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The blue of the sky that day

The blue of the sky that day published on 11 Comments on The blue of the sky that day

There is a now famous art piece at the the 9/11 Memorial titled “Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on That September Morning” by Spencer Finch. I have seen it in person and it is moving beyond words. It has 2,983 separate pieces to honor victims. Each is a different color of blue and it represents the idea that each of us has a different memory of that day. And in truth, each of us has a different perception of the color blue.

I have written about 9/11 in varying ways over the years. Each year I think that I have said all I can. But I also don’t feel I can let the day pass without acknowledging it in some way. I have shared stories over the years if you are interested: 9th Anniversary, 10th Anniversary, 11th Anniversary, 12th Anniversary, 13th Anniversary, 14th Anniversary, 15th Anniversary, 18th Anniversary and 19th Anniversary. But this year…this year is bigger. As I look through my previous posts, I find optimism, reflection and last year some sadness over the division that has swept over us. The last year has been one of ups and downs in my United Airlines life (if you will pardon the pun). This time last year, I was heading off to school in a downward movement back to the right seat of the Airbus from a wide body fleet. But in January, I started the process of moving to the Captain seat on the same plane and have been flying as a Captain on the Airbus 319/320 since April. Flying is coming back. There is a long way to go.

This card is very much like the one I shared on Instagram yesterday. But the blue on this is not unlike the art piece. Shades of blue. Different depending on where you look. I used the Wildflowers Stamp Set from Honey Bee Stamps and the new Thinking of You Big Time sentiment set. I added some silver splatters with Hero Arts Glimmer Metallic Ink in Pewter. It is simple but I love that the blue just washes across the panel.

I think maybe we need to consider more the idea of everyone remembering differently. Because then maybe we can give each other the grace to actually process things differently too. We are too quick to judge, too quick to dismiss and, sadly, too quick to assume the worst. I have no idea how to fix it but I do know that it starts with each one of us. Instead of looking at each blue like someone else remembers incorrectly, we look at each blue as a piece of a beautiful larger picture. Each of us brings nuance and something unique to the overall composition. At least for today, join me in enjoying all the colors of blue. We owe it to those lost to remember, each in our own way, but also together so that we have a chance of healing.

In memory of:

United 93:  Jason Dahl, LeRoy Homer Jr., Lorraine Bay, Sandra Bradshaw, Wanda Green, CeeCee Lyles, Deborah Welsh

United 175:  Victor Saracini, Michael Horrocks, Robert Fangman, Amy Jarret, Amy King, Kathryn Laborie, Alfred Marchand, Michael Tarrou, Alicia Titus, Marianne McFarlane, Jesus Sanchez

American 11:  John Ogonowski, Thomas McGuinness, Barbara Arestegui, Jeffrey Collman, Sara Low, Karen Martin, Kathleen Nicosia, Betty Ong, Jean D. Roger, Dianne Snyder, Madeline Sweeney

American 77:  Charles Burlingame III, David Charlebois, Michele Heidenberger, Jennifer Lewis, Kenneth Lewis, Renee May

Autumn Blessings

Autumn Blessings published on 1 Comment on Autumn Blessings

We are approaching the days where the nights are getting cooler here in Virginia and my stamping turns to fall colors. I pulled out my muted yellows and browns for today’s card that is created for the SugarPea Designs blog.

Many times when I make cards, I have an idea of the finished project in my head. This was not that card. I just wanted to play with texture and followed along where the card took me. It all started with the Leaf Canopy Stencil. I used textured embossing paste through the stencil and then left a space open for a sentiment. Once the paste was dry, I blended on Distress Oxide Inks in Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint and then added a bit of Distress Ink in Vintage Photo. I splattered on some water and then some simmer spray for a bit of detail.

I thought this gorgeous sentiment from the Autumn Blessing Stamp Set was perfect for the open space. I stamped it in brown ink, then heat embossed with clear embossing powder to help it pop a bit more. Still wasn’t looking finished so I cut some leaf sprigs with the SugarCut – Botanical Branches dies out of brown card stock. I added a bit of brown twine to finish it.

I hope you enjoy this taste of fall and are inspired to just sit down and create, letting the process take you along. Have a wonderful day!

Freshly Made Sketches #501

Freshly Made Sketches #501 published on 11 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #501

Whew…we made it! Sketch #500 was such fun and I am just in awe of the support we got from the crafting community! Even after the challenge started, companies joined us to add gifts. Amazing!!

With that, I’m thrilled to announce my winner from my blog! Our random “spin” says that Janelle E is the lucky recipient of the products and I’ll be getting in touch with her later today. Thank you all for your kind words and support!

Last month there was a coloring challenge on Instagram (the Daily Marker 30 Day challenge) where you try to color a bit every day. I missed some days but I posted along the way while I was coloring this image from the Pretty Postage Stamp Set by Honey Bee Stamps with Copic Markers. I finally got to finish it! I had fun taking a spring like image and using fall colors. The new Stacking Art Deco Dies cut the image perfectly and it made me so happy!

I used a sentiment from the set to follow the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches and I love this unique idea. A brilliant sketch by designer Kim Singdahlsen. I added a button from my stash along with some linen thread to help the top of the banner feel more finished.

Well, as I just posted my photo of the sketch, I realized that I forgot the crossing layer. Ah well. I am going to pull the distracted mom card on this one. I just moved my oldest to college over the weekend and I’ll admit, I’m a bit sad. He is in a GREAT place and doing exactly the right thing, just missing him. And yes, this card will accompany a batch of cookies. I’m going to take a few days off and actually go fly. But back next week with more! Until then, have a great day!

Freshly Made Sketches #500 – A Decade of Sketch Inspiration

Freshly Made Sketches #500 – A Decade of Sketch Inspiration published on 25 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #500 – A Decade of Sketch Inspiration

Yes, you read that right. Freshly Made Sketches is celebrating 500 sketches. A decade ago, the amazing Lesley started this challenge during a time when “clean” stamping was not a dominant style. She put together an idea of clean, but not always simple, designs based on layouts. BRILLIANT! I played along as a player from the first challenge and soon joined the team. It has been my biggest consistent inspiration in my stamping and it has been a great joy to be on this team for so many years.

As you can imagine, 10 years of a challenge is really worth celebrating. We have sponsors and the winners will simply be randomly chosen from all the players this week. Additionally, I have a personal prize too! As a thank you for the support you have given me over these many years, I will choose a winner from all who comment on this post. See the end of the post for details.

I love that Linda chose 5 layers for the sketch as a nod to the 500 milestone. I wanted to explore a little more on some of the products from the Honey Bee Stamps release we just featured. The Garden Harvest Florals is such fun to color and I thought it would be perfect for this sketch. All of the elements were colored with Copic Markers. I chose a pretty gingham from the Summer Stems paper pack that had a bit of a late summer/early fall feel.

The sentiment is my favorite part of the card. It comes from the Bitty Buzzwords: Fall stamp and die set. Truly, this sums up how I feel about this team. Some have been together for the whole 10 years, some joined us more recently, but all are amazing. In every possible definition of the word, our happy little group is a team. And one that has given me immeasurable joy!

For my personal giveaway, I will send the above products to one lucky winner, randomly chosen from those who comment on this post. Giveaway is limited to those in the US only. It include: Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry Ink and products from Honey Bee Stamps: Team Tie Dye Paper Pack, Precision Tip Glue, Bee Young: Blooms Stamps and Dies. Winner will be contacted via information left when you comment.

Again, thank you for playing along, supporting our fun challenge and for always sharing your time and talents in our gallery. We are so grateful you have included us in your crafty adventures!

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 4

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 4 published on 2 Comments on Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 4

Welcome to the Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release Sneak Peeks! Today is day four of our peeks at the new release and, as usual, you will be totally wow’d by all the amazing sets. Tonight the release goes live!!

For my last day of sneak peeks, I am sharing the new Patchwork Pumpkin Stamp Set and Honey Cut Dies plus the Sentiment Frames Honey Cut Dies. (These affiliate links will not be live until the release opens for sale tonight, August 23rd after the Release Party on IG and FB at 9p CT.)

I am going to confess that fall is my favorite season. I love all the fall things! And pumpkins rank really high on the list. This Patchwork Pumpkin set comes with so many options to build adorable pumpkins with a never-ending variety of patterns. I thought that copper embossing would be a fun way to show a couple of the patterns. For the inner oval, I stamped, embossed and then cut. But for the outer layer (which is actually only a mid sized layer in the set) I cut the paper first and then lined up the stamp in my Misti for stamping with Versamark and then heat embossing. I only had to line up the image once since the die is symmetric. I just turned it around to stamp the other side!

I stamped some fo the elements in the set, embossed and cut them out too. I love the little vines! The frame is part of the new Sentiment Frames die set. I cut it from white paper and then “smooshed” it into my Versamark pad and added embossing powder, then heated. The sentiment is from the Inside: Thankful Sentiments set introduced on day 2. I cannot wait to use this set more and try all the patterns!

So glad you stopped in today. I hope you will consider shopping with me via my links when they go live later tonight. There is no additional cost to you and it helps me keep my little blog running. Thanks for joining me for all the fun on this release!

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 3

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 3 published on 1 Comment on Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 3

Welcome to the Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release Sneak Peeks! Today is day three of our peeks at the new release and, as usual, you will be totally wow’d by all the amazing sets.

I am so excited about today’s share! I’m including a die set introduced yesterday by the team and a new sentiment set. AND….all things mini-slimline! Today’s products are: Lovely Layers: Sunflower Honey Cut Dies, Bitty Buzzwords: Seasons Stamp and Honey Cut Dies, Sweet Stacks: Mini Slimline Dies and Mini Slimline Envelope Dies (These affiliate links will not be live until the release opens for sale on August 23rd after the Release Party on IG and FB at 9p CT.)

I’m going to be real here. Based on the reaction to the last flower (the Coneflower), I’m sure this Sunflower Honey Cut set is going to fly out the door. Fly! So be ready to get it fast. I went on a tried and true path and used the dies on the prints from the Team Tie Dye paper. Then, on the flower petals, I added some Copic Marker shading for more depth. The paper had already done most of the work so the shading was super easy but adds so much.

I added gold and black splatters on all the elements and set them aside to dry. Then I started working on my base. I used Neenah Desert Storm paper with the new Mini Slimline Sweet Stacks dies. Once cut, I brushed on Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Vintage Photo then added splatters to match the flower. Once dry, I pondered my sentiment. And then… the obvious, most awesome sentiment jumped right out. I know, I know. But I really made me happy! I stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with Gold Embossing Powder.

Putting the card together was easy after that. I used strategic foam tape to give the flower dimension and then attached it to the base. But I wasn’t done yet. This card needed its very own special envelope! The new Mini Slimline Envelope Honey Cuts are brilliantly designed. There are a couple of styles: rounded edges or the ticket edge I used here. It is super easy to piece together too so your special card can have that last special touch! I added the same ink and splatters to the envelope that I used on the card. And now just look. When the recipient goes to pull out the card, they see the sentiment first!! Oh. My. Word. Again, I may be overly pleased with myself but this just make my creative day!

So glad you stopped in today. Back tomorrow for day four of the peeks! Have a beautiful day!

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 2

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 2 published on 1 Comment on Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 2

Welcome to the Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release Sneak Peeks! Today is day two of our peeks at the new release and, as usual, you will be totally wow’d by all the amazing sets.

Today I get to show you some beautiful dies and a must-have sentiment set. Introducing the Grapevine Wreath Honey Cut Dies, Itty Bitty Fall Flowers Honey Cut Dies, and the Inside: Thankful Sentiments Stamp and Honey Cut Dies (These affiliate links will not be live until the release opens for sale on August 23rd after the Release Party on IG and FB at 9p CT.)

There are so many things to be made with this Grapevine Wreath! I’m thinking holiday cards already, to be honest. But today, I just wanted to go monochromatic and elegant. I love the result. I cut the wreath twice, once from white and once from Desert Storm. I also cut the bow and then used the Itty Bitty Fall Flowers Honey Cuts for even more elements. I added splatters of gold and white shimmer to my base and all the elements.

To add even more shine, I stamped the sentiment from Inside: Thankful Sentiments in gold ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I admit that getting a good photo on this card was a challenge but I think you can see enough of the details to appreciate the shimmer.

So glad you stopped in today. Back tomorrow for day three of the peeks! Have a beautiful day!

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 1

Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 1 published on No Comments on Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release – Sneak Peek Day 1

Welcome to the Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Splendor Release Sneak Peeks! Today is day one of our peeks at the new release and, as usual, you will be totally wow’d by all the amazing sets.

I have twice the inspiration for you today with some ah-mazing new products to share. I am super excited to show you new image and sentiment stamp sets and new stacking shape dies: Bold Botanicals Stamp Set and Honey Cuts Dies, Praying Big Time Stamp Set and Honey Cuts Dies, Stacking Art Deco Labels Honey Cuts, Garden Harvest Stamp Set and Honey Cuts Dies, and the Sweet Stacks: Circle Dies (These affiliate links will not be live until the release opens for sale on August 16th after the Release Party on IG and FB at 9p CT.)

The Bold Botanicals set is really a flower lover’s dream. So many solid images that are great for layering with the coordinating dies like I did or direct to card stamping. They line up easily and have thoughtful designs. I stamped them using Altenew inks in a variety of summer colors. Then, I pulled out the new Stacking Art Deco Labels as a layer for arranging the flowers. I love this shape and it will be so easy to use on so many kinds of cards.

When I saw the shape, it reminded me of the style in the Quatrefoil A2 Coverplates so I added those as a base for more interest. Now let’s get to the sentiment. The new Praying Big Time set is full of kind sentiments. So naturally, I chose the only one with a bit of snark. Yep, I do speak fluent “southern”! Something about this with the rest of the card using pretty elements made me chuckle. And if you can’t make yourself laugh while stamping….. Needless to say, you will enjoy this whole set and I will use it a lot.

For my next card, I moved on to fall! The Garden Harvest set is so incredibly beautiful with fall images you will not be able to resist. I stamped a number of them (and the sunflowers twice) and just sat down to enjoy coloring with my Copic Markers.

Once done, I added them onto a circle cut with the new Sweet Stacks: Circle Dies which will be a workhorse in the stamp room. The older Farmhouse Check Background was the perfect detail for the base. And that sentiment…a bit of a peek into tomorrow’s showings.

So glad you stopped in today. Back tomorrow for day two of the peeks! Have a great start to your weekend.

FMS498 and SPD Mix It Up #82

FMS498 and SPD Mix It Up #82 published on 8 Comments on FMS498 and SPD Mix It Up #82

Happy Wednesday! I am here today with a combo card that joins two of my challenges, Freshly Made Sketches and SugarPea Designs’ Mix It Up Challenge.

When I looked at the inspiration photo, I fell in love with the colors! And then I saw Jen Mitchell’s sketch and I knew just what to do. I pulled out the Meadow Motifs Stamp Set and chose two of the floral sprays. To match the sketch I put the smaller one in the bottom right corner on Desert Storm card stock. Then I pulled out some fall colored Copic Markers in yellows, oranges and browns.

I love how those colors change the entire feel of the images! And it made me so very happy. For a sentiment, I reached to the Floral Envie Stamp Set. This sentiment is really beautiful and I thought it provided just the right balance for the card. I hope you enjoy this combination and will come play along!

Last week I promised a sneak peek week from Honey Bee Stamps. Well, Covid strikes again and there was a delay in shipping the release to the company. In order to make sure customers were able to order, the peeks were delayed. But they are scheduled to start this Friday. I cannot wait to share! Until then, I hope you have some time to craft.

Freshly Made Sketches #498

Freshly Made Sketches #498 published on 5 Comments on Freshly Made Sketches #498

I am the sketch designer for Freshly Made Sketches this week and I hope you will enjoy this one.

I had seen a video tutorial recently by the wonderful Francine Vuilleme and I wanted to try her technique. I thought this was the perfect time to give it a go. Using an oval die, I cut out some scrap paper and then sponged on Distress Ink (if you have an oval stencil, that would be a great choice too). Then I looked around the craft room for how to finish the card.

The natural choice was the Color Stamp Set and Honey Cuts dies. I love all the phrase choices in the set but this one seemed just perfect.

I hope you enjoy playing along with the sketch this week. And yes, I wish you a color filled day! See you on Wednesday for the start of a new sneak peek for Honey Bee Stamps.

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