Hi Everyone. Happy Wednesday.
I have another couple of fabulous cards for you tonight. This time using my favorite Wetlands set. Now, y'all told me y'all weren't sick of this set yet, so I thought you would really enjoy seeing these two new cards!
Before I show you the cards though, let's talk a little about why I swap. Most people swap because they want ideas for their customers. I do it because I want a different variety of cards for Operation Write Home. Yes, I had to make a card for every card I swapped, but I like the fact that when I swap I have no idea what kind of card I'm going to get in return. They can be all different styles and for all different occasions. That's what makes it ideal for OWH. There are always a couple that I have to take out of the OWH pile because of glitter, but this year I was really lucky. Almost no glitter. On top of that – there are some AWESOME swaps – and tonight's cards are definitely in that category.
Talking of OWH….. are you ready to donate some cards? I did mention it a few weeks ago and Rach and Doris and Cindy definitely said yes to helping to donate cards for my next OWH drive.
If you have been to convention and are looking for a good use for some of those awesome card fronts you collected…. why not think of adding them to a card base and donating them to a great cause? Or, if you are looking for a really good excuse to get into your crafting space, why not use making cards for OWH as that perfect excuse? We are just in time to make Christmas cards as well as general purpose cards.
If you are interested, please could you send me an email or leave me a message on this post. If you get any inspiration from any of the posts that you see on my blog, why not "pass it on" and make a few cards for OWH? :-) As always, I will be offering up – from my own pocket – some Stampin' Up! spending sprees for every 20 full cards -with envelopes – that you submit. I'll post the usual OWH requirements for cards, and my "rules" on Sunday.
So… if you are looking for a chance to win a shopping spree with SU – just leave your name in a comment on this post – or send me an email. It's such a great cause – I hope you will join in!
Now, I guess you want to see these cards, right?
Well, lets start with this stunner from Jenn Tinline. Jenn provided so many beautiful details on this card and yet it still maintains a clean and simple feel. But, as we all know, CAS is often anything but simple – and this card isn't. It's STUNNING. I loved the treatment of the cardstock to emulate water. I loved the colored edges to the image and sentiment. I loved the burlap ribbon. I loved the vintage faceted button. I loved the twine. I loved the scalloped edge. Heck.. really… there isn't anything I don't love about this card…. oh… except for the fact that I didn't create it :-) But, you get to enjoy – and hopefully be inspired – by Jenn's gorgeous creation.
Isn't that a stunner? I told you so.
Here's another stunner. I was so surprised – very pleasantly – when I swapped this card. It really made me think of Wetlands in an entirely different light, as I would never have thought to use this set for Christmas. However, Mary Bergere really showed me that you have to think outside of the box. It makes me smile. It's clever. It's beautifully compsed. I just LOVE it!
I love the embossed background. I love the placement of the Noel. I love the red base with the green mat for the focal point – I would never have done that….but it's fabulous! Then, I love the wreath around the neck of the goose and I love the use of the Dazzling details on the grass – and on the wreath. Heck…. once again… I love everything about it!
Isn't it fabulous? Again, I told you so 🙂
Hopefully you got some great inspiration from these two cards. I was really surprised that I only received two swaps using this set!
On a personal note:
Couple of updates on questions first….. 🙂
Nancy, you asked if you had missed the story of Niles and my Lyme disease… nope. I haven't posted it yet… but I promise I will over the weekend! Lous finger: healing beautifully 🙂
Elaine, no… Lou has not yet finished the painting. He stopped for a while, but has promised me that he will start again this weekend. We both agree that the new color is SO much better and so much closer to what we had originally envisioned!
Sally, sorry I missed you at convention. I wasn't sure that I was going to go until about two days before hand. I'd registered, but really didn't think I would get there. Consequently, I missed telling anyone on my blog! It would have been great to catch up with you and Terri.
Colleen…..it's finally cool! Lower humidity and in the 70s! Awesome. Rach, this is good hair weather!
I do have another couple of photos to share with you, but before I do that… thank you for encouraging me to share photos of our garden. It really is starting to look and feel as I had originally envisioned it over a year ago when we started to build. It took a while to find a landscaper who really got my vision and could help me create the natural environment I craved.
In fact, the guys working on the irrigation in our soon-to-be-neighbor's house was working on fixing some of the sprinklers that had been destroyed by the guys laying the sod. Oh.. yeah… they also destroyed some of our sprinklers and we have NO idea how they did that…. anyway…. we were talking to the sprinkler guy this afternoon and he told us that he loved our garden and that it was so beautiful! That made my day. This is a guy who looks as gardens all day, and he appreciated our little piece of paradise 🙂
I walked the garden yesterday and saw these little guys had made an appearance:
Aren't they fabulous? They are campanula rotundifolias. Commonly known as Harebells here and Bluebells where I come from :-) Whatever you call them, they are certainly gorgeous little things! You can see the straw is still down protecting the seeds 🙂
Then, I had to share a photograph of our blackeyed susans and the echinacea… however, hidden in there is some purple flowers….
Here's a closer look – not the best photo thought when it's blown up!
That little clump of purple flowers is Monarda Fistulosa – commonly known as Wild Bergamot. Not only is it a gorgeous flower, but I also love Bergamot as a natural oil. I use a bath soap made with bergamot and I love it!
Another not so good shot… she was moving pretty fast. But just a little after I had taken this shot, I noticed her with her three babies! She saw me on the deck, made a little call and her three offspring and her waddled off into the wetlands!
One last photograph…… our sugar pecker and his entire family have now started to frequent the jelly! Seriously, these birds have a very sweet tooth. They love the jelly and they love the oranges!
I'll be back tomorrow with more swap cards. Don't forget to let me know that you will be joining me on the next OWH card drive 🙂
As always, thank you for visiting my little neck of the stamping woods. Your visits, and your comments, are greatly appreciated. Warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.
Hugs
Jaydee
8 Responses
Cards are absolutely stunning. Very clever of the Christmas goose card.
Oh, how cute; a visit by Rocky the raccoon.
We also call them bluebells down this way, and once again, thanks for sharing your bit of nature with us.
Have a great and wonderful day
ColleenB.
Hi Jaydee!!
I do not know if starting by commenting your garden or the cards . . . anyway . . . both beautiful!! Next year you will have more blackeyed susans since they self seed.
The goose with the wreath turns on my Xmas spirit though I am already x-stitching and scrapbooking to raise funds for Catholic Relief (Caritas).
Since I am new in this “stamping up cards world” I do not know abbreviations . . . I try to guess some of them, but please, what does it means CAS??
Much love and God bless you and your family.
Marina . . . from far Africa
Oh what GORGEOUS cards! I’m not very knowledgeable about swaps–does that mean you make a bunch of the same card to swap with someone else? If so, that was an awful lot of that first card to make. As gorgeous as it is. Wow!
I’m definitely a go for OWH! My mojo has returned in spades and I’m in there making at least one card a day if I can. :o)
I’m INSANELY jealous of your good hair weather. I’ve taken to carrying clips in my pocket or purse so I can pull mine back the minute it starts to frizz…:o
I LOOOOOOVE your garden! All those stunning flowers are just what I dream of doing to all the grassy spaces in our backyard–except, of course, Brien wouldn’t let me and then the girls would have nowhere to run and play…but, I can dream. ;o)
Your sugar pecker is so sweet–I can’t believe the entire family comes to visit now. Incredible! I have a goldfinch who is now drinking from my hummer feeder. He and the squirrels…Hm. :oP
And, that raccoon is delightful. Isn’t it wonderful to be surrounded by nature? :o)
Hugs!
P.S. Hi Lou! Sorry to read you still have a bit of painting left to do…
I hope Cindy and I can get together and stamp for OWH. We have enjoyed participating in the past. Such a worthy cause. Love the cards and your garden is shinning beautifully. Such a special place for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Isn’t it fun to see what others do with a stamp set? Both cards are wonderful.
I love your flower and nature pictures. Such beauty and wonder in nature.
What a super post, Jaydee! Those cards are so creative. All the details on Jenn’s really add up to a stunning card. And I absolutely giggled when I saw the good! Some people are so good at thinking outside the box.
Now on to nature…I just love that you and Lou are recreating those natural areas. It’s taken a lot of thought, research, and work, but it’s so worth it. I recognize all those flowers from my childhood on the farm, especially the black-eyed Susans (used to love seeing them in the ditches) and the harebells (I think we called them by both names). Who knew that woodpeckers would love jelly? That’s a far cry from bugs! Keep up the good work. Many of us are enjoying it vicariously. 🙂
Hi – Yup, I’ll join the drive for OWH. I’ll look for more info soon. I too love your wetlands pictures and all the wildlife. I only see bunnies and squirrels where I walk the dog!
Jaydee, these are wonderful swaps! I love the way the water has movement on the first card with her torn paper and the second one…well, it’s just the most clever! It’s just gorgeous! Out of the box and executed perfectly.
I’d like to give a try for OWH this round. I need to get super busy, but I’m up for the challenge. Thanks for organizing again.
Your nature shots are so pretty. The flowers are so bright and cheery. I’m surprised you have bluebells blooming now? That is just so cool! If you have time, check out Ann Schach’s blog post today (Fri) as she has a heartwarming story about a rescued hummingbird involving SU cardstock!