STITCHED DIE-CUTS & COZY CHAIR

I recently purchased "Stitched Study Nook" dies from Spellbinders, mainly because of the adorable selection of die-cut images, but also because I liked the idea of adding stitches to some of the cuts.  Today I'm sharing two of the cards that I made with the dies--one for my sister and one for my dad.

My sister has a cat and, as a teacher, she loves books and has quite a LOT of them.  Of course, her card had to have a stack of books by the chair.

The stack of books was fussy-cut from Stampin' Up!'s "Hobby Haven" designer paper collection.

Now . . . for daddy's card below:

Daddy does NOT like cats, but I thought the scene on the front of his card needed one.  If you try to picture it without the cat, it looks like something is missing, right?  He, too, has some fussy-cut books by his chair and a cozy rug which was cut from a piece of felt.

Sponging ink on areas of his chair made it look more cozy and inviting.  

Working on these two cards was quite fun, and I like that I got to stitch on the light fixture as well as the chair.  I also like the versatility of having legs under the chair--or not.  

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing today, I hope you find time to sit in your cozy chair--perhaps with your favorite little furbaby.

BUTTERFLY SYMPATHY CARD

I don't keep sympathy cards on hand.  Well . . . I might find a few cards in my stash without a greeting that would suffice, but I typically like to make sympathy cards when I need them.  That's my time to remember the person who has passed and think about/pray for the person who will receive the card.

This card was made for the daughter of a lady that I have known since about as far back as I can remember.  Actually, I didn't know her all that well . . . she lived in the community, and she seemed to think a lot of my grandmother.  Through the years, she would sometimes visit my grandmother, and she always had the sweetest smile--such a pleasant lady!  Communities aren't what they used to be.  I think now about the people my grandmother would mention in conversation, and she either went to church with them or they were friends/acquaintances from her community.  And when they visited one another, they didn't show up empty-handed.  I think I grew up at a perfect time because I got to witness that kind of genuine care for others.  

I never seem to know what kind of card to make, and I don't know the official name of this card design.  I can tell you that it was very simple to make.  I just took two pieces of 4.25" x 5.5" cardstock, scored both pieces at the same measures, and adhered the two edges together.  It's always a treat when just a couple of scored lines can add something unique to a card design!  What's better is when the card can fold flat for mailing but demand attention on display.

The die-cut clouds were in a bin on my desk, and I liked their subtle look to the design.  Stampin' Up!'s retired "Stitched Greenery" die was used to add texture to the card front.  For the butterfly, I used Blending Brushes to add the Gorgeous Grape and Lemon Lime Twist colors.

Of course, there was plenty of space on the back of the card to write a message.  I will definitely make more cards like this in the future because they're quick to make, have a unique appearance, and must be a pleasure to receive.

Have a stampin' good day!