ODBD Shining the Light - Encouragement

My husband's aunt is in her 90's. She's always been an exceptionally lovely person, both in appearance and in spirit. I've always admired her gentle, cheerful, kindness. But now we're being told that she's dying. Her daughter is going through what I did a few years ago. Faced with the imminent death of a beloved parent can be so difficult. I've been sick and couldn't/shouldn't expose her, so instead of visiting, I made this card with encouraging words. She's an only child so the burden must be difficult with no one else to share the pain. But I know she has Someone Who is always there, sharing and easing the pain. So I wanted her to know I'm lifting her up in prayer, but so is the Lord.  Here's the message of the sentiment I used:

May you feel His hands

lifting you up in prayer

during this difficult time.

The stamp set is one from Our Daily Bread Designs called Lift Up Your Hands. The hands were part of that set, but can be found now as a single here.

I used the sketch from Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #238 and the color challenge #250 from Pals Paper Arts.

  

Here's a close-up of the unique butterfly from Petaloo and the CTMH sparkles (although the photo's blue colors are off on this one. The blue isn't really violet.):

Thank you for visiting! May the message of this card encourage you or help you to encourage someone else. 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Come and Get It - Ribbon and bling
Craft for the Craic - May-Wings
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #238 - sketch above
Pals Paper Arts Challenge #251 - color challenge above
Quick Quotes #51 - add flower or butterfly (both of mine are from Petaloo)
Word Art Wednesday #183 - anything uplifting and family friendly

Papers - My Mind's Eye Kate & Co "Cambidge Court;"  Close To My Heart Hopscotch PML card (the one with sentiment); CTMH Twilight and white daisy cardstock
Stamp - ODBD "Lift Up Your Hands"
Inks - CTMH Crystal Blue, Black
Embellishments - CTMH long retired pink gingham ribbon, sparkles flourish; Petaloo butterfly and pink flower

Pink, Orange, and Yellow Birthday Wishes

CR84FN had such a fun color combination the last two weeks. I saw one of my scraps from Basic Grey's "June Bug" and that inspired my card.

The Pals Paper Arts Sketch #131 provided the rest of my inspiration for this card.

This sketch allowed the fun flowers on the patterned paper to show, so that helped me in selecting an image to use, an old stamp set that I purchased years ago and never used on a card. I had only used it on one scrapbook layout.  The orange strip from June Bug was embossed in the Swiss Dots folder, then lightly sanded to make the dots look white like the ones on the yellow background. I stamped the large flowers on the same Basic Grey papers. Then I stamped the center portions on white and used the Swiss Dots embossing folder to add more interest and dimension. When I attached the flowers I wanted them to be placed slightly off of the white embossed mat.

 I really want to find ways to use up supplies I purchased a long time ago. This is the emphasis at Shopping Our Stash Weekly. Their challenge this week is to use buttons and/or bows. I selected buttons from a bag I've had for several years (waiting to match the right colors) and tied bows behind or in front of each one using white jute. I attached them to the flowers with that great red sticky tape that will hold anything. This added lots of extra dimension to the pop dotted flowers, so I'll definitely be handing this card to a friend rather than mailing it.

5" x 6.5" Birthday Card recipe:
Paper - Basic Grey "June Bug" collection; CTMH White Daisy and Hollyhock cardstock
Stamps - CTMH Floral Charms, Just a Number
Ink - CTMH Hollyhock, Blush, Sunny Yellow
Other - CTMH Winter Craft Buttons, White Jute, Sanding Kit; Cuttlebug embossing folders Swiss Dots and Bloom Dots

Fresh Picked

I've been so glad to see challenges using the color green. I used to read Beatrix Potter's books to my children at home and at school. Mother Rabbit always said, "Green is good for the eyes." I feel the same way after the drab colors of winter outside. In addition, The Kraft Outlet's challenge this week was called "Farm Fresh," the perfect choice for some of my orchard related stamps. I've chosen the palette of Pals Paper Arts to make a card, using Kraft as my 3rd color.

I used the sketch from There She Goes Clear Stamps, challenge #145.

The bottom piece of designer paper is from Basic Grey's "Origin." For the vertical piece I used a piece of Basic Grey's "Oh Baby - Boy" and repeatedly stamped "Fresh Picked" to make it more interesting. for the main image, I stamped it with New England Ivy three times on Kraft, Pear, and New England Ivy cardstock, then paper pieced the leaves and pear on the main Kraft image. I tried stamping it on White CS first, but it didn't look nearly as interesting as it did on Kraft CS. The image and words came from an old, retired CTMH stamp set called "Fresh Picked."

For the scallops on the side I used a different pear from a set called You're Sweet (CTMH) and stamped it three times on Kraft with New England Ivy ink. Then I cut it out    and attached to the vertical panel. I let some of the seeds show so that the pear theme was repeated. The last element that says Farm or Country to me is the gingham ribbon. after attaching the bow, I attached a Making Memories Animal Crackers felt button (left from 3 or 4 years ago), tied with the gingham ribbon.

(Now, if only I wasn't allergic to pears! I live on a farm and have a small orchard, but I think pears are the only fruit I don't raise.)

Encouragement in Trouble

I've given away all of my sympathy/encouragement cards. I really like to have a lot of "Thinking of You" cards available to encourage someone when the need arises. This is the type of card that the Stampin' Sisters in Christ encouraged us to make. I'm also adding this card to their sister site- Word Art Wednesday. I love to use scripture and this Verve stamp is one of my favorites. This is also the Viva La Verve Challenge sketch for the first week of January, 2012.

I thought the color palette from Pals Paper Arts Challenge #126 was perfect for soft, gentle encouragement.

I used paper from My Mind's Eye Lost and Found collection and Prima. The embossing folder is from Cuttlebug, one that fits 5 x 7 cards. The ribbon, pearls, and darker Pacifica CS are from CTMH. Lacy Circle die is from Spellbinders.

Prince of Peace

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 120 asked us to show an image or sentiment that gives the real meaning of Christmas. I chose this verse from Isaiah 9:6 that tells more about who is that Baby Jesus born in a manger. I used the sketch #124 from Pals Paper Arts for this card. The sentiment I wanted to use was a little too wide to put the circular feature on top, so naturally, it went under. The Colonial White paper I stamped it on was a little too plain, so I distressed it with Tim Holtz's Old Paper Distress Ink.

Supplies Used:

Paper - Recollections Naughty or Nice, CTMH Black and Colonial White

Stamps - CTMH Everlasting Life, A Holiday (holly border)

Ink - CTMH New England Ivy, tulip marker; Tim Holtz Old Paper, Memento Black

Accessories: 2.5" circle punch for wreath paper, Bow-Easy and red ribbon from Michaels