A Butterfly Challenge—Day 1

 Good day to you all!

I’ve been very productive craft-wise for the past two weeks but also very distracted from posting. So to kick off my sharing, I’m going to give a $25 Simon Says Stamp gift card to a random commenter on a post in this Butterfly Challenge series. Comment on one or all the posts as you feel motivated! The drawing will be held after the seventh (and last) post in the series. 

So I challenged my self to use my Copics because I’d bought more and felt guilty because I haven’t really gotten my money’s worth from the ones I already had. So I stamped multiple images of a little butterfly from Hero Arts From the Vault Bugs set and colored them. I have the coordinating dies and so cut all these out.

I didn’t like all of them, but most made their way onto cards using a variety of layouts, supplies, and inspiration. For today, we’ll take a look at this card in shades of green and teal:

The card uses the Blessings Stamp and Cut set from Hero Arts, the Kaleidacolor spectrum ink Caribbean Sea, and rhinestones colored with Copics and Sharpies. The card size is 6.25” x 3.5”. 

This is the only card in the series where the butterfly plays a supporting role. The lead actor here is that fabulous, bold, beautiful sentiment. I often forget that sentiments don’t have to be small and unobtrusive, so that was my lesson from this card. Many of us have SO. MANY. SUPPLIES. It’s hard to remember all we have and then actually use them.

So today’s question, should you choose to comment, is this: What stamping supply or type of stamp do you rarely use, but when you do, you realize you should use it more often? Fishing for ideas here!

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Sort of a Cancer Update

Radiation is finished, and my boob no longer looks angry. YAY! I was invited to ring the bell in church today. So fun! And if you want to hear an awesome sermon about focusing on Jesus things, check out the video on YouTube or Facebook. Search First United Methodist Church of Springboro. Pastor Joe was in rare form today. Start watching at 8:20 or so to skip all the announcement slides. 

I’m still not sure how to put this cancer experience into words. Honestly, I feel a little bit numb, a little bit raw, and mostly optimistic. Either all my support and coping strategies are working just fine, or I’m headed for a breakdown. Not sure which. If this had happened thirty years ago, it would definitely be breakdown time, but now, whether it’s my faith, my therapist, Zoloft, my friends and family and you all, my medical team, my inner strength from years of hard self-improvement, or a combination of all those things, I feel like I’m coming out of the furnace in a good mood. Only time will tell if the breakdown is going to happen. 

One thing I know with certainty. If I do break down, there will be so very many people and resources to help. I am blessed beyond deserving, and am so very, very grateful. 

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,

Susan