The Stamping Critique......

Flight Of The Butterfly......

I was sitting on my front steps yesterday willing myself to enter into a state of calm contemplation. I find that taking an occasional break from the chaos of the day to sit and ponder life to be very relaxing. I live in sunny {humid} Florida and although the weather right now is sticky, hot and even somewhat unbearable, it fosters an environment of beauty that is free for all to participate in.

During my quite time, I spotted several butterflies resting on the leaves of a hedge....what a beautiful sight! Have you ever gotten really close to a butterfly? The colors are absolutely breathtaking! Deep fiery oranges and yellows, one had what looked to be streaks of blue through it's wings and they appeared to be as soft as angels wings. Just as gracefully as they rested on the hedge, they rose up into the air and flew around, moving on to another bush to rest. My entrance fee for a front row seat to watch this beauty was free, not a dime was spent. My only cost was to slow down and enjoy. I believe I got the good end of the deal on this one!

Fast forward to last night......sitting in my studio the image of those butterflies entered into my head and inspired this card. Although difficult to capture in a photo, I used the cracked glass technique on my main image. Do you see the little butterfly over on the left? {It's really small so look close!}

 I wanted one more butterfly image to place on top of the cracked glass image but didn't have anything tiny. guess what you do when you need something small and only have larger images? You shrinky dink it!! I stamped an extra image of the bigger butterfly from the main image onto shrinky dink paper, colored it and then heated. I'm now officially in love with shrinky dink again!!

I hope you get a few minutes to meander outside and enjoy the beautiful world around you that God has blessed us with. Even if you don't happen to see a butterfly, there is plenty more wondrous images to take in!

 

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"Tic Tac Treat!"

Tic Tacs have come a long way haven't they? It use to be that you could purchase the mint ones but now they've evolved, having all kinds of yummy flavors that are so sweet! My downfall is that I can't eat just one or two tic tacs, I have to pop a half dozen or so into my mouth at a time because they taste so good!

I often visit people or places and like to give them a little treat to say thank you. I don't like carrying around cards to give away in my purse because they get all bent up so these little treat gifts work wonderfully! I think we often forget to let people know they're appreciated and this shouldn't be the case! We should let people know when they take time out of their busy schedules to see us that we appreciate them for this!

These are really simple to make {I like using the big tic tac containers....those little ones just don't hold enough!} The red paper is cut 3" X 5" ans scored on the 5" side {do one side then turn around and do the other side} at 2 7/8". Round all of your corners {optional - but it does make it look better}. White paper {frontt} is cut 2/3/4" X 1 7/8" {round corners}. I added a piece of printed paper on top of the white but you don't have to do this} Punch your hold in the bottom of the white paper {get as close to the bottom as you can} then added ribbon. I like my ribbon towards the middle which is why it's important to punch your hold close to the bottom. Adhere the white later onto your bottom card stock {mine is red} and then punch the red card stock {by doing it this way, you have a nice alignment for the hole!} Decorate the front as you would like! The tic tacs are held inside on the side facing the inside {similar to the binding of book pages}. I like to use Wacky Tack for this but you can use a strong adhesive or other glue dots. Tie up your ribbon and you've got a special treat to give someone!

A rule of candy etiquette:::don't sample the tic tacs prior to giving them away!!! Buy an extra box for yourself and there's no need to share!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"His Commitment to Family..."

SCC is having a challenge to make a card for the hubby showing appreciation for them. When I thought about this, I of course wanted to participate because every significant other deserves a little appreciation every now and again right? I read a few passages in the bible about Husbands and my eyes kept wandering over to other ones that spoke about fathers.I thought about the connection between the two roles and the importance of each within a family.The Christ entered relationship that Mark and I share is blessed in so many ways because of who he is. I firmly believe that if we did not have a strong marriage, his ability to be the very best model of a father would be lost to some degree.

So....I headed to the studio and started browsing my stamps and colors when I happened upon this stamp made by inkadinkadoo which says "Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him Father"  and I knew that this would be the focal point of my card for Mark. I love Mark and appreciate him, not only for who he is as a husband but also because he is such a wonderful father.

Thanks for the challenge SCC! {{If you haven't been to the SCC site, please visit them!! Wonderful stuff going on!}}

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

Recipe:

Stamps: Inkadinkadoo

Inks: Next to Navy, Worn Lipstick Distress Ink

Papers:SU Next to Navy, Giggle Stripes - Kelly Panacci, Bazzill Yellow

Tools: Spellbinders Oval Scallop, Oval, SU Window Punch

Embellishments: SU Brads, K&C Company Flowers, Martha Stewart Ribbon 

"Get Excited About Every Moment!"

I'm participating in the challenge put out by the OCC Team and love how this turned out!

This quote holds special meaning for me for two reasons. My father shared this quote with me over a year ago and I went on a search to find it. If my father brings up a quote, it has to be a good one and if it's a good one, there must be a stamp made for it! It didn't take me long to locate this one because it was more popular than I realized! I've used this on several cards and gifts and am still in love with its meaning.

My second reason for liking this quote is also because of my father but for a different reason. He was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. No disease is a good one, and when it happens to your Dad, it's heart wrenching to even think about. Many of you know that last year, my Dad went through a bout of cancer and had surgery. he's done well with that and today, remains cancer free. Less than a year later and we have a new disease to think about. This one is a little different because there is no cure. Sure, lots of treatments to help delay the progression but it doesn't really matter because it's happening to my Dad.

The words on this quote remind me of my Fathers philosophy on life. Be in awe of everything that takes your breath away and remember and cherish those moments. Even today, he's not slowing down or complaining about the deck of cards he's been dealt. Rather, he's looking for those sweet moments that will awe him and bring him happiness.

If you haven't been looking for those things in life that can take your breath away....don't you think you should? Once the last breath is taken, no more memories will follow. Today is the day to go find your awe!!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.
Theresa

"When We Believe What The Words Are Saying...."

John Whittier wrote "God is. And all is well." Quite a large statement for so few words don't you think? I like to take quotes such as this and use them in my work but there's more to it than just that. I like to understand their meaning as I find it important to be able to take words and make them applicable to my own life whenever I can. For this quote, the words weren't very difficult to understand, simple in their meaning, yet the message the words are sending is enormous....if we let it be.

I've recently found myself at the end of another road and needing to discover the next path on my journey through life. One job finished and I need to discover where I'm needed next. Being out of work can be very overwhelming, lots of questions as to what should be done next, is enough being done and where will I end up? Mix into this all the other parts of life that continue to go on and it can create a time of challenge and uncertainty. That's where these words, for me, have the most meaning. "God is. And all is Well."

My faith is such that the "God is" part is not hard to grasp and believe. God is in everything we do, leading us to new opportunities and providing support during the time it takes to get us there. "All is well."....Now there's a tough one to swallow. When I first read this quote, I separated the phrases, feeling that they had two messages but they really don't. Because God is, we can believe that all is well and will be well. Does the quote say "it's going to be easy....sit back and relax, things will come together"? No, they don't say that. But they offer a simple promise that because God is involved, it will all work out.....in his time. I've got to do the leg work, being wise to the choices I make and open to new opportunities, even if there is some fear with this. In the end, as part of God's plan for my life, it will all work out and all will be well.

"God is. And all is well." I can understand this, fell it and yes, believe it. After all, it's worked out up to this point hasn't it?

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"Find Your Joy!"

Do you have joy? Do you know where to find it in your life? Are you missing out on all the joy that could be yours because you're all wrapped up in the world around you? Is it really so difficult for us to find those things in our lives that bring us joy and surround ourselves with them? I believe there are even those who are so lost that they don't even know how to begin to see the joyful things that are around them... isn't it sad to know that some don't get to experience joy each and every day!

I've shared with you about my family, my husband, children, dad and of course, my "Maine mom" so you've had an opportunity to see into my life just a bit from these stories haven't you? There's someone I haven't told you about but he's a very important part of my life. He is a Godly man, full of love and compassion for others and I might add.....a hysterically funny guy!! He touches lives that he probably doesn't even know he's touching, and his work is a catalyst in saving souls for Christ. And can you imagine....I get free admission every week to go and listen to him speak!!! High five me right now!!!

Pastor Mark is the lead pastor at Bay Life Church in Brandon Florida. At his side is his beautiful (and well adjusted) wife Eleanor and their three sons. Each time I sit in church and listen to mark deliver god's message, I'm completely blown away by the power of his message. He speaks to us humans, in a way that you want to smack yourself up beside the head and say "hey....who told him about my life??" I've struggled with attending church in the past, not being one to enjoy the politics of religion. I don't have to worry about that now with Pastor Mark leading the charge. Oh...don't get me wrong, he's as political as the next guy, but he doesn't allow the church to get tangled up in the political mish mash that some churches do (Mish mash is now an official internet phrase so feel free to use it!!)

Being unemployed, I can't send Pastor Mark and his family on a luxury cruise or out for a fancy dinner but I wanted to do something to say "thank you" to him for being such a source of inspiration in my life. He's also sending out emails about exercise and being mindful of his health so I thought I'd help out by "feeding" him something that would create a smile to his face and not add anything to his waistline!!

You know me....I'll craft anything not pinned down and this jar wasn't pinned! I filled it with sugar free Crystal Light candies (Yummy!!!) and decorated the outside. Of course, you can't give a gift without a matching card so that came along next! This sentiment reminds me of Pastor Mark so it was an obvious choice! He finds joy in so much of what he does and he has shown me that joy is mine for the taking as well!

Thank you Pastor Mark, for all that you do and for demonstrating what it means to be a Man of God! You are deeply loved by many and are a blessing in so many ways! {{If you ever go on the comedy circuit....I'll be a groupie!!}} {{heehaw!!!}}

Now....I have to deliver this tomorrow before I get enticed to open the jar and find my own joy!!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.
Theresa

"Let The Heavens Declare...."

Have you ever laid down on your lawn at night and glanced up at the sky? Have you had the opportunity to view all of the stars, perched up on the mountaintops of the universe and recognized just how majestic their presence really is? The thought of this for me, brings about thoughts of just how simple my one life is in the entire scheme of things....yet, it also explains how amazing my one little life is as well!

The stamp I used on this card was intentional, although the entire project came about purely by accident. As creations go, this is one of those times that you start out with the simplest of ideas and once you get into the making of it, simplicity goes out the window!! Don't you love it when that happens?! I wanted a card with a bible verse for my collection being sent to my "Maine Mom." At times, the larger cards I send are bulky and difficult (and costly) to mail....not the case with this one!! It comes with its own gift box, making it a gift inside of a gift!!

The card measures 5 1/2" X 5 1/2". The paper I chose to use is 2-sided because of the flower being added to this. {{Love the flower!!}} The flower tutorial was done on SplitCoast {Are you addicted to Splitcoast yet??} and was pretty simple to make. I topped the bottom flower with a smaller one just because I don't know when to stop!! I used a die from my nesties(scalloped oval) to use for my verse and then inked up the verse with distressed inks of various colors.

Once I had the card made I realized I had a problem.....the card was too thick to fit inside of an envelope!!! You can't just give someone a card with no envelope....that breaks all of the rules! I sat down with paper and made up a simple box to carry the card which all in all....became a project in itself! If you want to make a bx for any card you make its really quite simple. Measure your card, and cut your paper for the bottom of the box by adding an inch around every side. In this case, my card measured 5 1/2" so the box bottom measurements were 7 1/2" X 7 1/2". I scored one inch all around (I wanted my box to be an inch thick), I cut the corners and put it together using a strong adhesive. For the top of the box, follow the same process, only add a 1/4" to each side as your top is going to need to be bigger than your bottom.

Once I have the box, I immediately recognized the need for decoration which created the need for another flower! The band with the "heartfelt" tag is two pieces of 1/2" wide paper glued together. It slips over the box to hold it together but comes off easily.

My "Maine Mom" got her package yesterday with this one in it, she's already trying to determine who is going to be not only "card worthy" for this one but also "box" worthy! I'm sure she'll figure it out! What's important is that it brightens someones day!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"Messin With the Big Boys!!"

At times, we just need to grab that big boy stamp and use it!!! Easier said than done right? I've got my own box of over the size limit stamps that I start to pick up and then back away from, retreating from  their enormity. I was reading an article the other day about sampling smaller parts of bigger things and thought to my self "Self, this can be done with stamps!" I rolled up my sleeves, tucked in my shirt (ok, no shirt tucking....but it goes with the whole delivery of the message thing...) and grabbed a stamp of larger size to work with.

StampinUp has a stamp called "From the Garden" which is very large as well as bold. It is too large for my typical 4 1/4" X 5 1/2" cards and also the bigger ones I do on occasion. It's a beautiful stamp which makes it even more difficult as I don't want to eliminate anything on the stamp by cutting it down, I think it takes away form the beauty of it. I have to make a choice.....do an exceptionally large card, or sample a small part fo the stamp. I chose to go with the latter as I don't enjoy making large cards (especially with the cost of mailing things nowadays).

This is a 4 1/4 X 5 1/2" featuring a sampled section of the "From the Garden" stamp. I stamped on watercolor paper and used a blender pen to create a soft look on the petals and the flower. not enough of a focus on the flower made me stamp the flower image again, cut it out and pop it up with dimensional just to stand it out a bit. (Are you noticing that you can't see the flower popped up?? Well...this is because I took "before pop up" pictures and forgot to take the "after pop up" pictures! The cards have been sent out to Maine Mom so you'll have to sue your imagination!)It's lacking in sentiment as I believe my "Maine Mom" will be able to make that decision on her own when she chooses her "card worthy" recipient!

I'm still not a big fan of large stamps but I'll not hesitate quite as much the next time I pick one up....I just have to remember that it's all about the sampling!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"Each Time You Dream...."

James Dean once said  " To dream anything you want to dream. That's the beauty of the human mind. to do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.  

Too many times we convince ourselves that we aren't good enough for our won dreams. We look at where we've been in live and know that we should tried harder. We look forward to our future, questioning if we'll ever be courageous enough to reach the dreams we want. We fear our own minds, casting aside our dreams and choosing instead, the easier way out. We decide to settle, and don't ever have the opportunity to experience our lives in the way that they could be if we had just once, reached for a dream.

Dare to dream!! And more than that......dare to chase after your dreams! Don't let fear conquer who you are or what you're capable of becoming. Make a decision to take just one step towards a dream that you have had. if you aren't able to imagine reaching the entire dream, reach towards a piece of it and believe in yourself that you can achieve it!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

"Is That Smell What I Think It Is??!!"

Sometimes, you just have to laugh about something and then run and post a blog about it!!! this is one of those times!!

I was sitting in my craft studio this morning, working on a card for Maine mom when all of a sudden, a smell wafts into the room from somewhere else in the house. It's faint at first, although within a matter fo 30 seconds, I realize it's getting stronger and stronger. There was no mistake on what this smell was.....Marijuana!!! In my house!!! Someone, decided to smoke weed without any regard for the rules of our home, and let's not even talk about what that stuff can do to your brain!!! My first thought is "those kids of mine are upstairs, right now, smoking weed, and thinking I can't smell it? How stupid do they think I am!!" (I really did think this.....wouldn't you??)

I step over to the vent, which is not far from the door leading to the upstairs and I can't believe how strong the odor is. I'm going to bust them at their game and then all heck is gonna break loose when they realize they've never seen me this mad before!! I open the door, ready to move into attack mode and had to step back form the smell.....good Lord...what are they doing, smoking 10 or 15 joints all at once?? The smell is so foul, it's almost mind numbing!!! ( hence the reason people smoke pot I've been told....) Up the stairs I go, holding on to the rail, thinking about which child I'm going to charge at first, when I step into the kitchen. "Wow" I think to myself, "It's awful smokey in the kitchen....." I turn to the left where the stove is and see it......

I left the pot on the stove with boiling tea bags and forgot about it!!! Smoke is all through the room, the fire alarm is going off.....holy mackerel....I'm the one that is responsible for the smell!!! (Who would have thought that tea bags that are burning smell like marijuana??

The kids come running downstairs yelling "Who's smoking pot??" And now "I" have to explain that although I'm not smoking weed, I am a tea bag burner posing as a weed smoking mom!!!

It's a nice ending, no one was hurt and my children are not pot heads.......the only thing left to deal with is

"How do I get this smell out of my house before any company comes over??!!"

Until next time.

Theresa

"What is the Proper Party Favor Etiquette?"

Is there an etiquette for party favors? I'm starting to decide what I'm going to make and don't know if I'm allowed to mix styles of papers or embellishments. Are there any party favors that can't be used along with other ones? What if I decide to use a couple of theme type items on my favors....have I opened myself up to being contact by the party favor etiquette police?

What makes this all the more interesting is that the person we're really throwing this party for isn't even going to attend! Ok, "technically" he's attending but only by way of the womb......you guessed it!! It's a baby shower!! I can't ask little Adam what he would like...even if he were here, if it doesn't contain his mothers milk, I doubt he'd want to provide input on the matter. I've never thrown a baby shower....sure, I've been to showers but only as a guest, and they were all different, so who's to say which ones were done correctly?  

I started on my quest to locate the most interesting baby shower favors and was quite surprised how many they are....and how expensive they are!! How can I possibly put down money for things that in the end, have no value whatsoever? I'm going for the other option which is to make what I can on my own. That's where this whole planning thing gets fun right? Now I'm headed for major party favor etiquette nightmares! Let's just hope that we don't accidentally invite anyone to the party that will know I've crossed the line....{{he,he}}

Here's favor #1. It fits in the palm of the hand, pretty simple to make (although take a few minutes). It will hold those little square mints you get whenever you leave the restaurant....gosh I love those things!!! So...one down....how many more to go? Now I have to wonder if there is a number of party favors allowed for a baby shower??? gggeeeeezzzzz....

Hope you enjoy! Until next time!

Theresa