A Hodgepodge of Awesomeness

So much to post today.

First, grab boxes. The first respondents were Joan W., Eva J., Ruth S., and Lynn E. Many thanks to all who jumped on this great buy. I'm glad to know these supplies are going to good homes!

Second, I got a box full of awesomeness from Sarah W., who donated these beautiful cards to Karen's Card Shop. She even included envelopes and put them in cellophane bags, saving me the work. These will be stocked in the Shop this week, and I know they will sell quickly. She included much-needed sympathy and thank-you cards, as well as some stunning religious cards.

Thank you, Sarah!

Third, I was expecting the donation since she'd emailed me ahead of time (at least, I think she did...things have been crazy around here), but there was other awesomeness in the box...for me!

A puffy cloud embossing folder, a lovely StampinUp set, and a whole bag FULL of die cuts! Y'all, after weeks of minimal stamping time, I dove into this treasure trove with gusto.  I started with the die cuts and cranked out a bunch of cards in record time.

Today, I'll share the white-based cards because they are (duh) my favorites, but some of the cuts needed colored card bases. I'll share them tomorrow. There are still die cuts left for future play, but I hope Sarah knows how appreciated they all are!

The glitter paper was punched old-style with a, well, punch. The die cut trees look great against the glittery backdrop, and the banner gives the message. I toyed with the idea of adding some red rhinestone ornaments to the trees but didn't. The simple monochrome of the card works for me.

These three balloons made a fun combination, although attaching the strings was a bit of a pain. Worth it, though.

This one may be my favorite of the four. That die cut, which was clearly cut from an ombre-treated paper, is simply gorgeous! I love the thin lines and openness of it, and how the heavier grosgrain ribbon adds some stability and weight to the design.

Finally, the busiest of the four cards. In some ways, this is my favorite because the green and red pop so prettily and balance the big sentiment well. But the sentiment is an old, old, old wood-mounted stamp, and it smeared a bit on the "and," which annoys the daylights out of me. But please note how straight the sentiment is on the card. Seriously. The rubber is mounted crookedly on the wood, so I have to use a stamp positioner every. single. time. I use the stamp. It almost always turns out to be crooked. But not this time!

So I've got that going for me. And the awesome Sarah who made these cards possible! So much to be grateful for!

Fourth, I'm now on LinkedIn. For anyone who's interested.

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,
Susan