Little Snowbird

Greetings! Hope you are having a wonderful day!
I realize we haven't even started Fall yet, but this snowbird caught my eye, and I just had to make something with him. Isn't he precious? This is another layered image. The bird, wing and limb were cut out again and layered with glue dots. I made this a gatefold card so the image could be the center attraction. I then embossed the side panels with the Snowdots folder. The bird image is adhered on one side panel with dimensionals. The inside sentiment is stamped and then layered with dimensionals onto patterned paper. I added some faux stitching both inside and on the panels.
I really like the idea of the gatefold card. My only objection to it is that it won't stay closed. If anyone has a suggestion as to how to make it stay flat, please feel free to share. I held this card flat with paperclips on the back fold in order to photograph it. I love the coziness of this little bird. Hope you do, too!
Thanks for stopping by and blessings to you!

Sweet Dreamers Challenge #5: Eyelets Galore

Hi Everyone! Today's card was made for our blog challenge. We were to make a card and use eyelets as accents. I decided to stay simple and use up some scraps. The sentiment is stamped with chalk ink and clear embossed on a scrapbook tag. The eyelets came on the tag so I was sure to use it. The string bows are actually the thread from a dog food bag! I know! I'm hopeless! I save everything! And, of course, have no room for anything!! This will probably be a birthday card or a thank you. Be sure to check out the other blog sisters projects! They are listed on the sidebar. Thanks for coming by and please visit often. Who knows what I will "rebless" next?!?!? Have a blessed day!

A Very Special Thank You

Hello Friends! I want to start by saying a special thank you to all those who left sweet, kind, and inspiring words on my blog as I "hit the wall"! You will never know how much comfort and encouragement you have given me. God bless you all! I am trying to get back in the groove with this card today. The images are from a 3D sheet I found on Picasa. There are actually four layers of the focal image. I printed it out on glossy photo stock, trimmed out the layers, and mounted them with glue dots.
It involves a lot of detail cutting and a LOT of glue dots but is well worth the effort. IRL this card looks like a genuine antique. I love the vintage look and I think I will try to do some more of these to make a collection. Today this card is for all my cyber friends who have enriched my life and made the days so much brighter! You are all "Very Special Friends"! Blessings to all!

And the Blessings Keep Flowing

Greetings! I was blessed today with this award by Cindy and Paige. Thank you Ladies for including me in such a wonderful group! Be sure to check out their blogs for some amazing projects! In accepting this award, I must name 5 things that I enjoy and in no particular order.

1. I love singing old church hymns.
2. I truly enjoy the crafting experience.
3. I love to cook,especially, for other people.
4. I love my animals.
5. I enjoy blogging and getting to know my cyber friends.

Now I am to name 5 people to receive this award:

Kathi of Golden Paper Dreams
Maria of Crafty Creations
Linda of Payne Holler Cards
Susan of Sue Stampin Daly
Amy of My Creative Clutter

Enjoy Ladies and thanks again to Cindy and Paige! Blessings to you!

I Have Hit The Wall

Well, it finally happened to me. I had read about it, heard about, even tried to help others through it. But, for the first time, it has happened to me! I have hit the wall and can't seem to create even a shopping list much less something blog worthy. Has this ever happened to you? I feel like there's a giant void where all my creative juices used to be. I'm praying now that this is just a temporary thing and my love of crafting hasn't been damaged! Hope you will bear with me and I will try to get my act together soon!

The picture is the wall in my front yard. I was outside with the animals and that wall seemed to say just what was in my head. I am going to take a long walk and try to get the inspiration from this beautiful place that has always been there for me before. Thanks for letting me vent and I pray this never happens to any of you. One thing that never changes....my appreciation for each and every one of you. Many blessings to you!

"ReBlessed"

Wow! Am I feeling humble! I was also nominated for the Kreativ Blogger Awardby Amy of My Creative Clutter and Kirstin of All Over the Map! Thank you Ladies for making me feel awed and humbled! The previous post with the rules for this award is here. The award is also pictured on the sidebar. Gosh! This is getting hard! I can't imagine anyone wanting to know 21 facts about me! LOL! OK ... for a try at another seven...

1. I taught preschool for four years and was a substitute teacher for all grades for six years
2. I live in the mountains near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
3. Horses and deer graze in my backyard
4. I love cherry-flavored anything...from Lifesavers to pie
5. I am teased mercilessly by everyone about my love of cardboard
6. I have 2 dogs, Dusty and Molly; and four cats and a kitten (you have met Ria)
7. The only hot food I can stand to eat cold is pizza

Can I do seven more?!?!??!
1. I read cookbooks like most people read novels
2. My computer is my "significant other"
3. I hate having my picture taken
4. I have worked as a surgical assistant, home sales demonstrator, property manager, and professional volunteer along with the fields I have already mentioned
5. If I couldn't live in Tennessee, I would want to live in Charleston, SC or Asheville, NC
Can you tell I'm getting desperate here?!!?!?
6. I love to watch children's programming and movies... VeggieTales ROCK
7. My favorite author is Karen Kingsbury
Whew!!!

Now to the nominations!

1. Michelle
2. K Archer
3. Loretta
4. Happy
5. Katie
6. Cyndi
7. Roxy
8. Jill
9. Crafty This and That
10. Susan
11. Teresa
12. June
13. Jennifer
14. Valita

Now for the rules one more time:
1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on my blog.
3. Link the person who nominated me for this award.
4. Name seven things about me that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the seven blogs that I nominate.
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know I nominated them.

And I'm off to notify the nominees!

Thank you so much everyone for making this blogging experience such a fun filled part of my day! Blessings to each and every one of you!

Sweet Dreamers' Challenge #4 Word Has It...

Good Morning All! Sweet Dreamers Blog Group has a new challenge this week. We were to make a card where the sentiment was the focal point. I immediately thought of this stamp. I really enjoy the sentiment. I used patterned paper over card stock and used the long rectangle Nesties for the stamp. I am happy with the results and plan to send this along to a great friend. These challenges have been fun and my card stash is slowly building back up! LOL!
Hope you are enjoying them, too! Be sure to check out the other Sweet Dreamers challenge cards! The list is on the sidebar. Awesome talents! Have a blessed day!

Blessed Again!

I want to thank Cindy from Luciesfloozies; thatLucy has a lot of 'splainin' to do for this award! Cindy is an awesome crafter and you can view her blog here. There are a few rules that come along with this award.
To accept the award I have to do a few things:

1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on my blog.
3. Link the person who nominated me for this award.
4. Name seven things about me that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate seven Kreativ Bloggers.
6. Post links to the seven blogs that I nominate.
7. Leave comments on all seven blogs letting them know I nominated them.

Let's see...
List 7 things about me that people might find interesting:
1. I am the mother of two grown daughters
2. I am the grandmother of three awesome grandchildren
3. I am legally blind with a field of vision of less than 10%
4. I was married to a US Marine for twenty years
5. I lived in 32 places in 30 years
6. I am one of seven generations to live in the same house
7. I was in catering and floral design for over 25 years

Now, I am to name seven people who I want to receive this award
1. Sue from Crafty Sue
2. Monica from Giddy Greetings
3. Elizabeth from Soft Pencil Digital Stamps
4. Cindy from Christian Paper Crafts
5. Karli from Crafting with Class
6. CPEEP from Extreme Cards and Papercrafting
7. Jane from All Stamped Up... and No Place to Go

OK, now to let these ladies know they are nominated!
I am so blessed to "know" these ladies from their blogs and I am honored that Cindy nominated me from hers. Hope everyone has a blessed day! A blurfing I will go.....!

Apple Blossom Wishes

Is it Friday yet?!?! It sure seems like it should be! Busy busy week! The schedule this week is what prompted me to make a purely simple card. The photo is not my best but I think you can see the outline anyway. lol! It is a gray and white card accented with pink. I love the flying birds and the apple blossoms. I used silver Stickles to make the centers of each. Although this card should probably be used for an engagement or wedding, I am thinking to use it for some family we have not seen for some time. I may add a ribbon or another blossom before I mail it, but I doubt it! I am starting to like the clean lines just as they are! Hope you are having a great week and you will stop by again soon! Blessings to you!

Sending You A Smile!

Happy Wednesday! I have a concertina trifold card to share with you today! I started with a standard sheet of lavender card stock and adhered patterned paper to one side. The stock was then accordion folded and a slant piece taken off one side. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and the flower and brad are Basic Grey. The ribbon is 1/4" satin. These fit in a business sized envelope and are a hoot to make! Hope you'll try it and link back here so I can see your project! Thanks for the visit and come back soon! Blessings to you!

Happy Wishes

Hello friends! So glad you could stop by! Todays card was super simple and fun! The card base is from a kit. The embossed panel was done with the CB. And the image and sentiment were stamped with SU black craft ink on white card stock. I made a small slit on the side to add the ribbon. Hope you like it! Blessings to all!

Christian Paper Crafts Challenge

Hello everyone! I made this card for the Bible Verse Thursday Challenge at Christian Paper Crafts. I printed the background paper from the computer. The stamped image is colored with Prismas. The ribbon and dragonfly are from my stash. Be sure to check out other entries for this challenge. Amazing talents! Have a super Monday and blessings to you!

Altered Notes

Hello Everyone! I decided to make a thank you gift to go along with the picture window card from the previous post! I used a page from the notebook as a template. The stamp is from a bargain bin and is colored with Prismas! These are such fun to do and always a welcome gift! Hope you like it! I'll try to restrain myself from using this paper again in the near future, but no promises as I love the vintage look of it! Have a blessed day!

Picture Window Card

Hello and welcome! Isn't this a fun card? I love making these as you have so many possibilities. This card is printed paper on white card stock and embellished with sheer ribbon and black pearls. I used the scalloped oval Nesties to cut the window. The sentiment is a favorite of mine stamped in black SU craft ink. This card also collapses for mailing. You can view the video tutorial by Karen of Stamping Videos here. Hope you are having a blessed day and each of you knows "your friendship is priceless"!

Nell's Notes

Greetings! Thank you for visiting Bountiful Blessings today! I would like to share an altered notebook I made for my friend Nell. She is an awesome lady who gives of herself to everyone. She has been a true blessing in my life and I treasure her friendship! Nell, although a senior citizen herself, spends her days taking care of other seniors who are in assisted living. Her schedule can get a little hectic at times so I made this notebook and matching pen for her.
I always enjoy altering objects such as notebooks, especially when I know they are going to great friends. Hope you like it and you will come back to visit again soon! Have a blessed day!

Harlequin Wishes

Happy Wednesday! The card today was made for the Sweet Dreamers Blog Group Challenge #3 All About the Grid. When this challenge was posted, I immediately thought of this background paper! I love the Harlequin pattern! The challenge for me was how to amplify the pattern. I used black card stock embossed with the Cuttlebug for the large diamonds. The smaller diamonds are cut from a textured metallic paper stack. All are raised on dimensionals. The sentiment is stamped on white card stock. I am happy with this result and think it will make a good card for a masculine birthday. Hope you like it too! Be sure to check out the posts from the other Sweet Dreamers!! This is an awesome group of very talented crafters! The list is on the right sidebar. Please be sure to visit often and Blessings To You!!

Run With the Wind!

Good Morning! Hope everyone's week has started well! Today's post is a picture I made for a horse loving friend. I had made this picture for my daughter and my friend loved it! The stamp is very large (4x6) and the image stands alone very well in a larger space. I stamped the image with SU craft ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. The matboard frame is covered with wood grain wallpaper. I love this powerful image! It expresses freedom and beauty to me. What do you think? Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments. I look forward to each one. Have a blessed day!

Cards by Tori

I was blessed this past weekend with a visit from my granddaughter, Tori! Tori is five and already loves to craft. She especially enjoys it when Grandma turns her lose in her craft room! She wanted to make cards so I let her go at it! You can tell her favorite color is pink! She chose her stamps first, then, chose the colors of inks she wanted to use. She did a wonderful job IMHO!! She chose the ribbons she wanted but asked Grandma for help with the tying as she only ties shoes at the moment(her words). I can't remember a time when I felt more joy in my craft room!! Hope everyone has a great week and blessings to you!

Let's Have Coffee!

This is a card made for a friend I haven't seen for a long time. I'm sure you know how it is. You live in the same town but time just slips away and the next thing you know it's been months since you got together.
I embossed the card base and stamped the image and sentiment on white card stock. The edges are blushed with Brilliance ink. Then I raised them on dimensionals. The pink brads are from Basic Grey. The ribbon is a bargain find.

We still may not be able to see each other for a while, but at least she'll know I'm thinking of her!

Hope you have a super weekend and come back for a visit soon! Blessings to you!

I Couldn't "Bee" Happier

I have a simple little card today. The card is part of a Making Memories pack. The bee hive and sentiment are from SU. The inside sentiment says " I couldn't "bee" happier!". This will be perfect for those times when a little more than a verbal thank you is needed. Hope everyone has a great day! Blessings to you!

Happy Birthday Darlene!

A big Happy Birthday to my dear friend Darlene! She is a loyal follower of my blog and an inspiration to me on all levels. Hope your day is wonderful, Darlene! Blessings to you!

Silver Anniversary

Hello and welcome! Today's card was much easier to make than it was to photograph and post! No matter how I tried the lighting just didn't work and Blogger was having issues!However, I think you can still get the gist of this card made for the Sweet Dreamers Challenge #2 Reuse/Recycle. We were to make a card and use "reblessed" items. The flowers on this one are made with the Cuttlebug from the inner seal of a coffee canister. The ribbon is from a corsage I made. The edges are done with a border punch. The sentiment is embossed with silver powder. This is a large card ( 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 ) which probably explains the difficulty to photograph. I have some more seals to emboss but I will use a smaller card next time. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed day!

Mosaic Thinking of You

Hello everyone! I needed a masculine card for a dear friend from church who has been recovering from surgery. Just wanted to let him know we miss him. I was excited when I saw this mosaic technique used by Dawn at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. You can view her video here. It seemed perfect for what I had in mind. The mosaic pieces are reblessed cuttings of some picture printing "goofs" I had. They added a wonderful sheen to the card. I also used silver embossing powder on the mosaic as well as the sentiment. Hope you like it and you'll try this technique. Great fun! Thanks for visiting and come back soon! Blessings to you!

With Gratitude...

Hello and welcome to Bountiful Blessings! Today's card is one I always enjoy making. I love the image and it is such fun to color. The stamp is from Stampendous and was colored with Prismas. The image and sentiment are mounted onto a textured card base. There is a ribbon on the image but I wanted to accent it a little more so I added a twisted paper ribbon to it as well. I also added a little sparkle to the flowers and bird wings with Creative Writers Glitter Paint. Thanks for stopping by and please do come back soon! Have a blessed weekend!