Praying for You

I really don't like making sympathy cards. I don't think anyone does. Unfortunately, I needed one today and I didn't have any cards in my stash. I used a Card Positioning Systems sketch (CPS 117 http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2009/05/reader-ideas-week-of-52409.html). As you can see, I did not use a literal interpretation of the sketch. Instead I tweaked it and turned it. Here's my card:

This card is going to a friend whose 19-year-old nephew passed away. This boy faced many challenges and afflictions during his short life. His family firmly believes that he is in a better place now where he can run with no limitations. I tried to symbolize this rebirth by using butterfly stamps.

I stamped both of the images on the outside of the card as well as the sentiments with Versamark ink and then used the black and white embossing powder. On my first attempt, I embossed the big butterfly on plain card stock and colored it in with chalks. I wasn't crazy about how it turned out so I decided to stamp the image right on the patterned paper. This was just the look I was after.

After I stamped the sentiment on the inside of the card, I felt that it looked a little plain so I pulled out another set of butterflies and used Versamark ink to stamp them across the page.

The sentiment reads: May the peace of God bring you comfort today and hope for tomorrow. That's something I'm sure we all wish for every day.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! card stock (kraft); Basic Grey patterned paper (Scarlet Letter); stamps -- Amy Butler Lotus Floral (large butterfly and stem), Inkadinkadoo Patterned Bugs (butterfly spray on inside), Stampin' Up! Very Versatile (sentiments); Versamark ink; embossing powder -- Stampin' Stuff (Detail White), Ranger (Black); Spellbinders Nestabilities (Petite Oval -- Small, Petite Classic Oval -- Large); Cuttlebug, Marvy Uchida heat embosser, Stampamajig; Fiskars 5-inch Nonstick Scissors for distressing.

Slow Down

Today is the start of a long weekend and the unofficial start of Summer. It's also World Turtle Day and that seems as good a time as any to make a card that says, "Slow Down."

I used Sketch 116 over at Card Positioning Systems as inspiration for this card. You can see the sketch here: http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/2009/05/cps-116-sponsored-by-stamping-bella.html. I stamped the image twice -- once on the white card stock and once on the patterned paper. Then, I cut out the shell from the image on the patterned paper and paper pieced it onto the first image.

I mailed this card out to my niece Jenn. She LOVES turtles and is the reason why I happen to know that today is World Turtle Day. She is also eight-months pregnant and in need of a reminder to "Slow Down!" Yes, Jenn, your To-Do list can wait. Enjoy these last precious days before my great nephew is born!

Ingredients: Stampin' UP! card stock (Kraft, Whisper White & Soft Sky); Sassafraslass patterned paper (Sunshine Lollipops); stamp -- Inkadinkadoo (Cool Turtle); ink -- Stampin' Up! (Chocolate Chip); alphabet stickers -- Deja View (Jubilee); tools -- cricut cartridge (George and Basic Shapes), EK Success corner rounder, Nestabilities (Classic Squares Large); twin from my stash.

Branching Out

When I first saw the Branch Out stamp set in the 2009 Stampin' Up! catalog, I knew I had to have it. I also knew that the first tree I would make would be a pink tree just like the Japanese cherry tree that flowered outside my bedroom window every Spring while I was growing up. So, here is my card:

I stamped the tree on Stampin' Up Naturals White card stock. I like how the tiny flecks of color in the card stock complements nature stamps. I knew I wanted to put a sentiment on the card but stamping on the card stock near the tree just didn't work for me. That's when I decided to stamp on the ribbon. I tied the ends of the ribbon together with brown twine to complete the woodsy feel.

I found these cute, clear boxes at Papertrey Ink and used them to package a matching set of note cards to give to Melissa's religion teacher.

Here's a link to see the boxes up close: http://papertreyink.com/pb_clearboxes.html

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! card stock (kraft, pink pirouette, naturals white, chocolate chip); stamps --Stampin' Up! Branch Out, Technique Tuesday Simple Sentiments; ink -- Stampin' Up! Pink Pirouette, Anna Griffin Brown, Versa Magic Dew Drop Tea Leaves; ribbon and twine from my stash.

Guess Who....

Guess who I saw last week?

That's right! I saw Bruce Springsteen...

... and the E Street Band!!

I'll warn you now, this is a picture -heavy post and not one of them is scrapbook related.

So, here's a view from our seats:

It had been more than twenty years since I last saw Bruce in concert and, let me tell you, he still knows how to rock the house! Opening with Badlands and No Surrender, he remarked that millions of years ago, Long Island and New Jersey were one continuous landmass so he and the band were glad to be back with their "lost brothers and sisters!" Talk about knowing how to get the crowd going! Here's a video of part of the opening set. (Note: You need to scroll down and turn off the playlist music before playing the video.)

The concert offered a mix of old and new both on and off the stage. When I saw him years ago, Giants Stadium was filled with twenty somethings. This time around, the Coliseum was packed with people of all ages ranging from the very young (like the 5-year-old in the seat in front of us) to his original fans who are now forty and fifty something! Springsteen and Little Stevie seemed to have a soft spot for the kids this year. Instead of Courtney Cox, it was a tween who got pulled on stage during Dancing in the Dark. His youngest fans were also the lucky recipients of several guitar picks and a harmonica.

The E Street Band put on a great show, playing for over two-and-a-half hours. The only member of the band who seemed to age was Clarence. But even an older Clarence still knows how to blow that sax!

Bruce and company raised the roof when they closed their first set with Born to Run. I must warn you that this video is a little shaky. After all, who can sit still during this classic?

Two encores later, we were treated to the rarely performed Roselita. And, again, I apologize for the shaky video. Notice the woman in front of me towards the end of the video. She was on her blackberry all night. At first we though she was twittering but then we realized she was googling the lyrics to all of the songs. She spent the night reading the lyrics off the Blackberry instead of watching The Boss. Could you even imagine doing that?!

I'll end this post with a picture of the band's final bow. Thanks, Rich and Sandra, for asking me to join you for such a great night!! Come back tomorrow for a scrappy post.