Memorial Day Thanks

Today we Americans honor and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our great nation.  In honor of those who have served I have made today's card.  Thank you for serving.  Thank you for giving up your loved one so we can be free.  Thank You!

I made this card for OWH (Operation Write Home).  It will either be used to write an "any hero" message to our troops or it will go in the box for them to send out.  Either way would work.  I went to the OWH website to see if there was anything special going on this weekend and found the following picture that pierced my heart.

The picture says it all.  I did a google search for Memorial Day images.  There are some fabulous ones out there.  Here are just a couple that I wanted to share with you.

Now back to my card.  While making this card I thought about our troops and prayed for those who are serving, thankful for all who have served and said a prayer for those who have lost loved ones in service.  I never forget the spouses, children and parents who are on the homefront.  Their sacrifice is often just as great. 

My card is a simple flag.  I used some paper that is about to retire and ran it through the Big Shot with the Top Note Die.  Next I embossed the red DSP with the Stripes Embossing Folder. I then took a small rectangle of blue paper and ran it through just the corner of the Top Note Die.  I used some snail to adhere the two patterned papers together.  Add a banner and you are done.  :)

What will you be doing this Memorial Day?  Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy your day and the freedom you have.  Take a moment or two to remember those who have died.  Perhaps make a card for someone who is serving, or a quilt for the wounded or a scrapbook page to preserve your family's memories.  Enjoy your campout and smores by the fire.  Hit the stores for some super sales.  Spend time with your family or even just enjoy a nap!   Enjoy this great nation that was bought at a very high price.

One more time I want to say thank you to our nation's heroes!  You are not forgotten!!!

Creative Blessings, 

Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Curly Cute (retiring May 30th)
Paper: Comfort Cafe DSP(retiring), Fan Fair DSP (retiring), Midnight Muse, Very Vanilla

Ink: Midnight Muse

Misc.: Top Note Die, Stripes Embossing Folder

Stripes Embossing Folder

Top Note Die

Curly Cute

Bee Happy Happy Happy

If you read yesterday's post, you might be wondering why I chose today's card.  I make cards for the pure pleasure of making cards, but also for my real-life card needs.   After the funeral yesterday for my uncle, my dad came home to find the results from his recent blood test.    He's been battling cancer and his numbers dropped a full point and a half!   YAY!!!  He's almost out of the danger zone and for that I am sooooooooooooo grateful.

It has been an emotional roller coaster week.  Actually it's been a roller coaster year for my extended family.  At one time Uncle Rod and my dad were both being treated by different doctors at UC Davis Medical center.  (while my grandmother was in the hospital)  Unfortunately my uncle's form of cancer was much more severe and widespread.  Fortunately my Dad's is treatable and he's doing well with the treatment.

The Bible says to " Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep." Romans 12:15  Yesterday I did both. 

Now on to the card.  :)  I've been wanting to make this card since the Honeycomb embossing folder came out in the Spring catalog.  I smushed the bottle cap by running it through my big shot.  The bee was stamped using the collage curios stamp set.  I really need to make a video on the "how", but I need a new bottle of Crystal Effects first.  Mine was almost dried out and I had "issues" with it.



Soda Pop Tops



The sentiment is a mish-mash of several stamp sets and liberal use of the stamp-a-majig.  The "Bee" comes from Snowflake Soiree.  I used a marker to ink up "Be" and stamped it, then cleaned it off and inked just the "e" for the second stamping.   Then we have the happys.  In order they come from:
happy- Fabulous Phrases
HAPPY- Curly Cute
HAPPY- From My Heart



Snowflake Soiree


Thank you to everyone who has lifted my family in your prayers.  We have all felt them and they are greatly appreciated. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Collage Curios, Curly Cute, Fabulous Phrases, From My Heart, Snowflake Soiree
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade
Paper: Soft Suede, Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP, Whisper White
Misc.: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Hexagon Punch (Creative Memories), Crystal Effects, Soda Pop Tops



Collage Curios



Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder



Sunshine & Sprinkles DSP



Happy Thanksgiving, Canada

I want to wish all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving!  

Did you know that Saturday was World Card Making Day.  In honor of that I spent the weekend making cards and entering challenges.  One of the challenges was to make a card based on Canada's Maple leaf.  As you can see, I did use a maple leaf.  I was sure I had that leaf in a large stamp.  Apparently not.  :)  I hope my Canadian friends can forgive me and know that I was thinking of them when I designed this card.

It does sport the Cherry Cobbler Red and Whisper White of the Canadian flag.   I used the French Foliage stamp set for this card.  Isn't it pretty, even if it isn't the "right" leaf for the Canadian flag? 

Over the weekend I used my Heat Gun and Embossing powder more than I ever have.  It seemed like almost every card could use a little embossing or quick drying.  :)  I'll be showing you more of the cards I made over the next couple of weeks.

In case you missed Saturday's post, you might want to CLICK HERE.  I'm giving away some Blog Candy.  What's blog candy?  In this case it is a free stamp set (OR a set of cards made with that stamp set if you are outside of the US.)  It's pretty easy to enter to win.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

French Foliage

Curly Cute

Smile Monica ~ CQC#144

It's almost Monica's birthday and I wanted to send her a card using Calypso Coral.  Not sure why I picked that color, but I did, and then I couldn't figure out what colors to use as an accent.  I almost just did the Calypso Coral on its own, but decided to go searching for some color combos first.

It's funny, but I'm not alone in wanting to use this color this week.  I actually found 2 challenges that have this color.  I went with the Color Q, but I might do another one with the second challenge.  :)  

CQC #144

The card "sketch" is one I wanted to do as soon as I saw the Reason to Smile stamp set.  My focal piece is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".  First I stamped 2 of the flowers using Calypso Coral, then I stamped the outline image using Poppy Parade over it.  Next I pulled out my sponges and started in the center with Calypso Coral.  It was quite a challenge, since I own the marker, but not the ink pad.  It would look much better, I think if I used an ink pad.  Next I used the lighter shade of blue around the outside of the cardstock.  Last I barely touched the edges with my sponge inked up in the darkest blue.

The sentiment for my card comes from Curly Cute.  To add a little more POP to the card I punched the flower using Boho Blossoms punch, and used a paper piercing tool to make a hole in the center for my 2011 In Color Printed Brad.  

The focal image and the birthday banner were popped up using Dimensionals, but the rest of the layers were adhered flat. 

If you would like to get the Reason to Smile stamp set, it's only $5 with any $50 during the month of July, but after July 2012 it will no longer be available.   Click HERE to learn more.
I just realized something.   This might be my first $5 card, since I already had everything else I needed to make this card, the only new thing was the $5 stamp set.   (and yes I was already placing a $50 order so it's NOT a $55 card... hee-hee)

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Reason to Smile, Curly Cute
Paper: 2011-2013 Patterns Stack DSP
Misc.: Printed 2011 In Color Brads, Calypso Coral Ruffled Ribbon, Boho Blossoms Punch