Christmas Easel Card...

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Today's card is made for the current challenge at 52 CCT.  When I first saw this challenge, I thought I would pass on it.   But somehow I kept thinking that while I haven't made many "out of the box" cards over the years, that doing the challenge would help nurture and keep healthy the "gray cells" still left in my brain.   I found an easel card online here and Juli Baca can tell you all about it.  It so much fun!  The last  picture above shows today's card along with the first card I ever made.   I was in first grade and by the time the used Christmas cards box got to me, all the Santas, Reindeer, and Snowmen had been picked.    I was heartbroken ( I still remember).  Later on when I was a young adult I found out that my mother had always loved Poinsettias ( a traditional Christmas Favorite in the US), but our family could never afford one. After I started working,   I shared with a couple of my girl friends  how mother had always loved Poinsettias and they insisted on helping me buy her a huge potted Poinsettia plant.   She was thrilled.   A few years ago when she passed away I found the poinsettia card I had made her tucked away in her Bible...I am so glad that was all that was left when the box got to me!  !      

The images and background paper are digital print outs.   The sentiment and dies are SU.   Thanks for looking!       Kathy

1st Easel Card I made

(didn't quite get the directions right on this one--still cute)

 

Cross Country "Skiing Bandit" card

 

I'm scurrying to get this posted...I saw this Digi Doodle image at Stamped Smiles several years ago.   You can find Vicki's card here but she is closing her blog so hurry on over and see it before it's gone.  So adorable and well made, I just loved it.  I purchased the image and just now found an occasion to use it!     I fussy cut this little guy and used a Designer paper for his his background.  We're suppose to get a winter storm that most likely will be ice, maybe some snow this week end, so it was fun making a winter scene card.  This little raccoon is in the Animal Olympics this year, competing in cross country skiing!     Be sure and check out all the cards tomorrow at 52 CCT.    Thanks   for stopping in,  Kathy

"Bling It On"

 

I made this for the "color challenge" at 52 CCT Blog.    Taking the photo, proved a little difficult and I finally got this one without using light above it or a flash!     I have a special friend who will love all the bling!    I enjoyed it.   I haven't been doing much card making for a couple of years now.  I had to take time out for various other things going on!    Thanks for stopping by!      Smiles,   Kathy

One of A Kind Friend...

 

I'm trying to get back to card making.  I took some time out to do flowers for a friends daughter's wedding.   You can see those here.  I always enjoyed the FMS challenge and I like the clean lines of this sketch, which I rotated.  My card is very  plain and simple.   I made a Get Well card using the sketch and had it facing the wrong way...so I'm going to add another piece with the sentiment, turn it upside down and put the new piece over the old.       Thanks for stopping by!             Smiles,   Kathy

Where I've Been...

 I took a sabbatical (few months off from cardmaking) to make wedding flowers (silk) for a very good friend's daughter who I've watched grow up and has played an important role in my life.   Before she could drive I paid her to come clean my house and after she started driving we would go "eat lunch" together after she finished cleaning.  She would drive us (I was in various kinds of cancer treatment during these years).   I was always so cheered up to be with her and she was very attentive to what I asked her to do  and how I wanted it done!    Her name is Sarah and she is all grown up now, a college graduate, an elementary school teacher and this year on October 4 shortly after 3:00 PM she became Mrs. Christopher Bowen.       

Here are some photos of her flowers

 Cousin Katie, Aunt Sue (dress corsage), Sarah, Pam/her mom (wrist corsage), and sister Emma

We started off with a "fall mix" from Hobby Lobby and as the process went along I ended up taking a rather large yellow flower out and adding in the same size burgundy flower, baby's breath and ivy cutting the stems to the same length and tying it with off white wide wired ribbon...securing with decorative straight pins

not sure you can see the boutonnieres but again went to  hobby lobby bought some burgundy boutonnieres and stripped everything off  then added ivy and baby's breath and wrapped in tan twine for a masculine fall look.

the bride's bouquet was made from champagne  rosebuds, baby's breath and a different ivy from any

of the other flowers.   It was hand tied and included 3 striated roses of several matching colors that matched the champagne roses.  They were chosen in honor of her grandmothers (both deceased) and her deceased grandfather.    They were positioned in the bouquet so she could look down and remember them.   The groom 's boutonniere was composed with this same rose to match the brides bouquet and to honor  his father who passed away during Covid.

It was such a joy to be a part of this sweet girl's wedding!

me,  Sarah,  Pam (mom) Emma (sister)

I love them all!

Thanks for looking

a special thanks to Lindsey, Kimberlee and Debie for holding and bowmaking assistance!

SU Stippled Roses Sympathy...

 

I haven't used a Freshly Made Sketch in a very long time,  but I do go there often to see the beautiful cards.  To be honest I haven't made a card in quite awhile.  I've struggled with my eyes for a couple of years now, and have had three surgeries.  I also have multiple myeloma, which is uncurable only manageable so there are ups and downs with that, but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak these days.   My energy level and eye sight are good right now.  In my browsing around for a sketch to make cards for the ladies in my local swap group I came upon the current sketch at Freshly Made and it caught my eye (pun not intended).   From time to time my SU demonstrator and special friend  (her family-my family) was clearing out her stash and I fell in love with the Stippled Roses (so vintage).  Immediately I knew it would be perfect for this sketch.   I tweaked it a bit, but you can still see the intended design.   Everything is SU and the sentiment strip is from the current "Happy Hibiscus" collection.   The sentiment was created in a label program on the computer.   My card really speaks to my heart and although, if you're like me you don't want to ever need a sympathy card, you want to send one that will perhaps comfort and encourage the recipient.    Thanks for looking and may you seek Jesus' comfort in your times of sorrow and pain.   He cares about you!    Smiles,   Kathy

Cutest Onesie Baby Cards...

February Challenge--Anything Goes

Challenge #  324    "Tie it Up"

A few weeks ago I purchased this cutest onesie baby stamp set from SU.    A girl in my life group at church is having a baby and I gave the bottom card to her.    I made the top two cards (boy and girl) for each of the ladies in a local swap group.    I linked my cards to the above challenges....I used many die cuts on cards and used twine on the tag.       I love how the die cut for the onesie has a cut to insert the little hanger.   I would say it is "just too stinkin' cute!   Thanks for stopping by!   Smiles   Kathy

 PS  I stamped the sentiment on the bottom card, but for some reason on the two tops card, my ink pad didn't cooperate and I ended up computer generating the sentiments.   Also  I used the pencil eraser on brand new pencil to make the dots on the boy onesies.