{Sending hugs...}

I was checking my school e-mail the other day and saw that TWO of my colleagues at work lost their mothers. It's very sad when someone loses their mama--even if they "were expecting it". Death is just hard for those of us left behind.

I had already planned to use Dawn's Color Challenge to make a card, so I decided to make two cards exactly the same. I kept these very simple. Since I didn't know either lady that passed away, I wanted to just let these women know that I was thinking of them.

I used Papertrey's Friends 'til the End set. I really, really love this set---I'm sure I have said this before, but I really do. I made a simple card from Vintage Cream cardstock and I stamped the smaller flower in the corner with Scarlet Jewel ink. I masked it and stamped my other two flowers with Raspberry Fizz. (I keep my 'masks' in the CD case with my stamps so I don't have to make a new one every time--it's a time saver, especially on stamps like this.) Then I masked those two flowers as well and stamped the leaf in Spring Moss. I added the sentiment from the same set using Palette Noir ink. Then I added some Hero Arts gemstones to accent the sentiment. Finally I tied some Scarlet Jewel satin ribbon around the card and finished it off with a Spring Moss Vintage button and some matching DMC thread.

Everyone around here was out of town this weekend, so Joshua and I went to my parents and spent the night. I made my first strawberry preserves! I was so surprised at how easy it was (unless I give you some--then you can think I labored for HOURS in a hot kitchen stirring and stirring.....until I finally had just the right consistency.) But for the rest of you, you should DEFINITELY TRY THIS----it's way too easy! I think I'm going to make some blackberry this week---I really enjoyed it and I LOVE blackberry jam! I'll show them to you after I get them all spruced up with some stamped labels---my family thinks this was my ulterior motive for making said preserves. You know, buying the cool Fruitful set from PTI and then stamping cute little labels for them before I give them to people ....but I would never do such a thing. Some other people might,----you know, BUY the new set, but not me. I don't even OWN that set---really, come look in my little stamp area---now, it would make my preserves look better, I'm sure........ but, of course I don't have it, so I'd have to purchase it, you know....uh,......to make the preserves look better. I have stamps that will do, well, they don't have the cute berries on them and I'd have to use the printer to make the labels and that costs money, you know. It's all about presentation----I'm just saying....



Stamps: Friends 'Til the End (PTI)
Paper: Vintage Cream (PTI)
Ink: Scarlet Jewel, Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss
Accessories/Tools: Gemstones (Hero Arts), Scarlet Jewel Satin ribbon, Spring Moss Vintage Button (PTI), DMC thread