Sonday Song & Rhyme: How do I love thee?

Hi everyone!

Today is the start of a new Outlawz Sunday Song & Rhyme Challenge located HERE. This challenge has Changed from bi-weekly to monthly with a new challenges the fist Sunday of each month!

I’m helping this month as we are a bit short-handed so if you are interested in joining a great team, Let’s chat!

This months challenge is to take inspiration from the Sonnet “How do I love thee?” written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

I took my inspiration from the line “Most quiet need, by sunlight and candle-light.”

Supplies, 5 x 7 card

• Cardstock from The Paper Studio (base) and paper from my scrap bin
• Die from InLoveArts (Vintage Candle)
• Embossing folder from Sizzix (Sparkle)
• Ink from Tsukineko
• Nuvo Drops
• Promarkers
• Sentiment unknown

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to check out the main blog located HERE to see the other challenges we offer and join us on The Outlawz Facebook Fan Page located HERE.

(Hugs) Cara

Challenges Entered

Can you Handle the Pressure: Anything Goes with a Twist of SNOW (1/25)

The Creative Crafters: Challenge #84

Love to Craft Challenge Blog: LTCCB #84 Anything Goes

With Sympathy ...

All say, "How hard it is that we have to die" — a strange complaint to come from the mouths of people who have had to live. ~Mark Twain

Good morning!
I usually keep a handful of Sympathy cards on hand because it seems the sad news comes in waves. I made these to replace the ones I had to send out.

I used a layout from Call me Crafty Al, but given that these are sympathy cards I decided to just use all white card stock and add minimal color. 

It’s hard to tell in the photos but I changed to layout of the Tufted embossing folder with half of the cards having portrait emboss and the other half having a landscape emboss.

 

 

 

• Supplies (Mini Slimline)
• Cardstock from The Paper Studio
• Dies from Spellbinders (Classic Ovals, small and Scalloped Ovals, Large)
• Dies from Honeybee Stamps (Coneflowers)
• Embossing folders from Stampin Up! (Subtle, Tufted and Layered Leaves)
• Ink from Stampin Up! and Versafine Claire
• Layout from Call me Crafty Al of Cards #SUYSSept2022
• Sentiment from Stampin Up! (Close to a Memory)

Always in our hearts ...

While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil... ~John Taylor, 1882

Good morning,

Today I am sharing with a Sympathy card I made with more scraps laying on my worktable.

Supplies: 5 x 7 card

• Cardstock from The Paper Studio (Base) and Stampin Up! Scraps
• Design paper scraps from Stampin Up!
• Momento ink
• Pearls from my stash
• Sentiment from Unity Stamps
• Embossing folder, Old World Paper, from Stampin Up!

Thanks for stopping by!
(Hugs) Cara

Golden Flowers ...

For myself I hold no preferences among flowers, so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous. (Bricks to all greenhouses! Black thumb and cutworm to the potted plant!) ~Edward Abbey, "Cliffrose and Bayonets," Desert Solitaire, 1968

I'm a bit late getting this posted but today a new Sunday Song & Rhyme Challenge has started at The Outlawz Challenges and will run through February 19th

Our sponsor this challenge is: Beccy's Place with a prize of a $10.00AU gift voucher

Facebook Group: https://www.Facebook.com/BeccysPlaceImages

shop: https://beccysplace.com

Our Song/Rhyme this month was selected by the newest member of our team, Nan

In tangled wreaths, in clustered gleaming stars,

In floating, curling sprays,

The golden flower comes shining through the woods

These February days;

Forth go all hearts, all hands, from out the town,

To bring her gaily in,

This wild, sweet Princess of far Florida -

The yellow jessamine.

Constance Fenimore Woolson

Since I took my inspirations from the lines

 

“In floating, curling sprays,

The golden flower comes shining through the woods

These February days”

I chose to use the beautiful image “Lady in Waiting, Sprig 1, coloring it with ProMarkers then fussy cutting out. Simply gorgeous!

A little tip for you … I wanted to raise it a bit off the background but my foam was thicker than I wanted. An old trick I use is to cut bits of white card stock into snippets, glue 3pcs together then added to a few places on back of the image where I want to give it just a little depth. Then the rest is simply glued to the background. Always love the effect it gives. But it is hard to photograph!

Supplies

1. Image “Lady in Waiting, sprig 1” printed on Hammermill Color copy
2. Cardstock from The Paper Studio (Base) and Bazzill
3. Design Paper from my scrap
4. Embossing folder (Layered Leaves) from Stampin Up!
5. Momento Ink
6. Pearls from Stampin Up!
7. ProMarkers
8. Sentiment from Unity Stamps
9. Sketch from Sweet Sunday Sketch Challege 286

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to stop by The Outlawz Challenges for more challenges and Inspiration!

CHALLENGES ENTERED

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Challenge #175, Anything Goes

Entry #4

Dragonfly Dreams

February Challenge, Love

Entry #4

Gem of a Craft Challenge

Anything Goes, Challenge 3
Entry #83

Crafty Calendar Challenge

February Challenge, Anything Goes

#22

Day 8, Phoenix Paper Crafters Create Daily Challenge

Death is never a clean break — some stardust always remains. ~Terri Guillemets

Today is day 8 of the Phoenix Paper Crafters Create Daily Challenge located HERE and I am playing along best I can this month.

For my card today I am using a card front I made sometime last year while playing with a new set of dies I had been gifted. I love sunflowers.

I made a sympathy card. Not because I need it but because I struggle having to make them in a time of need, so I try to have several on hand at any given time. Unfortunately, given these current times I have none and need to make more.

Supplies

• Repurposed item: card front made from a sunflower die
• Banner punch from Stampin Up! (love this punch!)
• Cardstock from The Paper Studio (base) and Stampin Up!
• Embossing folder (used on banner) from Stampin Up!
• Indian Ink from Memories
• Sentiment from Simon Says Stamps
• Card map from CardzTV

Thanks for stopping by!
Cara

Thoughts & Prayers ...

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.  ~Kahlil Gibran

Good morning Everyone!

Today is the start of a new color challenge for The Outlawz Challenges.

I found a tutorial on Pinterest on how to do one of the popular "drape" folds. I thought I saved the link but apparently not so I need to go a hunting so I can link back.

Our sponsor this month is Bugaboo Stamps and I am using this image "Our Thoughts & Prayers Candle"

Like most of us, I am not fond of making sympathy cards, but they are a reality of life. I can not justify gifting someone with cards made from the heart only to hand them a store bought one during a painful time in their life. So I try to make these to have on hand for just those occasions.

Here is our inspiration picture.

Our challenge this week is to use pink, blue and gray with a fancy fold twist if we want.

SUPPLIES

Image: " Our Thoughts & Prayers Candle" from Bugaboo Stamps

Card stock: The Paper Studio & Stampin Up!

EF: "Swiss Dots" from ProvoCraft

Inks/Pens: Copics

Supplies: Rhinestones, Foam Dots, Adhesive tape

Thanks for stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

I would like to enter this card into the following Challenge(s)

Craft your passion challenge: #325 Always Anything Goes

Love to Craft Challenge: LTCCB #1 Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create: #188 Anything Goes

Thoughts of You

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. 

--- Steven D. Woodhull, 1999 (U.S. geologist, b.1976) ---

And a Blessed Day this is everyone!

I hope you are all doing well today and always.

I received some sad news this weekend that the mother of a close family passed on to a better place and time.

I knew that she had been extremely ill for some time but it is still never easy to hear when loved ones, be they friends or family, have died.

So here is a card I made to send to her daughter and son.

I made the card based on the sketch on the left.

Supplies

Card stock from The Paper Studio & Stampin Up!

Design Paper from my Stash

Sentiment from Studio G

Ink from Close to My Heart

Yellow flower from Michael's

Small white flowers from my stash

Die: Floral Flourish from Spellbinders

Leave punch from Fiskars

Fern punch from Martha Stewart

Thanks for stopping by

(Hugs) Cara

With Sympathy

“Perhaps they are not stars,

but rather openings in heaven

where the love of our lost ones

pours through and shines down upon us

to let us know they are happy.”

~ Eskimo Proverb

Good afternoon Everyone ...

Bit of a late post today but I was recently able to adjust my work schedule to a more practical time frame and now I am trying to get caught up on everything that has been pushed to the wayside over the last 7 months!

I feel like I can breathe now - LOL ...

Anyway, I made this card for a fellow co-worker of my husband whose father recently passed on.

I just purchased the image stamp earlier in the day. Funny thing is wasn't going to buy it but somehow it found its way into my cart and home ... how does that happen?!!!

Divine intervention I guess because when it came to making the card, that stamp is the first thing I reached for!

The layout is based on a card by Debbie Hughes that I found on Pinterest. Her Blog is Lime Doodle Designs.

I used it before and love the sharp clean lines that it creates and thought is was perfect for the image.

  

Supplies:
Card stock from The Paper Studio
Banners were created with scraps of DP from Close to My Heart
Sentiment is from Stampin Up! "Close as a Memory"
Ink is India Ink from Memories
Image is called "Nesting Bird" from Stampendous.
Leaves colored with Copics
Bird colored with Smooch White Pearlized paint

 

Thanks for Stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

With Sympathy

We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love.

Madame de Stael

Hello Everyone

I made this sympathy card recently for a co-worker who lost his mom.

Card size: 5 x 7

Supplies

Card stock from The Paper Studio

Stamp & Die set "Butterflies #" from Sizzix

Sentiment from "Close as a Memory" by Stampin Up!

"Flower Brambles" die from Cuttlebug

"Label #4" die from Spellbinders

Aleenes' Paper Glaze (center of flowers)

Blank India Ink from Memories

Copics

Sequins from my stash

Thanks for stopping by!

Cara

Sympathy

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't.

Richard Bach

Good morning

A card to share - I made this last year for a friend who lost her dad.

The butterfly image was heat embossed onto white glossy cards stock then light sponged around to make it visible.

Card size is 4.25 x 5.5

Supplies:

Card stock from The Paper Studio, Stampin Up! and stash

Image "Swallowtail Butterfly" by Stampin Up!

Sentiment from "Close as a Memory" by Stampin Up!

Sequins from my stash

White embossing powder from Stampin Up!

Ink from Memories and Stampin Up!

Thanks for stopping by

Cara

TTCRD Anything Goes Challenge: With Sympathy

People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad. ~Marcel Proust

Good morning!

Today is the start of another Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes Challenge.

Click HERE to come play along with us!

Our Sponsor this is:

Art by Miran

I used a lovely Lily image for my A2 card.

I colored with Prisma Color Pencils and OMS.

The Sentiment is computer generated.

Additional supplies:

Card stock from Stampin Up

Label #4 die from Spellbinders

Pearls from The Paper Studio

Thanks for stopping by! Your visits make me happy and as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

(HUGS) Cara

Grieving with friends

Thought for the Day

“Be open to your dreams, people.

Embrace that distant shore.

Because our mortal journey is over all too soon.”

David Assael

Good morning

Such a sad day - good friends of ours lost their mother to cancer earlier this month and today is the final fare thee well.

Gatherings such as this bring home the reminder that my days with my own mother are numbered and that someday I'll be having to make this same journey as my friends are today.

She is all I have left of my family ... My father and two older brothers have already moved on to a better world, and they are waiting for her there.  But for now, it's just her and me and her health is not so great that I can delude myself into thinking she will be here for many more years.

I can only try to be a good daughter for this remaining time. A challenge, to be sure, because we seem to butt heads quite often ... two strong willed females that we are. Some things never changes as this was our relationship when I was growing up and living at home.

I don't agree with the path she feels she needs to follow but she has made her choices in life and I think, once I truly accept that, I will find a modicum of peace in how I handle our very turbulent relationship. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother deeply, I just struggle with how many of her decisions negatively impact her and those around her.

So for now, I will work on spending more time with her as I can and hope, that before her journey ends, we both come to an understanding...

For her, understanding that despite our many differences, that I do care for her. That I love her very much and that I truly value and appreciate her. 

For me, a reconciliation of my heart for the Mother I knew as a child, and the Mother I know as an adult.

This card is for my friends.

Size: 5.5 x 5.5

Supplies

Card stock from Bazzill and Stampin Up!

Images from Sizzix "Butterflies #3)

Sentiment from Stampin Up! "Teeny Tiny Wishes"

Die from Spellbinders "Beaded Ovals"

Embossing folder edge from Darice "Lace"

Glitter 

Remember ...

Good morning!

Time for a new Clean and Simple Challenge at the Outlaws Challenges.

This week, our challenge is to remember or celebrate a loved on that has passed away , with a card or project CAS Style!

I didn't want to make a card for just one person. I've too many precious family members gone from my life that I wanted to remember so here is my card.

SUPPLIES:  Paper Temptress (Card stock), Sizzix Die (Leaves), Darice (Damask EF), Stampin Up! (Sentiment), Stash (Bling)

HUGS

Cara

With Heartfelt Sympathy

Always good to have a few sympathy cards on hand... case in point. A close family friend recently passed away. It was nice not having to think about a card during this time as I had a few already made.

Supplies:
Card stock, sentiment & ink: Stampin Up!
Flower was created using Sizzix flower die #2 and I embossed the individual pieces with a Darice die called Fireworks"
Pearls are from my stash

This card is being entered in the following challenges

Just us Girls - JUGS #202


Sentimental Sundays #168
     With Sympathy challenge

WIth Sympathy ...

Good morning ...

Playing catch up on challenges.

This card is being submitted to these challenges:
The Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge. The Twist is "Summer Flowers". - The Outlawz Challenges
TTCRD July 30 - August 5 Challenge - TTCRD

SUPPLIES:
Cardstock: Stampin Up!
Image: Stampin Up! Secret Garden stamps w/coordinating framelit dies
Sentiment: The Angel Company
Honeycomb Die: Paper Trey Ink
Ink: Making Memories

The flowers were heat embossed, sponged then cut out with coordinating dies.
The leaves were cut with an unknown die set since it belonged to one of my Crafty Peeps.

 

With Sympathy

Good evening ...
Time for another challenge from the Outlawz Challenge.

I was playing with a new technique I found on pinterest where you emboss with spellbinder dies and versamark creating a watermark effect on the paper.... very cool

I decided I wanted to use the technique on this card challenge so I used Spellbinder Label Four but instead of leaving the watermark alone, I just had to play around and used some translucent gold embossing powder I have from Judikins and I love how it came out!

I am also trying to use colors combinations outside my comfort zone so I printed off the SU! color challenge list from SplitCoastStampers and randomly selected a number ...

The colors I used are Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi and So Saffron.
and here is my card

Thanks for looking
(Hugs) Cara