The PaperPeasant

"The Circle of Friendship"

I don't know about you but for me.... when it comes to creating cards that are anything BUT square or rectangle, I enter into the zone of "uncomfortable!!" Don't get me wrong, I love things that are circular in shape......buttons, die cuts, brads, gems, did I mention buttons?....but a circle card..... holy circle moley!!! 

This weeks challenge time over at the Perfect Sentiments Challenge blog was to create a card with a sentiment of friendship and it's for a circle card!! The "Twist": use the following sketch as the inspiration piece: 

This weeks winner will receive free digital image of their choice from Pattie's Creations so be sure to visit Patti's page and show some love and appreciation!!Our sponsors are so good to us, we want to be sure to recognize them for their wonderful giveaways!!!

 A few days ago a friend of mine stopped by and requested a "special" card. She wrote down a quote she has heard and asked if I could incorporate it into a card for her (this conversaiton took place BEFORE I had read the challenge for this week....no kidding!!) So, I read the quote over a few days and then sat down on Sunday to create her card as well as one for this weeks challenge. 

Need I remind you this week what the challenge is??? FRIENDSHIP!!!!

The quote given to me is:

"Friendship is not a big thing, it's a million little things."

Do you not LOVE IT when that happens!!! So, I have a challenge card and Colleen my dear sweet friend, you have a card!!

I enjoy the colors on this and for sure I love the sentiment, it's so true isn't it? When we think about those who we share friendships with, there are many little things about them that we love and admire, not just one thing, that's what makes friendships so special!!

I'm a nature girl at heart.....I love fall colors, anything with a brown undertone and I'm probably going to use it in a creation!! When you add in the various shades of

orange and just a ping of white, it all blends together into a well fitted combination, much like a friendship!!!

 Do you have a special friend? Have you told them recently what special qualities they possess that makes them so special to you? Maybe you could join our challenge this week and express your appreciation to them in a special, creative way!!! Whatever means we take to share with someone else, what's important is that we do it and don't put it off for another day!! Make them a card, send them a note, pick up the phone and call them, whatever you do will be appreciated by them and you'll be glad you did it!!

 Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

 For more inspiration check out my fellow design team members
creations:

Sarah

Abby

Jan

Maggie

Jessica

Sassy

January 2012 Guest Designers:

Tabitha

Karen

Ashley

NOTE:: Regretfully, if you are a prize winner who lives outside of the United States, we are unable to award you a physical prize. By the time we have to do the customs paperwork and everything associated with sending parcels out of the United States, it always costs more than what the prize is worth in most cases, and this includes Canada, unless you have a Post Office Box in the United States. APO and PPO box addresses are considered US.) If you live outside of the U.S. and you win we will award you with a digital prize that can be sent electronically via email. Thanks for your understanding.

"A Birthday Worth Resisting! "

Welcome back, I missed you all last week but am thankful to have been able to spend a few days with Dad and Mom in Maine. Dad's on the road to recovery albeit a slow journey to get there. He and Mom appreciate all of your prayers and words of encouragement!

Well, it's challenge time over at the Perfect Sentiments Challenge blog!  This week we're going to

create a card with a sentiment for Birthday's and the "Twist": use the resist embossing technique! Note:: If you need help with this technique there are many to be found on You Tube, too. Here is one from Splitcoaststampers.  This weeks winner will receive A grab bag of crafting supplies valued at a minimum of $15 (limited to US participants.  In the event a non-US participant wins we will reward them with digital images.) This weeks challenge is being sponsored by "My Little Somethings". Be sure to check them out and show some electronic love for their generosity!

 Perfect timing for me as I've got a few family members with birthdays this month so I'll be needing a few cards to send out! Here's my card for this weeks challenge:

After getting this post ready to go up I felt a pang of guilt in my fingers and recognized it as the guilt I feel when I don't place a card in my "Maine Mom's" box. (All these miles apart and she still reaches me!!! lol!!) A few "extras were made so that she and I both can send out on birthday cards!

 Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

 For more inspiration check out my fellow design team members
creations:

Jennipher

Samantha   

Sarah

Abby

Jan

Maggie

Jessica

January 2012 Guest Designers:

Tabitha

Karen

Ashley

NOTE:: Regretfully, if you are a prize winner who lives outside of the United States, we are unable to award you a physical prize. By the time we have to do the customs paperwork and everything associated with sending parcels out of the United States, it always costs more than what the prize is worth in most cases, and this includes Canada, unless you have a Post Office Box in the United States. APO and PPO box addresses are considered US.) If you live outside of the U.S. and you win we will award you with a digital prize that can be sent electronically via email. Thanks for your understanding.

"When God Carries You"

I'm in Maine spending a few days at the hospital with my Dad as he begins the road to recovery. My husband's Christmas gift to me was a ticket to fly home and see Dad and Mom....little did he know that it was scheduled for the exact time that I needed to get here! (That's what my husband referred to as "Divine intervention"!)

I packed a few craft supplies for my trip, knowing I would have some time to make a few cards for my "Maine Mom" while I was here. I only brought two rubber stamps with me....one that I knew I could use my Prisma pencils on and the other one I thought at the time would be easy to incorporate into a few cards. Some water color paper, a little ribbon and tape and I figured I was good to go!

When I pulled out this stamp today I paused long enough to read it and looked at it in my hand with a bit of shock. Out of all of the hundreds of stamps I own and this is the one I put into my suitcase:

"He spoke, "My Precious Child, I Love You and would never leave you... When I saw only one set of footprints, that was when I Carried You."

My Dad has been quite ill in the hospital for several weeks battling infection. All of us who love him have waited each day for news of his condition, there was nothing we could do to help him except for the one thing that meant the most.....We could pray and allow God to carry him through this. We couldn't remove the infection, we couldn't decrease the pain, we couldn't give him peace, but as the words ran through my mind I recognized that we didn't need to because God was carrying him through it because Dad is His child and He loves him.

A card on Dad's wall from someone at Dad and Mom's church referred to Matthew 8:3 which says "And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." No other can heal like Jesus and this is true in the case of Dad. We cannot understand why Dad ad Mom are walking through this, nor can we see what will happen in the upcoming days but what we can understand is that God is carrying Dad because He loves him and faith in this can bring peace for us all.

For those of you that know Dad or have read about him on my blog, you'll know that he is an encourager to many, even during times that he himself needs to be encouraged. I would ike to ask you to send our Dad a card of encouragement as he continues to recover at the hospital as he'll be here for a while longer. You can send cards and notes of encouragement to him by mailing them to:

Eastern Maine Medical Center

Attn: Richard Blake, Room 398B

489 State Street
Bangor, ME 04401

Until next time,

Theresa

"Valentine's With Vellum"

Welcome to the first challenge for 2012 over at the Perfect Sentiments Challenge blog!  This week we're going to create a card with a sentiment for Valentine's Day and the "Twist": use vellum on your project!  This weeks winner will win a sheet of vellum stickers (US participants only) from Eyelets Etc. (If the winner is form outside of the US, digital images will be sent).

Here's my card for this weeks challenge:

I'm traveling to Maine on Thursday to spend a few days with my Dad and "Maine Mom." Please keep them in your prayers....Dad's in the hospital and Mom is traveling back and forth to be with him. I'll be taking the cards I have made in my "Maine Mom" box to give Mom....it's not often that I can hand deliver cards to her and I'm really looking forward to it!!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

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 For more inspiration check out my fellow design team members
creations:

Jennipher

Samantha   

Sarah

Abby

Jan

Tere

Maggie

Jessica

January 2012 Guest Designers:

Tabitha

Karen

Ashley

NOTE:: Regretfully, if you are a prize winner who lives outside of the United States, we are unable to award you a physical prize. By the time we have to do the customs paperwork and everything associated with sending parcels out of the United States, it always costs more than what the prize is worth in most cases, and this includes Canada, unless you have a Post Office Box in the United States. APO and PPO box addresses are considered US.) If you live outside of the U.S. and you win we will award you with a digital prize that can be sent electronically via email. Thanks for your understanding.

"Break Out the Party Dress!!"

There are many benefits to the holiday season... time with family, lots of good food, time to relax and of course.....extra time to craft!! {woo hoo!!} The busyness of life tends to reduce my free time which is why I believe holidays were invented....so we can catch up on the fun stuff life crafting!!

SCS is having their Friday "Free for All" and I was so excited to be able to have a little extra time to join in. Since New Years is a time for parties, the challenge is to break out our favorite dress stamps, die cuts or even a hand cut dress and make a project. Boy, you should see some of the creations these talented crafters have come up with!! If only I could find a way to turn each stamped image of a dress into the real thing {in a size 6 of course!!}

I'm loving my new paper bins that I was able to get with a Christmas gift card from my son....each color in its proper place. For challenge such as these, the ability to make better choices as to color is so much easier, and I am able to utilize my scraps because they're not hiding out in that big ole scrap bin anymore!!

I have only one dress stamp but it's one that I really love. I would enjoy a dress like this, so flowey and soft, I could dream myself up a few of these in various colors for sure! Anywho...the dress is certainly the focal point of this card but can you miss all that bling-a-ding going on?? Any card with bling is a friend of mine!! Into the "Maine Mom" bin this goes. Which reminds me, if you have cards to donate to my mom for her ministry, send them on over, I'll be flying up next week to visit her and dad and for a change, I am able to give her the cards in person. That makes the whole experience of making them all the more special!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

The Last Card of 2011!

Welcome to the final challenge for 2011 over at the Perfect Sentiments Challenge blog!  This week we're going to create a card that reflects a sentiment for "Thank You and the "Twist": use the following sketch as inspiration.  The winner of this week’s challenge will win a free digital image courtesy of Pattie's Creations Digital Stamps. 

Here's the sketch that we're using as inspiration:

Here's my card for this weeks challenge:

Since this is the last challenge of 2011, I decided to dig into the scrap bin for all of my supplies needed for this challenge. I received a beautiful gift from my darling son Ryan this Christmas....a gift card to Michael's! I have struggled with being able to manage all of my excess paper and decided to take advantage of my gift card and purchase storage containers for each major color.

I sat on my livingroom rug for several hours (ok....it was a bit longer than that!) and sorted out each color into it's respective bin. I'll admit that it does make selecting color combinations much easier! All of the browns being in the same container allowed me to quickly select the papers needed for this challenge and saved me some time!!

I'm looking forward to where my creative brain cells lead me in 2012! I hope you'll take advantage of this last challenge and create a thank you card of your own, as like me, I'm sure you have many people to thank after Christmas!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

 

 For more inspiration check out my fellow design team members
creations:

Jennipher

Samantha   

Sarah

Abby

Jan

Rochelle

Shaunna

Stacey

Tere

December 2011 Guest Designers:

Maggie 

Sam

NOTE:: Regretfully, if you are a prize winner who lives outside of the United States, we are unable to award you a physical prize. By the time we have to do the customs paperwork and everything associated with sending parcels out of the United States, it always costs more than what the prize is worth in most cases, and this includes Canada, unless you have a Post Office Box in the United States. APO and PPO box addresses are considered US.) If you live outside of the U.S. and you win we will award you with a digital prize that can be sent electronically via email. Thanks for your understanding.

Merry Christmas to All!

It’s that time of year again isn’t it! Christmas time is upon us once again, and with it comes the Calderini family annual annual Christmas card and blessing for all of our friends and family!

It’s been an “eventful” year for our family, one full of blessings of various kinds and sizes. All speak to the grace and mercy of our God and for this we are thankful!

Our daughter Jessica turned 17 this year and was united with all of her siblings (all six of them) for her birthday celebration. Ryan turned 18 and graduated from high school. Ashlee, while continuing to care for our beautiful grandchild Adam got engaged to Jared {he’s a great additional to the family!} Mark and I were blessed to visit our family in Italy and had the opportunity to experience the love of a family so beautiful and special.

Our family is close knit, although we are miles apart from each other, we continue to share in special holidays and events as a family and this is truly a special blessing. Having Dad and Mom come down to see us adds to our thankfulness and reminds us of the importance of spending quality time together.

Jesus was born in an environment of simplicity but the message his birth brought with it was too enormous for words. Christ sent His son to save us all from the world we live in; His gift of salvation is free to all who are willing to accept it. There are no exceptions to this gift but as with any gift, there is an obligation on the part of the receiver to accept it. My prayer this Christmas is that each of you will accept the gift that comes from accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior into your hearts and living a life that is pleasing to Him.

Merry Christmas to each of our family and friends! May each of you know that although our paths may not cross each day, we pray for you and extend to you the most sincere blessings for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Have a blessed Christmas day and don’t forget to take time to love on the special people in your life who are God’s blessing!!

 

Merry Christmas to all!!

Theresa, Mark, Jessica, Ryan, Ashlee {and of course, Adam!}

p.s.... Special thanks to Stephen Bivens for the beautiful pictures of this years Annual Christmas Card!!

Double Stitched Circle for my "Maine Mom!"

"Out of the box" creativity today produced this awesome card! I believe that all crafters need to bust loose from their "norm" every once and a while and venture over to their altered crafty side!

This card holds several of my "I love" items.....I love the combination of red and white in a card, and I love stitching on cards, especially when I can throw two layers of stitching into one creation! I love beading on cards and I absolutely love the combination of all of these three things along with punched corners. I believe it takes a whole lot of creative freedom to pull all of these enjoyments into one card and today I felt a whole lot of freedom!

I used one of my self-made templates to pierce and stitch the circle and beading. I used a red silk thread for the first layer of stitching and a beautiful gold metallic for the top layer. The beads are stitched on {alternating red and gold beads} with the gold thread. The corners of the top layer is done with a Martha Stewart corner punch {warning::: punch the corners BEFORE you do the beading, otherwise the paper won't fit in the punch!! Lesson learned for me the hard way on this one!}

The center embellishment within the stitched circle is two jewelry bead holders which were flattened out using my flat nose pliers and mounted with E-6000 glue to hold them in place. This card doesn't require any stamps or ribbon, I believe it's a wonderful abstract piece just as it is!! 

Into the box for "Maine Mom" this one goes!

Note: Some have asked me what the "Maine Mom" thing is all about as it's in most of my posts so I thought I'd re-explain it here. My Mom and Dad live in Maine and she is the recipient of most of my cards created that are shown on my blog. She ministers to others who are sick, having a birthday or just in need of some encouragement and sends cards to those who she feels God is pressing on her heart. I can't tell you how long we've been doing this but it's been quite some time and I believe her and I feel like the ones who are blessed by this ministry! If you have cards you would like to send my "Maine Mom" let me know and I'll pass along her info to you. The more she gets the more she sends and the more who are blessed!! A win win all around for sure!

Hope you enjoy! Until next time.

Theresa

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