Wednesday, November 16, 2011

CardMaker Autumn Blessings Blog Hop

WELCOME to the CardSwaps Autumn Blessings Blog Hop!! It goes along with the Autumn Blessings Crop at CardSwaps. The crop is from November 16-19, 2011 and you have until November 22, 2011 to get your projects posted to the challenge threads and in the drawings for prizes. You should have arrived here from Meredith's blog. If not, consider starting the hop at the beginning with Lora's blog. All our blogs are linked together from post to post. At the end, you'll hop right on over to the CardSwaps board. We hope to see you there!

The theme of our blog hop is "I've been blessed" and we were asked to create something that reflects on someone or something that we have been blessed with. I chose one of my favorite Bible verses because I believe all our blessings come from God. The most important part of this verse to me is "Give thanks in ALL circumstances." We should not be grateful only when things are going well, but even when they are not going so well. No matter what is going on in our life, we have many blessings to be thankful for.

This is something I have had to remember many times over the last couple of years. Over that time myself and my family have been going through some very difficult circumstances and we haven't come through on the other side yet. During that time, my step father (who I am very close to) has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, my husband started and lost a business, I've been fired from two jobs, and my husband has been wrongfully accused of something that still hasn't been resolved. While I could give up and become depressed, I choose instead to focus on what I DO have. I am truly blessed, and no matter what I am going through, I know that my God is with me and will get me through it.

For this card, I downloaded the sheet music from The Graphics Fairy and the harvest image from Plush Possum. The background is corrugated cardboard. Everything is sponged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The Bible verse is computer generated. I embellished with a handmade flower and stick pin.

I made the flower from a fabric called buckram. I had no idea what this was when I bought it. I just thought it would make good flowers because it had a nice weave, was made of cotton and was pretty stiff. I looked it up later and found out it's used to make hats. I think it does pretty well for flowers too. I cut the layers from a Spellbinders Bloom die, colored them with distress inks then scrunched them up and let them dry. When they were dry, I pulled them apart and layered them together.

That's it for me. Your next stop on the hop is Golda's blog. Golda is a delightful and talented lady and I think you will enjoy what she has created for the hop.

If you get lost along the way, here is the complete blog hop list.

Judy < You are here.

11 comments:

Jane said...

As always Judy a BEAUTIFUL card! Thanks for the info on that fabric. Got to get some. I love that flower!!!
Hugs

Tina said...

I love the vintage look and the musci sheet idea is awesome! Love it!

Lora3677 said...

WOW! I am in awe of your card. All the detail and layering. Lady, you are truly blessed with talent that couldn't have come from anywhere but God. Hang in there and remember you have friends all over the place. :)

Susan said...

Well you know I am loving your card....the sheet music....the stick pin...the flower...everything! Gorgeous! I am blessed to call you my friend!

Traci said...

Your card is beautiful! I haven't heard of the graphicsfairy before, looks like I've been missing out. :-)

Teresa Arsenault said...

Judy, your card is way beyond beautiful. I love the vintage feel of it and that flower is amazing. Thanks for sharing what it is and how you constructed it.
I am sorry to hear how difficult things have been for you these past couple of years. May the Lord grant you reprieve in the year to come.
Blessings,
Teresa

Unknown said...

O MY GOD THIS IS BEAUTIFUL
every thing is so nice
I LOVE YOUR CARD
thank for showing

Golda said...

Judy, that is an absolutely gorgeous card! I love the verse you have on it as well as the one you talked about. God always takes care of us and sometimes in very unusual ways. It's not always easy to trust Him, but it is always well worth it.

Thanks for your kind comments, too.

nanavf said...

Wow, Judy, that card is a beauty--so vintage looking. I never heard of Plush Possum. I will look right away. The flower is wonderful.

Brenda said...

Such detail...beautiful. Really, this is a beauty.

ali naqvi said...

Its gorgeous!!colors,design and idea are awesome.. HOW can i make my own Plastic business cards