Sunday, December 31, 2017

Happy Birthday, 2018

A year ends, and another begins.

Someone really needs to stop pushing the fast-forward button. Time's speeding up.

Do you have a crafty resolution for the new year? I'm resolving to complete each card as I make it. That means stamping a coordinating envelope, putting a "handmade by" stamp and my signature on the back, and a sentiment inside if it's appropriate. (Usually, I leave the inside of cards blank so I can write my own message, but sometimes, a stamped message is good!)

Now is the time of year to start planning for birthdays, so expect to see lots of birthday cards in January on this here ol' blog.

Birthday cards like this one:



Today's card uses an older Hero Arts set (Year Round Sentiments) that's sort of an all-purpose set. If you're like me, these sets tend to be under-utilized. They are basic, but a fun layout, happy color combination, and a little bling can turn those old, ordinary sets into something spectacular.

That might be another good crafting resolution for 2018: using older, basic sets in new, fun ways!

Just a thought. 



So do tell if you have any resolutions (particularly crafty ones) for 2018.

Happy New Year!

Mercy, grace, peace, and love,
Susan

Supplies;
stamps: Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments
ink: Kaleidacolor
paper: Papertrey white
accessories: dimensionals, rhinestones, Sharpies to color rhinestones, scissors to cut out the heart, which I popped because underneath is a very imperfectly stamped heart that made me mad until I realized I could cover it with a popped one, so good save for me...yay!

19 comments:

  1. great card!! Happy 2018 to you and yours. I have some crafty and not crafty goals. I want to create drafts of cards on typing paper. I've wasted way too much cardstock. I also want to improve my photography and maybe learn to make short videos. The latter is more of a dream than a goal! Non crafty -- just heard "staying alive" at a local restaurant and that seems like a good goal!

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    1. Oh, Joan, I so want to watch videos from you!!!!

      And staying alive is an excellent goal.

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  2. Happy New Year, Susan! My goals for this year are the same as for every year: to treat other people the way I would like to be treated and, whatever I'm doing, to do my best.

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  3. Wonderful card Susan, love the mix of heart and stars and the mixed colour stamp pad, looks brilliant. My resolutions are always the same but I am so weak willed I dont seem to last much beyond a month of being good, I will not buy new stamps till I have used what I have and used each well. I think the only way I can do this is to stop visiting blogs and become isolated from the craft world and really its not what its all about so I will try to resolve to be good for two months at least and see how that goes. All the best for the New Year. Xx

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    1. Aileen, that's a noble goal. What I do is keep a basket for all new purchases. They can't go into my stash until I've used them adequately, and that helps me keep an eye on unused product...and keeps me from buying when the basket is already full! Happy New Year!

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  4. I love your simple Birthday card! Happy New Year. My resolution is to be kind.

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  5. Love the ombre heart coloring - looks fabulous. Resolutions; comment more, use products that have been collecting dust, create out of my comfort zone. Whew! - wish me luck :)

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  6. Happy New Year, Susan to you and your family. My stamping resolution is to organize, organize, organize - again. Also I hope to blog more.

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    1. Good luck with organizing. Jennifer McGuire had a video post yesterday about how she keeps organized. She's more obsessive compulsive than I am!

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  7. I agree with Aileen that the only way to not be tempted is not to visit blogs or Facebook groups.... but I have so many "friends" there that I don't see that happening.

    Good for you, Susan, to finish off your cards once you've made them. I try to make that a practice too, but it doesn't always work out well. There is nothing worse than needing a card at the last minute and you have o stop and put an insert and your Hallmark on it.

    As for crafty goals, I'd like to make a point to use several (all?) of the stamps in a stamp set. I'm not good at that at all. You know how it is, you a buy a set for a particular stamp and the other ones languish away. No more!

    Oh, and stay on top of Christmas cards. 10 made so 2018 so far!

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    1. I do try to use every single IMAGE stamp in a set. Sentiments are another issue completely. I'm never going to use "cherish" on a card. Just not. Good luck!

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  8. My crafty resolution this year is to not only stay abreast of birthday cards for my friends and family but also send a card every other week to my grandmother. Her memory has been fading for years, but this past year her dementia has worsened to such a degree that she's been moved to the memory-care unit of the assisted living facility. Sometimes she'll call her children a dozen times a day because she doesn't remember that she has already called. I hope that having tangible reminders that her loved ones are thinking of her will help her cope with the loneliness of being stranded from her own mind.

    My goal means I'll need to make over 70 cards this year—140% more than I made last year—so it'll also be an exercise in diligence.

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    1. Good luck, and what a wonderful goal to help your grandmother. Blessings to you.

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  9. My crafty goal is to be more organized in my craft room and to use my stash. I have a basket full of unused stamps. I need to create with them. Seriously.

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    1. I, too, have a basket with unused stamps. Those baskets keep us honest! Happy creating!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!