Double D fold

 There are some cards that I see that I just have to try immediately.  Being that my hubby would be working 12 hour shifts the following three days I knew I had to give this card a try before my time was solely focused on my family.  I have a friend whose husband passed away today.  I knew he was entering hospice care and made this card for her.  Sadly, he passed before I got it in the mail, but I'll still send it to her.  She's a precious lady and has been a comfort to me for so many years.  

I saw this card on Sam Calcott's youtube channel.  It was quick and easy to create...seriously. It took me longer to choose papers than to make the actual card.  

Trying to use what's on my desk...

 I can't get enough of these tiny butterfly dies.  The detail in them are just amazing.  Bonus, they are TINY! They have become a little set that I keep handy to use as needed, because you know I love butterflies. 

I was working on a very special birthday card and had these tiny butterflies left over and they just called out to be used.  I also had a 5.5 x 5.5 botched card base, so I cut it down to 5 x 5 and away I went. I also have several sheets of the background paper which is covered in butterflies.  It's just so lovely.  I used my hemstitch square dies from Spellbinders. I added a candy heart from honey bee stamps and pops of color from scrapbook.com to embellish.  The stamp is one I've had for probably 15 years.  Again, these tiny butterflies are a die set by Paper Rose that I purchased at Scrapbook.com.

When I don't love the outcome

 I really dislike working on a project and not being happy with the finished product.  I fiddled futzed with this card forever adding detail after detail. I thought it was going to be something I really loved, but I just don't.  I hope whoever I wind up sending it to enjoys it anyway.  Once again, I was working with a pre-made card base given to me by a friend many, many years ago.  

#3

 This is the final card I made with the first sheet of squares.  I just love how all these cards turned out and I sent them all in the mail the day after I made them.  Hope you enjoyed them and I really hope the recipients enjoy getting them.

#2

 So, I have these square kraft envelopes that I got on clearance many, many years ago.  They didn't come with cards, but when this girl finds a clearance deal on envelopes, I rarely pass it by.  This was card #2 from my last post and those squares that kept teasing me.  Same concept, but different layout and design.

This card has also been sent to a friend the day after I made it.  One of my favorite verses inside.

a big number needs a big card

 I really enjoy making these "showstopper" cards.  They have such a presence and give me lots of places to add details. A friend from church asked me to make a 50th anniversary card for her in-laws and I rose to the task!  My papers are from a hobby lobby paper pad.  I cut the letters and numbers from design space and colored them with my triblends to match the cardstock.  I covered them in shimmer pen, but that can't really be seen in the photos.  I added some gems from stash.  The sentiment is from an old altenew set and one of the two happy anniversary stamps I have. I love how it turned out.  The back is equally beautiful with an added scripture and ephemera.

The same but different

 I like to post my cards on Facebook to have another record of them.  Sometimes, it's easier to find them there than scrolling through my phone, cause you, know, they go to the cloud and all that jazz....

After posting the cards from my last blog, I was asked, by another friend, if she could purchase these.  I set to making her a set letting her know colors may change and have little variances.  I think that's the only caveat to being asked for something I've already given/sold.  I may not always be able to recreate the very same card.  That being said, here is set two.  Same, but different. 

Working in my zone

 This is truly where my style leans, butterflies, delicate, scripture added.  As I've previously mentioned, I enjoy working with butterflies and the Craft Consortium Ink Drops papers.  I guess I sort of work backwards.  I chose my design, laid out my papers, cut the focal image backdrops, assembled then looked to see what I had on hand that would match each design.  It works for me.  Then, I perused through my scripture stamps finding a perfect size for each card. It had been a while since I dipped into my memento dew drops and added sentiments with color, I love how soft and pretty they are.  I finished with coordinating colors of pops of color to finish the design.  I added thinking of you inside the cards.  This set was purchased by a friend who loves my work.  I so appreciate her kindness and generosity.