Hello from Home Sweet Home!

Two things inspired today's card:  the fact that we are all staying home to try to flatten the curve, missing our loved ones (even if they're just a few blocks away!) and that Stamp Simply currently has free shipping within the US through March 31 for the supplies you need to say "Hello from Home Sweet Home!"

Green, and similar bright happy colors have really been speaking to me during this time at home, so this Craft Consortium paper caught my eye right away.  If you look closely, you'll notice that on top of that beautiful patterned paper and underneath the wide ric rac ribbon, there is a torn strip of packing envelope!  Yep, free-shipping-inspired!  Truth of the matter is that crafters from all over the globe are ordering in now for supplies to help keep their minds and hands occupied...there's been nothing like this in my lifetime.

The sentiment (from our Yooper stamp set) is stamped on a bit of index card that was smeared with ink/paint mixed-media style. Both the envelope and the index card were in my mixed media stash ready and waiting for just such an opportunity.  I added some Wink of Stella in clear to the flower petals, and in gold on the veins and edges of the leaves, just to add a bit of detail and sparkle.  

Here's a peek at the inside.  The sentiment here is from another set, Fruit of the Spirit.  A little strip of that shipping envelope along with splatters of gold and green ink inside and out help to unify the design of the inside to the rest of the card.

Here are the supplies I used:

• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Yooper)
• Stamp Simply Clear Stamps - Fruit of the Spirit
• Craft Consortium Metal Textures 6x6
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peeled Paint
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Fishtail Sentiment Banners
• Stamp Simply Steel Dies - Floral Cluster and Sprigs
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Squares Small SM
• Spellbinders Die - Classic Squares Large LG
• Prima Audrey Flowers - Turquoise Teal
• May Arts 5/8" Faux Canvas - 3 yard Bundle
• May Arts 1" Grosgrain Ric Rac - 3 yard Bundle
• Rhinestones - Ice Blue
• Rhinestones - Split Pea
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Clear Glitter Marker
• Zig Wink of Stella Brush - Gold Glitter Marker
• Delicata Non-Tarnishing Ink Pad - Golden Glitz
• Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue
• Scrapbook Adhesives-3L 3D Self-adhesive Foam Squares - Mix
• scrap of packing envelope
• scrap of paint-smeared index card

I've been doing a whole lot of spinning and knitting during my time here at home.  In 2018 I had spun some green fiber from Frabjous Fibers in their "Martini" color way so now I've started a "Quarantini" shawl pattern from Romi Hill using that hand-spun. Here's what it looks like so far, with just a little tiny bit of the lace beginning to show:

One of my other projects is to make fabric surgical masks for my neighbor, a physician, to take to UF Emergency Management.  The cloth masks make wearing the n95 mask more comfortable, and they afford an extra layer of comfort/protection with a surgical mask as well.  Plus they're washable.  :) 

I am praying that you are staying safe and healthy, and that you are able to find a way to recognize the silver-lined blessings in all of the stress and craziness of this pandemic.  Stay well!