This is a simple card, and basically flat enough for mailing. I used Heartfelt Creations gateway dies as a template for my base, and cut the vibrant blue from the Regal Lattice Gateway die, as well as the bottom part of the butterfly. I have some pale green behind the lattice, to set the flowers off better.
The arch of daffodils and spray in the center were each cut straight from the paper pack (hard to beat perfection!) I added some organza ribbon near the bottom, and silver card stock for the top of the butterfly. Inside I have a sentiment I also die cut out of silver; and I stamped directly onto the card stock the same image, just mirrored. These were colored using my Zig Clear Color brush markers.
So, to clarify, I’m not depressed. Not really. It’s just that, well, I guess I’ve lost my mojo. We’re Empty Nesters now. It’s quiet around the house. More quiet than usual, since CoVid hit. The interesting thing about being Empty Nesters, is that really, I sorta prefer the quiet, but I still long for baby kisses. I want family around, but I don’t want the mess they leave or the headache from the chaos they bring with their little brood. It’s a quandry.
My husband happily works long hours on the computer, up in his loft, tweaking his classes, I suppose – I know he’s not up there looking at porn, or playing Tetris, but he does seem to have an obsession with Pinterest. (My fault, I wanted him to be able to collect things, without actually having to store them in our house, Voila! the cloud to the rescue!). Meanwhile I’m downstairs wandering around doing nothing. I don’t feel like baking, or crafting. It’s Sunday, so I won’t be going to the gym or the pool. I finished my book (actually, this is a constant problem, I read voraciously and so am always looking for a new book), I’m caught up on CEU’s and laundry, and I’m melancholy enough that I don’t really feel like talking on the phone. So what’s a girl to do?
I remember the good ‘ole days, like before March 2020, when Church lasted 3 hours, and then we’d come home and take a nap. Then we’d get up, feeling rather guilty about wasting our day, and rush around getting laundry done and dinner prepared. Not any more! Since I only work 4 days a week now, I get almost ALL of my chores done on Friday, and anything left over is easily done on Saturday, which leaves me here, sitting in a corner of my room, wondering what to do with myself.
One of the problems with suffering from melancholy, is that you’re not any fun for others to be around either. I found a psychiatry site on-line, with ideas on things to do when you’re depressed – hahaha, yep, those are things that I generally do on a regular basis, but can’t seem to find joy in them today. (https://advancedpsychiatryassociates.com/resources/blog/solo-activities-for-depression/). So I wander around the house, check Facebook a million times, pick up a random piece of laundry, and wonder what to do with myself.
I wonder, will I still feel like this tomorrow? Luckily, I’ll be distracted by waking up at 5am to go swim, and then by work and other people’s problems. C’est la vie.
These cards were sort of copied from cards I saw on the Heartfelt Creations Facebook page.
This first one is using their Wild Roses paper, which I think may be my all time favorite of their papers! Also, it is extremely difficult to mess up on making the Wild Rose.
The second card is using their Calla Lily paper…….I just love the swans! I’m not so enamored of Calla Lilies, but the artwork is just beautiful.
Each of these has a hidden little pocket for a gift card, the best part!
I hope you enjoy, and feel inspired to duplicate this on your own!
It’s been quite a while since I made a Mini-Album, not sure if this was due to some depression from the Pandemic, because I have several Mini-Album already (gathering dust, instead of photographs, lol!) or if it was simply because I hadn’t come across any new paper that just “spoke” to me. This is an album I plan on keeping, and plan on filling with photos of my family demonstrating their “daring do”.
I have a need inside myself, to not be remembered as some old lady who sat in a chair crocheting baby blankets, but rather as a person who took life by the horns, and lived! So this album will be full of those kind of photos, and not just of me, but of my husband and kids, and some of our adventures.
I hope you enjoy this mini-album, and are inspired to make not only your own album, but to have adventures, and experience the joys of this life!
If you click on the link, you’ll be taken to a little walkthrough video: youtu.be/FRKXUa-TEdM
This card features the new Dahlias from Heartfelt Creations, and some cherry blossom, also from Heartfelt Creations (an older collection) – I just thought the colors looked so good together.“
Also, my Mom loves Springtime, she’s so silly, she thinks winter starts mid-January!
A Valentines card for my Sweetie using Heartfelt Creations new “gateway” dies, a few blossom, and swans from their Calla Lily paper collection. I added a bit of glitter to the swans on the front, probably overdid it!
Here are the close ups:
FrontMiddleBack
Probably too much glitter on the front swans, and it is very red, but I hope you like it!
Easy and quick is what I need after work! This is super fast, partly because of modern technology. The Minute rice (which has brown and red rice and quinoa for tons of fiber) takes 10 minutes in the microwave.
The chicken tenderloins are the flash frozen tenderloins you can pick up at any grocery store, and they thaw out super fast too. Just pan fry them with the Kickomann seasoning, or whatever you prefer, and a wee bit of olive oil.
The okra is a keto standby for us, again, easily sautéed in the skillet while cooking the chicken and rice.
And of course, any berries will do, but organic blackberries were on sale yesterday, so we have these.
Today is the anniversary of my fathers death 4 years ago. It’s still hard on all of us, despite our getting to keep him for 80 years. I made this little card for my mom, who lives 12 hours away from me, alone with her 2 cats, and German Shepherd.
I used Mintay’s “Dreamer” paper, and dressed it up with some flowers I created this morning, the “Roses” are just made using an old Martha Stewart punch, the little tiny lavender flowers from a generic punch as well, and the leaves are from a G45 die. The silver oval is an Heartfelt Creations die cut that I trimmed a little bit to show more of the pretty paper.
If you prop it just so, it is an easel card as well. I hope you like it!
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My Celestial Creations 