With Heartfelt Sympathy

Sadly, there are often times we need a special sympathy card and it's good to be prepared with a supply on hand.  It seems that I'm usually creating them as I need them, and such is the case this evening.   This is for a dear friend who lost her sister to cancer. 

Do you recognize the layout?  It is Mercy's Tuesday Sketch that I used yesterday, but I've flipped it to put the sentiment in the oval.   I love this layout and you'll probably be seeing more of it! 

Not much to chat about tonight and I've got some things to accomplish so I'm making this brief.  Thanks soooo much for stopping by!   

Have a blessed day!


"For some moments in life there are no words." ~David Seltzer

Supply List:  All Supplies are Stampin' Up! unless noted.
Stamps:  Close as a Memory
Ink: Baja Breeze, Versafine Vintage Sepia, flowers were colored with Stampin' Write markers direct to rubber.
Paper:  Mauve Mist (retired SU color), designer paper (K & Company)
Other:  oval dies (Spellbinders), white linen thread, stitching with Janome Sew Mini, buttons

{MTSC69} The Road Less Traveled

Today's card was created especially for

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge!

With the help of Mercy's super sketch,

 my card came together in minutes!

First, I selected this designer paper by Basic Grey.  It's appropriately named Sun Dress from the Lemonade series.  The base cardstock and the oval are barely banana cardstock by Stampin' Up! 

The stamped quote by Robert Frost is from a Verve set that I won last year. I've stamped it with Bermuda Bay on naturals ivory and sponged the edges with Versafine vintage sepia.

If you have the time, please hop on over and see what

Mercy's Muses have created this week.

You'll be so glad you did!

Cindy Haffner ~ Cindy Haffner's Corner

Jackie Pedro ~ The Scalloped Edge

Pam Varnell ~ The Stamping Addict

Julie Lacey ~ Stamps and Taxes!

Crystal Birr ~ The Messy Stamper

Jessica Diedrich ~ The Whimsical Butterfly

Mercy Kerin ~ Lord Have Mercy {our Queen Muse}

and last, but certainly not least,
our oh SO talented Guest Muse
Debbie Olson
~ Thinking Inking!

You are ALL invited to play along with Mercy's Challenge!  Simply create a card or scrapbook layout using the sketch above, and link your creation with Mister Linky on Mercy's blog. Be sure to use the keyword MTSC69 when uploading to a public gallery.

I'm glad you stopped by today and I hope you've enjoyed your visit! 

Happy Stamping & Smiles 2 U!



"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow." ~Lin Yutang


Supply List:  All products are STAMPIN' UP! unless noted.
Stamps: quote (Verve)
Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Versafine Vintage Sepia
Paper:  Barely Banana, Natural Ivory, designer paper (Basic Grey- Lemonade)
Other:  linen thread, button, stitching with Janome Sew Mini, Spellbinder oval dies

{SSS64} A Bit Too Much!

It's Sunday and time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge hosted by Karen Giron at The Sweetest Thing!   I almost didn't post this card because it's just a bit too much! : )  Maybe it was MW's eye rolling that did it?? ; )  The leaf placement was bugging me, so I tried to take them off and that made a bigger mess of things!  It wasn't my best day of cardmaking, that's for sure! 

Although, I don't care for the finished card, there are a couple things I like about it, so I'm showing it to you anyway.   How about the cute scalloped border on the bottom?   I got this idea from a video tutorial on Stampin' Connection using the Stampin' Up! scalloped edge punch.   

As for the scrunchy flowers, there are many different ways to create them, but one of my local stamping buddies {Hi Sara!} shared this particular technique with me.   Using the scalloped circle punch, select your cardstock and punch 5 circles.  Stack them up and poke a small hole in the center of all of them.  (I use the piercing tool from my SU tool kit)  Then, get them WET!  Seriously!  I took them to the bathroom sink and dipped them in for a few seconds.  After the bath, towel them off slightly and take a large brad and put it through all 5 of the scalloped circles.  Taking the top one first, scrunch it all up around the brad.  Then do this same thing to the remaining 4 "petals".   It really doesn't take that long for them to dry and they are ready to use!   Obviously, this would not be a card that I could mail as the flowers are simply too poofy.  But, don't you think they would be perfect on a gift box or basket?  Maybe I can salvage them by doing that instead!  :)

Below is the super Sweet Sunday Sketch!  Be sure to blog on over to Karen's blog and check out all the incredible creations by her Sweet Sunday Stampers!  Oh my, they are awesome this week, as always!

It's a lovely day here and I really should get outside and enjoy it!  

Later Peeps!  :)

"Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting." ~Author Unknown

Supply List:  All products are Stampin' Up! unless noted.
Stamps:  sentiment (Hero Arts)
Ink:  Melon Mambo
Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, designer paper (Basic Grey - Lemonade)
Other:  Scalloped Edge Border Punch, Scalloped Circle Punch, Swiss dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug), leaf from the Two-Step Bird Punch, large brads, Janome Sew Mini.

{SFYTT} Vintage Blooms

It's been awhile since I've had the pleasure of playing along with one of Jen del Muro's I {Heart} to Stamp Sketches.   Her samples are always the perfect inspiration!  Be sure to hop on over to her blog and check out her "You are TuTu Much" bunny card.  It's simply adorable and I *love* the pun intended!

Hopefully, you're not getting bored with all my "vintage" creations because I'm enjoying this style and based on the comments I've been receiving, it seems that many of you like it too.  This rose print background paper is another pattern from my K & Company 12 x 12 vintage designer paper pad.  I wasn't too sure about using this large rose print on a card, but I like to think it works.  Just humor me and tell me it does, ok?  ;)

This card was created for my *extra special* Etsy customer as an all-occasion card.  The photo on the right below shows you how I've finished the inside.

My hubby (also known as "Mr Wonderful" or MW) is my best critic and I usually show him all my creations to see what he thinks.   His comment on this one:  "I like all that stuff you've got going on there".    That made me laugh out loud.  :)

Do you have plans for the weekend?   Not too much going on around here, which is all fine and dandy with me!   The weather is very nice so I may get motivated to do a bit of yardwork tomorrow.  We'll see!

If you're still reading this, I have a favor to ask.  I have seen sooooo many awesome cards lately with the Pure Innocence cuties and I am in love with them.   As a Stampin' Up demonstrator (sort of), I don't feel like I should BUY any of those stamps, but I really would love to have a few images to color and create some cards.   If you would consider an image swap of Pure Innocence for Stampin' Up, please email me and we'll work something out.  Thanks!!  :)

One other thing,  I really despise the "word verification" thingy when leaving blog comments and have avoided putting it on my blog...until now.  Somehow, someway the dreaded spammers have found my blog and I've had a couple weirdo comments lately.  ugh!   Please don't let it stop you from commenting.  I *love* hearing from you and wish I could give you all a big hug!   You make me *smile*!  :)

Enjoy your weekend, my friends!
Happy Stamping & Smiles 2 U!


"Personal success is simply the fulfillment of what makes you happiest." ~ Anonymous

Supply List:  All products are Stampin' Up! unless noted.
Stamps:  Close as a Memory, French Script, Very Vintage jumbo wheel
Ink: River Rock, Versafine vintage sepia
Paper: Ruby Red, True Thyme, Naturals Ivory cardstock;  K & Company designer paper
Other:  Stampin' Write markers (colored direct to rubber on stamp), vintage brads, sheer ribbon (M's), Swiss Dots embossing folder with BIG Shot, Pinking Hearts border punch, stitching with Janome Sew Mini.

Hello from the Heart

Tonight I decided to make another card using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge because I *really* like this sketch!  Not only that, but I had wanted to use this vintage designer paper and I thought it would work well with the layout!  

If you don't recognize this Stampin' Up! floral stamp, it is because it is a real oldie from 2002.  I wanted something I haven't used in awhile and I don't think I've created a card with this set since I started blogging over three years ago.  By the way, the set is called Nature's Wonders.    

This week flew by and I'm looking forward to another glorious weekend!  How about you?

Happy Stamping & Smiles 2 U!

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs


Supply List:  All products used are Stampin' Up! unless noted.
Stamps:  Natures Wonders, sentiment (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Blue bayou cardstock, designer paper (K & Company)
Ink: Blue bayou, distressing (Versafine vintage sepia)
Other: antique brass brads, sheer polka dot ribbon (M's)