Mosaic Hummingbird and Roses

I wasn't sure how I felt about this paper until I saw it in person.  It is absolutely amazing how the designs look like actual mosaic tiles and some of the designs even feel like individual tiles.  This is yet another example of when the DSP is all a card needs (except minimal stamping for a sentiment.  When you aren't in a place conducive to stamping or your body just isn't up to stamping at the moment, you can always turn to your Designer Series Paper to be the star of your card.  I used DSP to design both the outside and inside of this card.

Make sure you head over to FMS385 to see the inspiration cards by the design team and other creative entries.

If you've ordered from me or attended a class in the last six months, you are already on my mailing list to get a catalog.  If you haven't and would like a catalog, please let me know. 

EXCLUSIVE Project Medley "Everything Is Rosy" available May 1-31 as long as supplies last.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

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Products Used to Create This Card
Mosaic Mood DSP (Coming Soon)

What Is Your Favorite Craft?

I have not been a papercrafter all my life.  In fact, there was a time that needle and thread were my craft tools of choice.   How appropriate that this stamp set is called Needle & Thread  These pictures do not do it justice, but you can see the individual stitches in both the DSP and the stamped images.  From a distance, you might not even be able to tell they are not actual stitches

This card makes me want to reach out and touch it to feel the stitched images for myself.  In fact, someone might not be able to tell you haven't spent hours slaving away hand stitching this card just for them until they do get to touch it for themselves

They may feel paper where they expect to feel thread, but there are definite fun textures to explore on this card.  There are dies popped up on dimensionals with sequins added for some extra interest that add depth.  I love the dies in the Needlepoint Elements dies that create a stitched look.  I even used one to create some detail on the inside of this card.

Which is your go-to craft?

Sewing

Embroidery

Cross Stitch

Cardmaking

Memory Keeping/Scrapbooking

Rubber Stamping

Something Else

Or does it depend on the day? 

Or I love them all and can't pick just one?

Make sure you head over to SUOC 221 to see the inspiration cards by the design team and other creative entries.

If you've ordered from me or attended a class in the last six months, you are already on my mailing list to get a catalog.  If you haven't and would like a catalog, please let me know. 

EXCLUSIVE Project Medley "Everything Is Rosy" available May 1-31 as long as supplies last.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

SHOPJOIN

Products Used to Create This Card

Video: April Online Class Featuring Petal Palette Stamp Set--Week 4

This is the fourth and final week of the April online class featuring the Petal Promenade stamp set.  This week's card is perfect for anyone with a love of gardens, flowers/pink roses in particular.  The sentiment I chose to use for this card is Congratulations   I plan to use it for a wedding, baby, retirement, college acceptance, or graduation card.  There are lots of other sentiments in this stamp set you could use and make this card approrpriate for thank you, Mother's Day, friendship, just because.

If you like this card and the products used, both the Designer Series Paper and stamp set are retiring by June 3 or when they sell out.  You can check them out in my store.

Check out the video of this online class below.

If you've ordered from me or attended a class in the last six months, you are already on my mailing list to get a catalog.  If you haven't and would like a catalog, please let me know. 

EXCLUSIVE Project Medley "Everything Is Rosy" available May 1-31 as long as supplies last.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

SHOPJOIN

Products Used to Create This Card

Always Bring Sparkle Wherever You Go

I could not have been more excited when the Follow Your Art Suite was introduced at OnStage this month.  It confirmed what I have been thinking about the direction of my business.  

Crafting is so much fun.  But, it is so much more than that and I've been trying so hard to figure out how to share that with you.

Crafting has always been a part of my life and here are the ways it has helped me:

• Provided a calming, repetitive activity to keep my hands busy and end up with a beautiful end result project
• Find group of friends who shared same interest 
• Had tons of fun with shared activity and no trying to figure out what to say or do to fill up empty space
• Support group of people who are there for me at time other than when crafting
• Activities to keep my mind engaged
• Ability to express feelings/emotions through my crafting experiences
• Focused on others as I intentionally created handmade gifts for them
• Ability to easily give random acts of kindness from my stash of what I had created
• Tangible reminder of good times
• Easy way to express thanks
• Peace
• Joy
• Friendship
• Relaxation
• Creativity

b

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When creating this card, I was inspired by the Paper Craft Challenge of paper piecing and the Global Design Project Sketch. I really debated about whether to put a card layer between card base and rectangle with stamped/paper pieced image  I thought about putting a solid, contrasting color card layer.  Finally, I decided to go with the DSP.  I don't know about you, but I've yet to see a craft area without multiple elements of past or future projects. 

Even though my paper piecing was on the spools of ribbon this time, I still felt like I was playing paper dolls.  What a fun, relaxing way to slip back into childhood for a moment. 

Finally, I had to add some sparkle embellishments to go with the sentiment.  "You Make Everything Sparkle" I added some glitter enamel dots and my favorite way to add bling to a project (wink of stella).

What ways has crafting made a positive impact on your life?
It All Starts With Art.

Make sure you head to PP438 and #GDP186 to see the inspiration cards by the design teams and other creative entries.

If you've ordered from me or attended a class in the last six months, you are already on my mailing list to get a catalog.  If you haven't and would like a catalog, please let me know. 

EXCLUSIVE Project Medley "Everything Is Rosy" available May 1-31 as long as supplies last.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

SHOPJOIN

Products Used to Create This Card:

Items from Follow Your Art Suite (Coming Soon)

Also Used

Celebrate the Good--with a Shaker Card

Do you ever feel like you've forgotten what a good day feels like?

Is it ever hard to find the good in the middle of your struggles?

I know that is an ongoing struggle for me

I have to constantly remind myself to actively look for the good and be thankful once I find it.

When you find the good--good day, good moment, good mili second, don't forget to recognize it, give thanks, and maybe have a little celebration.

This week I had enough good one day that it calls for a real celebration and even a shaker card.  My four year cancer-versary is this week and it was time for my six month check up with my oncologist.  Even after years of positive lab results and no sign of re-occurrence, I still constantly find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop.  The time I was told my lab work was perfect, my liver enzymes are better, see you back in one year at which time my hormone blocker/cancer medication (poison as I lovingly refer to it) will be discontinued.  

This calls for a celebration.  Does this mean I will stop waiting for the other shoe to drop? Probably not.  But, I do recognize the importance of celebrating the good and giving thanks for the blessings in our lives.

This designer series paper reminded me of the night sky and outer space.  I wanted to stamp directly onto it, so I decided to heat emboss the sentiment with white embossing powder so it would stand out against the background.  I used retired sequins for the shaker element and if you look close enough you can see that some of them are stars.

This card was not intended in any way to be a tribute to Marvel's Avengers Endgame movie coming out this week  But, I think I subconsciously made it appropriate for celebration of that movie as well  Is your family looking forward to seeing it?  Are you?  It has been discussed at length around here.  I think that movie must be in my weekend plans at some point.  :)

Make sure you head over to FabFri161 and Stamp Ink Paper Challenge 196 to see the inspiration cards by the design teams and other creative entries.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

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Products Used to Create this card

Genuine Gems Stamp Set (Coming Soon)
Perennial Essence DSP (Coming Soon)
Brights Sequins (Retired)

Also Used:

Books can change your life #worldbookday

World Book Day or World Book Night depending on who you ask is my kind of holiday.  I don't need an excuse to read for pleasure, but I will definitely take it.  The hardest part will be choosing what to read.  I am just beginning "An Acceptable Time" (book 5 from the Wrinkle in Time Quintet) by Madeline L'Engle so I think I'll spend some time with that book today.  I'd make a list of favorite books, but I always say what I'm currently reading is my favorite.  )  I am also going to put a list here of books I've read more than once or authors I always look for or have read most of what they've written.  This is probably going to be added to most of the day, so check back tomorrow to see my completed list  :)

Books I've Read More than Once:                            Authors that keep me coming back for more:

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsen Burnett             Frank Peretti

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott                               James Patterson

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dicken                             Mark Batterson

Magic Elizabeth by Norma Kassirer                                Jodi Picoult

Alice in Wonderland by Louis Carroll                             Anna Quindlen

Charlotte's Web by EB White                                          Rick Riordan

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle                         Roald Dahl

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oliver Wilde          Ruth Soukup

 Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter                                       Louie Giglio

The Ralph Mouse collection by Beverly Cleary              Francis Chan

The Ramona collection by Beverly Cleary                      Max Lucado

 Dorothy Must Die Series by Danielle Page                    Agatha Christie

 Wizard of Oz Series by Frank L. Baum                          Oliver Sacks

 O Pioneers by Willa Cather                                            Temple Grandin

 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin                               Lysa TerKeurst

 Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach                Ann Voskamp

The Giver quintet by Lois Lowry                                    Beth Moore

25 Days, 26 Ways to Make This the                                 Joni Eareckson Tada

            Best Christmas Every by Ace Collins                  Meg Cabor

Can you tell I'm a reader?  These are only the ones I could think of right now.  They are in no particular order  Which books have you read more than once?  Which authors do you follow?  What are your favorite books?

 

This card uses both retiring product and a sneak peek of what is new.  The stamp set, Hand Delivered is a retiring host set.  You can get it with any order $150 or more.  It can be your own personal order or a workshop order.  The Designer Series paper I used is coming in the new annual catalog June 1.  It is called "Follow Your Art."  If you can't wait until June, join my team.  Demonstrators will have access starting May 2.

I think it's time for a give away.  In honor of World Book Day, I will be giving away this card along with a book to one lucky winner.  To be entered in this giveaway, just leave a comment below.  If you win, I will contact you for your mailing address.

Make sure you head over to PCC333 to see the inspiration cards by the design team and other creative entries.

I have a loyalty program to thank you, my loyal customers.  See details here.

Host code for April 1-30 is VKW2Y9GB

Use this code if your order is under $150.00 and I will send you a host gift with your thank you card from me. If your order is over $150.00 DON'T USE THIS CODE so you can choose your own host rewards.

If you enjoy my posts, sign up by email so you don't miss anything when I post.  Sign up for my newsletter, to receive updates on specials and upcoming events.   If you live in the USA, to shop for products used to create this card or to join my team and become a GRRRace Inker, click on the buttons below 

SHOPJOIN

Products Used to Create this card

Follow Your Art DSP (Coming Soon)

Also Used to Create This Card