The rest of the cheer.....

Here are the other "hand-made" card Frank and I recieved over the last few weeks (see the last entry).  They are all so lovely.

This one from Barbara was to me, to cheer me on in my "nursing" duties.

Ginny knew Frank could not WAIT to get home from the hospital and sleep in his own bed.  Cute card, huh?

 Joan was worried I'd be "udderly exhausted" making the long drives to Asheville each day, so she made this one for me!

 Marge's was to Frank and isn't it a lovely masculine one!

 And Vicky knew I needed all the prayers I could get as worried as I was!!

What in the world would we do without our friends!!  These and all the other beautiful, funny, and kind cards meant so much to us both!  Enjoy these I've shared with you!
Smiles, Laura

Spreading Cheer....

I selected "Sharing Cheer" for my entry title today because that's what a card sent to someone does--it spreads cheer.  When we are having a rough time, nothing cheers like a card to let the person know you are thinking of them.  During my husband's recent illness, we both have gotten so very many cards---honesly, you would not believe it.  The stack is about 6 inches high!  Of course we LOVED them all and they all mean so much to us.  I don't mean to single out the "hand-made" ones, but since most of my readers are card makers, I thought I'd share the "hand made" ones with you on my blog.  I have shown the artist's name at the bottom of each sample.   Look at these beautiful cards!!

I'll share more tomorrow.  Just didn't want these lovely creations to be put in a box without sharing them with others. 

If you EVER feel like card-making isn't worth the trouble, let me say that it truly is woth your time.  It's a little piece of you that you give to another person.  Our thanks to all who sent us cards.  And for those of you who have sent messages asking, Frank is much improved.  We visited our family doctor Friday and he said Frank's healing is right on track.  It will take a few more weeks for the double vision to clear up, but at least we can see improvement every day.  Thanks for your prayers!!
Smiles, Laura

Grateful....

I am so grateful to all of you for visiting my blog and to my customers for continuing to attend my classes and purchase Stampin' Up! suppliles from me.  I mad ethis card to send to a couple of customers who continually place large orders!  But it would be a wonderful Thanksgiving card, too.  Don't we all have so much to be grateful for!!!

This card uses the new Spice Cake Designer Series Paper from the Holiday Mini.  I think I told you already that I LOVE this series!!  I have used this layout before, but in different colors and stamps, it looks different.

This card is Pool Party and I used More Mustard and Chocolate Chip cardstock on the sentiment to pull out colors from the DSP.

Here is a close-up of the sentiment.  I used the Decorative Label punch for the Pool Party layer, then added a Chocloate Chip circle, and then a More Mustand tag punched using the Lots to Tags Die and the Big Shot.  The GRTEFUL is stamped on vanilla punched out with the Large Oval punch.  I love multiple layer sentiments on my cards!

The sentiment GRATEFUL and the  peck of pears is from the Alwasy Grateful stamp set in the Holiday Mini.  There are two more wonderful stamps in that set.  This is one you will want to use over and over.  Run, don't walk, to order this one!!  I know I'll be using it alot.  I colored the image in with my markers.  I punched the oval using the Ovals #2 die.

The ribbon on this card is the 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon in Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake.  Those colors go well with the ones in this series of designer paper.

Thanks for visiting today!!  Come back soon!

Smiles, Laura

Vicky's sorrow.....

My friend Vicky recently lost her cat and I made this card for her, hoping to cheer her a bit.  The card itself is Chocolate Chip, layered with Pool Party.  The designer paper is the new Spice Cake in the Holiday Mini catalog.  You can start ordering from this on September 1.  Let me tell you, I LOVE this suite of paper!!  I love all the designs, which is unusual.

I used the stamp set C Is For Cat.  That's the new In Colors 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon I tied around the card.  I love this ribbon; so dressy.

Here is my sentiment.  I stamped in on vanilla and punched it with the large oval punch.  I smudged Pool Party around the edges of it.  That is layered on the Curly Label in Chocolate Chip and layered onto the wide oval in Pool Party.

This oval was cut from the Ovals die using by big shot.  It's a perfect size for the cat and the sentiment.

I'm not sure you can tell it, but I put one tiny pearl on the cat's ribbon around its neck. 

I hope Vicky found some comfort in knowing that others share her loss!  Our pets are our family, too!

Smiles, Laura

Summer Solstice...

Today I'm sharing a card I made for a friend and her husband who are moving away from our area and so are leaving our church--for our Sunday School class to give to them.  I used Summer Solstice fr the flower on this one.   

The card is white and I cut 1" strips of Rich Razzleberry  designer paper from the Rich Regals Patterns stack.  They are attached diagonally onto the card.  I added a Rich Razzleberery satin ribbon at the bottom of the designer paper.

 I stamped this flower onto white cardstock and cut it out.  I added a glimmer brad at the center of it to make it pop.  For the "doily" behind the flower, I punched out several flowers with the Lace Ribbon Border punch and cut them apart.  I then sponged them a bit with Razzleberry and glued them behind the flower and leaves, for a doily-like effect.

 This sentiment is from the Summer Solstice stamp set and is perfect for these friends. 

I hope our friends liked the card.  We'll miss them in our lives.

Smiles, Laura

A card for Linda....

Recently my BFF Linda moved to Chapel Hill.  This was while I was going through all the health issues with hubby, so I really didn't get to spend any last days with her nor get to attend a dinner our church had for her and her husband, both great friends of ours.   But I did take a moment to make Linda this card.   

 I love the colors, Cherry Cobbler and white.  This little heart border punch is by Martha Steward and I like it for cards "of the heart".  This sentiment on the front is from the new Blessings from Heaven set.  I liked it for my front of the card.

 Here are the hearts.  I punched some from the Cherry Cobler paper and sponged the edges.  The others I punched from the Red sparkling paper.  I strung them all onto bakers twine, to look like they are hanging on a line.

 Another shot of the hearts.

 Inside, I used this sentiment from the Friendly Words jumbo wheel.  I think I've told you before I bought a second wheel, peeled off the rubber,  and cut it into different stamps so I could use the words in and on my cards.

I thought this sentiment inside was perfect for Linda.  I hope we each have time to stay in touch!!  I'll sure miss her here!
Smiles, Laura

French Foliage...

The card I have for you today uses the French Foliage stampset.  The card is Always Artichoke, layered with Riding Hood Red and More Mustard on top of that.  I used some striped designer paper with these colors (not Stampin' Up! designer paper). (Sorry the lighting isn't really great on these pictures; I took them in the dimmed hospital room on hubby's bed.)

 Here is a close-up shot of the circles at the bottom of the front.  I punched 3/4" circles out of the mustard cardstock.  I layered that onto Artichoke cardstock and punched holes from it using the 1/2" circle punch.  Then I glued the striped paper behind both and layered it all onto Riding Hood Red.

Look at the leaf.  I punched the circle out using a 2-1/4" die.  Onto that I stamped the French words in this set using Olive ink.  Then I stamped the leaf over that with More Mustard.  I sponged the edges using Riding Hood Red.

 I stacked the circle with the leaf onto a circle cut from the striped paper and another cut from Artichoke.  I put dimensionals in between each layer to make them really show up.

Other layers of this card front have sponging, too, because it gives it depth and makes for a better card, I think.

I hope you like this one.  It was just a fun play on circles!  Smiles, Laura

Zoo Review...

Hi!  It's so good to be back to my blog again this week.  I hope to make it a regular thing now.  Things are mucb better at our house.  My husband is home from the hospital and starting to feel more like himself.  He has some residual vision problems and is weak from so many days in the hospital and bed, but he is improving each day.  Praise the Lord!! And thanks all of you who have sent well wishes our way and lifted up prayers for us.  We are still having to give him medication every 4 hours around the clock, but this will pass.  We are just glad to be home and getting back to normal.  I've even gotten to stamp some! 

The sample I'm sharing today is one my friend Judy and I made the day before Frank's hemorrhage.  I just didn't get to share it with you!  This one uses the Zoo Review set.  I love all the animals in this one and can't wait to play with them.

I used Soft Suede for this card, layered with Basic Black cardstock.  The designer paper is not from Stampin' Up.   I stamped the giraffe on white cardstock I had cut with a Spellbinder die and layered that onto a black one that was one size larger.  If left the white paper in the die and sponged around it with mustard ink to give it a little more of a Serengeti look.  I colored the giraffe with my mustard marker and the spots with the Chocolate Chip marker.

 These leaves are from the French Foliage set.  I love to use that set in the fall---and yes, it is about fall.  I stamped one leaf on Mustard cardstock using Soft Suede ink.  I stamped the other two on white cardstock, using Black ink and sponged mustard over them.  I kind of like how they turned out in those colors.  I attached them to the card using linen thread.
                                    

I think this would be a great card for a man.  Judy kidded me because I kept asking what "words" will we put on the front.  She is fine with no sentiment on the front of a card, so I left it blank.  Oh, well, all the sentiment is inside.  Ha!   Thanks for stopping by today!! See you again!! Smiles, Laura

Summer Ice Cream!

Wouldn't a cone of ice cream be great on a hot summer day like today!!  I like to show my customers several ways to use each punch, so for this sample, we used the Petite Pennants Builder punch for the cone.  I stamped it first using Espresso ink on Crumb Cake CS using the Pennant Parade stamp set.  I punched the "scoops" of ice cream using the Cupcake Builder punch.  I used the top of the cupcake image for the "scoop".  That particular one looks like clouds in the sky, too.  So many ways to use that punch, also.

Here is a close-up of those scoops.   They are popped up from the card using dimensionals.  Notice I sponged around the end of the scoops to give it dimension, too.  For the cherry, I punched one cherry from Real Red CS and one from Wild Wasabi CS.  I but the stem off the red cherry and glued it over the green cherry.  Great way to attach them.  This circle the cone is on was punched using the 2-1/2" circle punch.  I sponged it's edges, also.

 The sentiment on this card is from the You're Cherished set.  I like it saying, "You're sweet."  I'll be using this stamp alot!

The designer paper on this card is from the Just Add Cake series.  I used the Baja Breeze seam binding ribbon for this one, too.

Thanks for coming by today.  Have a good one!!
Smiles, Laura

Let's party!

No, hubby isn't being released from the hospital yet!  I wish we could be partying about that.  But this card is great for a birthday party, complete with party hats.  And best of all, it shows another way to use the Petite Pennant Builder punch and Pennant Builder stamp set--for the party hat.  I stamped the pompoms from the set and punched them with the flower-like punch in the  Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  The card itself is Real Red and I embossed a piece of white with the Square Lattice embossing folder.  The striped paper is from the Just Add Cake collection. 

 Here is a close-up of the hats.  I stamped "wish big" from the same set and then punched it with the Jewelry Tag punch.  It's not hung on like a tag, but just stuck under the party hat.

The sentiment on this card is from the Petite Pairs stamp set.  That's one you will see me using alot because it has alot of great sentiments in it.

I appreciate your continued prayers for my husband as he heals.  Keep coming by to visit, OK!!
Smiles, Laura

I'm sharing, I'm sharing!

I'm sitting with my husband at the hospital and now have time to share a sample with you!! I am so glad to be able to.  This is a card my class is making this month.    It uses the Up, Up And Away stamp set.  It's a cute set for so many occasions.

This card is Daffodil Delight with Tempting Turquoise.  I used the Big Top Birthday designer paper with it.    I like these bright colors! 

 Here is  a close-up of the balloons and the red and yellow background.  The red was embossed with the new Stripes embossing folder and the yellow with the Houndstooth embossing folder.  I hope you can see the effect in this shot.  I colored the top balloon with markers to use all three colors on it. 

 This stamp set is so versatile because it has four sentiments in it, so it can be used for several occasions. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope things are calm enough that I can share with you for several days---until I get to stamp again.  Thanks so much to those of you leaving comments of well wishes for my husband.  He is holding his own but not making alot of progress yet.  He'll get there; time and prayers always help!!  I appreciate all of you!!
Smiles, Laura

Family situation...

Yes, I know it's been a LOOONNNGGG time since I posted to my blog.  I finished up the house repairs and then my grandchildren came to enjoy some time with us before school starts.  I finally got to stamp some last week and made new cards to show you..  But before I could photograph and post them, my husband had an serious health issue.  Thursday evening he had super bad migraine which I knew wasn't normal (ended up it was a brain hemmorage) and passed out while I was trying to get him in the car to go to the ER.  I had the ambulance come to the house to get him and our small local hospital did a CTA scan and ended up airlifting him to the larger hospital in Asheville (30 miles from us) where they had the facilities to handle something this serious.  I've been up here at the hospital with him almost every waking moment since then.  It was blood vein in the middle of the back of his head (at the brain stem) that exploded.  It was not an aneurysm so thankfully, no surgery was required.  It could have been much worse and we are so grateful that he is improving daily.  He is having really bad headaches until the brain absorbs the blood, and he's seeing double right now.  They assure us this will all clear up and he'll be back to normal.  I sure hope so!!  His doctors want to keep him until at least Friday, which is a LONG hospital stay to me.  So  please remember us in your prayers and just bear with me--don't desert my blog!!

I will try to photograph my cards and post some this week.  I will be back to you; I enjoy my stamping and sharing on the blog  so much!!  Thanks for stopping by!!
Smiles, Laura