Hi Everyone.
Happy Monday night. I hope you all had a great Monday. Tonight's card is one of the ones that I made for the Paper Players challenge this week. I made three and had to decide which one to post and kept this one for tonight.
It uses the new Because I Care level 1 hostess set (120118). I must admit when I first saw this set on the pre-order preview I wasn't that crazy about it. However, now that I have started to use it, I am really loving it. So, once again, you have to try something before you decide whether it works for you! I also LOVE the sentiment.
This card is more complex than my normal cards. Why? Because it is in honor of my Mother. Today would have been her 89th birthday and the one thing that my mother taught me was caring for people. My mother was happiest when she was caring for others. That's why her chosen profession was nursing. In her later years she was matron of an old-age nursing home and absolutely loved her job. She loved spreading a little love and cheer to those who were sometimes forgotten and she would sometimes shed tears remembering the ladies who had dressed up on Sunday hoping that someone would come and visit them. She really did care a tremendous amount about people and animals. Something she instilled in me at a very early age. She was also very forgiving of my decision to become a vegetarian quite early in life, for which I will always be grateful.
My mother's favorite color was blue and she loved flowers and poetry. So, I combined them all on this card in honor of my mother. Happy Birthday, Mom. I really miss you.
Just a reminder, the colors are Pacific Point, Bashful Blue/Baja Breeze, Whisper White and Old Olive.
I used Pacific Point for the base card and the label tag.
I used Baja Breeze for the 3rd layer and stamped En Francais in Versamark on this layer. I intentionally made the En Francais in some areas of this layer lighter than others, especially around the flowers.
I stamped the flower from the Because I Care set three times. Once in Pacific Point, once in Bashful Blue and once in Baja Breeze. I then cut around each one using my paper snips. I then arranged them in the "vase". The vase was run through the big shot and the Polka Dot embossing folder.
The leaves were stamped in Old Olive and cut with my snips and arranged at opposite ends to add a little balance.
I tied the bow and cut it to frame the lower portion of the card. The sentiment was embossed with white embossing powder.
This card is a great way to showcase the three colors and how different they are, too.
Mom would have loved this card. She really had a tough life. She met a handsome young soldier in a park and married him before he went off to war. He came back a man – and a much changed man. She gave birth to 7 children and buried 5 of them. She was plagued with severe depression for so much of my early life, interspersed with suicide attempts. The one thing I didn't realize about my mother until much later was how amazingly strong she was. She had her issues fighting her depression, but she was resilient and her resilience was what made her so successful in her later life. My mother was also the reason why I really wanted to become a
psychiatrist. However, she was the one person who knew that this
profession would not suit me and set out to prove it. She did! She also had the most amazing sense of humor and an inate sense of fairness. She really loved nature and was appalled by what man could do so selfishly (she would not have approved of BP!!!!) I really did inherit so much from her. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit the tall, skinny gene! Pity I couldn't decide what I was going to inherit whilst I was in the womb. 🙂
Mom would have also been thrilled by those of you who are contributing to the card drive. She was the reason I chose the two charities that I did – sick children and servicemen. She would have thanked you all.
Today is also another celebration….. Cherie is celebrating Flag Day. Cherie celebrates Flag Day in lieu of birthdays. So, my dear, wonderful friend. Happy Flag Day. I hope you had a fabulous Day. Not only do you share a birthday with my mother, but you have some wonderful traits that remind me of her in so many positive ways. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I wanted to share a link to a story that I found quite by accident today. Sometimes you know that people are put in specific places for specific jobs. Regardless of whether you believe it is orchestrated by God, the universe, or just pure chance. This wonderful man has done a truly wonderful thing with his life. I know that my mother would have truly appreciated his work. She would have also appreciated the fact that a smile can change destiny.
Tomorrow's card will show you how to add dimension to these flowers. So, remember to stop by tomorrow.
I hope that all of you have a fabulous Tuesday. Remember, smile at a stranger – it could change someone's life.
As always, thank you so much for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere. Your visits, your support – and your comments – are so much appreciated.
Hugs to all of you
Jaydee
13 Responses
Lovely card tonight Jaydee. Happy Birthday/Flag Day Cherie. I really enjoyed reading about the man living on the cliff top in Australia. Have a wonderful Tuesday.
Cyber hugs, Trish in Wisconsin
Beautiful card,Jaydee! I love this set. I will be posting a couple cards that I have made with it later. I wonder if your trick for dimension is the same as mine!? I will have to wait and see. The vase is the perfect touch! What a wonderful way to celebrate the memory of your mother!
What a lovely card. My mom died 5 years ago and I still miss her desperately. I make her cards on mother’s day. thank you for the wonderful story too.
Oh Jaydee, you are wonderful, and tonight’s card is lovely!! Happy Birthday&Flag Day Cherie. I read with interest about Ritchie & Moya… my daughter tried to commit suicide in 2006!! Trish sending you lots of hugs and prayers!! I will be going into hospital this afternoon, so you all may not hear from me! Hugs to all, Love G
What a nice tribute to your mom. I am so lucky to still have my mom around. Maybe I need to tell her that more often……Thanks for the post!
Beautiful card. Thank you for sharing the wonderful words about your mother. I too had a mother who was caring and kind and I miss her so much. You are an inspiration.
Isn’t it funny how different things call to different people. The first thing that hit me with regards to your mom was the loss of her children. I suppose it’s that “club” thing again. What a strong, amazing woman she must have been. What a beautiful tribute you have written.
I LOVED the article you linked as well. That man and his wife are angels.
The card is lovely. I couldn’t really get into Pacific Point and Baja Breeze when they were In Colors, but goodness I tried. I think now that SU! has weeded out all the other blues, and as I see these colors more and more, they are really growing on me.
Okay Jaydee – Now I know why I come to visit you at your blog……You take my breath away. You truly posted one of the most heart felt messages today with your post to your mom. As I wipe away the tears I am overwhelmed with the special joy in knowing that your love for your mom and the special honor you hold for her is magic. Thanks for sharing with us today – I was touched.
Thank you for the Flag Day wishes. I am honored to know that I remind you of your Mother, she had to have been an amazing woman to have raised such a wonderful daughter. My Flag day nice and rainy but full of love and b-day wishes from the many friends I am blessed to have. Mr Jensen gave me a flag to hang on the front porch, though it seems I spent more of the day honoring the SA flag! I wore my new SA Football Assoc jersey and enjoyed a bit of SA wine while I watched Invictus.
Jaydee, this card is AMAZING! The shades of blue are the perfect showcase for this stamp. (If it looked this good in the catalog SU wouldn’t be able to keep it in stock!) I can’t wait to see the other beautiful creations you’ve made.
Geramine, it’s good to see you commenting again, hope things are going well. Trish, hope your SIL had great Flag Day as well. Please know thoughts and prayers are still being offered up for both of you, as well as for all of the rest of Jaydee’s cyber family. Have a wonderful day One & All!
What a a beautiful card for your Mom and what a beautiful tribute to her. Thank you for sharing. Isn’t it amazing how going thru trials like your mom did makes people so strong? She sounds like an amazing lady and I know she instilled her good values in you. What a blessing!
I thought that the article about the man and his wife who help suicidal folks was very interesting. Every one of us has something to contribute to others, even just a kind word of encouragment can make a difference in someone’s life.
Keep up the good work Jaydee–we are all enjoying it!
What a wonderful card and such a lovely tribute to your mother. She sounds like she was such a very special person – not just to you, but to many others also.
Lynn
Beautiful tribute/card to your Mom! Very touching! Now, I see where you get your loving, caring and kind ways that you so easily show us every single day! You are a wonderful person just like your Mom! Thanks for being so good to us! Thanks for sharing this personal piece of your life with us!
Love the three colours in the flower, and the simple elegance of your design. Also loved your description and memories of your Mom…I think you’ve inherited more of your Mom’s qualities than you know! I admire that you are writing about your Mom…my Mom passed away suddenly 24 years ago at 55, and I wish I would have done more to preserve her memory. Your postings have inspired me to start a “Remembering Home” journal that I can add my stories to…Thank You so much!
Blessings,
Chris in Calgary, Alberta Canada