FORAL Z-FOLD CARD SAGA

This card gave me some trouble, and it took me a couple of hours to get it under control.  Here's what happened:

I came across a previously folded card in my stash, apparently left over from a class I did on Z-fold cards.  No problem there.

After deciding to use these beautiful roses from Penny Black's "Petal Power" and stamping them on white cs, I colored them with colored pencils.  No problem there either.

Next, I stamped the leaves with Peeled Paint Distress Ink and fussy cut them. Still no problem.

Then the "fun" began:  I decided to add the pre-printed vellum as a background, coloring the back first.  Then I added a clear liquid glue on each side and mounted it to the front panel.  That's when the problem started--the vellum curled away from the paper!  I kept pressing it back down until it dried and finally adhered to the cardstock; but then, the cardstock began to curl too!  Unbelievable!  I was beginning to feel like I had entered the Twilight Zone as an I Love Lucy routine!  The paper just kept getting more warped.

Finally, I added another piece of cardstock on the back of the panel, using double-stick Scotch tape, to give it more support.  By then, a couple of hours had passed and it was time for bed.  I stood the card up and turned out the lights, hoping for the best.  The next morning, it was better, though still a little warped.

If you'd like to receive this card for yourself, just leave a comment and I'll pick a winner (or loser, depending on how you look at it) on August 1st.  Hopefully, it will flatten out in the mail!

ANOTHER BUTTERFLY

I LOVE BUTTERFLIES...

...CAN YOU TELL?

I made a bunch of these at once.  Here's how:

Using the SU Papillon Potpourri and Versafine Black Onyx ink, I stamped several on watercolor paper.  Then I colored them using a variety of  Distress Inks and daubers.  Then I used the coordinating SU punch and added tiny black gems for the body.  For the antennae, I used colored wire, twisted it once to form a loop at the bottom and attached them to the back of the butterflies with glue dots.  I then shaped the wire with my thumb nail.

For a final touch, I brushed each with a Wink of Stella pen. The dsp is from SU, and each butterfly is mounted close to its corresponding color.

Bonnie's Background

Thank you Bonnie, (Stamping with Klass) for encouraging us to use a dark background once in awhile.  The dark cs used here really dramatizes a simple flower image from a Fiskars clear set I got at Hobby Lobby.

I used Twinkling H2O's to watercolor the clear embossed image.  Then I added a few sequins, stamped the greeting and mounted it tilted-ly (if that's a word) to the brown textured cs which I first attached to the white card base.  It's now ready to use for a quick note.

This whole card was super easy--thanks, Bonnie!

CRAZY BIRDS

Every once in awhile we do what I call a "stamp in" where we bring some white cardstock and stamp images from each other's sets that we don't have.  Then we take them home to use on a card.

Jackie had the Tim Holtz set of Crazy Birds that we just fell in love with, so I stamped a bunch of them to color later.  This one is perfect for belated birthday cards.  In fact, the facial expression is so cute, you almost want to be late on purpose!

I colored the bird with colored pencils, then drew the deflated balloon free hand, adding the string "attached" to his wing.  The birthday hat is a Jolee sticker.  Before mounting the image to the card, I die cut the scalloped circle around him, added a handwritten message and sponged the edges with green ink.  After stamping the belated bd message inside, the card was on its way.

A WORD ABOUT THE MINISTRY OF CARDS

Yesterday, Gail, one of my friends at Bible Study, paid a visit to someone I had made a card for a few weeks ago who is battling cancer.  She told me that when she got there, she saw that my card was on display as a continual encouragement to the lady who had received it.  When I heard that, I was just blown away.  I'm so glad Gail called and told me that because I know people like to receive cards, but never realized just how much it can mean to someone.

Here are a few suggestions in making cards more meaningful:

1.  Make it timely.  A quick response to someone in need underscores your care and concern.  If you didn't hear right away, you could start with "I just heard..."

2.  Keep it simple.  It doesn't have to be a long letter.  In fact, based on my own experience, it's easier to "digest" a brief expression at a time when it's hard to concentrate.  This is one case where less is more.

3.  Be Yourself.  No need to be eloquent, just be personal.  If you knew the person who died, for instance, mention something positive that you'll remember about them, even if it's just their smile.

4.  End with something encouraging.  I usually include a short Bible verse and the assurance that I'll be keeping them in prayer, if appropriate to the person.  Otherwise, you could say that you'll be thinking of them.  BTW, if I use a Bible verse, I always put it on the front of the card so that when it's standing up on display the verse is visible.

I hope this helps take some of the apprehension out of sending words of encouragement!

THE CARD YOU HATE TO MAKE

One of my friends just lost her 36-year-old granddaughter, so this is the sympathy card I made for her.  After I finished it, I started another card (previous  post) to add to my collection.  I no sooner finished that when I got a phone call from another friend telling me that yet another mutual friend just had to put her dog to sleep.  Since she lives alone, it's an even sadder loss.  As if that wasn't enough, she also told me that another friend just got the news that her breast cancer has returned.

I hope the saying that things happen in threes is true!

ANOTHER PEG STAMPS CARD

The other day, two new embossing folders arrived in the mail.  They are 3-D folders and what fun!

This one is a basket weave which I used for a floral arrangement.  To make the basket, I used the label punch and snipped off the point on the bottom.  After punching out some "ferns" with a Martha Stewart punch, I taped them to the back of the basket to hold them in place.  I then mounted the basket to a rectangular piece of cs.

Next, I proceeded to "fill" the basket with leaves and flowers using my peg stamps until I was satisfied with the look.  I then added the dragonfly and painted the wings with Wink of Stella for a little sparkle.  Since the dsp I used had triangles, I added three rhinestones in a triangle to finish it off.

This card went out to a friend who had to have her dog put to sleep yesterday.