Happy Mail Tracker

Front Cover

Hello and Welcome Back!

As promised I am back with a project I made for a friend in India. We swapped 5 decorated tags and I used the beautiful collection - A Ladies Diary - by Graphic 45 to decorate her tags and to create this Happy Mail Tracker for her. She swaps with a lot of pals and thought this could be useful for her to keep up with what is going out and what is coming in. The cover and inserts are designer papers but the main body of the book is a file by The Cutting Cafe. I design for TCC and when Regina shared this new file with us I knew I had to create some for friends of mine. Unfortunately, I mailed two before I realized that I had forgotten to snap photos of them. Ugh! At least I remembered this time lol. We'll call it ex-cancer brain okay?1? LOL

Here is a link to the PDF file that is offered at The Cutting Cafe. All you have to do is print and trim to size. Easy peasy!! 

Happy Mail Tracker - Planner Add On Printable

I used a Cinch machine to bind my book but you could use any style binding you choose. I also decided to chomp the corners with a We R Memory Keepers Corner Punch - Scallop. All of the edges were inked (dp's only) with Gathered Twigs distress ink by Tim Holtz. The alpha's on the cover are from the sticker sheet from G45's Secret Garden collection. 

Here's what the rest of the book looks like.

If you like to swap happy mail then check out the links above to get this file. They make great gifts for your pen/swap pals and Christmas is not too far off in the distant future. ;)

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back with more scheduled posts next week with design team projects for ABC Christmas Challenge on the 5th and The Cutting Cafe on the 7th. 

See you then!

Crafty Hugs, 

Lisa xx

5 Tag Swap with Pen Pal

5 Tag Swap featuring Graphic 45's A Ladies Diary

Hello and welcome back! 

This is a scheduled post and today I'm sharing a Tag Swap I made for a dear friend in India. We originally met through Pocket Letter Pals and although I left PLP's we have remained friends. Earlier in the year she was battling cancer and in July I was diagnosed with cancer also. I'm happy to report that she is doing very well and has recovered. I am beginning my journey and on the 17th of this month I had surgery to remove the cancer and received a chemo treatment during surgery to kill any remaining cells. I have a rare cancer, Peritoneal Carcinomatosis, and just grateful that I was a candidate for the specialized surgery they now offer to patients. My family and I are praying that when I go for my first PET scan in November it comes back NED (no evidence of disease). It seems cancer touches so many people all over the world and it tends to bond you to each other in a very special way. That is why I wanted these tags to reflect beauty with a vintage touch (which she loves) and I couldn't resist adding encouraging notes using Tim's word stickers. 

Close up of the first tag, the sentiment is a cup apart from one of the designer papers. I die cut Tim's beautiful butterflies using another dp and inked the edges with Gathered Twigs distress ink. Liquid pearls were added to each tag and flat back pearls to the butterflies.

Fussy cut images really make these tags pop. I die cut a doily by Taylored Expressions and cut it in half and added to each side of this tag. 

Another die cut doily but this one is from My Favorite Things and I love the vintage feel of it.

The papers and cut aparts in this collection are so pretty. I added foam tape to some of the elements to add some dimension to each tag.

 

The flowers are a great feature and I fussy cut several types to add to these tags. The stamps were inked and two were popped up on foam tape. Every tag has a kraft base and all edges were inked with Gathered Twigs distress ink. I love the warmth this color adds. A O-ring was used to hold the tags together and I added various ribbon/trim to it as a finishing touch.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope these tags inspired you to create some of your own and swap with a friend or gift someone. I would appreciate your prayers for my continued recovery. It will be a long one but I knew that going into it and fully believe that I have more to do here and God is not finished with me yet.  I'll be back on Thursday (also a scheduled post) with a companion gift that I sent my friend as a happy. ;) 

Until then take care and I'll see you then!

Crafty Hugs,

Lisa xx

Fun with Rosettes at The Cutting Cafe

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Hello and Welcome!

I'm sharing a card today that features a great file - Fun with Rosettes - for The Cutting Cafe's second design team post this month. This was a quick and easy card to create and the rosette really packs a punch. The butterflies are also part of the file and I added 3 to this card for a visual pop of color. 

Visit TCC's blog today to see more inspiration using this template...cutting file. If you leave a comment on the DT post you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to win 3 FREE SETS of your choice from TCC. Regina will announce the winner on the 7th of September when our next post will be. Good Luck!

Lisa xx

Bible Verse Book for My Sister

Front Cover

***Photo Heavy Post***

I'm back with a share today that I made for my sister. It is a Bible Verse Book which offers encouragement from the Bible and I included inspirational quotes as well. She has been going through a lot the past few years with her health and I felt she needed this when I saw it on Suse Fish's blog. Suse recently changed her blog and unfortunately I couldn't find the link to it but you could search memory verse book which is what she called hers I believe. 

I used a ribbon as a closure for this book and various trims throughout to add some texture.  

The flower ephemera is a tuck spot.

Another tuck spot behind the butterfly. 

Love this quote!

One of my favorite Bible verses.

Another great quote! The tag is a journal spot where she can record prayer requests.

A great verse and one that we are both holding on to. 

The Proverbs 31 woman. :)

Another tuck spot on the left with a journaling tag.

Great quote!

My pastor says this all the time and it's true...

One of her favorite verses.

Always!

A place to record her blessings.

I stamped a favorite verse of mine on the left journal card. The stamp is from Verve Stamps which is now closed. So happy I have several of Julee's Scripture stamps!

A few more of her favorite verses.

Yes He is!!!

John 3:16 and a great quote on the right journal card.

Back Cover

I created this book by punching two holes in each journal card then using O-ring binding clasps to close. This photo shows the back cover on left and front cover on right.

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope this book inspires you to make one of your own. Be sure to check out Suse's blog and you can also find her on You Tube and Instagram. Have a great week everyone! 

Crafty Hugs,

Lisa xx

Christmas in July at The Cutting Cafe, Pt. 2

Welcome to the second installment of our Christmas in July design team posts at The Cutting Cafe. I love making Christmas projects when it's too hot to be outside. :) This card is one of my fave's for sure because I love the cutting file I used to create it. 

Christmas Bulb Greetings - Template and Cutting Files

There are several greetings in this file but I chose JOY for my card. We should always be filled with joy at Christmas and throughout the year. I backed the cut file with the base and trimmed a patterned paper to add some color and interest to my base card panel. I used the card fold, top bulb layer, base of bulb and ornament hanger in this set. Puffy stickers and liquid pearl dots add finishing touches to my shaker card which I filled with mini micro beads. 

Here is the file I used and you can see how many options there are. 

Sentiments are also offered but for this card I let the puffy sticker and cut file do the job.







For more inspiration by the design team click this link and enjoy a variety of Christmas in July projects. If you leave a comment on the DT post you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to win 3 FREE SETS and the winner will be announced on the 7th of August.

Thanks for stopping by!!!
Lisa xx

Animal Shaped Christmas Cards from TCC

Easter Bunny Shaped Card 2

*Stay tuned for important announcement at end of post*

It's Christmas in July at The Cutting Cafe and we've put a twist on it by using animal shapes for our design team projects. I love how this card turned out and truthfully I would have never used a rabbit on a Christmas card lol but it works. It was fun to create!

I love this bunny's tale and the fact that it's 3D makes me hop for joy!

Puffy stickers, wood veneer holly, flat back pearls and a googly eye add more dimension. The stamped sentiment is by Verve Stamps which is now closed. 

A punched MS holly border and stamped stars from Verve's Holiday Greetings set finish the inside.

For more inspiration visit The Cutting Cafe's blog tomorrow, the 7th, to view all  of the design team projects. If you leave a comment on the post you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to win 3 FREE SETS from TCC. Regina will announce the winner on the next DT post which will be the 21st of July. 

Regina, owner/designer of TCC, is offering discounted Christmas sets during the month of July. Here is the link to the current offering but be sure to check TCC's website and blog for additional offerings throughout July. 

Thanks for visiting!

Lisa xx

N for Name, O for 'On Skates etc' at ABC Christmas Challenge

Ice Skate Card

Christmas in July is what I was thinking when I created this design team card for the ABC Christmas Challenge. With the record hot temps here in the U.S. I'm definitely dreaming of a white Christmas. :) I'll stop and confess right now that I'm no ice skater but I wish I was. Ice skating is a beautiful sport and I love to watch it!

I used a SVG file by Daniela Moscone available at Silhouette Design Store called Ice Skate Card. 

The inside sentiment and image are by Verve Stamps which sadly closed their doors the end of June. I used stickers by Simple Stories on the opposite page.

For the front of my card I used a merry mix of embellishments and ephemera. The seasons greetings stamp is from G45's Night Before Christmas 3 stamp set and I backed it with a 1" punched circle from black cardstock. Years ago Pink Paislee offered a collection called  City Sidewalks and I still have some of the papers and ephemera in my stash. The bell ephemera is from that collection as are the fishtail banners. I ran some red/white twine through the tag and secured it with Tim's tiny attacher. The rosette is a dimensional sticker from Recollections and the glitter red heart was punched using a Fiskar's heart punch. I also used a circle sticker from G45's A Place in Time sticker sheet on the right side of the cluster and foam tape to give some of the elements dimension.

White and black gel pens add highlights and faux stitching. I added a chipboard 'Believe' by Echo Park to the blade, tinsel by Tim Holtz to the base of the ice skate and flat back pearls where the laces pull through and that completes this card.

I used the fold card and layering pieces from the SVG file to create my card. My Silhouette Cameo made this an easy task to do. Check out the Silhouette Design Store to see what is currently on sale and if memory serves me correctly I believe they have a big Christmas sale during July. If I learn when I'll pop in and edit this post and add a direct link. ;) You can also visit my dear friend's online store, The Cutting Cafe, as Regina offers several Christmas themed files and each one comes with various electronic cutter SVG files as well as a PDF version in case you don't own an electronic cutter.   

Sponsor

Neat and Tangled

Prize is a $25 gift certificate to our lucky winner.

also

Helen is our hostess this month and she is offering this stamp set from Lily of the Valley as a prize. 





You have from today, July 4th, until the end of the month to play along and as long as your project is Christmas themed you can enter as often as you like. The DT will be by to visit your inspiring creations soon and we all wish you the best of luck.

Crafty Hugs,

Lisa xx