Wow time sure does seem to be flying by. It seems as though it was just Christmas and now we are preparing for Easter. Our Heavenly Father gave us the gift of peace through the birth of His beloved Son and this week we receive the gift of His wisdom and glory in the Transfiguration. “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him.”
That really is the key, to be still and listen. It is always a challenge to “be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), but if we turn to prayer and really listen, it gets easier. The key to loving others, especially those who seem to always try our patience is to try to see them as Jesus does. This takes prayer, practice and grace.
Jesus wandered throughout many villages teaching and preaching, filling those who would listen with His wisdom. But do we listen or do we just go about our day where nothing changes. At Easter God will give us Jesus again, not as a gift of peace, but as a gift of forgiveness and redemption.
He, Jesus, came to die for everyone and His Mercy is for all who will take time to listen and be moved with compassion for others. It may not seem like much, but a little kindness and compassion really can change the world. So don’t give in to fear and doubt, put your trust in the one who sacrificed His life for you and trust in His everlasting grace and mercy.
“Jesus I need your grace. Help me to seek you with all of my heart and to be caring, kind and compassionate to others.”
Before COVID 19 I started a card making group at my parish as part of The Healing of Hearts Ministry. We would gather quarterly and pray for sick parishioners and those shut-in and unable to attend church services. We would also make cards to send, get-well, thinking of you, and sympathy. I planned the card designs, but we created them as a group.
I mailed out cards on behalf of the group to those in need and we would send everyone on the list a Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter card. The coronavirus has put a huge damper on our gathers, in fact we have not met since November of 2019.
You may not think that a simple card can make a difference, but it can and it does. I have heard from a number of parishioners that they enjoy getting this kind of happy mail. It reminds them that they are important and that someone really does care. We all need that don’t you think?
Today’s card featuring Healing Hugs is a sample of one of the cards made for our community.
Begin with a Pretty Peacock card base that measures 5 ½ x 8 ½ ”. In landscape position, (aka the long side) score at 4 ¼”. Fold and burnish.
Cut a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of the Basic White cardstock and stamp the several of the large flower from Healing Hugs in Pretty Peacock ink.
On a scrap piece of Basic White cardstock stamp a large flower, again in Pretty Peacock ink and fussy cut out. Use a sponge dauber to add Pretty Peacock ink to the edges in a flicking motion around the flower.
Add the cut out flower to the stamped flowers on the Basic White panel.
Stamp the greeting in Pretty Peacock ink on a piece of Basic White scrap and punch out using the scalloped oval from the double oval punch. Next punch two scalloped ovals in Pretty Peacock cardstock.
Cut one scalloped oval in half lengthwise and the other in half widthwise. Attach the pieces to the white scalloped oval creating a Pretty Peacock border and attach to the white card panel of flowers and adhere to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Next attach the panel of flowers to the Pretty Peacock card front.
For the inside, cut a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of Basic White cardstock to inside panel and stamp the greeting in Pretty Peacock Ink.
Repeat the process of stamping one flower directly to the cardstock and stamping two others to a piece of Basic White scrap and fussy cut out.
Again use the sponge dauber to add a darker dimension around the outside using a flicking motion around all edges. Attach the flowers to the white card panel.
I layered the flowers in the lower left corner hanging off the cardstock and trimmed them before attaching to the inside panel.
This Healing Hugs stamp set is in the annual 2020-2021 catalog. Don’t forget this catalog will only be available through the end of April. The Pretty Peacock ink and cardstock used in this card sample will be retiring. If you have all the 2019-2021 ink pads but not the re-inkers, now is the time to add those to your shopping cart.
Retiring items in the 2020-2021 annual catalog will be while supplies last so don’t delay. Once the retired list is available, I will post it here on my blog, but again if you do not have those re-inkers, I would not take the chance on waiting! Yes, that is experience talking, what can I say!
Order before the end of the day Sunday February 28th while it is still Sale-a-Brations! Our Host code is: WYXSZPMJ Happy stamping and Happy shopping!
It is always sad when we have to create sympathy cards for our loved ones, but what a great opportunity to use our awesome products and our creative crafting talents to bless others.
A good friend of mine recently lost her husband and I hope she will take comfort in this simple Sympathy card made just for her.
I created this card using the Framed For You and the Heal Your Heart stamp sets. I love the calming yet elegant font in the Heal your Heart set!
Begin with a Blackberry Bliss card base that measures 5 ½ x 8 ½ ”. In landscape position, (aka the long side) score at 4 ¼”. Fold and burnish.
Cut a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of the Basic White cardstock and stamp the several flowers in Blackberry Bliss ink in the upper left corner. Add some leaves and ferns in Shaded Spruce ink. Attach to the front of the Blackberry Bliss card base.
To the center of the flowers, add a silver metallic pearl. I also added an extra one to the fern and to the greeting.
Use the double oval punch to punch a scalloped oval from Blackberry Bliss cardstock. Use a scrap piece of Basic White cardstock to stamp the With Sympathy greeting in Blackberry Bliss ink. Punch out the greeting using the smooth oval from the Double Oval Punch.
Attach to the front of the card using Stampin’ Dimensionals. Add a small silver pearl to the greeting.
Cut a 4 x 5¼” piece of White cardstock and stamp the greeting from the Heal Your Heart set in Blackberry ink and attach the cardstock to the inside panel of the card base.
Feel free to embellish the inside with flowers and leaves or leave it plain as in the sample.
I know sending sympathy cards is never fun and my heart breaks for those who have lost a love one, especially, a significant other! Let us lift up in prayer and send our loving thoughts to all those who have loved and lost!
What could be better than a dragonfly garden? I image a garden filled with lots of colorful flowers and of’ course a few dragonflies. I have to admit I don’t see too many dragonflies here in St. Louis, perhaps this spring I will check out the Missouri Botanical Gardens to see if they are hanging out there.
But for now, this cute little dragonfly thank you will have to do. Notice the sweet little lady bug trinket, I think it gives this card a polished finish. The Lady Bug Trinkets are in the January – June catalog on page 25.
Begin with a Bumblebee card base that measures 4 ¼ x 11”. In landscape position, (aka the long side) score at 5 ½”. Fold and burnish.
Cut a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of the Basic White cardstock and layer to the bumblebee card front.
Cut a 2 x 4” piece of designer series paper from the Dandy Gardens paper pack and layer to the bottom of the white panel.
Cut a ½ x 4” piece of coordinating paper from the same paper pack and attach it to layer across the 2 x 4” piece.
Use the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine to cut out a large rectangle from Bumblebee cardstock using the Stitched So Sweetly Dies. Now cut a smaller rectangle from Basic White cardstock and stamp the greeting in Memento Black on the white rectangle.
Layer the two rectangles together and attach to the card front.
Use the Dragonflies punch to crop a big and little Dragonfly from the Dandy Gardens Designer Series Paper and layer on the card front.
For that added pop, add a Lady Bug Trinket to the card front.
There are so many possibilities for this bundle and for the sister bundle, Garden Wishes. Check out the Dandy Garden Suite for these and many other products that will help you create amazing cards.
Isn’t it amazing what a splash of fancy paper or a little bling embellishment will do to add a pop to your card. Well if you like fancy paper then you will love today’s Designer Series Paper Parade. The cards featured today are from the Berry Blessings and Flower and Field Designer Series Paper packs.
The first card is from a long time friend and customer, Kim Wagner. Kim used paper from the Berry Blessings Designer Series Paper pack and the free Sale-a-bration set Approaching Perfection. Thanks Kim for sharing your talents with us!
The next two cards are also created using the Berry Blessings paper. The fun fold below is made with Real Red and Basic White cardstock and the greeting from Sweet Strawberry.
The above card features Pacific Point, Basic White and Garden Green cardstock and the Berry Blessings stamp set. I added Matte Black Dots embellishments for an added pop.
I created this last card using the Flower and Field Designer Series Paper pack, Flirty Flamingo cardstock and the Tasteful Label Dies. The added flower stamp is from Pretty Perennials stamped in Just Jade and Flirty Flamingo ink.
I hope you enjoyed the cards today and will add some fancy designer series paper to your next creation.
