Free Tutorials for You…

“Thoreau’s Butterflies”

Hello Everyone,

I wonder if all of you know that I have a second blog that offers free tutorials.  I’m not a high pressure Stampin’ Up demonstrator so my blog is friendly and fun to look at.  Please leave a comment if you don’t find it that way.  I always appreciate constructive comments and just love it when someone shares my blogs or hits the “like” button.

You are of course invited to subscribe to both blogs.  Click HERE and you’ll find today and yesterday’s posts on making cards featuring butterflies.  If you like what you see please subscribe to the blog (on the right side) and the post will be emailed to you.  What I would ask in return is for you to make a few cards for Project Give Thanks.  Cards are needed badly now; as in there are only a hand full in one box.

Okay, that’s my plea for today.  I hope the rest of your day is free of beggars 😉

Many needy hugs,

Sonja

Meet Project Give Thanks contributor Cathy Douglas

Cathy Douglas and her youngest granddaughter

Hello Everyone.  I’d like you to meet one of PGT’s most dedicated contributors, Cathy Douglas of Boulder County, CO.  I asked Cathy if she would tell us about herself, family and love of stamping.  Here’s the wonderful reply I received.

“About my stamping….

        I probably started back in the dark ages…24+ years ago…before computers, and internet were mainstream in homes. My husband was in the Air Force for 20 years, and I’d see a few stamps at craft shows, etc. It depended on where we were stationed as to what was available craft-wise. My 3 kids and I would “make” thank you notes, etc. for fun. Occasionally, I’d find a book…like those by Dee Gruenig! Exciting! Don’t remember ever seeing cardstock available…we used large unlined index cards. Nice to have so more stamps and papers to use today…cards look a whole lot nicer too! 🙂

    Stamps and products have evolved and now, I’m sure I have way too much. It’s a type of therapy too, right?  Since moving back home to Colorado (we grew up here), I joined 2 stamp groups. One group makes trading cards, which I have saved for many years. I have been using many of the traders to make cards. I thought someone else might as well be enjoying them. These two clubs have served as a source of inspiration and learning, as we share our knowledge, our trials and triumphs! Plus, it’s great time to visit with friends.

    I find lots inspiration on the internet, blogs, Pinterest, demonstrators, and Splitcoast Stampers. Seems that most of the magazines are disappearing. There are so many talented card makers out there, so it’s easy to find ideas. I really like watercolor, so hope it stays around a long time.

    I have way too many hobbies, and not enough time…stained glass, crafting, sewing and quilting, gardening, photography, paper crafting, etc. There are still so many things to learn and try. We are lucky to have 2 of our 3 children close by, and 2 fun grand daughters! We also love to hike, ski, and ride our bikes.

  …Thank you for taking your time to do this service for cancer patients. I’m sure you will never know the full impact of your service! Take care and have a good weekend! Go Broncos!  Cathy”

These photos are of Cathy’s latest card donations and every one of them is a beauty!

Thank you Cathy and Thank you to all of YOU!  Project Give Thanks depends on generous people like you and Cathy to keep uplifting the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center’s cancer patients.

To each of you I’m sending my hugs of gratitude,

Sonja

I Brag Too Much…

Hey Friends, check out today’s Stampin’ From My House To Yours blog post.

http://stampinfrommyhousetoyours.com/2015/01/16/bragging-rights-and-hot-air-balloons/

Tutorials on StampinFromMyHouseToYours.com

Hey Everyone,

Just thought I’d mention that I have a few new tutorials on StampinFromMyHouseToYours.com so check them out and enjoy!

Hugs, Sonja

Greetings from Estes Park, Colorado!

Hello all,

Today I received a package from Jan Bruzewski who lives in the cold gorgeousness of Estes Park. Thanks Jan!!!

Estes Park deer

Here are just a few of the adorable styles included in her package…

These cards are from one of Jan’s previous packages…

Some of these cards are from Stampin’ Up’s Paper Pumpkin monthly subscription where a box of supplies arrive at your doorstep to give you a complete crafting treat.  Jan makes the most of every one and the good folks at the cancer center benefit.

This has to be another short blog (are you cheering?) because I’m playing catch-up and have tons to do.  Did you read my “stampinfrommyhousetoyours.com” post where I confessed to having a two month hiatus for romance?  That was my latest excuse for having dropped the blog ball.

Sending sunny hugs from Colorado, where it was nearly 50 degrees today.

Sonja

local lake we walked around today

 

Alan and Sonja, too bright to open our eyes. Love Colorado!

One Page Wonder

Hello Everyone,

Today’s post is to encourage you to make some fast and easy PGT cards from your aging designer paper. A few weeks ago, I found a beautiful piece (or two, can’t remember) of coordinating Stampin’ Up DSP, from ages ago, and just chopped it up to make these very cute cards. Some cancer survivors at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center are going to enjoy sending them, especially if they like “Bronco Orange”.

The DSP made 4 cards with the inside and envelopes decorated too. It took less than 30 minutes once I matched the cardstock.

Well, there you go…Keeping it short today.
I hope your 2015 will flutter-by on gentle wings and bring you beautiful things.
Hugs, Sonja
PS If you have aging paper and no time to make it into cards, just send the paper and we’ll make cards for you. 😉

Merry, Merry Marla…

…or maybe we should call her “Marla Merry” or “Christmas Marla” or just “Marla Mykleby”, which is her real name.  The reason why I want to give Marla a “Merry” nick name is because she spent weeks making Christmas & Hanukkah cards and didn’t stop until she had a box of over 300 adorable cards for cancer patients to use for their holidays.  Marla makes and donates cards to Project Give Thanks often.  Thanks to her everyone who wanted to send a cute Halloween card had adorable free cards waiting for them in the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center’s chemo room.  But wait!  That’s not all.

Marla and one of her two pugs

Marla lives with two, sweet as pie, pugs and she supports the pug rescue center in Denver by making and selling toys, treats and cards.  If you have some Pug stamps to spare send them to me and Marla will turn them into cards/donations for pug rescue services.  Isn’t is wonderful that our love of paper art can help others in so many ways!!!

Marla selling cards and crafts for the pug rescue center

Marla’s Christmas package for Project Give Thanks

Alan helps me put an envelope with each card

After all of the envelopes are included there are almost 3 boxes of beautiful Christmas and Hanukkah cards for cancer patients to use.

Thanks Again Marla! Hugs, Sonja

You Just Wouldn’t Believe What Came Out of This Box!

PS  Terri Sandoval DID make every one of the hundreds of cards she sent to PGT and the patients who enjoy them so very much!…

 

Beauty, Creativity, Effort, Money, and LOVE came out of this box! Enjoy looking at some of it. There are only a few cards left because cancer patients have already selected beautiful cards to show their feelings and they’ve sent them off to their loved ones, nurses, doctors, neighbors and church members.

Terri Sandoval, did you make all of these cards?! I suspect that you did.  Please send me a “comment” answer.

I believe Terri Sandoval sent these cards, I know she made many of them because her name was on the back of them. Hey Terri, send me the names of anyone who helped you. I’d sure like to say “THANK YOU!” to all of you!

Ziplock baggies full of hugs comin’ your way everyone!

Please Send Cards!

Sonja

 

 

You Have Touched Many Lives. Thank You!

 

The story in this post will make you sad but, hopefully, also proud of how you are touching others through your art and generosity.

When healthcare providers tell me wonderful stories about how PGT cards help their patients no names are mentioned; privacy is king.  But, I do get to know people a little as I walk the boxes around and offer cards. Patients like to tell their cancer and treatment stories.  “A concern shared is a concern lessened” and I’m happy to pay back what I received.   Occasionally, I see the same people on subsequent visits and we continue to talk of the future.  The caregivers though, they know who isn’t in a chair. They know when one of their’s is not coming back.

My story is about a woman who let everyone, the staff, family and friends, know how much she adored the boxes of beautiful cards. She often said she was looking forward to seeing them on her next visit.  Mostly, as I’ve been told, she just wanted to look at the cards and show them to others.   Also, this story is about one of the caregivers who knows her well.

Recently, the caregiver quietly asked me if they could use a Project Give Thanks card to send to a patient who hasn’t been to the treatment center in a while. She said that the patient has been talking about and missing the cards.  Well, I said SURE and bounded on with “let’s make her a packet of cards, do you know what she likes?” The look on the caregiver’s face stopped me and I heard “I’m afraid she won’t use them.” The eyes I was looking into revealed “won’t use them” was a discreet way of saying something more serious.  A few deep breaths later…more slowly and sympathetically, I offered to help select the card or make something extra special but was given the feeling that selecting a card from the box was going to be a private ceremony of sorts.  I left it at that.  We exchanged a pair of resolute, upside-down smiles and heavy-hearted hugs before returning to our day.

 

Let’s all feel hopeful that our card was well received and long enjoyed.

Love, Sonja

Three years ago, this was my grandson Bodhi, helping me deliver PGT cards.

 

Take a Peek…

… at what Project Give Thanks delivered to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center a few hours ago.

Back when I worked in the plant world we called photos of gorgeous plants and gardens “plant porn” and it gave us a little chuckle. Can’t do that with cards “card porn” might get me arrested. This morning, I thought a bit about this as I sat, camera in hand, in the front seat of my car, fabric draped over the steering wheel, taking pictures of the card in my lap! Good grief! What were passers-by thinking?  🙂  Here are those hastily taken photos which do not give justice to these beautiful cards!

Cards up to this point were made by Cathy Douglas.

 

 

Now that you’ve looked at a lot of cards, I hope you feel the joy that our cancer fighting friends feel when they look in to a box of YOUR handmade, heart-made, cards!  Were you distracted from your concerns for just a little while?  Did you relax?  Open your imagination?  You probably saw a card that would be perfect for your special someone and maybe it helped you to remember why they are so special. That’s just some of the Project Give Thanks magic that all of YOU bring by making and donating these gorgeous, funny, serious, love filled cards.

Gratitude and Thanks are in the air and in the hugs I’m sending you now,

Sonja

PS  My apologies for not keeping up with your names and cards.  I work on PGT at odd moments and often not at home.  Sometimes we can only do what we can do and falling short of perfection should never stop us!

 

Big News: PGT “MAKE AND DONATE” IS MOVING TO MY HOUSE…

FIRST, THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING ON THE LAST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH 11:00 TO 1:00(ish): Chris, Jan, Kim, Judy, Jill, Cathy, Marla, Tera, Christy, Cindy and to all the generous stampers who mail their cards and card fronts into Project Give Thanks!  Read these blog posts to see how many people you have helped, calmed and entertained…. Grateful Hugs to All, Sonja

BIG NEWS:  PGT Make and Donate will now be held at my house: Sonja Knaisch (Nash), 7184 Glacier View Road, Gunbarrel, 80503  720-341-3829.  The last Sunday of each month 11:00 a.m. to 1:00(ish).  We have temporarily run out of cards to assemble so we are making them start to finish and it’s a blast of fun!  Join us.  We especially invite men who like to volunteer for a good cause.  No experience or supplies necessary however, having your own paper snips and glue speeds things up.

Here are photos from the first “PGT Make and Donate” event at The Scrapbook Shack to the most recent one but, several meeting weren’t photographed because we’re just too darn busy!

Jan

Kim

Sonja (me) from Gunbarrel, Judy from Longmont and Jill from Lafayette

What a production!

just one of our card styles made from Stampin’ Up!’s outrageously popular “Wetlands” stamp set

Here are the results of that first meeting. We had a lot of card fronts donated by stampers from all over the country. It’s faster to assemble card fronts into cards than to create from concept to envelop (end) but we happily do it all!

on another day…Kim from Westminster

Tera, Marla’s friend, all the way from TX (I think)

Marla from Gunbarrel

Cathy from Louisville

Judy from Longmont

These Bronco cards are the first Cindy has every made! They’re great!

Cristy made these cuties.

Judy’s creations. I wonder who she was thinking of 😉

Rock, Paper, Scissors, My Hugs Beat Them All,
Sonja