Labor of Love

Today was a day of creating a single card for a much beloved Aunt. My beloved Uncle James (we called him Uncle Beige) passed away a few days ago. He was such a kind and peaceful man, I never heard a single unkind word from him.

I have always loved butterflies and always thought them to be special. A few years ago a dear friend who had lost her grown daughter shared with me what she told her grandchildren how they could communicate with their Mother. Butterflies, are a messenger from God to carry all our messages to our loved ones and back. Sent from God to keep watch over us and help us in our times of sorrow and joy.

With this in mind I created this card using Pergamano for my Aunt Cleo.

I only dabble in Pergamano and lately only seem to make cards with it for sympathy cards. It takes me a little while to find the design I want to use as it must speak to me and about the person the card is for. Once selected as I work I think of the person and what they are going through. I also say prayers for them and the healing for their heartache.
The length of time I spend working on these cards are my way of sending hugs, and lots to love to the person receiving them.

A few finishes for the week

I spent some time finishing up a few swaps this week, and here they are.
First not for a swap but my pumpkin Patch kit for August. The top left is the way the instructions had you make it but I changed it up for the other three cards.

Next is the Garden themed card. I knew I wanted to make a garden gate card even before the swap came up, so thought it the perfect thing when the theme was announced. After I cut the gate card I felt I needed to back the gate with something, so I used vellum. Then I felt it needed something for the vellum to "frost" (not sure what to call it......maybe "hide") so I stamped small flowers and leaves in a climbing vine type of pattern. Then decided something else was needed so I quilled some wildflowers (Quilled creations dies) and fixed on the front side with a punched butterfly. The gate was inked with multiple inks and embossed multiple times to give it a shiny aged gold look (this was done right after cutting out).

Next is the butterfly ATC: I really like how these turned out. I first cut my cardstock 2.5" x 3.5" (white) then stamped leaves and roses from the Stampin' Up! stamp set Cottage Rose (definitely decorative stamp set) then I embossed them with the Victoria embossing folder (Cuttlebug....I think) and inked the raised design with Stampin' Up! Pistachio Pudding ink pad. Then I added glitter to the detailed edges of the flowers. Punched the butterfly and glittered the edges of the detail punch and faux stitched the dark pink solid punch, layered it on to a flourished square which I faux stitched. Added the smoked topaz 3mm crystals for the butterfly body.

Playtime

Over the past few days I have gotten to play....I mean create!
On last Friday, a friend lost her Mom and as I thought of her I prayed for the Lord to lift her up and give her strength during this time of grief.
I tend to make Parchment craft (Pergamano) cards for these special times when someone needs that lifting up and love during difficult times. Here is the card I made for her.


Next was finishing off some ATCs for a swap with a butterfly theme. One of my favorite things...butterflies! Which I still have to take photos of...I can't believe I haven't yet....lol. Oh well those will be posted at a later time.

Yesterday I had a chance to make a Thank you card for my friend Paula. Last week she gave me an embossing folder for my birthday and a couple nights ago an idea popped into my head on exactly what I wanted to do with it.

Unfortunately the photo isn't the best and doesn't really show the vibrant colors. I love how it turned out!

Today I received my Paper Pumpkins kit for August (from Stampin' Up!) and it was a kit for 4 cards. According to the instructions you make them the same...well not me.
Although simple in design I think they are cute and just holler summertime. The one in the top left corner is the way the instructions said to make them.
Anyhow...it is time for me to head to bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day; I'm heading to a Phillies baseball game with a meal before hand at Xfinity. Hopefully they win!
Good night and God Bless you All!

Amazing alignment

I love how every once in a while things just align so perfectly.
On Aug 1st, I was going through my email and checked on challenges on Colorful Creations to see things I would hope to work on. Several of the current ones sounded like fun to try, but one really popped out at me. Anything Goes Challenge: Steam punk! I have never tried using steampunk style anything before but know others have and do a wonderful job mixing the Victorian era with the invention era.
My daughter later that day was telling me how she wanted to have a Steampunk costume for Halloween and her boyfriend thought she should make it. HA she doesn't know how to sew and since he doesn't either and there is no way they will learn before then. Guess who is making the costume...ME!
I thought about how this would be my subject for my LO...our journey of making her costume. This is the first page.
The paper is some Paula gave me a few months ago, but I thought was perfect for it with the copper foil accents in it. I then used some copper foil cardstock and embossed with TH SteamPunk embossing folder and my Cuttlebug. Almost perfect...just needed some aging, so I used TH alcohol ink Black Soot and added the aging. Layered this on black to make it pop from the background a bit.
I also thought the photo viewer wheel would be a nice addition. This I cut with a pale yellow (cream) colored cardstock and then used Distress Inks (black soot and tea dye) and Dewdrop copper to age it and the tag. I used some alpha stickers I've had for a few years and added some TH metal embellishments. The photo on the tag is of the pattern we are using and the other photos show the fabrics and a head piece I found to dress up for the occasion.
Now to get the pieces cut out and sewn together.
Watch for our progress along the way.

Altered TP roll treat holder

For one of the July swaps at Arthavencreationsandfriendships@yahoogroups.com we were to alter a roll from toilet paper. This was alot of fun, and there really are so many ideas out there for toilet paper rolls. One of the ideas that intrigued me the most I found at

The theme from the swap is summer: here is my interpretation of this. I hope Penny really likes this. I plan to add a bit of a treat for her as well.

Another of the swaps was a personalized wall hanging for our partner. Mine is for a lovely lady (Rita) in Texas who loves the colors blue and brown and beige flowers. This is what I made for her. I hope she likes it.

Next to work on is finishing up the ATCs. Look for them soon.

A crafty week so far

This has been quite a crafty week for me so far and it is only Wednesday.

First was the Ice cream cone shaped card (previously written about) on Sunday, then on Monday I made some paper flowers.

These turned out so nice I think. Always in the past mine would turn out only slightly dimensional and still pretty much be flat no matter what I did to them. I used the TH Alterations Tattered flowers sizzix die. To give them more depth I also inked the edges with TH tea dye distressing ink. I love inking the edges!
These were for a wall hanging for a swap I'm in which I completed Tuesday. I would love to share a photo at this time; as I love the way it turned out, but I feel the wonderful lady it is for should see it first. I plan to mail it out tomorrow and hopefully by the beginning of next week will have it in her little hands.

Yesterday I also embarked on a just for fun project with my sister Cyndi. As we rarely get to see each and both would love to travel and vacation together, we have started (today) having fantasy vacations. You didn't know I'm really on a cruise ship right now...lol.
For our little "trips" I even made a passport!

Although this is silly to some, we are exploring the world from our houses and sharing the memories of our inexpensive vacations. We have both been to several places in the world but not the same ones, we will be sharing these with the other and are both looking forward to our excursions. Who knows where we will "go" next. Europe or Hawaii are both on the list.

Who wants Ice Cream?

After all the heat this summer and knowing more is to come...I'm ready.

For a swap I'm in on Arthavencreationsandfriendships@yahoogroup.com I needed to make a shaped card. I had many ideas tossing around in my head for a few weeks and just couldn't quite decide on one.
Last night during a thunderstorm and power outage I kept thinking of ice cream. Temperatures were still really hot and with no AC the humidity levels were rising in the house. Ice cream would have tasted so nice.
Power finally came back on around 1am and at 5:30 when I got up I still wanted Ice cream!
The house is now cooled back down; even with more temperate temperatures (around 90) outside the heat index is near 100. Since the freezer is Ice cream free I made my shaped card in the shape of an Ice Cream Cone.


The lady (Rita) who is to receive this is in Texas; I'm sure she could use some cooling off. Hope she likes strawberry ice cream!