In Memory of a Lovely Lady

My husband's last surviving aunt just passed away in July.  She celebrated her 93rd birthday in late June, and we certainly were not expecting this sudden turn of events.  She was a wonderful person, so kindhearted and personable, and quite humorous as well.  She will be missed, but we know for sure that she has been welcomed with open arms into God's home in heaven.  We wanted to share our sympathy with her children, John's cousins and let Dan and Vali, and Sister Rebecca  know that we have been thinking of them often and praying that their loving memories of their mother give them solace from their grief.

For sympathy cards, I finished a few cards that I had started at a cardmaking class several months ago with Liz Thayer and converted them to sympathy cards.  I made just a few changes to Liz's original designs to change their sentiment focus.  I think Liz would approve of the changes I made for this time of sorrow.

 

Recipe Card #1:  Stampin' Up products: Cardstocks: Midnight Muse, Whisper White, Brown Sugar; Stamps: En Francaise background, Flowering Flourishes, Four Frames, Petite Pairs; Ink: Midnight Muse, Kraft White, Burnt Brown Sugar; Punch: Decorative Labels; Ribbon: Midnight Muse Stitched Satin; Button: Very Vintage.  Sizzix: Top Note die (inside). Technique: Embossed Resist; Sponging. 

Recipe: Card #2: Stampin' Up products:  Cardstocks: Strawberry Slush, Black, Whisper White; Stamps: So Very Grateful (Spring 2014), Love &Sympathy; Simply Pressed Clay--Blossoms Clay Mold; Ribbon: Primrose Petals Satin Stitched ribbon. Ink: Strawberry Slush, StazOn: Black.  Spellbinder dies: Ovals SM, Scalloped Ovals SM.  Sizzix: Top Note die (inside).  Technique Crayon Resist, Sponging.

Birthday for Sister-in-Law #4

My sister-in-law, living in Colorado, celebrated her birthday in July as well!  That's three sister-in-law birthdays and one sister to celebrate this month!  I blame it all on my husband with his big family of seven siblings, who are all married!  So, with my busy month of getting ready for vacation, I decided I needed to use some of the cards in my stash, and I came across this little "Hello" card that I made several years ago at a card class taught by Misty Bradley in Redding, California.  

I love the soft pinks and grays together, and I am sure my sister-in-law will be pleased with it.  Knowing I would be seeing her this month at the sibling family reunion, I knew I would be able to hand-deliver it to her.  I hope Jeanie enjoyed her card when she opened it on her birthday as much as I enjoyed making it, creating the inside coordinating design, and finding just the right inside verse for the occasion.

Recipe:  SU cardstock:  Whisper White, Pretty-in-Pink.  BoBunny Double Dot: Shadow Dot.  SU punches: 1-3/8" Circle; 1-3/4" Scallop Circle.  Offray: 3/8" pink satin ribbon.  Liquid Pearls. (Size: 4-1/2" x 6").

July 2014 Anniversary #8!

My youngest son, and youngest child, is having his eighth wedding anniversary in the month of July.  It is difficult to believe that eight years have gone since this wonderful occasion.  His bride was as lovely at the wedding as she is a person, and we are all so happy to have her as part of the family!

For their anniversary, I wanted to convey this note of happiness, so I chose a card from a kit designed by my sister/ card mentor, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner @ blogspot), and completed it with my own tweaks and changes to make it more me.  To do this, I added two more layers of colored cardstock that accomplish three things:  it added more color to the card (which originally only had a vanilla base); it added more layering; and it enlarged the card size from the standard A2 size.  I also added a little twine bow to the front embellishments and rounded the corners of the vanilla layer.  I decided to add decorative corner cutouts to my new blue layer, to add more detail, and then after trimming the vanilla sides a sliver, I attached the top vanilla unit to my blue layer.  I finished by popping this entire unit off the base card.  I think the additional colored cardstock layers enhanced the front banners and made them pop more.  I also think the whole card is even more eye-appealing than it already was in its original lovely design.  I think Mark and Ginger will be please with their So Happy for You anniversary card.

Recipe:  SU cardstocks: Crushed Curry (base), Island Indigo, Very Vanilla.  Pattern Papers: DCWV: Adhesive Cork; MME--Miss Caroline-Dilly Dally/ Dolled Up/ Fiddlesticks.  Papertrey: Stamps-Mini Blooms (sentiment); Dies-Delightful Dahlia (leaves).  MFT dies: Fishtail Flags.  SU punches: 5-Petal Flower (ret.), Boho Blossoms, 1" Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle, Scallop Border (inside).   Spellbinders: Labels 1.  WRMK Corner Chomper: Scallop.  American Crafts: Corner Rounder (small).  Queen & Co. Goosebumps (some colored w/ Copics).  May Arts Hemp Twine.  Stash: Sage felt.  (Size: 4-3/4" x 6").

Birthday for "Sister Dear"!

My only sister celebrates her birthday during the month of July.  I wanted to send her a birthday card to let her know that though we are miles apart, she is in my mind daily.  Now, there are many reasons for this, but three primary reasons are: 1) she is my sister, 2) she is my loving friend, and 3) she is my very first cardmaking mentor.  In other words, she is responsible for my very favorite hobby of my entire lifetime...cardmaking.  She has taught me right from the first novice stages:  how to cut paper; how to save paper while cutting; what glues to use; how to use a tape runner gun; how to make a mini album; how to color and shade, first with woodless colored pencils and then with Copic markers; and finally, she got me involved in Stampin' Up.  She has more patience in her little finger while teaching real beginners than I have in my entire body!  She also has more creative genes in her little finger than I do in my entire body!  So, I thank her and wanted to make her this little birthday card, which says it all "LOVE!"

Recipe: Paper: SU cardstock: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe. Authentique-Grace: Poised/ dots, Beauty/ flowers, Sweetness/ Words. Computer-made sentiment.  SU Punches: 1-3/4” Scallop, 1-3/8” Circle, 1” Circle. Flower punches: Blossom + Pansy. MemroyBox: Typewriter Upper Alphabet dies. Seam binding ribbon dyed Crisp Cantaloupe. Recollections Brad pearl.  (Size: 4-3/4" x 5").

Birthday Card for Cousin Junie!

My oldest cousin will be having a birthday in July, and I wanted to make her a birthday card, which meant I had to get busy because of my looming motorhome vacation.  I was pretty sure we might still be traveling when her card needed to be mailed, so I needed to complete it and take it with me.  I decided to case a design from another little card I made at one of Liz Thayer's card classes and add a few modifications to see how it turned out.  I added a third flower to its original design and a few more leaves.  I also changed the sentiment to a birthday theme and stamped it on a separate pieced of white cardstock instead of directly onto the card front.  I tweaked its location  and popped up with two decorative punched layers peeking out behind.  I tried a little punch creativity by using the Blossom flower punch to punch out the bottom green layer of the sentiment. 

I then went to work creating a decorative design for the inside to coordinate with the front.  I decided the little Boho punch flowers and rhinestones that I used on the front Flower Shop flower centers would be a nice touch on each of the verse corners and, maybe, I'd throw in a few tiny leaves under each flower and it would be just right.  I was pleased with the additions I made to the original card design, my birthday verse,  and the coordinating inside design.  I think my cousin will enjoy her birthday card.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up cardstocks:  Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Gumball Green.  SU stamps:  Flower Shop. SU Ink: Primrose Petals.  SU Modern Mosac EF.  SU Adorning Accents Edgelit.  SU punches: Bird Builder (leaves); Boho Blossoms; Modern Labels; Pansy; Blossom punch (modified for green sentiment back).  SU rhinestones. Computer-made sentiment/ verse (Xiorama font).  (Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4").

My Son-in-Law's Birthday!

My son-in-law's birthday was coming up in mid-July, and I was leaving for a few weeks on vacation...our first excursion out in the motor-home this year.  With our leave date coming up soon, I needed to be proactive and get Don's birthday card made early to leave as we would be gone on his actual birthday. Yikes, I was feeling the pressure to get busy very quickly.

Now, he is a big coffee drinker, so I decided to use my Perfect Blend Stampin' Up stamp set with his card. Then, I remembered a really cute card I had started at a class taught by Liz Thayer several months ago where she taught the masking and reverse masking techniques.  We used the Perfect Blend stamps with the reverse masking technique to make this card.  I had all the parts stamped, cut, and embossed, I just needed to assemble the card that was almost complete, but I decided I wanted to modified my card's design a bit to put a little more "me" into it.  I wanted to enlarge it and add more color for interest, so I added a black card base to make a fifth layer, which accomplished both things.  I also added the printed belly-bands to the two outside cups instead of just on the middle cup.  I decided to use red scrappers floss ties on my ribbon instead of twine and put it on the top as well as on the bottom.  I then added a larger dark brown glimmer ticket as a base layer to my ticket sentiment and a red star with his initial on the center cup.  I also added an inside pocket to place a Starbucks gift card inside, and made a birthday verse for the inside with decorations to coordinate with the front.  I think my additions enhanced Liz's original card creation yet preserved its original cute design.  I hope Don likes his card as much as I enjoyed make and modifying it.

Recipe:  SU Papers:  Cardstock-Basic Black, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla; Neutral Paper Stack; Red Glimmer.  DCWV Glittery Glitz: Dark Brown.  SU stamps: Perfect Blend.  SU Ink: Soft Suede.  Spellbinders die: 5-Point Star.  SU Punch: Ticket Corner (ret.).  SU Decorative Dots EF.  SU Chevron ribbon.  Making Memories Glitter letter (colored with Copics). Stash: Red Scrapper's Floss.  Technique: Reverse Masking.  (Size: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4").

2014 Sister-in-Law Birthdays - #3

So, with two of the eight sister-in-law birthdays already under by belt, it is now time for sister-in-law #3's birthday.  Dianne used to be a tea drinker in her younger years when we live near each other in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Wow!  That was 40 years ago...a lot of time has gone by.  She has lived in at least three states other than California since then, and the same is true for me.  The only other state we both lived in was Virginia, but our tenure was separated by at least ten years.  Each of our other states of residence have been totally different areas of the country.  It is amazing how a husband's work career can move you around the country.

Back to Dianne's card...remembering our tea drinking days, I decided to make her a little card depicting a teacup...I just love all the stamps and dies available to do just that.  I chose a Papertrey Ink set of stamps and dies to make this little card.  I cased a card made by my sister several years ago, and changed it up a bit by enlarging my card to a 5-1/2" square and adding a darker aqua layer and more sewing machine stitching.  I also coordinated my tea bag color with the card...that was a bit of luck!  I add a little homemade verse and coordinated the inside decor with the front of the card.  I hope Dianne likes her little tea card!

Recipe:  Papers: SU Whisper White cs (base), Coastal Cabana cs.  Papertrey Ink patterns: Green Boutique, 2008 Bitty Dots, 2008 Bitty Box Basics.  Papertrey stamps/ dies: Tea for Two Additions.  SU Ink: Soft Suede, Baja Breeze. Zutter Corner Rounder. Colorbox Chestnut Roan (distrressing).  Machine stitching.  Computer-made verse (Tempus Sans ITC font). EK punch: Fancy Photo Corners.  Stash:  Baker's Twine.  (Size: 5-1/2" square).  (Thank you Heidi Gonzales for design to CASE).

A Coast Guard Retirement...Congratulations!

My son-in-law has decided to retire after 27 years of service in the Coast Guard.  His last duty station was at the USCG Operations Center in Kearneysville, West Virginia - the software development center for the Coast Guard and Homeland Security.  His first question upon receiving this assignment was:  West Virginia! Is there any water or boats in West Virginia?  And, the answer was, "No!"  For a man used to being on a boat in the ocean, I would say this was disconcerting to say the least! 

I am a lover of U.S. history, and I found the Coast Guard's history very interesting.  Here are a few of those items I found to be interesting tidbits:

• The Coast Guard is the oldest continuous seagoing service of the United States, and its original purpose was to collect customs duties in the nation's seaports under the U.S. Treasury Department, starting in 1790.
• It has changed the department that it reports to seven times in its history, as follows:  U.S. Dept. of Treasury (1790-1917); U.S. Dept. of Navy (1917-1919: World War I); U.S. Dept. of Treasury (1919-1946); U.S. Dept. of Navy (1941-1946: World War II); U.S. Dept. of Treasury (1946-1967); U.S. Dept. of Transportation (1967-2003); Dept. of Homeland Security (2003-present).
• It can be transferred to the U.S. Dept. of Navy by the President at any time or by Congress during times of war; therefore, its motto is Always Ready.
• It is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in domestic and international water, and also a federal regulatory agency as well.
• In terms of size, the Coast Guard, by itself, is the world's 12th largest naval force.

For Don's retirement, effective July 1st, I made this card with a few photos of "boats" and/or duty stations to which he has been assigned throughout his 27-year career to commemorate and thank him for his years of service to our country.

Recipe:  Bazzil cs (cardbase): Admiral; DCWV: Glitzy Glitter Stack/ The Corrugated Stack; Authentique: Pride/ Unified/ Amend; BoBunny: Dark Denim Dot; Recollections: Photo Burlap.  Recollections Essentials Distressed.  Dies:  Sizzix Tim Holtz Picture Reel BigZ; Spellbinders Labels 15/ Stars.  WRMK Deco Corner Chomper.  Zutter Corner Rounder.  Recollections Star brads.  Stash:  Button, Scrapper's Floss.  (Size: 5-3/4" square).

Thinking of a Friend...Feel Better Soon!

A good friend has been under the weather for over a week, and I wanted to send her a little pick-me-up card to let her know I was thinking about her and wishing her well.  

I decided on a card I made a few weeks ago that has been waiting to be chosen for the perfect person it was surely meant for.  The bones of this card are from a lovely design of my sister's, Heidi Gonzales/ My Lil' Scrap Corner.  While putting it together, of course, I had to make a few adjustments to make it more me.  I added two base layers, changing the card base from white to navy and adding a little aqua layer in-between it and the first patterned-paper layer.  I also decided to add a corner design to the navy pattern so it was not just a plain square by using my WRMK Deco Corner Chomper.  It also sports a navy ribbon with a double bow instead of an indigo blue single layer bow. 

I hope my friend enjoys her very colorful little card, and it perks her up, and she knows she is thought about often!

Recipe: Stamp: PTI Mini Blooms (sentiment/ mini flowers). Papers - SU cs: Night of Navy, Pool Party, Whisper White. WRMK Yellow cs.  DSP: WRMK-Feelin’ Groovy: Harmony (diamonds), Stripes (back: scroll print).  Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Spellbinders die: Scalloped Squares. PTI die: Happy Day. WRMK Deco Corner Chomper. Colorbox Chestnut Roan (edge distressing). Hug Snug Skipper Blue seam binding ribbon. Recollections mini rhinestones.