A Cheerful Friend

Years and years ago, I received a big batch of card bases from someone who had gotten out of card making.  A lot of them were just plain, basic A2 or square bases, but some of them were pre-cut like these heart ones.  I've been at a loss as to what to do with them.  But I found them again a while ago (unfortunately, not before Valentine's Day!) and since I am trying really hard to use up some scraps I have lying around, I thought now was the perfect time to use them.  I also had this batch of decorative brads which include some with banners already attached.  As they had the same shades as the paper scraps, I put them to work, too.  And I really like how it all turned out.  For this first one, I also had a bit of turquoise mesh that was lying around, but was really too small to do much with.  I adhered it behind the heart cut outs and then layered squares of the patterned paper behind.  It's very subtle, but it gives a great textural element.  I added the banner to the top and stamped the sentiment at the bottom.  It needed something else, so I stamped the flourish with a pale pink.

 The colors on this one are a little brighter.   I had used up all the mesh on the first, but other than that, this card is pretty similar.  For this card, I made my own banner to go with one of the brads from the collection.  It looks just as good to me!

 And here is the third card.  I created the ombre on "grace" by sponging ink on a piece of scrap white card, then I die cut it.  I also die cut it out of plain white paper 3 (possibly 4) times and layered them all together to add some awesome dimension!

I'm sending this one to a couple in our church that seem to have all sorts of difficulties in their life.  I hope it will be an encouragement to them.  Since it is a square card, I had to make my own envelope and decided to decorate the outside to go along with the card.

I used an extra special PTI stamp on the envelope: my address stamp is one I won during their anniversary celebration a couple years ago.

CARD 1:
Supplies:
Stamps: Verve "Text Objects" sentiment; Clear Dollar Stamps Flourish

Challenges:
Sweet Stampin--anything but birthday
CAS-ual Fridays #169--off the edge (I stamped the flourish stamp off the edge of the card)
Crafty Creations #336--anything goes
Crafty Gals #115--polka dots and/or stripes (there are dots in the brown paper and stripes in the second paper)
The Paper Shelter #284--circles/dots and/or stripes
Tuesday Throwdown #333--thinking of you


CARD 2:
Stamps: PTI "Inspired: Grace"; Clear Dollar Stamps Flourish

Challenges:
Hiding in My Craft Room #292--super scraps
Penny's Challenges #319--anything goes
Cardz TV #4--anything goes
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper--anything goes with patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday #272--anything goes with uplifting sentiment

CARD 3:
Stamps: PTI "Inspired: Grace" sentiment; Verve "Better Together" distressed dots
Dies: PTI "Inspired: Grace"

Challenges:
Brown Sugar #240--anything goes
Crafting By Designs--3 patterned papers
PaperTrey Ink--create a card & matching envelope and SEND it (mine went in the mail this morning)
A Bit More Time To Craft #39--anything goes
Time Out Challenge--love and/or friendship with the option of spotlight stamping (I spotlighted the "grace" by using a different color for it to make it stand out more)