Category Archives: Fresh Wind

Unfortunately, some family friends will remember this Father’s Day with the passing of the family patriarch, and I found myself needing several sympathy cards this morning. While Roses in Winter is my go-to set for sympathy cards, I was glad to have this new sentiment from smARTworks. This sentiment reads, “Death leaves a sorrow no one can heal, Love leaves a memory no one can steal.” smARTworks has a very nice selection of verses and sentiments.

This card is stamped on Whisper White with Barely Banana and So Saffron on the flowers. After stamping, I went over the petals lightly with a Clear Stardust Gelly pen. I work on each flower individually, drawing my shimmer and then rubbing it gently with my fingertip to spread the shimmery ink around. I don’t like to see the actual pen lines on my cards. The sentiment is stamped in Chocolate Chip Craft and embossed with detail clear EP. Thanks for looking.

I was doing just a bit of blog browsing this morning and came across a new one (to me! Many of you have been there before, I am quite sure!). Cindy Keery had the most incredible uTube posted, and I am going to link it here. Cindy says: {Isn’t this amazing?} ~ I promise you won’t be disappointed if you click that link!  

I love this verse that I picked up from smARTworks last week. It reminds me of a very special time in our lives when Wes and I lived in Newnan, GA. Our youth pastor always incorporated this scripture into his prayers. I loved it to hear it then because it sounded so eloquent. But as things have changed in our lives…seasons, relationships, jobs…. I’ve begun to live it… even if everything else changes, I can count on it, the Word of the Lord is always the same…yesterday, today, forever.

My friend Sharon spoiled me on my birthday last month. She knows that strolls through any kind of scrapbook or paper crafting store are rare for me, and she sent me several gems that she had come across in her recent outings. One of which was a tablet of gorgeous card bases in Amy Butler prints. WOW! These prints are even prettier in person than they are online. Thank you for thinking of me, Sharon.

I have been working on coming up with an assortment of cards for a gift package, and last night I used my Amy Butler bases and my new stamp, Isaiah 40:8, to create a few cards like this.  The color sheme works perfectly with Certainly Celery, Old Olive and Bashful Blue. The stamping is minimal, but I used an ‘old faithful’ layout, a Cuttlebug textured plate on the Bashful Blue, the Paper Piercing tool on the Celery and added some ribbon for a fairly quick card. The sentiment is punched out with a Marvy Scallop and the top corners of the Bashful Blue and Old Olive are clipped with the Corner Ticket Punch. I might be all about easy here lately, but that doesn’t mean I have to scrimp on style.

Well, I haven’t had access to the blog in a few days, so this will be a longer post! (where is that big grinned smilie?)

Very excited to see the Featured Stamper Challenge at SCS late last night. Let out a squeal, actually! Sarah Vrolyk, paper genius, is one AWESOME stamper, and her blog ramblings and reading suggestions have inspired me over the last year.

The idea was that I would create a card inspired by something in Sarah’s gallery at SCS. I chose this one for the fun layout and long envie style: Dinosaur Birthday. The layout gave me a wonderful opportunity to use my new Giga Rectangle Scalloped Punch. I used Garden Silhouettes (2007 fall hostess set) and a combination of Groovy Guava, Black and Shimmery White. The flowers are accented with Dazzling Diamonds, and they sparkle…lots!

The sentiment is from a company that I came across last Monday: smARTworks! They have a good assortment of Bible verses and Christian sentiments. This is something that I am ALWAYS on the lookout for. The images come unmounted, so they are inexpensive – translation: you can buy LOTS! I placed my first order on Monday afternoon, and rec’d my stamps on Friday. This sentiment says, ‘I prayed for you today’. It comes in a set of 3 called Prayer Trio. You’ll be seeing several more cards with these images in the near future.

One other thing about the sentiment. I was excited when I realized I could punch a large rectangle in my scalloped punch, then put the punched out piece back in the punch and create a smaller scalloped panel for the sentiment. 

And, on a final note….I had a BLAST when I went to California at the end of April. The first afternoon we were there the SoCal Sweeties (I had to name them something because there are SOOOOO many of them!) took us (Jenn, Sharon, Beth, Lynn and I – Tex was still in the air) to the Fabric Barn. Jami will tell ya, it doesn’t have fabric and it isn’t a barn! We spent a lot of time discussing what the In Colors were going to look like, we didn’t do to bad matching Groovy Guava, did we? It was a great place! I stocked up on some real purdy ribbons and a few things I used to complete my Stampin’ UP! convention displays.  Convention is next month, and I’ll be able to share a display item or two after that! What a great trip!

 Thanks for checking in with me after the downtime over the weekend! Have a wonderful week!

One of the cool things about the internet is the wonderful people who I have been able to connect with. Amazing paper crafters, sweet friends, cool chicks! Well, this morning, I want to give a ‘shout out’ to my friend, Jami Sibley, paper genius! She and I are moderators together over at Splitcoaststampers so I have gotten to know her better. At the end of the month, I am going to California for an event that she and some girlfriends have planned so I get to meet her ‘live and in person’! Happy Dance!!

Go check out Jami’s blog: More is More! She has some COOL candy up for today, and make sure to check out her Easter post: The Grinch Who Stole Easter! Easter is my favorite holiday, actually the Lenten season: very personal, very special when you think about the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for each of us. I know you’ll enjoy this cute poem that doesn’t let go of the real reason for Easter.

No winter lasts forever…no spring fails to come.

I just love that quote. I know it’s out there on a stamp somewhere, and when I find it again, it’s mine!

Seems like the last month has just drug on and on as I wait for that first fresh breath of spring.  I am in the midst of taxes and that hush-hush stampin’ project I mentioned last week, but wanted to share with you one of my favorite things.

When we purchased our house over 2 years ago, we inherited the most beautiful water garden thanks to the love and care of the previous owners. I *love* to have the back door open and hear the water fountain bubbling up. We enjoy sitting beside it with an iced tea and watching the fish and frogs. The water lilies, when they bloom, are just gorgeous.

So imagine my surprise when I came home from an errand a few minutes ago and Wes had the fountain going for the first flow of the season. Until 4 days ago, we still had 3 inches of ice over most of our pond! I just sat in the car, window down, listening…smiling. Ahhhhh, that sound…spring is here.

The water garden is kind of like me. It’s a little rough around the edges after a long, cold winter, but the flowing water reminds me more than anything that God sees inherent beauty in each of us, and He alone can change the view…it’s about his timing. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.        ~ Psalms 1:3