This first card just so happens to be for my mother in-law, Judy, or as I call her, Mama Judy. Either way seems to be fine with her. She's easy to get along with :) So, No, you're not imagining things, this is the second card you've seen for her this month. I made her a card from my Husband and I and then because she goes to my church I made another card to her from the church. Brian and I go to church with several people that I will be making two cards for. It's cool with me, I think of it as fun time because now I have an excuse to crafty play. I love it so far, making cards for the church, that is. I really thought that it would maybe be more than I could do and I didn't want crafting to start to feel like a chore. I always want it to be fun and stay something that I love. I have been doing this for nine years now and when I started out I honestly didn't know how long I would want to do it. I do wish I had more time to scrapbook but there will be months like July where I don't have so many cards that I need to make for the church and I can use that time to scrapbook. That's how I started paper crafting, in scrapbooking. I saw a show on the DIY channel and I fell in love with it instantly. I remember, back then we used VHS tape and so I recorded that show and when Brian, my husband, came home from work that day I showed him what I had recorded and I said, "I want to do that!" I don't think he knew what to make of it. He's always been supportive and he actually helped me get my first supplies. My birthday was coming up and he had found a scrapbook store in the area where he worked and he went in and bought a gift certificate for me and then took me back up there and let me spend it. I had a blast and the sales woman was so helpful in getting me the tools that I would need to get started. I think when I started out all I had was a metal edged ruler,(that I borrowed from Brian) and a pencil. lol. I thought then, "I better stick with this hobby or Brian is going to kill me" after I had taken over a corner in our kitchen. I started out keeping my supplies in a shoe box then moved to the kitchen table and eventually I moved into the spare room. Thank goodness we have a spare room. lol. I pretty much started out like everybody else. But I always want to love it with the same energy and excitement that I felt during that first year of learning and buying supplies. I still get excited over a new paper pad but I buy far less supplies and I am much more specific about what I buy. I've learned what products and companies I like and I've learned who makes the best quality product. One thing I've always liked it that so many scrapbooking companies are producing their product here in the USA. I believe in supporting the local economy. I like to buy from the smaller companies when I can. I do alot of shopping on Etsy and Zibbet. If you are just starting out my advice to you when buying supplies is to try not to get too excited and think you have to buy it all. There's no way. Slow down, take a deep breath then take another, and slowly buy stuff that you love. If you don't love it you are not likely to use it. One piece of advice that I've gotten and still try to follow today is when you are thinking over buying something stop a minute and think to yourself, "what two projects will I use this on?" If you can't name at least two then put it back. It's not going to be worth your money. I think there's one exception to that rule and that's if you can instead of naming two just be able to name one BIG project that you know you need this item for. Okay, that's my spill, back to the cards.:)
I made this card for a woman, who I'm sorry to say, I don't really have the pleasure of knowing, I find it difficult to make a card for someone I don't know. I don't know why I'm like that but that's just me I guess. I like to know the person I'm making it for, It helps me better capture their personality so to say. It's true, even tho my church is a small town or better a small rural area, church, I still don't know everyone there. I'm getting there tho and I do know that they all are very friendly. It's a great church to belong to. I love it there and look forward to going every Sunday. I know that Katie is a younger woman and that's about all I know. I know she's not a child, or at least I don't think so. Anyway, in such a case as this I just make something that I would love. lol. I, of course, had to make it pink, then put on lace and flowers and a beautiful image and sentiment. It's not a complicated card but I really like it and I sure hope Katie does too.
This final card is made for Andy, and I also don't really know Andy but I do at least know of her and I do know her mom and if she's anything like her then she's going to be energetic and fun loving. Andy is a young woman, a little younger than me (I still consider myself to be a young woman tee hee). So for a fun gal I used a fun paper line. I used some Hedi Swap "Sugar Chic" for this 5.5" sq. card. I also used Hedi's color shine sprays to color the doily that wonderful blue you see here and I used the Cricut to cut out that square"ish" label shape and stamped the sentiment there. I know it's a birthday card but I don't think every birthday card has to say "Happy Birthday" on the front. They are little works of art to me and like all art, can tell a story and have a theme. So used this Rejoice stamp here and finished it off with, of course, you guessed it, lace! And a flower and wonderful, beautiful Bling! See, I do still love my supplies.
I am really enjoying making these cards for the church and my hope is that in hand making each of them the recipient will feel that the church thinks they ARE special, and as such a special person, deserving of someone taking the time to think of them on their birthday and take the time to sit down and make them a card with their own two hands. It is my hope that these cards are special to the people who receive them. That is why I like to know a little about the person for whom the card is to be made. I hope that I am able to keep making these cards for the church and that it allows me the time to still do the things that I want to do some along the way. I pray I never see the day that I no longer find it exciting, fun, and fulfilling as I do today. I maybe bringing you blog post and videos for a good long time yet to come, If the good Lord's willing:) I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend, and I'll be back soon with another blog post as I have many to catch up on yet. Till then, much love and hugs, amy k
