Such a Treat!

Creatively Cricut!

Create With Muslin Bags

April Stamp of the Month Art # 7

Art by Julie Reynolds

Here's my same design from earlier, but using the Buzz and Bumble papers, with Sunset ink.

April Stamp of the Month Art # 6

Art by Debi Gardner

I love seeing how other people use ribbon,* because I just don't feel very creative ideas for it!  Here Debi just folds a length in half, attaches it with Glue Dots and tops it off with an antiqued gold stud.**

* Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon: Z1808 - $6.95 for 5 yards, 3/4" wide
** Round Studs: Z1706 - $3.95 2 sizes, 48 count

April Stamp of the Month Art # 5

Art by Shannon Law

Buzz and Bumble papers are featured on this card, and the simple embellishment that ties the stripes and geometric pattern together is a wrap of Baker's Twine.*

*Baker's Twine Harvest Assortment: Z1751 - $4.95 for 10 yards each of 4 colors.

April Stamp of the Month Art # 4

Art by Maggie Cameron

Again, our Cricut cartridges save the day!  A touch of sparkle* is added down in the corner on this happy little 4 x 4 card.

*Pink Glitter Gems: Z1807 - $2.95 for 108 count

April Stamp of the Month Art # 3

 

 Art by Tina Dupin

Our Cricut cartridges are SO great!  Just look at all the images here that would have been drudgery to cut out by hand!

April Stamp of the Month Art # 2

Art by Julie Reynolds

Chantilly papers are combined with our Burlap Ribbon* here.  The ribbon gave me a "nesty" feel for the bird. Sometimes it's not even an actual specific visual we need, like a picture of a nest . . . often it can be just the "idea" of something to portray the "feel" you want.

*Burlap Ribbon Z1760: 5 yards, 1 1/2" wide - $7.95

April Stamp of the Month Art # 1

Art by Darlys Recker

These soft ribbon roses* make me think of puffy white summertime clouds, which go perfectly with this sunshiney set!

*Z1800 Colonial White Rosette Ribbon5 yards, 3/4" wide.  $7.95

Memories Can Be Complicated

My Dad passed away last May, and recently I created three versions of this shadow box, using our My Creations Display Tray . . . one each for my brother, my sister, and myself.

Our relationships with our Dad were complicated.  None of us kids had the relationship with him we would have liked to have had with a father.  But it was what it was – and he was the one who was our Dad.  And we were his children.

Grieving the loss of a parent is different for everyone.  We didn’t quite know what to expect from this grief.  I have been surprised by parts of my grieving.  Much of it, I think, has been a grief for what never was; the closeness we never had.  I see this closeness between my daughter and my husband – and I am so grateful. 

It took me several months to be removed enough from the difficulties of my relationship with my Dad to be in an emotional place where I could tangibly work with some memories.  This papercrafting is “what I do,” and it’s often a good way for me to express myself.  I thought I’d be ready to do this in time to make these as Christmas gifts, but I wasn’t.  I needed a little more time. 

Going through old photos, letters, fishing tackle and golf gear . . . they are all parts of him, and the memories they stir are complicated.  But that’s okay.  Relationships aren’t always what we would hope for.  Life isn’t always what we expect.  It is what it is. 

And now maybe these framed memories will help us, in a small way, to focus on the good.  Remember the good son, the hard worker and good provider that he was, the proud sailor and devoted friend.  Because the people in our lives are never simply the sum of what was our relationship with them.

Memories are complicated.  But they are ours.  And they become our stories.