Have A Great Day

 Hi there crafters!  Remember this one from the last show?  It was a demo that I did to show how you can save a card even if you haven't stamped it perfectly!  That happens quite a bit too for one reason or another.  I used the Tufted Background stamp by Justrite and inked it in clear Perfect Medium and stamped it on aqua card.  I heat embossed it with white powder, but a bit of the corner did not get enough ink.  I probably could have hid it with more flowers, but I decided to give it a vellum cover.  You can still see the stamped image softly below the vellum but now it has an additional texture to it which I really like.  I embossed the vellum with the Extra Confetti folder by Couture Creations.  It has a pretty swirly pattern to it.  If you put a dot of Cosmic Shimmer Dries Clear glue in each corner, then smooth it out with your finger, attach the vellum and you can't see the glue (I still like to add pearls to the corners, but it isn't necessary to hide the glue!)  I matted it on to a piece of white card, then a larger piece of aqua card.  I cut two of the Decorative Labels Eight dies in white and then slotted the aqua card into the corners of each one and taped them down in the back, they make a really lovely edging for your cards that way.  Next I stamped the Vintage Labels Seven Rose on white card.  I coloured it with Distress markers (Tumbled Glass, Spun Sugar and Shabby Shutters).  I lined up the template I made for the Vintage Labels Seven die to the image then taped one side so it hinged.  I covered it with a sticky adhesive sheet and then moved the die template back into place and cut it out.  I peeled off the backing paper and covered it with Iced Snow for some glitz.  I made a couple of roses using my Classic Rose die set, stamped the sentiment and cut it out with the tag die from the Nested Cloud die set.  The leaves were from the Bitty Blossom set.  I added some white pearl strings as accents and finished the card with a double white mat.  Finished dimensions are 6" x 7 1/4" in size.

A couple of quick things before I announce the card winner for this week.  I have noticed quite a few questions that have been left in the comments.  Since my posts are usually scheduled in bunches ahead of time, for the most part I can never remember to answer the questions when I write my posts.  Please just email me directly at americansue1@gmail.com if you have any questions, as I am happy to answer them.

   I have gotten quite a few emails recently about the Heart Lattice embossing folder so I wanted to let everyone know that the videos using that folder were filmed last July when we did have quite a good stock of them.  We are going to be doing another run of them so I will let you know when they have arrived.  We still have about three or four more videos in the original series to air and I have already filmed a second series of videos which focuses entirely on my new die line.  Those videos will be put up on the blog as soon as the first series is complete in about two weeks time.

On to the card winner now....  This week's card giveaway goes to:

Helen Terry!!!

Congratulations!  Please email me at americansue1@gmail.com to confirm your address and claim your card!

Today would have been my Dad's 94th birthday (sadly he passed away a few years ago), but I am going to place some flowers on the monument at Molesworth (where he was stationed during WWII) in remembrance of him this morning.  Every year I go back and reread the Lessons of Life that he sent me (he didn't write it, but came upon it and sent it to me), but I still think that it is just the most well written bit of advice that I have ever come across.  I am including it again in today's post after all the card pictures if anyone would like to read it.

Lessons of Life

LESSONS OF LIFE .Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good. 2. When in doubt, just take the next small step. 3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch. 5. Pay off your credit cards every month. 6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone. 8. It's OK to get angry 9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. 10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. 11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. 12. It's OK to let your children see you cry. 13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it. 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks. 16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. 17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger. 19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow. 23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple. 24. The most important sex organ is the brain. 25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. 26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?' 27. Always choose life. 28. Forgive everyone everything. 29. What other people think of you is none of your business. 30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time. 31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 33. Believe in miracles.3 4. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do. 35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. 36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young. 37. Your children get only one childhood. 38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back. 41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 42. The best is yet to come.. 43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 44. Yield. 45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift." Remember that I will always share my spoon with you! Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves I think that we all need to take a few moments every day and be grateful and appreciative of what we have.

I love you Dad!

All for now, Sue x