Sending Love & Hugs

I happen to be good friends with my daughter-in-law's mom, and she is facing hip replacement surgery next month and feeling concerned about it due to the complications of her Stiff Person's Syndrom (a rare autoimmune disease). She also has 2 forms of lupus and though she is only in her mid-40s, she lives with chronic pain. She is a strong Christian, so I thought I would make her a card to share an encouraging verse and lift her spirits as she awaits her surgery.

I started with a step card base that is a cut file from the Silhouette Design Store. I cut it out of white card stock using my Cameo 4 and then designed the panels to layer on it using the Silhouette Design Studio software. I chose some woodgrain pattern paper to match the graphic over at Altenew's Challenge blog. 

For the floral focal point, I die cut and embossed some white cardstock using Altenew's Bewitching Rose embossing folder and then used the coordinating stencils to color in the embossed image. I used red, pink, and orange as my color palette to match the challenge photo. I really love the depth the stenciling gives the image! I adhered the floral focal point using foam tape to give it some dimension and stamped the "Sending love and hugs" sentiment directly on the woodgrain pattern paper. The sentiment is from the Bewitching Rose stamp set. 

For the inside of the card, I cut more woodgrain pattern paper and did a print and cut of the verse on orange card stock. Then I used Altenew's Proud of You stamp and coordinating stencil to add the flower on the inside of the card. I fussy cut it since I don't have the matching die. 

Finally, I added an orange panel to the back of the card for my message to my friend. If you are facing a challenging situation right now, I pray you will take comfort in Psalm 34:4: "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." God is faithful and trustworthy and will be with you no matter what you are facing. 

Close up of the embossing and stenciling:

Inside of the card laid flat:

Back of the card:

 Challenges I'm entering: 

August 2023 Inspiration Challenge feat. Mindy Eggen (altenew.com): Inspiration Challenge

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com):ATG with a fun fold (ends 10/27/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (3/5; ends 11/1/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 5/10 for the challenge; ends 11/1/23) Top 3 Pick 11/8/23

Allsorts challenge blog: Fall colors or ATG (2/3; ends 10/26/23)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month) Rising Star Pick for 10/30/23-11/3/23

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends 11/2/23)

Cut It Up (cutitupchallenges.blogspot.com): Add a sentiment (1/3; ends 11/1/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG (7/8; ends at the end of the month)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! (stencilfun.blogspot.com): ATG with a stencil; option of orange (1/3; ends 11/4/23)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 10/31/23)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focal point with optional mood board: (1/6; ends 11/12/23)

O Holy Night Nativity Step Card

Each year I make 250 Christmas cards for my mom to send out, and each year I try to find a design that: focuses on Jesus, includes a fun fold, and is something I can mass produce. This year it took me 4 tries before I settled on this pretty step card design by Lori Whitlock. I purchased the cut file in the Sihouette Design Store and then sized it up a bit to fit in my 5X7 envelopes (it was originally for an A2 size card, but the great thing about cut files is that they can be resized unlike metal dies). 

Once I had settled on the card design, I then chose my pattern papers. I had some red glitter card stock that I thought looked lovely with the poinsettia papers I had in my stash, so I used those 2 patterns on the front of the card. I did a print and cut of the sentiment (the sentiment came with the step card file) and adhered that to the poinsettia panel. Then I asked my husband's opinion on the card, and he thought it needed something on the inside so that the nativity scene stood out better. I found some pretty cardstock with Christmas lights on a black background and designed a panel to fit the inside of the card using my Silhouette Design Studio software since Lori's file didn't include an inner piece. Then I cut out all the bases and layering pieces and adhered everything. 

For the back, I chose an Our Daily Bread stamp that has a lovely star and rays that says: Come let us adore Him! I try to make Christmas cards that emphasize the true meaning of Christmas: Jesus our Savior came to earth to live the sinless life we cannot, and then He sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for our sins and make a way for sinners to be reconciled to God and to receive the gift of eternal life. Come let us adore Him indeed! 

Front of the card:

Back of the card:

Top view:

Side views:

A look at the box with 250 envelopes in it:

One of the 2 boxes of cards I gave my mom:

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (unlimited entries; ends 10/27/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 11/8/23)

Ready, Set, Christmas! 🎄 Come Play Along with This Month's Challenge! – MFT Stamps: ATG Christmas (unlimited entries; ends 11/22/23)

ABC Christmas Challenge: U for Use it Up and V for Vertical (I used up lots Christmas pattern papers making 250 of these cards 😁.) (ends 11/4/23)

Peace On Earth Christmas: ATG Christmas (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Doodle Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): ATG (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

Most Magical Time of the Year!: ATG Christmas or Halloween (ends 10/27/23)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 11/1/23)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Shelter: Favorite Color Combo: Red and green for Christmas (1/2; ends 11/1/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (1/5; ends 11/1/23)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (1/2; ends 10/26/23)

Allsorts challenge blog: Autumn colors or ATG (1/3; ends 10/26/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG (8/8; ends at the end of the  month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month)

October Mood Board Card Challenge with Card Sketch (not2shabbyshop.com): I chose the Christmas theme and the red and green colors and poinsettias (on my pattern paper) from the mood board: (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Apple of My Eye Card

I recently sent an apple-themed care package to my daughter in the Navy and can finally put her card up on my blog because she's already received the package and card. She checks my blog on a regular basis, so I've stopped posting any cards she hasn't received yet so they can be a surprise to her😀. 

This card was inspired by the fractured cards I've been seeing in a lot of YouTube videos recently. It's loosely based on TX Stampin' Sharon's video here: Want To See A Sparkle In The Eye? Make These Homemade Birthday Cards! - YouTube. I chose some apple-themed card stock, a green checkered square from my snippets stash, and then I cut some thin strips that also came from my snippets. I love it when I can use some of my scraps of card stock! This card was simple to create. I had an A2 card base, so I cut the apple card stock panel to 4.25X 5.5 and then adhered it to the card base. I adhered the green checked square in the middle of the card and then glued down the thin strips of brown card stock around the square. As I was making it, I realized I was supposed to cut the strips so they ended with one against the other instead of extending the length of the card, but as I had already glued down a couple, I just continued in the same pattern😂. TX Stampin' Sharon likes to encourage people to "go rogue" with their cards, so I guess I was just following her advice! 

So what did I send in the apple-themed care package? I sent a gallon baggie of the dried apple rings I recently made in my dehydrator, a couple dozen apple butter snickerdoodle cookies (recipe here: Apple Butter Snickerdoodles (allrecipes.com)), a bag of Kraft caramels, a can of sweetened condensed milk, and as many Honeycrisp apples as I could fit in the box. The caramels and condensed milk are for melting with a stick of butter to make caramel dipping sauce for the apples. We are blessed to live in an area with lots of orchards nearby, and I can get a half bushel of most varieties of apples for only $8. My 4 kids grew up picking cherries, peaches, and apples with me every year. I miss those days when I had so many helpers at home! But hopefully my grandson will be able to be my helper soon! He's only 15 month, so I think I'll give him a few years before putting him to work in the orchards😄.

I finished the card front by adding a metallic sticker to the front that reads "you're the apple of my eye," and then I added some puffy hearts and a puffy apple sticker to the inside of the card. I started to write my daughter a message inside the card when I realized I hadn't taken any pictures of it yet, so you'll see her name in the bottom photo. Oops!

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Snippets Playground (pixiessnippetsplayground.blogspot.com): ATG with snippets (the green square and the brown strips were from my snippets collection) (1/1; ends 10/28/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with optional twist of autumn colors (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Text it (5/5; ends 10/23/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 6/10 for the challenge; ends 10/25/23)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

bastel-traum: Autumn Mood (ends 11/15/23)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Doodle Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): ATG (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Texture or ATG (2/3; ends 10/20/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Food and/or drink (1/5; ends 10/25/23)

Pastor Appreciation Card

October is Clergy Appreciation Month, and I wanted to make a special card for my pastor. He has faithfully served our congregation for 32 years and recently announced he will be retiring next August. How we will miss him! But at age 73, he deserves to retire and enjoy more travel and time with his family. 

For the card design, I used a design I recently saw Einat Kessler create at the Stress-Free Holiday Card Summit. I found the same design on her YouTube channel from back in 2017, so I can share the link to that tutorial here: (1) 12 Cards of Christmas 2017 - Horizontal Pop Up Card. CHECK OUT LIMITED TIME OFFER IN DESCRIPTION! - YouTube. Although Einat demonstrated the card design using Christmas themes, it's an easy fun fold card to make and can be adapted for any occasion.

After choosing the card design, I looked through my pattern papers to find some Christian-themed papers to layer on the card. Then I also created a print and cut of the sentiments and sized everything up to fit the card. I added more layers than Einat's card had, but like I said, this design is easy to adapt. 

I didn't leave myself anywhere on the card to write a message, so I included a note in the envelope. It's a blessing to have such a humble, godly man leading our church, and I pray he feels loved and appreciated all year long and not just in October. 

Front of the card when lying flat:

Inside of the card:

Top view: 

Back of the card:

Challenges I'm entering: 
 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (unlimited entries; ends 10/27/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with optional twist of autumn colors (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 10/23) C10

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Text it (4/5; ends 10/23/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 5/10 for the challenge; ends 10/25/23)

Dream Valley Challenges: More than one fold (3/3; ends 10/28/23) C10

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 10/30/23)

No more challenges. 

Thank You Cards For Supportive Friends

My oldest daughter and her fiancé recently had to put their 11-year-old dog Jax down, and they were blessed by supportive friends who helped them out in various ways (one friend is a photographer who took some pictures of them with Jax the weekend before he had to be put down, some other friends brought out food, etc.) My daughter wanted to send thank you cards to everyone who helped them out and asked if I could help her with that project, so I picked out a fun fold card design and bought some paw print pattern paper and matching card stock at Hobby Lobby. Then my daughter came over and looked over my stamps and dies and chose the ones she wanted to use. We made 8 cards, and I think they turned out great. It was wonderful to work together with her on this project! 

The idea for the card design came from Iced Images' YouTube video here: (2) 5x7 Easy Wallet Style Card - YouTube. She called it an easy wallet style card. It was a good fold for mass producing. 

The sentiments are from Stampin' Up! (the "thank you for your kindness" on the front of the card is from a retired bundle called Dahlia Days) and Tonic Studios (the "Thanks...know that you're appreciated" for the inside of the card is from the Splendiferous Corsage set). If you are interested in purchasing any retired SU! bundles at deep discounts, take a look at my friend Debbie's list here: Bundles For Sale - Google Docs. She's even offering free shipping on any purchases! 

The circles and circular frames were die cut using a Spellbinders set. My daughter came up with the idea of cutting a circular frame out of the rust red card stock to encircle the "thank you for your kindness" sentiment and the photo inside the card, and I thought it was a great idea. For the photo inside the card, my daughter chose a sweet picture of her fiancé and her with Jax that her photographer friend took last weekend. It's such a personal touch on these sweet cards. I just know her friends will appreciate these cards. They all loved Jax, too. He was a wonderful dog and will be greatly missed. 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (unlimited entries; ends 10/27/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Text it (1/5; ends 10/23/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 10/25/23)

 613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with optional twist of autumn colors (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month) Rising Star Pick for 10/16/23-10/22/23

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (3/3; ends 10/23) C10 Random Winner 10/22/23 $10 gift card to Sweet & Sassy Stamps redeemed for digi stamps on 10/23/23

Dream Valley Challenges: More than one fold (1/3; ends 10/28/23) C10

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Texture or ATG (3/3; ends 10/20/23)

No more challenges. 

Gospel of John Mini Album

So I just realized I had posted this album without any explanation! Oops! I'll remedy that now😁. The design for this mini album came from MayMay of MayMay Made it and So Did I. She was a speaker at the Stress-Free Holiday Card Summit I recently attended online, and she made a lovely little Christmas album that people could put Christmas photos in. I'm afraid I'm not allowed to share all the measurements because this project was exclusively for summit participants, but if you look on MayMay's YouTube channel, you will find similar projects.

I decorated the album with several die cuts, including a couple leafy die cuts on the front and back of the album that came from SU!'s retired set Blessings of Home. I bought the set from my friend Debbie Mageed who has a whole list of great retired SU! bundles at really low prices here: Bundles For Sale - Google Docs. She's even offering free shipping. 

I want to use this same album design to create some photo albums for my kids, but for this first time creating the mini album, I decided to make the theme focus on the I Am statements Jesus makes in the book of John. I chose that topic because not only am I currently studying the gospel of John in my Bible Study Fellowship class, but my best friend just finished studying it on her own over the summer. I wanted to do something special for her as a thank you for the birthday gift she gave me, so I created this album for her. I've already given it to her, and she loved it! These statements Jesus made about Himself are such words of encouragement and comfort for believers as we consider the loving and righteous attributes of our Savior Jesus.

Challenges I'm entering: 

 Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (unlimited entries; ends 10/27/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Text it (3/5; ends 10/23/23)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 10/25/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with optional twist of autumn colors (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (2/3; ends 10/23) C10

Dream Valley Challenges: More than one fold (2/3; ends 10/28/23) C10

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Triple B (dd-tripleb.blogspot.com): ATG with a bird, bloom, and/or butterfly (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

No more challenges. 

Embossed Christmas Card For Creative Creases

It's time for another fun challenge over at Creative Creases, and my GD card this time is a Christmas card that features a fun fold as well as dry and wet embossing. When I designed this card, I was thinking it might be the prototype for the 250 Christmas cards I make for my mom each year, but it was just too time-consuming to mass produce. This year it took me 4 different card designs before I finally landed on a design that I liked and that felt possible to mass produce in time for Christmas😂, but thankfully I enjoyed the process. I'll show the card design I ended up with in another blog post, but let's talk about this card now. And if you'd like to join the fun over at Creative Creases, it's always anything goes with a fun fold! Here's the link to the current challenge: Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #68 (secretstamper.com)

I wanted a 5X7 card, so I cut a piece of white card stock 7X11 and scored it at 2 inches, 3 1/2 inches, 

7 1/2 inches, and 9 inches. Then I cut some red and green card stock for the panels and used Altenew's Perfect Poinsettias 3D embossing folder for the red panels and Cuttlebug's Holly Ribbons for the green ones. 

For the focal point, I die cut and embossed it using SU!'s retired Merriest Moments hybrid embossing folder and dies using green card stock for the larger piece and white card stock for the sentiment panel inside the larger piece. I stamped the sentiment using VersaMark ink and used Altenew's Rose Gold embossing powder to heat emboss it. I added some gold glitter gems for embellishments and then I die cut a Taylored Expression nativity die and cut it to fit the bottoms of the three red panels of the card. 

Thanks for stopping by, and please be sure to join us at Creative Creases soon! 

The card folds flat:

Top view:

Challenges I'm entering: 
 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (ends 10/25/23)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Christmas (1/5 ends 10/18/23)

ABC Christmas Challenge: U for Use it Up and V for Vertical (I used up some white card stock for the nativity die cut and the sentiment is and focal point are in portrait (vertical) orientation. (ends 11/4/23)

The Diva's that cut ....paper! (die-cut-divas.blogspot.com): Layers (I layered the sentiment die cut on the green focal point die cut) (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

Doodle Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month)

Most Magical Time of the Year!: ATG Christmas or Halloween (ends 10/27/23)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (ends 10/19/23)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 10/16/23)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with autumn colors as the optional twist (ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (ends 10/14/23)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting (doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com): Thing 1: Create your own background (I embossed my background panels) (1/4; ends 10/15/23)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (ends 10/20/23)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month) DT Favorite Winner 11/28/23

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 11/14/23) Highly Commended Winner 11/15/23

Creative Inspiration Challenges:ATG (2/2; ends 10/26/23)

October Mood Board Card Challenge with Card Sketch (not2shabbyshop.com): I chose the Christmas theme and the red and green colors from the mood board: