Memorial Day Prayer....

Some of you many not know this, but my Grand-daddy was a Baptist Preacher...He served in WWII and was such a patriotic man...he LOVED his Country and respected what the men and women who serve do for us! 

When he passed away almost 13 years ago, I got his little box of sermons, devotionals and prayers...ALL handwritten AND dated by him!!!  It's something that is very special to me especially since his handwriting brings back so many fond memories of the man I loved so much and respected!   

Well...I was going through his little box of sermons looking for a wedding prayer or something that can be read at our wedding in honor of my Grand-daddy.  While I didn't find anything fitting for the wedding, I did find a Memorial Day Prayer he read in Miles City Park on 5.30.1984....I thought I would share here on my blog in memory of the all the men and women who have given so much for our freedom!

Here goes, written just as it was by my Grand-daddy...

"Our Father,

We thank You for the gift of memory and as we look backward to days gone by - days torn by war and strife - may we be thankful for peace -

Many of us know that peace was bought with a price - today we remember those who made the supreme sacrifice by giving their lives that we may enjoy peace -

May we dedicate ourselves anew - that this government of the people - by the people - and for the people may never perish from the earth and may we ask not what our country can do for us - but rather what we can do for our country even as those who have gone before us -

In Jesus name we pray - Amen"

You & Me Kraft Card...

Here's a card I made which was inspired by this month's You & Me Kit (only available 'till May 31st)...LOVE the wide striped ribbon...ADORE the stamp set...CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT the colors...and the paper is to die for!!!

I mixed it up a bit and added some Kraft Cardstock...threw in some Pink Ribbon and some of my all-time favorite Sweet Leaf 1" Stitched Ribbon and made them into leaves using Connie's great tutorial!  I stamped the Fleur using White Daisy Ink and then took a Desert Sand Marker and traced some edges for shadowing...

It's your birthday...

My boss's wife had a birthday this week and it was a BIG ONE so I decided to keep the card black and silver (Grey Wool) to match all the balloons I left in her office :0)

I used retired Black B&T from CTMH, Grey Wool Cardstock, Card Chatter - Birthday and an old SOTM...the button and ribbon are random stuff I've had and probably purchased at Hobby Lobby.

This card/gift card holder was made for a very dear person...probably one of the most generous people I know.  She LOVES Starbucks (I wasn't the only one that gave her a gift card from there)...her husband says that if SB is open 365 days a year, she'll be there 365 days...lol

I free handed the cup...ran some Kraft Cardstock through a crimper, punched a hole (using this and this) in some Sweet Leaf B&T from Wings, stamped a little here and there using You & Me,  A Sip and The Works Alphabet and added a tiny Sparkle 'cause this birthday girl LOVES SOME BLING!!!

You & Me...you did it!

This is for a graduating senior who LOVES black and turquoise...I used the You & Me Kit that's only available during the month of May and You Did It stamp set...Colors are White Daisy, Black and Lagoon...

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Here's the inside...

Guest Book with Handmade Sweet Leaf Satin Flowers....

Well...my blog is about to be overrun with Wedding posts so if you're coming and want to be surprised with all the little handmade details....STOP READING NOW :0)

On my agenda this weekend was the Guest Book....I've looked at TONS online and picked out my favorite and went to work trying to mimic it.

Of course I used CTMH products when I could...My Creations 3-Ring Binder...Sweet Leaf B&T (from Wings)....Friendship Stamp Set (Feb. SOTM) and even some retired vellum (Fleurs Des Jardines B&T Vellum)...I distressed the stark white binder with Bamboo Ink which added a vintage, Colonial White look.  I hope you like it...

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Here's the tutorial on how to make the flower...I bought some stain material at Hobby Lobby which resembles CTMH's Sweet Leaf color ($2.99/yd at 1/3 off and was able to get enough material for probably 10 or 11 flowers)...cut into various size circle...I did 4 sizes...5", 3-1/2", 2-1/2" and about 1-1/2 "...the 3-1/2" ones are pictured below...

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Cut slits in around the circle...it's easier if you do 4 or 5 at a time...BIG HUGE TIP:  Stack all the layers where the silky sides are all facing the same way...when doing more than one at a time, they tend to melt together and if your sides are facing the same way, you'll always have the pretty side facing up...

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Hold over a candle (with a low flame) and watch the material curl...

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Here are the smaller ones...I used tweezers to curl those because the flame was too hot for that little of a circle...

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Here's to show how close this material is to Sweet Leaf (our 1" stitched ribbon is laying on top of some flowers I've already done)...SO EXCITED about the color resemblance!!!

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Once I finish the "innards", I'll be showing the full Guest Book!  'Till next time....

To one of my favorite "PEEPS"....

I saw these all over the blogger world right before Easter and had to try my hand at them...

H2H Button Challenge...

It's been a while since I've created in the H2H Challenges but I always LOVE to see what their talented Design Team come up with! 

This week is all about BUTTONS and since I'm a button girl, I thought I'd give it a try....

These cards were made for a co-worker who has some friends with upcoming birthdays...they're both 5"x7" and both use retired and discountinued paper (Cherry-O)....the first one even uses the SOTM from February (Friendship)...

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Here's the other one...

Wedding Cake Card...

A friend's nephew is getting married and she wanted a card that matched their invitations.  The invitation is laying down under the card...I used Grey Wool Ink with Two-Step Backgrounds and Royal Birth (I masked the candle off the cake so it would look more like a wedding cake), Lagoon (Magnifique Paper Packet) and plain 'ol White Daisy Cardstock...

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Here's a closeup of the cake...being that my very own wedding is SOON, cake designs are one of the many things we looked at and looked at 'till our eyes were sore.  The diamond pattern seems to be popular so I decided to make one for this cake using my stylus to emboss the pattern.  I then inked it up using Grey Wool Ink and added the tiny sparkles for a little bling...

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This view shows that the cake is pop-dotted using 3D Foam Tape (LOVE THAT STUFF)...You can also kinda get a shot of the 'innards' here...I kept it simple with just "Congratulations"

Daisy Thank You...

Here are some Thank You cards for the ladies in my mother's office for Administrative Professionals' Day a couple of weeks ago....

The card base is an envelope (a gift card went inside)....licked and sealed then cut at 1-1/2"...you just slide the 1-1/2" top over the bottom by 1/4" and then you have a card (let me know if you need clarification)...

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This is the top almost off the bottom....

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This is the top totally separated from the bottom (please excuse the photos...I had to take pictures in the car before I delivered them...lol)