Thinking of You: Time Well Spent

Hi there everyone! 
Visiting around the web, I've realized just how much the wonderful community of crafters and card makers means to me. It seems that if we are doing fairly well in this crises we want to help in any way we can those who are not. And stamping and creating is a way for us to deal with our own stresses. 
Many are making or donating cards for residents of care centers who are facing a time of great loneliness and medical staff. 

But I've heard of a different need over the weekend. My 95 year old Mother-in-love has faithfully and without fail sent cards to friends neighbors, children, grandchildren and now her GREAT grandchildren for special days. When we talked she was distressed that the small gift shop in her community has closed and she no longer has cards to send! Could I help? 

Just what I wanted to hear. It's NICE to be able to help, you know?  I spent some time coloring these cards to add to the stash of 24 cards that I had on hand to send to her. 

It was wonderful time spent for me as coloring is my therapy. Best of all, as you read this the box of cards should be on their way in a postal truck. 

Sorry, I didn't mean to go on so much! The card details are very simple as are the cards themselves. I used the Look for the Rainbows stamps (Simon Says Stamp). I did some masking to create bouquets and colored using Zigs and a water brush. The sentiment and die for the blue card are from the Sentiment Suite: Thinking of you by The Greetery. 

I hope that you are doing well and carrying on with the social distancing. This same Mother-in-Love of mine keeps saying to herself, "It's SPRING! and soon summer will be here!" and her hope is that all the sickness will be gone. Let's think on that.

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Congrats card with Derwent Inktense

Good Tuesday to you! 

I've been wanting to do something that feels "normal" today. You know we have our daughter's wedding in a little over two weeks, and our other daughter and our daughter in love are both having babies in a month or two! You can imagine the busy-ness all these wonderful events entail. Truly they are such a blessing. 

I just needed to regroup today. For me that means making a card, and posting! 

Lucky you! 

I'm sharing this card I made recently to add to my stash. 

I intended only to do some coloring with my Derwent INKtense pencils to better my skills. You know that I love coloring but I still don't have a favorite medium. I've been debating adding a new product.  Polychromos Colored Pencils. I know what your'e thinking.  I said the same thing to myself. Admonishing that I must first decide if I really LIKE coloring with pencils and second, to make sure a new choice of pencils that I 'think' will be better actually WILL. 

That's the story behind me pulling the Inktense out and using what I have. I learned this time that I get a much better result if I color softly in a circular motion and then wash over it with a paintbrush that is barely wet. Also, adding water to the darkest part and moving the brush to the lighter part of an image helped. It's important to clean your brush in between images, otherwise, you will just spread the dark ink and that defies the idea of shading totally. 

I appreciate you sticking with me through this long post! Thanks so much for visiting. If you have any comments on your favorite pencils, I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used:

Stamps:  PTI - Circle of Love, Fresh Bouquet

Paper: Neenah Solar White, Stampin' Up! - Basic Black and Cantaloupe Crisp

INK:Simon Says Stamp - Intense Black

Accessories: PTI - Scalloped Stacker Dies - Large