May's Challenge

Sorry for the late posting - family crisis that I am still reeling over. Life may very well end as this small family knows it. I am angry and hurt, dissapointed and lost. Every emotion has run through my body and with only six hours of sleep from Tuesday night to today, I am a tad sensitive. I will do what I can to keep things together, to make sure that my children don't feel the effects too deeply, to try and grow from this moment.

May's challenge theme was Forest. I went crazy looking for stamp sets and items that I could use...but when it came down to it, my thoughts would not come out on paper and it seemed to take me reaching to the depths of whatever creativity I have to pull this one off. Of course, it did not help that my baby was graduating preschool (still a little emotional about that one...), my daughter struggled with end of the year testings, only to receive Honor Roll and various other academic awards (so stinkin' proud of her!!), and of course the gifts that went to teachers. We made it.

Ready? Here is what we did for May:

First set: Bonnie's. She made two cards and a magnet. The bear is covered in Fun Flock. My kids are wanting to know how come we don't make magnets - which will change shortly. (Psst...I found a great inspirational blog by Sandy Hancock, please make sure you check it out. She has some very fun and beautiful ideas!)




Second up: my Mom. She is a little concerned that all of her cards look the same. While I can feel my mom in a card, she is changing. She has started adding texture in her cards and I can see that she is adding more detail to the cards. Don't worry Mom, you're evolving.





Last but not least: Me!

This is a Joy Fold Card I got instructions for over at Split Coast Stampers. Love that site! Here is the card open.

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, DSP from Urban Oasis (soon to be retired!!) and Walk in the Park (to get it before it's gone click here)

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Basic Gray

Stamp Set: Forest Friends

Accessories: Dimensionals, Olive embossing powder (CTMH), VersaMark Pen

Paper: Kraft, Garden Green, Striped Paper from a DCWV Paper Stack
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss
Stamp Set: Trendy Trees
Accessories: Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Jumbo Grommet, Spots and Dots Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Paper: Old Olive, Old Olive DSP, Chocolate Chip DSP
Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Stamp Set: Treetops (CTMH)
Accessories: Acrylic Block, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects, White Embossing Powder, VersaMark, Linen Thread, Chocolate Chip button from Button Latte, Sweet Leaf button from CTMH Winter Craft Buttons, Oval and Rectangle Nestabilities,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

“The growth of grace is like the polishing of metals. There is first an opaque surface; by and by you see a spark darting out, then a strong light; till at length it sends back a perfect image of the sun that shines upon it.” -Edward Payson