Sunshine in my pocket

Thanks Bunches card

By KariV on April 19, 2014 in Gift Ideas, Paper Crafting

This week has been a week of gratitude for me…and I never seem to have enough thank you cards! So today, I was inspired by the colors of Paper Smooches in their weekly challenge and I created a happy thank you card for a favorite person.

I used some distress inks to create a colorful background for this very happy bunny! And see those carrots in the background? They are heat embossed with sparkly embossing powder. Here’s a better look:

Such a happy card. I love those Paper Smooches stamps!

All ready for gifting! Joining up with the Paper Smooches challenge here.
Also linking up with Simon Says Stamp Animal Antics challenge here.

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Wishing You Sunny Days card

By KariV on March 27, 2014 in Paper Crafting

More inspiration from Julie Ebersole and Kristina Werner!

This time, some sun rays and glitter embossing powder inspired me to put together this little sweet card:

I used a Hero Arts stamp for the rays, and added clear glitter embossing powder. In real life, the glitter looks so cool!
I can’t wait until the next online card class. I really learned a lot more than I expected!

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A Birdie Told Me . . .

By KariV on March 27, 2014 in Uncategorized

I have been completely inspired by Julie Ebersole in Clean & Simple Card Class 3 (online card classes with Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner).

Here’s the card I made using some of her techniques like the splatter paint, watercolor, and adding a shadow.

I’m just loving this class! And I do have to thank this course for getting me blogging again! After a tough couple months, and a big move…I’m almost back to myself again. Deep breath!

And, my craft room is almost organized and clean. Yes! A craft room that is all my own!! See, there are a few perks when your kids move out. (I miss them tons, but having my own craft room is sure a plus!) I think I just might be sharing my craft room later. 😉

Until then….

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Hello, New Year; Goodbye, Friend and Father

By KariV on January 14, 2014 in Inspiration, Uncategorized

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Fabulous New Year celebration. We had my entire family in from out of town and it was wonderful. We shared New Year’s Eve with some old friends and that was glorious, too.

But this New Year started off with a great loss to our family. My husband’s Father passed away from pancreatic cancer on Saturday, January 4th.

Oh, he was a fighter. He was given 3 months to live, yet lived well for another TWO YEARS! He was no stranger to cancer, actually. Over the past three years, he battled 3 types of cancer and he beat them all…until this one.

I write this with a heavy heart because it happened so recently and I’m still feeling much sadness. But I hold the hope of a lighter heart because I know he is free from the pain, and I know that we will someday see him again.

He worked hard all the way up until November 2013…you see, he was a HARD WORKER and he taught his kids the value of hard work. He was an example of dedication, loyalty, compassion, honesty, integrity, and creativity. He was an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and an amazing architect. I love that he taught his son (my husband) how to build, create and fix things!

His dream was to purchase a home he built many, many years ago and fix it up again. He did that. He wanted a comfortable place for his sweetheart to live and he had dreams of changing a few things. Over the last year, my in-laws began working on the house and moving their belongings over. But he was not able to finish…and I know he lasted this long because he desperately wanted to know that his wife would be ok.

Well, Opa…we will continue to help her in finishing the dream. We love you and we will miss you! Thank you for your influence in my life.

I imagine that he is now seeing far more beautiful scenery than these flower fields we visited together just last April 2013 (and before his last fight with pancreatic cancer).

For any of you who have seen cancer at work…I am sorry. It is not an easy challenge.
My wish for you, dear readers, is a year filled with wonder and beauty. I know it can be so, if we just look around. Hugs.

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Christmas Tags (free printable)!

By KariV on December 19, 2013 in Christmas, Freebies, Gift Ideas, Holidays

It’s less than a week until Christmas! Do you have all your gifts wrapped?

About this time of year I’m searching for some gift tags…and this year I MADE some to share with you! So head on over to my guest post for the 25 Days of Christmas and score some free printable tags.