Thanking God To Be Back Again

 It feels great to be back to card making and the blog.  The beginning of June meant surgery for me. It was three weeks before we could find the right pain management combination. Those were some of the worst days where I slept a lot and tried to watch tv to be distracted.  I even tried playing relaxing music with my ear buds in so I would be distracted and lulled to sleep.

Finally my doctor found the right combination of meds for me.  Praise the Lord. I told her I was continually praying for her to use everything she knew to come up with a solution. She is my angel.

The last week I've had greatly reduced pain, I can sleep and I'm getting energy and stamina back as well.  I have been able to stamp for short bits of time. I was also able to design and have a few friends over to help me cut and collate card sets for my classes this week.

Here are the cards we are making in my classes this week.

The first card is 

Card 1 –  Black-Over Technique Lynn Dunn Video Link

   Stamps- Changing Leaves- Online-Exclusive Link

Paper –  Thick White card base 5 ½” x 8 ½”  AC p.89 Link

White 4” x 5 ¼”

Ink – Lemon Lime Twist

Granny Apple Green

Garden Green

Early Espresso

Accessories- Changing Leaves Hybrid Embossing Folder -Online Exclusive link

Daubers -AC p. 88 link

Card 2-  Blue and Silver Leaf

Stamps – Changing Leaves- Online Exclusive Link

Paper-  4 ¼” x 11” heavy white card stock  AC p.89 Link

4” x 5 ¼” Night of Navy

4” x 6” Silver- AC 110  link

White scraps for circle and branch

¾” x 4” Silver for inside.

Ink-  Memento Black

Accessories – 4” White/Silver Sheer Ribbon AC 113  Link

Changing Leaves Hybrid Folder- Online Exclusive  Link

Changing Leaves Dies- Online Exclusive Link

Card 3 –  Simple Twist Easel Card- Lynn Dunn Link

A Slightly Different Card -Deb Joy Smeak Link

 Stamps – Sketched Butterflies AC 68

Paper – Designer Series Paper- Unbounded Love AC 55

Begin with a 4” x 6” piece of Designer series Paper

Cut a 3 ½” square, Cut 2 pieces 1” x 4”, You should have ½” x 4” and ½” x 3 ½” left

Use the ½” x 3 ½” piece. The last piece is extra.

Card Base- 4 ¼” x 11” to match your designer series paper

4” x 4” card stock to compliment your designer series paper

White – 3 ¾” x 5” inside

Ink- Memento Tuxedo Black or a color to match your paper

Accessories –  Shimmer Gems Link AC 115

Card 4 -  Punch Peek-a-Boo Card  Patty Bennett Video Link

   Stamps-  Unbounded Love AC 55 Link

Textured Floral  AC 80  Link

Paper- Base 4 ¼” x 5 ½”  Balmy Blue or Navy Blue

Designer Series Paper Countryside Inn AC 109 Link

White- 3 ¾” x 5 “  Inside

Inks-  Balmy Blue

Night of Navy

 Accessories- Rhinestones AC 115 Link

Blooming Pearls AC 114 Link

Labeled With Love Punch AC 58 Link

I borrowed stamps from a few friends this week.  The bear and cat holding a sign are from Taylored Expressions. They are part of the Grumpy Animal stamps they carry.

You can see behind the Grumpy Animals I used a modified log cabin quilt look using strips of retired designer paper.

The rooster with the coffee cup is from Unity Stamps and called Coffee-Doodle-Doo. The rooster has watermelon background paper for a background and I paper pieced the coffee cup using watermelon paper as well.

These Gnomes are stamps from Unity Stamps called, Beach Happy Gnome. They will go to a local hospital or Senior Care Center.  I had lots of fun coloring them to match the watermelon designer paper I had. I also tried some new dies from Unity Stamps called, Happy Hello Die Bundle. I cut a bunch of sentiments in black paper and easily and quickly added them to my finished cards.

The cute Mouse is from Unity Stamps and is called, Lil' Bloomer. 

I joined a Facebook group that shares quilt patterns that card makers can make. That's where the ideas for the watermelon quilt cards came from.

I am so blessed that my two friends came over to help me cut and put together card kits for my classes. It enabled me to play with the new Waffle Flower Postage Collage die and stamp set. Both of the ladies who helped me get ready for class were complete enablers with this set by showing me lots of cards they made with it.

The top row is cards made with Gerda Steiner or Stampin' Up images.  The bottom row is cards made using the stencils that come with this set.  One set of stencils is called, Postage Collage Everyday stencil.  The other is called Postage Collage Coloring Stencil.

The possibilities are endless with this layout. I'm looking through my stamps to find more stamps to use.

It's so much fun getting back to creating cards for others. It's amazing what a lift that gives me.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Bensarmom