Some things have to be believed…

Easter — or Resurrection Sunday — is a day of celebration because it represents the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. Each day this week I will share a card to celebrate His Resurrection, and the promise of new life, both in this world and the next.

This card is non-traditional…no chicks, no bunnies, no crosses..but the sentiment says it all.

Card Supplies:

• Stamps: Mixed Bunch; Just Believe
• Paper: Naturals White; Lucky Limeade
• Inks: Calypso Coral; Island Indigo;  Old Olive
• Accessories: Blossom Punch; 1-3/4″ Circle Punch; 3/4″ Circle Punch; SNAIL; Stampin’ Dimensionals; SAB brads – no longer available; substitute Designer Printed Brads)

I’m gonna learn to love these days!

 

My friend, Robin Merriman, shared this video on her blog this morning! It was just what I needed! I don’t know about you — I suspect it’s the same for most of us — but I tend to get lost in the lists, especially this time of year! I have little slips of paper and notebooks and pads all over my house and car with lists of gifts to buy (and wrap), cookies to make, people to call, cards to send, Christmas dinner dishes to create, and more!

So, I feel guilty…that I don’t get it all done. That I don’t focus on what I should be focusing on. That I’m so caught up in the hustle-bustle of the season that I’m short-tempered and not as loving and kind as I want to be. That I have lost sight of the reason for the season. That I don’t find time to just be still.

As Robin reminded me this morning, “…in all the craziness, all the rushing and madness and losing my mindness remember, God is still God. He is still on His throne. He is holding us tight and loving us every minute of every day. His son Jesus is who we celebrate during this special season and He came not only to bring us salvation, but peace and joy!” How could I say it any better than that?

So, I’m going to keep Robin’s words and the words to Mandisa’s awesome song in my mind throughout Christmas! I’m gonna learn to love these days!

 

Win a $75 Stampin’ Up! shopping spree!

Created with My Digital Studio

Woooo hooooo!  The Holiday Mini catalog debuted on Sep 1! How would you like to host a Girls Night Out stamping party with your friends and family and get the opportunity to share why you love Stampin’ Up!?!  I’m kicking off a Hostess contest with a great incentive for you to do just that!!!  You can earn hostess benefits of $25 in free merchandise on just a $150 minimum workshop total and be entered in my contest!  The winner will get a $75 Stampin’ Up! shopping spree in December…just in time for holiday gift-giving… what could be better?!  As a workshop hostess with me, you’ll get a free Idea Book and Catalog, choose a free stamp set from my Hostess basket and get a free class as I show you and your friends some awesome projects and you get to create 2 beautiful projects together . Wouldn’t you and your friends like to create cards like the ones below?

This card features the beautiful Sunflower background stamp (#123606; $17.97…and worth every penny!). To create this card I started with More Mustard card stock as the base. I topped it with a piece of So Saffron on which I stamped the sunflower image. To get this look, I inked the entire sunflower with my So Saffron Classic Stampin’ Pad. Then, I used my More Mustard Stampin’ Write Marker to color the petals…that’s what gives it the variation in color. The center of the flower is colored with my Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker…I literally scribbled with my marker and then pounced to create the shown effect. I LOVE it…hope you do, too. To ramp it up a little I added So Saffron Taffeta ribbon (which I got through a ribbon swap…stay tuned…I’ve got a ribbon share coming up for you!). Last, but certainly not least, I used Chocolate Chip to ink up my new favorite sentiment set — Perfectly Penned (#122890, W, $16.95; #122892, C, $12.95) — which I got for FREE at Convention as a Leadership gift. WooHoo! I LOVE FREE! I punched out the sentiment with my handy-dandy Decorative Label Punch, sponged the edges with some more Chocolate Chip and popped it up with a couple of Stampin’ Dimensionals! Do you love it or what?

This pretty little card was inspired by one created by another demonstrator — Sorry! I don’t remember who! If it’s yours, let me know and I’ll give you credit! I started with the gorgeous new In-Color, Pool Party. The Designer Series Paper is Spice Cake, and is in the new Holiday Mini Catalog. The color combo in this paper is to-die-for — Pool Party, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzazz, More Mustard, River Rock and Very Vanilla. Using my Bird Builder Punch, I punched my little birds from one piece of DSP — one side became the birds’ bodies and the other side became the wings. I popped up the wings with a Dimensional beneath each one, and I popped up each bird in the same way. Finished off the card with a sentiment from Blessings from Heaven, inked with Soft Suede. Even my husband said, “Ooh, that’s pretty!” when he saw this card!

If you’d like to get together with girlfriends and make some gorgeous cards and have a ton of fun doing it, contact me so we can get your workshop scheduled!  With the holidays right around the corner the time is right to get started on your holiday crafting now!

Until we meet again…HAPPY STAMPIN!

God’s love heals, and so does a handmade card!

No one ever wishes for an occasion to send a sympathy card.

But, this one can be created quickly and easily when one is needed.

This simple handmade card will express your sympathy and share God’s healing love.

How-to Details:

1. The card base is made with a half sheet of 8-1/2″ x 11″, Blushing Bride card stock, cut at 4-1/4″ x 11″.
2. The topper is also Blushing Bride, but textured, and is cut to 4″ x 5-1/4″.
3. I ran it though the Big Shot, using the Manhatten Flower Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.
4. I sponged the edges with Basic Black Classic Ink (which has a slight purple tint).
5. The sentiment, from the God’s Blessings stamp set, was stamped with Basic Black on textured Blushing Bride.
6. I punched out the sentiment with the 2-3/8″ Scallop Circle Punch, and sponged the edges of the scallop with Basic Black, too.
7. I popped up the sentiment with a couple of Stampin’ Dimensionals.
8. Finally, I adhered the top layer to the card base with Snail.
9. I left the inside completely blank to leave room for a loving message to the bereaved recipient.

This is a Kathy Original! (That’s a rare thing so I wanted to be sure to point it out!)

 

 

“Hands to Hearts” Card Ministry

Yesterday, I met with the St. Thomas More “Hands to Hearts” Card Ministry Team.

A simple get-well card

For more than two years, I felt a gentle tug to begin a card ministry at my church. It took me a while, but I finally responded to that tug. Working with my friend, downline,  and fellow parishoner, Becky Evans, our ministry was launched last summer. We kicked things off in July with announcements in the weekly bulletins and presentations at each Mass. In August our fledgling ministry met for the first time!

We set up two meeting times each month, one during the day and one in the evening. Becky meets on the first Monday of the month from 7pm-9 pm and I meet on the first Wednesday from 10am-noon. At each session, our ministers make four (4) different cards that Becky and I create and prep in advance. We make 40 cards at each session. We have tried to keep things relatively simple so that anyone can make the cards, they don’t take a lot of time to make, and they don’t cost a lot of money to make.

A religious birthday card for the men of the parish

Not only do we make the cards, but we hand write messages in each one. Then we address the envelopes and seal them. Our wonderful church secretary adds the return address to each envelope, as well as postage, and sticks them in the mail.

You may be wondering what types of cards we send, and to whom. We have sent:

• birthday cards to all those who are celebrating a birthday from 60 years on;
• sympathy cards;
• praying for you cards;
• get-well cards;
• thinking of you cards to our home-bound parishoners each month;
• patriotic cards to our deployed service members returning home;
• patriotic cards to our deployed service members;
• Thanksgiving cards to our home-bound parishoners;
• Christmas cards to our home-bound parishoners;
• Valentine cards to our home-bound parishoners.

In September, we had tables set up at our parish picnic at which young and old alike enjoyed making cards to share. During the holidays, we made cards with clients from a local group home for them to give to someone. That was a fabulous experience! We loved it just as much as they did!

The parish covers the costs of supplies and postage for these cards. Becky and I provide the supplies at our costs, often purchasing from the “Clearance Rack” to keep costs low. We do this for love. You don’t have to be a member of our church to join us…all are welcome! If you love making cards, and you love serving others, plan now to join Becky next Monday night or join us next month!

If you’ve given any thought to starting a card ministry at your church, or God has been gently tugging at you, I’ll be happy to help you in any way I can…answer any questions you may have.