Quick note for a friend

     Well, my friends have been busy taking care of me. Two lunches out, in two days and a check up phone call from another. I almost didn't get this card done for one of them, who changed jobs, kind of, by switching as the librarian of an associated parochial school, since they closed her school this year (not the same one that I made the birthday card for). Now instead of a 5 min. commute, she has a 45 min. commute for the part-time job. So, this was a big decision and change for her (as well as the school being larger, so she has more classes). I wanted to send her a card of support. In between having lunch with her one day and lunch with a neighbor the next, I quickly put together, today's card.

I used my  Cricut Imagine and the Imagine More cart to print and cut all the images. The bird and it's wing are pop dotted. I used all of the layers on the front and added gel and glitter pens to the images to add some extra texture. I used my Fisker's cutter to trim the edge with the scallop decorative blade going back and forth to get a different edge. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and  is stamped in Chipped Sapphire by Ranger.

   The inside, is the first 2 layers from the same image as the front and I left it basically plain, to write my message. On the bottom, I stamped a bird from Hero Arts and a Bible verse from Clear Dollar Stamps, both in Chipped Sapphire.

     What could I have done differently? I should have made the notes on the front larger. I had meant to, but the first one started out small and tentative and then I was stuck >.< I wanted a bit more glitter and sparkle, but my gel pen colors matched better.  Maybe, some other glittery embellishment added on. On the inside, I thought about coloring the bird and I may still, when I write the note.

Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me. Please, say hi, so that I know you were here. Exercise your creative muscle today!

Another Card, Link to Free Fonts and Photos

 
     Here is the card I made today for my Youth Director's use. This one was made to be more general. She could still use it as a Thank-you card or she could use it for a teen for encouragement or even graduation or anytime for encouragement of a volunteer. I used the Imagine for this card with the Imagine More cart. Keeping it quick and easy, I cut it with without layers at 2 1/2 inches, also cutting 3 butterflies from the layer option on relative size at the same time. The background papers on the outside and inside were both made with the same cart using the background patterns and the built-in shapes on the Imagine. I used the square, because unfortunately the Imagine doesn't have a rectangle  with an A2 aspect ratio ;- ( This makes absolutely no sense to me. It seems like one of the most logical shapes to include for matting. So I use the square and over-cut picking in this case, 5 1/2 inches since that is the longer side that I needed. I cut it to fit the A2 card which would be 5 1/2 by 4 1/2. I curled the wing of one of the butterflies and attached it to the front to give dimension. I added a bit of bling by going over the butterfly with Gelly Roll  Clear Star marker. This so one of may favorite ways to add sparkle without the mess of glitter or trying to match glitter marker colors. It's a clear glitter maker that just adds a bit a sparkle. It's not easy to see it the photo though. I just did the dots and traced around the details on the butterfly. I also used a White Signo pen to go over the stitching on the oval to make it stand out. I almost hate to say that I used Viva Decor Pearl Pearl Pen to add the dots below the butterfly, because I didn't do a very neat job and this is a very good product, which makes great pearl dots. I need to practice more and not rush, like I did here. I had a strip of coordinating paper from another pattern from the Imagine More cart, left from another project, that I added to the top of the inside. I stamped this with a sentiment from Clear Dollar Stamps, Church Chatter sentiments. Next I added the other two butterflies to finish it off. What I would have changed? I probably would have made the image on the front larger, maybe 3 inches to better fill the front of the card. 4 cards down. Next I should work on some masculine ones because we do have male volunteers.

     I also picked up some free fonts from scrapnfonts.com today. They had 15 new free fonts available, if you had signed up for a free account. If you sign up no, you also get 3 free fonts for signing up. That's a total of 18 free fonts for newcomers. They have lots of great fonts that work for both Windows and Mac. Many of the fonts would be great with the Cricut if you have SCAL Sure Cuts A Lot, which is a third party program that lets you cut any font on your Cricut (it will cut it, but all fonts aren't practical based on the thickness of cuts and details of the cuts).  Even if you don't have SCAL, these fonts are great for use in cards and on scrapbook pages. Scrapnfonts puts out a newsletter with ideas, add new fonts often and regularly has great sales, so check them out. I use their fonts inside my cards and on flyers that I make for the Youth Bulletin board all of the time.

     Today, I'm going to leave with a few photos. I was out the other day getting the mail and I took my camera. Sharyn Sowell, check out her blog here, has helped me see more things in the little details. Though when I checked out her blog today she was noticing the big picture ;- ) So I try to catch details as well as patterns and textures in my photos, not just the usual photos I use to get. So, let me share some with you and maybe you will find some inspiration in them too.

 This is the snow on my back deck. I know jealous aren't you. Here in the midwest and my deck isn't covered enough to keep the boards from making a pattern. Can't say I'm complaining. I just liked the pattern it made.

 This is the birch by my house. Love the texture both in the summer and winter. Below is a close-up.

And lastly, I love the texture and depth of this photo. Also the greys in the background. Don't miss the beauty all around you as you rush through your day.