Getting behind

 I'm not sure if anyone reads here, but if you do, I got behind on posts due to the face that my grandmother had spent ten days in the hospital until her death.  One of my kids had a car wreck in the midst of that as well, so lots of trips a good hour + away from my home.  I'm sharing this card as it was one I made for her many years ago.  She loved flowers and since I couldn't buy her real ones, I made her a card of potted flowers in one of her favorite colors.  Life will be different.  I will miss her terribly, but was so fortunate to have her so many years.  

Those squares just kept staring back at me

 I have been gifted many items over the years as friends and family have learned of my cardmaking therapy, love, obsession, part time hustle.  At me desk, I kept seeing these pre-cut squares just begging to be put into a card.  I pulled them out and got to work. 

There were two identical sets and I just had to pull them apart.  I divided the first sheet into three color groupings.  Although, they all match, I picked ones with colors that were most similar to each other. This is the first card I came up with.

I dry embossed the background panel with a 3D embossing folder from Spellbinders.  I used what could possibly be one of my favorite die sets, those tiny butterflies, for each square.  They are a die set from paper rose and there are six different etched butterflies.  SO detailed and delicate.  I stamped the sentiment from a stamp simply stamp set.  I also added some distress ink to the background panel to be cohesive with the look of the squares.  I love how it turned out.  Scraps but not scraps.  I also added a bible verse inside the card on another one of the squares.  This card has already gone out in the mail!

Come back in a couple days to see Card #2 in this series!

Pinterest Inspired

 Don't you just love pinterest?  There is so much to look to for inspiration.  Still on my journey to making thank you cards, I saw this card and I wanted to attempt my version.  I'm not sure mine is successful as the original artist, but I like how it turned out and it has my own spin to it.  This is the pin that inspired my creation.  

Twins!

 My sister-in-law is thoughtful of us.  So giving.  Constantly sharing things with us things that she makes and has a long history of being more like a grandma to our kids through the years.  She's been busy make tote bags for some time and keeps sharing them with me.  Her neighbor is expecting and turns out she's having twins.  She decided to make a diaper bag for her, and I offered to make a special card that would match.  I love how it turned out.  I hope her neighbor loves it too!

Bless yer heart

 So, here are some of the products I picked up from Whimsy Stamps when I won the video hop.  I've been in love with this cow since she was released.  The fence posts, grass, and nail heads are a die set from the company as well. I colored my heifer with my triblend markers. I used tumbled glass and rustic wilderness to blend in a little sky and grass.  I found a little bird stamp/die in my stash from Spellbinders that I thouht had the same whimsical style as my scene.  She was a last addition.  I added glossy accents to her red lips and sparkle pen to her bow.  The little flowers were ones I already had made in my stash.  This is a 4 X 9 card and it fits in a standard business envelope.  

This card is going to my friend that I refer to as my Barnabas.  She prays for me, encourages me, supports and teaches me so much about becoming a more mature woman of God.  Her dad happened to be a dairy farmer, so I thought this cow was a perfect fit for thanking her.  

In hindsight, I wish I had added some little bumblebees in the sky, but this is already in the envelope, ready to deliver.  

Have I mentioned my love of a butterfly motif?

 And hearts and leaves.  I digress, today I'm sharing a card I made using Bibi's butterfly collection from spellbinders.  I cut one of the smaller butterflies and stenciled it with distress oxide inks.  This card wound up going a totally different direction. I had intended to make an A2 size card, but it just didn't look right on the background I'd made for it.  So, I dry emossed some silver foil cardstock with a spellbinders embossing folder, made a small strippy background in coordinating colors for the butterfly.  (hard to see in pictures) I added some silver flat back pearls, added some silver and white twine, and added a happy birthday sentiment.  This card turned into a 5x7.  I was happy with the final product.  

A little ink blending

 This card evolved from my latest sympathy card.  I was just enjoying blending ink colors with distress oxide inks.  They blend so beautifully, especially on Strathmore bristol smooth cardstock.  I created a stencil on my cricut and while I was in the stencil making zone, I created a stencil with hearts as well.  Once I get through my "work" orders, I'll be playing with that.  

Maybe I'm longing for that warmer weather, which is something these colors evoke.  Our bipolar weather, went from 70 degree thunderstorms yesterday, to 28 degrees spitting snow today.  Indiana, you never let me down.  HA! 

I heat embossed this large thanks stamp and added black pops of color for embellishment.  Mounted on black cardstock with layering stitched rectangle dies on a 5 x 7 card base.  

One of my favorite types of cards

 I know it seems strange, but I really enjoy making a sympathy card.  I really hate the need for it, but that is the circle of life I suppose.  I prefer to have some on hand rather than having to make one when it is needed.  I recently purchased the unchartered mariner distress oxide ink. I blended with speckled egg and did a very small amount of black soot around the edge. I made my own "stencil" with my cricut.   This is a 5x7 card.  I stamped with a very old concord and 9th stamp set and used a black sharpie to extend the stem.  Messed it up a little, but I'm not hallmark.  I heat embossed the sentiment with Simon Says Stamp embossing powder.