No Time To Stamp?

A perfect pairing!  A JustRite Merry Christmas border, a Basic Grey clear stamp center, Bella Rose designer paper by SU, and a pop of checked ribbon.  I’m a happy camper!!!    I wanted to make a simple Christmas card tonight, and I also wanted to play the Featured Stamper Challenge over at SCS. Well, how delighted I was to see that the Featured Stamper today is Becca Feeken — she has a fabulous gallery!!! What a delight to go through it.  I chose to case this card of Becca’s.  Now Becca’s card is very detailed and ultra elegant.  I used her basic layout with the large circular focal point, but used different images and colors and changed my ribbon placement to create a less formal card.  Thank you Becca for the wonderful inspiration!

Here’s my card.  It just says pretty and happy to me!!!  And I LOVE the non-traditional colors for Christmas — always have.  This year I am sure loving the Bella Rose paper, so I’m guessing I’ll be using most of it up on my Christmas cards.  This year I also want to keep SIMPLE in mind — simple cutting, simple layouts, simple images, simple embellishments.  I did achieve that on this card. 

You all know I’ve done a lot using the JustRite centers, omitting the borders.  Well today I’m doing just the opposite.  I used the JustRite border, and am using a stamp from another source for the center.  If you look at all the other stamps you have that can work with your borders, you will be AMAZED at the options now open to you.  I really think what I used today is a perfect pairing!!!  My clear stamp is a little wreath on a set called Winterland by Basic Grey.  I got it from Jacksonbelle Embellishments.   Take a look.

I stamped my sentiment border from the Christmas Ensemble on pink, my wreath image on white, then just used my Petitie Circle Nestabilities to cut them so I could quickly layer my main image.  My wreath is stamped in Kiwi Kiss and the berries are quickly colored over using a red Spica Glitter Pen by Copic.  The bird is done with both gold and clear Spica Glitter Pens.  And do you see the Long Rectangle Nestability above.  That’s what I use to make my little scallop — you can barely see my scallop, but it is between my two patterns of DP.  This is the quickest way I have found to make a scallop.  This card is 4.25″ wide, and there is one of the Long Rectangle Nesties that is exactly that length.  I just cut and emboss a piece of cardstock with the Nestie, then cut it in half, as shown in the photo — now I have 2 scallops, enough for 2 cards of this type!  You can trim off more of the excess paper if you like, but it’ll be a perfect fit for your card done in this orientation.

Here’s a closeup of the wreath.  I punched 2 holes with my Cropadile that I ran the ribbon through and there is a little twinkle sticker on the right side.  A quick and easy card, and I’m pleased with it!!

Stamps:  Christmas Ensemble by JustRite used with the Harmony Classic Circle Stamper III, Winterland by Basic Grey

Paper:  SU Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Bella Rose DP

Ink:  Kiwi Kiss, Basic Brown, Spica Glitter Pens by Copic

Accessories:  Ribbon, Twinkle Stickers by A Muse, Petite Circle and Long Rectangle Nestabilities by Spellbinders, Cropadile, Foam Mounting Tape.

Thanks so much for stopping in — hope you all are able to enjoy your Sunday. 

And please take the time to say a prayer for Laurie Schmidlin and her family.  Laurie’s daughter has been very ill and they are currently treating/testing her.  They are in need of all our prayers, and if you’d like to send along a card as well, just let me know and I’ll forward her address to you.  Thank you so much!!!

Editing:  It is now Monday morning and I just checked out Joan’s Garden — she has a LOT listed this morning, including this Christmas Ensemble by JustRite.  Joan’s Garden is always a fun Monday morning stop!

I was contacted yesterday by Cheryl, a faithful reader of many of our stamping blogs and SCS galleries, and she had a request for prayers and cards for her good friend’s grandson, Andrew.  He is 18 years old, joined the Air Force, and while there was diagnosed with leukemia, and discharged.  These are Cheryl’s words: 

“My friend’s grandson is only 18 years old and shortly after joining the Air Force, he was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and, subsequently, discharged from the Air Force.  Because of the extraordinary costs of his treatment, the family is having a benefit dinner for him to help raise funds. They are taking prize donations and I thought it would be great to get together a huge basket of handmade cards to give as one of the prizes. I want to surprise my friend by including cards made by stampers that she has seen online. If you could help me out, I would greatly appreciate it. I would need to have the card in hand by November 8 (sorry for the short notice but I just found out about the benefit yesterday).”

You may also read more in the Sandusky Register.

Please pray for Andrew and his family, and if you have an extra card around and a spare minute, send it in for the prize basket.  And it would be nice if you signed the back of the card and included an envelope so they can quickly put the basket together.  This young man joined the military to serve and protect all of us, and sending a card in to be included in a prize basket is such a small thing we can all do in return.  You may email Cheryl at ladybugb919@bex.net for her mailing address.  And if you are able to help, remember, the time is NOW, as the date of this event approaches rapidly.  Thank you!!!

And about Hope and Peyton, the preemie twin girls I mentioned a week or so ago, I got word that they are doing as well as can be expected.  They each lost a couple ounces, but seem to be gaining it back and holding their own.  Praise the Lord!!! Please continue in prayer for them as well.  Thank you!!!

Today’s Stamp Simply Challenge is one post below.

One week ago, on Satuday, 3/o8, a 14-year old boy from a neighboring community received a serious head injury while skiing.  His name is Kurt Blake and his parents are Anna and Jerry.  They are friends of ours.  Kurt was airlifted to the Marshfield Clinic, and that is where he currently is.

Kurt is in serious need of prayer — miracles do happen — Kurt needs a miracle and your prayers can help.  The Blake family is a family of extraordinary faith.  They have been through far more trials than most, and their faith has always kept them strong.  Please pray for Kurt’s family as well.

Kurt’s Uncle Steve has started a Blog where daily updates are posted.  Anna, Kurt’s Mom, contributes to the Blog posts as well.  Their faith is so evident and so strong — they are a family of true inspiration.  God’s Blessings to them all with prayers for a miracle for Kurt.

You may read Kurt’s Blog Here.

Thank you for your prayers.

Editing 3/16:  People have been asking where they can send cards.  Here is the address I got from the above-linked blog.  Thank you all so much.  I am sure your words of encouragement will be appreciated.

Cards can be sent to:
Kurt Blake
St. Joseph’s Hospital, PICU
611 St. Joseph Ave.
Marshfield, WI 54449-1898

Editing 3/17:  Kurt left this life early this morning and is now at Peace in the arms of his Heavenly Father.  Please continue in prayer for his family.