Church Family Christmas Cards

Hello!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today.

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I wanted to share the Christmas cards I made for our Church family. I try each year to hand make all the cards we give the families in our church. They are so supportive of us and love us so much. We can't afford to get each one of them something of monetary value but I strive each year to let them know we love them and appreciate them.

Here's the "mass produced" cards I made for them...

...with a hand written sentiment inside each one, I believe they will know just how much we love them.

The stamped doilies are from the SU! set, Delicate Doilies.

The sentiment is from the CTMH set, Card Chatter - Christmas Holidays.

Have a great day!

Until next time...

Blessings...

Melina

Happy Mother's Day!

Hello!

Happy Mother's Day to you.

...and Happy Mother's Day to my Mama. I love YOU! :)

I am sharing with you today a project I wanted to "take on". I'm not a big "altered item" crafter. Cards and Scrapbooking are mostly it. But, there was an idea that popped in my mind for our "Church Mamas". Many of you know my husband is a Minister. We Pastor a small church in a neighboring town. We are a very close knit bunch of folks. Last Mother's Day I got each of our Church Mama's a small jar candle. This year though, I wanted to give them something, by me. I am working even harder than usual this year at the old saying "Better to give......". I want to be a blessing. A song popped into my head as I thought about this...."If you want less lonely and a lot more fun, need satisfaction when the day is done, throw your heart wide open and GIVE IT AWAY" (Gaither Vocal Band, Southern Gospel).

So, I went to work. Here's what I came up with. Mind you it is small, but it is made by me for the wonderful ladies that do so much for me and my family.....

 I got mini composition books and decorated them using a couple different packs of Stampin Up! designer series paper, some white satin ribbon and a stamped image (lucky limeade ink) punched with oval punches.

Then, they had to have a pen to go along with the notebook so I used matching designer series paper to fill the pen and attached a sheer blue polka dot ribbon to the top.

 I had enough of the paper left (I got my measurements down to a science to keep from wasting any of it.....I'm a paper hoarder! :) to make chipboard flower magnets to go with the notebooks and pens. I used my Bigz L Fun Flowers Stampin Up! die to cut the chipboard and the paper (ran through the Big Shot). I used 2 circle punches for the middles and added a flat back pearl to each. I sanded the edges of the chipboard with a sanding block and then inked all the edges with Soft Suede ink and my sponge dauber. On the back of each magnet I wrote "Happy Mother's Day 2012".

Then, I added all three (1 magnet per baggie) to a goody bag filled with life savers and a small box of assorted chocolates. Yummmmm

I tied the bags up simply with white baker's twine.

I hope the Church Mamas like them!

I'm not original, I know. These have been done before and you've seen them LOTS better :)
But, it's my way of showing our church family how much they mean to us.
I learned that even though it was a size-able task, as far as the amount of things to cut and assemble....it was all worth it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great day!

Until next time...

Blessings...

Melina