Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party–Teacher Appreciation

Hello bloggers. Today I’m playing along with the May Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party which has a theme of Teacher Appreciation.

Since it’s been over 10 years since I had a child in school, I don’t have much need for a Teacher Appreciation card, so I went with a card design that could just as easily fit a thank you card for any occasion, but with a schoolhouse feel. This way, I will at least have an opportunity to actually USE this card sometime in the future.

With a red cardstock card base, I layered a beautiful die cut file released just this week by Waltzingmouse Stamps, Art Deco Card Panels 1 Cut Files, which actually contains three very lovely and intricate designs. I cut it using my Cameo and used it for my background.

I stamped my sentiment using a sentiment from the Big Berries Strawberry set using white ink onto a piece of Chalkstock from Canvas Corp. Then taking a white pencil, I drew the lines to give it a border. I backed the Chalkstock with a layer of very thin cork paper.

I really proud of the way the berry turned out. I recently watched this video by Julie Ebersole sharing a great technique on how to get real shimmer and glitz using Microfine Glitter, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to give this technique a try. I used a cut file to outline the strawberry using white cardstock and then covered the outline with Scor-Tape – applied the Microfine Glitter and then using the berry from the Vintage Garden Produce set, I stamped the berry on top of the glitter using Graphite Black Brilliance Ink. I then colored the image using Copic markers. Naturally, it’s difficult to capture on camera the “brilliance” of the shimmer on the berry, but it’s really stunning.

I hope you will join in the fun and create your own Teacher Appreciation card. The Blog Party is open to players through the 18th, so check it out here. There will be a free stamp set given away to a randomly selected participant, so that should be even more incentive to play.

Thanks for popping in today to take a peek at my latest creation. For that I thank you BERRY MUCH!

Until next time, stay crafty.

Lynn

Live each day with PURPOSE!

Art Deco Card Panels 1 Cut Files Vintage Garden - Produce by Waltzingmouse Stamps Big Berries - Strawberry by Waltzingmouse Stamps Silk Microfine Warm Diamond Glitter Chalkstock Tile 6X6 Cork Paper by Creative Impressions Candy Apple Cardstock by Bazzill Copic Blending Cardstock by X-Press (pack of 12) Unicorn White Pigment Ink Brilliance Graphite Black Ink Copic Markers Red Plaid Ruffle Ribbon by May Arts Foam Dimensional Dots

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Mother–Mom-Momma–Many Names, One Special Person

Hello bloggers. Today in the U.S. we celebrate all Mothers. New, old, alive and passed on from this life – we give tribute to ALL Mothers. You may have had a great Mother who supported and encouraged you, or perhaps your Mothers would never win the Mother-of-the-Year award, but regardless of how you feel about your Mom, she is, or was, the person who gave you life and brought you into the wild and wonderful world.

My own birth mother knew enough about herself and her life to put me into the loving arms of a wonderful Mother who devoted her life to my happiness; to make sure that I had the skills to be a good person and to one day be a Mother myself. Growing up, I learned that being adopted was much more than just giving a baby to someone else. It took great courage to love a baby so much that you were willing to sacrifice your own selfish wants for the good of that tiny new person. It was a gift of divine intervention because while my adopted Mother couldn’t have any more children, she had the love and desire to be the guiding force that requires one to love a baby - even one she didn’t create herself. For that gift of life, I thank both women who played a part in the life I now live.

This past March, my own daughter gave birth to a sweet baby girl, and today she also celebrates this “day of remembrance” and joins the ranks of Motherhood. I created this card for her – as a gift from her infant girl. One day this baby girl will give her own cards to her Mother, but for now, I’m happy to help her out.

I used my Silhouette to die cut the word Mommy on the inside and backed it with another piece of cardstock that I colored with multiple shades of pink. A few girlie embellishments decorate the outside atop the layers of Washi tape.

On the inside of the card I wrote a little poem that I thought my daughter would like:

"I know that I am demanding, and I rarely let you sleep
But I'll be small only a little while, my tiny size won't keep.
So while I fit within your arms, I want to be right there
Wrapped within your loving arms, and cradled in your care."

Being a new mommy is scary, exhausting and wreaks havoc with your self confidence, but we older Moms know that all this worry and care is the most important job in the world. To my dear Mom who is no longer with me, I say thank you, and “job well done”. To all you Mothers out there reading this, please know that that little person you are raising has the best friend in the world in YOU. No one can ever take your place and there is no other love quite like the love you receive from you Mother.

Happy Mother’s Day

Lynn

Live each day with PURPOSE!