Here are the cards I've made for last week at the church. This first card is a Get Well soon card. I'm not sure who this card will be going out to so I can't give you that information. I guess whom ever is on the prayer list and the pastor thinks it will benefit the most. I hope who ever gets it that it will brighten their day.
For this card I used a patterned paper 6x6" stack by My Minds Eye called Reunion. I think this is an oldie but a goodie. lol. I used a couple of Spellbinders dies. The dollie die out of the black paper is from the set called Lacey Circles and the frame is from the Classic Frames set. On it I used some Hero Arts ink in Green. For the sentiment I used the Sizzix die called Styled Labels and used the same green ink to stamp out the first part of the sentiment and some more Hero Arts ink in orange for the second part and I used that same ink to distress around the edges of the manila card stock. That sentiment is from Papertray Ink called Big & Bold Wishes. The two little flowers on the end are also from the Spellbinders Classic Frames die set. Then I added some dew drops in orange. This color pallet is a little out of my norm but I think it's good to flex your creative muscles from time to time. I know I am guilty of getting in a comfort zone and it's easy to stay there and I don't think you can grow as an artist that way. You have to always stretch your imagination and try new things. I look at it like this, I can always fall back on what I know if something new doesn't work out alto I almost never throw any part of my project away and start over. I almost always find a way to make what ever I've done work. I don't know, I almost feel like it's wasteful to throw away something just because it's not perfect. I know I've got plenty of supplies but that's not the point. I think my husband would die if he thought I was throwing away something that I could easily fix. These things we make as crafters and artist are handmade and that means that not every one will look the same and they won't all be perfect. I'm glad for that. One thing that I think is always true, however, is that you will be getting a quality product when you get something that's handmade. I know I make my cards to last. That's why I hate using hot glue on them because over time it becomes brittle and will fall apart. I know some of my family members have saved all the cards that I've made them and that's so cool. I would hate if they went to look at them years later and they started falling apart and they had to throw them away. That's not very cool.
So, On to the second card.....
This second card is also a Get Well Soon card. I used several die cuts for this card. I started with paper from g.c.d. studio made with Donna Salazar. I think she's so very cool. The patterned paper pack is called Botanique. I used some texture paste that I colored with some reinker in Salty Ocean blue by Tim Holtz and used it with a stencil from Prima for that cracked design. The I used the Tattered Flourals die from Sizzix to make the flower in the top corner. I made that flower out of some muslin fabric that I first used some stiffener on then die cut and used my glimmer mist to color. The flower center is made by me out of clay that I used a button to make a mold of so that I could have an endless supply of that design. I used the Viva Decor Inka Gold Metallic Rub to color it. The label shape in the bottom corner is a Spellbinders die called Labels 22. I colored it while it was still in the die after die cutting with some Lindy's Stamp Gang mist. I then cut out the Dizzy Dolly Duo die from My Favorite Things in blue card stock and layered it over top of the label die. I finished it off with the Elegant Flourishes die from Sizzix cut from some Metallic brown card stock from Bazzill. Love it every chance I get to use that die. :) And I finished the card off with some pink dew drops made from pony beads.
Here's the last card....
This card was a favorite with my husband, (all cards must first be approved by my husband lol) along with the people at church. It's a Thinking of You card. I also used another Oldie but Goodie paper line on this card. It's made using the Nature's Garden from Prima I started off with the 5.5x5.5" card base from Micheals and then distressed all the edges of the patterned paper, tip: I use my dremel tool to do this. Then I used distress ink on all edges in Gattered twigs. I used that Styled Labels die again here on this card for the sentiment which is a Close to my Heart stamp set called Gracious Greetings and heat embossed it with a metallic purple embossing powder. I used another MFT's die called Fancy Flourishes in the dark purple card stock and a Prima flower in burlap that I colored using some Lindy's Stamp Gang spray that was applied using a paint brush to get in just where I wanted it. I finished off the card with some vintage crocheted lace from my stash.
I know this was a long blog post and I hope you stayed till the end. To those who did I thank you. I really am enjoying making these cards for the church and I hope they are enjoying it too. It's going to really get me some good practice in. lol. I have to go for now and I guess you will see me back here Monday as I am taking tomorrow off. I will be very busy next week as we have Homecoming at the church Sunday and then all next week I'm teaching Vacation Bible School. That will be a first time experience for me so please keep me in your prayers. I wouldn't want to misguide one of our children. I will try to keep up with my blogging all week though. We shall just see how it goes. I'll see you back here Monday. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Till then, Much love and hugs, Amy k