Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's 84th birthday. In an effort to keep myself busy and my mind from wandering, I made a card for him. I used the print-and-cut feature on my Cameo to make the sentiment label and added Glossy Accents so that I could adhere the wood veneer.

Patterned Paper (Basic Grey "Fact" Paper Pad); Brads from my stash; Wood veneer (Studio Calico)

My dad has been in my life since I was 15 and he is simply the best! 

Happy Birthday Dad!

May 2014 Brings May Flowers

Despite the sadness going on in my life right now, I managed to complete a Mother's Day card for my mom, and thus complete my 50 Project challenge. This means that all bets are off and it's on and [craft] shoppin' until I decide to take up the challenge again. **Blitsy here I come!** Craft shopping is therapy, right? This girl is really in need of some intense and immediate therapy right now.

I made my card to participate in the "May 2014....Brings May Flowers" over at SOC. We were supposed to make a project using our state flower, which for Arizona is the Saguaro Cactus Blossom (Carnegiea gigantea).

In 1901 the saguaro’s blossom was adopted as the official territorial flower, and later, in 1931, it was confirmed as the state flower. The saguaro cactus typically blooms in May and June. It is one of the most unique state flowers, and is characterized by having a waxy feel, but fragrant aroma. There may be hundreds of flowers on a saguaro cactus that bloom just several at a time over a period of more than a month. The saguaro flowers have a short life; they open at night and close permanently during the next day. Many of the blossoms will become pollinated and, later in the summer, the flowers become red-fleshed fruits that are enjoyed by the local bird population.

And here is my card...

The flower and label are from Silhouette Online Store cut files. I used Flower Soft with a little Distress Stickles mixed in for the flower center. Patterned Paper is from the DCWV Haute Pink stack.

Thanks for looking!

WrinkleFreeDiva

Teacher Appreciation Day

It is Teacher Appreciation Day. Trust me... I know, since I am one! ***Who, by the way, is counting down the days until summer break. By the time this posts, we will be down to 12 days...tick...tick...tick...**

Once your kids leave 5th or 6th grade, they usually end up with three or more teachers. Could make giving gifts to your kids' teachers a pricey proposition, especially if you have more than one kid who has multiple teachers.

On one of the many message boards I'm on, someone posted some pics of decorated notepads they had made and I thought... "what a great, inexpensive gift for my son's teachers!" I lucked out and got the last set at Amazon in early April. They are now showing as unavailable. I may have to go on the hunt for a suitable substitute for future teacher gifts.

Projects #45-49 of the 50 Project Challenge.

All of the cut files are from the Silhouette Online store. I have only a few vinyl colors hence the reason only two of the designs are in color. The inside cover of each notepad has a place to put an insert, so I made some cards to put on the inside that say "Thank you for being my 7th Grade Teacher! 2013-2014" with a place for my son's signature.

I am really enjoying working with vinyl and am going to have to purchase more colors so that I can keep them on hand for when the mood strikes! I've almost completed my challenge so I'll be going shopping sooner rather than later...tee hee! 

If you have children, don't forget to show their teachers some appreciation this week. They will thank you for it.

Thanks for looking!

WrinkleFreeDiva

Another NSD Card

Made another card for a soror whose mother (also a soror) passed away in early April. I began the card not too long after her passing, but because of circumstances going on in my life, I didn't complete it until Saturday. It came together very quickly and I was able to get it in the mail on Sunday.

Cut files (Silhouette Online Store), "Blossom Song" stack (DCWV), "Fifth Ave Floral" stamp (Stampin Up),       watercolor pencils, pearls

After posting it, I thought the colors were too bright for a sympathy card, until I ready Okie Ladybug's post here. I like her thinking, and may strive to use happier colors when creating sympathy cards. What do you think?

Thanks for looking at #44 of my 50 Project Challenge.

WrinkleFreeDiva

National Scrapbook Day

It's been a little while since I've posted...have had lots going on in my life (a lot more than "life happens") and just haven't had the time to really do personal project or post anything new.

On Friday, I decided that I was going to really take NSD as a true holiday and stay in my craft room all day, and that's exactly what I did!

This card is for my "cousin" whose mother passed away on April 1st (the same day as my mother's birthday). Her mother was my mother's best friend, and because my cousin had spent a long time grieving before her passing, a sympathy card didn't seem quite appropriate. So I made this card in her mom's favorite colors with the following message inside:

I wish you the life of a wildflower –
with the warmth of the sun on your face,
a life that unfolds with bright promise
and blooms at your own unique pace.

I wish you the life of a wildflower–
the resilience to bend in the wind,
a life that can weather the seasons
and return to bloom lovely again.

I wish you the life of a wildflower–
so graceful that others might see
how you brighten the world just by being,
for you’ve made the world brighter for me.

 "Hydrangea" Stamp (Hero Arts), "Thinking of You" (Penny Black), watercolor pencils, "Painted Petals" stack (DCWV), ribbon (American Crafts), "Decorative Labels 8" Die (Spellbinders)

Thanks for looking! (And this makes Project #43 of the 50 Projects Challenge!)

WrinkleFreeDiva