Cards from Traci

Good Morning and Happy Friday!  Today I promised to share some of my cards. (Before you leave, please be sure to read the last 2 paragraphs today.) These are a few of the cards that I made this week.  You will notice that some of my cards do not have sentiments, or Scripture on them.  I keep them that way, so that I can add that at the last moment, when I know why a card is needed.  You will also notice that I am not an artist!  I am a card-maker "wanna-be!"  I do scrapbook, and I think I am more skilled in that area, but I haven't done it in years.  Here you go:

 

   I  actually made 6 similar cards similar to this one for Rosh Hashanah--the Jewish New Year. Most of my family is still Jewish (for now). I love this peaceful image! I used similar paper for each one, and I paper pierced the paper on some. I stamped "Happy New Year" on the cards I sent out.  I kept two without the sentiment for my "All Purpose" card stash. For those of you that may not know, Rosh Hashanah is a "High Holy Day" for Jews. That and Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement...A Super Serious Day...the day when you ask for forgiveness...for the entire year!  They are both serious holidays. Not at all like the celebrated January 1st Holiday.

I made this card for the Our Daily Bread Designs Weekly Challenge.  I love this company and blog, and their artists are wonderful. They challenged us to use either buttons, brads or eyelets on our card this week.  I used 3 orange brads! I watercolored the tulips.  I used gel pens on the butterfly in the corner.  And, I love the tall grass.  I used a Cuttle Bug Embossing Folder named, "Forest Branches."  I then turned the paper sideways, and cut some of the "blades of grass" to help it stand out even more!  I like this card!  So cheery!

The Stampin' Sisters in Christ have a great challenge on their blog!  This week we were challenged to include "water" on our card or project. Why water?  Please go visit and read all about it!  I was so blessed by reading it!  I really love the poem "Footprints."  I found this stamp in Baltimore, Maryland while visiting family on our "17 day car-trip".  I quickly added it to my stamp collection, even though it wasn't the whole poem.  I also like this because it looks similar to my writing.  I loved painting with  my Twinkling H20's!  They leave such a gentle shimmer.  It looks like it has the shimmer you see on the real beach! I liked how the colors looked on the black paper, with the cream satin ribbon and the little pearls.  Grace was the hostess this week, when she shares it is very informative, thought provoking and moving!  You will be blessed if you visit!

I really enjoyed making this masculine card.  I made it to go with the color challenge of the Play Date Cafe Challenge. (PDCC)  The colors they wanted us to use as the focus of our project were burgundy/wine, ochre-orange, and a cocoa color.  I had this fabulous Vintage Cocoa Colored paper to use as the background.  I then used a stamp I have never used, the Vest.  I had just organized my scrap folder and box earlier that day.  (The box is for solid paper scraps--anything over 2x2", and the folder is for printed paper.)  I saw a wine and ochre-orange striped piece in that folder, and knew it was going to be used for this challenge.  I paper pieced it for the lining and the pocket on the vest.  I didn't want to just color the vest cocoa color with my Stampin' Up! marker.  I used a large stipple brush (2/3") and used an ink that appears to look like chalk.  That didn't come out dark enough...so I used the brush on my non-smear pastel collection.  That made it a bit darker.  It gave the paper a suede feel. The most difficult part for me was tying the yarn through that button.  I see cards all of the time, with something more sturdy than thread..and they leave it tied on the top for show.  I can not figure out what they are using, and how they are tying it?  If you know, I would really appreciate knowing! You can leave it in the comment section.

OK--this is the last card I will show for today.  I made this card for a challenge over at SCS...SplitCoastStampers...by the way, that is where my gallery is...under "Traci S."  The Christmas Card Challenge 2010 lets everyone set the number of cards they will need for the year...broken up by months.  I set a goal of 10 cards a month...plus tags and bookmarks, and possibly some gift wrap this year.  I love this stamp.  It reminds me of the Scripture with "Ask, Seek, Knock" in Matthew chapter 7.  I used some paper where the sheet is wonderful together...but even better when taken apart. It is 12x12.  I separated the red section to use as the front of the card...and inside.  I cut the striped section, which is attached with the " faux stitched" section, and the "faux ribbon" area where I wrote...I used the green paisley which you can not see...on the inside of the card.  By the way, I always decorate the inside of the card...not as much as the outside, but at least line it, and add an image, or faux stitching or something.  Same with the envelope.  My Husband, Dave, is still an Atheist (I pray all of the time for him.), so I try to make Holiday Cards...rather than cards with the true meaning of Christmas.  (I share the REAL Christian themed cards with Christian friends of mine.)  The cards are from both of us, and my son is (still) Jewish...so it represents the family. (I think most people would say that this is a "Christmas" card.)  I colored it with water color pencils.  I used a bit of Diamond Stickles for the snow.  I really enjoyed coloring the stone work with the "stuff" between the rocks, and that adorable little tree.  I had a really difficult time on the skis and sled for some reason!

That is all I am going to share for this week.  I apologize that this was posted so late!  I worked on it for over 4 hours.  I gave up trying to put them side by side, with neat captions under each one...without going past the width of the photo!  I hope you enjoyed looking.  Please leave a comment...it will get you entered into the "Card of the Week" Challenge.  Most importantly, it will let me know if anyone even stopped by to take a look.  So please...at least leave a quick "hello!"  If you like this blog...go ahead and sign up to be a "Google Follower" of this Blog.  Why do I want you to be a "Google Follower?"  So we can celebrate certain numbers...and most importantly, it lets others know about this blog!

I will be writing on Monday.  It is about a personal issue that I am having a hard time understanding.  I hope you will stop by and read it...I look forward to hearing your advice...and hopefully you will be blessed by the Scriptures I will share, as well as my story. 

The post from this Monday was very informative about "Forgiveness."  Being Forgiven and Forgiving!  I think anyone could find it beneficial.  Wednesday's post was called "I Am Special."  Great for anyone who thinks they have low self-esteem, or are going through a tough time, or to use when your children are discouraged.  I pray you will be blessed by reading it!  Thanks for stopping by!  You are very important to me!

Remember~

He IS Able,

Traci S.