Doily Easel Card

Hello, my sweet friends! I pray you're having a blessed week. :o)

The beauty in easel cards is that they're innately special, so you can still give someone a unique gift even if you don't have a million hours to devote to it at the time. This will soon be en route to deliver one more ray of sunshine to Alana, this month's recipient of the I Feel the Love Project.

"Bloom where you're planted"

The doily easel base and daisy are both cut files from Bird's Cards, the talented lady who offers so many beautiful files. I adore my Silhouette Cameo and am so thankful for her generosity!

An angled view of the sweet daisy to show the dimension and a glimmer of the dew drops I added with Glossy Accents:

The daisy is centered with pink rhinestones because it's blossoming with love and prayers. :o) The gorgeous paper for the card itself is from a Susan Winget K and Company collection. I wanted to make a simple springtime scene and many of her designs lend themselves so well for that. There's a light script that scrolls across it, which I envision as new memories being made (and journaled) as Alana moves forward to brighter days. :o) The Cheery Lynn Designs butterfly flutters alongside, centered with the same rosy love as the daisy. I wanted a sparkling border of some type around the circle base, so I made a tiny pattern of three little sparkles every few sections, almost like a butterfly's path.

I was so excited to use the My Craft Spot Tiny Tags 2 and metal dies again, especially with a sentiment so ideal for this card. I want to encourage Alana to bloom in her new home. :o) I alternated blues and pinks for the tiny tags banner, centering two with pink mist roses from Wild Orchid Crafts. (Naturally, they have been Star Dusted!) 

I threaded Blossom twine (also from My Craft Spot) through the tags and secured them with sweet little bows. The pink paper is pearlescent, presenting a lovely sheen when the light catches it. To keep the easel upright, I used a Recollections rhinestone flourish. Two tiny butterflies (an old Fiskars punch) frolic at the base for an extra touch of whimsy. I hope Alana likes it. :o)

Challenges entered:

 *Cheery Lynn Designs~ Shaped Card

 *Craft Your Passion~ All That Glitters

 *Created With Love~ Things That Fly

 *Cupcake Inspirations~ Photo Inspiration

 *Divas By Design~ Fancy Fold

 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes

 *My Craft Spot~ Flowers

 *Paper Playtime~ Sentiment Stamps

 *Papertake Weekly~ Buttons or Bling

 *The Cutie Pie Challenge~ Pretty Pastels

Thank you for fluttering on by! I hope your day sparkles with love and sunshine. :o)

A Dabble Into Vintage: Pocket Card

Hello, my dear friends! I hope your week is off to a sparkly start. :o)

I bought some lovely papers several months ago, but as much as I adored them, I didn't know how to use them. This is barely vintage I'm sure, but it's a baby step. :o) I had a great time making this pocket card for Alana, this month's recipient of the I Feel the Love Project. :o)

I wanted to send her a little more love. :o)

(You may need to enlarge that picture to see the gorgeous Cheery Lynn Designs butterfly. While cream would have photographed better, the shades of rose look very pretty in person.)

The papers for the pocket and base of the card are from Prima's Nature Garden Collection, while the tag paper is from Glitz Pretty in Pink. Everything is inked with Walnut Stain. I used the Fancy Flourish die from My Favorite Things for the butterfly's trail, which I accented with graduating sizes of pearls. The sweet butterfly, rosy with love, hovers alongside an arrangement of Wild Orchid Crafts roses and lilies, in light shades of peach, pink, and cream. A WOC crown pearl stick pin is nestled within the flowers because it just seemed to fit the theme so well. :o)

American Crafts crochet lace lines the pocket and tag. The heart is from Cheery Lynn Designs Two of Hearts set, to which I stamped the simple sentiment upon in Rich Cocoa. The fun vintage Valentine key that I added to the tag is a cut file from the Silhouette Online Store, designed by Megan Hardy. I just love the hearts! I used shimmer paper in a sweet rose shade, adorned it with pearls, and made two tiny pearly flourishes.

The Vanilla Bean and Raspberry Truffle crinkle ribbon is from My Craft Spot. I forgot to take a picture of the reverse side of the tag, which is a vintage ledger pattern for Alana to write down the keys to love. :o) Especially during trials, it is vital to consciously remember that love surrounds you... and to remember that the keys to love don't change with circumstance. :o)

The interior: Kaisercraft paper and a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis square, ready to be filled with sappy words from my sparkly heart. :o)

Since I'm short on gushing-time, I'll simply say that I pray Alana feels loved and encouraged by everything I made for her. I just want to make her beautiful heart smile and have tucked eons of hugs within each card. :o) If you'd like to join us, there's still time to create a little blessing for her. :o)

Challenges entered:
 *Card Mania~ Love
 *Charisma Cardz~ Anything Goes
 *Craft Us Crazy~ Favorites (butterfly, heart, and flourish dies, pearls, lace)
 *Crafty Ann's~ Anything Love-Themed
 *Crafty Catz~ Bingo! (Pearls-Dies/Punches-Ribbon)
 *Fab 'n' Funky~ What's Inside
 *Flourishes~ Put Your Heart on It!
 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes
 *Pretty Little Ribbons~ Anything Goes
 *Sentimental Sundays~ Lace and Pearls

Thank you for visiting me today! I wish you a day that sparkles with blessings. :o)

Love Notes Pocket Card: Valentine for my Sweetheart!

Happy Saturday, my sweet friends! I hope everyone is having a blessed weekend! :o)

I have a fun little pocket card to share with you today! For my sweetheart's Valentine, I wanted to make something that mixed cuteness with the base of our love, and also wanted it to be interactive in some way. Not only was this fun to create, but I used something for the very first time: Tiny Tags 2 stamps and the matching metal dies from My Craft Spot! I've had my eye on them for quite some time, so I am thrilled to own them. They're fabulous. :o)

You & Me:

An angled view to show the pretty red metallic foil paper of the love notes and tiny tag base:

Want to see those hearts that are nestled within the pocket? You'll see in a moment! ;)

The sweet owls, musical score sheet, and heart notes (here and here) are cut files from the Silhouette Online Store. The musical score is accented with tiny red rhinestones on each end. My heart-filled owl's pretty paper is from Doodlebug's Lovebirds paper pad and I couldn't resist giving her sparkly eyelashes. This IS a celebration of sparkling love, after all! ;) These owls tugged at my heartstrings the moment I saw them, knowing they'd be perfect for my sweetheart's card.

The heart paper is Recollections, the red foil paper is Martha Stewart, and the top filigree/scroll paper is from Echo Park. As previously stated, the sentiment is from My Craft Spot, as well as the Peppermint Stick Trendy Twine. I had the most ridiculous fun using these tiny tags! They're just so sweet... like mini cupcakes! :o)

Now for the most important part of this Valentine... the love notes. I am truly blessed, as my sweetheart is loving, genuine, and selfless. (And oodles of other beautiful adjectives.) What I most love is that I'm not the most important thing in his life. We strive to make sure we're always second to each other... first is always our dear Lord. 

So for Valentine's, I wanted to celebrate our wonderful relationship with lovey dovey owls and heart-shaped music notes... but also celebrate the greatest example of love, which is the standard we use in how we treat one another. It's the base of who we are individually and collectively, and certainly the base of our love. :o) God's love is what strengthens us and empowers us, building us up to keep living a life of love in this world that has so much darkness.

Love notes:

The Scriptures are from K Andrew Designs Scripture Sayings, which I stamped upon Spellbinders Nested Hearts. I embossed the hearts, lightly inked those areas with Barn Door distress ink, and added a smattering of rhinestones. I'm happy to say he loved his card. :o)

Challenges entered:

 *Card Crafter's Circle~ Paint the Town Red

 *Celebrate the Occasion~ Anything Goes Valentine

 *Craft Your Passion~ My Valentine

 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ Linky Party

 *Little Scrap Pieces Fun Friday~ Valentine's or Heart

 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes

 *Moving Along With the Times~ Love is in the Air

 *My Craft Spot~ For Your Sweetheart

 *Papertake Weekly~ Hearts or Flowers

 *Pause, Dream, Enjoy~ Mainly Red

Thank you for fluttering on by! I wish you a day that sparkles with love. :o)

Be Unique, Be Unforgettable, Be You

Hello, my sweet friends! I hope everyone is having a blessed day. :o)

Before the month gets away from me (how time flies!), I wanted to get another card made for Alana. :o) She is this month's recipient of the I Feel the Love Project. We are sending her love and sunshine to encourage her during a string of difficulties from Hurricane Sandy.

After more than two months away from coloring, I've been missing my Copics something fierce... so I made her a Springy pink and purple card using one of my favorite stamps. :o)

(Note: Anything that looks black is actually a gorgeous deep purple.)

This little cutie pie is Sweet Blossom from Wee Stamps, paired with a lovely "handmade" flower-designed paper from Hot Off the Press. My intent with this card is two-fold. Firstly, I wanted to make Alana a creation filled with girly sweetness that will simply make her heart smile. Secondly, I wanted to encourage her to not only rise above these trying times, but to stay true to herself through them.. and maybe even define herself as she perseveres with heavenly beauty and grace. It's easy to develop wrong mindsets and behavior in the presence of ongoing stress, so I'm reminding her to be the Alana that so many people love.. the unique person God created her to be. :o)

With that inspiration, I reacquainted myself with my beloved Copics. Certainly rusty, but it was such fun coloring her in shades of purple and pink. I created the sky background with Broken China distress ink and a cloud template. The scaled down photograph took away the Star Dust I sprinkled throughout the precious little scene... but trust me, it's there. It's always there. ;)

Sweet Blossom sits atop a Spellbinders Lacey Circle, nestled within Wild Orchid Crafts roses and rosebuds. I'm bummed that the true purple shade isn't portrayed, but I'll do that better next time. Cheery Lynn Designs Mini-Fanciful Flourishes swirl from beneath the arrangements, to which I also sprinkled with graduating sizes of pearls and heart stick pins. I wanted some love bursting forth from the flowers. :o)

The middle border of the card consists of WOC Guipure lace, satin ribbon with a WOC pearl heart ribbon slider, and a Swiss Dots-embossed layer. Its pearl-accented purple border is a cut file from the generous and lovely Bird, titled Loopy Border.

Lastly, a WOC metal filigree corner adorns one corner, while the sweet Whimsical Designs~ Whimsical Fun, Volume 1 sentiment rests in another. I stamped it upon the same patterned paper because it's just so pretty and secured it with more tiny pearls atop a purple base. I hope she enjoys this little bit of springtime. :o)

Challenges entered:
 *Cheery Lynn Designs~ Frame It
 *Craft Us Crazy~ Die-Cutters and/or Favorite Technique (Silhouette Cameo and Big Shot)
 *Crafty Ribbons~ Anything Goes with Ribbon
 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ Linky Party
 *Lacy Sunshine~ Anything Goes
 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes
 *Moving Along with the Times~ Girly cards!
 *Simon Says Stamp~ Have a Heart (stick pins, ribbon slider)
 *Stamp and Create~ Spring is Coming
 *Stampin' for the Weekend~ Something Metal (filigree corner)
 *Sweet Stampin'~ Pearls and Swirls

Thank you for visiting me today! I wish you a sparkly and joyous week. :o)

Love Rises Above All Things

Hello, my dear friends! I hope you're having a beautiful week! :o)

A new month means a new recipient for the cherished I Feel the Love Project, hosted by the sweet and talented Madison of Funky Cards. Admittedly, I was burnt out from cramming in my last projects for January, but I couldn't stop thinking about the new recipient, so I made her a card. :o)

This month we are honoring Alana, a 21-year-old student who lost her family home and nearly all of her home and personal belongings when Hurricane Sandy came ashore last October. With no home to return to from school, she lived with an Aunt before moving to a hotel for another month, fearful but fighting during the difficulties. Her family eventually was able to relocate to a new home, but losing everything right down to her clothing was a scary and trying experience for her and her loved ones. Replacing everything will take time, so I am thrilled to be able to send her some love as they rebuild their lives.

"Love..."

"... rises above all things."

What better way to send Alana encouragement than via a pearly hot air balloon bursting with love, floating amidst a rosy sunset of butterflies! Oh the joy in creating this! I've longed to make a hot air balloon card, so upon receiving my Silhouette I quickly searched one out and fell in love with this cut file by Samantha Walker. Isn't it gorgeous?

A closer peek:

I love rose and browns, so I went with that color combo for most of the card. The hot air balloon was cut with textured brown cardstock and a lovely rosy pink pattern from the Susan Winget K and Company Floral Collection. The basket is embossed with the Cuttlebug Baby's Breath folder, which I centered with a pearl. All those intersections were begging for tiny pearl accents, so who was I to resist? ;) For extra whimsy and texture, I added two bows with Chocolate Truffle trendy twine, purchased at My Craft Spot. 

The double-layered hearts are cut-outs from the Multi-Fold Varied Flap card/album cut file that I bought last week to make for Vicki's family. I made them pearlescent white and the rosy design from the balloon. They are tumbling out in graduating sizes, with so much love for Alana that the enormous balloon cannot contain it. :o) I used a sweet Sarah Bailey tree border file for a soft green landscape, decorating the path to Alana's lovely heart.

The pretty font is Lavenderia, my favorite ever, which I downloaded for free online. I LOVE that the Silhouette Cameo lets you cut in any font on your computer! :o) I used three tiny pearls to trail off the sentiment. The beautiful background paper is from Magnolia and I hope it makes Alana's heart flutter, as it does mine. :o) To complete the card, I added some May Arts ruffled ribbon and two tiny butterflies... one of which landed atop the hot air balloon, so eager to reach Alana. :o) 

The interior is simply my computer-generated sentiment atop a Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Square, along with a final frolicking butterfly. I lined it with the same pretty paper as the hot air balloon. I hope this card lifts her spirits and reminds her that love truly does rise above even the most difficult of things. :o) God has so much love for her.. that alone can sustain her and her family as they persevere through these trying times. :o)

Challenges entered:

 *Charisma Cardz~ Love

 *Craft Us Crazy~ Use Cutting Machines and/or Favorite Technique

 *Cupcake Inspirations~ Photo Inspiration

 *Fab 'n' Funky~ Valentines or Hearts

 *Frosted Designs~ Use the word 'Love' and at least one Heart

 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes

 *Papertake Weekly~ Anything Goes

 *{PIN}spirational Challenge~ Photo Inspiration

 *Simon Says Stamp~ Anything Goes

 *The Pink Elephant~ Photo Inspiration

Thank you for floating on by today! I wish you a sparkly and blessed day. :o)

Varied-Flap Folded Mini Booklet

Hello, my sweet friends! Thank you for your lovely words and encouragement all week as I've worked on my last contributions for this month's I Feel the Love Project. I'm ecstatic that I finished this last project on time.. and I'll celebrate by seeing what you've been up to the past two days while I was holed up in my crafty area. :o) Then I'll write a little note for the Sotos to accompany this gift.

I had it on my heart to make a little something for each of Vicki Soto's immediately family members. She is the heroic first grade teacher who sacrificed her life to save six or seven of her students in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy... we've been creating in her honor this month.

At 27 years old, she was the oldest of four kids. One of her younger sisters said the pain was unimaginable. Since Madison gave us the opportunity to reach out to Vicki's family and her surviving students, I wanted my final project to be a little keepsake.

Five different little minis to store favorite pictures or memories of their beloved sister and daughter... one each for her parents (Carlos and Donna), two sisters (Jillian and Carlee), and her brother (Carlos):

I used my Cameo and a Samantha Walker cut file to create these folded goodies. They can be cards or little booklets... I'm using them as teeny mini-albums. I've spoken at length about this collection over the last few weeks. All that's left to say as I wrap up my work for it is that I love this family with all of my heart. I pray they see and feel the love I've poured into these little gifts... creations that Vicki inspired. I hope they know how much they are thought of and that God loves them dearly. And I hope they use these, keeping a few treasured memories tucked safely inside.

A few more pictures... they probably need to be enlarged to see the little sparkles and pearls sprinkled throughout the flower clusters. I used Wild Orchid Crafts flowers and my Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Fanciful Flourish for the arrangements. The flowers were Shimmer Spritzed for a sparkly finish.

I bet you want to see a peek inside, don't you? An abundance of love, in varying patterns... eager to hold extra special moments from Vicki's life:

I didn't mean to cut off the blue one that much... the interior panels are lovely blue scrolls and vines. The gorgeous green and light blue glittery one is made of papers from a Susan Winget collection. So beautiful in person.

And a glimpse of the other three, ranging from fluttering hearts to bright floral to sweet elegance:

These were a joy to create, particularly knowing where they were headed. I've tucked my love inside them too, so it'll always be there as they face their new reality. It's been an honor to craft in Vicki's memory this month and I hope all my work engulfs the students and her family in an endless hug. :o)

Challenges entered:
 *Cheery Lynn Designs~ Tickled Pink (the heart one)
 *Die Cuttin' Divas~ Anything Goes
 *DL.Art~ Linky Party
 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes
 *Moving Along with the Times~ Punch it Out: Favorite punch or die (Cheery Lynn flourish)
 *Simon Says Stamp~ Anything Goes

Thank you for visiting me today! You make my blog sparkle. :o)

Love Bug Hello Kitty

Happy Wednesday, my dear friends! I hope your week has been all things lovely. :o) Today I have another card for January's I Feel the Love Project, where we are creating for those directly impacted by the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. This little card will be going to a child who witnessed horrendous events in his/her classroom. It just breaks my heart.

Many of you know I've longed to make Hello Kitty cards, but wasn't able to buy the cartridge before Provo Craft retired it. One of the first things I did upon receiving my Silhouette Cameo this month was check for Hello Kitty files... my heart did the sparkliest happy dance ever when I discovered sweet cut files provided by the generous and talented Ruthie of September Ninth! :o)

Love Bug Hello Kitty stole my heart... and I was compelled to make a quick card to add to the owl tote box for those sweet children. :o) Isn't she precious?!

An angled view to show the red foil hearts, which appear black for the straight-on photograph:

This adorable love bug is fluttering from my heart to theirs, in hopes that she will add some sparkle to one of the first-graders who suffered such horror. She is ultra sparkly for the occasion, with red glitter Martha Stewart paper and black Core Couture. The glimmering grass provides her twinkly path. The heart paper is from a MS Valentine's Collection.. I love the whimsy. :o) The hearts will soon engulf those dear children in a whirlwind of love. Peppermint Stick trendy twine from My Craft Spot was used for the hair and flower bows, as well as the mason jar tie.

Speaking of which.. the mason jar with hearts is a Lori Whitlock cutting file, which I slightly altered to make half of the hearts larger. It's bursting with super love! :o) To those I added Peachy Keen faces from the Wide-Eyed Kids and Everyday Character Faces assortments. As you well know by now, the other hearts are green in honor of Vicki Soto's favorite color. I 'secured' the jar with twine and two jingly bells for extra Valentine fun for the kids. :o) I hope every jingle adds a sparkle to their hearts. :o)

The Whimsical Designs sentiment is from the With Love stamp set, which I stamped upon a Spellbinders Labels Four tag and outlined in Star Dust. A Recollections rhinestone heart finishes off the card because it's simply impossible to have too much sparkle. :o) Like my Bee Mine card from Monday, this is only 4x4 which is so hard for me to do. I think of them as tiny packages with big heart! :o)

Relatively short and sweet for me this time, as I'm still crafting at a furious pace to finish my final contributions for this collection. I didn't anticipate being down to the wire, but God will help me finish so I can bless Vicki's family with a little crafty gift. I hope they like it. :o) I WILL be back tomorrow because not finishing isn't an option. :o)

Challenges entered:
 *Cupcake Craft~ With Bells On
 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes
 *Paper Pretties~ Square Cards
 *Peachy Keen Stamps~ Cards with hearts
 *{PIN}spirational Challenge~ Photo Inspiration
 *The Pink Elephant~ Hearts

Thank you for fluttering on by! Smile lots today... you are dearly loved! :o)