Glittery Mother's Day Card

Whenever I make a card for a specific person, I like to think about them, pray for them as I create. This card made me think of my sweet Christian friend who never had children but took classes to become a foster mom and maybe even an adoptive mom. It seemed like she waited a long time. Then one week two little girls came into her life and changed it in the many ways she'd hoped for - and probably a few she didn't expect. I know she has challenges. Motherhood is demanding, but seems to fill a place in our hearts. She's a strong Christian, so I'm praying that she'll keep relying on His strength, wisdom, and leadership as she encounters each new situation. I can't wait to send her a card to celebrate her first Mother's Day!

This card was inspired using the fun color palette suggested by Colour Create Challenge #95 - Rose Pink, Kraft, and White. One of the pieces of paper I saw had the perfect design to go with Sketch #152 from Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I wanted it to be feminine, so it also goes with the challenge #47 at Really Reasonable Ribbon. Here's the inspiration from both sources.

The patterned paper I used on the top half was glittered, so I added some glitter gel to the flowers and the frame around the sentiment. I used thin white organdy ribbon to tie the frame over the stamped sentiment.

Challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #152

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #47 - Mother's Day/Feminine plus ribbon

Colour Create Challenge #95 - Rose Pink, Kraft, White

Stamps - My Favorite Things "Sunflower Girl" (Pure Innocence); sentiment from Close To My Heart

Sweet Sketch Wednesday with Some Bunny Who Loves You

Today I have to have 4.5 hours of medical tests and can't drink any water or have caffeine, so in my brain fog this morning I made a quick card to take my mind off of it. I used Sweet Sketch Wednesday's sketch #146 and CR84FN's Color Challenge #50 (for the 2nd time).

Easter Wishes for Sweet Sketch Wednesday #145

The ladies at Sweet Sketch Wednesday have a day for daisies as their sponsor for this sketch #145. I have several of their delightful digital images, so I chose their lambs playing image for this Easter card.

Here's the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday that I used:

I used the sentiment and Color Story#23 suggested by Perfect Sentiments Challenge. 

Using this image on an Easter card evoked many different thoughts while I was making it. Baby animals usually signify new life and springtime. When I give Easter cards to friends and relatives, I usually have a Christian message, so in this card I'm writing a message about Jesus being the perfect "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." John 1:29

When I was a girl I memorized Isaiah 53:6: "All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." There are so many references to us being like sheep and Christ being a Lamb or Shepherd. He was human like us, the Lamb, but sinless, so He could take our place in His death, so we wouldn't have to pay for our own sins. Also, I used to quote Psalm 23 to my mom when she was sick in the hospital, which starts with "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. . ." We both loved the reference to Him leading, protecting, and providing for us.

There's one more thought that I connect with those verses and this lovely image. The lambs are all bunched up together, touching, playing. It reminds me of my friends and the close bonds we share. I want them all to know that I love them dearly and so does the Lord.

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart "Sweetheart," "Topstitch"
Digital Stamp - adayfordaisies.com
Sentiment stamp - CTMH "Springtime"
Ink - CTMH Twilight
Other - CTMH  Pearl Opaques, retired flowers, Sweet Leaf and Cotton Candy markers; Copic Blue00; Spellbinder's Nestabilities Scalloped Circle; satin ribbon

Sweet Sketch for Believe in Your Dreams

When I taught classes at a local scrapbook store I fell in love with Basic Grey and became a Basic Grey collector- loving the paper too much to use, saving it for something special. I decided this year that something special is now. Instead of waiting for the right photos, I'd make lots of cards with those papers I love.. I haven't even made a dent in the pile. But now that my youngest grandchild is four, it's time to use the Oh, Baby papers, all four packs!

Basic GreyChallenge 63 is called "Wish Upon a Star." I used the Oh, Baby and the Color Me Silly papers with the Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge 143.

One technique that I used in stamping the sentiment was to turn over the stamp that says Believe in Your so that I could stamp the solid side as a background. Since the stamp is curved to go over the word Dreams, it's a good way to get the shape you need as well as providing background color.  The rocket was cut out of one of the papers and pop dotted. The corrugated stars were painted with a mixture of copper lumiere and white craft paint so that they weren't too white.

I think even my nine-year-old grandson wouldn't mind getting this card from the "baby" paper.

5.5" square card recipe:
Paper - Basic Grey "Oh, Baby Boy," "Color Me Silly;" CTMH White and Colonial White cardstock
Stamp - Believe in Your Dreams
Ink - CTMH Dutch Blue, Sunflower, Black
Other - CTMH Milepost Shapes (stars), gold ribbon; Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" embossing folder

Sweet Sketch A Flitter

I have several friends who absolutely LOVE pink, so when I saw this photo inspiration on Flutter By Wednesday's Challenge #190, I knew I needed to make a pink, flowery card. I used a glittery pink striped scrap so the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday was just right, especially since I could add a flower and pink sparkles.

The butterflies were from a set called A Flutter. I stamped them in Hollyhock ink, colored them with a pink Copic marker, added details with a black 0.1 marker, then added Bitty Sparkles.

5.5" square card recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart Baby Pink, Blush textured, White Daisy cardstock; DCWV "The Sweet Stack" dp; Basic Grey "Lemonade" (flowered strip)
Stamps - Close To My Heart "A Flitter," "What a Great Day"(retired)
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; CTMH Hollyhock
Other - Cuttlebug embossing folder; Recollections flower; Copic Markers YG03, R20; CTMH My Legacy Writer 0.1, Red/Pink Sparkles, Bitty Sparkles

Rainbow Colored Get Well with Sweet Sketch 141

This morning  I saw the Colors & Swirls Challenge on the Ribbon Carousel Challenge #41 and knew that it matched the colors of some candy on the paper pack I'm trying to use up. They reminded me of pills, so I knew a get well card was in the works.

Adding little squares of the "pills" seemed like a good option, so I'm using the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

This one is dedicated to our daughter, Christine, who's a nurse and busy mom of three. (Sorry, Christine, I didn't make her blonde.) I used the oval Spellbinder's die as a "mat" and stippled Crystal Blue ink inside around the edges, then sponged Cranberry Ink on the edges.

(DP is DCWV The Sweet Stack and CS is CTMH. Heart buttons and red organdy ribbon from my stash. CTMH -stamp set retired, black hemp, Moonstruck, Cranberry and White Daisy CS)

Night Time Prayer with Teddy Bear

Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge 138 provided this sketch along with the request to use an image from ADayforDaisies.com. Last year I had seen several of their images with children praying, so I used Night Time Prayer for this card. Since it's a digital image I resized it in Photoshop down to 3" and colored it with a combination of copics, CTMH blender pen with ink, markers, and colored pencils (definitely not my best job of coloring an image). This sketch was perfect for using some of my Graphic45 "Playtimes Past" paper on Kraft CS.

I love the way the child is checking on his/her praying Teddy Bear during their prayer. I also made this for the Craft Your Passion Challenge 95 to use a Teddy Bear image. The simple sentiment from Verve seemed appropriate for this child's card.

5.5" square card:
Paper - Graphic45 "Playtimes Past" collection; CTMH Kraft, Moonstruck, Colonial White, Cranberry CS
Stamp - Verve "Joy for the Journey;" digital stamp A Day for Daisies "Night Time Prayer"
Ink - CTMH Black, Indian Corn Blue
Other - CTMH Cricut Art Philosophy "oval 3," Indian Corn Blue marker, Vanilla marker, Blender Pen, Cranberry brads, corrugated star, Bronze Glitz Glitter Gel; Copic markers, various colored pencils

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #137 for Just Us Girls

One lady in our church, Lucille, has called me every birthday for 15 years to wish me Happy Birthday. In fact, she's done the same thing for everyone in our church. This year, I'm giving her this card this week for her birthday. The sketch for Sweet Sketch Wednesday #137 was perfect for her card. I used pink, red, and white (with a little chocolate) as suggested by Just Us Girls, hoping it would express the love I have for Lucille.

I used Martha Stewart and Close to my Heart patterned papers. The ribbon, stamps, inks, crocheted flowers, and butterfly are also from CTMH.