2022 Christmas Card

It's the holiday season and I love getting the mail this time of year!  Pulling down the lid to the mailbox and seeing holiday cards from friends and family inside makes me so happy!  Since I don't have many of your home addresses, I'm sending you our card via this post today for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

For the last several years, I've elected to make our cards.  This year was very simple, but I love the end result!  In case you are interested in getting into card making, let me share some of my techniques ~

The front of the card was embossed using my Cuttlebug and an embossing folder.  I've had my embossing machine for years and (knock on wood) I've never had any problems with it.  It makes cardmaking a breeze!  

After finding the message to go on the inside, it's simple to lay out the cards on an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of cardstock.  Each piece of paper makes two cards.  My handy paper cutter slices them in half.  I carted my paper cutter and cards to Des Moines with me last week and worked on them in the hotel while Eric was at his company meeting.

Another tool I love is the scoring board.  It helps put the perfect crease down the middle of the card allowing it to fold in half.  

I use spray glue to connect the paper together.  After years of trying every kind of adhesive, I've found the spray to be the best.  Pair it with the handle and it makes for fast gluing!  The handle is really key.  We use it for paint, glue, really anything that comes in a can.  

Another one of my favorite tools is the brayer.  This is not what this tool is made for, but it works wonders for rolling over the paper you are gluing together to help form a strong bond with the glue.  It's supposed to be for inking stamps.  Maybe someday I'll get around to using it for its' intended purpose!

Put it all together and you have the final product!  Merry Christmas friends.  I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.

Now it's your turn - what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

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Thinking Out Loud Thursday - July 28, 2022

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I talk about something I'm thinking about and invite you to link up and do the same.

I've been in a little funk lately and decided to focus on doing some things that make me happy.  One of the things I love to do is make cards.  This week I took a minute to put some cards together.  

Not only do I love making cards, but mailing them to friends is just as fun.  It's great to have a few cards on hand for when I want to drop a note to someone and my stash was completely depleted.  It makes me happy that I have a few ready to go!

Late in the pandemic, I hopped on the sourdough trail but over time had stopped baking.  For some reason, pulling a loaf of homemade bread out of the oven brings me joy.  So I got some new starter from a friend and hopped back on making sourdough. 

What are some things that make you happy?  I'd love to hear so maybe I could try them too!

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

2020 Christmas Card

Getting Christmas cards in the mail is one of my very most favorite things.  Any kind of happy mail actually.  When I pull down the lid of the mailbox and see an envelope inside that isn't a bill or junk mail my mood immediately lifts.  I grab the contents and practically skip back to the house, excited to open the treasure and see what's inside.  My hope is others feel this same kind of joy when they peek in their mailbox and see a card from us!

This year I decided to forgo the photo cards we have been doing the last few years and went with a homemade version.  Years ago I made all our cards, but they were super time consuming and life just got a bit too much to continue that tradition.  This year, on the other hand, time was on my side.  With the calendar being mostly blank, there was plenty of time to pull out the craft supplies and create.  I opted for a super simple design and this is the final product.

Eric got into the action and helped with the embossing this year.  We used my handy dandy Cuttlebug.  This little gadget has been in my life for years and it makes embossing so easy.  All you have to do is sandwich the paper you want to emboss into an embossing folder, layer a few plates, and roll it through.  This year's card design was made with THIS embossing folder.

Here's wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season!  May it be filled with love, laughter, and goodwill.  Thank you for supporting my blog and I'm looking forward to sharing inspiring content with you in the coming year.  Merry Christmas!