Friday, November 1, 2024

Hot tea and a good read! Well wishes for a sick friend!


Hi y'all!  Happy November!  Wow, time is absolutely flying by! Christmas is not far away!  If you're making cards and hand-made gifts, seriously, it is not that far off!  

And if you're here for the coffee lover's blog hop, a special welcome!


Illness seems to go hand-in-hand with this busy season.  My friend recently tested positive for Covid, so I decided to make a little tea-inspired "well wishes" tea bag/gift card holder for her.  The project has two criss-cross pockets that are perfect for filling with a folded tag, gift cards, tea bags, etc. 

While shuffling through stamp sets I discovered that the verse from one of our other sets would fit perfectly onto the front of this no nonsense mug, which is just the ticket for a not so frilly or frou frou friend.  This verse seems so appropriate for the circumstance, and I'm so grateful that the more recent versions of this virus seem to be less threatening than the original.  It was really scary at the beginning of the pandemic.  


Here is what it looks like from the back side.   


Ironically, the whole thing is tea-bag shaped when viewed from the side! *wink*


I included some soothing hot teas and a bookstore gift card for some sick bed entertainment.  Warm drinks help a sore throat, and curling up with a good book will help the down time seem to go by faster and maybe provide a mental/emotional escape!  I even stamped some eucalyptus silhouettes on the folded tag insert, because it's so often used for coughs and in breathing treatments.    

It would be really easy to convert this project to be coffee themed for a book-and-coffee-loving friend who is not confined to home!  


Making this project is actually pretty simple!  It is basically an 8.25 inch square of card stock scored at 2 3/4 from each long edge with the outside corners cut off (so it is shaped like a stop sign) and then the two outside middles are cut out.  Finally, the center/bottom is scored to fold in half and if desired, notched and tapered just a little so the corners don't show from the front when it's assembled.  

Posted by at 8 comments:
Labels:

Thursday, October 24, 2024

JOY of the Season


Are you one of those clever stampers who have been making Christmas cards all year long already?!  That is sometimes a challenge for me as I *really* need to be in the mood for Christmas stamping.  I am a "keep Christmas in your heart all year" kinda person (I keep up a small pencil tree all year!)  but still, for the most part I like celebrating each holiday one at a time and in the correct order!  Therefore, gearing up to stamp Christmas cards before it is even Halloween is something I find difficult but necessary!  Looking at this sunny photo might give you another inkling why stamping early for Christmas is challenging around here!


This warm plaid flannel print goes a long way toward establishing the right ambiance for Christmas stamping, especially for a masculine card using vintage imagery!  I decided to keep things really simple, using a unique fold and only a very few embellishments.  In fact, without the bow and pearls, this card would be a perfectly flat card that would be excellent for mailing without having to be hand-cancelled.    

Instructions for the fold:
  • cut 9 x 5.5 inch card stock, score at 3 and 6, and adhere designer papers if desired
  • cut 3 x 9 inch piece also score at 3 and 6; stamp or adhere images/sentiments
  • fold all, align and adhere to make 4.25 inch wide x 5.5 inch tall card (be sure to only glue half of the front and back panels to accommodate the overhangs!)
  • embellish as desired 

I chose to use a couple of die-cut shapes to embellish the center panel.  The stamped image and sentiment are both from the same stamp set.    


I distress inked and then spattered the entire card and tri-fold panel with "snow" (diluted acrylic paint or Snow Tex, etc). 

Super easy and fun and a great way to use up some smaller than standard card sized scraps!  And it makes me think of my dad and my brothers, especially my brother Jerry!  ❤️

Supplies:
Posted by at 1 comment:

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Thanking God for you! (so many linemen to the rescue!)

 

Hi everyone!  Thanks for visiting!  

People in Florida and North Carolina are still reeling from the damage done by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.  At the time of this writing, in Florida alone there are still over 100,000 people without power.    

For many, power loss after a hurricane is a hot, muggy, uncomfortable inconvenience, but the closer one lives toward the eye of the storm, having power to begin clean-up, restoration and reconstruction is really critical.  

Seeing linemen in their trucks driving from near and far across the country ahead of the storm so that they can be immediately deployed to those critical areas is one of those things that restores one's faith in humanity!  What a sweet sight for sore eyes!      


Those linemen...over 50,000 of them...have been faithfully working so diligently in not just un-fun but very dangerous conditions to restore Florida's electricity, and we all want them to know how much they are appreciated! So my card for today uses designer papers that establish that "soggy sheetrock" and "missing dock" atmosphere along with a power pole fashioned of card stock and twine.  

The sentiments are from one of our pastor/ministry appreciation sets, but as you can see, this set could work in many situations beyond the traditional interpretation of church ministry.  

Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels:

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

You rule over the surging sea!


Hello everyone!

Here in Florida, hurricanes have dominated much of everyday life for the last week or two!  First Helene and now Milton.  So when it was time to stamp, I was thinking of the developing storm, the turbulent ocean, and so many of my fellow Floridians storm prepping, putting up storm shutters, gathering the supplies they will need as they "hunker down!"  Food, water, wine, flashlights, batteries and chargers, power failure entertainment, etc.  So here's the card I came up with, because I am praying that He will indeed still the storm (lessen the wind speed, the rain, and the surge)!


This is just a standard top-folding card with a portion of the card front cut away so that the papers on the inside can show through.   LOVE Love love the new paper pad from Craft Consortium and how it works so well with their earlier designs.  Here it is paired with Beach Hut.   


Here's the inside with the half-front flipped out of the way to reveal the scripture inside.  I love these passages of scripture and added the background stamp with a verse from Psalms which is along the same theme.  

Supplies:

I hope you will please continue to pray for all of the folks in the path of Helene and now also Milton.  This is a big scary storm so here in northeast Florida we are hoping to stay safe and sound as the storm makes its way from west to east across our state.  Also hoping to emerge on the other side healthy and whole, without major damage to life, limb, or possessions.  Definitely praying for all of the folks further south throughout  the Florida peninsula.  Sharing so much gratitude for all of the first responders, linemen, and all of the people behind the scenes who do all of the necessary things to keep things running smoothly.  Y'all are amazing!

Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Fill Up!


Hi friends!  

It has been a very stressful week for the entire southeastern portion of the US, from Florida up through the Carolinas.  Thankfully, in spite of several fallen trees in our neighborhood (two just a few doors down in either direction from our home which rendered our cul de sac inaccessible to traffic in or out for the better part of Friday) we made it through without experiencing any damage.  Our power only blinked and then came right back on, but for many others, of course, things were drastically different.  💔

Unfortunately I remember what it is like to be on the receiving end of hurricane damage.  The following photo was taken during Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, the year so many storms criss-crossed over the Florida peninsula (a year before Katrina ravaged New Orleans and Rita decimated my hometown of Westlake, Louisiana). We were out of our home for six months while the entire master suite was taken back down to concrete and rebuilt.    


Last week's Hurricane Helene came ashore exactly on the 20th anniversary of our "ginormous tree" incident.  Incredibly, Helene's effects extended deep into the interior, even as far as Asheville/Hendersonville NC, where I have extended family who have been affected.  

It might seem ridiculous, but let me tell you from my own personal experience:  a simple cup of coffee is such a comfort when one has suffered this kind of trauma.  It's partly because it's something so much a part of everyday life at a time when absolutely nothing feels normal and Life has completely deviated from routine.  It's also something much SO much more than that...it represents generosity and compassion and camaraderie, when small gestures mean everything!  They help to restore one's faith in the world, hope for the future, and confidence in the goodness of humanity.

And so, today's card is shared with a prayer for all of those across the southeast who are without power, water, food, transportation and other resources, who are overwhelmed and running on empty on so many levels.  Many have even lost loved ones.  May there be someone in their midst who can refresh them...body, mind, and spirit...with a hot cup of coffee (or tea if that's their preference!) and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them to help them and their families start on the road to recovery, someone to pray with them, to share their burdens and understand their sorrows.  🙏🏻   

If you're someone who is able to contribute money, resources or time to help, I hope you will do so!  So many people are in need!  There are lots of good charities out there to choose from.  Listen to your heart!  


Now, about today's project!  The design and colors were inspired by our new (and very first) Stamp Simply designer paper pad, Coffee or Tea?!  These colors are bright and cheerful and a pleasant departure from the drab neutrals of so many coffee-inspired papers.  I stamped various cups from our Have a Cup on Us set and colored them in Copic colors to match the designer paper.  With a tall card (8.5 square scored and folded in half for a 4.25 x 8.5 inch card) there was room to stack lots of cups!    


This paper is a really fun mix of vintage images and more modern ones too, with lots of mix & match options.  I love the little wispy leaves and flowers in the background of the dp and decided to mimic those with ribbons, lace, cheesecloth, and paper flowers.  


I kept the inside really clean and simple, using a scrap of the designer paper for a gift card pocket stamped with a sentiment.  I will have to make a coffee shop run to purchase a gift card to put inside. 


Speaking of gifts...be sure to take a look at our coffee themed products in the store, and also take a peek at the Stamp Simply blog.  Check out Sharon's blog post for the National Coffee Day blog hop and leave your comment to have your chance to win a $25 gift code!  Thursday, October 2 is the last day to do so! 


Supplies:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Thank You, With Gratitude


I had a regular dental check-up last week (yay for clean, healthy teeth!) and they gave me a bag of dental "goodies" so I immediately thought of recycling it.  If you're looking for a project that is super fast and easy, then this is IT!  


This border stamp was just perfect for this project and made a beautifully bright, colorful accent for this basic kraft paper bag.  It took just a few minutes to color with Copics.  The "with GRATITUDE" sentiment was stamped directly onto the bag, carefully aligning it to avoid the bumpy handle attachments and the bottom-of-the-bag folds so that it would stamp clearly and cleanly.  


I used a Tim Holtz tag stamped with a sentiment from the same stamp set, set atop a Spellbinder's heart die cut from Craft Consortium's Ink Drops Sunset designer paper.  I love that this die looks pretty even from the wrong side!  The kraft colored seam binding and jute thread allow the heart and the leaf border to remain the star of the show but still balance the color scheme.  

Supplies:
Please say a prayer for those in the path of Hurricane Helene!  We have done as much hurricane preparation as possible as we "Plan for the worst and hope for the best!"  Now all we can do is "hurry up and wait!"  
Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Deepest Sympathy


Hi y'all!  I'm here this week with a soft, simple version of a sympathy card.  Sometimes I make sympathy cards in advance because it is emotionally a bit easier that way, but this one was made after the loss of a dear sweet friend.  She was a calm, serene, wise, lovely soul who really "walked her talk" and she is already terribly missed. Patrick and I were in Michigan/Wisconsin at the time of her passing and her services were held while we were still away.  Honestly I'm still trying to wrap my heart around the idea that she's gone...she and her family were constantly in my thoughts and prayers as I created this card.


I used a combination of green and blue-green distress oxide inks topped with Delicata copper to stamp the eucalyptus branches and then die-cut them with their coordinating dies.    


They peek through the opening made from Spellbinders classic circles cut from the card front.  I used the "positive" circle of designer paper on the card's inside so none of that lovely paper would go to waste.  


Then when the card is opened, the "forever in our hearts" sentiment is revealed.  The heart was die-cut from another beautiful sheet from the same designer paper pad.  I love these papers so much!  This particular color combo especially!  If I had had some ice blue or aqua rhinestones or bliss pearls, I certainly would have used them!  I need to re-stock my sparkly things!       

Supplies:
Love and miss you, dear Miss Anne!  
Posted by at 1 comment:

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Boho Fall Gatefold Card


Hello friends!  It has thankfully been a little cooler the last several days, and Fall is officially just around the corner; the date for Autumn Equinox is September 22nd.  These lovely Fall colors have been calling to me and making their appearance not just in card-making but in some of my other crafting as well!  

In this project, the Beach Hut "barn wood" print had just a hint of peachy tones which harmonized really well with one of the papers in Grunge Light.  


This is a gatefold card, using a standard 5.5 x 8.5 inch piece of card stock, with score lines 2 1/8 inches from each end.  The belly band is about 2 inches wide and is scored with about 1/8 of an inch of depth on the sides to allow the band to be more easily removed.  (Remember to adhere your focal image only to the belly band and to avoid adding embellishments to the card base that would interfere with its sliding!)

I don't normally use kraft paper for coloring with Copic markers but decided to try it for a more muted, nearly monochromatic look for today's project.  I painted over the Copics with diluted Delicata copper ink but since it's been rainy and overcast here I couldn't really get the sparkle to show in my photos.  I also splashed and splattered diluted ink to the card front and inside, so IRL it is quite lustrous!  The addition of a double-ribbon bow brings a bright pop of color!    


Here's what the inside looks like with the belly band removed.  Simple and easy.   

Supplies:


See what I mean?!  These colors!  ❤️   This is fiber I purchased in 2022 and have revisited each year during September/October.  Maybe this year will be the one where it is finally finished!  It's a wool-free blend of black baby llama, mulberry silk, bamboo and bio-nylon so whatever it becomes will be really soft and warm.  It really wants to spin thin so I should end up with some decent yardage.  

Thanks for visiting!  Have a great week!


Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Cool & Crisp Fall


Hello again friends!  It's one of those high white hazy days in Florida, threatening rain but thankfully a little cooler than it has been recently, and I'm still dreaming of Fall!  

I had made this center-step-fold card base a while back, so when I sat down to stamp this week's project I had a little bit of a head start.  I thought the images and sentiments from our new Fall sets would work well with this layout, so I pulled out an Autumn paper pad and got to work.  


I love the way the gingham and striped papers accentuate the folds of the card.  The color palette from the papers set the stage for the Copic marker colors used for the focal image as well.  


Delicata ink splashes and sparkly accents were applied with diluted ink and a skinny paintbrush.  I wish you could see how pretty it is IRL; unfortunately it is so hard to capture with a camera. And a confession:  that green pearl is there because my ink pads are getting rather old and I ended up with a "canvas ink blob" that begged to be covered up!    


The plaid paper and this leaf from one of our older stamp sets help to bring the color palette from the front to the inside of the card.  It fits nicely in that little niche at the top of the card and draws attention to those little details.  

Posted by at No comments:
Labels:

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Transformation!


Hi y'all!  It is hotter than heck here in Florida this week...maybe I am just noticing it more after spending several weeks in the U.P.!

Our flight home was delayed so we didn't get in until around 2 in the wee hours on Thursday morning.  I'm not so good with lack of sleep and big schedule changes like that!       


It has taken me all week to try to get back into the groove, so for my card this week, I needed something relatively quick and easy!  I opted for a nearly no coloring card (the acorns do have a tiny bit of Copic marker shading) made with colorful designer paper that represents the changing colors of Fall.

Those die-cut colorful leaves are mounted on dimensional adhesive atop a layer of soft gold from our brand new Stamp Simply COFFEE designer paper!    


I thought this passage at the top of the card's inside was the perfect choice to echo the idea of transformation but on a personal level from a Christian perspective.  

Another quote that ran through my head was "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow!"  Even nature and the seasons follow the pattern of fading away, death, resurrection and renewal which should always remind us to have hope and to expect miracles!  

Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)