The Lord Is Good

It seems I have more and more friends that need encouragement or sympathy cards. Here is one I made for a friend I've had since high school. She lost her mother a few days ago unexpectedly, but we know she's in a better place. We are planning our 45 year high school reunion this week. Most of my friends have been Christians like me for more years than that. God has brought us through many trials and we are stronger and better for it. We lean on each other, pray for each other, and share our trust in a loving God.

 Word Art Wednesday's verse is a wonderful verse of encouragement, as it usually is. I used the 2nd May sketch from Viva La Verve to make this card.  I included some stitching for the challenge at Little Red Wagon. and two types of ribbon for the challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity.

Challenges:

Crafts 4 Eternity - Recipe #70 - Maypole Ribbons

Little Red Wagon Challenge #131 - Stitch it up

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #26- Nahum 1:7 or other scripture 

Viva La Verve May 2012 - Week 2 sketch

6.5" x 5" Encouragement Card Recipe:

Paper - Graphic 45; Close To My Heart "Elemental"(background pattern), Sorbet, Juniper, White Daisy cardstock

Ink - CTMH Sorbet

Other - CTMH Juniper ribbon, Colonial White waxy flax; Sizzix embossing folder "Musical Flourish;" Spellbinder's Nestabilities "Lacey Circles;" Recollections floral embellishments; white trim unknown

Mother's Day Butterflies

Flowers and butterflies are all over my yard now that Spring is in full swing. In fact, my irises bloomed three weeks ahead of schedule this year. They usually bloom around Mother's Day, the second Sunday in May. Chupa's sketch this week makes a great Mother's Day card. I interpreted her sketch for Sketchbook Saturday Challenge #56 pretty literally because it went so well with elements I had sitting out to create with. Here's her lovely sketch:

I used a fairly deep embossing folder to get the heart/vines pattern. I thought that pattern worked well with the paper which had flowers and leaves made of hearts. The lighter pink pattern half circle is the backside of the main pattern that mixes several shades of pink. I could have inked the edges of the butterflies like I usually do, but I thought they needed to stay white for contrast with the busy paper.

May God bless you and the mothers you love.

Challenges:
Sketchbook Saturday Challenge #56 sketch
Crafts 4 Eternity #69 - Spring inspired
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes


5.5" x 4.25" Mother's Day Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart "Sweetheart" paper pack, White, Baby Pink, Vineyard Berry Cardstock
Stamp - My Favorite Things "Clearly Sentimental about Mothers"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Other - Sizzix Swirly Vines with Hearts embossing folder; Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Circle; CTMH Just Blooms white daisy and butterflies, Black opaques; Reminisce small white daisy; 2.5" circle punch

Kites in the Clouds

Here's a fun card I made using my packet of Dotty for You paper. When I spotted this sheet with clouds I knew it was perfect for Little Red Wagon's Challenge #126, Up in the Clouds. Then yesterday I saw two more challenges that went with this paper. The Friday Mashup Challenge #52 to use kites and/or colorful twine. I knew I'd use both! I also decided that three kites would look best, so I'm including this with Crafts 4 eternity's challenge #65 to have 3 of a kind. I used three kites, their tails have three ties each and the clouds had three hearts.

I used the back sides of three papers to cut out the kites. I love the variety of polka dot colors on the backs of papers in that pack. The stamp set I used would have stamped solid ink over the dots, so I used it to make a pattern to trace instead and added the dashed lines with a pen. I cut a second matching cloud out of the remainder of the paper and pop dotted it. You can just barely see that the hearts are traced with a Sakura glitter gel pen. The dotted lines around the clouds are also traced with that pen, but don't really show up in the photo. The inside of the card has the matching sunshine stamped in the corner to go with this sentiment.

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart "Dotty for You" coming soon
Stamps - CTMH "Splendid Day"
Ink - CTMH Black, Sunny Yellow
Other - CTMH Baker's Twine; Sakura Glitter Gel Pen

CPS Day 1 with Crafts 4 Eternity Colors

CPS (Card Positioning System) Card Sketches is celebrating their 5th Anniversary with a challenge to make card using the previous patterns they select over 15 days. This is the first sketch, CPS#136. I chose the color palette from Crafts 4 Eternity to make this card.

6.5" x 5" Card recipe:
Pattern - CPS#136
Paper - My Mind's Eye Lost & Found "Blush;" Basic Grey "Life of the Party;" Close To My Heart White Daisy, Hollyhock cardstock
Stamps - Close To My Heart "One of a Kind," "Charmed" (tiny flowers), True Friends, The Present (foliage)
Inks - Close To My Heart Vineyard Berry, Hollyhock, Baby Pink, Black
Other - Cuttlebug dots embossing 5x7 folder, Close To My Heart white organdy ribbon, clear sparkles, Red/Pink Sparkles