Guy's Get Well

A family friend had a double hip replacement and I was headed out the door to sit with his wife (one of my besties) during surgery. All the get well cards in my stash were flowery. So I pulled up this quick design from my Pinterest board. I knew immediately that the Americana/travel pad I had purchased from Hobby Lobby would be perfect. It was finished quicker than I would have found a parking space, walked in the store, located a card that was the right design with the right message and the right price, paid and walked out again!

Box of Sunshine

I found the idea on Pinterest to send a box chock full of yellow items to someone who was sick or in need of a pick me up. And seriously, if that doesn't cheer you just thinking about it, there's something wrong!
So my girls and I went on a treasure hunt. We got most of our stuff at Party City. That store is awesome for something like this because you don't have to buy a whole package of one item...you can buy just a few pieces of a variety of things. Besides, they have super cool little party favors =)
And of course, a sunshiny package requires a sunshiny card...

More Thank Yous

About six cards of one style is most often my max. Then I get bored. There were a lot of people to thank during my brother-in-law's ordeal, so I made several styles! Here are a few more for you to enjoy.

About as Fussy as I Get

I don't do fussy... much. But once in awhile I find a card that is a step up from my usual CAS (clean and simple) style. And I like to step outside the box and try to see if I can achieve it. I really really loved the way these cards turned out. And a card like this is always reserved for someone extra special who will appreciate the time and attention to detail.

Never Ending Winter

I did not get Christmas cards sent out this year. So I was determined to send winter cards to close family and friends, and reciprocate to those who sent us a Christmas card. I started making a few here and there and stock piling them. My desk was covered but it was taking me awhile to get them finished. Long enough, in fact, that I feared winter would end before I got them mailed.
I needn't have worried. Because this was the longest winter we've ever had while living in Indiana! We seriously got our last snow the day before I sent out my final batch of winter cards. And we were never more glad to see spring.

The Least I Can Do Is Thank You

My brother-in-law was very suddenly diagnosed with brain cancer in February. The diagnosis resulted in emergency surgery. We were able to be with the family that day and again on the weekend. But when we returned home, I felt very helpless in bearing my in-laws burden.
The out-pouring of love, support and help from friends and family was amazing. And so it wasn't long until I realized there was one tiny thing I could do from a distance. While my in-laws held bed-side vigils and later spent countless miles traveling back and forth to the rehab facility, I was home making thank you cards. I asked my mother-in-law to send me names along with a short description of what I was to thank them for, as they came to mind.

Here are samples of the first batch I made:

(please excuse the green tint to these photos and the black smudge that must have been on the lens)

Controlling the Scrap, Version 2.4ish

I need a few masculine cards in my stash (my husband thought it was so cool last week when I went "shopping" in my own card stash--impressing the hubby means more allowance for scrapping goodies, right? =) so this card doesn't use as much scrap paper as some of the others. But it's still in there! The book mark paper is scrap as well as the shadows on those and the stars (odds and ends from my kraft card bases).

I also used a lot more layering on this card than I normally do. I love the looks of layers but when it comes right down to it I rarely do it for two reasons... #1 it takes twice as long  #2 it makes the card front a bit bulky and heavy. But with this card, I felt like it needed that extra look.

Card dimensions: 4.5" x 6.25"
Kraft mat: 3 7/16" x 5 3/16"
Embossed mat (herringbone): 3.25" x 5"
Bookmark style strip (long): outer layer, 1" x 4 1/8" and inner layer, 7/8" x 4"
Bookmark style strip (short): outer layer, 1 1/16" x 3 1/4" and inner layer, 15/16" x 3"
Star (from Martha Stewart All Occasions Cake Art): outer, 1.95" x 179" and inner layer, 1.75" x 1.61"

Honestly, I think it took my longer to measure and type the bookmark dimensions than it did to cut them! Basically, I eye-balled the dimensions and cut my patterned scrap down to size, then added two marks (an eighth of an inch) on my trimmer for the shadows.