Oo La La Butterflies

More Kaisercraft 75 Cents . I just love the soft muted colors.

Not feeling very well so I will keep this post short and sweet.

Chalk Board Card

I love the chalkboard papers and embellishments that are so popular right now. I have purchased several of them, but they have sat on my shelf for a while. Well I was inspired to use some of the My Mind's Eye Chalk Studio paper to cut out one of the boards and placed it front and center of a center step card. I used white pens, ink, and a chalk pencil to decorate it. (the bird and flourish came on the patterned paper) The name is in chalk so I spritzed it with hairspray to fix it and keep it from smearing.

I took a cue from the Prima chalk line and added some pops of color. The banner was cut from some older Echo Park paper, Hello Summer. The flowers were cut from my cut files and inked with Worn Lipstick and Squeezed Lemonade.

I stamped more decorations on the inside.

A Cheerful Hello

As crafters we know how it is when we spend time, money, and our coveted craft supplies to make a handmade card or gift for someone and realize the recipient does not appreciate all the effort that you put into the project. We have all been there. I secretly start thinking about taking it back and keep it myself. LOL

Well, those times are completely eclipsed when we happen to give a handmade treasure to some one who really appreciates it. All the effort is instantly considered worth it to us. For example, my sister in law saves all my cards and displays them. My past Christmas cards are even a part of her decorations every year. My sister frames them. Totally worth all the time and work.

I gave a card to someone last year, and recently talked to several of her family members who told me how she just went on and on about that card. She even told my hubby that she does not remember anyone ever giving her such a special card. ...Well, of course, I melted. Not only did I feel appreciated, I was yearning to make her another card. LOL

So here is the card I made. :)  

I know she will appreciate it.

Red Open Roses

Well, I am FINALLY back. LOL

Huge thank you to everyone who wished me well. It is a long story. but the good news is that the pain pump is now implanted and is helping a lot with the nerve pain. :) Praise the Lord!

I have had really bad spinal headaches since the pain pump was put in but I had a procedure today that patched the leak and should be better than ever by tomorrow. Yay!

I made this center step card with my handmade open roses as a thank you for a dear friend who sent me lots of encouragement. I used some Kaisercraft Porcelain Rose papers. ("Precious" and "Artifact") along with some Recollections pearl stickers. The flowers where cut from white cardstock and inked with Worn Lipstick and Barn Door Distress inks. I used the same colors in Distress Stains to color the seam binding.

You can find instructions, diagrams, templates, cut files and a video on how to make the center  step card here. (just scroll down to Center Step Card)

I have lots of cool projects already in the works.

Same Card Designs, Different Colors

Well, I know I show these cards design a lot. I just liked the color combo's on these and the bling. 

Thanks for indulging me one more time with the same designs.

More Grace

Hello my crafty friends. Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments. I REALLY appreciate them!

I have a special project to share today. 
It is not just that I finally got up the courage to make something with the shadow box that I purchased over a year ago...(I know I am not the only one who has ever kept craft supplies for a while. LOL) It is a special project because of the person I was giving it too and the wonderful poem that I used in the box.

It is a gift for my pastor's wife who has been fighting cancer for a few years now. She has been through some really difficult physical bouts and is always a wonderful example of how to completely trust in God. Every time she has to start a different treatment she does not look at it as a hardship on her but as an opportunity to share the love of God with all the people she will come in contact with in the hospital and doctor's office. 

Her example has helped me to keep trusting God to take care of my in my own physically painful situation. It reminds me of a poem by Annie Johnson Flint.

He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;

To added affliction He addeth His mercy;

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,

Our Father's full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,

Our God ever yearns His resources to share;

Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;

The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.

His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

Annie Johnson Flint

Annie had a very rough childhood, was orphaned by her parents and then by her adoptive parents, and then became an invalid in her early 20's. Any one of these things would have been difficult to deal with. All of these situations together can be overwhelming. Yet to read her poems and hymns are filled with marvel at the grace and goodness of God. So inspiring!

You can read more about Annie Johnson Flint and her poems at this link.

I also made card to go with the shadowbox. Yes, it is another center step card. LOL This one is a little different because I took some of the gilded elements and used them as embellishments. (papers are from Recollections Love Letters)
(Hope you are not tired of these cards yet. LOL)  

Pink and Gray Center Step Card

I started making a Mother's Day card. I carefully selected a beautiful Prima patterned paper, Cypress Rose from the Tea Thyme collection. Ironically, the paper was a 12 by 12 and by the time I got through cutting and embellishing, you can not see much of the paper. LOL

Here is the card though.

Yes, I know I have made several cards that are this same style, but when the papers and colors are different, they look different to me. Besides, I like the style. LOL

Believe it or not, besides the top layer of patterned paper, all the other papers started as white cardstock and were colored with TH Distress Inks. I inked the card base with Black Soot then stamped over it with a script background stamp in Pumice Stone. Next I used Victorian Velvet with a little Worn Lipstick for the mat.The handmade Regal roses were made from white cardstock that was inked with those same 2 pink colors. The leaves were inked with Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, and Forest Moss.

You can see a little portion of some Recollections bling and a bow made from white seam binding and Worn Lipstick Distress Stain.

Here is a shot of the back so you can see a little of that beautiful Prima paper I started with.

I did put a lot of extra details in this card that may not be very noticeable. Then again it is a Mother's Day card so a little extra love should go into making it. :)

Butterfly and Pretty Flower decorations for mini and card

I posted pictures of this mini album that I recently made using long envelopes, chipboard, and cardstock. 

Before I gave it as a present, I made a matching Center Step Card using my butterfly and 
"pretty" flower cut files.

Here is a short video so you can have a better look.

The cut files for the card as well as the decorations for the long envelope mini are available in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for stopping by.

Yellow Roses on Birdcage

Well, I was going to wait until my sister got this card before I posted it, but changed my mind. 
I made a new birdcage file that I am excited about and since the other yellow roses turned out so well a few weeks ago, I went with yellow again.
(Scattered Straw with Wild Honey on the edges. The leaves are Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint with a tiny bit of Evergreen Bough)

The last few roses are the smallest I had made in a long time. I did not want to have the roses so big that they looked too big for the cage.

I am so happy with the effect I got with the birdcage. 

It does not show up as well in the photo, but it looks a little like metal in person.
I used white cardstock to cut out with one of my cut files. (I have a lot planned with this file so you will definitely be seeing it again soon.)
I stained it with Black Soot distress stain because it gives a mottled look when it dries. Then I applied some German Silver gilder's paste in a few areas.

Of course I added some bling because everybody like a little bling. :)
Check out the tiny stone in the glittered bird's eye. Too cute!



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White and Gold Wedding Card

I needed to make some wedding cards for family members. Since I STILL have gold glitter embossing paper surrounding my work space, I decided to use it on this card. (That is one way to see your supplies so you remember to use them. LOL)

I used all white cardstock that I dry embossed and heat embossed. (I am getting better with my stamping :)

I used one of my oval frames files and a bride and groom file that I made months ago and never used, These files will be available in my Etsy store.

As always, the cut files, instructions, and video tutorial for the Center Step Card are located on the "Step Cards" tab under my blog header.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Orange Roses

Yes , I know. This is another center step card. And yes, it is for another neighbor, but I wanted to share it anyway because I just love the color on these roses. I usually do not do a lot of orange roses. This K& Co Mariposa paper matstack was just calling out to be used and I thought orange flowers would be best. I used Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, and just a little Rusty Hinge. I was surprised at how much I liked them.

Hope you like them too. I promise to show something different soon. LOL

Yellow Roses in Texas

My new neighbors are all so friendly! One brought me cookies, another brought brownies, and another brought wine. I feel so welcomed! Here is a thank you card I made for one of the ladies.

You can probably tell that center step cards are my go-to-card lately. I used K & Co. background papers and made some yellow Regal roses. I used Scattered Straw and Wild Honey for them. Love the color. I stained the seam binding Wild Honey stain.

The pearl cluster is a sticker from Michaels. I sniped out the part that was under the bow and added it to the top left corner. I figured it needed to be seen. LOL

Graduation Cap and Gown Card

Well this post may be too late for some of you. I am just getting around to posting the cards I made for my friends and relatives who are graduating this year. 


I made center step cards with little graduation caps and gowns. I think they turned out really cute.

Red and black for a more formal card

Blue and gold for school colors

And Zebra stripes with pink accents and bling. (Had to make it girly :)


The cut files for the center step card with the graduation cap & gown will be available in my Etsy store.


Here are a few videos I made to show the different parts...


Center Step Card Tutorial (6 minutes)
You can see written instructions and diagrams on this post. Center Step Card
(You will have to scroll down to the "center step card" section of that post.)

How to make a tassel
(You just never know when you might need one of these...LOL)

How to assemble the graduation cap and gown in 2 videos about 9 minutes each


Video 1

Video 2

Enjoy and have a wonderful Memorial Day!