I can’t believe it’s been over a YEAR since I posted anything to my blog! As a quick explanation/excuse – I’ve spent the last year concentrating on some health issues. The biggest one being weight loss (so many OTHER problems stem from that one issue!).
On September 1, 2009, I started a serious life style change – yes, I know, “how cliché”! But I have changed the way I sleep, move, eat, and THINK in order to avoid the constant joint pain all over my body – that’s definitely a life style change! This was me BEFORE (happy at my nephew’s wedding, but NOT healthy!).
On September 1 this year, I was 70 pounds lighter, cutting my medication in half with the goal of no meds by 2011, and feeling like a totally different person. This is me AFTER (still happy AND feeling incredibly better)!
What’s Happening Next
During the period of change, I did NOT give up my card making - I couldn’t make THAT much of a life style change, but I wasn’t too inspired, or productive. I didn’t create the volume of cards I had been doing, but I still spent time making cards. I took some WONDERFUL classes, including the basic COPIC certification training, and attended a couple of stamp/scrapping conventions (more about that in future posts).
So, after much gentle pushing from my friend and crafting buddy, Helen, I’m finally ready to get back in the swing – posting a card with the recipe (ingredients and instructions) weekly.
And, just as an FYI, I really appreciate the beautiful work you can see in so many places, and I use CASEing (Copy And Share with Everyone) as a major source for ideas – it is a most fabulous way to get back in the creative frame of mind. I’ll always let you know where I got the inspiration for my creations.
AND, I promise future posts won’t make you look at this much “stuff” before you get to the card! So without further adieu…
Cherish is the Word
Inspiration
My first card post is for the person who supported me in EVERY way during my “transition” – my dear hubby, Joe. As the official cook in our household, he totally changed the way he shops, cooks, and serves – he even MEASURES my servings to help me stay on track! We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in June – this is the card I made for that occasion.
This card is a CASE of a card I found on Splitcoast – thanks to Teneale Willams – click here for her card.
Ingredients
CARDSTOCK: (All SU!) Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Almost Artichoke, and To The Nines Designer Series Paper
STAMPS: Illuminations (SU!)
INK: Chocolate Chip (SU!)
ACCESSORIES: Gold Metallic Pen (Rose Art); Gold Gel pen (Uniball); Sponge; Chocolate Chip Ribbon (SU!), Gold cord (Michael’s); Scor-Pal; Foam dots; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors
Instructions
Cut the cardstock: Chocolate Chip: 1 piece 5.5” x 11”, score and fold at 5.5” to create the card base; 1 piece 5” x 5”, and 1 piece 2.75” x 3.25”. Always Artichoke: 1 pieces 5.25” x 5.25”. Designer Paper: 1 piece 4.75” x 4.75”. Very Vanilla: 1 piece 2.5” x 3.5”.
Create the image panel: Stamp the Cherish image in Chocolate Chip ink on the small Very Vanilla panel. Embellish the stamped image with the gold gel pen, tracing the partial word, and fill in the leaves.
Stamp the image again on a scrap of Very Vanilla and cut out the “C” for layering.
Use a sponge with Chocolate Chip ink to distress the edges of the panel.
Edge the cardstock: Use the metallic gold pen to edge each piece of cardstock, including the card base.
Tie the Ribbon: For ribbons like this one, I tie it before I assemble the card. Cut a piece of the wide ribbon 6” long, and a second piece about 4” long. Cut a piece of the gold cord about 4” long. Lay the cord on top of the 4” ribbon, then tie the two in a single knot around the 6” ribbon, closer to one end than the other. Now you can manipulate it, if necessary, to get it looking just the way you want.
Assemble the card: First, attach these card panels together in this order: 1) Always Artichoke (5.25” x 5.25”), then Chocolate Chip (5” x 5”), then the DSP panel.
Then adhere the ribbon with the tie across the middle of the assembled panels you just created, with the knot to the right of the card. Attach the panel with the ribbon to the card base.
Attach the stamped image panel to the small Chocolate Chip panel, and adhere it to the card on top of the ribbon. Add the trimmed “C” over the “C” on the panel using some foam dots, for a little more dimension.
Inside the card: For this card, I cut another Always Artichoke 5.25” x 5.25”, and a Very Vanilla panel 5” x 5”. I distressed the edges of the vanilla panel with the Chocolate Chip ink and a sponge, and stamped a sentiment in Chocolate Chip.
Hope you enjoyed this, and will visit again – Thanks!
Lisa Lynne
