My "Seeing Double" Card!

The challenge issued on the Heart2Heart Challenges blog this week is entitled "Seeing Double!"  I chose to create this standard-size card inspired by Make It From Your Heart, Volume 1 - Pattern 28, since I felt like this card design fits the "double" theme so perfectly.  The stamps I used are from the Stitch Wonder set C1564, shown on page 102 of the current Idea Book.  I also used the Huntington papers X7174B with Barn Red and Cocoa inks. It's a very simple card...but sometimes simple is best! Enjoy!

One card design...Two orientations!

Tomorrow I will be teaching card-making to my friend Gloria's "teen mother" class. This is a special class of about 20-30 high-school age girls who are expecting or who have recently had a baby and are still working towards finishing high school and graduating with their diploma. Gloria is an excellent teacher! She invites a variety of guests to come in throughout the year to share skills she thinks will interest her girls. This is probably the 5th or 6th year-in-a-row now that I have prepared to teach these girls. Gloria continues to ask me and I really do enjoy and look forward to the opportunity to do this each year...just one way I get to do a little bit of community service and hopefully inspire these young girls to discover their creative side. Creativity and paper-crafting really has been such a big source of joy for me over the years and I sure do love sharing it with others even when I don't get paid to provide the class. 

This is the "thank you" card I've designed that I will be showing the girls how to make. Notice how I've used the same papers cut to the same size/shape for each card, but that I rotated the card and "flipped" the design to work whichever way I wanted the card base to be oriented. I like to tell the girls that this is "their" card so they get to choose how they want to assemble it. I'm providing two examples of ways I used the pre-cut pieces, then it is up to them to decide if they want to copy one of my designs, or use the same paper pieces to get creative and come up with their own design. It is always interesting to see who follows the instructions exactly and who enjoys changing it up to make it their own. I am always amazed at how naturally creative young people can be and know that they are sure to inspire me as much as I try to inspire them.

My standard-size cards (below) feature the Florentine papers

with Champagne, Cocoa, and Twilight inks.

 

Sweet Surprises Flower card for H2H blog challenge!

I was inspired by the "April showers bring May flowers" challenge issued on the Heart 2 Heart blog this week! The challenge is pretty simple...to create something using flowers...so I did!
 

 I created this simple 5.75" wide by 5.25" tall card using the My Creations Sweet Surprises Card Kit Z1731!! This kit is so fantastic...it even includes envelope boxes that fit the cards just right (click on this link here to see everything that the kit includes)! I also added just a little bit of our "Dotty For You" papers to cover the flap, added a White Daisy Bigger Brad, then used a Velcro dot to secure it closed. I was happy to discover how nicely this paper pack coordinates with this card kit...they are the perfect pairing! There is no stamping on this card at all (most of the pieces are dimensional elements die-cuts or stickers), just a little bit of sponge-daubered ink-distressing with Desert Sand ink, so it was an extra quick and easy card to put together!

  

 Here is a view of what the card looks like with the flap open (above).

 

  ...and here is a view of what the card looks like on the inside (above).

 

Finally, I wanted to show you what I filled the clear adhesive-backed treat cup (center of flower) with! This "tropical typhoon" flavored box of candies include colors that match the colors in this kit perfectly (and are pretty yummy too...I couldn't stop eating them this morning, lol). Enjoy!

Happy Father's Day!!

Wow, guess what?! This card made the Friday Five over at the H2H challenge blog - what a great surprise!! Click on the button below to be taken back to that post!

• I want to wish all the men in my life a very happy day today!! I am so blessed to have many wonderful Father's in my life: my own beloved Father who raised me, my sweet husband Jose, my Pappaw (Dad's dad), the legacy of my Grandpa Orville who passed away shortly before I was born (but whose life, memory, and spirit has continued to bless and help me in spite of that), and an amazing Father-in-Law Juan! All of these men have made my life better in so many ways. I am strengthened by their faith, courage, and kind and loving example each day. I want you all to know how much I love, adore, and appreciate you!

• My little sister Mary is giving a talk today in her ward at church. I just read her talk that is posted on her blog and needless to say, it brought me to tears. Mary shares some of her memories and experiences with our Father over the years and it was so touching to me because I know this same man that she is talking about so well. Many of Mary's sentiments are mine exactly and I am so grateful that she has put into words so eloquently exactly how much I love my dad and all the men in my life also. I encourage you to read my sister's talk on her blog by clicking here! I promise it will uplift you and make you feel good (and for those of you who know me well, it will explain some of my family history to you and help you understand how I am continuing to become who I am). I have been so blessed throughout my life and have a lot to strive for and live up to!

• Now for the details about my card shown above (and below). I created it for the Heart 2 Heart challenge this week. Our challenge was to make a Father's Day card using up some of our scraps (and I certainly have plenty of those to use, lol!) I used the Simple Pleasures Level 1 Kit as well as My Stickease scraps I had a bunch of also. I did a lot of distressing with Cocoa ink, but amazingly there is absolutely NO STAMPING on this card (such a rarity for me)! I hope you enjoy my card and that it inspires you! Have a wonderful Father's Day everyone!

Three very EASY fall cards!

These three cards are inspired by a card created by one of my CTMH downline team members, Katrina Sikora. I also used Wishes - Simple Expression for my inspiration (p. 40).

I needed a card design that would be quick and easy to create with a group of about 30 teenagers in about an hour and a half. I was asked to teach card-making to a group of 13-18 year-old girls (the teen mothers program at our continuation high school). The teacher of this program is one of my regular customers and this is the fifth time she has asked me to come to her class to stamp with her girls (I do it once or twice each school year). I'll be creating these cards with them this afternoon and I am so looking forward to it! Each girl will only make one card to start (and then maybe two each if there is time), but I altered my sample card designs each slightly to show them that they can change up their card layout a little if they want to.

Because I am donating all the supplies we use (I consider it a community service thing and a small tax write-off as a bonus), I wanted to use up some of the bulk "Free Spirit" papers and bulk Outdoor Denim designer ribbon I've had tons of and have not used for ages. I don't expect any sales to come from the class, but it is a great way of spreading the word about what I do (I'm always hoping the girls will share what they made with their parents and generate some interest there - lol). I know shades of blue really aren't very traditional fall colors, but I wanted to make it work so I could use up what I have and I think I really like how they turned out. Who says you can't use blue to create fall-themed cards?!! Colors I used are Colonial White, Desert Sand, Indian Corn Blue, and Outdoor Denim. Hope you enjoy seeing them!